Praise God For His Works

Praise God For His Works

Psalm 111


We have already established that the phrase "Praise ye the LORD" is the Hebrew word Hallelujah.

This word appears 25 times in the KJV Bible with 23 of those times in the Psalms.

There is 1 instance in the Book of Judges and 1 instance in the Book of Jeremiah.

One of the biggest problems this world we live in has today is acknowledging the works of God.

This world adds to that sin, with it's objection to the doctrine of salvation by "Grace".

This lost world and all false religion will tell us that there must be some good works performed in order to be saved.

The pure fact is that all moral men and the chiefest of sinners are all saved the exact same way.

They are saved by God's Grace and that "Grace" comes by the Lord Jesus Christ!

Today our Psalm teaches us to praise God for His works.

The works of God began with creation by the design of God!

So, All the works of God from creation to salvation are worthy of our praise!

Grace is the single most important gift of God.

Work means to produce by an action.

When God speaks action takes place!

*****Psa 111:1 Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.

How are we to praise God? With our whole heart!

**1) Our praise of our God, Jehovah, the Triune God must come from the heart. Praise is to never be some outward show or our praise will be in vain.

Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Our praise must be carried on in an orderly manner.

1Co 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

Our praise must be about how God has worked in our lives and not about rituals.

Amo 5:21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.
Amo 5:22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.
Amo 5:23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.
Amo 5:24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

**2) Our praise must be the same no matter where we are located.

The upright are all those who are honest and moral and who have been justified by the Lord.

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

3) Our praise must be the same even in a congregation, whether it be family or just a crowd.

Psa 40:9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
Psa 40:10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

The actions of our own praise should instill others to praise!

Many will join us in our praise and many of those who do not will be convicted because they did not join in.

*****Psa 111:2 The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.

We have mentioned many times the providence of the Lord and how He is in control of the world everyday but we have allowed creation by the design of God to come under attack and not many offering any defence of it.

We must praise God for His works and His works include all creation.

Jer 32:17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
Jer 32:18 Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name,
Jer 32:19 Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:

When we love our Maker we will delight in His handiwork!

Even the little things that God does are great!

We can read in the Word of God about all the marvelous works that our Maker has done for us but how many of us take the time to just look around us and see the marvelous works that God has done that are in full view.

How many of us set aside time just to view the beauty of God's creation, the visible things.

And then how many of us take to the time to acknowledge the invisible things such as God's love and God's Grace and His loving-kindness.

The works of God are "Great" in size, "Great" in number, and "Great" in excellence!

God works are worthy of being sought out.

There is great pleasure in admiring that mountain range.

There is great pleasure in sitting at the lake fishing or enjoying it's pleasures.

There is great pleasure in viewing the mighty oceans and all the other wonders of God that we can see but we have to seek these things out because they are so numerous.

Even when we take in the night time sky we can only see a small portion of the heavens.

Not only are the works of God pleasurable but God's work is honorable and glorious.

*****Psa 111:3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

Honorable means grandeur which means when you see it you marvel at the greatness of what you are witnessing.

Such as being in the midst of an ocean and seeing nothing but the Sea.

Such as seeing a mighty mountain range.

Such as being in an airplane seeing the marvels of the skies while also seeing the checkerboard of the land.

Glorious means magnificence which means you are in awe of God's works.

The beautiful sunset or sunrise.

The snow covered mountains.

The night time sky.

That flowery meadow.

These are the things we can see but those things we cannot see are just as honorable and just as glorious, if not more so, because God can only do things that are right!

Righteousness is the nature of our Perfect and Holy God!

The most honorable and the most glorious work of Our Lord is His Salvation!

The "Grace" of God, by the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.

The "Regeneration of God, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier and our Comforter.

The "Eternal Home, the gift of Our Father in Heaven.

None of the other works of God can compare the the honor and glory of His "Salvation"!

God has a plan for every part of His creation and it is all honorable and it is all glorious but His plan of Salvation is just for those who believe Him!

Isa 51:5 My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.
Isa 51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

We can be sure that God has never accomplished one wrong thing!

We can be sure that God will never say "well if I done this a little different the outcome would have been better".

God has the perfect plan and His perfect plan will be remembered by all those that have rejected Him.

Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23 "And in hell he lift up his eyes", being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Luk 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
Luk 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

This rich man who's name did not make it into the Lamb's book of life was still remembering the wonderful works of God when he prayed that he would never see his family again. He did not want them to end up in Hell as he had. He is forever looking up to try to see the Heaven that he rejected in his life time.

Even Hell is a honorable and glorious place of torment, a perfect place for those that reject the Lord!

*****Psa 111:4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.

It is the statue that becomes a memorial of the dead.

It is the Lord's supper that is our memorial of the death and sufferings of Jesus Christ.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is our memorial because it is salvation that it is the memorial of all those that have gone on home before us.

Our greatest peace in this life comes when we know we and all our family and friends are saved.

As we study the Word of God we must know that the things God has done are not to be read and then forgotten but the Word of God is also a memorial for us to remember what God will do in the future.

The Bible is not a book of fables as some would have you to believe!

The Bible is written about actual people and actual places at specific in the providence of God.

2Pe 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
2Pe 1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

We will never be able remember everything God has written down for us in His Word but we can be sure God has not forgotten one word of what He has said!

God is so full of grace and compassion that it shows in all His works.

It shows in nature, all His design of the things that we can see.

It shows in spirit, by all His character, of love and goodness and greatness and especially His mercy and remember, we were all created to grow into this image.

It shows in His providence, as He guides this world into the completion of His perfect plan.

It shows in His salvation and redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ.

God's power is divine.

God's wisdom is divine.

God's faithfulness is divine.

God's goodness is divine.

Because God's character is divine!

*****Psa 111:5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.

God provides for the needs of those that trust Him in faith!

God not only provides for our being but He also provides for our well being!

Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

When we read about the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, we always remember the manna that came from Heaven.

We always remember the water that was provided, but we always seem to forget that in 40 years of travel many other things were needed.

Deu 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
Deu 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
Deu 8:4 "Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years".

God will never forget His people nor the needs of His people because God will never forget the covenant He has made.

Isa 59:21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

This covenant is with God's Messiah!

Joh 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
Joh 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

This is the covenant that God can never break, the covenant that God made with Himself!

Gen 17:2 And I will make "my covenant" between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

This covenant extends from Abraham and his seed to the Lord Jesus Christ and through each believer, the seed of the Messiah which will eventually include Israel.

This is God's covenant with Himself and God is ever mindful of His covenant!

And God has shown us all His power to keep His covenants by His own works!

*****Psa 111:6 He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.

The works of the Lord are never hidden from sight to those that seek to know the truth!

Those that are the lost of this world we live in, are blinded by their own eyes!

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

We may not be able to see Jehovah God at this time but we can certainly see the evidence of Him by His works!

There are only two basic types of miracles.

**1) There are the miracles of creation. The results of God's creation are in the laws of nature that surround our existence every day.

God created all matter that is visible to the eye, but also the energy, the order of, the information of, and the complexity of life, both biological and also spiritual.

**2) Then there are the miracles of the providence of God. This is God's absolute control of all the processes He has put in place by His creating power and the timing of the events in all our lives.

Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Israel had not only witnessed the miracles of God in Egypt and at the Red Sea but also in His provision for them in their 40 year journey to Canaan Land.

Israel had witnessed as God had given to them the land of Canaan by defeating armies that outnumbered them and taking the great walled cities of that time.

There are many today that question the fact that God ordered the destruction of the Canaanites but simply smile when Nebuchadnezzar, or Alexander, or the Ottoman empire or the Roman rulers are mentioned who brought great destruction to many more people than that of Israel.

God removed Israel from their homeland because of sin and scattered them throughout this world and a great miracle that can be seen today is the return of Israel to that homeland.

It is impossible that a nation could retain its identity without a homeland for more that 2000 years but Israel has done so.

It is also impossible that that same nation could return and establish that same homeland again but Israel has.

God will certainly give Israel the heritage of the heathen!

God's Word means exactly what it says and we are wrong to not take the Word of God as the truth as it is written.

And we must not forget the spiritual message in this passage.

God has also showed all people the power of His works by the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ".

We have witnessed the miracles of Christ, His resurrection from the dead, His redeeming power, His work of Grace, and the results of changed lives.

The power of God's works are brought forth by the Holy Spirit.

Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

And the Psalms are just as important to the Church as they are to Israel.

Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

It is the works of God that teach us truth but it is also the works of God that teach us judgment of God!

*****Psa 111:7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
Psa 111:8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.

The works of God are everything that God does on the behalf of all those that believe!

Deu 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

God will always be true to His promises, we can depend on that!

God will always be true in His judgment, we can also depend on that!

God began to fulfill His promise to Abraham by the gift of Canaan Land.

God began to fulfill His promise to those Israelites that were saved by expelling the Canaanites because of their unrepented wickedness.

Deu 9:4 Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: "but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee".
Deu 9:5 Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Our God does not ever change, it will be because of the wickedness of this world that God will drive out all those that reject Him!

We still have no righteousness in ourselves!

Our righteousness is only in the Lord Jesus Christ!

God has never commanded one thing today and another thing tomorrow, God's commands have always been consitent with His character!

Our problems come when we treat the Word of God as a book of suggestions and not as a book of commandments.

We need only look at the works of God throughout our history to see that this is true.

God means what He says and He also says what He means!

God's purpose, God's commands, God's actions, and God's Word will stand forever.

God will do with His works as He pleases!

The laws of God are all good and they are established by faith!

1Ti 1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

The Gospel of God is also an everlasting Gospel.

Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

It is the everlasting Gospel that will be the last thing that many people will ever hear before they enter into Hell.

God's Word is true even when many simply will not believe.

Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

God's commandments are sure!

Salvation is then eternal!

*****Psa 111:9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.

God's plan all along was to send redemption to His people!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

This was the same message that was given to the early church.

1Jn 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God

The New Testament Church must be centered on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Salvation, by the Lord Jesus Christ is unchangeable and is everlasting!

Isa 51:8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

This salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ has been God's plan since before creation and God will not alter His plan to suit the modern world!

Psa 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

To the dismay of Satan, who has caused confusion in so many, there is still only one way to reach our Father who is in Heaven.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

To not know the Lord Jesus Christ as the Messiah is to worship a false god!

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

There can be no wisdom without the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

The One that the world rejects, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the chief element of true wisdom!

The wisest thing a creature can do is acknowledge it's Creator!

Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Only those that are void of understanding cannot realize the truth of God's Word.

That would be children who have not reached the age of accountability and those that are mentally handicapped.

All others are fools and will remain fools that reject the only Savior to this world!

These are the works of God, open and visible for all the world to see.

The praise of God will never cease because those that acknowledge the truth of the Gospel will never cease to praise Him for what He has done!

Until the Lord returns we are to be witnesses of His goodness and not be judges of this world.

1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

It is the Lord who will judge this Earth!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

The Goodness Of God

Praise God For His Goodness

Psalm 107


We have seen the need to praise God for His glory, for His forgiveness, and for His patience along with many other reasons but there could be none of these things without the goodness of our God!

Goodness can best be described as loving-kindness.

Loving-kindness is the English translation of the Hebrew word "chesed".

This Hebrew word appears 249 times in the King James Bible.

This word can best be described as the faithfulness of God, despite our unfaithfulness, and is part of God's character of "mercy"!

This is the love that God has for us and this love remains constant regardless of any circumstance we may be going through!

No matter how extreme things get in our lives, God is able to deliver us through those things.

We all know that old saying "That if God takes you to it, then God will take you through it".

The theme for this Psalm can be found in the very last verse.

Psa 107:43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

Let's begin:

*****Psa 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

One of the three things that we have that we can give to the Lord is our thanksgivings. This is the least of all things that we can give Him and it cost us nothing but the time to say thanks for what God has done in our lives.

We offer up our moans and groans to the Lord continually and He does not mind this, but to say thanks is to worship Him!

What is the greatest character of our God? The greatest character of our God is that He is good!

If our God was not good, He would not teach sinners the way to get close to Him.

Psa 25:8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

God wants us to conform to His own image because we were created in the image of God.

God gave us our example of "goodness" when He gave us His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Just as our God is from everlasting to everlasting, so is God's mercy from everlasting to everlasting!

God will always be good!

It is on ly because God is "good" that we can be redeemed!

*****Psa 107:2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
Psa 107:3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

If God has redeemed you from the penalty of death, then you need no other reason to praise the Lord for His goodness.

We should say so in our prayers but this verse says we should declare God's goodness publicly.

In fact we should tell everyone we see just how good God has been!

Redeemed still means to be purchased!

The redeem are all those that have been purchased out of the marketplace of sin, the slave market of Satan!

There was only one payment that was suitable for this purchase.

1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

If you have been redeemed, then you need to praise God for His goodness!

Salvation is not in a feeling, but if you feel you have been redeemed then you need to say so!

Who is our enemy?

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

When we lose track of who our real enemy is, we will then become enemies ourselves to this world we live in.

We are not the enemy, we are the redeemed who are to tell the world just how good our Redeemer is!

Gathering will always follow redeeming.

No matter what divides us in this world, or what location we live on this earth, The Lord will gather us all into one "Body of Christ".

There is only One Lord, one faith, and one baptism by the Holy Spirit, and therefore only one "people" of God!

So as we gather in our local assemblies, let the redeemed of the Lord say so.

God has placed us in such varied locations, and from such varied backgrounds that there is always some lost soul that we can relate to.

1Co 6:11 "And such were some of you": but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

*****Psa 107:4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
Psa 107:5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
Psa 107:6 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

Lost, hungry, thirsty and exhausted can be used to describe all those lost in sin, we know that, because most all of us were once that same way.

Once we realized our own condition, we cried out to the Lord and to be redeemed is to be delivered.

Delivered means released from the bondage of Satan but it also means rescued and made free.

Delivered means we know we have no home in this place, our home is in Heaven and Jesus has gone there to prepare us a place. Our home is with our Lord!

What is the right way while we are still in this place?

There are many wrong ways but there is only one right way!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

The Lord will never lead us from one wilderness to another, He will only lead us to the city of God!

Psa 46:4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
Psa 46:5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

How can we not praise God for His goodness?

*****Psa 107:8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Over and over again we are reminded that we need to praise God for His goodness because we have been redeemed.

We also need to praise God for His providence.

God created a perfect world.

Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

God made a way for salvation.

Psa 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

God's plan of salvation will succeed.

Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

God has nothing but good things in His plan for us.

Gen 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

And we have been redeemed so that we may also do good to the children of men!

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

It is the goodness of God that brings with it, our satisfaction.

*****Psa 107:9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

There is deep satisfaction in having received the goodness of God.

A longing soul, is a searching soul.

I do not know about you but when I was lost I just could not be satisfied, I was craving something that I was not aware that I was missing.

I did not understand why, until I found the Lord Jesus Christ.

God did not just fill my soul with common things but He is continuing to fill my soul with His goodness.

Those who do not know Him or reject Him cannot know these things.

*****Psa 107:10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
Psa 107:11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
Psa 107:12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
Most of us look upon those in prison as deserving the circumstances they have caused themselves to be in.

BUT, We have a Savior who loves us no matter how far we have fallen from His grace!

God wants to reach out to those in darkness.

God wants to reach out to those that sit in the shadow of death.

God wants to reach out to those that are bound in the afflictions of this world.

God wants to reach out to all those that are bound by the iron chains of Satan.

God even wants to reach out to all those that rebel against the Word of God and withstand the Holy Spirit.

God has given this job to us, we are to reach out to the lost!

Until someone reaches them with the Gospel, God will keep them busy.

God will humble them under His mighty hand.

God will crush their haughty spirit.

God will crush their pride.

God will bring them to the point of submission!

God will do all these things because of His love and because of His goodness because God wants them to cry out to Him for salvation.

God is always ready to save!

*****Psa 107:13 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. Psa 107:14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.

As long as the lost feel that the answers will come from this world they will not yield to the Holy Ghost. We that are saved know this very well.

It is so sad that God practically has to force a confession out of us!

Humans will simply wallow in misery for some reason but as soon as that point is reached and we cry out to the Lord, He will save us.

God will immediately send relief from our distresses.

God will never again allow us to be locked in Satan's prison.

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

How can we not praise God for His goodness?

*****Psa 107:15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

Once we understand the good-news of Jesus, that He died so that we can be redeemed, how can we not praise God of goodness?

How can we not brag on our God?

The Lord can break the strongest chains that kept us bound to Satan.

Jesus said:

Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, "ye shall be free indeed".

Sin makes bondage.

Truth brings freedom.

Freedom comes by Jesus Christ!

Those that reject this truth are fools!

*****Psa 107:17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
Psa 107:18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
Psa 107:19 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.

Many of our sicknesses today are brought about by foolish acts. The disease of aids and other sexual transmitted diseases may top the list but we could also include drunkenness, smoking, gluttony, diabetes, and much of our heart problems just to name a few.

Many of our lusts and passions are our own downfall!

There are way to many of us who have caused ourselves these things and then foolishly continue doing the same old things.

Fools usually bring trouble upon themselves!

It is a fact that most people will lose their appetite when they are sick and many are so nauseous that they cannot even hold the food they try to eat.

Many of them die but many more of them come close to death before they cry out to the Lord.

Those that think that the Lord is not the Healer are also fools!

The Lord not only saves us out of our troubles, He can save us out of all distresses.

How does He do this?

Prayer is as important when we are sick as when we are healthy, God always has His ear turned toward His children.

*****Psa 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
Psa 107:21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

It is also a fact that only our Savior can also break addictions, erase bad memories, and restore broken relationships!

Medicine can be used in the healing process but man is not healed by medicine alone.

Just as God spoke our world into existence, when God speaks the Word, we can also be healed.

We have proof of this in the scriptures:

Mat 8:5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
Mat 8:6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
Mat 8:7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
Mat 8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
Mat 8:9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
Mat 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Mat 8:11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

We are foolish to forget the power of the Word of God!

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

We are foolish to forget the fulfillment of God's Word!

Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

God will do these things because of His goodness!

Many a person have prayed to be healed of God, making all sort of promises, and after that healing soon forget the promises they made.

It always seems that when ten are healed seldom will more than one return to praise the Lord.

Luk 17:12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
Luk 17:13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
Luk 17:14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
Luk 17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
Luk 17:16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
Luk 17:17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

We are so foolish when we do not show our Great Physician the gratitude that He deserves.

The one thing we can surely offer is our thanks as He requires little else!

If we would do more, then we should tell all others just how good our Savior really is!

*****Psa 107:23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
Psa 107:24 These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
Psa 107:25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

Since the time of Adam's sin, mankind has had to work by the sweat of his brow to earn a living.

To be a mariner was a hazardous job because the sea held so many mysteries as it still does.

In that day, sailors were said to be "going down to the sea" but in our day sailors sa they "sailing the high seas". This is because of the difference in safety in our day.

We can be sure that if there had not been great profit for those that ventured out on the oceans there would have been no seagoing vessels in that day.

No where in the scriptures do we read of men taking great pleasure on the seas.

Mariners were admired in the days of the kings of Israel.

It was these mariners sailing the great oceans that could view vastness of God's creation.

In the middle of the open sea there are no distractions from the land. The skies could be observed in all their majesty.

The vastness of the oceans themselves were a wonder and we can just imagine the first sight of the great whales and the sea creatures.

There would be storms that would come up all of a sudden and then there would be great calms when not even a wisp of air stirred the sails.

And there would be the great waves.

*****Psa 107:26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.
Psa 107:28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

At one moment the small ships of that day would be climbing a wave and see nothing but the open skies and the next moment traveling down a wave and appear to be sailing straight into the deep.

The sailor would be tossed to and fro and stagger like a drunk man.

To the first time sailor they would be at their wit's end, to the experienced sailor they knew there was no escape from the raging seas.

Many a sailor of that day knew they were at the mercy of the sea and did not possess the skills to overcome their peril.

They were all very glad to reach their destination.

But are we not all like a ship in the midst of the great waters of life?

Is not the weather fouler to some than others?

Is it not God who makes the arrangements for all human affairs?

Are not many souls shipwrecked everyday?

But there is an answer to these turmoils of life!

Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

The mistake we make most of the time is that we wait until we reach our wit's end before we call upon the Lord.

Prayer is good when we are sick.

Prayer is good when we are bound by afflictions.

Prayer is good when we have gone against the Word of God.

Prayer is good when we are on the sea of affliction.

And God can even hear us in any storm!

Why do we not trust the goodness of God and just stay in constant contact with our Savior?

Oh, we are truly a foolish people.

*****Psa 107:29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

When we are at our weakest is the exact same time that we can be at our strongest.

2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

There are the trials of life that we must endure but there is also the grace of God that will also endure and God's grace cannot ever fail.

God loves to come to our rescue!

When God sees our weakness He sees an opportunity to show us His goodness and His great power.

When we feel most secure, Satan sees an opportunity that we may trust in our own power.

God's way is not to remove our trials but to give His strength during that trial.

We have no testimony until we have been tested!

We can appreciate this verse if we have ever been through a trial in this life that has overwhelmed our ability to cope with it.

We can be glad when that storm in our life has passed on by.

We will one day reach our Heavenly haven and all our trials will all be over!

How can we not praise God for His goodness?

*****Psa 107:31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Praising the Lord cannot be just reserved for our private prayers, we must praise him for His goodness when we gather in worship of Him.

When we have found peace by the comforts of God then it is a great privilege to brag on our Lord for what He has done.

Psa 66:16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

It is Jehovah God who is in control of this earth and all the things in all His creation.

*****Psa 107:33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;
Psa 107:34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
Psa 107:35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.

Because of the providence of God there have been many a city that no longer exist or are ghost towns.

There are even nations that have ceased to exist.

There are more than 400 ghost towns in America alone.

There are ghost cities where the gold ran out, or the water ran out, or by landslides or earthquakes.

As God deals with rebellion, He will sometimes take away the things that bring the greatest assurance.

It is our God that controls the productiveness of this earth.

God will make fruitful places barren and make barren places fruitful.

When God judges, He will take away things that are important to us.

When God is merciful, He will make even the barren place to produce what is needed.

We need to look no further than Israel to see that a barren land has now blossomed like a rose.

*****Psa 107:36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
Psa 107:37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.

We also know that America, was once a great waste land, and was established by people seeking to proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ and now those that are hungry and oppressed seek to make America their home.

God has a reason and a purpose behind everything that He does.

Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

The main intent of the Lord is putting the right people, in the right place, that they will have the opportunity to seek Him and be saved!

This world we live in may have made great strides in education, and the arts and sciences, and even transportation but none of these things have changed the fact that there is still only One Savior and only One Redeemer.

Christianity since the time of Jesus Christ has only one purpose and only one message!

1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

This the greatest blessing we can receive in our lifetime.

*****Psa 107:38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

It is only by God's blessings and God's goodness that mankind can be truly happy.

God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and they did.

This command has not changed.

Those that believe this earth we live on cannot feed the people that God allows to be on it at any given age do not have enough faith to be saved.

When things get unbearable in one place God may be saying move on to a more suitable place.

*****Psa 107:39 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.

As we have seen, Israel's ups and downs were a direct consequence of her sin and repentance of that sin.

Why are we to think differently in our own lives and our own nations?

Those that seek the Lord are blessed.

Those that reject the Lord are eventually brought low!

As we see the number of Christians diminish in number we must know that we are in the latter days of the Church Age.

2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

If we open our eyes, we can see all these things but we can also see the goodness of the Lord with those same eyes.

*****Psa 107:40 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
Psa 107:41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

In most all cases it is the rulers in place or the laws and regulations in place that causes the starvation of people.

It is our God that allows certain ones to be in power in the governments of this earth.

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

All those that would see their nation prosper would seek the hand of God!

All those that make themselves out to be something that they are not will be put down.

God has no respect for Kings and Rulers.

If they cause God's people to suffer they in turn will also suffer.

On the other hand all those that know they are spiritually poor will be raised unto comfort and happiness.

They will be added to the family of God!

No amount of suffering in this world can compare to the peace of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior!

*****Psa 107:42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

If we would just allow the Word of God to rule in our lives we would see the hand of God in every action of this world.

God does not cause evil to happen, that's what Satan does, but Satan has been allowed to do his thing at least for the time being.

If we could see the evil that goes on around us, we would see a very frustrated Satan who has never been able to completely have his way and he never will.

Satan is as much a pawn in God's plan of salvation as are all of God's created beings.

God gives us choice!

The power of choosing is something we all have and when we choose righteousness we will stray from iniquity.

Choice is taking great care in what we select.

Choice is skill in selecting what is preferred.

Choice is preferring life over death.

Misery follows bad choices and iniquity, rejecting the Word of God will cause our downfall.

Those that are wise will see the hand of God in everything in this world and know Who to choose.

*****Psa 107:43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

Being wise means, when we can see the hand of God working from the first day of creation and all the days of our lives.

What did Jesus say?

Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

That rock is the Lord Jesus Christ!

If we cannot see goodness in everything that God does, then we need to take a hard look at our own lives because God does not do evil things.

Questions?

Let's Pray!

The Longsuffering Of God

Praise God For His Patience

Psalm 106

The word "patience" means suffering through some afflictions while some period of time passes by without murmuring or complaining.

Not many of us have enough patience but God expects us to be patient because our God is so patient with us.

Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our God is very patient with this world He created because He is longsuffering in waiting on that last soul to be saved.

Our God is very patient because He is very sensitive to all those evil the things that are happening to those that have accepted Him for His truth but He withholds His vengeance until the appointed time.

Our God is patient because the lack of patience is our weakness but God's patience shows us that we serve a God of all power, even power enough to not go against His own passive nature until it is time to do so.

Our God is patient because the plan of salvation is His plan, and He will see it through until His harvest has reached maturity.

God has placed the Church in this Age for one purpose and God is patiently waiting for the Church to complete it's work.

Mat 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

We must remember the patience God has for each sinner is the only hope they have for salvation!

I'm glad my God was patient in waiting on me and it is now my job to help others come to know Him before His patience runs out!

So let's begin;

*****Psa 106:1 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psa 106:2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise?
Psa 106:3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.
Psa 106:4 Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;
Psa 106:5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

This Psalm is also not titled but this is probably also another psalm of David.

The word "hallelujah" is spelled almost the same in every language and it means only one thing.

"Praise ye Jehovah"

This psalm highlights the confession of the sins of Israel and in doing so, teaches us the great patience our Lord has for the sinner.

At the end of God's patience lies only one thing:

Psa 104:35 "Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more". Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

We must praise God for our own salvation.

We must praise God for His patience in dealing with all sinners.

We must praise God for the end result, when there will be no more sin.

It should be the goal of us all to glory in the inheritance of God.

But true Christianity means we must do our very best to keep the commandments of the Lord.

And true prayer means we must identify with our Savior!

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Happiness can only come by being obedient to the Lord!

Happiness can only come when we have been visited with the salvation of God!

There is no salvation apart from the Lord and He must visit us with it or we will never obtain it!

*****Psa 106:6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.

Psa 106:7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.

There is only one way to get our prayers answered and that begins when we can confess our sins.

Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, "the Lord will not hear me":

God can only visit with His salvation after we have confessed the need of His Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!

The downfall of many sinners begins when they follow in the ways of their sinful parents.

There are the sins of "omission" we commit when we do not walk in the way God has directed.

There are also the sins of "commission" we commit when we know what God has said to not do but we go ahead and do them anyway.

The sin of rebelling against the Word of God must be confessed after we have first asked for mercy.

The Jews at the time of Moses had never understood the great miracles that they had witnessed and had therefore not been able to convince their own children of Jehovah God and His mercy and of His Glory.

But are we so different today?

If we would list all the miracles that are written for us in the Word of God, we would be astounded at what all God has shown to humans through out all our days.

The miracles of God cover every aspect of life.

If we acknowledge the miracles of the Bible, we can begin to see many of these same miracles that God has done in our own behalf, beginning with the miracle of childbirth.

God still performs great miracles everyday and we miss most of them, and those that we see, we do not thank Him enough for.

What is the truth of the salvation of God?

*****Psa 106:8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

When we do not acknowledge what God has already done for us, He certainly has no reason to continue to do things for us.

When God can find no reason for His mercy, there is always a reason for His glory to shine!

Israel did not deserve to be saved but Pharaoh's pride certainly deserved to be crushed because he was making himself out to be some god.

Today we are no different, we certainly do not deserve to see the "mercy" of God but Satan still deserves to be punished for rejecting the Almighty God.

God will have His mercy but God will also show forth the Glory of His power when He so desires for His Own Names Sake!

*****Psa 106:9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.

Psa 106:10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
Psa 106:11 And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.
Psa 106:12 Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

There are many theories about what happened at the Red Sea as Israel escaped an evil Pharaoh but the bottom line is that the Red Sea heard the voice of God and obeyed!

God will not allow any obstacle to hinder the salvation of His people. God is bound only by His Own Word to keep His covenants!

God promised Israel a future land, the covenant with Abraham.

God promised Israel the Kingdom rule of the Messiah, the covenant with David.

God promised Israel spiritual blessings, the New Covenant as written in the Book of Jeremiah.

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

God will always save Israel from those that hate them and God will always redeem Israel from the hand of their enemy until these covenants are fulfilled.

God is God and He must hold true to all His character!

When God pledged this truth beginning with Abraham, then He also pledged the fulfilling of His covenants to the Church.

If God breaks one covenant then He could break them all, if God keeps one covenant then He must keep them all!

What did Jesus say?

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Those who do not believe the truth of God are by God's own words, the followers of Satan.

Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

What happened to the enemies of Israel at the Red Sea?

The waters covered them in death and not even one of them was left to tell about it.

It took the death of Pharaoh and his army before these children of Israel believed the Word of God.

They had already witnessed the plagues of Egypt.

They had already witnessed the first Passover.

They had walked across the Red Sea on dry ground, but it took the death of Pharaoh before they would believe.

That little bit of faith had saved them but doubt would soon rule in their lives!

Those that cannot believe the "truth" of God's Word until they see some miracle are not believers at all!

This is not what "Faith" is is all about!

They sang His praise but only because they had escaped death themselves.

Their praise came up short when it ended in complaints!

*****Psa 106:13 They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

Psa 106:14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.
Psa 106:15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.
Psa 106:16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD.

We can see that the lust to fulfill their own desires did not allow much time to praise the Lord God Almighty who had performed such miracles before their eyes and brought them to safety.

God had commanded these miracles by His Word just as God had spoke all His creation into existence but these people could not take the time to listen to what Moses had to say, whose councilor was God.

In the wilderness, this new nation of Israel was so intent on getting material things such as food and water they became blind to what God wanted for them.

God had provided all their needs up to this point, why would they think God would stop doing so day by day.

How often do we see this same thing. A lost soul attempts to receive the free gift of salvation and then refuses to see what the Word of God says about walking a Christian life.

Most all the world we live in today are more concerned about personal satisfaction in the things of this world, than spiritual satisfaction that can last throughout eternity!

What is the worst prayer that will sometimes be answered?

It is when we complain enough to God that He gives us what we want, even though He knows it is not good for us to have!

When we do not get what we want, it is because God knows what is best for us!

Instead of happily receiving the "Manna" from Heaven, Israel received the meat of birds which they soon despised.

Num 11:19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;

Num 11:20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?

It was their own lust for the things of this world that brought on another plague that killed many of them!

Num 11:33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.

These people were not satisfied with the bread that God gave them which indeed nourished them for 40 years and they could not be satisfied when they could eat all they wanted of the things they most desired.

This will always bring the wrath of God!

We can see this lesson spiritually if we remember what God says in His Word.

Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

When our prayers focus on physical desires rather than spiritual desires, they will go unanswered and we will begin to doubt God and we will waste away physically and spiritually even being of no use to God.

What happened to these Jews will happen to us all.

Notice they even became envious of those God had chosen to lead them and they began to rebel against Moses and Aaron.

These things will always lead to death!

*****Psa 106:17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.

Psa 106:18 And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.
Psa 106:19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.
Psa 106:20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.
Psa 106:21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;
Psa 106:22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.

If there is a place where we can see the end of God's patience in the Bible, then this is the place.

God had opened wide the Red Sea to deliver His people and God now opened wide the earth and those that rebelled the most went alive, straight to eternal death into the pit that is called Hell.

Not only that, the Levites that stood with Korah perished by fire because they had offered strange fire in the Tabernacle.

When the Tabernacle was first built, the fire in the altar was used to consume the burnt offerings and the incense. The fire was to be kept burning. They were not to ever put that fire out nor allow that fire to go out on it's own.

To put the fire out was disobedience, to allow the fire to go out was laziness in serving God.

This showed that there was never a time that they would not need to be forgiven of their sin.

This fire was to be started by friction. If a fire was started by any other means such as bringing fire from the outside it was considered "strange fire" and therefore unholy.

Lev 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

Lev 10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

The altar of the Tabernacle was the one and only place that sacrifices were to be offered and is in fact a "type of Jesus Christ and the Cross.

God had said that if anyone offers a sacrifice and not bring it to the altar of the Tabernacle then the blood of that person would be cut off from among his people.

You see the lesson we must see is that any substitute of the Cross, God's Altar, other than Jesus Christ will surely bring eternal death!

There can be no other means of salvation!

Not only that, but in the very place where they had solemnly pledged themselves to obey the Lord they broke the first commandment of God.

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

While insisting that they would worship the one and only true God they danced and played before some hand-made symbol of a god of Egypt.

They had forgotten their Savior!

And for those that doubt the truth of the flood, God makes sure that we know that Egypt was settled by Ham, the son of Noah.

Egypt is also the Mizraim of the Bible.

The patience of God was wearing thin again with all these things.

*****Psa 106:23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

God had already brought leanness to their souls for their lust of physical things.

God had weeded out the those that rebelled against His chosen prophet Moses and His first High Priest Aaron.

God had removed those that had brought "strange fire" onto the Altar, a type of Calvary's Cross.

God had decided unless someone would stand in the gap for them, He would destroy them.

Moses was born in a time when Pharaoh had ordered the death of all the Hebrew male babies.

Jesus was born in the time when Herod murdered all the male babies of Bethlehem up to the age of 2 years.

Moses at 40 years old, sacrificed his adopted royalty.

And Christ, being in the form of God left Heaven and became the humble servant of God.

For 40 years Moses dwelt as a lowly shepherd in the land of Midian.

For 33 years the Lord Jesus was a lowly shepherd teaching His flock how to begin the Church.

Moses delivered the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt.

The Lord Jesus delivers all faithful believers in this entire world.

Moses became a great mediator between God and Israel and turned away God's wrath.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Mediator of the Church.

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

But there will always be those that just refuse to believe!

*****Psa 106:24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:

Psa 106:25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.

These murmuring and complaining Israelites decided that the Promised Land just was not worth the trouble to get there!

It is a bad sign for any Christian to lose his focus on Heaven!

When the things of this world begin to look better than God's promises then we are perverting the Word of God.

Perverting means we are turning from right to wrong.

These verses give us a great example of what happens when we begin to despise the Word of God.

If we ever settle in our hearts, that Heaven is not what God days it is, then we are also despising the Word of God.

When we reject what God has to say, God will remove His hand of blessing.

*****Psa 106:26 Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:

Psa 106:27 To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.

God did not allow those that of that generation, from 20 years old and upward to enter into Canaan Land, the Promised Land of God to the Jews. Their carcasses fell in the wilderness.

Only Caleb and Joshua and those under 20 years old were allowed into the Promised Land but as God has promised even the seed of all those that rejected the Word of God have been scattered throughout history throughout all the lands of this Earth.

Only since May 14, 1948 have the Jews been allowed to regather in the land promised to them of God.

This maybe the greatest noticeable sign in our own history that we are in the end-times or the latter days as written in the Bible.

Those that rejected the truth of the Promised Land died in the wilderness. The seed of those that died because they never changed their ways were allowed to cross Jordan but they never got the opportunity to make the Promised Land their permanent home.

There are still more Jews scattered throughout this world than there are those who have returned to their homeland!

Why?

*****Psa 106:28 They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.

Psa 106:29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.

As we witness for the Lord, many of those who are lost and just cannot fathom salvation, may be convinced of their own sin. They may go through one trial just to begin another.

We may threaten them with Hell and even though we point them to Jesus, they continue to travel the same path to destruction.

Baalpeor was an idol of the Moabites.

The name Baal signifies lord or master and was a common name for idols of many nations.

Peor was a high place of worship of the Moabites.

God says: Hos 9:10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.

You see if we choose a false way of worship, we have chosen a false god!

It does not matter if we say we Love the Lord, if we cannot worship Him the way He has said, we are worshipping a false god.

This is still the problem with the Jew as they reject the Holy Trinity.

This still the problem with the Muslim as they reject the Holy Trinity.

This is still the problem with all false religion because they reject the worship of the Holy Trinity.

The Moab women gave themselves as sex objects to their false god and the men of Israel were enticed into this false worship.

Num 25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

Sacrifices were made to lifeless statues of gold covered wood or stone or the precious metals themselves and Israel would then eat of that sacrifice.

Num 25:2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

Those who will not commit themselves to the true Living God will always look to this world to provide them a false god more suitable to their taste.

Those that reject the Word of God, will always seek some perverted version that meets their own requirements!

Num 25:3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.

If you call yourself a child of God and then not worship Him as He decides, God will become angry.

When mankind invents new sins, God will also invent new punishments!

*****Psa 106:30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.

Psa 106:31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.

All during our study of the Old Testament we see that God had His champions who always stood up in the worst of times ready to battle for the truth of God.

Today in the Church Age God has given us all something to do. We are all to be witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Just like Phinehas, we are in a war with evil and God says we must take our stand on His Word of Truth!

Phinehas took a stand when those of false worship tried to bring false worship into the house of God.

Num 25:6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Num 25:7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;
Num 25:8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

In that day it took drastic actions to not allow false worship inside the Church but we have become very lax in this today.

But God does not change and He still commands us to take a stand on the truth.

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

What was Phinehas's reward? It was counted unto him for righteousness throughout eternity!

But Israel continued in their sinful ways.

*****Psa 106:32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:

Psa 106:33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

The scene changes, God continues to provide, but sin also continues.

God still held on to His patience but Moses had run out of patience.

Moses was only a man and not God!

It was the sin of Israel that had angered Moses but Moses still had to bear the consequences of His own actions.

Num 20:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

It does not matter how much this world provokes us, there is never an excuse to go against the Word of God!

God will still hold us accountable if we lose our temper and do things we know we should not do!

Patience is a quality that we as men truly have a hard time with.

Moses was the great law-giver and he was held to a higher standard than others if he broke God's law.

As Christians we are also held to a higher standard than those that are lost!

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Even though the true believer cannot lose their salvation, we will all be held accountable for any action that goes against the Word of God especially those actions that are before the lost.

We cannot speak unadvisedly with our lips!

We are all to obey the Word of God without question, even when we do not understand why!

*****Psa 106:34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:

Psa 106:35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.

We absolutely cannot make peace with evil. This holds true in Christianity and it should also hold true in this world we live in now!

The sin of those that dwelt in Canaan Land had become a menace to all mankind and it was God that decided their time on this earth should cease.

There is no dialog of peace that Satan has any interest in.

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

But, God has not directed the Church to seek to destroy any people.

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

God did direct the children of Israel to do so!

Why?

When evil is allowed to live side by side with good, the good will be overwhelmed by the evil!

The morals of God's people were compromised when they became mingled among those that were heathen.

1Co 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

We are to love our enemies and tell them about Jesus, but we are never to do the things that they do!

What did this cause?

*****Psa 106:36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.

Psa 106:37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,
Psa 106:38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
Psa 106:39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

The world of today still serves it's idols just as those that rejected God in the days of Israel conquest of Canaan Land.

Every commandment God gives us has a specific purpose behind it!

When Israel failed it caused her children to fail!

When we become fascinated by the charms of idolatry our families will always suffer!

When we compromise with the world we are putting the things of this world ahead of the Word of God and that is idolatry and we will serve those things!

These Jews did actually sacrifice there own children to those false gods.

Today as believers compromise with the teachings of the world, our children get caught up in evolutionary teaching and we will have done the same as these Jews and sacrificed our sons and our daughters to devils.

We cannot be servants of sin without trapping ourselves and our families in sin!

We will be just as guilty as these Jews in murdering our own children and no different than those who abort their own children!

The Church is the "Bride of Christ" but when we serve Satan, we are no more than a whore who will cheat on her husband!

When we serve Satan we will always invent some new god or some new thing to worship.

Satan is dead set on destroying the family and when we serve him, we are are helping him destroy our own families!

Certainly God does not like such things.

*****Psa 106:40 Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.

Psa 106:41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.
Psa 106:42 Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.

God allowed trouble to come to His people but this was done in order for Him to return to help them and reopen their eyes to the truth.

Our troubles are helpful when they humble us back to our knees and sometimes in takes a lot of trouble to humble us.

Our troubles show us who is in charge of this world and drive us back to God. Sometimes God will even have to put us on our backs so the only place to look is up toward Him!

Our troubles will revitalize our prayer life if we allow it.

Our troubles will increase our faith.

Our troubles will make us more dependant on the true God.

Our troubles will point out that the same thing is happening to others and prepare us to help them through their troubles.

But we are still a hardheaded and rebellious people just as these Jews.

*****Psa 106:43 Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.

The Apostle Paul said the Old Testament was our school master to lead us to Jesus.

If we do not learn anything else we can learn of the patience of God in dealing with those that say they believe.

We cannot allow our own self will to be our counselor!

What did Paul find out as He preached the "Gospel" to the early church?

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

What do we see today in our world? We see a people that are brought low because of their own iniquity!

How patient is our God?

*****Psa 106:44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:

Psa 106:45 And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.

If God's faithfulness to us was limited to our faithfulness to Him we would all perish in that "Burning Lake of Fire!

But God faithfulness is only linked to the faithfulness of His Son, The Lord Jesus Christ and therefore God will always answer when we call.

Our Father in Heaven has a father's heart and will always respond to His children and will always look upon us with compassion and mercy!

God's wrath for our mistakes cannot extend past His love for us because of His Son Christ Jesus!

*****Psa 106:46 He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.

Even as the Jews were carried off to be dispersed throughout this entire world, in most every case, God would see that their enemy had compassion upon them.

Though we are yet sinners God will have compassion upon all His children!

God will appoint someone to help us out of troubles!

*****Psa 106:47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.

Psa 106:48 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.

God will answer this prayer of David because He has made a promised covenant to do so!

Eze 39:26 After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.

Eze 39:27 When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;
Eze 39:28 Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.
Eze 39:29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

This prophesy began it's fulfillment on May 14, 1948 but will not be fulfilled until The Lord Jesus Christ sits on the throne of David at the end of the 7 year tribulation period.

Our God is very patient with the plans that He has made for Israel.

Our God is very patient with the plans He has made for the Church.

Blessed be the Almighty God, Jehovah!

And let all people say, Amen!

Questions?

Let's Pray!