Body

HOW GOOD IS THE GOD WE ADORE

29 How Good Is The God We Adore - Verses 1 & 3

PRAISE GOD

In this lesson we want to praise God. His goodness surrounds us. His love binds his children together. He is always there for us. We, as mere humans, have no concept of God's total power; yet we experience His power in everything we do.

Psalms 66:1-8 says,

Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!

Sing out the honor of His name;

Make His praise glorious.

Say to God, "How awesome are Your works!

Through the greatness of Your power

Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.

All the earth shall worship You

And sing praises to You;

They shall sing praises to Your name."

Come and see the works of God;

He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.

He turned the sea into dry land;

They went through the river on foot.

There we will rejoice in Him.

He rules by His power forever;

His eyes observe the nations;

Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves.

Oh, bless our God, you peoples!

And make the voice of His praise to be heard,

3 Lift Up Your Voices In Praise - Verses 1, 2, & 3
9 Our God, He Is Alive - Verses 1 & 3
23 Great Is Thy Faithfulness - Verses 1, 2, & 3

PRAYER OF PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

GOD'S MERCY

The scripture given for the first song we sang is verse 5 of Psalms 86, a very powerful Psalm in praise of God's mercy. Listen to Psalms 86, verses 1-13.

Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me;

For I am poor and needy.

Preserve my life,

for I am holy;

You are my God;

Save Your servant who trusts in You!

Be merciful to me, O Lord,

For I cry to You all day long.

Rejoice the soul of Your servant,

For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,

And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;

And attend to the voice of my supplications.

In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,

For You will answer me.

Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;

Nor are there any works like Your works.

All nations whom You have made

Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,

And shall glorify Your name.

For You are great, and do wondrous things;

You alone are God.

Teach me Your way, O Lord;

I will walk in Your truth;

Unite my heart to fear Your name.

I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,

And I will glorify Your name forevermore.

For great is Your mercy toward me,

And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

We need God's mercy. Jesus' parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector illustrates the principle. The reading is from Luke 18:11-14.

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, `God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. `I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, `God, be merciful to me a sinner!' "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

I will choose the mercy of God. I cannot stand against his power.

63 I Need Thee Every Hour - Verses 1 & 3
43 God Is The Fountain Whence - Verses 1, 2, & 3
117 Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah - Verses 1, 2, & 3

GOD'S POWER

In Jeremiah Chapter 32, we find Jeremiah instructed by God do buy a field. Consider Jeremiah's dilemma. He is in prison in the house of the King of Judah because he prophesied of the Chaldean take over of Judah. The king of Judah obviously didn't like the prophecy. The siege is upon the city with the end is near just as God had had Jeremiah prophecy about it. And now, God tells him to buy a field. Now Jeremiah is not just a little perplexed about the whole situation. His prayer after buying the field begins as follows. Jeremiah 32:17-19

`Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. 'You show loving kindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them -- the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts. `You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.

Jeremiah, just as we many times, might not have understood what was happening. But, Jeremiah knew God's power. God's power is displayed in what we can see, feel and experience. The universe, the wonderful things we can do as humans, the harmony of nature are all there for us to witness God's greatness and power. Reading from Romans 1:18-20

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

33 Mighty Is The Lord - Verses 1, 2, & 3
1 Holy, Holy, Holy - Verses 1, 3, & 4

PRAYER RECOGNIZING GOD'S POWER

GOD'S LOVE

There is nothing as great or as powerful as God's love. How many times have we read or quoted the words of Paul found at the end of Romans chapter 8, verses 35-39

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:

"For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

412 God Is Love - Verses 1, 2, & 3
551 The Love Of God - Verses 1 & 3
382 In Heavenly Love Abiding - Verses 1 & 3

GOD'S SALVATION

It is in God's love that we see the greatest effect of his power. Don't raise your hands, but -- Was anyone here ever burdened with sin? Was there the weight of guilt? Was life useless? Was the only hope the next paycheck, if even that could be expected? If things in this life didn't go right, was there anything better? Paul says reading from Romans 6 and II Corinthians 4

But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward [man] is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Now that miserable soul, without hope, nothing to trust in, knowing no one who loves them and knowing no one to love can hear that gospel message that has gone out for almost 2000 years to all who will hear and obey God's word and that wretched one can be raised from total despair into the realms of glory, to love and be loved and have hope of everlasting glory beyond this life. Now that's power and it happens all the time. It has happened to many of us. Praise God for the power of his salvation.

44 To God Be The Glory - Verses 1, 2, & 3
398 I Will Sing Of My Redeemer - Verses 1, 2, & 3

PRAYER PRAISING GOD FOR HIS SALVATION

INVITATION

Are there any right now who have no hope beyond this life? Are there any with sins in their life that you don't know what to do with. Salvation is waiting. Peter said to those murders of Jesus in the first gospel sermon ever preached,

"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. -- Acts 2, verse 38

Now what have you done that's so bad.? Jesus Said in Matthew 11:28-30

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

If you will, won't you come while we stand and sing?

563 Come Unto Me - Verses 1 & 2