Bro Gary Sunday Morning 9/4/11
Psa 136:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psa 136:8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psa 136:9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psa 136:11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psa 136:12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psa 136:14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psa 136:15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:16 To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:17 To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psa 136:18 And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psa 136:19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psa 136:20 And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psa 136:21 And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psa 136:22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psa 136:24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Three men used these words: David at the completion of the tabernacle, Solomon at the completion of the temple, and Jehoshaphat as he gave instruction to the singers.
David desired to have a place to worship. If you have studied the tabernacle worship you find it very rich. It was all a type of Christ and completed through Christ. There was a table: God always has a table spread for those that seek Him.
David spoke these words of the 136th Psalm as they were dedicating the tabernacle as a place to worship. David’s son desired to build a temple for God. David made great provision and Solomon built a temple on the same design as the tabernacle. At the dedication of the temple Solomon again said, “For His mercy endureth forever.”
My main emphasis this morning is when Jehoshaphat spoke these same words. Jehoshaphat needed divine compassion and mercy. The reason was because his enemies had united to conquer him. Jehoshaphat sought God.
2Ch 20:5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
On an individual basis, no one can seek God for you like you can seek God for yourself. It is not wrong to ask others to seek God. Jehoshaphat asked all Jerusalem to seek the mercies of God.
Jehoshaphat was a humble man. Many times when troubles come people want others to do something and they want to run from the problems. Jehoshaphat stood right in the congregation and the house of the Lord and he began to pray.
2Ch 20:6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?
2Ch 20:7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?
Jehoshaphat remembered and reminded himself that there was a God in heaven. He said, “Are you not the God of Heaven?”
Each of us is allowed to be placed in situations and places in our lives when we need God desperately. It is here that we make the choice of whether we will take the responsibility and seek God with all our heart or not.
In this day people don’t want to be responsible. We might as well take responsibility because we are responsible before God. We each will stand before God at the judgment.
People think that if they are ignorant then God will not hold them accountable. If you are ignorant, with no choice of your ignorance, God may wink at your ignorance. You deceive yourself if you think that you will not be responsible if you don’t read the Bible. Jehoshaphat took responsibility. He asked that question in verse 6.
We each can thank God if we are in a position that we need divine compassion. You will not find it from me I’m just a man. You’ll not find it from your mother. We should have compassion but we are just human.
Jehoshaphat said, “I know what you have done before.”
We have these records of what God has done before. God specialized in every kind of problem. I thought of Sarah and Abraham that wanted a child. God specialized in their problem. God specialized in Noah’s situation in his day. Moses, God dried up the red sea. He is a God of mercy. God is just as alive today as he was in the days of creation.
Jehoshaphat prayed, “Oh eternal God, our eyes are on thee.”
Sometimes people have personalities where they want to try to fix everyone’s problems. That’s not a bad trait; it is just that you are not God. You and I cannot fix everyone’s problems.
When we need divine compassion and mercy, when our heart is burdened, it is wonderful that we have this example of Jehoshaphat that chose to get alone with God pray and seek after God right in the middle of the pressures and trials and stresses.
Jehoshaphat and all Israel stood before God, seeking God. The king was there, the children, the husbands, the wives; all were there. In verse 14 you’ll see as you follow down through there that the word Spirit is capitalized. This means the Holy Spirit of God moved upon them.
He said, “King Jehoshaphat, listen to me.”
2Ch 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.
2Ch 20:18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.
This is what God is saying to you. “Be not afraid; don’t be dismayed by reason of this great multitude. The battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow…”
As much as I want to encourage you, there is no one that can encourage you like God.
Jehoshaphat got down on his hands and knees. I realize that position does not prove earnestness, but I also realize that this is the King. I’m not going to see you in your secret closet of prayer, and you’ll not see me in mine. God knows our burdens and knows our needs.
This king got on his hands and knees. I’d get on my hands and knees for myself, for you, for my children, for my son in laws and for my grandchildren.
Humility is a wonderful thing. If you don’t want an answer from God enough to humble yourself before God then I feel for you. One of the seven things that God hates is pride. There is no reason to try to shine above, we are all humans.
He bowed before God and all Jerusalem fell before God worshipping God. To worship God!
2Ch 20:19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.
This must have been a marvelous meeting. The next morning, Jehoshaphat may have wakened at first light or a little before. He rose early.
2Ch 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Have faith in God! There is something about having faith in God that He has a design for you to be planted, to be watered, and to have the right amount of sunshine to prosper.
2Ch 20:21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.
2Ch 20:22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
The victory had not yet been won when he appointed singers. The battle had not been fought. The king had met with God; the priest and the people had met with God. The next morning they came and the king was there right with the people.
The king consulted with the people. He spent time with the people. Then he appointed the singers to sing unto the Lord and praise the Lord in the beauty of holiness. They were to say, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endureth forever.”
“As they began to sing and to praise…” I have learned from experience that when I feel the pressures, the needs, or the disappointment of myself and others if I begin to sing and praise God, He always brings a stillness to my soul. We need to make a point in our life that we know how to bring the presence of God alive in our soul.
When we think of what is going on in our worlds, not America, our personal worlds, the first thought is of “the thief cometh not but for to kill.” The saddest thing in all creation is for a soul to lose out with God, for their life to be desolate. It is not a pretty picture for a soul to be lost in sin. It doesn’t get any better unless they repent.
There may be those in this audience this morning that have financial problems. (I’m not criticizing you. I remember Karen and I being so poor that we had to borrow money to buy staples.) This I know, there is a God in heaven and He hears prayer. This I know beyond a shadow of a doubt.
There would be those in this audience whose health is frail. There is a God in heaven. Isn’t that wonderful! I’m not preaching against medical doctors, there is a God in heaven that made you. People that are studying the heart and how it works are saying, “We have found out that we know so little.” We are fearfully and wonderfully made.
You may think that someone is as strong as an ox. We are only looking on the outside. There is a God in heaven. I remember when Kathy was expected and I was so sick that it didn’t look like I was going to live. I remember praying, “God I want to see that baby born.”
Every child needs a daddy that loves God and loves the mother of the child. Every child needs a mother that Loves God and prays.
I want to challenge everyone in this audience this morning. We have some wonderful parents in this audience this morning. We have parents that are worthy of such respect because they love their children.
Each child needs a dad and mom that love their children. You cannot love your children in the right way if you are not saved. You will love self. You’ll sacrifice your children as the lady in India did to her angry God.
May God help us as men to take responsibility that, “I’m going to love God like Jehoshaphat loved God. I’m going to believe God.” If you don’t believe God and believe your minister, you’ll be up and down spiritually.
2Ch 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
They began to sing and praise God, “Praise the Lord for His mercy endureth forever.”
As they began to sing and praise God, God went among the enemy and sent ambushments to the enemy. After the victory, they spent four days picking up treasures that the enemy left.
Divine compassion is what describes God’s mercy in our day. Can any look at a newborn child and deny God’s goodness? Look at the aged and think of how good God has been to them. Thank the Lord. When I tell you of my tough times, the aged will tell me that I know nothing about tough times.
Mankind has a tendency to believe that it is their right to have the mercy of God. How many today cannot figure out why they’re in the position that they are in.
Don’t presume if you live in rebellion to what the bible teaches that God’s mercy will always be there. It will not always be there. D.O. Teasley is an example of this.
If God in His beautiful kindness, His divine compassion, is drawing upon your soul, don’t turn Him away. He is not trying to draw you away from anything. His mercy is forever to those that obey Him. David failed, but he got it right. He cried out “Oh God, keep me from presumptuous sin.”
A presumptuous sin is to presume that you can do this and get away with it or repent later.
I was a vessel marred by sin. What was so bad was not the marks on the outside, it was the bitterness and hatred that was in my heart. One day I was in a meeting that was about like this and a man called Bro Maconahae was preaching. God spoke to me in His mercy; in his beautiful kindness he spoke to me.
Today, Karen and I have been recipients and are vessels of mercy. I remember the night that I hit black ice and met three oncoming vehicles with my car out of control. Karen, Kathy and Kayla, and I were in the car. That night my mother was ‘lying in state’ as they say; waiting to be buried. The whole story could have been different. God had compassion.
I think of when religious spirits came to gather me. Religious spirits will take you in and make you a captive of theirs. God in His mercy!
“What shall I render unto God for all of His benefits?”
Everyone that leaves this building tonight is blessed. If you can walk then you are blessed.
David recorded the answer, “I will take the cup of salvation.”
Salvation means deliverance, help, safety, victory. God gives deliverance from bad attitudes, sin…
Thank God for help, for safety, protection today. I’m thankful that we have God to protect us and thankful for victory and for health.
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