Praise and Worship Sunday

“Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD, Or can show forth all His praise?” (Psalm 106:2 NASB77). Who can describe how awesome is the Lord? I cannot, but I have identified “Three focal points of praise, thanksgiving and hope.” Things we have been given that can inspire our praise, thanksgiving, and hope.

I. Rest
In Matthew 11, Jesus said come to Me and I’ll give you rest. He says He is gentle and humble in heart. But human beings are “something else.” We can be so judgmental and condemning of others. We label people. Write people off. And the strange thing is, we have learned to do this while hiding our own foibles and blemishes. And not just from others. We can hide them from ourselves. We can see a speck in our brother’s eye and miss the log in our own.

There’s no “cure” for it. Not in this life. All we can do is go in for regular “treatment,” and one of the symptoms of an advanced case of it is the belief that you aren’t infected.

But this is GOOD NEWS, because it highlights our need for grace. Weakness always does.

I am rich because I never have to hide anything from the Lord. By His grace I am guaranteed to not be labeled anything but “His.” I am not “defined by” anything but the blood of Christ, and nothing I tell Him will ever shock or repel Him from engaging with me. He doesn’t even judge me for being judgmental of others. Who wouldn’t feel safe disclosing “all” to Someone like that? Who would not find in Him a resting place.

Instead of hiding from Him, I am learning to make Him my hiding place.

Just a Moment… God is not looking for a perfect heart, an exceptional heart or even a “good” heart. Because by His impeccable standards such a heart doesn’t exist in any human being; we all fall short of His glory. Instead, He is searching for a humble heart, (Isaiah 66:2; 1 Peter 5:5) which is simply one that recognizes its all-the-time need for Him and surrenders to His care and coaching.
If Jesus offered people rest by coming to Him, the church should offer rest to those coming to it. And I just want to commend you, Valley Brook, for being that for each other and to me.

“Bear one another’s burdens” = Make life more bearable for each other – and that’s what You do.

In Ephesians 4 it says God intended each supporting joint and ligament of the body to have a role in building the body up in love. So, I was thanking Him this week for every supporting ligament that makes Valley Brook, Valley Brook.

His rest inspires my praise, my thanksgiving and my hope.

II. Riches
There is a slight misconception when it comes to riches, the notion that “God doesn’t want us to be rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9 tells us that we, through His poverty have become rich. He absolutely wants us to be rich. He died to make us rich. He just wants us to be rich with TRUE and lasting riches. Not deceitful, temporary ones. Not with riches that promise so much but deliver so little. Not with riches that bring comfort to the body but no nourishment to the soul. Not with riches that remain here when we leave this life. The riches he offers us are called the true, unsearchable riches of Christ. They are called the unsearchable riches of Christ because you cannot have them without having Him. But if You have Him You have them.

The Spirit is working day and night to reveal to us how rich we are in Him. He is relentlessly trying to help us see and understand what we have been freely given in Christ. Such as…
· Security in His never failing and unfading affection for us.
· Confidence in His unlimited power to work in and through us.
· Awareness of His presence and His glory that ever surrounds us.
· Appreciation of His name and all that He is.
· Attraction to Him as the best thing about every day of our lives.

If we are poor on the inside, nothing external can enrich us, but if we are rich on the inside, nothing external can impoverish us. Christ came to make us rich within.

III. Redemption
Coming up on 43 years of new life, which began for me on September 27, 1978. What a life it has been. From my journal…

“What things I have seen. What people I have met. What experiences I have had. What things I have done. I have written much about You. I have spoken much about You. I have thought much about You. I have prayed much to You. I have written and sang songs about You. I have learned much about You. And I still hunger and thirst for more of You. What is that? Not a day has passed since that day without You being the background music of my life. Sometimes I have been more attentive to You than on other days, but the music of Your presence has never stopped, and I am convinced it never will.”

Hebrews chapter 1 tells us Christ is God’s final word on the matter of man and God. And in Christ, God’s promise is to not remember my earthly record.

Thank You for making all the preparations for my life beyond this one, for going away to prepare a place for me, Dan Baty. You can say this, too. That’s why we have Communion every fourth Sunday, to remember Jesus who made all this possible by His death and resurrection.

Rest. Riches. Redemption. That’s not all His praise, but it’d certainly a heartful for me.