God Works!
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6
God Works!
Psalm 145 - Take this link and read through Psalm 145. Even if you’ve read it recently, read it again.
Then ask the Holy Spirit to bring a fresh understanding about who God is and wants to be in your life.
I don’t know about you but I find myself going through periods of doubts. Plain and simple we all go through times of doubt. A while ago when I was deep in my own despair I found my thoughts betraying me and I decided to go for a run. Sometimes I run with music on and sometimes I don’t. This time I did and the music was praise music. The song simply said, “You are worthy!” I began to agree with the lyrics and sing along as such. Not just in my mind, but literally out loud as I ran down the street.
Well, something happened; first of all a man came around the corner and heard me, made eye contact and then politely gave me the thumbs up. Secondly, my mind and thoughts began to change. I was no longer dwelling on the stuff and problems that were before me, but on the Greatness and goodness of the God of life.
Simply put - Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise!
There are 3 simple keys to seeing this work, yes seeing God Work in your life based on Psalm 145.
It’s a deliberate choice - It’s all inclusive - It’s measured against eternity.
It’s a deliberate choice!
I had to make a choice that day I took my run. I had to make God greater than my mundane life and choose to put Him in His rightful place.
“I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will praise
you and extol your name forever and ever.”
Choose to praise God. Notice how this Psalm begins with “I WILL...” This was a decision.
There are eleven “I will’s and will’s” in this brief declaration.
Praise recalibrates your mind and soul based on who God is not on what is happening around you.
Thanksgiving is when we see what God has done specifically for us and we thank Him for His acts.
Praise is when we move from His acts and we adore, affirm and worship Him for who He is.
David said, ‘I will, I will, I will.’ It’s a deliberate choice. When you choose to praise God everything changes.
First you do. Once you change the perspective in which you were previously filtering your life through changes too. Wherever your focus is it grows. If you focus on your failures, your failures tend to multiply. If you focus on God and His greatness and worth and He grows, especially when we share Him with those around us.
It’s ALL inclusive!
Take a careful look at this Psalm. There are 15, count em, 15 all inclusive statements. Have you ever ranted before.
This morning I did. Certain things really get under my skin. This morning it was a woman walking - not one, but two dogs that were way bigger than she could handle. One of them aggressively moved in our direction. She held on and there was no harm. But as soon as we were out of the way I began to rant. You know she shouldn’t... blah, blah, blah.
I find myself being guilty of what I'm against rather than what I'm for. Christians in general are known more for what they're against than what they're for. If I'm not for what God is for how can I expect the blessing of what He has in store?
It’s interesting how our perspective changes when we see others the way we want God to see us. You know, like the psalm reads - The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.(vs.9). When we read this we filter it this way - The Lord is good to me, he has compassion on me because He made me.
And He does. However, look at the ALL.
The ALL is your nosey neighbor, your irritating co-worker, your gay waiter at your local restaurant, your muslim colleague, or your republican or democrat representative that you can’t stand. That’s right, they’re a part of the ALL.
What if our blessings from the Lord as they are so appropriately described in Psalm 145 were available to everyone?
They are - through you and me every day we become JESUS to those around us. The gospel of the Kingdom - even as it is mentioned in this chapter is not exclusive - it’s inclusive;
“They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all
generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.” Psalm 145:11-13
It’s measured against eternity!
Most of our measurements are biased against eternity. In other words we live in a now oriented world. I want it now.
When those measurements are used on a wholesale scale we lose perspective. God is a God who is not limited by space or time. He is the same yesterday, today and forever! That classification allows Him to do what He wants when He wants and be Who He wants whenever He wants.
This psalm begins and ends with this eternal measurement -
In verse 1 David writes, I will praise your name for ever and ever! And in verse 21 he says, Let every creature praise His holy name for ever and ever. Sandwiched in between in verse 15 is the trustworthy nature of a Great God being affirmed.
It says, The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.”
Look, God knows what we need and when we need it. The question isn’t will there be enough. The question is, Will I look to Him alone?
Is He my source? Is He my refuge? Will I trust Him? Will I believe Him? Will I love Him? Will I acknowledge Him in all my ways?
You and I stand daily in the place of willful and joyful obedience and trust. As we choose to praise the Lord He brings into perspective
the world He so loves and died for. A world that is included in this gospel of the kingdom. A gospel of love, compassion, honor and the goodness of the Lord. A gospel that will endure for ever and ever.
As I challenge myself I challenge you to make deliberate choices to glorify God; to examine who is excluded from your worldview; and
how eternity is being brought into your daily measurements. It will change your world!