Give Thanks To The Lord Today PILGRIM

Give thanks Psalms 118:2 (KJV) 1. Oh give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. To begin with , brothers and sisters it’s the thanksgiving holiday season. and I just want to tell the Lord thank you. The Lord has brought us from a mighty long.

Point 1. Give Thanks `

Psalm 118:1-2 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth forever.

The first thing the Psalmist is saying out the gate is to be thankful. How many people thankful today? The Lord has been good to us, and the bible says the reason is because His mercy endureth forever. Thank God for Mercy. God blessed you anyhow. He blessed “O give thanks to the Lord! and the church said Amen

Point 2. God’s mercy

Everybody in here ought to be saying thank you Lord because God’s mercy endures forever.

Psalm 118:2-4 (KJV) Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth forever. Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth forever Let them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy endureth forever.

Mercy is when you’re guilty and you know it. Mercy is when you know that you deserve to be punished. But Mercy is also where the other person look pass your guilt verdict and pardons you from your justified punishment. We’re all guilty and we deserve eternal damnation but God gave us His Son Jesus who also can be called (Mercy) Matter of Fact Mercy took our place on Calvary’s Cross. Everybody say His Mercy, The Lord’s Mercy endures forever. Listen When you’re in trouble all you have t say is “Lord Have Mercy”

When you’re are in a storm it’s Lord have Mercy

When you’re in a famine it’s Lord have Mercy When you can’t pay your bills it Lord have Mercy

When your children have gone astray it’s Lord have Mercy

When you’ve lost a love on it’s Lord have Mercy

When your job has collapsed during an economic downturn it’s Lord have Mercy. When the doctor tells you that you have Cancer it’s Lord have Mercy.

We have to learn how to call on the Lord and say Lord Have Mercy

That’s the next thing

Point 3 Call on the Lord

Psalm 118:5-7 (KJV) I called upon the Lord in distress: The Lord answered me and set me in a large place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear; what can man do unto me? The Lord taketh my part with them that help me; therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.

I see several things here. In verse 5 the writer says “I called on the Lord in distress” Meaning when I’m in trouble I know who to call.

Tell you neighbor: “You got to know who to Call. 2x

I tell my children all the time everybody that smiles in your face ain’t your friend. Call on Jesus because He’s a friend that stick closer than a brother.

Look at the text in verse 5 “The Lord answered me. The word Lord is Yahh in the Hebrew Vernacular and It is a desperate plea. “It’s a life or death cry”! It’s a “O Lord God Please”! Moment.

The Psalmist is in trouble and crys out to God and the Lord answers him and set him in a large place. The large place in verse 5 means that God rescued him, God set him free, and God delivered him from them. Sometimes God has to deliver you from them

Another interesting fact is that the word Lord in verse 5 althought it’s in all capital letters is its different from the Word Lord in all the other 22 times it appears in Psalms 118. Here’s the depiction “It’s like the Psalmist asked god to lower down His voltage, just so God could hear his desperate cry for help.. It’s like getting an Infinite God’s attention on a finite situation.

And let me say this to you Don’t let the devil try to tell you that God is too big to pay attention to little old you. God is concerned about every detail in our lives. God is with us every step of the way. The NCV says in Psalms 118:6-7 6. I will not be afraid, because the LORD is with me.People can’t do anything to me.7  The LORD is with me to help me,so I will see my enemies defeated.

In other words I’m fearless and confident that God is my Divine Helper and God ain’t going to let my enemies triumph over me.

And With the country exhibiting polarized opposites, and the world is experiencing the brink of world war III it’s kind of scary. And I started carrying an unprecedented load of fear, and Jesus said to me God has not given us a spirit of fear but of love power and a sound mind. Quit worrying over stuff that you can’t change. He got the whole world in His Hands.

God’s people need the Word of God when situations come up.

Point 4. Trust God

Psalms 118:8-9 (NLT) 8. it is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people. 9. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.

Oh give thanks to the Lord because God will never let you down. Mankind will let you down! Human kind will let you down! But God said I’ll never leave you nor will I forsake you. And we can bank on that

Point 5. The Authority of the Lord

Psalm 118:10-12 ( NLT2)

10. Though hostile nations surrounded me, I destroyed them all with the authority of the LORD.

11. Yes, they surrounded and attacked me, but I destroyed them all with the authority of the LORD.

12. They swarmed around me like bees; they blazed against me like a crackling fire. But I destroyed them all with the authority of the LORD.

Israel had enemies and after they had been captive people for their disobedience, God has forgiven them, And now they are trying to go back home and pull things back together and back in order.

And listen it was true then and it’s true now we have to pull God’s house back in order, but not like you think but how God says it’s supposed to be. And the Church said Amen. Satan wants to unravel God’s church. Satan wants to unravel our lives. Satan wants to unravel our cities. Satan wants to unravel our states. Satan wants to unravel our Nation and Satan wants to unravel our world.

This month of Thanksgiving is very important because to me we ought to always have thanksgiving in our hearts.The text says in Psalms 118:2 (KJV) 1. Oh give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. Let’s give thanks unto the Lord our God. But don’t leave verses 10,11,12, because there is something powerful indicated in the text.

The Authority of The Lord, means that The Lord is Omnipotent and God has All power to do what he wants when he want however he want and to whomever he wants.

I’ve taught you that but what let me extend the teaching a little deeper than that. God Is all Powerful and is unchanging in His Being, His Perfection, His Purposes, and His Promises, But God does act, and reacts differently in response to different situations. in other words God might handle my situation different from your situation. God moves on our behalf in different ways. That’s why the old folks use to say God makes ways out of no way, because He is a way maker. The text says “By the name of the Lord, By the Authority of the Lord I destroyed them all. This teaches, talks, and tells us that we have more authority and power within us. That’s why when I baptized little J’ana last week I said By The {Power Invested in me I now baptize you not in my name but in the name of the Father the name of the Son and the Name of the Holy Ghost Amen. By The Authority of the Lord. Listen God isn’t going to let your enemy triumph over you.

Point 6. You Tried To Hurt Me But God

Psalms 118:13-17 (NKJV) 13. You pushed me violently, that I might fall, But the LORD helped me. 14. The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation. 15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation Is in the tents of the righteous;The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. 16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. 17 I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the LORD.

Boy when you look at that text it says that you have enemies that violently tried to hurt and harm you. This is where I say thank you Lord for keeping us from hurt harm and danger The text says that the Lord is my strength, my song and my salvation.

When God is there for you ,you have an assured defense against evil doers. and the bible says there ought to some rejoicing and shouting in the camp. Because what the devil meant for my bad God turned it around for my good .

Tell your neighbor: GOD TURNED THAT THING AROUND FOR ME. God turned thing around and verse 17 declare I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.

I have spoken many things over my life. I shall live and not die. Sickness, diseases, Cancer, lupus, leukemia,lung disease, Heart trouble, diabetes, eye problems, ear problems,dental problems, strokes, stomach problems, hip joint,knee problems, gout, feet problems, kidney problems, liver problems, pancreas problems, etc, I shall live not die! And brothers and sisters You’ve got to speak over your own life. And when you’ve been to death’s door and God brings you back it’s a testimony that you’re not ashamed to tell the world.

Point 7. Lesson Learned

Education 3x If you don’t learn from what you’ve been through good or bad you didn’t get Education. We have to remember what we’ve gone through. I did some things wrong and God reminded me that He’s God and to let Me handle this for you. Because the Mills of Justice grind slowly but they grind exceedingly fine. Psalms 118:18-19 (NCV) The Lord has taught me a hard lesson, but he did not let me die. ( I should have been dead) Verse 19 Open for me the Temple gates. Then I will come in and thank the LORD.

Every Lesson you learn ought to make you come to the temple and praise God. The bible says Oh Give thanks to the Lord our God.. All through the scriptures OT and NT we can find valid reasons to Thank and Praise our God. God’s been good to us. YES and If I had ten thousand tongues I’d praise Him with every one. YES SIR 3x.

Point 8. Jesus is Our Salvation

Psalm 118 :20-23 KJV 20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. 21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23 This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

I see several things.

1. In verse 20 This is the LORD’S gate; only those who are good may enter through it. None but the righteous Shall See God.

2. In verse 21 That’s why I will praise thee: Lord you heard my cry and Lord you alone art my salvation. In other words Only God can be our rescuer Only Jesus can be our Redeemer and deliverer and Only the Holy Ghost can be our restorer and Seal our Salvation until the day of our redemption.

The word Salvation in the OT Hebrew vernacular is the word Yeshua which is another name for Jesus. teach Me Pastor. The word Salvation in the NT Greek vernacular is the word Soteria and that’s where we get the doctrine of Soteriology. The scripture teaches us that whether we see Salvation in the OT or the NT it still means, that God rescues us Jesus saves us, and the Holy Spirit restores us.”

Look at verse 22. KJV Psalms 118:22 says that the stone that the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. I like it because whether OT or NT it’s the same thing. and Jesus said in Mark 12:10-11 KJV And have ye not read this scripture; the stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: 11. This was the Lord’s doing, and it’s marvellous in our eyes? wait nah 2x. Then 1 Peter 2:6-7 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.

And so the reasons why scripture said the stone which the builders rejected is the head of the corner is because men’s deeds are evil and God exposes their sins and declare that what you tried to hide and throw away and dishonor God said I’ve made it the chief corner stone that when you look at my building that Corner stone is the first thing you’ll see. Yes Indeed.

Point 9. God is in Control

Psalms 118:23-24 This is the LORD’S doing; and it’s marvellous in our eyes.

Tell your neighbor: Leave alone this is God’s Doing .

1. You ought to be glad it’s the LORD’S doing and not yours because we’ll mess it all up.

2. God is Capable of handling it without your help. And when God does something whatever it is, It’s well done. You don’t have to fix it . You don’t have to amend it. You don’t have to have a continuing resolution. You don’t have to table it to the next meeting no no no It’s done!

Because verse 24 says This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

We ought to rejoice in the Lord Brothers and sisters this is our shouting moment. Wait nah

you can’t shout and pout at the same time You can’t smile and frown at the same time You can laugh and cry at the same time You can’t be mad and glad at the same time. The bible says Let the redeemed of the Lord say so If you’ve been Born again If you’ve been regenerated you ought to shout hallelujah! If God has restored you, you ought to make some noise in here and give God a hand of Praise.

Point 10. and I’m through Lord I want to Thank You

Psalms 118:25-29 (NCV) 25. Please, LORD, save us; please, LORD, give us success. 26. God bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD.We bless all of you from the Temple of the LORD. 27. The LORD is God,and he has shown kindness to us.With branches in your hands, join the feast. Come to the corners of the altar. 28. You are my God, and I will thank you; you are my God, and I will praise your greatness. 29. Thank the LORD because he is good.His love continues forever. The last thing this Psalms says is O give thanks unto the LORD;for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever.

I’ve got to close here But I was glad when they said unto to me Let us go into the house of the Lord where prayers can be heard and tender mercy can be found. Let me close here by saying Thank you Lord because you been so good to us Umm and you've made ways out of no way. Oh Yes you did. Thank you Lord you put food on our tables a roof over our head clothes on our backs shoes on our feet . Oh Lord You gave us jobs to go to and put money in our pockets. Thank you Lord Thank you Jesus Thank you Holy Ghost for taking care of our family and our friends and even our foes. I’ve got one more thing to ask you? Have He been good to you? 2x