Teach Me Your Ways

God’s way vs God’s acts

Prayer -

‘though the flowers may fade, and the grass may wither, the word of the Lord stands forever.’

May your word speak to us, lift us up, uphold us, sustain us, strengthen us, May your word revitalize us in our inner man. We silence the noise, the cares of this world, the deceitful of riches, and we yield to your spirit this evening, we yield to what you have instore for us, in the name of Jesus.

Text -

Psalm 103:1–7 (AMP)

1[A Psalm] of David. BLESS (AFFECTIONATELY, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul; and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name! 

2Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits— 

Two times to praise God, when you feel like it, and when you don’t

David had to speak to his soul, to remind it to ‘Bless the Lord’

There are seasons in our lives that we do not feel like praising God, similar to the one we are in now in the middle of a pandemic

David knew he needed to remind himself, his soul of the benefits of being a child of God, especially in a season when it didn’t feel or look like it

3Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each one of] all your diseases, 

4Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption, Who beautifies, dignifies, and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy; 

beautifies - doesn’t matter how your story started, it matters how it ends

Dignifies - sometimes in life you sow the wrong seeds, and instead of continuing to reap the fruit of bad seeds, bad decisions, God restores your dignity

5Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation] with good so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle’s [strong, overcoming, soaring]! 

Strength -

Overcoming - Victory

Soaring - he promises to sustain you in that victory, from faith to faith

6The Lord executes righteousness and justice [not for me only, but] for all who are oppressed. 

7He made known His ways [of righteousness and justice] to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.

No one saw a day like today coming, no one planned that in 2020 we would all be locked up in our homes, working from home, unable to go on vacation, unable to visit with family & friends

Unable to attend church physically -

Many thought we would be back in church by Easter weekend, when that didn’t happen, then we thought at the very latest by summer

Proverbs 13:12 (AMP)12Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

Many were not prepared for this!

The answer for us today to get our thinking right again, and our expectation aligned again lies in vs 7,

He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel

Children of Israel related to God through God’s acts, God’s miracles only -

The problem with acts and miracles only is that we forget them -

Psalm 78:11 (NIV) 11They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them.

Children of Israel forgot:

Ten Plagues

Parting of the Red Sea - Ex 14:21-22

Bread/Manna from Heaven - Ex 16:4-35; Num 11

Quail to eat Ex 16:8-13

Water from the rock - Num 20:10-13

Yet still they would forget, complain and it cost them 40 years in the desert.

When you know His Ways,

You don’t wait to feel Him to know that He is with you.

The church prayed for Peter during a time of persecution

They praised God, because they understood that if they did, He would inhabit their praises, He did, and the chains were broken, the prison doors were open, including those of the other prisoners

You can praise in that hospital room, without a praise and worship team, in that house

Bluetooth speaker story -

Realized I could not hear it due to damages that had taken place in my hearing

Closing

Whatever you face, give it to Him

obstacle

opportunity

Disappointment

Regret

Self Criticism

Joshua 3:5 (NIV) Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves (set yourselves apart), and see what great wonders He will do among you”

Receive everything you need now for the next leg of your journey, in Jesus Name.

Jesus said I am The Way, The Truth, The Life

We must first all come to the father through Him and if you haven’t received Christ into your heart.