Confident Trust (praise + thanksgiving)

Monday night Bible study discussion archive. Feel free to view and comment on the studies posted here.
Post Reply
shalom-dodi
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 135
Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2017 1:32 am

Confident Trust (praise + thanksgiving)

Post by shalom-dodi » Tue Oct 24, 2017 3:06 am

We have been looking at Scriptures that help us build confident trust in God. Generally I am getting them from a poster, but Sunday we read Psalm 113 at church and I think it fits. So tonight we are going to ponder it. First we will read it through then we will ponder individual verses.
Psalm 113:
Who Is like the Lord Our God?
113 
Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
    praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
    the name of the Lord is to be praised!
4 The Lord is high above all nations,
    and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the Lord our God,
    who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down
    on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home,
    making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!

This Psalm is about some of the things the LORD does and as the Psalmist recalls them, his heart is lifted in praise. We are instructed to enter His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. David is modeling this for us.
Sometimes it is HARD to praise isn’t it? Things are going on. We are tired. We are hurting either physically or emotionally. We have actual needs that are not being met. And yet we are told to be thankful and praise.

Verse: Psalm 100:1-5 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Dodi Note: Don’t you just LOVE this passage? KNOW that the LORD is God. He made us. He created you and me. We ARE His. His people, the sheep of his pasture. His children. No, His BELOVED children. We are his heirs and on and on.
Then the verse which is also an invitation to ENTER into His presence…how? Thanksgiving and Praise. To/for His NAME.
Why? He is GOOD and His LOVE ENDURES forever as does His faithfulness to each of us.
Just….wow…. right?

1 Thess 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.


I had a friend, a mentor some years ago who was dying. She was at that time living in a one room place.

She had been the wife of a pastor who had left her when their children were young. Imagine the healing needed for that one.

She had raised 2 kids. One had already died, the other was an addict.

She had been the religion editor for the newspaper and a lovely woman of God. Now she knew her cancer was no longer treatable. So you know what she began to do?

Sing Psalms every morning. She was not really a good singer either. And she would pray for people.

I watched her and learned from her so much. I don’t sing Psalms but I praise God in a different way.

If my friend can choose to praise God while facing death. I decided I could also. And if I can, (smile) so can you. No matter what.

And even when we can’t find one single thing to praise or thank God for, we can turn to these Psalms and read them, can’t we?

Let’s look at it. And be thinking of things YOU can be intentional to praise God for in your own life at the end.


1Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
   praise the name of the Lord!
Dodi Note: Here is a command. Praise the NAME of the LORD. Why? Do you recall a verse that says, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”? Proverbs 18:10.

When we are hurting, or scared, or sick or even when all is going well, we need and want that safe place.
Sometimes when life feels kind of hard for me I have said, “I wish I had a mommy”. But in a very real sense I do. “Mommy” means someone to take care of me and keep me safe. Usually heart-safe. And when I come to my senses, I remember “Wait, the NAME of the LORD is my safe place, refuge etc”.

I wonder if that could be a reason the Psalmist instructs us this way in verse 1?

2 Blessed be the name of the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore!
Dodi Note: Then he goes on to say right out loud the truth… blessed be the name of the LORD now and forever… Oh do you see what is blessed?

The NAME of the LORD again.

Psalm 18:2 Says similar:
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Again we see SAFETY and all we need, past present future in the LORD. Right?

3 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
    the name of the Lord is to be praised!

Dodi Note: Again… the NAME of the LORD is to be praised. What is your favorite name of the LORD?
What name of the LORD do you need at this season of your life or even tonight?

Here is a list of some of some of His names:
El-Shaddai -- The God Who is Sufficient for the Needs of His People
Jehovah-Jireh -- The Lord our Provider
Jehovah-Nissi -- The Lord our Banner
Jehovah-Ropheka -- The Lord our Healer
Jehovah-Shalom -- The Lord our Peace
Jehovah-Tsidkenu -- The Lord our Righteousness
Jehovah-Rohi -- The Lord our Shepherd

The "Who" Names / Characteristics of God
Who also maketh intercession for us (Jesus)
Who answered me in the day of my distress
Who calleth those things which be not as though they were
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation
Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness
Who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies
Who daily loadeth us with benefits
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities
Who gave himself a ransom for all (Jesus)
Who gave himself for our sins (Jesus)
Who giveth food to all flesh
Who giveth rain upon the earth
Who giveth songs in the night
Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy
Who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory
Who hath given me counsel
Who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity
Who hath redeemed us from our enemies
Who hath saved us and called us with a holy calling
Who hast done great things
Who healeth all thy diseases
Who loved me, and gave himself for me (Jesus)
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things
Who shall bless thee
Who shall help thee
Who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil
Who taketh vengeance
Who was delivered for our offenses (Jesus)
Who was with me in the way which I went
Who will have all men to be saved

Read more or study: http://www.characterbuildingforfamilies.com/names.html
Anyone like to type which name came to mind or called forth a longing of your heart?


Next verse is v 4 The Lord is high above all nations,
    and his glory above the heavens!
Dodi Note: All we need to do is go outside on a clear night and gaze at the stars to see a representation of His glory.

Sometimes, it does not seem like God is “high above all nations” does it? And yet the Word tells us he is. We are also told in Philippians 2:10-11 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This WILL happen. Either in a person’s lifetime or at the final judgement. It will happen in OUR own lives too.
If you have never accepted/invited Jesus as LORD and Savior of your own life we can help you. Even right now. :)

I don’t know about you all, but there are days and seasons when I need to remember the GLORY that is God’s. The sovereign love that is God. For me, looking around at the beauty God created helps me remember what I know. God is GOOD. He is LOVE and He loves me, even when I am a mess. Anyone else need that?

Next portion:
5 Who is like the Lord our God,
    who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down
    on the heavens and the earth?
Dodi Note: a great reminder. God is GREAT.

7 He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes,
    with the princes of his people.

Dodi Note: Do you believe this? All of us, even the poorest among us in the Western world are so blessed. Everyone in here has access to the internet. You probably ate good food of your choice today (not gruel) and you likely have something you are sitting in or on and clothes on your body. We are like princess and prince compared to many parts of the world. And even those find much to be thankful for. Have you ever seen people in a 3rd world country worshipping with absolute joy? It is amazing.

9 He gives the barren woman a home,
    making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!
Dodi Note: That was important to them back when this was written. Because a barren woman had no children to take care of her and often would be cared for by others and widows often hung out or cared for children.

It is time now for us to practice praising God. Please begin putting in something you are thankful for. Or anything you are thankful for. We will spend a few minutes doing this.
Then close with a song and prayer.

Thank you for coming tonight. I was traveling so it is a little shorter maybe.
Father God, help us to practice living a lifestyle of praise and worship. Help us to become aware of you in the mundane things of life. Give us eyes to see and hearts to love YOU in the everyday common things. We ask for healing of our hearts, our bodies and our minds. Help us to become those who declare the GLORY OF YOUR NAME as we learn to run into the safety of your Name, our Strong Tower, our REFUGE and our help in every time of need. In Jesus name amen.

Closing Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDom_SiHjy0

Post Reply