Praising God: Personal Faith and Sovereign Trust
Summary
In today's gathering, we reflected on the importance of praising God and recognizing His work in our lives, especially as we conclude our summer series in the Psalms. This summer has been a season of prayer and witnessing God's faithfulness, with testimonies of answered prayers, new beginnings, and personal growth. Next week, we will hear from members of our community about how God has moved in their lives, offering a powerful testament to His ongoing work among us.
We explored Psalm 135, a passage that calls us to praise the Lord repeatedly, emphasizing the reasons for our praise. The psalm reminds us that God has chosen us, just as He chose Jacob and Israel, to be His treasured possession. This choice is not based on our merit but on His sovereign will. Our response to being chosen should be personal and rooted in a deep, individual relationship with God. We are reminded that our faith should not be dependent on others but should be a personal conviction that acknowledges God's greatness and His control over all creation.
The story of Rob Cutshaw, a rock hound who discovered a valuable sapphire, served as a metaphor for finding hidden treasures in the Psalms. Just as Rob found a gem in the dirt, we are encouraged to dig deeper into the scriptures to uncover the profound truths and beauty they hold. Psalm 135 is rich with reminders of God's sovereignty, His acts of deliverance, and His compassion for His people.
We are called to trust in God's control, even in challenging times, and to praise Him not only in abundance but also in adversity. The psalmist's recounting of God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt serves as a reminder of His power and faithfulness. Just as the Israelites were protected by the sacrifice of a lamb, we are protected by the sacrifice of Jesus, whose blood covers us and grants us eternal life.
As we move forward, let us remember to praise God for His greatness, trust in His compassion, and share our personal stories of His work in our lives. May our faith be personal, rooted in the knowledge of God's sovereignty, and may we continue to sow seeds of faith, trusting that God will provide the harvest.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Power of Personal Faith: Our relationship with God must be personal and not reliant on the faith of others. We are chosen by God, and our response should be a personal conviction that acknowledges His greatness and sovereignty. This personal faith is the foundation of our praise and trust in God. [12:41]
2. God's Sovereignty in All Things: Psalm 135 reminds us that God is in control of everything, from the heavens to the depths of the earth. This understanding should lead us to trust Him in all circumstances, knowing that He is sovereign over every aspect of our lives. [15:07]
3. Praising God in Adversity: We are called to praise God not only in times of abundance but also in times of difficulty. Our faith should be steadfast, rooted in the knowledge that God is in control and that He works all things for our good. [20:41]
4. The Significance of Sacrifice: The story of the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt through the sacrifice of a lamb points to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. His blood covers us, granting us eternal life and protection from spiritual death. This truth should inspire us to live lives of gratitude and praise. [24:42]
5. Sharing Our Stories: As we reflect on God's work in our lives, we are encouraged to share our stories with others. Testimonies of God's faithfulness serve as powerful reminders of His ongoing work and inspire others to trust in Him. [28:03]
Youtube Chapters:
- [0:00] - Welcome
- [01:43] - Introduction to the Summer of Praise
- [05:04] - Discovering Hidden Treasures in the Psalms
- [05:38] - The Call to Praise in Psalm 135
- [06:25] - God's Sovereignty and Deliverance
- [07:33] - The Command to Praise
- [08:52] - The Story of Jacob and Israel
- [11:04] - Jesus' Choice and Our Calling
- [12:41] - Personal Faith and Relationship with God
- [13:40] - The All-Encompassing Nature of Praise
- [15:07] - Trusting God's Control
- [17:55] - God's Authority Over Nature
- [19:10] - The Importance of Obedience and Trust
- [20:41] - Praising God in Difficult Times
- [22:07] - Remembering God's Past Deliverance
- [24:42] - The Significance of Sacrifice
- [26:03] - Trusting Jesus in All Circumstances
- [28:03] - Sharing Our Stories of Faith
- [29:05] - Acknowledging God's Greatness
- [30:30] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Psalm 135
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Observation Questions:
1. What are the repeated commands in Psalm 135, and who are they directed towards? [05:04]
2. How does the psalmist describe God's actions in nature and history in Psalm 135? [05:38]
3. What historical events does the psalmist recall to demonstrate God's power and faithfulness? [06:25]
4. How does the sermon use the story of Rob Cutshaw to illustrate the value of digging deeper into the Psalms? [01:43]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean for our faith to be personal and not reliant on others, as discussed in the sermon? [12:41]
2. How does the concept of being chosen by God, as mentioned in Psalm 135, relate to the New Testament understanding of being chosen in Christ? [11:04]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's sovereignty should impact our response to adversity? [20:41]
4. How does the sermon connect the deliverance of Israel from Egypt to the sacrifice of Jesus? [24:42]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your personal relationship with God. How can you ensure that your faith is personal and not just inherited from family or community? [12:41]
2. In what areas of your life do you struggle to trust in God's sovereignty? How can you remind yourself of His control over all things? [15:07]
3. Think of a recent challenging situation. How did you respond, and how might you incorporate praise into similar situations in the future? [20:41]
4. The sermon encourages sharing personal stories of God's work. Identify one story from your life that you can share with someone this week to testify to God's faithfulness. [28:03]
5. How can the story of the Israelites' deliverance inspire you to live a life of gratitude and praise for Jesus' sacrifice? [24:42]
6. Consider the metaphor of finding hidden treasures in the Psalms. What steps can you take to dig deeper into Scripture and uncover its truths? [01:43]
7. How can you actively sow seeds of faith in your community, trusting that God will provide the harvest? [19:10]
Devotional
Day 1: The Foundation of Personal Faith
Our relationship with God is meant to be deeply personal, not reliant on the faith of others. This personal faith is a response to being chosen by God, acknowledging His greatness and sovereignty. It is the foundation of our praise and trust in Him. When we recognize that God has chosen us, not based on our merit but on His sovereign will, it calls us to a personal conviction. This conviction should be rooted in a deep, individual relationship with God, where our faith is not dependent on others but is a personal acknowledgment of His greatness and control over all creation. [12:41]
"For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth." (Deuteronomy 7:6, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you deepen your personal relationship with God today, ensuring that your faith is truly your own and not dependent on others?
Day 2: Trusting in God's Sovereignty
Psalm 135 reminds us that God is in control of everything, from the heavens to the depths of the earth. This understanding should lead us to trust Him in all circumstances, knowing that He is sovereign over every aspect of our lives. Recognizing God's sovereignty means acknowledging that He has authority over all creation and that nothing happens outside of His will. This trust in His control should bring peace and assurance, even in the midst of uncertainty and challenges. It is a call to surrender our worries and fears, knowing that God is working all things for our good. [15:07]
"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all." (1 Chronicles 29:11, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's sovereignty? How can you begin to surrender this area to Him today?
Day 3: Praising God in Adversity
We are called to praise God not only in times of abundance but also in times of difficulty. Our faith should be steadfast, rooted in the knowledge that God is in control and that He works all things for our good. Praising God in adversity is a testament to our trust in His character and promises. It is an act of faith that acknowledges His presence and power, even when circumstances are challenging. This kind of praise is not dependent on our feelings or situations but is a choice to honor God for who He is, trusting that He is working behind the scenes for our benefit. [20:41]
"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation." (Habakkuk 3:17-18, ESV)
Reflection: How can you choose to praise God today, even if you are facing difficult circumstances? What specific actions can you take to express your trust in Him?
Day 4: The Significance of Sacrifice
The story of the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt through the sacrifice of a lamb points to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. His blood covers us, granting us eternal life and protection from spiritual death. This truth should inspire us to live lives of gratitude and praise. Understanding the significance of Jesus' sacrifice is central to our faith. It is a reminder of God's love and grace, offering us redemption and a new identity in Christ. This sacrifice calls us to respond with gratitude, living lives that reflect His love and sharing the message of salvation with others. [24:42]
"For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." (1 Corinthians 5:7-8, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you live out your gratitude for Jesus' sacrifice today? How can you share the message of His love and redemption with those around you?
Day 5: Sharing Our Stories of Faith
As we reflect on God's work in our lives, we are encouraged to share our stories with others. Testimonies of God's faithfulness serve as powerful reminders of His ongoing work and inspire others to trust in Him. Sharing our stories is an act of faith that acknowledges God's presence and activity in our lives. It is an opportunity to encourage others, offering hope and inspiration through our experiences. By sharing how God has moved in our lives, we become witnesses to His faithfulness, inviting others to experience His love and grace. [28:03]
"Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul." (Psalm 66:16, ESV)
Reflection: Who can you share your story of faith with today? How can your testimony of God's faithfulness encourage and inspire someone else in their journey?
Quotes
1. "We've got a lot of good things. There's a woman who's... She stepped out in faith, and she just testified about God to others, and God has been doing some great things, stretching people, pulling people out, just celebrating with other people what God has done and how He has touched their lives. And next week, next week, you get to hear from people. And what I... You know, I'm looking for about ten people to really connect with me and volunteer to share stories, and your story should be only about three minutes long, because we've got ten people, three minutes long. That's 30 minutes. Bless others. We've got years and transitions and stuff. But I would love for 20 people to have to share, and we only have time for ten. Wouldn't that be great?" [54:06] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "A lot of times when we read the Psalms, we just read through them, we pass through them, and we don't see the nuggets. We don't see the truth. We don't see it just. It's just the beauty and the glory that is there. And so Psalm 135 is a lot like that. As you're reading the Psalms, you go Psalm 135. Then you go to Psalm 136. Oh, what a beautiful Psalm 136. He knit me in the womb. He loves me. And if I can't hide from him, if I go up there to go down there, I can't hide from him. And we bypass 135 to get to 136 because 136 is very poetic. But this morning, there's so much in Psalm 135. I'm only going to get a couple of highlights. I'm only going to be able to highlight just a couple of things that are buried within it, that I pray that are nuggets. I pray that are refreshing. I pray are more valuable than the sapphire." [245:03] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Years later, one of his disciples named Peter, he gets that. He understands that he has been chosen, and he's writing to a group. of spread out Christians throughout all of the area and he says this to them, Peter says, but you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own. possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness and into the marvelous light. You have been chosen, church, not to be ordinary, not to be normal, but you have been chosen to be a royal priest, to go and to present yourself in front of God and to bring requests from others to him, and then to go and proclaim God to others. You're a priest." [685:48] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Years ago, I was just attending the memorial service for my aunt, and she was at another church. And as I was sitting in the church, I just felt impressed by the God. This, about this. It was that, you know what, they're there for the memorial service, and there's a priest. I said, I don't know if they believe, but they believe that he believes, thinking the priest. That's it. I didn't feel like it was a personal response in a relationship, but they believe that the priest believes. If your faith is hinged on me, stop. It needs to be your faith hinged upon yourself." [779:31] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Years after that little lamb is killed, God sends his only son. He sends his only son, so that he could shed his blood for us, so that we don't have to put the blood of a lamb on our doorpost every year. We simply trust in the shed blood of Jesus applied to our hearts. And then when the angel of death comes, he'll pass over us. The angel of spiritual death will pass over us, and we will live, and we will head to the promised land, and we will be with Jesus forever. Church, have you ever made your relationship with God personal by asking Jesus and accepting his blood as your sacrifice?" [1512:15] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Because look at, he's looking back at what God did in history. He says, God destroyed the firstborn in Egypt, home to both people and animals. Death of the firstborn meant deliverance, meant deliverance. They were slaves. They had nothing. They had no power. They had no authority. They were slaves. In fact, their leader was killing their firstborn boys, their older boys, because he wanted to just slaughter the kids. Pharaoh, horrible, rotten guy. Pharaoh, firstborn. And so Moses comes, and through Moses, this miraculous moment happens. There is deliverance. Slaves, slaves, an army of slaves defeat, ultimately, a king, Pharaoh, the most popular, powerful country in the world at that time. What an amazing thing happened. See, the Lord protected through a sacrifice." [1364:80] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "How do we praise the Lord? We acknowledge his greatness. Acknowledge his greatness. You tell others what he's doing, right? Your name, O Lord, endures forever. Your name, O Lord, endures forever. Meditate on that verse. Think about that. What does it mean that his name endures forever? The good times and the bad times, strong times and then the weak times. His name will endure forever. Acknowledge God's greatness. Two, trust his compassion. Trust in his compassion." [1643:14] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Three ways we can praise God this week. Acknowledge His greatness. Tell somebody this week why God is great. Trust His compassion. If you've sinned, if you've blown it, if you've done something that you should not have done, ask His forgiveness. Stop living in shame and guilt and accept His love for you. And then if there are things that you're anxious about, if there's things you're stressed about, if there's things you're worried about, God can control the weather, the height, the length, the depth, the width. He can have it all." [1777:14] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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