[0:00] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. You will be listening to our monthly Goer Sender Coalition Thursday night service.
[0:14] It's my desire today, if you don't know that love, that you find it. Because He loves you. And studying for this sermon, if you would take your Bibles, turn with me to Psalms chapter 67.
[0:32] And we'll read the entire chapter. And studying this out, I realized one thing. I realized several things. One thing spoke to me pretty hard.
[0:43] Man, I am wicked. I am unworthy to stand up here and preach this message to you. I haven't failed him. I know that in his eyes I'm perfect.
[0:57] Because he sees Christ. But, man, He has blessed us so much. When you think about the family you were born into.
[1:11] When you think about the place that you were born into. The country that you were born into. The church that God allows you to be a part of. Man, He has blessed us so much. And yet we praise Him so little.
[1:28] And we ask for blessings that we shouldn't be asking for. We ask for things we shouldn't be asking for. But He's still good to us. And how many times do we go on our life and we go through our day and we don't think of anything except ourselves?
[1:43] The psalmist pens in Psalm 67. It's a missionary song. And he starts it off like this.
[1:55] He says, God, be merciful unto us. And bless us. That's pretty audacious, isn't it? Bless us. Bless me. And cause His face to shine upon us.
[2:09] That the way, that thy way may be known upon the earth. Thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise Thee, O God.
[2:20] Let all the people praise Thee. I'm going to repeat this because he's going to repeat it again. Let the people praise Thee, O God. Say it with me. Let all people praise Thee.
[2:34] O let the nations be glad and sing for joy. For Thou shalt judge the people righteously. And govern the nations upon the earth.
[2:46] Let the people praise Thee, O God. Say it with me. Let all the people praise Thee. Then shall the earth yield up or increase.
[2:59] And God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us. And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.
[3:10] Let's pray. Heavenly Father, as we come to You, Lord God, I stand unto You as an unworthy servant. Amazed how much You loved us. Lord God, I ask that You would just do a work in my heart.
[3:22] And if nothing else, Lord God, please let me be obedient to Your Word. But I ask that You would impact. And I ask that You would do something great in this church, Lord God.
[3:33] You used 120 people in the first century with less tools than we have today, Lord God. You used 120 people to turn the world upside down. I ask that You would use Vision Baptist Church.
[3:45] And that we would have a desire to see all the ends of the earth fear You, Lord God. Please do a work. Lord, speak. Your servants heareth.
[3:57] In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. The first thing that the psalmist writes, he talks about, he says, he tells us why we should be asking for God's blessings. Or why we should be asking for God's blessings.
[4:09] That's a pretty audacious thing. Asking God for something, right? Us people that we can only give Him but words. And most of the time those are vain words, are they not?
[4:21] But every good gift and every perfect gift comes from Him. And the psalmist asks for blessing. He begs God for blessing. He asks for mercy. He asks for blessing. He asks that God's countenance would shine upon him.
[4:34] You know, I was looking at that and I was thinking about my own life. And so many times when I ask for God's blessing, I ask for selfish reasons. I ask for stuff.
[4:51] God, please bless me. I want a house. God, please bless me. I want retirement. I want my 40K to grow. I want the economy to get better.
[5:03] God, I want the material stuff the world has to offer. And no indictment to anyone here except for myself. But I have to be careful. Living in this area.
[5:16] I mean, you can't drive down the road without seeing all the world has to offer. All the material stuff they have to offer. And my heart begins to desire. My heart begins to lead away. And when that lust drags you away and entices you like a bait, it brings forth sin.
[5:31] And it's almost to an idolatry part. But a lot of times when I ask for blessings, I ask for things for selfish reasons. Not only do we ask for stuff, we ask for comfort, don't we?
[5:44] And my prayer is, Lord, please don't let them know that I'm a Christian. We might not say that, but we say that with our action, don't we? We desire comfort more than we do persecution.
[5:59] We ask for the blessing of comfort. The ability to live a relatively easy life with no persecution and no sacrifice. We stand on the edge of our seats when the pastor begins to talk about a true disciple.
[6:13] One that takes up his cross and dies daily. We ask for selfish reasons. But notice what the psalmist says. Notice why he's asking for God's blessings.
[6:24] He's asking for God's blessings to do God's will. And what is God's will? Well, it says right here, he says in verse 2, That thy way may be known upon the earth, and thy saving health among all nations.
[6:39] God has a desire to see all people. And not just all people. He wants everyone to know who he is. And everyone to know his way, the way, Jesus Christ. Amen. And so many times, our blessings are towards us.
[6:53] And the psalmist here says, Lord, bless me. Show mercy upon me. Shine upon me. So when people might see me, they might see your great way and your saving faith.
[7:05] What is his way? His way is this. It's what we've been singing about. It's what we've been worshiping about. It's that he loved sinners. While they were yet sinners.
[7:16] He loved us while we were yet sinners. His way was this. He came to us. We weren't seeking for him. We all know the verse, Romans 3.10.
[7:28] We learned it since we were in Sunday school. We learned it since in children's church. As it is written, there's none in the righteous. No, not one. We all know that verse, right? But what's the next verse say? There is none that understandeth in Romans 3.10.
[7:40] And there is none that seeketh after God. Don't you know, before you got saved, you weren't seeking for him. He was seeking for you. He was seeking for you. He demonstrates this in the beginning.
[7:53] When he has his man and he puts him in the garden and he tells him one thing. Don't eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And man messes up.
[8:05] And what do we do? We don't seek after God for forgiveness. We feel the guilt and we try to cover it up. But God in his good mercy and the cool of the day stepped down.
[8:19] And he walked and he cried out, Adam, where are you? He sought him. And after he found him in his sin and that guilt, what did he do?
[8:33] He killed a lamb, provided a way, a sacrifice, clothed him. And promised him that he would crush the head of the serpent. What a great God.
[8:45] Not only did he show that in Adam's life, but he's demonstrated that in Noah's. In Genesis chapter 5, you guys know the story. That God looked down on mankind and what did he see in their heart?
[8:57] That wickedness continually. Man wasn't looking for God. He was looking for you. And Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord and God made a promise there.
[9:11] And God saved him. And it just didn't stop there with Noah. It went on there to Abraham. When he was in a land, a land of idolatry. A land that didn't worship God.
[9:22] And what did God do? He came down to him. He said, I will make thee a great nation. God has always came after us. That is his way. That is his way.
[9:33] He came after you. And he's come for the world. Isn't that what he said in John 3.16? For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.
[9:46] That whosoever shall believe in him should not perish. He came after the world. We need to realize that we don't appease Allah.
[10:01] We don't appease Allah by our works and our deeds. The ways work on the cross. The ways work on the cross appease God. His way.
[10:14] The ways. The ways. The ways. The way. Is not to have sacrificing our children to a crocodile God like they do in Africa. But rather the ways.
[10:26] The way. The way. Jesus. The way sacrifice is sufficient. His way is not through obedience of rules and morals and obeying laws.
[10:36] But rather the way obeying till death. Even the death of the cross. That is his way. His way is Jesus. He wants all the world to know it was Jesus.
[10:49] It was Jesus. Jesus. The question is. What are we asking God for when we ask him to bless us?
[11:02] What am I asking God to bless me for? Is it so I might tell my neighbors? That wonderful story. That they may know the way. Is that why I'm asking for blessings?
[11:13] You realize who's writing this right? It's a Jewish man right? And you realize in a couple hundred years they're going to forget. And they're going to think that all these blessings were for them. And they're going to forget the beginning.
[11:26] But this psalmist didn't forget the beginning. You guys remember the beginning where the Jews came on the scenes. Right? You remember? It was started by one man. His name was Abraham. And you remember that promise that God gave Abraham. Right?
[11:37] In Genesis chapter 12 verses 2. He says. And I will make thee a great nation. And I will bless thee. And I will make thy name great.
[11:48] And what are they going to be? Thou shalt be a blessing. You realize God blessed us with mercy? He's blessed us with so many blessings.
[12:01] Not just so we can sit here and soak it up. And just think how great a person we are. And get this cat-like theology. And think. Man. He really loves me. I must be someone special.
[12:12] No. He blesses you. So you can take that. And you can praise him. And you can go to India. And you can go to these people in China. And you can go to these people in Indonesia. And you can say. What a great God.
[12:23] What a great God. And they will turn. And return. Fear the Lord. That's why he's blessed you. Not so we can sit here in our seats. And think.
[12:34] Wow. We must be special. And I know I'm preaching to the choir on this. But I'm just. As I said in my prayer. If anything else. I just. I let this be true. We know the principle.
[12:46] The biblical principle. Give and it shall be given unto you. Press down. And shaking together. And running over together. Man. He has given so much. We realize the.
[12:57] The principle. The sower. Right? You shall reap what you sow. He has blessed us. To be a blessing to others. He has blessed us.
[13:07] So we can make the world known to us. Think about what he's done. In the past 200 years. Think about what he's done. In your lifetime. Think of where you live. Think of all the resources he's given you.
[13:19] Think of all the great things he's done for you. Why did he do that? Because he wants you to live in comfort. No. He wants the world to know. He wants the world to know. Not only does he tell us what we should ask for.
[13:32] But he also tells God's people what they should be doing. He tells us that we should be appraising people. In verse 3 he says this. Let the people praise thee oh God.
[13:43] Let all the people praise thee. Oh God. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy. For thou shalt judge the people righteously. And govern the nations upon earth.
[13:55] Let the people praise thee. Oh God. Let all the people praise thee. Confession.
[14:11] And I praise them when times are going good. I praise them when my family's health is right. Isn't that what we do? Normally do? Lord if my family's health is good.
[14:25] I'm going to praise you. Lord if I've got money to pay my bills. I'm praising you. Lord if I could just get this new gadget. I'll praise you.
[14:35] Isn't that what we do? Is this just me? It's like Lord I'd. If I could just have some meat rather than this manna. Then I would start praising you. Lord if I could just have this.
[14:50] Or if I could just have that. Then I'd praise you. It's like we almost have a. An attitude that. That Jacob had. When it comes to praising God.
[15:03] In Genesis chapter 28. Verse 20 and verse 21. Some of you know the story. Jacob leaves. He's fleeing from Esau. He's going out to his mother's house. And Jacob vowed a vow.
[15:14] The Bible says. Saying. If God will be good to me. If God will be with me. And keep me. In this way that I go. And will give me bread. To eat. And raiment to put on.
[15:26] That I come again to my father's house. Then shall the Lord be my God. Isn't that we have. Isn't that. Isn't that. Isn't that. Attitude towards the way we praise God. God if you're good to me.
[15:37] If you make sure I have food on my family. Man we're going to praise you. When times are good. God if. If my family's health is good. Then I'm going to praise you. But notice something.
[15:50] Why are we supposed to praise him? Because he gives us stuff. What's it say in verse. And in Psalms chapter 6. Or 67. In verse. Verse 4. Verse 3.
[16:01] Let's go back to verse 3. He says. Let the. Let the people praise thee. Oh God. Let all people praise thee. Oh let the nations be glad. And sing for joy. For thou shalt judge the people. Righteously.
[16:11] And govern the nations up. Upon earth. We don't praise God. For what he does for us. And what he gives us. We praise God. For who he is. And what he does. He's a just God.
[16:23] He's a righteous God. He's a loving God. And he will do right. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? He shall. He shall.
[16:35] Romans chapter 3 verses 5. He says. Speaks of his righteous judgment. He's going to do right. No matter what. We look at the world today. And we look at our judges.
[16:46] And people in our political system. And we see how they toss back and forth. Back and forth. But our God doesn't change. He is just. He is righteous.
[17:01] He judges righteously. Because. There is no respecter of a person with God. You realize that? He doesn't look and say. These Americans.
[17:11] They've got it going. I love the Americans. Or he doesn't look at these people. In South America. He says. Oh these. These Hispanics. They. I really love them more. There is no respecters of persons.
[17:23] There is no red party. Blue party. He doesn't see that. He never changes. That's why he can judge righteous. He says. He is the Lord. And he changes not.
[17:34] He is the same yesterday. And today. And forever more. That's why he judged. This is why the reasons why we praise him. Because he is constant. Not only does he not change.
[17:49] But he is truth. That's why he can judge. He can judge righteously. He is the truth. When he stayed before Pilate. He says. His words were truth.
[18:01] And Pilate says. What is truth? When Jesus stood before his. His disciples says. I am the way. The truth. He is not a liar. He can't lie. I would like to bring attention.
[18:16] Also. That we don't. Praise him for what he does. We praise him for who he is. And notice when the. The psalmist. Put praise him. He says. Let the people praise him.
[18:28] Praise thee. Oh God. Let all the people praise thee. Oh let the nations be glad. And sing for joy. For thou. Sout judge the people. All righteously. And govern. Govern. Govern. Govern the nations upon the earth. Let the people praise thee.
[18:39] Oh God. Let all the people praise thee. Then what's that next word. In verse six. Then shall the earth. Yield her increase. And God. Even our God. Shall bless us.
[18:52] You know. When we praise him. Before the blessings come. Amen. We worship him. We adore him. Before he ever does anything for us.
[19:04] Because he's been good to us. He's been merciful to us. He loves us. When we ask. For blessings rightly.
[19:17] When we learn to praise him in all things. Then we have a promise. He says he shall bless us. In verse seven. He says. God shall bless us.
[19:29] And all the ends of the earth. Shall fear him. Everyone from. America. And all the people in there. To China.
[19:41] And all the people in between. They will fear him one day. They will fear him. But he says. If. You praise me. This is our savior's heart's desire.
[19:53] That all the ends of the earth would fear him. He wants everyone to respect him. He wants everyone's love and adoration. And if this is God's. It's not only.
[20:03] Not only. It's his desire. He says. It's his will. In second. Peter chapter three. Verses nine. That none should perish. Church. And so. And so if this is God's will. And if this is God's desire.
[20:14] This should be our commission. That all the world may fear him. It's why he left us here to be on. Earth. That we might bring forth his.
[20:27] Praise. It was the job of the New Testament church. So it is our job also. At Vision Baptist Church. That all the earth.
[20:38] Might fear him. And how do we do this? By realizing the blessings that he's given us. And asking for the right blessings. That they may know.
[20:50] And that praising. People might be seeing through our praising. How good our God is. What's it saying? And if you would. Turn with me to first Peter. Chapter. Chapter two. Verses nine. This is. This is.
[21:00] This is so great. Listen. Listen to what this verse says. He says. But you are a chosen generation. A royal priesthood. And holy nation. A peculiar people. He has blessed us so much.
[21:10] We. Who weren't part of the body. He has made us his people. A chosen generation. He says. A royal priesthood. We were. Sons and daughters of Satan.
[21:21] And he makes us. A royal priesthood. Do you realize that? Where. Where. Where. Where. Where. Once in the Old Testament. You only got to go before God. One time a year. And it was only one special man.
[21:32] And it was just one special man. Out of the entire country. And he could go before God. Now you are a royal priesthood. And you can boldly. Enter into the. To the throne of God. And you have access.
[21:44] Man. He has blessed us. A holy nation. A sanctified. Set apart. He's got a job. For us. Not just so we can sit in here.
[21:56] And say. This is the list of sins. I don't do. No. He doesn't want that. He wants us. He set us apart. For a special purpose. A special. A use. That what?
[22:10] That we should show forth. The praises of him. Who called us out of darkness. Unto his marvelous light. Then.
[22:21] All the earth. May fear him. You realize what you have? Man. We get back. And we celebrate this. This. This.
[22:31] This weekend. And yesterday. On how great our country is. And we have the greatest. One of the greatest countries. In the entire world. Man. God has blessed us so much. And we think of all the great things.
[22:46] Yet we forget the great things he's done for us. And our mouths are closed. And we're no longer praising him. Man.
[22:58] He wants all the world to fear him. How can we do it? If we're so focused on ourselves. And we're not focused on him. And what he's done for us. And praising.
[23:08] I'm going to close with these three. Three questions. Real quick. And I'll be done. Why did God.
[23:22] Why did God bless you? What makes you so special? What's the difference between you.
[23:38] And the person over in the Middle East. That's never going to hear the gospel. Why did he. Why did he come down. And seek after you.
[23:51] I asked that same question myself. About six years ago. After a trip to Peru. Why did you save me? Why have you blessed me so much? Because he's got a job for you to do.
[24:06] He's got a job for everybody here. That we would praise him. In the work room. That we would praise him. In the school room. That we would praise him. In India.
[24:16] That we would praise him. Wherever we are. We would just praise him. Because he's been so good. And he's so marvelous. And he's so merciful. And he's blessed us. Are you praising him today? Second question.
[24:32] What's your reasoning for praising God? Is it outside who he is.
[24:42] And what he's done for you. Spiritually. What's your reasoning for praising him? God has decided to use us.
[24:59] And his infinite plan and wisdom. To be witnesses. To be proclaimers. To be praisers of this great mercy. This is the final question. He is.
[25:10] He is. God. Before time began. He looked down. Through time. And he said. Bo. I'm going to bless you.
[25:23] I'm going to give you that mercy. And that kindness. That you don't deserve. Jason. I'm going to make you that people. I'm going to let you. I'm going to draw you nigh. By the blood of Christ. And I'm going to choose you.
[25:38] That you. Might show forth. My praises. That you might proclaim. My goodness. That you might tell others. How merciful.
[25:48] And how kind. And how I loved you. While you were yet sinners. And you didn't love me first. I loved you. The question is. Is what are you going to do with that?
[26:03] It's nothing new. You guys all know this. Man. He has blessed us. Are you praising him tonight? Are you showing forth his praise?
[26:16] Let the praise. Let the people praise thee. Oh Lord. Oh God. Let. All people. Praise thee. He wants everybody guys.
[26:27] The job is big. But he's bigger. So let's go forth and praise him. Heavenly Father. Father. I thank you for the opportunity Lord.
[26:38] That I get to. Preach your word. Lord God. Help me to. Ask. For your blessings. The way I should.
[26:48] Lord God. Help me to ask for things. That I know. That's going to help others. Know who you are. And. And see your salvation. Lord God. Help me to. Not be so focused on myself. And my comfort.
[26:59] And my wants. Purpose times. Vocation. And Lord. Let me be a person of praise. No matter the circumstance. Lord. Just let me praise you.
[27:10] For you are good. And you are just. And you will always do right. Because you are righteous. Thank you Lord. For this mercy. That you have given us. Thank you for all the messages. That you have taught us.
[27:21] Lord God. I ask that you would just raise up. Workers out of this. This. This. This church. Lord God. Help us to influence other people. That might go. To these three different peoples. Lord God. That. One in India.
[27:32] Lord God. They don't have. But. 5,000 people. That are. That are born again. Out of 53 million. Lord. Lord. Let this break our hearts. And Lord.
[27:43] Help us to praise you. And just show forth your praise. And your goodness. Everywhere we go. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.