Transcription
Won't you pray with me? Was the prophet Jeremiah, God, who declared, "It is of your mercies we are not consumed. They are brand new every morning. And great, oh God, is thy faithfulness."
Thank you, God, for being faithful when we were not consistent. Thank you for being merciful when we were willingly disobedient. Thank you for being gracious when we did not deserve it.
Now Lord, tighten us up with your word today. This we ask in Jesus name. Amen.
It's our power. We move fast. If you're physically able, won't you stand? I'm going to ask you to put the 116th Psalm on your devotional and Bible study reading for this week. I was going to read several verses, but there's just one question I want to lift up from that 116th Psalm in verse number 12. And the question goes like this. What shall I render to the Lord for all of his benefits unto me? That's enough. If you may be seated in the presence of the Lord.
How can I say thanks? While we were out at Father's Day dinner last week, the boys and I were talking and they are excited and I am grateful that they both have paid internships. They're making their own money. And Jessica, while we were speaking, Deuce said to me, "Dad, I can't wait to get a real job that makes even more money." I took this as a fatherly moment to share with him that as you're pursuing a career, it's not just the salary that matters. It's the benefits. It's the health care. It's the paid time off. It's the 401 plan. It's the FMLA. It's the continuing ed and professional development. It is tuition reimbursement. It is work flexibility and remote from home work. That sometimes y'all the benefits are more important than the salary. Matter of fact, I would suggest to you in case you don't know that there's a difference between a job and a career. If all you're getting is a paycheck, you got a job. But benefits show how much an organization values you. How much they're willing to invest in your long-term care and well-being. And the truth be told, sometimes the benefits makes the struggle of the job worth it.
Let me tell you a little bit about the benefits of trusting in God. The minute you gave your life to the lordship of Jesus Christ, when you walked down that aisle, when you opened up your heart and you prayed, "Lord, save me," you were eternally secured with a home in heaven. You were redeemed from the hand of the enemy. You were freed from the penalty of sin. Your name was written in the lamb's book of life. You were counted among those that have washed themselves clean in the blood of the lamb and have come through great trial and tribulation. You were put in a place where nothing would ever be able to separate you from the love of God that was in Christ Jesus. You were saved eternally.
But I don't want you to get it twisted and think that salvation just has blessings in the afterlife. There are some benefits in the here and now. There are some things God does for those who trust in God and walk with God and hold to God's unchanging hand. I want you to know that there are some benefits that make salvation worth it. There are some benefits that make it worthwhile to get up early in the morning to get in the 8:00 service. There are some benefits to driving around trying to find a parking space. There are some benefits to have to carrying your heels and your purse so you change them out of your flats when you get in the narthx to look better when you get in the house of God. There are some benefits for scooting over on your pew and asking somebody, "Can I sit next to you?" There are some benefits that come when you put your hand in God's hand.
Hang out in Psalm 116 this week. And let me share with you God's benefit package. The psalmist who writes Psalm 116 is anonymous. We don't know who they are, but it's clear they knew who God was. This psalm is written by someone who's put their trust in the Lord and found out that something happens to give you hope and help when you walk with God. Give me just a few moments to lay out the benefit package for someone who's debating whether this faith thing is still worth it.
Notice how the psalmist begins. Marcia, in verse number one, the psalmist says this, "I love the Lord because he heard my prayer and because he inclined his ear to my supplication." I love the Lord because he heard my voice and he answered my prayers. Here's the first benefit, y'all. We serve a God who hears and a God who helps. I want someone to hold on to that. We serve a God who hears your voice and a God who answers your supplication. In case you're slow, let me give you to you in the cliffnote version. We serve a prayer hearing and a prayer answering God. Linda prelude th this psalm misunderstood what somebody in the sanctuary has found out and that is that when you call on the name of the Lord, the Lord not only hears you but the Lord will answer you.
I need to pause and take a sermonic survey to find some folk that have ever dropped down on their knees and lifted up their eyes to the Lord and asked God to do something you needed God to do. I need a witness that when you sincerely call on the name of the Lord, the Lord will hear you and the Lord will answer you. So, can I give you some good advice? No matter what you're facing in life, no matter what trouble you're going through, no matter what the pain, no matter what the problem, I got a solution for you. Take it to the Lord in prayer. When you got battles you cannot fight, have a little talk with Jesus and tell him all about your troubles. He will hear your faintest cry and he will answer by and by. When there's sickness in your body, bow your head, lift up your voice, call on God, and ask the Lord to heal you. And I'm a living witness that God hears and God answers prayer.
Beloved, beloved, listen. Don't ever let somebody convince you that prayer don't work. Don't ever let some atheist tell you God doesn't care about you. Don't ever let some coworker CONVINCE YOU THAT YOU ARE WASTING your time when you call on God in prayer. Cuz anybody who doesn't believe in the power of prayer ain't never prayed. I'm going to say it one more again. If you ever meet someone that doesn't believe in the power of prayer, it's cuz they ain't never really prayed to the God we serve. I ain't talking about no Jesus we wet prayer. I ain't talking about no 5second Lord fix this, Lord give me that. LORD DO THAT. I AIN'T talking about no commercial break prayer. I ain't talking about no lastm minute prayer after you tried everything else, after you lit your sage and after you called your friends and after you checked your horoscope and after you tried TO FIX IT BY YOURSELF. NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT PRAYER WHEN YOU KNEEL AT THE SIDE OF YOUR BED AND LIFT UP YOUR VOICE AND HOLLER OUT TO GOD, I NEED THEE, GOD.
Something happens when you sincerely call on the name of the Lord and as they dealing I'm so tired of saints getting in a bad situation and saying I guess all I can do is pray. You talking about prayer like it's some experimental drug that ain't never been tested and proven. Can I tell you something? Prayer is a privilege. God doesn't have to hear you and God doesn't have to answer you. OH, WHAT PEACE we often FORFEIT AND OH WHAT NEEDLESS pains we bear. It It's a privilege to take things to God in prayer.
Okay, some of y'all don't believe me. I'm I'mma help you. Um, while we were in our season a little while ago for a couple Easter, Kla Harris came to Alfred Street, the sitting vice president of the United States, who should be our president now. She She came to Alpha Street for Easter Sundays. A little while ago, her team reached out and said, "The vice president wants to talk to you." So, I took the phone call and we talked for almost an hour and I prayed with her at the end cuz she had some decisions she needed to pray about. And she said, "Pastor Wesley, I just want you to pray as we talked about some decisions she had to make." And after we were done praying, she said, "Pastor, I don't usually do this, but take down my cell phone number. in case you ever need anything. Y'all, I I just want you to know I've got the phone number to Kla Harris in my iPhone right now. And Marcia, I brag and boast every now and then when I see folk. I pull up her number and show him that I got the vice president's phone number in my phone. She told me I could call her if I needed something. I I'm somebody cuz I got the number to Kla Harris and she ain't even in office no more. But I'm still bragging that I got access to the former vice president of the United States of America.
Wait, WAIT, WAIT. DON'T SHOUT PREMATURELY. So few days ago, I needed something. The uh the Obama library was opening. Y'all like my Obama tan suit? This Obama tan up. and and I I wanted to go to the Obama opening of the library cuz uh I wanted some seats and I wanted to be upfront. And so I decided I'm going to call Kla Harris. And y'all HERE'S THE SHOUT. I CALLED her as she answered the phone. AND I KNEW I WAS SOMEBODY WHEN I COULD CALL ON THE VICE PRESIDENT AND SHE ANSWERED MY CALL. AND IF I CAN SHOUT THAT KLA HARRIS ANSWERED MY CALL, SOMEBODY TODAY, YOU OUGHT TO GET EXCITED RIGHT HERE that you got access to the omnipotent and the eternal AND THE SOVEREIGN GOD OF ALL THE EARTH. AND WHEN YOU CALL, he will answer. And every time you call on God and God answers a prayer, you ought to be the first one in that line outside waiting to get in the sanctuary to WALK IN THIS SPACE AND TELL GOD, "THANK YOU. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO ANSWER. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO HEAR. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GIVE ME ACCESS. BUT I'M SO GLAD THAT GOD HEARD MY PRAYER. AND GOD ANSWERED MY PRAYER WHEN I CALLED ON HIM."
He hears and he helps. Can I give you another benefit? Not only does our God hear and help, but our God delivers from danger. Listen to what the psalmist says and see where it lines up with your testimony. The psalmist says in that third verse, he said, "The pains of shield surrounded me. Death had a hold of me. I found trouble and sorrow." But verse eight says, "But God delivered me." Can I try it one more again? A shield was all around me. Death had a claim on me. Trouble and sorrow were all around and God delivered me. One more time for the sanctified slow. I was in sh and I had some death and I had some trouble AND THERE WAS SORROW. BUT BUT THE Lord delivered me. C can I teach Bible real quick? We got about 10 more minutes. Uh the psalmist says, "God brought me out of shield and death." If Dr. Judy were here this morning, she'd tell you that in Hebrew culture, in Israelite theological understanding of death and life, the shield and death are two different things. Go on, teach Howard, John. Shield is a place. Death is an experience. Y'all don't don't don't miss me. Shield to the Jews was the place of death. Death was the experience you went through. But watch this. You didn't have to die to wind up in sh. You could be in a dead place while you're still breathing. Go on, preach. uh they understood the reality of a living hell. And let me just tell you right now at 54 years old, you ain't got to die to know what hell feel like. A job that doesn't value you could be sh. A loveless marriage can be a living hell. Student debt can be a living hell. being black in America, being a woman in America, being queer in America, being an immigrant in America can be shield, a living hell that you have to go through. BUT THE PSALMIST DECLARES, "WHEN I was in that place, the Lord still brought me out of it."
Come here, Payton. The psalmist says, "I'm in shield." But what makes Psalm 116 different is that he never describes what it was. And even more, he doesn't say how he got there. Y'all stay with me. You ain't going to like this. Uh Psalm 116 is different because in all the other Psalms when there's a reference to shield, there's also a reference to enemies and evildoers. that I'm in sh because I've got enemies and evildoers who are making my life hell. But in Psalm 116, there's no reference of enemy or evildoer. Why come? The psalmist says, "I'm in shield," but doesn't mention any enemy or evildoer. All right. Maybe the trouble he's in was not the result of what somebody else did to him. Well, yeah. Maybe he's there cuz he brought it on himself. Listen, this ain't for everybody cuz your neighbor wants you to think they've been saved and sanctified and talking in tongues since they were six days old. But I'm looking for some folk that ain't ashamed not to lie in church today and acknowledge that some of the stuff you got in was not because of no enemy. It was not because of no evildoer. You brought it on yourself. I need somebody who ain't ashamed to testify that there have been some times I had to ask God to get me out of some things that God never put me in in the first place. I brought it on my Is there anybody here who knows you ain't never have no business going over there in the first place? You never should have gone out with him. You never should have laid down with her. You never should have said yes. You never should have tried that. You never should have tested that. IS THERE ANYBODY HONEST ENOUGH THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME STUFF I BROUGHT ON MYSELF? BUT GOD IS SO GOOD THAT GOD GOT ME OUT OF SOME THINGS THAT GOD NEVER TOLD ME TO GET IN IN THE FIRST PLACE. I NEED A WITNESS THAT'S JUST GRATEFUL THAT GOD MADE A WAY OUT. THAT GOD GAVE YOU ANOTHER CHANCE, THAT GOD SENT SOME BETTER FOLK IN YOUR LIFE, THAT GOD LED YOU TO A GOOD CHURCH, THAT GOD OPENED THE DOOR AND GOT YOU OUT. Somebody say, "Shol."
Shol is a place. Death is an experience. So, watch the psalm. The Lord delivered me from shield and from death. To deliver from shield means he got me out of a place. Death is an experience. To deliver me from death means he kept me from some experiences. Here's why somebody ought to say amen. Not only did the Lord deliver you, but the Lord kept you. The Lord kept you from some things you should have gone through. Some things that should have happened didn't happen. Some things that would have happened didn't happen. I need about three folk right here who can declare that the Lord kept me from some things. I didn't reap what I sowed. I didn't go through what I should have gone through. It wasn't as bad as it could have been. I didn't lose everything. God has kept me.
Now, here it is. I realize why some of y'all ain't ain't saying nothing, especially y'all right up there. The reason you ain't saying nothing is cuz you can't shout over what the Lord kept you from, cuz you don't know he kept you from it. Let me try it again. It's hard to shout over what the Lord kept you from cuz the Lord kept you from it. And if the truth be told, you really don't even know all the weapons the enemy had targeted you. You don't know the destruction that could have come your way. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW CLOSE YOU WERE TO being in that accident. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW CLOSE YOU WERE TO LOSING YOUR LIFE BECAUSE THE LORD KEPT YOU FROM IT.
Let let me find my exit. Uh 1985, hurricane season, Hurricane Gina was making its way up the seabboard of the eastern coast of the United States. Hurricane Gina 1985, it was forecasted that it was going to slam into New York City. The forecast was hurricane winds, floods, that houses were going to be destroyed, and people were told to evacuate New York City in 1985 because Hurricane Gina was on the way. Destruction was coming to the city. Well, somehow someway a strong wind blew and Hurricane Gina stayed in the Atlantic but did not reach New York City. That next morning, here comes the shout. Let me tell you what the headline of the New York Times said. The headline said, "The storm never hit." And somebody that ought to be the title of the autobiography of your life. The storm never hit. It didn't hit me the way it should have. I didn't lose what I could have. It didn't hurt as bad as it could have. I need some FOLK WHO CAN JUST THANK GOD THAT THE STORM DID NOT HIT. THE DESTRUCTION DID NOT COME. THE BOTTOM DID NOT DROP OUT. THE BANKRUPTCY DIDN'T KILL YOU. THE DIAGNOSIS DIDN'T DESTROY YOU. THE STORM NEVER hit because our God hears and helps. Our God delivers from danger.
But here's that last one that I'm about to shout in myself. Our God always goes abundantly above. You don't serve some minimal God. You serve a God who when he hears what you need, he is able to go exceeding and abundantly above everything you think. You go home and you read Psalm 116 and you'll find out in verse 7 that the psalmist says, "Be at rest, my soul." Because the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. Somebody say, "Bountifully." You don't even need to know what that word means in Hebrew for you to know that God has dealt bountifully with you. If you've ever seen God bless you, Yeah. with something you know you don't deserve. You know bountiful. If you've ever gas God for a little bit and God gave you a lot of bit, you already know bountiful. If you've ever seen God sit you at a table WHEN YOU DIDN'T QUALIFY TO BE IN THE ROOM, you already know bountiful. If you've ever ASKED GOD FOR ONE AND GOD GAVE YOU TWO, you already know bountiful. If you've ever stood AND LOOKED AT THE SCOPE OF YOUR LIFE AND SAID, "WOW, YOU KNOW GOD HAS BEEN BOUNTIFUL." IF GOD HAS BEEN BETTER TO YOU THAN YOU DESERVE GOD TO HAVE EVER BEEN, YOU KNOW, BOUNTIFUL, is there anybody in the Outford Street Church WHO CAN DECLARE GOD'S BEEN BOUNTIFUL WITH ME? AND NOW UNTO HIM who is able to go exceeding and abundantly above all THAT YOU COULD ASK OR THINK. HE'S BEEN BOUNTIFUL.
UM I I I DON'T HAVE TO TELL you what that Hebrew word means, but since you are in Alpha STREET, I'M GOING TO TEACH IT to you anyway. Can I tell you what the Hebrew word for bountiful is? It's this word gale. G A M A L. G. And g Samir, you going to love this. It literally means to wean a child. Oh God. Uh it the same way a nursing child has to be weaned. Bountiful means that God's so good to you that God weans you from things you thought you were dependent on. Uh uh uh this ain't going to get everybody. BUT BUT CAN I TELL YOU WHY SOME folk have issue with you the more you grow in God? Because the more you grow in God, the more you realize how much I don't need from you. I don't need you to like me. I don't need you to approve me. I don't need you to be on my side. I DON'T NEED TO COMPROMISE MYSELF TO WIN YOUR FAVOR BECAUSE I'VE GOT A GOD WHO IS SO GOOD TO ME THAT GOD BROKE ME FROM A DEPENDENCE ON HUMAN HELP. AND I NEED A FEW WITNESSES ON THIS SUNDAY MORNING WHO CAN DECLARE I DON'T NEED NOTHING BUT GOD. Goodbye y'all.
It's our power. Psalm says God hears and God helps. God delivers from danger. God always goes above and abundantly beyond. So then the question comes, what shall I render unto the Lord for all of his goodness? Here's where I'mma lose half of y'all. He realizes God's been good. And all of y'all shouted on that. BUT THEN HE SAYS, "GOD'S BEEN SO good that I've got to give God something in return." That God's been too good to me for me to just sit silent every Sunday. God has been too good to me for me to come in church and CROSS MY LEGS AND fold my arms and act like I ain't got a reason to praise the Lord. God has been too GOOD TO ME. WHAT SHALL I RENDER unto the Lord for how good he's been? THE PSALMIST LOOKED AT THE options and came to the conclusion, the only thing I can give God in exchange is to open my mouth and to praise the Lord from the depth of my heart. I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall MAKE HER BOAST IN THE LORD. THE HUMBLE SHALL HEAR AND BE PROUD. OH, MAGNIFY the Lord with me. AND LET US EXALT his name forever. GOD'S BEEN GOOD TO ME. And every TIME I THINK ABOUT HOW GOOD HE'S BEEN, I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH. I will raise my hands AND I WILL TELL GOD, "Thank you for every way you made. Thank you for every battle you fought. THANK YOU FOR EVERY PRAYER YOU ANSWERED. THANK YOU FOR EVERY BLESSING YOU'VE GIVEN.
NOW, I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW SOME OF Y'ALL ARE SITTING BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S NOT HOW I WORSHIP. Uh that I AM NOT PRONE TO LIFT up hands. Uh I don't open up my mouth. I I I'm I'm Alfred Street. I come here cuz it don't take all of that. And now I get that. BUT BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED ONE MOTHER'S DAY AND I'M GONE. ONE MOTHER'S DAY I TOOK MY MOTHER TO CAPITOL Grill cuz she said she wanted a filet minion. And being the good son that I am. I didn't TAKE HER TO TEXAS ROADHOUSE. I took my mama to Capitol Grill. Amen. They came by and ASKED MY MOM WHAT SHE WANTED. She said, "I've been waiting a long time for a filet minion." They asked her, "How do you want it prepared?" My mama said, "Extra well done." I ain't even know you could order a steak extra well done. The waiter went in the back, came back out and said, "Ma'am, the chef has an objection." The chef says that the filt menu IS TOO GOOD OF A CUT of meat for you to cook it extra well done. He said, "May we recommend medium rare or medium at the most?" She said, "No, I want it extra well done." The waiter SAID, "WELL, THE CHEF WILL NOT PREPARE IT EXTRA well done." And let me tell you what my mama said. MY MAMA SAID, "SINCE IT'S my steak, and it was paid for by my son, you bring it to me the way I ordered it. GOODBYE, ALFRED STREET." BUT BECAUSE IT'S THE LORD'S praise and it WAS PAID FOR BY HIS SON, GOD SAYS, "BRING IT TO me the way I ordered it." I ordered it with your hands lifted. I ordered IT WITH YOUR MOUTH OPEN. I ordered it with hallelujah from your heart. Give God what he deserves.
It was THAT GOSPEL singer Andre Crouch in 1972. He wrote these words that I LEAVE YOU WITH. HOW CAN I SAY THANKS FOR THE THINGS YOU'VE DONE FOR ME, things so undeserved, yet you did to prove your love for me. THE VOICES OF A MILLION ANGELS COULD NOT EXPRESS my gratitude. All that I am AND EVER HOPE TO BE. I OWE IT ALL UNTO THEE. Here's the chorus. To God be the glory. To God be the glory. To God be the glory. for all the things he has done. With his blood, he has saved me. With his power, he has raised me. And to God be the glory. I'm going to leave y'all, church, but can you just pause and GIVE GOD THE GLORY THAT GOD DESERVES? HE HEARD YOU. He delivered you. He blessed you. And to God, to God be the glory. To God be the glory. To God be the glory for the things he has done. Oh with his blood. With his blood he has saved. He has saved me with his power. He has raised and to God to God be the glory for the things for the things he has done.