Because

Opening Remarks and Introduction A message from Psalms will be shared. Trust in God is essential. Like when the song was played, trusting God is key. Reading Psalms 5:11-12. Those who trust in God should rejoice and shout for joy. God defends them and brings joy to those who believe in His name. God blesses the righteous with favor, surrounding them like a shield. The Significance of “Because” “Because” introduces an expectation, whether good or bad. The word itself is indifferent to the nature of what follows. It sets up an understanding that reasons will follow. There are countless reasons to consider what God is saying. There are a thousand reasons to consider what God has done. We only glean handfuls of purpose that God shares. Rejoicing in God is essential because what He does is eternal. God redeemed from a dark place and set feet on solid rock. The devil can’t undo that. God’s goodness outweighs any bad. People of God should rejoice, worship, and have joy because of God’s goodness. We haven’t earned anything, but God pours out goodness. Salvation is eternal. Saved on best and worst days. God doesn’t change, even if we waver. Hope and Rejoicing Hope comes from truth, not worldly circumstances. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks. Reasons to rejoice despite hard circumstances. God is still in heaven and able to help. Paul and Silas in jail: Even beaten and chained, they praised God. The Holy Ghost filled the jail cell with hope. Rejoicing is a commandment to the people of God. Perspective should be focused on God, not worldly circumstances. God has always been good. Focusing on Him changes the heart’s position. The Power of Prayer and Gratitude To experience God’s power, don’t quit praying. Pray continually throughout the day. Rejoice in hard times by conversing with God. In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will. Trust in God with all your heart, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path. A hard conversation with a friend who lost his job. The friend chose to look up instead of down. It’s better to be better than bitter. There’s nothing in this world that keeps me here. Longing for a fairer land where everything is right. The Word “Because” in Scripture The word “because” is used over 1200 times in the Bible. Sometimes followed by bad reasons, sometimes good. David in the Psalms: Motivated by good and bad things. God has always been good, in ups and downs. God is the hope of salvation and the joy in every circumstance. Reasons to rejoice, pray, and give thanks. Trusting God’s Plan We don’t know what’s best for us. Born into a family of God that knows what we need. God has been faithful through everything. 1 John 4:19: We love Him because He first loved us. God’s love is unconditional, unlike human love. He loves us in spite of ourselves. God’s love saved an unworthy soul. Goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives. God doesn’t do bad things; it’s our perspective that categorizes them as such. God is good even when we think it’s bad or over. Rejoice always. Whatever has come to you, I’m not exempt from it. If you know what I know, you’ve still got something to shout about. Rejoicing in God’s Defense Psalms 5:11: Let those who trust in God rejoice and shout for joy because He defends them. Story of defending from bullies as a child. The father went with him to fight the bully. God is always there defending. God puts you in the fight, but He’s there. He won’t let the enemy get over His children. Rejoice because He defends me. Good news for those who worry and can’t sleep. God defends even while we sleep. David and Goliath: David knew God would deliver him. Rejoice because God defends you. No enemy can strike without God’s knowledge and control. God has never lost a battle. God’s Blessings and Favor Statue of Buddha was turned over and never got up. God never sleeps. He defends me. Psalms 5:12: God blesses the righteous with favor, compassing them as with a shield. The devil told the Lord that Job had a hedge about him. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are a hedge about us. The devil can’t get to you without God’s approval. God blesses and shows favor. Grace is the unmerited favor of God. We have joy even when the world says we can’t. God’s Omnipresence Psalms 16:8: Because He is at my right hand. God’s omnipresence: There is nowhere God isn’t. Never be anywhere that God ain’t there too. Psalmist: If I make my bed in heaven or hell, God is there. Rejoice that God is always there. Gratitude for God’s Goodness Psalms 13:6: I will sing unto the Lord because He hath dealt bountifully with me. God has been bountiful. A place to sleep, clothes, food, vehicles. Everything comes to the glory of God. It’s by His grace that we can stand, breathe, and think. Give all glory to God. Rejoice because He’s been bountiful to us. Love God enough to come to church every time the door’s open. The more we read the Bible, the more we understand how good He is. It’s not a burden to be in His house. When it becomes a burden, we’ve forgotten how good He is. God’s Delight in Us Psalms 18:19: He brought me forth into a large place; He delivered me because He delighted in me. God delights in you. The only thing that made me worthy to go to heaven was the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Even on your worst day, He’s loving on you. He doesn’t condone sin but will chastise us to bring us back into a right relationship with Him. He delights in you. He loves you. Like the shepherd who left the ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep. God Hears Our Prayers Psalms 28:6: Blessed be the Lord because He hath heard the voice of my supplications. He hears my voice. Even elementary prayers like “Help me.” He hears the voice of my supplication. God is everywhere all the time. Even when you don’t say it with your mouth, He heard it. People have forgotten why they ought to shout. Need to be reminded of the good. God doesn’t change. God’s Eternal Mercy Psalms 118:1: Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good because His mercy endureth forever. What if God’s mercy suddenly expired? His mercy endures forever. You can’t exhaust His mercy. You’ll never be bad enough to extinguish the purging power of His mercy. You’ll never go far enough away. That’s how long I’m going to need you. Conclusion and Invitation We’ve got a reason to shout. Makes us peculiar to this world. Give them a few good reasons why you are happy. Because He hears me, defends me, compasses me about, has dealt bountifully with me, His mercy endures forever, He delights in me. Make up your own list. He’s a good God. Share an old song: “I sing because there’s an empty grave, I sing because there’s power to save, I sing because His love is real to me.” Overwhelmed by His goodness. So many reasons to bless His holy name, even when I don’t feel like it. Thank you, God. You’re so good to me. I love Him today because He first loved me. If you need the Lord, come. Maybe you need to pray and get your heart right. Get your shout back. God ain’t changed; you have. He’s still the same.