PRAISING THE LORD

"Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name."

- Psalm 63:4

David was a man after God's own heart.  He was a man who praised the Lord.  He wrote many of the psalms.  David was not afraid to express his adoration of God.  In the 63rd Psalm, David expresses his love and worship of God. 

In the first three verses of the psalm, David states his desire for God and his high view of the Lord.  In our text, he writes, "Thus will I bless thee while I live."  David had many reasons to praise the Lord & so do we. 

The word, "bless" in the King James Version is literally translated, "praise."  David writes that he will praise the Lord, "... while I live."  While it is true that we'll be praising God throughout eternity in heaven, it is wrong to wait until heaven to begin praising Him.  He deserves our praise right now. 

I believe that we tend to spend more time complaining than we do in praise.  This is a mistake.  Our blessings far outweigh our complaints.  Despite the problems we face, God is worthy of our praise.  He deserves our praise because of who He is. 

Our text closes with this promise from David:  "I will lift up my hands in thy name."  I must admit that I grew up in churches that didn't actively promote lifting up hands in worship.  Yet our text teaches us that lifting up hands in praise is a good thing.  When we lift up our hands, it is a sign of surrender.  We need to daily surrender our lives to God.  When we lift up our hands, we physically extend ourselves toward God.  We should continually offer ourselves in the service of God.  Also, when we lift up our hands, we are physically posturing ourselves to receive.  In worship, it is not God's blessings that we seek, but God Himself. 

We have much to praise Him for.  Like David, we should say, "Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name."

BETTER THAN LIFE

"Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee." - Psalm 63:3

Here in America, we place a lot of value on human life.  It goes against the grain for us to believe that something is better than life itself.  As humans, we fight and struggle to stay alive.  We think that survival is essential in life.

In our text, David states that the lovingkindness of God is better than life itself.  The King James uses the word, "lovingkindness," to indicate love in action.  God's love is an active love.  As far as God is concerned, love is not just an adjective.  Love is also a verb.  Love is not an empty concept.  God's love is a shameless love for His people.  His love for us is demonstrated through His overt acts of kindness and grace. 

The greatest display of God's love is shown in the person of Jesus Christ.  Romans 5:8 states, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  God demonstrated His love toward us through the glorious gift of His Son.  Yet, God continues to demonstrate His love toward us in diverse ways.  We tend to take His benevolent gifts for granted. 

When I was growing up, my parents did not have much money, yet they found numerous ways to show their love for my brother and me.  I recall one night when Mom & Dad surprised me with the gift of a huge dictionary.  I was excited to receive a gift!  (By the way, I still have that dictionary).  I was thrilled to be given gifts by my parents.  In hindsight, I appreciate the love that prompted them to give. 

Think about the gifts God has given us.  He proves His love over and over again.  No wonder David felt that the lovingkindness of God was better than life.  The Giver of life is much better than the gift of life.

Because the lovingkindness of God is better than life, David writes, "... my lips shall praise thee."  David's praise could not be suppressed.  He had to let it out.  His praise would start within, but it wouldn't stay inside of him.  His lips would praise God.  He praised God verbally.  Whether others heard him or not, he wanted his lips to utter the praise of the One who loved him so much.

If we have experienced the saving grace of our Lord Jesus, shouldn't we be in the business of praising God?  His lovingkindness is better than life.  The Giver is sweeter than His gifts. We should love Him and praise Him because of His amazing and abundant grace!

WORSHIPING GOD

TEXT:  "To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary." - Psalm 63:2

David wrote the 63rd psalm while he was in the wilderness.  Although he was far from the comfort of home, his greatest desire was to be back in God's house again. 

In our text, David longs to worship God.  What is worship?  Some think that worship is all about getting a "special feeling" during a church service.  Notice in our text that David does not mention his feelings.  Some identify worship with the "praise and worship music" that is common in some areas.  Again, our text does not mention music.  Here are the facts about worship:  worship is all about God, not about us.  Worship is about adoration, not a music preference. 

From our text, note three things about David's desire to worship God:

1.  GOD'S POWER.  First of all, David's worship focuses on God's power.  David viewed God as being awesome and mighty.  We need a renewed understanding about the greatness of God.  In our minds, we've demoted God to be like a vending machine --- available to give us what we want at any time.  We fail to grasp the truth that God is omnipotent.  He is all-powerful.  Tragically, we underestimate the power of God.  In our lives, we need to view the Lord as He really is --- a God of power.

2.  GOD'S GLORY.  Secondly, David's worship focuses on God's glory.  This refers to God's majesty.  The fullness of God's presence is best described as His glory.  Marvin Rosenthal once defined the glory of God as being, "God's intrinsic eternal perfections."  Moses prayed for God to reveal His glory to him.  Instead, God revealed only part of His glory to Moses because Moses could not view the full nature of God's glory and survive.  I believe that Isaiah caught a glimpse of God's glory in Isaiah 6, when he saw the Lord, "high and lifted up."  On the mount of transfiguration, Peter, James and John saw Jesus in a glorious way. In our text, David adored the splendor, majesty and perfections of God.  That is worship.

3.  GOD'S HOUSE.   Finally, David wrote, "... so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary."  I truly believe that God's presence is manifest in a special way at His house.  When His people gather to worship, adore and praise Him, He meets them there.  Can a person worship while walking in the woods?  Of course.  Can a person worship while looking at a star-lit sky?  Sure.  Yet David knew that public worship was an important component in his life. 

We express worship when we focus on God alone and enjoy His presence.  David desired to worship God.  What about you?

LONGING FOR GOD

TEXT:  "... my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." - Psalm 63:1

Sadly, there is little spiritual passion among professing Christians these days.   The things of this world often distract believers.  We tend to be enamored by worldly issues instead of having a longing for the One who made the world.  Like Esau, we have carelessly traded spiritual blessings for the taste of temporary worldly stew.

In Psalm 63, David declares his passion for God.  He describes his passion in graphic terms:  thirsting and longing.  Does this describe your pursuit of God?  Can you honestly say that you have a longing for Him?  Does your soul thirst for Him?  In Psalm 42:1, the psalmist writes, "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God."

Why do we lack such intense desire for God?  For one thing, we no longer see God as being precious.  We no longer have the awe and wonder of God that once captivated us.  We are not amazed at God's grace and love like we used to be.  Sadly, we no longer find Him to be worth longing for.  It is tragic!

The problem is not with God, but with our perception of God.  Although most believers would not admit it, we have more desire for family, possessions and success than we do for the Lord.  We fail to heed John's warning:  "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

Even in our churches, our worship of God has been diluted with sentimentalism, tradition and selfishness.  Slowly, our focus of God has been clouded by sin. 

We need to have a fresh revival of spiritual passion.  Like the church at Ephesus, we have left our "first love."  What was our Lord's challenge to them?  Remember, repent and return.  "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works." 

I can't help but feel that God is calling believers in America to do the same today. 

  

SEEKING GOD EARLY

TEXT: "... early will I seek thee..." (Psalm 63:1)

Some things are more important than others.  Too often, we are often guilty of emphasizing the minor issues to the neglect of the most important matters.

David's passion for God is vividly demonstrated in his writing of the 63rd psalm.  In our text, David address God with this statement, "... early will I seek Thee."  Do you seek God?  I have to admit that I am often guilty of seeking things from God rather than seeking God Himself.  Many times I have sought the blessing rather than the Blesser.

The gifts we receive from God should show us the love and glory of our Lord.  Gifts are not the end, but merely means to an end. Blessings reflect the bountiful generosity of a wonderful God. While we enjoy the blessings, these blessings should cause us to have a deeper love for the One who gave them.

Notice that David sought God, "... early."  I have to admit that I am not an early riser. When I awake in the mornings, it is like a resurrection. Yet one of the blessings of rising early is the time I can spend with God & His Word.  I've found that the morning hours are the best time for me to meet with God.

Corrie Ten Boom once wrote, "Don't pray when you feel like it; make an appointment with the King and keep it."  Be honest about it.  If you had a doctor's appointment early in the morning, you'd do your best to keep it, wouldn't you?  Isn't a meeting with God more important than meeting with a doctor?

I have found that my days go better if I start the day with the Lord.  I do not hold myself up as a "poster child" for daily devotions, but I try to read from the Word of God and pray each morning.  What about you?

Seeking God early in the day demonstrates His importance in our lives.  We need His fellowship.  We need His wisdom.  We need His guidance.  We need Him.

The pace of our society is hectic.  There doesn't seem to be enough time in each day to get things done.  Yet time with the Lord is too important to neglect.  Start the day with God and you can enjoy Him all day long.

Seek the Lord daily. Start the day with Him. Make an appointment to meet with God every day --- and keep that appointment! You'll find He'll keep His appointment with you.

MY GOD

"O God, thou art my God..." (Psalm 63:1)

Psalm 63 is one my favorite psalms. It is a psalm that captures David's passion for God. I am challenged and encouraged when I read this psalm.

David begins the psalm with a declaration: "O God, thou art my God..." I am afraid that many people would declare the same thing David did --- except their words would be empty. You see, many claim that God is Lord of their lives, but their profession is far from reality. Can we honestly say that God is our God?  Let's look again at David's statement and notice a few things in our text.

1. HIS PROFESSION. First of all, note David's profession. "O God..." He is addressing the only true God. "... thou art my God." He professed his faith in God alone. Notice that David did not say, "O God, thou art one of my gods..." No. David was not an idolater (though many are today). His faith was in one God ---- the only God.

2. HIS POSSESSION. Secondly, notice that David stated, "... thou are MY God" (emphasis added). David had a personal relationship with God. David was known as "a man after God's own heart." God belonged to him and he belonged to God. I'm reminded of the old Dad Speer song, "I Am His & He Is Mine." If a man possesses Christ and has nothing else, he is rich beyond words. If a man possesses everything, but lacks Christ, he is a miserable pauper.

3. HIS PRIORITIES. Finally, we see David's priorities. No one but God occupied the throne of his heart. God, alone, was Lord and Master of his life. To be rather blunt, most Americans can't say that. Instead, money, work, family and pleasure typically occupy the throne. Some will permit God to occupy the throne for a few minutes on Sunday (and many won't even do that). For David, God was more than just a Sunday attraction. God was the One he focused on daily.

There's no doubt that God deserves to sit on the throne of our hearts, but do we permit Him? He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Let us join David in saying, "O God, thou art my God."

LIES THAT MANY BELIEVE, Part 7:  "EVOLUTION IS A SCIENTIFIC FACT"

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." - Genesis 1:1

I'm amazed that "intelligent" people still consider evolution to be a "scientific fact."  Evolution has always been a theory and remains a theory to this day.  Evolution is man's invention, his way to remove God from consideration.  Those who refuse to use rational thought and common sense usually embrace evolution.  Those who accept evolution as truth try to use science as a crutch to support their belief.  It requires more faith to believe in evolution than it does to believe in Biblical creation. 

Let me clarify something up front.  I am not saying that science is always wrong, but there have been times scientific theories have been wrong.  Here's the main problem:  no human was a witness to the "big bang" or evolution process.  However, Christians realize that there was a witness to the creation of the world --- God Himself.  We have His testimony of that event --- and the creation of mankind.  Scientists are guessing about the beginning of the universe, but Christians know how the universe began and they are personally acquainted with the One who created everything.

An honest scientist will admit that science is still exploring unknown areas and concepts, thus they cannot teach evolution with 100% certainty since many aspects of the universe's beginning are still unknown and unexplored by scientific means.  However, the Bible gives a clear description of creation:  "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."  The concept of God is so appalling to many that they reject creationism simply out of spite. 

Let me share some things for you to consider:

1.  A CREATION REQUIRES A CREATOR.  A clock does not make itself.  A book does not write itself.  A house does not build itself.  A clock has a clockmaker, a book has an author and a house has a builder.  In similar manner, our complicated solar system has a creator.  The Psalmist wrote, "The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork." (Psalm 19:1)

2.  A DESIGN REQUIRES A DESIGNER.  Our solar system is uniquely made to continually orbit in a specific fashion.  Plant Earth is exactly at the right distance from the sun with exactly the right elements to permit life to exist.  Consider the human body.  The human body is distinctively designed to function a specific way.  There are still many things scientists are learning about the human body.  Take the human eye.  The human eye is so uniquely made that we should all be amazed with its design and function.  It is obvious that such design requires a designer.

3.  ORDER REQUIRES A PLANNER.  Our world has specific natural laws (like the law of gravity) that indicate that a superior intellect mapped out the required forces required to permit the human race to continue.  Human reproduction, for instance, is a mystery that scientists have studied for years.  Yet it is obvious that this natural phenomenon didn't just happen by chance.  The natural order was planned by Someone --- and we know Him to be God.

While I am criticizing the theory of evolution, I want it to be known that science EVENTUALLY comes into full agreement with the Bible.  Just because scientists cling to a theory doesn't make the theory a fact.

What bothers me most is the indoctrination of our society.  Evolution has been taught as a fact in classrooms for several years --- slowly changing from a theory to a "scientific fact."  The Biblical account of creation has been forcibly removed from public education because of "the separation of church and state."  The real reason is because of the separation of man and logic.   As a result of the diabolical indoctrination of our youth, Biblical creation is treated as a childhood fairy tale while evolution is exalted as an infallible truth.  Whenever evolution is challenged, there is an overt attempt to shame and embarrass the Christian for "believing in foolishness."

Evolutionists will be surprised to learn that I do believe in evolution --- but not the way they believe it.  I do believe that man has evolved.  Man was created perfect, but because of his rebellion against God, he sinned and, over time, has evolved into even darker & wicked degrees of sin.  Man is sinfully depraved.   Just when I thought our society had reached the bottom of the depravity barrel, mankind began to dig even deeper into sin.  That is why mankind needs a savior.

The theory of evolution may give atheists and agonistics a soothing place of comfort, but evolution still does not eliminate the truth that God created all things. 

Mankind has removed God from his thoughts and deeds.  Furthermore, mankind has tried to remove God from the schools, the government and even the public square.  Yet mankind will never remove God from His throne.  Rejecting the existence of God will not keep you from judgment.  Denying the existence of hell will not prevent you from roasting there. 

It is time to open your Bible, your eyes and your heart.  You need to know the truth.  While mankind marches proudly to hell, you need to question where you are going.  Stop believing the lies of the devil.  Repent and believe the Gospel.  The One who created the universe can make you a new creation today.