A Message from God to My Heart

September 29, 1991 PM

Psalm 147

Praise Ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant, and praise of comely. [2] The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. [3] He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of stars; he calleth them all by their names. [5] Great is our Lord, and of great power; his understanding is infinite. The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass grow upon the mountains. He giveth the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of man.

[11] The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion. For He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee. He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of wheat. He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth; his word runneth very swiftly. He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold? He sendeth out his word and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow. He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He has not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.

Introduction:

WHAT IS GOD LIKE?

• God is NOT like anyone or anything else. He must reveal Himself.
• God is not even UN-like other things!
• Nothing is "the opposite of God!" The opposite of "good" is "evil," but the opposite of God" is not "the devil." GOD REVEALS HIMSELF:

I. 147:2 GOD IS IN THE BUILDING-UP BUSINESS

1. GOD WILL BUILD HIS CHURCH
   1. An encouragement when we were building this church (from idea to paper to financing and construction;) God built this church, even if He used YOU to do it!
   2. An encouragement TODAY! Inasmuch as it is GOD's CHURCH, HE WILL BUILD IT! God still will build His church!
   3. Second Church in Dorchester!
2. GOD WILL BUILD YOUR CHARACTER
   1. The human personality is the crowning creation of God! No other creature has been made in His own image! When God takes a willful sinner and works with him or her and makes a character like unto His Son, Jesus Christ, that is truly wonderful!
   2. God isn't done with me yet! I want to let Him build me! When we "make God in OUR image" we think He is mostly interested in what WE think is important: BIG MONEY— or FAMOUS PERSONALITY — or whatever. Actually God is in the important business of building PEOPLE!

II. 147:3 GOD IS IN THE HEART-HEALING BUSINESS

1. God cares about how we feel! He will take your scarred and torn emotions and heal them.
2. God's healing is from a different perspective from ours. But if we will trust Him, He will heal us!

III. 147:5 GOD UNDERSTANDS

1. We think our lives, each one, are unique (and they are) and beyond the understanding of God (they are NOT!.) Whatever the complexities of your situation, your life just now, be sure of this: GOD UNDERSTANDS IT PERFECTLY!
2. We don't pray to INFORM God of the facts. We pray in order to align our wills with His loving will for us; we pray to inform Gods and ourselves that we want to be HIS!

IV. 147:11 GOD TAKES PLEASURE IN MY TRUST

1. God loves YOU just now, whoever and wherever you are in your spiritual journey.

   But there is a difference in God LOVING you, and God TAKING PLEASURE in you! Any parent knows there is a vast difference between LOVING a child, and being thoroughly PLEASED with a child!

   Does God TAKE PLEASURE IN YOU? God takes pleasure when we trust in Him, in His goodness!

2. All trust is a response to God's GRACE! Wherever you are, if you look to Him in trust, God will respond to you!
3. Such TRUST begins for us, at the CROSS! When we are convinced that Jesus died for the sins of the world— and then when we make the choice to trust Him completely for our salvation this mighty PLEASURE OF THE ALMIGHTY comes into focus! All heaven rejoices when we truly TRUST God!

Conclusion:

What is God "LIKE?"

God has revealed Himself in Jesus as One who loves us more than we can understand! He wants to BUILD you up— and HEAL you- - and DELIGHT IN YOU!

247 Only Trust Him