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.