Being Thankful For God's Help In My Life
Let's Give Thanks, Part 2

Shout praises to the Lord! He is good to us, and his love never fails. Everyone the Lord has rescued from trouble should praise him

Psalms 107:1-2 (CEV)

Why should you shout praises to the Lord?

You should praise the Lord for his love and for the wonderful things he does. Honor the Lord when you... meet to worship.

Psalms 107:31-32 (CEV)

179 times, I'm told to shout praise to my Lord!

Pastor Grant taught us in June 2006 - One of the ways you worship God is by remembering. Remembering what God has done for you in the past.

God gave you a memory to enable you to go back in time so if you didn't play your role just right the first time round, you can still have another go at it now.

You may feel blessed by your past
You may feel cursed by your past

Three things you cannot undo about your past

  1. You cannot undo your past mistakes
  2. You cannot undo your past consequences
  3. You cannot undo your past wounds

Through the power that your memory gives you through thinking, feelings, and imagining your way back, you can finally finish with the past by removing its power to hurt you and other people.

The sad things that happened long ago will always remain part of who you are. The burden, grief, guilt, accusations, blame and allegations will haunt you. The painful memories of the past are like chains that bind you.

God says you may retain painful memories of your past. If you have, you need to develop two habits in your life: (1) the habit of needing to be ready to be helped and (2) needing to cry out for help.

Four Memories like chains that bind me are:

1. The painful memory of my own stubbornness

Some of you wandered for years in the desert, looking but not finding a good place to live, Half-starved and parched with thirst, staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion.

Psalms 107:4-9 (MSG)

Jesus said, "A man had two sons. The younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the property.' So the father divided his property between his two sons. "After a few days, the younger son gathered his possessions and left for a country far away from home. There he wasted everything he had on a wild lifestyle. He had nothing left when a severe famine spread throughout that country. He had nothing to live on. So he got a job from someone in that country and was sent to feed pigs in the fields. No one in the country would give him any food, and he was so hungry that he would have eaten what the pigs were eating."

Luke 15:11-16 (GW)

When you are so stubborn, forcing, making, and getting your own way, you won't listen to anyone.

Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to God. He got you out in the nick of time; He put your feet on a wonderful road that took you straight to a good place to live. So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves. He poured great draughts of water down parched throats; the starved and hungry got plenty to eat.

Psalms 107:4-9 (MSG)

When the bondage is too great, and there's nothing you can do to help, ONLY GOD CAN CHANGE YOUR HEART

2. The painful memory of my own mistakes

Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help.

Psalms 107:10-16 (NIV)

  1. You chose not to follow God's advice
  2. You chose not to let your relationship with Jesus matter
  3. You chose not to listen to the Holy Spirit for direction

When you didn't get your way, you made mistakes!

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.

Psalm 107:10-16 (NIV)

GOD LETS YOU MAKE YOUR OWN MISTAKES

3. The painful memory of my own rebellion

Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They hated all food and drew near the gates of death.

Psalms 107:17-22 (NIV)

  • Who did you hurt to get your way?
  • Who did you walk over to get your way?
  • Who did you neglect to get your way?

When the way you behave stinks like sewer gas, the smell up your nose will do more to help you than your own family begging you to change.

The very people praying for God to soften your heart, and melt your will, are the very people you choose to hurt. Not listening, or wanting family or professional advice may take years of "having it your way" before the staunch of sewer gas becomes more than you can handle.

Definition of Affliction: is pain caused by much suffering like distress in the body and mind.

GOD WANTS YOUR BEHAVIOR TO CHANGE

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.

Psalm 107:17-22 (NIV)

4. The painful memory of independence from God

Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the LORD, his wonderful deeds in the deep. For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits' end.

Psalms 107:23-32 (NIV)

You believe you are better at guiding your own life than God. Like others who don't seem to walk with God, they are having a pretty good life. They don't attend church, or seem religious, so if they can do it, then I can do it.

  1. Looking at life from the sea shore looks adventurous.
  2. Looking at others in control of their own destiny may be appealing.
  3. Looking at the things that others have seems to give them great satisfaction.

O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good! Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him.

Psalms 34:8 (AMP)

GOD DISAPPROVES OF YOUR INDEPENDENCE

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.

Psalm 107:23-32 (NIV)

In every painful memory, there is evidence of hurt. Whether you caused it, felt it, or hurt someone else. The only way to be set free from painful memories, is to ask God for help with your trouble.

He alone can:

  1. Change your heart
  2. Heal your wounds
  3. Putt dressing on your scars
  4. Set you free from the pain of your past painful memories.

Pray: God, your love is so great. Please set me free right now from my painful memories. Remove the hurt I have inside my heart. Forgive the people who have hurt me, forgive me for hurting people, and I forgive myself for living a life without your constant care. In Jesus' name.

SAY OUT LOUD TOGETHER

Stand and shout praises to your Lord, the eternal God! Praise his wonderful name, though he is greater than words can express.

Nehemiah 9:5 (CEV)

Lord God of Israel, you deserve to be praised forever and ever. Let everyone say, "Amen! Shout praises to the Lord!"

Psalms 106:48 (CEV)

Shout praises to the Lord! He is good to us, and his love never fails.

Psalms 107:1 (CEV)

His love for us is wonderful; his faithfulness never ends. Shout praises to the Lord!

Psalms 117:2 (CEV)