Remembering to Praise God

Tonight is an opportunity for us to reflect back on all the things that God has done for us as we anticipate all that He will do in the future in our lives. And tonight I want to remind you of Isaiah 43, 21, which says, The people that I have formed for myself, they will declare my praise. Paul would say in the book of Philippians, Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice. Tonight, I want to be very practical and give you some principles that will help you as you gather with your family tomorrow and give praise to our God.

I would trust that you would do more than just eat a meal with your friends and eat a meal with your family, but that you'd actually spend time giving thanks to God for the things that He has done. And one of the ways we do that is by remembering all that God is and all that God does. As you recall, Jonah, when he was in the belly of the fish, he remembered the Lord. And gave thanks to him. As a result of that, the fish, as big as it was, spitting back up on dry ground. He was in the belly of the fish until he remembered the Lord and gave thanks to him.

You know, there are many people today, maybe you're one of them, who still lie in the belly of the fish because you refuse to give thanks to the Lord. And that's because you have not remembered the Lord. Because when you remember him, you want to give thanks to him. Tonight, I want to give you four principles of what you need to remember about our God. Four principles that will help you as you give thanks to the Lord, making this basically in November to remember.

To remember all that God has done. So let's begin this way. Our praise should be centered around remembering the works of God. Remembering the works of God. The Bible tells us that we are to remember our Creator in the days of our youth. In other words, we are to always be mindful of the things that God has done. Listen to the words of Psalm 111. The psalmist says, Praise the Lord. I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the Lord.

They are studied by all who delight in them. Splendid and majestic is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. Verse 5. He has given food to those who fear him. He will remember his covenant forever. He has made known to his people the power of his works in giving them the heritage of the nations. The works of his hands are truth and justice. All his precepts are sure. They are upheld forever and ever. They are performed in truth and uprightness. We remember the works of God because they are always done in truth and justice.

God never does a work. In error. He always does it in truth. And we are to be those who remember the works of God. The Bible says in Psalm 77, verse number 11, I will remember the works of the Lord.

Psalm 105, verse number 5: Remember his marvelous works which he has done. What works are we to remember? The Bible is filled with a myriad of them. But let me just give you a couple of them so that when you gather with your family tomorrow, you can rejoice in remembering the works of God.

How about remembering the works of God in creation? Not just the creation of the world and the universe. I'm talking about your creation. Remembering the fact that God is your Creator, that He formed you. Listen to Psalm 139. Very familiar. For you formed my inward parts. You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it well. The psalm would give praise to God because he knew that God created him. And that when God created him, it was a wonderful kind of thing.

He goes on to say this. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in secret, and skilfully wrought in the depths of the earth. When was the last time you remembered that God created you? That you are fearfully and wonder made? That God has designed you the way you are today. We should remember the works of God in creation. On top of that, the works of God in his pre. For it says this in Psalm 139: Your eyes have seen my unformed substance, and in your book were all written. The days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

How precious also are you to me, O God. How vast is the sum of them If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with you. We remember the works of God not just in the creation. That he created me, but in his pre of all the days of my life. For every one of them were numbered before there was even yet one of them. God has predetermined your life. It's all been determined in eternity past. And we should give thanks to God for that. So we can give thanks to God for his works in creation, his works in his predetermination.

How about his works in redemption, right? Redemption, which involves what? The incarnation, the crucifixion. And the resurrection. So Paul says in 2 Timothy 2, verse number 8: Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, which is my gospel. And everything about the gospel centers around the incarnation of Christ, the infles of Christ, God becoming man. The life he lived, the crucifixion of Christ, his death, and then, of course, the resurrection of Christ. And so, when we remember the works of God, we remember his works in redemption, which also.

Speaks to the fact that one day is going to come again. So Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 that as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, You do proclaim the Lord's death until he comes, right? So he says, When you partake of the table, remember me. Remember me. Why? Because I died for you. I rose for you, and I'm coming back for you. So remember, the works of God, not just in his creation of me, not just in his predetermination of all the things in my life. But his redemption when it comes to his incarnation, his crucifixion, his resurrection, his revelation when he returns again.

The book of Revelation tells us about that. There are so many things to give thanks to God for because of his great and marvelous works. When was the last time you gave thanks to God for the works of tribulation in your life? Peter says it this way, 1 Peter 1, verse 6, In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials. So that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ And though you have not seen him, you love him.

And though you do not see him now, but believe in him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of gl. We rejoice, we give thanks for the tribulation that God allows to come our way. And notice what Peter says, even though you don't see him.

You love him. Listen carefully. When you remember the works of the Lord, it will always cause you to love him all the more. You'll love him because he created you. You'll love him because he predetermined all things in your life. You'll love him because he died for you. He rose for you. He's coming back for you. And you learn to love him even all the more because of the trials that come your way that drive you to him. And so, when you remember the works of the Lord, it will cause you to love Him.

Why? Because you're going to begin to understand the power of God in your life. Number two, you remember not just the works of God, but you remember the ways of God.

The ways of God. Listen to what the psalmist said. Psalm 25. Verse number four: Show me your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths. Psalm 27:11, Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path. You know, we are to thank the Lord for his ways, how he leads us each and every day. Listen to what Moses says, book of Deuteronomy, 8 chapter, first verse.

He says, All the commandments that I am commanding you today, you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply and go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to give to your forefathers. You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years. that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His command or not. He humbled you, and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know Nor did your fathers know, that he might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.

He's told, remember the ways of God. Remember all the ways He has led you through the wilderness these 40 years. In other words, Israel was to remember that God was intricate involved in their life all 40 years that they were in the wilderness because he led them in that way. But notice also what he goes on to say.

Deuteronomy chapter 8, he says these words: Beware, verse 11, that you do not forget the Lord your God. By not keeping his commandments, and his ordinances, and his statutes, which I am commanding you to-day. Otherwise, when you have eaten, and are satisfied, and have built good houses, and lived in them, And when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud, and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of Slavery.

Prosperity has a built-in curse. It causes you to forget all the ways that the Lord has led you. And Israel could not afford to forget that. We can't afford to forget that. It's all about the ways of God and how his ways Move us through all of our lives. And we are to rejoice in the fact that God Himself is Providing for us every day. The Bible says in Psalm 18, verse number 30: As for God, his ways are perfect.

His ways are perfect. And so Christ would say, I am the way, the truth, and the life. The Bible also says, There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death. And we like to use that when we talk about the way of salvation and man trying to att to live life his way and be saved his way. But think about it this way. That each man, you, me, all of us, the ways of a man, no matter what they may be, could lead us to a life of a death-like existence. Right? There are many people who have in mind the way that they should go.

It's not God's way, it's their way. And they want to pursue their way at all costs. And the Bible says, there is a way which seemeth right into a man, but the ends thereof will always be a death-like exist.

There'll be an existence where there really truly isn't a life that's being lived, just an existence of your person. And the Bible wants us to live God's life. It wants us to follow His ways. So important. And so the Bible says very clearly that we are to follow the ways of God.

And when you remember the ways of God, It will always cause you to look to him. When you remember the works of God, it will cause you to love him. But when you remember the ways of God, it will cause you always to look to Him. So important. Psalm 95, verse number 10, says these words. Psalm 9, verse number 10. For forty years I lo that generation, and said they are a people who err in their heart, because they do not know. My ways. The Bible tells us in Psalm 103 that the Lord made known his ways to Moses, but only his acts to the children of Israel.

Israel. Moses knew the ways of God. And remembering the ways of God will always cause you to look to Him because now you're going to understand the providence of God. When you remember the works of God, you begin to understand the power of God. When you remember the ways of God, you begin to understand the providence of God and how God directs you and moves you each and every day of your life. And we give praise to God for those things. So we need to remember the works of God, we need to remember the ways of God, and we need to remember the words.

Of God, the words of God. The Bible says in John 15, verse number 20: Christ says, Remember the word that I had spoken unto you.

Over in Acts chapter 20, verse number 35, Paul says, Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's more blessed to give than it is to receive. We are to always remember the words of God. Listen to what the psalmist says. Psalm 119, verse number 16. I shall delight in your statutes. I shall not forget Your words. In other words, I'm going to remember your words because with that comes great delight. Psalm 119, verse number 55. O Lord, I remember your name in the night and keep your law. Verse 52, I remember your ordinances from of old, O Lord, and I comfort my.

He goes on to say in verse number 83, Though I have become like a wines in the smoke, I do not forget your statutes. Verse number 93. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have revived me. Verse 109: My life is continually in my hand, yet I do not forget your law. Verse number 141, I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts. Verse 153, look upon my affliction and rescue me, for I do not forget your law. The psalmist was one who always remembered the law of God because he knew that when he remembered God's law, it would revive him, it would rescue him.

It would rel him of his pressure. Everything about remembering what God said is so important. So, when you remember the words of the Lord, It will cause you simply to learn about Him. And when you learn about Him, what happens? You come to understand the purposes of God. God. God has a purpose in all things that He does, in the way that He leads you. So when you remember the works of God, it will cause you to love Him because you're going to come to understand His power. When you remember the words, or excuse me, the ways of God, it will cause you to look to Him because you begin to understand the providence of God.

And when you remember the words of God. It will cause you to learn from him because now you're going to understand the great purposes. Of God. But one more, and that is, you need to remember the wonders of God. The wonders of God. Listen to what the psalm said. Psalm :. Surely I will remember your wonders of old. Psalm 105, verse number 55. Remember the wonders of God. Nehemiah 4:1, rem the Lord, great and awesome. Daniel 4, verse number 13, how mighty and wonderful are your deeds. When was the last time you remembered the wonders of God?

Psalm 111, verse number 4 says this. He has made his wonders to be remembered. The Lord is gracious and compassionate. The Lord has made his wonders. To always be remembered. Listen to what it says over in Psalm 7. Psalm 7, verse number 11. I shall remember the deeds of the Lord. Surely I will remember your wonders of old. I will meditate on all your work, and muse on your deeds. Your ways, O God, are holy. What God is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders. You have made known your strength among the peoples.

It says in Psalm 78 that the fathers are to make sure that they don't conceal from their children the things of God, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, his strength. His wonders and the things that he has done. And then it goes on to say in Psalm 78 about the tribe of Ephraim. They turned back in the day of battle. They did not keep the covenant of God, and refused to walk in His law. Why? Because they forgot His deeds. And his miracles that he had shown them. He wrought wonders before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

The tribe of Ephraim would forget all about the wonders of God, the great things that He did in and among them, that they could see how it is He would work in and through them. And so it's more so important for us to remember God's wonders because if we do, it will cause us to lean on Him. Listen to what the psalmist says in Psalm Psalm 65. I'm sorry, Psalm 63. When I remember you on my bed, I meditate on you in the night. For you have been my help in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy my soul clings to you your right hand upholds me.

We ought to remember the name of the Lord. Why? Listen, when you remember the wonders of God, you will always run to Him. You will always lean on him. Why? Because you can lean on no one else. He is your strength, he is your sustenance. And when you lean on the Lord, right, you will always begin to understand His person. His person. Why? Because that's his name. That's his name. The Bible says in Isaiah 9, verse number 6.

That when the son is given and the child is born, his name will be called wonderful. His name is not called wonderful counsel. His name is called Wonder. His name is also called Counselor. And yes, he is a wonderful counsel. But his name is called Wonderful. Now remember, He also has a name that's called Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father. And if you were with us last week, we told you that God doesn't have names. He only has a name. So, all the books that you have that say the names of God, throw them away.

Because that's not true. 800 times in the Old Testament, the Hebrew name for God is used, always in the singular. 200 times in the New Testament, always in the singular. Never is the name of God used in the plural because God only has one name. Because the name describes the character of God, the nature of God. They are the attributes of God. You see? So, his name is called wonderful. So, when you remember the wonders of God, the wonders only can come from the one who is wonderful. And so, when you remember the wonders of God, it causes you to lean upon him.

Why? Because now you understand his person. You understand who he is. That's why, when the angel of the Lord came to Manoah. The f of Samson. And he asked him, What shall I say, or what is your name? And the angel of the Lord says, Why do you ask my name, seeing that my name is wonderful? We serve a wonderful God. We serve a great and mighty God. He's wonderful in his identity. He's wonderful in his ministry. But our God is a wonderful God. And the Bible says very clearly in Psalm 97 and verse number 12, give thanks at the remembrance of his holy name.

Remember, our Lord has a memorial name. What is that memorial name? Exodus chapter 3. He told Moses, This is my name. And it's my memorial name, and it's to be remembered from generation to gener. You tell them that I am sent you. This is my memorial name. And so, whenever you use my name, always remember who I am. Because I am the great I am. That's my memorial name. And so when you think about the name of God. You are looking at the wonderful character of his nature, the attributes of the true and living God.

And everything about him is simply wonderful. And so you ought to remember the wonders of God as you go through your everyday life and to give thanks to Him because it will cause you to lean upon Him. Listen, every one of us needs to learn from Him. Every one of us needs to look to him. Every one of us needs to listen to him. All of us need to lean. On him, because he is our God. And so, tomorrow, when you gather around with your family, with your friends, and you have the opportunity to give praise to God.

Give praise to the remembrance of his holy name. Give praise at the remembrance of all of his works, because that will cause you, as you hear about them. To simply always listen and look to Him because of His great and wonderful power. And you remember not just his works, but all of his ways in which he has led you, remembering his words that he has spoken to you? But remember his wonders, because our God is a wonderful God who works wonders. Listen to what Isaiah says. Isaiah chapter 26, verse number.

The way of the righteous is smooth, O up one. Make the path of the righteous level. Indeed, while following the way of your righteous judgments, O Lord. We have waited for you eagerly. Your name, even your memory, is the des of our souls. This Thanksgiving, the name of God should be the desire of your souls. Just to remember him should be the desire of your soul. Why? Because he's done great works. He's done mighty wonders. He's led you in his way because he him Is wonderful. Let me pray with you.

Father, we thank you, Lord, for tonight and the brief time that we have to take time out of a busy schedule to give praise to our God. Lord, it is true that you are great and wonderful. You are great and mighty, and we love you so. And our prayer, Lord, is that as we give thanks to you. On this Thanksgiving season, may we always remember the things that you have done. And they all happen because of who you are. You are a great and mighty God. And we pray, Lord, that you would go before us, that our lives would represent you.

And that, Lord, during this holiday season, We would be used in the lives of those round about us that they might hear the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord and come to praise your glorious name. Because, Father, without that name, there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. It's the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, the Savior of the world. In Jesus' name, amen. Am.