GOD OF WONDERS! Introduction: A. Human Emotions Can Run The Gamut -- From The Lows Of Despair To The Mundane Of Daily Life To The Highs Of Glory And Praise To God! B. Today: A Look At The Highs Of Praising God! C. God: The God Of Wonders! D. Song: Our God Is An AWESOME God! E. (Slide #2) The God Of Wonders! 1. I Chr. 16 a. David, after the determined notion to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, the devastation of Uzzah s death, the confusion and anger that his plan had been derailed, his humility in learning God s teaching about moving the Ark, and finally bringing It to Jerusalem, poured out his heart to praise God in a Psalm! b. I Chr. 16:8-34 Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! 9 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! 10 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! 11 Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore! 12 Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, 13 O seed of Israel His servant, You children of Jacob, His chosen ones! 14 He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth. 15 Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, 16 The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac, 17 And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant, 18 Saying, To 1
you I will give the land of Canaan As the allotment of your inheritance, 19 When you were few in number, Indeed very few, and strangers in it. 20 When they went from one nation to another, And from one kingdom to another people, 21 He permitted no man to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, 22 Saying, Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm. 23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. 24 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. 25 For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods. 26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens. 27 Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and gladness are in His place. 28 Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength. 29 Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! 30 Tremble before Him, all the earth. The world also is firmly established, It shall not be moved. 31 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; And let them say among the nations, The LORD reigns. 32 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness; Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it. 33 Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the LORD, For He is coming to judge the earth. 34 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 2. ( ) Ps. 145:5 I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works. 3. ( ) Ps. 86:10 For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God. 4. (Slide #3) Ps. 72:18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! 5. ( ) Ps. 71:17 O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works. I. (Slide #4) Psalm 105 A. Ps. 105:1-45 Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! 2 Sing to Him, sing Psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! 3 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! 4 Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore! 5 Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, 6 O seed of Abraham His servant, You children of Jacob, His chosen ones! 7 He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth. 8 He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, 9 The covenant which He made with Abraham, And 2
His oath to Isaac, 10 And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant, 11 Saying, To you I will give the land of Canaan As the allotment of your inheritance, 12 When they were few in number, Indeed very few, and strangers in it. 13 When they went from one nation to another, From one kingdom to another people, 14 He permitted no one to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, 15 Saying, Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm. 16 Moreover He called for a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread. 17 He sent a man before them-- Joseph--who was sold as a slave. 18 They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. 19 Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the LORD tested him. 20 The king sent and released him, The ruler of the people let him go free. 21 He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his possessions, 22 To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom. 23 Israel also came into Egypt, And Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham. 24 He increased His people greatly, And made them stronger than their enemies. 25 He turned their heart to hate His people, To deal craftily with His servants. 26 He sent Moses His servant, And Aaron whom He had chosen. 27 They performed His signs among them, And wonders in the land of Ham. 28 He sent darkness, and made it dark; And they did not rebel against His word. 29 He turned their waters into blood, And killed their fish. 30 Their land abounded with frogs, Even in the chambers of their kings. 31 He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, And lice in all their territory. 32 He gave them hail for rain, And flaming fire in their land. 33 He struck their vines also, and their fig trees, And splintered the trees of their territory. 34 He spoke, and locusts came, Young locusts without number, 35 And ate up all the vegetation in their land, And devoured the fruit of their ground. 36 He also destroyed all the firstborn in their land, The first of all their strength. 37 He also brought them out with silver and gold, And there was none feeble among His tribes. 38 Egypt was glad when they departed, For the fear of them had fallen upon them. 39 He spread a cloud for a covering, And fire to give light in the night. 40 The people asked, and He brought quail, And satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; It ran in the dry places like a river. 42 For He remembered His holy promise, And Abraham His servant. 43 He brought out His people with joy, His chosen ones with gladness. 44 He gave them the lands of the Gentiles, And they inherited the labor of the nations, 45 That they might observe His statutes And keep His laws. Praise the LORD! B. Great Statement From This Psalm: 1. ( ) Oh, give thanks to the LORD!... Make known His deeds among the peoples! 1 2. ( ) Talk of all His wondrous works! 2 3. (Slide #5) Glory in His holy name; 3 4. ( ) Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, 5 3
5. ( ) He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, 8 (8-15 -- His covenant with Abraham -- to make of his descendants a great nation; also to give them the land of Canaan!) a. He protected them from their enemies when they were shall in number and passing through the land of their enemies. 12,13 b. When they were in the famine in Egypt, when in His providence Joseph was sold into slavery but became the provider of provisions for the Israelites and the Egyptians to have food during the famine. 16-23 c. When they became a great nation while in Egypt and were hated, God used Moses and Aaron to perform devastating plagues upon the Egyptians and to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage! 24-38 d. And He provided light, food, and water for them while they were in the wilderness. 39-43 e. He gave them the land of Canaan. 44 6. (Slide #6) TRAGICALLY, in spite of all those amazing wonders, In spite of this they still sinned, And did not believe in His wondrous works. Ps. 78:32 II. (Slide #7) He Is The God Of Wonders In The Creation! A. In Creating It In The First Place! 1. Recent lesson of the GREAT Events Of The Bible! 2. From The Beginning through the six days of Creation! a. (Slide #8) The beginning. b. (Slide #9) The universe! c. (Slide #10) The sun, moon, and stars. B. In The Amazing Beauty Of The Creation We See Today! 1. (Slide #11) The Seasons! In the Fall of the year -- the radiant colors in the mountains -- North Carolina -- we drove through Friday. 2. (Slide #12) The differences of the Creation throughout the world! My dad was amazed at the difference of the trees and flora on Hilton Head compared to KY. 3. (Slide #13) Moss in trees. 4. (Slide #14) Alligators. 5. (Slide #15) Birds and turtles. 4
6. Mankind! III. (Slide #16) He Is The God Of Wonders When He Punishes Sin! A. ( ) At The Fall. 1. The punishment was terrible! 2. Yet, in the midst of the punishment, God offered hope! Gen. 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel. B. ( ) At The Flood. 1. The anger of God toward the wickedness of the world was terrifying! 2. Yet, in the midst of that punishment, But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. Gen. 6:8 C. ( ) In The Captivity Of Israel And Judah. 1. Israel was taken into Assyrian Captivity in 721 B.C. 2. Judah was taken into Babylonian Captivity during the three attacks of 606 B.C., 597 B.C., and 586 B.C. 3. The Remnant spared: a. Is. 1:9 Unless the LORD of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah. b. Is. 11:16 There will be a highway for the remnant of His people Who will be left from Assyria, As it was for Israel In the day that he came up from the land of Egypt. c. Jer. 23:3 But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. IV. (Slide #17) He Is The God Of Wonders In His Providence! A. ( ) Miraculous Providence. 1. The Creation! 2. The 10 Plagues. 3. Parting the Red Sea. 5
4. Manna & Quail to feed Israel. 5. Mary s pregnancy! B. ( ) Non-Miraculous (But Supernatural) Providence. 1. God will provide! 2. Joseph in Egypt; spared the Egyptians and the Israelites. Gen. 45:5-8; 50:19,20 3. Esther. Es. 4:14 4. Answered prayer! C. ( ) Natural Providence. 1. Through the plan of nature food can be provided for mankind. 2. Rain, sun, blessings upon all of mankind! Mt. 5:45 D. His Providence Is Much Greater Than We Realize In Our Lives -- We ll Understand It All By And By! V. (Slide #18) He Is The God Of Wonders In His Plan To Save Mankind! A. ( ) Mercy And Grace Cry Out From The Pages Of Scripture! B. Jn. 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. C. ( ) Many Men Cannot Comprehend That Plan Or That Love! 1. I Cor. 1:22-24 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 2. Ac. 17:30-32 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead. 32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, We will hear you again on this matter. 6
D. ( ) What An AMAZING Plan! 1. WHY SHOULD HE LOVE ME SO? 2. Jesus -- A Member of the Godhead coming to Earth to live in a body of flesh! 3. Jesus Death, Burial, and Resurrection! 4. His Ascension! 5. His Present Reign. 6. How Great Thou Art verse 3 And when I think that God His Son not sparing sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in. That on the Cross my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin! VI. (Slide #19) He Is The God Of Wonder In Providing The Family For Mankind And The Church, The Spiritual Family Of The Saved! A. The Family -- A Place Of Security, Love, And Support. B. The Church -- The Home Of The Saved, A Place Of Security, Love, And Support From Others Who Love The Lord, Are His, And Who Care About Others With The Love Of Christ. (Slide #20) Conclusion: A. Open Your Mind To God! B. See Who He Is, What He Has Done, And What He Does! C. I Chr. 16:8-11 Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! 9 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! 10 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! 11 Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore! 7