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Thanksgiving For Healing

TEXTPsalm 116

INTRODUCTION:

A.      AN ANONYMOUS PSALM, DAVID WROTE ONLY ABOUT 73.

B.      THIS PSALM EXTOLS GOD FOR HEALING THE PSALMIST.

C.      WE WANT TO SEE THE LESSONS OF THE PSALM.

I.      GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS( vs. 1-2 ).

A.      HE PROMISES TO ANSWER OUR PRAYERS, ALSO( Mat. 7:7-11 ).

B.      THERE ARE PRAYERS HE WON'T HEAR( Prov. 28:9;  Jas. 1:6-7;  4:3 ).

C.      GOD'S CARE IMPELS US TO LOVE HIM( vs. 1;  1 John 4:19 ).

D.      HIS ANSWERS IMPEL OUR CONTINUED PRAYER( vs. 2;  Luke 18:1 ).

E.      THE PSALMIST'S PRAYER WAS FOR HEALING( vs. 3-4, 8 ).

          1.       No indication of miraculous healing.

          2.       All healing is divine( Jas. 1:17 ).  Even the natural.

F.      HEALING OUT OF GRACE AND MERCY - THE ONLY BASIS UPON WE

          ASK ANYTHING( vs. 4-5 ).

G.      GOD HELPS THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO LOWER THEMSELVES

          ( vs. 6;  1 Pet. 5:5 ).

H.      GOD IS CREDITED WITH THE DELIVERANCE( vs. 7-8 ).  GOD'S BOUNTY

          ENABLES HIM TO REST.

II.     "WHAT SHALL I RENDER UNTO JEHOVAH?"

A.      "I WILL WALK BEFORE JEHOVAH IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING"( vs.9 ).

          1.       Service to God will be his purpose( Ecc. 12:13 ).

          2.       Must end serving the world( Mat. 6:24 ).

          3.       He cannot look back( Luke 9:62 ).

B.  "I BELIEVE, FOR I WILL SPEAK"( vs. 10-11 ). HIS TRUST IN GOD.

          1.       He calls all liars who said he wouldn't recover( Rom.3:4 ).

          2.       Heb. 11:6.

          3.       We will be compelled to tell others( 2 Cor. 4:13-14 ).

C.      "I WILL TAKE THE CUP OF MY SALVATION, AND CALL UPON THE

          NAME OF JEHOVAH"( vs. 13 ).

          1.       To rely on God is to be saved( Rom. 8:31 ).

          2.       God cares for us( Psa. 55:22; 1 Pet. 5:7; vs. 15 ).

          3.       What does it mean to call on his name?

                   a.       Not simply to acknowledge him( Mat. 7:21 ).

                   b.       Obedience - Do we really trust him?( 1 Pet. 3:21 RSV ).

D.      "I WILL PAY MY VOWS UNTO JEHOVAH"( vs. 14 ).

          1.       Have we ever promised God anything?

          2.       God is faithful to his promise( 2 Tim. 2:11-12 ).

          3.       Because God has freed him from the fear of death, he will serve him forever

                   ( Rom. 6:17-18 ).

E.      "I WILL OFFER TO THEE THE SACRIFICE OF THANKSGIVING"( vs. 17 ).

          1.       Acknowledgement and gratitude is what God asks of us.

          2.       Psa. 50:14-15;  Acts 17:24-28.

          3.       We are so willing to ask for things, do we ever give thanks( Luke 17:11-19 ).

CONCLUSION:

A.      THE FAITH OF THE LEPER MADE HIM WHOLE.

B.      OUR FAITH CAN MAKE US WHOLE, TOO.

C.      DO WE HAVE THE FAITH OF THE PSALMIST?