1. I Love The Lord Because…
2. I Love The Lord Because He Heard Me
3. I Love The Lord Because He Is Kind And Merciful
4. I Love The Lord Because He Helps Me When I’m Down
5. I Love The Lord Because He Has Dealt Bountifully With Me
6. I Love The Lord Because I Walk Before Him
7. I Love The Lord Because I Reap The Benefits Of Salvation Every Day
8. I Love The Lord And Will Pay My Vows
9. “Because I Said So”
10. Because Of His Great Compassion
11. Because The Journey Is Too Great
12. Because Of Unbelief
13. Because There Was No Room For Him
14. Because Their Love Waxed Cold
15. Because He Lives
1. I Love The Lord Because…
Preacher John Byerly filled in at Pine Grove Baptist Church Wednesday night and he had a wonderful message from Psalm 116. The Psalm begins, “I love the LORD, because…” Preacher Byerly then pointed out different verses from the Psalm that gave reasons the writer loved the Lord. I want to share some of these verses and maybe look at some other scriptures that tell why I love the Lord.
2. I Love The Lord Because He Heard Me
Let’s begin with Psalm 116:1, “I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.” This is personal. I love the Lord because He heard me when I cried out for Him to save me. I was just a child and the Lord heard and answered my prayer. He forgave my sins and gave me peace that I was going to heaven. That was the first time the Lord heard me, but it was certainly not the last. I call out to Him daily and He hears and answers my prayers. When I was going through cancer and chemo, and I could hardly pray, Jesus heard my cries and saw my tears. When I have a need, whether physical, financial, mental, or spiritual, my Lord hears and answers my prayers. I have assurance that He hears and I can go to Him in prayer any time. “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” (Psalm 55:17) I love the Lord because He hears me!
“14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
3. I Love The Lord Because He Is Kind And Merciful
We are moving on to Psalm 116:5, “Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.” I love the Lord because He is kind and merciful! Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” And that is very scary when coupled with Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” And Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” But, our Lord is kind and merciful. He left heaven to come and die to pay my sin debt. God had mercy on my soul and I could never repay Him. All that I have is provided by my God. He died for me so I will try to live for Him, and serve the Lord by serving others. I love the Lord because He is kind and merciful!
4. I Love The Lord Because He Helps Me When I’m Down
Do you ever feel down? Physical sickness can bring us down. Financial burdens can bring us down. We can be let down by our family and friends. Trials and storms can knock us off our feet and bring us down. We recently talked about precious memories. Sometimes precious memories can give us that melancholy feeling. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel blue and I don’t even know the reason. I just have that sad, lonely feeling in my heart and it seems hard to cope with life. Many things can bring us down. I love the Lord because He helps me when I’m down. “The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.” (Psalm 116:6) Going through chemotherapy last year was probably the hardest thing in life that I have ever been through. But, I could still feel the presence of the Lord even on the worst days. He gave me strength when I had no strength. He gave me hope when I felt like giving up. And the Lord gave me light on my darkest days. Things in this life are going to bring us low, but the Lord helps us through the hard times. I love the Lord because He helps me when I’m down!
5. I Love The Lord Because He Has Dealt Bountifully With Me
It has been three and a half months since we planted the garden in April. We worked and waited, and the Lord sent rain and sunshine and gave us a good harvest. I cleaned the shelves to make room for canned tomatoes and pickles. The fresh tomatoes, squash, okra, and cantaloupes have been so good. I think we are about ready to rest and put the garden to rest. Our next verse is Psalm 116:7, “Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.” (Psalm 116:7) I also like Psalm 13:6, “I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.” I also want to share a portion of Paul’s letter to Corinth. Not only are we to sow the seed to reap a garden harvest, but God’s Word teaches us to sow the seed of His Word, and also sow in giving to others.
“6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” (II Corinthians 9:6-8)
6. I Love The Lord Because I Walk Before Him
As Preacher John Byerly continued his sermon on Psalm 116, which begins, “I love the LORD, because…” he came to verse 9. “I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.” He talked about a child and a parent walking. The mother or father lets the child walk in front so the child is always in sight. If the child starts to fall, the mother is there to help the child. If the child gets too far ahead, the father is there to watch over the child and guide him. God is the Father and I am His child. As I am walking before Him, His eyes are always on me, as long as I live. I love the Lord because He is constantly watching over me!
7. I Love The Lord Because I Reap The Benefits Of Salvation Every Day
We talked about the benefits of sowing and reaping in verse 7. In verses 12 and 13 we see that the Psalmist loved the Lord because of the benefits of salvation. “What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.” (Psalm 116:12-13) I just finished reading the book of Mark and I am touched every time I read of how the Lord suffered and died to save me. I don’t have to worry about the torments of hell because my Lord is preparing me a place in heaven where I will live forever. I have the benefits of walking with the Lord and having the Holy Spirit with me to help guide me to make the right choices and lead me in the right direction. The Lord has given me a nice place to live and provides me with my needs to live in this world and gives me so much more! God loves me! I guess the best verse to sum it up is I John 4:19, “We love him, because he first loved us.”
8. I Love The Lord And Will Pay My Vows
As we near the end of Psalm 116 we see the result of the writer’s love for the Lord.
“14 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.
17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
18 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people,”
When we love the Lord, we choose to serve Him. We are thankful and live in gratitude. We don’t offer animal sacrifices to the Lord, because He gave Himself to be our spotless Lamb. Instead, we present ourselves a living sacrifice. We love the Lord by loving others and we serve the Lord by serving others.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2)
The writer of Hebrews also reminds us to offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually.
“15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (Hebrews 13:15-16)
9. “Because I Said So”
I was praying and thinking about the next devotionals after finishing Psalm 116 which begins, “I love the Lord because…” and I started thinking about the word, “because”. When I was growing up and I asked Mom or Dad something and they gave me the answer, it didn’t do me any good to ask again. If I was told, “No” the first time and I asked, “Why?”, the answer would be, “Because, I said so.” This was usually followed by, “Now, don’t ask again.” And I knew not to ask again. If someone would ask me today why I believe certain things of the Bible, my answer would be, “Because God’s Word says so.” I believe God created the heaven and earth because His Word says so. I believe that Noah built an ark and was saved in the great flood because God’s Word says so. I believe that I was lost in sin and Jesus died to save me because the Bible says so. “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” (I Thessalonians 2:13) And because I had faith to believe and trust Jesus as my Savior, the Holy Spirit lives in me, and gives me understanding of God’s Word when I read the Bible. “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” (I John 4:13) We may have questions about things from time to time and look for answers. I have found some verses in the Bible that tell us the because to some of those questions. I hope you will join me this week as we find some “because” answers to our questions.
10. Because Of His Great Compassion
God Almighty, The Creator of the Universe, is higher above anything we can imagine. He is all powerful and all knowing and reigns from everlasting to everlasting. Yet, He looked down from heaven and had compassion on His creation. Adam and Eve sinned against God, and since that time we have all been born in sin and gone against God’s law. But, in His compassion, He sent His only begotten Son to die in our place. He gives us mercy and grace because of His great compassion. “It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” (Lamentations 3:22) Jesus came and He had compassion on His followers. “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36) I am so thankful to my Lord and Savior because of His great compassion, His mercy, and grace. “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.” (Psalm 118:1)
11. Because The Journey Is Too Great
Elijah was a great prophet. He told King Ahab that it would not rain and it didn’t rain for three and a half years. He brought a child back to life that had died. He had a great victory against the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. When wicked Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him, he fled into the wilderness. He slept under a juniper tree and the angel of the LORD fed him, gave him water, and let him sleep.
“7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?”
Sometimes we can have great victories and be on top of the mountain, but then we get weary “because the journey is too great.” For Elijah there was a great strong wind, and an earthquake, and fire, but after that there was a “still small voice”. How many times have we faced the storms and asked ourselves, “What am I doing here?” How many times have we wanted to hide in the wilderness because the journey is too great for us? It reminds me of the journey of the Children of Israel. “And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.” (Numbers 21:4) Sometimes I get discouraged because the journey seems too great for me. What can we do when the journey is too great? The angel let Elijah eat, drink, and sleep. Then, Elijah went to the mount of the Lord where he heard the “still small voice” of the Lord. When life gets too hard, get the rest that you need, then seek the Lord and listen for that “still small voice” of the Lord. Elijah listened to the Lord and finished strong. He went to heaven in a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire.
12. Because Of Unbelief
I wonder how much I have missed out on because of unbelief. There have been times when my time of sickness may have been shortened but I didn’t go to the doctor because I didn’t believe it would help. I am usually hesitant to try new foods because I don’t believe I will like them, and I may be missing out on some good eating. I may not try on something new because I don’t believe it will look good on me. Do we miss out on something good because of unbelief? Matthew 13:58 tells us, “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” When Jesus walked on earth some people missed out on healing or other needs they have simply because they didn’t believe. Mark 6:6 tells us, “And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.” Do you think Jesus marvels at our unbelief? Do we pray in faith, believing that God will answer our prayers? Jesus died to save us, but many will miss heaven because of unbelief. You may know John 3:16. But, have you ever paid attention to John 3:18? If you don’t believe in Jesus then you are already condemned and lost. Please believe on Him today and ask Him to forgive you and save you. Don’t die lost and go to hell because of unbelief.
“16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-19)
13. Because There Was No Room For Him
I am currently reading through the book of Luke. Chapter 2 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. It is the Christmas story. Our “because” verse today is found in Luke 2:7, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a feeding trough, “because there was no room for them in the inn.” Do we have room for Jesus in our lives? Do we give time to the Lord or do our schedules keep us too busy to read our Bibles and go to church? In Bethlehem they didn’t have room for Jesus. What is our excuse? “I didn’t go to church last Sunday because…” “I didn’t read my Bible today because…” Are we saying like they did, “I don’t fellowship with the Lord because I don’t have room in my life”? We are still months away from Christmas, but we can make room in our lives for Jesus everyday of the year.
14. Because Their Love Waxed Cold
In the book of Revelation there are 7 letters to the 7 churches. I wonder what the Holy Spirit would tell John to write to us today. There are two specific problems that the Spirit addressed in the letters to the churches that I think we should be wary of today. The first is found in the first letter to the church of Ephesus. “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” (Revelation 2:4) Can you remember the great love you had for Jesus when He saved you? Jesus warned, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (Matthew 24:12) Let’s make sure our love for the Lord has not waxed cold. The next thing we should be wary of is found in the last letter to the church of the Laodiceans. Some scholars believe that this letter corresponds to the church age we are living in today. This is another “because” that we should hear. Are we lukewarm in our worship, our love, our service, our praise, and our works?
“14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” (Revelation 3:14-22)
15. Because He Lives
I want to close this series with a song. “Because He Lives” was written by Bill and Gloria Gaither in 1971. With a message of comfort, Jesus told His followers… “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.” (John 14:19) I can sing with the song, “And life is worth the living, Just because He lives!”
“Because He Lives”
1 God sent His Son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!
Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
2 How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he brings;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!
3 And then one day, I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives!
Because
