Gratitude

God Is Our Hope and Help

Sunday November 30, 2025 - Pastor Bryan Zailer

Psalm 146

'Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! My INNERMOST BEING WILL PRAISE YOU, Lord! I will spend my life praising you and singing HIGH PRAISES to you, my God, every day of my life! We can NEVER look to men for help; no matter who they are, they can't save us, for even our great leaders fail and fall. They too are just mortals who will one day die. At death the spirits of all depart and their bodies return to dust. In the day of their death all their projects and plans are over. But those who HOPE in the Lord will be happy and pleased! Our help comes from the GOD OF JACOB!

The oppressed get justice with you. The hungry are satisfied with you. Prisoners find their freedom with you. You open the eyes of the blind, and you fully RESTORE those bent over with shame. You love those who love and honor you. You WATCH OVER strangers and immigrants and SUPPORT the fatherless and widows. But you SUBVERT the plans of the ungodly. Lord, you will reign forever! Zion's God will rule throughout time and eternity! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!'

1. GRATITIUDE IS A CONTINUAL POSTURE OF PRAISE

1. Gratitude is an attitude of praise - regardless of circumstances
2. I will spend my life praising you and singing HIGH PRAISES to you, my God, every day of my life
3. Regular Praise - Halal in Hebrew - sincere everyday expression of thanks to God.
4. High Praises - Tehillah in Hebrew - a more fervent spiritually powerful expression of praise.
5. High Praises come from Low Places - places of battle
6. Associated with spiritual warfare - "may the high praises of God be in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand" Psalm 149:6
7. Out of the mouths of babes you have ordained praise to silence the foe and the avenger

2. GRATITUDE IS A CONDITION OF THE HEART - NOT JUST WORDS

1. We are either Grateful - Neutral - or Ungrateful
2. Neutral just means you haven't seen it from God's view yet
3. Consider it Pure Joy when you face trials of many kinds

3. EARTHLY STRENGTH FADES - GOD'S POWER ENDURES

1. Never put you trust or hope in a person - God only!

4. HOPE IN THE LORD - THE GOD OF JACOB

1. Whenever Israel won a battle or established a boundary or God revealed himself in a new way - they built a monument to look back on - a remembrance of how God delivered, healed, or provided so that when another battle or struggle came their way they were able to look back and see that God was faithful - and press on!
2. Sort of a "Remember God's Covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
3. The Covenant of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob was fulfilled through Christ Isaiah 61 as read by Jesus in Luke 4:18-19

5. GET OUR EYES OFF OF THE KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD AND SET OUR GAZE OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN - AND PRAISE OUR WAY THROUGH!!

1. Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God - Psalm 146:5