Happy Sunday!
Psalm 126
1 When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem,
it was LIKE A DREAM!
2 We were filled with LAUGHTER,
and we sang for JOY.
And the other nations said,
“What amazing things THE LORD HAS DONE for them.”
3 Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!
What JOY!
4 RESTORE our FORTUNES, Lord,
as streams renew the desert.
5 Those who plant in TEARS
will harvest with SHOUTS OF JOY.
6 They WEEP as they go to plant their seed,
but they SING as they return with the harvest.
I read this psalm this morning and it CAME ALIVE to me… so, enjoy my thoughts as you GAIN VICTORY over your circumstances today!
Exile defined: 1. a prolonged, usually enforced absence from one’s home or country; banishment!
So we see this Psalm is written about the ENDING of an EXILE.
- We’ve all been EXILED at some time or another from the things that matter to us the MOST… we’ve been in those NO-HOPE scenarios when it seemed there was NO CHANCE of RESCUE.
- Even though this psalm was written about a time when Israel was driven from their physical land… the message here will work for ANYONE living in EXILE.
- So many people today feel as if they have been DRIVEN from their DREAMS… and they HAVE. This is the plan of evil, to steal-kill-and destroy.
- So as we sit in EXILE… FAR AWAY from the things that matter MOST to us… there is a PROMISE!
WHEN the Lord BROUGHT US BACK… IT WAS LIKE A DREAM!
- If we TRUST in the Lord… he WILL bring us BACK from EXILE… EVERY TIME!
- There is no person too far lost… no situation too far gone… GOD can bring ANYTHING BACK FROM EXILE!
- And WHEN he does this for YOU… it will be LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE!
- Can you put your FAITH out there today… and change your attitude… and start to BELIEVE that God CAN DO THE IMPOSSIBLE!
We were FILLED with LAUGHTER… SANG for JOY… AMAZED at what THE LORD HAD DONE!
- God, in his mercy… he does things FOR us that we cannot do FOR ourselves. In our darkest hour, he SWOOPS down from the highest heights, like a superhero to the RESCUE… and he LIFTS US FROM EXILE!
- When everyone else has given up on us… and we have given up on ourselves… GOD MOVES IN… at just the time when NOBODY ELSE CAN TAKE CREDIT for our RESCUE… GOD REACHES DOWN and LIFT US UP!
- And when this happens… there is LAUGHTER and JOY!
RESTORE our FORTUNES, Lord… as STREAMS renew the DESERT!
- Restore our FORTUNES? God CAN do this… and He WILL DO THIS on that day when he brings us back from EXILE!
- No matter HOW BAD things may look for you today, LOOK TO THE HILLS FROM WHERE YOUR HELP COMES FROM!
- God is never broke… He will RESTORE YOUR FORTUNES… as STREAMS RENEW the DESERT!
Those who plant in TEARS will harvest SHOUTS OF JOY… those who WEEP planting their seed, will SING as they RETURN WITH THE HARVEST!
- This is a message about HUMILITY.
- Those who PLANT TEARS… will HARVEST SHOUTS OF JOY?
- The only other option for us in times of EXILE is to HARDEN OUR HEARTS and LASH OUT instead of bow down. To the ONE who WEEPS on God’s mercy seat, there is a PROMISE…
- James 5:6-7 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the RIGHT TIME he will LIFT YOU UP TO HONOR. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
If you or someone you know is in some kind of bizarre EXILE today… if you’re suffering the excruciating pain of banishment… a million miles away from the things that matter most… then, Psalms 126 is a 6 verse message of HOPE FOR YOUR RESTORATION!
Don’t die in this EXILE… there is LIFE on the other side of this! Be strong, stand tall… DREAM BIG, LIVE BOLD, and keep on MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE WITH YOUR AMAZING LIFE! Keep a SOFT heart… a forgiving heart… a merciful heart. Run TO God, not away from him! Because, he HAS A PLAN… and you just need to stay alive long enough for GOD work this out! This isn’t a THEORY… I’m positive about your EXODUS! Those tears will turn into SHOUTS of JOY… you will SING, RETURNING WITH THE HARVEST!
Have a great Sunday everyone… hoping to see some of you at Destiny Family Center-10am EST!
Thank you, Pastor Chuck, for sharing this, this morning. This ministered directly to some things I have been dealing with. Blessings to you for your obedience! Have a GREAT service this morning!
Thanks Brother Chuck for this encouragement. It’s difficult right now, but the LORD has a plan in all of this. I appreciate so much your phone call recently too! I’m just so thankful God does not give up on us, even when we have turned our backs to Him, but he will call us back to Himself. I have no idea what the future holds, but PRAISE GOD, now I know WHO holds it! Keep up the your good work!
God is awesome. I pray today that those who are in excile find comfort in the Lord and grow in Him to find their way out of excile, but relying on his strength on not their own.