A TOUGH few days and nights with pain, pain, pain and with it the attack on my mind. The fight to get my mind on truth and to stay there has been a battle, but when I can get my mind on Him, there is a calming of my soul, it does not take the pain away but it gives me hope in the pain. I Hope this will encourage you…and give comfort to your own soul from Psalm 100:2-3

“Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing….
Know that the LORD Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” – Psalm 100:2-3

HOW ARE WE TO SERVE THE LORD?

1. THROUGH SUBMISSION...Because He is LORD. He who is God in need of nothing or no one outside of Himself to sustain, who has Created all things by the power of His Word, Who is eternal, Sovereign King! He has created us, not us Him and the proper response is to Submit to Him. We serve Him. It is a command!

2. “WITH GLADNESS.” Our service to the LORD is not one of drudgery, dread, but one of “GLADNESS,”- delight! Delight in Who He is. Delight in What He has done. Delight in His Being! Serve Him! But do so with gladness. Come before Him with JOYFUL singing! He is the source of our delight. He is the reason for Song! This is the second part of the command.

3. WITH “KNOWLEDGE…” – “KNOW…The LORD IS GOD…”
“Know” the word means “to make distinction.” Know with certainty- make the distinction that “The LORD is God.” Neither man, nor kings, nor governments are “God.” The word “LORD” speaks of Him as The Self Existent, Unchanging, Sovereign One is “GOD!” The word “GOD” is “Elohim.” which speaks of Him as Creator, Powerful One, Almighty! Know the LORD is GOD! Understand who is LORD, God and who is not!

In Your Circumstances, “THINK” right about God and His relationship to you.
*Make the distinction who is LORD.
*Make the distinction who is God.

This is a call from the psalmist for people to make the distinction between the One True God from all others. This is a grand pursuit. A Lofty pursuit. A Transforming pursuit. The proper response is to submit to Him and serve Him with gladness because He is{eternally the same} – “LORD…GOD!” To THINK clearly and know who is the LORD God. To grow in this knowledge of Him should give us courage to trust, “food” for our mind and soul to chew on that results in worship of Him. “Know” intellectually, experimentally, reverentially, trustingly and obediently, adoringly that the LORD is GOD!

4. SERVE THE LORD WHO IS CREATOR. “It is He who has made us and not we ourselves.”

He made us. He is Creator. Speaking the worlds into existence. He made us, we did not make Him, nor did we make ourselves. Here the psalmist makes the declaration where we came from!. He is Creator. All things made by Him and for Him! Serve the Creator!

5. SERVE THE LORD with ASSURANCE – “WE ARE THE SHEEP OF HIS PASTURE.”

Look at the SECURITY in this verse! “We are…” This is a settled issue from God’s perspective and He desires for us to “KNOW” He is our Shepherd and He is responsible for us. He has marked us out for Himself. We are compared to “sheep” which are helpless and easily scared and in need of a Shepherd, and there is none as good as “THE LORD…GOD.” The Psalmist gives us the assurance “we are…His sheep.” We belong to Him. THINK on this. You are HIS. He knows your tendency to be easily scared, fearful at times and He wants you to realize He’s got you! He is Big enough, strong enough, wise enough to guide you as your Loving Shepherd.

“KNOW”- make the distinction that the LORD GOD rules, reigns. Serve Him with your submission, with gladness and song, celebrating Him as Creator and that He is responsible for you as your Shepherd. You are His… Rest in Him.

Serve the LORD through….
1. Submission
2. Gladness
3. Knowledge {Making Distinctions}
4. As Creator
5. Assurance