This Time I Will Praise the Lord

Redemption Church – RedemptionPlano.com

Welcome everyone to Redemption Church of Plano Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt and I welcome you today.

Lord, bless everyone who came to be with us in service.
Lord, bless those that are hearing this message on the livestream.
Lord, bless those that are hearing this at a later time on the podcast or YouTube.

Lord, bless us with a timely word today.

Friend you are about to receive the Powerful Word of God.
The life changing Word of God.
The unstoppable, never failing, never returning void WORD OF GOD.

Turn with me to Genesis 29, where we will begin reading at verse 31.

Genesis 29 is a love story. It is boy meets girl.

Jacob sees a girl named Rachel and he knows that she is his destiny. Jacob goes to her father, Laban and agrees to work seven years for her hand in marriage.

In a day and age where love comes fast, easy, and cheaply, a man named Jacob was willing to work patiently and steadfastly for his love.

In Genesis 29 and verse 20 it says

“So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.” – Genesis 29:20

The labor and burden seemed short because of his love for her. Jacob was wild about Rachel.

Finally, the day had come where Jacob completed 7 years of work. Jacob goes to Laban and says “Give me my wife. My time is completed…” (v21)

That very day there was a large feast with many people, and that evening Jacob was with his soul mate for the first time.

Genesis 29:25 (NIV) When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?”

Laban had tricked Jacob. Jacob worked 7 years for Rachel, but accidentally married Rachel’s sister, Leah!

This was supposed to be a love story, but it quickly turns into the “Jerry Springer Show.”

Genesis 29:26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. 27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.”

So Jacob waits 1 more week, and then marries Rachel, and works seven more years for her hand in marriage.

Jacob and Rachel finally get what they desired, but there is now another innocent party thrown into the difficult situation.

Genesis 29:30 (NIV) Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.

Now with this understanding we read our text for the day, beginning at verse 31.

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”

33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.

34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.

35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.

I want to name the title of this message “This Time I Will Praise the Lord.”

This Time I Will Praise the Lord

Poor Leah. She was put in a position that she did not ask for. She was 5th wheel, she was a spare, and she felt less than loved. Jacob loved Rachel more. Jacob worked 14 years for Rachel, and he had not meant to work a day for Leah.

This put the sisters Leah and Rachel at odds. They often fought over the attention of Jacob. Rachel usually won this battle.

Verse 31 says that God saw Leah and how she was unloved and moved especially on her behalf. For a time, Leah was able to conceive, while Rachel was unable.

The patriarch Jacob’s first 4 sons where from Leah. This was the opportunity to provide Jacob an heir and find the appreciation she longed for.

Leah has her first son and names him Rueben.

#1 Rueben – Seen
“Surely my husband will love me now.”

 She named her first son after her struggle to be seen and loved.

Have you ever tried very hard to be seen.

• In a relationship?
• On the job?
• On a team?
• Perhaps in a ministry?

Leah tried to be seen by Jacob, but remained unseen and unloved.

“She conceived again…” (v33) and this time she named the son Simeon.

#2 Simeon – Heard
“The Lord heard I am not loved”

Leah longed to be seen and she longed to be heard. Jacob had not seen nor heard her.

She believed that God had heard that she was unloved, and she named her 2nd son to commemorate this feeling of inadequacy.

Have you ever tried to be heard?

• In a business meeting you pitch an idea you have worked long hours on…
• You tried to be heard in your marriage, by your parents, by your siblings…
• Perhaps you have cried out to God, yet feel unheard?

“You have something to offer, if they would only listen.”

Leah tried to be seen and heard by Jacob, but Leah was unloved.

“Again, she conceived” (v34) and this time she named the son Levi.

#3 Levi – Attached
“Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.”

She tried to get Jacob to SEE her, HEAR her, and now she tried to have her husband join her.  Now at last, after all the good I have done, my Husband will become attached to me.

Have you ever struggled to be appreciated?

• Have you ever logged more hours on the job hopping your boss would notice?
• Have you ever worked on your house in hopes that someone would appreciate it.
• Have you ever thought to yourself… “Now at last… surely they will see what I have done and appreciate me?”

Leah loved Jacob. Leah carried within herself and delivered 3 sons. Yet Leah was not seen, heard, or attached.

NO MATTER WHAT LEAH DID… JACOB DID NOT SEE, HEAR, OR APPRECIATE.

This is where many would seek a divorce.
This is where many would seek counseling.
This is where many would take medicine, alcohol, or illegal drugs to dull the pain.
This is where many would give up.

 

Here is what Leah did.

Genesis 29:35 (NIV) She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.

This time is different. This time I will praise the Lord.

#4 Judah – Praise
This time is different. This time I will praise the Lord.

I have not been seen… but this time is different. Even if I am never seen, I will praise the Lord.

I have not been heard… but this time is different. Even if I am never heard, I will praise the Lord.

I have not been attached or appreciated… but this time is different. Even if I never receive the attachment and appreciation I desire, this time I will praise the Lord.

This Time I Will Praise the Lord

Before, Leah had been focused on herself, now she was focused on the Lord.

Before she was focused on her pain, now she was focused on the Lord.

Before she was focused on the impossible position of being enough for someone else, now she was focused on the Lord.

FOCUS ON THE LORD TODAY!

To everyone who has felt unseen, unheard, detached, and unappreciated… It is time that you give birth to Judah. THIS TIME I will praise the Lord.

Psalm 103:1-2 (NIV) Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.  Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— 

Do you understand how powerful it is praise the Lord?

The Power of Praise

Jericho (Joshua 6)

The army of Israel marched around a walled city called Jericho. They marched every day for 7 days. For 7 days they saw no change, but on that 7th day they did something different.  THIS TIME THEY PRAISED THE LORD. When they shouted PRAISE to God, the walls of the city fell.

David v Goliath (1 Samuel 17)

For 40 days a Giant stood in the Valley of Elah and defied the armies of Israel. For 40 days the giant, Goliath, yelled insults and the people of God hid terrified in their tents. For 40 days nothing changed, but then a young worshipper named David took the field and praises the Lord! Some of the last words Goliath heard were “I come to you in the name of the Lord Almighty.”

For 40 days Israel was fearful, but this time someone praised the Lord and everything changed.

Jehosophat’s Choir (2 Chronicles 20)

Jerusalem was surrounded by the Moabites and the Ammonites. A vast army had sieged the city and a young king named Jehosophat went to the Temple to ask the Lord for Help. The Spirit of the Lord spoke and said “The Battle is not yours, but God’s… You will not have to fight this battle.”

So, the next day the King sent out a Choir… not archers, not swordsmen, not the calvary… but a Choir! And the Choir sang with one voice “Give thanks to the Lord for His love endures forever!”

As the praised the Lord, the enemy became so confused that they destroyed themselves.

Paul & Silas (Acts 16)

Paul & Silas preached the gospel in Philippi, and it made people so angry that they were thrown in Jail.

Acts 16:25-26 (NIV) About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 

They were sitting in a jail cell, but they started praying and singing praise to God.

If you only praise God after good things happen, then you do not understand the power of praise.

You can Praise God for changing your circumstance, but you can also PRAISE GOD and as you Praise Him watch your circumstances change…. Walls fall, giants fall, enemies gone, and prison doors open.

This Time I Will Praise the Lord

Leah had 4 children. Each one was a descendant of Abraham and could have been the direct lineage of the Messiah.

The 1st born Reuben was disqualified from being the child of promise.

The 2nd and 3rd son, Simeon and Levy were also disqualified.

It was the last son, the son named praise that is the direct descendant of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

messiah

I want our worship team to come lead us in praise.
I want you to come to this altar today and praise the Lord.

Praise is supernatural. Praise carries a promise… just like the son Judah carried the promised seed of the Messiah.

Have you been like Leah? Have you been trying to change your situation by your own power and effort?

This time… Let’s praise the Lord.

Have you been trying to make others happy?  Talk about a difficult thing.  This time… Let’s turn our attention to the Lord and Praise Him.

Have you been to doctor after doctor looking for healing? I am not telling you to stop going to doctors or taking medicine, but I am telling you to praise the one who is above all doctors.

Have you tried to fix your financial situation?

Have you struggled with depression?

This time Praise the Lord.

Let’s make this the time we praise the Lord.

 

Leah did not praise God because the situation changed.

Leah praised God because HE IS GOD.

Leah & Jacob’s relationship may never have been all that Leah desired, but she praised God anyway.  The whole world is blessed because she praised the Lord.

It is a blessing to Praise You Lord.