Thursday, May 28, 2020

THE GOSPEL OF JOY IN ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES - PHILIPPIANS - A CATALOG OF THANKSGIVING - PART 1

TEXT:  Psalm 103:1- 22 (CSB) – “My soul, bless the Lord, and all that is within me, bless his   
   holy name.
My soul, bless the Lord, and do not forget all his benefits.
He forgives all your iniquity; he heals all your diseases.
He redeems your life from the Pit; he crowns you with faithful love and compassion.
He satisfies you with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle.
The Lord executes acts of righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
He revealed his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.
He will not always accuse us or be angry forever.
10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his faithful love toward those who  
    fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear
   him.
14 For he knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass— he blooms like a flower of the field;
16 when the wind passes over it, it vanishes, and its place is no longer known.
17 But from eternity to eternity the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him, and his
    righteousness toward the grandchildren
18 of those who keep his covenant, who remember to observe his precepts.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the Lord, all his angels of great strength, who do his word, obedient to his command.
21 Bless the Lord, all his armies, his servants who do his will.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all the places where he rules. My soul, bless the Lord!”

David and the Apostle Paul give us a Call to give Prayers of Thanksgiving. Paul said in Philippians 1:3-4 (CSB) “ I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer….” Going into Psalm 103, the Bible gives us a catalog of Thanksgiving topics to pray about.  David lists 6 main topics or areas to offer thanks to God. So over the next three days, we will divide them into 3 sections – 2 topics in a section.

 

The first thing that David reminds us of to Thank God for is that God pardons our sins. I can’t think of a better way to start thanking God than with this.


“He forgives all your iniquity” (vs. 3). This alone should be worth our giving thanks. If we believe in Hell – and we do. If we believe in eternity – and we do. Then – our thanks for His pardon by the blood of Christ should shake Heaven and Earth!!! Our praise for this should raise the roof and shake the foundations!

Notice in verse 11 – how great that love and mercy is – “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his faithful love toward those who fear him.”

Notice in verse 12 – how far removed our sins are – when they are placed upon Christ.  “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
Can you thank Him today for your Salvation? If not, what better time to get right with Him than now.

David also calls us to Thank God because He heals us when we are sick. “He heals all your diseases,” verse 3.

God is the ultimate source of all healing.

Sickness came because of the fall of man. Doctors follow the natural, logical sequence of dealing with all disease – but it is ultimately God who heals. He is the Creator – the source of logic behind man. He is the Creator – controller of what happens.

Every time we think of our health – we should give thanks.

Today, take time to practice giving God thanks in these two areas, and tomorrow we will add two more.


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