Bless The Lord - God's Benefit Package Series

Bless the Lord

Psalms 103

Psalms 103:1-5 (New King James Version) Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

INTRO: Today I am beginning a message; perhaps even a series of messages based upon my own personal studies. The thoughts and revelations are extensive, methodical and systematic; based upon Psalms 103. And, they are personal. I know that anything a preacher preaches should come from a personal place. But this is different…. This chapter of the Bible holds the foundation of some of my most personal and private devotions to the Lord. And even though I have preached out of Psalms 103 many times; never have I walked a church or even a Bible Study Group through it the way I am bringing this to you. So, over the next few weeks, you are going to get it the way it sits in my heart. You are going to get Systematic Theology of Psalms 103 according to Larry.

So, there is a lot to be said about this Psalm of David. It reveals so much about our covenant and my/our personal relationship with God that it completely overwhelms me. I do mean it goes as deep as it gets in my spirit.

And besides just me, this chapter of the Bible is so anointed that countless people are healed, delivered and set free of their present issues and their painful past just by reading it.

It starts out by saying, “Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul.”

Our relationship with God is both corporate and personal.

It is corporate in the sense that we serve the Lord together. That means we come together in unity on a regular basis and blend our hearts and singing and serving together. When we do, there is a very special anointing that comes with it.

Psalms 139 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; 3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”

When we come together with no other agenda than to lift up the Lord and to encourage and support one another, the anointing that accompanies our worship moves mountains and causes miracles to happen in our midst.

There is something special about faith joined to faith; hearts joined to hearts; having the same mind. It creates a spiritual energy that shifts dimensions and opens the portals of heavenly glory.

But listen up, if we don’t have any depth in our personal relationship with the Lord, we don’t have any business putting on the act when we get together like you are some kind of super-saint or something.

Look at it like this, in the Bible Jesus tells this story In Luke 18:10-14 “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

(The Pharisees were a sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. In addition to OT books the Pharisees recognized in oral tradition a standard of belief and life. They sought for distinction and praise by outward observance of external rites and by outward forms of piety such as ceremonial washings, fasting, prayers, and alms giving; and, comparatively negligent of genuine piety, they prided themselves on their fancied good works.)

(A publican was a tax gatherer, collector of taxes or tolls, one employed by a publican or farmer general in the collection of taxes. The tax collectors were as a class, detested not only by the Jews, but by other nations also, both on account of their employment and of the harshness, greed, and deception, with which they did their job.)

11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.