Forget Not the Benefits
A woman fell out of a second-floor window and landed in a slow-moving garbage truck. Half-buried in the litter, she tried without success to get the truck-driver’s attention. A foreign diplomat standing on the sidewalk saw her and quipped, “another example of how wasteful Americans are. That woman looks like she’s good for at least another 10 years.”
Ps.103:1-5 1.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 forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
In this Christmas Season with the hustle and bustle, trying to get the perfect gift for our family and friends, to find the best bargain, get the perfect tree, perfect turkey, being sure we do not forget anyone; it is easy to overlook some things.
We use things as Palm Pilot computers, daily planners, pocket calendars and the like because without the aid of these memory joggers we can’t seem to remember what we are supposed to be doing, where we are going or what is happening.
We are quick to forget about the great blessings that God has poured upon us
Some say fish have a six second memory. So, when one fish gets caught on a hook, only six seconds later, all his fish friends are ready to get hooked again. People are like that. They see things that are bad, but keep doing the same things over and over.
Because of bad memory the scripture tells us “forget not all his benefits”
61 times in the scripture it talks about forgetting things.
I think the Church needs to remember the BENEFITS so when we get to heaven The Lord will not say “Look how they wasted their resources”
David was thinking of the GOODNESS OF GOD when he wrote this Psalm.
Let us look at his reaction:
I. Praise
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Praise should be part of our everyday life.
* We sometimes Praise on Sunday - That’s good but it should be every day.
* We sometimes Praise on Thanksgiving - That’s good but it should be every day.
* We sometimes Praise when things are going good - That’s good but it should be every day.
I have a friend on Face Book that said something that disturbed me. She said “Thanksgiving is a typical American Holiday based on GLUTTONY”
I was watching kid’s cartoons at Thanksgiving and the advertisement was THANKSGETTING.
I believe many have turned Thanksgiving into Gluttony and Christmas has turned into GETTING GIFTS.
David said BLESS THE LORD (WITH MY EMOTIONS) and EVERYTHING THAT IS INSIDE OF ME.
Why was he getting EXCITED?
PRAISE PRODUCES BENEFITS
II Prime Benefit.
:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities
Remember the Fish that has a short memory?
To live free from the GUILT of SIN, past FAILURES, to know HIS MERCY IS RENUED EVERY TIME THE SUN COMES UP is worthy of all Praise
This is not a just a “Change of your mind”
2 Cor 5:17 says you are a new creature, old things has died, you are new.
You are no longer a SLAVE TO SATAN.
If you have not asked for FORGIVENESS, you can do that TODAY.
Lu. 19:10 The son of man is come to SEEK AND SAVE the LOST.
Salvation is a PRIME Benefit we need to remember.
LOOK UP, GET UP, AND START ACTING LIKE A CHILD OF THE KING.
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:
THAT IS SALVATION by whose stripes ye were healed. This is the next benefit
III. PROTECTION
V. 3 ; who healeth all thy diseases
How many? ALL
Again HOW MANY? ALL
A GREAT BENEFIT we have wasted is HEALING.
Your HEALING was purchased on the WHIPPING POST before SALVATION was purchased on the CROSS.
TO SAY HEALING IS NOT FOR TODAT IS TO SAY SALVATION IS NOT FOR TODAY.
Jas 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up;
We have learned how to call upon the Doctors, lean upon our Prescriptions.
Thank God for Doctors- they should be our last resource but they have become our first Choice.
If you are here today sick HEALING IS A BENEFIT for you.
DON’T WAIST THAT PRECIOUS RESOURCE.
forget not all his benefits
IV. Power
4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
The Devil would like to destroy you.
Swine Flu, cancer, AIDs, Depression, all the things that are today’s news are the things sent for your destruction.
Jesus tells us about it; John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The economy is so bad, I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.
The economy is so bad, I ordered a burger at McDonalds and the kid behind the counter asked, "Can you afford fries with that?"
The economy is so bad, CEOs are now playing miniature golf
We don’t have a problem remembering the bad news. Turn on the TV.
Heroes caught in scandal, Disease running rampant, danger going shopping, danger driving down the street is just some of the destruction Satan has planned for you.
DO NOT FORGET THIS IS THE SEASON WE CELEBRATE THE PRINCE OF PEACE BEING BORN ON EARTH.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
I know in this hurry up world it is hard to not have or feel conflict.
PEACE IS NOT THE ABSENTS OF CONFLICT BUT HOW YOU HANDLE IT.
Do you remember the song “Don’t Worry be Happy”?
That is the theme of the Beatitudes.
Matt. 6: 25-32
Jesus said that you have a Heavenly Father that knows you and will take care of you
V33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
This is the KEY to ABUNDANT LIVING
V. Prince and not a Pauper
V. 4 who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies
God wants you to reign in this life. We have been kicked around long enough that we need to start giving it back to the devil.
Lu. 10:19, I give unto you (Delegated Authority) power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the (authority) power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
I think the Church needs to begin to take back the Authority that we have been given.
We are Heirs and Joint-Heirs with Jesus Christ and we need to remind ourselves and the Devil that Satan is A DEFEATED FOE.
The Lord has CROWNED us and we let circumstances get the best of us.
NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES we are “More than Victorious”
“More than a Conqueror”.
Will we have fights? YES, Will we be DEFEATED? NO
You cannot be a conqueror or victorious without a fight.
That is Why we have been given AUTHORITY over the AUTHORITY of the Devil.
The Scripture says NOTHING-NOTHING- NOTHING by ANY MEANS hurt you.
In this time of Shopping, getting together the Perfect Gift, the Perfect Meal and trying to remember who wanted what and where you are supposed to be, it is Too Hard to remember His Benefits,
May be later after the First Of the Year.
There is a Danger of forgetting the Benefits
Ps. 78:41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
Ps 78:42 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy
This Psalm is about Israel forgetting the Benefits of serving God.
Moses led the Children of Israel to the Promise Land.
A group went in and looked at the land and the circumstances.
10 said No Way Jose.
2 said No Problem.
10 forgot that God said over and over “I have given you the land”
They said maybe later. They did not enter because they “Limited God”
Joshua and Caleb (The two that said “we can well take the land”) were the only ones that made it into the Promise Land.
VI. Perpetual Strength
V. 5 so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
An Eagle renews its life by breaking away the buildup on its beak that keeps it from eating and growing stronger. As an eagle grows older, its beak begins to grow and a build up of scar tissue from cracks and scratches forms. This buildup begins to limit the ability of the eagle to open its beak wide enough to eat properly. The eagle finds a rock or hard surface and begins to beat the end of its beak until it finally breaks away the buildup. Then the beak grows back in its correct proportions and the eagle is able to eat again. It’s strength and vigor returns and it becomes like a young eagle again. Some eagles have lived to be well over 100 years old.
Once we have gone through the suffering, breaking away of every little weight and fetter, then we are able to enjoy the good things of God more fully.
Conc.
Forget not the Benefits
God has given us great benefits of serving Him.
We should have an attitude of Gratitude
We have talked about Salvation, becoming a new creature.
That is available to you today.
We talked about Healing.
That is a benefit available to you just like salvation.
It is for today.
We talked about having Victory over Satan.
You have the Power, the Authority.
There is a danger of Forgetting God
God will renew your strength even through difficulty
