“Whole-hearted Praise”

“Whole-hearted Praise”

 

“Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise His Holy Name.  Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things He does for me.”                  Psalm 103:1-2

What a GREAT way to start an intimate meeting with the Holy God, who is CREATOR of ALL THINGS.  David KNEW what it was like to PRAISE the LORD, with ALL of his HEART, MIND and SOUL.  David gives us some WONDERFUL BENEFITS of the ALMIGHTY GOD, and he warns us to NOT FORGET ALL of God’s NUMEROUS BENEFITS. 

David gives us a list of some of these benefits, beginning with verse three:  “He FORGIVES ALL my SINS and HEALS ALL of my diseases.” Oh, what a BLESSING, to be FORGIVEN of ALL, which means, ALL SINS of your PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE, now you MUST REMEMBER, this is ONLY POSSIBLE by you being CONVICTED and COMING to the CROSS of JESUS, the ONLY SON of the LIVING GOD, who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and was RESURRECTED, and it is YOUR responsibility to CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And GOD is FAITHFUL to FORGIVE YOU of your SINS, and bring you into His Family, as ONE of His CHILDREN.  But don’t FORGET this MUST BE DONE with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. 

The next BENEFIT is God’s HEALING POWER. He is ABLE to HEAL ALL your diseases, and if you’re His Child it WILL HAPPEN, if NOT while you are still on earth, YOU will experience TOTAL HEALING when you get to HEAVEN, which, by the way, is an ULTIMATE HEALING and you will be made WHOLE.

The next BENEFIT is that He REDEEMS you from death (spiritually), being SEPARATED from GOD and ALL that is GOOD. And He gives YOU UNFAILING LOVE and His TENDER MERCIES. He is a FAITHFUL, LOVING FATHER who is COMPASSIONATE about His Children.  

Another BENEFIT is that He GIVES you GOOD things in this life.  And He will give you STRENGTH, like an eagle, to PRESS ON, through the DIFFICULT TIMES.

And lastly, He GIVES you RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUSTICE, especially to those who are UNFAIRLY treated.

So, as David ENCOURAGES us to NOT FORGET ALL of GOD’S BENEFITS towards His CHILDREN, then LIFT your WHOLE-HEARTED PRAISE to the ONLY ONE who is WORTHY of that PRAISE!  And if you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to JESUS, then you are facing an ETERNITY in HELL with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there. You MUST ADMIT that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS, and you MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART, that JESUS DIED for YOU and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFE-STYLE, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION, and FOLLOW David’s EXAMPLE, and PROCLAIM: “BLESS the LORD, O my SOUL; and ALL that is within ME, BLESS His HOLY NAME!!”  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!   Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

“The Character of God

 “The Character of God”

 

Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow.  Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me.  All day long I put my hope in You.  Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and unfailing love, which You have shown from long ages past.  Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.  Remember me in the light of Your unfailing love, for You are merciful, O LORD.  Psalm 25:4-7

 

This psalm was penned by King David, and in these verses, we see David is praying for God’s Guidance to KNOW God’s Ways, by asking God to POINT OUT the ROAD for him to FOLLOW.  The FOUNDATION of David’s request was his RELATIONSHIP with the God of his SALVATION.  Do YOU have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God?  Is He the LORD of your SALVATION? 

The LORD JESUS CHRIST has made it POSSIBLE for mankind, in the present time, to have that RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with GOD through the REDEMPTION of ALL mankind, if they will SURRENDER to Him, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  David has the desire for God’s COMPLETE leadership in his life.  And he can have that ASSURANCE because he KNOWS the CHARACTER of his God. 

The first character trait that David mentions is the fact that God is TRUTH, and He is also the GOD who SAVES.  David also alludes to God’s TRUSTWORTHINESS, by saying:  “ALL day long I put my HOPE in You” David would not be able to have HOPE in God if he couldn’t TRUST in the ALMIGHTY GOD. 

Then David goes on to mention two more attributes of God’s Character.  And they are His COMPASSION and UNFAILING LOVE. These are attributes which David mentions to have been from LONG AGES PAST.  And is STILL recognizable in this PRESENT time.  God’s LOVE for ALL mankind is EVIDENT in the way He CARES for His Children. 

He LOVES His Children, SO MUCH that He WILLINGLY GAVE, His ONLY SON, JESUS CHRIST as a SACRIFICE for the SINS of ALL mankind.  Jesus, WILLINGLY shed His PRECIOUS BLOOD for the ATONEMENT of MANKIND, the PAST to the PRESENT and on into the FUTURE.  If mankind will STOP BEING REBELLIOUS and SURRENDER to CHRIST for the FORGIVENESS of THEIR SINS, God will be FAITHFUL and JUST to FORGIVE US of OUR SINS

 

 

In order to become a CHILD of the LIVING GOD, you MUST COME to JESUS and ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED and RESURRECTED for OUR SINS. You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN making intercession for you before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY from your SINFUL LIFESTYLE, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  And then LET GO and LET the HOLY SPIRIT LEAD you to the RIGHT PATH.  Then ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION and TRULY experience the ATTRIBUTES of GOD’S CHARACTER.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!!

“In Obedience”

 “In Obedience”

 

He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—-even to death on a cross.   Philippians 2:8

 

We can learn OBEDIENCE from the ONE who KNOWS it BEST.  That would be Jesus Christ, the One and Only Son of the Living God. In verses six and seven it tells us that Jesus, who, existing in the FORM of GOD, did NOT consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage.  Instead, He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a SLAVE, taking on the likeness of men.  And when He had come as a MAN in His EXTERNAL FORM, He HUMBLED HIMSELF by becoming OBEDIENT to the POINT of DEATH —even to DEATH on a CROSS. 

JESUS knew God’s Plan for the SALVATION of MANKIND, from ETERNITY PAST, because He is God in the flesh and knowing what the END RESULT would be, He KNEW how IMPORTANT it was to carry out those plans in ACCORDANCE with GOD’S WILL.  And He knew, even though, it would cost Him His LIFE, that without the shedding of BLOOD, there cannot be the REMISSION of SINS.

Jesus did NOT give up His DEITY, but He laid it aside, and God in the FLESH, JESUS, emptied Himself by assuming the form of a SLAVE and TAKING ON THE likeness of men. He HUMBLED HIMSELF by being OBEDIENT to the POINT of DEATH—even to DEATH on a CROSS, which was a HORRIBLE form of DEATH. 

Nevertheless, because He was the ONLY ONE who could SAVE mankind, in OBEDIENCE to His FATHER’S WILL, He GAVE His own LIFE to BRING SALVATION to a LOST and DYING WORLD. 

So, if you have NOT COME to JESUS CHRIST, for the FORGIVENESS of YOUR SINS, why not be OBEDIENT to the WILL of the ALMIGHTY GOD and COME NOW.  You do that by ADMITTING that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for YOU before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY from your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and IN OBEDIENCE to Him, you will be able to ESCAPE AN ETERNITY in HELL with ALL it’s HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.  And because of your OBEDIENCE to Him, you will be ABLE to spend an ETERNITY in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS.  So, do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

“Jesus—The Word of Life”

 “Jesus—The Word of Life”

We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning , whom we have heard and seen.  We saw Him with our own eyes and touched Him with our own hands.  He is the Word of Life.  This One who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen Him.  And now we testify and proclaim to you that He is the One who is Eternal Life.  He was with the Father, and then He was revealed to us.”   1John 1:1-2

 

In the Gospel of John, we are given instructions on HOW to receive SALVATION. In 1st John, we are given instructions on how to have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with Father God.  We tend to MISS out on having the JOY of our SALVATION when we do NOT have a CLOSE, INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP with our HEAVENLY FATHER.  The ONLY WAY to do that is through our RELATIONSHIP with His Son, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Jesus, is the ETERNAL LIVING WORD of GOD. In the Gospel of John, the Apostle tells us that “In the BEGINNING the WORD already EXISTED.  The Word was with GOD and the Word WAS God. He existed in the BEGINNING with God.  God created EVERYTHING through Him and NOTHING was created except through Him.  The WORD, (Jesus) gave LIFE to EVERYTHING that was CREATED.” John1:1-4)

So the Word became HUMAN and made His Home with His Disciples. During His Earthly Ministry, His Disciples, HEARD His TEACHINGS and SAW with their OWN EYES the UNFAILING LOVE and FAITHFULNESS of JESUS CHRIST (the Word), They even TOUCHED Him with their OWN hands.  This REMARKABLE MAN, who was/is the WORD of LIFE. 

He not only BROUGHT  ETERNAL LIFE, but HE IS ETERNAL LIFE. He not only IS the WORD of LIFE, and ETERNAL LIFE, but He is GOD.  And He GAVE HIMSELF as a SACRIFICE to be THE LIGHT that SHINES in the DARKNESS and illumines the PATHWAY to ETERNAL LIFE. It is the LIGHT that SHINES in the DARKNESS, and the DARKNESS can NEVER EXTINGUISH it. 

And to ALL who BELIEVE in Him and ACCEPT Him, He Gives the RIGHT to become the CHILDREN of GOD.  If you do BELIEVE and have ACCEPTED JESUS as your SAVIOR and LORD, do you have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with Him?  Are you experiencing the JOY of your SALVATION?   Now, how about those of you who do NOT BELIEVE nor have you ACCEPTED JESUS as your SAVIOR and LORD?  You’re actually REJECTING the ETERNAL LIFE, who is the LORD JESUS CHRIST. And you are NOT a CHILD of the LIVING GOD.  Your ETERNAL DESTINY will be spending an ETERNITY in HELL with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.  

In order to become a CHILD of the LIVING GOD is to ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.  And BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven making intercession for you, before God.  Then you should CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and ETERNAL LIFE.  Do this NOW while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

 

“The Curse or the Blessing

 “The Curse or the Blessing?”

 

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law.  When He was hung on the cross, He took upon Himself the curse for our wrongdoing.  For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”  Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing He promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the Promised Holy Spirit through faith.   Galatians 3:13-14

 

There are many people who have the mindset that as long as a PERSON is GOOD and does GOOD THINGS they will get into HEAVEN, and be able to ESCAPE HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE once they are there.  However, the APOSTLE PAUL tells us that that is NOT THE CASE!! 

In verse ten, Paul tells us that; those who depend on the LAW to make them RIGHT with God are under His CURSE. In Hab. 2:4, it says this:  “Look at the PROUD!  They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked.  But the RIGHTEOUS will live by their FAITHFULNESS to God.”  And in Paul’s letter to the EPHESIANS, he tells them:  “God SAVED YOU by HIS GRACE when you BELIEVED.  And you can’t take credit for this; it is a GIFT from GOD.  SALVATION is NOT a REWARD for the GOOD THINGS we have done, so NONE of us can boast about it.  For WE are GOD’S MASTERPIECE.  He has CREATED us anew in CHRIST JESUS, so WE CAN do the GOOD THINGS He has planned for us LONG AGO.  (Eph. 2:8-10)

So, there is NOTHING we DO that will bring us into a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with GOD, only through your FAITH in the SUFFERING, the SHED BLOOD, the DEATH and the RESURRECTION of GOD’S ONLY SON, JESUS CHRIST, who GAVE His LIFE to REDEEM us FROM ALL our SINS.  HE IS the ONLY WAY.  NO MATTER what you may DO, or HOW MUCH MONEY you give.  You are CURSED by GOD if you REJECT His SON, and REFUSE to BELIEVE in His SACRIFICE for ALL MANKIND. 

Are YOU living by the CURSE (the LAW) or by the BLESSING (God’s Grace)?  There is ONLY ONE WAY to RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, and that is by:  1.  ADMITTING that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who GAVE His LIFE to SAVE your SOUL.  2.  You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART, that JESUS DIED for YOU and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for YOU, before GOD.  3.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to HIM and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  4.  You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  5. You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and  LIVE  ACCORDING to HIS PURPOSE.  Do this NOW, while you STILL CAN.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!! Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

“God Takes Care of His Own”

 “God Takes Care of His Own”

 

It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich.  For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the LORD takes care of the godly.    Psalm 37:16-17

 

This Psalm of King David gives us a pretty good comparison of the GODLY and the WICKED. In our verses today we see the comparison of the ALMIGHTY GOD’S JUDGMENT on the WICKED and the GODLY.   In verse ten, David tells us that : “Soon the WICKED will DISAPPEAR. Though you look for them, they will be GONE.”  Verse eleven says;  “The LOWLY will POSSESS the land and will live in PEACE and PROSPERITY.”

The differences between the WICKED and the GODLY indicates WHO they SERVE.  The WICKED follow the LEADERSHIP of Satan, and the GODLY follow the LEADERSHIP of GOD.  Today, we who belong to GOD, through our ACCEPTANCE of His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, as our SAVIOR and LORD, follow the LEADERSHIP of the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD. 

Those who follow Satan, will possess the same attributes  he does.  And they will carry out their WICKED DEEDS.  Verse twelve tells us that:  “The WICKED plot AGAINST the GODLY; they SNARL at them in DEFIANCE.  Verse fourteen says:  “The WICKED draw their SWORDS and string their BOWS to KILL the POOR and the OPPRESSED to SLAUGHTER those who do RIGHT.  Verse fifteen:  “But their SWORDS will STAB their own HEARTS and their bows will be BROKEN.”  And they will FALL by their OWN schemes.  The WICKED are like flowers in a field—they will disappear like SMOKE. (V20)

However, verse eighteen says:  “Day by day the LORD takes care of the GODLY, and they will RECEIVE an INHERITANCE that LASTS FOREVER.”  Verse 19: They will NOT be DISGRACED in HARD TIMES ; even in famine they will have MORE than ENOUGH.”  “The LORD directs the STEPS of the GODLY.  He DELIGHTS in EVERY DETAIL of their lives.  Though they STUMBLE, they will NEVER fall, for the LORD holds them by the HAND.” (V23-24)

To be able to be one of the GODLY and to FOLLOW the LEADERSHIP of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and POSSESS an INHERITANCE that will LAST throughout ETERNITY.  Here are some things that YOU MUST DO :  You MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST the ONE and ONLY SON of the LIVING GOD.  The ONE who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and was RESURRECTED from DEATH and the GRAVE.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that HE is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL life-style, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION, and ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY TO ESCAPE once you are there.  And ACCEPT an ETERNAL INHERITANCE, which includes an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

“Be Strong and Courageous”

 “Be Strong and Courageous”

 

Love the LORD, all you godly ones!  For the LORD protects those who are loyal to Him, but He harshly punishes the arrogant.  So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the LORD!  Psalm 31: 23-24

 

We all face difficult situations from one time or another. But King David, knew the God, he placed his HOPE and TRUST in.  David knew of God’s AWESOME POWER, and he put his HOPE and TRUST in the ALMIGHTY GOD to RESCUE HIM.  And he realized that his LIFE was in GOD’S MIGHTY HANDS.  And being certain of his RESCUE, David was ABLE to put his HOPE and TRUST in God, because of the NATURE of God.

Verse nineteen is an indication of God’s LOVING NATURE.  “How GREAT is the GOODNESS you have stored up for those who fear you.”  Because David experienced GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE, he could put his HOPE and TRUST in Him.

So, David exhorts all the FELLOW WORSHIPERS, to include, the TRUE BELIEVERS, those of TODAY who have GIVEN their HEART and LIFE to JESUS CHRIST, who, because of God’s LOVE, SHED His OWN BLOOD to REDEEM MANKIND. Therefore, we NEED to be STRONG and COURAGEOUS, because the LORD GOD PROTECTS those who are LOYAL to HIM. And this is made POSSIBLE, ONLY through the SHED BLOOD of GOD’S ONLY SON, JESUS!

This does NOT mean that we will be COMPLETELY FREE of DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, but we can DEPEND on the ONLY ONE, who can get us THROUGH and can bring us PEACE and CALM in the MIDST of the STORMS we will face in this LIFE. 

Therefore, we can be STRONG and COURAGEOUS by placing our HOPE and TRUST in the LORD JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S ONLY SON, who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and was RESURRECTED from the GRAVE.  The ONE who is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. The ONLY WAY to EXPERIENCE GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE, and to be ABLE to spend your ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS and to ESCAPE HELL with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE once you are there.

In order to have a BETTER LIFE, you MUST COME to GOD, by way of the CROSS of CHRIST. And  you MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.  You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for YOU, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask HIM for His FORGIVENESS.  YOU MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. 

You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and be STRONG and COURAGEOUS in your FAITH.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!