Thankful For the Blessings

THANKFUL FOR THE BLESSINGS PSALM 103: 1-5Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. (Psalm 103:1-5 KJV)

INTRODUCTION: THANKSGIVING IS THE THEME OF THIS PSALM.

PSALM 103, 113, 124, 129, 136 ARE CALLED COMMUNAL PSALMS, WHEN THE COMMUNITY GATHERED THEY PRAISED THE LORD IN SONG FOR HIS ACTS IN HISTORY OR FOR A SPECIFIC RECENT MANIFESTATION OF HIS GOODNESS AND MERCY.

PSALMS 103 LEADS THE LIST AND IN VERSES 1-5 THE PSALMIST PRAISES GOD FOR HIS MERCY AND GOODNESS TO EACH INDIVIDUAL. IN OTHER WORDS I’M NOT ONLY GIVING GOD PRAISE FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR ME, BUT I’M PRAISING HIM FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR MY BROTHER AND SISTER.

IN VERSES 6-14 HE PRAISES GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. IN OTHER WORDS I’M GOING TO GIVE GOD PRAISE FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR OTHERS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, CO- WORKERS, THE CITY, STATE AND NATION.

PSALM 103 LIST A NUMBER OF THINGS GOD DOES FOR US AND IT SHOWS HIS GREAT LOVE AND CONCERN FOR US. THE WORLD IS UNTHANKFUL AND SO MANY FORGET THAT GOD IS GOOD, BUT WE MUST NEVER BE LIKE THE WORLD.

LOOK AT YOURSELF- LOOK BACK- LOOK AROUND, AND YOU WILL FIND OUT JUST HOW BLESSED YOU ARE.

YOU HAVE SO MANY BLESSINGS YOU CAN’T EVEN COUT THEM ALL. IT’S TIME TO BE THANKFUL FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS GOD HAS GIVIEN US.

TEXT: VS 2 DAVID SAYS DON’T FORGET ALL HIS BENEFITS. PSALM 68:19 SAYS THAT DAILY THE LORD LOADS US DOWN WITH BENEFITS. YOUR EMPLOYER CANNOT TOP GOD’S BENEFITS.

THEY MAY CUT THE BENEFIT PACKAGE FOR YOU, BUT GOD NEVER CUTS OUR BENEFITS, EVERYDAY HIS MERCY AND GRACE FOLLOWS US.

VS 3 BLESSING #1 HE FORGIVES US; EVEN FOR THE SINS YOU DONE IN THE PAST. HE FORGIVES US FOR THE SINS WE COMMIT ON A DAILY BASIS. HE CONTINUES TO FORGIVE.

NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU FALL, HE FORGIVES US.

VS 12 SAYS AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST, SO FAR HAS HE REMOVED OUR TRANSGRESSIONS FROM US.

EAST AND WEST CAN NEVER MEET. THIS IS A SYMBOLIC PORTRAIT OF GOD’S FORGIVENESS. WHEN HE FORGIVES OUR SIN, HE SEPARATES IT FROM US AND DOESN’T EVEN REMEMBER IT.

WE NEED NEVER WALLOW IN THE FORGIVEN PAST, FOR GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS. WE TEND TO DREDGE UP THE UGLY PAST, BUT GOD HAS WIPED OUR RECORD CLEAN. GOD HAS DROPPED EVERY CHARGE AGAINST YOU THAT THE DEVIL HAD.

VS 3 BLESSING #2 HE HEALS US; MIND, BODY, AND SOUL.

HE HEALS OUR MIND AND GIVES US PEACE, AND JOY; THEN HE HEALS ALL OUR DISEASES.

HE SAID IN EXODUS 15:26 I MA THE LORD THAT HEALETH THEE. NOTICE THE ETH ON THE END IT MEANS A CONTINUATION; IN OTHER WORDS HE CONTINUES TO HEAL US EVERY TIME WE NEED IT. HIS SHED BLOOD ON THE CROSS PAID FOR OUR HEALING.

WE WERE SIN SICK AND JESUS HEALED US. OUR SOUL AND MID WAS SICK AND HE HEALED US. WE OWE HIM THANKS. LOOK BACK TO WHAT YOU USE TO BE; YOU WERE SICK UNTO DEATH BUT JESUS CAME AND HE HEALED US. THE DOCTOR SHOOK HIS HEAD BUT BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.

VS 4 BLESSING #3 HE REDEEMETH OUR LIFE FROM DESTRUCTION. MANY TIMES HE KEPT BACK THE HAND OF THE ENEMY.

FIRST HE PURCHASED OUR SALVATION AND PAID THE PRICE ON CALVARY. SECOND MANY TIMES HE TOLD DEATH TO LEAVE. THAT ACCIDENT YOU WERE IN OR THAT PALCE WHERE YOU SHOULD HAVE LOST YOUR LIFE. HE REDEEMETH US.

ON A DAILY BASIS, OVER AND OVER GOD STEPS IN TO KEEP US FROM BEING DESTROYED. WE HAVE OVERCOME DANGERS SEEN AND UNSEEN.

PSALM 124:1-7 SAYS, WHAT IF THE LORD HAD NOT BEEN ON OUR SIDE. WHAT IF HE HAD NOT BEEN THERE WHEN PEOPLE ATTACKED US THEY WOULD HAVE SWALLOWED US ALIVE. THE FLOOD (TROUBLES) WOULD HAVE ENGULFED US AND THE RAGING WATERS (AFFLICTIONS, TRIALS) WOULD HAVE SWEPT US AWAY.

PRAISE BE TO GOD WHO HAS NOT LET US BEEN TORN APART.

WE HAVE ESCAPED LIKE A BIRD OUT OF THE HUNTERS TRAP. THE TRAP IS BROKEN AND WE HAVE ESCAPED. WE OWE HIM A PRAISE WE OWE HIM THANKS.

VS 4 BLESSING # 4 HE CROWNETH- HE CIRCLES US WITH LOVINGKINDNESS AND MERCY. PSALM 136:1 OH GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD FOR HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOREVER.

THE PSALMIST GOES ON TO SAY IN PS. 103: 8-10 SAYS THE LORD IS COMPASSIONATE AND GRACIOUS, SLOW TO ANGER, ABOUNDING IN LOVE. HE WILL NOT ALWAYS ACCUSE, NOR WILL HE HARBOR HIS ANGER FOREVER; HE DOES NOT TREAT US AS OUR SIN DESERVE OR REPAY US ACCORDING TO OUR INIQUITIES.

PS.103: 14 SAYS FOR HE KNOWS HOW WE ARE FORMED, HE REMEMBERS THAT WE ARE DUST. HE KNOWS OUR WEAKNESSES AND FAULTS. HE KNOWS OUR HUMAN CONDITION THAT WE ARE SINNERS BY NATURE.

WE HAVE THE CAN’T HELP ITS, SO HE TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THAT WE ARE HELPLESS WITH OUT HIM.

HE KNOW THAT WE ARE IMPERFECT, BUT HE COMES TO HELP AND HE CLEANSES US. WE OWE HIM THANKS AND PRAISE FOR ALL HE’S DONE.

HE GAVE US MERCY. THE LAW DEMANDED JUSTICE AND WE DESERVED TO BE PUNISHED, BUT GRACE SHOWED UP AND GRABBED US BY THE RIGHT HAND, THEN MERCY TOOK THE LEFT AND PICKED US UP.

WE GOT A 2ND, 3RD, 4TH, 10, AND SO ON CHANCE. OH WE OWE HIS THANKS WE OWE HIM PRAISE.

VS 5 BLESSING #5 HE SATISFIES US. SATISFY MEANS TO FILL TO BE FULL, TO HAVE PLENTY. HE MEETS ALL OF OUR NEEDS AND DESIRES.

GOD SATISFIES US SO MUCH THAT IT SEEMS AS WE ARE RENEWED AND REVITALIZED.

JUST LIKE THE EAGLE WHO GETS NEW FEATHERS TO REPLACE THE OLD ONES. GOD RENEWS US DAILY WE OWE HIM A PRAISE WE OWE HIM THANKS.

EVERYDAY WE OWE GOD THANKS EVERYDAY WE SHOULD TELL HIM THANK YOU. HASN’T HE BEEN GOOD TO YOU?

HASN’T HE MADE WAYS AND OPENED DOORS FOR YOU. WE NEED TO SAY THANK YOU.

THE SONG SAYS COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS NAME THEM ONE BY ONE COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS SEE WHAT GOD HAS DONE. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS NAME THEM ONE BY ONE, OH COUNT YOUR MANY BLESSING SEE WHAT GOD HAS DONE.

YOU OUGHT TO BLESS HIM RIGHT NOW. NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO PUMP YOU UP TO PRAISE GOD. LOOK BACK; LOOK NOW AT YOUR HANDS AND FEET, YOU SHOULD HAVE PRAISE ON YOUR LIPS. HE’S BEEN GOOD TO US. HE’S DONE GREAT THINGS. HE’S DONE MARVELOUS THINGS AND WE ARE GLAD. SOMEBODY OUGHT TO SAY HE’S BEEN GOOD.

HASN’T BE DELIVERED YOU. HASN’T HE HEALED YOU? HASN’T HE GIVEN TOU MERCY?

HASN’T HE GIVEN YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART, GOOD THINGS, AND BLESSING YOU DIDN’T DESERVE?

HE’S A GOOD GOD AND YOU KNOW WHAT I’VE GOT SOME FRINGE BENEFITS. HE’S GONE TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR ME AND HE’S COMING BACK TO TAKE ME THERE. HE’S GOING TO GIVE ME A NEW BODY. I WONT HAVE TO CRY NO MORE. NO MORE PAIN, SORROW, DISAPPOINTMENT. I’LL HAVE JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY.

PSALM 103 IS A COMMUNAL PSALM AND I KNOW WE OFTEN USE IT, BUT WE NEED TO FORM OUR OWN COMMUNAL PSALM.

HASN’T GOD BEEN GOOD TO UNLIMITED POWER CHURCH? HASN’T HE BEEN WITH US/ HASN’T HE DONE GREAT THINGS?

OH YES HE HAS. You can put your own testimony into a psalm of praise to the lord