August 22, 2012

There is a website called A Campaign for Forgiveness Research. The site states that this Campaign is "an ... effort to deepen our understanding of forgiveness and begin the process of building many different roads to reconciliation." In order to foster healthy relationships through reconciliation, the site has a place for the sharing of personal stories, "...of forgiveness received, offered, or simply observed ­ that may provide inspiration for others." One story stuck with me, a story of sin left unresolved and a cry for help. The anonymous woman writes:

"I would like to seek forgiveness for a very bad choice I made. When I was 17 I left home with my boyfriend and moved to another state. We soon found ourselves starving, with no money and our rent due. We had nothing to eat and all our efforts to find jobs had failed. One day I saw an ad in an alternative paper looking for escorts for gentlemen. I naively thought that that really meant escort -- that I would accompany people to dinners and so forth."

She took the job, later realizing that she was indeed a prostitute. She continues:

 

"I soon became "trapped" in the lifestyle, needing the money and relying on it, and telling myself it wasn't so bad. My boyfriend knew about it and said he didn't mind. I wish he had, so he could have stopped me. ... I began to realize I had to ... go back home. I couldn't live that way anymore, I couldn't be in that situation. It was so unhealthy and miserable. Since that time I've become really hard on myself. My self-esteem was damaged greatly. I feel different than other people, and feel that if they knew me, they would despise me. I feel worthless, depressed and so forth. I want to forgive myself, and I keep telling myself that it was a bad choice I made, and it doesn't make me a bad person. I was only 17, not thinking really clearly, not  experienced in the world.... I've been beating myself up for it for too long. Wish me luck on forgiving myself."

How much "luck" will it take for her to forgive herself?

Is forgiveness only for the lucky?

What would you say to this hurting and confused young lady?

I think pointing her to Psalm 103:1-5 would be a good start:

"Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits — who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s."

Young Lady, there  is pardon for you! All your sins have been forgiven! You can be healed from the inside out!

Young Lady, your life has been preseserved! You have been redeemed - bought back from the bondage of your sinful choices! You have been lifted from the chains of hell and crowned with the love of Christ!

Young Lady, there is provision for you! The satisfaction you have been seeking will be found in Him! You can be renewed in your spirit, restored in hope and re-engergized with strength!

 

Let me ask you, "Have you received His forgiveness? Do you enjoy your redemption? Do you find your strength in Him?'

August 21, 2012

<sup>"The Lord works justice for all the righteous. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel. 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 sins deserve  or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. The life of mortals is like grass,  they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children — with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the Lord, you his angels,  you mighty ones who do his bidding,  who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, O my soul." Psalm 103:6-22

In this blog the past week I shared from the first five verses of this great Psalm. These verses reveal why we should be motivated to praise the Lord and I spoke about it in my message yesterday.  Please click over to the sermon section of this website and give it a listen!

The three reasons to praise the Lord are because of His pardon, because of His preservation, and because of His provision. It is amazing what He offers to those who love Him and who give Him praise!

All these benefits are offered in just the first five verses of this 103rd Psalm, but the rest of the Psalm is strong, too, because it describes a God Who is able to deliver on all the benefits He promises!


A policy can offer great benefits but those are only as good as the company's ability to deliver on the promises.


For example, you could shop for a good policy with the best benefits and the cheapest premiums and say you find one that sounds so good you are suspicious. So you read the fine print and you check to see who issued the policy. The contract reveals that the policy is offered by Rodney of Rio Linda.


You have heard of Mutual of Omaha and you have heard of New York Life. You have heard of Allstate and State Farm Insurance Companies but not Rodney of Rio Linda. Suddenly the great price doesn't seem so great anymore.


But the rest of the 103rd Psalm lists the reasons that you CAN trust God and have confidence in His benefits! You might say this is God's guarantee of His benefits. These are more reasons to praise God! He is a God Who promises grand benefits, and a God Who can deliver those benefits, and Who is afterall the GREATEST BENEFIT!


Praise Him, O my soul!</sup>

August 20, 2012

Jesus did a lot in His brief three-year ministry. Do you want to know one think He never did? He never did a funeral!

As I am reading through John I am blessed as I am reminded of Who Jesus is! He is revealing Himself to His disciples and others who are paying attention. While they are hearing it for the first time, it is still good news of great joy as I reflect on it again. Thanks for joining me in this journey. I hope I have thrown a few blessings your way, too.

In Chapter 6 He fed the thousands with just a few loaves and a couple of fish and then revealed Himself as "The Bread of Life" and invites us to feed on Him!

In Chapter 9 He healed a blind man and introduces Himself as the "Light of the World".

Earlier we reflected on the great truth of Jesus as our "Good Shepherd". We are well cared for! I quoted a friend who said, "When the Lord is your Shepherd the future is your friend!"

Each of those manifestations of His nature is significant. If only one of those was true it would be sufficient - BUT JESUS IS ALL OF THOSE! And more! Check out Chapter 11!

Jesus got one of those 9-1-1 calls. "Come quickly! Our brother Lazarus is deathly ill!" This plea came from His best friends, Mary and Martha. They lived in Bethany and it was a safe place where He could go and get ministered to. But He did something interesting - He headed the other way.

When I get one of those calls in the middle of the night I rush to the hospital or the home to bring comfort and support. Jesus didn't do that. He went back to Judea where He had just been rejected.

By the time He arrives in Bethany He is greeted by two grieving and disillusioned sisters. Martha greets Him with an accusation, "If you would have been here my brother would not have died!"

That certainly was true. But she was underestimating Jesus. Mary, Martha and Lazarus knew Jesus better than anyone and yet they underestimated Him. I have to admit that makes me feel better, because I am guilty of that.

Just when you think you know Jesus, He reveals something new about His nature. That is what He is about to do here. Mary and Martha knew what Jesus HAD done and defined Him in those terms. They were sure He could have healed Lazarus but they didn't reason that He could also resurrect him. How many times do I limit Jesus by expecting Him to respond in a predictable way? He is anything but predictble!

So, Jesus asked to be taken to the tomb. Mary and Martha are concerned because of the stench - he had been dead four days. They are thinking funeral, He doesn't do funerals. When He ordered the tomb to be open, they have "grave reservations". They are thinking about rotten odors He is thinking about resurrection! The tomb is opened and Lazarus is called forth. Since Jesus is Life, death has to obey! Lazarus comes walking out of the tomb! Jesus commands the grave clothes to be removed - Jesus is God of the living not the dead!

When He claimed that He is the "Resurrection and the Life" He meant it! Now we know for sure! As the Good Shepherd He give us "abundant life"! As the Resurrection He gives us eternal life!

So, what does this tell us about Jesus? He is bigger than life but also BIGGER THAN DEATH! He raised Lazarus from the dead (and others) before He submitted Himself to death on the cross. And when He rose from the dead, He conquered death for us! He truly became the "Resurrection and the Life"! Wow! What a Savior!

As one who still has to do funerals, I am thankful for the knowledge that Jesus is the "Resurrection and the Life". As one who has stood beside too many caskets and gravesides, I am glad I can point people to the hope of the "Resurrection and the Life".

Have you recently lost a dear one? Have you been overcome by the reality of death? Are you staring death in the face today?

I have good news of great joy! Jesus is the God of the living! There is no death in Him. When you live in Him you live in life! While in this life you live "abundant life" and then you simple move to REAL LIFE - eternal life!

So, welcome to life in a dying world! As you celebrate abundant life, breathe in a deep breath of His Life and live in hope of a life to come! Life is good! And it only gets better!

August 19, 2012

"who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s" Psalm 103:5

The story is told about a poor Widow lady with five kids who Everyday came out on to her front porch, raised her hands to Heaven & Prayed out loud, “Lord, you know I have No food in my cabinets to feed my children today! Please provide our daily needs!”

Her next door neighbor was an “Atheist” who was sick & tired of hearing her “Spiritual” talk everyday! So one day, he thought he would teach her a lesson.

He bought several bags of groceries, sat them on the front porch, rang the doorbell, and hid in the bushes! The Widow came out, saw the groceries, and burst into a Joyful Praise! “Thank you God, you have supplied my need! Thank you for answering my Prayer! Bless the Lord, O my soul!”

The "Atheist" stepped out from behind a bush and Arrogantly said, “Ma’am, God hasn’t supplied your needs today-I did! See how foolish it is to trust in a Nonexistent God and give him Credit for what He didn’t do?” Without taking a breath the woman burst into another Prayer: “Dear God, you are so wonderful! You not only provided food for me today, BUT you got the Devil to Pay for it!”

You should praise God because of His benefits to His people.

What are His benefits?

Pardon and Preservation which we have already commented on, but there is one more: PROVISION!

 

Just as God provided for this lady He provides for all His children. According to this 103rd Psalm, He provides:

Satisfaction - "Satisfies our needs” – “satisfy”= our response to a delicious meal” – filled up. God knows how to satisfy you at your deepest level! If you hunger and thirst for Him He WILL fill you!

Strength - “Strength renewed”. By satisfying your  every need He makes sure that your spiritual strength is continually renewed! God is like a spiritual Fountain of Youth!

You serve a God Who is worthy of your praise! He has  blessed you with great and gracious benefits. When you forget His benefits you forget to praise Him.

Don't forget His benefits! Don't forget to praise Him for your Pardon, and your Preservation and your Provision.

There is no doubt He is worthy of your praise!

Why not praise Him now?

August 18, 2012

^"who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion" Psalm 103:4

This great Psalm makes it clear that God desires and deserves the praise of His people. And He also makes it plain that praise should arise from recognizing the great benefits He provides for His people.

 

The first benefit is His pardon that forgives our sins and heals our diseases.

Another benefit is His preservation. Not only has He forgiven you and healed you but He also keeps you through His love, grace and power. This verse mentions two examples of how He preserves you.

“Redemption” – What is redemption and how does it preserve you? To be redeemed means to be bought back from slavery and debt – in this case “from the pit". This is what God did for you through Christ. God in Christ paid a debt that you owed but only He could pay. He bought you out of slavery to sin and pulled you out of the pit of Hell!

“Crowns with love and compassion” - After He pulled from pit of Hell and bought you back from your sin, He placed His crown of righteousness on you. You now occupy a place of honor and privilege with Him!

One of the most treasured possessions in the USA is a Super Bowl ring that is given by the NFL to every member of the team who wins the Super Bowl. This large and ornate piece of jewlery costs about $5,000 per ring to custom design for each player.

Hall of Famer, Gene Upshaw, won a Super Bowl ring when he played with the Oakland Raiders. He discovered that the problem with such a valuable piece of jewelry is preserving it. You cannot wear it all the time so, where is a safe place to keep it when you are not wearing it?

Upshaw thought he had the perfect idea. He purchased a small lockbox that looked like a Pepsi can. That solution worked for a long time until one day he left it setting on his kitchen counter and his house-keeper threw it out with the trash.

He was unable to preserve his prize and since they could never locate it at the local landfill, he was unable to redeem it either.

You should praise God for His benefit of preservation! He can redeem you and he can crown you - AND He can keep you!

(Hall of Famer and Union President Gene Upshaw’s Super Bowl Ring)

Zephaniah 3:17 – “He will rejoice over you with singing.”

August 17, 2012

We love our benefits! When we look for a job we look for a good salary but we also want the best benefits.

Benefits are an important issue in the Presidential election this year. Both candidates and Parties are claiming that their plans will guarantee the best benefits for the American people. Each of them says their Medi-Care plan is better than the other’s. Both are trying to convince voters that they have the best plan to preserve Social Security. One guy says his healthcare plan is the best benefit ever offered to the American people. The other guy says he wants to abolish that healthcare plan and come up with a better benefit.

Psalm 103:1-5 talks about benefits – the benefits that come from God! Did you know that faith in God comes with benefits? It certainly does! And those benefits are a cause for praising God! Verse 2 goes like this, “Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—“.

Why are you to praise the Lord? Because of His benefits!  What are those benefits? Allow me to highlight those for you!

“who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's”

Praising God should result from remembering ALL the benefits God has provided for you through Christ Jesus! As you meditate on all these marvelous gifts He has given you by His grace, feelings of praise should arise from within your spirit.

What is it that keeps you from praising God? Well, according to the Psalm, you don’t praise God when you forget these benefits He has provided for you!

One thing you should praise God for is His pardon! Through the death of Jesus on the cross God has forgiven all your sins! And by His wounds on the cross and because of His resurrection you have been healed!

Even though you deserved judgment because of your sins. And part of that judgment is sickness and death.

But instead, God in His great love and mercy, sent Jesus to absorb the penalty for your sin. And the judgment for those sins was laid upon Him!

That is worthy of praise!

Will you focus today on the benefits of forgiveness, healing, redemption, love, compassion, satisfaction, and a perpetual source of strength?

Will you live in praise for God’s benefits? And His retirement plan is out of this world!

August 16, 2012

"Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits" Psalm 103:2

I could stand to praise God more than I do. How about you?

I know I could praise God better that I do. How about you?

This Psalm makes it plain that one of the keys to praise is remembering the benefits I have in God. Those are the "important" things that I need  to set my purpose and priorities around. They are what I should center my praise on.

Did you know that God gives benefits?

There is a lot of interest in benefits around this election season. People are concerned about losing their jobs in a struggling economy because in addition to their income is their insurance benefits and retirement benefits. Those are important to future security.

During this Presidential election year, people are paying close attention to see which candidate will protect those government benefits like Medi-Care, Social Security and Healthcare. People care about benefits.

God offers benefits to those who love Him and believe in Him and obey Him! As the Psalm tells us, His benefits are worthy of praise!

If your employer can offer you good benefits, and if your government can promise good benefits, IMAGINE THE BENEFITS GOD CAN OFFER!

When you trust Christ as your Savior you get God's benefits! He takes your liabilities and gives you His benefits! The chief benefit IS Christ! He is worthy of praise!

But there are other great benefits, too! What are they?

Check back tomorrow!