Saturday, February 23, 2013

Count Your Blessings Series Day 1 2/23/2013

Good Morning,
Happy Saturday to you. I am drinking a hot cup of Door County Candy Cane Coffee. One of my last winter coffee flavors.

I know Saturdays can be busy. But I am asking each of you reading this to stop and study awhile. This won't take long. Then pass it on to someone else. I will be doing a three day series on Psalm 103

Psalm 103

1 A Psalm of David. 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 loving kindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6 The Lord executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more. 17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children, 18 To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them. 19 The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. 21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure. 22 Bless the Lord, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Psalm 103 is pure praise to me. There are times when it is good to stop asking God for things, and start thanking Him for who He is and what he has done. This psalm is praise from start to finish. There are no requests found in the writing at all. The word bless is often translated as praise. (Bless the Lord oh my soul or praise the Lord oh my soul.)

Count Your Blessings
The writer begins by listing some of the ways in which God has helped and blessed him. (vs 1-5). He reminds us to be thankful for material and physical blessings as well as the spiritual ones. They all come from God. Many times we take these for granted until they are lost or taken away.

God is kind and compassionate.
The writer's conclusion. God looks after those who cannot take care of themselves. (vs 6) He guides his people in his own loving purpose for them. (vs 7) He forgives and restores us, when we go astray.
(vs 8-12). The greatness of His love can only be compared with the length He goes to pardon us from our sins.


John 3:16

For God So Loved the World

16 “For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. 
 
More tomorrow. God bless,
Marty

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