THE LORD EXAMINES US

 THE LORD EXAMINES US

Ps. 139:1 O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. NLT

How does this truth make you feel? Are you okay knowing the Lord has examined your heart and knows everything there is to know about you? There are things that we can effectively hide from others, but not God. There are things that we allow to enter into our minds and dwell on that no one knows about, but God knows. There are things we do that no one knows about, but God knows. There are things that we do with less than honorable intentions, but God knows. We can’t hide anything from God.

The Lord knows everything about me. He knows my weaknesses as well as my strengths. We often portray our strengths but try to keep hidden our weaknesses. The Lord knows where we are vulnerable, and that is good news. He knows our fears and our doubts. He knows our needs, even better than we do. He knows how to minister to each one of our needs. He knows and works to help us become stronger in our character, one weakness at a time.

The Lord’s scrutiny does one of two things for us. It causes us to become very uncomfortable in His presence, or it causes us to have peace and joy knowing that He won’t find anything there that displeases Him. If we are pursuing the Lord as we ought to be, we will have nothing to fear. There is calm assurance for those who are letting the Lord be the Lord of their life.

The Lord is examining your heart right now. If you are uneasy at the thought of it, you need to bow before Him in repentance and let Him restore unto you the peace that only He can give. 

I WILL PRAISE THE LORD

 I WILL PRAISE THE LORD

Ps. 103:22 Praise the LORD, everything he has created, everywhere in his kingdom. As for me—I too, will praise the LORD. NLT

Everything that God has created sings forth His praises. The Psalmist declares that the heavens declare His praises. The majesty and magnitude of what we can see declares that God is and are an anthem of praise to Him. The smallest of those things we can see declare that God is and sing forth His praises. The ocean depths and all that is in them declare that God is and sing forth His praises. The order of all that is sings forth His praises. The laws that govern creation sing forth His praises. The way that God provides food for all living things sing forth His praises.

Everything in His kingdom sings forth His praises. The angels—cherubim and seraphim, and all of heaven's choir sing forth His praises. God's plan of redemption conceived in His heart and carried out by Christ sings forth His praises. God's grace and mercy extended to the heart of man sing forth His praises. God's blessings bestowed upon His children sing forth His praises. Everything everywhere in His kingdom sings forth the praises of God.

As for me, I too will sing forth His praises. I praise Him for I know Him and will be with Him forever and ever. I praise Him for His constant companionship. I praise Him for all He is doing in my life to make and keep me holy before Him. I praise Him for the work He is doing through me and for the rewards awaiting me in heaven someday. I praise Him for He is my Savior, my Lord, and my God, and He alone is worthy to be praised. I praise Him for His loving patience with me on my life journey. I praise Him for He is the certainty of my hope for both now and forever. “Praise the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, praise His holy name.”

MINISTERING ANGELS

 MINISTERING ANGELS

Ps. 103:20-21 Praise the LORD, you angels of his, you mighty creatures who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the LORD, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will. NLT

Angels. Much has been said and written about them. Some would deny they even exist, but the Bible is very clear, they do. Angels are ministering servants of God. He created them differently than He created us. They are spiritual beings who often take on human form. They have visited different people on earth over the years. Each believer is assigned an angel to watch over them and help them as they live by faith. They have the ability to think, communicate and act, all under the direction of God.

Angels carry out God's plans. They listen attentively to God and then do His bidding. Sometimes the Scriptures reveal that they carry out judgment on man for his sinfulness. Sometimes they stand in the gap between man and certain destruction or disaster. Whatever they do, they do it under the authority of God and never outside of His will.

It is also noteworthy to know that not all angels are good. The Bible tells us that Satan was an angel who rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven along with a third of the angelic hosts. God gave them the ability to choose whom they would serve, which is interesting. They are spiritual beings without any redemptive hope if they rebel against God.

It is so comforting to know that God assigns angels to watch over us. We don't know exactly what they do most of the time for us. They are agents of God on our behalf, His chosen vessels of ministering to our needs. Whatever they do on a daily basis for the Lord, we ought to thank God for them. God never leaves us or forsakes us. He always provides for His presence with us. We are never alone. God himself and His angels are ever watching over us. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

GOD RULES FROM HEAVEN

 GOD RULES FROM HEAVEN

Ps. 103:19 The LORD has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything. NLT

Look up into the sky. What do you see? Clouds? God is above them. The moon at night? God is above it. The sun? God is above it. The stars at night? God is above all of them. God dwells far beyond anything man can see. In fact, God is the one who made it all from nothing, for there was nothing to make it all from. The heavens are all His throne, declaring His glory and majesty for all to see.

Where is God's throne? No one knows but those who are already there. Wherever it is, it is far beyond in glory anything we can ever imagine. The glory of God fills it. Holiness is the atmosphere in which people dwell.

God is on His throne and rules over everything. He has established the rules that hold creation together. He watches over it all and keeps it running smoothly. He determines the lifespan of all that is. He knows what is going on in those parts of creation where no man can go. He knows all there is to know about what He has created. He rules over all the material and spiritual worlds He has created. He set the boundaries whereby everything exists. He determines when things will change and until He changes things, nothing will go beyond the rules and boundaries God has established for it.

God is on His throne ruling with love and power. God is not beyond our reach for He loves us and sent Jesus to earth who became one of us so He could die for our sins. In all that God created, we alone can have a relationship with Him. Jesus did what could not be done; He made it possible for sinful man to actually be made holy and acceptable to God. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

OUR DAYS ARE LIKE GRASS

 OUR DAYS ARE LIKE GRASS

Ps. 103:15-17 Our days on earth are like grass, like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here. NLT

Look around you. People are dying every day. We are not invincible. We, like them, are going to die, too. Life goes by so quickly. I look back over my life and I can’t believe that so many years have gone by now. I can still remember some of the living I did as a child growing up. I can remember some of the seemingly insurmountable circumstances of my life. I can remember my struggles with faith over the years. I can remember some of my doubts and fears. Many of the things that seemed so important to me in the past are long done and over with. I have done so much living and I scarcely have realized it.

Life does not stand still for anyone. We are born, live, and then die. What we do while we are living is soon forgotten. Our names may linger, but soon no one knows who we really are. We try to live in such a way that we are appreciated and remembered, but to no avail. Our names etched on a tombstone are the only reminder that we have lived. We become nothing more than a note in our family genealogy record.

When we live for earthly recognition or achievements, life indeed seems so futile. If life is nothing more than a name to be written down somewhere for others to note, then Solomon is right, “Vanity of vanities, life is but vanity.”

But, when our names are written down in God’s Book of Life, life is not vain. Life does have purpose and meaning. We are not soon forgotten. God etches His name on our hearts and we forever will be known as a child of God. We are not just a memory, we become a legacy. Because of our living in Christ, we impact people for generations to come. We let our lights shine and many will come to the Light because of us. We do not die and are soon forgotten. We live and are forever known by God and His children as we live forever with Him.

The Lord gives us this life so that we can prepare for the life to come. We can spend our days squandering our opportunities and wasting our lives away, or we can live in Christ and impact our world for all of eternity. The Lord has given you a chance to bring many others to heaven with you when you die. You will do it if you live in obedience to Him each day of your life. You may not know who all will be in heaven because of the life you live, but someday you will.

Seize the day of opportunity while you have it, because soon it will be gone. We have but one opportunity to live in Christ and prepare for eternity. Don’t waste it. It goes by way too quickly. Today is the day of our salvation, not tomorrow; tomorrow may never come our way. Give yourself completely to Christ today and live for Him. You will be glad you did.

TEH LORD, OUR FATHER

 THE LORD, OUR FATHER

Ps. 103:13-14 The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he understands how weak we are; he knows we are only dust. NLT

Dear child of God, are you acting like a child? By that I mean, are you simply trusting in the Lord to take care of you? We are prone to want to take care of ourselves. We often don’t take advantage of the Lord’s provisions and instead, we strive to provide for our own needs. We often don’t turn to the Lord for advice before we make decisions in life. We often don’t take the time to come before Him and let Him lavish His love on us. We often don’t appreciate what He is doing for us. We often take advantage of our relationship with Him and do what we want to do and not what He commands us to do. We often act like spoiled brats who don’t appreciate what it means to be a child of God. We often don’t show our Father the love and respect He deserves. So often, it is difficult for others to even know that we are God’s children.

On the other hand, our Father is tender and compassionate towards those who fear Him, towards those who respect Him as their Father and honor Him in their lives. Like any loving father, God has nothing but good in mind for us. He wants nothing but what is best for us and He knows what that is. Our Father is patient and kind towards us because He knows how weak and fragile we are. He knows we will stumble and fall, and He is there to pick us up, dust us off, and help us on our way. He understands our weakest points and strives to help us avoid them. He understands what it takes to raise a child and lovingly stays with us all through the process, no matter how exasperating we may be to Him.

“Thank you, O Lord, for indeed, you are our Father in heaven. Thank You for all you do for us and your patience towards us. Thank You for loving us as you do. Forgive us for when we act like spoiled brats who don’t appreciate your loving care. Forgive us for when we shame Your name. Forgive us for all those times in which we stray from Your loving care. And, we know You do. And, we thank You for it and praise you today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”  

EAST FROM THE WEST

 EAST FROM THE WEST

Ps. 103:12 He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west. NLT

How can it be? How can God take our sins away from us and cast them away from himself and us as far as the east is from the west? How is it possible for God to look upon us in a different light, as if we had never sinned? For us, it is impossible. We cannot forget many of the things we have done, even after we know we have been forgiven. We have flashbacks and our hearts are grieved because we did some of the things we have done. There are many, many things I don't remember, but there are some things I do. Each time they come back to haunt me, I am grieved in my spirit. I know I am forgiven by Christ and the Spirit helps me to then rest in His forgiveness and grace. I can’t undo the past, but I can live in the present and future in the knowledge that I am forgiven.

Sometimes we can go to people we have hurt and seek forgiveness from them, but sometimes we can’t. When we can, we get a sense of closure, even if others do not forgive us. When we can’t do anything about what we have done, we cling to our forgiveness in Christ and strive to sin no more.

God is able to forgive and forget because when we are forgiven the righteousness of Christ stands between God and us. God sees Jesus instead of us, and all is well with our souls. God never looks beyond the sacrificial death of Christ. He only sees the present and not the past.

“Thank you, Jesus, for keeping God from looking into our past to see our sins. Thank you, Jesus, for purifying our hearts and pouring into us your righteousness so that God will see you in us instead of our sin. Thank you, Lord, for saving our souls and making us whole. When we remember what we did, help us to flee to Calvary and rest underneath Your shed blood. Help us to know that You have done the impossible. You have forgiven us of all our sins and cast them from us as far as the east is from the west. In Your precious name we pray and give you the glory. Amen.”  

GOD'S UNFAILING LOVE

 GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE

Ps. 103:11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. NLT

God’s love for us is unfailing. He never stops loving us. He loves everyone equally the same, but only those who fear Him can really know they are loved. To fear the Lord involves our involvement in His personhood. We recognize Him in His holiness. We understand that He is not indifferent about sin. We understand that all sin is punished by Him. We come before Him with respect for who He is. He is Lord over all and controls the destiny of all creation and every soul.

Our fear of God endears us to Him. We cling to Him tightly, because He is God. We succumb to His authority over us and strive to obey Him. We long to know Him better, because He is God. We respect who He is and His rightful anger over sin.

His love for us is immeasurable. What we know of His love and are able to experience is but a minuscule drop in the bucket of His love. His love is beyond measuring and beyond depleting. For all who fear Him, there is more than enough of God’s love to meet every need.

Dear child of God, no matter what you may think or feel about it, you are always loved by God. No matter what you are going through in life, you are loved. God’s love is not like the love of man. It is unconditional. You may spurn His love, but you can never do anything to keep God from loving you. He will always pursue you because He loves you. He will never let you get away from His heart. He will never let you get away with sin. He will always stretch you and demand much from you, all because He loves you. He wants you to be all you can be in your walk with Him, because He loves you and wants to spend eternity with you.

Praise the Lord for His unfailing love for us!   

NOT AS WE DESERVE

 NOT AS WE DESERVE

Ps. 103:10 He has not punished us for all our sins, nor does he deal with us as we deserve. NLT

Growing up, I did not like it when I was punished for things I did wrong. My dad was from the old school and was not afraid to punish his children. Back then, timeouts were unknown. My dad had a belt and he knew how to use it. I didn’t like it, but I did learn to respect it. I didn’t get punished every time I deserved it, and I am glad for that. I also was punished for some things dad thought I did which I didn’t do; I didn't like that too much either. I do have to admit though that I deserved much of the discipline I did receive.

I am so thankful that our Heavenly Father does not punish us when we sin as when we deserve it. If He did, none of us would survive childhood. We all sin and deserve to die in our sins. But God is merciful, just, and has great compassion for us. He provided for the Israelites the sacrificial system whereby their sins could be atoned for, and for us, He provided the cross where we can find forgiveness. Jesus died on the cross so that we would not get the punishment we deserve. As children of God, we are given mercy when we sin. Jesus took our punishment upon himself.

Now, don’t get the idea that we have a free ride when we sin. Sinning always has consequences. The Lord does not pretend we don’t sin. He allows us to live with the choices we make. We may not have a death sentence hanging over our heads, but we do have painful consequences we have to live with. Sometimes our health suffers because of our sins. For others, life is very difficult because of sin. For others, memories won’t go away. For some, others bear the pain of our sins. Sin often has long-lasting consequences and it has immediate consequences, it keeps us away from God. There is a broken fellowship with God when we harbor sin and it cannot be fixed except through repentance.

Jesus came to deal with our sin problem. He came so that we can live with God in spite of our sins. He came to make us righteous and holy before God. He came so that we can live in victory over our sinful choices, in spite of the harm they may have caused us or others in the past.

I am so thankful today for God’s mercy, patience, and love towards me. I am so thankful for Jesus, who is my righteousness and holiness before God. 

DOES NOT ACCUSE US

 DOES NOT ACCUSE US

Ps. 103:9-10 He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He has not punished us for all our sins, nor does he deal with us as we deserve. NLT

These verses should cause us to swell up in praise today. The Good News is that God does not constantly accuse the redeemed of sin. He withholds His wrath from those whose sins have been forgiven. He does not deal with us as we deserve to be dealt with.

If you are constantly being harassed about sins that you have done and know that you have sought and accepted Christ’s forgiveness, guess what—Satan is your accuser, not God. God does not constantly accuse us. He will confront us with legitimate sin in our lives, but he will not rehash forgiven sins; they are gone forever from before Him.

God's anger against those who live in sin is legit. We all deserve to be punished for our sins. Sin is hated by God. It is the exact opposite of His holiness. He will never tolerate sin in His presence. At Calvary, Jesus defused God's anger against those who accept Him as their Savior. Jesus makes holy the unholy. He purifies the soul so that God's holy love can enter in instead of His wrath.

We don’t deserve to be treated so kindly by the Lord, but we are. He loves us and will never fail to treat us with anything less than holy love. For all who know Christ as Savior there is no condemnation for forgiven sin. When we sin the Holy Spirit convicts us so that we will confess our sin and seek Christ's forgiveness. The wrath of God cannot reach those whom Christ has forgiven.

To be on the receiving end of God's wrath should cause every soul to tremble. We must not ever take sin lightly. Eternity is at stake. We don't have to get what we deserve from God. Are your sins forgiven?

SLOW TO GET ANGRY

 SLOW TO GET ANGRY

Ps. 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious; he is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love. NLT

Mercy is God withholding from us what we deserve. God is holy and we deserve to be rejected by Him and put out of His memory, but we’re not. We deserve to be objects of His wrath, but we’re not.

Grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve. He gives us the chance to have fellowship with Him. He gives us the chance to escape eternity in hell. He gives us the chance to live a life of peace, joy, and contentment. He gives us heaven’s resources to help us live in Him.

The Lord is slow to get angry. If He weren’t, none of us would get a chance to live in grace. All of us would have been sent to hell a long time ago. It takes a lot to arouse God to anger, but it can be done. Wise is he who lives so as not to stir up the anger of God. God gets angry when we repeatedly reject Him and defy Him. He gets angry when we mock Him and His holiness. He gets angry when we spite His children and treat them with contempt and mock their faith in Him. The Lord is slow to get angry, yet there is coming a day in which He will no longer hold His anger in.

The Lord is full of unfailing love; He is love. Everything God does is done in love. There is enough of God’s love for everyone and it never fails. God never fails to act in a loving way towards His children. God never fails to act in a loving way to all those who will become His children also, even if they don’t know it yet or not. It is because of God’s love for us that we become His children. God is love and will never fail to be love for all who turn to Him. God is love and His love for us will never let us down.

MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS

 MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS

Ps. 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious; he is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love. NLT

What a wonderful verse to meditate upon today! The Lord is merciful. Mercy is God withholding from us that which we deserve. We don’t deserve anything good from God’s hands. We deserve nothing but His wrath and condemnation. But, He doesn’t treat us that way. He chooses instead to treat us as His children and to pour out His goodness into our lives.

The Lord is gracious. Grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve. We are sinners by nature and don’t deserve anything good. God gives us a chance for eternal life with Him, that is grace. God gives us His Word to guide and instruct us in the ways of righteousness, that is grace. God gives us the body of Christ to encourage and help us in our journey of faith, that is grace. God frees us from the bondage of the law and allows us to live in Christ, that is grace.

The Lord is slow to anger. It takes a lot to stir up the wrath of God. One of the reasons why we are still here is that God is patient and has not reached the boiling point yet. The Lord’s love tempers His anger. Oh, we can make God angry, but it does take a lot of rebellious spirit on our part. He is not willing that any of us should lose out on eternal life with Him, so He patiently tries to woo us to Him.

We don’t want to stir up the anger of God, when it is poured out there will be a purification of life never seen before. It will not be a pretty time on earth. At that time, God will not show mercy or grace to those who defy Him. When He pours out His wrath upon the earth, no one will be able to hide or escape from it. Until that day comes, God is pouring out His love upon the earth.

The Lord is full of unfailing love. His love is so deep that no one can truly fathom it. His love is so plentiful that it encompasses all people of all time. There is no one who has ever lived, is now living, or who will be living in the future that is beyond the reach of God’s love. God’s love never fails. Everything God does is bathed in love, for God is love. He lovingly works in our lives to make us holy. Everything He does or allows to happen in us is because of His love for us. He desires an intimate relationship with all people and does all that He can do to make it happen. All that we have to do is open up our hearts to Him so that His love can fill us.

The Lord is gracious and merciful. He will never fail to love you. But His love for you will not prevent Him from running out of patience with you if you insist on spurning His love.  

GOD REVEALS HIMSELF

 GOD REVEALS HIMSELF

Ps. 103:7 He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. NLT

The Lord reveals His character. There is much the Lord reveals about himself. He tells us what we need to know in order for us to trust Him and turn to Him. There is much we don’t know, but there is no need for us to know everything. Besides, we simply could not handle some of the things He has withheld from us. Faith enables us to live without knowing everything. We know enough to know that we need and want Him.

Don’t let what you don’t know throw you. Focus on what you do know about the Lord and you will be kept busy all your life. The Lord will reveal more of himself only as we are able to handle it. The more we grow in our faith, the more we discover about our Lord. God has revealed himself in many ways in His Word. He reveals himself in how He works in our lives. He reveals himself in the stillness of our souls.

God has revealed himself in such a way that anyone can see who He is and find Him. It is God's desire for everyone to find Him and be saved. He is not willing that anyone would perish, but that all would come to know Him as Savior and Lord.

Moses wanted to see more of God than what He could handle so God covered up His face and allowed Him to only see what He could handle. Let us be satisfied with what God reveals of himself to us. We know enough about God to get to know Him personally and be ready for eternity.

Seek the Lord daily in your life and you will discover more and more just how great is our God.

HE FILLS MY LIFE

 HE FILLS MY LIFE

Ps. 103:5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! NLT

For many, this verse may seem to not be true. We look around us and know that what is going on in our lives just is not good. We can find a lot of things that we would prefer to change: finances, health, relationships, jobs, etc. We see what is wrong and question the truthfulness of what the Psalmist says.

Yet, God is truth; He cannot lie. Therefore, what He allows to come into our lives is good. We may not see it or understand it, but if we truly believe in the goodness of God and what He says, it is true. The issue then becomes our understanding of goodness.

God doesn’t always define goodness the same way we do. God is concerned about what is good for us eternally and not necessarily temporarily. He knows what we need in order to get where we are going, we usually don’t. He knows what things will help us to grow and become the people we should and need to be, we often don’t. He knows the things that will help us feel alive again, and we often don’t. He knows what has crept into our lives to drag us down, we often don't.

We tend to fill our lives full of bad things. We think we know what is good for us, but we seldom do. We need to trust in God’s goodness always and let Him fill up our souls. He revitalizes the soul and renews our strength. Don't let life get you down. Trust in the Lord, let Him fill you with good things, and soar like an eagle!

HE RANSOMS ME

 HE RANSOMS ME

Ps. 103:4 He ransoms me from death and surrounds me with love and tender mercies. NLT

Jesus paid the ultimate price for my freedom. He came to earth to die for my sins! I owe Him my all. Sin had left a crimson stain on my soul, but He made it white as snow. He took upon himself all my sins, guilt, and shame. I deserved to die for my sins, but Jesus ransomed me from death and misery. Death has been swallowed up in victory! In place of death, there is life, love, and His tender mercies. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

His tender love and mercies surround me. They encompass me. God does not hold my past or its sins against me. He surrounds me with His love. Wherever I go I know I am loved. It doesn't matter what others say about me or how they treat me, God loves me! It doesn't matter how much Satan harasses me and tries to make me miserable, God loves me! It doesn't matter if everyone I know forsakes me and fails to love me, God loves me! Hallelujah, what a Savior!

I cannot get away from God's presence or influence on me. Jesus went into creation's darkest night and paid the price for my sins. Once I was lost, but now I am found. Once I was alienated from God, but now I live every moment of every day in His love, mercy, and grace. It is joy unspeakable and full of glory! Hallelujah, what a Savior!        

HE HEALS ALL MY DISEASES

 HE HEALS ALL MY DISEASES

Ps. 103:3b He heals all my diseases. NLT

Today let us pause for a moment to consider God’s healing. I believe with all my heart that God’s Word is true. There is no physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual disease that is beyond God’s ability to heal. I also believe that it is up to God whether or not He chooses to heal us. If His healing touch will serve His purpose for our lives and bring glory to Him, He will heal us. If He chooses not to heal us, it is because He knows best what is needed. He knows what needs to be done in order to best grow us and His kingdom. If we are truly submissive to the Lord, we will accept what the Lord chooses to do and we will thank Him and praise Him for it.

He heals all our diseases. It does not mean that He will choose to heal us every time we are sick or have a disease of some kind. It does mean that He is Lord and can heal whatever may plague us. We must never forget that Jesus is Lord. He knows best what is needed in our lives. Sometimes our illnesses are needed for our development of faith. We need to learn to lean on Him unconditionally and when we are afflicted to turn to Him for help. Sometimes others need to see how we live by faith through our illnesses. Sometimes others need to see how an afflicted person is able to give glory to God, even in death. Whether in life or death, Jesus heals us according to His sovereign will for us.

We are encouraged to pray for good health, but we also are to submit to the sovereignty of God over us. It is not our will, but God’s that we should seek. Don’t be bashful about praying for healing, but be willing to accept God’s will if the healing we desire doesn't happen. Never forget that death is the greatest healing of all, for in death, we are brought into the presence of our Lord. 

HE FORGIVES ALL MY SINS

 HE FORGIVES ALL MY SINS

Ps. 103:3a He forgives all my sins….. NLT

When the Lord in His mercy and grace saves us, there is not one sin left unforgiven. Not one! No matter how big or how small, no matter how old or new, no matter how many or few, no matter if they are hidden or known to all, He forgives them all. Dear friend, no matter what you may have done, there is no sin the Lord is not willing or able to forgive. There is no sin beyond the ability of Christ to forgive. There is no one so bad that He can't forgive. There is no one who does not need to be forgiven.

Don’t overlook the fact that the Lord forgives ALL our sins. When we let Jesus become our Savior, there is not one sin, no matter how big or little it may be, untouched. He is able to do it, and He does. We can't remember many of our sins, but He knows them all. He knows the sins that we do that we don’t know about. By definition, sin is anything that falls short of God’s perfect holiness. We are guilty of an enormous amount of sin, no matter how “good” we, or others, may think we are.

It is too much grace to comprehend. Jesus forgives each and every sin of our hearts! His forgiveness is absolute and unchangeable. Once we are forgiven, God no longer sees our sins. They are covered by the righteousness and holiness of Christ. God will never look beyond Christ to see our sinful hearts.

It does not then give us a license to sin. When we sin, we are showing disrespect towards Christ. We are treating His death on the cross as if it didn’t really matter. We are minimizing the price Jesus paid for our forgiveness. It is why we must always fall on our knees before Him in repentance when we know we sin. He is faithful and just and will forgive us. But when we fail to repent, there will always be a barrier between Him and us that will rob us of the joy of His fellowship.

In order to know you are forgiven there are some essential things you must do. First, you must not hold back from the Lord anything you may have said or done, you must confess them to the Lord. He knows all about your sins anyhow so what is the point of trying to hide them? You must then trust that what He says He will do. He promises to forgive you. Next, you must forgive yourself and when necessary, ask those you have wronged to forgive you. God forgives you, so who are you to not forgive yourself? Then, you must strive to change your behavior and way of thinking. True repentance involves sorrow and a desire to change. Also, you must be willing to rectify the wrongs you have done if the Lord prods you to do so. Finally, you must develop a heart of gratitude to Him who forgives you.

Why would you hold anything back if the Lord promises to forgive you of all your sins? Why would you want to carry around with you the guilt and shame of your sin? Why would you deprive yourself of the peace and joy that comes from forgiven sin? Give them all, give them all to Jesus and He will make your soul whiter than snow.

PRAISE, DO NOT FORGET

 PRAISE, DO NOT FORGET

Ps. 103:2 Praise the LORD, I tell myself, and never forget the good things he does for me. NLT

It is so easy to do, to forget. We forget the good things the Lord does for us. We take for granted His goodness. A good exercise would be to write down each day at least one thing you know is a part of your life that comes from God’s goodness, just one thing. And then when you write it down, just thank the Lord for it. That’s all. It would take you at the most a minute of your time. If you did this little exercise faithfully, you would soon discover a new appreciation for the Lord and what He has, and is doing, for you. If you were to do this, I am confident that you wouldn’t just be able to stop with one thing each day.

If you are struggling and can’t find much good in your life, start by comparing your life with those who are worse off than you. Consider how difficult of a life people have to live in other parts of the world or in the inner cities of our country. Start there, and I am sure you will keep busy long enough until your struggles get better. The important thing is that you start and learn the joy of thanksgiving unto the Lord.

A thankful heart is one who can’t help himself; he must praise the Lord, for he knows from whom all his blessings flow. Thanksgiving breeds praise. We just can't help it. We experience the goodness of God in our lives and understand it's a gift. We don't deserve any of His blessings, but because He is good and loves us, He gives them to us. Gratitude is the natural response to God's goodness and praise is the natural response to gratitude. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

DETERMINE TO PRAISE

 DETERMINE TO PRAISE

Ps. 103:1,2 Praise the LORD, I tell myself; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, I tell myself, and never forget the good things he does for me. NLT

No matter what situation you may find yourself in right now, determine in your heart to praise the Lord. Just do it. Praise the Lord regardless of how you are feeling right now. Praise Him for He is God. Praise Him for He knows what you don’t know about your life. He knows how to use your past and present to make your future. He knows how He is going to help you get through this stage of your life. He has wonderful plans for you and is working things out for you. Praise Him.

Praise Him for the good things that He does for you. You may not think that things are very good for you right now, but if you take an honest look at the good things that have been a part of your life, you have much to praise the Lord for. Praise Him for loving you, for reaching down from heaven and touching your soul. Praise Him for the faithful work of God in you to bring you to your salvation. Praise Him for faithfully supplying what you have needed in life to bring you to today. Praise Him for His mercies, grace, and patience with you. Praise Him for the future He has planned for you, both on earth and in heaven. Just do it, praise the Lord.

Don’t let your feelings or circumstances dictate whether or not you will praise the Lord. Praise the Lord if for no other reason than He is Lord. Praise the Lord and soon you will be focused on Him and not whatever else is going on in your life. Praise Him and let the joy of salvation flood your soul. Praise Him and your soul will be filled to the brim and overflowing as you bask in the glory of the Lord our God.

A daily dose of praising the Lord is good for the soul. Praise Him and the things of the earth will lose their grip on you as you realize that the Lord will see you through and that He is all that really matters. Praise the Lord with your whole heart today and every day as you journey throughout this life. You will never stay under the circumstances of life while praising the Lord.

REDEEMED

 REDEEMED

Ps. 34:21-22 Calamity will surely overtake the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished. But the LORD will redeem those who serve him. Everyone who trusts in him will be freely pardoned. NLT

Christians are not immune to life's calamities. We deal with tragedies just like the rest of the world. We go through devastating times of life. We suffer like everyone else. We deal with diseases and death like everyone else does. Life is not easy for anyone.

However, when it comes to our spiritual lives, there is a distinct difference between believers and non-believers. Certain calamity falls on the wicked. In this life it may not seem so, but yet, we don't know the agony of their souls as they try to deal with life. Behind the image, they like to portray lies a very lonely, hopeless, and dark soul. After death, their fate is even worse. They are cast into utter darkness with tormenting fires, agonizing souls, with no help or hope of escape. Eternal alienation from God and anything good will be their punishment.

For the righteous, those who serve the Lord, there is great good and reward for them both in this life and in eternity. In the Lord. we find peace in our souls knowing our sins are forgiven, forgotten, and forever purged from us. In the Lord, we have joy as we live in His presence. We know what it is to love and be loved by God. We have fellowship with God as we serve Him. We have help from God as we go through the calamities of life; He holds us steady and helps up to get back on our feet and keep going. And, after we die, we spend eternity with Him, engulfed in His perfect love, holiness, and glory.

Trust in the Lord regardless of what life throws at you and you will be truly blessed. He will set you free and you will soar like an eagle and not be overcome by life or be afraid of what surrounds you or is before you.

THE LORD'S PROTECTION

 THE LORD’S PROTECTION

Ps. 34:19-20 The righteous face many troubles, but the LORD rescues them from each and every one. For the LORD protects them from harm--not one of their bones will be broken! NLT

Don't kid yourself. Being a Christian does not spare you from the bad things of life. Troubles do come our way. Temptations still come. Turbulent times still come. Terrible times even come our way. BUT, the Lord is with us as we go through them and He rescues us from each and every one of them. Never does the Lord let us deal with life without Him. He helps all who are in Him and who will let Him help them. He doesn't force His help on us, but He is always there for those who want Him.

No matter what you are facing in your life, the Lord is here for you. He wants to help you. He is able to help you. All He is waiting for is for you to let Him. Call on Him and He will answer your call for help. It makes no sense at all to me why we struggle through life and don't call on the Lord for help. He is ready, willing, and able to help you. Why not call on Him right now and ask Him to help you through your troubles?

Even if things are going well for you, you still need the Lord, you need to call on Him. There is never a moment in the believer’s life in which we don’t need the call. When you are accustomed to calling on the Lord when things are going well for you, you will naturally call on Him when you are troubled.

A child of God who lives in constant need of the Lord is an overcomer and there is nothing that will be too much for him to handle with the Lord’s help. He will protect you from failure; He will safely get you home to heaven.

THE LORD RESCUES

 THE LORD RESCUES

Ps. 34:19 The righteous face many troubles, but the LORD rescues them from each and every one. NLT

Anyone who says that the righteous can live trouble-free lives is not reading their Bible. God's Word is full of accounts where the godly endure all kinds of trouble. The way to heaven is a difficult one and very few actually walk it. Why? Because we don't like troubles. We want as little trouble as possible in our lives. We want everything to go smoothly and for everyone to like us. We want as much as possible heaven on earth.

Life is full of trouble for the righteous because we live in a world that is not our home. We are on Satan's turf and there is conflict everywhere. Satan is a master at harassing God's children and he is relentless in doing it. If we stay true to Christ we will always be at war with Satan. If you live a trouble-free life you are not living a life that is pleasing to God.

The good news is that we don't face our troubles all alone. The Lord is with us and saves us from all of our troubles. He doesn't let us alone in our struggles. If He did, we would not make it; we would crumble underneath the pressure and stress of it all. The Lord helps us through our troublesome times. He uses people and His Word to give us the strength to overcome. He whispers to our hearts to reassure us that He is near and we will make it.

The troubles of life are good for the soul. They cause us to turn to the Lord. They help to develop our faith and make us stronger. They help us to appreciate the Lord and His people more. They help us to know even more deeply that every promise of God is true and that He never leaves or forsakes us.

Yes, the righteous face troublesome times. Life sometimes gets very messy and complicated. Sometimes we are so troubled that we see no way out. Yet, the Lord's promise for the righteous is that He will save us from all our troubles. We may stumble our way through them, but we will never crumble if we trust in Him.  

THE LORD IS NEAR

 THE LORD IS NEAR

Ps. 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit. NLT

Some who are reading this today are brokenhearted. Someone you love may have broken your heart by leaving you. Perhaps someone has said or done something that absolutely crushed your spirit. Perhaps you are brokenhearted because of the decision someone you love has made to leave the Lord out of their life. Perhaps someone you have reached out to has turned you away. Perhaps someone has betrayed your trust. It hurts us deeply when our hearts are broken.

There is another type of brokenheartedness, and that is being genuinely sorrowful for the sins you have done against God. When the Lord convicts us of sin and we accept our responsibility before God for them, it breaks our hearts. If we truly love the Lord and understand how much we have hurt Him because of our sin, it crushes us. Understanding the damage sin has done to our souls and how it has affected others, crushes us. Understanding the damage sin does in the world crushes us. We cannot love the Lord without feeling remorse over sin.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and rescues those who are crushed in spirit. No matter what causes the heart to break, the Lord is near and can heal it. The Lord comforts the brokenhearted. He gives us the soul strength to move forward instead of lingering in our brokenness; He gives us hope in the most seemingly hopeless of situations. He embraces us in His love and His Word. He leads us to the green pastures where we can lie down and rest. He replenishes our souls so that we can carry on.

No matter what you may be facing in life today, the Lord is near. He wants to touch your broken heart and heal you. He wants to lift you up and once again put you on the Solid Rock. Dear friend, open your heart up to the Lord today. Give Him your brokenness. Tell Him everything. He loves you and wants to help you. He will take the heavy burden off of your soul and heal you. Won't you let Him have His way with you today?

THE LORD HEARS

 THE LORD HEARS

Ps. 34:17 The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. NLT

Sometimes we get so caught up in our circumstances of life that God seems so far away. The more suffering we experience, the more doubts we have that God is near or hears us. When nothing seems to change, we begin to lose our grip on faith. We begin to listen to Satan's suggestions that God has abandoned us or doesn't care about us as we suffer.

When your faith begins to waver, remember this wonderful and powerful truth: “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles." The Lord hears the heart cry of His children. Even when we can't even put into words what we are feeling, God hears us. He knows all about the thoughts and feelings we go through. He cuts through the pain and agony we may have and listens to our heart's cries. He hears and rescues us from all our troubles.

Sometimes the answers we need are not evident to us. We don't always know what needs to take place to free us from our circumstances. We don't know what is best for us. We don't know how to handle some of life's struggles. But, the Lord knows exactly what we need and how to meet it. When we let Him have our difficulties, He makes a way out of them for us.

God never has and never will abandon His children. He is with them each step they take in life's journey. He is with them during their darkest hours. He has a plan for each one and when we wait upon Him and trust Him, He fulfills His plan in us. His plan is always to bless. His plan is to always lead His children into a deeper relationship with Him. His plan is to use all of our life's circumstances to make us holy, a people after His own heart.

Hallelujah! The Lord hears us when we call upon Him to help us and rescue us from all our troubles.

THE LORD IS WATCHING

 THE LORD IS WATCHING

Ps. 34: 15-16 The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. NLT

There are three wonderful truths to note in these verses: the Lord watches over those who do what is right, His ears are open to those who cry to Him for help, and the Lord turns away from those who do evil.

The Lord watches over those who do what is right. How we live does not go unnoticed by the Lord. You may sometimes feel like it's a waste of time and energy to try and do what pleases the Lord, but it's not. The Lord sees how we live and He will reward us for it. Without the fruits of faith, the words of faith are meaningless. What we do determines our rewards in heaven. The Lord watches over us to keep us on the right track, to help us do right, and to help us be right. He has an invested interest in our lives. He pours His life and Spirit into us.

His ears are open to our cries. My wife penned a song a few years ago with the phrase in it, "Each time I cried, He stood by my side." That one phrase says it all; the Lord hears our hearts cry. He is always aware of how we hurt. Whether we say it with words or just cry out in moaning from the deep recesses of our souls, the Lord hears our cries. We are never ignored or forgotten. The ears of the Lord are open to our cries.

On the other hand, the Lord turns away from those who do evil. He does not answer their prayers just because they pray. He does not keep track of them as they foray in their sinful ways. In fact, He will erase their very memory from off the earth. Without the righteousness of Christ, God cannot have fellowship with them. Their sin-crusted hearts makes them enemies of God and objects of His holy wrath.

The Lord is watching, what is He seeing? Do you bring a smile or a frown to His face? Does He keep watching over you, or does He have to turn His face away from you? You will stand before Him one day and give an account for how you have lived.

HOW TO FEAR THE LORD

 HOW TO FEAR THE LORD

Ps. 34:11-14 Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the LORD. Do any of you want to live a life that is long and good? Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from telling lies! Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others. NLT

First of all, listening requires us to be still long enough to pay attention. It means we respect the one who is speaking to us. It means we are quiet while the other person speaks.

The Psalmist has something very important to teach us today. He will teach us how to fear the Lord. When we learn this lesson of life, we will be assured that life will be good for us, both now and for eternity.

To fear the Lord means we get a handle on our tongues. We understand that God is holy and expects us to live holy lives. If your heart is holy, you won’t let unholy things come out of your mouth. You will be very careful that only that which is true will come from you. What you speak comes from what is in you. You can only be truthful when the Truth lives in you. To lie when Christ is in you is showing Him great disrespect. It is being what He is not. The point that must be learned here is that we CAN control our tongues. We do determine what comes out of our mouths. If we say things we shouldn’t, then we need to confess our sin and ask the Lord to help us.

To fear the Lord also means we turn away from evil and do good. It is easier to turn towards evil than it is away from it. We have to want to not let evil influence us. We have to want to do good. It takes a great determination on our part to overcome evil and we will always have to work hard at it.

To fear the Lord also means we strive to live in peace with others. Not everyone is going to cooperate with us, but as far as we are concerned, we will work hard at it. We will try to be ambassadors for Christ amongst the people we know and live around. Peace will be our primary objective.

Are you hearing what the Lord wants you to hear today?

WATCH WHAAAT YOU SAY AND DO

 WATCH WHAT YOU SAY AND DO

Ps. 34:11-14 Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the LORD. Do any of you want to live a life that is long and good? Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from telling lies! Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others. NLT

If you want to live a life that is long and good, then you have to watch your tongue. This does not mean you are guaranteed a long and good life, but it does mean that you will enhance your chances of living a messed-up life that may be cut short if you don't watch your tongue. It has been said that honesty is the best policy, and it is true.

Lying to others makes you untrustworthy. If others cannot depend on you to be truthful, you will fail to have anyone in life who can depend on you in time of need. You will be lonely and without help in your own times of need.

A much better way to live is to turn away from evil and do good. When you live rightly with God, you can be trusted to tell the truth. God is truth and those who live in Christ will be a people of truth. A person that wants to please God will seek to be truthful in all things, even when it may not be convenient or when it may be costly for him to do so.

We need to work hard at living in peace with others. Truthfulness is absolutely essential for peaceful living. It doesn't come naturally or easily, but with a lot of effort, it can be done. Our commitment to godliness enables us to not be at odds with others because of our untrustworthiness. Peace sometimes eludes us because of the heart issues of others, but as far as it is possible with you, live rightly with God so you can live rightly with others.

Notice that this is doable. We are told to take charge of our tongues, hearts, and living. If it were not possible, God would not tell us to do it.  

 REVERENCE FOR THE LORD

Ps. 34:9-10 Let the LORD's people show him reverence, for those who honor him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the LORD will never lack any good thing. NLT

We are to show the Lord reverence. This means that we are to not dishonor Him by the things we say and do. It means that we take seriously what He teaches us and obey His commandments. It means that we don't take our salvation lightly. It means that we purposely seek out His best for us, which is holy living.

If our conduct and conversations do not show reverence for the Lord, we cannot expect the Lord to help us. So often, people treat the Lord as one who is at their beckon and call. He is expected to deliver without regard for how we live. So many get the idea that we don't have any role to play in our relationship with the Lord.

Many professing believers do not strive to become holy because they fail to see it as a necessity. The belief is that once one is saved, then they can go on with their lives, forgetting about growing in faith. There is satisfaction with a profession of faith and little interest in pursuing holy living. Such thinking does not honor the Lord. We cannot be true to the Lord and honor Him without a commitment to holiness in our lives. We are made holy by how we live. We cannot separate holiness from living in Christ.

Those who trust in the Lord will have all they need in life. We trust Him for our salvation and holiness. We immerse ourselves in Him and when we do, we will lack no good thing. We may lack some things, but never that which is necessary and good for us. Always remember, what is good for us are those things which help us to be prepared for heaven. Good things are those things that help us to be holy. Good things are those things that draw us close to God and help us stay there.

TASTE AND SEE

 TASTE AND SEE

Ps. 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who trust in him! NLT

Open your mouth and fill it with the things of God. Chew on the riches of His grace. Feast on the love He has for you. Let Him fill you up with His righteousness and holiness. Let the Lord be your nourishment. Taste and you will see that the Lord is good.

The Lord is good completely. There is nothing about the Lord that is bad. He is incapable of doing anything to you and for you that is not good. He will always do good through you if you will let Him. Don’t deprive yourself of a good life. Feast on the Lord. Learn His ways and do them. Trust in Him alone for your living. If you do these things, you too will know the joys of living.

The joy of the Lord is unspeakable and full of glory. It is not something that we can easily describe. It is a deep and abiding confidence in Him. It is the assurance of soul that you are in God’s favor. It is the sense that everything is as God says it is. We are children of God and someday we will be with Him for all eternity. The joy of the Lord is being deeply rooted in Christ. It is found only in those who put the Lord first in all of their living.

Do you trust the Lord in all things in your life? Do you have that total dependence on Him for all things? Do you have an unshakable and immovable confidence in the Lord? If not, open your heart to Him right now and He will you with good things from His eternal bounty of goodness.

Oh, the joys of those who trust in Him!

FEAR GOD AND BE BLESSED

 FEAR GOD AND BE BLESSED

Ps. 34: 7 For the angel of the LORD guards all who fear him, and he rescues them. NLT

In the previous verses, the Psalmist reminds us that when we are focused on Christ we will not focus on our fears. Staying in close fellowship with Christ makes us feel safe and secure, free from fear. David continues his thought here by telling us that the angel of the LORD guards all who fear Him.

There is a sense in which we ought to fear God. We need to respect who He is in His holiness. God is certainly love, but His love is a holy love. He does not, He cannot, overlook sin. He will never tolerate sin in His presence and the sooner we accept this powerful truth, the better off we will be. We dare not take lightly that which God takes very seriously. Hell exists for those who live and die in their sin.

When we have a proper sense of fear of God, He keeps us safe. He watches over us and keeps us out of harm's way. Satan cannot fill a soul full of sin who is focused on the Lord. Satan may harass us but that is all he can do to us. When we live with a guarded soul against sin, we cannot be held captive by sin and its influences. When we sin, we immediately flee to our ark of safety, Calvary, and ask the Lord to forgive us, and He does.

The Lord rescues us from all that would destroy us. He rescues us from Satan and his demonic forces and He rescues us from our own tendencies to wander away from God. We are kept safe in the arms of Jesus when our hearts stay focused on Him.