The Longsuffering Of God

Praise God For His Patience

Psalm 106

The word "patience" means suffering through some afflictions while some period of time passes by without murmuring or complaining.

Not many of us have enough patience but God expects us to be patient because our God is so patient with us.

Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our God is very patient with this world He created because He is longsuffering in waiting on that last soul to be saved.

Our God is very patient because He is very sensitive to all those evil the things that are happening to those that have accepted Him for His truth but He withholds His vengeance until the appointed time.

Our God is patient because the lack of patience is our weakness but God's patience shows us that we serve a God of all power, even power enough to not go against His own passive nature until it is time to do so.

Our God is patient because the plan of salvation is His plan, and He will see it through until His harvest has reached maturity.

God has placed the Church in this Age for one purpose and God is patiently waiting for the Church to complete it's work.

Mat 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

We must remember the patience God has for each sinner is the only hope they have for salvation!

I'm glad my God was patient in waiting on me and it is now my job to help others come to know Him before His patience runs out!

So let's begin;

*****Psa 106:1 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psa 106:2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise?
Psa 106:3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.
Psa 106:4 Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;
Psa 106:5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

This Psalm is also not titled but this is probably also another psalm of David.

The word "hallelujah" is spelled almost the same in every language and it means only one thing.

"Praise ye Jehovah"

This psalm highlights the confession of the sins of Israel and in doing so, teaches us the great patience our Lord has for the sinner.

At the end of God's patience lies only one thing:

Psa 104:35 "Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more". Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

We must praise God for our own salvation.

We must praise God for His patience in dealing with all sinners.

We must praise God for the end result, when there will be no more sin.

It should be the goal of us all to glory in the inheritance of God.

But true Christianity means we must do our very best to keep the commandments of the Lord.

And true prayer means we must identify with our Savior!

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Happiness can only come by being obedient to the Lord!

Happiness can only come when we have been visited with the salvation of God!

There is no salvation apart from the Lord and He must visit us with it or we will never obtain it!

*****Psa 106:6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.

Psa 106:7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.

There is only one way to get our prayers answered and that begins when we can confess our sins.

Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, "the Lord will not hear me":

God can only visit with His salvation after we have confessed the need of His Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!

The downfall of many sinners begins when they follow in the ways of their sinful parents.

There are the sins of "omission" we commit when we do not walk in the way God has directed.

There are also the sins of "commission" we commit when we know what God has said to not do but we go ahead and do them anyway.

The sin of rebelling against the Word of God must be confessed after we have first asked for mercy.

The Jews at the time of Moses had never understood the great miracles that they had witnessed and had therefore not been able to convince their own children of Jehovah God and His mercy and of His Glory.

But are we so different today?

If we would list all the miracles that are written for us in the Word of God, we would be astounded at what all God has shown to humans through out all our days.

The miracles of God cover every aspect of life.

If we acknowledge the miracles of the Bible, we can begin to see many of these same miracles that God has done in our own behalf, beginning with the miracle of childbirth.

God still performs great miracles everyday and we miss most of them, and those that we see, we do not thank Him enough for.

What is the truth of the salvation of God?

*****Psa 106:8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

When we do not acknowledge what God has already done for us, He certainly has no reason to continue to do things for us.

When God can find no reason for His mercy, there is always a reason for His glory to shine!

Israel did not deserve to be saved but Pharaoh's pride certainly deserved to be crushed because he was making himself out to be some god.

Today we are no different, we certainly do not deserve to see the "mercy" of God but Satan still deserves to be punished for rejecting the Almighty God.

God will have His mercy but God will also show forth the Glory of His power when He so desires for His Own Names Sake!

*****Psa 106:9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.

Psa 106:10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
Psa 106:11 And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.
Psa 106:12 Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

There are many theories about what happened at the Red Sea as Israel escaped an evil Pharaoh but the bottom line is that the Red Sea heard the voice of God and obeyed!

God will not allow any obstacle to hinder the salvation of His people. God is bound only by His Own Word to keep His covenants!

God promised Israel a future land, the covenant with Abraham.

God promised Israel the Kingdom rule of the Messiah, the covenant with David.

God promised Israel spiritual blessings, the New Covenant as written in the Book of Jeremiah.

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

God will always save Israel from those that hate them and God will always redeem Israel from the hand of their enemy until these covenants are fulfilled.

God is God and He must hold true to all His character!

When God pledged this truth beginning with Abraham, then He also pledged the fulfilling of His covenants to the Church.

If God breaks one covenant then He could break them all, if God keeps one covenant then He must keep them all!

What did Jesus say?

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Those who do not believe the truth of God are by God's own words, the followers of Satan.

Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

What happened to the enemies of Israel at the Red Sea?

The waters covered them in death and not even one of them was left to tell about it.

It took the death of Pharaoh and his army before these children of Israel believed the Word of God.

They had already witnessed the plagues of Egypt.

They had already witnessed the first Passover.

They had walked across the Red Sea on dry ground, but it took the death of Pharaoh before they would believe.

That little bit of faith had saved them but doubt would soon rule in their lives!

Those that cannot believe the "truth" of God's Word until they see some miracle are not believers at all!

This is not what "Faith" is is all about!

They sang His praise but only because they had escaped death themselves.

Their praise came up short when it ended in complaints!

*****Psa 106:13 They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

Psa 106:14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.
Psa 106:15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.
Psa 106:16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD.

We can see that the lust to fulfill their own desires did not allow much time to praise the Lord God Almighty who had performed such miracles before their eyes and brought them to safety.

God had commanded these miracles by His Word just as God had spoke all His creation into existence but these people could not take the time to listen to what Moses had to say, whose councilor was God.

In the wilderness, this new nation of Israel was so intent on getting material things such as food and water they became blind to what God wanted for them.

God had provided all their needs up to this point, why would they think God would stop doing so day by day.

How often do we see this same thing. A lost soul attempts to receive the free gift of salvation and then refuses to see what the Word of God says about walking a Christian life.

Most all the world we live in today are more concerned about personal satisfaction in the things of this world, than spiritual satisfaction that can last throughout eternity!

What is the worst prayer that will sometimes be answered?

It is when we complain enough to God that He gives us what we want, even though He knows it is not good for us to have!

When we do not get what we want, it is because God knows what is best for us!

Instead of happily receiving the "Manna" from Heaven, Israel received the meat of birds which they soon despised.

Num 11:19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;

Num 11:20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?

It was their own lust for the things of this world that brought on another plague that killed many of them!

Num 11:33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.

These people were not satisfied with the bread that God gave them which indeed nourished them for 40 years and they could not be satisfied when they could eat all they wanted of the things they most desired.

This will always bring the wrath of God!

We can see this lesson spiritually if we remember what God says in His Word.

Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

When our prayers focus on physical desires rather than spiritual desires, they will go unanswered and we will begin to doubt God and we will waste away physically and spiritually even being of no use to God.

What happened to these Jews will happen to us all.

Notice they even became envious of those God had chosen to lead them and they began to rebel against Moses and Aaron.

These things will always lead to death!

*****Psa 106:17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.

Psa 106:18 And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.
Psa 106:19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.
Psa 106:20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.
Psa 106:21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;
Psa 106:22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.

If there is a place where we can see the end of God's patience in the Bible, then this is the place.

God had opened wide the Red Sea to deliver His people and God now opened wide the earth and those that rebelled the most went alive, straight to eternal death into the pit that is called Hell.

Not only that, the Levites that stood with Korah perished by fire because they had offered strange fire in the Tabernacle.

When the Tabernacle was first built, the fire in the altar was used to consume the burnt offerings and the incense. The fire was to be kept burning. They were not to ever put that fire out nor allow that fire to go out on it's own.

To put the fire out was disobedience, to allow the fire to go out was laziness in serving God.

This showed that there was never a time that they would not need to be forgiven of their sin.

This fire was to be started by friction. If a fire was started by any other means such as bringing fire from the outside it was considered "strange fire" and therefore unholy.

Lev 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

Lev 10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

The altar of the Tabernacle was the one and only place that sacrifices were to be offered and is in fact a "type of Jesus Christ and the Cross.

God had said that if anyone offers a sacrifice and not bring it to the altar of the Tabernacle then the blood of that person would be cut off from among his people.

You see the lesson we must see is that any substitute of the Cross, God's Altar, other than Jesus Christ will surely bring eternal death!

There can be no other means of salvation!

Not only that, but in the very place where they had solemnly pledged themselves to obey the Lord they broke the first commandment of God.

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

While insisting that they would worship the one and only true God they danced and played before some hand-made symbol of a god of Egypt.

They had forgotten their Savior!

And for those that doubt the truth of the flood, God makes sure that we know that Egypt was settled by Ham, the son of Noah.

Egypt is also the Mizraim of the Bible.

The patience of God was wearing thin again with all these things.

*****Psa 106:23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

God had already brought leanness to their souls for their lust of physical things.

God had weeded out the those that rebelled against His chosen prophet Moses and His first High Priest Aaron.

God had removed those that had brought "strange fire" onto the Altar, a type of Calvary's Cross.

God had decided unless someone would stand in the gap for them, He would destroy them.

Moses was born in a time when Pharaoh had ordered the death of all the Hebrew male babies.

Jesus was born in the time when Herod murdered all the male babies of Bethlehem up to the age of 2 years.

Moses at 40 years old, sacrificed his adopted royalty.

And Christ, being in the form of God left Heaven and became the humble servant of God.

For 40 years Moses dwelt as a lowly shepherd in the land of Midian.

For 33 years the Lord Jesus was a lowly shepherd teaching His flock how to begin the Church.

Moses delivered the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt.

The Lord Jesus delivers all faithful believers in this entire world.

Moses became a great mediator between God and Israel and turned away God's wrath.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Mediator of the Church.

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

But there will always be those that just refuse to believe!

*****Psa 106:24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:

Psa 106:25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.

These murmuring and complaining Israelites decided that the Promised Land just was not worth the trouble to get there!

It is a bad sign for any Christian to lose his focus on Heaven!

When the things of this world begin to look better than God's promises then we are perverting the Word of God.

Perverting means we are turning from right to wrong.

These verses give us a great example of what happens when we begin to despise the Word of God.

If we ever settle in our hearts, that Heaven is not what God days it is, then we are also despising the Word of God.

When we reject what God has to say, God will remove His hand of blessing.

*****Psa 106:26 Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:

Psa 106:27 To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.

God did not allow those that of that generation, from 20 years old and upward to enter into Canaan Land, the Promised Land of God to the Jews. Their carcasses fell in the wilderness.

Only Caleb and Joshua and those under 20 years old were allowed into the Promised Land but as God has promised even the seed of all those that rejected the Word of God have been scattered throughout history throughout all the lands of this Earth.

Only since May 14, 1948 have the Jews been allowed to regather in the land promised to them of God.

This maybe the greatest noticeable sign in our own history that we are in the end-times or the latter days as written in the Bible.

Those that rejected the truth of the Promised Land died in the wilderness. The seed of those that died because they never changed their ways were allowed to cross Jordan but they never got the opportunity to make the Promised Land their permanent home.

There are still more Jews scattered throughout this world than there are those who have returned to their homeland!

Why?

*****Psa 106:28 They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.

Psa 106:29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.

As we witness for the Lord, many of those who are lost and just cannot fathom salvation, may be convinced of their own sin. They may go through one trial just to begin another.

We may threaten them with Hell and even though we point them to Jesus, they continue to travel the same path to destruction.

Baalpeor was an idol of the Moabites.

The name Baal signifies lord or master and was a common name for idols of many nations.

Peor was a high place of worship of the Moabites.

God says: Hos 9:10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.

You see if we choose a false way of worship, we have chosen a false god!

It does not matter if we say we Love the Lord, if we cannot worship Him the way He has said, we are worshipping a false god.

This is still the problem with the Jew as they reject the Holy Trinity.

This still the problem with the Muslim as they reject the Holy Trinity.

This is still the problem with all false religion because they reject the worship of the Holy Trinity.

The Moab women gave themselves as sex objects to their false god and the men of Israel were enticed into this false worship.

Num 25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

Sacrifices were made to lifeless statues of gold covered wood or stone or the precious metals themselves and Israel would then eat of that sacrifice.

Num 25:2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

Those who will not commit themselves to the true Living God will always look to this world to provide them a false god more suitable to their taste.

Those that reject the Word of God, will always seek some perverted version that meets their own requirements!

Num 25:3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.

If you call yourself a child of God and then not worship Him as He decides, God will become angry.

When mankind invents new sins, God will also invent new punishments!

*****Psa 106:30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.

Psa 106:31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.

All during our study of the Old Testament we see that God had His champions who always stood up in the worst of times ready to battle for the truth of God.

Today in the Church Age God has given us all something to do. We are all to be witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Just like Phinehas, we are in a war with evil and God says we must take our stand on His Word of Truth!

Phinehas took a stand when those of false worship tried to bring false worship into the house of God.

Num 25:6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Num 25:7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;
Num 25:8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

In that day it took drastic actions to not allow false worship inside the Church but we have become very lax in this today.

But God does not change and He still commands us to take a stand on the truth.

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

What was Phinehas's reward? It was counted unto him for righteousness throughout eternity!

But Israel continued in their sinful ways.

*****Psa 106:32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:

Psa 106:33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

The scene changes, God continues to provide, but sin also continues.

God still held on to His patience but Moses had run out of patience.

Moses was only a man and not God!

It was the sin of Israel that had angered Moses but Moses still had to bear the consequences of His own actions.

Num 20:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

It does not matter how much this world provokes us, there is never an excuse to go against the Word of God!

God will still hold us accountable if we lose our temper and do things we know we should not do!

Patience is a quality that we as men truly have a hard time with.

Moses was the great law-giver and he was held to a higher standard than others if he broke God's law.

As Christians we are also held to a higher standard than those that are lost!

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Even though the true believer cannot lose their salvation, we will all be held accountable for any action that goes against the Word of God especially those actions that are before the lost.

We cannot speak unadvisedly with our lips!

We are all to obey the Word of God without question, even when we do not understand why!

*****Psa 106:34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:

Psa 106:35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.

We absolutely cannot make peace with evil. This holds true in Christianity and it should also hold true in this world we live in now!

The sin of those that dwelt in Canaan Land had become a menace to all mankind and it was God that decided their time on this earth should cease.

There is no dialog of peace that Satan has any interest in.

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

But, God has not directed the Church to seek to destroy any people.

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

God did direct the children of Israel to do so!

Why?

When evil is allowed to live side by side with good, the good will be overwhelmed by the evil!

The morals of God's people were compromised when they became mingled among those that were heathen.

1Co 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

We are to love our enemies and tell them about Jesus, but we are never to do the things that they do!

What did this cause?

*****Psa 106:36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.

Psa 106:37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,
Psa 106:38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
Psa 106:39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

The world of today still serves it's idols just as those that rejected God in the days of Israel conquest of Canaan Land.

Every commandment God gives us has a specific purpose behind it!

When Israel failed it caused her children to fail!

When we become fascinated by the charms of idolatry our families will always suffer!

When we compromise with the world we are putting the things of this world ahead of the Word of God and that is idolatry and we will serve those things!

These Jews did actually sacrifice there own children to those false gods.

Today as believers compromise with the teachings of the world, our children get caught up in evolutionary teaching and we will have done the same as these Jews and sacrificed our sons and our daughters to devils.

We cannot be servants of sin without trapping ourselves and our families in sin!

We will be just as guilty as these Jews in murdering our own children and no different than those who abort their own children!

The Church is the "Bride of Christ" but when we serve Satan, we are no more than a whore who will cheat on her husband!

When we serve Satan we will always invent some new god or some new thing to worship.

Satan is dead set on destroying the family and when we serve him, we are are helping him destroy our own families!

Certainly God does not like such things.

*****Psa 106:40 Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.

Psa 106:41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.
Psa 106:42 Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.

God allowed trouble to come to His people but this was done in order for Him to return to help them and reopen their eyes to the truth.

Our troubles are helpful when they humble us back to our knees and sometimes in takes a lot of trouble to humble us.

Our troubles show us who is in charge of this world and drive us back to God. Sometimes God will even have to put us on our backs so the only place to look is up toward Him!

Our troubles will revitalize our prayer life if we allow it.

Our troubles will increase our faith.

Our troubles will make us more dependant on the true God.

Our troubles will point out that the same thing is happening to others and prepare us to help them through their troubles.

But we are still a hardheaded and rebellious people just as these Jews.

*****Psa 106:43 Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.

The Apostle Paul said the Old Testament was our school master to lead us to Jesus.

If we do not learn anything else we can learn of the patience of God in dealing with those that say they believe.

We cannot allow our own self will to be our counselor!

What did Paul find out as He preached the "Gospel" to the early church?

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

What do we see today in our world? We see a people that are brought low because of their own iniquity!

How patient is our God?

*****Psa 106:44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:

Psa 106:45 And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.

If God's faithfulness to us was limited to our faithfulness to Him we would all perish in that "Burning Lake of Fire!

But God faithfulness is only linked to the faithfulness of His Son, The Lord Jesus Christ and therefore God will always answer when we call.

Our Father in Heaven has a father's heart and will always respond to His children and will always look upon us with compassion and mercy!

God's wrath for our mistakes cannot extend past His love for us because of His Son Christ Jesus!

*****Psa 106:46 He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.

Even as the Jews were carried off to be dispersed throughout this entire world, in most every case, God would see that their enemy had compassion upon them.

Though we are yet sinners God will have compassion upon all His children!

God will appoint someone to help us out of troubles!

*****Psa 106:47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.

Psa 106:48 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.

God will answer this prayer of David because He has made a promised covenant to do so!

Eze 39:26 After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.

Eze 39:27 When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;
Eze 39:28 Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.
Eze 39:29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

This prophesy began it's fulfillment on May 14, 1948 but will not be fulfilled until The Lord Jesus Christ sits on the throne of David at the end of the 7 year tribulation period.

Our God is very patient with the plans that He has made for Israel.

Our God is very patient with the plans He has made for the Church.

Blessed be the Almighty God, Jehovah!

And let all people say, Amen!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

 

Our Forgiving God

Praise God For His Forgiveness

Psalm 103

What is forgiveness? Forgiveness means that though I am guilty, I will be treated as not being guilty.

By what means have we been forgiven? We have been forgiven by the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

If it boiled down to cost, It cost God the death of His Son, as a man, to forgive us but it cost us nothing to forgive each other.

The Lord Jesus Christ paid that cost also!

We must praise the Lord for His forgiveness.

Our praise of God for His forgiveness must be personal!

Let's begin:

*****Psa 103:1 A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Again we have another Psalm of David.

God blessed us when He provided the means for our salvation but sometimes we get so caught up in the things of this world, we forget all the other things that God does for us every day.

We bless God when we thank Him for all He has done!

Everyone always asks, "what is the will of God for my life". The will of God begins with our giving thanks to God for what He has already done and thanking God ahead for the things that He is going to do.

1Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

It is the will of God that we find joy in prayer through Jesus Christ in every condition of our life.

There is nothing that we have now that has not been given to us by the Lord except evil.

God does not give us any evil thing!

We must realize that the soul is our living being, our essence of true life.

We have a material body and we have a spiritual body.

1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

We can bless the Lord in our physical bodies and be rewarded for doing so, but if we do not also bless the Lord with our spiritual bodies then we are not truly blessing the Lord.

Remember when we are created in the image of God, it has nothing to do with our physical bodies, so it is our spiritual body that is made in the image of God!

We must bless the Lord with all our being that He has given to us or we cannot be a blessing to the Lord!

Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Our relationship with the Lord begins when we bring all we are to Him.

There are great benefits when we give our entire being to the Lord for His use.

*****Psa 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

We bless the Lord when we can stop complaining to God long enough to realize all the good things that God has done for us and praise Him for these things.

Most Christians do not have a problem praying to God before a meal but not many will thank God after eating that meal for what He has done.

Deu 8:10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

We have already learned that we need to include a request for mercy in our prayers but we also need to thank God for what He has already done, along with thanking God God for what He is about to do in each and every prayer.

God told Moses to teach the Jews that after they had eaten and were full, it was time to bless God for the good things that He had had given to them.

David is reminding us all of this fact in this Psalm.

What is a benefit?

It can be said that a benefit is an act of kindness. Something that is given for personal happiness. It can be considered a reward in this life for being obedient to the Lord.

So what were some of the things that David wrote were great benefits to him.

Each one of us will have to look at our own selves even though many of our benefits will be the same as those of David.

*****Psa 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

1) What is the very first benefit of knowing the Lord our God on a personal level? He will forgive our iniquities.

An iniquity is more an attitude than an action. Iniquity means we are striving to be crooked rather than to be straight.

Righteousness is doing things the right way. Sin is just the opposite or doing things the wrong way.

Iniquity is a condition of the heart or our inner motives.

Thank God, He will forgive us of our iniquities but we must still realize our sin and ask for forgiveness.

Isa 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Isa 43:26 Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.

The greatest benefit we all have is that we can be forgiven of all our sin!

2) Next David wrote God had benefited many by healing diseases.

Because of our age, we in this "forever young class", have been healed of many sicknesses or we would not be here today. I myself have been healed of cancer.

It seems that many leave our class and go straight on to the glory world where they are totally healed of all diseases.

They have not only been healed of the known diseases of this world but they have also been healed of the disease of aging, they will age no more and the disease of dying, because they can never die again.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This a great benefit that we sometimes seem to forget.

But are more benefits that these two.

*****Psa 103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

3) We have just read where the wages of sin is death, but we have been redeemed if we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.

The word "destruction" in this verse means "the pit".

Psa 30:3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to "the pit".

We have been redeemed!

We have been ransomed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

How can we ignore such a great benefit as this?

4) We have just spent some time looking at the mercy of God.

God will not only reward us with crowns at the Bema Seat, which we will give back to Him.

But to crown also means "to encircle us" in His mercy in this life we live now, God will surround us with His lovingkindness and His mercy.

Psa 5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

Psa 5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

How can we complain about the things that happen to us in this world and forget such great benefits that God has already given to us and continues to give us everyday?

But that is not all.

*****Psa 103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

5) When I was lost and out in this world, I could not be filled to where I was satisfied but my God can satisfy me.

God not only provides the food that I eat to satisfy my physical body but He has also satisfied my soul.

Psa 107:9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

When our mouths are filled with the good things that come from God, how can we complain if we are having that one bad day.

As an eagle grows old grows old and begins to loose it's feathers it's upper bill will grow longer than it's lower bill and the bird will lose the ability to feed itself and will soon die but many of them have found that if they can grind that upper bill down on a "rock" they can again eat and their strength will be renewed.

Psa 92:14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

Psa 92:15 To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Our "Rock" is the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

This is a great benefit for serving the Lord Our God!

*****Psa 103:6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

6) These things represent the providence of God. Many times God's providence is labeled as God's government at this time in all our lives.

Government is direction and regulation.

Today in God's government, He is preparing this world and everyone in it for His future use, and He has been doing this since before the time of Adam!

Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

The Lord will execute righteousness according to His Written Word.

The Lord will judge according to His Own Character.

The Lord will judge His entire creation according to the work of His Son Jesus.

Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Appointed means that day is already written in on God's calender.

There are no actions on this Earth that will determine when the exact "Day of Judgment" will take place only God knows.

*****Psa 103:7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

Moses wrote the first 5 books of the Bible because God had preserved His Word through the nation of Israel.

The Word of God gives us all a clear picture of God's character and God's will for all human beings.

The Word of God is not only God's instruction manual for this life but the Bible is also God's Love Letter to each one of us!

If we believe these words, that were inspired by the Holy Spirit but written down for us at the hand of Moses then we should also believe in the Words of our Savior.

Joh 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

Joh 5:47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

Remember Moses wrote down for us the acts of Creation. It seems that the Doctrine of Creation as written in the Word of God, comes under attack by this lost world more than most other doctrines of the Bible.

Creation by the design of God and accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as the only means of salvation are rejected by most of this world but they are both God Truth!

The truth is still the truth even when the world insists on a lie!

Thank God for His patience.

*****Psa 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

Psa 103:9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

God deals with sinners by showing His mercy and His grace.

Mercy pardons sin and Grace bestows favour upon all those that mercy pardons.

God is slow to anger because He will always give space for repentance. This is the called the 'longsuffering" of God.

These things only happen because God is plenteous in mercy, which means God has an abundance of mercy and willing to show that mercy to all His created beings.

To "Chide" means to rebuke, or punish or in some cases dispute.

If we feel as though every time we make a mistake that God is sitting in Heaven with a big stick to knock us down then we may not repent as quickly as we should.

BUT, God does not bear a grudge!

God wants us to confess and repent immediately of any sin because of His compassion for us.

God would truly rather bless us than chastise us!

Only those that reject the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God will see God's anger throughout eternity!

*****Psa 103:10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

When we get to praising the Lord, we certainly need to praise Him for what He has not done, along with the things He has already done for us!

Remember, the wages of sin are death.

Like David, we deserve to be in the lowest, the most miserable place, in Hell but God has provided us an opportunity to miss out on Hell completely.

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

God does not deal with us according to our sin.

God does not reward us according to our iniquities.

Why?

Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, "which taketh away the sin of the world".

God deals with us as His children but only because of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary's Cross.

*****Psa 103:11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

The science of astronomy was limited but did exist in the Bible times. Now, there are modern telescopes and some of those are in located above our own atmosphere, but even today no one can give us an accurate measurement of the distance between Heaven and Earth so it is still an infinite measurement.

The Lord says His mercy is even much more infinite that the distance between Heaven and Earth but only toward them that fear Him.

For those that reject the Word of God there will be justice without any mercy at all.

SO, how far does God separate us from our sin?

*****Psa 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

If God had said from North to the South, we all know there is a North and a South Pole so we could be fooled into thinking that was at some point an acceptable distance but God said from the East to the West.

East and West can never meet. Once our sin has been forgiven God separates us from that sin and does not ever remember it again.

When we have been "Born Again" into the family of God we should never wallow in our forgiven past.

God has wiped our record clean!

The one thing that interferes with this process is when we refuse to forgive those that sin against us.

This is the direct command of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

The Lord expects us to grow more and more like Him every day!

*****Psa 103:13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

Psa 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

We must know in our hearts that it was our God who created our entire world, the heavens and earth and everything in between.

But we must also know that our God is like a father to his children.

Today Satan has taken direct aim at the family and there not as many families and certainly not as many fathers who take care of their children, but we have a Father in Heaven who will always be our example of how to be a Father!

God is a tender and compassionate Father.

God offers Himself freely to be the Father of all His creation because He is!

Scientist are fast finding out that our world is more fragile than it seems and could not be billions or even millions of years old but our world could not have survived that long. It is only as old as the Bible says it is!

Though God will never allow it, Mankind does have the ability to destroy itself!

We are also very fragile and can only do so much to live healthy lives.

But, our Father in Heaven is "eternal" and "all powerful".

The world rejects our "Powerful, Creator" God who has such laws to restrict them and who also promises a "Judgment" is coming and in doing so, most of our world never gets to meet our "Compassionate Savior"!

When God directs our lives, He always remembers that we are only human and a part of His own creation.

It is only because of God's "Mercy", God's "Compassion" and God's "Promises" that we can exist!

Our weakness and our foolishness still cannot be used as an excuse to sin.

God has given us all the ability to make choices but making the right choices is impossible to do without the knowledge of God!

The one thing we have very little control of and in most cases no control over is our death!

We are made of the dust of this earth and when we die we will return to the dust from which we were made!

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

It is that "Living Soul" that returns to the God who gave it, which is the only reason God gave us the freedom to choose the path of our eternal life.

*****Psa 103:15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

Psa 103:16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

We sometimes use the seasons to teach us about the resurrection of life when we see the new Spring come every year.

BUT, we should also see the lessons of Autumn and the lessons of each passing year as we see our own lives as the grass or as a flower of the field.

Most of us celebrate a birthday every year as we get older, until we realize we really do not want to get older.

The prophet Isaiah explains it this way:

Isa 40:6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

Isa 40:7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

When we allow the things that we can see, take precedent over the things we cannot see then our own choices are limited to those things!

Everything in this world has it's limits and will one day fade away!

The Holy Spirit is only available to us in this life and if we accept Him, by the Lord Jesus Christ, He will remain with us throughout eternity but if not, without Him we will simply blow away until the "Judgment Day".

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

This is what "Mercy" is all about, but there are still some things that we must also do.

*****Psa 103:17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

Psa 103:18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

We are foolish to think our strength and our glory is in this life.

1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

Most everyone one of us are somewhat disappointed in the life we have lived because we can look back at the mistakes we have made.

The only glory we can have is in our good health, our abilities, and our wisdom and all these things are by the hand of God.

God's mercy is everlasting because God's Word is everlasting!

1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

The Beauty of the Lord is in His "Mercy"!

We began this lesson by mentioning the benefits of knowing the Lord Jesus as Our Savior.

1) These benefits can only come when we keep His covenants.

In order to get the attention of our Father in Heaven we must be baptized in Jesus Christ.

Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

This not water baptism, this is baptism by the Holy Spirit!

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

2) These benefits can only come when we remember the commandments of the Lord and Then Do Them!

The promise of God's "Mercy" is only to those that can do these two things.

Our Father will be obedient to His covenants but we as children must be obedient too!

Jesus said:

Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Christianity is not in opinion!

Christianity comes by action and those actions must be in accordance with the ways of Jesus Christ!

Christianity is not in a feeling, Christianity is in conforming to the image of God and He has shown us that image by His Son Jesus.

Christianity is not being legal, Christianity is being holy.

1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

*****Psa 103:19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

Not only is our Lord holy but He is absolute Monarch over His entire creation!

Isa 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

As God is Lord, He has prepared a plan.

As God is Almighty, He has the power to see that His plan is fulfilled.

As God is merciful, He has limited Himself to only do good.

As God is perfect, He will make perfect all those that love Him!

Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

There is only one way to approach our Mighty God.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

*****Psa 103:20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

Psa 103:21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

We can think of Adam who lived more that 800 years and Methuselah who is the oldest man to have ever lived but the angels in Heaven have lived with the Lord and witnessed His magnificence since the first day of creation.

We believe that one third of the angels followed Lucifer but the angels are innumerable so there are still an innumerable number of angels that do the absolute bidding of the Lord.

Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and "to an innumerable company of angels",

Those that are still in Heaven obey the Lord and they accomplish every commandment of His Words.

The angels are the Lord's ministers, which means they are the Lord's servants.

The angels are the Lord's messengers, which is what the title angel really means.

It is the job of the angels to make the Lord happy by being obedient to His every Word.

It is also the job of all of God's creation to make the Lord happy by being obedient, which includes all humans.

We bless the Lord when we are obedient to His Word!

And in what ever way we serve the Lord, we will to bless Him with our service.

*****Psa 103:22 Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

Everything everywhere are to bless the Lord of all.

What is the whole duty of all mankind?

Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

At the end of everyday before we pray we need to ask ourselves, "Has our life been a blessing to the Lord".

Then we need to ask for God's mercy so we can try a little harder if the Lord sees fit for us to awaken to a new day!

God makes this command very simple:

Psa 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

As long as we are breathing God's air we need to be a blessing to the Lord!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

 

Praise Our Glorious God

Praise God For His Glory

Psalm 96

Here again we have another Psalm without a title but by comparing this Psalm to the Psalms of David it is probable that he wrote this Psalm also.

The pure fact is, that once we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and have been "Born Again", any of us should be able to write this Psalm.

A study of 1 Chronicles chapter 16 will teach us that this Psalm was written at the return of the Ark to the Tabernacle by King David but we should also be able to see the prophesy that is contained in these scriptures.

This Psalm was delivered to Asaph and we know that Asaph was the singing prophet of God!

When we have found the True and Living God we will all sing praises to Him!

Let's Begin:

*****Psa 96:1  O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.

In the Tabernacle and in the Temple the music was assigned to the Levites and it was only the Levite men who made up the choruses of singers.

It was not that the women could not sing because there are many instances in the Bible where we see the women singing but all these instances are outside the Temple and the Tabernacle.

It may surprise you but in almost every bird species only the male usually sings.

Again it is not because the female bird cannot sing, it is because the female is in search of a mate and their own singing could cause confusion.

God is not the author of confusion even in the animal world!

Women in the Bible times lived in a patriarchal society. The role of the woman was restricted to the home and family.

Women were subjected to the rule of their male counterpart but they were also adored for their beauty and their purity and in many cases in the Bible they actually held leadership roles in government.

But in religious life, women were always subordinate to men.

It was not until the time of Lord Jesus Christ that that barrier for was lifted for the women by Christianity.

We should not forget men and women have always been on equal standing in the eyes of God from their day of creation.

We are all created in the image of God!

Knowing these things we still have our separate roles.

Just as that male bird will sing out to find a suitable partner, only the male who recognizes that the woman, is in all ways his equal, will ever be able to find a suitable partner.

In Christianity we are all made one in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gal 3:26  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

And we can all now sing a "New Song"!

In the time of David, that new song was about the coming of the Messiah and the practicing Jew is still singing that same song.

But these songs of prophecy go far beyond the coming of the Messiah and point to His return the second time to judge this Earth and sit as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

This will be the time when all false religions will learn to worship and praise the Lord Jesus Christ.

That word "sing" is the command for all of us, male and female, to "praise" the Lord!

Jesus Christ is the "manifested Glory" of God!

Isa 42:5  Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
Isa 42:6  I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
Isa 42:7  To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
Isa 42:8  I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

At the same time that our Father in Heaven declares He will not give His glory to another, He commands us to give praise and glory to His Son who created all the things we can see and all the things we cannot see.

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

There should be no doubt in our minds who we should praise.

There is no doubt who we should "Glorify"!

There is no doubt why we should be singing a "new song"!

It is the Lord who is our Savior!

*****Psa 96:2  Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.

Three times in these first 2 verses we have seen the command to "sing".

The number three is a divine number.

Three times in these first two verses we have also seen the title "LORD".

The thing we know for sure is that the Lord Jesus is:

1) The Way.
2) The Truth.
3) The Life.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The Trinity of God is a fundamental to the Christian doctrine!

The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost are "the three" who are the completely united persons who form our God.

This must be the truth of Christianity but this truth is rejected by all false religion.

It is only when you know the true God of the Bible that you can sing a "new song".

God not only reveals His name to us in the Bible but He reveals His true character.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord our God and we must sing, sing, sing, to praise His Holy Name!

And His name will be blessed forever!

Rev 5:13  And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

We have no excuses for not showing forth His gift of salvation from day to day.

Even when we are having our worst day, if you know the Lord Jesus, you are still saved!

The greatest thing we can have in this world is the knowledge that we are saved!

1Jn 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

All those that say they do not know for sure, need to get back on their knees until they know for sure the salvation of the Lord!

When we know these things we also know that we are to walk in the ways of the Lord and be a witness to His truth of salvation.

We are commanded to sing a "new song" and we are commanded to tell the entire world why we can have that "new song"!

*****Psa 96:3  Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.

What then is the subject matter of this new song?

It is the glory of our Lord Jesus.

We need to declare, His name, His praise, His wonders of redemption and His promises.

And who are we to declare these things to? The entire world we live.

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

And what is that message of our new song? It is the "good news" the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, "how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures";

We must not think of the wonders of the Lord as just being His miracles.

The wonders of the Lord are shown more in His mercy and in His grace.

The wonders of the Lord are shown in His Love, His wisdom, and in His power.

There is no one on this earth that deserves to be left behind in the hands of Satan when the Lord has provided such an escape to all who will believe.

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

There is nothing more important than this message of God!

Why?

*****Psa 96:4  For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.

Our God is great!

God is an invisible, personal, and living spirit.
God is self-existent, eternal and unchanging.
God is omniscient, faithful and wise beyond all knowledge.
God is just, merciful, and loving.
God hates evil and God is omnipotent and cannot fail against evil.
God created humans for one purpose.

Rev 22:14  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:17  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

2Co 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Those that want to spend eternity with our Great God will praise Him according to His greatness!

The difference between the true God and all the false gods of this world is this.

In every false religion it is the responsibility of the believer to make appeasement to their so called god. In other words it rest on that person to provide works that are good enough or a sacrifice that is approved to satisfy the requirements of their false god.

But our Great God, Jehovah, has taken it upon Himself to provide a means of salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our only works is to have "Faith"!

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

All gods of false religion are man-made either by hand or in their minds!

*****Psa 96:5  For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

An idol is an image or anything else used as an object of worship in place of the true God, Jehovah, the God of the Bible!

Idolatry is every thing which men set up in their hearts to regard, which lessens their reverence of the Lord.

Revered means actual fear mingled with respect and affection!

It is the Lord who is also our Creator!

We did not exist until the Lord spoke us into existence!

Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Our God is the author of physical life and also the author of eternal life!

*****Psa 96:6  Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

We have no idea of the splendour of Heaven but God has revealed at least two things here that we know are of Heaven.

Neither strength nor beauty are uncommon but to find this combination in "one" is rare.
In our world, beauty is very seldom strong and those with strength very seldom have much beauty.

The Temple of Solomon was a man-made sanctuary that defined strength and beauty.

1) Strength:

In reality, it is better for all buildings to be strong rather than a thing of beauty.

The same thing is true of our own character.

Atheist are absorbed in their own character and have no beauty.

All false religions rely on man-made character and try their best to beautify it but it is still a false beauty.

It is only the strong earnest character we obtain from a walk with the Lord Jesus Christ that can be called beautiful.

Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Character is the thing that marks a real human being!

2) Beauty:

Most Christians are content with their strength and care very little for the beauty of the Christian life.

We have a tendency to tell the sinner he is bound for Hell and not provide them with the only means of escape.

This is strength that lacks beauty.

If we observe God's creation we can see that God created beautiful things.

The bluest skies, the beautiful grasslands and flowery meadows, the wonderful oceans and seas, the majestic night time skies and so much more.

It is man-made things that tarnish God's creation.

The beauty of the Christian is his faith!

The Temple of Solomon may have defined beauty and strength of the man-made but only a God can make a temple that can truly possess these qualities!

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

It is only the holy temple of God that can have strength first and then beauty!

*****Psa 96:7  Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
Psa 96:8  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.

When we began we saw that word "sing" mentioned three times.

We also saw the title LORD mention three times and related this to the Holy Trinity, our Triune God.

We now see the word "give" written down for us three times.

Giving is best described as sharing what you have with others.

We might ask, what do I have to "give" unto the Lord?

The Bible is specific:

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Many may say "well God saved my soul but I continue to struggle with a body that is not worthy".

Again the Bible is specific:

1Th 5:23  And the very God of peace "sanctify you wholly"; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Th 5:24  Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

God is in the process of sanctifying our whole body, our whole spirit and our whole soul, surely we can give all our selves to the Lord.

God sacrificed His only Son Jesus in a bloody sacrifice so that we could bring to Him an unbloodied sacrifice!

We are to bring to God a "living sacrifice" which is ourselves and we are to bring with it our thanksgivings.

There are no sacrifices other than these if we include our with these our tithe!

We must give ourselves.
We must give our thanksgivings.
We must give our tithe.
And we must give all these things for the glory of the Lord!

If the Lord is faithful to fulfill His promises and He is, we must be just as faithful to Him!

God says that none should appear before Him with empty hands!

*****Psa 96:9  O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

We cannot say we are going to worship if we come to God empty handed!

Holiness means we are consecrated to the service of God.

Consecrated means we have separated ourselves from the world and are prepared to follow the will of God.

Following the will of God is first being obedient to God's written Word and only after that, will God point out any special request He has for us!

Rom 6:19  I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Personal holiness can also be called sanctification!

2Co 7:1  Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Sanctification can only come by the work of the Holy Spirit and it is a beautiful thing in the eyes of God.

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

This is our greatest goal in our worship to give ourselves totally to God!

*****Psa 96:10  Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.

Though much of this world could care less what will happen tomorrow because they just live for today, those that remain live in fear of our world being destroyed by our own actions or the actions of some evil people.

There are truly evil men in this world who would destroy it in a false hope of an even a more false religion.

The pure facts are, that the world we live in shall be shaken to the point of destruction:

Isa 24:19  The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
Isa 24:20  The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

This an absolute fact and all the prophesies of the Bible will be fulfilled, which include the fact that this verse states that a new world will be established that cannot be moved.

Rev 21:1  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

The heathen are the lost of this world and this is the message that we are to bring to them, beginning with the "good news", the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ.

God will judge all people righteously before these other things can take place!

It these things that can lead to joy in this life!

*****Psa 96:11  Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
Psa 96:12  Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice

The angels in Heaven who have been involved in spiritual warfare from the time of Lucifer's fall and the fall of mankind, will finally rejoice to see the end of this wickedness.

All God's creation will rejoice:

Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

And all those that know the Lord Jesus as their Savior will rejoice:

Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

If we remember, our world has been under a curse since the time of Adam's fall:

Gen 3:17  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Gen 3:18  Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
Gen 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

In the time of the tribulation that curse will devour this world we live in:

Isa 24:6  Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

But at the end of that 7 year period when the Lord comes to judge this earth that curse will be lifted:

Rev 22:3  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Rev 22:4  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
It will be time to rejoice throughout all of God's creation!

The King is coming!

*****Psa 96:13  Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

There is only one other prophecy that has to be fulfilled before this day takes place and that is the "Rapture" of the Church.

1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

There is absolutely no reason, that we that know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, are not rejoicing now knowing all these things.

We have the glory of the Lord within us!

Questions?

Let's Pray!