How well do you know HIM?\u00a0 How well do you want to know HIM?<\/p>\n
“And this is life eternal, that they might know\u00a0Thee\u00a0<\/b>the only true\u00a0God<\/b>, and\u00a0Jesus Christ<\/b>, whom\u00a0Thou<\/b>\u00a0hast sent.” (John 17:3)<\/span><\/p>\n “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of\u00a0God<\/b>, and of\u00a0Jesus\u00a0<\/b>our\u00a0Lord<\/b>,” (2 Peter 1:2)<\/span><\/p>\n Knowing God<\/i>\u00a0is one of our greatest privileges.\u00a0 As we gain a greater understanding of Him it will transform our lives.\u00a0 Only then will we be able to worship and serve Him Biblically.\u00a0 Let us \u201cknow the TRUTH<\/i>\u201d and let the TRUTH set us free to live for Christ, like Christ.<\/p>\n In Psalm 103 David shares with us some precious truths about our great God which gives us many reasons to “bless the LORD.”<\/p>\n “Bless the\u00a0LORD<\/b>, O my soul: and all that is within me,\u00a0bless<\/i>\u00a0His<\/b>\u00a0holy name.” (Psalm 103:1)<\/span><\/p>\n How can a Christian bless God? It starts in knowing who God is and in turn responding to that knowledge.\u00a0 Our response must be yielding our will to His will.\u00a0 As we yield, we are submitting to His authority.\u00a0 We are saying He is right and we will obey Him wholeheartedly or with \u201call that is within [us]<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 In obedience, we are living out our worship to Him.\u00a0 We are giving value to His way and therefore making Him\u00a0THE\u00a0priority.\u00a0 This is “blessing the LORD.”<\/p>\n “Bless the\u00a0LORD<\/b>, O my soul, and forget not all\u00a0His<\/b>\u00a0benefits:” (Psalm 103:2)<\/span><\/p>\n We are a blessing to God as we make a concerted effort to keep Him and His works in the forefront of our minds.\u00a0When the Word of God is on the forefront of our minds it will produce right living.<\/p>\n Right thinking produces right living<\/b>.<\/p>\n “Thy<\/b>\u00a0Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against\u00a0Thee<\/b>.” (Psalm 119:11)<\/span><\/p>\n The word “forget<\/i>” carries the idea of the memory softening over a period of time.\u00a0 This happens when we stop making an effort to keep in our mind the truth of God.\u00a0 It takes no effort to “forget” God’s truth but it takes much diligence in being in God’s Word and meditating upon it to remember these truths. \u00a0David challenges us to forget NONE\u00a0of the ways of God\u2014we are to remember ALL the “benefits” of God.<\/p>\n Notice also that they are “benefits<\/i>.”\u00a0 Everything about God is beneficial.\u00a0 To those who walk in the ways of wickedness, God acts mercifully in bringing into their lives difficulties designed to help them by getting their attention in order turn from their wicked ways and turn to God.\u00a0 This is a loving and merciful act of God.\u00a0 Unfortunately these acts of God are often refused and God in turn responds by giving them what they want\u2014a life without Him.<\/p>\n To those who walk in righteousness God mercifully brings difficulties into our lives in order to get our attention and draw us closer to Him. The “benefits” of God are of such infinite proportions that our finite minds cannot \u00a0fully comprehend.\u00a0 The Word of God is filled with His “benefits.” Let us diligently seek to always be reminded of God’s “benefits” so as to not forget them and in turn live lives that “bless the LORD.”<\/p>\n Take a moment and read the\u00a0remainder of the Psalm and consider the unparalleled greatness of God.<\/p>\n \u201cWho<\/b> forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who<\/b> healeth \u00a0all thy diseases;\u201d (Psalm 103:3)<\/span><\/p>\n God \u201cforgives & heals\u201d\u2014God forgives our \u201ciniquities<\/i>\u201d or our sins which alleviates the guilt brought on by sin. The forgiveness of sin opens the door to fellowship with God.\u00a0 Without forgiveness of sin there is no reconciliation, there can be no spiritual healing, there can be no peace.<\/p>\n \u201cWho<\/b>\u00a0redeemeth [delivers<\/i>] thy life from destruction; Who<\/b>\u00a0crowneth [blesses<\/i>] thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies [compassions<\/i>]: (Psalm 103:4)<\/span><\/p>\n God \u201credeems & blesses\u201d\u2014Spiritual death is the consequence of sin and through Christ’s blood we have been “redeemed” or delivered from spiritual death as well as eternal death.\u00a0 Christ as our great Substitute paid our penalty of death in our place. \u00a0This alone is a tremendous blessing.\u00a0We are incapable of comprehending the magnitude of the spiritual blessings that we have been blessed with.\u00a0 The Lord, by His grace and mercy, has blessed His children with such compassion in withholding from us deserved punishment.<\/p>\n \u201cWho <\/b>satisfieth thy mouth with good\u00a0things; so that<\/i>\u00a0thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.\u201d (Psalm 103:5)<\/span><\/p>\n God \u201csatisfies\u201d\u2014Dr. Jim Berg speaks of God being \u201cmore than enough.\u201d\u00a0 He is \u201cmore than enough\u201d for every situation in life\u2014He is all that we need. Consider why we are often dissatisfied. The reality is that when we have God we have everything that we need. We must learn to rest in Him and let Him be ALL that we need.<\/p>\n \u201c The\u00a0LORD<\/b>\u00a0executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.\u201d (Psalm 103:6)<\/span><\/p>\n God is \u201crighteous\u201d\u2014His righteousness is clearly seen in how He deals with all of mankind.\u00a0 He always does what is right\u2014ALWAYS!<\/p>\n \u201cHe<\/b>\u00a0made known\u00a0His<\/b>\u00a0ways unto Moses,\u00a0His<\/b>\u00a0acts unto the children of Israel.\u201d (Psalm 103:7)<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b>God \u201cmakes Himself known\u201d\u2014The Bible tells us, \u201cThe heavens declare the glories of God\u201d (Psalm 19:1)<\/span>.\u00a0 God, through Creation and through His precious Word has made Himself known to us.\u00a0 He has told us everything we need to know about Him\u2014this is the transforming knowledge of God. \u00a0When we know God, personally, we are then transformed as we are changed into the image of His Son.<\/p>\n \u201cThe LORD<\/b> is<\/i> merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.\u201d (Psalm 103:8)<\/span><\/p>\n God is \u201cmerciful\u201d\u2014Consider the punishment that God withholds from those whom He forgives.<\/p>\n God is \u201cgracious\u201d\u2014Consider the undeserved, unearned, unmerited favor of God as He pours out His abounding grace upon us.<\/p>\n “And God is able to make ALL grace [divine help] abound [in excess] toward you; that ye, ALWAYS having ALL sufficiency [being satisfied] in ALL things, may abound to EVERY good work:” (2 Corinthians 9:8)<\/span><\/p>\n How great is the God that you and I\u00a0get to<\/b>\u00a0worship?\u00a0 Let us be diligent in \u201crecalling to mind<\/i>\u201d His greatness and His gracious actions toward us and in turn\u00a0“Bless the\u00a0LORD<\/b>, O my soul: and all that is within me,\u00a0bless<\/i>\u00a0His<\/b>\u00a0holy name.”<\/span><\/p>\n “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope [confidence].\u00a0It is of<\/i>\u00a0the\u00a0LORD’S\u00a0<\/b>mercies that we are not consumed, because\u00a0His<\/b>\u00a0compassions fail not.\u00a0They are<\/i>\u00a0new every morning: great\u00a0is<\/i>\u00a0Thy<\/b>\u00a0faithfulness. The\u00a0LORD<\/b>\u00a0is<\/i>\u00a0my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in\u00a0Him<\/b>. The\u00a0LORD<\/b>\u00a0is<\/i>\u00a0good unto them that wait for\u00a0Him<\/b>, to the soul\u00a0that<\/i>\u00a0seeketh\u00a0Him<\/b>.” (Lamentations 3:21-25)<\/span><\/p>\n “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)<\/span><\/p>\n