Date: Friday June 29, 2012
Today's Chapters: Psalms 103-106
Message Title: Praise Jesus

Hello My Friend,

If you have called on the Lord Jesus Christ to save you than, Praise Jesus! Praise Him for taking your place on the cross for your sins, for dying for your sins, for giving you victory over death, for saving your soul from hell, for eternal life, for cleansing you of all your sins. Praise Him for changing your life, helping you through every struggle you faced, I can go on and on, and so can you, if we stop to think about just how much Jesus saved us from, not just from hell, we would never stop praising Him. Amazingly, we do, not intentionally, but it still happens more often than we realize and that is when trials come our way. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” - 1 Peter 1:7-9.

David loved God, he was known by God, as the apple of His eye. Why? Because he never stopped living his life with God in it, oh, he was just like everyone else, he sinned, he got chastened too, but he never forgot what God brought him through, whether it was joy, sorrow, or his own mess that he caused. “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.” - Psalm 103:1-5.

No matter what we are going through, whether everything is going well or falling apart we need to always praise God and thank Him for what He has gotten us through and what He is doing for us now. He loves us and does not want to see us suffer, I imagine He would like it if He didn't have to put any affliction on us at all, but sadly, affliction is the only way God can get us to pay attention to Him. “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” - Psalm 103:8-12.

Once we receive Christ, the blood that He shed when He died on the cross is applied to our soul, removing all our sins, even of the past, they are forgotten and wiped clean from God's eyes. Although we may suffer repercussions of sin we will not be cast away nor will we be chastened forever. Why? God sees us through Jesus, our righteousness comes from Him. “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” - Romans 5:15-18.

What happens when you sin after you get saved? You are still saved by God's grace, but we need to ask for forgiveness of the sin to get right with God. When we ask God to forgive us for sins we are telling Him that we love Him more than the sin. We all mess up, we all get chastened, but when we seek forgiveness our transgressions are removed, never to be remembered. We are the ones who keep things going by beating ourselves up over them. Instead of dwelling on the past, let it go, yes, there are going to be some things that will remind you of what happened, but instead of feeling guilty, rejoice. Rejoice over the fact that you are forgiven, that you have eternal life, that you are a testimony and a to someone who needs you. You must remember, God made you the way you are, you are who you are today because of His mercy and judgment for you. Rejoice at what He has created in you.

“O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.” - Psalm 105:1-4,5,7.

One thing about salvation, some people take it for granted, the abuse their freedom to be able to live in sin. God's judgments are true and even though we are saved there are always consequences when one continues to live in sin. God does not allow judgment because He wants to, He does it to teach us to fear Him and keep us from more suffering. Those who are truly committed to God will see their error and repent, not get offended when they face chastisement, and God will even help them endure them.

“Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation; 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. Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.” - Psalm 106:1-5,43-45.

We sing this song in our church choir called, Lord I Need You, the first verse says, “When life seems gentle and blessings come my way I turn my gaze away from you and soon forget to pray. But when the sky grows darker and courage turns to fear, my anxious voice cries upward with words you long to hear.” When things are going well we unintentionally stop talking to God, and when we stop talking to God affliction and or sin starts creeping in. God longs for us to talk to Him through the good, bad, and ugly times in our lives, He rejoices over spending time with us and it keeps us out of unnecessary sufferings. Spend time with God today, not just to ask Him for things, praise Him, thank Him, give Him the glory for all He has done and will do. “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” - Hebrews 13:15,16.

Today's Prayer: Jesus, I will never forget what You have done for me to not only save me from hell, but the mess I was in as well. My Lord, thank You for all you have done and for keeping me in Your life continually, if not for daily interaction with You I do not know where I would be. I know that I do not always tell You how grateful I am for what You have done for me and continue to do and I am sorry for that. Please do not let me lose sight of You, when things are going well, let me praise You and thank You just as much as I do when I am afflicted. I need You Lord and love you. Amen.

Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? Visit: God's Price
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
Subscribe To This Devotional: Subscribe
Unsubscribe From This Devotional: Unsubscribe

©2012 I'm Following Jesus