The Benefits of God

As we glibly travel over paved, well-marked highways, it is difficult to realize that when I was a boy very few people owned automobiles. Those who did found scarcely any paved roads, had no road maps, and for the most part no road signs telling how to get to a desired destination or the distance to it. It was a venture of hit or miss, punctuated by stops at farmhouses to ask for directions. Today we have the advantage of well-marked highways. However we can ignore the signs and drive ourselves to disaster.

Jesus gives us road signs to life. Each of us are to heed them if we are to arrive at the desired eternal destination.

Many have gone down the wrong road by forgetting, not remembering the given directions, or just making bad choices.

Scripture warns people how easy it is to forget God in the varying circumstances of life and to fail to give him his due place, and points out the consequences of so doing.

Reasons why people forget God: Easy circumstances(, ); Idolatry(, ); Pride and stubbornness(, )

Easy circumstances(, ); Idolatry(, ); Pride and stubbornness(, );

Consequences of people forgetting God: Spiritual adultery (; ; ); Social decay(); The destruction of the nation(, ); The death of the sinner(, ; )

Idolatry(

Pride and stubbornness(

Consequences of people forgetting God: Spiritual adultery (; ; ); Social decay(); The destruction of the nation(, ); The death of the sinner(, ; )

Spiritual adultery (; ; ); Social decay(); The destruction of the nation(, ); The death of the sinner(, ; )

Spiritual adultery

Consequences of people forgetting God: Spiritual adultery (; ; ); Social decay(); The destruction of the nation(, ); The death of the sinner(, ; )

The death of the sinner(

; ;

Social decay(); The destruction of the nation(, );

;

The destruction of the nation

Remembering: The process of recalling the past, especially the presence and activity of God in the history of his people. Remembering God’s work in the past can lead to praise and rejoicing, and to hope for the future.

Remembering should produce hope for the future(, ; ; )

David praises God (vv. 1–5): Praise the Lord with your whole being

Remembering should produce hope for the future(, ; ; )

1Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

(NKJV) 1Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

2Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

He speaks to himself (vv. 1–2)

David has his pen in hand. He is about to catalogue some of the many, many blessings of God that he himself has experienced.

; ;

But praise requires preparation. Our hearts, ever inclined to deadness and coldness, must be stirred to properly take up praise. If he was anything, David was a student of his heart. We all should be! So before he offers one word of praise, he stokes his heart. He preaches to himself:

Man’s Remembrance of the Lord’s Benefits(v.2)

(Verse 2. “Forget not all His benefits.”)

(1)Forgiveness of our sins (v. 3a) (2)Healing of our diseases (v. 3b) (3)Redemption of our lives from destruction, death, or the pit(v. 4a)

Healing of our diseases (v. 3b)

—a picture of our enslaving sin and its deadly consequences

-Redemption of our lives from destruction, death, or the pit—a picture of our enslaving sin and its deadly consequences (v. 4a)

(4)Lovingkindness —His steadfast, unfailing love (v. 4b) (5)Compassion or tender mercies (v. 4c)

Compassion or tender mercies—excessive acts of love with which the Lord crowns us because we are His royal sons and daughters (v. 4c)

—excessive acts of love with which the Lord crowns us because we are His royal sons and daughters

(6)Satisfaction of our desires, especially our spiritual longings (v. 5a; ; ; )

(7)Physical and spiritual renewal (v. 5b; )

-like the restored strength the eagle receives when it sheds its old feathers in the molting process

like the restored strength the eagle receives when it sheds its old feathers in the molting process

Point: A lack of thankfulness and praise to God is the result of taking His blessings for granted. All too often, we can only see the difficult circumstances facing us or the things that we do not have, completely overlooking all that we have in Christ.

Motives: Why should I bless the Lord? (1) Because of what He does for me—“benefits.” (2) Because of what He is—“holy.”

Model: How shall I bless the Lord? (1) Heartily. (2) With all my powers and affections.

Means: By what means can I thus bless the Lord? Recall His benefits, and the heart will grow warm with gratitude.

Blessedness: It brings holy cheer to the troubled spirit. It is a foretaste of heaven.

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