Of all the 150 Psalms in the Bible, which one is most frequently read by Christians? Psalm 23? Maybe Psalm 91. Psalm 103 has been called the Mount Everest of songs, exalting the soul to breathtaking heights.
If you talk to yourself you’re not alone! This is not only a very common practice but it’s actually a God-designed ability within us all.
There are deep and elaborate complexities driving our perspectives and conclusions. This is why we desperately need to invite God’s way of thinking into our everyday lives. We do this by praying, reading and rehearsing God’s Word. #turnthepage
Using God’s Word to talk to yourself on purpose is learning to think and feel with God.
Psalm 103:1-7 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. ESV
Verse 2 - forget not all his benefits. (what benefits come to mind when you think about the benefits of a relationship with God?)
The Oklahoma State Treasurer reports over 1,000,000 Oklahomans have unclaimed benefits in the State of Oklahoma. This is almost 25% of the population of our State. Their website explains that security deposits are sometimes waiting for access from utility providers or financial institutions. People change jobs and move without notifying HR of their new address not realizing they never received their final paycheck. The Unclaimed Property Division at the Treasurer’s Office has accumulated over $1 billion in abandoned assets and more than 800,000 unique properties.
The easiest way to find out if you have any unclaimed funds reported to the state is by going to the Unclaimed Property Division’s website at www.OKTreasure.com and doing a database search with your name.
You’ll also find a nationwide search option as well. MissingMoney.com is a nationwide resource is very helpful for military families that are relocating every few years.
In the world’s system you access benefits that are rightfully yours by voicing your name. In God’s Kingdom you access benefits that are rightfully yours by voicing His Name! Let’s put the unclaimed benefits division of heaven out of business!
Psalm 103:1-7 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. ESV
Get your self talk in order and practice declaring God’s Word over yourself, over your family and over your friends! Self-disqualification is one of the biggest enemies to your God-given benefits.
God didn’t love us back he loved us first. Our response determines God’s reach.
You’re more sinful and flawed than you care to believe. accepted and loved than you can possibly imagine.
Psalm 103:8-14 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. ESV
God’s mercy and grace pardons our mistakes as an expression of his overwhelming love. When we repent for our sins, He removes them completely from us “as far as the east is from the west.” This is forever unlike north and south. Going north results in turning to go south at some point. But going east never starts going west and just eternally goes east!
Psalm 103:13-18 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. ESV
Parents, we need to realize that we won’t always be around. Verse 17 refers to the “children’s children” pointing to the fact that our children won’t always be around as well. It’s vitally important that we are giving ourselves to helping our children experience generationally the eternal love of God embracing God’s righteousness. This is why our core practices are so important! What we believe will not impact our children as deeply as how we behave.
Read these verses again with this explanation in mind.
You’ll never leave a legacy until you live a legacy.
Family practices become the legacy you leave. God introduced family practices to reinforce what we believe by how we behave.
As a church family our goal is to become OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING people who PASSIONATELY PURSUE the Lord with IRRATIONALLY GIVING lifestyles as we CONSISTENTLY SUBMIT to God’s desires and EFFECTIVELY DISCIPLE others to do the same.
On this journey we have learned it is vital for us to not only be spiritually AWAKE but also truly ENGAGED in the practices we see modeled in the life of Christ. Our core values become the principles we believe but there are also core practices we embrace that truly shape our lives and our legacy.
To more effectively become outrageously loving people we practice Sabbath and anonymous acts of service. Passionately pursuing the heart of Jesus leads us to fasting, praying and engaging intentionally in scripture. To become irrationally giving people we practice simplicity and worshipful generosity. Consistently submitting to God’s desires takes us to practices of solitude in quiet with god and community in relationship with others. Effectively discipling others involves including others in our Sabbath as we invite them to our table to form a deeper relationship together in the Lord.
Psalm 103:19-22 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! 21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! 22 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul! ESV
Kenneth Hagin said, “The mind doesn’t stay renewed any more than the hair stays combed.”
Psalm 103 reveals this idea of renewing the mind by commanding the soul in seasons of difficulty or sadness.
1. Remind yourself of what the Lord has done
2. Hold fast to a specific truth about the Lord
Nobody is more influential in your life than you are!
GP2RL: Be intentional about commanding your soul to rehearse God’s faithfulness all week-long morning, noon, and night!
PSALMS: Talk To Yourself On Purpose
DISCUSSION GUIDE
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: Psalms unveils the authenticity of humanity in the, sometimes painful, but always beautiful pursuit of God. The beauty is that God never wastes a single hurt if we are willing to give it to Him.
We can judge God according to our circumstances or we can judge our circumstances according to our God. God is good even in our times of pain and desperation. We live in a fallen world, but we look to a Risen King.
Two thirds of the Psalms are what scholars call lament. So often, our greatest purpose is born from our deepest pain. May we press in and go deeper in our authentic pursuit of the heart of God as we explore the treasures of Psalms.
It is a good thing to hear what God is revealing in the hearts of those around us. Feel free to use this question however you feel it fits in your time together as a group.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
2. As you read the following verses think about the self-talk God desires for you to put into practice:
Psalm 103:1-7 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. ESV
3. What kind of self-talk is described in these verses in reference to “his benefits”?
4. Rehearse a time by sharing with the group about a time God brought healing physically or in any way to you.
5. How will you implement our action point this week? Be specific and explain your plan.
Everywhere we go, we bring...
GP2RL: Be intentional about commanding your soul to rehearse God’s faithfulness all week long, morning, noon and night!