I will thank you forever

 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Psalms 92:1   It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,  to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.

Isaiah 58:13     “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;  then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Hebrews 4:9     So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,

Psalms 33:1     Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.

Psalms 50:23     The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Psalms 52:9     I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.

Psalms 73:28     But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

Psalms 107:8     Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!

Hebrews 13:15     Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Psalms 147:1     Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.

Isaiah 57:15    For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Daniel 4:34-37     At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;  all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”  At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.  Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” Being near to God brings safety, refuge, hope, peace, joy, courage, strength, and love.  Being near (continually in His presence) will bring “praising” God to your mind.  Desiring and seeking to be in His presence will have a direct impact on our understanding and knowledge of Him.  It will grow, giving rise to praises on our lips.  Look at Nebuchadnezzar, everything was taken away from him and after 7 years he came to the this understanding.  Stay in His word, grow in understanding and knowledge of His steadfast love, mercy and grace, and praise Him.

Mindful of man

“to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;  the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever”

 

Psalms 8:3
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,  what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

Psalms 144:3
O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?

2 Chronicles 6:18
“But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!

Job 7:17
What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him,

Isaiah 40:17
All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.

1 Peter 2:12
Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Romans 1:20
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

David brings out a great thought when looking at creation, and how the sun, moon, stars, and heaven are set in place he says in comparison: “What is man that you are mindful of him?”  We don’t normally think down these lines do we?  Is it possible we approach it as somewhat of an entitlement to have God be mindful of us. Do we look at the heavens and all that is outside of earth and stand in awe of majesty and power of the creator?  This same one and only God has not only created all there is but has promised eternal life to those who believe/trust in the redemptive work of His son on the cross, repent from their past ways and from that moment on live to humbly serve, honor and obey Him.  His creation and promises ought to be always on our mind with thanksgiving and praise.

Turn the other Cheek

When was the last time you were hurt by words or actions of others?  What came to mind? How did you handle it?  Retaliation and self justice seem to drive the action we take.  Culture, friends and family can all influence the way we react.  Think about it, if all you hear is someone telling you your whole life that getting even, take no crap from anyone, don’t let them get away with that, etc… why would we act any different.  God gives clear instruction on what to do – turn the other cheek, entrust ourselves to God who judges, enduring hostility against ourselves, do not repay evil for evil.  Do not do what appears right within our culture but what is honorable and right in light of Gods word 

Matthew 5:37
But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also

1Peter 2:22
When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly

Hebrews 12:3
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood

Romans 12:17
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good