All that I Am - excerpts from Psalm 103

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.

Psalm 103:1-2 NLT

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly.

He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!

The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.

Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will! Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom.

Let all that I am praise the Lord. (Let all that we are praise the Lord.)

When Was the Last Time

"When you say, ‘The altar of God is not important anymore; worship of God is no longer a priority,’ that’s defiling. And when you offer worthless animals for sacrifices in worship, animals that you’re trying to get rid of—blind and sick and crippled animals—isn’t that defiling? Try a trick like that with your banker or your senator—how far do you think it will get you?” God-of-the-Angel-Armies asks you.
Malachi 1:7-8 The Message Bible

God was angry with the worthless sacrifices that were being made by His people. They were bringing less than their best - animals that they were trying to get rid of—blind and sick and crippled animals - abysmal by any standard, just enough to give the appearance of worship. Convenient and certainly cheaper to provide. And it made God furious with them!

We don't do animal sacrifices, so how does that equate to our world today? Hebrews 13:15 reads, Let’s take our place outside with Jesus, no longer pouring out the sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus’ name.

When was the last time we stopped thinking about the bills long enough to enter into worship? When was the last time we had only God on our mind as we worshiped? When was the last time we purposely entered the church with one thought - only one - on our mind - that we were there to worship the King of kings, the Creator of the universe? When was the last time we laid EVERYTHING aside and worshiped at the feet of Jesus?

If we are not pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus’ name - then what we are pouring out is worthless.

Prayer:

Father,
            Convict our hearts, O God! Change us! Cause us to fall back in love with You - to return to our first love with You. Forgive us for offering You anything less than our all. As You promised in Jeremiah, Father, give us a heart to know You, that You are the LORD: and we shall be Your people, and You will be our God: for we shall return unto You with our whole heart. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Your Whole Heart

The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
1st Samuel 16:7b NLT

Have you ever wondered how different a potential relationship might have been if instead of judging you by your outward appearance, someone took the time to really know you - who you are on the inside? Here's your opportunity.

John 4:23 NLT tells us, ...the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 

What does it mean to worship in spirit and in truth? As I understand it, Truth is the Word of God, so worshiping God for who He really is as defined in Scripture. That's Truth. What about in spirit? We say our spirit is who we really are inside this body, so to worship Him with everything that's within us? (Psalm 103:1b, And all that is within me, bless his holy name.)

If we're standing in the sanctuary worshiping God (which by the way is NOT the only place or way to worship), but if we are standing there, it could become easy to go through the motions of worship while thinking of sleeping in, or going to lunch, or 'I don't like this song', or "somebody's off pitch..." Have you ever done that?  And probably no one around you is any wiser... but God is. What IS within me? What am I worshiping Him with? 

People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. You know, the heart. How often have we said something like,"My heart is with you" or "I wish you could hear my heart." Is it our whole heart or only the part that cares for them?

Prayer:

Father, 
          We want to worship You with our whole heart, not just parts. Create in us a right spirit. Give us clean hands and a pure heart so that we may worship You in Spirit and in Truth, no matter Who is looking. In Jesus' Name we pray.