Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world.
So that all may know Christ. Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church, located in Kernersville, North Carolina. Point is this. There are some great memories and there's some not so great memories. But it's our job to make sure we don't forget them.
You see, I see surgeries, but I'm reminded that God sure gave grace, and God got this young man through surgery. I'm reminded, you know what? I don't want to forget. what my dad did for me all those years. How he loved me, how he took care of me.
I don't wanna forget that my mom, every morning before the sun came up, prayed for me faithfully. every day of my life. I don't want to forget the blessings God's given, the trials He's taken us through, the people that He's brought into our life. I don't want to forget. What my kids looked like when they were young.
I don't want to forget those nights that me and you're just tired, and you got to bathe all the kids, and you got to do this, and you get so, but on the other end of it, you look back, and those are precious memories. And there's some young couples here this morning. I want you to understand. One day you're going to have those pictures of what you're going through now. You're going to look back and you're going to think, man, where did time go?
Enjoy it now. Don't get So burned up with Stress and anxiety, and overwhelming that you don't realize how good God's been in the middle of this. I believe David here says. Bless the Lord, O my soul, forget not all. His benefits.
I wanted to give you just a few today. He kind of divides this chapter up in two ways. First, He says, bless the Lord. And then he talks about the Lord. And then later on at the end, he introduces the next part of this psalm and says, as for man.
So first he talks about God, then he talks about us. Notice As he talks about bless the Lord, why? Notice number one: because he forgives. Look at verse 3: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities. May I say he starts with this?
Because if we're not forgiven, we got nowhere to go from here anyway. Yeah, right. Am I right, church? If there is no forgiveness, we got no hope anyway. If there is no forgiveness, what does it matter if he can provide and he loves us and he has mercy and he has grace?
If he doesn't forgive us, there's no hope anyway. I love this passage, how it describes the forgiveness of God. Notice this: He says, He forgiveth all thine iniquities. Notice first is all. Listen, when you got saved and you Put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ if you have this morning.
When he forgave your sin, he didn't forgive part of it. He didn't forgive a large fraction of it. He didn't forgive everything, but he forgave all. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. I want to remind you today, don't forget that God forgave all your sin.
Notice secondly The little phrase in verse 9, not always, look at verse 9, he will not always chide.
Now listen, we're his children, and as his children, God proves that we're His children because He disciplines us. But I don't know about you. I couldn't take it if he kept disciplining me every time I deserved it. But he says that's not only does he forgive all your iniquities, he doesn't always chide. He knows how much we can take.
Notice number three: there's this not forever. Look at verse three. Neither will he keep his anger forever. Not forever. Listen, God does get mad at sin.
God hates sin. But may I say something, isn't it nice to know that there's nothing I'm ever going to do that he's going to get so mad that he's going to stay angry at me for an eternity? I've been forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ. May I say this? Look at this little phrase according to, look at verse 10.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. Aren't you glad you don't get what you deserve? Don't you get tired of people saying, Well, I tell you what, I don't ever get what I deserve. You ought to be thankful for that.
Well, God's not fair. You ought to be thankful for that, that God's not fair. If God was fair, we'd be in hell right now. God is just. Bible doesn't say God is fair, and you better be thankful he's not fair.
Because if he was a fair God, then we would have no choice but to go to hell because of our sin. But we have been justified because He's a just God, because we were justified through the blood of Jesus Christ, and He honored the blood sacrifice that was made for us. Can I give you the best one, I think? about forgiveness in this chapter. Verse 12, he hath removed.
Look at this verse. As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed. our transgressions from us. You're like, well, preacher, how far is the east from the west? We can't measure it.
Now we know how far it is from the east side of North Carolina to the west side. We know how far it is from the east side of America to the west side. May I say something? The actual direction east and the direction west, there are chasms of space that we can't even measure. It is unmeasurable.
It is beyond limitation. In other words, this: when God forgives our sin, He removes it, that it will never, ever come back again. But your wife will bring it up. Your husband will allude to it occasionally. And the Lord knows we know our children do.
Whew. You don't have your seatbelt on, Dad. Shut up. You're not supposed to say that, but I do in my car. It's my car, I can say what I want.
When you're 51, you can do whatever you want. Remember that?
Okay. I don't know about you. I'm so glad he removed. My sin. It would be too much for me to carry.
I want you to notice, secondly, not only because he forgives, but he said, don't forget his benefits. Number two, he heals. Look at verse 3: who healeth all. All thy diseases. Aren't you glad we Serve the healer.
You say, Well, preacher, I've got a disease in my body right now. He hadn't healed me up.
Well, dear friend, may I say this? He may or may not, but I know he can. But I will tell you this: I guarantee you've been healed of things in your life, and he's the one that did it. It's not some pill, it's not some medication, it's not some doctor. He is the healer.
He heals all our diseases. And can I say something? We don't just have physical diseases. In fact, the physical diseases are the least of our problems. It's the spiritual disease that each of us were born with.
We are born in sin. We are born on our way to hell. But he is the. Healer. I want you to notice more I would love to say about that.
Number three, he redeems. Look at this benefit that David mentions here. Look at verse 4. Who redeemeth thy life. from destruction.
Do you know that's what God did for you to those of you who are saved? He redeemed you. from destruction. God didn't just save you to a new life. He saved you from destruction.
Like, well, I don't know. I had it pretty good before. I got no, you didn't. You might have had a bank account full, you might have had a house full, but you didn't have peace and you didn't have hope. And you didn't have heaven.
He redeems. Thy life. from destruction. If you've been saved this morning, you have been. Redeem.
Yeah. Notice number four. Get this one. He surrounds This is interesting. Look at verse 4.
Who crowneth thee? Notice each of these are: who does this? Who redeemed us? crowneth thee.
Now, I used to not understand what this word was: who crowneth thee.
Well, so when I get to heaven, he's going to give me a crown. Yes, you can earn crowns, but that's not what this is talking about. This word crowneth means to surround. We're not even talking about the end times here where he rewards us for our life. Who crowneth thee literally means This word in the Hebrew is the word surround, like a crown is surround.
It surrounds your head. This word crowneth in the Hebrew is the word surround. Surround. That means this: that when you and I got saved, literally, God put a surrounding presence around us. What did He surround us with?
I'm so glad you asked. Notice first, He surrounds us with love. Look at verse 4. With Loving kindness. You are surrounded this morning by God's love.
Wherever you go, it's there. You can't go anywhere, it's not. Notice secondly he surrounds us with mercy. Look at verse 4, and tender mercies. Look at verse 11 here.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. We are surrounded with mercy. There's nowhere I can go, and there's nothing I can do to get away from or be too far away to have access to the mercy of God. I'm surrounded by it. That means whoever you encounter, you have the mercy of God.
Whatever person comes up to you, you have the mercy of God. It surrounds you. Not just love, not just mercy. Here we go. Look at verse 8, with grace.
The Lord is merciful and Gracious. He surrounds us with grace. Everywhere you and I go in our life as saved believers. We have access to things that we do not deserve. We have been given something that we could have never earned.
It's all of God's riches at Christ's expense. The grace of God. Can I remind you something today? I'm not saying you're going to swing from the rafters today, but I am telling you this: I want you walking out of this place, not forgetting the benefit of God's love, God's mercy, and God's grace. We get all down and all depressed and discouraged with life and circumstances and the things we don't have.
Imagine if you went through it without God's love and without God's mercy and without God's grace. Here's a big one, number four. Verse 8. He surrounds us with patience. Look at verse 8, slow to anger.
Yeah. Why is that? God didn't have to drive through Cornersville. Slow to anger. And plenteous in mercy.
Look at verse 13. like as a father pitieth his children. Patient.
So the Lord pitieth them. That fear him. Look at verse 14. For he knoweth our frame. And he remembers that we're as dust.
the patience of God. Oh, I don't know about you. I feel like he's earned the right to judge me for not doing right, but he's patient. He puts up with me. He lets me mess up.
And he's not angry with me forever. He doesn't always chide. His anger will not last forever. Number five. Another benefit.
He satisfies.
Now, get this one. This is one that I just wasn't 100% sure about. Look at verse 5. Who, he introduces the next one, who satisfies. thy mouth with good things, So that thy youth is renewed like the eagles.
Let's start with the first one. He satisfies how? Notice first with good. Things Psalm 84, 11, look at this verse. For the Lord God is a son and shield.
The Lord will give grace and glory. Listen to this. No good thing. will he withhold. from them that walk uprightly.
Now you look at me if you're saved and you're a child of God. This Bible tells me. that he satisfies your life. with good things. And this verse tells me that if it's a good thing, God is not going to keep it away from you.
So if God has kept something away from you, it might not be a good thing.
So quit getting mad at God that he hadn't given it. Quit getting mad at God that he hasn't given a person. Quit getting mad at God that He hadn't given this, that He hasn't made this happen. Do you believe the Bible or not? Say amen.
Do you believe the Bible or not? According to this, then, no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. He satisfies our mouth with good things. Look at this verse, Isaiah 55:8. God says, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways.
My ways. You say, Preacher, what in the world are you talking about? Do you get this? Your definition of good things might not be God's definition of good things. God's ways are above our ways.
His thoughts are not our thoughts. And so, if you sit here today and say, well, there's just some things I don't think God was good to me, that's based on your definition, on your perspective, but not on God's. I love this. Look at these verses. I want you to get this.
We are promised that God will not withhold anything from us that's good. And it's important to remember that good is something defined according to God's perfect wisdom. Can I give you another thing about this? Everything God has created has a good purpose.
Now, think about that statement. Everything God has created has a good purpose.
Like, I don't know if I agree with that.
Well, I'm glad you mentioned that. Look at 1 Timothy 4, verse 4. Look at this verse on the screen for you. For every Creature, what is creature? Anything that God's created.
For every creature of God is good. and nothing to be refused. If it be received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Now, listen to me, a lot of believers associate the possession of wealth. and material objects. as the so-called good things life. But only God and His blessings constitute something that is truly good. That means some of us might have some things in our life that we think are good, but they're not.
Because they've not been ordained by God. You say, Preacher, what do you mean? The book of Ecclesiastes traces Solomon's search for satisfaction. Rich and powerful Solomon found only emptiness. At every possession.
So, what does he say in the last chapter? Remember your Creator in the days of your youth. In the days of your youth, quit going after everything the world has to offer. Keep your mind centered on God. Why?
Because only he satisfies.
Solomon had a thousand wives, and he couldn't get no satisfaction.
Solomon had every bit of money the world has, couldn't get no satisfaction.
Solomon had every possession, the nicest place, the nicest anything. Guess what? All was vanity. And what did he say? Listen, while you're young.
Keep your focus. on the only thing that satisfies. He satisfies our mouth with good things. But look at verse 5. I want you to get this.
This is where I learned the most. We're almost done. He says, Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed. like the eagles.
Okay, so how do I? What am I supposed to do? How do I take this?
So, God satisfies my life with good things, and one thing that He does is He gives me strength like an eagle. For what? To go pick up food out of a river? What in the world is this? What does this mean?
You all know the verse. Look at Isaiah 40:31. It's on the screen for you. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles.
They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Why this eagle thing?
Well, I didn't know this. Brother John, I want you to put up this definition and this word. I didn't realize this with birds. And all birds do this, but especially eagles. And it happens more often in an eagle's life.
It's this thing called molt. Molt is the shedding of old feathers and regrowth of new feathers throughout the body.
Now I found this. On the website where it talks about birds. I mean, you talk about it, you could research everything, go through all their life cycles, all this. And I didn't know this. It is vital to birds because although feathers have inherently strong structures, they become frayed and damaged by wear and tear, and they must be regularly replaced.
for a bird to be able to survive. Let me tell you what it means when he says he. Thy youth is renewed. Like the Eagles. I don't know about you, life.
gives you some wear and tear. Puts a lot of stress on the old wings. And God said, just like the eagle, I'm going to keep renewing you. By the way, you know what happens to a bird? A bird doesn't lose all its feathers one day.
And then it gains new feathers after three weeks. What are they going to do for those three weeks? Sit there and shiver. No, when a bird molts, it is a constant. process.
A couple wings will fall off. And new wings will grow when those new wings grow a few more. And it's a constant process of renewing. And that's what God does for you. Life gets us trials, gets us stressed, gets us all kinds of things.
And guess what? God just keeps replenishing new feathers. It just keeps renewing. And then we come to verse 15. I love this.
Look at all these wonderful things about God. Look at verse 15. As for man, okay, here we go.
Now we've learned how great God is. And all the benefits of God.
Now, let's talk about man. Look at verse 15. As for man, his days are as grass. Ooh, wow. Impressive.
As a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it and it is gone. And the place thereof shall know it no more. Hey, that's fantastic. We are very impressive as human beings.
God says, Let me tell you about man. Man shows up for a little while. and is gone.
So, can I tell you the most impressive thing I can tell you about man in this chapter and first is man's temporary life. God tells all these things. God redeems, God satisfies, God does all these things. As for man, your life is temporary. And I want to remind you today, your life.
Here on earth. is temporary. But God has good news in the middle of this. Verse 17. But the mercy of the Lord.
is from everlasting to everlasting.
So, man's temporary life, secondly, he brings up God's everlasting mercy. Look at this. upon them that fear him and his righteousness unto children's Children. God is not just faithful to you. God is not just faithful to your children.
God is faithful to your children's children. Can I have an amen right there? You might be gone. Your life might have passed away. Do you understand what the verse is saying?
Man's like a flower that's up, wind passes over it. It's gone, but God's mercy was not just faithful to you. God's mercy will last long after you're gone. I guess I'm the only one excited about that. Look at number three of verse 19.
We see God's heavenly throne. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all. As for man, your life's temporary. But God's mercy is everlasting. And God has established his throne.
He's in charge. He is the ruler. God is sovereign. Guess what? I need to make sure that I teach my family about something that lasts longer than me.
You all with me, say amen. I need to make sure my family. Has a concept of something that will last far after dad is gone. I want to give my children something that's going to last past me, and it's going to last past them. It's going to go on to their children and their children's children.
Listen, you and I are temporary, but God's eternal. And we're going to spend eternity with him. I want you to notice As he closes out the chapter, he gives Creation's highest purpose. As for man, Look at creation's highest purpose. Look at this, verse 20.
Bless the Lord, ye His angels. That excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word, talking about heavenly angels. Look at verse 21. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts. Ye ministers of his.
That do his pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion. That's us. Bless the Lord. O my soul.
What's the purpose of this? How was this psalm used? This psalm was always used around the time of thanksgiving. A time of gratitude. It was always sung and quoted around that time.
Look at me. All I'm saying is this, don't Don't forget. I had a whole lot of pictures. That brought stuff up to me. I'm not going to forget the mom.
that prayed for me. I'm not going to forget the pastor that mentored me. I'm not going to forget the miracles that God's taken my family through. I'm not going to forget the blessings that God's given with a wife and my three boys that God's blessed my life with. I'm not going to forget those things, and you can't forget them.
We naturally try to, we naturally are always kind of focused on what is now. But I'm saying today, here in May, before summer starts, and before you go on your vacations, and before all that stuff, can we take a day and just say, God, I am not going to let myself forget all your benefits. I want to thank you for your mercy, and your grace, and your love, and your patience that surrounds. my life. You've crowned me with those things.
God, I'm not going to forget that you satisfy. I'm not going to forget. That you heal. I'm not going to forget what you've done. I'm going to ask you to bow your heads, close your eyes this morning.
I don't know about you. I forget pretty quick. I forget real easy. I quickly move on to other things. Time goes by.
With our heads bowed and our eyes closed this morning. Don't forget. Don't forget the things God's brought you through. Don't forget the car wrecks that God's brought you through. Don't forget the surgeries God's brought you through.
Don't forget the health scares that God's... Heal. Don't forget. the grace that he's shown you. Don't forget his forgiveness.
Don't forget the fact that he's forgiven. As bad as it was. And all the mess you were in, don't forget that he's forgiven you of that. Today, I just want to give you an opportunity to find an altar. Just to tell God, God, I'm not going to forget.
Today I just want to thank you again. Thank you for my wife, my children, my family. Thank you for what you've done. Lord, it hasn't been easy. I'm not saying it's all been perfect.
But God, today I want you to know, I am not going to forget.
Some of you young people ought to find an altar and say, God, I'm not going to forget that you blessed me with mom and dad. Yeah, you don't agree with them on everything. And yeah, you fight with them sometimes. And yeah, The greatest news that anyone can receive is the news of the free gift of salvation found in Jesus Christ. It is our desire for you to know him personally.
Would you take a moment to hear this today? Every man is born with a sin nature. Romans three twenty three says For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. No matter how hard we try, we're not good enough to obtain God's glory. or to get to heaven.
Because of that, sin carries the penalty of death. Romans 6.23 says, For the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life. through Jesus Christ our Lord. The wages of our sin, or the payment of our sin, only equals death and separation from God.
But it's only through God's gift salvation through Jesus Christ that we can accept him as our Saviour. Jesus Christ paid for your sin debt. The Bible says in Romans 5:8, but God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. All you have to do is receive Christ. by faith as your Saviour.
Romans ten nine says That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Verse 13 continues, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. It's as simple as admitting that you're a sinner believing that Jesus is the only way. and calling upon his name. Bible says whosoever that's anyone can call upon the name of the Lord to be saved.
Have you accepted Christ as your personal Savior? There is no greater day than today to take care of this. Would you accept Christ as your Savior? If you have any questions, please give us a call at 336-993-5192 or visit our website at Kerwin Baptist Church. Dot com.
or visits that person at one of our three service times. We hope you have a great rest of your day. God bless you. Mm-hmm.
