The Benefits of Serving God

Psalm 103

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

Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who beautifies and dignifies,
Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.

He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.

He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;

As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.

But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.
Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Who excel in strength, who do His word,
Heeding the voice of His word.
Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.

Bless the Lord, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Genesis 33:11   God has dealt graciously with me and I have everything.

The Lord gives wisdom and understanding for creating art and beautiful things.  He skills the craftsman’s hands.

Exodus 36:1   And Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whom the Lord has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the  service of the sanctuary, shall do according to all that the Lord has commanded.

2 Samuel 22:21   The Lord rewarded me according to my uprightness with Him; He compensated and benefited me according to the cleanness of my hands.

The Lord gives wisdom to govern and to lead people.

1 Kings 4:29   God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore.

The Lord is the helper of the widow and the orphan.  The Lord provides for and is gracious to the poor.

Psalm 68:5-6   A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families;  He brings out those who are bound into prosperity;

Psalm 68:9-10   You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, whereby You confirmed Your inheritance, when it was weary.  Your congregation dwelt in it;  You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor.

Psalm 68:19   Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!

The Lord is good and full of mercy.  The Lord is mighty.  The Lord shows favor to His people.

Psalm 106:1-4   Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!   For His mercy endures forever.   Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord?   Who can declare all His praise?   Blessed are those who keep justice, and he who does righteousness at all times!   Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people.

Psalm 106:5     Oh, visit me with Your salvation, that I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory with Your inheritance.

Psalm 106:7-8     Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders;  They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, But rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea.  Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake, that He might make His mighty power known.

Psalm 106:10     He saved them from the hand of him who hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

Psalm 106:43-46     Many times He delivered them;  But they rebelled in their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.   Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, when He heard their cry; and for their sake He remembered His covenant, and relented according to the multitude of His mercies.  He also made them to be pitied by all those who carried them away captive.

Psalm 116:1-2   I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications.  Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.

Psalm 116:5-8     Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful.   The Lord preserves the simple;  I was brought low, and He saved me.   Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.  For You have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

We could never begin to repay God for all of His grace, mercy, love, salvation, favor, and goodness to us.  

Psalm 116:12     What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me? [How can I repay Him for all His bountiful dealings?   His acts of grace?]

The scriptures are full of the promises of God.  When we serve God we reap the benefits of every promise.

Psalm 119:41     Let Your mercy and loving-kindness come also to me, O Lord, even Your salvation according to Your promise;

Psalm 119:49-50     Remember [fervently] the word and promise to Your servant, in which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort and consolation in my affliction: that Your word has revived me and given me life.

Psalm 119:56     This I have had [as the gift of Your grace and as my reward]: that I have kept Your precepts [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them].

Psalm 119:64-65     The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy and loving-kindness; teach me Your statutes. You have dealt well with Your servant, O Lord,  according to Your promise.

Psalm 119:68     You are good and kind and do good; teach me Your statutes.

The Bible tells us that even affliction, suffering, and hard times are often a benefit from God because in the long run, if we keep our eyes on Him, we reap the blessings of peace, discipline, patience, and all the fruit of the Spirit.

Psalm 119:71-77     It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes.  The law from Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.   Your hands have made me, cunningly fashioned and established me; give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.   Those who reverently and worshipfully fear You will see me and be glad, because I have hoped in Your word and tarried for it.   I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right and righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.   Let, I pray You, Your  merciful kindness and steadfast love be for my comfort, according to Your promise to Your servant.  Let Your tender mercy and loving-kindness come to me that I may live, for Your law is my delight!

Isaiah 38:17     Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish.   In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.

Lamentations 3:28     Let him sit alone uncomplaining and keeping silent [in hope], because [God] has laid [the yoke] upon him [for his benefit].

Hebrews 12:9-11     Furthermore, we had natural fathers discipline us, and we respected them.   Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live?   For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but He does it for our benefit, so that we can share His holiness.   No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Life is a benefit of serving God.

Psalm 119:93   I will never forget Your precepts, [how can I?] for it is by them You have quickened me (granted me life).

Wisdom, understanding, insight, self-control, guidance, and light are all benefits of serving God.

Psalm 119:98-105     You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies, for [Your words] are ever before me.   I have better understanding and deeper insight than all my teachers, because Your testimonies are my meditation.   I understand more than the aged, because I keep Your precepts [hearing, receiving,  loving, and obeying them].   I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep Your word [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it].   I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, for You Yourself have taught me.   How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!   Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.   Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Isaiah 48:17   This is what the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: I am Yahweh your God, who teaches you for your benefit, who leads you in the way you should go.

Success and the ability to enjoy prosperity is a gift or benefit God gives.

Ecclesiastes 3:13   That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

Ecclesiastes 5:19    Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.

God restrains Himself for our benefit.

Isaiah 48:9     I will delay My anger for the honor of My name, and I will restrain Myself for your benefit and for My praise, so that you will not be destroyed.

We benefit from God’s benevolence when He graciously gives us good gifts.  Gifts of the Holy Spirit, gifts in the form of talents and abilities useful for the growing of the church, as well as favor and rewards.

Matthew 7:11    If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

Luke 6:35     But love your enemies and be kind and do good [doing favors so that someone derives benefit from them] and lend, expecting and hoping for nothing in return but considering nothing as lost and despairing of no one; and then your recompense (your reward) will be great (rich, strong, intense, and abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind and charitable and good to the ungrateful and the selfish and wicked.

Luke 6:38     Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag].   For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you.

Luke 11:13     If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him!

John 1:16     For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift.

John 3:34     For since He Whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaims God’s own message], God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the gift God makes of His Spirit!

Jesus gives us the gift of peace.

John 14:27   Peace I leave with you.   My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.

The Gift of the Holy Spirit as comforter and guide

John 16:7     Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth.   It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you.   If I go, I will send Him to you.

Acts 1:4     On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command:   Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

Acts 2:38     And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 10:45     And the believers from among the circumcised [the Jews] who came with Peter were surprised and amazed, because the free gift of the Holy Spirit had been bestowed and poured out largely even on the Gentiles.

Acts 3:25     You are the descendants (sons) of the prophets and the heirs of the covenant which God made and gave to your forefathers, saying to Abraham, And in your Seed (Heir) shall all the families of the earth be blessed and benefited.

Romans 5:15     But God’s free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass [His grace is out of all proportion to the fall of man].   For if many died through one man’s falling away (his lapse, his offense), much more profusely did God’s grace and the free gift [that comes] through the undeserved favor of  the one Man Jesus Christ abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many.

Romans 6:22   But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

Romans 6:23   For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 9:16     So then [God’s gift] is not a question of human will and human effort, but of God’s mercy. [It depends not on one’s own willingness nor on his strenuous exertion as in running a race, but on God’s having mercy on him.]

Romans 11:15     For if their rejection and exclusion from the benefits of salvation were [overruled] for the reconciliation of a world to God, what will their acceptance and admission mean? [It will be nothing short of] life from the dead!

Romans 11:28     From the point of view of the Gospel (good news), they [the Jews, at present] are enemies [of God], which is for your advantage and benefit.   But from the point of view of God’s choice (of election, of divine selection), they are still the beloved (dear to Him) for the sake of their forefathers.

Romans 11:29   For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.  [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]

1 Corinthians 2:9     But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed].

1 Corinthians 2:12   Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God.

1 Corinthians 2:14    But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated.

1 Corinthians 9:23   Now I do all this because of the gospel, so I may become a partner in its benefits.

1 Corinthians 12:4     Now there are distinctive varieties and distributions of endowments (gifts, extraordinary powers distinguishing certain Christians, due to the power of divine grace operating in their souls by the Holy Spirit) and they vary, but the [Holy] Spirit remains the same.

1 Corinthians 12:6   And there are different activities, but the same God activates each gift in each person.

1 Corinthians 12:11     All these [gifts, achievements, abilities] are inspired and brought to pass by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, Who apportions to each person individually [exactly] as He chooses.

2 Corinthians 4:1     Therefore, since we do hold and engage in this ministry by the mercy of God [granting us favor, benefits, opportunities, and especially salvation], we do not get discouraged (spiritless and despondent with fear) or become faint with weariness and exhaustion.

2 Corinthians 4:15   Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving to increase to God’s glory.

2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

Galatians 2:21   [Therefore, I do not treat God’s gracious gift as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose]; I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor) of God.   For if justification (righteousness, acquittal from guilt) comes through [observing the ritual of] the Law, then Christ (the Messiah) died groundlessly and to no purpose and in vain. [His death was then wholly superfluous.]

Galatians 3:18     For if the inheritance [of the promise depends on observing] the Law [as these false teachers would like you to believe], it no longer [depends] on the promise; however, God gave it to Abraham [as a free gift solely] by virtue of His promise.

Ephesians 2:8   For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;

Ephesians 3:7   I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of His power.

Ephesians 4:7   Yet grace (God’s unmerited favor) was given to each of us individually [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ’s [rich and bounteous] gift.

Hebrews 6:7   For the soil which has drunk the rain that repeatedly falls upon it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose benefit it is cultivated partakes of a blessing from God.

James 1:17   Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Revelation 21:6   And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give water as a gift to the thirsty from the spring of life.”