A Reason to Praise
The key text for this message was Psalm 103:1–2, where David says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name… and forget not all His benefits.” David is speaking to his own soul, reminding himself not to forget what God has done. This teaches us an important truth: praise grows out of remembering God’s goodness. When we forget His blessings, praise fades. But when we remember who God is and what He has done, praise rises naturally.
The sermon emphasized three main reasons why we have a reason to praise God.
for who He is.
Before we praise God for what He does, we praise Him for His character. The Bible describes God as our Creator, Redeemer, Shepherd, King, and Father. Psalm 145:3 reminds us that “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.” Even creation itself points us to praise. Psalm 19:1 says that “the heavens declare the glory of God.” Every sunrise, every mountain, and every breath we take reminds us that God is great and worthy of praise.
for what He has done for us.
Psalm 103 lists several blessings that God gives His people. First, He forgives our sins. Through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross, our sins can be completely forgiven. Isaiah 53:5 reminds us that Christ was wounded for our transgressions. Second, God heals our brokenness. Psalm 147:3 tells us that He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. God understands our pain and restores our hearts. Third, God sustains our lives every day. Acts 17:28 says, “In Him we live and move and have our being.” Every breath we take and every day we live is a gift from God. These daily blessings give us countless reasons to praise Him.
for what He promises to do.
Praise is not only about the past but also about the future. God promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He promises that the good work He has started in our lives will be completed (Philippians 1:6). And most importantly, Jesus promised that He will come again (John 14:3). For Seventh-day Adventists, the Second Coming is our greatest hope. Knowing that Christ will return to take His people home gives us a powerful reason to praise God today.
We also reflected on the example of Paul and Silas in Acts 16, who praised God even while sitting in prison. Their circumstances were painful, but they praised God because they trusted His goodness. Their story reminds us that praise is not based on circumstances; it is based on faith in God.
Finally, we learned three practical applications:
praise should be personal
praise should be continuous
praise strengthens our faith
When we intentionally remember God’s blessings, gratitude fills our hearts and praise naturally follows.
We all have a reason to praise God. He created us, He redeemed us, He sustains us, and He promises to return for us. Because of all that God has done and all that He will do, our lives should continually reflect gratitude and praise to Him.
Sermon Notes from March 7, 2026 by Pastor Dorage Stephens
