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Psalms 50:3-6 (51:1-4)

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy;
And according to the abundance of Your compassion, blot out my transgression.
Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my lawlessness,
And my sin is always before me.
Against You only have I sinned
And done evil in Your sight;
That You may be justified in Your words,
And overcome when You are judged.

Personal Challenge

As we, the Orthodox Christians, continue through our journey through Lent, we are continually reminded of how sinful we are and how much we need Ged’s mercy. Only through the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ can we be freed from the bondage of death and sin. But our redemption does not stop with His death and resurrection. It starts there and we must willingly and continually run to Him confessing our sins and seeking His forgiveness. If we do not recognize and acknowledge our sins then we are destined to repeat them and live in the swine pits as the prodigal son did. Lent is a time for us to examine our lives, identify our sins, and to confess them to our Lord and to one another seeking mercy, forgiveness, and cleansing. If I have offended anyone, either intentionally or unintentionally, please forgive me! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Psalms 45:12 (46:11)

The Lord of hosts is with us,
The God of Jacob is our protector.

Encouraging Words

The more we get to know our Lord, the more we realize that He is always with us. We realize that in those times that we feel like He has abandoned us, that is really us that have abandoned Him. We also learn that because He is always with us, He is also there to protect us out to guide us on this journey through life. Glory Be to God!

Psalms 45:11 (46:10)

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations;
I will be exalted in the earth.

Personal Challenge

Sometimes this is the hardest thing to do…being still. We get so caught up in this busy life and all of the trappings of the world around us that we forget to slow down, eliminate all of the noise, and be still in the presence of God. If we want to know Him, we will find Him in those still, quiet times. He does not care about fanfare and regalities. He cares about us and desires to walk with us in His garden as He did with Adam and Eve. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Psalms 41:12 (42:11)

Why are you so sad, O my soul? And why do you trouble me?
Hope in God, for I will give thanks to Him.
My God is the salvation of my countenance.

Encouraging Words

These are two, powerful questions that the Psalmist is asking. They are still very pertinent to those of us who proclaim to be Christians. We have been given life, eternal life. Our sins, all of them are promised to be forgiven. And yet, so many of us go through life with forlorn looks on our faces and sad or troubled demeanor’s as our daily outlooks on life. We have been set free from death. We have been redeemed by the creator of all. We have been adopted into the family of God. There really is no excuse for being forlorn, sad and troubled. Yes, we will continue to have hard times, but we are not on our own. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Psalms 39:5-6 (40:4-5)

Blessed is the man whose hope is the name of the Lord,
And who did not look into vanities and false frenzies.
Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You performed,
And in Your thoughts there is no one who shall be likened to You;
I declared and said, “They are multiplied beyond number.”

Encouraging Words

Who is the Lord our God, that we may know Him? Our God is greater than anything in existence because He created all that is. More expansive is He than the span of the universe, for He holds it between His fingertips. The more we get to know Him, the more we realize that we do not know Him. This is why we recognize that the wonders that He has performed are multiplied beyond number. This is why we put our hope in Him and are blessed for doing so. Glory be to God!

Psalms 39:1-4 (40:1-3)

Psalms 38:8 (39:7)

And now what is my patience?
Is it not the Lord?
And my support is from You.

Encouraging Words

All of my life I have perceived patience as something that I can work on in my own life. It has actually been a skill pursued or a way of being that certainly, I could master. But today as I read this passage, I have for the first time, seen patience in a totally different light. To truly find patience in our lives we need to stop looking within ourselves and look to our Lord. If we turn over everything in our lives to Him and look to His patience to be played out in our lives we will see patience manifested. Throughout this process. We will see God’s support in our lives. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Psalms 36:22-24 (37:23-24)
For those who bless Him shall inherit the earth,
But those who curse Him shall be utterly destroyed.
The steps of a man are guided aright by the Lord,
And he shall desire His way.
When he falls, he shall not be broken to pieces,
For the Lord supports him with His hand.

Encouraging Words

God loves us so much that He gave up His only Son for us. He loves us so much that through the work of His Son we are adopted into His family as sons and daughters of God. That is how we can inherit the earth. In that God-emitting love, our steps are guided and our desire becomes the desire to follow His way. In God’s love we will not be broken when we stumble and fall for He supports us in the palm of His hand. Glory be to God!

Psalms 36:16-19 (37:16-19)

Better the little with the just man
Than the great riches of sinners;
For the arms of sinners shall be shattered,
But the Lord supports the righteous.
The Lord knows the ways of the blameless,
And their inheritance shall be forever.
They shall not be ashamed in an evil time,
And in days of famine they shall be filled.

Personal Challenge

It really does make a difference in who we choose to spend our time with. We can choose to spend our time with those who are not godly people, but who have great riches and make for good parties. But in so doing so our rewards and blessings will be fleeting and fade away quickly. If however, we choose to fellowship and socialize with those who do not have great earthly wealth but are godly and righteous people, then we will see the blessings that they have in eternal blessings and wealth. We are affected by those whom we choose to speed time. We can be either cursed or blessed by their presence. The question is, “Are we blessings to those who choose to be with us?” Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!