Psalms 104:33-34 (103:33-34)
Personal Challenge
Do we ever consider the possibility that our prayer time with God might be singing to Him? He created us so that we could be in a relationship with Him. He desires to hang out with us. Do we desire the same? We pray that our words will be pleasing to Him. Glory be to God!
Romans 8:1-2
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Personal Challenge
This verse is so often used to justify behaviors that are contradictory to the teachings and expectations of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many proclaim to be Christians and yet do not follow in His footsteps, or as this verse says, “walk… according to the Spirit”. We can proclaim to be followers of Christ and in conspiracy theories or belittle those who do not practice their Christian faith the way we do or be nationalists for our home is not of this world, or be hostile to the alien amongst us, the migrant or immigrant. Jesus did not do any of this and expects us to flee from it as well. He wants us to love God and to love our neighbor. He wants us to worship God and not some political, sports, or religious celebrity. He wants us to walk according to the Spirit. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Psalms 103:17-18 (102:17-18)
But the mercy of the Lord is from age to age upon those who fear Him,
And His righteousness upon children’s children,
To such as keep His covenant
And remember His commandments, to do them.
Encouraging Words
We are reminded in John 3:16-17 that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. It is in this love that we are blessed to receive His love and righteousness. He pours it out upon us and if we follow Him, He grows it within us. Glory be to God!
Romans 7:17-20
But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
Personal Challenge
Paul nails the challenge of life so well in this passage. We all have that desire to do the good and godly things in our lives. And yet, we continually find ourselves doing just those things that we do not want to do. Our desire is to be spiritual and yet we continually get drawn into the temporal, the worldly. It is indeed a conundrum, one that pushes us to recognize that we need Jesus to help us sort this out. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Psalms 103:10-13 (102:10-13)
Encouraging Words
Our God, our Lord and Savior, has compassion and mercy beyond anything that we can comprehend Even though we continue to choose to sin and commit transgressions against Him, He chooses to pour out His compassion and mercy all the more. Our response should be to flee from sin and run into His arms. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Encouraging Words
Salvation is not really about us at all. We are the recipients of a gift given by God through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is a gift that wipes out our sins; past, present, and future. We receive it gladly and yet continue to sin. It really is all about God and His love for us, His mercy poured out upon us and His compassion toward us even when we continue to sin against Him. He is the one that we must always put at the center of salvation. Glory be to God!
Psalms 103:8 (102:8)
The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
We live in a world that has become so full of anger and hatred. It is encouraging to know that our God, our creator, is compassionate and merciful. He loves all of His creation and desires that we love Him and each other. The way to counter the anger and hatred in this world is for us to imitate our God by loving Him and loving our neighbor, showing godly compassion and mercy. Glory be to God!
Romans 6:17-18
But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Personal Challenge
Slavery is a tough concept for us to embrace. We are blessed to live in an age where it is not acceptable to engage in slavery even though it still happens in many forms. It is the impact of slavery that Paul is writing about here and how, even today, we are either slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness. Through Christ we have been delivered from the slavery that sin held on us and are now slaves of righteousness, which is a good thing. Glory be to God!
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