-Eighty Four- Mercy And Sin

Mercy and Sin

Today’s Reading and Focal Verses: 

Psalm 118:18

The LORD has chastened me severely,

But He has not given me over to death.

Psalm 99:8

You answered them, O LORD our God;

You were to them God-Who-Forgives,

Though You took vengeance on their deeds.

God in His grace forgives sin.  That is an awesome truth, but sin and its consequences still bring pain.  God can take the edge off of that pain and, at times, spares us from some of it.  We are familiar with that type of mercy.
God has another type of mercy, and sadly, we may not be as familiar with it.  That is His grace to keep us from falling into sin.
With Christ in us, we not longer have to fight temptation on our own.  In fact, in our own strength, we are pretty ineffective.  God is waiting for us to call to Him when we are weak. Psalm 94:18 says:  “If I say, ‘My foot slips’, Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.”
 Mercy to keep you from sinning, and mercy if you have already sinned. “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever.” (Psalm 118:1)

If you have been trying to fight temptation on your own, you are missing a treasure God gave you when you were saved.  Cry out to Him.  His strength will make you able to withstand the temptation.

-Eighty Three- Back To Jerusalem

Back to Jerusalem

Today’s Reading: Ezra 1:1-11

Focal Verse: Psalm 126:5-6

Those who sow in tears

Shall reap in joy.

He who continually goes forth weeping,

Bearing seed for sowing,

Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,

Bringing his sheaves with him.

Some of us are living our lives as if we were in prison.  We have sinned against God and our sins and their consequences have held us captive.  Some of you may be comfortable there, but for those who hearts God is stirring, freedom is ahead.  God wants to set you free!
When the time came for God’s people to return to Israel, God paved their way.  He changed the heart of a king to release them to go back and take back to the temple what had been stolen.  He changed the hearts of others to give freewill offerings to provide them with what they needed.
God wants you to be set free and come with Him.  You can depend on His grace to provide you with all you need for the journey.

If you are ready to get out of that prison, come back to God today.

Trust Him to pave your way.

If you know someone in “prison”, ask God how you can be used to restore that person to Him.

-Eighty Two- Martyrdom

Martyrdom

Today’s Reading: Daniel 6:1-28; Acts 7:54-60

Focal Verses:  

Daniel 6:22

“My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouth, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O King, I have done no wrong before you.”

Acts 7:60

Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.”  And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

A believer living a godly life will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).  Some believers just face ridicule or rejection.  There are other believers who face death.  God gives grace to all of them.
If you have never done so, I encourage you to read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.  It is an encouragement to read of the commitment of believers through the ages and how God gave them grace – grace to be rescued from death (like Daniel) or grace to endure torture and death (like Stephen).  I was amazed at how many who died, like Stephen, seemed to be lifted up out of their circumstances, and they looked forward to meeting Jesus.
Daniel and Stephen both had a confidence in and commitment to God.  They believed that the God who called them would give them the grace to obey, and in both cases, whether through miraculous rescue or a martyr’s death, people came to know God.

Are you willing to commit to be used by God, whether in life or in death?

Pray for the many believers in this world who face that choice every day.

-Eighty One- God Leaves A Stump And Roots

God Leaves a Stump and Roots

Today’s Reading: Daniel 4:1-37

Focal Verse: Daniel 4:15a

“Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth.”

Some of us are harder-headed than others.  Some need a gentle nudge, others a full-force shove.  Nebuchadnezzar had to be pushed.
God showed Himself in mighty ways to Nebuchadnezzar.  Nebuchadnezzar still refused to turn from his sins and show mercy to the poor (v.26).
God had every right to destroy Nebuchadnezzar, but instead He gave him a “shove”.  God knew Nebuchadnezzar needed to be humbled, but even in the humbling, God had grace.  He left the “stump”.  He left the “roots”.  He left what it would take to restore him.

Think back to times when God had to give you a “nudge” or a “shove”.  Thank Him for not giving up on you.

Perhaps you need that shove right now or you have already been shoved.  Humble yourself before God now, knowing He will restore you.

-Eighty- Dry Bones

Dry Bones

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Focal Verse: Ezekiel 37:6

“I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live.  Then you shall know that I am the LORD.”

Maybe you expected life to be different than this.  You didn’t expect this empty, dry feeling.  You are still going through the motions, but they have little meaning for you.  You feel like you could say with Israel, “Our bones are dry, our hope is lost and we ourselves are cut off!” (v. 11).
Life was not meant to be a burden on your back.  The religious leaders in Jesus’ day had enforced more and more rituals and rules on the people until they felt weighed down under the very things that were meant to enrich their lives.  If you are trying to live up to the traditions of men and this world, it is going to leave you feeling the same way.
What is the answer?  “Come to Me”, Jesus says, “all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Look to Jesus.  Look to your Savior.  It is in your relationship with Him that you find the Living Water (John 4:10-14).  It is in Him you find purpose and it is He that will graciously bring the skeleton of your life back into a living being again.

If you have found yourself depending on the traditions of men and this world instead of your relationship with Christ, stop now and confess it to Him.  He will bring joy and purpose back into your life.

-Seventy Nine- Future Restoration Of Israel

Future Restoration of Israel

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 30:11 and Jeremiah 31:20,28,33-34

Focal Verse: Jeremiah 31:20b

“Therefore My heart yearns for him;

I will surely have mercy on him,”

Says the Lord.

In a divorce, sometimes the parties separate by agreement.  Many times, however, one party “wants out” while the other is desperately trying to hold the marriage together.
God knows the pain of  loving one who “wants out”.  Israel had been unfaithful so many times (Psalm 106:43-45).  God called her back time and time again, but there came a time He let her go her own way.
It wasn’t a wise decision for Israel.  They left their Protector and became prey to the surrounding nations.  Yet, God still loves Israel and promises a time of future restoration.  Despite their rejections, God still says of them.

“You shall be My people,

and I will be your God.”  Jeremiah 30:22

Grace – the unmerited favor of God.  Unmerited by Israel, unmerited by you and me.

-Seventy Eight- Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers

Today’s Reading and Focal Verse: Isaiah 40:22a

It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,

And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.

Did you know that grasshoppers can be found almost everywhere on the earth except the North and South Poles?  They are so prolific that if I walk in my yard on a summer day, with almost every step, some type of grasshopper jumps up.
At first glance, this verse might make you feel unimportant, but look at it again.  Yes, I do see the comparison of the awesome, mighty Creator and the multitudes of common inhabitants, but that is part of the wonder of our relationship with God.  With so many seemingly insignificant creatures, why does He care about and want a relationship with me?
Psalm 71:6 says:
By You I have been upheld from birth;
You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb.
My praise shall be continually of you.

The awesome, mighty Creator who sits above the circle of the earth cares about each “grasshopper”.  Other “gods” require you to prove yourself.  The one true God takes us as we are.

Spend time praising God that you are not insignificant in His eyes.