Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 86:1-7
Ps 86:1-7
1 Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. 3 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long. 4 Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 5 You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. 6 Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. 7 In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.
1 Thess 5:23-24
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
When we are in Jesus Christ, we as the children of God have no reason to ever allow the things of this world to discourage us or make us doubt our eternal destiny. Paul asks the question of who can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord and his immediate response is that there is nothing in this entire world that can take us away from the love of God. We live in faith; in the complete assurance that Jesus is our Savior. It is in this knowledge that we can rejoice always, even in the midst of troubles, trials and heartaches.
But the grace of God is not a “free card” to allow us to ignore him, to live for ourselves and live a life of sin. Jude, in his small book, warns of those who would turn the grace of our God into a license to sin. He says they are godless men who in effect deny the Lord Jesus who saved us.
We are to live morally pure lives before God. As his children our goal is to become like him in purity, in love and in mercy. Even as Jesus lived without sin, so we are to seek to live in a way that shows Jesus to those around us. He demonstrated his love in humility when he gave up the glories of heaven (which he deserved to enjoy because he is God) to come to earth and to live as one of us and then to give his life as a sacrifice by his death on the cross. He died for our sin that we might die to sin and live with him in eternity in a place that has no sin.
Heavenly Father, it is beyond my ability to express just how great and majestic you are in every way. My mind is not capable of grasping your glory. Yet, you love me so much you gave your Son to die for my sin. In my own feeble way, I offer my life to you and ask you to guide me and give me strength to live for you. I thank you for your forgiveness. Fill me with your Spirit so I can become more like you and know how to love others as you love me. Please be with our nation and help each of us to put you and your will first in all we do and say. In Jesus name.
Robert
