Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 116:1-7
Ps 116:1-7
I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, save me!" The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.
Titus 3:4-8
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.
Jesus said we are to treat other people the way we want to be treated. We are to be kind to others because God is kind to us. We are to show compassion because God shows compassion to us. We are to have mercy because he shows mercy to us, and we love because he first loved us. God is love, so love comes from him.
God never expects anything from us that he has not given to us. Paul says we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling because it is God who works in us to both will, and to do his good will. We are to work out what he works into us. This is because we allow him to live in us by means of his Spirit, and he is ever working on us and in us to make us just like Jesus. This is our goal in life.
What a blessing and what a joy to serve the God of love who fills us with his joy and his peace! It is when we fight against his will for us, when we disregard his directions for us, when we seek our own way, that we fail to have his peace in our hearts. This peace and joy are not based on our circumstances but is based on our faith in God as God and in Jesus Christ as our Savior. God is so good!
O Lord God, it is with joy that I come to you and ask you to empower me to do your will in all things and help me become more like Jesus today. I know that you only expect from me what you have given me the ability to do. Help me to be like Joshua and be strong and very courageous as I seek to do your will. Fill me with your love and your compassion so I will use my life to encourage someone who is struggling or hurting today. Be with the leaders of our nation so that we can live quiet and tranquil lives in all godliness. I humbly pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
