For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

1 Corinthians 15

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 1 Corinthians 15:3-9

I continue my study looking at the life of Paul using John Piper's 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul.  Today, I move to chapter one - From Angry Killer to Apostle of Christ.  The emphasis in this chapter is the remarkable - and of course, divine - transformation of Paul.  The chapter starts by ensuring we know about Paul as a Jew.  He was born a Pharisee (the strictest sect of Judaism - see Acts 26:5), and studied Jewish law and traditions under Gamaliel (one of the most esteemed teachers among all Jews - see Acts 22:3, 5:34).  Paul was also known for his "radical commitment to the strictest traditions" (see Galatians 1:14, Philippians 3:5-6) - his pedigree was unmatched among his peers and considered advanced. Yet, as he sought to bring followers to Jesus to trial (and ultimately death) (see Acts 9:1-2), Paul encountered the living Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-5). Christ gave Paul a mission to preach the Good News to the Gentiles (see Acts 9:15-16). Paul was transformed in an instant and expressed the same zeal he had persecuting Jews to preach to the Gentiles (see Galatians 1:13, 23-24) - it was of course noticeable. Paul's life became a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) and his testimony was of course compelling. At the end of the chapter, John Piper refers us to 1 Timothy 1:16 where Paul describes his mission:

But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost [sinner], Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 

God wants ALL believers to show how others how His perfect patience lives in us as an example to others....so that they may believe.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are SO good and Your Word is perfect in all ways that I may be sanctified by it and made more like You.  Thank You Jesus for the blessing of Your Word.  I am not deserving of such grace.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

...Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ...

Romans 1:1-7

...Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ...  Romans 1:4-6

Today, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started with a review of Romans 1:1-7.  Without reference to my commentary, and with the assistance of highlighting, my eyes focus on how in v5 Paul writes that we (meaning of course his readers in Rome) have received grace and apostleship "to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations." The grace and apostleship were a means to an end - that we act out the obedience required for faith as this was God's design and of course the ultimate goal is God's glory...as this is why we exist. 

According to the commentary for us to grasp the fullness of the text, we are also to understand:

• the "gospel is God's good news (1:1)"; the Greek word used in the text refers to a common term used in "emperor worship; however, Paul wants to make clear that this is "God's good news for the world concerning his Son, Jesus."
• the gospel was "promised in the Old Testament (1:2)"; we are to understand that there is continuity between the OT and NT and the OT serves as the foundation for the NT; there are not two Gods who authored the Bible but one; Christ of course fulfilled scriptural prophecy in the OT; the Word is Holy and divine. 
• the gospel is "centered on Jesus (1:3-4)"; of course "the gospel is not preached if Christ is not preached." Jesus is described in the flesh, and as dead and resurrected; we also see the Holy Spirit; 
• the gospel is "designed to bring all peoples to the obedience of faith for the sake of Christ's name (1:5)"; "Paul's longing is that the nations may have an obedience that flows from faith.  That is what "the obedience of faith means--a faith that leads to obedience.  Faith is the root; obedience the fruit...[t]he ultimate goal of gospel ministry is then stated: for the sake of his name."
• the gospel is "transforming everyone who believes (1:6-7); "Paul tells the Romans where they fit in.  They are among the Jews and Gentiles who are part of this redemptive plan.  The gospel radically transforms whose who believe."  We are described as "loved by God" and "[t]this is a remarkable statement of transformation in view of the opening three chapters of Romans that describe our sinful nature."

For the original readers of these opening seven verses, and for any reader that has come after, these are indeed exciting verses as all believers are part of God's redemptive plan and that as children of God we are all on a sanctifying journey to be transformed into God's image until that one day when we meet Him face to face. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Jesus, You are a great God indeed and I am so very thankful that You have adopted me into Your family and that You are daily sanctifying me, making me more into Your likeness as this is for my satisfaction and Your glory - thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of any of this - my sin continues.  Worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

2 Corinthians 1-3

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

Day 336 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - this afternoon the focus is Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth; given how much ground is covered in my commentary* (chapters 1-9), I broke the reading into two days starting with chapters 1-3.  For the entire letter (13 chapters), my commentary* focuses on Paul's sense of "fulfillment in his ministry" and in the church in Corinth personally. 

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) . Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

In the early part of this letter, we see an unfolding focus on Paul's defense of his ministry. Towards the end of chapter 3 we see Paul focusing on the source of his boldness and he introduces the process of sanctification.  Many of us, myself included, often find ourselves impatient as God transforms our hearts and lives into more of His likeness.   Thus faith (trust in Christ) and sanctification go hand in hand as it may feel as if we are watching paint dry.  For myself, I believe that "hunger and thirst for righteousness" plays a key role here also because when we wait for God to transform us and He does so slowly, we should at least enjoy the process - that is spending time with God.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has transformed my heart and life and helped me grow in my hunger and thirst for righteousness.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a blessing.  I fail often to make You first in my life.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. v17

In Colossians 3-4, Paul focuses on practical advice on Christian living, including:

- Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. v5
-  But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Dos not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices[.] v8-9
- [C]lothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. v12-14

Questions may arise regarding how we can do these things - key is that we cannot...in our own strength.  It is only through Christ that our hearts and lives are transformed.   No doubt there is more work to be done but God has accomplished miracles in my life as I have drawn close to Him and allowed Him to be more.

He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has transformed my heart and life - thank You Jesus for the work You have done in me.  I am grateful.  Yet I know I am undeserving.  My sin is great and daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin .  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. v17-18

Two great promises here, one that we have freedom in Christ, and the other that we (with unveiled faces) are being transformed into His image.  This latter point is decently described in a short video lesson by John Piper and this sanctification is further defined here as "progressively becoming like Jesus."  We all want to become more like Jesus - there are areas where we are all weak and sinful that need to be stronger and purified.  

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has given me great freedom and strengthened me to battle sin - thank You Jesus!  I am grateful.  Yet I am undeserving of how You bless me.  I continue in my sin and I am weak.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Mark 5

Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. v19-20

Jesus wants us to tell others about Him - for those of us who are saved - we all have a story of redemption - and it is powerful.  God saved (and is still doing so) me from anger, impatience, arrogance, pride, etc. and I am deeply grateful.  He saved my mom at 81 years old and now she is in Heaven - after living her entire life Jewish.

He also wants others to SEE this transformation in our lives - it's not enough to TALK about it, particularly if our actions don't square with our words.  

See Jesus words on the "lamp on the stand" from Mark 4:21-22. 

We are to be a living sacrifice.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Romans 12:1

My Prayer: Heavenly Father - You amaze me and You have transformed my heart and life - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessing.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then the land had peace forty years.

Judges 5

Then the land had peace forty years. v31

In the book of Judges, the Israelites do as we all do...we do "evil in the eyes of the Lord". Thankfully, God has raised up for us a Savior in Jesus Christ who nailed all of our sin to the cross so that we would not be caught in the cycle of sin and shame and sin.  

We must be humble and allow Jesus to work in and through our lives - to be transformed to be more like Jesus.  

As I posted yesterday, we may not like what God is doing in our lives but He is always present with us, by our side, working in and for us, refining and training us.

Lord Jesus, please take my life and make me more like You.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You are my God. I am Your child.  I desire to be more like You.  I want to please You and glorify You.  Thank You that You loved me enough to not only adopt me as Your child but that You would go to the cross for me.  Thank You Jesus! I am not worth such love.  Please forgive me for my harsh words and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.

Joshua 24

Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel. v31

If you experience the Lord, you will serve Him - that is my takeaway from the above.  As a father, I worry about whether my own sons will have faith.  Yet my focus should not be on my worry but on my own faith and if I focus on my faith, God will transform my heart and life and my sons should experience the miracles of transformation in my life.

I must be a light - Lord, please help me be a light.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Light of the World and the Heavens - the Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings.  Without You, nothing would exist.  I know You sustain me, and You have blessed me beyond what I deserve - I must dedicate and devote my life to You.  Yet I often worry instead.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders returned to Canaan from their meeting with the Reubenites and Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites. They were glad to hear the report and praised God. And they talked no more about going to war against them to devastate the country where the Reubenites and the Gadites lived.

Joshua 22

Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders returned to Canaan from their meeting with the Reubenites and Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites. They were glad to hear the report and praised God. And they talked no more about going to war against them to devastate the country where the Reubenites and the Gadites lived. v32-33

The Jordan separated the 12 tribes and the Reubenites, Gadites and the half tribe of the
Manasseh built an altar to the Lord on the east of the Jordan - seemingly duplicating the one altar to the Lord that already existed west of the Jordan.  This of course raised suspicions within the tribes of the west.  Yet once the western tribes determined the motives or heart condition of the eastern tribes - suspicions were dampened.

There are many occasions in our life when we question ourselves or others about obedience to God's commands.  While our actions are important, our internal heart condition is more important because our heart condition is the source where everything flows.

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 

Spending time with God daily and with the Word transforms our hearts and lives to be more like Him (see also Romans 12:2).

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has given me faith and through that strength, peace, hope, encouragement, direction, etc.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessing.  I worry and I am harsh with my words and actions.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

There he built an altar to the Lord.

Genesis 13

There he built an altar to the Lord. v18

Those whom the Lord called often built altars - first Noah, now Abram, and others will follow.  This post here is a great read on why altars are built.  From this reference, I pick up several tidbits:

1. That we come to the altar (to God) as a starting point for transformation - "alteration" if you will
2. That broken stones are the basis for our altar - just as we come to God broken and sinful; we place our weights there for God to take them as well as our sacrifice and of course Jesus desires not animal sacrifice but our bodies as a "living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1)

I desire to be transformed into more of who Jesus is - please alter me Jesus.

He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God full of love, compassion and mercy.  You have spared me what I deserve - You did so by willingly and undeservingly submitting Yourself on the cross.  Thank You Jesus - I am not worth such a price.  Please forgive me for my lack of action and trust.  Help me turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

Psalm 91

Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. v14

I worry far too much - and I know this is sinful and it reflects my lack of trust and faith in God.  God tell us not to worry - see Matthew 6:25-34.

The antidote for worry is to draw near to God to have a fuller understanding of His greatness.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

My Prayer: Lord, You ARE a great God, all the time, and in all ways.  You are perfect.  I should love and trust You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Yet often I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me be mindful of Your greatness and all the ways that You have and continue to bless me.  Thank You Jesus for knowing everything about yet still loving me.  Thank You for choosing me, adopting me, and suffering and dying for me.  I am not worth such a gift and for such grace.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalm 25

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. v4-5

As I posted yesterday, I desire to live a life with "clean hands and a pure heart".  This is ONLY from God, for there is no other way - see here and in particular this verse:

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. Philippians 3:8-9

 

For me, it starts with following the most important command from Matthew 22:37-38:

 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment". 

 

I should then develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness:

 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

 

I do want to have my hope in Christ all day long.

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the ONLY way, the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but through You.  You have blessed me in ways too numerous too count or mention...all throughout my life and every day.  Thank You Jesus but I am not worth such blessings.  I lack in patience and I am quick to anger...still!  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me develop a hunger and thirst for Your righteousness and to have my hope in You all day long.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior.

Psalm 24

The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. v4-5

In the verse 3 David asks: "Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?"

We all want to be near to God for He is our refuge, strength, who comforts us in our afflictions and suffering, guides us, etc. Yet we sin, and when we do we experience separation from God.  We seek His forgiveness and when we do, He is full of grace and provides it...what an awesome God.  Further, when we turn from our sin and turn towards God (repentance) and we strive for renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2), God will transform our heart and life to be more like Him...with "clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false God".  The blessing of course follows....it is a promise as true as Jesus is great.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, author of heaven and earth and all of its inhabitants...You created me, and You know everything about me, including my sin...yet You came and died for me anyway...thank You Jesus!  I stand in awe!  I am not worth such love and blessing...I continue to be selfish in my life...often.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.

Psalm 6

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.  Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. v1-2

In this Psalm, David cries out for mercy from God because he knows he has sinned.  This cry for help is something that all of us must do on a daily basis, if not more often.  We should know that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23) and God is the only one who can spare us from our sin.  However, we should not be crying to out God just for his mercy but also to help us repent from our sin, which is to turn away - this turning away requires heart transformation and life change that ONLY God can do.  This is the blessing that Jesus promises in the Sermon on the Mount - God promises blessings for us when we come to Him in humility - we must desperately admit that we are nothing apart from Him (see also John 15).

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

Of course there is more to this story, but repentance and humility are great places to start.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God full of mercy and compassion for me even though I am not deserving...in fact I know I am deserving of death yet You spare me.  You also help me turn from my sin and help me produce fruit!  What an awesome God You are.  Thank You Jesus for knowing everything about me and choosing to die for me...the greatest gift of all time.  Please forgive me for my harshness with others.  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Other Study:
The Disciples Relationships - David Platt 
Colossians 3-4