Tag: Salvation

My flesh trembles

“You reject all those who stray from Your statutes, For their deceit is falsehood.”

Psalms 119:120  My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments.

1 Samuel 6:20     Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God?

Hebrews 12:28-29    Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,  for our God is a consuming fire.

Philippians 2:12    Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

Isaiah 66:2    All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

2 Chronicles 34:27     because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants,

2 Chronicles 34:21    “Go, inquire of the LORD for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do according to all that is written in this book.”

The Psalmist considered the righteous judgments of God, he looked to his own life and understood that it was more in the hands of God than the works of man. He used God’s word as a measuring line for viewing thoughts and actions of his own life.  He realized condemning judgements come upon those who reject and stray from His word and the principles revealed in them.  He understood that without a heart, mind, and soul deep desire to seek and know God, longing to please Him, yielding to His leading and directing, humbly serving, and obeying Him – man is prone to desires that are not God honoring.  He knew God’s judgements against man for their neglect and complacent view of His word and application in their life.  He knew that just below the surface of every heart is a desire to serve self first rather than God.

How are we to know God apart from His word?  How much more patience will God have on us for being complacent and neglectful?  How are we to know what pleases God, apart from His word?  How are we to know what displeases God, apart from His word?  Neglecting the His word, that is ever available before us, gives no excuse for not knowing.

The world has a way of distorting our perception of what it means to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey God.  Through His word we find what is pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God.  We have a choice each day to seek and serve and obey His leading.  I just don’t see how we do this without the continual feeding of our heart, mind and soul with His word. We ought to tremble at the thought of how complacent our lives have become, how much time we neglect thought of Him, how many times we are even listening for that quiet small whisper of leading from Him.

“It is only as we tremble before the exalted and holy God that we will ever see the world and its distorted values to be the empty things they are. If we do not tremble before God, the world’s system will seem wonderful to us and consume us pleasantly.” (Boice)

Do not be double-minded and unstable

Psalms 119:81   My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word.  My eyes long for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?”  For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes.  How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me?  The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law.  All your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me! They have almost made an end of me on earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts.  In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.

Psalms 119:20     My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times.

Psalms 119:40     Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!

Psalms 42:1-2    As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

Psalms 84:2    My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

Psalms 119:42     then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word.

Psalms 119:74    Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word.

Psalms 119:77     Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.

Revelation 3:15-16     “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Revelation 3:1    “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

Matthew 24:12   And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

Psalms 81:11-13     “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.  So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.  Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

Joshua 24:15-24    And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve,

Matthew 6:24     “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

James 1:8     he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

There are many things that can lead us down a path of being “lukewarm or double-minded”.  Probably the most influential would be being complacent with and neglecting God’s word.

His word is a lamp unto my feet, food to my soul, strength to my heart, encouragement to my mind.  In and through His word is the “Good News” of the gospel of Jesus Christ, our savior.

Determine in and through His word what it means to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey Him.  Learn of His holiness, grace, mercy, and love.  Learn of His promises.  Learn to hear His quiet whispers of leading.  Learn to trust in, rely on, and cling to Him.

I acknowledged my sin to you

Psalms 119:25   My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!  When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes!  Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.  My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!  Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law!  I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me.  I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame!  I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!

Psalms 71:17     O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

Psalms 78:4     We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

Psalms 32:5     I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Psalms 38:18    I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.

Psalms 51:1-19    Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.  Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.  Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.  Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.  O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.  For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.  Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem;  then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

“Can each one of us now say, in this sense, ‘I have declared my ways’ to the Lord? For this should be done, not only at our first coming to him, but continually throughout the whole of our life. We should look over each day, and sum up the errors of the day, and say, ‘I have declared my ways,’ — my naughty ways, my wicked ways, my wandering ways, my backsliding ways, my cold, indifferent ways, my proud ways.’” (Spurgeon)

Sin seems to find new and creative ways into our heart and mind. None of us are immune to it.  None can stand before God and declare I have no sin. Turning a blind eye to God’s word, leading, whispers of teaching, warning, insightful revealing of His word should give no sense of calm to our soul.  Neglect and complacent approach to His word allows a thick cloud to form over wisdom, understanding and knowledge of God, His holiness, and our purpose – “To humbly serve, honor, follow and obey.”

God’s word speaks to the heart and soul of those who will listen.  It has the power to open our eyes to holiness and sin, forgiveness and renewal,  weakness and power, sadness and joy, helplessness and courage,  anxiousness and peace, wisdom and understanding, humbleness and pride, all for the purpose of knowing, serving, honoring, following and obeying God.

A father’s instruction

“For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths.”

Psalms 119:9  How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.  With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!  I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.  Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!  With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.  In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.  I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.  I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

Proverbs 1:10   My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

Proverbs 4:1     Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,

Proverbs 4:10-17    Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.  I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.  When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble.  Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.  Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.  Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.

Proverbs 5:7     And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.

Proverbs 6:20-35   My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.  Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck.  When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.  For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10     Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Ecclesiastes 12:1   Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;

Joshua 1:7     Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.

John 15:3     Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

2 Timothy 3:15-17     and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

There is much we do when we are young men and women that as we grow older make us somewhat ashamed at now.  The thoughts we had, actions we took, and things we did were influenced by our own sinful desires or that of others.  Sometimes we got away with it and other times not so fortunate, at least that is what we were thinking.

I have seen young men and women who have never leave this type of life.  They never learn from it, but rather, grab hold and then continually try to justify what they are doing well into their mid to later adult life.  I wonder how many times they rejected wisdom, teaching, knowledge and instruction on a different path for their life.  Yet they choose to continue.

“For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD.“

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak“

I have seen others who can never forgive themselves for what they have done.

 They know the thoughts that led them into the action they took and only a few years later, when knowledge and wisdom and instruction started to break through their heart, they see very clearly how selfish, mean, prideful, conceded, rude, and destructive they were.

This is where the gospel of Jesus Christ is so meaningful.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him“

“Your sins are forgiven.”

“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

“Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.’ And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.”

“By faith you are saved, not by works, lest any man should boast“

God removes our sins from us “as far as the east is from the west”

There is a forgiveness from God, through Jesus Christ, that cleanses our heart, mind, and soul.  Satan will tell you this is not so.  He will tell you you are not good enough. He will lie to you and say your sin is far to great and God will not forgive you.  He will bring up past sins and tell you over and over again you are worthless and not forgiven.  Yet God says:

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.“

Do not continue to walk in the ways of your youth.  Run to God, who is the author and finisher of life and able to completely forgive us.  Repent and ask for forgiveness of sin and know that HE HAS FORGIVEN YOU!  Believe it, cling to it, rely on it, and trust in it always.

Choose to follow this new path of light.  Continue to feed your heart, mind and soul with His word.  Learn to respect and reverence His perfect purpose and plan for your life.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Perfect in weakness

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Psalms 118:24  This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Zechariah 3:9  For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.

Psalms 84:10    For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Nehemiah 8:10     Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Psalms 28:7-8    The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.  The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

Proverbs 17:22    A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Isaiah 12:1-3     You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.  “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

2 Corinthians 8:2    for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

Finding joy, peace and rest can be like chasing the wind if we look for it apart from Jesus Christ.  Yet it is hard yielding to laying it at His feet and solely trusting it to Him.  It shouldn’t be but many times it is.  We try to handle it in our own strength, ways, and quick fix solutions.

Yielding to His awesome love, power, might, wisdom, purpose, and plan all starts with trusting fully, without doubt, and faithfully waiting.  Joy, peace, and rest cannot be found in self-reliance or looking to others.  It is only found in a heart, mind, and soul yielded to and trusting in Jesus Christ.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress

Psalms 112:6  For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.  He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.

 Psalms 62:2    He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

 Psalms 62:6    He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

 Psalms 125:1   Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

 2 Peter 1:5-11    For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,  and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,  and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.  Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 Proverbs 10:7     The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.

It is one thing to say God is my rock, my fortress, and I will not be shaken but, it takes great care to keep from being side tracked.  Sometimes we pray without trust in God and His plan, His purpose.  Our walk with Him will yield more peace, joy, hope, love, and rest if we would but fully trust in Him alone.  Christ prayed this way, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”  For certain this life will throw us many trials and troubles.  Money, family, relationships, employment, etc…. will at sometime hit us hard.  It is in these times we find true peace and rest when it is in His hands.

Beginning of wisdom

“So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.”

Psalms 111:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

 Job 28:28     And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

 Proverbs 9:10    The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.  

 Proverbs 1:7    The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. 

 Ecclesiastes 12:13     The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Psalms 1:3    He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

 Deuteronomy 4:6     Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

 2 Timothy 3:15-17    and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

 John 13:17     If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

I know “fear” can be misunderstood so I have copied this for a reference to help understand the meaning intended: “The Hebrew verb yare can mean “to fear, to respect, to reverence” and the Hebrew noun yirah “usually refers to the fear of God and is viewed as a positive quality. This fear acknowledges God’s good intentions (Ex. 20:20). … This fear is produced by God’s Word (Ps. 119:38; Prov. 2:5) and makes a person receptive to wisdom and knowledge (Prov. 1:7; 9:10)” (Warren Baker and Eugene Carpenter, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament, 2003, pp. 470-471”.    Without this reverence and respect for God, His word will be meaningless, His promises empty, His salvation rejected, and His purpose seems foolish.  Without this reverence and respect, our heart is hardened and though we may read or hear the word of God it will have no place to root in our heart.  Proverbs says the beginning of all wisdom is fear (reverence and respect) of the Lord.  The verses today speak of those who have this reverence and respect of God and those who do not.  Hold tight to this reverence and respect.  With this as a firm anchor in your life His word will have great impact and purpose in your life.

Reviving the soul

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;”

“He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,”

Psalms 111:7  The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy;

 Psalms 85:10    Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

 Psalms 89:14   Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

 Psalms 98:3    He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

 Deuteronomy 32:4    “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.

 Revelation 15:3-4     And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!  Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

 Psalms 119:160    The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

When you think about the attributes of God expressed in these verses, isn’t your heart, mind, and soul lifted up?  This is the God who reach out to you, revealed Himself to you, loved you so much that He sent Jesus to redeem you, and opened your heart and mind to His love, power, might, strength, joy, peace, grace, mercy, hope, and eternal life.  Trust in Him is never a waste, hope in Him is never meaningless, faith in Him is never pointless, waiting for Him is never a sign of weakness, humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying is never in vain.

Stop regarding man

Psalms 108:12  Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man!  With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.

Psalms 20:1-9   May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!  May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!  May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah  May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!  May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!  Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.  Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.  They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.

 Psalms 146:3-5    Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.  When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.  Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

 Isaiah 2:22     Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?

 Jeremiah 17:5-8    Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD.  He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.  “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.  He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Note the words of encouragement and the words of warning;

“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,” ““Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD,” “we trust in the name of the LORD our God.,” “With God we shall do valiantly.”

“Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.  When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish” “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD.” ” Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he” “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, They collapse and fall”

God has placed free will in man to choose to humbly serve, honor, trust, rely on, cling to, follow and obey  Him.  This free will choice allows us to reject, dishonor, neglect, turn away from, and not listen to, God.  Blessings of peace, joy, comfort, hope, and love come to those whose heart desire is in God.

Who is a God like you

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

“Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,”

Psalms 108:1   My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being!   Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!  I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.  For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!  That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

 Micah 7:18-20     Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.  He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

 Ephesians 2:4-7     But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

 Isaiah 51:2-11     For the LORD comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.  “Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.  My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait.  Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed.  “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings.

11  And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Who is like God? When we think of His love, grace, and mercy do we put it in context of “Our Sin”?  When we think of His anger, judgement, wrath do we think of it in the context of “Others Sins”?  One of these views results in joy, peace, safety, hope, strength, courage, rest, and praise to God.  The other view results in a life critical of others, complacent neglect because the inner self is not examined.  Praise to God does not come from looking at others sins in light of our perceived righteous actions, no it comes from knowing God, His holiness, and a deep understanding of our sinful nature.  We find this in and through His word.  God’s word is sharper than a two edged sword, able to divide the thought and intents of man.  Spend time in His word and let it speak to your heart, soul and mind. In and through it and His promises we find hope and peace.