TURN TO THE LORD

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.

In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

My God, whom I praise, do not remain silent, for people who are wicked and deceitful have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues. With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause. In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer. They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my friendship.

Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy; let an accuser stand at his right hand. When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayers condemn him. May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership. May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes. May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor. May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children. May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation. May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out. May their sins always remain before the Lord, that He may blot out their name from the earth.

For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted. He loved to pronounce a curse — may it come back on him. He found no pleasure in blessing — may it be far from him. He wore cursing as his garment; it entered into his body like water, into his bones like oil. May it be like a cloak wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him. May this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil of me.

But You, Sovereign Lord, help me for Your name’s sake; out of the goodness of Your love, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. I fade away like an evening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust. My knees give way from fasting; my body is thin and gaunt. I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.

Help me, Lord my God; save me according to Your unfailing love. Let them know that it is Your hand, that you, Lord, have done it. While they curse, may You bless; may those who attack me be put to shame, but may Your servant rejoice. May my accusers be clothed with disgrace and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.

With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng of worshipers I will praise Him. For He stands at the right hand of the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them.

Psalm 109

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Have you ever experienced any of the following?

- Anyone who was wicked and evil.

- Anyone who was deceitful.

- Anyone who lied about you.

- Anyone who spoke to you in hate.

- Anyone who attacked you without reason.

- Anyone who accused you of doing something.

- Anyone who routinely chose to be unkind.

- Anyone who betrayed your friendship.

- Anyone who cursed you.

Truly, there are times when we face any or all of these and, when we do, they are never pleasant experiences.

Of interest, we see that King David, the author of the 109th Psalm went through all the aforementioned issue and, as we look at his life, so much more. As we read his words, we fully sense how hard it is to be victimized and besieged by those who would rain down verbal and physical harm on another. We see that David was very bitter, clearly hurt by the actions of those who opposed him. Maybe you can relate to his feelings as he speaks to God and requests the following to befall his enemies:

- Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy.

- Let an accuser stand at his right hand.

- When he is tried, let him be found guilty.

- May his prayers condemn him.

- May his days be few

- May another take his place of leadership.

- May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.

- May his children be wandering beggars and driven from their ruined homes. May no one pity them.

- May a creditor seize all he has.

- May strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.

- May no one extend kindness to him.

- May his descendants be cut off and blotted out from the next generation.

- May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord.

- May the sin of his mother never be blotted out.

- May their sins always remain before the Lord and may He blot out their name from the earth.

- May the curses he pronounced come back on him.

- May blessings be far from him.

- May curses be upon him forever.

Yes, David was resentful over the way he had been treated and the impact it had made on his life, defined by the following statements:

- “I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.”

- “I fade away like an evening shadow.”

- “I am shaken off like a locust.”

- “My knees give way from fasting.”

- “My body is thin and gaunt.”

- “I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.”

There’s little doubt how difficult the times were for David. You can feel his pain and anguish in his words.

Maybe you can relate to his emotions as you deal with your own matters of life.

So what are we to do in times like this? What did David do in the midst of his anguish and hardship?

The answer is simple. We turn to the Lord in prayer.

For note the words of David early on in this psalm. He quickly details his enemies and how they are assailing him but in the midst of this he makes this important proclamation:

“I am a man of prayer.”

Indeed, look at what David did here. He was angry and upset but he refrained from taking matters into his own hands. No, instead he turned to the only One he knew he could trust to help in his times of trouble. Note what David says he finds in the Lord:

1. Help.

“You, Sovereign Lord, help me for Your name’s sake.”

“He stands at the right hand of the needy.”

2. Love and Goodness and Deliverance.

“Out of the goodness of Your love, deliver me.

3. Salvation.

“Help me, Lord my God; save me according to Your unfailing love.”

“He stands to save their (the needy) lives from those who would condemn them.”

4. Authority.

“Let them know that it is Your hand, that you, Lord, have done it.”

5. Blessings.

“While they curse, may You bless.”

6. Joy.

“May those who attack me be put to shame, but may Your servant rejoice.”

7. Judgment.

“May my accusers be clothed with disgrace and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.”

David, in the midst of hardship, knew he had God on his side, and that was all he really needed. It didn’t mean he would be immune from hardship. His words clearly show us that. But what David did have was more powerful than immunity because he had faith, faith in a Lord who could do all things, a Lord through which there were no impossibilities.

Given this, it’s little wonder we find David saying the following at the end of this psalm:

“With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng of worshipers I will praise Him.”

When life and the people in it press in on us in a way that leaves us distressed and wondering where we can turn, perhaps we need to remember this psalm and, like David, turn to the Lord, the only One who can do all things and handle whatever we go through.

Amen

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com

VICTORIOUS PEOPLE

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.

In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

God has spoken from His sanctuary:

“In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth. Gilead is Mine, Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim is My helmet, Judah is My scepter. Moab is My washbasin, on Edom I toss My sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not You, God, You who have rejected us and no longer go out with our armies? Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.

Psalm 108:7-13

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

“With God, we will gain the victory.”

These powerful words of David from our scripture passage serve as strength and inspiration for all of us as we deal with the challenges of life each and every day. Paul said much the same thing when he wrote:

“If God is for us, who can be against us? We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:31, 37

Think about it. The God of the universe, the Maker and Creator of all things, the One who possesses a power that is infinite and unfathomable, this God, the God Almighty, is with us and for us. The odds of success in whatever challenge we face are all stacked in our favor. God’s word is crystal clear here. We just need to live like it, to live like the victorious people that we are.

And yet, how often do we feel defeated, forlorn and forsaken? Instead of confidently rising up in the knowledge that we will triumph, we resignedly sink into the depths of despair and dejection. We fail to maintain trust in the only One who can help us through whatever our circumstances, the One who through which we are more than conquerors. We know of God but we really don’t KNOW God. If we did, we would always live boldly in assurance, knowing through faith and trust that God is in control and ready to deliver us to victory, not in our time but His.

Maybe this is where we get into the most trouble. We just aren’t patient enough to wait on the Lord to bring us to victory. We want the conquest without the trial; the win without playing the game first. We want everything the easy way and when it doesn’t come like that, we choose to abandon trusting in God in exchange for relying on our own ability and power. And I don’t know about you but God allows me to do that every time just to show me how much I will fail every time I do so. In the final translation, I manage to mess my life up the most when I try and take control of it.

As I ponder this, I am drawn back to the words of Paul as he writes these words from Philippians:

“Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Where was Paul when he wrote these words? He wasn’t in some safe worship sanctuary but was rather in prison, arrested and incarcerated for preaching the Gospel and unsure whether he would ever see the light of day again. It was in this setting that he exhorts the Philippian church and us as well to not be anxious about anything. No matter what life might bring, Paul knew things were going to be fine. He wrote and lived as a person who was victorious and trusted God no matter His circumstances. He said as much as he continued to write in the 4th Chapter of Philippians:

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” (vv 11-13)

Paul was in prison and yet content in his circumstances because He trusted in the One who had given him and would continue to give him the strength to make it through, no matter what. Think of it like playing a sport, let’s say football, and knowing every time you lines up against an opponent, that you were going to win. Now, imagine that opponent to be life and all the troubles it can bring. It might look like harrowing until you look on your team and see that you have God on your side. Suddenly, it doesn’t matter who is on the other side because you’re assured the victory. This, and only this, faith in God as our strength and very present help in all times of trouble that allows us to experience true peace, a peace that transcends understanding, a peace that only comes from the Prince of Peace.

Do you know that peace in your life, no matter what you might go through?

If not, then today is the dawn of a new life attitude for you, an attitude of victory through the only One who can grant it. This attitude brings you to a place like Paul where you can be content in whatever your circumstances, even imprisonment under the threat of death.

Friends, David says it right in our psalm:

“With God, we will gain the victory.”

It’s high time we start to live like it, to live like the victorious people we are.

Amen

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com

O LORD, HOW GREAT IS YOUR LOVE

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.

In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of You among the peoples. For great is Your love, higher than the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth. Save us and help us with Your right hand, that those You love may be delivered.

Psalm 108:1-6

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

My heart is steadfast O God

And I will sing

With all my heart and soul

In glory to the King

How great is Your love

So much higher than the heavens

With faithfulness that reaches the sky.

These words were written and sang by the contemporary Christian group, Mercy Me and reflect the spirit of King David as He wrote these opening words of the 107th Psalm:

My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of You among the peoples. For great is Your love, higher than the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth. Save us and help us with Your right hand, that those You love may be delivered.

Note what happens when we fully comprehend the great depth of God’s love:

1. We will want to sing about it just as Mercy Me did, lifting our voice and singing our admiration for Him from the very depths of our souls.

2. We will want to praise Him, proclaiming His greatness and goodness.

3. We understand that the height and depth of God’s love and faithfulness have no boundaries as they reach into the sky and even beyond it to the heavens.

4. We find ourselves exalting God as no one else is more deserving of our honor and acclaim.

5. We see God’s glory and majesty expressed in one of its most pure forms, for at the heart of God and all His amazing might is the power of His love.

6. We realize that God is for us and longs to deliver us in times of need, all because He loves us.

7. We understand the great love that God has for us resulted in Him ultimately saving us through sacrificing His Son Jesus to pay the price for our sins.

Steadfast. Great. Infinitely far reaching. Saving.

These all amply describe the magnitude of the Father’s love for us, His beloved and cherished children.

Let’s make sure we tell all about it, now and forever.

Listen to Mercy Me’s “How Great is Your Love”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV_38wpiuDw

Amen

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com

WHO ARE THE REDEEMED?

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.

In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story — those He redeemed from the hand of the foe, those He gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.

Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains, because they rebelled against God’s commands and despised the plans of the Most High. So He subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, for He breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.

Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. He sent out His word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of His works with songs of joy.

Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the Lord, His wonderful deeds in the deep. For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people and praise Him in the council of the elders.

He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground, and fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there. He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; there He brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle. They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; He blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and He did not let their herds diminish.

Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled by oppression, calamity and sorrow; He who pours contempt on nobles made them wander in a trackless waste. But He lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks. The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths.

Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.

Psalm 107

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

WRITER’S NOTE: I am currently overseas and may not be able to post for a week or so. Please know I will be back writing as soon as possible and there may be no interruption if I’m able to access the internet from sea.

“Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.”

It’s a proclamation that easily catches your eye at the start of the 107th Psalm.

Life brings a lot upon us and this list grows the longer we live. We end up with experiences that we often draw from and relate to as we talk with others. But do we consider when we talk about these experiences that through many of them, we were redeemed by God?

Redemption is actually the act of redeeming someone, to free from distress from harm. It is a word that conjures up visions of salvation and when we talk about God and redemption, we certainly have been rescued and saved from so many of life’s problems, including death. For through His Son Jesus Christ, who He willingly sacrificed to pay the penalty for our sins, God saved all of mankind who would place their faith and trust in Jesus as Savior. Thus, we all have the potential to be eternally redeemed. The choice is ours to make.

So who are the redeemed? As we look back at the 107th Psalm, we get an idea. They were:

1. Those saved from the hand of the foe.

2. Those God gathered from the lands everywhere.

3. Those who were wanderers.

4. Those who were hungry and thirsty.

5. Those who cried out to God in times of trouble.

6. Those who were in the midst of darkness and despair.

7. Those who were prisoners.

8. Those who had rebelled against God and had repented.

9. Those fools who sinned against God and walking the road of destruction before changing course.

10. Those who were at sea when storms happened and placed them in peril. Life surely brings enough storms on us all.

11. Those who experienced famine.

12. Those who were needy and afflicted.

Who are the redeemed? They are ordinary people like you and me who have experienced the ups and downs of life which at times is far from easy. They are people who have discovered that the God they serve is a God of redemption who judges justly and punishes but who also equally and actually more abundantly loves His children.

This scripture passage concludes by saying that the wise person considers the ways the Lord has redeemed them, pondering all the loving deeds He has performed. My prayer today is that you will do just that for if you do, I am convinced you, like the psalmist, will always exhort others to:

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.

And you say it with conviction because you understand that He has redeemed you.

Amen

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com

SAVE US LORD

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.

In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly. When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to Your miracles; they did not remember Your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea. Yet He saved them for His name’s sake, to make His mighty power known. He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; He led them through the depths as through a desert. He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy He redeemed them. The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them survived. Then they believed His promises and sang His praise.

But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His plan to unfold. In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wilderness they put God to the test. So He gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease among them.

In the camp they grew envious of Moses and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the Lord. The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it buried the company of Abiram. Fire blazed among their followers; a flame consumed the wicked. At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal. They exchanged their glorious God for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt, miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. So He said He would destroy them — had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before Him to keep His wrath from destroying them.

Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His promise. They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the Lord. So He swore to them with uplifted hand that He would make them fall in the wilderness, make their descendants fall among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands.

They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods; they aroused the Lord’s anger by their wicked deeds, and a plague broke out among them. But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked. This was credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come. By the waters of Meribah they angered the Lord, and trouble came to Moses because of them; for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses’ lips.

They did not destroy the peoples as the Lord had commanded them, but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to false gods. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood. They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves.

Therefore the Lord was angry with His people and abhorred His inheritance. He gave them into the hands of the nations, and their foes ruled over them. Their enemies oppressed them and subjected them to their power. Many times He delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin. Yet He took note of their distress when He heard their cry; for their sake He remembered His covenant and out of His great love He relented. He caused all who held them captive to show them mercy.

Save us, Lord our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name and glory in Your praise.

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.

Let all the people say, “Amen!”

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 106:6-48

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

As we have studied the psalms, we have discussed many times the importance of not losing sight how blessed we are. To capture the true extent of God’s goodness, I have mentioned an exercise where you sit down and make dedicated time to list every way that God has blessed you in your life. If you do it right, you will fully discover all that He has done for you and gain an even greater appreciation and sense of thanks for Him.

Today, I am going to ask you to do something similar but it won’t be as pleasant as writing down all your blessings. For I am suggesting that you sit down and write down a list of all your sins. I want you to think about every place where you have fallen short in being obedient to God and jot it down. It won’t be easy but it’s paramount that you be absolutely honest with yourself. I’ll explain why a little later.

Just in case you think this is a ridiculous proposition, know that it isn’t without biblical precedence. Take a look at the remainder of the 106th Psalm:

We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly. When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to Your miracles; they did not remember Your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea. Yet He saved them for His name’s sake, to make His mighty power known. He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; He led them through the depths as through a desert. He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy He redeemed them. The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them survived. Then they believed His promises and sang His praise.

But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His plan to unfold. In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wilderness they put God to the test. So He gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease among them.

In the camp they grew envious of Moses and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the Lord. The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it buried the company of Abiram. Fire blazed among their followers; a flame consumed the wicked. At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal. They exchanged their glorious God for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt, miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. So He said He would destroy them — had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before Him to keep His wrath from destroying them.

Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His promise. They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the Lord. So He swore to them with uplifted hand that He would make them fall in the wilderness, make their descendants fall among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands.

They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods; they aroused the Lord’s anger by their wicked deeds, and a plague broke out among them. But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked. This was credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come. By the waters of Meribah they angered the Lord, and trouble came to Moses because of them; for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses’ lips.

They did not destroy the peoples as the Lord had commanded them, but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to false gods. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood. They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves.

Therefore the Lord was angry with His people and abhorred His inheritance. He gave them into the hands of the nations, and their foes ruled over them. Their enemies oppressed them and subjected them to their power. Many times He delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin. Yet He took note of their distress when He heard their cry; for their sake He remembered His covenant and out of His great love He relented. He caused all who held them captive to show them mercy.

The psalmist went to great lengths to document all the places where Israel had run afoul of their Father and His will for them. And he didn’t include EVERY sin that Israel committed. The psalm would end up being the longest chapter in the Bible if he had! 

Look at some of the specifics indictments against Israel. They had done the following:

- Gave no thought to God’s miracles.

- Did not remember His many kindnesses and forgot what He had done.

- Rebelled by the Red Sea.

- Did not wait for God’s plan to unfold.

- Gave into their cravings.

- Put God to the test.

- Grew envious of others.

- Made a metal calf and worshiped it, exchanging God for an idol.

- Despised the pleasant land.

- Did not believe God’s promises.

- Grumbled in their tents.

- Disobeyed God.

- Yoked themselves to false gods like Baal.

- Ate sacrifices to lifeless gods.

- Did not destroy the people who inhabited Canaan as they took possession of the Promised Land.

- Mingled with other nations and adopted their customs and godless culture.

- Sacrificed their sons and daughters to false gods, shedding innocent blood and desecrating the land.

- Defiled and prostituted themselves by their deeds.

That’s quite a list right? So what would yours look like? And why go through all the trouble anyways? After all, it’s a no brainer that we are sinners. Why go to all the trouble of micro-processing our transgressions?

The answer can also be found in this scripture passage. For as much as we read about all the sins of the people of Israel, look at what else we learn:

1. God saved His people despite their rebellious attitude (v 10).

2. God provided their needs, even when they weren’t satisfied with what He had given them (v 15).

3. God withheld His wrath when His appointed leader interceded on behalf of the Israelites (vv 23, 30).

4. God delivered His people many times (v 43).

5. God took note of the distressed cries of His people when they were in the midst of His discipline (v 44).

6. God remembered His covenant He had made with His people (v 45).

7. God loved His people so much that He relented from punishing them (v 45).

8. God influenced the Israelite captors toward showing mercy (V 46).

Friends, we need to look closely at the magnitude of our sinfulness to best understand and appreciate the depth of God’s mercy, grace, forgiveness, and love to us, His beloved children. For only when we realize how very evil and sinful we are before God, will we see how much we need saved and can cry out to God like the psalmist, “Save us Lord our God.” The good news is that we know He will answer that cry and did so for all eternity through Jesus Christ, His Son and our Savior.

Amen

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com