Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube of images and lyrics from Laura Story singing her song … Grace Abounds … poignantly singing of God’s saving and sanctifying grace which is ALWAYS there to lift up those who feel weak and hopeless.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Psalm 51:12 [NLT] … Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
… David’s humble prayer of confession before the Lord.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 51:9-13 [NLT]… USE THIS LINK …
… King David, in his worst time of despair and shame, discovered God’s forgiving, merciful, and saving grace, which is available to all who come humbly seeking God’s mercy.
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Reference Passage : … Isaiah 41:10 [NLT] … 10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, … I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
… God’s promise to lift us up when we are down.
Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s promise that His mercies/grace are never ending.
Reference Passage : … 2 Corinthians 9:8, 12:9 [NLT] … 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. …
12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
… Jesus shows Paul (and us) that God’s mercy/grace will provide His strength to cover our weakness.
Reference Passage : … Philippians 1:6 [NLT] … 6 … being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; …
… For anyone born-again in Christ, God is willing and able to make us over into the images of Christ.
Reference Passage : … 1 John 1:9 [NLT] … 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
… Anytime, anywhere, for anything we humbly seek God’s forgiven, He is willing - AND ABLE - to forgive us and cleanse us.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, David H Roper, used a story of restoration by artist E.H. Landsdeer to illustrate God’s willingness and ability to forgive us and cleanse us of our sin, just as He did for King David. The ODB author writes … The story is told of a group of salmon fishermen who gathered in a Scottish inn after a long day of fishing. As one was describing a catch to his friends, his arm swept across the table and knocked a glass against the wall, shattering it and leaving a stain on the white plaster surface. The man apologized to the innkeeper and offered to pay for the damage, but there was nothing he could do; the wall was ruined. A man seated nearby said, “Don’t worry.” Rising, he took a painting implement from his pocket and began to sketch around the ugly stain. Slowly there emerged the head of a magnificent stag. The man was Sir E. H. Landseer, Scotland’s foremost animal artist. [see photo]
I’ve experienced God’s willingness and ability to forgive and cleanse us of our shame and sin … IF … we’re willing to come to our Lord humbly as did King David did in his song of confession and contrition (see Psalm 51:9-13). By God’s law David should’ve been stoned to death for his sin of adultery and murder; but God’s grace, as Laura Story sings (linked song), was there to forgive David and cleanse Him of His sin [go on your own to read Psalm 32].
And our God, if you believe the truth of the reference Scriptures above, is willing, thru the blood of Jesus, to cleanse us of our shame and sin [see 1John 1:9], and thru His promise (see Phil. 1:6) to restore us into the image of Christ, just as E.H. Landsdeer restored that damaged wall with his painting.
I pray all reading here, as have I, … have experienced, as Laura Story sings, God’s amazing, ever available, restoring grace.
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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your mercies and Your grace, which are new every morning and available to all who come to You, humbly seeking Your forgiveness and cleansing.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that any of us here will be humble and seek the forgiveness we need, from Your finished work, to be cleansed and restored from our sin. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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