HAVE MERCY O GOD

 By Beverly Rainwater

 "Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions." (Psalms 51:1)

 David shows that he recognizes his sinful state by begging for God's mercy on him.  He shows that he hopes God will not give him what he deserves but will give him according to God's loving kindness instead.  He not only begs for mercy but also that his sins would be blotted out. 

 Today, when Christians sin, we repent and ask God to blot out our sin. In repentance we bring to God a sincere desire to change, to give up an old way of doing and take on a new way:

  "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." (Acts 3:19)

 Repentance is necessary for us to be acceptable in the site of God. We must repent of our sins to be eligible to be saved.  Confession that Jesus is Lord and baptism to wash away our sins puts us in Christ.  To remain faithful we must walk in the light as Christ is in the light (I John 1:7-9).  Once we are in Christ and walking with Him all we need is to admit sin, repent and ask Him for forgiveness. He is willing to do so if we are willing to change.

 We can also learn humility from David by seeing that David clearly admitted to his sin. He asked God to have mercy on him for that reason.  We can do the same by admitting to our sin and taking responsibility for it.  By doing this and obeying the Lord from that point on we can rest assured of God's mercy and forgiveness.  We can be sure that He will help us to live a life that will "create" in us "clean heart" and will renew a "right spirit within" us (Ps. 51:10).

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 ALL HAVE SINNED

 All have sinned, how do we know?
That is easy the Bible tells us so!
It tells us much between its pages
If only we will learn its wages.

 Do we whine and complain
Because we think we cannot gain,
A sinless, life, one without strife
So that Christ we might gain?

 We can gain the right to live
To work, to serve and to gain
If we will but reach out for Him
The One from whom all blessings flow.

 We must be willing to turn from sin
To turn our hearts to good and then,
We must be willing to completely surrender
To our God so we are the winner.

 Hear and believe and then
Repent of those sins, that have to end.
Confess His name as the one who is Lord
And then comes baptism that brings us to Him.

 After this you have done
And the prayers burst forth
From your lips and heart
Thank the Lord for your new start!

 For now as His child you are new and whole
You have but to utter a prayer so bold
And ask for His help when the way growth cold
When the temptations and trials seem too much to behold.

 You will never again have to feel alone
For your Savior and Lord is always along.
He rides with you always if you keep Him in heart
He always is willing His word to impart!

"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”   (Romans 3:23)

"But God commendeth his love toward us,in that, while ye were yet sinners, God died for us." (Romans 5:8)