“And I will remember my covenant.” Genesis 9:15

God can and does forget. This testimony about God’s forgiveness is proof that God can choose to forget:

“I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” (Isa 43:25)

God has chosen to forget your sins. Not only can God forgive your sins but He can place them in a place that they cannot be rediscovered:

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psa 103:12)

It is this power to forget and place our sin in a place that they cannot ever be disclosed again that gives us confidence that God will “remember” His promises to us. God, looking on His creation, was so disturbed when He, “saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen 6:5)

An event had happened that had polluted the human race:

“And it came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them.” (Gen 6:1)

The human race was so corrupted by the co-mingling of the demonic and human DNA that only Noah and his family were found untouched by the depth of darkness that plagued the world.

After the purge of the sin and sinners with corrupted DNA, God made a promise:

“And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.” (Gen 9:15)

God did not forget His promise to His creation and today we still stand in His promise. God’s promises are irrevocable. God has made many promises to His creation and to you. The greatest promise is that of the Saviour.

This promise of the coming Saviour is made through time by the prophets of God. One of the promises of the coming Saviour is:

“For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isa 53:2-5)

Indeed this promise was fulfilled when the Angelic Host proclaimed, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) This child, born into this world, was God in the flesh. The scripture gives clear evidence of this fact, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Col 2:9)

God Himself came in human form to deliver you from the wages of sin. The birth of the child would be the one who would be “wounded for our transgressions.” Jesus lived a life without sin and became the payment for your sin debt.

Jesus suffered and died but He rose from His grave; victorious over sin and death. It is this power over death that God has promised you. The Apostle Paul gives us these words from God:

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Co 15:55-57)

Just as the flood purged the corrupt DNA from its creation; Jesus purged the strength of sin and the law. You can live a life free from the power that sin holds over you. You can have God’s promise to release your sin debt if you call on the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sin.

“And I will give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26

The people of God had walked away from God’s ways and word and were captive in Babylon. Depressed, oppressed and cast down; all seemed lost. They were alone, outsiders in the land of the lost and godless.

Yes, they deserved the affliction and judgment. The prophet Ezekiel laid out God’s just case against them for their response to His goodness and loving kindness. The prophet compared God’s people to that of a woman declared unclean:

“When the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman.” (Eze 36:17)

Israel the “wife” of God was unclean and he withdrew from them and put them out of his house. Sin had broken their bond with God. God is not just a righteous God but He is also a God of mercy and grace:

“The LORD is gracious and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.” (Psa 145:8-9)

God, just in His judgment of His people, also said to them:

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” (Eze 36:26-27)

The people of God had turned their hearts in to “stony hearts.” It is interesting that we can turn our hearts into “stony hearts” but only God can give you a heart of flesh. How does one turn a heart of “flesh” into a “stony heart?” We find the answer to this question with these words:

“Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart, and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” (Heb 3:8-12)

The process of turning your heart of “flesh” into a “stony heart” is given step by step in the verse above:

1.            They “tempted” and “proved” God. Tempted is understood as to scrutinize, essay or prove. People who scrutinize and seek to have God prove His rightful role as the God of creation will turn their hearts stony.

2.            They, having seen the hand of God at work, reject God’s power and authority in their lives.

3.            They reject God’s authority and now have a change of heart of who and what God means to them.

4.            They establish a life of “err” or sin in their “heart” or their spirit.

5.            They now have an “evil heart of unbelief” and “depart” from God’s word and authority.

How is your heart? Is it on the “stony” side of hardness? Do you see your life somewhere on the slippery slide of slipping away from God’s word? If so, I have some good news for you! You can have a new heart with just one prayer.

The scripture makes this truth clear:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 Jn 1:9)

Just as God promised the Children of Israel that He would restore their righteousness:

“I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” God makes this promise to you, “to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jn 1:9)

Today you can have your hardening heart softened, your sins forgiven and your righteousness restored if you, in faith, will call out for forgiveness in the name of Jesus.

“Why me!?” This is an often-uttered comment when people find themselves in difficult or broken relationships. The truth of the matter is, we often are the authors or significantly contribute to the problems in our lives and this also holds true in the condition of our relationships with the people in our lives. The words we speak and how they are delivered are often the source of broken relationships.

Solomon said:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” (Pro 18:21)

When we use certain words, they can bring death or life to a relationship and we “shall eat the fruit” our conversations produce.

Hurtful words and actions, when directed to or coming from people we trust, are difficult to comprehend and affect us in many different ways. David, King of Israel, cried out to God for help because of what was being said by others about him. The information that was being rumored by his enemies was, “When shall he die, and his name perish?” (Psa 41:5)

If the attacks by his enemies were not enough punishment, David told God:

“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. (Psa 41:9)

David’s spirit was wounded and his heart was broken by the words spoken by a faithful friend.

Are you suffering a broken heart or a wounded spirit because of a relationship in your life? If so what can or should you do? Like King David, our first response should be a conversation with God to find comfort and strength to have victory in this situation.

If you have been wounded, God said:

“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” (Psa 147:3)

God is the great physician who is able to heal the body and the soul when His children call on Him. Calling on God’s help to understand His plan for what has happened in your life will allow your wounded heart to start on the journey of being healed.

When relationships are damaged, repairing the damage is not often the first response. Rather, we attack the ones who have wounded us or defend ourselves when we have wounded others with our words and actions.

When we are wounded or have wounded others, we must remember who the real enemy is. Satan is the enemy of God’s people and is the source of every attack regardless of the source it comes from. The struggle is real and so is our enemy Satan.

We recognize, as followers of Jesus, we are engaged in a spiritual warfare that is often waged in the physical world and Satan will use our words and words of others to overthrow the children of God. Satan is described by the word of God as a “…roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,” and reminds God’s people to, “Be sober, be vigilant” (1 Pe 5:8)

When you are in a broken relationship, remember who the enemy is and wage the battle against him and not the people God has placed in your life. If you have offended, don’t eat the fruit of your words. Find a way to rebuild what you have broken. If you consider yourself as the wounded remember the words spoken by Jesus:

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Mat 6:14-15)

One last word of encouragement from the Word of God:

“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” (Rom 12:18)

You often hold the power to be at peace with the people God has placed in your life.

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“But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.” (Psa 52:8)

Desperation in our lives often causes us to lower our biblical standards. When this happens, the response from other people is to judge the one who has shifted their biblical views out of fear or desperation. We are all humans and will, in fear or need, “bend the rules.”

Have you, as a follower of Jesus, told a lie to ease your current situation? Have you presented yourself as something you're not in order to gain a more favorable situation? We need to be true to God’s word but when we observe others in a crisis we also need to be moved by compassion in our judgment of them.

David reflected on how God had preserved his life when Saul who was disposed by and replaced by him and  gave God credit, not for his deception but, for his deliverance from one of the most fearful times in his life when he said:

“I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.”

This account is found in I Samuel Chapter 21. In this account, David, the anointed and soon to be king of Israel, was forced to flee from Saul who sought out David with intentions to kill him, in order to preserve his throng. In David’s flight, one of the places he took refuge in was Nob- the place where the tabernacle rested.

When he was greeted by Ahimelech the priest, Ahimelech was fearful seeing that David was not traveling with his armed forces. When questioned about his condition, David responded with:

“And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.” (1 Sa 21:2)

It was in this account that Jesus made this observation, “Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?” (Mat 12:3-4)

This event was not a “highlight” in the life of David. Scared, tired and hungry, he deceived the High Priest. In his fear, David was not only deceptive with Ahimelech about his relationship with Saul but also took the “showbread” that was reserved for the table of God and only to be consumed by the ones who were ceremoniously clean.

Hungry David imposed on the man of God to compromise not only his position as high priest but to violate the table of God. When pressed to give David bread, Ahimelech said, “And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.” (1 Sa 21:4)  

When we fail, our failures are covered by “the mercy of God for ever and ever.” This is not permission to sin but grace that covers our sin through the blood of Jesus. If you are in a situation that has motivated you to shift your bible view, you are in God’s grace but in the shadow of sin.

When you look back at your life after you have returned to the walk God has for you, it is necessary for you to not give your failed faith credit for your deliverance but, as David observed about his own life, know that it was “the mercy of God”.

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“And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.” Mark 15:23

As Jesus was paying the ultimate price for your sin, the crowd that was gathered at the foot of the cross contained not just the ones who were carrying out His death sentence given by Rome but also the religious critics.

Many in this group were taunting Jesus saying:

“And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.” (Luke 23:35)

God had come to earth some thirty-three years before and grew up among them and watched Him “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” (Luke 2:52) This child became a man and used his “wisdom and stature” to put these same men in God’s “favour.”

Some of these men had been witnesses to the power of God; not only healing the sick, giving sight to the blind and even raising of the dead but still taunted Jesus to save Himself. These “rulers” were ignorant of the work of God that was taking place right in front of their eyes.

This same child who became a man now hung on a sinner's cross, not for His sin but, for the sin of these very same men who taunted Him and became a part of God’s purpose in Jesus hanging on the cross. They did not see who Jesus was but others did. One of the men who was overseeing the execution of Jesus had this experience:

 “And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.” (Mark 15:39)

There was another as well:

“And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)

It was for this purpose Jesus had rejected the “wine mingled with myrrh” that would have dulled the pain of the cross so He would be able to finish His work –taking the atonement of the sin of the world to the Holy of Holies that is in God’s heaven and this “thief” was the first living recipient of God’s grace.

“Strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the Lord’s house.” Jeremiah 51:51

The prophet Jeremiah was grieved and repulsed by the intrusion of the ungodly into the holy places where the priests of God were only allowed to enter. He was upset because people were not seeking to know God and His love.

Jeremiah said:

“We are confounded, because we have heard reproach: shame hath covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the LORD'S house.” (Jer 51:51)

The word ‘confounded’ is to be understood as ‘ashamed’. The people of God were not just upset but also ashamed that the godless had access to the most holy places in the possession of earth.

We, as the born-again people of God, are the “holy place” that God dwells. The scripture teaches:

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Co 3:16)

God no longer visits mankind in a temple built by the hands of men but lives in the hearts of the ones who have been born-again by the work of the Saviour.

This “holy place” extends beyond just you. The “holy place” is, by this scripture, enlarged to the all of the redeemed:

“In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Eph 2:21-22)

When we find the gathered followers of Jesus in the scripture we find that the word ‘Church’ is used to describe this event. The church is never used to reference a place but a people. When the church is used to describe the gathering of the people of God the word ‘church’ is understood as the called out.

When we as the “called out” come together in one place we became an enlarged “temple of God.” Jesus makes this promise to the “called out,”  "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Mat 18:20)

Just as when the high priest entered into the holy place and God would show up to receive the offering, Jesus engages us in the “temple of God” when we gather together in His name. We are not just the temple of God; we are the holy place where God meets with His people to receive their worship.

The question arises, is the assembly of the called out a place for the ungodly to join?  We know that the godless was in the company of the believers in the New Testament church– the question is how were they received?

The church in Corinth had not only allowed but had accepted the ungodly into the “called out” assembly and the born-again were rebuked by the Apostle Paul with these words, “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (1 Co 5:4-5) 

This seems rather harsh for the church not to allow the ungodly in the “called out” assemblies of the born-again but what is at risk is not their feelings or our feelings but their eternal soul. It is common in church groups to not only encourage the ungodly to join in the assembly of the called out but like the Corinth church to defend their behavior.

The Apostle Paul said the born-again in this church had become, “puffed up” (1 Co 4:18) or were proud of their acceptance of the ungodly in their midst.

Many church groups have conflicted the “called out” assembly of believers with evangelism. To create an atmosphere where the ungodly are comfortable is only possible by diluting the word of God. The gospel of Jesus is to be preached to the world.

Jesus said the gift of power from the Holy Spirit was for this purpose, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

The purpose of and the exercise of the gifts given by the Holy Spirit are to edify the Lord’s “called out ” And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” (Eph 4:11-12)

Has your church conflicted the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus with “edifying of the body of Christ?” Are you or your church leaders trying to make your church “user friendly” by accepting or even promoting life choices that God does not endorse?

The scripture makes the mandate to proclaim God’s word clear:

“For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:27-28)

Is your church group teaching “all the counsel of God” or an abbreviated version? It is not what is said, it is what is left out that determines if “all the counsel of God” is preached.

Remember the purpose of the Lord’s Church is not to be concerned with feelings of people but with the condition of their eternal souls. Preach the gospel of hope to the lost and teach the complete counsel of God’s word in the assembly of the “called out.”

“Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.” Psalm 31:4

David had fled from King Saul’s presence in fear for his life. Hiding from the king’s wrath, David was betrayed by the Ziphites. When David was made aware of this betrayal, he cried out “Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me.”

David explained why he called out to God, “for thou art my strength.” We, like David, are living in enemy territory.

Satan and his minions seek to overthrow us as we ascend to our rightful position of priests and kings. The power of the gospel has positioned us to be rulers in God’s Kingdom:

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Rev 1:5-6)

Our enemies are treacherous, deceptive and powerful and we require the same strength to battle as did David who said, “for thou art my strength.” God has not left us alone to wage the battle but has filled us with His Spirit and has equipped us with spiritual power to wage this war.

To live victorious in the battle with our enemy, the scripture states that:

“We walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.’’(2 Co 10:3-6)

If you are engaged in a spiritual battle and need to be delivered; do as David did and look for God’s strength to deliver you. Your weapons in this warfare are spiritual and must be powered by the Spirit of God. It is impossible for you to have victory with just your own strength.

The Apostle Paul makes this statement:

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Co 2:13-14)

In this world, to live a life of victory, you must fight against the enemy with spiritual weapons powered by the spirit of God. If this sounds foolish to you perhaps you are a “natural man.” The weapons of victory in the spiritual war are only available to the born-again believer. Religion does not power these weapons. Religion can tell you about these weapons. Religion can even tell you how effective these weapons are. What religion can not do is power these weapons. If you are not equipped with God’s spirit the weapons do not work and Satan and his minions have no fear of them. The power to live a life of victory is found in these words, “for thou art my strength.”

When you engage the dark spiritual world, you must be filled with the power of God that comes from His Holy Spirit. Only the born-again possess God’s Spirit. The Gospel of Jesus is the power of God:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” (Rom 1:16)

Are you born-again? Are you living in victory? Today, call on the name of Jesus and you will receive the power of God “unto salvation.”

“And they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.” Nehemiah 3:8

Walls were the best defense for cities in the biblical times. The term "broad wall" was used to describe walls that were the strongest defensive positions in the walls of the city. The broad wall was one of the last walls left standing after the city was breached and destroyed by the Babylonian forces.

When Israel was restored to the city, Nehemiah started the work of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. The focus was on the remaining “broad wall.” The ruins of the lesser walls were re-laid to the still standing “broad wall.” 

The word of God makes this observation about your life living for Him:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph 6:12)

You are in a battle against the workers of darkness and, like the walls of Jerusalem, you to need to have a “broad wall” of defense that you can focus efforts as you restore the damages that your enemy Satan and his minions inflect in your life. 

When Satan seeks to overthrow you, a “broad wall” will give you a place of retreat for you to gather your strength to overcome the powers of darkness that try to push you into a dry spiritual desert. We are warned that these battles are real and sometimes overwhelming. The Apostle Paul addresses this subject with these words:

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Co 10:13)

The ”broad wall” in your life is that place you “escape” to a defensive posture in temptations that are overtaking you. David, King of Israel, said, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” (Psa 91:1-2)

The “broad wall” in the life of the believer is God Himself. When temptations are overwhelming, you need to run to the Saviour. It is in Him you will find the “way to escape” as you “bear” out your trials. Jesus will keep, comfort and strengthen you in your hour of need.

It is when we are under the crushing power of evil that we find our true strength and power. The Apostle Paul reveals this truth to us while he gave testimony of his own temptation that was overpowering him. When he inquired Jesus about trouble, Jesus said, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Recognizing that Jesus was his “broad wall” Paul said, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” The “power of Christ” is the “broad wall” and with this understanding, Paul made this observation about his temptations:

“Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Co 12:9-10)

How is your spiritual life? Are you in a dark place? Do you feel overwhelmed and defeated? As you rebuild the walls of your life, focus on your “broad way”—- Jesus. When you turn to the Saviour, His words “My grace is sufficient for thee” will be for you and when you rebuild your life in His grace you will soon restore the damages that sin has caused in your life.

“Now these be the last words of David.” 2 Samuel 23:1

David the son of Jesse said:

"…and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel." (2 Sa 23:1)

When we consider the Saints in the Old Testament, David, King of Israel would be one of the most renown of the parade that marches through the sermons and studies. David was elevated by God’s Spirit from the least of the brothers in the House of Jesse to lead a life that only God could orchestrate. From a keeper of sheep to the King of Israel.

The scripture is filled with the adventures of David from the victory in the battle where he destroyed Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, with one of the five stones he plucked from the brook and to his greatest failure with Bathsheba and Uriah.

Everyone who follows after God will have a record of victories against giants and failures when challenged by sin and a life filled with experiences both good and bad. No matter how great the victories we win or how great the failures in sin we experience; we will be remembered by how we ran the race.

God’s word reminds us of this truth:

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Heb 12:1)

David ran his race and you must run yours. Just as David was called from the least and promoted to king, you too have this same pedigree given to you by Jesus. The scripture reminds you that you came from the “least.” The Apostle Peter reminds the followers of Jesus that we too were called by God out of the cesspool of lost sinners:

“For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.” (1 Pe 4:3)

God not only called you out of the “least” but just as David was made to be a king, we too have been made kings. We find this teaching in these words, “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father.” (Rev 1:6) David in his last words said:

“…he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.”(2 Sa 23:5)

David was not depending on the greater preponderance of his life journey to determine his value to God and his place in God’s Kingdom. David was depending on God’s everlasting covenant for his salvation. David believed God when He said:

“And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” (2 Sa 7:16)

What will your last words be? Will you call out to God for His mercy given to you through the Saviour? Will you plead your hope based on your victories and failures? David understood the power of grace, knowing that God had called him he trusted in God’s grace and mercy not his victories. David in his failure said:

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” (Psa 51:1)

He did not remind God of all the victories he had or how much he had produced for God’s purpose. David just wanted mercy and grace. God has directed His grace towards you:

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Rom 5:8-9)

David was just as you are. Trusting in the Saviour, he was looking forward to the “throne” that would be “established for ever,” and you are looking back to the “throne” that was “established forever” when Jesus came into this world as God in the flesh and gave Himself for your deliverance from the pool of sinful men.

When your last words are spoken, let them be not of the works you have performed for God but the work of the cross that Jesus performed for you.

Alone, empty and in a dark place both physically, mentally and spiritually is often the life-space the people of God find themselves. The “seed of Jacob” were oppressed and discouraged and God encouraged them by reminding them that He never said that their seeking comfort and relief in their suffering was in vain:

“I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.” (Isa 45:19)

God had not whispered or hidden His desire to reward the children of Israel when they sought Him even though they had sinned and damaged their relationship with Him. God had given Israel this promise:

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Ch 7:14)

In the same way that God encouraged the descendants of Jacob to seek Him in their despair; God encourages you to seek Him in your distress. The word of God reminds us that no one lives above the effects of sin in this world. This fact is confirmed with these words:

“If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 Jn 1:10)

When we sin we often do not seek after God; fearing we will be rejected by Him. When we live our lives believing that seeking after God would be a “vain” effort and we find ourselves in a state of spiritual depression that will affect everything in our lives. Family, work, church and even our physical and mental well-being would be affected.

When you choose to live your life in spiritual oppression and believe, seeking after God and His restoration will be rejected, this is to live your life in a self-imposed prison of despair. The gospel message that brought you to the Saviour did not relieve you of your past sin but all your sin has been placed under the blood of Jesus.

The same grace and mercy that was directed towards you while you were a lost sinner is directed toward you as a saved sinner. If you are living in the darkness of a perceived rejection by God, I have a message of hope for you.

God word calls out to you with these words:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jn 1:9)

Not only do you need to be forgiven by God but you need to be cleansed from the unrighteousness that sin imposes on you. Your righteousness is imputed by God through His Spirit. Your unrighteousness is self-imposed.

Just as you cannot create your own righteousness, you cannot remove the stain that sin places on us in our acts of unrighteousness. David, King of Israel, had stained himself with unrighteousness in his actions with Bathsheba and Uriah. David knew it was not enough just to confess his sin, he also needed the stain of uprightness removed. David said these words to God:

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” (Psa 51:7-12)

David had been living in a dark life-space from his sin with Bathsheba until this prayer. David asked God to “purge” or forgive his sin but he did not stop there. David wanted the stains of his unrighteousness washed away as well.

Among the requests that he makes, David asked to “be clean,” “washed,” to be made to “hear joy and gladness,” again and to have the “joy of thy salvation” restored to him. This is the “cleanse” that is spoken about in 1 John 1:9.

Are you ready to have the stain of sin cleansed from your life? Are you ready to seek after God knowing that it will not be in vain? God loves you and desires to “wash” you from the unrighteousness that sin has caused in your life.