Penitential Prayer

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Psalm 6 (NIV)
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.

1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
  or discipline me in your wrath.

2 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint;
  or O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.

3 My soul is in anguish.
  or How long, O LORD, how long?

4 Turn, O LORD, and deliver me;
  or save me because of your unfailing love.

5 No one remembers you when he is dead.
  or Who praises you from the grave?

6 I am worn out from groaning;
  or all night long I flood my bed with weeping
  or and drench my couch with tears.

7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
  or they fail because of all my foes.

8 Away from me, all you who do evil,
  or for the LORD has heard my weeping.

9 The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
  or the LORD accepts my prayer.

10 All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed;
  or they will turn back in sudden disgrace.

What are some possible causes why people left the church and forget GOD? Family, relationship with the opposite sex or friends, studies or work are in the list but SIN is the most common cause why most believers left the church and lose their faith in GOD and follow their own sinful ways.

Last June 21, 2008, it was our Sold Out (young adult’s fellowship) when I volunteered to be their speaker. GOD led me to share my experience about my personal struggles and how Psalm 6 helped me to stay focus in Him in prayer. According to Life Application Study Bible (NIV), Psalm 6 is David’s prayer for deliverance. It’s one of the 7 penitential psalms David wrote where he humbly realizes his predicament or the result of his sin, expresses sorrow over it, and demonstrates a fresh commitment to remain close to GOD.

Whatever sin David has committed, I’m not pretty sure about it. It might be the sin he committed with Bathsheba. We do all know his story so I don’t need to write it down. Adam and Eve when they first committed their sin hidden themselves from the LORD because they disobeyed Him and they were ashamed for what they have done - they are guilty about it and GOD punished them in return.

Guilt can play an important role in bringing us to Christ and keeping us behaving properly, but it should not cripple us or make us fearful. During my days of struggle, I didn’t commit any sin but I was emotionally down that time. I have these tendencies not to read the Bible, not to pray, and not to go to our church. But I tried helping myself with the remaining strength and little faith and hope I have by reading the Bible and keep praying harder. Most of those nights I cried to the LORD that much and begging to save me from desperation and hopelessness by His grace and mercy.

Here are some points I got from Psalm 6:

  1. On verses 1 to 5, David described GOD’s justice, mercy and grace, and His unfailing love. With His justice alone, we’re all gone in this world but with His mercy and grace He saved us all through His son Jesus.
  2. Verses 6 to 7, David showed his honesty but with humility. GOD wants to hear praises from our lips but He is also interested in hearing about our true emotions especially if we feel angry or despair.
  3. Lastly, verses 8-10, David expressed his confidence in the LORD. If we have deep relationship in Him, we must have this confidence that He always listens and answers prayer according to His will despite of our short comings.

Whether we are experiencing emotional or personal struggles or guilt from the sins we have committed, staying away from the church, keeping ourselves from praying and avoiding reading the Bible won’t help us. Let’s always remember that GOD is a gracious in forgiving. No matter how small is our faith and hope left in us, use it to call unto GOD and draw closer to Him. He will surely rescue us in His ways!

A Poem Of Love, Faith And Hope

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As I woke up very early in the morning, the first thing came to my mind was this girl I keep on dreaming to be my GOD-sent partner someday. She inspired me that much to wrote a free verse poem about my crazy experience with this special girl. A friend of mine who is in U.S. revised this poem; it’s better than the one I wrote though I added some words to make it more complete but still the original message is preserved.

You hurt others
And make mistakes without knowing it
Yet you are beautiful and lovable
Easily forgiven, accepted, and loved

You’re so sweet
You make my heart beat faster
When ever I see you smile
You give me strength
With just a glance at your face

If only I can hear God’s voice and hear Him
Saying that you’re not the one for me
Then every little thing that you do
Will be worth nothing to me

But if God will show me the future
With your last breathe and I’m at your side
I will find you and look for you
Till the ends of the earth I will pursue you

Righteous But Not Sinless

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Genesis 15:6 (NIV)
Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Job 1:8 (NIV)
Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

According to the dictionary concordance of Life Application Study Bible (NIV), righteousness is defined as “acting in morally right manner”. Simply by keeping your reputation clean, doing the right thing or good deeds, abiding with the law, or doing tolerable sins, you can be a righteous person.

Question: Is righteousness sinlessness?
Answer: No.

Romans 3:23 says, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The definition of righteousness mentioned above is based only in human standards. So here’s the other meaning of righteousness from the same dictionary - “correct by divine declaration”.

Christians are confused on how to live a righteous life. The outward actions such as church attendance, prayer, devotion, fasting, or ministry involvement, can not define righteousness. It’s pretty easy to pretend though. These actions without repentance, love, faith, hope, trust, and complete obedience to GOD are in vain. Only GOD can tell whether we have right relationship with HIM or not. No human being can judge us unless the prophets of GOD are still existing. If we accepted Christ with all our hearts then the fruits of the Holy Spirit should follow.

We can be righteous in GOD’s eyes. But being righteous doesn’t exempt us from troubles, pains, or trials in life - consider the lives of Abraham and Job. Their experiences maybe worse than what we are experiencing now and yet their faith survived.

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