mercy – herbcotton.org

How to Have Peace and Victory in the Cave?

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

Psalm 57 King James Version (KJV)

57 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.

3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

We seldom get to live on earth without having a season of finding ourselves in a cave. In this season we lose our peace and victory.

We are not without hope when we encounter difficult times and discouragement that robs us of our peace, success and our joy.

Psalm 57 David gives us some encouraging words to help us escape the discouragement and the loss that comes when we get stuck in the caves of life. Living in a fallen world is hard, but God is good, and the future is bright for God’s people. God’s people have a merciful Father in heaven who hears and answers the prayers of His people.

Whatever you are going through and whatever your condition or circumstance may be, if you are a child of God, you have the blessed assurance that God cares about you, and He hears and answers the prayers of His people.

Psalm 56:9 King James Version (KJV)

9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.

Notice what David did in his time of pressing need:

He asked for help (verse 1).
He trusted in God (verse 1].
He took refuge in arms of God (verse 1).
He drew near to God and cried out to Him (verse 2).
David expected a miracle from God; trust Him, and you will experience the goodness and faithfulness of God (verse 3).

Psalm 56:13 King James Version (KJV)

13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Father, we praise and thank You for Your goodness, faithfulness, and tender mercies.

Father, we thank You for delivering our souls and giving us peace and victory when we find ourselves in the caves that we encounter in this fallen world. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

—

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God Speaks – Hear The Word of God

The Wisdom of the Proverbs:

Proverbs 28:23 (NLT)

In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery.

The Encouragement of the Psalms:

Psalm 119:156 (NLT)

LORD, how great is your mercy; let me be revived by following your regulations.

The Hope of the Old Testament:

Psalm 119:146-149 (NLT)

I cry out to you; rescue me, that I may obey your laws.

I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.

I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise.

In your faithful love, O LORD, hear my cry; let me be revived by following your regulations.

The Gospel Message:

1 John 1:6-9 (NLT)

So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.

But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Observation:

The most remarkable and fantastic thing I find as I read the Bible is how much God loves you and me. It is humbling to know that God notices and cares about His children.

I have lingered in the Psalms today because from them I find the encouragement to face life because in the Psalms I see the weaknesses of the human flesh. However, I also look at the provisions of a loving creator and heavenly Father who loves and cares for human beings that He has created in His image. I am encouraged and empowered by knowing that God takes our weaknesses and gives us His strength.

Prayer:

Psalm 119:169-174 (NLT)

O LORD, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind you promised.

Listen to my prayer; rescue me as you promised.

Let praise flow from my lips, for you have taught me your decrees.

Let my tongue sing about your word, for all your commands are right.

Give me a helping hand, for I have chosen to follow your commandments.

O LORD, I have longed for your rescue, and your instructions are my delight.

—

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

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How Should You Live in the Present?

Text:

1 Peter 4:7 (NLT)

7 The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.

Observation:

How do we spend the present? In reality, we only have the present; the past is gone, and tomorrow is not promised.

Therefore, it behooves each of us to think seriously and soberly about the present.

Life may be difficult, but we still have a charge to keep and a purpose to fulfill. The time to do that is today and not tomorrow.

We would do well to be earnest and disciplined in our prayer life. Through prayer, we are able to see God’s perspective on our problems. When we read and meditate upon God’s Word we get a new perspective on our problems.

In the midst of our problems, we take them to God in prayer. Our prayers bring us into the presence of the Lord. In God’s presence, we receive His power and His peace.

As we are more earnest in prayer we go deeper into the Word and we are able to see God’s perspective and God’s purpose begins to be revealed in the midst of our problems.

In spite of our struggles and suffering, we begin to experience the unfailing love of God and God’s sufficient grace for our current circumstances.

As we look higher and go deeper with God our pain and suffering are transformed into praise and thanksgiving to God. The Word of God and prayer changes everything, and most of all it changes you and me.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for being the God of the present. We are so grateful that when we live in the present, and in Your presence, we get a new perspective on life.

Father, infuse our lives with a burning desire to be earnest and disciplined in our prayer life. O how we need to live in Your presence continually. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

—

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

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Do You Need Mercy In Your Life?

Text:

Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)

16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Observation:

This week we have talked about God’s love and grace. You can read those by clicking on this link: https://herbcotton.blogspot.com.

Today I want to meditate on God’s mercy. In the Psalms, we see that David felt the deep need in his life for mercy.

Psalm 51:7 (NLT)

7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

The grace of God covers the penalty for our sins. But, it is God’s mercy that covers the shame of our sins.

Psalm 51:10 (NLT)

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.

I’m so thankful and forever will be so grateful that God’s mercy trumps God’s judgment.

James 2:13 (NLT)

13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

But, it gets even better. God looks with favor on the one who receives mercy and gives it to others.

Matthew 5:7 (NLT)

7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Prayer:

Father God, we come into your presence today, and we exalt your name and give you the glory that only you deserve.

Father, we are so grateful for the loving gift of mercy. Father, we are so glad that your mercy covers the shame of our sins, and frees us to experience the joy of our salvation.

Father, I’m at a loss for words to express our appreciation for the gifts of love, grace, and mercy. So, I look to the Psalmist for help.

Psalm 51:16-17 (NLT)

16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering.

17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Father, we agree with David; we offer the sacrifice that you desire, and we surrender to you our whole heart. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

—

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

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What Do You Need Most?

Text:

Psalm 51:1-3 (ESV)

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

Observation:

Some people would say that our greatest need is to have justice. However, that was not the greatest need of David. He said in this Psalm that his greatest need was mercy.

Every person ever born with a human father needs mercy. This is what the bible says about the human condition.

Romans 3:22-23 (HCSB)

22 —that is, God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe, since there is no distinction.

23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Psalm 51:3-5 (ESV)

3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

The Psalmist acknowledged that he was included in the all who have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

The only solution to our greatest problem is Jesus, and what He did for us on the cross at Calvary. Our greatest need is to repent; to turn from our sins, and to turn to God. We give Him our all, and He gives us His all.

Psalm 51:9-10 (ESV)

9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

The goodnews is that Jesus has already paid for our sin debt. He has already blotted out our transgressions when He died our death to enable us to live in His presence forever. Fully justified, and fully alive in Christ.

Is this your testimony?

Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Prayer:

Father God, I am so pleased to associate myself with the host of people who have received the gift of love, forgiveness, grace, and mercy that was provided through the gift of Your only begotten son; Jesus the Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Father, thank You for doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Father, I pray for any who have not received this precious gift, which alone satisfies our greatest need. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

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What Is Your Response?

Text:

Psalm 105:1-3 (ESV)

1 Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!

3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!

Observation:

I woke up this morning with the LORD on my mind. I begin to praise and thank Him for all of my blessings. I thanked Him for the freedom that I have that I received from His loving heart and hands.

The bible says:

John 8:34-36 (ESV)

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.

35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Who are you a slave of? Are you a slave to sin, or a slave of the Savior?

Romans 1:1 (HCSB)

1 Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and singled out for God’s good news—

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your most holy and righteous name. Father, I pray for America today, and I pray for the kingdom of God that Jesus is building. Father, may Your kingdom come, and may Your will be done on earth, and in Your people.

Father, thank You for the freedom we have in Christ. Father, I thank You that those who Jesus has set free, no power on earth or above the earth can take it away. Satan can’t steal the gift of freedom that the Savior has given Your children.

Father, this is my prayer for each one of Your children who can say, “I Am Redeemed”.

Ephesians 2:10 (HCSB)

10 For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.

Father, make us more holy and hopeful than we have ever been before. Make us holy like You are holy, and may our hope be in God alone. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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Where Do You Look When You Have A Troubled Heart?

Text:

Psalm 57:1-3 (KJV)

1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.

3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.

Observation:

This Psalm is one that speaks of David, and the fear that he faced by King Saul who had it in his heart to kill David.

You may not be facing and fleeing an enemy that is determined to kill you, but you may be facing forces in your life that are robbing you of peace in your life.

Are you facing something in your life that is causing you to flee, fret, or flounder? Why not do what David did?

Psalm 57:2 (HCSB)

2 I call to God Most High, to God who fulfills ?His purpose? for me.

Yes, my friend, when you cry out to God, He will hear your cry, and He will help you. What He did for David He will do for you.

Psalm 57:3 (HCSB)

3 He reaches down from heaven and saves me, challenging the one who tramples me.Selah God sends His faithful love and truth.

Do we have any witnesses that God hears, and answers prayer? Yes, He will I know He will.

Psalm 116:1-2 (HCSB)

1 I love the LORD because He has heard my appeal for mercy.

2 Because He has turned His ear to me, I will call ?out to Him? as long as I live.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. O how precious it is to know that the Lord is my daily companion, my friend, and my deliverer. Lord, I trust in You, and I am so thankful that You have never failed me, and never given up on me. If the Lord has done the same for You, give Him some glory today. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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Have You Ever Meditated On How Much God Loves You?

Text:

Ephesians 2:4-6 (ESV)

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Observation:

I was challenged by the Word of God, and the Spirit of God to spend some time recently meditating on how huge it is that God loved me when I was at my worst.

We love people when they are at their best, and we like to be around people who are good, and who are mostly like us. However, God who is so much higher and better than us, looks at people differently. He sees how they can become, and provides the means for them to become a brand new person.

God is a relational Father, and He desires to have a personal and intimate relationship with His children. Jesus demonstrates in His work of grace toward us that mercy, love, forgiveness, and grace are vital ingredients in our relationships with God, and in our relationships with others.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

God has remade His children, and equipped us to be demonstrations of His love to others. Are you doing your best to be who He made you to be?

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Prayer:

Father God, I am so grateful that You loved me when I was at my worst, and provided the means by which I could have a close and intimate relationship with You; not just for a season, but for eternity.

Father, I thank You that this grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness was not just a one time gift; it is a gift that is available all of the days that You allow for me to live in this fallen world.

Father, there are still days when I am at my worst, and there is never a time when I don’t need a little more grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness.

Father, since I am the recipient of so much love, I pray that I will be willing to show an abundance of Your love to others. Father, make me, and all of Your beloved children more like You in our relationships with others.In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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What To Do When In A Difficult Season?

Text:

Psalm 30:8-12 (ESV)

8 To you, O LORD, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy:

9 “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?

10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me! O LORD, be my helper!”

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Observation:

There are times in our lives when we need to descend in the current season so that we may be exalted in another season.

In times like this we can look to the example of David in our focal passage for today. What did David do?

We find the answer in Psalm 30:8.

Psalm 30:8 (ESV)

8 To you, O LORD, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy:

David humbled himself before the Lord, and he cried our to the Lord for mercy. In times like David faced, and times that you are facing, it is mercy that suits our case.

The encouragement that I draw from this Psalm is that troubles don’t last forever. I take delight when I read this verse.

Psalm 30:5 (ESV)

5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

When the season of deliverance comes in our life; when joy comes in the morning, it is the time to show our gratitude to God. It is time to move from the pity party to the praise party.

Psalm 30:11-12 (ESV)

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Prayer:

Father, I delight to associate myself with your servant David in crying out to your for mercy.

Father, I acknowledge that you are the potter, and I am the clay. Father, I surrender my will to You; Father, I willing submit to your hands forming me into the person that you want me to be.

Father, I delight to sing your praises before a watching world, and give you the glory for anything that is praiseworthy in my life. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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Daily Bread

Title: You Were Born for a Purpose, and God Has a Plan for Your Life

Text:

Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV)
⁵“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)
¹¹For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Observation:

God made you, and his promise is one that we can rely upon; you were born to be a winner. If you focus on your circumstances, you may doubt this. However, if you rely on the promises of God, you can be the person God made you to be.

Life will present its obstacles. However, we should remember that God has a plan. Sometimes God’s plan for us requires patience on our part.

Jeremiah 29:10 (ESV)
¹⁰“For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.

Things in this fallen world can get messy and untidy. Life can become very uncomfortable and difficult as you wait on God. Remember that God surrounds his children all the days of that life with two angels; goodness and mercy. When the going gets tough don’t look down; you will get discouraged. Rather, look up, and be encouraged. And, don’t forget those two angels; they are God’s agents to guard you and guide you.

Psalm 23:6 (ESV)
⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful that I can go to bed every night, and wake up every morning knowing that my life is in good hands. Father, I thank you that I can sleep in peace, and walk in victory because my life is in your hands.

Father God, I pray that you will keep me close to Thee; when I faint and falter, help me to remember to look to Calvary; the place where my Savior died to pay my sin debt, and to give me the gift of eternal life with you. What a future, and what a friend I have in Jesus.

Father, help my family and my friends to keep the faith, and to keep their eyes upon Jesus. When life gets hard; I pray that they will remember to take the upward look. In Jesus name, Amen.