June 29, 2021: SOAP #4226:  Amos 4-6; Psalm 86,87; Titus 1

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm (NIV) 86:5 You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you….
8 Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours….
10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God….
13 For great is your love towards me; …
15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness….
17 Give me a sign of your goodness,

OBSERVATION: Who would not serve a God like our God!  He is so great and mighty that no other being can compare!  No other power could force God to be gracious and compassionate!  No other power could force God to be good and to forgive His creation.  Those are characteristics to which He must hold Himself. 

APPLICATION:  I stand in awe, for indeed I serve an awesome God!  I do not deserve His loving kindness.  I could never force Him to be kind to me.  If He dealt with me according to His righteousness and holiness, I could never stand in His presence. 

Yet in a miraculous way, He does deal with me in keeping with His righteousness and holiness.  Through the death of His sinless son, Jesus, I am cleansed from all unrighteousness!  I am justified—made just as if I’d never sinned!!!  Jesus has made His home in me and God the Father now sees me as He sees His holy and righteous Son, Jesus!  

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, seeing all this truth in one chapter excites me.  You are amazing.  No one has forced you to be loving and good.  There is no one who has the power to force to do anything.  You are the way you choose to be.  You act only in accordance with your nature.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!