Through successive generations, infidels have pointed to the character of David, bearing this dark stain, and have exclaimed in triumph and derision, “This is the man after God’s own heart!” … But the history of David furnishes no countenance to sin. It was when he was walking in the counsel of God, that he was called a man after God’s own heart. When he sinned, this ceased to be true of him until by repentance he had returned to the Lord…. Though David repented of his sin, and was forgiven and accepted by the Lord, he reaped the baleful harvest of the seed he himself had sown. The judgments upon him and upon his house testify to God’s abhorrence of the sin….

God intended the history of David’s fall to serve as a warning that even those whom He has greatly blessed and favored are not to feel secure, and neglect watchfulness and prayer. And thus it has proved to those who in humility have sought to learn the lesson that God designed to teach. From generation to generation, thousands have thus been led to realize their own danger from the tempter’s power…. David’s repentance was sincere and deep. There was no effort to palliate his crime. No desire to escape the judgments threatened, inspired his prayer. But he saw the enormity of his transgression against God; he saw the defilement of his soul; he loathed his sin. It was not for pardon only that he prayed, but for purity of heart.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 722-725
With God at Dawn p. 139
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for David who is depressed and angry. Pray for his deliverance from this. Buck
—-PLEASE PRAY FOR MY SISTER. SHE HAS A HEART CONDITION. PLEASE PRAY FOR COMPLETE HEALING AND REST. Jean
—-Please pray for Israel and the world that God will delay things. Rosemary
—-Please pray for my friend Agnes who is having many life threatening Health issues with kidneys and heart! Ann
—-Please continue to keep Johanna in prayer. Rose
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Dear Friends,
When Eileen was six, she and her cousin, Annie, often played together. One day, as they were playing, they noticed DJ, Annie’s little brother, who was two at the time eating something. They walked over to see what he had. There he was, happily eating live, wiggling worms! Eileen and Annie thought that was “yucky” and took the worms away. DJ began to cry. After talking their problem over, they decided that they would cook the worms for him. That would dry his tears. Alabama is very hot in the summertime—hot enough that you can fry an egg on the sidewalk. So, they decided to fry the worms there. They explained to the whimpering DJ, that they were going to make the worm taste better for him. It didn’t take long before the worm was hard and stiff. They girls then picked it up and gave it to the boy. DJ ate it happily. He seemed to like fried worms much better than live ones, so they helped find him more.
A little later, I decided it was time to check on Eileen and see if she was alright. I walked around the trailer park until I found them. When I saw them putting worms on the hot sidewalk, I was shocked. As I looked around I could see many dried worms. Hating to see any animal hurt or killed, I explained that what they were doing was very wrong. Taking Eileen by the hand and leading her into the house, I told her that she could not play outside for the rest of the day. This would help her remember to be kind to animals. Eileen was not happy. She felt that she was being treated unfairly and told me so. Finally, she was able to make me understand why they had done what they did. As I listened, I could see that in their childish reasoning that they were doing what they thought was right. I had misjudged their motives.
How often we “jump to conclusions” before we really know all of the circumstances. How often we condemn someone before understanding their motives. Our Dear Saviour commands, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” Matt 7:1-5 He did not mean that we should allow wrongs to exist, but that we should not judge “according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” John 7:24
Just as it was right to stop Eileen and Annie from feeding DJ worms, so we are told that there is a time to judge. We must not allow sin to run rampant lest others follow their example. We should, however, be very careful not to shun, not to gossip, not to discourage, not to condemn. Instead, restoration should have a part with the judgment. Since it is true that when we see a wrong, we should not keep silent, it is equally important that we should to very careful of our own motives and work with that individual in a loving way to help them see the error of their ways and place their feet firmly on the path that leads to Heaven. “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Gal 6:1,2
Let us ask for wisdom, that we might not misjudge another’s motives. Let us ask for the eye salve of the Holy Spirit that we may work for the erring as Jesus did, seeking for their restoration; for if we do not approach them correctly, we will drive them further away from the right path. Let us, when corrected, study and pray to see if we, too, have strayed; and if so, step back upon the right path; but if not, stand firmly for the right.
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/mZ919xytYMA/the-repentance-of-david.html

If those who hide and excuse their faults could see how Satan exults over them, how he taunts Christ and holy angels with their course, they would make haste to confess their sins and to put them away. Through defects in the character, Satan works to gain control of the whole mind, and he knows that if these defects are cherished, he will succeed. Therefore he is constantly seeking to deceive the followers of Christ with his fatal sophistry that it is impossible for them to overcome. But Jesus pleads in their behalf His wounded hands, His bruised body; and He declares to all who would follow Him, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” … Let none, then, regard their defects as incurable. God will give faith and grace to overcome them.

We are now living in the great day of atonement. In the typical service, while the high priest was making the atonement for Israel, all were required to afflict their souls by repentance of sin and humiliation before the Lord, lest they be cut off from among the people. In like manner, all who would have their names retained in the book of life, should now, in the few remaining days of their probation, afflict their souls before God by sorrow for sin and true repentance. There must be deep, faithful searching of heart. The light, frivolous spirit indulged by so many professed Christians must be put away. There is earnest warfare before all who would subdue the evil tendencies that strive for the mastery.—The Great Controversy, 489.
With God at Dawn p. 134
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Prayer Requests
—-I just received an update: my Dad’s aneurism has gone from a 4.6 to 5.5 in size and he now needs surgery and we are under a serious lockdown. His condition is now dangerous. His creatine levels have not decreased, so his kidneys are not good and he’s severely dehydrated. Please continue to pray for him. The aneurism is in a place that if it bursts it will affect his heart. He is truly in God’s hands right now. Whatever his will. Please continue to keep us in prayer. God bless. Shannah
—-Prayers appreciated for our son, Joel who is having open heart surgery May 18th. Astrid
—-Please pray for Libby! She had surgery a few days ago & hasn’t woke up yet. She screams through the night and still can’t wake up. PLEASE PRAY! Kathy
—-prayer request. for Tracy she has a brain bleed has for two weeks. they are watching it. M.
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Dear Friends,
When Ronnie Jay was in college, he lived in a basement apartment rather than in the dorm. On one occasion, he heard of storms and tornadoes in the area, so he stayed up until about three o’clock in the morning to make sure that he could warn Brian and Esther if a tornado was near. His plan was that he would call them and then they would jump in the car and drive the three blocks to Ronnie’s apartment where they would be safe. After all danger was past, he went to bed.
Imagine his surprise when he woke up the next morning to find five inches of water on his floor! The heavy rains from the thunderstorms that had dumped huge amounts of water on already saturated ground. His heart sank as he saw his computer tower and the rest of his possessions standing in that water. Quickly, he went began unplugging all of his electric cords. He felt electric shocks go through his body as he did so, but it had to be done. It was truly a miracle that the water was not electrically charged for he had many items plugged into power strips which lie on the floor.
When Ron went with him to make a claim on his renter’s insurance, the agent told him that flooding was not covered under his policy. Ron chided the man for selling our son, who lives in a basement apartment, a policy without flood insurance and cancelled the policy.
How swiftly our life can be turned upside-down. How quickly all that we have worked so hard for can be ruined. It can be gone in a moment in the blink of an eye. In view of this, Jesus advises, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matt 6:19-21
Peter reminds us of a soon-coming event where everyone’s material possessions will be no more. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” 2 Peter 3:10-14
May we look away from the things of this world and keep our focus on Heavenly things. May we make our “calling and election sure,” that we may dwell in the Place where there are no floods, no tornadoes, no more death, pain, or sorrow. 2 Peter 1:10, Rev 21:4 May we all be there is my prayer.
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/zpFhiRvRREQ/be-not-stiff-necked-but-yield.html

But let none deceive themselves with the thought that God, in His great love and mercy, will yet save even the rejecters of His grace. The exceeding sinfulness of sin can be estimated only in the light of the cross. When men urge that God is too good to cast off the sinner, let them look to Calvary. It was because there was no other way in which man could be saved, because without this sacrifice it was impossible for the human race to escape from the defiling power of sin, and be restored to communion with holy beings,—impossible for them again to become partakers of spiritual life,—it was because of this that Christ took upon Himself the guilt of the disobedient and suffered in the sinner’s stead. The love and suffering and death of the Son of God all testify to the terrible enormity of sin, and declare that there is no escape from its power, no hope of the higher life, but through the submission of the soul to Christ.

The impenitent sometimes excuse themselves by saying of professed Christians, “I am as good as they are. They are no more self-denying, sober, or circumspect in their conduct than I am. They love pleasure and self-indulgence as well as I do.” Thus they make the faults of others an excuse for their own neglect of duty. But the sins and defects of others do not excuse any one; for the Lord has not given us an erring, human pattern…. Beware procrastination. Do not put off the work of forsaking your sins, and seeking purity of heart through Jesus. Here is where thousands upon thousands have erred, to their eternal loss.—Steps to Christ, 31, 32.
With God at Dawn p. 132
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Larry, who is having difficulty walking and is not listening to reason. He is angry and is lashing out at everyone. He is refusing to get the medical help he needs even though when the hospital was called they suggested that Mike call the ambulance and bring him in because he may have had a small stroke. Rose
—-I lost a brother in January this year and today I have another one very sick blood count very low and getting lower fluid in stomach cancer and God alone knows what else. He needs your prayers. Therese
—-My daughter is in need of your prayers, she has breast cancer, now upcoming surgery and reconstruction please pray for her. Sandi
—-Prayers please for my grandmother who has been hospitalized. She is having heart failure. Nathan
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Dear Friends,
When I worked in the court system, we would often enjoy looking at the mug shots of the defendants who come into our office. Many of them cleaned up and dressed in their best clothes to come to court. Sometimes they would wear a cross necklace or a religious tee-shirt in order to seem like a good person, but how different they looked on the day they were arrested. How severe were their crimes. Changing outwardly did little good when standing before the judge, for they still ended up being found guilty.
We, too, will stand before the Judge of all the earth Who knows us so well, that He even knows the number of hairs on our head. (Rom 14:10; Luke 12:7) We can at times, through sheer determination, appear to change outwardly, but that will do no good in front of the One Who can read the heart. Only He can truly rid us of those sins that so easily beset us. Praise God! He will change our vile heart and make us pure and clean within if we will allow Him too. “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” “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 an 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 18:33; 36:26,27 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isa 1:18 “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isa 45:22 “And I will cleanse [you] from all [your] iniquity, whereby [you] have sinned against me; and I will pardon all [your] iniquities, whereby [you] have sinned, and whereby [you] have transgressed against me.” Jer 33:8
May we come to Him now that we may receive the pardon and cleansing we need so much. May we pray as did David, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. . . .Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. . . . 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. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” Ps 51:1-4, 7, 9-13 May we daily walk with Him in newness of life, turning from the sin that so easily besets us, and grasping firmly His Guiding Hand, that we may stand before Him covered with the righteous robe of Jesus is my prayer.
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/3HcTdFXC5jg/put-iniquity-far-away.html