“…The only thing that counts is not what human beings want or try to do, but the mercy of God.” [Romans 9:16]
"…though I have fallen, I shall rise; though I live in darkness, God is my light. I must suffer the anger of God, for I have sinned against Him, until He takes up my cause and rights my wrongs; He will bring me out into the light and I shall rejoice to see the rightness of His ways.” [Micah 7:8-9]
“How rich are the depths of God—how deep His wisdom and knowledge–and how impossible to penetrate His motives or understand His methods! All that exists comes from Him; all is by Him and for Him. To Him is glory forever! Amen.” [Romans. 11:33-36
“Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” [Psalm 43:1] “I shall cleanse you of all your defilement and all your idols. I shall give you a new heart…I shall put my spirit in you…You shall be my people and I shall be your God.” [Ezekiel 36:25-26, 29] “I will smelt away your dross in the furnace; I will remove all your base metal from you.” [Isaiah 1:25]
You assure us through Isaiah, our God,
“I have dispelled your faults like a cloud
your sins like a mist
Come back to me, for I have redeemed you.” [Isaiah 44:22]
Furthermore, You proclaim:
“Happy those whose crimes are forgiven, whose sins are blotted out; happy the man whom the Lord considers sinless.” [Psalm 31:1-2] For through Your Son, You have “cancelled every record of the debt that we had to pay; He has done away with it by nailing it to the cross.” [Colossians 2:14-15]
Therefore, our God it is not presumptuous to ask that we may be healed of our faults and freed from our sin. Indeed, You have said:
“No need to recall the past,
no need to think about what was before.
See I am doing a new deed,
even now, it comes to light; can you not see it?
Yes, I am making a road in the wilderness,
paths in the wild.” [Isaiah 43:18-19]
Although we must strive through the Spirit to walk the way of Your Son, You assure us that we are not alone or dependent upon our efforts alone:
“For I, Yahweh, your God,
I am holding you by the right hand;
I tell you, do not be afraid, I will help you.
Do not be afraid…poor worm…
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.” [Isaiah 41:13-14]
“Victory and power and empire for ever have been won by our God and all authority for His Christ, now that the persecutor, who accused our brethren day and night before our God, has been brought down. They have triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb.” [Apocalypse 12:10-12
“Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed—and He is your life—you too will be revealed in all your glory with Him.” [Colossians 3:1-4]
“Be God’s true subjects; stand firm against the devil, and he will run away from you; come close to God and He will come close to you. You that are sinners must wash your hands clean; you that are of two minds must purify the intention of your hearts. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” [James 4:7-8, 10]
