PSALM 51
A Prayer for Forgiveness

You are kind, God!
Please have pity on me.
You are always merciful!
Please wipe away my sins.
Wash me clean from all
of my sin and guilt.
I know about my sins,
and I cannot forget
my terrible guilt.
You are really the one
I have sinned against;
I have disobeyed you
and have done wrong.
So it is right and fair for you
to correct and punish me.

I have sinned and done wrong
since the day I was born.
But you want complete honesty,
so teach me true wisdom.
Wash me with hyssop
until I am clean
and whiter than snow.
Let me be happy and joyful!
You crushed my bones,
now let them celebrate.
Turn your eyes from my sin
and cover my guilt.
Create pure thoughts in me
and make me faithful again.
Don't chase me away from you
or take your Holy Spirit
away from me.

Make me as happy as you did
when you saved me;
make me want to obey!
I will teach sinners your Law,
and they will return to you.
Keep me from any deadly sin.
Only you can save me!
Then I will shout and sing
about your power to save.

Help me to speak,
and I will praise you, Lord.
Offerings and sacrifices
are not what you want.
The way to please you
is to feel sorrow
deep in our hearts.
This is the kind of sacrifice
you won't refuse.

Please be willing, Lord,
to help the city of Zion
and to rebuild its walls.
Then you will be pleased
with the proper sacrifices,
and we will offer bulls
on your altar once again.

JOEL 2:12-19
The LORD's Invitation

The LORD said:
It isn't too late.  You can still return to me with all your heart.  Start crying and mourning!  Go without eating.  Don't rip your clothes to show your sorrow.  Instead, turn back to me with broken hearts.

I am merciful, kind, and caring.  I don't easily lose my temper, and I don't like to punish.  I am the LORD your God.  Perhaps I will change my mind and treat you with mercy.  Then you will be blessed with enough grain and wine for offering sacrifices to me.

Sound the trumpet on Zion!  Call the people together.  Show your sorrow by going without food.  Make sure that everyone is fit to worship me.  Bring adults, children, babies, and even bring newlyweds from their festivities.  Tell my servants, the priests, to cry inside the temple and to offer this prayer near the altar: "Save your people, LORD God! Don't let foreign nations make jokes about us. Don't let them laugh and ask, `Where is your God?' "

The LORD Will Bless the Land

The LORD was deeply concerned about his land and had pity on his people.  In answer to their prayers he said, "I will give you enough grain, wine, and olive oil to satisfy your needs.  No longer will I let you be insulted by the nations.

MATTHEW 6:1-6
Giving

When you do good deeds, don't try to show off. If you do, you won't get a reward from your Father in heaven.  When you give to the poor, don't blow a loud horn. That's what show-offs do in the meeting places and on the street corners, because they are always looking for praise. I can assure you that they already have their reward.

When you give to the poor, don't let anyone know about it.  Then your gift will be given in secret. Your Father knows what is done in secret, and he will reward you.

Prayer
(Luke 11.2-4)

When you pray, don't be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the meeting places and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward.

When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private, and he will reward you.

JAMES 1:12-18
Trials and Temptations

God will bless you, if you don't give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as he rewards everyone who loves him. Don't blame God when you are tempted! God cannot be tempted by evil, and he doesn't use evil to tempt others.  We are tempted by our own desires that drag us off and trap us.  Our desires make us sin, and when sin is finished with us, it leaves us dead.

Don't be fooled, my dear friends.  Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing.  He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth.