Psalm 18, Transformers, and Proverbs 21

• Psalm 18:1-2:[1] I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
  [2] The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
  My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
  My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
  
  Our love belongs to God first. Persevering trust and love will bind us to Him, our strength, our rock, our fortress, our deliverer, our shield, our salvation, our stronghold, our God. In the days ahead, let us keep this in mind and heart.
  
  You know that song "I Shall Call upon the Lord" or "The Lord Liveth"? Psalm 18:3 and then down to Psalm 18:46:
  
  [3] I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
  So shall I be saved from my enemies. . . .
  [46] The LORD lives!
  Blessed be my Rock!
  Let the God of my salvation be exalted.
  
  
• Anyone ever thought Transformers were cool? Well, I have and do. I ordered one online, and once I get it, I may post pictures.
  
  
• Proverbs 21:21: He who follows righteousness and mercy
  Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
  
  If we do what is right and are merciful to all, we will have vitality, perfection, and honor in Christ. In application to my own failings, I have collected some Scripture dealing with righteousness and mercy--Romans 6:12-14^a and a few portions throughout the New Testament.
  
  Righteousness is simply living in a manner that only One has ever attained, Jesus the Christ. Jesus never gave in to sin, and essentially, sin is lust. I'm not talking about sexual immorality either (though that is a lust). I'm talking about lust, period. Lust [period] is basically giving in to something before its time. Sexual immorality is an excellent example. When someone looks at another person and gets "turned on" or something of the like, he is thinking of something before it's time. When you aren't married to someone, it isn't time to go, "Wow, honey, you look good!" That's for later! And here's a radical example of lust really encompassing all sin: you get agitated by someone swearing constantly, so you want to sock him in the face for taking God's name in vain, but guess what: that wouldn't be the right thing to do. Why? Because God is the one who will punish the blasphemer. It never will be your place to mete out God's justice.
  
  Mercy is another interesting thing. It seems related to love (selfless service that may not be returned). At least in the reports on Jesus' healing of beggars, blind men, and demon-possessed, mercy is showed by someone who has the power to relieve something of another without necessarily getting repaid. (Don't those examples of mercy sound like love acted out in kindness--lovingkindness?) Also, mercy is just doing good to someone whether or not they deserve it. God gives us good things like a brain and feet out of mercy (Romans 9:16^b). Especially us Gentiles (sons from other than the physical Abraham), God was merciful to send His Son (Romans 15:8-9^c). Even life--a beating heart and a pair of working lungs--is from Him with mercy (Philippians 2:27^d). I only listed a few verses, yet my point already seems apparent: God has mercy that is broad, through all ages and to all people.
  
  ^a = Romans 6:12-14: [12] Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. [13] And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. [14] For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
  
  ^b = Romans 9:16: So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
  
  ^c = Romans 15:8-9: [8] Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, [9] and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:
  
  "For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles,
  And sing to Your name.”
  
  ^d = Philippians 2:27: For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.