A great impediment to overcoming our sins is self-justification. We tend to excuse ourselves for what we do, and this only makes it harder to become like God.

Personified Jerusalem, whom God depicts as a grieving widow, blames others for her troubles while overlooking her own sins as the real cause of her sorrow.

The expressions of sorrow in the Psalms far outnumber expressions of praise, indicating that the Hebrew culture has almost made the lamentation an art form.

Many people shirk responsibility for their errors, 'passing the buck.' Avoiding blame when we are at fault shows poor character, a failing we must overcome.

Nothing happens in our lives (including repentance) until God initiates it. A change of heart, by God's Holy Spirit, results in a total change of direction.

As we approach the coming self-examination prior to Passover, we can apply six significant lessons taught to ancient Israel through the book of Lamentations.

In Lamentations 3, the narrator finally convinces Lady Jerusalem that her own sins have caused her necessary punishment and affliction by God.

God chose both Saul and David, the first complying with the people's choice (judging by outward appearance and stature), the second by judging inwardly.

The antidote to the fear of repentance caused by pride is godly humility and the willingness to be set on the right spiritual course.

Initially, the primary motivation for responding to God's call may be a panicky desire to save our skin, gloming onto a place of safety like Petra.

We need to be on guard against dissipating our energy, becoming over-immersed in activity and busyness to the point of losing overall effectiveness.

Even allowing for mankind's free moral agency and propensity to stumble, God still works out His purpose, even when people do not know it is for their good.

When we sin, we have an advocate with Jesus Christ, who has been commissioned to forgive our sins upon repentance. There is no forgiveness apart from Christ.

It is impossible to grow spiritually in a climate of animosity and jealousy. If we use the power of God's Holy Spirit, peace will accrue as a fruit.

Keeping God's Law brings bountiful blessings, harmony, and profound peace (Psalm 119:165), while the 'cheap' grace brings guilt, anxiety, and pain.

In this time of confusion and rapid change, we have a desperate need for something solid to hold onto. Some of the most secure things are the promises of God.

Godly righteousness demands humility, a readiness to admit shortcomings, a yieldedness to correction, and a willingness to be refashioned.

The key to the real abundant life is to follow Christ's example of forcing His will into submission to the Father's will, even to the point of death.