You can find our Fire-starter reading in Ezra 9. Our Fire-starter thought is a continuation of What to do when sin has been shown. 

We all mess up, we are human but sometimes the flesh gets involved and we do not do the right thing when it comes to our sin. We have seen it evident in our nation where babies are being murdered without giving second thought homosexuality is roaming our country, bars are selling alcohol day in and day out and what have we done? Absolutely NOTHING!!! We have stayed silent for so long that we are being silenced more and more. Same thing goes for sin if you push it under the rug for too long it will take a toil on you but i am thankful for the mercy and grace God gives. 

We have seen the Children of Israel and their sin against God and the things Ezra did now we can see the mercy and grace of God. 

I believe a lot of times we focus on the bad and wrong that we fail to mention the mercy of God. There is a place for judgment but there is also a place to be reminded of what God could do but hasn't. 

Rightfully so, God could have wiped Israel off the face of the earth numerous times but he had grace and mercy and compassion and had a covenant to keep.

When sin has been shown and revealed to you, remember Christ should have thrown us into Hell a long time ago but because of his mercy and grace he has not. This morning as you go about your day, think about how good God has been to you.

 Notice what is stated in verse 13.

Ezra 9:13 KJV And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;

Ezra said this, ....seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve,....

When God should have punished them more he was merciful. Why? Because that is who he is. I'm thankful for the mercy and grace of our Savior. 

When sin has been shown, think about the mercy he can give if you will just repent!!!

Hope you have a wonderful day!!!!

Ezra 9:1-15 KJV
Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. [2] For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. [3] And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied. [4] Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice. [5] And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God, [6] And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. [7] Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. [8] And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. [9] For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. [10] And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, [11] Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. [12] Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever. [13] And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; [14] Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? [15] O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.