Archive for the ‘ Mercy ’ Category

VerseD: Matthew 5:7

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

Matthew 5:7, ESV

We remember the mercy God has shown us by offering His Son as propitiation for our sin.

How much should we now show mercy to others?

VerseD: Luke 6:36

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:36, ESV

We deserved death and torment, yet God relents.

How often do we not forgive those who [usually unintentionally] wrong us? Our own mercy could lead to the Gospel being shared.

VerseD: Matthew 5:7

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
Matthew 5:7, ESV

With the difficulties of life, when we show mercy to a hurting world lashing out at each other, they can see the hope of Christ’s mercy through us.

VerseD: Luke 6:36

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:36, ESV

We have been shown great mercy (withholding what is deserved) by God. How much more can we show mercy and patience with our fellow people?

VerseD: Matthew 5:7

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
Matthew 5:7, ESV

Our Lord has shown us mercy by dying in our place.

We can at least show mercy to our fellow fallen humans in response.

VerseD: Luke 6:36

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:36, ESV

Just as God showed us mercy for all the ways we sin against Him, remember that people are messed up and mess up all the time, and show them mercy and grace. You would like them to do it for you.

VerseD: Psalm 116:1

I love the Lord , because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Psalm 116:1, ESV

God hears our prayers and wants to give us mercy.

We must also remember that He has said that He hears the prayers of those who love Him.

Seek God’ righteousness and His mercy.

VerseD: Micah 6:8

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8, ESV

What many fail to realize about the Golden Rule (treat others as you want to be treated) is how deep this rule goes.

We know about pursuing justice and showing kindness and mercy to others, but without the humble acknowledgment of the need for God’s love and wisdom those are basically meaningless.

VerseD: Psalm 51:1-2

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
Psalm 51:1‭-‬2, ESV

Mercy: Not getting what we deserve.

Grace: Getting what we do not deserve.

We did not deserve forgiveness, but praise God He sacrificed His Son to give us just that!

Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 11/12/2017 – Psalm 139

I realized late that I forgot to click “Schedule” on this, so it is appearing a day late!

As we are in the midst of my pro-life themed-videos, I thought it fitting to share THE pro-life psalm in its entirety, with only minimal commentary.

Psalm 139  English Standard Version (ESV)

Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

139 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is bright as the day,
    for darkness is as light with you.

13 For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
    Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
    in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
    I awake, and I am still with you.

19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
    O men of blood, depart from me!
20 They speak against you with malicious intent;
    your enemies take your name in vain.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
    And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with complete hatred;
    I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
    Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting!

My only commentary today is for verses 23-24:

For any who is involved with a sin in which they struggle – and, for the main purpose of this week’s topic, especially those who have been involved with [an] abortion[s] – the best place to start is by asking God to search you.

“Please, God, look into my heart and my mind. You understand everything I am thinking and feeling! Help me! I know I messed up – that I am messed up! I know have done something horrible and wrong, and it is tearing me up! I can’t handle it!”

And He is faithful and true. He will judge your heart, yes, but if you trust that He is truly Lord and the source of salvation, He will “lead [you] in the way everlasting!”

God will forgive you and help you to move forward, if you trust in Him and His sacrifice and the mercy and grace that it afforded.

Trust in the risen Savior, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ. The lover and forgiver of your soul.