Showing posts with label the mercy of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the mercy of God. Show all posts
Saturday, December 3, 2011
The Importance Of One Sheep
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Luke 15:4, 7 KJV
The Word of God said that if one sheep leaves the flock, He’ll leave the ninety and nine and go get that one. Even if you’re backslidden, and you’ve fallen away from God, I want you to know the Lord doesn’t say, “Good riddance. Forget you.” No! He says, “We’re not moving forward until we get our brother. We are in this together as a family. When one hurts, we all hurt. And when one is blessed, we are all blessed.” As members of the family of God, we don’t have time for jealousy or envy. We are all in this together following the Shepherd.
Look into your heart and your spirit and say, “Jesus, you are my Shepherd. Is there anything in my life that’s not pleasing to you? Is there any area in my life that I haven’t followed you?” If so, then repent right now. Just tell him you’re sorry that you missed it. He is the good Shepherd. His mercy endures forever.
Scripture Of The Day: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?" - Luke 15:4 (NKJV)
Friday, December 2, 2011
Grace And Mercy
Every day we thank the Lord for something that He has done. We thank Him for His blessings and we thank Him for who He is. We thank Him for the blood running warm in our veins, the activity of our limbs, having the opportunity to be clothed and be in our right minds. Today He would have us to consider that we also give thanks for His grace and His mercy.
It is His grace and mercy that keep us receiving blessings even when we don’t deserve them. It is His grace and mercy that keep us from day to day. When we give up, He’s still holding on. When we quit, He’s still going. When we’ve had enough, He is just starting.
In Isaiah 6:1-11, Isaiah declares that his destruction is sealed. He is a sinful man and a member of a sinful race. Isaiah has been called by God to declare His word to a people who didn’t want to receive God’s word. Isaiah declared that he was not fit to do God’s work. But God had chosen him.
It is recorded that Isaiah’s service spanned the time of the reign of king Uzziah, King Jotham, King Ahaz, and King Hezekiah. As a prophet, Isaiah’s responsibility to declare what thus saith the Lord was not only to the people, but to the kings as well. The book of II Kings 15 tells us that King Uzziah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, but he did not destroy the pagan shrines where the people offered their sacrifices and burned their incense. As a result of this, the Lord struck Uzziah with leprosy which lasted until the day of his death. God could have just totally removed Uzziah, but he didn’t. Grace and mercy.
How many times could God have just taken away all of the blessing because of our disobedience? But He didn’t. He just slowed it up; delayed it. God said, I still want you to have it, but it’s going to take you a little longer because you need to recognize how much I love you.
How many times could God have just done away with us, but He didn’t. And the blessings just kept coming. We count ourselves out, when God is lining us up to have His way.
Isaiah thought he was through, but God said you’ve only just begun.
Isaiah threw in the towel, but God threw in a life line.
Isaiah saw the end, but God saw the beginning.
Isaiah started counting himself out, but God starting counting over.
When we’ve given up, God is saying no, now I can use you.
After all of the mess, I can use you.
After all of the shame, I can use you.
After all of the pain, I can use you.
After all of the disappointment, I can still use you.
No matter what the challenge might be, His grace is sufficient, and His mercy endures forever. God’s grace has brought us this far, and His mercy has kept us. Thank you God for your grace and mercy!
Scripture Of The Day: "He touched my lips with it and said, 'See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” - Isaiah 6:5-7 (NLT)
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Close The Door
"Then God spoke to Samuel: “I’m sorry I ever made Saul king. He’s turned his back on me. He refuses to do what I tell him” (1 Sam. 15:11). The real reason why Saul disobeyed the commands of God and eventually lost God’s favor is simple: He didn’t see the little things as BIG things.
He thought a little disobedience wasn’t really that big of a deal. In his mind as long as he meant well despite not doing well, everything would be okay. What he failed to realize is that ‘little’ disobedience opens the door for big darkness. Every tragic thing that happened in Saul’s life happened as a result of this ‘little’ disobedience.
Disobedience opens the door to the Devil’s influence to our life, our family and future. Though our heart’s door may be just slightly ajar, willful resistance to God’s influence blocks us from hearing, sensing and responding to Him. It makes us insensitive to what is wrong, and leads us down a path that isn’t right.
Everyday, good/well-meaning Christians become entangled in situations/relationships/circumstances that are miles outside of God’s purpose. These folks never intended to stray so far. They just meant to take a small detour. But what seemed like such a little thing, gained momentum and became extremely big.
Some went so far, they never made it back. Like Saul, they lost everything.
Some by the mercy of God did make it back bearing scars, and lived to tell the story.
Ironically the man that became King because of Saul’s disobedience, got into big trouble himself. But after his sin was boldly confronted by a friend, he repented to God, and courageously lived with the consequences of his mistakes.
These are his words (from Psalm 51: 1-15 THE MESSAGE):
“Generous in love—God, give grace! Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry. I know how bad I’ve been; my sins are staring me down. You’re the One I’ve violated, and you’ve seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil. You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair. I’ve been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born. What you’re after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life. Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don’t look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.”
King David prayed to God, appealed to God’s mercy, and lived with the consequences of his mistakes.
It wasn’t easy, but God graciously gave him another chance. The bad news was he lost his way, but the good news is he responded to God and was given great mercy.
The even better news is that if you are reading this (and are in big trouble because of a little disobedience), God is reaching out to you. He is waiting for you. He is longing to restore your life, and renew a right heart in you.
The even better than better news is: He is just a prayer away.
Scripture Of The Day: "God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life." - Psalm 51:10 (MESSAGE)
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
The Great Rescue
Being rescued or being saved. How wonderful those words are to the one who is in need of being rescued. The word “saved” means “to rescue somebody or something from harm or danger; to make it possible for somebody to be spared from a situation or activity and to free somebody from the consequences of sin.”
Before I totally gave my life to Jesus Christ, boy, did I need to be rescued! I had soared to the pinnacle of drinking six bottles of wine a day and consuming hard liquor when I could get it. I was doing drugs on a daily basis and was in sexual relationships that left me feeling empty, hopeless and unloved. I had picked up the habit of smoking, I was a habitual liar, and I was very angry, so much that I would pick fights to vent all the rage that I stored within. You may find it hard to believe that a minister was that low! Well, to be honest, there is more that was even lower than what I’ve shared. My body, my mind, my heart…all of me needed to be rescued. I needed to be saved. I desperately needed someone to come and help me, for I had no idea how to help myself!
You may not have a drinking, or lying or anger problem, but you do know that you need help. You know deep within you that the word RESCUE or SAVED or MERCY sounds really good right now. You can relate to the hopelessness, fear, unrest and turmoil that I was trying to cover with so many things. You know, you do not have to live life alone and you can be rescued and saved just like I was. My Rescuer was and is Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He came into my life, had mercy on me and has transformed me from the inside out. See, Jesus doesn’t just pull you out of the water when you’re drowning. No, He takes the time to also bathe and clean you after you are rescued and saved. If you need to be rescued and saved for the first time or need Him to come and rescue you again, then cry out to God right now and take care of this important matter today!
Pray this prayer with me and mean it with all your heart! “Lord, Jesus I know that I have sinned, please forgive me. Please come into my life and save me. Clean me from all unrighteousness and mold me into your likeness. I confess and make you The Lord, The Boss of My Life. And please baptize me in Your Holy Spirit. I believe and receive You Lord, Jesus! I am saved and shall live my life as a follower of Jesus Christ all the days of my life in Jesus Name, Amen.”
If you said that prayer and meant it, begin living your life for Jesus. Receive the mercy that He gives and wants you to have. You’ve just made the most important decision of your life. So from one Rescued Girl to you…welcome to the family!
Scripture Of The Day: “…but my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation.” – Isaiah 51:8 (KJV)
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
The Cancelled Stoning
Have you ever made a really bad mistake in life? Ever made one of those mistakes where regret rushes to your consciousness with full force and if you could paint yourself invisible and disappear you would? You know, the kind of mistake that comes with brutal repercussions that you wish you didn’t have to face.
Well that was the case of the woman in Jerusalem that day when the villagers caught her in the arms of a man she wasn’t married to. Her emotions were a tangle of panic and confusion. She must have been angry at herself. I can almost hear her thoughts, “How could I not have foreseen this happening? How could I have allowed myself to be seduced by the love of another?” Now she was forced to face the fact that she would never see her family again. As untimely as it was, the day of her death had come and this was not the way she had anticipated it happening; she was about to be stoned to death.
Indeed, this was her harsh reality. A sin such as the one she was caught committing demanded a brutal death as stated in the Mosaic Law. But then mercy entered the scene in the person of Jesus Christ. If we were watching this moment of judgment take place on stage, at this point in the scene the woman’s character would fade into the shadows for a moment and the spotlights would be focused on her accusers and on Jesus. This is because whenever we sin, the first conversation in heaven isn’t between us and God, but between God and our accuser. By the end of the scene however, God’s mercy triumphs and the death sentence cancelled.
This story teaches us two very important things: firstly, without the help of the Holy Spirit, we are all susceptible to grave moral failure. At best, our righteousness is as “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6), and as such, we have all fallen, some privately and some publicly. Secondly, sin should not be given an option in our lives, but should we be overcome in a moment of weakness and do sin, we have an “advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous” (1 John 2:1).
Today, you may be overwhelmed by guilt, maybe you are battling with the disappointment of your failures, know that God has an ‘open door’ policy, which means that you are welcome before Him. Recognize where you have failed and present that area of weakness before the Lord. Ask Him to strengthen and fortify you in your areas of vulnerability, and know that He will.
His mercy will cancel sin’s death sentence in your life. Where your ministry should have failed, where your relationship should have been destroyed, where sickness should have prevailed, God’s mercy will intercept and bring restoration. Today, trust in Him whose mercy cancels the enemy’s accusations.
Scripture Of The Day: "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." - 1 John 2:1 (NIV)
Monday, November 28, 2011
Have Mercy!
When I was young, I often played the game Mercy. It’s a simple game, really. You and your opponent take both of your hands and intertwine them with each other’s. You then proceed to bend them back trying to “win the game.” When it starts to hurt beyond what you can handle, you merely yell, “Mercy!” and your opponent stops. Whoever yells “Mercy!” is the loser.
Webster defines mercy as this: Compassion shown to an offender; imprisonment rather than death imposed as penalty for first-degree murder. In the Christian life, we are far from losers when we are given mercy. Not only was Christ’s sacrifice on the cross full of grace, but also full of mercy! We deserved that cross, not Jesus. We are the offenders, not Him. But God showed us his amazing compassion by not giving us what we deserve.
We readily accept that mercy from God and are so thankful that we aren’t given what we truly deserve. But as fast as we receive God’s mercy in our lives, we have a hard time extending it to others – for example, when we don’t forgive someone for hurting us, even though we’ve been forgiven so much (Rom. 5:8). Or when we hoard our resources during a plentiful time because we’ve forgotten what it was like to be in need. Or it could be something as simple as not allowing a car to merge into our lane on the highway when we were just extended the same act by another kind driver.
The mercy of God is more than our finite minds will ever be able to comprehend. We will never understand how the Creator of the Universe sent his son to our broken earth in order to redeem mankind (Isaiah 55:8-9). We will never grasp how wide and high and deep the love of God is (Ephesians 3:18).
But even though we don’t fully get it, it doesn’t mean we can’t receive it with open arms and rest in our eternal security through Christ’s death on the cross. And I believe that when we really receive that and see that we don’t deserve all that’s been sent our way by a kind and loving God, we can then extend that same mercy to others.
Receive mercy.
Give mercy.
Scripture Of The Day: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV)
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Endless Mercy
Nothing was going as I had hoped or planned. Continuing with life simply felt unbearable. School, relationships and living seemed to take too much effort. Somehow I convinced myself that everything bad that happened to me was my fault; I must be cursed.
So I left a suicide note in my homework folder letting my new family know that I loved them and that the problem was me, not them. I was afraid I’d ruin them too. I prayed and asked God to forgive me for running away from Him and for taking my life. I prayed that He would please let me come home to heaven to be with Him because I didn’t think I could deal with the pain of living anymore.
Moments later I swallowed an entire bottle of medicine prescribed to my foster mom and lay down to die in my sleep.
Being an honor roll student before I landed in foster care meant my parents didn’t check my homework. That night was different. Instead of finding my note the next morning, my foster mom found it an hour after I went to sleep. I was rushed to the hospital.
My social worker arranged for me to talk to a psychologist about the things I’d been through before I was placed in foster care. She and my parents encouraged me to talk, instead of trying to pretend it never happened. Something amazing occurred; when I faced my pain, I realized it didn’t hurt as much anymore. I feared my parents, family and friends would reject me because of the suicide attempt. Instead of rejecting me, they loved me more.
I completed counseling, finished high school and each day of life looked brighter. On rare occasions during a special event – like before my senior trip, before I left for college, the day I was married, and the day he became my first paid reader – my Dad would put his arm around me, squeeze me and say, “I’m so glad you didn’t miss this!”
No matter how selfish my actions, how much I hurt Him, myself and the others around me, God continued to send goodness and mercy behind me. His mercy and loving-kindness saved me from myself that night. And since then, it has kept me time and time again. I’m thankful for its benefits new each morning. His mercy, literally, saved my life.
Scripture Of The Day: "Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, extend to the skies, and Your faithfulness to the clouds." - Psalm 36:5 (AMP)
Friday, December 3, 2010
Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment
By Dr. David C. Cooper
One of the most moving of all biblical occurrences is Jesus' interaction with the woman who had been caught in the act of adultery (John 8:1-11). The story appears only in the Gospel of John. A number of persons asked me why the study notes in their Bibles made reference to the fact that this story does not appear in some of the ancient Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. So, let me explain.
The oldest New Testament manuscripts we have date back between the fourth to sixth centuries (AD). The scholars hand-copied from the originals. We call them the Uncial manuscripts, because they are written in all capital letters. The story of the woman who had been caught in adultery only appears in one of the earliest while six omit it completely and two leave a blank where it should appear. However, it emerges strongly in the later manuscripts of the medieval times.
Jerome included the story in his Latin translation of the Bible (AD 400) and Augustine and Ambrose comment on it in their writings. It appears in all the later manuscripts. It is quoted in a third century book called The Apostolic Constitutions, where it was given as a warning to bishops who were too strict. Eusebius, the church historian, traced its origin back as far as AD 100. Why was it omitted in early manuscripts? Augustine says some removed it because of its scandalous nature. Some thought the story showed Jesus being too soft on sin and thought that people might use it as a justification for sin. After all, the early church was a small island in the ocean of paganism, and needed to learn how to live a holy life. But over time, the story arrived by word of mouth, confirmed by one early manuscript and found its way back into the Gospel of John where it rightly belongs.
The story teaches us how to handle matters of judgment. The story underscores Jesus' statement that follows: "You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father who sent me" (John 8:15-16).
There will always be those among us who try to make Christianity too strict and rigid, so that we always feel like we fall short of the mark. But the good news of Jesus is the message of grace. This magnificent story of grace reminds us that, "Mercy triumphs over judgment."
Scripture Of The Day: "Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!" - James 2:13 (NIV)
Dr. David C. Cooper is Senior Pastor of Mount Paran Church of God in Atlanta. Currently, he serves as chairman of the Board of Directors and as an instructor in Counseling at the Psychological Studies Institute in Atlanta. For more on Pastor Cooper, visit http://www.mountparan.com.
One of the most moving of all biblical occurrences is Jesus' interaction with the woman who had been caught in the act of adultery (John 8:1-11). The story appears only in the Gospel of John. A number of persons asked me why the study notes in their Bibles made reference to the fact that this story does not appear in some of the ancient Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. So, let me explain.
The oldest New Testament manuscripts we have date back between the fourth to sixth centuries (AD). The scholars hand-copied from the originals. We call them the Uncial manuscripts, because they are written in all capital letters. The story of the woman who had been caught in adultery only appears in one of the earliest while six omit it completely and two leave a blank where it should appear. However, it emerges strongly in the later manuscripts of the medieval times.
Jerome included the story in his Latin translation of the Bible (AD 400) and Augustine and Ambrose comment on it in their writings. It appears in all the later manuscripts. It is quoted in a third century book called The Apostolic Constitutions, where it was given as a warning to bishops who were too strict. Eusebius, the church historian, traced its origin back as far as AD 100. Why was it omitted in early manuscripts? Augustine says some removed it because of its scandalous nature. Some thought the story showed Jesus being too soft on sin and thought that people might use it as a justification for sin. After all, the early church was a small island in the ocean of paganism, and needed to learn how to live a holy life. But over time, the story arrived by word of mouth, confirmed by one early manuscript and found its way back into the Gospel of John where it rightly belongs.
The story teaches us how to handle matters of judgment. The story underscores Jesus' statement that follows: "You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father who sent me" (John 8:15-16).
There will always be those among us who try to make Christianity too strict and rigid, so that we always feel like we fall short of the mark. But the good news of Jesus is the message of grace. This magnificent story of grace reminds us that, "Mercy triumphs over judgment."
Scripture Of The Day: "Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!" - James 2:13 (NIV)
Dr. David C. Cooper is Senior Pastor of Mount Paran Church of God in Atlanta. Currently, he serves as chairman of the Board of Directors and as an instructor in Counseling at the Psychological Studies Institute in Atlanta. For more on Pastor Cooper, visit http://www.mountparan.com.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
New Mercies
By Cindy Beall
If anyone should have been disqualified from ministry, it was Peter. Paul did some pretty awful things to the name of Christ as well, but Peter? He walked with Christ and ate with Christ and followed Christ and left his family for Christ. He told his Lord that he'd be with him till the end.
And he was pretty good right up until the end shortly after seizing the ear from a guard showing his undying loyalty to the King of Kings. That is, until he was asked if he knew this Jesus character. And to that he replied, "I do not know or understand what you are talking about."
Not once.
Not twice.
But three times.
The second crow of the rooster was heard and Peter broke down and wept.
If that scenario had happened today in our Christian circles, we'd have scorned him. We'd have said he was "no longer fit for ministry". We'd have said that he'll never be able to be a witness for Christ again.
Thank God Peter was not living today or we might not be in relationship with the One, True God.
Peter could have forsaken all that he knew and experienced with Jesus. He could have lowered his head and ran away to some secluded desert to spend the rest of his days. He could have disguised himself so that he would not be recognizable as the disciple who denied Christ the Lord.
Instead, he chose to deal with his failure, shake the dust off his very worn sandals and press on the share the amazing love of the Son of God to the world. For this, I am so grateful.
“Few unmistakable evidences glorify Him more than powerfully restored lives that humbly and authentically proclaim His faithfulness to the death.” - Beth Moore, The Beloved Disciple
Have you screwed up so badly that many are telling you you'll never be a witness for Christ? Have you shamed your family with failure upon failure only to hear that you'll fail again? Have you hidden in a corner hoping that no one will remember what you've done?
Well, my friend, I have good news. For, you see, His mercies, they are new every morning. While there will still be consequences to the sin you once allowed to entangle you, it does not have to keep you strangled from here on out.
Repent of your sin.
Receive the forgiveness offered to you.
And proclaim God's faithfulness for the rest of your days.
Scripture Of The Day: "Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet." - James 4:10 (MSG)
Cindy Beall is a Christ follower who uses her gift of exhortation by writing and mentoring women. She uses her past experiences, including the near death of her marriage, to encourage people that God truly does redeem. For more information about Cindy, log onto http://www.cindybeall.com
If anyone should have been disqualified from ministry, it was Peter. Paul did some pretty awful things to the name of Christ as well, but Peter? He walked with Christ and ate with Christ and followed Christ and left his family for Christ. He told his Lord that he'd be with him till the end.
And he was pretty good right up until the end shortly after seizing the ear from a guard showing his undying loyalty to the King of Kings. That is, until he was asked if he knew this Jesus character. And to that he replied, "I do not know or understand what you are talking about."
Not once.
Not twice.
But three times.
The second crow of the rooster was heard and Peter broke down and wept.
If that scenario had happened today in our Christian circles, we'd have scorned him. We'd have said he was "no longer fit for ministry". We'd have said that he'll never be able to be a witness for Christ again.
Thank God Peter was not living today or we might not be in relationship with the One, True God.
Peter could have forsaken all that he knew and experienced with Jesus. He could have lowered his head and ran away to some secluded desert to spend the rest of his days. He could have disguised himself so that he would not be recognizable as the disciple who denied Christ the Lord.
Instead, he chose to deal with his failure, shake the dust off his very worn sandals and press on the share the amazing love of the Son of God to the world. For this, I am so grateful.
“Few unmistakable evidences glorify Him more than powerfully restored lives that humbly and authentically proclaim His faithfulness to the death.” - Beth Moore, The Beloved Disciple
Have you screwed up so badly that many are telling you you'll never be a witness for Christ? Have you shamed your family with failure upon failure only to hear that you'll fail again? Have you hidden in a corner hoping that no one will remember what you've done?
Well, my friend, I have good news. For, you see, His mercies, they are new every morning. While there will still be consequences to the sin you once allowed to entangle you, it does not have to keep you strangled from here on out.
Repent of your sin.
Receive the forgiveness offered to you.
And proclaim God's faithfulness for the rest of your days.
Scripture Of The Day: "Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet." - James 4:10 (MSG)
Cindy Beall is a Christ follower who uses her gift of exhortation by writing and mentoring women. She uses her past experiences, including the near death of her marriage, to encourage people that God truly does redeem. For more information about Cindy, log onto http://www.cindybeall.com
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Draw Near to the God Who Understands
By Brent Barnett
There is great significance to the fact that Christ was born in the likeness of man and lived through adulthood on this earth. That Jesus experienced life from the cradle to the cross has great relevance to how we live our lives as Christians. Sometimes we might think that God being God cannot possibly relate or understand our incessant needs and weaknesses. We might be prone to think that we have sinned so much that we can no longer be forgiven.
We might be tempted to think that God has given up on us. Perhaps we have concluded that God doesn’t care to hear our prayer, and if we do pray, we do it with a serious lack of belief, confidence, and hope. Yet the message from Scripture is that Jesus understands and even sympathizes. There is no need to be embarrassed or confounded by our neediness and weakness.
Christ wants to show Himself to be strong in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), and He promises to meet our needs according to His good and perfect will (Philippians 4:19). His throne is a place of mercy and grace. He knows that we need help, and He wants us to come and ask Him for it.
He understands pain, for He was beaten and bruised for our transgressions. He understands rejection, for many professing followers abandoned Him. He knows what it is to be fatigued as He spent many long nights in prayer. He knows the frustration of laboring for the Lord when even His own disciples seemed to not understand. He can relate to family life, to the work place, to the meeting place for worship, and to the everyday issues of life. He hungered and He thirsted. Our God understands, for He has been there.
Yet, despite all that He experienced and endured, He did not sin. This has made it possible for us to be saved and to have the ability in Christ to draw near to God in prayer. We have the awesome privilege of approaching the God of the universe in prayer in the name of Christ. It is not our goodness that makes this possible but His. And given all that He endured for this to be made possible, how awful it must be to Him when we don’t take advantage of this privilege of prayer.
We get to approach the very throne of God in prayer which is a place of supreme authority and power. This is where things can get done, where sin can be forgiven, where requests can be answered, and where hopes can be renewed. And because of Christ, this throne is not a place of the pouring out of God’s wrath but a place of grace and mercy.
There is no reason for God’s people to not offer their requests and petitions to God. There is no reason to think that God won’t hear our prayers or that He wouldn’t desire fellowship with us. He sent His own Son so that this could happen. We need to take advantage of this privilege and enjoy intimate communion with our Lord in prayer. If we have unconfessed sin, God wants to hear that before anything else. He is ready to forgive and not condemn. If we have needs, He wants to be asked to meet them. If we have weaknesses, He wants to provide the strength. When we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8).
Jesus had weaknesses, though He was without sin. We have weaknesses and sin. Yet our hope is that we can go and be forgiven this day and receive help and strength to carry on not from a God Who doesn’t care or can’t relate but from a God Who anticipates our needs and sympathizes with our struggles. When we come to understand the mercy, grace, and sympathy of our Lord, we will readily entreat Him for wisdom, provision, and deliverance from sin. We will eagerly rush to His presence to be cleansed from any unconfessed sin. We won’t shrink away in fear, but we will run to His open and eager embrace. We have a God Who sympathizes and understands. Let us thank God for the work of Christ, and let us draw near to our gracious Father this day.
Scripture Of The Day: "Come near to God and he will come near to you." - James 4:8 (NIV)
Brenton M. Barnett is the founder of the free Bible teaching ministry, Relevant Bible Teaching, found on the web at http://www.relevantbibleteaching.com. He is also the author of Catch Fire: A Call to Spiritual Awakening. Brent’s greatest joys in life are his wife, Sarah, and daughter, Anneke.…
There is great significance to the fact that Christ was born in the likeness of man and lived through adulthood on this earth. That Jesus experienced life from the cradle to the cross has great relevance to how we live our lives as Christians. Sometimes we might think that God being God cannot possibly relate or understand our incessant needs and weaknesses. We might be prone to think that we have sinned so much that we can no longer be forgiven.
We might be tempted to think that God has given up on us. Perhaps we have concluded that God doesn’t care to hear our prayer, and if we do pray, we do it with a serious lack of belief, confidence, and hope. Yet the message from Scripture is that Jesus understands and even sympathizes. There is no need to be embarrassed or confounded by our neediness and weakness.
Christ wants to show Himself to be strong in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), and He promises to meet our needs according to His good and perfect will (Philippians 4:19). His throne is a place of mercy and grace. He knows that we need help, and He wants us to come and ask Him for it.
He understands pain, for He was beaten and bruised for our transgressions. He understands rejection, for many professing followers abandoned Him. He knows what it is to be fatigued as He spent many long nights in prayer. He knows the frustration of laboring for the Lord when even His own disciples seemed to not understand. He can relate to family life, to the work place, to the meeting place for worship, and to the everyday issues of life. He hungered and He thirsted. Our God understands, for He has been there.
Yet, despite all that He experienced and endured, He did not sin. This has made it possible for us to be saved and to have the ability in Christ to draw near to God in prayer. We have the awesome privilege of approaching the God of the universe in prayer in the name of Christ. It is not our goodness that makes this possible but His. And given all that He endured for this to be made possible, how awful it must be to Him when we don’t take advantage of this privilege of prayer.
We get to approach the very throne of God in prayer which is a place of supreme authority and power. This is where things can get done, where sin can be forgiven, where requests can be answered, and where hopes can be renewed. And because of Christ, this throne is not a place of the pouring out of God’s wrath but a place of grace and mercy.
There is no reason for God’s people to not offer their requests and petitions to God. There is no reason to think that God won’t hear our prayers or that He wouldn’t desire fellowship with us. He sent His own Son so that this could happen. We need to take advantage of this privilege and enjoy intimate communion with our Lord in prayer. If we have unconfessed sin, God wants to hear that before anything else. He is ready to forgive and not condemn. If we have needs, He wants to be asked to meet them. If we have weaknesses, He wants to provide the strength. When we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8).
Jesus had weaknesses, though He was without sin. We have weaknesses and sin. Yet our hope is that we can go and be forgiven this day and receive help and strength to carry on not from a God Who doesn’t care or can’t relate but from a God Who anticipates our needs and sympathizes with our struggles. When we come to understand the mercy, grace, and sympathy of our Lord, we will readily entreat Him for wisdom, provision, and deliverance from sin. We will eagerly rush to His presence to be cleansed from any unconfessed sin. We won’t shrink away in fear, but we will run to His open and eager embrace. We have a God Who sympathizes and understands. Let us thank God for the work of Christ, and let us draw near to our gracious Father this day.
Scripture Of The Day: "Come near to God and he will come near to you." - James 4:8 (NIV)
Brenton M. Barnett is the founder of the free Bible teaching ministry, Relevant Bible Teaching, found on the web at http://www.relevantbibleteaching.com. He is also the author of Catch Fire: A Call to Spiritual Awakening. Brent’s greatest joys in life are his wife, Sarah, and daughter, Anneke.…
Do You Have Mercy Amnesia?
By Shaun King
The more you remember that YOU NEED MERCY, the easier it is to freely GIVE IT OUT. I can smell a person with mercy amnesia from a mile away. They are judgmental. They spread gossip. They count people out. Having lost touch with how much God has forgiven them, they basically have to live a lie by pretending like they have it all together.
The problem is the more religious most of us get, the more we “go to church,” the more we listen to Christian radio, the more pastors we follow on Twitter – the less we remember how broken we’ve been and still are today.
This is dangerous!
It’s dangerous because the second we lose touch with how much we still need the new mercies of our God we begin to subconsciously pretend like we made it here all by ourselves. But you and I know that you aren’t smart enough, cute enough, wealthy enough, savvy enough, articulate enough, or connected enough to get where you are today or where you want to be tomorrow!
How many sins have you committed over the course of your life? You can’t even remember every sin you’ve committed. Let’s be real – it would take a scientific calculator to multiply out your sin per year ratio! How many times have you asked or even begged God for forgiveness? How many times have you found yourself in a bind in which you knew ONLY GOD could get you out? We’re talking about some pretty big numbers right?
Listen, I want you to have a healthy self-esteem. I want YOU to feel good about YOU, but if feeling good about YOU requires you to forget how much you need God…something’s wrong! I’ve won awards and earned degrees. I’ve been on TV and all over the internet, but the bulk of my confidence comes not from myself, but from the fact that the same God that mercifully forgave Peter for denying him three times and then empowered him to lead the first movement of revolutionary Christians is the same God that forgives and empowers me today!
When you live with the mercy of God on your mind (and on your lips) here are at least 2 great things that happen:
1. You bring new people to the faith! By revealing your brokenness and reliance upon the mercy of God, you will gain trust even with strangers. Our contrived togetherness causes broken people to wonder what’s wrong with them instead of what’s right about our God.
2. You stay fresh! Your faith starts dying when you stop living like you need God. It’s great that you have a testimony of what God did for you in 1988, but people will want to know how God has been real for you in 2010. Trust me – a fresh faith rooted in the mercy of God can take you places.
Scripture Of The Day: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9
Shaun King is Lead Pastor of The Courageous Church in downtown Atlanta. A king of multi-tasking, Shaun is a proud husband, father of four, grad student, regular guest on NPR, and an avid blogger at http://www.ShaunInTheCity.com.
The more you remember that YOU NEED MERCY, the easier it is to freely GIVE IT OUT. I can smell a person with mercy amnesia from a mile away. They are judgmental. They spread gossip. They count people out. Having lost touch with how much God has forgiven them, they basically have to live a lie by pretending like they have it all together.
The problem is the more religious most of us get, the more we “go to church,” the more we listen to Christian radio, the more pastors we follow on Twitter – the less we remember how broken we’ve been and still are today.
This is dangerous!
It’s dangerous because the second we lose touch with how much we still need the new mercies of our God we begin to subconsciously pretend like we made it here all by ourselves. But you and I know that you aren’t smart enough, cute enough, wealthy enough, savvy enough, articulate enough, or connected enough to get where you are today or where you want to be tomorrow!
How many sins have you committed over the course of your life? You can’t even remember every sin you’ve committed. Let’s be real – it would take a scientific calculator to multiply out your sin per year ratio! How many times have you asked or even begged God for forgiveness? How many times have you found yourself in a bind in which you knew ONLY GOD could get you out? We’re talking about some pretty big numbers right?
Listen, I want you to have a healthy self-esteem. I want YOU to feel good about YOU, but if feeling good about YOU requires you to forget how much you need God…something’s wrong! I’ve won awards and earned degrees. I’ve been on TV and all over the internet, but the bulk of my confidence comes not from myself, but from the fact that the same God that mercifully forgave Peter for denying him three times and then empowered him to lead the first movement of revolutionary Christians is the same God that forgives and empowers me today!
When you live with the mercy of God on your mind (and on your lips) here are at least 2 great things that happen:
1. You bring new people to the faith! By revealing your brokenness and reliance upon the mercy of God, you will gain trust even with strangers. Our contrived togetherness causes broken people to wonder what’s wrong with them instead of what’s right about our God.
2. You stay fresh! Your faith starts dying when you stop living like you need God. It’s great that you have a testimony of what God did for you in 1988, but people will want to know how God has been real for you in 2010. Trust me – a fresh faith rooted in the mercy of God can take you places.
Scripture Of The Day: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9
Shaun King is Lead Pastor of The Courageous Church in downtown Atlanta. A king of multi-tasking, Shaun is a proud husband, father of four, grad student, regular guest on NPR, and an avid blogger at http://www.ShaunInTheCity.com.
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