Is it true that you took a long time to get to where you are now? Maybe you’re in a wonderful spot in life right now, but it was a tough road to get there. Perhaps you’re going through a difficult period. Was it a long journey to where you are now? Have you ever reviewed your profession, your achievements, your awards, your wealth and things, and remembered how long it took you to get to where you are? Those early failures and flops, education and internships, wins and defeats. Is it true that you took a long time to get to where you are now?
Imagine waking up at 2:00 a.m. and asking yourself, “Is my life truly appealing to God?” What might assist you in determining this?Is it dependent on how often you have devotions, Bible study, and prayer during the week? Alternatively, how well do you manage your rage? Maybe it’s a question of whether your thoughts are escaping or being tamed. What would you put on your “to-do” list? Are the items on your and my lists identical to those on God’s? What is really important is doing what he enjoys.
Mercy is an enthralling concept. I’d like you to recall a time when a friend or someone close to you shied away from you or ignored you for any reason. Imagine that individual being in a lot of difficulty as well as experiencing a variety of concerns as a result of a poor decision that involved stepping away from you. Then they come to you for assistance, and you assist them as if they had never dismissed you or harmed you. That’s what mercy is. Mercy is the act of extending compassion to someone who has wronged you.
“John Newton, pastor, once an infidel & Libertine, by the great compassion of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ, protected, restored, pardoned, and commissioned to teach the Faith he had long tried to destroy,” reads a granite headstone in parish Olney, England. You may not recall his name, but we are all familiar with the song “Amazing Grace,” which he created as a testament to his life.
It’s a big difference between approving of mercy and actually showing mercy. One of the reasons we struggle with this is that the obligation to demonstrate mercy requires that a legitimate debt exists.
The parable of the king whose servant owed him an absurdly great quantity is found in Matthew 18:23-35. When the monarch demanded payment, the servant pleaded for patience and requested that the king give him time to repay the entire debt. TThis urgent request was as unreasonable as the amount itself, because it would have taken nearly 165,000 years to collect the debt!The king, of course, was well aware of the futility of the situation.
God’s kindness is a major theme in the Bible, appearing 341 times. Each of the 26 lines in Psalm 136 describes the matchless elements of God’s compassion to us.
God freely distributes His grace to all people, as revealed in Matthew 5:45, Luke 6:35, Acts 14:17, and Romans 2:14. This signifies that everyone, whether a believer of God or not, is capable of doing good things since the image of God dwells inside us, according to God’s common grace.
God provides redemption to sinners who believe in him, as mentioned in Romans 4:5, Ephesians 2:8-9,. As sinners, we must understand our desperate need for grace. Those who come to God are denied God’s mercy.
“The inn of mercy never closes its doors on these individuals, not on workdays nor on Weekends.” Our Lord Jesus did not die for fictitious offenses; rather, His blood was poured to wash away profound crimson stains that no other means could remove. He who is a filthy sinner is the type of person Jesus came to purify.
In Matthew 9:6, 14:14, 15:32, 20:34, Luke 7:11-17, and John 13:2-5, Jesus personifies mercy. All we have to do is look at Jesus throughout the Gospels to see mercy. Jesus assists individuals who require assistance. His miraculous acts of kindness not only validate His message, but also demonstrate God’s merciful nature. – Even those who would defy and undermine Jesus are shown mercy. On the Cross, we see his Mercy, Titus 3:5 – Our greatest source of suffering and anguish is our sin and need for redemption. The cross is God’s most merciful act, assisting us when we are most in need. If our God is merciful, we must also be merciful.
God’s mercy in not punishing those who sin over a lengthy period of time. Exodus 34:6, Psalm 103:8, and Jeremiah 15:15 all mention God’s patience. We see God’s patience with Paul, a former blasphemer and persecutor of Christians, in First Timothy 1:12-16 and Acts 8:1, as an example for us of how patient God can be. This necessitates the church being a place of enormous patience, bearing with one another as we make mistakes. People can change (like Saul/Paul) and come to God because of God’s patience and mercy. Our patience, through God’s grace, creates space and freedom for others to evolve as well.
In 1 Kings 21, there is a considerable deal of injustice and wickedness. Naboth, the owner of a vineyard, was framed and murdered. According to 2 Kings 9:26, all of his sons were also murdered. Queen Jezebel was determined to keep any future claimants to the kingdom at bay. King Ahab lusted after his neighbor’s land. He doesn’t really need the vineyard. It was just what he needed. The vineyard’s owner was adamant about keeping the inheritance he had inherited from his forefathers. He was adamant about following the Mosaic Law as specified in Leviticus 25:23-28 and Numbers 36:7-9, rather than just releasing their land that had been allotted for the appropriate tribe or family. Not only was Naboth innocent of any wrongdoing, but he was also a God-fearing guy.
But then there was Jezebel, King Ahab’s evil wife. Why is the King depressed? “Keep your spirits up. I’ll arrange for you to visit the vineyard. The King is the law to the wicked. He gets what he wants, whenever and however he desires it. Jezebel gets down to business. She writes letters to the ELDERS AND NOBLES in Naboth’s village with precise instructions, using the King’s name. They declared a communal fast, established a kangaroo court, and named two bogus witnesses. It appeared to be holy and legitimate. What is the charge? Naboth has cursed both God and the king. They smashed the innocent man to death in a flash. The investigation was completed. This is the pinnacle of INJUSTICE. Injustice flourishes due to two factors: man’s WICKEDNESS and his WEAKNESS.
It is Jezebel’s wickedness and the elders’ and nobles’ infirmities in this scenario. Jezebel’s plan went off without a hitch. We found no evidence of any protests or attempts to defend Naboth from the town’s ELDERS & Aristocracy. Everyone joined in the fun. There was no one who took a stand. They were afraid about the repercussions. Everything was neatly wound up. The ideal crime has been committed. Naboth was no longer alive. The court has handed down its bizarre decision. And Jezebel patting herself on the back for a job well done. • She told Ahab, who “rose up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.” In the view of these individuals, the court filing is closed. God, on the other hand, is not like that.
The investigation has only just begun. The ultimate Judge, God, emerged. In this section, verse 17 becomes the most essential verse. God gives His verdict, which is the only genuine and just decision in the matter. We can observe in 1 Kings 21:17-26 that GOD’S JUSTICE IS SURE. Someone has been keeping an eye on you. Everything is known to the Lord. God exposes what man hides. JESUS stated that everything hidden will be revealed, and will be made known in What you say in the dark will be heard in the day, and what you whisper in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the rooftops in Luke 12:2-3.
God steps in and makes a decision. He appears to His prophet and gives him instructions. God knows where Ahab has gone and where the vineyard is. He is aware of the owner’s name. He is well aware that his property has been stolen and that he has been assassinated. God accuses Ahab of stealing someone’s property and murdering them both. No one is exempt from God’s observation and judgment. Prophet Elijah, as the carrier of Divine revelation,towers above and beyond the King.
He pronounces God’s sentence without deliberation. No one is exempt from God’s jurisdiction, regardless of their status or position. God will track him down wherever he is. “I’ve found you,” Elijah declared. THE JUSTICE OF GOD IS CERTAIN. That is the truth, and it is our solace today, especially while we witness injustices all around us. God is a just judge. This is something we can be certain of. He is unjust in not punishing evil and wrongdoing.
There are always unanswered questions concerning injustice. Naboth has passed away. God did not “protect” him from being killed. Why did God’s justice take so long to arrive? Why didn’t He bring Jezebel to justice before she killed Naboth and his sons? This is the biblical enigma of God’s dealings with men. We don’t always comprehend God’s methods – how things are done, when they are done, and even why they are done. In the Bible, there are many WHYs like these. Why was John the Baptist killed because he spoke the truth about Herod? Why was Stephen stoned to death because he preached the Gospel? Why was James executed in prison while Peter has an angelic prison break in Acts 12? We don’t understand. But the truth remains – God will judge. No one can run away, we can be assured of that. The Thessalonian believers were under persecution and this was what Paul said in 2 Thess 1:3-10. We don’t know what you’re talking about. The reality remains, however: God will judge. Paul stated in 2 Thess 1:3-10 that the Thessalonian believers were being persecuted. We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
God has the final say in how justice is carried out, and we put our faith in Him. Our disputes with God’s ways and timing do not negate His fairness. God appears on Naboth’s behalf in 1 Kings 21, denouncing Ahab and Jezebel and giving His sentence. In 1 Kings 21:27-29, we observe the magnificence of GOD’S MERCY. Ahab went on a fast and wandered around meekly, as if repentant. God’s words demonstrated Ahab’s real repentance. It may be fleeting or limited to this one instance, but it is genuine and sincere all the same. And the Lord says in 1 Kings 21:29, “Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it to his house in the days of his son.”
This is not something we want to happen. It’s not right; he hasn’t earned it. That’s why it’s known as MERCY. He is granted mercy by God. It’s all because of God’s mercy. We are typically dissatisfied when others receive mercy, but if we’re the ones who get it, that’s a different thing. God will still judge, but it will be postponed for the time being. Joram, Ahab’s son, will bear the brunt of the punishment. It took place in 2 Kings 9. Then, too, Jezebel will perish. A horrible death, forced out the windows and crushed by the horses in 2 Kings 9:33 God’s grace did not begin with Ahab’s repentance. God took the initiative to confront Ahab, which is a sign of God’s mercy. He had the option of punishing Ahab without warning, but instead He sent Elijah. He was reached out to by God. God had patience with him, just as he had patience with us. GOD’S MERCY IS AMAZING. It’s never too late to repent and turn to God, no matter how horrible we think we are or how horrible we’ve become. God is a just God who desires to be merciful. When God decided to sentence the immoral generation during Noah’s time, He gave them 100 years to repent. Noah spent a year and a half building the Ark. According to 1 Pet 3:20, During Noah’s day, God patiently awaited the completion of the ark. For 40 days, it rained and flooded. The judgment lasted 40 days, but God granted the people 100 years to repent! And with Noah as a preacher of righteousness nagging them to remind them, as stated in 2 Pet 2:5! That’s God’s mercy in action! Be certain that God is ultimately and completely in control, even in the midst of persecutions and injustices. We have no fear of people in positions of power or of evildoers. God is aware of and concerned about the weak and feeble. This is what we witness at the CROSS: God’s justice and mercy.
In Matthew and Luke, mercy is contrasted with its polar opposite. Let’s start with Matthew 9:10–13.
And behold, while he sat at a table in the home, many tax collectors and sinners came in and sat with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees observed this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick,” he responded when he heard it. Learn what it means to say, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to summon the virtuous, but sinners.”
In this instance, the inverse of mercy is sacrifice. Verse 13I states I seek mercy, not sacrifice. This is a quotation from Hosea 6:6, in which God accuses the people of loving like dew on grass. It appears for a brief morning hour and then vanishes, leaving just the empty form of burnt offerings. God desires for his people to be alive in their hearts. He wants them to feel affectionate toward him and merciful toward one another. He disapproves of persons who perform their religious duties in a hurried or formal manner.
In this chapter, Jesus regards sinners as sick and suffering persons in need of medical attention, despite the fact that the tax collectors were exceedingly wealthy. collectors. They’re ill, and he has the remedy. The Pharisees, on the other hand, only find a ceremonial issue with being polluted by eating with sinners. Their lives appear to be governed by a set of rules. Something significant was at risk here, but they couldn’t see or feel it. When eternal sickness was about to be healed, they were chained to trifling problems of ritual cleanliness. As a result, the inverse of mercy is religious triviality.
Consider Matthew 23:23–24 as another example of this approach. His words in today’s language will be “Misery to you, scribes and Pharisees!” says Jesus. You tithe mint, dill, and cumin, but you overlook the law’s most fundamental aspects: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have finished all of them without forgetting about the others. “You knuckleheads, squeezing out an insect and devouring a camel!”
What is the polar opposite of mercy in the Lord’s venomous words? The lesson we learn from Jesus’ words, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” and “You strain out a gnat and swallow a camel,” is that being preoccupied with little issues is a great hindrance to charity. The servitude of triviality is the burden of the unmerciful.
When Jesus advises, “Don’t disregard the weightier aspects of the law,” he means, “Beware of going through the day doing only trivial things, thinking only frivolous thoughts, experiencing merely trivial feelings.” The Lord wants us to pinch ourselves over and over again, lest we be found swooning in front of the television and the computer, with no arrangements in place for the important matter of mercy. The merciful are blessed. If you wish to be blessed, you must break free from the shackles of religious and secular trivialities and devote your life to the more important aspects of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. Mercy is not a frill; it is one of life’s most important issues.
The Good Samaritan tale, found in Luke 10:25–37, presents yet another illustration of mercy’s inverse. And behold, a lawyer stepped up to put him to the test, asking, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the law?” he asked. “How do you interpret it?” “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself,” he said. “You have replied correctly; do this, and you will live,” he told him.
Those who love God with all their hearts and their neighbor as themselves, according to Jesus, will be awarded eternal life. “Those who are empathetic toward their neighbor are blessed,” the statement continues, “because they will enjoy the mercy of eternal life in the future.” “Blessed are the merciful, for mercy will come to them.” “Who is my neighbor?” the lawyer then inquires. And Jesus responds with the Good Samaritan tale. In this story, Mercy has four different facets. We are called to respond externally and internally with an eye for suffering, a heart of grief, and a willingness to help, despite hatred.
- “A Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and he saw him,” Mercy says.
- It responds inside with a heart of compassion or empathy toward a person in distress: “When he saw him, he had compassion on him.”
- “He went to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him,” it says.
- It intervenes even if the person in distress is an adversary: A Samaritan, on the other hand. A half-breed Jew with a twisted religious tradition comes to the aid of a Jew who clearly hates him. That’s what mercy is.
Mercy is one of life’s more important issues. It is always in danger of being overlooked because of our preoccupation with trifles, either worldly trifles like watching too much television or engrossing yourself in a hobby, or religious trifles like watching too much television or engrossing yourself in a pastime. What is a religious trifling, exactly? A religious trifle is any religious action (from preaching to praying, from teaching to tithing) that does not foster a heart that is taken up with the weightier issues of life, such as mercy. The ability to sense misery, feel pity, and provide assistance, even to an enemy, is the evidence of the theological pudding.
For Godly people who are serious about living out their faith in a sinful world, real life is quite complicated. Is it possible for a Godly person to be kind all of the time and still spank a child for disobedience instead of turning the other cheek? Can a Godly person be merciful all of the time while still being an employer who pays fair wages for good work but fires irresponsible employees who do terrible work? Is it possible for a Godly person to be pleasant all of the time while still working as a legislator who enacts drunk-driving and child-abuse laws? Is it possible for a Godly person to always be gracious while serving on a council that fulfills the biblical command for church discipline and expulsion for a public, unforgivable sin?
These four questions are divided into four categories: family, business and economy, government and law enforcement, and religion. I it is God’s desire that there be a blending of mercy and justice in all of these domains for the duration of this ageGod’s plan is for us to punish or praise people when they are deserving. And it is Divine will that we sometimes give folks more than they deserve. By supporting the claims of justice, we bear witness to the fact that God is a God of justice. We bear testimony to the truth that God is a merciful God by showing mercy.
In most cases, a biblical parent will follow the wisdom that sparing the rod ruins the child based on Proverbs 13:24 and Ephesians 6:4. However, there will be occasions when a kid’s sin will be forgiven without repercussions in order to teach the essence of mercy and woo the youngster to Christ. A biblical judge will usually be rigorous in his justice, sending criminals to prison due to the severity of their offenses as seen in Romans 13:4. There will be occasions, though, when he will show mercy for the greater good. A biblical employer will typically provide a fair wage and demand quality work as stated in 2 Thessalonians 3:10.A biblical elder will hold public sin in the church accountable and exercise discipline, including exclusion from the fellowship 1 Corinthians 5:1–13, but he or she will also remember the parable of the wheat and tares, which teaches patience with the church’s imperfection until the end of times Matthew 13:24–30.
When will we know when to be merciful and just? Even while acting harshly in the interest of justice, we must be merciful. “Blessed are the merciful,” not “Blessed are those who know when and how to demonstrate mercy in all circumstances,” according to the beatitude. Even while acting harshly in the interest of justice, we must be merciful. That is, we must have a poor heart, repent of our own misdeeds, be meekly free of defensiveness and self-exaltation, be hungry and thirsty for everything that is proper to obtain, be conscious of another’s agony and sadness, feel pity for his suffering, and make every effort to see the greatest good done.
If you’re merciful, you’ll discipline a child differently, prosecute a criminal differently, and fire an employee differently. Mercy will be displayed, and the parent may cry. The prosecutor may meet with the criminal and his family, and the employer may be required to pay for remedial training. Mercy’s heart will be revealed. Why will only merciful people find mercy from God on the judgment day, if salvation is by grace through faith?
“Blessed are the merciful, because they shall obtain mercy,” Matthew 5:7 states. In other words, when we encounter God face to face, the people who will get mercy from him will be those who have been merciful.
Is this a works-based salvation? Do we earn God’s mercy by being merciful? No, because “deserved mercy” would be a logical contradiction. It is not mercy; it is a pay if mercy is earned. When God requests a record of your mercy on the day of judgment, he will not be asking for a punch card. “Here it is, eight hours of mercy,” you won’t say. “Now, where is my pay?”Is this a salvation by works? Do we earn his mercy by our mercy? No, because an “earned mercy” would be a contradiction in terms. If mercy is earned, it is not mercy; it’s a wage. When God asks for a record of your mercy on the judgment day, he will not be asking for a punched time card. You won’t say, “Here it is, eight hours of mercy. Now where’s my wage?”
Instead, God will want your charts, proof of how you trusted him and how the medicine of his word and the therapy of his Spirit worked in your life because you relied on them to heal you of your unmerciful nature. And when he sees the evidence of your faith and his healing, he will complete your recovery and welcome you into the kingdom for all time. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall gain mercy,” the Bible says.”
Mercy, as ascribed to God, can be viewed and interpreted in two ways.
1. FOR THE PRINCIPLE ITSELF; which is nothing more than God’s simple undivided personality manifested and spread abroad in various acts of mercy and favor to the creature. In different ways, the very same core and nature is referred to as wisdom, justice, power, kindness, and so on.
II. IT IS USED FOR THE OUTCOMES AND ACTIONS OF THE PRINCIPLE BY WHICH IT MANIFESTS AND EXERTS ITSELF. This also allows for a division into two types.
1. It is universal and distributed equally to everybody.
2. IT IS USED FOR THE OUTCOMES AND ACTIONS OF THE PRINCIPLE BY WHICH IT MANIFESTS AND EXERTS ITSELF. This also allows for a division into two types.
1. Those that are universal and disseminated equally to everybody.
2. Those that are unique and specifically related to the retribution and reparation of fallen man, whom God chose and singled out from the rest of His works as the fitting object for this great attribute to exert its greatest influence.As a result, all difficult thoughts men have concerning God should be suppressed through all means and arts of meditation, on which we can focus our attention:
(1) The unreasonableness of the situation.
(2) The risk
As seen in Psalm 145, The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works
What Can We Do to Take Advantage of God’s Mercy?
- Have Faith in His Mercy: God’s mercy is like a fountain that has been opened. Allow the bucket of faith to fall, and you will be able to drink from this fountain of salvation. What could be a more powerful motivator to believe than God’s mercy? God considers it his glory to disperse pardons; he longs for sinners to touch the golden scepter of his mercy and live. There are two ways to see this readiness to grant mercy.
2. To adore God: Mercy should be the magnet of love. While God’s justice may cause us to fear Him, His kindness causes us to love Him. If mercy isn’t a motivator for love, what is?We ought to love God for providing bread, but even more so for providing grace; for sparing mercy, but even more so for saving mercy. The heart, without a doubt, is constructed of marble, which will not dissolve in love, despite God’s benevolence.
3. Seek God in Prayer: We are urged to look upon God in prayer, not in His judgment robes, but in a rainbow full of mercy and clemency. This should fill our hearts with excitement when we pray. We go to the Father of Mercy, who sits on the throne of grace, in prayer. We should approach Him with faith in His benevolence, as one would approach a fire, not doubtingly, saying, “Maybe it will warm me, maybe not.”
4. Be Aware of Your Spiritual Needs: Recognize how desperately you require forgiveness and salvation. Look around, orphans. “The fatherless find mercy in thee” (Hosea. 14:4). Only people in need receive God’s merciful alms. Be stripped of all self-worth judgments. God pours mercy’s golden oil into empty pots. if we declare we have no fault in us, we are misleading ourselves” (1 John.1: 8).
5) Seek God’s Mercy: In our daily lives, because we are unworthy in His eyes, and having realized our sinful position, let us cry with King David, “Have mercy upon me, O God!” Psalm 51:1. Psalm 136 reminds us 26 times that “his mercy endures forever,” and that we should therefore come to Him with penitent hearts. St. John’s letter also tells us that if we confess our sins, we will receive his mercy, since God is trustworthy and upright, and He will forgive us (1John. 1:9).
6. Be Humble in God’s Presence: Just as God’s mercy makes the saints happy, it should also humble them. Mercy is not the result of our virtue, but of God’s. Mercy is a gift from God. We have no need to be condescending because they live on God’s mercy’s handouts. Even if I am righteous, I will not lift up my head,’ Job 10:15: because all of my goodness is the result of God’s mercy, I will be humble and will not lift up my head.
i7. Don’t Take God’s Mercy for Granted: Do not think that just because God is kind, you may keep sinning; this turns mercy into an enemy. Except for the priests, who were more sanctified by virtue of their office, no one could approach the ark; similarly, only those who are resolved to be pure may accept God’s kindness. Because kindness is plentiful, the devil’s rationale is to sin. He who sins because he knows God is merciful will face a harsh judgment. When mercy is mistreated, it becomes enraged. “The Lord’s mercy is upon those who fear him,” Psalms 103:17 says. God’s mercy is a holy mercy; when it pardons, it cures.
8) Imitate God in Showing Mercy: Since God is the Father of Mercy, imitate him in showing mercy. to perform acts of charity, to be useful to other people’s bodies and souls.” Spread your golden seeds, and fuel your profession’s torch with the oil of generosity. When it comes to giving and forgiving, be merciful. ‘Be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful,’ says Jesus in Luke 6:36.
1. THE DEFINITION OF MERCY IS UNMERITED FAVOR, as stated in Ephesians 2:1, Romans 5:12, and 2 Corinthians 8:9.
2. GRACE’S DUTY–TO MAKE SALVATION POSSIBLE
15:11 (NASB) “But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will be rescued, just as they.” Romans 3:24 “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” and :Titus 2:11-12
3. THE DETERMINATION OF GRACE–OUR SALVATION IS NOT EARNED, as stated in Romans 4:4-5 and Ephesians 2:8. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God,” Titus 3:3-7 says.
God’s Mercy provides…
1.Salvation
A. Titus 3:5. Not by works of righteousness that we have done, however, through his mercy through by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit;”
2. Satisfaction – Heb. 4:16 “Let us therefore fearlessly approach the throne of grace, that we could obtain mercy to help us in our time of need.”
3. Endurance – 2 Cor. 4:1 “Thus, realizing that we have this ministry and that we have received mercy, we do not faint;”
4. Justice – Rom. 3:23 “For all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory;
Because God loves us, He extends mercy to us.
A STRANGER FINDING MERCY is described in 1 Samuel 30:11-15.
David and his men are on the hunt for the men who destroyed their homes and kidnapped their families. Along the way, they come across a man who was placed there by Almighty God’s providence. Isn’t it amazing how He manages men’s affairs? There’s more to this epic tale than David and his men pursuing down their assailants. The enormous love and mercy of Holy God towards fallen men is depicted here. These verses depict the Lord and His compassion for the sinner.
Here we noticed that this stranger was a stranger to God’s promises and Israel’s hope! He was bereft of friends and left for dead! The sinner only has one Friend – David – Psalms 142:4! John 15:13; Proverbs 18:24. This foreigner was famished — he was on the verge of starvation! David rescued him by finding him and feeding him. When he met David, his life was forever transformed. David set him free from slavery.
B. Death — The man would have died without a doubt.
C. Disuse – Here was a man who had had enough of life and believed it was over. David gave him a new lease of life and a new outlook on the future! This is how we should show mercy.
Those who have been shown mercy will return the favor. Mercy is more than just gentleness. Mercy isn’t only a sentiment. It’s not seeing someone in pain and distress and crying for them. This is sentimental, but it isn’t mercy. Mercy is the manifestation of kindness. The wonders of kindness. The quality of mercy is one of God’s most precious attributes. When we are merciful, we are acting in the manner of God. In Lamentations 3:22-23, God connects mercy with compassion.Every morning, we can greet God’s mercy. Every day is a blessing from God. God counts His treasures, not in silver or gold, but in mercy, according to Ephesians 2:4.
The Lord came to us, had compassion on us, took us to His house of mercy, and paid the ransom. The Lord has shown each of us mercy, according to Luke 10:36. Mercy is the manifestation of compassion. We must learn the mercy message. Not with the priest and Levite’s indifference. Not with them who beat the man’s iniquity. However, with the involvement that life necessitates.
Three types of persons are mentioned in Luke 10: 1. The shabby chic: These are the robbers, killers, and destroyers. This includes pornographers, boozehounds, and abortionists. Some individuals have been damaged and assaulted. Some people have been injured domestically, psychologically, and financially. Some of them have been sexually abused. Cults, false teaching, and liberalism inflict spiritual wounds on some.
2) The passers-by: Their names can be found on church rolls.
3. The scavengers
We all fall into one of the categories listed above. Either we’re like the thieves who said, “What’s yours is mine, and I’ll take it.” Alternatively, we can be like the priest and Levite who declared, “What’s really mine is mine, and I will keep it.” Or, as the good Samaritan stated, “What’s mine is mine, but you can have it if you need it.” I’ve come to give, serve, and minister.”
As stated in Psalm 85:10, there can be no mercy without the truth. All genuine mercy is founded on the truth. Mercy does not imply a reduction of sin. God does not deal with us in a fair manner, but rather in a merciful manner. God isn’t always just. When we expect someone to treat us fairly, we are getting what we deserve. We’ll receive what’s coming to us. Nothing is due to us because we are undeserving. When someone pursues justice, he feels disappointed when he receives what he believes he is entitled to. He’s upset not only because he didn’t obtain it sooner, but also because it was given to someone else.
God is both just and kind. Sin must be punished, according to God’s justice. When we realize the reality, we beg for mercy. If we deny the Lord in this life, how much harsher will the punishment be than for those who trample the blood of the covenant beneath their feet if they reject Moses’ instruction and die without mercy?
We are forgiven when we offer kindness, as Matthew 5:6-7 demonstrates. We exhibit mercy because we have been pardoned. According to James 2:13, there is judgment, but kindness triumphs over it. However, if we do not show mercy, we will face judgment without mercy, as stated in Psalm 18:25. When we are upright, we are merciful. But we can’t receive mercy until we’ve been poor in spirit, repented of our sins, yielded to God, and received Jesus Christ, God’s righteousness. And when we are shown mercy, we return the favor. Those who have been shown mercy are better at showing it than anyone else. It’s no surprise that those who haven’t been shown mercy don’t exhibit mercy to others.
If God has forgiven us in love, how much more should we forgive one another? Have you been shown mercy? Do you have any personal acquaintance with Jesus? If not, you might pray to Him today, asking Him to enter into your life. Today, pray. Repent of your sins and turn to Jesus. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins and acknowledge Him as the Lord of your life.
Let us pray: Answer me when I call to you, my just God. Deliver me from my distress; have compassion on me and listen to my prayer.” Lord, like David in Psalm 4, we cry out to you as our authority and the author of true mercy. Thank you for being a compassionate and loving God. Life is difficult enough without continuously being terrified of a God who is trying to get me.