Mercy Triumphs

 

      Grace gives us what we do not deserve. Mercy does not give us what we do deserve. We deserve judgment and death. We were born sinners and yet God, through His grace, gives us forgiveness and resurrection. He took the judgment for us. His mercy reigns!

 

Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13b

     What a powerful statement! “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” I need to be reminded of that as I sit in judgment of others. Jesus forgave me. He gave mercy rather than eternal punishment. And His mercy is new every single day.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

     We can show mercy to the undeserving. We don’t know their story. We don’t know their hurt. They may not know Jesus. His grace found us. Mercy triumphs judgment.

Lord,

How easy it is to sit in judgment over others, and yet you tell us to be merciful and filled with grace. It is only with the help of the Holy Spirit and Your living Word that we can ever come close to becoming more like You. Be patient with us. Your mercies are new each morning.

Amen

Abundant Grace

 

     Abundant grace is God’s greatest gift. He offers us what we do not deserve. Christ became the Son of man and equally the Son of God. His grace overflows as we believe. That’s it! The Jews were given the law, and it was impossible to follow.

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith-and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God-not by works so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

     We know how it is. We strive for obedience, holy and pure. We feel guilty at the slightest mistake, the little white lie, the thoughts about others, the gossip, the addiction, and on and on it goes. Guilt surfaces for not serving the Lord, for missing church, for holding a grudge. And He continues to give us grace upon grace.

     He is there when we fall. He is there when we slip. He is there cheering us on when we work through our fear. He is cheering when we defend His name. Let His grace wash over you again and again. He is our living water and the bread of life. Let your spirit be filled with Him and relax in the freedom to follow Him.

Father,

It is only through Your gift of grace we can be saved. It is through Jesus. He died on the cross for us and rose again. We can’t earn it or work hard enough to gain it. We just accept it. Thank you.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Gift of a Savior

 

     God may seem far away right now. You may not know how to pray. You may not believe there is a loving God out there. Witnessing the devastation and disasters around us leaves us with difficult questions. Where is God? Why is this happening?

     He understands and He loves you. He loves you so much, He came to earth and died for you. This world is a fallen world, a world where sin rules and evil lives. Satan is now called “the prince of this world.” But he is no match for the Creator.

     Call out to Jesus today. Ask Him to forgive you and ask Him to be your Savior. We all need one, don’t we? He offers peace and joy in the midst of uncertainty, chaos and confusion. He offers hope when the world offers none. He offers unconditional love when we don’t feel worthy. Truth is, we’re not. Not a one of us.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

     But He came anyway and took the punishment for us.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

     Accept the gift of His love and of heaven. He offers it freely and He paid a high price. Is today the day to find a Savior? Is the timing just right for you?

Lord,

You know our hearts and You know when we are ready. Open our hearts to Your truth and Your love. We don’t understand it, but we receive it. Thank You.

Amen

 

God is With You

 

     When Joseph was thrown into a pit by his own brothers and sold into slavery, he trusted God. When he was falsely accused of seduction, he trusted God within the prison walls. God worked through him until he found himself second in command to the ruler of his time and his brothers came to him in need. A beautiful story of a faithful servant, of God’s timing and of God working for good. Did he seek revenge against his brothers? Hers is his response.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20

     As a teenager, David defeated a giant with the help of a slingshot, surrounded by the strength and will of his God. As an old man, Daniel refused to bow down to anyone other than God and was thrown into a pit of his own. His pit was filled with a den of lions. Daniel trusted, understanding he need not fear even death. Angels closed the mouths of the lions and Daniel was unscathed.

     Are there giants ahead in your path? Is Satan coming after you like a roaring lion? Trust in your Creator. Hold up your shield of faith and He will protect you. Through the storms and fires of life, He is there. Your story is bigger than the sum of your years. It lives on through others as an example. Just as Joseph and Daniel give us examples to follow, so your life will live on.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2

     The storms can be frightening. The heat is uncomfortable. God is with us. His angels will surround us and when the time is right, they will escort us home.

Lord,

You are there in the lion’s den and you are there to fight the giants. You are among us in the scorching flames, through the flood waters and in the pit. You promise us a future and a hope. Would you help us to see that hope today? Grant us spiritual eyes to see Your work.

In Jesus name,

Hope and Prayer

 

     When our faith rises above our circumstances, trusting God keeps peace in our hearts. A book I read years ago, said something like, focus on yourself and your problems once for every ten times you focus on Jesus. His hope and His provision will answer our deepest cries. Have faith in Him above whatever you are facing in this season of life.

     Pray for the ability to be patient as You wait for His answer and for a way out. He may be preparing you through a difficult time. As He lifts you out of the pit, He will use your time of darkness for His glory.

     When our lives become His, we are offered freedom to believe. To believe in His promises, to believe in a future of hope, to believe He will lead us. Focus your attention on Him and wait, pray and love.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

     Joyful, hopeful, patient, faithful. Good words to consider every single day. God’s timing is perfect in your life and in mine.

Jesus,

We focus our attention on You. Find answers. Find hope, Find joy. Find peace. We place our faith in You. Give us the freedom to accept it today and to believe it.

Amen

 

Out of the Pit

 

     Trusting God’s timing isn’t easy. But faith in His ways will give us the peace we crave through the mountain-top experiences and in the deep valleys of life. If you are suffering, ask for His presence. When you are worried, ask for His peace. When you fear, ask for His protection. When you mourn, ask for His promise of comfort. God brings good from disaster.

     We can use the lessons learned through our dark times to help others out of their own. God pulls us out of the deep.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. Psalm 40:2

     He has lifted me out of a slimy pit or two, You too? Sometimes He needs to get right in there with us and pull us out and sometimes, He just offers a hand up and we find ourselves on solid ground once again.

     Trust His timing, even when you can’t see the end of the story. His glory will shine from the depths of the pit. He is there beside us. Count on Him to pull you to safety.

Father,

How can we thank You for getting us on solid ground after a time in the pit? Life’s journey is filled with danger and disaster, but You bring back our delight and fulfill our deepest desires. We wait for Your perfect timing.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

For Such a Time as This

 

      God’s timing is eternally precise, His purposes fulfilled.  I became involved with Jesus in my early 30’s. Our two daughters accepted him as Savior at a much younger age, one around age 4 and the other around 13. A close friend of mine met Jesus when she was over 60 years old during a time of great suffering. There is a time for each of us and God understands when our hearts are ready.

     The Bible reminds us, too, of God’s timing in the lives of His followers. Moses needed preparation for 40 years in the desert before he led the Israelites to the promised land at 80 tears if age. Abraham and Sarah became parents when they were close to 100 years old, continuing the lineage of the faithful. Daniel followed God closely while in captivity, even in the midst of a fallen culture, when he was just a teenager. He never wavered in his faith, even when facing death.

     Count on God’s timing in your own life. He may call you to do something special as a teenager, as a young adult, in middle age or he may perform something miraculous as you enter old age. Watch for His next move in your life. Is He calling you to something new and exciting? Is He asking you to share your life experience with another?

And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this. Esther 4:14b

     Esther fulfilled her role in God’s plan, facing danger, and saved her people. You are here for such a time as this. God has a plan. Watch for it.

Father,

We find peace, safely in Your hands. You know why we are here and what we are to do. Work for us and through us as we meet the needs around us. Prepare us for such a time as this.

In Jesus name,

Amen