Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
4 But God is so rich in mercy and loves us with such intense love 5 that, even when we were dead because of our acts of disobedience, he brought us to life along with the Messiah — it is by grace that you have been delivered. 6 That is, God raised us up with the Messiah Yeshua and seated us with him in heaven, 7 in order to exhibit in the ages to come how infinitely rich is his grace, how great is his kindness toward us who are united with the Messiah Yeshua.
Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
The good news of the Bible is that God is rich in mercy. Mercy is compassion toward people who have willfully done wrong and deserve to be punished.
“Rich in mercy” (2:4) means that God demonstrates lots of it. That’s a huge comfort for people who know their own heart, can see they need God’s mercy.
The experience of receiving mercy gives us relief that goes beyond words.
We were utterly smothered, suffocated in sin and totally unable to get ourselves out of it. God’s great mercy frees us in ways that only God can accomplish in us.
Paul writes that this mercy flows because of God’s “great love for us.”
In other words, divine mercy doesn’t just spring from superficial kindness. The root of God’s mercy runs much deeper. This mercy flows from the heart of God.
It flows from God’s love.
And what does this mercy do?
It gives us new life! Paul writes that God “made us alive with Christ.”
Here is God’s (Psalm 23, 121, 139) provision for a world in need of salvation.
But for God’s rich mercy to have meaning in our lives, it needs to be accepted and embraced.
If you find it too difficult to accept the mercy that God offers each one of us, pray for God’s Spirit to awaken you to the wonder of knowing this mercy in your own life.
The Scriptures are clear about the good news of God’s great love for us and the richness of his mercy.
John 3:16-18 Complete Jewish Bible
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but rather so that through him, the world might be saved. 18 Those who trust in him are not judged; those who do not trust have been judged already, in that they have not trusted in the one who is God’s only and unique Son.
In Ephesians 2, Paul helps us better understand who we used to be before the grace of God transformed our lives.
Before we knew Christ, we were dead in our “transgression and sins” (v. 1).
We “followed the ways of this world” while being controlled by the devil (v. 2).
We gratified the “cravings of our flesh”, following its desires and thoughts.
We were even “deserving of wrath” (v. 3).
But, take a long look at the contrast that begins in verse 4!
The conjunction “but” introduces God’s actions toward us while sinners.
This is the good news: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ.”
In the Greek text, the word “God” immediately follows “but,” placing it in an emphatic position.
God is the subject of the passage.
When highlighted against the backdrop of our desperate and sinful condition, God’s grace toward us is abundant and invaluable!
To emphasize the fact, Ephesians mentions “riches” five times and “grace” twelve times.
God expressed the value of His grace by making us alive with Christ!
He raised us up with Christ and “seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (v. 6).
Saved by His grace, we are His “handiwork” or “workmanship”—you are a work of art, God’s masterpiece! (v. 10).
What an incredible contrast!
What an indescribable transformation!
Going Deeper
How valuable is God’s grace to you?
In what ways can you show God how valuable He is to you today?
In what ways can you share how invaluable God is to you today?
In the name of God, the Father, and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit
Praying …
Psalm 103 Complete Jewish Bible
103 (0) By David:
(1) Bless Adonai, my soul! Everything in me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless Adonai, my soul, and forget none of his benefits!
3 He forgives all your offenses, he heals all your diseases, 4 he redeems your life from the pit, he surrounds you with grace and compassion, 5 he contents you with good as long as you live, so that your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.
6 Adonai brings vindication and justice to all who are oppressed. 7 He made his ways known to Moshe, his mighty deeds to the people of Isra’el. 8 Adonai is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in grace. 9 He will not always accuse, he will not keep his anger forever. 10 He has not treated us as our sins deserve or paid us back for our offenses, 11 because his mercy toward those who fear him is as far above earth as heaven. 12 He has removed our sins from us as far as the east is from the west.
13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, Adonai has compassion on those who fear him. 14 For he understands how we are made, he remembers that we are dust. 15 Yes, a human being’s days are like grass, he sprouts like a flower in the countryside — 16 but when the wind sweeps over, it’s gone; and its place knows it no more. 17 But the mercy of Adonai on those who fear him is from eternity past to eternity future, and his righteousness extends to his children’s children, 18 provided they keep his covenant and remember to follow his precepts.
19 Adonai has established his throne in heaven; his kingly power rules everything. 20 Bless Adonai, you angels of his, you mighty warriors who obey his word, who carry out his orders! 21 Bless Adonai, all his troops, who serve him and do what he wants! 22 Bless Adonai, all his works, in every place where he rules! Bless Adonai, my soul!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
116 I love that Adonai heard my voice when I prayed; 2 because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The cords of death were all around me, Sh’ol’s constrictions held me fast; I was finding only distress and anguish. 4 But I called on the name of Adonai: “Please, Adonai! Save me!”
5 Adonai is merciful and righteous; yes, our God is compassionate. 6 Adonai preserves the thoughtless; when I was brought low, he saved me. 7 My soul, return to your rest! For Adonai has been generous toward you. 8 Yes, you have rescued me from death, my eyes from tears and my feet from falling. 9 I will go on walking in the presence of Adonai in the lands of the living. 10 I will keep on trusting even when I say, “I am utterly miserable,” 11 even when, in my panic, I declare, “Everything human is deceptive.”
12 How can I repay Adonai for all his generous dealings with me? 13 I will raise the cup of salvation and call on the name of Adonai. 14 I will pay my vows to Adonai in the presence of all his people.
15 From Adonai’s point of view, the death of those faithful to him is costly. 16 Oh, Adonai! I am your slave; I am your slave, the son of your slave-girl; you have removed my fetters. 17 I will offer a sacrifice of thanks to you and will call on the name of Adonai. 18 I will pay my vows to Adonai in the presence of all his people, 19 in the courtyards of Adonai’s house, there in your very heart, Yerushalayim.
Halleluyah!
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Believing, Even When We Are Afflicted
Psalm 116:5-11 New American Standard Bible
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate. 6 The Lord watches over the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. 7 Return to your rest, my soul, For the Lord has dealt generously with you. 8 For You have rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from stumbling. 9 I shall walk before the Lord In the [a]land of the living. 10 I believed when I said, “I am greatly afflicted.” 11 I said in my alarm, “All people are liars.”
We long for tranquil lives. We often pray for health, prosperity, and success.
And yet it is often times of physical or spiritual affliction, struggle and difficulty are those which quiet us, push us, bring us, plant us, root us, that much closer to God, along with a significantly greater desire to connect with Him, to humble ourselves to serve Him. That’s a lesson the psalmist brings out in this section.
Afflictions can all too easily result in bitterness, robbing us of joy. As we have already read in Psalm 116, the psalmist has experienced far more than his fair share hardcore trials at the hands of his enemies. Instead of tumbling into the black hole of bitterness, however, the writer gives thanks to God for two things.
First, he has developed a trusting dependence on God. Despite his trials, the psalmist confesses to God: “You are good, and what you do is gracious; I trust you to always be there to watch over me during my times of weaknesses.”
Second, the experience of affliction has driven the psalmist closer to God and more deeply into God’s Word. I long to be obedient, he says. And his search for knowledge and good judgment leads him to affirm the priceless value of God’s Word, saying it is more precious “than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”
How well do we handle our hardest afflictions? We all experience them, and no, they are not easy. In difficult situations—whatever they may be—we can grow closer to God when we search his Word for the comfort and guidance we need.
God’s ear is turned toward us.
Just as my ears heard right away the screams arising from inside my soul, I too knew the sound of my own cries and almost immediately went towards God.
You and I will certainly face devastating trials and afflictions year after year.
Maybe you are in a season right now where it is all about one affliction after another which always seem to be piling up. It would be easy to avoid God during these times or even be angry with God. What if we, instead, we ran to God?
Over the last twenty five years I have learned that running to God is actually the best thing I can do. Why? Because I know, I will trust that God’s ear is always turned toward us. Just as my ears heard right away the scream from my insides , I knew the sound of my cries and prayed they immediately went towards him.
The next verses in Psalm 116 details how much the psalmist suffered in body, mind, and spirit, even facing imminent death, but trusted God was his helper.
I love verse ten because it seems to be the pinnacle of the psalm. He says, “I believed, even when I said, ‘I am severely afflicted.’”
What the psalmist is saying is that he did not shy away from telling God all about his afflictions. The worst pain did not keep him from crying out to God.
And the heartache didn’t keep him from believing in God either. There are many critical truths here, that the psalmist hung onto, even when he was afflicted.
The truths here are things like God’s grace, righteousness, and compassion. (Psalm 116:5)
Where do we those characteristics of God come out in our lives today? Jesus!
Jesus was afflicted, He suffered far more than is imaginable or describable!
Jesus was God’s righteousness for us.
He lived a perfect sinless life because we could not. He allowed His life to take our place so that when God sees you and me, He sees Jesus’ righteousness.
Jesus is also God’s grace to us.
Ephesians 2:8-9 say, “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.”
Jesus brought grace because He died on the cross, taking all of our places and punishment for us.
Now, we are saved and brought into God’s family through grace once we accept Him as Savior.
God’s compassion is also evident in Jesus’ life.
Jesus healed the sick, cured the lame, and even rose people from the dead.
It says in Matthew 20:34, “Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed Him.”
Even today, Jesus sits on the throne beside God interceding for us.
Romans 8:34 says, “Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.”
What unknowable, unsearchable depths’ of compassion for us to think that Christ is always praying and speaking to God the Father about you and me!?
The troubles and hardships we all face, can sometimes cause us to doubt these truths about God.
Does He love me?
Does He care?
Is He really in control?
Those questions can lead us to look to the Bible.
This psalm is a great comfort to us because it does not deny that hard things happen.
Psalm 116 points us to the truth that God is loving, righteous, compassionate, and full of grace. In prayer, we can all come to God and remember these things.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Romans 15:1-13New American Standard Bible
Self-denial in behalf of Others
15 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor [a]for his good, to his edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “The taunts of those who taunt You have fallen on Me.” 4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 Now may the God [b]who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one purpose and one [c]voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Therefore, [d]accept one another, just as Christ also accepted [e]us, for the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision in behalf of the truth of God, to confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9 and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written:
“Therefore I will [f]give praise to You among the Gentiles, And I will sing praises to Your name.”
10 Again he says,
“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people.”
11 And again,
“Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, And let all the peoples praise Him.”
12 Again Isaiah says,
“There shall come the root of Jesse, And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles, In Him will the Gentiles hope.”
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
After reading Psalm 116, and some verses about Jesus, and from Romans 15 how does this give you any hardcore confidence, go to God with your cries for help?
Knowing God listens to you and hears your prayers, does this cause you to pray more or less? trust more or less? Hope more or less? more fervently or timidly?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God, the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
Thirsting for God in Trouble and Exile.
For the music director. A [a]Maskil of the sons of Korah.
42 As the deer [b]pants for the water brooks, So my soul [c]pants for You, God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and [d]appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 4 I remember these things and pour out my soul within me. For I used to go over with the multitude and walk them to the house of God, With a voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude celebrating a festival.
5 Why are you [e]in despair, my soul? And why are you restless within me? Wait for God, for I will [f]again praise [g]Him For the [h]help of His [i]presence, my God. 6 My soul is [j]in despair within me; Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan And the [k]peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have passed over me. 8 The Lord will send His goodness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life.
9 I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go about mourning [l]because of the oppression of the enemy?” 10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries taunt me, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why are you [m]in despair, my soul? And why are you restless within me? Wait for God, for I will again praise [n]Him For the [o]help of His presence, my God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
What are your thoughts about this statement?
Living into God’s Great Commandment; The grace that saves is the grace that works through our relationship with ourselves, with neighbors and with God.
When we hear the Gospel or the Good News, what comes to our mind?
Do we think of a heavenly real estate deal that after signing up we are now assured of a place in heaven?
Do we think of a divine fire insurance that after putting our name on the dotted line we can now heave a deep sigh of relief because we are skipping hell?
Is it as simple as ABC?
Accept Believe and Confess?
Is that all there is to the Good News?
In studies of contemporary religion in America, sociologists have found a disturbing trend among teenagers.
For them, “God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when God is needed to resolve a problem…
The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.” [1]
Simply put, relationship with God became a religion about Him.
But I think that point of view is not just held by teenagers and it is not just found among Americans. Is that it? Is that what the Good News is all about?
So, when that one person asks; What’s so good about the Good News, anyway?
Of course, when we put our faith in our Lord Jesus as Savior, we have eternal life. But there’s more to the Good News than just making sure we would enjoy heaven and won’t endure hell.
Yes, when we believe, we will find peace. But the Good News is not just about peace. It’s not at all just about feeling good. There’s more to the Good News than that. There’s more to it than just making a decision for Christ and then proceeding with our lives as usual. So, what’s so good about the Good News?
Titus 2:11-14 gives us the answer.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
Here we see that the reason the good news is good is because the Good News involves all aspects of our life.
Why? Because the grace that SAVES is the grace that WORKS.
In the Greek, Titus chapter 2 verses 11 to 14 are actually one long sentence.
Titus was the pastor of the church in that place called Crete.
The Cretans or those who live in Crete have a bad reputation.
In Titus 1:12, we read that “Even one of their own prophets has said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.’”
Now that they became believers, they should live differently. But there are some people who “claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are so detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.”
There are people like that today. People who claim they are believers yet we wonder as we look at their lives if they really are believers. Now before we think I am referring to that person to your left or to your right, consider first if the person sitting where you are seated right now is genuinely a Christ follower.
First, let us talk about the grace that saves.
Verse 11 tells us, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.” Circle the phrase “the grace of God.”
Grace is God’s kindness that He freely gives us even if we are not worthy to receive it.
His grace “brings salvation”.
We read this in Ephesians 2:8-9. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
We can’t do anything to earn salvation.
It is only made possible by grace not by good works.
We receive it through faith in our Lord Jesus.
If that is not clear enough, look at Romans 11:6. “And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”
Grace is God’s gift. If you have to pay for a gift, if you have to earn it, you wont, if you have to deserve it, you never will. (Romans 3:21-24) it’s no longer a gift.
We are saved by grace, not by works.
What does it mean that “the grace of God… has APPEARED to all men”?
We got the word “epiphany” from the Greek word used here for “appeared,” which either means “the sudden realization or leap in understanding” or “the appearance of manifestation of God.”
In the Greek, it means “the dawning of light upon darkness” or “to become visible or known.”
But the grace that appeared here is not just an idea we suddenly understood.
Paul used the same Greek word in verse 13: “the glorious APPEARING of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ”.
Here in our context, the grace that has already appeared refers to our Lord Jesus.
Verse 11 talks about His first coming and verse 13 refers to His second coming.
He is grace in the flesh.
When we talk of grace here we are talking of a person, not a principle.
We don’t just talk about the Lord.
We connect with Him.
That’s what so good about the Good News. Christianity is a relationship, not a religion… an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
Here He is called “our great God and Savior”. This is one of the clearest and strongest verses to prove that Jesus is equal with the Father, that He is God.
Some people would say that “great God” refers to the Father and “Savior” refers to the Son. But it did not say “our great God and OUR Savior”.
If the verse is phrased as such, that would mean that Paul was referring to two persons. But it says “OUR great God AND Savior.”
Literally in the Greek, it goes like this: “the great God and Savior of us Jesus Christ”. Thus, it refers to one person, “Jesus Christ”.
Jesus was not the Father but He is equal with God. And the fact that He is God means that He is Lord, the Master and the Boss of our entire lives.
Verse 14 tell us Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
Note that it says He “gave himself for us”.
He voluntarily gave Himself for us.
People did not have to force Him on the cross.
He willingly died for our sins.
Circle the conjunction “to.” It can be translated “in order that” or “so that.”
It gave us the reason why Christ gave Himself for us. He did it in order that He can “redeem us”.
In the Greek, the word “redeem” means “to obtain release by the payment of a price, to ransom”.
For slaves, that word is very precious.
We are no longer bound by sin or wickedness. Christ has set us free.
He Himself is the ransom.
We deserve death.
But He died in our place.
We can’t save ourselves.
He saved us.
Notice here too He Himself redeemed us from sin with Himself as the price for Himself. That other than redeeming us from wickedness, another reason He gave Himself for us is “to purify for himself a people that are his very own”.
Literally, “his very own” is “his own possession”.
We now belong to Jesus.
He Himself redeemed us from sin with Himself as the price for Himself.
We are now His prized possessions Who would do His bidding.
It is clear here that there is a dual purpose why Christ gave Himself for us.
It is “to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
He saved us from wickedness or bad works.
And He saved us for good works.
Underline the last clause: “eager to do what is good.”
The word “eager” means we are to be zealous in doing what is right.
We are to be passionate for good works.
Good works do not save us.
But once we are saved, the moment we belong to Him, that means He saved us for good works – living into and outward from God’s Greatest Commandment.
Matthew 22:34-40 Revised Standard Version
The Greatest Commandment
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sad′ducees, they came together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”
Let us now talk about the grace that works.
Grace makes works possible.
Note that “the grace of God… teaches us”.
It means that grace instructs or disciplines us.
It is like how a parent trains a child.
Grace leads, guides and directs us to do good works.
We can’t accept Christ and still live the way we once lived.
Now that we are in Christ, we live according to His ways on His terms.
If a person claims to be a believer and yet we don’t see any change at all in his life, we have reasons to doubt his claim.
I am not saying that we become sinless but we look at our lives and see that we sin less.
That’s why the book of James tell us “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead… faith without deeds is dead.”
If Jesus is our Lord, we are to obey Him.
The call to faith in Christ is the call to follow Him.
That’s a pattern in the book of Titus.
In his greeting to Titus, Paul talked about “the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness”.
Later, in Titus 3:8, Paul gave this instruction to Titus:
“I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.”
So, the grace that saves is the grace that works.
It’s not that we need to become holy and pure by our own efforts in order to earn salvation.
Rather, the salvation Jesus freely gives to us also teaches us and forms us into people who live holy lives out of gratitude.
Salvation comes first, and holy living is a result.
The good news for people everywhere is that Jesus gives salvation to all who confess with all their It’s not that we need to become holy and pure by our own efforts in order to earn salvation. Rather, the salvation that Jesus freely gives to us also teaches us and forms us into people who live holy lives out of gratitude. Salvation comes first, and holy living is a result.
The good news for people everywhere is that Jesus gives salvation to all who confess with their whole heart their belief in him. But the good news gets even better. In addition to giving us salvation, Jesus gives us new life right now.
The gospel is not just about living with God after we die; it’s also about living in holiness and purity with God right now. We can receive the grace of holy living as we follow Jesus each day. believe in him. But the good news gets even better than that. In addition to giving us salvation, Jesus gives us new life right now.
The gospel is not just about living with God after we die; it’s also about living into and outward from our holiness and purity with God right now. We can receive the grace of holy living as we follow Jesus each day if we’ll accept it.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let’s Pray,
Psalm 119:1-16 Revised Standard Version
The Glories of God’s Law
119 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! 2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! 4 Thou hast commanded thy precepts to be kept diligently. 5 O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping thy statutes! 6 Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all thy commandments. 7 I will praise thee with an upright heart, when I learn thy righteous ordinances. 8 I will observe thy statutes; O forsake me not utterly!
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart I seek thee; let me not wander from thy commandments! 11 I have laid up thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. 12 Blessed be thou, O Lord; teach me thy statutes! 13 With my lips I declare all the ordinances of thy mouth. 14 In the way of thy testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on thy precepts, and fix my eyes on thy ways. 16 I will delight in thy statutes; I will not forget thy word.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
11-17 Train me, God, to walk straight; then I’ll follow your true path. Put me together, one heart and mind; then, undivided, I’ll worship in joyful fear. From the bottom of my heart I thank you, dear Lord; I’ve never kept secret what you’re up to. You’ve always been great toward me—what love! You snatched me from the brink of disaster! God, these bullies have reared their heads! A gang of thugs is after me— and they don’t care a thing about you. But you, O God, are both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love, and you never, never quit. So look me in the eye and show kindness, give your servant the strength to go on, save your dear, dear child! Make a show of how much you love me so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed, As you, God, gently and powerfully put me back on my feet.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Can anyone truly say that they are slow to anger?
We strive to be slow to anger, but we are all always a work in progress.
It helps when we remember we need mercy and grace every day.
We must all confess that we miss the mark, but I know God is slow to anger.
And when we are angry at ourselves for being quick to anger, we know that God looks on us with an unmatched and much undeserved kindness.
His eyes fill with steadfast love, and He helps us through the mess our anger creates for ourselves and anyone else who is in the very near vicinity of it.
We will so freely admit around others we’re so grateful God is compassionate.
To be compassionate means their is within us an empathy to feel sorrow for someone else’s suffering, with a longing, a stirring desire and effort to help.
We see God’s compassion for us in the person of Jesus Christ.
Through Jesus, we can have forgiveness and salvation.
Our lives change when we meet Jesus so that we can know of God’s great compassion – His compassion helps us live for him alone in our day to day.
There is always an action behind compassion.
As we lean into God’s compassion, we begin to see his actions in our lives.
We experience His mercy when we mess up once again.
We know his grace when he encourages us to fall forward into his arms, and He helps us to have courage to be able to stand again when the floor is all we want.
All through the Old Testament, we see how full of mercy God was to his people.
Then in the New Testament, we see Jesus’s compassion on the crowds.
Jesus delivered his good news of freedom, healed the brokenhearted, and gave sight to the blind of eyes and heart.
From the Old Testament we should recall God’s Prophet Jonah who did not understand the Lord’s compassion for the Ninevites and why he, Jonah should be the only one from God to communicate that message of compassion.
He ranted and raved against God, vowed that he would do everything in his power to avoid fulfilling God’s command, ran away from God’s command and ended up spending three days and nights in the belly of a whale before he finally obeyed God, fervently warned the people of Nineveh of imminent destruction.
The Ninevites repented, and God extended compassion to them.
He did not destroy them. Instead of rejoicing, Jonah thought this was very wrong and in the end He pouted in anger because God was compassionate.
We can learn much from Jonah.
For one, to obey right away.
Second, to remember how much we need mercy and grace.
We are not perfect.
We do not have it all together.
Yet, it’s so easy to look at everyone else’s failings and refuse to see our own.
We want to experience God’s compassion, but do we want everyone even our greatest enemy to experience His compassion?
Truth be told, In our most honest moments, we struggle to say yes.
We want God’s acts of compassion toward us.
We want Him to forgive us, to help us, to bless us.
But when we have been angered, when we have been wounded by someone’s betrayal – as Judas betrayed Jesus, we (humanity) want punishment for them.
If there are 100 people out there who are reading this devotional out there in the world, it is reasonably safe to believe no one can confess that “I am not slow to anger,” and when pressured a tiny bit they struggle to show mercy and grace.
But God. by His living Word, He steps in to our anger and answering our prayers reminds us all that we need His compassion just as much as everyone else does.
This truth from Psalm 86:15 keeps us humble and fully reliant on his grace.
Throughout my Cardiac Rehab struggles I’m prayerful for his steadfast love and His strength to extend compassion when I could be compassionless like Jonah.
First, compassionate with myself to not be so angry at myself for my setbacks.
Second, compassionate towards my wife, family and friends who try to help me.
It’s tempting to respond like Jonah – to get flaming angry, want to run away.
But, maybe Jonah did not fully realize how compassionate and merciful God was towards him in letting him live in the belly of the fish while being guided to the shores of his final destination being Nineveh that he could fulfill his mission.
Perhaps He knew God’s nature because he experienced for himself, but he was slow to learn as he grew angry when God showed compassion to the Ninevites.
People whom in his mind he still believed and still felt didn’t deserve it.
We know the Ninevites gave up their evil and violent ways.
They humbled themselves before God, and He responded in compassion.
But, how much did Jonah actually humble himself before seeing God’s victory?
Humility is key in learning to let go of our anger and to receive God’s strength to extend compassion to others.
The book of Jonah ends with God asking Jonah a question, (Jonah 4) and we’re left wondering what happened to him and whether or not there was any change.
Why did Jonah stay angry?
Why did he still harbor resentment toward God?
Why was Jonah so slow to learn to be slow to anger and abounding in mercy?
Intersecting Faith and Life:
The next time we find ourselves struggling with anger, remember Jonah.
Let him be an example of how not to respond so quickly, so often, with anger.
Jonah appreciated God’s compassion for himself, but he grew angry when God showed compassion to people he felt did not deserve it.
What about us in 2024?
God’s compassion extends to all.
Lean into it and encourage others to lean into it as well.
As we do, we will experience God’s grace, mercy, steadfast love, and strength.
In turn, we will learn to be slower to anger and be quicker to show compassion.
Lord Have Mercy, Christ Have Mercy, Mercy on Me
Psalm 103:7-12 New King James Version
7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
When Jesus said on the cross, “They do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34), he was teaching us a lot about ourselves – what we do with our anger.
We have an uncanny ability to remain blind to our sin and how deeply it cuts God’s fatherly heart.
But when Jesus said, “Father, forgive them,” he was also teaching us about God.
“Father, forgive. …”
These words go well together because the Bible affirms that, above all else, God is a God of mercy!
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”
As our heavenly Father, it is in God’s very character to forgive.
Again and again, when we come back from the strange ways of our ignorance, our anger and foolishness, we find God waiting for us with a welcoming heart.
He is ready—even eager!—to forgive us when we return home.
God’s heart is not quick to condemn but, rather, to forgive.
“God did not send his Son … to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17).
In Jesus’ plea from the cross, then, we have both the hard brutal truth about ourselves and the glorious truth about God:
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Thanks be to God that still today Jesus prays, “Father, forgive them,” on our behalf (see Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25).
Practice leaning into God’s Compassion – for the sake of self and for others.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 