HUMILITY BEFORE MERCY AND GRACE

As I have been studying God's mercy and grace, one fact has stood out to me;  God pours out these qualities upon the humble of heart.  Consider these two verses.

Psalm 103:17  "the steadfast love (mercy) of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children,..."   Isaiah 57:15  "For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.'"  In our society permeated with individual pride concerning everything in our daily lives, the whole idea of humility, or being contrite seems from a different world.  But, to truly know God's blessings it is essential we lower our opinion of ourselves and raise our view of God very high (in fact we can't raise it too high.)  This has nothing to do with a bowed head and stooped shoulders, but, rather a sensible understanding of our natural selfishness that God wants to wash away and replace with His goodness.  God's mercy and grace are our only hope for vibrant life now and life everlasting when this life is done.

Join me this Thursday for a deeper look at God's amazing mercy and grace.

OUR GREAT MERCIFUL GOD

Yesterday morning I wanted to catch a picture of the beautiful oak tree I can see out my study window--but, God in his kindness gave me a bonus.

When we talk about God's mercy we must expand our normal thinking concerning that word.  His mercy should be a daily comfort and encouragement to us.  In Tozer's book Faith Beyond Reason he says this about God's amazing mercy.  "What made Jesus' death uncommon, unusual?  It was the dying of the just for the unjust.  It was His sacrificial dying.  His vicarious dying.  He paid a debt He did not owe in behalf of others too deeply in debt ever to pay."  Such mercy as this surely overflows to every possible difficult situation in our lives.  Oh that we would display mercy in our dealings with other people that God would be shown wonderful in our lives.

Chapter 5 on the mercy of God will be our topic of discussion this Thursday morning.  Plan to join us.

COMPLETELY JUST AND COMPLETELY MERCIFUL

About 1000 years ago Anselm asked God this question, “How dost Thou spare the wicked if Thou art just, supremely just?”  In other words, how does God justify a wicked man and still be just?  That is our big question to answer this week.  Realize that God is perfectly just and perfectly merciful —He has no conflict between these qualities as we do so He can be just and merciful at the same time.  When Christ died for us He made it possible for us to receive justice and mercy all at the same time because He changed our moral situation from “guilty” to “innocent” –at least, for everyone that embraces His substitutionary death for them.  

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 What an overwhelming and blessed thought! 

I’m so looking forward to discussing in great depth the justice of God tomorrow morning with you.

Don’t forget Jorge Whitaker and Naomi Suko’s wedding this coming Saturday Oct. 21st at 2pm.  You are invited!!