Posted on 02/22/2021 6:44:03 AM PST by metmom
“‘Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful’” (Luke 6:36).
Since we have received mercy from God, we are obligated to show mercy to those with physical or spiritual needs.
Jesus demonstrated His mercy many times as He went about healing people and casting out demons. Two blind men cried out, “‘Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!’ . . . And moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight, and followed Him” (Matt. 20:30, 34). He was also deeply moved in spirit and wept when He saw the sorrow that Lazarus’s death caused (John 11:33-36).
His greatest mercy was shown, though, to those with spiritual needs. Not only did He heal a paralytic, but He forgave his sins (Luke 5:18-25). He also prayed for His executioners, saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
We can show mercy by our physical acts. John says, “But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:17-18).
We must also show mercy spiritually. Because we have experienced God’s mercy, we should have great concern for those who have not. We show spiritual mercy by proclaiming the saving gospel of Jesus Christ to the unsaved and by praying that God would show His mercy to them.
We also demonstrate spiritual mercy by lovingly confronting sinning Christians: “Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourselves, lest you too be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). Sinning Christians bring reproach on Christ and His church and will fall under God’s discipline. In such cases it is wrong to say nothing and let the harm continue.
God has promised us in Matthew 5:7 that we will receive mercy from Him if we are merciful to others. If we have received unlimited mercy from our loving God, if we have been lifted from our poor, sinful, wretched state to become citizens of heaven, how can we withhold mercy from others?
Suggestions for Prayer
Pray that you would be sensitive to opportunities to show mercy today.
For Further Study
Read Matthew 23:37-39.
What was Jerusalem’s condition in verse 37? How does that intensify the nature of Christ’s compassion and mercy toward His people?
Studying God’s Word ping
I love the definition of Mercy that says “Mercy is that we do not get what we deserve.” I.e., the wrath of God.
Karma is a lie. If karma were true, we’d all be dead. We do reap what we sow - but that is not karma.
Confession. It really is good for the soul. Selah
Falling Away? A Study of Hebrews 6 By Jack Kelley 12-20-08 About 21 Minutes to Read
Union And Fellowship Expanded By Jack Kelley Monday March 23rd, 2020 About 13 Minutes to Read
And even though we do this out of gratitude for the Gift He’s already given, which is Union with Him, He blesses us yet again, with Fellowship here on Earth and Prizes in Eternity. Selah
Amen!
My first taste of mercy was when I was 20 and faced 6 years in jail and $6,000.00 in fines for 3 misdemeanors - and in 1965, that was a fortune, and would have ended my life. I was not a Christian then.
We pleaded not-guilty to 2 (they were absurd, laws from the 1800’s), and guilty to one: removing a wild animal from state property.
The judge tore into us for 20 or more minutes and I truly thought he was going to give us life. And then he fined us each $35.00. MERCY!
BTW - the animal was a full-grown, 6’, 200 lb. alligator, and the state was Indiana. We “borrowed” the alligator for a prank and later let it loose in a pond in the woods. The gator found a creek from the pond to the largest lake in Indiana, and she found true freedom in the huge lake - 3 x 5 miles.
People who lived on the lake were not happy. And wanted us executed.
Made national news, Walter Cronkite & Huntley/Brinkley. My claim to fame.
My first taste of mercy was when I was 20 and faced 6 years in jail and $6,000.00 in fines for 3 misdemeanors - and in 1965, that was a fortune, and would have ended my life. I was not a Christian then.
mark twain.
So did you repent?
Are you serious?
Are you serious?
Mark Twain/Samuel Clemmons
always a bit of truth in it.
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