Mercy and grace appear together in most pastors' sermons; it's easy to think they are one and the same. They're not. I hope you won't mind if I try to explain the difference between the words "mercy" and "grace." Just for a moment, imagine that you've fallen six months behind in your car payments, in your house payments, in your credit card bills. You know what's going to happen. Those to whom you owe money are going to expect to be paid. That's understandable. At first they ask nicely for their money, then they get a little more forceful, and eventually they take you to court. There's no question that you owe them. You have an unpaid debt. Now here's where mercy and grace come in. Mercy is when you -- guilty beyond any shadow of a doubt -- turn to the judge and ask him not to pronounce the punishment your sin deserves. You ask the judge to set aside the law and forget about justice. That's not something a good judge should do. Still that is what happens if you ask for mercy. Grace, as I said, is different. In the same scenario, grace would be given if the judge said, "You don't deserve it, but I'm going to have somebody else make all of your payments." Grace is when the judge says, "I'm going to have somebody else pay the price for what you have done." Do you see the difference? Let me make it simple: mercy is not getting what you deserve, and grace is getting what you don't deserve. On occasion you may see a judge who has seen some kind of extenuating circumstance offer mercy to someone who is guilty, but seldom will you see a judge give grace. You will never see a judge sentence his son for the sin of someone else. It would be unthinkable. It wouldn't make sense. It wouldn't be fair. But that is what must happen if grace is to be given. Grace and mercy are God's gifts to us. We have sinned; we have committed crimes against our Lord, which we can never make right. There is no question of our guilt or that we deserve to be punished. In spite of what we have done, God, our divine Judge, decides to extend His mercy and His grace. He doesn't give us the punishment we deserve, and He extends forgiveness which we haven't earned: mercy and grace. Of course, the Lord couldn't set aside His laws. He couldn't do that. The price for our sin had to be paid. And it was. So that we might have His mercy and grace, God sent His sinless Son to take our place. God sent His Son to live the perfect life we could not; He sent His Son to fulfill the laws that we have not; He sent His Son to die the death that we deserved. My friend, your sins may be great, but God has shown that He is greater. THE PRAYER:Dear Lord, may I give thanks for Your many gifts, which are undeserved. Through Jesus' sacrifice I have been given forgiveness, a home in heaven, and the promise of being with my Redeemer forever. May I share my joy with others who still do not know of Your grace and still are unacquainted with Your mercy. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Andemos decentemente, como de día, no en orgías y borracheras, no en promiscuidad sexual y lujurias, no en pleitos y envidias; antes bien, vestíos del Señor Jesucristo, y no penséis en proveer para las lujurias de la carne.
Los cristianos, no obstante están perdonados por la misericordia de Dios, están expuestos al pecado. El apóstol Pablo sabía esto cuando escribió a los cristianos en Roma que necesitaban vestirse "con el Señor Jesucristo," y no tomar parte en libertinajes siguiendo los malos deseos de la carne y cometiendo inmoralidades sexuales. Comportarnos como cristianos significa mostrar amor hacia los hermanos en la fe, y compasión por aquellos que aún no conocen al Salvador. También significa reflejar ese amor y compasión en lo que hacemos y en la forma en que actuamos en cada momento. Para los cristianos, el abstenerse de participar en orgías, borracheras e inmoralidad sexual, debería ser una decisión fácil. Sin embargo, Pablo recuerda a sus lectores que las primeras batallas comienzan en la mente: "no penséis en proveer para las lujurias de la carne." Lamentablemente, no siempre seguimos su consejo. No sólo pensamos en los deseos de nuestra vieja naturaleza, sino que los acogemos, nos acostumbramos a ellos, los excusamos, y dejamos que tomen lo mejor de nosotros, pecando contra nuestro Dios. Pero demos gracias a Dios por su hijo Jesús, en quien encontramos perdón y una vida nueva que nos transforma en verdaderos testigos de Él. En Él --sólo en Él-- encontramos la completa victoria sobre "las lujurias de la carne." ORACIÓN: Jesús, ayúdanos a confiar en el perdón que has ganado para nosotros en la cruz del Calvario, para que podamos ser libres para vivir una vida dedicada a ti. Vístenos con tu Espíritu Santo y enséñanos a ser fieles testigos tuyos. En tu nombre oramos. Amén.
Heavenly Father, this morning I pray for those who are beginning to know Christ: may You strengthen them on their journey. I pray for all children, and for those who take care of them, especially those who awaken them to faith. I pray for the ill and those who are ending their lives in loneliness: Oh Lord, give them the strength they need. I pray for those who are condemned to prison or exile: Lord, sustain their hope. I pray that the fire of your Spirit may renew the energies of all your saints and enable us to welcome those who do not know you. And finally, Lord, may your Church be constantly renewed, in prayer, in your Word and in your worship; in Christ's name, this I ask, Amen.
Confession and Forgiveness
God, be merciful to me; On Thy grace I rest my plea; In Thy vast, abounding grace, My transgressions all erase. Wash me wholly from my sin; Cleanse from every ill within. For my sins before me rise, Ever present to my eyes. I have sinned ‘gainst Thee alone. In Thy sight this evil done; That Thy judgment may be clear, And Thy sentence just appear. Lo, brought forth was I in sin; When conceived I was unclean. Lo, Thou dost desire to find Truth sincere within the mind: And Thou wilt within my heart Wisdom unto me impart. Then with hyssop sprinkle me, And form sin I clean shall be. Wash me from its stain, and lo, I shall whiter be than snow. Make me hear joy’s cheering voice; Make my broken bones rejoice. From my sins hide Thou Thy face; My iniquities erase. O my God, renew my heart, And a spirit right impart. Cast me not away from Thee, Nor Thy Spirit take form me. Give salvation’s’ joy again, And a willing mind sustain. Then thy perfect ways I’ll show That transgressors may them know; They converted then shall be Sinners shall be turned to Thee. Amen.
[A New Prophet Like Moses] The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet. This is what you requested of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: "If I hear the voice of the LORD my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die." Then the LORD replied to me: "They are right in what they have said. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command. Psalm 91Qui habitat 1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, abides under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 He shall say to the LORD, "You are my refuge and my stronghold, my God in whom I put my trust." 3 He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with his pinions, and you shall find refuge under his wings; his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day; 6 Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid-day. 7 A thousand shall fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you. 8 Your eyes have only to behold to see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the LORD your refuge, and the Most High your habitation, 10 There shall no evil happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. 12 They shall bear you in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the adder; you shall trample the young lion and the serpent under your feet. 14 Because he is bound to me in love, therefore will I deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my Name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I am with him in trouble; I will rescue him and bring him to honor. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.
For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, as though sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to mortals. We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day. [Fatherly Admonition] I am not writing this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you might have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
[The Dispute about Greatness] A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. "You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer of the Day
Almighty and everlasting God, who gave to your apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach your Word: Grant that your Church may love what he believed and preach what he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Prayer for Guidance
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; Unite my heart to fear your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify your name forever more. Great is your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of hell. All praise be to You, Oh God my Redeemer, today and forever. Amen.
A Prayer for Mission
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Will The Circle Be Unbroken Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Martina McBride, Charley Pride, Trace Adkins, Whisperin' Bill Anderson, Trisha Yearwood, Little Jimmy Dickens, Ricky Skaggs, and others
Alleluia! Christ has risen. Christ has risen indeed. Alleluia!
Closing Prayer
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip me with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in me what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.
Today the church remembers Saint Bartholomew the Apostle. We know very little of Bartholomew; even his name is something of a mystery. Bartholomew is a patronymic meaning "Son of Tolmai." He is mentioned only in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) but he is generally believed to be the same person as Nathanael in John's Gospel. He is credited by several reliable historical sources with writing a gospel, but the Gospel according to Bartholomew is lost today. Tradition holds that he traveled to India and this is certainly not inconceivable. He is regarded as the founder of the Church in Armenia and may have been martyred there. Ancient tradition maintains that he was flayed alive at Albanopolis, Armenia, by the authorities as a consequence of his evangelistic work. Read the Wikipedia article here. Almighty and everlasting God, who gave to your apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach your Word: Grant that your Church may love what he believed and preach what he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Almighty and everlasting God, who gave to your apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach your Word: Grant that your Church may love what he believed and preach what he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Bible tells the story of Samson, who had incredible potential that was largely wasted. His extraordinary physical strength was given to him as a gift from God. He also had the Lord’s blessing on his life. Samson could have been one of the greatest leaders in the history of Israel, but instead his life, in effect, became an example of how not to live.
Samson was a he-man with a she-weakness. When we think of Samson, our mind usually goes to Delilah and how she cut off his hair and his strength was gone. In reality, it was a series of small compromises that ultimately led to his demise with Delilah. He lost touch with God. Then he fell asleep with his head in Delilah’s lap. Talk about sleeping with the enemy.
I fear there are many in the church today who, like Samson, are asleep when danger is imminent. Some have grown complacent and lackadaisical. They’re kicking back and taking it easy.
Maybe the devil looks at them and says, “Why bother? They’re no threat to me. They’re just sitting there on the sidelines, preoccupied with themselves. They don’t care about living a godly life. Why bother with them? They’re already where I want them.”
That is how it is with far too many Christians today. They’re immobilized. They’re sterile. They’re right where the devil wants them, so he doesn’t bother them.
However, if you were to say, “I’m facing conflict. I’m facing temptation,” that would be an indication that you’re moving in the right direction as a Christian.
While it’s true there is a devil who is powerful and tries to trip us up, it is also true that our Commander in Chief ultimately will lead us to victory if we stay close to Him.
In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny
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Vístanse de amor, que es el vínculo perfecto. Que gobierne en sus
corazones la paz de Cristo, a la cual fueron llamados en un solo cuerpo.
Y sean agradecidos.
¿Cómo
no vamos a tener un corazón agradecido por nuestras bendiciones cuando
vemos gente tan linda viviendo en circunstancias tan pobres? Sabemos
que en nuestra ciudad de Miami también hay necesidades, pero nunca se
comparan a lo que necesitan recibir en esta provincia del Perú o en
otros lugares de América Latina. En los días de estadía en el
Callao vi una gran necesidad. Sus casas están desbaratadas por completo.
A muchas hasta les falta parte del techo y están expuestas al frío y a
la lluvia. La suciedad es tanta que a uno le cuesta trabajo creer que
allí vivan seres humanos. Podemos visitarlos si quisiéramos más de una
vez e igual se tomará su tiempo para ver cambios. Solo Dios puede hacer
un milagro, como se lo hemos pedido. Aprendamos a ser agradecidos.
Disfrutemos lo que tenemos, ya sea poco o mucho. Reconozcamos que Dios
es el que nos cuida y propongámonos a valorar nuestra vida con sus
altibajos, pero confiados de que no estamos solos. Hoy, tú puedes
pedirle perdón a Jesús porque quizá seas una persona que ha renegado del
tipo de vida que te ha tocado vivir. No se trata de que no puedas ser
próspero. ¡Claro que puedes serlo! Sin embargo, nunca debes olvidar de
dónde nos sacó Dios.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is
this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep
oneself from being polluted by the world.
God’s
love compels us to feed the hungry, empower the poor, defend the weak
and help those who are suffering. When we do these things, it includes
encouraging and strengthening those persecuted for their faith in
Christ. The Church has often led the way in education and medical
services in developing countries until governments or other local
agencies take over. Brother Andrew says that giving humanitarian
aid is a picture of Jesus knocking at the door of our hearts (our lives)
in Revelation chapter three. The doors of many hearts in the church are
closed to acts of mercy and love in action. Therefore, Jesus stands
knocking at the door of our hearts asking that we open that door and let
Him in. His coming into our lives enables us to do acts of love. “They
killed my husband before my very own eyes. As if that wasn’t enough,
they destroyed everything by burning down our house including my dear
husband’s workshop.” These were the words of Esther, the widow whose
husband was killed by jihadists in Nigeria in January 2010. For
the mother of seven, life became unbearable. The house that her children
called home no longer existed and the daunting absence of an income was
an inevitable reality. To worsen their circumstances, the in-laws
abandoned Esther and her children. Surrounded by walls of a room too
small for eight people, depression threatened to overshadow her and
Esther cried night and day, asking God for a way out. She truly
needed a shoulder to lean on. A friend told us her story and from there
Open Doors provided financial support for this family. As a result the
family was able to move into an apartment in a Christian area, with
enough room for everyone. The new home lent enough space for Esther to
even start working from home. She is a tailor by profession and hopes to
rent a shop in the near future. Esther thought it wise to take
some of the money and start a vegetable garden on a small scale. The
idea is to feed her family and at the same time generate an income from
it. She is confident that her vegetable business will grow to the point
where she will be able to send the children to school. “If Open
Doors had not come to my aid,” Esther concluded with tears, “what would
have become of me and my children? For all I know, we all would have
been dead, either by the hands of Jihadists or hunger. As for my
husband’s killers—though it’s been difficult—through your prayers and
encouragement I’ve been able to forgive them.” RESPONSE: Today I will live in awareness of those around me needing help and respond appropriately. PRAYER: Lord, give me Your compassion for people in need. May I be an agent of Your love today.
“Music is an outburst of the soul.” While
this expression came from 19th-century English composer Frederick
Delius, it could easily describe King David’s attitude toward worship. The
people around David probably grew accustomed to his musical outbursts.
After all, it was King David—much to the chagrin of Saul’s daughter—who
“[danced] before the LORD with all his might” (2 Samuel 6:14).
Moreover, David wrote many of the psalms. We can imagine the
shepherd-king in his bedchamber at night strumming his harp and
composing another song to the Lord. Yet David was hardly a soloist in
the family of God. The whole Bible reverberates with the songs of
people so enraptured by God’s work that their day-to-day lives gave way
to melody. Moses and Miriam harmonized praise after God had led his
people out of Egypt (see Exodus 15:1–21).
Solomon crooned his way through Song of Songs, celebrating the marriage
relationship between a husband and wife. Isaiah offered a prophetic
song from the coming choir of the new Jerusalem (see Isaiah 26). Mary,
when told that she would give birth to the Son of God, lifted a song to
the child’s Father in heaven (see Luke 1:46–55). Paul and Silas shouted their praise, and God split the walls of their cellblock (see Acts 16:25–26). The Bible is full of the songs of God’s people. What
does this Biblical legacy of song say about us? We sing, as Moses,
David and Mary sang, because God is worthy of song. When David opened
his song (see 2 Samuel 22), the attributes of God came streaming out of
the king’s mouth so quickly that he barely formed sentences—my rock, my
fortress, my deliverer, my shield, my salvation, my stronghold, my
refuge. Like David, may we be so overcome by the knowledge of God
that our natural response is to burst forth in song. May we sing from a
heart-knowledge of God—longing after him with our greatest affections
and deepest desires.
To Take Away
When in your life have you so keenly sensed God’s presence that you could have burst forth into song?
How would you describe or rate your heart-knowledge of God?
What steps can you take to deepen your delight in the character of God?
Friend to Friend All throughout the Bible, we see that wisdom is the real deal when it
comes to spiritual must-haves. I like to think of it as the little
black dress of faith. An essential must-have for every Christian woman
to possess and wear. And surely one that we all look good in! But in today’s world, it can be tricky to make wise decisions and
choices. We’re surrounded by foolish and conflicting messages. Messages
that oppose the wisdom of God as revealed in Scripture. We get hit
from all sides with opinions, posts, and tweets about what people have
and want and do—and about what people think is right and wrong. They write it on signs and walk picket lines in an attempt to sway us in their direction. They Instagram it, pin it on Pinterest, send e-petitions to our in-boxes, and blog about it. And then there’s the media that screams like a colicky baby, demanding that we take note of the angle that they are trying to sell as acceptable behavior. One thing’s for sure, there’s a wide difference between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world. When I say wide, I mean Grand Canyon wide. I mean the distance-between-the-east-coast-of-America-and-the-west-coast-of-Europe wide! Here’s what James had to say about godly wisdom: The wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving,
gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of
mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always
sincere.” (James 3:17NLT) Does that sound like the world to you? Pure? Peace loving? Gentle?
Willing to yield? Full of mercy and good deeds? Fair and sincere? I
think not. Keeping these truths in mind helps me as a friend. When I’m tempted
to vent my frustration about that other person, God’s wisdom reminds me
to be a woman of peace. It helps me as a Jesus follower. When I’m tempted to read a book or
watch a movie that is fifty shades of compromise, God’s wisdom reminds
me that I’m to be a holy, pure vessel for Him. Here’s a refreshing truth: When the world shouts its ways that are
contrary to the wisdom of God, I have a choice. I really do. I might
not feel like it, but I do. I get to choose my response even when the
pressures of political correctness and tolerance squeeze hard. Even in
my workplace. Those pressures are indicators that I need to address the
issue and not run from it or cave in to it. My behavior is my choice, no one else’s. And I want my choices to align with the ageless wisdom of the all-knowing God. So I choose to put on my little black dress of faith. And some cute shoes, of course! Let’s Pray Lord, I want Your wisdom. Please direct my choices, my behaviors, and
my heart. Forgive me for the times when I look to others or to myself
when I should be looking to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Now It’s Your Turn Where is your little black dress of faith? Choose one: A. “I don’t have one, but I’m asking God for one today!”
B. “Stuck in the back of my heart closet. I really need to dig it out.”
C. “At the dry cleaners! Wore it last week but need to pick it up today!”
D. “Wearing, it, baby! Dazzling with His amazingness! Party on!” Where do you want it to be? Swing by my blog or Facebook page and leave a comment. Let’s discuss this as a community today. More from the Girlfriends Today’s post is an excerpt from Gwen Smith’s book, I Want It All. C’MON OVER! I’VE GOT A GIFT FOR YOU! Since we are rebuilding our
home after a house fire I figured I’d also rebuild my cyber home—my website.
Why not? I’m already going a bit crazy. Might as well go all in! My
home is still several months away from being livable, but my website is
all ready to move in. I’d love for you to come by GwenSmith.net
for a visit. I’ve got the welcome mat out just for you! I can’t serve
you coffee and brownies, but I can offer you another goodie that’s even
better…a 25% OFF coupon. And you don't even need to take your shoes off. For a limited time, use the COUPON CODE NEW25 and enjoy 25% OFF any purchase of $20 or more from the new store!
Seeking God? Click HERE to find out more about how to havea personalrelationship with Jesus Christ.
