In My Self-Sufficiency...

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah--Psalm 62:8

Often, I go through my day looking and hoping in wrong things.  My heart looks for fulfillment and joy where it will never be found.  As it says in Jeremiah, I hewn for myself cisterns...broken cisterns that can hold no water and I forget the fountain of living waters!   I wonder as David did in Psalm 42:

Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you disquieted within me?

In my self-sufficiency, Father,  I am in distress...every hand of misery comes against me.  But, You, my God, because I am Your beloved...You bow down toward me and speak to my heart  You draw me to Yourself with gentle cords of love. You remind me to come...to cast all my care upon You because it is only in You that my soul finds its rest. 

My Soul Followeth Hard After Thee...

My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.--Psalm 63:8

Father....Help me to be like David and follow “hard” after You.  May my soul thirst for You and may Your word be my treasure.  May spending time with You at Your throne of grace be where my attention and time is devoted.  Let me desire like Paul to know nothing but Your Son, Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  This is wisdom!  Help me to find my peace in this life in You at Your feet.  May You be my consolation and comfort in death and may I have joy forever in Your everlasting arms.

In the Solitude...

Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them;—Luke 4:42

There are two applications in this verse...both of which I need to remember daily as I journey through this life.   

The first is I need to depart to a deserted place to be alone with God.  It is here...in the quiet....that I can listen for and hear His still small voice.   It is here that my mind is renewed and progressively changed.  It is here that I can examine what the will of God is...that which is good and acceptable and perfect in His plan and purpose for me.  It is here away from the demands, trials and cares of this world, that I can truly abide...where I can enter His presence and behold Him!   It is here in my solitude that I can come face to face with me and my sin, because it is here that I can see the Lord high and lifted up.   It is here in the quiet where the Lord empties me of me and fills me with Him.  When I turn to Christ, the “veil” is lifted and, as it says in 2 Corinthians 3, I can behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord.  I can be transformed into His image from glory to glory by His Spirit.  After spending time with Jesus, I am more able to have compassion on the people around me, more ready to do the ministry that God has given me and more able to love others with the love that God has poured out by His Spirit in my heart.  

The second application is that as He transforms me into His image I will be more approachable to those that are seeking Him. I can be the light in the darkness to those who are hurting or lost...to those who are searching for truth in this world.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.—2 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV)

The Dayspring from on High...

March 15, 2019

For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,

To give knowledge of salvation to His people

By the remission of their sins,

Through the tender mercy of our God,

With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;

To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,

To guide our feet into the way of peace."—Luke 1:76-79

Note:  the dayspring is the sunrise, the figure corresponding to Ps 19:4-5, and speaks of Jesus, the light of the world coming from heaven to dispel the darkness of this world. 

For You, my God, so loved the world that You gave Your only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  You demonstrated this great love toward us by dying for us when we were ungodly...dead in our trespasses and sins. Your tender mercies toward us, Father, are from old.  Your Son Jesus, is both the root and the offspring of Jesse, the Son of David, the bright and morning star, and the Sun of righteousness that came with healing in His wings.  He came as a light to the Gentiles and as the glory of the people of Israel.  He opened the eyes of the blind, and led them in a way they knew not. He brought the prisoners out of darkness of the prison house.   He make darkness light before us and the crooked places straight...these things He does and continue to do...He does not forsake us. 

You, Father, opened my eyes and turned me from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.  From your hand through my belief in Your precious Son, Jesus, I have received forgiveness for my sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in You. 

When I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for You are with me.  My Shepherd, Jesus, is gentle and lowly in heart and it is in Him that my soul finds rest. Righteousness goes before Him and I have made His footsteps my pathway.  My heart sings for the light has come and His glory is upon me...For it is You my God who has shone in my heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  Father, may all the earth come to Your light and kings to the brightness of Your rising.  

When I Was Without God...

The fear of the wicked will come upon him,

And the desire of the righteous will be granted. When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.—Prov 10:24-25—

When I was without God, I was without an anchor and without a foundation on which to stand AND I knew it. There were times when fear would grip me...warning words would sound in my head telling me that there was a God and my day of reckoning was ahead and that it would come when I least expected it.  Arrogantly, I ignored those warnings.  BUT God ...in His mercy and grace did not leave me to eat the fruit of my own way. He drew me to Himself with cords of kindness and brought me to a place of repentance.  He redeemed (redeems)my life from destruction and fulfills all my purpose.  My God crowns me with loving kindness and tender mercies...truly my cup runs over. 

My foundation is sure...built now on my Rock, which is Christ. He enlarges my path underneath me so my feet do not slip.  In Him I dwell securely...my habitation is peaceful, my resting places quiet and my sleep sweet. When I pass through the waters, He is with me and the rivers, they do (shall) not overflow me.  I can now because of His grace boldly say, “the Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Keep my heart steadfast Father, trusting You. 

Gracious Words...

but you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day. —Joshua 23:8

May we cleave unto the Lord our God and continue with Him with purpose of heart...delighting, depending and devoting ourselves to His desires.   Make us shine as lights, Father, bearing fruit by Jesus Christ as we walk through this dark world.  However, this morning it was the second part of this verse that really spoke to my heart.

“but you shall hold fast to the LORD your God AS YOU HAVE DONE UNTO THIS DAY”

Note how gracious the Spirit of God is speaking through Joshua here given the children of Israel’s erratic history!  What an example to me of thinking the best about people.  His words impart grace to the hearers,  they edify.

The words of a wise man's mouth [are] gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;—Ecclesiastes 10:12

So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, "Is this not Joseph's son?"—Luke 4:22

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.—Philippians 4

Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen—Hebrews 13:20-21

One Thing I Do...

"And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."—Joshua 24:15

I have been studying the book of Philippians and reading this verse brought my mind to a section of Philippians 3 where I personally have been camped for a week.

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.”

Those verses together stopped me in my tracks...Joshua and Paul have the same mindset...they were pursuing the same thing...Christlikeness.  Paul's prize, and ours, is the very purpose God had in saving us:

"Whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29).

Focusing here on one phrase from Phil 3:13...but ONE thing I do.

Paul had reduced the whole of sanctification to the simple and clear goal of doing “one thing”—pursuing Christlikeness.  I love that for many reasons but mostly because it makes it easier for me to remember and bring it to mind when I need to apply it.  Paul presses toward the goal and does not allow himself to be distracted.  Joshua without equivocation serves the Lord.  He pursues holiness and like Paul is jealous for those under his care to do the same.  Neither want to have labored in vain

Praying that by His gracious Spirit who dwells in me and desires this for me that I can surrender and run as one who wants to win that prize.  Direct me in this, Father, by Your Spirit, to run all I think, say and do through the filter of:

Will saying that or doing this or acting this way coincide with my lifelong pursuit of becoming like my Jesus?

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,—Hebrews 12:1-2a

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,—2 Cor 10:5-6

Counted Worthy to Escape...

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.
"For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
"Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."—Luke 21:33-36

These verses (34-36) appear only in Luke.  Jesus seems to be stressing the suddenness of this event and from my reading can only apply to the the Rapture.  Verse 36 tells us to watch therefore and pray always that we may be counted worthy to escape all those things that will come to pass and stand before the Son of Man.

Jesus appears to be saying that there is a real possibility that one may profess faith in Christ without possessing true faith.

Paul also reminded the Corinthians (and us) to examine themselves in regard to the genuineness of their salvation

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified.—2 Cor 13:5

We do then need to examine the reality of our professed faith to be sure that we are trusting in the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 I liked what Henry Morris said about this:

“The sure proof (of genuine salvation) is the realization that Christ is indwelling us by the Holy Spirit resulting in godly lives and glad acceptance of all the revealed Word of God, as inspired by the Holy Spirit.”—Henry Morris

Hymn of My Heart

So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD.
—Judges 6:6


The answer for every problem, every fear and every heartache in this world is always the Lord.   I confess I can be so stubborn at times...like a young unteachable child really...how many times has He heard my cry and answered.  How many times has He sent His divine protection, His divine deliverance, His divine wisdom, His divine comfort to my heart and yet I still forget.  I go and attempt to face the day in my own strength.  Even at almost 60, I forget I am weak, insufficient and very flawed!  I FORGET I need Him. Oh Father, forgive me!   So thankful for your forgiving, unchanging, steadfast, faithful love that never leaves me or forsakes me.  Write these verses on my heart, Father, may the words of Psalm 34 become the hymn of my heart!

I will bless the LORD at all times;

His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;

The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me,

And let us exalt His name together.

I sought the LORD, and He heard me,

And delivered me from all my fears.

They looked to Him and were radiant,

And their faces were not ashamed.

This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!—Psalm 34:1-8

More Gideon and Judges 6

So he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."—Judges 6:15

Oh Father, keep me small in my own eyes. Let not the foot of pride come against me.  Gideon was the least in his poor family and of an undistinguished tribe, but God, who sees the heart, chose Him.  Gideon was also a believer in a family of unbelievers, but his courage brought His father back to You...the One true God. Give me this kind of courage as I face my enemies both within and without and may others see the grace You give me and turn their own hearts toward Yours.

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--
that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.—1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Give to the LORD glory and strength.
Give to the LORD the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!—Psalm 96:7b-9

The Love of Jesus

Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."—Luke 23:34

Jesus prays for the VERY ones that are putting Him to death. God is kind to the unthankful and the evil. He blesses people who don't deserve it, (me) and He pours out His kindness on all. His love never fails...it has eternal effects. 

(Jesus) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

(Jesus) never fails.—1 Corinthians 13:7-8

"But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

"bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.—Luke 6:27-28

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

 "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.—1 Peter 2:21-24

.

Reign in My Heart

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian." But Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you."—Judges 8:22-23

May this be MY cry today and every day!  Come and rule in MY heart!  Save me from myself and fill me with You!  For it is in You that I am made perfect.

Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!

Wrath of Abandonment

God speaking...
Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.—Judges 10:14

Uh oh...They're going to get exactly what they wanted with no restraint. God is stepping back and leaving them to the consequences of their own sinful choices.  They will be filled with their own way and their sin will be their ruin.  Genesis 6:3 tells us that God's Spirit will not strive with us forever. The price for the Israelites as well as for us was/is staggering.

This is the wrath of abandonment.  Proverbs chapter 1 verses 24 to 31 says this:

Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,  Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD, They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke.  Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

There are many times as I walk through the trials of this life that I feel that even with His presence it is all too much!  But I can endure because He does the enduring.  He performs all things for me and perfects all things that concern me.  His plan for me here out of His heart of love.  He works all together in my life for my good and His glory.   I cannot fathom journeying through life here on earth without Him. He is my rock, my hope and my joy unending.  It is in Him that I live and it is Him that I live unto.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Nothing can separate me from His love.  Not even me.

I do not lose heart because He is always with me!  My work is not in vain, and  my hope is sure,


Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.--Isaiah 40:28-31

The Road to Emmaus

Luke 24: 13–15 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

They were talking and communing together about the things which had happened in Jerusalem and then BAM there is Jesus in the midst of them.  ❤️

Matthew 18:20
"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?"

And He said to them, "What things?"

I love what happens next...they pour out to Jesus what they know...Jesus then meets them at their point of need...He encourages and strengthens their hearts toward belief. He shows them that their hope was NOT disappointed. That it was in His death and resurrection that the Scriptures had been fulfilled. (“But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.”)

This passage resonates with me because what Jesus did for these men on the Emmaus Road, He does for me as I pour out to Him in prayer, my doubts, my misconceptions, my fears and my griefs. He meets me at my point of need.  He perfects what concerns me...He uses His word to comfort me in my grief, encourage me in fears and lack of faith, to impart wisdom when needed (always)and to clarify and correct my doubt and my misconceptions.

But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.—2 Timothy 3:14-17

Jephthah...

I was so very grateful for Jephthah today!  I woke up cranky, complaining and filled with me.  From there I went into a mind spiral that centered on my failures and faults.  So by the time I sat down to read my Bible I was not in the greatest of places.

Enter Jephthah to remind me that my God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Oh yeah...

Wanting to find out more about Jephthah, I turned in my Thompson Chain Reference Bible to #1876.  There, I discovered that his name is recorded as one of the giants of faith in Hebrews 11.  I turned there and read the names of the others whose names were recorded there.   Guess what...none of them were perfect...they were all sinners like me.   All of them needed a Savior.

—So grateful to God that He brought me up out of a horrible pit, set my feet upon a rock and established my steps.
—So grateful to God that I can never fall further than His everlasting arms.
—so grateful for His word that is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, that rights my thinking.

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.—Romans 8:38-39

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.—Hebrews 12:1-2

Grace and Truth

John 1:14 tells me that Jesus is full of grace and truth.  Jesus is full of the exact two things that I desperately need...grace and truth.  As if that were not enough, John goes on to tell us that

Of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace—John 1:16

Grace for grace: “Literally it means ‘grace instead of grace’.  God’s Grace to us is continuous and inexhaustible...like waves on a seashore. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. There ARE NO interruptions.

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ—Ephesians 4:7

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,—Colossians 1:19

Closing with some beautiful quotes by Spurgeon...

Blessed be the Lord for ever that he has provided a fullness for us, for in us by nature there is all emptiness and utter vanity.

The accents are sweet as those of the angel-messenger when he sang, "Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy." Are they not stray notes from celestial sonnets? "All fullness." You, sinner, are all emptiness and death, you, saint, would be so if it were not for the "all fullness" of Christ of which you have received; therefore both to saint and sinner the words are full of hope. There is joy in these words to every soul conscious of its sad estate, and humbled before God.

Mary of Bethany: The Woman Immortalized by Christ

Mary of Bethany: The Woman Immortalized by Christ. ❤️❤️❤️

At Christ’s feet for instruction..

And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.—Luke 10:39

"But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."—Luke 10:42

At Christ’s feet for comfort...

Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."—John 11:32

At Christ’s feet for service...

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.—John 12:3 (see also Matthew 26:6-13)

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.  To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?—2 Cor 2:14-16

Day 30 - Psalm 25 - Thru the Bible 2019

Bible Readings:  Exodus 10:1-12:13;  Matthew 20:1-28: Psalm 25:1-15; Proverbs 6:6-11

To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.—Ps 25:1

Cross-Reference Verses: 

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You,

And I will look up.-Ps 5:3

Evening and morning and at noon

I will pray, and cry aloud,

And He shall hear my voice.—Ps 55:17

I rise before the dawning of the morning,

And cry for help;

I hope in Your word.—Ps 119:147

I said to the LORD: "You are my God;

Hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.—Ps 140:6

Lord...I will cry out to You in the morning...hear my cry.  Father, I don’t do this enough!   Oh remind me as I wake that You are my morning song...You are my sufficiency.  Anything I have that is good is of You.  I don’t want to do anything Lord unless You go with me and before me! 

Day 29 - Psalm 24 - Thru the Bible 2019

Bible Readings: Exodus 8:1-9:35; Matthew 19:13-30; Psalm 24:1-10; Proverbs 6:1-5

Whenever I read thru Ps 22-24, I think of what I read about them several years back and truly I stand in awe. 

“Psalm 22 deals with the Cross and Psalm 23 with the crook. Here, Psalm 24 will deal with the crown. Psalm 22 deals with Jesus’ death and Psalm 23 with His life. Here, Psalm 24 will deal with His return for us. In Psalm 22, we see the Good Shepherd who laid down His life (John 10: 11) and in Psalm 23, the Great Shepherd who guides us in this present life (Hebrews 13: 20). Here in Psalm 24, we’ll see the Chief Shepherd who is coming back for us (1 Peter 5: 4).”—Jon Courson

Such beautiful pictures of our Lord! 

Day 28 - Exodus 7; Matthew 18; Psalm 23 - Thru the Bible 2019

Bible Reading:  Exodus 5:22-7:25; Matthew 18:21-19:12; Psalm 23:1-6; Proverbs 5:22-23

The common theme that I saw running thru today’s passages is the hardness of the human heart even in the face of God’s mercy.   Mercy is something I cry out for daily...sadly not for others but for me.  Mercy is defined by the Thompson Chain Reference Bible as a form of love especially directed toward the needy and unworthy.   That is me!  Needy and unworthy.  

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),—Ephes 2:4-5

So much to think about...praying for a soft and merciful heart this morning and that God would keep my own heart with all diligence for truly out of it springs the issues of life. 

God’s mercy is eternal

Psalm 103:17: But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children,

God’s mercy is boundless

Psalm 108:4:  For Your mercy is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the clouds.

God’s mercy prolongs life

Lamentations 3:22-23:  Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning;  Great is Your faithfulness.

Encourages Penitence

Joel 2:13:  So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God,

For He is gracious and merciful,

Slow to anger, and of great kindness;

And He relents from doing harm.

God’s mercy forgives sin

Micah 7:18: Who is a God like You,

Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?

He does not retain His anger forever,

Because He delights in mercy.

Makes Salvation Possible 

Titus 3:5:  not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Reasons to be merciful...

Proverbs 11:17:  The merciful man does good for his own soul, But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.

Matthew 5:7:  Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.

James 2:13:  For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.  Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Ending with these  gems...

Hos 12:6:  So you, by the help of your God, return; Observe mercy and justice, And wait on your God continually.

Micah 6:8:  He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?

Mercy Promised to the righteous...

Psalm 23:6:  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.