Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with Gordon Mote singing his song… Mercy Walked In … poignantly singing of how Jesus and His mercy pleads our case before the Father and how we are forgiven by His grace.
=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Hebrews 4:16 [NKJV] … 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
… Mercy must always prevail in the hearts of true believers over judgment and favoritism.
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: James 2:1-13 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… James, showing his flock how they must avoid favoritism and show the same mercy shown to us by our Lord.
=============
Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NKJV] … 22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
… God’s mercies are never ending and always available to the humble believer.
Reference Passage : … Romans 5:8 [NKJV] … 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
… And is that how we must love others … ALL OTHERS?
Reference Passage : … James 4:6 [NKJV] … 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
… Quoting Prov. 3:34, James exhorts Christians to remain humble and receive God’s grace to allow us to be graceful to others.
Reference Passage : … Matthew 7:1-3 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus’ strong “judge not” command to His followers.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Kirsten Holmberg, uses a personal family story to illustrate how we must avoid bias and favoritism and show mercy to others as Christ has shown His mercy to us. The ODB author wrote: When my children were squabbling and came to me to tattle on one another, I took each child aside separately to hear their account of the problem. Since both were guilty, at the end of our chat I asked them each what they felt would be an appropriate, fair consequence for their sibling’s actions. Both suggested swift punishment for the other. To their surprise, I instead gave them each the consequence they had intended for their sibling. Suddenly, each child lamented how “unfair” the sentence seemed now that it was visited upon them—despite having deemed it appropriate when it was intended for the other.
That’s good parental teaching lesson for the children, isn’t it? But, really, … we all need that lesson don’t we, because we have such a strong “natural” tendency to judge others on superficial characteristics and favor those who are just like we are. Common, … admit it!
Showing love, mercy, and grace like Jesus has shown to us - as sinners (remember Rom. 5:8?) - is way tough, isn’t it? But that’s what Jesus’ brother, James, was writing to his fellow Christians about in the highlight passage. And his truth should be our life’s aspiration … that is, to love and show mercy to ALL just as our Lord has done for us.
I don’t know about my fellow readers here; but those shoes are WAY BIG for me to step into; and I’ve still got some growing ahead to be able to walk in them comfortably.
=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Lord, Jesus, thank You for Your mercy, love, and grace … always there for me when I’m humble enough to receive them.
=============
My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … Precious Spirit … Help me to dole out Your mercies to someone else today; … even if it’s just a smile to someone who looks very unappealing to me. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
No comments:
Post a Comment