His Mercy Endures!

"The Gospel is good news of mercy to the undeserving. The symbol of the religion of Jesus is the cross, not the scales."   - John Stott

There is an old story about a lady who went to a photographer to have her picture taken. She was apprehensive about the picture, wanting her best side facing the camera and everything just right.

She said to the photographer, “Now, do me justice!” The photographer took one look at her face and said, “Ma’am, pardon me for saying this, but you don’t need justice, you need mercy!

Justice sees where fault lies, and can be harsh. Thankfully, we have a loving and merciful God. And though we deserve punishment for our sin, He does not do this. Instead, He delivers us from judgment of our sin through His mercy.

The Bible has many illustrations of God's mercy. We see His mercy: toward Solomon (1 Kings 11:13); to Israel in captivity (Psalm 106:45; Nehemiah 9:31); on the Day of Atonement in the ritual sprinkling of the sacrificial blood above the mercy seat (Leviticus 16:14), in the Old Testament.

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, in the New Testament, describes the forgiveness of a repentant debtor's debt by a rich ruler (Matthew 18:23-27). This clearly describes the situation between God and ourselves.

Because of our sin, we owed Him a debt that we could never hope to repay. But, because of His strong love for us, and His desire to have us join Him in heaven, God mercifully saved us from our merited punishment.

God did this by giving His Son, Jesus, as a sacrifice for our sins. He was condemned, then put to death in our place. This is a powerful demonstration of God's mercy and deep affection for us (John 3:16).

If any of us got what we truly deserved for our sin, we would be sentenced and sent straight to Hell for all eternity! But rather than judgment, we receive forgiveness that we, in no way, deserve. God's mercy is free, overflowing, and eternal!

Scripture: Lamentations 3:22;  Luke 1:50; Psalm 107:1; Matthew 6:14; 1 Timothy 1:16

Prayer: Dear God, You are compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in everlasting love; please forgive my sins and have mercy on my soul, amen.

In Christ,

Libby

Video - Angel of the LORD

Have you ever wondered about the identity of the Angel of the LORD as mentioned in the Bible..? Once again, The Bible Project has produced a short video explaining, and hopefully clarifying, this for you.

And whether you are a new believer, or a mature one, I think it's worth a few minutes of your time either way. Enjoy!  ~Eve

By Law...or Through Faith?

"Faith is a living and unshakable confidence, a belief in the grace of God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for its sake."  - Martin Luther

Some assume that if they "do this and not that," they should be okay in the eyes of God. In other words, they have fulfilled some sort of obligation or requirement on their part to satisfy God.

Perhaps this would be true if a person and God had some sort of written agreement of terms (a contract) such as when one buys a house or car. There, everything is spelled out for the buyer and seller prior to finalizing the deal.

This could be where confusion may lie between law and faith. The above example is one in which law is clearly defined. Both parties are aware of their obligations and any deviation or failure to comply is seen as a definite problem.

Faith, on the other hand, as it applies to God, is the means through which we receive His gracious gift of salvation. That is, we are saved by God's grace through faith. Think of it as a channel by which salvation flows from God to you and I (John 1:17).

Review the ten commandments (Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21). Which ones haven't you broken at one time or another in your life? If we counted on our heavenly inheritance based on compliance with law, we'd be in big trouble.

Fortunately, since our being saved (salvation) is by grace (God's free gift), we never have to worry about God ever taking it back. "God's gifts and his call are irrevocable" (Romans 11:29).

This is very powerful. It basically says that when we have been saved by grace, we've been saved by God. We have His official stamp of approval! And it doesn't end there, you see, whatever God starts He always finishes (Philippians 1:6).

Is there any documentation that needs to be read then agreed to? No, because unlike law, we receive God's gift of salvation by grace through faith. No lawyers needed! This is very liberating for the believer.

Instead of wringing our hands with worry, wondering if our salvation is secure only through obedience of the law, we can devote our time to praising God. And isn't this much better than having your prospects of salvation depend on a check-list?

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11; Romans 5:2; Hebrews 11:6; John 11:25

Prayer: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, amen.  - Romans 15:13

May God richly bless you,

Barbara

Video - Holiness

"Holiness" is a very popular topic for discussion. The Bible Project has produced this excellent video lesson about "Holiness" in an understandable and entertaining way. I am excited to share it with you, as I have no doubt that it will enrich and enhance your Bible study. Enjoy!  ~Eve

Prepare Against Satan's Attacks!

"There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan."  - C.S. Lewis

Construction workers, soldiers, even those who might work in a busy warehouse, loading and unloading merchandise or supplies, prepare for their tasks by wearing protective equipment that allows them to work safely.

We, as Christians, must protect our hearts and minds every day. Why is this so important? Because we are constantly under attack by the prince of the world (Satan) whether we know it or not. We must be ready for anything!

"The devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." He has a major advantage over us in that he never sleeps. He searches the world for signs of weakness in faith in which he may enter unchallenged (1 Peter 5:8).

That is why it is so important that Christians ready themselves on a daily basis for battle against Satan. And yes, it is a daily battle. The devil is unrelenting and extremely cunning in his attacks, preying on the ill-prepared.

"Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith." The first line of defense against Satan's attacks is always Jesus Christ. We must keep up our faith. A strong and perfect trust in Him makes a formidable defense (1 Peter 5:9).

Another powerful defense against the devil's onslaught is prayer. Many never consider prayer until it is a last resort. I cannot stress enough the importance of daily prayer against sin and temptation, of which we are all prone or susceptible.

The Bible, provides us with encouragement, motivation, guidance, support, and refreshment for the soul "But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it." (2 Timothy 4:17).

Let's not kid ourselves. We cannot do battle with Satan alone; we need help. Only God can provide the kind of help we need. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8)

Prepare yourself for Satan's attacks. Don't let your guard down. If you leave an opening for him, he will find it. "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes" (Ephesians 6:11).

Scripture: James 4:7; 1 John 3:8; Romans 16:20; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19 

Prayer: Dear Lord, strengthen my heart against Satan's attacks; and though my faith may take a beating, with You by my side I know I will never be defeated, amen.

Bless you always,

Lauren

The Spirit of Truth Comes! - Part 2 (Conclusion)

"When God spoke to Moses and others in the Old Testament, those events were encounters with God. An encounter with Jesus was an encounter with God for the disciples. In the same way an encounter with the Holy Spirit is an encounter with God for you."  - Henry Blackaby

When we last got together, I had mentioned that the Holy Spirit convicts the world by His very presence here. Jesus really should really be here, ruling over the world. Instead he was rejected by the world, and as a result returned to heaven.

Thus, the Holy Spirit is here in place of Christ, whom was rejected. The Holy Spirit's presence signifies as evidence of the world's guilt. The Spirit (Helper, Comforter) declares the world guilty of the sin of failing to believe in Christ (John 16:9).

There was nothing about Jesus that made it difficult or impractical for the world to believe in Him. He was totally worthy of belief. Still, they refused Him, and the Comforter's presence serves as testimony to their wickedness.

We also mentioned that Holy Spirit's conviction of the world focused on sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). He created an inner awareness or knowledge of these in all sinners. The Holy Spirit condemns the world of the sin of failing to believe in Christ (John 16:9).

Jesus insisted that he was righteous, but instead of believing him they said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?" But God had the final word when He proved Jesus' righteousness by his resurrection and ascension (John 10:20; John 16:10).

The very presence of the Holy Spirit testifies to the fact that Jesus was right, and the world couldn't be more wrong about him. In addition, the existence of the Holy Spirit declares the world guilty of coming judgment.

Our Helper's presence here is quite telling. It serves notice that the devil has already been convicted at the cross. And that anyone who refuses Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, is doomed to be condemned with Satan (John 16:11).

Jesus' earthly mission was by no means complete when he left. He still had much to teach and tell the disciples, but they weren't ready for it yet. He was always aware of this and never tried to give them more than they could handle (John 16:12).

However, Jesus wasn't going to leave them high and dry upon his departure to heaven. The work He started would be picked up by the Holy Spirit. He (the Advocate) would guide them into all the truth, as He continues to do so today (John 16:13).

As John 16:14 tells us, the main effort of the Spirit is to glorify Christ. We can use this as a litmus test, of sorts, on all teaching and preaching. If it serves to glorify the Savior, then it is of the Holy Spirit.

Only the great truths about Christ, which the Comforter first receives, will be revealed to believers. And as you've probably noticed, there are references to "sharing" between Jesus and the Father.

This is due to common "shared" attributes between the two (John 16:14-15). In closing, the Holy Spirit revealed the glorious ideals, ministries, offices, graces, and fullness of Jesus Christ to the apostles, as He even now works on all believers.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:10; Romans 8:1-2; John 7:38-39; 1 Corinthians 2:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Prayer: May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, amen.  - 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NLT)

Bless you always,

Brielle

Do Not Tarry Long...

"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” -Acts 4:12 (ESV)

Most of us, at one time or another, have put something important aside until we could do it. I myself have procrastinated about certain things like having my eyes examined, or taking my car into the shop to have it serviced.

Eventually we get around to completing whatever it is we've been putting off, No harm, no foul, right? Well, it depends on what it is, of course. There are certain things that one shouldn't put off indefinitely.

I'd like to talk about one of those things today; accepting Christ as Your Lord and Savior. Honestly, there are only two ways you can really go, here. You can either choose to accept Him, or choose not to accept Him.

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV) says, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."

When it comes time to stand before the judgment seat, I'd make a pretty good guess that claiming to be "undecided" either way won't pass muster! You either stand with Him, or you don't! (2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 9:27)

Further, Job 34:11 (AMP) tells us, "For God pays a man according to his work, And He will make every man find [appropriate] compensation according to his way." This refers to the work of every man, good or bad.

We (as adults) are all quite capable of making our own decisions, barring any medical conditions, etc., that prevent us from doing so. Some choose to put off, or delay coming to Christ until a more appropriate time... or maybe never.

Here's the deal. When one has been exposed to the Bible (God's Word), that is, its teachings, there is a responsibility on that person to decide whether to accept or decline the divine message.

That being said, if we end up "lost," we can't blame or fault God. You see, we may spend our earthly lives making excuses for our behavior, or decisions. But, that simply will not do in heaven.

Excuses to reject Christ are abundant, but never any good reasons for doing so. Don't waste another day. Why not make a decision to accept Christ now, rather than later. There's no guarantee of "later" (Proverbs 27:1; James 4:13-14).

Scripture: Mark 16:16; Romans 3:23; Acts 2:21; John 3:36; John 6:44

Prayer: My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, amen.  - Galatians 2:20 (NLT)

May God richly bless you,

Barbara