Mercy Triumphs

 Mercy Triumphs

In the book of James we read,

"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!" James 2:12,13.

As Christians. As true believers in Christ Jesus. We must be careful how we act toward others. That is especially true when we judge someone. 

One day even Christians will be judged by God and we must remember this. 

It is very easy to judge others. But quite often we don’t have all the facts. That is why I believe Jesus said,

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."  Luke 6:37.

When we are tempted to judge others, especially when it comes to their eternal resting place we must be very careful not to judge them.

Instead of judging people we should forgive them of any wrong they may have done and do everything in our power to love them.

Question; Do you show mercy to those around you, especially those who have wronged you?

Please think about it.

With actions and in truth

  With actions and in truth

The apostle John writes,

“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue

 but with actions and in truth.” 

                                         1John3:18.

Christianity is not just a religion. It is very much a lifestyle. A faith of love in action. As such all those who would consider themselves true believers in Christ Jesus must show Gods love in word and in deed.

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:14-17.

If you consider yourself a true Christian are you truly loving those around you the way God loves them...Unconditionally?

Please think about it.

God Loves us

  God Loves us.

Jesus said,

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16.

God loves us and He showed that in the most human way possible. He sent His Son to the earth He created to show us the way to heaven. He allowed His one and Only Son to go to the cross for our sins. In order that all who believe in Him would go to heaven.

Do you believe this?

Please think about it.

We will see God face to face

  We will see God face to face

The writer of Hebrews states,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  

         This is what the ancients were commended for.” Hebrews 11:1,2.

People ask why do you believe in an unseen God? My answer is because nothing else makes sense. Voltaire wrote,

“To believe in God is impossible 

not to believe in Him is absurd.”

                                                       Voltaire

We may not be able to see God but we can see his handiwork everywhere. The Psalmist stating,

"The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

                                                              Psalm 19:1.

Think of this. Scientist tell us that the earth we live on is in the “Goldilocks zone”. The perfect place in the universe for life as we know it to exist. This to me tells me that God created the universe and all that is in it. That He place everything from the smallest subatomic particle to the greatest galaxy and everything in it, in just the right place for us to exist.

To think the universe simply formed randomly without a creator for me is absurd. I believe in what the apostle Paul wrote,

"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:12.

In this life we may only see God through “a mirror dimly”. But ultimately whether we believe in God or not, we will one day see God face to face.

Please think about it. 

Show your child how

  Show your child how.

In the book of proverbs we read,

“Train a child in the way he should go, 

and when he is old he will not turn from it.” 

                                                                    Proverbs 22:6.

I firmly believe that we as believers in Christ Jesus, we must show our children in word and in deed what it is to be Christian. We must live the true Christian life in front of them every day.

Above all we must teach them to love as God loves. The definition of Christian love being written by the apostle Paul when he wrote,

"Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, 

always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love."  

                                                             1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.

If you claim to be a Christian and have Children are you teaching your children to love as God loves, unconditionally?

Please think about it.

Showing God's Love

  Showing God’s love.

The apostle John writes,

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1John 3:17,18.

Do you love in word and in deed?

In the book of James we read,

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

        In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:14-17.

It is important that we as Christians reach out in love to those who are in need. We as believers in Christ Jesus need to show our love for those around us in a physical way. It can be as simple as giving a few dollars to someone begging on the street, Contributing to a worthy charity, even getting involved with ministries that help feed the poor or those living on the street.

Thus my question to you:

Are you showing your love for those in need around you in anyway you can?

Please think about it.

If you love Christ

  If you love Christ

In John’s gospel we read Jesus as saying,

“....if anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14:23. (ESV).

This is the mark of a true Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus. A true follower will keep the commandments Jesus has given them.

As a result they will show positive traits in their life. The apostle Paul noting anyone with God’s spirit will exhibit the fruit of that spirit. Paul writes,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control.... Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23.

If you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus, do you exhibit the fruits of the spirit the apostle Paul speaks about?

Please think about it.

Of first importance

  Of first importance.

The apostle Paul wrote,

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures," 1 Corinthians 15:3.

Writing to the Romans Paul states,

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.

This is the Gospel message. Anything else is not the gospel. 

In the gospel of John Jesus speaking of himself states,

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son". John 3:16-18.

If you consider yourself a Christian and are not presenting this message to those around you. You are falling short of what Jesus wants us to do.

As Christians we must be telling those around us about the love of God and what Christ has done for us.

Are you?

Please think about it.

To the grave

  To the grave

The apostle Paul wrote,

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18.

In human terms can you think of a more crazy scenario for starting a movement than having the leader of that movement to die in the most hideous way. 

Yet we Christians believe that Jesus whom we believe to be God incarnate died on the cross for our sins.

The question I’ve heard from many non-Christians is, why would God allow Jesus to die like that? Why wouldn’t Jesus call a host of angels to show His power.

For me the answer is simple. Jesus wanted people to follow him by faith. 

In the book of Hebrews we read,

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  Hebrews 11:1

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6.

Men and women that have true faith in anything are the strongest of believers. They will die for what they believe in. 

Had Jesus called down angels to protect him. Or shown his power in other ways. It may have lead to people believing in him out of fear of what He could do to them. Such followers are not true followers.

True followers believe what their leader says. They are willing to follow him through all kinds of persecution, to the grave if necessary. And while God may not ask believers to follow Him to the grave. He asks for that kind of commitment.

If you consider yourself a true Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus are you willing to follow Him to the grave?

Please think about it. 

Christians have problems

  Christians have problems

The apostle Paul wrote,

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  

That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

Do Christians have problems? 

They do. 

Do Christians get sick, suffer from both curable and incurable illnesses?

 They do. 

Do Christians suffer persecution for their faith? 

They do.

Being a Christian dose not prevent you from having problems.

I believe it was Dietrich Bonhoeffer who said,

“Faith doesn't always take you out of the problem, Faith takes you through the problem. Faith doesn't always take away the pain, Faith gives you the ability to handle the pain. Faith doesn't always take you out of the storm, Faith calms you in the midst of the storm. Amen” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The apostle Paul knew this. Paul suffered persecution for his faith. He had various problems throughout his life including some kind of illness. Yet despite all of this his faith remained strong.

The way I see it the problems we have in life should draw us closer to Christ.

Question; When you have problems in life do they draw you closer to Christ?

Please think about it.

Even when He is silent

  Even when He is silent.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see."  

                                                                       Hebrews 11:1

The following is a poem written during WW2, on the wall of a cellar, by an unknown Jew in Cologne during the holocausts.

"I believe in the sun

even when it is not shining

And I believe in love,

even when there's no one there.

And I believe in God,

even when he is silent.

I believe through any trial,

there is always a way

But sometimes in this suffering

and hopeless despair

My heart cries for shelter,

to know someone's there

But a voice rises within me, saying hold on

my child, I'll give you strength,

I'll give you hope. Just stay a little while.

I believe in the sun

even when it is not shining

And I believe in love

even when there's no one there

But I believe in God

even when he is silent

I believe through any trial

there is always a way.

May there someday be sunshine

May there someday be happiness

May there someday be love

May there someday be peace…."

Almost eighty years later these words are still true.

Do you believe this?

Please think about it.

We have a place

  We have a place

The apostle Paul writes,

"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.  

For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.  

If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  

And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  

But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." 1 Corinthians 12:12-18.

The point the apostle Paul is making here is that we all have a place in God’s work. Paul states in Corinthians 12:28,

“And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.  1Corinthians 12:28.

  There is always some place for us to serve in a Church. We can’t all be pastors, apostles, teachers. But we all can contribute to God’s work. Even if it is simply serving at a church dinner. Cleaning the church. Setting things up for the Sunday service of other events. All are important.

If you are a believer in Christ Jesus. Why not take sometime right now to pray asking God to show you where you can help in your church congregation?

Please think about it.