Examples of the Patience of God

Each and every believer is an example to the unsaved world of the mercy and patience of God! The apostle Paul, claiming to be the worst of sinners, demonstrates this argument for us in 1 Timothy.

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. (1 Tim 1:16 NIV)

Seeing the various types of people who accept Christ as their Savior, and hearing their testimonies of forgiveness and salvation, encourages many unsaved observers that there is truly hope for them, too. It may be the very thing that opens the door to the grace that they need to receive the precious gift of salvation.

This is why I tell you that her many sins have been forgiven; so [consequently] she has shown great love. The one who is forgiven little loves little. (Lk 7:47 CEB – descriptive word in brackets added)

In Luke 7 above, we are shown that those who are forgiven MUCH are the very born-again believers who will respond with a great swell of love for others, especially the unsaved.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Pet 3:9 ESV)

In 2^nd Peter, we clearly understand that the Lord is not disposed to see anyone lost and be ultimately destined for hell. God’s desire is that ALL should turn away from their old life of sin and sorrow and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Redeemer and Lord.

These are just some of the scenarios that we can use to encourage ourselves to become faithful witnesses of God’s goodness, and for us to share with others to encourage them receive Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Glory to God most High!

God’s Works Are Perfect

The word perfect means being entirely without fault or defect; complete. We can see how God’s works are rightly described as perfect. Here are several verses from the Bible:

He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. (Deut 32:4 NIV)

As for God, his way is upright; the word of God is pure; he is a shield to all those who take refuge in him. (Ps 18:30 ISV)

And they will say about you, “The Lord always does right! God is our mighty rock.” (Ps 92:15 CEV)

These passages from the Scriptures remind us of how truly awesome and good our God is! His ways are just, and He is faithful and upright.

God’s actions are perfect, and His character traits exhibit justice and mercy, as well as an ability to forgive repeatedly. When the Bible mentions “works,” it is discussing such things as actions, tasks, activities, and results.

Not only that, but God’s word is PURE—which means free from anything different, inferior or contaminating, free from foreign or inappropriate elements.

When we make the Lord our safe haven, He will shield us from evil and all harm.

Several Bible verses remind us that God cannot lie. (Num 23:19; 1 Sam 15:29; Heb 6:18) So in any circumstance or challenge of our lives, we can always rely upon the truth that ‘The Lord always does right!” Be encouraged, strengthened, and emboldened in your faith in Jesus Christ, dear friend.

God’s Mighty Acts Should Provoke Praise from Us

Whenever we witness the great and mighty acts of God, it should activate us to praise and worship Him spontaneously! Am I exaggerating? Absolutely not!

In the Bible, Jesus instructed people who received wondrous miracles—after they had rejoiced and praised God—to go and spread the good news about Him to other people. But FIRST, every single person erupted in praise and thanksgiving.

And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. (Lk 13:17 NKJV) This passage says that the multitude rejoiced! That means that a great crowd of people were happily praising and thanking God. And you’d better believe that they eventually told everyone all about it!

However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” (Mk 5:19 NKJV)
Here we see Jesus again telling the man who received the blessing to go and tell everyone he knew about God’s love, mercy and goodness to him. This is another form of praise and thanksgiving!

But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these [disciples, crowd of people] become silent, the stones will cry out!” (Lk 19:40 NASB)
Jesus is telling the Pharisees, who criticized the praise that He was receiving, that He not only accepted the worship from them, but that it was reasonable and justifiable for the people to act that way. (See Lk 19:37-38, 39)

For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the timbers will answer it. (Hab 2:11 NKJV)
So often in the Bible, inanimate objects take the role of a witness to events. When we refer back to Jesus’ comment in Luke 19:40, we see that Jesus testifies to the fact that if the people remained silent, the very STONES would cry out in praise and worship of Him!

Wow! That’s pretty impressive.

Don’t let inanimate objects upstage you! When the Lord performs miracles for you or around you or for your friends and loved ones, burst forth into praise, rejoicing, and thanksgiving. Let your voice be heard in adoration and thanksgiving to the Living God. God bless you.

God Supports & Sustains Each Believer

God blesses each and every follower and disciple of Jesus Christ daily. He supports us by giving us enabling and empowering grace to encourage us to endure trials and tests. He maintains [sustains] our very life, health, strength, and faith, as well. We may safely hope in Him.

When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. (Ps 94:18 NIV) He supports us by His unfailing love and mercy. Thank You, Jesus!

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. (Ps 121:3 KJV) God, our Sustainer, never slumbers nor changes His will. He keeps us from stumbling.

A man’s steps are established by the Lord, and the Lord delights in his way. ²⁴Though he stumbles, he will not fall down flat, for the Lord will hold up his hand. (Ps 37:23-24 ISV) The delights in our lives, and establishes our steps. He holds us up with His hand so that we won’t fall down.

. . . but I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail; and you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Lk 22:32 NASB) Jesus prayed for us, that our faith would not fail. And we are encouraged to strengthen and support our fellow believers.

. . . who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Pet 1:5 NKJV) We are KEPT by the mighty power of God which means that we are preserved, sheltered, and kept separate unto God. He will not let us go, so long as we do not reject our Savior and Redeemer. He has given us such hope and assurance.

This is how valuable we are, individually, to God. Think about having such a Friend and supporter as the Living God. Hallelujah!

Be Careful in Choosing a ‘Hero’

What is an IDOL? It is a graven image; a statue; or an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship. It can even be a person we’ve made into a hero.

We human beings can turn almost anything into an object of worship! It can be anything from a famous basketball star hero to a treasured car to an appointment calendar that we decide is untouchable—even sacred.

But our God has a lot to say about idols in the Word, and we would do well to heed His words.

They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. (Jonah 1:8 KJV)

Vanities are vain things—things that deceive [mislead, betray, trick, or dupe]. Idols fulfill this definition. Anything that we trust in place of or instead of God can be considered a lying vanity.

I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, I trust in the Lord. (Ps 31:6 NIV)

This Bible verse calls idols ‘worthless.’ Since idols are empty, hollow, and pointless, this is an accurate adjective.

But they are altogether stupid and foolish; the instruction from idols is nothing but wood! (Jer 10:8 NASB)

As this Scripture says, the only ‘instruction’ a person can receive from an idol is a contemplation of wood.

“What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! ¹⁹Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it. ²⁰But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him.” (Hab 2:18-20 ESV)

Since idols are made by human hands out of wood or stone, and often decorated with gold and silver, it is obvious to recognize it as an unresponsive object with no life in it. However, our God is alive; and He (alone) can impart life—even eternal life. Glory to God.

Value your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ as the most important relationship in your life, and you will avoid some of the traps that the enemy tries to set before believers. God bless you.

The Light Shines in Darkness

We all know that in a dark place, even the tiniest light—say from a lit match—introduces light that is quite CONSPICUOUS. In John 8:12, Jesus declared that He is the light of the world. In the dark world that contains death, sin, and evil intentions, Jesus brought light and life and the precious gift of eternal salvation to mankind. Glory to God!

Let’s see what the Bible says on this topic:

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (Joh 1:5 NIV) Light will always win over darkness, thanks to our Creator God.

And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. (Joh 3:19-20 RSV) Notice that a lot of evil deeds are done in the darkness and in the nighttime hours. Criminals will often break lights on a street or in a hallway in order to hide their cruel activities.

The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” (Mt 4:16 NKJV) Light dawned upon the earth in the form of baby Jesus, born in a manger in a stable. Jesus brought us the gift of salvation.

For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness. (Ps 18:28 ESV) The Lord “lights” the lamp of our soul within us. When we accept Jesus as our Savior and Redeemer, the Holy Spirit makes His home within each one of us. Hallelujah!

Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.” (Joh 8:12 CEV)

Here is the same verse as above, but in a different translation:

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NKJV)

As we continue in our relationship with Jesus Christ, our light shines into the world. Our interactions with every person that we meet, whether loved ones or strangers, makes an impact upon each one.

When we follow the example of our Lord Jesus, then our interactions will reflect His love, forgiveness, and mercy. We will extend a loving and helping hand to all who need it, and encouragement to others. In this way, we shine the light of God’s eternal love into the earth. Shine brightly, dear brothers and sisters!

Jesus Heals Broken Things, Especially Our Hearts

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed. (Ps 34:18 NCV)

He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. (Ps 147:3 NET)

My flesh and my heart may grow weak, but God always protects my heart and gives me stability. (Ps 73:26 NET)

For I am the Lord who heals you. (Ex 15:26c NKJV)

Charles Spurgeon said: “There are many sorts of broken hearts, and Christ is good at healing them all.” What a beautiful statement of faith and truth!

What types of things can break a person’s heart?

The death of someone we love;
Betrayal by someone who is dear to us;
The end of a friendship;
A miscarriage;
Divorce;
Being helpless;
Being bullied;
A crisis on the job;
A troubled church situation; or
Recognizing that life is unfair, and that it contains pain and heartache.

Everyone has felt the anguish of a broken heart. If not, then it will occur at some time in the future. It seems that this is a part of life that cannot be avoided.

The reality is that God is with us in the midst of our brokenness, distress and torment.

Matthew 5:4 says: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Again, in Hebrews 13:5 we’re told: For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Jesus has promised that He will never leave us nor abandon us. He is always with us, and His love is always surrounding us. His Spirit is our Comforter.

Isaiah 53:3 reminds us that Jesus knows how we feel: He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Jesus was betrayed and ultimately rejected by mankind. He came to extend salvation, love, mercy, and healing to humanity; but we angrily refused Him, tortured Him and crucified Him.

And yet, Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:11), and He came forth from the grave in power, valor, and ENDURING LOVE for us! How wonderful is our Savior! He is truly a God who actively and lovingly comforts us and binds up our hearts with bands of mercy, love and healing.

Trust in Jesus and turn to Him when you are brokenhearted and trust Him to heal your wounds. Hallelujah to His holy Name!

God Makes Wars Cease

Jesus is the Prince of Peace referred to in Isaiah 9:6. It makes sense that the Prince of Peace, sent by His heavenly Father, is opposed to war. Instead, He chose to make changes on earth through His love and His self-sacrifice even to the point of dying on the cross for us.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire. (Ps 46:9) God’s mighty power extends all over the earth in every country, region, and land. He has power to demolish weapons and bring an end to war anywhere on earth.

Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand. (Ezek 39:3) The Lord can cause weapons to be forcefully removed from human hands and to fall out of a person’s strongest hand! Wow!

He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isa 2:4) In God’s perfect timing, He will cause nations to destroy their weapons and cease from attacking one another.

Until that time, Christians are to “make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Heb 12:14) The gospel of Jesus Christ is Good News for all human beings. It establishes peace between God and man through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.

We should always promote peace instead of discord, and be instruments of God to demonstrate His love, mercy, and forgiveness to all. We are blessed!

An Established Throne

As we read the Bible, we can see a consistent theme running throughout: that God desires ALWAYS to do good to His people. As we follow Christ obediently, by faith, we are one of God’s people. Furthermore, He has decreed that His throne and His kingdom shall prevail forever.

Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever. (2 Sam 7:16 NIV)

. . . ¹⁰since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. Also I will subdue all your enemies. Furthermore I tell you that the Lord will build you a house. ¹¹And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. ¹²He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. ¹³I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. ¹⁴And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.” (1 Chron 17:10-14 NKJV)

The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. (Ps 103:19 CEB)

A throne will be established in mercy. In the tent of David a judge will sit on the throne in truth, seeking justice, eager to bring righteousness. (Isa 16:5 EHV)

Why should God’s promise to establish a throne forever be good news to us? Here are a few points for your meditation and reflection.

God, who knows EVERYTHING, is on our side. (Ps 118:6-7 ESV; Heb 13:5)
God, who is ALL POWERFUL, is 100% for us. (Ps 56:9b; Isa 41:10; Mt 28:20)
God is all-wise, and He shares His wisdom with us through His word. (Ps 111:10; Pro 2:6; Lk 21:15; Jas 1:5)
God has good plans for each one of us. (Jer 29:11; 1 Cor 2:9)
God is our healer. (Ex 15:26; Ps 30:2; Jer 30:17; 1 Pet 2:24)
The Lord fights for us. (Deu 3:22; 20:14; Josh 23:10)
The Lord has given us the victory. (Deu 20:4; Rom 8:37; 1 Cor 15:57; Col 2:15; 1 Joh 5:4)

God’s plans for us are good. He not only fights on our side, but He has already given us the victory! Hallelujah!

Make Every Effort to Do Good to All

The Bible invites us to do good to everyone.

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. (1 Thes 5:15 NIV)

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Gal 6:10)

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord . . . (Heb 12:14)

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. (3 Joh 1:11)

As children of the most High God, we desire to live holy lives that obey the Word of God. We serve a good God who is full of mercy, forgiveness, and love. God has given every believer the blessing of the indwelling Holy Spirit, who leads us and teaches us.

We should:

Strive to do whatever is good—for each other and everyone else;
Never pay back a wrong; never seek revenge;
As we have opportunity, do noble, virtuous, kind things for everyone—especially other believers;
Seek to be at peace with ALL; and
Pursue holiness always.

Jesus, our Good Shepherd, demonstrated “doing good” to all. If we follow His example, and emulate our Prince of Peace, we will be blessed.

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Tag: mercy