Mercy

One GOD of the Whole Earth

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Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.  For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called.  For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.  For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.  In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.  For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.
Isaiah 54:4-10

God is speaking here of being kind and merciful to His people.  His mercy and kindness.  He shows that He will do what He says He will.  Using the promise He made with Noah that he would never destroy the earth again with a flood.

Neither will His peace be removed.

The wrath which God  gave rebellious Israel/Judah was not permanent, and was for the good of their eternal destiny.

So is it with the people of God today who are called Christians.  We are disciplined by God for our good, and God’s glory and because we are His children.  It is good for us to remember that He is loving, merciful, kind and gracious.

There is only one true God, and His name is Jehovah/YHWH Elohym, and His Son’s name is Jesus, and Jesus lives in His people by the Person of the Holy Spirit.  He is love.

Giving Thanks To The LORD

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Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people.  Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him, talk ye of all His wondrous works.  Glory ye in His holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
Seek the LORD and His strength, seek His face continually.
Remember His marvellous works that He hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth;  O ye seed of Israel His servant, ye children of Jacob, His chosen ones. He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth.  Be ye mindful always of His covenant; the word which He commanded to a thousand generations;  even of the covenant which He made with Abraham, and of His oath unto Isaac; and hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, “Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;” when ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it. And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;  He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, He reproved kings for their sakes, ” Touch not Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm.”
Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day His salvation.  Declare His glory among the heathen; His marvellous works among all nations.  For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: He also is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.  Glory and honour are in His presence; strength and gladness are in His place.
Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name: bring an offering, and come before Him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. Fear before Him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, “The LORD reigneth.”  Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because He cometh to judge the earth.
O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.  And say ye, “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to Thy holy name, and glory in Thy praise.
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, “Amen,” and praised the LORD.

1 Chronicles 16: 8-36

Some of the things I see in this song which was written by David, and sang by the choir on the day they brought the ark of God into the city of David.

This song tells us several acts that are involved in thanksgiving to the LORD, who alone is the One worthy of thanksgiving:

  1.  Give the LORD thanks, and call on His name, and tell of His great deeds He has done;
  2.  Seek the LORD, and His power;
  3.  Sing unto Him along with the rest of the world;
  4.  Give to the LORD glory and strength, give unto Him the glory that is due Him;
  5.  Creation rejoices in the LORD, when God’s people are rejoicing in the LORD, and living for Him;
  6.  Give thanks unto the LORD, because He is good, and His mercy endures forever;
  7.  Let us be continuing in thanksgiving, surrender our lives to Him.

He will come and judge the earth.

The LORD can be found in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who came to earth as a man, lived a sinless life, was tried by wicked men for crimes He did not commit, was found guilty, and sentenced to die on a wooden cross.  He became sin for us was away from the Father, because He had become our sin, taking the full wrath of God.  Jesus was buried, and He rose again came out of the grave very much alive.

When one believes and confesses that Jesus is Lord, and believes in their heart that He rose from the dead, they will be saved unto eternal life. Romans 10:9-10.

Grant Us Your Salvation

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LORD, thou hast been favourable unto Thy land: Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.  Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of Thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.
Thou hast taken away all Thy wrath: Thou hast turned Thyself from the fierceness of Thine anger.
Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause Thine anger toward us to cease.  Wilt Thou be angry with us for ever? Wilt Thou draw out Thine anger to all generations?  Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?
Shew us Thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us Thy salvation.
I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for He will speak peace unto His people, and to His saints: but let them not turn again to folly.   Surely His salvation is nigh them that fear Him; that glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.  Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.  Righteousness shall go before Him; and shall set us in the way of His steps.

Psalm 85:1-13

Psalm 85 was written for the sons and daughters of Korah. Korah was one of the organizers of a rebellious act against Moses and Aaron to seize power.  The other two were Dathan, and Abiram.  Read Numbers 16.

There were some of Korah’s children who did not participate with dear ole dad.  Read Numbers 26:11.

Be wary of people who are always speaking against those whom God has placed in positions of leadership.  There is not a President, neither Pastor who had not been placed where they are by the hand of God.  I am speaking of personal, physical, and verbal attacks.  It is a good thing to challenge their policies.

New Every Morning

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It is a wonderful thing to know that the LORD God’s mercies are new every morning. That is when you know that He is your portion, the One who is the major part of your life.

Hear the word of the LORD.

It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him.  The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.  It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

Lamentations 3:22-27

Just a short read for today. God bless you and may you have a godly day, and always remember that God showed His love for us through the death of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, His burial, and resurrection. Receive Him and believe Him.

His Banner Is Love

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He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.
Song of Solomon 2:4-5

The Song of Solomon is a love story of a man, probably of Solomon and a Shulamite young lady. It can be and is a illustrated story of the nature of God’s love for His bride which was Israel, and of Jesus Christ love for the Church.

One day the Bride of Christ (the Church) will go to God’s banqueting table in the glory of Heaven, and will feast at that great banqueting house. That is for all those who have received His gift of love given, and proven by the death of Christ on the cross, His burial, and His resurrection (Romans 1:4).

The greatest love of all is God’s love for those who receive the free gift of grace in Jesus Christ. His banner is love.

The Pleasure Of The LORD

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He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: He taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.  The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy.

Psalms 147:10-11

There is no animal as beautiful in its running, and in its strength than a good horse. I have always enjoyed watching horses run across an open field, and a few years ago I got to stand by the race track at Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Kentucky, and watched two year old horses race. Believe it or not I do not bet and besides that the day we were there was in June of the year, and there was no betting going on; as far as I know.

Even though the horse is beautiful and graceful in running, God does not have delight in the strength of the horse; whether it be a battle horse, or a race horse.

There are also men, and women who have great strength in their legs. Some are fast at running marathons, and others at sprints. In the days David wrote this Psalm he was probably thinking of the strength of the soldiers legs; and there is probably much that could be said of those men.

The strength of man is weak compared to the LORD’S strength. The LORD has no pleasure in the legs of a man.

The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him. He takes pleasure in those who hope in His mercy.

In the psalmist day their hope in His mercy was looking forward to the coming of the Messiah. They were looking forward to the coming of Jesus who is the Messiah.

Now, in our day He has come and did all that was prophesied for Him to do in His first coming. He told His disciples, when He was here, “I will come again, and receive  you unto Myself…” (John 14:3). So He is returning, and maybe sooner than we might think.

We who know Him are resting in His mercy, looking for Him to come at any moment to take us away to be with Him forever.

God’s judgment is certain. Is your hope in Him and His mercy. He gives us mercy everyday of our lives. With every breath you breathe, that came from Him. Every beat of  your heart that too, came from Him. The next step you take comes from Him. He is merciful.

By His grace, through the gift of His Son Jesus Christ you can give God great pleasure by trusting in Him, turning from your sins to the perfect sacrifice of God for sin. Jesus Christ died on a cross for all our sins, that all who believe might give God  pleasure.

The Goodness, Mercy, and Grace of the LORD

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And He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.”  And He said, “Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see me, and live.”
Exodus 33:19-20

Moses had just asked the LORD, “Show me Your glory, ” and ends by tell us that no man can behold the face of the LORD, and live.

We read in verse 11 that Moses talked with God face to face, as with a friend, and we are told in the last verse of the chapter, “…but My face shall not be seen.” Seems like a contradiction, and I am not sure I can grasp the full meaning of that, but say,  when Moses was speaking to God face to face it was in a cloud, a veil or sorts, and when GOD shows Himself (His glory) there is no veil, but only His hand that guards Moses from death, and that Moses saw only the LORD’S back.

This revelation of Moses getting to view the glory of the LORD shows us that God is truly good, merciful, and gracious. It especially shows us that God can be seen.

God was seen by men when Jesus was on earth as a Man; God veiled by human flesh. Jesus Himself said, “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father” (John 14:9).

The LORD God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy; and He will be gracious to whom He will be gracious. I pray He will be merciful and gracious to you so that you will come to Him through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and He rose again. He also told us, “I will come again and receive you unto Myself that where I am there you may be also” (John 14:3).

Will you call on His name today?

They Shall Not Be Found

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Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; “Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.  And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. In those days, and in that time,” saith the LORD, “the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.”
Jeremiah 50:18-20

Gracious and Patient LORD

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And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, “Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.  It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”
Jeremiah 36:1-3

I Will Not Go Away From You

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And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.  And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.  And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.  And it shall be, if he say unto thee, “I will not go away from thee;” because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.  It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.
Deuteronomy 15:12-18

…With bands of love

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When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called My son out of Egypt.  As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.  I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.  He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.  And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.  And My people are bent to backsliding from Me: though they called them to the Most High, none at all would exalt Him.
Hosea 11:1-7

…The LORD is good to them that wait for Him…

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The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.  It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.  It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.  He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
For the Lord will not cast off for ever:  but though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.  For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
To crush under His feet all the prisoners of the earth, to turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High, to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.

Lamentations 3:25-36

I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy…

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What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.  For He saith to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.  For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, “Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew My power in thee, and that My name might be declared throughout all the earth.”  Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth.
Romans 9:14-18

No Sacrifice

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Many religions place importance on doing something to gain God’s favor.  Let me at the beginning just say; there is nothing you or I can do to gain God’s favor.  There is no sacrifice, there is no sacrament, there is no good deed to your neighbor or the world which will gain you or me eternal life and/or the favor of Holy God.

This very mentality is what Jesus is addressing in the following verses:

“And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto His disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, He said unto them,
“They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, ‘I will have mercy, and not sacrifice:’ for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Matthew 9:10-13 (KJV)

When Jesus was ministering to the publicans (tax collectors) and sinners the religious leaders began questioning Jesus’s purpose, power, and ministry.  “What kind of man would sit with tax collectors and sinners?” they were asking themselves, and the disciples.

There is only one sacrifice which God the Father accepts; and that is the sacrifice, the death of His only begotten Son.  Still the religious; the self-righteous try to gain the favor; the grace; of God through sacrifice and sacrament.

God shows grace and mercy to the sinner who will come to Him through the cross of His Son Jesus with a repentant heart.  Through the act of repentance on the part of the sinner, trusting Christ Jesus, God clothes the sinner in the righteousness of God the Son.

You may be a righteous person today.  You cannot be saved.  Until you see yourself as the sinner your really are you will remain lost, condemned, dying, guilty, and spiritually dead.

Come to the Father through the cross of Jesus.  Sinner hear Him and be saved.  He came to save the sinner.

Words of Jesus; Son of God, God the Son – 090920

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“Then said He unto the disciples,
‘It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.’ ” Luke 17:1-4  (KJB)

Until He Have Mercy Upon Us

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“Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes upon the LORD our God, until that He have mercy upon us.
Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.”  Psalm 123:1-4  (KJB)

Covered and Forgiven

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“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.” Psalm 32:1-5

For the Sake of Your Mercy

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“O LORD, rebuke me not in Your anger, neither chasten me in Your hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed: but You, O LORD, how long? Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for Your mercies’ sake.” Psalm 6:1-4 (KJB)

Returning Repentance

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With the revelation of the pretensious treachery of Judah God again extends mercy to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Though they had departed from God and since the departure from the Southern Kingdom, had never really had much worship and care for God they were not pretentious in their behavior. You will not find one righteous king among the people of Israel. Jereboam, the first king of Israel, it is said of Him, “Jereboam did not turn from his evil way…” (1 Kings 13:33). And, that is of all the kings of Israel.

One clear thing that we can see from this invitation from God through the prophet Jeremiah is that God hates pretention, hypocrisy, and He extends mercy to all.

“Then the LORD said to me, ‘Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not remain angry forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the LORD your God, and have scattered your charms to alien deities under every green tree, and have not obeyed My voice,’ says the LORD.” Jeremiah 3:11-13 (NKJV).

It is amazing to me the number of people who have told me, and some I have heard of from others who do not believe that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament are the same. Right here is clear evidence of it. God is merciful, gracious, and loving in the New Testament. He has always longed for His backsliding people to return to Him.

The Northern Kingdom got off in a backsliding agenda. their first king, Jereboam set up two idols for them to worship, and keep the people from returning to Jerusalem. He set up a golden calf in Dan, and at Bethel. None of the following kings had a heart for God and hated His prophets. They sacrificed their children in the fire. Worshipped many false gods, and were perverse in their behavior. Now God pleads with them to repent.

My, how God’s heart grieves for His people. He calls for repentance. Though it is not immediately seen God will accomplish His Word, and His people will return to Him. Hosea, the prophet had a wife who turned from him to pagan, idolatrous, prostitution, and worship of pleasure rather than the God of glory. Hosea pursues his wife, and this is the picture of God pursuing His nation of people to bring them back to Himself.

This was accomplished. The people who came back from the captivity of Babylon were a mixed people. People of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms returned together, and they have been one nation since that time. They were one nation in the time of Jesus. They will be one nation through all time.

When God calls for His people to repent He is calling for us to turn from going the wrong direction, ie., away from Him, and turn around and go with Him. No matter what we have done; no matter how evil and vile; no matter our guilt, or our associations; God’s call to return is still powerful and valid. If you have gotten out of His will; if you are still in your sins; if your life is in a real mess; and if your worship has grown cold; then His call to return to Him is for you. He asks only that you acknowledge your iniquity – that you had turned from Him to sin. He is merciful, will hear your cry, and will receive you back to a walk with Him.

We have all sinned. We all fall short of His glory, and yet He calls us to Himself. Repentance is Returning to God. Returning to God is Repentance.

-by Tim A. Blankenship