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Today is Friday March 26, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Judges, chapters 10 & 11. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-march-26

Title: Bible Study: God's Mercy, A Lifesaver
If there is one thing that we should be so grateful of it is mercy. The word mercy is defined as showing kindness, compassion, and forgiveness toward someone. There are several words that describe mercy, but the one that sticks out the most to me is lifesaver. God's mercy is literally a lifesaver. You know, no matter how bad we have messed up our lives God has mercy on us. Praise God! Whether we have defiled our bodies, killed someone, or destroyed our lives, God is a lifesaver toward all who seek Him for forgiveness. Praise God!

Even as Christians we can get so caught up in the world that we lose sight of God all together and when that happens He is not going to show us any mercy, but let us fall right on our face. The Israelites were infamous for seeking God when they were in trouble, but turning their backs on them when things were going well. Now, they were in trouble again and this time God said, I will not show you any mercy. “And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.” - Judges 10:10-14. God will not have mercy upon those who mock Him, if you choose to have God in your life, you serve Him and only Him. Seek something else and He will let you fall. Think about it. If you had a family member constantly come to you for help only when he was in trouble, how would you react to him? Most likely you stop doing things for him. Well, this is what God does, it does not mean that He does not love him nor want to give him mercy, He just avoids him until he truly comes to his senses and repents.

It was not until the Israelites truly repented that God heard them and showed mercy upon them. “And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.” - Judges 10:15,16. We may not see God in the flesh, but He is just as real as we are and every thing we feel, He feels as well. He grieves as well and will show mercy upon anyone who wholeheartedly seeks Him for forgiveness and help. Imagine how God feels right now in a world more corrupt than ever? Look at all that is going on in the world today, He is telling us the same thing He told them, “Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.” All these false prophets, religions, Christians, and churches that claim they know God better watch out and repent now because God's judgment is coming and He will have no mercy on those who have forsaken Him until they do.

You know, we may not have a choice as to what family we are born into, but we do have a choice in the way we live our lives. Jephthah was the son of a harlot, which in the peoples eyes made him a disgrace, but in God's eyes this was a good man. Jephthah was forced out of his home because his half brothers wanted nothing to do with him, but all that changed when they needed his help. “Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman. Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.........And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon. And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress? And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.” - Judges 11:1-3,5-8. Now, Jephthah could have refused to help, but he chose to do the right thing and because of that he became the captain, defeated Ammon, and the head of his tribe. Regardless of how badly we are treated, if we choose to do the right thing, God will bless us for it.

We do not realize what an impact we have on people, they label us and put us down, even our family members do that, yet they know everything we do and are capable of. I have lots of family members that refuse to follow God, even my father, he has three sons from another woman and they cast us out and say we are fake, but deep down they know God is with us and that scares them. My father just came into town and just spent some time with us, he could not believe what he was seeing and the blessings that we were given by living for God. The truth is that God knows who we are and that is all that matters and His blessings will show upon all who stand their ground and choose Jesus and seek His mercy to save their lives. In fact, God will even have mercy upon those who cast us out. “As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.” - Romans 11:28-32. God's mercy will never cast anyone out, He will have mercy upon all who believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. Praise God! God's mercy truly is a lifesaver for all who call on Jesus as their Savior receive forgiveness and eternal life. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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