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Today is Monday July 12, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Psalms, chapters 101-105. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-12

Today's Message: God's Mercy & Judgment

God's mercy is great! God's mercy endures forever! “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.” - I Chronicles 16:34. The phrase “His mercy endureth forever” is written forty-two times in the Bible. The word mercy means to be forgiving and having compassion. The word endure means to remain and bare the hardships together. So God is saying, “I know you are going to sin, but I have compassion on you and will forgive you, I will not leave you, just come to me and we can get through the hardships together. Isn't God great? No matter how much of a mess we have gotten ourselves into He will never leave us and will even help us clean it up. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - I John 1:9. Praise God! Now, that does not mean that we are not going to get a punishment along with it, but it does mean that He loves us and does not want to see us suffer any longer than we have to. Going through the guilt of sin causes much more suffering than dealing with the chastening. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” - Hebrews 12:6,7. Our earthly father chastened us when we got into trouble, God is no different. We are His children and He wants to see us have the best life we can possible have on earth because if we can endure the pain and suffering of this world with God than greater will our reward be as we no longer have to suffer or see sin when we reach the Kingdom of God. Praise God!

God's mercy and judgment get us right with Him, once we go through chastisement, most people learn from their punishment and do not do it again. God's judgment teaches us literally to behave ourselves. “I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person. Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.” - Psalm 101. The more we obey God and follow His will in our lives the less we want to sin, the less we want to sin the more we want to remove the things, including people who cause us to sin from our lives. The more we do to please God the more He trusts us to be His servants (workers).

Do you feel like you have done something so bad that God will never forgive you? Stop thinking like that! Let it go, He loves you and has just as much mercy on you as He does everyone else. Tell God how you feel inside, let Him know that You truly are sorry for what you have done.“Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread. By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin....He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD. For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;” - Psalm 102:1-5,17-20. God hears you, He knows your heart, your pain, and your guilt. He is right there listening, watching, and waiting for you to call on Him.

We all mess up, we all get punished, but when we repent we reconcile with God and all is forgotten. I will tell you that years ago I got involved with a man that got me to do some immoral things and even though I went through the punishment and repented I held on to the guilt for a while. Whenever something would remind me of him I would seek forgiveness all over again. Then one day the Holy Spirit finally got my attention and let me know that every time I bring up something that God has forgiven me for already I am making Him out to be a liar and committing sin. You see, we are the ones who keep God from forgetting the past, when we ask Him to forgive us the sin is forgotten, never to be remembered, but when we keep seeking forgiveness for something He has already forgotten we sin by doubting His mercy toward us. Instead of dwelling on the past, let it go, yes, there are going to be some things that will remind you of what you have done, but instead of feeling guilty, rejoice. Tell God how much you are thankful for what He has brought you out of. “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.” - Psalm 103:1-6. Every morning I thank God for taking me out of the sinful life I was leading.

You must remember, God made you the way you are, you are who you are today because of His mercy and judgment for you. Rejoice at what He has created in you. “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works. He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke. I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.” - Psalm 104:30-34. You are chosen to be one of His children, yes He created everyone here on earth, but you are chosen personally by Him to be a part of His family. “O 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 evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.” - Psalm 105:1-6. God has done a marvelous work in you, thank Him for it, praise Him for His mercy and judgment, and keep pressing forward to the day you get to see your great, great, grandfather Jacob and great, great, great, great grandfather Abraham in the Kingdom of God. Praise God!

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

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