Mercy and Grace

Mercy and Grace - we are very familiar with these words but have you ever stopped to think about what each word really means? Recently, I found myself thinking about it, and there are two meanings that I would like to expound on now. 

Mercy is about forgiveness

One definition of mercy is compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power;  a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion.

The Latin word refers to benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social and legal contexts.

In the social and legal context, mercy may refer to compassionate behavior on the part of those in power (e.g. mercy shown by a judge).

In Ephesians 2:4, Paul refers to the mercy of God in terms of salvation: "God, being rich in mercy,... even when we were dead through our sins, made us alive together with Christ."

1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Praise God! His mercies are new every morning. He is always quick to forgive us when we repent.  

Grace is about acceptance

One definition of grace is, unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification; a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace.

Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works so that no one can boast. 

Romans 5:2 Through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

Grace is a gift that God has freely given to us. When we accept Him as Savior, He accepts us as His children. That acceptance just overwhelms me at times. I have to remember that it is not because of anything I've done, but because of everything Jesus did. God's love for us goes beyond all the wrong choices we have made; His sacrifice of His Son was the ultimate gift to you and to me.

If you have not yet accepted God's gift of salvation, you can stop where you are now and ask Him to be Lord of your life. He accepts you just the way you are. 


Be blessed,
Dawn

Mission Possible

Are we more focused on the mission than on the mission field?

Matthew 28:16-20, Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

What is our mission? Our mission is to reach out to a lost and dying world with the good news of the Gospel of Christ.

When you hear the words mission field what is the first thing that comes to mind? Most would agree that a desolate place in a foreign country would be the first thing. Well, what about your next door neighbor? Or perhaps, a family member or co-worker who doesn't know the Lord? Do you see them as mission fields? 

We know that people need Jesus and His forgiveness, we know that people need a touch from Him, and we know people need to surrender their lives to Him; but between what we know to do and what we do, there is a great chasm. In order to make a difference in the kingdom, we have to work in the fields. 

Here are words to a song that I remember from years ago and I have never forgotten them. How powerful they are! 

See the fields so dry and thirsty

They're dying from the lack of rain

And here I'm standing in the fountain

Watching them perish and who's to blame?

How can they hear without a preacher?

If they're not shown how can they see?

I'm gonna go out where they're hurting

and stop expecting them to come to me.

(chorus)

I'm gonna carry the water to the desert

Stop this hauling water to the sea.
I'm gonna seek out the dry and barren places
The sick ones need the doctor

I'm gonna stop this hauling water to the sea.

Ask God how you can become a better missionary in your everyday world. He wants to use you where you are to share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Be blessed,

Dawn

Heart Trouble

First, let me say, that this is hard to share with you.  It has always been a struggle for me to "just lay it all out there." It is very hard for me to share not only my feelings but even my opinions in some settings. 

So here goes...

Luke 6:45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 

This writing is directly from my heart -- the good, the bad and the ugly. For years, I have carried a lot of baggage that has kept me from walking in complete obedience to the Lord and using the gifts He has placed inside of me. 

Quite honestly, I have not only held onto the baggage but have embraced it; sometimes wearing it as a badge of honor. I know that sounds crazy but when you give more thought to what has happened to you in your past, it doesn't allow much room for God. He is always there but it's up to each of us to lay down our rights at the foot of the cross.

By rights, I mean thoughts that our actions or emotions are justified because of past, hurts, failures, disappointments, etc. All of those "he did this to me" or "she did that to me" statements become bigger and bigger until they fill up space in our hearts that God created for Himself. 

I don't know about you, but I don't want to be controlled by my emotions any longer. By dwelling on them, I've allowed satan to keep me from doing what God has called me to do. One of which, is to be an encourager. That is why you haven't seen a new blog post in quite a while. 

I just finished a book by Anne Graham Lotz entitled: "Wounded by God's People". When I got to the last few pages, the following paragraph gripped my heart and I have read it over and over again in the past several days. 

She writes: "Although you may not be in exile physically - you may still be going to church, attending Bible studies, involved in religious activities —could it be that your spirit is nonetheless in exile because you are stuck in the quicksand of past wounds? Is there a cold vacancy where there used to be a warm vibrancy of love for the things and people of God? Is there a root of bitterness that is strangling your spirit on the inside, threatening to choke off the future God has in store for you?" 

Wow!  It was then I realized, that I have given more thought to my hurts and trying to justify them than to the One who wants to heal those hurts. 

2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments (even between my flesh and my spirit) and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

So, brothers and sisters, I'm taking back what the enemy has stolen from me!