Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; Deuteronomy 7:9 (KJV)
Words mean something. What we read and write are not just random marks on a page but those markings carry the intent of the heart. In reading and studying the Word of God I use many different versions of the Bible. No Jesus didn’t read the King James Version and Paul didn’t write in the King’s English. Translating the ancient manuscripts from Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic is an arduous task undertaken by men and women of much greater understanding than me. Needless to say people spend their entire life studying these ancient languages and attempting to give us the best translation and understanding of what the authors were trying to say. With that in mind I would like to examine the same verse today in two different translations of the Bible.
The passage I would like to examine is found in Proverbs 16:6. Originally written in Hebrew, translated to Latin then to English we find what appears to be two very different verses in the King James and New International Version.
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. Proverbs 16:6 (KJV)
Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil. Proverbs 16:6 (NIV)
Mercy becomes love and truth becomes faithfulness! How did that happen? Let’s leave the scholars to their linguistic arguments and just contemplate these words in our hearts.
I have heard mercy defined as unmerited favor, grace that isn’t deserved. Your Strong’s concordance tells you that the Hebrew word was “hesed” and the top three translations of the word are mercy, kindness, and loving kindness. It is God’s great love that moves Him to have mercy upon us. It was God’s love that led Jesus to the cross where mercy was poured out upon the lost. Mercy and love both speak of the same attribute of God’s heart. One is the root and the other the fruit.
That one was easy. Now let’s look at faithfulness and truth. The Hebrew word used here is “emet” and turning to our Strongs for help we find something that can only be described as amazing. This word is derived from one that means stable or stability. In one place it is used to denote a wall which firmly holds a nail in place and another to describe a house with a firm foundation. Treasure hunting can be tedious and requires sifting through lots of extraneous material to find the pearl of great price. Here we have found a great treasure.
Truth and faithfulness are the foundation of our salvation. We are held in the hands of a loving God that has shown great mercy, underserved favor to each of us. He will never leave us and we have no fear of being forsaken. His faithfulness is grounded in His Truth. In this world of relativism where absolute truth is ridiculed it is hard to grasp the concept of undeniable, unchangeable Truth. But there are absolutes. White is still white not eggshell or any other blend. Pure is still pure, holy still holy and God is still God. He never changes. His love is established in Truth. This is the essence of His faithfulness.
Oh what joy to know that our sins have been washed away! Not because of something that has a short life span but because of God’s great, unchanging love. Our iniquity has been purged; our sin atoned for by the blood of the Lamb. We have a sure and a firm foundation that cannot be shaken and we cry out, “O Lord, Great is thy faithfulness!” He is truly “el hanne eman” The Faithful God.
Showing posts with label mercy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mercy. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Friday, September 13, 2013
When It's Too Hard
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7
Corrie Ten Boom wrote of a meeting she had with one of the guards from the concentration camp where she had suffered and her sister had died in her book “The Hiding Place”.
“It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck. He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time. And suddenly it was all there—the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsie's pain-blanched face.
He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. "How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein," he said. "To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!"
His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who had preached so often to the people in Bloemendaal the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.
Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him.
I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me Your forgiveness.
As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.”
There are times when mercy just doesn’t come naturally. Our flesh rises up against what we know to be right and truth takes a back door to the pain and suffering that we have endured. In this moment the enemy lays a trap for our soul.
It is easy to say that we cannot forgive. We can blame our fleshly nature. We can say that we are not yet “mature” enough in the Lord. We can reason that the offense was just too great. But whatever the reason the result is always the same. Our heart begins to harden. The Holy Spirit is grieved and we begin to lose our ability to love those that God has sent us to rescue.
It is comforting to know that when the road is too steep. God is always there if we will call on His Name. “Give me Your forgiveness.” I don’t have enough. I have reached the bottom of my barrel. I need you, Lord.
In the meeting with the SS guard it was not the guard who was set free but Corrie Ten Boom. She was rescued from certain disaster in her soul. A festering that only God had seen. I don’t think the meeting was an accident of fate. I know that God placed that man right in the path of His beloved daughter. Her love was multiplied and her effectiveness for God increased above anything that she could have planned. God has a way of doing that if we call on His Name when the enemy comes in like a flood. Don’t be afraid to face those overwhelming moments when you look into the impossible and quietly pray, “Give me your strength.” “Give me your forgiveness.” “Give me more grace.”
Corrie Ten Boom wrote of a meeting she had with one of the guards from the concentration camp where she had suffered and her sister had died in her book “The Hiding Place”.
“It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck. He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time. And suddenly it was all there—the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsie's pain-blanched face.
He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. "How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein," he said. "To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!"
His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who had preached so often to the people in Bloemendaal the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.
Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him.
I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me Your forgiveness.
As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.”
There are times when mercy just doesn’t come naturally. Our flesh rises up against what we know to be right and truth takes a back door to the pain and suffering that we have endured. In this moment the enemy lays a trap for our soul.
It is easy to say that we cannot forgive. We can blame our fleshly nature. We can say that we are not yet “mature” enough in the Lord. We can reason that the offense was just too great. But whatever the reason the result is always the same. Our heart begins to harden. The Holy Spirit is grieved and we begin to lose our ability to love those that God has sent us to rescue.
It is comforting to know that when the road is too steep. God is always there if we will call on His Name. “Give me Your forgiveness.” I don’t have enough. I have reached the bottom of my barrel. I need you, Lord.
In the meeting with the SS guard it was not the guard who was set free but Corrie Ten Boom. She was rescued from certain disaster in her soul. A festering that only God had seen. I don’t think the meeting was an accident of fate. I know that God placed that man right in the path of His beloved daughter. Her love was multiplied and her effectiveness for God increased above anything that she could have planned. God has a way of doing that if we call on His Name when the enemy comes in like a flood. Don’t be afraid to face those overwhelming moments when you look into the impossible and quietly pray, “Give me your strength.” “Give me your forgiveness.” “Give me more grace.”
Thursday, September 12, 2013
They Alone
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7
Jesus was emphatic about who would be blessed as He spoke this beatitude. “Blessed are the merciful, for they..”. They Alone! The word leaves no room for distraction. The blessing of being merciful is that you stand in a class all by yourself. God gives mercy only to the merciful.
James writes to us, “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shown no mercy; and mercy rejoices against judgment.” James 2:13
Jesus told us, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15
Those that are prone to legalism misconstrue this passage to think that salvation and mercy from God can be earned by acts of mercy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Salvation is through the grace of God and cannot be earned in any way.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”. Ephesians 2:8-9
Let’s just stop for a moment and let that thought permeate our spirit. “Not of works.” By grace through faith! There is nothing you can do or will do that saves you. It is the gift of God received through faith! Soak that in. Let it overflow you. Free you. Empower you. This is settled by the Word of God and cannot be debated or argued away.
So what did Jesus mean “If we don’t forgive, we won’t be forgiven?”
To understand we must turn it around. Those that have been forgiven by a merciful God and have the Spirit of God living in them will be merciful. We are the product of what lies within us. If the Spirit of God dwells in you then you will bring forth the fruit of His Spirit. Mercy will rejoice deep in your spirit as it springs forth to those that are in distress.
The old song says, “I’ve been changed. I’ve been newborn now. All my life has been rearranged.” That is what the love of God living in the heart of men will do. I am forgiven and I can’t help but forgive those that have trespassed against me. I have received mercy and mercy now overflows my soul. I can’t hold it back and I don’t want to hold it back.
Yes, I am blessed! Not because of work that I have done but because of the work that Christ has done in me.
Jesus was emphatic about who would be blessed as He spoke this beatitude. “Blessed are the merciful, for they..”. They Alone! The word leaves no room for distraction. The blessing of being merciful is that you stand in a class all by yourself. God gives mercy only to the merciful.
James writes to us, “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shown no mercy; and mercy rejoices against judgment.” James 2:13
Jesus told us, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15
Those that are prone to legalism misconstrue this passage to think that salvation and mercy from God can be earned by acts of mercy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Salvation is through the grace of God and cannot be earned in any way.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”. Ephesians 2:8-9
Let’s just stop for a moment and let that thought permeate our spirit. “Not of works.” By grace through faith! There is nothing you can do or will do that saves you. It is the gift of God received through faith! Soak that in. Let it overflow you. Free you. Empower you. This is settled by the Word of God and cannot be debated or argued away.
So what did Jesus mean “If we don’t forgive, we won’t be forgiven?”
To understand we must turn it around. Those that have been forgiven by a merciful God and have the Spirit of God living in them will be merciful. We are the product of what lies within us. If the Spirit of God dwells in you then you will bring forth the fruit of His Spirit. Mercy will rejoice deep in your spirit as it springs forth to those that are in distress.
The old song says, “I’ve been changed. I’ve been newborn now. All my life has been rearranged.” That is what the love of God living in the heart of men will do. I am forgiven and I can’t help but forgive those that have trespassed against me. I have received mercy and mercy now overflows my soul. I can’t hold it back and I don’t want to hold it back.
Yes, I am blessed! Not because of work that I have done but because of the work that Christ has done in me.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Turning Point
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7
I had struggled all of my life to be somebody. I am smart and worked hard to get ahead, always looking for a way to make it big. When the King became an investor in my latest business venture it was the biggest break of my life. The King gave me over a million dollars to start my business but then it seemed like everything went wrong. It wasn’t my fault the orders fell off and my partners pulled the plug. There was nothing I could have done to salvage the business. I’m a ruthless business man that can squeeze blood from a turnip but sometimes that just isn’t enough.
The King has summoned me to the throne and demanded His money back. The future was bleak. Prison and the cold hunger of solitude were destined to be my tomorrow. There was nothing I could do. I was broke and my friends deserted me long ago. Then I thought, perhaps I could appeal for mercy. If the King sees my misery, maybe he will empathize.
As I approached the throne, the grandeur of the palace overwhelmed me. The King sat high and lifted up regally viewing all that took place around him. I saw the man who had been summoned before me shaking his fist at the King in defiance.
“I will never bow to you!” He shouted.
The King ordered him to be thrown into prison. The guards drug him out of the room screaming and kicking. Chills ran down my back as I watched. I was next.
I knew I had to do something. Falling down on my knees I crawled to the steps that ascended to the throne. I don’t think I could have bowed any lower.
“Have patience with me, Lord. Give me a little time and I will pay you every cent” I cried. There were even tears streaming down my face.
I waited for the judgment. Maybe He would shave off a few years from the punishment. What? I must be mistaken! Did He just say what I thought He did?
“Loose him! I will forgive him this debt.”
Yes! I knew I still had it. I had lived my life to succeed. I had worked hard. The King must have seen that in me. It is good to be me. I thought.
Walking out of the palace that day I saw one of the deadbeats that owed me a little money. It wasn’t much but a debt is a debt. If guys like him had paid me on time I wouldn’t have had to grovel before the King. When I asked him for the money he started whining and telling me about his family and little boy being sick. That sure doesn’t pay my bills. I summoned the police and had him thrown in jail. Let him sit and think about what it’s like to be without and have to grovel.
I was at home enjoying a fine dinner with my family thinking how blessed I was to be able to enjoy the fruit of my labors when they came busting through the door. The Royal Guard! Before I knew it I was back in front of the King and this time I didn’t get a chance to bow. The guard was forcing me to the ground, his foot on my neck.
“You wicked servant! I forgave you all your debt because you asked me.”
Yeah! That’s right, Lord! You did. Remember! I deserve better than this.
“Should you not have had compassion on your fellow servant like I had on you?”
What? He didn’t deserve mercy! He had never done anything for me. He was a deadbeat. This is totally not fair!
Anyway, that is how I got into this place of torment. There is no way I can ever make the money to pay the King what I owe Him. I will die in this place without hope because I didn’t understand that in order to receive mercy we have to give mercy.
So why are you here?
I had struggled all of my life to be somebody. I am smart and worked hard to get ahead, always looking for a way to make it big. When the King became an investor in my latest business venture it was the biggest break of my life. The King gave me over a million dollars to start my business but then it seemed like everything went wrong. It wasn’t my fault the orders fell off and my partners pulled the plug. There was nothing I could have done to salvage the business. I’m a ruthless business man that can squeeze blood from a turnip but sometimes that just isn’t enough.
The King has summoned me to the throne and demanded His money back. The future was bleak. Prison and the cold hunger of solitude were destined to be my tomorrow. There was nothing I could do. I was broke and my friends deserted me long ago. Then I thought, perhaps I could appeal for mercy. If the King sees my misery, maybe he will empathize.
As I approached the throne, the grandeur of the palace overwhelmed me. The King sat high and lifted up regally viewing all that took place around him. I saw the man who had been summoned before me shaking his fist at the King in defiance.
“I will never bow to you!” He shouted.
The King ordered him to be thrown into prison. The guards drug him out of the room screaming and kicking. Chills ran down my back as I watched. I was next.
I knew I had to do something. Falling down on my knees I crawled to the steps that ascended to the throne. I don’t think I could have bowed any lower.
“Have patience with me, Lord. Give me a little time and I will pay you every cent” I cried. There were even tears streaming down my face.
I waited for the judgment. Maybe He would shave off a few years from the punishment. What? I must be mistaken! Did He just say what I thought He did?
“Loose him! I will forgive him this debt.”
Yes! I knew I still had it. I had lived my life to succeed. I had worked hard. The King must have seen that in me. It is good to be me. I thought.
Walking out of the palace that day I saw one of the deadbeats that owed me a little money. It wasn’t much but a debt is a debt. If guys like him had paid me on time I wouldn’t have had to grovel before the King. When I asked him for the money he started whining and telling me about his family and little boy being sick. That sure doesn’t pay my bills. I summoned the police and had him thrown in jail. Let him sit and think about what it’s like to be without and have to grovel.
I was at home enjoying a fine dinner with my family thinking how blessed I was to be able to enjoy the fruit of my labors when they came busting through the door. The Royal Guard! Before I knew it I was back in front of the King and this time I didn’t get a chance to bow. The guard was forcing me to the ground, his foot on my neck.
“You wicked servant! I forgave you all your debt because you asked me.”
Yeah! That’s right, Lord! You did. Remember! I deserve better than this.
“Should you not have had compassion on your fellow servant like I had on you?”
What? He didn’t deserve mercy! He had never done anything for me. He was a deadbeat. This is totally not fair!
Anyway, that is how I got into this place of torment. There is no way I can ever make the money to pay the King what I owe Him. I will die in this place without hope because I didn’t understand that in order to receive mercy we have to give mercy.
So why are you here?
Monday, September 9, 2013
Les Miserable
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7
This could be the title of many people’s lives today. It seems that the more we are increased in goods and pleasures and the easier our lives have become, the more we fight depression and our misery index rises higher and higher.
There is a man who attends our church. He was befriended by some of the men in the church who found him homeless and living in the river bottoms. They were able to share Christ with him and be part of his salvation. This man has nothing but a bike that was given him and the clothes on his back. Recently when asked what we could do for him, his only request was for mosquito repellent, “because they are bad down by the river”. Yesterday, he came to church and was taking some of the bread we were giving away. I was moved by his smiling face, his gentle demeanor, and his positive attitude. He had about twelve loaves and I asked if he had a way to carry them. He smiled and said I have my bike. He was taking the bread to his friends who really needed it. Homeless and poor this man was reaching out to show mercy on those that were in need. It defies the understanding of this world that one trapped in such a circumstance would not be miserable but here he was living out the fifth beatitude. There are many people who live in nice homes surrounded by the toys of this life that could learn a lesson from him.
Often we confuse grace and mercy. The idea behind mercy is to give help to the miserable and the wretched. Grace is shown to the undeserving. Looking beyond the fault and meeting the need. Mercy is compassion to the miserable. Compassion not grace is a synonym for mercy. When we take action to alleviate the misery of another’s life that is mercy.
Grace moved the hand of God when everything about me was a stench in His nostrils. When my rebellion separated me from Him and I stood with my fist clenched in defiance it was the grace of God that drew out the plan of salvation. But it was mercy that laid upon a cross and took my place. It was mercy that compelled the Son of God to say “Not my will but thine be done”. Mercy saw our need and came running to meet it.
This could be the title of many people’s lives today. It seems that the more we are increased in goods and pleasures and the easier our lives have become, the more we fight depression and our misery index rises higher and higher.
There is a man who attends our church. He was befriended by some of the men in the church who found him homeless and living in the river bottoms. They were able to share Christ with him and be part of his salvation. This man has nothing but a bike that was given him and the clothes on his back. Recently when asked what we could do for him, his only request was for mosquito repellent, “because they are bad down by the river”. Yesterday, he came to church and was taking some of the bread we were giving away. I was moved by his smiling face, his gentle demeanor, and his positive attitude. He had about twelve loaves and I asked if he had a way to carry them. He smiled and said I have my bike. He was taking the bread to his friends who really needed it. Homeless and poor this man was reaching out to show mercy on those that were in need. It defies the understanding of this world that one trapped in such a circumstance would not be miserable but here he was living out the fifth beatitude. There are many people who live in nice homes surrounded by the toys of this life that could learn a lesson from him.
Often we confuse grace and mercy. The idea behind mercy is to give help to the miserable and the wretched. Grace is shown to the undeserving. Looking beyond the fault and meeting the need. Mercy is compassion to the miserable. Compassion not grace is a synonym for mercy. When we take action to alleviate the misery of another’s life that is mercy.
Grace moved the hand of God when everything about me was a stench in His nostrils. When my rebellion separated me from Him and I stood with my fist clenched in defiance it was the grace of God that drew out the plan of salvation. But it was mercy that laid upon a cross and took my place. It was mercy that compelled the Son of God to say “Not my will but thine be done”. Mercy saw our need and came running to meet it.
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