Wednesday: Mercy (3)

"Return, faithless Israel" Declares the Lord, "I will frown on you no longer for I am merciful," declares the Lord, "I will not be angry forever."

An admitted robber dodged a 25-50 year state prison sentence for armed holdups at five mid-state convenience stores after his weeping father begged a Cumberland County judge for mercy.

Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. It is Salvation Wednesday and the day we pray for the lost and for the Lord to use us to help bring the lost to the feet of Jesus. Remember, we cannot save a person, our job is to, well, to do the introductions between the lost and Jesus. Over the years I have watched some TV preachers, some gospel singers and others tell of how many got saved at a revival, while the real truth is we really never know how many got saved at an event. We really don't, it is between God and those who were unsaved. Just because a person comes forward at an Altar Call, does not mean they really got saved. However, if we who are working the fields get the people to come forward, to come to the feet of Jesus, we have done one big part of our job. Of course we can't stop there for those who have comfort and even those who were saved need the support of other believers. A thousand got saved at the revival, a preacher might say. When maybe he/she should have said, a thousand came forward. With all that said, let's pray and get to work for Jesus. Amen.

Mercy (3): Jeremiah 3: 12 - Go proclaim this message toward the north: "Return, faithless Israel" Declares the Lord, "I will frown on you no longer for I am merciful," declares the Lord, "I will not be angry forever." (NIV) Daniel 9: 9 - The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him. (NIV)

Patriot-News 7/8/09. An admitted robber dodged a 25-50 year state prison sentence for armed holdups at five mid-state convenience stores after his weeping father begged a Cumberland County judge for mercy.

The report from the newspaper happened in Cumberland County Pa. court. Here we see the report of a father asking for mercy for his son who messed up big time, and the judge did have mercy and gave the 20 year old son 5-10 years followed by 20 years probation.

When I saw this in the paper and then looked at the writings in Jeremiah and also Daniel, it just showed me about the mercy of our Lord and how a father or The Father wants mercy for his/His children. God has always been ready to show mercy. Again like our own earthy fathers, our Lord will not be angry forever. My dad would tell me when he punished me, this is going to hurt me more then it will hurt you. Right, dad, I would think, then I had children of my own and told them the same thing, and it does hurt. Think of it. As a parent we punish a child and then as a parent we should let it go. I remember my dad hugging me after a punishment. I would think, why are you hugging my neck, that is not where it hurts right now (just kidding on that one). I also remember hugging my kids after punishment. Our Father in Heaven is the same way. Look at those words from Jeremiah - "I will not be angry forever" said the Lord. If we ask, God forgives, He is in the forgiving business. And I will talk more about this on Friday when I wrap this all up. When I read about the father weeping for mercy for His Son, I see Jesus doing the same thing for us. Again, more on that Friday when I talk about the most mercy shown by anyone.

Today, let's pray again for God to have mercy for us ... Dear Father in Heaven, have mercy on me, have mercy on us, Lord forgive us of our sins and shortcomings and even our sinful thinking and sinful, well Lord, our sinful looking. Forgive us of our sins. Help us this day to be working for You and not just talking about it. Help us, send us out and open doors for us. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Go forth now sharing your blessings and please share your love of God with others, and teach them about Jesus and his love. Yes, we all need to become teachers, we all need to be in the classroom of our Lord. love ya, dan.

PS, when it comes to God and Country, here are a few notes from one of our online prayer warriors who is a school teacher in Carlisle Pa. From the email of John Riddlesberger.
Late last night in Washington, D.C., a robber jumped a well dressed man and stuck a gun in his back.
The robber demanded, "Give me your money!"
The man stiffened but said indignantly, "You can't do this to me, I'm a U.S. Congressman!"
The robber said, "In that case, give me MY money!"

--

"Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible as their only Law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited....What a paradise would this region be!" John Adams, 1756. America's second president.

"If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper; but if we and our posterity neglect its instructions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity." Daniel Webster, 1821

"We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings that 'except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel." Benjamin Franklin. Statement he made at the Constitutional Convention, 28 June 1787.