I have been needing justice for over a few years, now the challenge is mercy. But the Lord is the only one who he shows mercy to the people. So us humans need justice. However, at the end of the day, we all need mercy even more than justice. God have love for us, He is rich in mercy. Mercy is in the Bible. The original Greek word “eleos” in English is “mercy” which means “compassion, pity”. The mercy of God is available for everyone.
I am remaining confident that I trust God’s promises despite the struggles I am facing in my life. I expect to see God’s goodness in the ordinary activities of my life here on earth.
I had a horrible experience about false accusation in the dangerous women’s shelter. One woman who she was angry with me and was almost beat me and my unborn son up. Luckily we survived by it staff. But sadly latter that they started to falsely accused me. I faced the oppressors and false witnesses. I am through this very painful experience I cried out to God for mercy, and in the middle of all the accusations I am able to say in verse 13 of Psalm chapter 27.
Jesus is my savior and that is the good reason for staying confident. I believe that God is not going to fail me when I am struggling.
I studied Jesus said that all his followers will be persecuted. People may laugh at us followers of Christ, ridicule us and oppose us. This cost to keep following Jesus during persecution. As faithful faith over fear! There is always a cost to keep following Jesus. The cost comes in a butter&bread of blessing – in this life there is a hundredfold return and then the bonus of eternal life!
Of course, we as sinners are all guilty of sin. There is a penalty for sin. As the apostle Paul tells us in Romans 6:23 that the penalty for sin is death.
We are thankful for the one perfect sacrifice of Jesus who died for us, so that we might receive the mercy of God.
Or, are you trying to experience holy like Jesus? I looked up the word “holy” means “dedicated to God”. He is alive on His terms, alive in a way that exceeds our holy experience. Holy refers to life burning with deep cleanness that changes everything it touches into itself. The Hebrew word “qadosh” is “holy”. It probably originally meant “separate” or “set apart”. It came to be used to describe the “otherness” of God, and how his character and nature are so much greater and more wonderful than any other person or thing. For something else to be “holy” simply means for it to be dedicated to God. You are holy to the extent that your life is devoted to him and your actions reflect his character. Holiness and “wholeness” are closely related, and God wants the “whole” of your life.
How do I live a life without fear? By worshiping the Lord in the beauty of holiness based on Psalm 27:1-6.
In my life, how can I be confident in the face of opposition and attack? I focus on Jesus and worship. I set my schedule for the priority of worship.
David gives us a wonderful description of worship. What he wanted to do more than anything was to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. There he sacrificed with shouts of joy; he sang and made music to the Lord.
I love the expression “the beauty of the Lord” in Psalm 27:4. It’s very beautiful. The Greek word for “beauty” is kalos. It is the word used to describe everything that Jesus did as Mark 7:37. Jesus is infinitely beautiful. He had no outward beauty; he had a different kind of beauty – the beauty of holiness.
As you seek the Lord and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord in worship, he lifts you above all the distractions, fears and temptations. As David puts it, “That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world… God holds me head and shoulders above those who try to pull me down”.
What should our attitude be to other Christian ministries and other Christian churches? Serve the Lord in a life of holiness as Mark 9:33-10:12.
Jesus speaks to his disciples about the 6 habits of a holy life.
1. Humility
Jesus tells them not to compete to be number one. It is always a temptation to compare. Envy and rivalry are great dangers. Jesus says if you are going to compete it should be to get the last place. If anyone wants to be first, they must be the very last, and the servant of all. Leaders are called to humble service.
2. Love
He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them in Mark 9:36-37, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me”. Love and welcome everyone, even those who are unable to do anything for you – the very young, the weak, the poor – in doing so you are loving and welcoming Jesus.
3. Tolerance
Jesus tells the disciples not to dismiss or judge others who do things in Jesus’ name just because they are not part of your group or do things in a different manner to how you do them. It is a mistake to dismiss other Christians, other denominations or other organizations because they are not one of us.
4. Discipline
We sometimes tolerate sin in our own lives but are intolerant towards other people’s sin. Jesus teaches us to be tolerant towards others, but intolerant about sin in our own lives.
Of course, Jesus is not speaking about exact hurt. Rather, he uses metaphorical language about what we do with our hands, places we go with our feet, and what we look at with our eyes. Be disciplined, tough and serious about sin. It is often sin that leads to division. Jesus calls us to be serious about living a holy life.
5. Peace
Jesus tells them not to argue but to be at peace. Jesus longed for his disciples to get along with one another, to stop arguing and to be at peace with each other. Later, he prayed that we may be one in order that the world would believe.
6. Faithfulness
Jesus calls us to faithfulness in marriage. He points out that Moses’ permission of divorce was allowed and not a command. God’s intention for marriage is life-long faithfulness. Husband and wife are so closely united that they become one flesh: “So they are no longer two, but one flesh.”It’s in Mark 10:8. This is the origin of the wonderful words in the marriage service, which follow the joining of hands and the exchange of vows in verse 9: “Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate”.
How can you live a holy life when the world around is unholy? Read Leviticus 1:1-3:17: Be holy as the Lord is holy.
As the people of God are about to enter the promised land, there is what Eugene Peterson describes as a narrative pause; an extended time-out of instruction, a detailed and cautious preparation for living “holy” in a culture that doesn’t have the faintest idea what “holy” is.
“First”, he writes, “every detail of our lives is affected by the presence of this holy God.” You are called to holiness in every aspect of your day-to-day life. Second, he continues, “God provides a way (the sacrifices and feasts and Sabbaths) to bring everything in and about us into his holy presence, transformed in the fiery blaze of the holy.”
The language of Leviticus sounds very strange to our modern ears. The law required that the sacrifice be perfect. Through the sacrifice, “atonement” was made. Symbolically, through the laying on of hands on the head of the bulls, goats and lambs…the sin passed to a substitute who would be sacrificed on behalf of human beings. The blood of the sacrifice was extremely important.
All this can only be understood fully in the light of the New Testament. Hebrews 9:22 tells us that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness”.
Sacrifice Jesus has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy. We receive total forgiveness; sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
So, no sacrifices are necessary but they form the background to the sacrifice of Jesus and help us to understand just how amazing it is. Holiness starts by putting your faith in what Jesus has done for you and asking his Holy Spirit to come into your life to help you to begin to live a holy life.
In gratitude for all that God has done for you, by the sacrifice of Jesus on your behalf, offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.
“Slavery, in any form, is a horrific evil. Freedom is a wonderful blessing.”~Nicky Gumbel
Have you watched the movie called “Twelve Years a Slave”? I haven’t watch it yet but I will. It is based on the memoirs of Solomon Northup, he was born free in New York state but kidnapped in Washington DC in 1841, sold into slavery and kept in bondage for twelve years in Louisiana. He described his horrific experience of slavery on the cotton and sugar plantations. Eventually, in 1853, he was rescued from slavery and reunited with his family. He wrote, “They embraced me, and with tears flowing down their cheeks, hung upon my neck. But I draw a veil over a scene that can better be imagined than described… I have been restored to happiness and liberty.” Nicky Gumbel said, “Slavery, in any form, is a horrific evil. Freedom is a wonderful blessing.” Moses is the liberator of God’s people in the Old Testament. He foreshadowed Jesus – the supreme Savior. As Moses set God’s people free from slavery, so Jesus sets you free from slavery to sin. “Freedom” is the best modern word to define what the Bible means by “salvation”. The whole Bible could be summed up as the “history of salvation”. It is the story of God’s desire for freeing his people. You are set free!
I read Psalm 20:1-9. I enjoy the freedom that comes through my faith after I was finally free from cult in the fall of 2015. And so that I can have receive Protection, Help, Support, Acceptance, Success and Victory. But I still live in a time of trouble, distress or difficulty, most likely connected to an impending battle. I called out to God for help. And if God decide to answer my prayer. I keep praying. I keep in faith. I also pray for for my family, my friends and my community.
I read Matthew 26:69-27:10. It’s amazing at how your freedom was achieved! Jesus is the TOP Savior. The true salvation story of life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. A glimpse of how much that cost Jesus based on Matthew 26:69-27:10. It is all this was to fulfil God’s plan.
Jesus was seized by the religious leaders in order that you might go free. He was chained to set you free. Jesus came to set you free from your sins. Have you ever really messed up in your Christian life? Have you ever felt a failure and that you have badly let the Lord down? Have you ever wept bitterly as a result? I do. Sadly, we will all let Jesus down at the conditions in our lives. Look at the two examples of Judas and Peter. They put Jesus down. They were disciples of Jesus. They both deeply regret their actions. Yet there are the differences between the two men. Peter responded to failure in the right way. Judas did not. As 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
Judas is an example of ‘worldly sorrow’. He went to the religious leaders and confessed his sin, but they just weighed him down with more guilt. He was not able to receive his forgiveness. And, Peter is an example of ‘godly sorrow’. Peter must have been so frightened to deny and disown Jesus three times. He had doubts about that Jesus would be crucified. But the rooster crowing must have removed all his doubts. It left him feeling devastated: He went outside and wept bitterly.
There is no more terrible feeling than the knowledge that we have let Jesus down. Thankfully, this is not the end of the story for Peter (read John 21). ‘Godly sorrow’ brought ‘repentance’, and his relationship with Jesus was restored. He was freed from his guilt and shame, and went on to become a great, holy, powerful and anointed leader of Jesus’ church.
You do not need to feel shame about your past sins and mistakes. Those whom Jesus sets free are free indeed. However much you have messed up and failed, it is never too late. Respond as Peter did and you can have a great future ahead of you in the service of Jesus.
In addition to the good scripture to know! Read Exodus 9:1-10:29. It is all about that the Israelites were chained and God released them from Egypt to be free in worship God.
A man who he has ADHD…he is considered a dangerous man, and almost everyone hates him. They always send him to jail because they don’t understand what ADHD is. I believe that should be enough said. Unfortunately that man with ADHD cannot be treated. As he tried to seek different therapy for help. Sadly it doesn’t work. So I keep praying for him and hope that one day he will get a good treatment. He would have Alpha lawyer to explain well to the corrupt judgmental court system. And taking a Bible study and Alpha.org course. If he study the Bible and continue to pray, I hope his life is changing. He is loved despite his development disorder. So why does he need to feel hated?
I read Psalm 17:6-12, a beautiful scripture to know that you and I are loved and treasured by God. His love for us is so beautiful because it is so intimate. We mediate on how much we are loved and treasured by God.
God hide us in the shadow of His wings because of His love, intimacy and protection. Jesus did that in Matthew 23:37.
The enemy does not make me feel loved in my situation. Like David, I cried to the Lord for shield me out of my enemy’s sight. Because of she have a callous heart who she can speak cheaply against me. It’s hard because she hurt my feelings, I can rely on God’s love for me. You too, if you that kind of situation you face in your life.
Lord, hide me in the shadow of your wings so that my enemy won’t see me.
We can experience God’s love, generosity and grace because of His beautiful love for us. Jesus tells us about a parable of the workers in the vineyard shows the remarkable generosity and grace of God gives people who enter the kingdom last the same blessings that He gives to everybody else. Be glad about your situation. And you will receive your blessings. God’s blessings and forgiveness are always more than you could ever deserve.
A man with ADHD and people like him, God is generous. He is generous to us, too. It is staggered if we accept the generosity that God showers on you and me.
Through the death and resurrection of Christ, Jesus makes it possible for you and me to be forgiven and to enjoy his great love into eternity.
I was crying with thanking Jesus that we were miraculously survived!
To hear my story out! When I was a pregnant with contraction, I must have been kept in my mind that my former church is not a miracle and they are a hypocritical predator. At first, in the mid of February 2020 the church youth pastor put me and my unborn son in the dangerous women’s shelter. We were almost beat up by angry woman. Thank God that we are miraculously survived!
Next, … in the wrong children’s hospital my son and I were almost murdered. Thank God that we are miraculously survived!
What gift do we need to be thankful for? Miracle. I excerpted the unknown’s quote “Never stop believing in hope because miracles happen every day.” So I get to stay faith in Christ. I continue to pray and it will be answered.
Here is my leather padfolio. It’s an unframed art, which is beautiful.
I am thinking about how to make an unframed art. I’m an user of Society6 but I haven’t use it for a while now. I have a life to do. A mommy life! It isn’t easy. But the good thing is I leave my son to God’s care. As I keep praying for him. I’m going to try to find time for Society6. Making unframed art the beautiful work and to gift it to a person who like it.
It’s still December, the joyous month! And I am rejoicing in the Lord, my Savior. I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. The Lord is my stronghold, my refuge and my Savior. God save me from my enemies.
The Lord lives! Praise Him for being our Savior!
I receive a blessing from the Lord, my Savior. I put my hope in Christ, for I will praise him, my Savior. God answer some of my prayers, God, my Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth… I asked God, my Savior, to help me, for the glory of his name. He forgive me because Jesus died on the cross for me.
I have not forgotten God, my Savior. I have remembered the Rock, my fortress. Because the Lord created me, he formed me. I am a child of God.
God is God, and apart from him there is no savior.
Savior is my Lord, the Lord Jesus And a true God of the universe Visit Jerusalem one day, maybe I go to church home on every Sunday O Lord, my Savior Rose from death to live in heaven, thank you, Lord!
After Christmas of 2013 I made the lovely ginger cookies.
The ginger cookies are tasty. Mm, sweet and hearty. Do you love the ginger cookies? I’m sure you all love them. I will want to make the ginger cookies again hopefully soon.
December should be a shining and bright month for everyone. So cheer them up!
School breaks for Christmas Houses are filled with the lights I love to see the sparkle in… Not the dark but… In my bedroom New day is here to shining in… Green not but yellow shining and bright
Beautiful light that shining and bright Right path to go In the right place Great for us Happy, happy day Thankful for the day
It’s a joyous December! But this will be a sad month for me and my son. Our plan for Christmas vacation has already ruined by a miserable hag. A heartbreaking thing is her older caring brother and Joe, Leo’s father had planned for taking Leo and me to Christmas events like parade, park, restaurant, movies, etc. Now this is not the best December.
But, the plan B is my son and I will have other plan. —
