l CAN FIND GRACE AND MERCY IN TIME OF NEED.
I cannot tell you the joy I feel to be here in Liverpool doing the work of God and helping folks understand why we are on this earth, To Give others, giving others especially in times of need and reaching out to those that need help even when they have not asked for it! Remember some people are too shy to ask, or don’t even know they need help! I know myself to be blessed, with a healthy ind and body, everything else comes in God’s own time! Its in giving of ourselves, to others in their need that we find grace and mercy! Do you believe me?
Just recently I went to visit a family whose head of the household had just traveled back from Africa where his dad is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, Fortunately the grace of God is so abundant that he is in remission! Despite a real scare over the Christmas season when he was hospitalised for a chest infection! We prayed hard for all our family members during that time and my goodness God is good all the time…he is now healthy and up and about! Praise the Lord! Do you realise that many people say…”I will pray for you” and don’t mean a word of it? The actions don’t follow? Yet our prayer for others is more powerful than we can imagine and is one way of giving of ourselves. A way to focus out thoughts and time on someone else other than ourselves and our carnal needs! Many people think giving must be something tangible! No it doesnt have to be. Our prayers, and time may be intangible yet oh so amazingly important as a way of giving!!! Totally priceless.
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“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” Hebrews 4:16. When we give of ourselves fully, esp. when we go out of our way to help people here and now, Joy Rises in our heart, a refreshing stream that energizes us, enabling us to go that extra mile in our lives 🙂 I believe that St Paul placed joy right up there after Love as one of the fruits of the Holy spirit Galatians 5:22. And look what Psalms 100 says; Serve the Lord with Gladness, Come into his presence singing for joy, love this…so who am I to argue when it brings me so much joy! That’s why I love the song. ” All the earth” by Don Moen you can Listen to it on that link or below!
I also quite like the More sedate “All the earth Proclaim the Lord Sing your praise to God”, you can listen to that here!
Well let me share with you a not so wonderful tale that saddens me! A dear friend of mine, who attended our church, continuously struggled with severe depression. After many trips to the doctor, several different medications and a few hospitalizations, this woman still was no better. Finally-“Mercy” It is an embarrassing indictment when people receive more mercy from a self- help group than they do from a “church”!!!
To be merciful is not giving people what they deserve in terms of judgement. God has been merciful to us- if He gave us what we deserved, we would be long dead and lost in the wilderness of darkness! But when the kindness and love of God our savior appeared, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we have done, but because of his mercy.
Receiving mercy is the primary prerequisite to recovery. If hurting people don’t sense that they can receive it from our Lord God, who uses us to bring healing to others through deliverance and prayer! Then people look for that healing elsewhere. But the places they go sometimes seldom have the capacity to offer the grace to help in time of need. Mercy is essential, but without grace, recovery groups can end up being little more than pity parties where every body is swimming, and sometimes drowning, in a quagmire of infirmity, unresolved problems and spiritual bondage. Bonding together in affliction, no real positive affirmation in their lives! What they need along with mercy is the Joy of living, because life means Hope. Hope in Christ’s freedom, and they need God’s Word to drive out the Spiritual Bondage! And yet in those groups they find acceptance, they receive encouragement to stand strong. some one out there is “Giving” to them something they are not getting from the body of the church Or ministry they are part of! Believe you me the mercy of God accepts us regardless of the rung we are on, and the grace of God will pull us up to the next one, and then the next. Joy abounds in the light of the Lord and if we are willing to Give of ourselves in our Personal Ministry …oh yes every Christian has a Personal mission to perform for God all we have to do is seek his face and guidance to learn what our individual mission is.
In finding our mission in life and giving of ourselves fully towards the performance of said mission, irrespective of which secular church we attend, or religion we profess, we will find such Joy!
And without further ado, lets seek the grace of our lord Jesus Christ and the love of God & the sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit, to be with us all Now and forever more. And I leave you with the Blessings of Ps 23 & 91!
Please do share, join our growing community of givers on Facebook and leave a comment on how in giving you found Joy!
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