Thoughts on Christ and His Word

This weekend God reminded me of how flawed I could be - being right on the issues and wrong in the attitude. I corrected a couple of brothers for not following my instructions. Clearly they were not doing what they were told to do. When I approached them to correct them, I was right (on the issue) & I was wrong (in my execution and timing). I really didn't seek to understand their hearts - why they were disregarding the instruction. I was just angry and frustrated at their casual and blatant violation of instructions. I could have waited to speak to them later (patience). The world would not have collapsed if I had done so. But my anger got the best of me and it showed. I did apologize later and forgiveness was given and received . But I wanted to go deeper into me and my understanding of correcting others. So as I prayed and sought God's face this morning God spoke to me through his Word. According to Jesus our words and actions reveal our hearts: You brood of vipers, how ...

I was reading Zechariah this morning and found some great verses: "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. 10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other. Zech 7:8-9 We need to favor "true justice" (God's justice); not this world's perverted version of justice. True Justice seeks justice for the unborn - they have a right to live. True Justice seeks justice for victims of crimes - they have a right for wrongs to be made right (which includes the death penalty for murderers). True Justice is we as Christians doing the right thing towards everyone (not stealing, lying, cheating, etc...). We need to favor "mercy and compassion" to one another, the widow, the fatherless (orphans), the alien and the poor. We need to balance out our sense of justice with "mercy and compassion". But our compassionate love i...

God is a God of HOPE and MERCY. The prophet Micah anticipated God’s mercy on his life. > But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me…Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. Micah 7:7-8 In Micah 6:8 God says He wants us to “act justly and love mercy”. Acting justly is doing the right thing all the time – acting rightly towards God and man. Loving mercy is not holding grudges against others who have sinned against us. Releasing them from our judgment and punishment and letting God judge the person for “…judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:13 Today I choose to forgive and release those that have sinned against me. I am ready to receive God’s mercy for my life.

The prophet Micah spoke out against wiked leaders: 8 But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin. 9 Hear this, you leaders of the house of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and distort all that is right; 10 who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with wickedness. 11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD and say, "Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us." 12 Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets. Micah 3:8-12 Of course as part of the Old Testament Prophet's Club this type of rebuke of government and religious leaders was part of his job description. Micah rebukes government leaders and rulers for dispising justice and...