“His Mercy Endures Forever” (Ps 118)

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever.” (vs1)

Whatever we're going through doesn’t change the truth that His mercy endures forever.  It is the constant by which everything must be judged, the filter of every experience.  God’s mercies on us in Christ, all because of Him, are eternal, unwavering, and real. “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever” (vs1).

Let everyone who believes God, serves God, and fears Him join this wonderful song!  “Let Israel now say, ‘His mercy endures forever’.  Let the house of Aaron now say, ‘His mercy endures forever’.  Let those who fear the Lord now say, ‘His mercy endures forever’ (vs2-4).  Sing of His mercies, encourage yourself and others, and walk by faith renewed.  

He does so much for us in salvation, not only pulling us from destruction, but also giving us the inheritance of sons, which is liberty and love  He says, “I called on the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place (freedom)” (vs5).  Paul says, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another”.  We’re enabled to love by the same God who sets us FREE from the condemnation of the law, the guilt of sin, and the need to earn God’s favor.  We, like Mephibosheth are still lame, and yet we sit rejoicing at the King’s table, receiving the “kindness of God” (2 Sam 9:3, 13).  

Secondly, our foes will certainly lose, because God’s on the side of those who help us (vs6-7). He says, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?  The Lord is for me among those who help me; therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.” He's with us, for us, and helping us by the help of preachers, neighbors, brethren, gentle breezes, smile inducing events, etc.  He sends these things purposely to comfort.

Therefore, don’t trust men, when the Lord is powerful, merciful, faithful, and your only real help.  He says, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (vs8).  Don’t trust tactics that are cursed.  Faith may seem like doing nothing, but it's getting help from God, humbling yourself, and relying upon Him.  No man can save you or save himself. In fact, it doest matter what man it is, how strong or spiritual he appears: trusting men is idolatrous, like sleeping with a picture and expecting warmth.  “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes”.

Thirdly, be confident and bold in Christ.  He says, “All nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.  They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me; but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them” (vs10-12).  Never walk as if mercy is iffy, and you must hold your head down.  Trust the Lord fiercely, assuredly, and restfully.  He says, “They surrounded me like bees; they were quenched like a fire of thorns; for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them”.  Don’t live like you’re poor, when you HAVE unsearchable riches in Christ.  Walk upright, live kingly, and take the mercies as promises, “For all the promises of God in Christ are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (2 Cor 1:20).  

The Lord, by His holy power and Son, does good to sinners and helps the defeated.  “The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation... the right hand of the Lord does valiantly” (vs14-15). He rescues by a power that’s in Himself, and He needs no help from others.  He doesn’t broker peace or buy salvation from some other source (taking credit where none is due).  He Himself does the saving, not angels or men, but His power and rightful authority gives strength to those who help us, and He saves independent of any outside contribution.  Salvation is God, as God, working for and in you. “The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly” (vs16).  Therefore, we “declare the works of the Lord”, and live the doctrine in our lives, refusing to be forgetful hearers (vs17).

Fourthly, we've suffered, but never too much... we’ve been down, but never out... and we’ve had pain and trouble, but help came when needed to prevent your destruction.  He says, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.  The Lord has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death” (vs18). You're corrected but not condemned, chastened but not forsaken with death.  Help comes, even when we least expect it, and it is NEVER later than needful.

Indeed, only the righteous - those justified by faith - shall proclaim the Lord’ salvation.  He doesn’t receive hypocrites.  Only those He actually helps and reveals Himself unto in saving love are able to go into the gates of righteousness and praise Him.  He says, “Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the Lord.  This is the gate of the Lord, through which the righteous shall enter.  I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation” (vs19-21).  He receives people who've experienced Him, and He rejoices in our praise.  

We love to see the Son, despised and hated by men, and yet chosen and exalted by God.  “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.  This was the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.  This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (vs22-24).  He’s shown His power by building the house upon the Rock they despised,and thus, all human hatred and resistance is futile.  He reigns, enthrones whom He will, and He’s chosen the Lord Jesus who went about doing good (Acts 10:38; Acts 4:11).  Amidst all the haters and opposition, Jesus’ enthronement and saving power is all the more glorious!  

Finally, the light of the gospel is how we worship, trusting Christ’s sacrifice for us, and thereby sacrificing ourselves for Him.  He says, “Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I Pray, send now prosperity.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.  God is the Lord, and He has given us light; bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.  You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You” (vs25-28)..  We know the blessings are earned by Christ and God gives them to us through His blood.  We trust His obedience and render our own sacrifices of humility and love (Rom 12:1-2).  We serve people by gospel power revealed to us in the Son.

This Psalm concludes the same way it starts, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever” (vs29).  Extol, praise, and honor Him, no matter who disapproves, because He’s worthy as God your Savior.  It's right, wise, and good to practice it.  

You have the reasons why we must praise Him, no do it.  His mercy endures forever, never falling, changing, or failing!  He is God, the Worthy One!  Vs29

“Possible With God” (Luke 18:24-43)

And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?” But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." (vs24-27)

Bless God. He gives salvation to sinners, enabling us to do what we never could, which is forsake everything for the Son (vs24-30). We are prone to destruction and will perish, denying salvation in Christ, if it's left up to us. We were cursed in the Garden, and the curse means that we hate Christ and will not come - meaning that we'll be against Him, refusing His truth. Yet, God in mercy is able to do what we cannot, quite easily. He can give grace, cast out Satan, and give us new desires for glory and holiness (Ezek 36:26-27). He can save, because He Himself fulfilled the requirements in Christ Jesus, and He gives the power. We count wealth and earthly privileges higher than the soul; God counts us more valuable than our ignorance would dictate, so He gives us the power to do what we cannot. What is your hope? Is it you, or is it God doing the impossible?

Secondly, we can't judge God or how we're doing by circumstances (vs31-34). Jesus said, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again”. We may appear to be forsaken to ourselves, to the outside world, and to the natural eye, but we are not, if our path lines up with God.

The Lord Jesus, appeared to be losing, when He was winning. He was under the curse, hated by men, mocked and despised, and yet in the hour of His GREATEST agony, He saved the elect from sin, redeeming us by the agony of the cross. God resurrected instead of forsaking Him, and God was well-pleased with His Son. Yet, circumstances, because of His faithfulness and because of God's purpose, were painful indeed.

Likewise, don't judge your relationship with God or His favor by feeble sense. Do you walk according to scripture? Are you about your Master's business? Do you love God? These things must be answered, and when we're certain of our way, then we rest in peace, hoping in the God of the bible, rather than doubting Him because of how we feel.

Many churches are tiny, insignificant, and forgotten by men. We are mocked and ridiculed, and the world says, “If you were better, you'd have a bigger assembly. You should quit. If God hasn't added thousands to you, then what good are you. Do something else.” But, everyone isn't ordained to pastor 10,000 people, and many of the early saints had church in the home (Philemon 1:2; 1 Cor 16:19). Yes, thousands were saved on different occasions, and the apostles and others spoke in power. Yet, Philemon, Priscilla, and Aquila, among others, had churches in their homes where they worshiped God, united with brethren, and heard the ministry of the word. If we look at success rates, then there's only a few in the eyes of men. If we look at the word of Christ, then every assembly in ORDER, every place where God is sincerely and accurately worshiped, is the house of God, the pillar of the truth; it is a place where God is meeting with sinners and saints (1 Tim 3:14-15). You may not be doing all that you've wanted, and your desires for success may be on hold or forever banished away into mediocrity or nothingness before men, but it won't matter if you worshiped in a cave or were chased from place to place (Heb 11:35-38). It will matter that you worshiped, did God's will from the heart, and you could point to Scripture and say, “This is my authority to go on” (2 Cor 1:12).

Finally, the cry of mercy is heard (Luke 18:35-43). We read, “So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me... So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, What do you want Me to do for you? He said, Lord, that I may receive my sight”. We don't say, “merit”, and we don't make promises that we can't keep. We say, “have mercy on me”, and the Son of God stops.

Can you do this? Can you and I live dependent upon mercy and expectant of it? Mercy is a GREAT cry of confidence to those who know the Lord. We are in misery, a desperate trial, but MERCY gets God's ear, and He will show mercy to us continually. We can be sure of mercy, even though it is painful to need it.

We tell sinners, “Don't be afraid to admit you're wrong. God is so merciful.” Tell yourself the same. Don't be afraid to admit your desperate need and misery. Don't be afraid, as if it means that hope is lost! Not when mercy is designed for the helpless and needy, not when God stops in His tracks to show mercy to ALL who call on Him (Rom 10:12-13)!

“Sons of the Living God” (Hos 1:10)

Now when she had weaned Lo–Ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then God said: "Call his name Lo–Ammi, {Literally Not–My–People} For you are not My people, And I will not be your God. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There it shall be said to them, ‘You are sons of the living God.’ (vs8-10)

Sovereign mercy is the reason that we are saved. It is NOT because of us.

Israel was rejected, and “yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered”, so that spiritual Israel, God's elect from every nation, comprises the REAL Israel of God (vs8-10). We Gentiles are saved because He rejected national Israel for unbelief. Our election, both Jew and Gentile, is not determined by bloodlines, but simply by grace. We all make up the kingdom of God (Romans 11).

We are not in because we are better. We are in because God chose to save us when Israel rejected Him, giving salvation to people they despise, even to people who'd never heard of the covenants, Israel, and who worshiped stones, totem poles, and devils, posing as God (1 Cor 10:21-22).

Secondly, mercy saves us, not because we are worthy, but because God is MERCIFUL and compassionate. He says, “Say to your brethren, My people, and to your sisters, Mercy is shown” (Hos 2:1). He looks upon sinners, hell-worthy, heading to damnation, and in pity, He suffers away our sins, giving us life to ease our misery, and bringing us to heaven's bliss (Acts 7:34). We didn't seek, call, and we are no different from those who perish. We are not better, wiser by nature, or more strong willed. Scripture says unarguably, “As it is written: 'There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one (Rom 3:10-12)." Thus, when we WILLINGLY followed lies and lived for self, when we followed the devil's guidance as blind and dumb, God gave us conviction of sin, showed us the Risen Savior, and promised us victory by the grace that made Christ our Savior and secured salvation by His blood. You and I didn't put ourselves in the covenant, didn't choose or die for ourselves, and we didn't call ourselves by the Spirit, differentiating ourselves. It was God's merciful gift to save sinners from what we deserve.

Thirdly, we admit that we are unworthy of mercy, if we obtain it (Hos 2:2-4). In response to our unwillingness to be saved, He says, “I will not have mercy on her children, for they are the children of harlotry”. Mercy isn't given to anyone who trusts in themselves, looks to themselves, or believes in themselves, even a bit. Mercy is for sinners so low that we deserve God's judgments, confess ourselves rightfully condemned, and bow to God's salvation. He won't have mercy on us any way but Christ, and yet He teaches us this. He rejects our efforts, refuses our proud abilities, and destroys our vain attempts to hide in sin. He gives us REAL mercy, when He's humbled the pride of man, so that mercy, and not human religion, can produce the fruits of peace. Look upon God's mercy. If you don't deserve it, then you may have it.

“What Is My Trespass?” (Gen 31:36-55)

“Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob said to Laban: What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me?” (vs36)

The Lord Jesus is the sinner's friend. Why will you die? He has done everything justly, lived perfectly, and done good to evil people. Peter said, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). Why not bow to Him? He promises eternal life, performs all that He commands in us, and does us good freely and according to His word. He is just.

Yet, man's response, the response of unbelieving flesh is, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine”, so that we don't bow to His rights as Lord (vs43-44). We don't surrender to His mercy. We don't say, “You're right to rule me”. Only grace makes us obey, because the natural man says “no” to God, and, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do no know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go” (Ps 14:1-4; Ex 5:2).

Laban's response is foolish. Christ, as pictured by Jacob, stands before him innocently, desiring good, and yet Laban, by corruption, sets up an irremovable barrier and tells God, “stay out of my life, and don't come back”. Laban said, “Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me. This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm” (vs51-52). Unbelief perishes for willful rebellion. Men don't perish accidentally; they shut the truth out with all their might and resist mercy to the death (Rom 1:18-27).

The Lord, though rejected of men, has been exalted by the Father. He approved of the Son.

Laban called the dispute by one name, but God's word calls the dispute by Jacob's description, showing that God and all of eternity will bear record to the rightness of Jesus Christ. “Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galled. And Laban said, This heap is a witness between you and me this day. Therefore its name was called Galeed” (vs47-48). Men have rejected Him, but God has given Him the throne and declared that all will bow to Him, every knee, and every tongue will confess that He is Lord (Acts 2:23-24). The gospel isn't subject to man's approval; it is true. Men may perish rejecting Him, but God's Son is the only One who will stand as Judge in eternity.

Why will you die? Why not obey? Why not yield to be saved by grace? Jacob said, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me... These twenty years I have been with you; your male and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock... There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes” (vs36-41). I have faithfully served God, loved men, and answered justice, says the Christ. Why not trust Me?

“A Great Feast” (Gen 21:1-8)

vs8, “So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned.”

Feasting and laughter are good gifts from God, whereby we CELEBRATE His grace to us. Let us feast upon Christ, continually, receiving grace from God in promises that haven't yet happened, and let us rejoice in what He's done for us already. Solomon wrote, “A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry; but money”, atonement money, “answers everything” (Eccl 10:19). Religion without joy is not the salvation that God gives; it is not His grace fulfilling promises to chosen sinners.

First, rejoice always, for this is your strength. “Abraham made a great feast” (vs8). Nehemiah 8:10 says, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength”. Joy strengthens us to honor God BY the forgiveness of sins, and the more powerfully we believe in reconciliation, the more that we can achieve for God.

Too many spend the day looking at themselves and magnifying failures above the mercy of God. They do not know the lesson CA Coates so clearly illustrates by the man who looked in the garbage over and over, hoping to find something good. He was warned and instructed, but he still looked and looked. Finally, he stopped looking, and his friend asked, “Why? Why have you stopped your pursuit of the trash?” The man responded, “There is NOTHING in there”.

It is the same with us: there is NOTHING inside of us, and no amount of crying or weeping can put away sin. Paul says, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom 8:2). The only hope is to believe the goodness of God and receive fresh mercies. He is for us now in reconciliation, and we have all the power that we need. Now, instead of staring at ourselves, we go love others in faith that we're forgiven, and doing this, we experience joy for real, lasting joy that abides with us. He says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Is 26:3). In Nehemiah, after hearing pardon, “all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them” (Neh 8:12). Forgiveness is the door to obedience in character, and you can't please God any other way than believing that He is pleased with you in the Son.

Secondly, feast upon the gospel truly. Do not feast on half a gospel. Scripture says, “Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned” (Gen 21:8). The feast was not made for Ishmael, but for Isaac, the son of promise. We don't rejoice in our methods, our ways, and our notions; we rejoice in God's faithfulness to us by the word. We don't have a sin that grace might abound joy; we don't have a joy that is devoid of fear and trembling. We are commanded clearly, “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Ps 2:11). Many think that joy in the Lord means that I have no fear of God, and they are wrong. We pass the time of our temporary life in fear, and “happy is he that fears always” (Prov 28:14; 1 Pet 1:17). We rejoice with holy joy, we rejoice with God, and we rejoice in what He has done for us, making us whole, able to walk, and loving.

Thirdly, rejoice in the Lord and not yourself. We read, “And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him... Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me” (Gen 21:1-7). Don't think that you've brought the promise to pass. It was God's grace, God's gift, and God's love, so respond in love and not pride. It is shameful to see us confess grace ungraciously, and behave unmercifully, when we've obtained mercy. Jesus warned Peter, “So My heavenly Father also will [not forgive you] if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses” (Matt 18:35). Don't FORGET that we're saved by grace and all we have is God's gift. If I grow spiritually, if I obtain a wife, children, and a home, then let me rejoice in the Giver, and not merely the gift. Let me FEAST unto the Lord.

Abraham and Sarah show their joy by circumcising Isaac and raising him in the gospel, “Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him” (Gen 21:4). They tell God “thanks” by being faithful to people and doing things that show belief in mercy.

Finally, you rejoice in the Lord and feast with Him. “Abraham made a great feast”, and you have one too (vs8). Don't look at everyone else happy and content, others at peace, and not get in on it yourself. Don't be the Prodigal's older brother who hated the music and the dancing, thinking GRACE was too gracious a term.

“The Canaanites Were Then in the Land” (Gen 12:6)

(vs5-8) So they came to the land of Canaan. Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.

It doesn't matter who is in the land, the Lord has promised it to us, and his promise is good. He will cast out the foe, He will fight the enemy, and He teaches us, “Only believe that I will do this for you. Only believe that I’m this good, this powerful, and the Son of God has EARNED you this much grace”. He says literally, “Get out of your county, from your family and from your father’s house [from your own ways], to a land that I will show you [love]. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing” (Gen 12:1-2). Take the promises absolutely as something God will do, even as He cursed Canaan ahead of time, saw the wickedness of those He would destroy, and promised us good from the love of His heart.

Don't be ashamed of the promises or of the promising God.

Abraham left Ur of the Chaldees, but it took him a long time, some years perhaps, before he made it to the Promised Land because of unbelief. “The Lord had said to Abram”, but he remained in Haran under his father's hand rather than believing FULLY. Scripture says, “And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot... and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. So the days of Terah were two hundred and fiver years, and Terah died in Haran” (Gen 11:31-32). Likewise, a man, a church, or a child may be called of God to some great thing, even the promises before us, and yet we listen to carnal counsel and look to men, rather than trust the living God.

Don't be this way, and be thankful that He has killed your compromises and forced you on Christ. Be glad the promise is still good, and though you FAILED, you may have it now. He says, “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you”, so that worshiping properly will return with all good fruit, “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be put to shame” (Joel 2:25-26).

The bible is HOPEFUL to sinners because God comes in GRACE and gives us eternal life, promises us good, and fulfills it.

“Mercy Upon All” (Rom 11:25-12:1)

Ignorance isn’t bliss, and mysteries are for unfolding. Otherwise, we’ll be hindered in pride - “For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in” (vs25).

Pride hindered many in Israel.  Many of the nation perished, and they perish still.  But when the Gentiles are saved, the elect Jews shall all be saved too.  They must be gathered for whom Christ died! 

Not everyone, but all that God intended shall be rescued from sin and shame - “And so all Israel shall be saved.  As it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins” (vs26-27).  His promises made to the elect Jew can’t be broken.  He will remove the filth and sin of sin.

Because of Christ‘s gospel, they are angry at you and God.  But He loves His elect as He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - “As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes (vs28).

Salvation’s free, promised, and the Savior will not go back on His word - “For the gifts and callings of God are without repentance“ (vs29).  He will not turn from doing us good: you know yourself.  You were evil, but He saved you - “For as you in times past have not obeyed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief“ (vs30).  Because Israel hates the Son, God saves you, a wicked and vile Gentile. Therefore, like you, wicked Jews are yet loved of God.  They have been rebellious and vile, so that God can save them by saving you - “Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy” (vs31).  They too will have grace and love unmerited.

God rules all of this.  He concluded us needy and in rebellion against His word, so that He would have unmerited favor upon elect Jew and Gentile alike - “For God has concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all“ (vs32).

Feel it.  Ponder it’s magnitude.  How good is God, both in wisdom and judgment  - “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out“ (vs33)!  He is wise in decisions and beyond our understanding.   He is right in mercy and merciful in wrath.  He blinds and reveals, and He can’t be known in His fullness, only in part.  No one among us knows the depths of the Lord’s wisdom.  He is the saving God - “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor (vs34)?”  Who dares say, “I see, and I know all”?  From times of old, who told God right and wrong?  Or, who is wiser than He?  Who gave God permission or power - “Or who has first given to Him, and it shall be paid back unto Him again (vs35)?” Who dares say, “I’m owed”?  Who would dare mock God saying, “Worship me, instead”?

Mercy is because of God and because of Him only.  It’s His honor and prestige - “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen“(vs36).  Everything is grace and wise mercy.  To God only in Christ Jesus be glory, honor, and praise - until the world ends, and on to eternity.

By the mercies of God, brothers, I beg you, give yourselves to God in service.  Live devoted - “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom 12:1).  You are holy and pleasing to God.  Serving Christ is best.

"No Difference" (Rom 10:12)

All men are the same, and there’s no difference between us. We EQUALLY need Christ, and He is EQUALLY given to all that call on Him.  Your mother, bloodline, and past do not matter. You could be Hitler or Mother Theresa, and He’d receive you both.  And, you may come confidently, KNOWING there is NO WAY that He’ll cast you out.  This strengthens me! - “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him“ (vs12).

The Elect Believe In Mercy (Rom 9:16)

No verse describes our predicament more clearly than the mercy of God  (Rom 9:16).  We can’t make it, do it, or achieve holiness suitable to please God.  We can’t even hold our way as Christians; it is the mercy of God that saves us, that makes us desire, rejoice, conquer, and without Him, we’d perish, slaves of sin.

The elect BELIEVE God is merciful to conquer sin and make you thankful to Christ, “So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy” (Rom 9:16).

Wrath Came Not (2 Chron 32:25-26)

“But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.  Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah”

What a blessing to know that past sin, though horrible and proud, can be redeemed, even from earthly afflictions.  Hezekiah was proud after God healed him, and that’s horrible, that we’d vaunt ourselves by mercy received!  Yet God, because He loves us, will not allow our pride to reign, so He afflicts us, shows His displeasure, and threatens chastisement and pain.  He will humble the pride, and when it is humbled, when the sinner repents and the saint returns, the Lord is gracious to say, “I’ve seen your prayer, I’ve heard your voice” (Is 38:5).

This GRACE in God is our hope, because trusting in the character of God makes us sleep in peace, knowing that He is GRACIOUS, forgives sin, and pities the humble.  If we’d kept in our way, He would have brought His threatened wrath on us, and the pain would be sure, even as God chastens kings to teach us His fear.  Yet, He awakened us, and we obey His calling, fleeing from self-righteousness and self-service, form pride of knowledge into good works.  We seek the glory of Christ, now, and He is not ashamed to show Himself merciful, causing the affliction to come to the next generation, rather than upon us, delaying it, so long as humble hearts abide (2 Kings 20:18-19).

I think it is good that we hope in God for YESTER YEAR’S sins.  They are painful and repercussions fill the mind: how will this afflict me later, how will He pay me back?  It is good to be obedient and hopeful that He paid you in Christ.  He’s given your repentance now, and His honor is your mission.

The fear of the Lord is in Hezekiah now, whereas before, though saved, he walked in pride.  Now, God gets all glory, the people are nothing, and the Lord’s mercy rules the day, rather than man’s pride.  There is Light brighter than humans praising themselves for God‘s works; it is the Light of the  Giver of life, the lover of men, the sanctifier of His church, and the character of God unveiled!

Jesus is our Master, and we will live for Him in repentance and faith, seeking His honor in places of past failure, living that people know He is great, and giving ourselves to God in the gospel.  This RESPONSE of “Thank you, Lord“, is the reasonable response of His church:
1.  It is pleasing to you and me to obey God, more than to anger Him by sin.
2.  God’s glory is safe.  We don’t want wrath, and it is right to honor God.  He deserves the praise, because He forgives the depraved and vile.  “He is worthy” is the song in heaven and now (Rev 5:12).

The gospel is hopeful, not slavishly fearful.  Don’t be afraid.  Believe the debt is paid and you’re on mercy now, obeying, repenting continually, and being freshly reminded that He is great.  He forgives, He is in control of your future, and the hand of God is the best hand for tomorrow.

“I Will Not Remember Your Sins” (Is 43:25)

"I, even I, am he that blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember your sins".

The bible is a story of redemption, not only from sin before we know Christ but also from sin when we have sinned against the Christ that we’ve known, so that Israel, after deliverance from Egypt, was given to Babylonian captivity for dishonoring God. Many fell in this time and proved to be false believers, departing from Christ the Lord. Yet, those who bear the chastisement and trust the right ways of God, these are redeemed from double sin - not only from pre-Christian but also post-Christian sins. In this, we have the picture for you and me: we have done WICKEDLY and God’s hurt us for it, but now, we see to return to Him because He remembers it no more - “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed you“ (Is 44:22). It was to BRING us to Christ that this all happened, and having come to the Beloved, we need not fear Him holding our past against us.

If this is so, then why walk around in gloom because of past sin? You hate yourself for sure, but rejoice in Christ more so. Don’t let the past stop you and me from believing God’s mercies are here in full (Ezek 36:31-38). Let the past make you lean on and GLORIFY Christ instead of yourself, but TAKE the mercies He gives.

Hymn - Mercy is Welcome News Indeed (J. Hart)

Mercy is welcome news indeed
To those that guilty stand;
Wretches, that feel what help they need,
Will bless the helping hand.

We all have sinned against our God,
Exception none can boast;
But he that feels the heaviest load
Will prize forgiveness most.

No reck’ning can we rightly keep,
For who the sums can know?
Some souls are fifty pieces deep,
And some five hundred owe.

But let our debts be what they may,
However great or small,
As soon as we have naught to pay,
Our Lord forgives us all.

'Tis perfect poverty alone
That sets the soul at large;
While we can call one mite our own,
We have no full discharge.

Joseph Hart – 1759

Dwelt in Haran (Acts 7:4)

“Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Haran: and from there, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein you now dwell”.

Even Abraham, blessed as he was, moved slowly in the path of faith at first. He did not quit Mesopotamia to dwell in Canaan all at once. Before this he dwelt at Haran. He got out of his land, but not so quickly "out of his kindred," so that there was a remarkable delay in coming into the land which God was to show him... Terah, as long as he lived, was a dead weight on Abraham’s obedience. We are told, "Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan" (Gen 11.31). But the land in these circumstances, they never reached. God told Abraham to quit his kindred as well as his country; and till this was done, he failed to reach Canaan. It would have scarcely been proper for Abram as the son to take Terah his father. So "Terah took Abram..." This however, was not at all according to the call of God to Abram. Hence we read, "they came unto Haran, and dwelt there." But when Terah died, "Abram departed as the Lord had spoken unto him" (Gen 12.4). Then the language is pointedly different:- "And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan, and into the land of Canaan they came" (Gen 12.5). There was no failure now that his faith was not hampered by the encumbrance of nature which almost necessarily took the upper hand; therefore the movement had lacked the power of God to give it effect. That gone, the blessing immediately followed.

William Kelley

Mercy is Welcome News Indeed (Hymn by J. Hart)

Mercy is welcome news indeed

To those that guilty stand;

Wretches, that feel what help they need,

Will bless the helping hand.



We all have sinned against our God,

Exception none can boast;

But he that feels the heaviest load

Will prize forgiveness most.



No reckoning can we rightly keep,

For who the sums can know?

Some souls are fifty pieces deep,

And some five hundred owe.



But let our debts be what they may,

However great or small,

As soon as we have naught to pay,

Our Lord forgives us all.



'Tis perfect poverty alone

That sets the soul at large;

While we can call one mite our own,

We have no full discharge.

Joseph Hart – 1759

In Wrath Remember Mercy (Hab 3:2)

“O Lord, I have heard your speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.”

In wrath, God remembers mercy. This fact is unalterable. God always remembers mercy amidst His wrath. Though the world be damned, God IS always saving the elect. Though He chasten, He is always bringing our salvation to pass by the enemies He afflicts us with. Ethiopia and Seba are ransoms for us, and so are all the wicked. They exist so we can live. He sends wrath to destroy sinners, and yet He sends mercy to save sinners as well – “Rejoice, O you nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people” (Deut 32:43).

He has an elect for His mercy, and He has people APPOINTED to destruction, because His character demands both – “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness: otherwise you also shall be cut off” (Rom 11:22). It doesn’t matter who we are; if we leave God’s Son, we’ll perish in our ungodliness, because we’re important only as we’re in Christ, and to leave Him… if we die in sin… evidences we were appointed to wrath (I Pet 2:8). He is holy and forgiving, loving and just. He is good and severe, and if we want His goodness, then we will believe in His goodness, though wrath is deserved.

God sent the Chaldeans to afflict Israel, and then God sent destruction upon the afflicter (Hab 1). God will use the boss to afflict the child of God’s behavior, and then He’ll destroy the boss for his lack of love and kindness – “For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior: I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for you” (Is 43:3). The second cause is punished, but the elect is spared. You are precious, so He uses all things for your good, chastening you sore, and destroying the means of chastisement. In either way, both ATTRIBUTES of God – goodness and severity – are revealed.

When chastened and tasting wrath, remember His mercy, because He does – “You will perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which you have sworn unto our father from the days of old” (Micah 7:20). If you will have mercy then believe His mercy. He is merciful indeed.

You and I may hurt now, but just as He punishes, He will heal… just as He HURTS, He will also save. He doesn’t keep anger forever – (Micah 7:18) “Who is a God like unto you, that pardons iniquity, and passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retains not his anger forever, because he delights in mercy”.

God's Work and They Shall Flourish (Ps 92)

Your Work (Ps 92:4)

“For you, Lord, have made me glad through your work: I will triumph in the works of your hands.”

God’s work, and not ours, is what rejoices us. God’s work, the redemption that is in Christ Jesus and all that He does for Christ’s sake in our salvation, is the work whereby we’re saved.

Even the works in us are God’s works. He works in us to do His will by the Holy Spirit, for Christ’s sake. He produces good results by the gospel, for the word doesn’t return void but accomplishes the purpose He intended – (Is 54:12) “For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the tress of the field shall clap their hands.” Yet, God’s work doesn’t stop when we leave this planet. He shall rejoice us in His works forever.

Look to God to work in you for Christ’s sake. Don’t look to what you and I can do to help ourselves. Look to all of what He does because of His Son, and BELIEVE this shall be done for you. It will.



Fruit in Old Age (Ps 92:14)

“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon… they shall still bring froth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.” (vs12, 14)

Perseverance is God’s work and promise to us. We will not leave Christ, because God has promised we will not. So, putting our trust in God’s salvation, we rest.

I may feel anxiety and temptation, but God has said that it won’t swallow me up. I know that God’s word is true, and by the word and the Spirit, I have confidence that the simplest and most frail believer (as all of us are) will maintain themselves in Christ by grace – “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 1:24-25).

If it is up to you, me, or Satan, then we shall fail. If we have to hold on ourselves, then we don’t trust Christ.

Job is an example of God’s patient gentleness. Job regretted being born, longed for death, and questioned God. Yet, in the end, he is the means of his friends’ salvation, sees God’s love, and hears from God. God says, “Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that you have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job”, even as Christ is why we’re saved, Job was the means to bring these men to Christ by God.

Job shall not let go of Christ, though he sins, because Christ will not let go of him. Christ won’t destroy the life that He gave Job, but He revives and quickens it, no matter what.

If you and I are unsure about God’s work, then we are not looking to God Himself - (Ps 92:4) “For you, Lord, have made glad through your work: I will triumph in the works of your hands”. We are looking at the obstacles and saying, “no way”, rather than to the Almighty and saying, “Thank you, for my salvation” (Rev 1:8). Believe the gospel in its glory, and the fruit of its glory guides and fills you.