Mercy - Day 7

Mark 5:1-19

¹They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. ²When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. ³This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. ⁴For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. ⁵Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

⁶When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. ⁷He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" ⁸For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"

⁹Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"

"My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." ¹⁰And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

¹¹A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. ¹²The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." ¹³He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

¹⁴Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. ¹⁵When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. ¹⁶Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. ¹⁷Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

¹⁸As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.¹⁹Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." ²⁰So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

· How am I sharing with others about the mercy God has had on me?

· How am I seeing God’s mercy today?

Mercy - Day 6

Matthew 18:21-35

²¹Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"

²²Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

²³"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. ²⁵Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

²⁶"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' ²⁷The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

²⁸"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.

²⁹"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'

³⁰"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

³²"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' ³⁴In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

³⁵"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

· Do I show mercy to others, the way God has shown mercy to me?

· Who do I need to forgive?

· How am I seeing God’s mercy today?

Mercy - Day 5

Ephesians 2:1-10

¹As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ²in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. ⁴But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Titus 3:1-7

¹Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, ²to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.

³At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. ⁴But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, ⁵he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

· How do I view others who have not yet embraced God’s mercy in their lives?

· What was my life like before I embraced God’s mercy?

· How am I seeing God’s mercy in my life today?

Mercy - Day 4

James 2:1-13

¹My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. ²Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. ³If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," ⁴have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

⁵Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? ⁶But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? ⁷Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

⁸If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.⁹But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹For he who said, "Do not commit adultery,” also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

¹²Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, ¹³because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

· How do I need to respond to God’s Word in this passage?

· How am I seeing God’s mercy in my life today?

Mercy - Day 3

1 Peter 1: 3-9

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

· Do I still see God’s mercy in the middle of trials?

· How am I seeing God’s mercy today?

Mercy - Day 2

Exodus 33:19

¹⁹ And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Romans 9:14-18

¹⁴What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! ¹⁵For he says to Moses,
"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." ¹⁶It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. ¹⁷For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." ¹⁸Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

· What have I done to earn God’s mercy?

· What makes me more worthy of God’s mercy than someone else?

· Why does God show mercy on us?

Mercy - Day 1

So how did you like the format last week? How could it be better? Even little things like the way the printable is laid out....let me know. I'd love to hear from you.

I have a new little something we're going to try. One of the reasons that we're doing this new format is to help moms with different time allotments for their "quiet time." Those that download and print are probably hoping for a few minutes to journal their answers. While others are just happy to have a second to read the verses online and think through the questions as they change a diaper. So I'm going to start marking the time allotments expected with an hourglass rating system. We'll do this in a couple of ways....by putting an image on the post, that indicates between 1 and 4 hourglasses. Most of the time, the daily posts will be a one hourglass. The printed daily sections are more like two...and the Sunday post is probably closer to three.

So, we'll use an image in the posts here, and in the printout. Also, you can find posts by time allotment by looking for that category. You can do that by going to the "categories and archives" at the top:

and then choosing the time allotment from the list:

Ready to talk about God's mercy?

Here is the download if you'd like: Download Mercy

As I sit and write this on a Saturday morning, I’m begging God for mercy in the life of my cousin, David – one of my favorite people. He is currently a grad student at Duke University, to be a physical therapist. But this weekend, while home in Arizona, he had a terrible swimming accident, had to be revived, and is now in the hospital with a broken neck.

I’ve been thinking about God’s mercy all this week and marveling at God’s character. I know that God is having mercy on David. Sometimes we don’t see God’s mercy because it isn’t coming out in the way that we think is best. But God loves David more than anyone and know what David needs in his life.

We’ve been talking a lot about mercy around my house this week. Most of it has stemmed from conversations, grumblings, and fights among my boys. As they are wanting to make fun of someone for whatever they think is “wrong” with them, we’ve been talking about how it is only by God’s mercy that they don’t have the same problem.

We’ve discussed how each of those precious people they want to mock have a story. They’ve had turmoil in their family, less than ideal living conditions, physical issues that cause social issues. There is always a reason – and really nothing to make fun of.

One of our biggest learning experiences this week has been going to the apartment complexes where my husband and I are going to start a small group this fall. We went to pass out flyers for our upcoming church community day and just try to meet some people. Before the night was over, one of my boys had been “beat up” by another kid for crossing a line he didn’t know existed. Another one of my boys was then cussed out by another kid for standing up for his brother.

My kids left that night, determined they were never going back to “that place” again – which will be a little tricky if it is where their parents have been called to minister. There was a lot of talk on the way home about “that place” and “those people” that live there, etc.

I was challenged right then as a parent. I need to have mercy on my kids, who have just been through an ordeal. But I also need to explain to them the mercy that Christ has had on us.

· “Those people” in “that place” simply need Jesus. Sometimes we don’t realize how much of a difference Jesus has made in our lives, until we are again brought face to face with those who don’t have Him.

· “Those people” in “that place” are there because life has been really hard on them, and the only reason we aren’t right there too is because of God’s mercy.

I’m praying this passage for my family right now:

Romans 1:1-9a

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. ²Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. ³For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." ⁴For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

⁵May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, ⁶so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. ⁸For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs ⁹so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy…”

I want my family to be servants to those who are week and have not yet embraced the mercy of God. It is our hope, that through our mercy, they will see God’s mercy and fall in love with Him.

There is plenty in my life that others could mock or make fun of if they wanted to. My kids are frequently out of control in public. I frequently lose my mascara and look half put together. We’re always broke. I usually having something stuck in my teeth. I’m completely clueless when it comes to any high class social situation. I’m sure I break every rule. I can’t afford the latest fashions, and am not sure I often even know what they are. I refuse to let go of my flip phone. I battle chemical imbalances. We’re definitely middle age and are nowhere close to ever owning a home. I somehow manage to continually lock myself out of the house. I could go on.

There are also other things that others envy:

I’ve been only been married once - for fourteen years and have four children, by the same husband, all post marriage.

I’ve known Jesus since I was a child and have avoided many tragedies of life. I can’t remember not loving him.

I’ve never experienced the tragedies of alcohol or drugs in my own life or in my marriage.

My parents and my in-laws are still married, 38 and 55 years respectively.

You know what I’ve contributed to making these things happen? Nothing! It is by God’s mercy. Yes, I’ve remained committed in my marriage, but it is by God’s mercy that Bill has never left me. It is by God’s mercy that I was pure coming into marriage. It is by God’s mercy that He won my heart at an early age. It is by His mercy that my husband and I haven’t fallen into addictions. It is by God’s mercy that He has held our families together. It is His mercy that makes all things happen – for “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

Do you see that in your life? Do you see that the reason you may have gifts, abilities, mental capacities, health, homes, cars, children, etc., etc., etc. is purely God’s mercy? Or have you fallen into the trap of thinking you’ve built it all on your own? That is could somehow be by your savvy and wisdom that you’ve planned and done things right and achieved things that others less wise and savvy than you have not achieved?

There is a dangerous line between the striving for wise living and feeling it is by our wisdom we have achieved.

If we are smart, it is because of God’s mercy.

If we are healthy, it is because of God’s mercy.

If we are emotionally stable, it is because of God’s mercy.

If we have been spared life-altering tragedies, it is because of God’s mercy.

If we belong to Christ…if we have His peace in our hearts, and His Spirit to guide us, it is because of God’s mercy.

If we own anything worth bragging about, it is because of God’s mercy.

It is all because of Him.

It is simply our choice to acknowledge it or walk around like fools thinking we are the reason for our achievements. It is our choice to acknowledge that anyone around us struggling in any way we aren’t, is in need of mercy – mercy that we are called to extend to others because we belong to God.

1 Timothy 1:12-17

¹²I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. ¹³Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. ¹⁴The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. ¹⁷Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

· How has God shown me mercy?

· Why has God shown me mercy?

· How can I extend that mercy to others?