Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart – 1/10/2018

Daily Scripture

 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. ~ Matthew 5:7

Study

Obtain – get, acquire, or secure (something).

Obtain, was adopted into English in the 15th century, coming to us via Anglo-French from the Latin obtinēre, meaning “to take hold of.” “Obtinēre” was formed by the combination of ob, meaning “in the way,” and the verb tenēre, meaning “to hold.”

Mercy – Compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.  lenient or compassionate treatment; a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion.

—–

To be merciful is to show forgiveness and compassion to those in need. Jesus frequently spoke of this trait. In the Lord’s Prayer, He says “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) In Matthew 9:13 Jesus instructs the Pharisees, “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Jesus often showed mercy to those He came across.  Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 4:1 that his ministry was given to him by God’s mercy. (Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not). He also saw his salvation as an act of God’s mercy: Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. Our salvation is called an act of God’s mercy in Titus 3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. And as Peter said in 1 Peter 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

We too, as God’s children, have received and should reflect His mercy to those that cross our paths. When we are merciful, we look like Jesus and are blessed.

—–

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? – Micah 6:8

He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour. – Proverbs 21:21

It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new very morning: great is thy faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:22-23

Meditation

Before I was saved, I could not understand the meanings of grace and mercy, no matter how many times it was explained. Finally, after I was filled with the Spirit, the Holy Ghost taught me and finally…I got it!

• Grace = Receiving something that you DON’T deserve.
• Mercy = NOT receiving something that you DO deserve. (punishment, condemnation, etc.)
• God’s mercy is shown by His withholding of my just punishment.
• As a child of God, I should be a reflection of Him, giving others the same mercy He extends daily to me.

Prayer

Father, I thank You today for Your Word which feeds me, encourages me, and corrects me. I thank You for your mercies and that they are new every morning. I thank You that Your compassions do not fail. EVER. Lord, I come to you today in need of help here. My heart and mind are troubled, and I know that is not You will. So I need to let my heart focus on good things when I am at rest, and I need my mind to line up with Your Word.  It is not easy.  My world and people around me sometimes give great reason to be frustrated, but I know that is a response to my flesh.  I want Your heart for people and the issues they bring.  I want Your heart that loves and loves mercy. I want to follow after it and release mercy and blessing to people in every situation.  Strengthen my heart today to be merciful in not only my deeds and my words but also in my heart and mind when I am at rest. Thank you, Father, that I have no doubt it is done, and I only need surrender because I know it is Your will that I am merciful and that Your mercy is my first and natural reaction. Help me to surrender…In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.