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This Week’s Devotional Topic
GRACE AND MERCY
Grace: acronym – God’s Riches At Christ’ Expense
“Mercy” is when God does not give us what we deserve, eternal punishment. “Grace” is when He gives us, blesses us with what we don’t deserve, salvation, eternal life.
Now, let’s look into God’s word, first at the concept of “mercy”.
Gen 39:20,21 And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
I Chronicles 16:34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good; for His mercy (faithful love) endures forever.
Here’s a familiar part of scripture, the twenty-third Psalm.
Psalms 23:6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
In the words of Christ:
Matthew 23:23 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”
Titus 3:4,5 But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 4:16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Now that we’ve heard about mercy, let’s focus on God’s grace.
Ephesians 2:4-10 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Genesis 6:7,8 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
The Apostle Paul speaking to the believers in Corinth
II Corinthians 12:7-9 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Romans 3:23,24 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
John 1:14-17 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
II Timothy 1:7-9 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.
We can never thank God enough for showing us mercy and for blessing us with His grace.
This week’s Scripture:
Genesis 6:7,8; 39:20,21; I Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 23:6; Matthew 23:23; Titus 3:4,5; Romans 9:13-16; Hebrews 4:16; Ephesians 2:4-10; II Corinthians 12:7-9; Romans 3:23,24; John 1:14-17 and II Timothy 1:7-9
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