All Entries Tagged With: "mercy"

1 Peter 3:8-9

Here on God’s Daytimer we are continuing to look at 1 Peter and contemplate the challenge that Peter sets before us to live good lives. Here is the verse for today:

1 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV)
8Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

In today’s verse Peter is exhorting us to live in harmony with one another. He then proceeds to give us a number of ideas to follow through with the idea. He encourages us to be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate, be humble, and to extend mercy. We will look at these ideas in the next few devotionals. Today let’s consider what it means to be sympathetic.

I beleive that all of us have a deep desire to be understood. When we take time to try and understand another person, we are being sympathetic. We don’t have to agree with them, we just need to try and understand where they are coming from. I think the best way to do that is to be a good listener. We need to listen without thinking about what we will say when it is our turn. James called it being quick to listen:

James 1:19 (NIV)
19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

If we are quick to listen, and slow to speak, we will be slow to become angry and we will be much more sympathetic to what others are feeling. Think about how you might be a better listener today and show someone that you care about what they are going through. As you do, you will be blessed!

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Remembering the People of Haiti

Today on God’s Daytimer I would encourage all of you to pray for the people in Haiti and to seek God for anything else that He might have you do. Today’s verse is about this very thing:

Galatians 2:10
All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

You should go and read the verse in context. Paul is explaining how he had been given the task of preaching to the gentiles and had been given the right hand of fellowship from James, Peter, and John. What I think we need to see in the verse that Paul was eager to help and remember the poor. I am sure that most of you are feeling the same way as you have the seen pictures of devastation that have come out of Haiti. As I have been praying I have also been looking for ways to help. I am suggesting a few ways that I feel comfortable with after quite a few phone calls to different agencies, etc. Perhaps you might consider one of the following:

Consider making a donation to one of the following agencies:

World Vision www.worldvision.org

Mission of Hope Haiti www.missionofhopehaiti.org

Or you give to the Red Cross by texting Haiti to the number 90999 from your cell phone.

In the future there will some opportunities for hands on ministry through Vineyard Mercy Response who plan on taking teams down once the initial crisis is under control to help rebuild churches and then to help those churches rebuild homes. Please continue to pray for God’s peace and comfort, power and mercy to touch the people of Haiti.

Psalm 136:1-3

Welcome to Online Bible Studies

Today’s Bible verse is
Psalms 136:1-3 (NIV)
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.

Let’s read the verse in context:
Psalms 136:1-26 (NIV)
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. 4 to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever. 5 who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever. 6 who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever. 7 who made the great lights– His love endures forever. 8 the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever. 9 the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever. 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt His love endures forever. 11 and brought Israel out from among them His love endures forever. 12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever. 13 to him who divided the Red Sea asunder His love endures forever. 14 and brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever. 15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; His love endures forever. 16 to him who led his people through the desert, His love endures forever. 17 who struck down great kings, His love endures forever. 18 and killed mighty kings– His love endures forever. 19 Sihon king of the Amorites His love endures forever. 20 and Og king of Bashan– His love endures forever. 21 and gave their land as an inheritance, His love endures forever. 22 an inheritance to his servant Israel; His love endures forever. 23 to the One who remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever. 24 and freed us from our enemies, His love endures forever. 25 and who gives food to every creature. His love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.

Today’s Quiet Time with God

When you read today’s verses, do you think the Psalmist is trying to make a point? We are encouraged to be thankful as we are reminded verse after verse of the love of God. In the King James version the verses are translated “His mercy endureth forever”. The word that is being translated is the Hebrew word “ḥesed”. It could actually be translated “His loving-kindness endures forever”. I really like the sound of that. The amazing, unconditional loving-kindness of God endures forever. We should give thanks to God because His loving-kindness endures forever! Remember to thank God because His loving-kindness endures forever! Take some time today to thank God, for His loving-kindness endures forever! You get the idea. Be blessed!

Check out Fifteen Minutes With God

Check out our latest feature on God’s Daytimer, Fifteen Minutes With God. This is an opportunity for you to spend fifteen minutes with God by following the Lord’s Prayer as a model. Click here to go to the Fifteen Minutes With God page. This will help you to develop a consistent daily prayer time.

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As you end your quiet time don’t forget to check out what’s happening in the world. Click here to go to the Christian World News stories page. This will help you to direct your prayers more effectively.

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Check out Internet Pastor Online

Internet Pastor Online is an interesting site where you can find answers to questions about the Bible and some advice for Christian living.

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Church Growth Consulting is a site for Pastors and Ministry Leaders about ways to advance the Kingdom of God and help to grow the Church.

Check out My Newbie Blog

If you would like to learn how to create a blog of your own then this would be a good site for you.