Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7)< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
It is possible to have lived all your years in sin, iniquities and wickedness and just at the last minute, before departing the face of earth; there is an answer to the call of salvation. Can you remember one of the criminals that received salvation on the cross? God is merciful. It is possible but it is not encouraging to purposely wait and take time to live in sin and iniquity thinking you are in control of time. Besides the Lord God, no one has ever been in control and no one will ever be in control. He alone is the controller. The Apostle Paul knew exactly about the beginning, the course and the end of the race before giving the advice, ÒTherefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.Ó (1Corinthians 10:12). God is a God of mercy and He does not want anyone to perish. God does not and will not run out of mercy, except that man has always been running out of His mercy. God is merciful to all His children and He demands from His children to be merciful. Do you as a believer have mercy? It does not matter the level and the time of service and sacrifice that you are putting forth in the business of the kingdom; if you are not being merciful you are running a risk of sacrifice that is not acceptable. It is written in Hosea 6:6, ÒFor I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offeringsÓ Also it was repeated by Jesus in Matthew 5:7, ÒBlessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.Ó What then can we say as regard to being merciful in order for us to be in position of receiving His mercy? In Luke 6:27Ð35, Jesus clearly spelled it out for believers all that it takes for man to be positioned in the place of receiving the mercy of God. It was referred to as the rules of the Kingdom: Loving our enemies and being good to those that hate us; blessing and praying for those that curse us and are spitefully using us; stepping out of a revengeful spirit; giving and not expecting to get back from those that are receiving from us even when they are supposed to; loving those that have taken a stand of enmity against us is also required of every believer. Jesus concluded in Luke 6:36, ÒTherefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.Ó Without any doubt, love should take a place in the life of a believer as a guiding spirit for a ChristianÕs life. Being merciful should be a way of taking a stand against evil. However, with genuine love there should also be a resistance of evil by challenging the wrongs directed against other people. God alone is merciful and that is why He says to Moses, Ó I will have mercy, on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.Ó (Romans 9:15) All the power, glory, honor, praise, and worship belong unto God alone. In the mercy of God there is favor and grace that constantly locate any man that He chooses to give it to. In the story of JosephÕs life, it was demonstrated how he moved from dream into dread before becoming a deliverer of his people. In the same story of Joseph, it was clearly stated more than once how the mercy of God injected favor. It was recorded in Genesis 39:21, ÒBut the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.Ó Joseph was living in line of the kingdom rules. He knew to flee evil as a result; the mercy of God that inhabits favor located Joseph. As the merciful favor of God was discharged unto Joseph so it was discharged unto Lot. Lot struggled and attempted not to leave Sodom and Gomorrah behind in following the angelÕs prescription of salvation. Lot later testified in Genesis 19:19, ÒIndeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die.Ó Mercy of God inhabits His favor and grace. Noah, in the goodness and mercy of God, found grace when it was declared in Genesis 6:8, ÒBut Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.Ó Ask God that whatever drives man to leave out of His infinite mercy will not locate you all the days of your life. GodÕs mercy is the vehicle that transports grace and favor. The Lord will have mercy. God does not and will not punish us according to our iniquities (Psalm 103:10) We punish ourselves when we do not polish or furnish ourselves with the living word of God. He alone is exceedingly, abundantly merciful. Position yourself into receiving His mercy.
The will of God is to fear Him. The fear of God is to love all and loving all is obedience to God.
ÒFor you have magnified your word above all your name.Ó (Psalm 138:2b)
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