Merciful Kindness

O. T. #2076  "Merciful Kindness"

Nov. 30, 2021

Joel 1-Part 4

LET IT GLOW

Psalm 117:1-2 says, O praise the LORD, all ye nations, praise Him, all ye people. For His merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

This is the shortest of the psalms by an unknown writer. He is inviting people everywhere to turn to the Lord and join believers in praising Him.

Wiersbe gives us 4 privileges that belong to God's people:

1. Worshipping God-The first praise means hallelujah-praise the Lord; the second praise means to boast, to extol and laud. It refers to us tell God how great He is, and we brag on Him to others.
2. Sharing the Gospel-To the nations (Gentiles) and peoples (nationalities in the world). Israel failed at bringing blessings to all the earth and giving true knowledge of God, Scriptures, and Savior.
3. Depending on God's great love-We are saved by grace, not by our good works. (Eph. 2:8-9) While we deserved death and darkness, God showed His merciful lovingkindness through Jesus Christ.
4. Resting on Divine assurance-Truth or faithfulness refers to stability, certainty, trustworthiness, faithful, sure. The character of God cannot change and His promises will not change. Our assurance is in the Word of God and the God of the Word. 

*I am sorry this has taken so long to post. My electricity went off and I was not able to get back on this site. Thank the Lord it was not erased. 

 

LET IT GROW

Look at verses 13-15 of the first chapter of Joel. The Word of the Lord through the prophet Joel is addressing the priests in Israel. No one was able to bring proper sacrifices to the temple because there were no meal, wine, or animals available. The people and the Temple were in need. Nice there was such devastation, the only thing man could do was to repent and mourn.

The priests and ministers were to:

• exhort themselves with sackcloth as a sign of mourning, even those attending the altar at night;
• Lament means to bewail (weep, mourn);
• Sanctify means keep holy, purify to a fast;
• Gather the elders and inhabitants of the land into the Lord's house;
• Cry refers to assemble, call (together), cause to be proclaimed unto the Lord.

Those are the instructions during the devastation of the locust plague, before the armies of world's empires attacked.

The main things was for the people to repent of their sinful idolatry and turn back to God.

Will we sanctify, lament, and cry before the Lord our God? His mercy endureth forever.

 

LET IT GO

Jesus, the lives of Patty and R. E. are in your hands, as well as us.

Your mercy has no end. Great is Your faithfulness.

Please show mercy unto them as they deal with cancer that wants to destroy their life.

We realize we are but sinners in need of a Savior today. You alone are our hope, Jesus. We give thanks unto the Lord, for Your mercy endureth to all generations.

In Your hands we leave our sister and brother in Christ.

Show Yourself mighty in each situation, according to Your will.

To You be the glory for ever and ever. Amen