Friday, Feb 29, 2008

February 29 2008

Download this episode (18 min)   
February 29 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Ezekiel 4; Daniel 11: 25-45; James 4

Today is February 29 this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. TWG is a complete turn of events, it is a 180 degree turn around. God is changing us and turning us around as a community. This is not business as usual, this is transforming, this is spiritual, this is essential.

Yesterday was a busy day. I worked on the discovery class. Got that done. Prepared the bulletin. Finished that. Vivian stopped in to talk about how God is working in her life. She said that she and Mikey were
driving down the road, talking about some needs they have and she said, I guess we'll just have to wait on the Lord to provide and Mikey responded "No we're don’t need wait on the God, We don’t need to wait on God, He's waiting on us to do the right thing! Out of the mouths of babes. Ken came in, and so did Evie and we talked for a wile about ministry stuff. The ladies came for Bible Study. John and Colleen are back in the states from Panama. I spoke to him as he was driving back from Portland. I made a CD for Evie for Easter. I went to work on Sunday’s message called “conquering lust,” a message from the 7 deadly sins series. And I sent out a number of emails reminding people of our sat work day. Then after work, I worked out with Kyle & Marcia, and after dinner, I went out visiting with Carl. We had a great visit with Kenny & Phyllis.

This week’s theme verse. Matthew 5:5-8 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the merciful. Mercy is similar to kindness, but there are some differences. Kindness means that I have a tender disposition to help people in need. Mercy is a little bit deeper. Mercy means that there will be times when someone does something to you which is deserving of a harsh response (like a sharp retort, a financial penalty or a lawsuit). But instead of giving the person what they deserve (justice) you respond not only in kindness, but you add mercy… you don’t give them what they deserve! You let them off the hook! Instead of a sharp retort, you kindly forgive. Instead of slapping them with a fee, you tell them that this is their lucky day! Instead of suing them you tell them that you have decided to drop the charges… because you feel merciful today. Maybe you don’t know this rule, but there is an unspoken human rule that goes like this: If I yell at you, you will yell at me (most of the time). If I say kind things to you, you will say kind things to me (most of the time). It’s an interesting thing. It’s reflexive. It works. Try an experiment. Try expressing kindness and mercy to some person and see what happens. If you show mercy, chances are they will be kind and merciful right back at you.

Dear Father of mercies and God of all kindness, I pray that I would act more and more like you. I want to lean to be a kind and merciful person, especially under pressure and especially when people try my patience. Help me to respond to them like I would want to be treated. I know sometimes I would like to lash out. Remind me that our anger never really solves any problems, it just creates more of them. Thank you for the mercy you showed me on the cross. When I owed an eternal debt I could not pay, you died for me, paid my penalty and gave me the gift of eternal life! What Mercy! Bless me with that kind of response to others.

Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 9:59 AM |  MAKE A COMMENT  

<< Home