Saturday, Mar 01, 2008

March 1 2008

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March 1 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Ezekiel 5; Daniel 12; James 5

Today is March 1 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 covenant to seek the LORD God with all our heart and with all our soul. If you seek Him, He will be found by you so be strong

Today is Saturday. Today I am headed to Men’s breakfast and then our spring cleaning workday at church. Yesterday was crunch time, as I worked on Sunday’s message called “conquering lust.” It is a 7 deadly sins message dealing with the whole spectrum of sexual sin – pornography, pre-marital sex, adultery and homosexuality. It doesn’t sound like something you can cover in one message, but we’re going to give it a whirl. In the morning Sonja and I did music practice. Later in the day, Ken and Evie stopped in to stock sheet rock in Carl’s classroom. They are going to sheet rock his ceiling. Jayn was there working ever so hard on yard maintenance. Thanks Jayn! After work, I dutifully took Susan shopping. It was more painful than a trip to the dentist. I had no idea that it could be that dreadful. Glad Susan likes it!

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.

We serve a merciful God. I’m thankful for that. It’s one thing for us to show some trivial acts of mercy to those who hurt us (when they say unkind things, or deserve to be sued or something even more dreadful like rape), but God’s mercy is much deeper and much more profound. Others may own us an apology, or may need to fix our property, or perhaps even owe us hundreds or thousands of dollars, or worse, something so bad that no amount of pay back, nor no repetitions of “I’m sorry” can fix. But those things dim when compared to the fact that we owe an eternal debt to God we can not pay. We deserve an eternity in Hell, the worst tourist trap ever. Those who go never come back. Make sure you bring lots of sun block! Mercy means that God offers us an eternal gift! He doesn’t give us the Hell we deserve! Instead he gives us Grace! Grace means that He gives us what we don’t deserve! We don’t deserve Heaven, yet that is the offer. This is no tourist spot; it is the permanent residence of all who willingly give their lives to Jesus Christ. Mercy says, “Welcome home!” Best real estate in all creation!

Dear Jesus, thank you for your death on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. I know that my sins are so very ghastly that I have offended you, an absolutely holy and perfect God. I know that nothing I do can remedy my hopeless situation. I deserve Hell. But you in your mercy provided the remedy. I want Mercy. Mercy will never let me God. Thank you for not giving me what I deserve. Instead, I am so blessed to receive what I don’t deserve; hope, abundant life and a home in heaven! Thank God!

Mercy said no
I'm not gonna let you go
I'm not gonna let you slip away
You don't have to be afraid
Mercy said no
sin will never take control
Life and death stood face to face
Darkness tried to steal my heart away
Thank You Jesus, Mercy said no

Greg Long

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