#10 UNDERSTANDING LOVE: MERCY BRINGS TOGETHERNESS.
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Illustration: I have two ice cubes frozen together, I have two pads of butter melted together.
LOVE UNDERSTANDS THATTHE CONTINUATION OF LOVE HINGES ON MERCY...
Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.
Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
There are two ways of being UNITED :
1. FROZEN TOGETHER...
2. MELTED TOGETHER...
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you,
that ye also love one another.
LOVE MUST UNDERSTAND MERCY'S PLACE IN OUR DAILY LIFE.
THERE IS A HEAVENLY PLACE
WHERE DID GOD VISIT WITH MAN ON EARTH? THE MERCY SEAT...
The covering of the ARK OF THE COVENANT was a lid made of pure gold...
This covering was known AS THE MERCY SEAT which COMPARES TO
GOD'S THRONE OF GRACE... HEAVENLY PLACES
Hebrews 9:5 (KJV) And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we
cannot now speak particularly.
Ephesians 2:6 (KJV) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus:
THE HOLY OF HOLIES IS CALLED THE PLACE OF THE MERCY SEAT!
LEARN A LESSON FROM A MINOR PROPHET WITH A MAJOR LESSON...
Micah lived under the shadow of Isaiah the Major Prophet...
Micah taught us that understand love is not JUST FOR THE STARS...
Micah 6:8 (KJV) He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of
thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Micah 6:8 (MSG) But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in
men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and
loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.
GOD HAS SEVERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE THAT REALLY UNDERSTAND LOVE...
1. BE FAIR.
2. BE COMPASSIONATE.
3. HAVE MERCY.
4. BE LOYAL.
MERCY IS THE BRIDGE THAT WE MUST ALL CROSS OVER OR WE WILL FALL
INTO THE RIVER.
Matthew 5:7 (KJV) Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Matthew 5:7 (MSG) "You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'carefull,' you find
yourselves cared for.
Matthew 5:7 (NLT) God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
MERCY:
To give relief to someone suffering.
A kind or forgiving treatment of someone who could have been treated harshly.
Not cruel, forgiving. Giving to people who are in a very bad or desperate situation.
Compassion and forbearance especially to an offender that is guilty.
A blessing of Divine favor.
Compassionate treatment.
IF WE PRAY FOR MERCY, LOVE UNDERSTANDS WE MUST GIVE MERCY.
HATRED CAN NEVER CORRECT HATRED...
LOVE UNDERSTANDS THAT MERCY FOLLOWS MERCY... ATTITUDE
PSALMS 51 IS THE GREATEST CHAPTER IN THE BIBLE ON THE MERCY OF
FORGIVENESS AND REPENTANCE.
David's psalm here calls our attention that GOD DOES NOT SEEK PERFECT PEOPLE BUT
PEOPLE AFTER GOD'S HEART, MERCIFUL ATTIITUDES.
After DAVID was confronted by Nathan about the his affair with Bathsheba.
David learns a real lesson of Generous in love—God, give grace!
Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record.
Psalm 51:1 (KJV) Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto
the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
GOD HAS MERCY ON MISERABLE FAILURES.
WE SEEK AFTER MERCY --- IN JESUS CHRIST MERCY AND TRUTH MEET TOGETHER
TO BUILD GRACE.
Psalm 23:6 (KJV) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will
dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
One of many great attributes of a HOLY GOD is HE IS MERCIFUL.
God gives mercy to those that GIVE MERCY...
Seems we are all made of the same dust. We all need mercy.
Mercy can shine greater than JUSTICE.
OUR ENEMY IS VERY DISAPPOINTED WHEN HE SEE MERCY GIVEN.
MERCY IS A GIFT, IT CAN BE GIVEN EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT DESERVED.
THE BATTLES OF LIFE ARE LOST OR WON IN OUR ATTITUDES.
LOVE UNDERSTANDS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KEEP A MERCIFUL ATTITUDE.
LOVE UNDERSTANDS THE VALUE OF MERCY:
Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous,
and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a
publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other
men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes
of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto
heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went
down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased;
and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
I read about a man and his family that was traveling late one night. The man wanted to get
home and was not paying much attention to his speed. Suddenly the dreaded BLUE LIGHTS
appeared in his mirrors. The man tried to think of some excuse as to his speed when the
officers came up to his window. As the officer shined his flashlight in the man's face he looked
at him. The officer then placed the light on the passenger. It was the man's wife, she was 7 months
pregnant. Then the officer saw the baby in the car seat. Then he looked in the back seat and
noticed 3 sleeping kids. The officer then looked in the back of the station wagon and saw there
were 2 dogs wagging their tails.
Then the officer returned the light to the man driving the station wagon.
Sir, I see you can not afford a speeding ticket. You better slow down with that precious cargo.
The policeman quietly turned and walked away, got in his car and drove away.
IT IS WONDERFUL WHEN MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER LAW.
WE FIND GREAT COMFORT IN THE GRACE AND MERCY THAT JESUS GIVES.
TO BE HONEST TO UNDERSTAND LOVE WE MUST REALIZE MERCY, GRACE AND LOVE
MUST BE RENEWED ON A REGULAR BASIS.
EVERY THING WE KNOW ON EARTH NEEDS TO BE RENEWED FROM TIME TO TIME.
Time has a new day, a new week and a new year.
LET US MAKE A FRESH START...
Even the flowers and trees know the gift of renewal.
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with
wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
WE CAN NOT SUSTAIN GOD'S PLAN WITHOUT REVIVAL AND RENEWAL...
Without renewal we come to the HARD ROCK of Satanic attacks...
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Ephesians 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
CONCLUSION: THE MERCY OF LOVE UNDERSTANDS WE MUST STAY AGREEABLE EVEN
WHEN WE DISAGREE...
Matthew 5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time
the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into
prison.
Mercy knows: Let us find common ground.
Can we disagree without becoming disagreeable?
MERCY--- BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL ---JESUS SAYS: GIVE MY LOVE TO OTHERS...
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
