Love-Mercy-Grace

LOVE, MERCY AND GRACE FOR THE LAST DAYS CHURCH

I would like to show you something I found in my research before I get into today’s message.

Many people believe that the church officially started on the day of Pentecost in the book of Acts. Keeping this in mind take a look at this list of scriptures. These are all of the scriptures with the words “let him hear” in the new testament.

Matthew 11:15 (KJV) 15He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 13:9 (KJV) 9Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 13:43 (KJV) ...Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Mark 4:9 (KJV) …He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Mark 4:23 (NKJV) 23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Luke 8:8 (KJV) …He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Luke 14:35 (KJV) … He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

After the book of Acts

Revelation 2:7 (KJV) 7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;

Revelation 2:11 (KJV) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches

Revelation 2:17 (KJV) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches

Revelation 2:29 (KJV) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches

Revelation 3:6 (KJV) 6He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation 3:13 (KJV) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches

Revelation 3:22 (KJV) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches

After Rev. chapter 4

Revelation 13:9 (KJV) 9If any man have an ear, let him hear.

It seems conspicuous to me that the church is missing before the book of Acts and after Rev. chapter 4.

God has an incredible way of making one paragraph, one sentence, one word, have many meanings. When God writes a letter he does not waste space. The letters to the churches have what some believe is a four fold application. The first is to the 7 churches named. Now remember the #7 represents complete, perfect. The second is to all churches throughout time as a test to discern their own spiritual state as seen by God. The third is personal, written to each of us. We are to search ourselves and see what our spiritual state is.

The fourth is prophetic. Some say that we are shown the 7 phases of the spiritual history of the church from the start of the church until the end of the Great Tribulation. The time line runs roughly like this: Ephesus – 33 A.D. to 100, Smyrna 100 – 313, Pergamos 313 – 590, Thyatira 590 – trib., Sardis 1517 – trib., Philadelphia 1730 – Rapture, and Laodicea 1900 – trib. God’s word is fascinating. If you took any of the churches and rearranged them the pattern would not fit what history has done. Understand that the spiritual state of the churches are present at all times, it is just that some are more prevailing or dominate then others.

Keeping this in mind I want to take a look at the LAST CHURCH.

Laodicea the City: The city of wealth. The city was situated about 40 miles east of Ephesus. It sat on the river Lycus. The city of Laodicea was rich from its wool and eye salve. In 60 or 61 A.D. an earthquake destroyed 3 cities in the area. Laodicea was the only city of the 3 to refuse aid from Rome. There attitude of extreme self efficiency carried over into the church. Laodicea is now a deserted heap of ruins.

Laodicea the Church: At the start of this message I spoke on the idea that the churches represent the church as a whole during certain time frames. As we read over the next few verses you decide if it sounds like some churches of our time.

Revelation 3:14 (KJV) 14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Revelation 3:15 (KJV) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

Jesus wants to make it abundantly clear that nothing is hid. He sees into your deepest thoughts. You may wonder why you slipped but not him.

He knows why and if you really wanted to be honest, deep down inside you know why also.

Revelation 3:16 (KJV) 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

The Laodiceans were neither cold nor hot. If you are cold you know it. You will ether deliberately stay away from God, or turn back knowing you have been wrong. If you are hot for the Lord, you are right where you belong. If you are lukewarm you don’t realize that you are lost and you don’t try to seek repentance. I will vomit you out because I can do nothing with you, and your self sufficient mediocre attitude makes me ill.

Revelation 3:17 (KJV) 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

It is interesting how God rebukes them. They are very proud of themselves, wretched and pitiful. They have so much gold they can tell Rome to buzz off, you are poor. They make an eye salve known throughout the land, you are blind. They have some of the finest wool in all the empire, you are naked.

If I’m not mistaken this is the most scathing rebuke Jesus has given to any of the churches. But there is one more to come that is worse yet.

Revelation 3:18 (KJV) 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich;

Buy from me my gold that is pure. As pure as your love and desire for me should be.

This world and all that is therein will be destroyed,

Revelation 20:11 (NKJV) 11Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. How did it flee – by fire

2 Peter 3:10 (NKJV) 10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. If this is all you’ve stored up then you will be poor for all eternity.

Revelation 3:18b and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;

I spoke just a little bit ago on how the wool that they were so proud of was some of the best in the land. Did I happen to mention that they were known for their rich deep black wool? Jesus tells them to put on white clothes of purity.

Revelation 3:18c and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Open your eyes so that you can see you are heading straight into hell if you do not turn around.

Revelation 3:19 (KJV) 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

3:19 There is a way out of the mess they are in, and Jesus loves them so much that he brought John alive out of boiling oil just so he could sit on a barren rock in his mid 90s and tell them how much they are loved. The way out is to accept the rebuke and repent.

Revelation 3:20 (KJV) 20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

This verse is one of the most widely known for salvation messages. It is Good for this purpose, but in this context it is the most scathing of accusations that Jesus has thrown yet. He is talking to the church. I am outside My church trying to get in. The church no longer allows Him in and he is calling out for any one that hears him.

Revelation 3:21 (KJV) 21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

This is a very powerful promise. Look at what He is saying and believe it. To you that do not give up, to you that finish, I will give you the right to sit with me on my throne. The throne of judgment, the throne of ruler ship.

Revelation 5:10 (KJV) 10And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

1 Corinthians 6:2 (NKJV) 2Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? … Revelation 20:6 (KJV) 6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Revelation 3:22 (KJV) 22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

As was said He does not waste His words. 7 times He told them to hear what the Spirit says unto the churches. If you do not open your heart you will never hear.

Jesus told them they were lukewarm. They called themselves Christ like but he said he was outside their hearts seeking to enter.

His love is greater then we can ever grasp. He is still reaching out for the last days church. He is reaching with his -

LOVE, MERCY, GRACE

LOVE, MERCY & GRACE, They are all so intricately intertwined in the being of God. They are so tightly wrapped together that it is impossible to separate them.

You could say that, “It is because of His Love that He gives us His Mercy & Grace.” OR “It is because of His Mercy & Grace that He has bestowed His love on us.”

LOVE, MERCY, GRACE,

The only three reasons we have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

Romans 5:8 - 9 (NLT) 8But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.

Jesus came and sacrificed himself for all of us that hated him.

Isaiah 53:3 - 5 (NLT) 3 He was despised and rejected by men — a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down… 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be made whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

The true love of God tells us to reach out to those that hurt us, because Jesus reached out to us.

He calls on us to live a life of love, mercy and grace toward all.

Matthew 6:14 - 15 (KJV) 14For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. If you are left unforgiven you can never enter heaven. If you consider yourself a chilled of God, you must forgive, you are left no other choice.

Luke 6:35 (KJV) 35But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Are you ready to be kind to the evil ones that come against you?

Proverbs 24:17 - 18 (NLT) 17 Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble. 18 For the LORD will be displeased with you, …

Do not take this the wrong way. We are to be kind to the person that is being used by the demons. Not to the demons themselves.

The Word of God tells us we were made in His image & that He is wanting us to become like Him.

Genesis 1:27 (KJV) 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

We are called to follow in our elder brother’s footsteps. 1 Peter 2:21 (NKJV) 21For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

God is preparing His people for the return of His Son Jesus. He wants the world to see His love flowing through us before we leave this world. Jesus is coming back for one body, not a bunch of bloody body parts fighting among themselves.

God is pure, God is unchangeably Holy, and at the center of this sinless eternal being is LOVE. For God IS love.

1 John 4:16 (KJV) 16And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Do you? Do you so immerse yourself in God’s love, that it flows from you to ALL those around you? ESPECIALLY IN YOUR OWN HOME?

We need to cry out to God.

Psalms 139:23 - 24 (KJV) 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Lord show me what is wrong in me and help me to want to release it to you.

God’s love is greater then we can comprehend.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the heav’ns of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry,

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretch’d from sky to sky.

His love has no beginning, and because He is eternal, it can never have an end.

MERCY & GRACE

Mercy is a form of love that is given to some one that is suffering and in need, but more so, it is given to those that are unworthy or undeserving. God in his infinite compassion bestowed His mercy on us, and brought those that have accepted Him, out of the dark mire they were in.

Psalms 57:10 (KJV) For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.

Psalms 86: starting with vrs 5,12-13,15 (KJV) 5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. 12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. 13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. …. 15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

Psalms 25:7 (KJV) 7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.

As sinners God’s mercy is all we have, and as born again Christ like believers God’s mercy is what we are to show.

Mercy is God’s double barrel shotgun, it blesses both he that gives and he that receives. So if you as a child of God are merciful as your Father in heaven is, then both you and the person you are showing mercy to will be blessed.

Proverbs 11:17 (KJV) The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

Matthew 5:7 (NLT) God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

God not only calls us to show mercy to the wicked but also to -

Galatians 6:1 - 2 (NLT) 1Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.

2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

Our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

We as sinners deserve your wrath, but we thank you oh Lord, that in your wrath your mercy does flow through.

GRACE

Ephesians 2:4 - 5 (NLT) 4But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

Ephesians 2:8 - 10 (KJV) 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

GRACE-the DESIRE to give favor that is unearned or unwarranted.

Grace is the desire to do something & mercy is the act of doing it.

If you see some one in need & say oh my I’ll pray God will do something for you, you are not obeying God’s command.

James 2:15 - 16 (NLT) 15Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

Grace is God’s way of salvation, totally unearned

John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God so loved the world that He shed His MERCY & GRACE on those that hated Him.

Mercy is a form of love that is given to some one that is suffering and in need, but more so it is given to those that are unworthy or undeserving.

GRACE-the DESIRE to give favor that is unearned or unwarranted.

Grace is the desire to do something & mercy is the act of doing it.

If you are a child of God then pray and ask Him to show you what needs to be changed in you. Ask Him to help you, allow His love, mercy, and grace to flow out of you.

The world has no need to come to us if they see no difference.

Show them you are different, Love them.

Because of God’s love, mercy and grace He understands our weaknesses. So many have said, “I can not be perfect all the time so there is no need in me trying.

This is not what God has told us, nor is it what God wants us to believe.

God through Paul has revealed what we are, and how we are to handle it.

Romans 7:15 -18, 21-23 (TLB) 15I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to—what I hate. 16I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking. 21It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; 23but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind …

Romans 6:12 - 14 (NLT) 12Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

Galatians 5:16 – 18, 24-26 (NKJV) 16I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law 24And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Over and over throughout my life I have heard pastors say, “You have to feed your spirit just as you do the flesh. If you don’t it will grow week and your sinful flesh will take over just as Paul was telling us in Romans 7.

Read the Word, even if it is just 2-3 min. in the morning and 2-3 min. before you go to bed. Pray throughout the day. Just say, “HI, I LOVE YOU”.

Romans 8:5 - 6 (NKJV) 5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.