Podcasts about merciful

Here's part two of a fictional story I wrote called The Two Doors and the Merciful Judge. It's an allegory that serves as a companion to Kinda Judgy: Finding Mercy for Myself and Others in Six Stories of the Bible—my new book releasing with Moody Publishers!! (Order your copy here.)Order Kinda JudgyWatch the Replay of our Girls' Night Celebration!The Two Doors & the Merciful Judge SeriesHow Judgy Are You? (Take the Quiz)Find the whole series here.  Learn more at ShannonPopkin.com.

Father Hudgins' homily: Blessed Are the Merciful

Listen in as Pastor Scott breaks down this weighty chapter of scripture that foreshadows the sacrifice of Jesus and the power of the cross.

Matthew 5:7

If your marriage would glorify God and would be a blessing to you and your spouse, your marriage should be characterized by mercy. Pastor Mitch will open the Bible to teach how our marriages can grow, marked by mercy across multiple areas.

Fabs kicks off a new series called "Thresholds- The Courageous Act of Becoming." In this series - and in this season of change for our church - we will explore stories of thresholds throughout Scripture to discover how we can walk through transitions with courage, faith, and expectancy, so that we do not miss what God wants to do in the transition moments of our lives. Fabs explores Hebrews 2:11-18 and how Jesus' threshold of incarnation can help us through any threshold in our lives. Hebrews 2:11-18 www.thevineaustin.org

Second Sunday after Pentecost June 7, 2026 God Loves Sinners Sermon based on Matthew 9:9-13   https://stpeterchurchmodesto.org/

Acts | Merciful | Acts 3In today's sermon, our speaker Jonathan Cornelius discusses God's mercy evident in the third chapter of Acts.

Subject: Book of Matthew 5:7Speaker or Performer: Dennis HeltonScripture Passage(s): Matthew 5:7Date of Delivery: June 7, 2026

True Faith Part 4Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness," and "Blessed are the merciful." We often want justice when someone else is guilty, but mercy when we are the ones in need. In the story of Zacchaeus, Jesus shows us that true faith values both. Justice says the wrong really matters. Mercy says the wrongdoer is not disposable. And in Jesus, both come together.

Title: “Let No One Deceive You” Part 3 Text: 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 FCF: We often struggle fearing the deception that is to come. Prop: Because all who did not receive the love of the truth will be deceived, we must let no one deceive us. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. In a moment we'll read yet again the text starting in verse 3 and going to verse 12. Today I'll be reading from the Legacy Standard Bible but you can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. You'll notice on the screen that this is part 3 of this sermon. If you have not heard parts 1 and 2, I would encourage you to catch up on the teaching Paul has given regarding the man of lawlessness. The previous two sermons are foundational in understanding what is going on here and how we are to think about the end times. However, the sermon today, although relying on some of the conclusions we've made in the last two sermons, is by far the most standalone of the three. The message today is terrifying. It is gut wrenching. Because it speaks of a time when God is truly done with giving mercy to people who have rejected Him. And although God has done similar things in the past – it has never happened like this and only once on this scale. It is also terrifying because it remains in a context which emphasizes that many of the people who are being discussed here who have rejected God, are those who at one point believed in Him. But as terrifying as this message is – there is hope and comfort in holding fast to saving faith. Let's read once more. Please stand with me to give honor to and focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Gracious, Merciful, and Holy Father, You have endured the wickedness of men for thousands of years. You are longsuffering, extending mercy to all and allowing men to profane Your name and reject Your Son while You continue to bless them and give them common grace. But one day You will remove Your Restrainer and allow the man of lawlessness to come forth. One day Your mercies will end. One day Your common grace to wicked men will cease. And one day You will judge the world. I pray that even now You would be merciful and gracious to those in this room. Speak now words of comfort to Your people through this text…but Gracious God, send Your Spirit to open the eyes of the blind here and speak words of terror to those who are perishing. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] ”It is the creed of every sound evangelical church that those who do go back to perdition were persons who never really believed in Jesus.” A.A. Bonar “None sink so far into hell as those that come nearest heaven because they fall from the greatest height.” William Gurnall [Slide 3] “To forsake Christ for the world is to leave a treasure for a trifle…eternity for a moment, reality for a shadow, all things for nothing.” William Jenkyn “To see a ship sink in the harbor of profession is more grievous than if it had perished in the open sea of profaneness.” William Secker [Slide 4] “The essence of apostasy is changing sides from that of the crucified to that of the crucifier.” John Stott “Scripture does not need to be denied for apostasy to begin: all that is needed is that scripture takes second place in our calculations.” Iain H. Murray Let these words prepare your heart for the preaching of God's Word today. I.) The Man of Lawlessness will be powered by Satan to deceive all the perishing, so we must not let ourselves be deceived. (9-10) a. [Slide 5] 9 - whose coming is in accord with the working of Satan, i. The LSB has put hash marks into the previous verse to set it off from what follows in verse 9. ii. This is incredibly helpful because for we western English readers, this would be quite jarring, since we would assume the “coming” he is talking about now is still the coming of Christ. iii. What we don't see that would make this even more jarring, is that in the Greek the word for “coming” is… parousia. Advent. iv. However, Christ will not come in accord with the working of Satan. v. Paul is going back now to the topic of the man of lawlessness. And Paul intentionally points to the mockery of Satan here by using the same word he has used repeatedly to refer to the return of Christ. Only this time he refers to the coming of the man of lawlessness. vi. That the man of lawlessness comes in accord with the working of Satan, clarifies and affirms that the man of lawlessness is indeed a man. vii. Much like Judas Iscariot was a man who was possessed by Satan Himself, so also this man of lawlessness is a man that will come in accord with the working of Satan. viii. This is probably an idiomatic way to say that this man too will be possessed by Satan. ix. Now just like the scriptures always see Judas as culpable for his own actions… he was not a victim… so also this man of lawlessness is not a victim either. x. This man will do and say things that are so egregious and so infamous that he could not be a mere man. xi. And this man will go along with it, willingly obeying his father the devil. xii. Again, this points to the mockery of Satan. xiii. Jesus did and said things that indicated that He was no mere man too, all in willing obedience to His heavenly Father. But this Anti-Christ figure will have an advent that is similar but will do the opposite. xiv. But that isn't the end to the similarities. b. [Slide 6] with all power and signs and false wonders, i. Part of the working of Satan happening for this man is that he is coming with all Satan's power and influence. ii. He will be able to perform signs and wonders, all of which will be false. iii. How do we determine if a sign or wonder is false? iv. Scripture gives two criteria 1. [Slide 7] In Deuteronomy 18:20-22 Yahweh clearly says that if a prophesy does not come to pass, then they know that what the prophet said was not from Him and that prophet has spoken presumptuously and should be put to death. 2. [Slide 8-9] Let's go to Deuteronomy 13:1-5 and read this together. Because what if the signs and wonders do come true? What if they are effective? a. Notice what God says… b. If a prophet performs signs and wonders that come to pass but they advocate worshipping other gods, they should not listen to that prophet. Why? c. Because Yahweh sent (take note of that. Yahweh sent) that prophet to the people to test their love for Yahweh. d. Then God reinforms them of the command. They should walk after Yahweh, fear Him, obey His commands, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. e. But the prophet should be put to death for His attempt to mislead God's people. v. [Slide 11] The wonders and signs the man of lawlessness commits won't be false because they won't be powerful, effective, or come to pass. They will be false because they will be used to encourage people to worship him instead of Yahweh. Or to worship him as Yahweh or Jesus Himself. vi. We know how our Lord Jesus is coming next. He is coming on the clouds. He will gather us to Himself. That is how we will see Him next. In the air. vii. EVERY ESCHATALOGICAL FRAMEWORK AGREES! viii. Remember that my friends. Remember God's people. We will see Him next in the AIR. ix. No matter what signs or wonders a man does on earth… He isn't Christ if we don't meet Him in the air. He isn't Christ if we must go to Him. The Real Jesus will bring us to Himself. We will be CAUGHT UP. c. [Slide 12] 10 - and with all the deception of unrighteousness i. Another key factor that is hinted at in Deuteronomy 13 was that a person bringing signs and wonders that advocates for the breaking or distorting of God's laws – cannot be sent from God. ii. Jesus Himself said that a house divided against itself cannot stand. How can the real Jesus appear and lead people to conclude that living unrighteous lifestyles is… fine? iii. That disobeying the law of God… is fine? iv. Did Jesus do this at His first advent? v. He fulfilled the law, but He never rejected it or broke it. Nor did He ever advocate His followers do so. vi. As loving as He was to sinners and as much as He healed people what did He say? “Go and sin no more!” vii. He said, “Your righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees.” viii. He said, “You must be holy as my heavenly Father is holy.” ix. When Jesus walks this earth again… x. HE WILL NOT TREAT SIN WITH KID GLOVES. xi. In Isaiah 11, where Paul pulled the reference to Christ consuming the man of lawlessness with His breath, in that same context it says that in that day “they will do no evil nor act corruptly in all My holy mountain. “ xii. The man of lawlessness though, will be a man who advocates a reversal of God's laws. Perhaps emphasizing love and peace over righteousness and blamelessness. xiii. Indeed, his only law is that all must worship… him. xiv. But what Paul says next is absolutely essential for a proper understanding of this time. d. [Slide 13] for those who perish, i. Notice that the power, the lies, the signs, these are all aimed at a specific group. ii. The perishing. iii. The bible gives us warnings and we must absolutely heed them. But just because the warnings exist doesn't mean that there is a chance that God's promises won't be fulfilled. iv. God has promised that He will seal all His people until the day of redemption. v. Just because the bible gives warnings of falling away and believing a lie doesn't somehow make God's promises null and void. vi. Instead, we must look for a way to make both truths of scripture stand with all their strength without contradiction. vii. And the church has, for thousands of years, understood that it is by hearing the word of God that we receive faith. Not just faith to believe on Christ but faith to believe all that God has said. viii. God's word is effective to produce change in the hearts of God's people. His Word will not return void or empty. ix. Warning passages accomplish their purpose to cause true believers to be alert and vigilant. x. This is the means God uses to prevent them from falling away and succumbing to a lie so powerful that if it were possible the elect would be deceived. xi. Paul makes it clear, that the man of lawlessness will be able to deceive ONLY those who are perishing. Why? xii. Because true believers, believers that have genuine faith, will heed these warnings, continue to reject sin and pursue Righteousness, and continue to believe God. xiii. Paul writes this as a comfort to a church whom he is convinced is counted worthy of God's Kingdom, whom he is convinced received the gospel in power. He is not uncertain about their identity as children of God. Therefore, this comment is designed to give them comfort. The perishing are the ones who will be deceived. xiv. So, they must not let themselves be deceived. xv. But why are they perishing? e. [Slide 14] because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. i. The wording here is actually quite important. 1. The expression we might expect is that these people who are perishing would be those who did not believe the gospel. Or perhaps that they did not believe the truth. Or that they did not receive the truth. 2. But that isn't what saves a person and eliminates their possibility of being deceived by this Satanic Superman. 3. Christ Himself said that in the last day there would be many who said to Him, “Have we not prophesied in your name, and performed miracles and cast out demons in your name, but I will say to them depart from me lawbreakers, I never knew you.” 4. Paul says that people who did not receive THE LOVE of the truth are those who are perishing. 5. Only those who cherish the truth will be saved. 6. What does it mean to cherish the truth? We'll get to that, because a little later Paul is going to give us the opposite of this. Just hang tight for now. ii. So, the deception of the man of lawlessness will reach all the perishing because they didn't receive the love of the truth. What does that mean? iii. Right now, the gospel call goes out to all men. All men are given at least natural revelation that there is a Creator God who must be worshipped and obeyed. And all men are called to repent and believe the gospel. iv. But one day that general call will stop. v. At some point – when this man of lawlessness steps on the scene, the general call of the gospel to all men will no longer be available. vi. That isn't to say no more will come to saving faith in Christ at this time… vii. God may still effectually call people to Himself. viii. But those who are perishing, those whom God has not elected, will believe the lies of the man of lawlessness. f. [Slide 15] Summary of the Point: Paul has presented who the man of lawlessness is and the blasphemies he will commit. He has discussed when he will come and how he will end. Now, Paul reveals how he will deceive and who will believe him. The perishing, whether they have professed Christ or not, all those who have not received the love of the truth will believe the power, signs, and wonders of the man of lawlessness, and will be deceived into unrighteousness. God's general call to all men to repent and believe the gospel will ultimately go extinct as all the perishing are given over to the lies of this man. If we are truly elect of God, and we have received the love of the truth, we will not succumb to these lies. But how do we know we are elect and have received the love of the truth? We do not let ourselves be deceived. We hold fast to what we have been taught. We trust God no matter what our senses say. [Slide 16 (blank)] Transition: Perhaps you wrestled with that statement regarding the gospel call. Perhaps you were uncomfortable thinking that there will be a time when God is going to stop calling all men to believe the gospel and will only call those who are elect. Well, if you struggled with that. Buckle up. It is about to get very uncomfortable. Paul will now reveal how it will be so that all the perishing believe the lies of the man of lawlessness. II.) In order to judge them, God will actively reprobate the perishing, so we must not let ourselves be deceived. (11-12) a. [Slide 17] 11 - And for this reason, God sends upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, i. For this reason – meaning because the perishing have not received the love of the truth. ii. God is not forcing them to not receive the love of the truth – but as a response to them not receiving it… God will act. iii. Why do I say that the general call of the gospel will cease? iv. Because God will send a different message. He has already sent the gospel call to all men. v. But He has not sent out another message to all men yet. vi. All the lies and deceit and questioning of God's truth today is all generated by the lies of demons and by evil men. vii. But one day they will not be the only voices spreading misinformation. viii. One day, God Himself will send an influence that deceives the perishing. ix. Ok. Stop right there. We all know that God cannot sin. Specifically, we know that God cannot lie. So how can we interpret this differently so God isn't lying. x. Well does this text actually say that God will lie? xi. It doesn't. xii. It says that God will send a deluding influence. The Greek word for “influence” here suggests it is strong and inescapable. xiii. Notice that it does not say “allow” either. The Greek word here, translated “send” cannot mean that God simply is “allowing or permitting” this influence to occur. The Greek word means to cause to go somewhere. xiv. God will cause a deluding influence to go to the perishing. xv. God isn't lying, He is sending someone or something to lie to the perishing. xvi. Why? xvii. So that they will believe what is false. xviii. The general call of the gospel ceases because God sends something to make sure they believe something else. xix. Why would God do this? b. [Slide 18] 12 - in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in unrighteousness. i. God wants to make sure that every single person who is perishing, is justly judged. 1. This phrase here is the explanation of what it means to NOT receive the love of the truth. It means to not believe the truth but to take pleasure in unrighteousness. 2. These are not, however, two items. They are one. 3. The New Testament often defines genuine belief as belief unto obedience. To have saving faith is to love righteousness. So, if we see someone taking pleasure in unrighteousness, they cannot believe the truth, no matter what they say they believe. ii. But attentive bible students might wonder why God needs to send a deluding influence at all. iii. If God did nothing, wouldn't they still be judged? iv. [Slide 19] The answer is yes. 1. The doctrine of election is a doctrine of God's intervention. a. In order for anyone to be saved, God must intervene. b. No matter what kind of Christian you are, you must believe that God saves us and must intervene to do this. c. Otherwise, you are a Pelagian and a heretic. d. God's elect are those whom God has chosen, according to the counsel of His will and based on nothing of us, to intervene for and rescue from our sin. e. The others that God has not elected will not inherit salvation, but not because God has intervened to keep them from salvation. Rather they will not inherit salvation because God has chosen to NOT intervene for them. f. God judges them according to THEIR deeds which are evil. 2. In short, all men are deserving of judgment and wrath because of their sin. God intervenes for some by electing them to salvation. v. So, what is different here? vi. God is no longer passive. He intervenes… but in order to assure that the perishing are judged for their rejection of the gospel and their unrighteousness. vii. This is what we would call the doctrine of reprobation. God closes and seals the door actively rather than passively. The outcome is the same, but God's activity in the matter is markedly different and it signals an end to God's mercy and common grace toward the perishing. viii. And the really interesting thing is, although we've only seen God do this on this scale once in the global flood, it was not accompanied by God sending a lie. But we do have smaller cases of this happening. 1. [Slide 20] In I Kings 22, King Ahab had long heard the prophesies of Micaiah. God's prophet. Yet Ahab continued to refuse the counsel of the Lord. He continued to ignore and dismiss what God said. a. God determined that Ahab's time… was up. That it was time for him to be judged. b. To ensure that Ahab would earn His judgement to the fullest, God met in a heavenly council. He and angelic beings took council and God determined the course of action. c. He determined that a spirit must go and deceive Ahab. In that setting a spirit stepped forward and volunteered to be a lying spirit to the prophets of other gods and encourage them to tell King Ahab that he should attack a city because he would be victorious. A lie. d. Of course, God's prophet told Ahab that he would fail and even relayed the story of this heavenly council. e. But Ahab continued to choose to believe these false prophesies rather than believe God's prophet. f. Would Ahab had suddenly changed his mind and listened to Micaiah had God not done this? No. He wouldn't have. g. But that is not what the story is about. h. It isn't about Ahab's rejection of God… it is about God's rejection of Ahab. i. And that is what makes the story so harrowing. j. Ahab rejecting God, is just par for the course. k. But God rejecting a King of Israel to the point that He sends a lying spirit to convince Him to continue to DISOBEY Him? That is what is terrifying. 2. [Slide 21] In 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 we see the same thing. a. We see God being fed up with Israel's disobedience under David's rule. b. The text of Samuel says that God incited David to take a census, and 1 Chronicles says that Satan enticed David to take a census. c. So, which is it? d. The devil is God's devil remember? e. God used Satan to accomplish His will. Which was to incite David to disobey so that God could judge Israel. f. Would they have earned His judgment without His intervention? g. YES!!! h. Again, this says more about God than about man. i. God's mercy does come to an end. At some point, God says, enough. ix. [Slide 22] And that is what is terrifying here friends. x. Wicked people loving their sin and rejecting God's truth? That has happened since Cain killed Abel. That isn't new or scary. xi. God sending a delusion to make sure ALL THE PERISHING reject Him? That is God rejecting, forever, those who are not His people. And that my friends… has never happened before. xii. There will be a day when God says… “I'm done with wicked mankind.” xiii. And it will coincide with a day when another says… “I'm God, I accept you as you are, come and worship me.” xiv. And everyone who hasn't received the love of the truth… will believe and worship that Satan empowered man. c. [Slide 23] Summary of the Point: For their comfort, Paul shows the Thessalonians that one day those who are persecuting them will be given over to the worship of the man of lawlessness. One day they will be judged. Paul's thought isn't quite complete. He will continue through the rest of the chapter to encourage them with positive news for them. But it is important that they know the end of the wicked. In order to judge them, God will give over those who did not receive the love of the truth to a reprobate mind so that He may judge them. They will believe and worship the beast and succumb to the pleasure of unrighteousness. So, what are the Thessalonians to do? Keep believing what they were taught. Hold fast and stand firm in the truth and do not let themselves be deceived. Why? Because with this man of lawlessness will come a great apostasy too. They must hear the warning of this passage and not let themselves be deceived, for only those who are truly elect will do so. Conclusion: So, CBC, what have we learned today that refines our beliefs and directs our lifestyles? Basics of Faith and Practice: [Slide 24] In his correction of the lie that the Thessalonians have allowed themselves to believe, Paul has reminded them of all that he had taught them concerning the man of lawlessness. And in these concluding thoughts about him, Paul reveals his influence and who will be deceived by him. There is no doubt that Paul does this to draw a contrast between the Thessalonians and those who will be deceived. He will make that even more apparent with next week's text. But the fact remains, that when the man of lawlessness steps on the scene, he will be empowered by Satan to convince all those who did not receive the love of the truth, that he should be worshipped as Yahweh. God is not passive in this, but rather than intervening to prevent this, God's mercy has reached an end, and God will send along with him a deluding influence to convince all the perishing to believe his lies. God will give them over to reprobation so that He may judge them for their love of unrighteousness. Paul's opening application to the Thessalonians remains the application. Don't allow yourself to be deceived. First must come the apostasy and the man of lawlessness and the deception of the perishing. Then and only then will the Day of the Lord come and the Lord return to gather His people to Himself. Don't believe anything but what we have already taught you. Otherwise, they too will succumb to the lies of this man and the deluding influence of God. But what does this mean for us? How can we be sure that we don't let ourselves be deceived? 1.) [Slide 25] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that the perishing are those who do not receive the love of the truth. a. Notice once again Paul's wording here. b. They do not receive the love of the truth. c. But wait a second, doesn't the bible simply talk about belief, faith being the way God unites us to Christ? d. It does. e. Isn't this a contradiction? f. Not at all. g. Just as we use the same word to talk about different aspects of the same thing, words like the cup which could mean 8 fluid ounces or just a drinking receptacle, so also the bible uses words differently depending on context. All doesn't always mean all. Call doesn't always mean the same thing. And as John the apostle demonstrates in his gospel, believe doesn't always mean the same thing. h. Here Paul is defining the kind of faith that saves. The kind of faith that unites us to Christ. It is not a faith that merely receives the facts. It is not a faith that merely respects the authority of the name of Jesus. i. The kind of faith that is saving… is a faith that receives the truth… and loves it. j. If salvation is a gift, we've all received gifts that we love. We have also all received gifts that we… do not love. k. We are warned in the gospels, that of the four soils of our hearts, three of them receive the gospel message. But only one produces fruit and is, therefore, useful to the farmer. l. The test of true and genuine saving faith is not in whether or not you believe in God or in Jesus… it is whether or not you love and cherish the truth of the gospel in your daily life. Is it precious to you to reflect on how you were once a sinner, doomed to hell, and Christ died to set you free? It is precious to you that Christ gave you His righteousness so that you could be declared righteous before God's judgment? Is it precious to you that the Lord sends His Spirit to all who are His and He enables us to live in obedience to Christ in an ever-growing way? Is it precious to you that Christ has united you to an assembly of people locally and universally who hold you accountable and encourage you? Is it precious to you to look hopefully toward Christ's coming as you live holy lives in preparation for His Kingdom? m. This is why when Paul later characterizes those who will be deceived, he says both that they did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in unrighteousness. n. In order to be saved by faith – it has to be a God-given kind of faith. What kind is that? One that propels you to seek God's Kingdom and His righteousness… first. o. Only those who love the truth… will deny the lie. 2.) [Slide 26] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that the man of lawlessness will deceive the perishing. a. Everyone else. b. No matter what you say you believe. No matter how much time you've spent coming to church, reading your bible, or praying. c. Everyone who does not love the truth and take pleasure in righteousness. Everyone who does not seek God's Kingdom first and His righteousness. d. Everyone else… will worship the man of lawlessness as God and submit to His rule over their lives. e. Fearing that they will lose their jobs, their possessions, their land, their homes, their wealth, they will take his mark and worship him as God. f. And mark my words… a good percentage of them will be those who have claimed to believe on Jesus. Many of them will have said the sinner's prayer. Many of them will have gone to church and come from a Christian family. 3.) [Slide 27] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that in the last days God will give over the perishing to a deluding influence. a. See it doesn't all come down to this man of lawlessness' cunning or his power. b. Paul doesn't give him all that credit. And Paul doesn't want to mislead the Thessalonian church. c. This man of lawlessness will be a Satanic Super Man… but if God wished to oppose Him, this man would not deceive even one. d. The fact of the matter is that when this man steps on the scene, when the restrainer is removed, God will actively send an influence, probably Satan himself, to deceive every single person who has not received the love of the truth. e. He will do this not because they have not already earned their judgment. But because He is done with evil mankind. He is ready to remake the world. His Kingdom is coming in full. f. Why will this man be so successful? The short answer? Because God wants him to be. g. But… 4.) [Slide 28] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that the elect will succumb to the deluding influence. a. In spite of the strength of the lie, based on this text, based on what Paul will say next, and based on the other promises in scripture – we must not conclude that God will allow any of His elect to be deceived by this deluding influence. b. Jesus said that in those days, IF POSSIBLE, the elect might be deceived. Jesus' wording leaves no room for misinterpretation. It isn't possible. c. The question then that must be asked, is how does God preserve us? 5.) [Slide 29] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” The Perseverance of the saints is primarily about God preserving us. a. The statement, “Once saved always saved.” Is technically true but oftentimes it communicates something that the bible flatly rejects. Even in this text. b. Just because you have professed Christ doesn't mean that you are saved. And just because you are saved, doesn't mean that you don't need to persevere. c. This doctrine must be primarily about God. d. God gives to all His elect a faith that endures. So much so that if we see our faith fail, it is not because we have lost it or because we did not persevere. It is because we were not given saving faith. We were a soil that received the message of the gospel but it did not produce fruit. e. The apostle John says of people who walked away from the faith, “that left us because they were not of us.” Not, “they left us because they are no longer of us.” f. God is the primary agent in preserving His people and enabling them to persevere… g. But… that doesn't mean we are passive. 6.) [Slide 30] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must not let ourselves be deceived. a. We are not passive in our own perseverance. b. Instead, God's true children will take warning passages such as these and, with fear and trembling, they will cling all the tighter to the gospel of Christ and the pursuit of holiness and righteousness, without which none will see God. c. God's true children will see the coming of this man of lawlessness, his empowering by the Devil, and God's active role here, and they will run back to what the scriptures teach and reject the lies even when all their senses tell them it is truth. And even when it will cost them everything. d. We must hold fast and stand firm in what we believe. e. So when we combine the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints with our role in persevering we realize that though we are certainly not passive in persevering… we are also… Praise the Lord… NOT ALONE. 7.) [Slide 31] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that Jesus accepts us as we are. Believing this is a symptom of not receiving the love of the truth. a. There is a teaching alive and well today that insists that Jesus accepts us as we are. b. Now what could be meant by that teaching is that there is no prerequisite to repenting of sin and trusting Christ. c. Meaning you don't have to be perfect in order to believe on Jesus. You don't have to have stopped sinning in order to become a Christ follower. You don't have to join a church, get a tattoo, be circumcised or any other prerequisite. d. If that is what is meant – then this is true. e. However, oftentimes this message ends up being – Jesus accepts you no matter what lifestyle you choose to keep living. Jesus will never ask you to be someone you aren't. Jesus just wants to love you for who you are. f. This… is a lie. g. Jesus died because of who you were. Jesus died because you fall short. You miss the mark. You are not good enough. That is why Jesus died. To pay for your shortcomings and to make you like Him. To change you. He died to make you a NEW CREATURE. Old has died… and new is taking its place. h. Jesus says in order to be His disciple you must crucify yourself… daily… and follow Him. i. He told the rich young ruler to sell everything he had and give it to the poor and follow Him. j. Christ's message is clear. k. Turn from your sin, follow Him and sin… no… more. l. There is no such thing as a Christian who loves his sin and Jesus too. m. There is no such thing as a Christian who dislikes God's law. n. There is no such thing as a Christian who loves this world. o. They simply… do not exist. p. They may call themselves Christians… but in the last day… they will be deceived, take the mark and worship the Anti-Christ, so that God may justly judge them. q. Jesus is so not satisfied with who you are, that He submitted to death to change you to be like Him. r. If you disagree – its time to really listen hard… 8.) [Slide 32] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” In the last days, many that profess Christ today will take the mark of the beast and worship him as God. a. The tension in the scripture is clear. b. Although God by grace alone unites His people to Christ's sacrifice through giving them faith in His Son, the kind of faith that God ALWAYS gives, is a faith that changes the person to whom it is given. c. When God gives faith, it is like when someone gets hit by a bus. d. Their life is going to be different from that day forward. It will change… because it must. e. The soil of the heart is prepared by the Lord to receive His truth and produce fruit. f. All other soils may look like they have received the truth… but things choke or scorch them to death. g. There will be many in that day who have prayed a prayer and accepted a cheap grace that forgives sin and asks nothing of them. A grace that has less to do with you being a citizen of God's royal family and more to do with keeping you from going to hell. h. But the same grace that keeps you from hell, makes you into a citizen of His family and conforms you to His standard. It's a package deal. You don't get one without the other. i. So how do you avoid being yet another dupe? How do you avoid standing at the judgment seat of Christ wondering why the books containing your works did not prove you were His? j. You must be born again. You must have your heart prepared by God to receive the love of the truth. k. How do you know God has done that for you? l. Well – is He stirring you now? Do you feel the Spirit of God pulling on you now? That is a pretty good sign that your heart is ready to receive the love of the truth. m. So, turn from sin. Turn from your pleasure in unrighteousness. Turn from worshipping and pursuing things on earth. Money, relationships, careers, possessions, lusts, passions… n. Turn from your desires, your pursuits, your will o. Lose your identity so that you can be absorbed into Christ's. p. Trust Him and love Him and what He has done for you. Love Him so much that He becomes your first priority. q. Submit to His rule over your life as your one and only King. r. Trust Him and love Him enough to leave all other things you trust and love behind. s. Then… and only then… will you start to see the Lord change you into His own possession. t. If that is you today… don't wait to tell someone. u. Don't walk out the door and think -I'll just tell them later. I'll just call them later. No. v. If you need to follow Christ. If you are done following you. Tell someone you know is a Christian here. We would like to rejoice with you and help you in the next steps. [Slide 33 (end)] Let me close with a prayer by the church father Augustine of Hippo In a vast wilderness full of snares and dangers, look! At your enabling I have cut off many of them, thrusting them out of my heart. And yet so many of these things buzz on all sides about my daily life. Do I dare say that nothing of this sort catches my attention, or causes even the slightest interest? True, I do not spend time in the worst kinds of entertainment, I do not dabble in astrology or the occult. I detest all those sacrilegious mysteries. And I owe you my humble and singlehearted service, O Lord my God. Yet the enemy, with tricks and suggestions, looks for a way in. So I beg you, by our King, even if I am far away from consenting to the enemy, may it ever be farther and farther away. You enable me, and will enable me, to follow you willingly, doing what you want me to do. We ask this for ourselves in Jesus' name, Amen. Benediction: Now may He who raises the poor from the dust, The needy from the ash heap; And makes them sit with nobles And inherit a seat of honor. Bear you through troubled days, To you who trust in God's unchanging love. Until we meet again, Grace and Peace to you.

Tomorrow is launch day for Kinda Judgy: Finding Mercy for Myself and Others in Six Stories of the Bible—my new book releasing with Moody Publishers.I'm celebrating by sharing something special with you!Over the next six episodes, I'll be sharing The Two Doors and the Merciful Judge, an allegory I wrote as a companion to Kinda Judgy. Through the imaginative setting of the Grand Courtroom of the World, we'll revisit the same six Bible stories featured in the book—Noah, Rahab, Jonah, the sinful woman, the blind man, and the criminal on the cross—and encounter the same unchanging Judge of All.In Part 1, we'll enter the Grand Courtroom, notice the mysterious Mercy Door, and meet a man named Noah who walks with the Judge in the midst of a dark generation that ignores Him.My hope is that this allegory will help you see more clearly—and love more deeply—the Judge who holds the Final Gavel.Welcome to the Grand Courtroom of the World.Order Kinda JudgyJoin our Girls' Night Celebration!The Two Doors & the Merciful Judge SeriesHow Judgy Are You? (Take the Quiz) Learn more at ShannonPopkin.com.

Beauty has a way of bringing out the best in us.So does mercy.This Sunday we'll explore one of Jesus' most intriguing statements: "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."What did Jesus mean by that? Is mercy weakness? Is it forgiveness? And why does Jesus seem to think mercy has the power to transform both the giver and the receiver?

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7 Mercy = Not getting what YOU DESERVE. “To be let OFF THE HOOK.” Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. CARRYING HIS OWN CROSS, he went out to the place of the Skull. John 19:16-17 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 The wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23 #1 Mercy CARRIES Mercy PICKS UP A WEIGHT someone else was supposed to CARRY THEMSELVES. Mercy is less about giving someone a piece of your MIND, and more about giving someone a piece of your HEART. Have I prioritized a relationship of mercy, or of justice? Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals - one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:32-34 #2 Mercy SEES. Mercy sees PEOPLE how God sees PEOPLE. Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image. Psalm 139:14 I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.”“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry,‘Mine!'” - Abraham Kuyper Mercy sees SOULS, not ISSUES. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9 People aren't your PROBLEM, they're your CALLING. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: “Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don't you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:39-43 #3 Mercy FREES Mercy = FORGIVENESS For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 You simply cannot be MERCIFUL if you cannot FORGIVE. If you can extend FORGIVENESS, God will overflow you with His MERCY.

If your marriage would glorify God and would be a blessing to you and your spouse, your marriage should be characterized by mercy. Pastor Mitch will open the Bible to teach how our marriages can grow, marked by mercy across multiple areas.

Ephesians 2:1-6

AM Service 5/31/2026

Psalm 123, Andrew Sheely

Here are the promises we covered this week. Matthew 21:22 – God Answers Faith-Filled Prayers.  Psalm 145:9 – The Lord is Good and Merciful. Hebrews 13:20-21 – You Are Equipped by God. Jeremiah 1:5 – You Are Known by God. Colossians 1:21-22 – Holy and Blameless Before God.

ਸੋਰਠਿ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਅੰਤਰੁ ਮਨੁ ਬੇਧਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਰਹਣੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥ ਜਿਉ ਮਛੁਲੀ ਬਿਨੁ ਨੀਰੈ ਬਿਨਸੈ ਤਿਉ ਨਾਮੈ ਬਿਨੁ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਮੇਰੇ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਜਲੁ ਦੇਵਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਈ ॥ ਹਉ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਮੰਗਾ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤੀ ਨਾਮੇ ਹੀ ਸਾਂਤਿ ਪਾਈ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਜਿਉ ਚਾਤ੍ਰਿਕੁ ਜਲ ਬਿਨੁ ਬਿਲਲਾਵੈ ਬਿਨੁ ਜਲ ਪਿਆਸ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਜਲੁ ਪਾਵੈ ਸੁਖ ਸਹਜੇ ਹਰਿਆ ਭਾਇ ਸੁਭਾਈ ॥੨॥ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਭੂਖੇ ਦਹ ਦਿਸ ਡੋਲਹਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਈ ॥ ਜਨਮਿ ਮਰੈ ਫਿਰਿ ਜੋਨੀ ਆਵੈ ਦਰਗਹਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਸਜਾਈ ॥੩॥ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰਹਿ ਤਾ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵਹ ਹਰਿ ਰਸੁ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਪਾਈ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੀਨ ਦਇਆਲ ਭਏ ਹੈ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਸਬਦਿ ਬੁਝਾਈ ॥੪॥੮॥ਅਰਥ: ਹੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਮੈਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੀ) ਮੇਹਰ ਦਾ ਜਲ ਦੇਹ। ਹੇ ਹਰੀ! ਮੈਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੀ ਸਿਫ਼ਤਿ-ਸਾਲਾਹ ਦੀ ਦਾਤਿ ਦੇਹ। ਮੈਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਹਿਰਦੇ ਵਿਚ ਦਿਨ ਰਾਤ ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਮ (ਹੀ) ਮੰਗਦਾ ਹਾਂ (ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਤੇਰੇ) ਨਾਮ ਵਿਚ ਜੁੜਿਆਂ ਹੀ ਆਤਮਕ ਠੰਡ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਹੋ ਸਕਦੀ ਹੈ।ਰਹਾਉ।ਹੇ ਭਾਈ! ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਨਾਲ ਪਿਆਰ ਦੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਜਿਸ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਦਾ ਹਿਰਦਾ ਜਿਸ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਦਾ ਮਨ ਵਿੱਝ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ (ਦੀ ਯਾਦ) ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਰਹਿ ਨਹੀਂ ਸਕਦਾ। ਜਿਵੇਂ ਪਾਣੀ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਮੱਛੀ ਮਰ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ, ਤਿਵੇਂ ਉਹ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੇ ਨਾਮ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਆਪਣੀ ਆਤਮਕ ਮੌਤ ਆ ਗਈ ਸਮਝਦਾ ਹੈ।੧।ਹੇ ਭਾਈ! ਜਿਵੇਂ ਵਰਖਾ-ਜਲ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਪਪੀਹਾ ਵਿਲਕਦਾ ਹੈ, ਵਰਖਾ ਦੀ ਬੂੰਦ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਉਸ ਦੀ ਤ੍ਰੇਹ ਨਹੀਂ ਮਿਟਦੀ, ਤਿਵੇਂ ਜੇਹੜਾ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਗੁਰੂ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਰਨ ਪੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਉਹ ਤਦੋਂ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੀ ਬਰਕਤਿ ਨਾਲ ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਵਾਲਾ ਬਣਦਾ ਹੈ ਜਦੋਂ ਉਹ ਆਤਮਕ ਅਡੋਲਤਾ ਵਿਚ ਟਿਕ ਕੇ ਆਤਮਕ ਆਨੰਦ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਨਾਮ-ਜਲ (ਗੁਰੂ ਪਾਸੋਂ) ਹਾਸਲ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।੨।ਹੇ ਭਾਈ! ਆਪਣੇ ਮਨ ਦੇ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਤੁਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਮਾਇਆ ਦੀ ਭੁੱਖ ਦੇ ਮਾਰੇ ਹੋਏ ਦਸੀਂ ਪਾਸੀਂ ਡੋਲਦੇ ਫਿਰਦੇ ਹਨ। ਮਨ ਦਾ ਮੁਰੀਦ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਦੇ ਨਾਮ ਤੋਂ ਖੁੰਝ ਕੇ ਦੁੱਖ ਪਾਂਦਾ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਉਹ ਜੰਮਦਾ ਹੈ ਮਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਮੁੜ ਮੁੜ ਜੂਨਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਪਿਆ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਦੀ ਦਰਗਾਹ ਵਿਚ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ (ਇਹ) ਸਜ਼ਾ ਮਿਲਦੀ ਹੈ।੩।ਹੇ ਹਰੀ! ਜੇ ਤੂੰ (ਆਪ) ਮੇਹਰ ਕਰੇਂ, ਤਾਂ ਹੀ ਅਸੀ ਜੀਵ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਿਫ਼ਤਿ-ਸਾਲਾਹ ਦੇ ਗੀਤ ਗਾ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਾਂ। (ਜਿਸ ਉੱਤੇ ਮੇਹਰ ਹੋਵੇ, ਉਹੀ ਮਨੁੱਖ) ਆਪਣੇ ਹਿਰਦੇ ਵਿਚ ਹਰਿ-ਨਾਮ ਦਾ ਸੁਆਦ ਅਨੁਭਵ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ! ਦੀਨਾਂ ਉਤੇ ਦਇਆ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਜਿਸ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਉੱਤੇ ਤ੍ਰੁੱਠਦਾ ਹੈ, ਗੁਰੂ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਦੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਉਸ ਦੀ (ਮਾਇਆ ਦੀ) ਤ੍ਰੇਹ ਬੁਝਾ ਦੇਂਦਾ ਹੈ।੪।੮।SORAT'H, FOURTH MEHL:The inner depths of my mind are pierced by love for the Lord; I cannot live without the Lord. Just as the fish dies without water, I die without the Lord's Name. || 1 || O my God, please bless me with the water of Your Name. I beg for Your Name, deep within myself, day and night; through the Name, I find peace. || Pause || The song-bird cries out for lack of water — without water, its thirst cannot be quenched. The Gurmukh obtains the water of celestial bliss, and is rejuvenated, blossoming forth through the blessed Love of the Lord. || 2 || The self-willed manmukhs are hungry, wandering around in the ten directions; without the Name, they suffer in pain. They are born, only to die, and enter into reincarnation again; in the Court of the Lord, they are punished. || 3 || But if the Lord shows His Mercy, then one comes to sing His Glorious Praises; deep within the nucleus of his own self, he finds the sublime essence of the Lord's elixir. The Lord has become Merciful to meek Nanak, and through the Word of the Shabad, his desires are quenched. || 4 || 8 ||

Today's Promise: Psalm 145:9 In this episode, we explore the powerful promise of Psalm 145:9 and discover the unchanging goodness of God. So many people view God as distant, harsh, and judgmental, but Scripture reveals a very different picture. God is good as part of His character. Everything He does flows from that goodness. His mercy reaches across all creation, and His love is deeply personal for each of His children.   God's goodness is seen in salvation, in daily blessings, and in the grace He pours into your life every single day. Even in difficult seasons, His goodness never changes because God never changes.   Take a moment to reflect on the ways God has been faithful to you. As you remember His goodness, your faith will grow, your joy will increase, and your heart will be encouraged to trust Him more fully today.

Preacher: Russell Horner

If your marriage would glorify God and would be a blessing to you and your spouse, your marriage should be characterized by mercy. Pastor Mitch will open the Bible to teach how our marriages can grow, marked by mercy across multiple areas.

Micah was a prophet of God, the same God that his audience worshipped. Yet there was a difference between how these two groups practiced their faith. Just as Micah's audience, we ought to be careful not to worship a god made from our own imagination, but instead worship God as revealed in scripture. The God of Micah is the God of Light, who is a Shepherd, who is Forgiving, Merciful, and Faithful. The God we worship will be evident by the fruit of our lives. What is your god like?

Matthew 5:7 – Merciful

Welcome to today's Guided Prayer, where we invite you to find a quiet space to still your mind and body.  Guided Prayers are a daily 5–10 minute, intentionally created moment to slow down and meet with God—through scripture, reflection, and honest prayer.It's not a program you attend.It's a pathway you practice.A guided space where people can stop, breathe, and connect with Jesus—every single day.

If your marriage would glorify God and would be a blessing to you and your spouse, your marriage should be characterized by mercy. Pastor Mitch will open the Bible to teach how our marriages can grow, marked by mercy across multiple areas.

Pastor Aidan teaches from Matthew 18:21–35 that forgiveness is difficult and costly, yet it is central to the gospel because God has forgiven a debt we could never repay through Jesus. He challenges listeners to release bitterness, trust the sufficiency of the cross, and extend to others the same mercy they have received from Christ.

In this honest and hope-filled podcast interview, I sit down with Meghan, a full-time working mom of four who came into coaching completely burned out, exhausted, emotionally reactive, and stuck in constant frustration and anger.By the time she got home from work, she felt drained from poor boundaries, overwhelmed by unrealistic expectations, and trapped in negative thought patterns that were affecting both her peace and her relationship with her children. She had tried therapy and working on herself before, but still found herself reacting in ways she hated.Today, Meghan describes herself as a more accepting, lighthearted, merciful, joyful, and connected mom.In this episode, you'll hear:The breaking point that made her realize something needed to changeHow anger was affecting her relationship with her kidsThe unrealistic expectations and control issues fueling her reactionsWhat she tried before coaching that didn't create lasting changeThe tools and mindset shifts that helped her transformHow she experiences more joy, peace, and connection with her children todayIf you're exhausted from reacting…If you feel emotionally drained and overwhelmed…If you're tired of the guilt, anger, and disconnection…If you want to replace anger with joy and become the peaceful mom you know God is calling you to be…You don't have to stay stuck.Inside the Calm Christian Mom Coaching Program, you'll learn how to regulate your emotions, renew your mind, heal unhealthy patterns, and create a more peaceful, emotionally healthy home.Listen to related episodes:307. Calmer and More Patient in Only a Few Weeks- Nichole's Transformation (Homeschooling Mom of 7)314. “I Didn't Think I Could Change”… Real Wins From a Mom Who Stopped Yelling // Elizabeth's WinsListen to more transformational testimonials HERE.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Next Steps: 1. Watch FREE TRAINING: 5 Steps to Break free from Mom Rage Shame ⬇️2. Learn about Calm Christian Mom Coaching Program ⬇️3. BOOK A FREE CONSULTATION CALL if you are ready for support and accountability in overcoming damaging anger patterns. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~How to Be More Patient with Your Kids (So You're Not Screaming Over Spilled Milk)Leave a 5 star rating and review on the Podcast and email me (hello@emotionallyhealthylegacy.com) a  screenshot of the REVIEW for free access the training or buy it HERE for $27.  Website: emotionallyhealthylegacy.comContact: hello@emotionallyhealthylegacy.comQuestions? Form / Voice memo 

Now, what's interesting to me is the promise part of this beatitude: “Blessed are the merciful,” the ones who show mercy, “FOR THEY WILL BE SHOWN MERCY.” Jesus kind of gives us a mathematical equation of sorts where mercy received will be equal to mercy given. Essentially Jesus is saying that God is merciful and we should be like that. People who show mercy are acting like God. But also … the people who show mercy to others are the ones who get mercy from God. That's scary to me. And I think if you can be honest with yourself and your ability to be merciful, this should also scare you. You may even join me in hoping that this one isn't true. Because it also feels like Jesus is saying those who aren't merciful won't experience mercy. If there's any part of you that has come to the right conclusion that you need mercy from God … but you also look at your own life and recognize your lack of mercy … then this verse should terrify you. Because it feels like there is a direct correlation. Mercy received is equal to mercy given. The penalties that you withhold from the people in your life become the measure of penalties that are withheld for you from God. Does Jesus really mean that? Is this how God works?

Matthew 5:7 Andy Littleton

If your marriage would glorify God and would be a blessing to you and your spouse, your marriage should be characterized by mercy. Pastor Mitch will open the Bible to teach how our marriages can grow, marked by mercy across multiple areas.

1. God is YHWH — He simply is. “I AM WHO I AM.” — Exodus 3:14
Not becoming… just being. 2. God is one — He cannot be divided. “The Lord is one.” — Deuteronomy 6:4
Not part this… and part that.
Fully God… all the time. 3. God is self-sufficient — He needs nothing. “He Himself gives to all life…” — Acts 17:25
Everything depends on Him. 4. God is eternal — No start, no end. “From everlasting to everlasting…” — Psalms 90:2
Before all things… after all things. 5. God is unchanging — Always the same. “I, the Lord, do not change.” — Malachi 3:6
No shifting. No shadow. 6. God is sovereign — He rules all. “He does according to His will…” — Daniel 4:35
Nothing outside His control. 7. God is holy — Set apart completely. “Holy, holy, holy…” — Isaiah 6:3
No one like Him. 8. God is righteous — Always does right. “The Lord is righteous…” — Psalms 145:17
Perfect in all His ways. 9. God is transcendent — Above all things. “My thoughts are not your thoughts…” — Isaiah 55:8–9
Higher than we can fathom. 10. God is immanent — Closer than breath. “He is not far…” — Acts 17:27
Nearer than we think. 11. God is just — Makes all right. “All His ways are justice.” — Deuteronomy 32:4
Wrong will not win. 12. God is merciful — Withholds what's deserved. “Rich in mercy…” — Ephesians 2:4
Compassion over judgment. 13. God is love — Gives Himself freely. “God is love.” — 1 John 4:8
He moves toward us. 14. God is gracious — Gives undeserved favor. “By grace you have been saved…” — Ephesians 2:8
What we could never earn. 15. God is faithful — Never lets go. “His steadfast love endures forever.” — Psalms 136:1
He will not fail. 16. God is jealous — Wants your heart. “The Lord… is a jealous God.” — Exodus 34:14
He won't share you. 17. God is omnipresent — Everywhere all the time. “Where can I go…?” — Psalms 139:7
Right here… right now. 1. He simply is – He is YHWH 2. He cannot be divided – He is One 3. He needs nothing – He is Self-Sufficient (Aseity) 4. He has no beginning or end – He is Eternal 5. He stays the same – He is Unchanging 6. He rules over all – He is Sovereign 7. He is set apart – He is Holy 8. He always does right – He is Righteous 9. He is above all things – He is Transcendent 10. He is closer than breath – He is Immanent 11. He makes all things right – He is Just 12. He withholds what we deserve – He is Merciful 13. He gives Himself freely – He is Love 14. He gives undeserved favor – He is Grace 15. He never lets go – He is Faithful 16. He wants your heart – He is Jealous 17. He is everywhere all the time - He is Omnipresent

What if the relationship should have been over but God still said, ‘Come back'? Jeremiah 3 is one of Scripture's boldest portraits of grace. In the middle of betrayal, failure, and spiritual adultery, God does not close the door; He calls His people home.Be Blessed and enjoy!Please follow, like and share our podcast with a friend or family member!

Pastor Tyler Stevison Wednesday April 29th 2026

Hi, I'm John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you're listening to Share Life Today. This week, we're learning an easy-to-remember Gospel presentation using the five fingers of our hand. Today, we'll focus on God. Picture your third finger – our great finger, representing the greatest being in all the universe, which we know to be God. Of the many aspects of God's character, we'll emphasize two: First, God is MERCIFUL and doesn't want to punish us. The Bible tells us that “God is love.” But the same Bible teaches us that God is JUST and He cannot tolerate our sin. In Exodus 34:7, God says, 'By no means will I clear the guilty.' This presents a problem for us so tomorrow we'll turn our attention to CHRIST. If you would like to learn more about how to share your faith, join us on Saturday, May 16th for an online Equip America. This free online evangelism training will give you the tools you need to start sharing your faith with confidence. For more information and to register, visit ShareLife.Today. That's ShareLife.Today.

Colossians 1:9-14 (NKJV)Andrew, Isack, and Edwin discuss the kingdom into which God has transferred His people as the fulfillment of God's promise to the Messiah in Psalm 2.Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here.    Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org.    Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here.   Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=25415The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/  

Weekly sermon from Trinity Church Denver

In this multipart series, Lee Eric Fesko takes his class through Matthew chapters 5 to 7, and he discusses Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. This lecture covers Matthew 5:7-8, and was recorded on May 3, 2026, at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN.

There are sins that shock us. And there are sins we commit while feeling righteous. The Fathers place condemnation among the most dangerous of all, because it disguises itself as discernment, zeal, clarity, moral seriousness, concern for truth, or defense of virtue. It allows the soul to remain dark while imagining itself full of light. The monk in Tyre publicly takes the prostitute Porphyria by the hand to save her soul. He does not protect his image. He does not manage appearances. He does not consult public opinion. He risks slander to rescue a human being. The city immediately does what cities always do. It interprets evil. It invents details. It delights in scandal. It spreads rumor as if rumor were truth. This is the ancient world. It is also the modern one. People love condemnation because it relieves them of repentance. If another is filthy, then I feel cleaner. If another is hypocritical, then I need not examine my own hypocrisy. If another has fallen, then I may remain standing in my own imagination. The Evergetinos says something brutal and true: corrupt people readily believe corrupt things because they assume others are like themselves. The suspicious man is often revealing himself more than exposing anyone else. The monk bears this slander silently. He saves the woman, has her tonsured as a nun, entrusts her to the monastic life, and accepts years of false judgment. Only at death does God vindicate him through the miracle of the burning coals. Why then? Because God often waits until the end to expose the blindness of men. How many people have we judged who were secretly dear to God? How many motives have we misread? How many stories have we narrated from fragments and vanity? Abba Isaiah brings the matter into ordinary life. You need something from your brother. Instead of asking simply, you brood. You resent that he did not anticipate your need. You accuse him silently. The Elder says plainly: you are the one at fault. This is devastating because so much of our inner life is built on unspoken expectations. We punish others for failing standards we never voiced. Then we call ourselves wounded. St. Maximos the Confessor goes deeper still. Whoever busies himself with the sins of others has not yet begun repentance. Not advanced repentance. Not deep repentance. Begun. This means many religious people who speak constantly of the failures of the Church, society, clergy, family, culture, and enemies may not yet have entered the first room of spiritual life. They know outrage. They know commentary. They know denunciation. But they do not know repentance. The Gerontikon exposes another horror. A brother obsessed with impurity suspects two monks of sin. The Elder says the passion is in him. This is ascetic psychology of the highest order. What we compulsively detect in others often reveals what is active in ourselves. The lustful see lust everywhere. The proud detect pride everywhere. The deceitful suspect hidden motives everywhere. The bitter interpret everything through offense. They are reading their own soul onto the world. Abba Poimen adds one of the fiercest counsels in the tradition. Even if you think you touched the evidence with your own hands, do not be quick to condemn. The brother who thought he discovered fornication found only two bundles of wheat. This is not comic relief. It is revelation. You do not see clearly. You think you do. That is the danger. The section on St. John the Merciful reveals another blindness. We know the public sin. We do not know the secret repentance. The one we condemn today may already be weeping before God tonight. The one whose fall we discuss may already be rising while we remain unchanged. And here is the sharpest word of all from Abba John the Short: there is no greater virtue than not disparaging others. Why would he say this? Because the man who stops condemning is finally free to begin working on himself. The modern world feeds on accusation. Social media monetizes it. News cycles depend on it. Religious factions organize around it. Whole identities are formed through shared contempt. The Fathers would call this mass demonic pedagogy. You become what you repeatedly contemplate. If you feed daily on the faults of others, you slowly become a soul incapable of compunction. So what is the path? Speak less. Assume less. Ask plainly. Interpret slowly. Pray for the one you are tempted to judge. Return attention to your own sins. Let hidden things remain hidden unless duty truly requires action. And if genuine wrongdoing must be addressed, do so with sobriety, evidence, tears, and fear for your own soul. Here is the fierce conclusion: The soul that needs others to be guilty in order to feel innocent has not yet met God. Because the one who has stood honestly before God loses appetite for condemnation. He has too much to repent of. The Fathers do not ask you to become naive. They ask you to become clean. And cleanliness begins when you stop making a home for suspicion. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:02:57 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 5 Volume III - section 3 00:22:10 vanessa s (vanessa s): My daughter was supposed to go to Israel this summer but Air Canada cancelled all flights due to security issues. 00:22:20 vanessa s (vanessa s): :( 00:27:45 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 5 Volume III - section 3 00:35:22 Julie: Our Imagination can trick us when we start judging …our senses can be hijacked by our Assumptions 00:35:38 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Our Imagination can ..." with

Episode 294 - Be Merciful As Your Father Have you ever wanted to forgive, but just couldn't seem to get there? This week, the friars reflect on the call to "be merciful as your Father is merciful" and the real, often slow journey of forgiveness. They unpack the tension of holding pain while still being invited into mercy and how forgiveness isn't something we force, but something we receive and grow into over time. Through the lens of the older son, they explore what it means to stay close to the Father, to "borrow" His heart, and to take small, honest steps toward healing, even when it's hard. Join us as we discover how God meets us in our wounds and gently leads us into freedom, one step at a time. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! Join the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in Rome and Assisi:  https://www.ctscentral.net/travel-tours/an-immersive-franciscan-retreat-to-rome-and-assisi Get your own copy of the Prodigal Son prints https://spiritjuice.shop/collections/poco-a-poco/products/print-coming-home https://visualgrace.org/coming-home-product-page

In this episode of Outlander Cast, Mary & Blake go through your listener feedback for Outlander Season 8 Episode 6, "Blessed Are the Merciful." And yes — a few clear themes emerged. A lot of listeners felt this was the strongest episode of the season so far, with huge praise for Jamie giving the land to the wives, Rachel's emotional strength, and the show finally feeling a little more like old-school Outlander again. At the same time, there was one near-universal opinion: the Roger and Bree sex scene did not work for basically anyone. We also get into: why Hiram Crombie might actually be the original bad penny why Rachel won a lot of people over in this episode why Swiftest of Lizards and Rollo's grandpuppy stole hearts why some listeners think the women carried the whole hour and why the fandom is very much still side-eyeing Amaranthus Plus: voicemails from all over, a great theory about Master Raymond, one delightful challenge about convincing a new viewer to keep watching Outlander, and a whole lot of love from the Nerd Clan. Spoiler warning: this episode contains full spoilers for Outlander Season 8 Episode 6, "Blessed Are the Merciful." We are spoiler free for the books, but not for the TV series. Slàinte Mhath. 

In this episode of Outlander Cast, Mary & Blake break down Outlander Season 8 Episode 6, "Blessed Are the Merciful." This is the first episode in a while that feels like the season stops simmering and starts to boil. We talk about why Jamie's mercy is not softness, why keeping Cunningham alive turns him into a living warning, and why giving the land to the wives is the smartest move in the episode. We also get into Rachel's emotional generosity, Roger's too-neat revelation, William and Ben's messy showdown, and why Major Ferguson now feels like the real storm on the horizon. We also discuss: - why this all somehow goes back to The Godfather - why Jamie's choice works because both options are good and bad - why Rachel may quietly be the MVP of the hour - why the Roger and Bree intimacy scene absolutely did not work for us - and why mercy, in this episode, feels more like pressure than peace Spoiler warning: this episode contains full spoilers for Outlander Season 8 Episode 6, "Blessed Are the Merciful." We are spoiler free for the books, but not for the TV series. Subscribe and follow us at MaryandBlake.com and support the show at JoinTheNerdClan.com. Slàinte Mhath.