For Reading and Meditation:      Psalm 85:1-13We continue our study of the Beatitudes - the study of Jesus' declarations of how to become "the happy ones". Today we come to the fifth of Christ's famous sayings: "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy" (Matthew 5:7). What does our Lord mean when He uses the word "merciful"? The thought underlying the word is that of compassion and concern for the plight of others. The Greek word used in this fifth Beatitude is also used to describe the high priestly ministry of Christ in Hebrews 2:17. One authority, W.E. Vine, says that a "merciful" person is "not simply possessed of pity but actively compassionate". It is important to stress once again that the characteristic of being merciful of which our Lord spoke here is not something that arises from our natural temperament, but something that is endowed on us when we abide in Christ. As Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones said: "This is not a gospel for certain temperaments - nobody has an advantage over anybody else when they are face to face with God." Again, mercy is not turning a blind eye to moral violations - the attitude that pretends not to see things. This can be seen most forcefully when we consider that the term "merciful" is an adjective which is applied especially and specifically to God Himself. This means that however the word applies to God, it applies equally to man. God is merciful, but He is also truth: "Mercy and truth are met together." If we think of mercy at the expense of truth and law, then it is not true mercy; it is merely a caricature.O God, help me, I pray, to have within me the right blend of mercy and truth. Save me from becoming a lopsided Christian - someone who manifests one characteristic at the expense of another. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.<div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>Titus 3:1-7</li><li>Psalm 103:17</li><li>Psalm 108:4</li><li>Lamentations 3:22</li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>What is the quality of God's mercy?</li><li>How merciful are you?</li></ul></div></div>

Let a little light into your soul every day with this wonderful devotional from English pastor Selwyn Hughes.

Every Day Light with Selwyn Hughes

"Mercy and truth are met together '" (v. 10, AV) 

For Reading and Meditation:      Ephesians 2:1-10A Hindu once said in my presence: "A man may change his acts but not his character." He was saying that a change is possible, but not a vertical change; there can be improvement, modification, a change of attitude, but no deep radical change. The Christian church is not without a sprinkling of what yesterday I called "horizontal" conversions. Many historians have called attention to the fact that when Christianity swept through Europe, there were many genuine conversions to Christ but many horizontal ones too - people taking the Name of Christ for political or economic expediency. They were converted horizontally but still in need of a vertical conversion. When I was about fourteen years of age I was "horizontally" converted. I was a mischievous young man, and one day in church I made up my mind to be "a good boy." I tried hard to give up such things as swearing, stealing, and so on, but it didn't last. Although I felt religious, there was no great inward change. On a horizontal level I was converted, but not in relation to God. About a year later, sitting in the same church and under deep conviction of sin, I made a complete and total surrender to God. I was vertically converted. I walked out of that church feeling as if I had been turned inside out. From that moment my life was changed, old habits began to disappear, and my whole being was flooded with light. I tell you with all the conviction of my being, the vertical was much different than the horizontal. O God, help us not to be converted to the things surrounding Christ - religious rituals for example - but to Christ Himself. For if we don't touch Him we don't touch life, and there will be no deep inward change. In His dear Name we ask it. Amen.<div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>Titus 3:1-5</li><li>Ezekiel 36:26</li><li>John 3:3-7</li><li>1 Peter 1:23</li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>How is the change in a person described?</li><li>How is it accomplished?</li></ul></div></div>

"... God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions ..." (vv. 4-5) 

The mercy of God is His pity, lovingkindness and compassion on those who are guilty, failing, distressed or needy. The Scriptures emphasize that God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4) and plenteous in mercy (Psalms 86:5). His mercy is abundant (1 Peter 1:3); it is great unto the heavens (Psalms 57:10). "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him" (Psalms 103:11). God is spoken of as "the Father of mercies" (2 Corinthians 1:3), One who is "very pitiful and of tender mercy" (James 5:11). He is impartial in bestowing mercy: "for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:45). Men are not saved by works of righteousness (Titus 3:5) but by His sovereign mercy (Exodus 33:19; Romans 9:15). His mercy endures forever to those who fear Him (Psalms 136:1; Lu. 1:50), but for the impenitent it is for this life only.There is a difference between grace and mercy. Grace means that God showers me with blessings which I do not deserve. Mercy means that He does not give me the punishment that I do deserve.Every doctrine of the Scripture has duty attached. The mercies of God require, first of all, that we should present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God (Romans 12:1). It is the most reasonable, rational, sane, sensible thing we can do.Then, too, God would have us to be merciful to one another. A special reward is promised to the merciful: "they shall obtain mercy" (Matthew 5:7). The Lord would rather have mercy than sacrifice (Matthew 9:13), that is, great acts of sacrifice are unacceptable if they are divorced from personal godliness.The good Samaritan is the one who shows mercy to his neighbor. We show mercy when we feed the hungry, clothe the poor, nurse the sick, visit the widows and orphans, and weep with those who weep.We are merciful when we refuse the opportunity to take vengeance on someone who has wronged us, or when we show compassion on those who have failed.Remembering what we are, we should pray for mercy for ourselves (Hebrews 4:16) and for others (Galatians 6:16; 1 Timothy 1:2).Finally the mercies of God should tune our hearts to sing His praise.When all thy mercies, O my God,My rising soul surveys,Transported with the view I'm lost,In wonder, love, and praise.Joseph Addison

With reverence, humor and skill, William MacDonald wove a daily devotional tapestry that challenges the reader to think deeply and Biblically, and apply God's Word to their lives.

Truths to Live By - One Day at a Time

"God…is rich in mercy." (Ephesians 2:4)

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. § Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. § Christ Jesus … became for us wisdom from God– and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. § Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.

Daily Light on the Daily Path or Daily Light is a Christian daily devotional scripture reading published by Bagster & Sons about 1875. It has been reprinted continually since then. It consists of brief groupings of scripture passages which speak to prominent Biblical themes—two themes (morning and evening) for each day of the year. It appends no commentary, but simply allows scripture to speak for itself.

Morning Daily Light

 The righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus  Christ, to all and on all who believe. 

You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. § Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. § Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. § According to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

 The grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant,  with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 

Be imitators of God as dear children. § Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. § Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. When the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. § The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. § He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

 The fruit of the Spirit is . . . goodness. 

Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever. § Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. § Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. § Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. § Your word has given me life. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

 Christ . . . loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word. 

The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. § [He] Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. § As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. § There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. THE LORD OUR RIGHTOUSNESS.

 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

A new and living way which He consecrated for us. § Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. § For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory. § To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. § You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. § I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number … crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Evening Daily Light

 They sang as it were a new song. 

His mercy endures forever § The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy. § Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity … ? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. § Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. A merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

 Has His mercy ceased forever? 

Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you. § I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins. The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. § In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. § Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. § He has … forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us … He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Bless the Lord, O my soul, . . . who forgives all your iniquities.

 Forgive all my sins. 

Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. You He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, … among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. According to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

 Base things of the world . . . God has chosen. 

The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. § That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. § Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God. § Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 It is the Spirit who gives life. 

<blockquote>
I endure all things for the elect's sake" (<a id="verse_1632877237200173" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/2-Timothy/2/10">2 Tim. 2:10</a>).
</blockquote>Our Father's mercy is all-encompassing. It includes our salvation - " . . . according to His mercy He saved us" (<a id="verse_1632877237333540" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Titus/3/5">Titus 3:5</a>); and our service - " . . . by the mercies of God, present your bodies a living sacrifice. . . which is your reasonable service" (<a id="verse_1632877237942177" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Romans/12/1">Rom. 12:1</a>).Reasonable service is based upon sacrifice: "I, Paul. . . rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body's sake, which is the church" (<a id="verse_1632877237987320" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Colossians/1/23">Col. 1:23</a>; <a id="verse_1632877237777123336" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Colossians/1/24">24</a>)."To truly minister to others is always to accept new happiness and new distress, both of them forever deepening and entering into closer and more inseparable union with each other, the more profound and spiritual the ministry becomes. The one who gives himself to others can never be a wholly sad person; but no more can he be one of unclouded gladness." -G.M."The fuller the service, the greater the surrender and sacrifice. It is not giving what one can spare without feeling it, for I will not offer the Lord that which doth cost me nothing' (<a id="verse_1632877237332129" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/2-Samuel/24/24">2 Sam. 24:24</a>)."The service declares its virtue and aim by the suffering which is endured in rendering it, for what can be done at one's ease is generally done without much concern for the one to whom it is rendered, and thus the true quality is lost.""I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved" (<a id="verse_1632877237110416" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/2-Corinthians/12/15">2 Cor. 12:15</a>).

A 365 day devotional that will help you in your Christian growth and walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.  This devotional is a collection of quotes from some of the best authors in the realm of Christian growth that has been organized by Miles J Stanford.  This devotional study is divided into 12 sections each containing 31 daily portions.

None but the Hungry Heart

 Sacrificial Service 

5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

he saved us,<cr>1</cr> not because of righteous things we had done,<cr>2</cr> but because of his mercy.<cr>3</cr> He saved us through the washing<cr>4</cr> of rebirth and renewal<cr>5</cr> by the Holy Spirit,

Titus 3:5

 5 he saved us,   not because of righteous things we had done,   but because of his mercy.   He saved us through the washing   of rebirth and renewal   by the Holy Spirit,

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

New International Version

 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

 he saved us,   not because of righteous things we had done,   but because of his mercy.   He saved us through the washing   of rebirth and renewal   by the Holy Spirit,

Bible Verse of the Day

April 14, 2020

Titus 3:5 NIV

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