Where can you find
hope for the hopeless?
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Opportunity for transformation?
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Peace amid life's storms?
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Only in God's free
gift of eternal life.
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From New York, join us
on the Pathway of Hope.
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There are many
attributes about our God.
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He possesses all
wisdom and power.
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I could list a few more
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but there are two attributes
of God that I like most.
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Number one, He is a loving God,
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and number two,
He is a merciful God.
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He loves us so much
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that He died on a
cross for our sins.
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As a merciful God,
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He spares us from
the brutal punishment
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and effects of sin.
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I am a recipient of God's mercy.
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Jesus had mercy on
me and changed my life.
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And guess what,
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His mercy is
available for you too.
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He not only wants us
to be recipients of mercy,
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but also wants us to
extend that mercy to others.
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There is a special blessing
for those who are merciful
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for the Bible says,
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"Blessed are
they who are merciful,
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for they shall obtain mercy."
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On today's program,
Dr. Jules will show us
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how we can attain mercy
and forgiveness of our sins
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and live a fuller, richer,
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and happier
life in Christ Jesus.
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Crucified
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Laid behind the stone
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You lived to die
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Rejected and alone
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You took the fall
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And thought of me
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Above all powers
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Above all nature
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And created things
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The world began
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Above all wonders
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The world has ever known
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There's no way to measure
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What you're worth
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Crucified
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Laid behind the stone
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You lived to die
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Rejected and alone
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You took the fall
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And thought of me
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Above all
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Crucified
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Laid behind the stone
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You lived to die
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Rejected and alone
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Like a rose
trampled on the ground
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You took the fall
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And thought of me
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Above all
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Trampled on the ground
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Out of the New Testament,
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Jesus speaking
into book of Matthew 5:7
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says, "Blessed are the merciful,
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for they shall obtain mercy."
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Succinct, brief, yet powerful.
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Our message, be merciful.
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Let us pray.
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Loving Lord, You who
have demonstrated in Your life
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and taught us a new word,
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the need to be
kind and forgiving
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and generous and magnanimous,
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we tonight, go to
this word to find a way
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to make that word
real in our own lives.
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So bless this to Your people
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and those who
listen to this telecast,
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may their hearts be
blessed beyond measure.
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May we sense our need
to inculcate in our lives.
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The attributes of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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Thank you for hearing
out this prayer tonight.
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In the name of
Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
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Amen.
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Philips translates that
verse of scripture this way,
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he says, "Happy
are the merciful,
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for they will have
mercy shown to them."
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Now at first glance, such
statements seem to suggest
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that the
process of showing mercy
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begins with us.
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Now that,
however, is not the case.
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It is God who is merciful
and gracious, first of all.
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And the people of
God are who they are
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because they have
received God's mercy.
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Now the two
terms, grace and mercy
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are frequently synonymous.
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But where there is a distinction
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between the two,
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it appears that
grace is a loving response
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when love is undeserved.
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And mercy is a loving
response prompted by the misery
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and helplessness
of the one and whom,
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the love is to be showered.
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Grace answers to
the undeserving mercy,
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answers to the miserable.
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Jesus in Matthew 5 gives
us these eight principles
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or secrets to happiness.
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He divides them up.
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Four of these principles
speak to our relationship to God
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and the other four
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deals with our
relationship with each other.
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That's why it's a fosse
for people to love the Lord
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and don't know how to
treat their brothers or sisters.
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Your real character comes out
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when you have
to deal with people
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who are not all
that loving and caring.
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In this
beatitude, Jesus is saying
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that life is really
one great boomerang.
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Whatever you dish
out, comes back to you.
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It's the law of direct return.
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If you're friendly,
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people tend to be
friendly with you.
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If you speak gently
to someone, most times,
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they tend to not be
boisterous with you.
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If you criticize other people,
they're going to criticize you.
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If you're
merciful to other people,
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they'll be merciful to you.
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That's just the way life is.
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Now mercy goes even deeper
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than just
feeling sorry for people.
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Mercy, the man's
action, mercy is love in action.
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The Bible says that
God is a merciful God.
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Psalms 148:8 says,
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"God is kind and merciful.
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Slow to get angry
and full of love."
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Isn't that wonderful people?
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When I think of God,
I should envision Him
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to be kind and merciful,
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full of love, and slow to anger.
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Are you patient with everyone?
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How can you be patient
with those who are different?
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First, we must look
into their backgrounds.
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When we understand
where a person is coming from,
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we will understand how
far they're coming from,
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and we will not
pay much attention
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to how far they have to go.
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Ladies and gentleman,
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when we look beneath
the external behavior
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and look at the internal pain,
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we would know that
behind every peculiar act,
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there's loneliness, hurt,
depression, or some anxiety.
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In other words,
God is saying to us,
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"Stop judging people.
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Take a little time,
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think about their circumstances,
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think about their conditions,
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and you'll be
patient with them."
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Well, mercy is manifested
first of all through patience
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but secondly,
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mercy is manifested
through forgiveness.
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Colossians 3:27 says,
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"Be gentle and ready to forgive,
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never hold grudges.
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Remember, the Lord forgave you,
so you must forgive others."
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Isn't it amazing that
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when you are in
need of forgiveness,
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it feels so right.
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But when you are called upon
to give it, it feels so wrong.
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When people make mistakes,
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do you rub it in
or do you rub it out?
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When people hurt
you and malice you
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and let you down,
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do you hold it over their heads
for the rest of their lives
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and never let them off the hook?
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That's not mercy.
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It's lot easier to criticize
than it is to sympathize.
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It's a lot
easier to point a finger
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than it is to
lend a helping hand.
00:12:00.52\00:12:02.88
William Barclay once said,
00:12:02.92\00:12:04.25
"A Christ-less
world is a callous world.
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And mercy was never
00:12:07.12\00:12:09.19
a characteristic of pagan life."
00:12:09.22\00:12:11.36
And all who strived to
root their lives to forgiveness,
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seek to listen
rather than to convince,
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to understand rather
than to impose themselves.
00:12:18.27\00:12:21.70
But there's a third way
that mercy is manifested.
00:12:21.74\00:12:25.01
It's manifested
through kindness.
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Proverbs 3:27 declares,
00:12:27.88\00:12:29.81
whenever you possibly can
do good to those who need it.
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John Wesley had a motto.
00:12:35.22\00:12:36.85
He says, "Do all
the good you can,
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by all the means you can,
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in all the ways you can,
at all the times you can,
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to all the people you
can, as long as you ever can."
00:12:42.72\00:12:45.83
Jude 1:24 also says,
00:12:47.10\00:12:49.26
"Be merciful to
those who doubt."
00:12:49.30\00:12:52.03
When you're hurting
that's the most likely time
00:12:53.20\00:12:55.30
you're going to doubt God.
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Do you know that's
when you are hurting...
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That's when we ask
those cosmic questions
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in the middle of the night?
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"Where is God?
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Why is He not
hearing my prayers?
00:13:04.71\00:13:06.38
Maybe He doesn't care!
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Maybe He doesn't even exist."
00:13:08.35\00:13:10.09
If you have
never had those doubts,
00:13:10.12\00:13:12.32
you probably have
never been in much pain.
00:13:12.35\00:13:15.96
Now why did God
say, "Be merciful"?
00:13:15.99\00:13:18.59
Because that is the
way God treats people.
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He is kind and
merciful, slow to anger.
00:13:21.16\00:13:23.63
And The Living Bible
says in rest of that verse,
00:13:23.67\00:13:25.97
"His compassion is entertained
in everything that He does."
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Why then should I
really be merciful?
00:13:31.41\00:13:34.64
First, because I'm a
recipient of God's mercy.
00:13:34.68\00:13:38.15
Matthew 18:3, The
Living Bible says,
00:13:38.18\00:13:40.38
"Shouldn't you be
merciful to other people
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just as I have
been merciful to you?"
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God anticipates that I
would be grateful enough
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and smart enough
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to remember to give
of what I have received.
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Freely you have
received, freely give!
00:13:52.23\00:13:55.26
Whenever you're tempted
to get all smug and arrogant,
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take a moment to
think of the many times,
00:14:00.30\00:14:02.77
you have
offended the eye of God.
00:14:02.80\00:14:05.57
And He has been so
faithful and merciful.
00:14:05.61\00:14:09.44
You know, one day while I say
who ministered in this world,
00:14:09.48\00:14:11.78
a group of
professional religious leaders
00:14:11.81\00:14:14.85
caught up in
their own righteousness
00:14:14.88\00:14:16.22
and impressed
with their own purity,
00:14:16.25\00:14:18.65
forgot that they had been
recipients of God's Almighty's
00:14:18.69\00:14:21.46
grace and mercy.
00:14:21.49\00:14:23.39
They came dragging a
woman, the Bible says,
00:14:23.43\00:14:25.89
into the very presence of Jesus.
00:14:25.93\00:14:27.53
She had committed adultery,
she was caught in adultery.
00:14:27.56\00:14:31.43
And they threw her down
in front of Jesus and said,
00:14:31.47\00:14:34.10
"Jesus, You are a teacher.
00:14:34.14\00:14:35.64
You know what the Lord says.
00:14:35.67\00:14:37.07
If you're caught in adultery,
you should be stoned to death."
00:14:37.11\00:14:40.44
Jesus said, "You're right.
00:14:42.28\00:14:44.28
That's what the Lord says.
00:14:44.31\00:14:46.41
The first one of you
who has never sinned,
00:14:46.45\00:14:48.92
gets to throw the
very first stone."
00:14:48.95\00:14:51.29
The Bible says
they all walked away.
00:14:51.32\00:14:54.59
On another occasion, Jesus said,
00:14:54.62\00:14:56.26
"One of you is so preoccupied
with the speck of sawdust
00:14:56.29\00:15:01.26
in your neighbors eyes,
00:15:01.30\00:15:02.63
why don't you get the telephone
pulled out of your own?"
00:15:02.66\00:15:05.33
God has been merciful to me!
00:15:07.44\00:15:10.44
So I need to be
merciful to other folks.
00:15:10.47\00:15:13.71
Now we tend to judge people,
00:15:15.08\00:15:17.65
other people by
their worst faults.
00:15:17.68\00:15:20.38
Ad we tend to judge ourselves
by our best intentions.
00:15:20.42\00:15:25.42
There's a second reason
why we should be merciful.
00:15:25.45\00:15:27.52
I should also be merciful
because more than likely,
00:15:27.56\00:15:30.09
I'm going to need
some mercy in the future.
00:15:30.13\00:15:33.63
We ought to be
careful when we say,
00:15:33.66\00:15:35.06
"I'll never do that."
00:15:35.10\00:15:36.70
Never say never.
00:15:36.73\00:15:38.23
No one but God knows
what the future holds
00:15:38.27\00:15:40.70
and in that future,
00:15:40.74\00:15:42.07
there might just be
some circumstantial condition
00:15:42.10\00:15:44.64
that
necessitates the mercy of God
00:15:44.67\00:15:47.38
and mercy from our fellow men.
00:15:47.41\00:15:50.48
You don't know what you'll do.
00:15:50.51\00:15:52.35
Be careful.
00:15:52.38\00:15:53.72
Let Him the thinketh,
00:15:53.75\00:15:55.08
He sendeth,
taketh, let's befall.
00:15:55.12\00:15:59.62
James 2:13 says,
00:15:59.65\00:16:01.02
"The man who makes no
allowances for others,
00:16:01.06\00:16:03.96
will find none made for him."
00:16:03.99\00:16:06.56
only those who
give mercy will get it.
00:16:06.59\00:16:09.20
Mercy is giving to
others, not what they deserve,
00:16:09.23\00:16:11.97
but giving them what they need.
00:16:12.00\00:16:14.97
There's a third reason
why I should give mercy.
00:16:15.00\00:16:17.14
I should be merciful
00:16:17.17\00:16:18.57
because the Bible
says it will make me happy.
00:16:18.61\00:16:21.58
If you are a merciful person,
you will be a happy person.
00:16:21.61\00:16:25.61
Happy are the merciful
00:16:25.65\00:16:27.32
and unhappy and
miserable are the unmerciful.
00:16:27.35\00:16:32.02
Unkind people
are miserable people.
00:16:32.05\00:16:36.96
But people who are
merciful, the Bible says,
00:16:36.99\00:16:39.56
"Happy are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy."
00:16:39.59\00:16:43.97
Amen.
00:16:44.00\00:16:45.87
How then do I
become a merciful person?
00:16:45.90\00:16:48.87
Starting point is
you must first experience
00:16:48.90\00:16:52.07
the mercy of God.
00:16:52.11\00:16:53.78
You cannot offer
mercy to anyone else
00:16:53.81\00:16:56.31
until you have
first received mercy.
00:16:56.34\00:16:59.61
You can't offer
forgiveness to anyone else
00:16:59.65\00:17:01.82
until you first feel forgiven.
00:17:01.85\00:17:04.22
One of the reasons
00:17:04.25\00:17:05.65
why some of you have a hard time
00:17:05.69\00:17:07.62
forgiving people
00:17:07.66\00:17:08.99
is because you don't
really feel forgiven.
00:17:09.02\00:17:11.73
When I feel unforgiving
yet I'm definitely unforgiving.
00:17:11.76\00:17:16.06
When I don't feel good,
00:17:16.10\00:17:17.53
I sure don't want
anybody else to feel good.
00:17:17.57\00:17:22.24
Starting point is
00:17:22.27\00:17:23.61
I must receive the mercy of God,
00:17:23.64\00:17:26.78
peace of God, and
the forgiveness of God,
00:17:26.81\00:17:29.28
and then I can
offer it to others.
00:17:29.31\00:17:31.78
Can you say amen somebody? Amen.
00:17:31.81\00:17:34.02
Every sin you've ever committed
00:17:34.05\00:17:36.55
or are committing right now,
00:17:36.58\00:17:37.92
or will commit has
already been paid for, why?
00:17:37.95\00:17:41.59
The Bible says, "Just
as you break man's law,
00:17:41.62\00:17:44.93
there's a penalty."
00:17:44.96\00:17:47.20
The Bible says, "The
wages of sin is death."
00:17:47.23\00:17:50.60
Jesus took that penalty.
00:17:50.63\00:17:53.97
He took it.
00:17:54.00\00:17:55.34
It's already paid for.
00:17:55.37\00:17:56.71
You can walk out of
here with a clear conscience,
00:17:56.74\00:17:59.07
with a clean slate.
00:17:59.11\00:18:01.64
You can begin a new life,
00:18:01.68\00:18:03.01
you can receive
the mercy of god,
00:18:03.04\00:18:04.38
not because you deserve
to be forgiven, you don't.
00:18:04.41\00:18:07.98
But God wants to forgive you
00:18:08.02\00:18:09.82
simply because He
is a forgiving God.
00:18:09.85\00:18:12.85
He loves
forgiving, it's His nature.
00:18:12.89\00:18:15.29
He is a God of mercy.
00:18:15.32\00:18:17.99
After you've done that,
once you really feel forgiven,
00:18:18.03\00:18:20.43
once you have been graced,
00:18:20.46\00:18:22.16
then it's easier for
you to become gracious.
00:18:22.20\00:18:25.70
Once you've felt
the mercy of God,
00:18:25.73\00:18:27.47
then it's easier
for you to be merciful.
00:18:27.50\00:18:30.47
After you've done that,
the next thing you need to do
00:18:30.51\00:18:32.77
in order to
become a merciful person,
00:18:32.81\00:18:34.48
is start looking at people
with the eyes of Jesus Christ.
00:18:34.51\00:18:39.48
Look at people the way
the Lord would see them.
00:18:39.51\00:18:42.48
By the way, if you
have trouble with lust,
00:18:42.52\00:18:44.42
this is the key.
00:18:44.45\00:18:45.79
Instead of
looking at them in lust,
00:18:45.82\00:18:47.16
look at them in love,
the way Jesus would see them.
00:18:47.19\00:18:51.49
Instead of a body,
you'll see a person.
00:18:51.53\00:18:54.26
Now Matthew 25 to think
00:18:54.30\00:18:55.80
Christians are
going to be judged by
00:18:55.83\00:18:58.80
and the judgment is how
they treated other people.
00:18:58.83\00:19:03.07
Listen to what Jesus says.
00:19:03.10\00:19:04.44
"I was hungry and you fed Me,
00:19:04.47\00:19:06.71
I was naked and you clothed Me,
00:19:06.74\00:19:10.58
I was in need of
drink and you gave it to Me,
00:19:10.61\00:19:12.65
I was in prison
and you visited me."
00:19:12.68\00:19:16.05
We're going to say, "Lord,
00:19:16.08\00:19:17.42
so when did we do
all of that to You?"
00:19:17.45\00:19:19.39
Jesus said, "I will say then,
in as months as you've done it
00:19:19.42\00:19:23.63
to anybody else,
you've done it to me."
00:19:23.66\00:19:25.89
God is a loving God.
00:19:25.93\00:19:28.30
And He loves
all of His children.
00:19:28.33\00:19:30.97
God's going to ask you
how you treated other people.
00:19:33.00\00:19:36.30
Were you merciful?
00:19:36.34\00:19:38.41
Were you like Him?
00:19:38.44\00:19:40.08
All of us, lot
of us are very hard
00:19:40.11\00:19:42.91
and we are tough on people.
00:19:42.94\00:19:44.75
And we always ready to
vote somebody out of church.
00:19:44.78\00:19:48.32
Always quick to
get rid of people.
00:19:48.35\00:19:50.09
Let me tell you something.
00:19:50.12\00:19:51.45
When I read my Bible,
00:19:51.49\00:19:52.82
Jesus was never in
haste to get rid of anybody.
00:19:52.85\00:19:55.39
He was always extending mercy.
00:19:55.42\00:19:58.03
Jesus says, "Were you like Him?"
00:19:58.06\00:20:00.80
Jesus had a ministry of mercy.
00:20:00.83\00:20:02.56
He lifted up the lonely,
He accepted the rejected,
00:20:02.60\00:20:05.33
He grieved with
those who are sorrowing.
00:20:05.37\00:20:07.70
He loved the unlovely.
00:20:07.74\00:20:09.40
He helped those who
are helpless and hurting.
00:20:09.44\00:20:12.37
He cared for
them and God wants you
00:20:12.41\00:20:14.44
to be a little bit
like Christ on your job,
00:20:14.48\00:20:17.85
at school, and at home.
00:20:17.88\00:20:19.58
Treat people the way you
would like to be treated.
00:20:19.61\00:20:24.02
Now who is that in
your life that needs mercy?
00:20:24.05\00:20:27.09
That's barely hanging on.
00:20:27.12\00:20:28.82
And they're about to let go.
00:20:28.86\00:20:30.19
You need to show
some mercy this week.
00:20:30.23\00:20:33.16
Who is it in your life
that you're still holding
00:20:33.19\00:20:36.46
the past over their head?
00:20:36.50\00:20:39.10
You won't let them off the hook.
00:20:39.13\00:20:40.87
Every time they do
something you don't like,
00:20:40.90\00:20:44.04
you bring this
up for ammunition.
00:20:44.07\00:20:47.48
It's always silently
there in the background.
00:20:47.51\00:20:50.65
You remind them
of how many times
00:20:50.68\00:20:52.15
you forgave them.
00:20:52.18\00:20:54.08
That's a great way
to even kill a marriage.
00:20:54.12\00:20:57.15
You're unappeasable no
matter what they do for you,
00:20:57.19\00:20:59.99
you remember the past.
00:21:00.02\00:21:01.49
You have a little
scale in your mind.
00:21:01.52\00:21:04.29
No matter what they do for you,
00:21:04.33\00:21:05.66
you keep on
reminding them of this.
00:21:05.69\00:21:07.06
You're destroying
00:21:07.10\00:21:08.43
your own marriage
and relationships.
00:21:08.46\00:21:11.47
You're doing it to yourself.
00:21:11.50\00:21:14.14
Who is it that you need
to say a word of forgiveness
00:21:14.17\00:21:16.84
to this week?
00:21:16.87\00:21:18.21
Let him off the hook,
wipe that slate clean,
00:21:18.24\00:21:20.01
never mention it again.
00:21:20.04\00:21:21.38
It's over, it's done with,
00:21:21.41\00:21:22.84
it's forgiven,
it's past, that's it.
00:21:22.88\00:21:25.98
Be happy!
00:21:26.01\00:21:27.35
And show mercy!
00:21:27.38\00:21:30.25
Have you
experienced the mercy of God?
00:21:30.29\00:21:33.09
That is the greatest
thing you can ever experience,
00:21:33.12\00:21:34.76
the mercy and love of Jesus.
00:21:34.79\00:21:36.93
Jesus Christ cared
enough for you to die for you
00:21:36.96\00:21:40.23
and to forgive every
sin you've ever committed.
00:21:40.26\00:21:43.23
But you need to
come, admit those sins,
00:21:43.26\00:21:45.07
ask for forgiveness,
00:21:45.10\00:21:46.43
and let Him clean out
your life and start over again.
00:21:46.47\00:21:49.47
There's no reason to go
out of this house tonight
00:21:49.50\00:21:51.64
with any guilt.
00:21:51.67\00:21:53.27
It's unnecessary.
00:21:53.31\00:21:54.64
If you do it, it's
because you choose to do it.
00:21:54.68\00:21:57.21
God says, "I want to
wipe the slate clean."
00:21:57.25\00:21:59.65
It's like
staring all over again.
00:21:59.68\00:22:03.15
This is a true story.
00:22:03.18\00:22:05.35
Fred Craddock was vacationing
in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
00:22:05.39\00:22:10.93
He and his wife
were seated at the table,
00:22:10.96\00:22:13.50
when an old man came up to them
and asked, "How are you doing?
00:22:13.53\00:22:17.27
Are you having a good time?
00:22:17.30\00:22:19.03
Are you on vacation?"
00:22:19.07\00:22:20.74
"Yes", said Professor Craddock.
00:22:20.77\00:22:22.77
"We are on vacation
00:22:22.80\00:22:24.14
and yes we're
having a good time."
00:22:24.17\00:22:25.74
"What do you do for
living?" The old man asked.
00:22:25.77\00:22:28.91
Professor Craddock wanting
to get rid of the old man,
00:22:28.94\00:22:31.91
he said, "I'm a
professor of preaching."
00:22:31.95\00:22:34.58
Which is true, but he was
sure that a title like that
00:22:34.62\00:22:37.79
would drive any
unwelcomed intruder away.
00:22:37.82\00:22:41.92
But it didn't.
00:22:41.96\00:22:43.49
"Oh, you're a preacher?"
00:22:43.53\00:22:44.86
The old man said,
00:22:44.89\00:22:46.23
"Let me tell you
a preacher's story."
00:22:46.26\00:22:48.30
Before he can object,
00:22:51.00\00:22:52.73
the old man drew up
a chair to the table,
00:22:52.77\00:22:55.70
started to unwind his story.
00:22:55.74\00:22:58.41
He said, "I was born
an illegitimate child.
00:22:58.44\00:23:01.14
I never knew who my father was.
00:23:01.18\00:23:03.48
And that was very hard for me.
00:23:03.51\00:23:05.55
The boys at my school
had names they called me
00:23:05.58\00:23:08.18
and they made fun
of me all the time.
00:23:08.22\00:23:10.15
When I walk down the
street in my little town,
00:23:10.19\00:23:12.89
I always felt like
people was just staring at me
00:23:12.92\00:23:15.76
and asking that
terrible question,
00:23:15.79\00:23:17.86
'I wonder who's the
father of that little boy?'
00:23:17.89\00:23:21.66
So I spent a lot
of time all by myself.
00:23:21.70\00:23:25.93
And I didn't have any friends.
00:23:25.97\00:23:27.30
One day, a new
preacher came to the town.
00:23:27.34\00:23:30.54
And everybody was
talking about how great he was.
00:23:30.57\00:23:34.81
I'd never gone to church before,
00:23:34.84\00:23:36.85
but one Sunday morning,
00:23:36.88\00:23:38.21
I thought, I'd go
hear this preacher preach.
00:23:38.25\00:23:40.85
He was a good
preacher so I kept going back.
00:23:40.88\00:23:43.42
Each time, I would go
late and would leave early,
00:23:43.45\00:23:46.19
so I wouldn't have
to talk to anyone else.
00:23:46.22\00:23:48.09
Then one Sunday,
I got so caught up
00:23:48.12\00:23:51.86
in the preacher's
message that I forgot to leave.
00:23:51.89\00:23:55.50
Before I knew
what was happening,
00:23:55.53\00:23:58.03
he had the closing prayer,
and the service was over.
00:23:58.07\00:24:02.54
I tried to get
out of the church,
00:24:02.57\00:24:04.17
but people had
already filled all the aisles,
00:24:04.21\00:24:07.21
and I couldn't get past them.
00:24:07.24\00:24:09.28
Suddenly, I felt a
heavy hand on my shoulder.
00:24:09.31\00:24:12.65
When I turned around,
00:24:12.68\00:24:14.82
that big, tall
preacher was looking down at me
00:24:14.85\00:24:17.99
and asking,
'What's your name, boy?
00:24:18.02\00:24:21.19
Who's your family?
00:24:21.22\00:24:23.16
Whose son are you?'
00:24:23.19\00:24:24.93
And when I heard that
question, I just shook.
00:24:24.96\00:24:28.83
But before I could say anything,
00:24:28.86\00:24:30.23
he said, 'What?
00:24:30.27\00:24:31.63
I know your family.
00:24:31.67\00:24:33.70
I know whose son you are.
00:24:33.74\00:24:35.80
There's a distinct resemblance.
00:24:35.84\00:24:37.71
You are the son of God!'"
00:24:37.74\00:24:40.08
He said, "You know, mister,
00:24:42.04\00:24:44.41
those simple words
changed my life forever."
00:24:44.45\00:24:48.02
The old man got up and left.
00:24:48.05\00:24:50.82
A waitress came over and asked,
00:24:50.85\00:24:52.72
"Do you know, who
you just talked to?"
00:24:52.75\00:24:55.82
"No," said Professor Craddock.
00:24:55.86\00:24:58.06
The waitress said,
"That's Ben Hooper,
00:24:58.09\00:25:00.56
two-term governor of
the state of Tennessee."
00:25:00.60\00:25:04.30
A man learned
what God said about him
00:25:04.33\00:25:08.00
because God is merciful.
00:25:08.04\00:25:10.71
He learned that
he was God's child
00:25:10.74\00:25:13.17
and it's changed
his life forever.
00:25:13.21\00:25:16.61
When you begin to see yourself,
00:25:16.64\00:25:18.68
as God really sees you,
00:25:18.71\00:25:20.95
you will be liberated
from the pain of rejection
00:25:20.98\00:25:23.82
because it doesn't matter
00:25:23.85\00:25:25.19
what anybody else thinks
if God says, "I'm acceptable,
00:25:25.22\00:25:28.22
and I'm
valuable, and I'm lovable,
00:25:28.26\00:25:30.43
and I'm forgivable, and
I'm capable, that's it."
00:25:30.46\00:25:35.53
Too much is given.
00:25:35.56\00:25:37.73
Much is required.
00:25:37.77\00:25:39.10
We are here today
because of God's mercy.
00:25:39.13\00:25:42.37
You and I need to share
that mercy with everybody.
00:25:42.40\00:25:46.27
Let's bow our heads
as we commit our lives
00:25:46.31\00:25:48.74
a new to Christ.
00:25:48.78\00:25:50.28
Loving Lord,
00:25:50.31\00:25:52.31
we know what You've done for us.
00:25:52.35\00:25:54.85
Sometimes, we are hard-headed,
00:25:54.88\00:25:57.42
hard-hearted,
00:25:57.45\00:25:59.52
but we need that
grace that washes away
00:25:59.55\00:26:03.99
our stain of sin
and takes our hearts
00:26:04.03\00:26:09.33
and melts it with Your love.
00:26:09.36\00:26:11.73
We want to be
more loving and kind
00:26:11.77\00:26:13.44
and patient and caring.
00:26:13.47\00:26:16.44
We want to be more merciful.
00:26:16.47\00:26:18.51
In other words, Lord,
we want to be like You.
00:26:18.54\00:26:21.28
So make each of us who
is in this room tonight
00:26:21.31\00:26:25.55
and those who
listening through this telecast,
00:26:25.58\00:26:29.05
help us, oh, God,
help us to be like You.
00:26:29.08\00:26:34.76
Forgive us of our past
00:26:34.79\00:26:36.42
and give us
strength to live for You
00:26:36.46\00:26:37.96
in the days ahead.
00:26:37.99\00:26:39.83
When we meet people in
need of grace and mercy,
00:26:39.86\00:26:43.06
help us to be the first
to stand up and dispense it.
00:26:43.10\00:26:46.67
We thank You for
hearing our prayer.
00:26:46.70\00:26:48.80
We thank You for the
beatitude that tells us
00:26:48.84\00:26:51.31
that if we receive
mercy, we must give it freely.
00:26:51.34\00:26:55.48
Bless this Your people here
and around the world we pray,
00:26:55.51\00:26:59.05
in the name of
Jesus, our Lord and Savior,
00:26:59.08\00:27:01.62
let everyone say amen.
00:27:01.65\00:27:03.15
Amen. And amen.
00:27:03.18\00:27:05.65
Thanks for
watching Pathway of Hope.
00:27:05.69\00:27:08.79
If you would
like to be prayed for
00:27:08.82\00:27:11.06
or would like to
learn more about God's Word,
00:27:11.09\00:27:14.33
please call 1 (877) 520-Hope
00:27:14.36\00:27:20.74
or 1 (877) 520 (4673).
00:27:20.77\00:27:27.81
You may also watch
more of our programs online
00:27:27.84\00:27:31.01
at www.pathwayofhope.tv.
00:27:31.05\00:27:37.95
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00:27:37.99\00:27:41.72
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00:27:41.76\00:27:45.19
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00:27:45.23\00:27:50.67
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00:27:50.70\00:27:56.17
Thanks for
watching Pathway of Hope.
00:27:56.20\00:27:58.47
And may God's
blessings be yours today.
00:27:58.51\00:28:01.58