Faith Filled Family Magazine September 2016 | Page 46

and righteousness like an everflowing stream.” (Amos 5:24)
Righteousness and Justice are
linked. For righteousness and
justice to be seen in the church
and beyond requires…
Mercy
Mercy is defined as kind and
compassionate treatment of an
offender, adversary or prisoner
in one’s power; to be kind, forgiving or helpful. It comes from
a root Hebrew word “Khe Sed”,
meaning beauty, mercy, kindness, a good deed and pity. In
context, mercy assumes one
has resources to meet a legitimate need, and takes the appropriate action to alleviate the
problem or situation, often of
injustice. If one does not have
the means to help, he or she
cannot be held accountable to
act in mercy, for mercy is not a
feeling, but an action from one
able to help by God’s grace from
their resources. As with justice
and righteousness, mercy and
peace are linked, which will be
discussed below. Mercy is seen
in scripture…

Humility is defined as being free
from pride of vanity; modest.
It is characterized by a person
who is unpretentious, respectful.
(Tsuna) This requires…
An honest self-appraisal, which
is realistic and accurate. God
has created us with various
gifts and abilities that we should
rejoice in, as they are gifts from
the Lord for the benefit of others.
But scripture reminds us …
•Before Honor comes humility
(Pr. 15:33), for God resists the
proud and gives grace to the
humble (James 4:6)
•Peter states that we are to be
clothed in humility, that is, we put
it on as a part of our approach to
the world (1Pe. 5:5,6), recognizing that
•Christ is our example (Phil 2:
5-13), and we are to follow Him.

shall love the Lord your God with
all your heart, and with all your
soul, and with all your mind.’ This
is the great and foremost commandment. “And the second is
like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
Love…God,
neighbor,
and
self…What a concept! Love is
talked about in many contexts,
from a love of God, wife, country to sport and pizza. Perhaps
the best teaching I have seen
on this dynamic topic has been
developed by my dear friend and
ministry partner Dr. Ken Chant,
who presents love from a Greek
view, consisting of four words.

Eros…Wow, man!!
Erotic love is a blessing from
the Lord when expressed in
proper context. One cannot help
but assume that when the Lord
woke the man in the garden, and
Thus, we are to do justice, not presented the woman in answer
just talk about it; love mercy, to his true need as acknowland demonstrate it with those edged by God, did more than
in need, and live a life of humil- wax poetic, but exclaimed in
ity, or as stated so eloquently incredible delight…Wow! Man!
by Paul the Apostle, we are to Thank you Jesus! Romantic
live as full members of Christ love, wonderful, precious, if not
•Like a father, demonstrating Kingdom now, characterized a bit unstable, is nonetheless a
compassionate care for one of as Righteousness, Peace and part of the love the Lord allows
his own (Ps 103: 13). Biblically, Joy…all made available in the us to experience in this life. Of
course, this is not what Jesus
since mercy is not natural to us, Holy Spirit!!
was talking about in context of
it…
•Must be practiced (Col. 3:12), What does God Want? Walk the this scripture.
walk, not just talk the talk, to live
with recognition that…
•You get what you give (Mt. 5:7), our lives as overcomers, with a Philea…Hey Brother, Where art
heart of love.
thou!
for…
Brother and sister love, fidel•Judgment will be merciless to
one who has shown no mercy; What Does God Want- It is all ity and loyalty is important and
wonderful. The love and promercy triumphs over judgment.” About Love
tective care that is felt between
(Ja. 2:13), thus mercy should be
Life as an Overcomer
brothers, whether in the natua…
•Focus of Prayer, for ourselves Jesus responds to a profound ral expression or in the body of
and others, the saved and the question “Teacher, which is Christ is beautiful, but again, not
the great commandment in the what Jesus was alluding to in
lost alike (He. 4:16).
Law?” And He said to him, “You this passage.
Humility