Matthew 5:7
7“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Focused Thinking:
What does the ”merciful” mean?
The “merciful” speaks to our forgiving spirit and ability to love.
Definition— Mercy is not giving others what they do deserve.
The ability to give mercy begins with receiving mercy.
If you’ve not received mercy then it will be difficult for you to be merciful.
The more you see your need for mercy; the more you will be merciful.
What do the merciful receive?
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Personal Application:
Where do I possess these qualities?
I believe I am merciful because I’ve experienced a lot of pain in life.
- I’ve experienced the death of my brother.
- I’ve witnessed my sister’s struggles with drugs.
- I’ve experienced my parent’s divorce (twice).
- I’ve experienced my own failures in golf.
- I’ve experienced my own failures in ministry.
I am merciful toward hurting people.
Where do I need to develop these qualities?
I feel this is an area of passion and strength for me.
How do I develop the “merciful” qualities?
I need to spend more time teaching and visiting the down and out.
- Celebrate Recovery
- Single Parents
- Homeless
- Prisons
Interactive Prayer:
Father, thank you for the problems and pains that I’ve experienced in life. Thank you for healing me and loving me through the wounds. Thank you for not wasting my wounds. Thank you for giving me the ability to comfort people from my wounds. Thank you for giving me the ability to heal from my healing. Thank you for giving me the joy of being able to sympathize with people. Thank you for giving me the ability to cry with people. Thank you that I can give more than mercy, but that I can also give grace. Thank you that I can point people to Jesus and to the Hope You provide.
Father, make us a church that provides mercy and grace to the city of Memphis and beyond. Give us the ability to love people up to God’s standard. Make us a people who truly love one another. Give us the ability to receive and give love. Give us the ability to offer people compassion without compassion. Give us the ability to be a “Friend of Sinners” to Memphis and beyond. Give us the ability to truly be a perfect place for imperfect people. Put that vision in the DNA of our people. Make our church incarnational, attractional and missional.
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