“So be merciful (sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate) even as your Father is [all these].” Our Heavenly Father is merciful and we are His children reflecting His nature of love. Without love how can we be merciful. Mercy is; not giving someone the punishment they deserve based on the offense that was committed. When another person wrongs you, do you automatically react with a reprimanding response, or do you wait and try to understand this person’s dilemma, which in most cases they were already pissed about something else, but they released their frustrations on you. There are other times when some people are just straight up nasty, or mean most of the time. The latter needs your merciful kindness more than most. Being sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate are the true traits of mercy’s character. We don’t get there overnight but through much heartache, trouble, and crisis we begin to understand. The training room of trials and storms in our lives is where we cultivate this mercy and we will have experienced the need for mercy ourselves and by not giving up, mercy swoops down to bail us out. Sow the seed of mercy to others, you never know when you might need that same harvest in your life.

“Let no one despise or think less of you because of your youth, but be an example (pattern) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” If anyone is despising you as you fulfill the purpose of God for your life, because you’re young, then Houston we have a problem. And the problem isn’t yours, it’s the person who is treating you with less respect because you are younger than they are. The element of pride is very present in such cases. The bible encourages older men to come alongside the younger men to help them along the way in their God given destiny. Things never have to be done the same way as our former leaders led the way. The world is constantly changing and the body of Christ must be flexible in this area. No one minister or ministry has exclusive knowledge as to how the Lord will lead us individually in getting the gospel out. Without the youth there is no tomorrow for the next seasons of life to flourish. This is why it’s so vital to be able to hear from God for yourself. You don’t need to hear that still small voice to have the conviction you need to go forth in confidence. You may be the type that has a sense you’re doing it the way you’re supposed to, your gut feeling. As we become more knowledgeable of God’s word, we develop the boldness of purpose He has put in us. Go with God and be a blessing, chin up, you got this.

“The Lord is good, a Strength and Stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows (recognizes, has knowledge of, and understands) those who take refuge and trust in Him.” When we are weak then are we strong. So when we feel weak, the Lord is good, a strength and stronghold in the day of trouble. He knows those who take refuge in Him, and most importantly, He understands. The only one who can and does understand everything and everyone is The Lord God Almighty. He is omniscient and omnipresent, which means He knows it all, and He is everywhere at the same time (Don’t try to figure that out, just believe it). Nothing goes unnoticed before God. Coming to Him for refuge and or strength, He already knows why you came and what you need from Him. Times of trouble can be a blessing in disguise when it comes to you growing up. Without trails and crisis in our lives, we’d never grow to the potential that lies deep down in our hearts. Trouble makes you reach down there for dear life. Life’s struggles will always yield the harvest of strong faith if you don’t give up or give in to your situation. You are strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Come to Him now for everything, He’s an ever ready help in times of need.

“Do not gather and heap up and store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worm consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal.” This verse is basically talking about not allowing your heart to be caught up on this world’s wealth and treasures. Our focus as christians is to lay up treasures or wealth in heaven, so when we get there our gifts will have gone on before us. We lay up treasures in heaven by bearing fruit down here first. The great commission, along with our heart commission is to share the good news of the gospel, by going into all the world and teach / preach the bible. The bottom line is, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The Lord wants us all in concerning Himself. He wants all of you or nothing at all. The bible says if you are like warm concerning your faith in Him, He will spit you out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16). God wants willing candidates in His family. Now is the time to prove to Him and the devil whose side you’re on. Our actions reveal what’s in our hearts. It’s almost like the pirates and Danes of old placing the coins on the eyes of their dead to have passage to the gods for the afterlife. But that won’t get us passage to The Lord God Almighty. You need Jesus for passage into heaven. Set your hearts on things above not on this world, and its ways.

“But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.” We prove our love for someone by our actions. Being a doer and not only having lip service towards someone you truly love. It is very common that many of us don’t know how to express our feelings. We release our feelings through our words, and actions. As we become more knowledgeable of the things of God, we fall into His love triangle. Since we are love children of a love God, the power to release our feelings through our words is available. A boldness comes upon the receiver of truth and honesty. As we become more acquainted with Jesus who is the way the truth and the life, we begin to uncover areas of our life not made plain to see before the knowledge of God’s word. Even when we were sinners and enemies to God, (because of our sinful nature), the Love of God broke through all yokes of bondage we were caught up in. As our nature is changed from being spiritually dead to now being alive to God, we have boldness that should be tapped into. Once that boldness takes root, you will unequivocally be able to say the words, I love you. Say it even when you’re not feeling like it. Train your flesh to do what’s right, use your words boldly, release the words to your special someone and get freed from the bondage of not being able to express your feelings now!

“Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.” First of all the word love in the english language has different meanings. Not like the Greek or Hebrew words which can break down the individual ways the word should be used. There’s love for a friend or brotherly love. Then we say “I love ice cream”, which really means, you like it a lot. Then there’s the true love between two people, husband and wife, which is sexual love. There is also the love we have for a son or daughter. Many people use the words ” I love you”, for personal gain, but they really don’t love you from the heart, only to get over on you. It’s a powerful word because God is love (1John 4:8). When you tell someone you love them, and you don’t, you are playing with a secret fire that will burn you eventually in life. Love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy, is not boastful or arrogant, and it sustains the lover with self-control. So when you say you love someone, what do you really mean. When we live and breathe God’s (Agape) love in our everyday lives, this is the highest level of love you can have. Not for wimps who have no constraints for holding down the pride and selfishness in their lives. With this information today, do you truly love.

“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.” Hoping in God’s word is a good hope. A hope that stays present and is attainable. Our confident, favorable expectation in and of the Lord’s words in our hearts and minds will produce a great harvest of victories. God’s word is spirit and life, and it will not return to God void of power or without accomplishment of what it was sent to do on our behalf. The Lord is our strength and our shield, and when our hearts trust in Him, we are shielded and have refuge when we need it. We can’t always trust anyone but Jesus sticks closer than a brother. Trusting people isn’t always easy because people have the propensity to change under pressure or bad circumstances in their lives. The Lord is the same yesterday today and forever. We can totally trust in and rely on Him for everything, that’s a comfort beyond compare. Sometimes we must leave the battlefield of life to rest, and refresh in the Lord. You’ve tried everything else in life, might be time to put the Lord’s program for your life in motion. Trust Him, won’t He do it.

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?”. To act justly means to walk uprightly with the teachings and precepts of the Lord in mind. We always have a choice as to how we want to present ourselves. There’s only one chance for a first impression. Your witness to others can make them or break them in some cases. There are people who look up to you and you’d want them to learn the better part of how you can be. Fake it till you faith it. We always start out dry in whatever our unwanted tasks may be, but after some time we really get into it knowing it’s the Lord’s will concerning us. There’s always a deep down desire to please God in our hearts, it’s just always being squashed by life’s struggles and issues. To love mercy we must be Christ inside minded. The Lord was merciful towards us when we were His enemies. We can let some things go and not yield to the temptation of going off on somebody. Show mercy and mercy will be shown back to you. Walking humbly is related to showing mercy. Can’t have one without the other. It is the meek that shall inherit the kingdom of God. The encouragement today is to basically get off our high horses of pride and get on the train of humility that leads to victorious living.

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but an encouraging word makes it glad.” Anxiety and worry are the bad boys of hope. When we are dealing with thoughts that go against the word of God, it can throw us off course. The bible says, bring every thought into captivity to the scrutiny of God’s word concerning you (2Corinthians 10:5). If that thought doesn’t line up to what the bible says about you, then it’s from the dark side of influence. As we re-program our thought processes with God’s word, we begin to move into a faith led lifestyle which doesn’t include anxiety. All the “What ifs” or “Suppose this happens”, mentality will be moved to the back of the forefront of our decision making, because faith doesn’t care about tomorrow’s troubles. Anxiety weighs down the heart if you let it, but a kind word cheers it up. We must protect and guard our hearts at all costs. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth will speak. If we are allowing bad conversations, with drama folk to be in our lives, then worry, and anxiety aren’t far away. What we constantly hear drops down into our hearts, and with much input of whatever we’re listening to, you will begin to speak it out of your mouth, good or bad (Matthew 12:34). Through this door anxiety can enter. There are many ways we can be tempted to worry, but it all starts with what’s being heard. Hanging around the right people can make a world of difference in our lives concerning not having anxiety and worry.

“And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.” You’re doing great, don’t give up now. We all can get weary in doing good. In times of needing refuge from the struggles of life, there is help. The bible says come to me all of you that labour and are heavy laden (Matthew 11:28-29), and the Lord will give you rest. Our struggles and battles in life are not unknown to the Lord. When He says let us not become weary in well doing, that means we can do this. But not so easily without God’s help. All soldiers get weary from the battle and must recoup and regroup, but not give up or give in. Our strength comes from the Lord (Isaiah 40:31), and to utilize that help we must spend some quality time with Him. In those quiet times alone with the Lord, is where He can instill in us that which is needed to carry on in the fight of life. Once tapped into the Lord and His power, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. He leads us beside the still waters of peace and quiet. Once we’ve gotten what we need it’s time to continue the good fight of faith. Our work is not in vain, the Lord sees your good works and your effort in staying steady in doing good. “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in” (psalm 24:7-10). Stay encouraged, you’ve got great backing.