#God is merciful

[karisumawrites]

Dear God, whenever I'd feel lonely, sad, and depressed, help me to always see Your loving face so I can find the strength to fight the good fight of faith. Amen

[aniah-who]

Note to self

Be ye angry, and sin not. Confrontation is okay, but there is a way to go about handling a matter. Do it God’s way. Do it with love; and you won’t give place to the devil.

•

Ephesians 4:31-32

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

There will be those who will give you a hard time. There will be those who are seemingly hard to love and to forgive even. But consider the grace and mercy that God has shown towards you. Consider how often He’s forgiven you for your mistakes and for your sins. The same unconditional love that God showers you with is the same love that you ought to pour out onto everyone around you— even onto the seemingly “unloveables.”

[blissfulcabin7]

But even before Peter had denied Jesus, Jesus told him this about the event -

But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.

(Luke 22:32)

[avengers-21]

today’s verse ✨

“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.”

‭‭Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

[bellamonarca]

❤️

[freebiblestudies]

Line Upon Line Lesson 084: To the Third and Fourth Generation?

Exodus 34:6-7 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

The passage seems so contradictory. On one hand, God is merciful and forgives sin. On the other hand, God visits the iniquity of the parents upon their children and their children’s children. That does not sound so gracious and merciful. How can we resolve this apparent contradiction?

Let’s read together Psalm 103:10-12; Micah 7:18-19;  Luke 17:3-4; and 1 John 1:9. 

The Bible clearly states God is willing to forgive all sins. As long as you confess and repent of your sins, God will forgive you.  If this is true then what does it mean that God does not clear the guilty?

Let’s read together Numbers 14:18; Isaiah 59:2; Ezekiel 18:20-24; and John 8:24.

God believes in, and upholds justice. He does not give a free pass to any sinner just because they were righteous in the past. If you do not confess and repent of your sins, you will die of those sins.

What about Exodus 34:7? If God believes in justice, why would He visit the iniquities of parents to their children and children’s children? What is the justice and fairness in that?

Let’s read together Exodus 20:5; Leviticus 26:39; Deuteronomy 5:9; Ezekiel 28:20-24; and Lamentations 5:7.

The Bible makes it clear that you are only held accountable for your own sins. However, sin can have long-term consequences. For example, consider a baby born with fetal alcohol syndrome. His mother drank alcohol while she was pregnant, but he is living with the consequences of her choice. Likewise, Caleb and Joshua had to wander for forty years in the wilderness because the children of Israel sinned against God even though they were faithful.

God is merciful, just, and fair. He understood the far-reaching effects of parents' sins  long before scientists understood the concept of epigenetics. 

Friend, will you confess all your sins to Jesus and accept His grace and mercy into your life?

[dramoor]

"What does it mean to believe in God? It’s necessary to believe not only in the existence of God the Creator and in the salvation given us through Jesus Christ, but we must also believe unwaveringly, in all circumstances of life, no matter how difficult, that God is merciful, that He desires our salvation; and seeing in this and knowing not only our temporary well-being, but also eternal, leads us to Him as a loving but wise father for His children, guiding them with equal love, tenderness, and firmness. Therefore, we must accept everything with hope in the mercy of God, asking only for His help in every trial or temptation, whether it comes from outside, from our infirmities, or from men—God’s instruments for our salvation, and often mutual. Our humility will save even those who grieve us."

~St. Arsenia of Ust-Medvedits

(Ballpoint pen art by Sergii Radkevych, 2012)

[the-chaotic-christian]

I was taught growing up to pray using the A.C.T.S method-adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication-and this is a good method.

However, I have adhd, so my prayers often look a lot more like this;

Me: Dear Heavenly Father you are the King of the Universe, the Almighty-

oOo I have a new idea for that fanfic I’m working on!

-the Great I Am-

If economics are done right in the Fire Nation after the war they’re going to go into a depression-

-I confess my sins to You, even the ones I don’t know I committed-

I need to feed the cats

*completely loses track of prayer to go feed the cats before I forget*

Wait, where was I?

*it’s now twelve thirty AM and I’m rambling to my Heavenly Father about Fire Nation Politics. I’m sure He doesn’t mind 😂

[karisumawrites]

Heavenly Father, we offer you our hearts, minds, and bodies so people surrounding us may see You in all our actions and words.

[aniah-who]

I just want God, man.

[eisho]

👇 تابع إيوان مسجد السلطان حسن بالقاهرة

[blissfulcabin7]

*Our Daily Bread*

July 15, 2025

*The Prayers of Jesus*

- Arthur Jackson

I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. - Luke 22:32

*Today's Scripture*

Luke 22:28-34

*28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”*

Jesus, how are You praying for me? I’d never thought to ask that question until my friend Lou shared the experience of his heart-cry to Christ when he was faced with a situation that required more wisdom and strength than he was able to muster. Hearing him voice that noteworthy question in prayer has helped me add a fresh dimension to my understanding and practice of prayer.

In Luke 22, there was no mystery as to how Jesus was praying for Simon Peter: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail” (vv. 31-32). When Peter was battered through trial, his faith flickered. But because of Christ’s grace, it didn’t fail.

The book of Acts tells us how Jesus’ prayers for Peter—His eager but weak disciple—were answered. God used him to preach the good news about Christ to Jews and gentiles alike. And Jesus’ prayer ministry hasn’t ended. Paul reminds us that “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). When you find yourself in the throes of trial or temptation, remember that Jesus, who prayed for His disciples, remains in prayer for those who have believed their message about Him (see John 17:13-20).

*Reflect & Pray*

How does remembering that Jesus is praying for you affect how you pray? In view of His prayer ministry, how might you live and serve differently?

*Dear Jesus, thank You for Your prayers on my behalf. Please help me to pray and live with this awareness.*

*Insight*

Satan had to ask Christ for permission to test Peter and was permitted to sift him “as wheat” (Luke 22:31). This would entail forceful shaking, but Satan wasn’t allowed to destroy Peter. On the contrary, this sifting would remove the chaff from his life. This is reminiscent of Satan asking for God’s permission to test Job (Job 1:9-12; 2:3-6) and Job affirming that “when [God] has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (23:10).

Jesus’ sovereignty is evident in His prayers that Peter’s faith wouldn’t fail (Luke 22:32). His courage failed, however, as he denied knowing Christ three times (vv. 54-62). But though he momentarily faltered, his faith didn’t fail. Jesus’ prayer that Peter would turn back to strengthen his brothers (v. 32) was fulfilled when he repented (v. 62). He was later restored and commissioned by Christ to pastoral ministry (John 21:15-17). We can be encouraged when we remember that Christ also prays for us.

[bibleteacher-org]

Do Not Modify God's Word

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash Romans 9:13-16 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that…

[bellamonarca]

❤️🦋🤍

[bernardo1969]

The First Book of Chronicles tells the story of how David sinned against God by taking a census of the Israelites without taking into account what was established according to the law of Moses. With this, the Bible makes it clear that no one, no matter how wise and good, is exempt from sinning. And the Bible begins its account by saying that David was instigated by Satan, the same character who appears in the Book of Job and who probably represents the accusing angel, to carry out the census without consulting God: "Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel" 1 Chronicles 21:1 And Joab, a servant of the King, upon hearing the King's order, questioned the command, because as it is established in the Book of Exodus: "When you take a census of the Israelites, each person must pay the Lord a ransom for his life when he is counted" Exodus 30:12. But David's order was carried out without consulting the Lord and the religious authorities about the matter, and this displeased God, who therefore punished Israel. So David, the Bible says, recognized his mistake and responded to God: "I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing" 1 Chronicles 21:8. And God in response sent the seer Gad who proposed to David that he choose between three punishments, three years of famine, three months of defeats before his enemies, or three days where the plague would ravage the country. And David chose the latter because he reasoned this way: "Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands" 1 Chronicles 21:13. The Bible ends the story by telling how God brought a plague upon Israel, but that it was stopped by his mercy. David, in memory of fact, built an altar as God commanded him. David's decision to take the census was perhaps the greatest mistake of this King as a ruler, who became wiser because he understood that for fools there is no blessing but punishment and ruin.