Kim Johnson's Praise Report & Devotion 7/30/14

Thank u!  I really appreciate, my brothers and sisters need everybody's prayers for our beloved dad.  Farming & hunting have always been his passions.  However, with his Alzheimer's and soon wheel-chair bound, best to live where there is 24 hour support :)  The new house even has an 10 acre land, so my father will even still enjoy trees and deer!!!!  My sister once took care of my dad's mom in her dying years.  And my sister wanted to have honour to care our dad too, and we rest of siblings are very happy my dad couldn't have a better roommate.  We are praying our dad will see that God has great blessings, and that does not include only farming, u know.  BUt that our dad will enjoy relationships with children, grandchildren, and new friends from church!!!!  Yesterday was "closing" date for house purchase, and my sister said it was a miracle how everything worked out!!!! thank u again!!! hugs.  God bless'n keep.  kim

[Dot: I decided to add Kim's devotion as well. Thought you might like to read this.]

"I am writing to Timothy, my true son in the faith. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace."  1 Timothy 1:2 "To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."  2 Timothy 1:2     

THEME: GRACE AND MERCY

In my head, grace and mercy were same things, but often wondered why use two words, if they meant the same thing??  Of course, many of us adults even have so many "why" questions like lots 3-5 years old kids would come up w/ "why" questions!!  Either i did not pursue to study between those words, or i just went accepting those as same things.  Then somehow i had conversation w/ my older sister Linda, and later w/ my younger brother Joey about those two things.  How very blessed i went after speaking and learning from them.  I hope to share here with you what would be my last Mold Me.  That's right, u read right, this will be my last one to share.  I would like to read and study more of God's Word throughout summer and rest of year.

Grace = getting what you don't deserve (ie: salvation) ex. Hug.  Grace is extending kindness to the unworthy. Mercy = NOT getting what you deserve (ie: hell, punishment) ex. Spanking.  Mercy is deliverance from judgment.  

I checked in commentary notes ---- mercy and grace are often confused.  While terms have similar meanings, grace and mercy are not the same.  Grace is God blessing us despite the fact that we do not deserve it.  Mercy is God NOT punishing us as our sins deserve.  

I did find they can often be overlapped though, but here I try my best as I learned -----

Grace is +, a POSITIVE thing that we don't deserve like a hug, forgiveness (when rather deserved retaliation or hatred), free ice cream after we have dropped an ice cream or all of a sudden given tickets to Disney World because another family can't go.  Or a free meal, because someone else had paid for it for us, and we are puzzled!  

Mercy is -, being waived or pardoned of NEGATIVE things that we deserve like speeding tickets or fines, prison time (ie: 30 year sentence served in jail), or pay credit card fees (no mercy often by credit card companies)!  And we are waived of fees when we deserve even harsher punishment like increased charges.  Mercy is we are pardoned, and credit card company says, "Okay, we have decided to waive you and you owe us nothing".  Or a bank says, "We have decided to cancel your owing, and balance is ZERO".  Or a policeman says, "Okay, i have decided not to give you a ticket this time, you may go".  Or a judge says, "You are supposed to go to jail to serve one year, but i will let you go, so you may be with your family, as your family needs you".

I found a very few Scriptures with those things combined together.  Here i share because, wow, are not we fortunate to have God's grace and mercy.  I think we need to be reminded daily.  How often and so easily i forget.  Notice they are books of 1 and 2 of Timothy, same chapter and same verse!  I think Apostle Paul who felt close to Timothy to consider him his beloved son, wrote to not forget what Jesus Christ offered------------GRACE, MERCY, (and PEACE)!!!  So the Bible says those who put their trust in Lord Jesus Christ are blessed so to taste those things (Psalm 34: 8 O taste the Lord and see that He is good.  Blessed is the man that trusteth thee)!!

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You for YOUR marvelous gifts ------ grace, mercy, and peace that can only be found in Your Son Jesus Christ.  We were unworthy, and yet you came and provided us salvation.  Your kindness and love and even You remember our sins no more!!, that's called GRACE.  And while we deserved judgment, punishment, and hell, You provided deliverance -----a way out, that's called MERCY.  That's how we can be at peace with You.  Thank You again.  Through Your Son we ask.  Amen.