'CHESED'
You may not be a Hebrew scholar, and I know I'm not there yet, but it doesn't
take but one look around to see God's Mercy and Kindness. In Hebrew, the
word CHESED is used for various purposed of describing both mercy and kindness
(especially in Psalms).
Mercy is God's Provision out of our deserved punishment. God showed His Love
for us in that while we were still SINNERS -- meaning enemies of God, disobedient
to Him -- Christ still died for us (see Romans 5:6-8).
We deserve the Justice for our sins: eternal punishment in hell (see Mark
9:45-48). Through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Work on the Cross for ALL
mankind (see 1 John 2:2), we are made BLAMELESS before God. We won't be perfect.
All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God (see Romans 3:23), but
thanks to God's Gift of Grace through Faith to us (see Ephesians 2:8-9),
we can experience God's Promise of Life More Abundantly (see John 10:10)
as well as eternal life in Heaven through Jesus Christ, our Lord (see Romans
6:23).
'I Build'
Ephesians 4:11-16
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness
of Christ:
14 That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried
about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness,
whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which
is the head, [even] Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which
every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure
of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in
love.
One step of the Christian Walk is to build up other believers, whether in
encouragement (see 1 Corinthians 8:1, 8:10, and 10:23) or in strengthening
in depth by Love. Be a Follower of Christ who has a house built on a Rock!
Luke 6:48-49
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation
on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that
house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation
built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently,
and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
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