SCRIPTURE: Exodus 34:6 “And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, MERCIFUL and GRACIOUS, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth…“. Jonah 4:2 And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a GRACIOUS God [EL CHANNUN], and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
THOUGHT: One of the major themes in Scripture is the GRACE of the LORD God [JEHOVAH EL CHANNUN]. Many times you will see MERCY and GRACE together in describing the nature of God. In the Exodus passage above the LORD God passes by Moses declaring His attributes. This is comforting to Moses because this incident happens right after the great sin of the worshiping of the golden calf. Moses was distraught, and concerned that the children of Israel would never see the Mercy and Grace of God again. God reveals to Moses that He is: “…The LORD God, MERCIFUL and GRACIOUS, Long-suffering, and Abundant in Goodness and Truth…” [Exodus 34:6]. You may have also experienced times of failure where you have wondered if you have crossed the line. I assure you that if you care at all, it is a sign that you have not. You still have a conscience and are hearing the voice of the Compassionate, Loving, Merciful and Gracious God. However, I warn you that now you must respond immediately to His Mercy and Grace with your repentance and submission allowing Him to forgive you in that area, keep you from falling into that same sin and present you faultless before the presence of His glory (Jude 1:24).
PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father and JEHOVAH EL CHANNUN, MY LORD GOD FULL OF GRACE: I thank You for Your MERCY AND GRACE in the past and in this very moment. LORD I call upon You in this New Season of this New Year to Break the Grip of the sins, faults and failures that have dominated my life in the past. I surrender my thoughts, attitudes and actions that You may Break the Grip and make me free to worship, free to serve You and free to live for You as a godly witness to others in this world today. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES: This is extra reading. Please read as much as you have time to read, so you can see the recurring theme that God has communicated over and over many times that He is a Merciful and Gracious God.
Exodus 22:27 For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious. [Notice that God says that when you cry out to Him, that He will hear you.]
Nehemiah 9:31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a GRACIOUS and merciful God [EL CHANNUN].
1 Peter 5:10-11 But the GOD OF ALL GRACE, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Chronicles 30:9 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.
Nehemiah 9:17 “…And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.
Nehemiah 9:31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.
Psalm 86:15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
Psalm 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
Psalm 111:4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
Psalm 112:4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
Psalm 116:5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
Psalm 145:8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
Joel 2:13 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.
Galatians 1:3-5 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
