If we must boast, let us boast of the mercies of the LORD. Two students attend lectures and put in the same level of preparation; one scores an “A” and the other a “C”. Many explanations can be available, but when we hold all other things constant, mercy is the difference between men. I have written an exam before where I prepared diligently but got into the exam hall and misinterpreted the questions, writing the exact opposite of what was expected. After the exam, I had only one prayer: God, have mercy! In Acts 13, Paul and some other prophets separated themselves to fast and pray. Mercy spoke, and Paul and Barnabas were called into a special assignment. Were they better or more diligent than the others who were not called into that particular assignment? I don’t think so. Apostle Paul later told us that everything he did was a result of the grace of God. God’s mercy and grace are what enable us to achieve any kind of result in life. Let’s be careful how we think. Let’s be careful how...
Recently, I had to make a lot of cash lodgments at the bank, and I proceeded to arrange and count the notes. I counted the various currency notes like three times and sorted them accordingly. When I got to the bank, the teller went to work, and I wasn’t surprised that the count was perfectly correct. The confidence was because I had double-checked the notes; the margin for error was very slim. In our Christian walk, we mustn’t be overly bold about our right standing in Christ if we haven’t examined ourselves again and again. 2 Cor. 13:5b says, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves…” Test yourself! Are you standing, or are you just thinking that you are standing? When I counted the money the first time, I could have stopped, but I needed the certainty. I know that I am born again, but I need to examine my heart: is there something hidden there that shouldn’t be there? Once, I was speaking to a group of people, and the manner of my speech wasn’t in confo...