Crosswalk

The Power of a Changed Life

A Changed Life Begins With God’s Mercy

What would cause you to change your lifestyle?
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship" Romans 12:1, NIV

The Power: God's Mercy

Mercy, for us, is defined as not getting what is deserved - ie: separation from God. The results of mercy: We get God; he gets us.

How to be Changed by God's Mercy

• MAKE asking for mercy a priority.

  To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:9-13 - NIV).

• EXPRESS thankfulness to God.

  Praise the LORD! For he has heard my cry for mercy... He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving (Psalm 28:6-7 - NIV).

• REMEMBER what God has saved you from.

  Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—five hundred pieces of silver to one and fifty pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.” “That's right,” Jesus said (Luke 7:41-43).

• CARE for others by showing mercy.

  “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven”(Luke 6:36-37).

• YEARN for his mercy (daily dependence).

  The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day (Lamentations 3:22-23).

God’s mercy has the power to change your life...if you want it.