Sermon Tone Analysis

Today were going to *continue* our teaching on “*Walking With God*.” *Last week* we talked about “*Walking in the Glory*.”

*Today* I want to talk about “*Walking in the Mercies of God*.”

*I) *For *thousands of years*, *religion* has been *trying* to *figure out God*.

They want to know what makes Him *do what he does*.

For the *most part*, these theologians and philosophers have been *wrong*.

*A) *The *reasons* so *many fail* to *discern* the *heart of God* is because it is *impossible to do so* *apart* from *understanding* the *mercies of God*.

*1) **God’s mercy permeates and motivates* *everything* He has *ever done*.

If you’re *trying* to *comprehend* *God* with a preconceived *idea* that He is *nothing* *but* a *harsh God of wrath* *and* *vengeance*, you’ll *never see* an *accurate* picture.

*2) *In the *Old Testament* you’ll find a *Hebrew word*, I believe it’s pronounced “*CHECED*” (*KEYSED*).

It’s *usually translated* “*Mercy, Kindness, Lovingkindness, Favor, or Goodness*.”

*a) *The Word “*KEYSED*” is *used* over *200 times* in the *Old Testament* and usually *refers to* *God’s feelings* *or actions towards man* *by displaying* His *mercy*, *kindness*, *favor* *and* *goodness*.

*3) *In the *New Testament* there is a *similar term* in the Greek, and that is “*AGAPE*.”

*a) **Agape* is *used* well *over a hundred times* and it *usually translated* “*Love*.”

We *see it* in (*JOHN 3:16*), which says, “*For God so loved the world, that he gave*.”

*b) **Both* “*KEYSED” and “AGAPE*” *represent* the *God kind of love*, *the kind of love* *that gives sacrificially* *and unselfishly*; *in other words*, *MERCY*.

*(i) **It was because of God’s love*, *mercy*, *goodness*, and *lovingkindness* *towards* the inhabitants of *the world* that *he gave his Son*.

*c) **If you want understand God*, *His nature and His ways*, you must *gained* an *understanding of His mercies*.

*4) *Going *back* about *40 or 50 years* ago, *Oral Roberts* *made* a *statement* that *stirred up* a *Hornet’s nest* *with* the *religious* people of that day.

His simple statement was: *“God is a good God.”*

*a) *The *religious* mind likes to *make God out to be* *a mean and spiteful dictator*, who is ready to *thump you on the head* the moment you get out of line.

*(i) *They *also believe* *He likes to put sickness* *or tragedy* *in your life* *to test you* *or* *teach you* a lesson.

*b) **But* this is *not the God of the Bible*.

*If you make a careful study of the Word* of God, *it will reveal to you a different God than what the religious* world *would have you believe*.

*5) *Let’s look at an *example*.

*Turn* with me to *Psalms 136:1-26* (all).

*a) *Are you starting to *get the picture?* *God wants us to know this twofold truth*: that *He is good* *and* *His mercy endures forever*!

*B) **God* is *motivated* *by love and mercy*.

*It is a theme found from the book of Genesis to Revelation*.

*1) **In fact*, *the Bible is really a love story*, *The story of God’s love and pursuit of fallen man*.

*II) *Turn with me to *1 Chronicles 16:25-34*.

*A) **Sound familiar?*

We need to *start getting this truth through our heads*: *God is good and His mercy lasts forever*!

*1) *But *far too often believers are walking around in constant fear that God is going to* *“GET THEM.”*

*a) *But think about it, *if God was out there* *“TO GET YOU”* just *because you mess up every now and then*, *don’t you think he would have “GOTTEN” you a long time ago?*

*2) **God is good*.

*He radiates goodness*.

Do you *remember* the *words* *God used with Moses* *on* the *mountain* *when ye ask God* to *remove* the *cloud* *and* to *reveal Himself*?

*a) *When *Moses said* to Him, *“Show me Your Glory!”* *God answered*, *“I will make all my goodness pass before thee*.”

(Exodus 33:19)

*(i) **According to the Word* of God, *when we are looking at Him*, *we’re looking at His goodness*.

*God* *and* *His goodness are inseparable*: they are *one and the same*.

*B) **Mercy* is the *cornerstone and centerpiece* of *everything God has ever done* in the earth.

*When God’s people remind themselves of that mercy*, *it opens the door to all of heaven's power and resources*.

*III) **That is just what we see happening in 2 Chronicles 20*.

*A) **God’s people*, *led by* King *Jehoshaphat*, *were surrounded* by powerful, hostile forces.

They were *greatly outnumbered* and *out armed*.

To the *natural eye*, they *seen doomed*.

*1) *In a time of fasting and prayer, *God gave Jehoshaphat* some *instructions*.

*a) **God said in* (*2 Chronicles 20:15-17*), “*The battle is not yours*, *but God’s*.

*Tomorrow go ye down against them*.

*Ye shall not need to fight in this battle*: *set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you*, *O Judah and Jerusalem*: *fear not nor be dismayed*; *tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you*.”

*2) **Once they heard this*, *Jehoshaphat and the Israelites began worshipping and praising God*.

*The next morning Jehoshaphat consulted with the people* *then sent out praisers before the Army*.

*a) **They faced the enemy in battle,* *being led not by their strongest troops but by the praise singers.*

*3) *Let’s take a *look at this story* and turn with me *to 2 Chronicles 20:21*.

*a) **When you are faced with a life and death crisis*, *the most important thing you can remind yourself is that God’s mercy endures forever*.

*b) **It will stir your faith*.

*It will move you to tap into the power of praise*.

*It will bring God* *on*to *the seen* to *show Himself strong on your behalf.*

*(i) *That’s *precisely what happened* in the *case of Jehoshaphat*.

Look at *2 Chronicles 20:22*.

*(ii) **When you have the mercy of God* *directed at you*, *no power in hell can stand against you*.

*c) **When those praisers started singing* out the mercy of God, *they were*, *in effect*, *declaring to the enemy*: *“We are God’s beloved*, *so you better leave us along if you know what’s good for you!* *Touch not the anointed of God!”*

*d) **God’s mercy will put your enemies to flight*!

*(i) **When the enemy of cancer* seems to have *surrounded* you, *God’s mercy will cause Him to say to you,* *“I am the Lord that healeth thee.”*

(*Exodus 15:26*)

*(ii) **When financial lack* tries to *keep you in poverty*, *God’s mercy speaks through Him, saying* to you*: “I will bless thee coming in, and I will bless thee going out.

I will supply all your needs according to My riches in Glory!”* (*Deuteronomy 28:6; Philippians 4:19*)

*(iii) **When rebellion tries to come against your children*, *the mercy of God says to you: “All thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.”*

(*Isaiah 54:13*)

*B) **An awareness of God’s mercy* *is closely tried to His presence*.

*1) **If you want to experience* *the benefits of God’s presents* you need to *understand the depths of His mercy*.

*a) **Reminding yourself of God’s mercy* *and* *praising Him for it* *will bring His presence on the seen* in a powerful way.

*This is exactly what we see happening with King Solomon* and the people of God in *2 Chronicles 5.*

*(i) **Solomon* *and the people* were *dedicating the new temple and* *celebrating* the *arrival* of the *Ark* of the Covenant.

*(ii) *The *Ark of a covenant symbolized* *God’s presence* among His people.

*Look what happened* *when they began to sing of His goodness and mercy*.

*2) **2 Chronicles 5:13, 14*

*a) **Do you see how God’s mercy is linked to His presence?*

*b) **When Israel began to sing of God’s goodness* *and* *mercy*, *God’s presence became so strong* in that place *that the priest* *couldn’t* *stand up* under it!

*(i) **Few things will bring God’s presence* *onto the scene* *faster* in your life *than to remind yourself of God’s mercy and to start wholeheartedly praising Him for it*.

You can stand on the mercy of God!

*IV) **Now that you know* *what brings God’s power and presence into your situation*, *you need to know what won’t bring it in* *and* *that is*, *all your hard work*.

*A) **Religion* has *taught a lot of* *believers about doing good works* for God.

*If they can only do enough good works* *or spend enough hours reading their Bible*, *somehow they will earn enough Brownie points with God* *to get Him to do something for them*.

*1) **Even as a child of God*, *nothing you can do can make God love you anymore then He already does*.

*His* (*KEYSED*) for you *is complete and everlasting*.

*Remember* what we said the meaning of (*KEYSED*) *is?*

It *means* *God’s kindness*, *mercy*, *lovingkindness*, *goodness*, *goodliness*, *good*, and *favor*.

*a) *In fact, *it’s an insult to God’s mercy for you to think that any religious work you could possibly do* *would be enough to pay for what He has freely given you*.

*2) **Good works are great*.

*Fasting is beneficial*.

*Reading the Word of God is essential to spiritual growth*.

*a) **But when you fall into the trap* of *thinking* *those things* *will earn you more favor with God*, *you have moved out of faith* *and into cold, dead religion*.

*b) **God loves you*.

*It’s that simple*.

*It’s His Mercy that brings Him into your toughest situations* *to save you from the consequences*.

*(i) **Hard work doesn’t bring in the presence of God*.

*His presence comes as a result of His mercy*.

*B) **If you have not yet figured out that mercy plays a big role in everything God does*, *then turn with me to* *Psalms 145:8-9*.