Thoughts Higher Than Mine_Living Word Chronicle

The Light of Goodness and Mercy in the Chamber of Judgment and the Face of Dark Shadows of Fear (Part 1)

By Moses Hightower

I have granted you goodness and mercy in times past. I have extended the hands of goodness and mercy again. You deserved destruction, but I gave you grace in your time of folly. The mighty fall everyday. You have fallen into the hands of goodness and mercy. Do not take my love for granted, but allow the goodness that was shown unto you to lead you to repentance. Many lie dead in trespasses and sins. Subtle spirits of deception and distraction have captured many. Do not join the masses in the graveyards of ignorance and lust. Join the humble at my throne for praise and prayer. Lift your voice in thanksgiving, and remember the hands that saved you from sin and shame. The reproach of sin could have been your lot, but mercy spoke on your behalf. Come to the throne of grace and fall under the mercy that holds up the throne. My mercy has endured while the voices of condemnation and judgment shouted for your death. The light of mercy has entered the chamber of judgment and shined its rays of hope in the face of the dark shadows of fear. The light of mercy shall not grow dim when you drift away. This light follows you to assure a clear path, even when you are weak. When you turned away, my love followed you. With love I restored you. My anger was deferred, and the judgment of my right hand was protracted as the light of mercy shoved anger and judgment aside. Come back to my bosom again. See that there is a place for you. I did not choose you because you are good. I chose you because I love you. My love shall perform what is needed within you to satisfy my demands. I have not called you and not justified you. I have not called you and not qualified you. I have not called you and left you incomplete. You are complete in Christ Jesus. You are complete and blessed in Christ.

I have not dealt with you according to your transgressions. I have not rewarded you according to your iniquities. As the heaven is high above the earth, so great is my mercy. Surely goodness and mercy found you. They followed you and purposed not to lose you. Goodness and mercy never fails. Rejoice at the table that is spread for you and those who love me and are called according to my purpose. I am the shepherd of the sheepfold. Do not want anymore, but yield unto these hands and lie down in my pastures where still waters reside. Your soul was weary. You had troubled your own soul. I came to restore it and bring you back to the paths of my righteousness. Death schemed and sent its shadow as a fearful tormentor in a time of weakness. Do not fear any evil. I am with you with my rod and staff of comfort. Though you stumbled in the time of weakness, you were not barred from the table prepared in your sight. The presence of your enemies was made known at the table. They came to see you cast out, yet they saw me anoint your head with oil and fill your cup with abundance. This goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life. You shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Contention, Destruction, Distraction, Fear, Judgment, and Stumbling (Part 1)

By Aaron Stickel

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light."

God has granted me goodness and mercy in times past. He has extended the hands of goodness and mercy again. I deserved destruction, but the Lord gave me grace in my time of folly. The mighty fall every day. I have fallen into the hands of goodness and mercy. By grace, I will not take his love for granted, but I will allow the goodness that was shown unto me to lead me to repentance. Many lie dead in trespasses and sins. Subtle spirits of deception and distraction have captured many. By the grace of God, I will not join the masses in the graveyards of ignorance and lust, but I will join the humble at God’s throne for praise and prayer. I lift my voice in thanksgiving and remember the hands that saved me from sin and shame. The reproach of sin could have been my lot, but mercy spoke on my behalf. I have come to the throne of grace and fallen under the mercy that holds up the throne. Jesus’ mercy has endured while the voices of condemnation and judgment shouted for my death. The light of mercy has entered the chamber of judgment and shined its rays of hope in the face of the dark shadows of fear. The light of mercy shall not grow dim when I drift away. This light follows me to assure a clear path, even when I am weak. When I turned away, God’s love followed me. With love he restored me, and his anger was deferred and the judgment of his right hand was protracted as the light of mercy shoved anger and judgment aside. I have come back to the Lord’s bosom again, and now I see that there is a place for me. God did not choose me because I am good, but he chose me because he loves me. Jesus’ love shall perform what is needed within me to satisfy his demands. He has not called me and failed to justify me. He has not called me and neglected to qualify me. He has not called me and left me incomplete. I am complete and blessed in Christ Jesus.

God has not dealt with me according to my transgressions. He has not rewarded me according to my iniquities. As the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy. Goodness and mercy have surely found me. They followed me and purposed not to lose me. Goodness and mercy never fails. I rejoice at the table that is spread for me and those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. Jesus is the shepherd of the sheepfold; therefore, I do not want anymore, but I yield unto his hands and lie down in his pastures where still waters reside. My soul was weary, and I had troubled my own soul. The Lord came to restore it and bring me back to the paths of his righteousness. Death schemed and sent its shadow as a fearful tormentor in a time of weakness; however, I will not fear any evil. Jesus is with me with his rod and staff of comfort. Though I stumbled in the time of weakness, I was not barred from the table prepared in my sight. The presence of my enemies was made known at the table. They came to see me cast out, yet they saw the Lord anoint my head with oil and fill my cup with abundance. This goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

By Don Grigsby

Don and Linda Grigsby

RE: RHEMA - The Light of Goodness and Mercy in the Chamber of Judgment and the Face of Dark Shadows of Fear (Part 1)

The Pictograph of mercy in the Hebrew language is a man reaching over the wall of personal selfishness and bestowing good things on a person who is in need. Chesed is the Hebrew word for mercy that is translated as loving-kindness that never fails and unconditional love that never quits. If this kind of mercy or love never fails, then there are no barriers or uncertainties that fear can evoke that will ever stop or deter God's mercy and goodness in our lives. Mercy is not receiving what we deserved. We deserved judgment and condemnation. Instead, we received justification and forgiveness. Some perceive the throne of God as one of judgment. We know it is a throne of grace established on the foundation of mercy. We do not have to look back over our shoulders for the pursuit of our past mistakes and failures. What do we see? It is mercy and goodness erasing all of our past and making it like our present in the presence of abundant forgiveness. Judgment is not the shadow of the past or present that would hound us into dread and retreat, but love has prepared a table in the presence of all our detractors. Mercy and grace are seated next to us as faithful witnesses on our behalf as we feast with the King of mercy.

By Moses Hightower

Your march in this life could be the march of life to the rhythm of my love and not the march of death to the tune of spiritual taps and the rhythm of a heart's deep regret. The judgment seat of Christ is not the place to make this decision, but today at the throne of grace is the day to make your decision concerning life and death. I am a merciful God; therefore, I am presenting to you this day the offer of love. He who believes in me shall never die, yet belief is not simply a confession of the mouth but a confession from the heart and mouth. After which, belief must be demonstrated by the obedience of faith in my death, burial, and resurrection. You must believe and die with me in baptism. How will you rise to walk with me if you have not died with me in the waters of baptism?

By LWWC Confession Writers

My march in this life could be the march of life to the rhythm of God's love and not the march of death to the tune of spiritual taps and the rhythm of a heart's deep regret. The judgment seat of Christ is not the place to make this decision, but today at the throne of grace is the day to make my decision concerning life and death. Jesus is a merciful God; therefore, he has presented to me the offer of love. He who believes in him shall never die, yet belief is not simply a confession of the mouth but a confession from the heart and mouth. After which, belief must be demonstrated by the obedience of faith in his death, burial, and resurrection. I must believe and die with him in baptism. If I have not died with him in the waters of baptism, I will not rise to walk with him in this life and the life to come.

By Don Grigsby

RE: RHEMA - Wisdom's Recovery of Talents

God’s prophetic voice within us has declared his intentions, and he will not lie. He has sworn that what he said will come to pass. We can, with surety, attach a double yes to every promise he has made. In the prophecy, he has given the vision. All those in the book of Hebrews saw the promises afar off. They embraced them and were persuaded by them, even though they did not receive them. We, however, have received so many of the precious promises of the Lord. We have a bold assurance that he will never allow the enemy to spoil our camp or not allow us to recover everything as David did at Ziglag. We are hidden behind the walls of his protective power. The things that once brutalized our hearts and minds are withheld from coming into us. Everything that we count loss will be balanced by the blessings that he has loaded us daily with. Wisdom built a house and we are part of the construction plans. Our fortifications have been reinforced by the voice of wisdom crying in the high places of the city. Wisdom can turn every failure into fabulous faith if we allow it to have its perfect work.

By Moses Hightower

(Continued)

You have searched your life for qualifications. You have searched for reasons to be blessed in such a magnitude. Ten dollars and ten million dollars are the same to me. I have come looking for faith in you. I gave you the measure of faith.

313. Now where is it?

I am the head of all principality and power. Now speak my name while you humble yourself unto the authority of my word and my promises. I am true. Ask and you shall receive. You have never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging for bread or money. I have invited you to come boldly unto my throne of grace that you may obtain mercy and find grace to help you in the time of need. I desire to give you the miracle more than you desire it. I foreknew you, called you, and justified you.

314. If I am for you, then who can be against you?

(To Be Continued)

February 19, 2007

By Rigoberto Toledo

I am appreciative and full of thanksgiving O God, for you granted me goodness and mercy in times past. You have extended the hands of goodness and mercy again. I deserved destruction, but you gave me grace in my time of folly. The mighty fall every day. I have fallen into your hands of goodness and mercy. By grace, I will not take your love for granted, but I will allow the goodness that you have shown unto me to lead me to repentance. Many lie dead in trespasses and sins. Subtle spirits of deception and distraction have captured many. By your grace, I will not join the masses in the graveyards of ignorance and lust, but I will join those that are humble at your throne for praise and prayer. I lift my voice in thanksgiving and remember the hands that saved me from sin and shame. The reproach of sin could have been my lot, but mercy spoke on my behalf. I have come to your throne of grace and fallen under the mercy that holds up the throne.

I am grateful that your mercy has endured while the voices of condemnation and judgment shouted for my death. The light of mercy has entered the chamber of judgment and shined its rays of hope in the face of the dark shadows of fear. The light of mercy shall not grow dim when I drift away. This light follows me to assure a clear path, even when I am weak. When I turned away, your love followed me. With love you restored me, and your anger was deferred and the judgment of your right hand was protracted as the light of mercy shoved anger and judgment aside. Because of grace, I have come back to your bosom again, and now I see that there is a place for me. I am overwhelmed with gratitude, for you did not choose me because I am good, but you chose me because you love me. Your love for me shall perform what is needed within me to satisfy your demands. You have not called me and failed to justify me. You have not called me and neglected to qualify me. You have not called me and left me incomplete. I am complete and blessed in you.

I am contented to know that you have not dealt with me according to my transgressions and have not rewarded me according to my iniquities. As the heaven is high above the earth, so great is your mercy. Goodness and mercy have surely found me. They followed me and purposed not to lose me. Your goodness and mercy never fails. I rejoice at the table that is spread for me and those who love you and are called according to your purpose. You are the shepherd of the sheepfold; therefore, I do not want anymore, but I yield unto your hands and lie down in your pastures where still waters reside. My soul was weary, and I had troubled my own soul. You came to restore it and bring me back to the paths of your righteousness, and I greatly rejoice in your goodness. Although death schemed and sent its shadow as a fearful tormentor in a time of weakness, I do not fear any evil for you are with me with your rod and staff of comfort. Though I stumbled in the time of weakness, I was not barred from the table prepared in my sight. The presence of my enemies was made known at the table. They came to see me cast out, yet they saw you anoint my head with oil and fill my cup with abundance. This goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in your house forever.

I thank you Lord for showing me the pictograph of mercy as a man reaching over the wall of personal selfishness and bestowing good things on a person who is in need. I am grateful for your mercy, which is loving-kindness that never fails and unconditional love that never quits. I am appreciative for this kind of mercy and love that never fails. There are no barriers or uncertainties that fear can evoke that will ever stop or deter your mercy and goodness in my life. I acknowledge that your mercy is not receiving what I deserved. I deserved judgment and condemnation. Instead, I received justification and forgiveness. Some have perceived your throne as one of judgment. I worship you for you have granted me the knowledge that it is a throne of grace established on the foundation of mercy. I do not have to look back over my shoulders for the pursuit of my past mistakes and failures. I see mercy and goodness erasing all of my past and making it like my present in the presence of abundant forgiveness. Judgment is not the shadow of the past or present that would hound me into dread and retreat, but your love has prepared a table in the presence of all my detractors. Your mercy and grace are seated next to me as faithful witnesses on my behalf as I feast with you, the King of mercy. I rejoice in your love.

RE: PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING - February 19, 2007

God is not keeping files on our failures and mistakes. Grace has blotted out the blemishes that would disfigure us beyond recognition. Goodness and mercy are the wheels of the vehicle of grace that are driving us through life. We could have been the prey of the predators of the night of judgment. God would not allow the beasts of accusation to attack us in our weakened state. The same angels that watch over his mercy seat are the host that camp around us. Angels have been known to build bonfires out of stars and stones. Angelic praise and anthems announced the birth of mercy. Celebrations of joy are among the same innumerable host when a soul that is filled with a life of mistakes repents. When a child of God fails, angels are the whirlwind of grace that elevates them to God's throne. God wipes away our tears and starts the wheel of joy rolling in heaven and in our soul. No higher place of communion and communication exists on the earth than from above the mercy seat. God satisfies us early with his mercy. When we are in the trembling realization of our mistakes, he remembers his mercy for us. He takes us in his loving arms, and we can dance above the heavy gravity of our inabilities in the uplifting inspiration of Love's revelation.