Lena's Commentary to Joshua 20

Have you ever found that something you did was sin or it was found out to be offensive to someone else, and now you find yourself standing under the wrath of their flesh nature without invitation? In other words, either you did not know what you did was offensive or you just made a mistake?
You desire mercy, and running to God is the best bet for finding undeserved mercy to give you.
What do you mean undeserved? I did not “mean” to!
Well that is mostly likely the truth or your present truth and perception of the deal, but you do realize whether we meant to or not our sins offended God and if we never receive Jesus, our sin will keep us eternally separated from God whether we want to or not. You do realize that we are not being held guiltless by the mere intent of our hearts? Our follow up actions are speaking to others and to God and hopefully will speak to us of what is deep in our hearts. Even man cannot know the deceptiveness of his own heart at times, actions do speak louder than words.
Ever desire that others show you mercy? Of course we do.
Remember the scriptural precedent of sowing and reaping? Do you realize the whole earth is revolving around this very principle, and the world we all are now living in or are experiencing is of the effect from what we’ve sown that we are now reaping? We are seeing either a blessing of say, mercy or a cursing say of judgments sown.
Are we more judges or more merciful towards others? If judges, then we can expect judgments of others. If merciful, then we can expect mercy to be shown us.
One may say I do give mercy.
Well let me ask you to look deeply into truth, for God set the universe up in such as way that one action has an equal corresponding action.
If you are not receiving mercy, then believe the signs, the effects of the sowing and reaping principle set up by God in the earth, and be willing to look deeper rather than justifying the present definition you hold for mercy. Allow this gage to open your eyes to the willingness to extend mercy further or to increase the depth, of or make the definition clearer.
This reminds me of one of my sons, who in a specific instance, was acting very discontented and unthankful. I wanted to teach him to see what thankfulness looked like compared to discontent. I identified the behavior through the action following, for teaching sake. His reply was to self justify and say,” Mom, I AM thankful!”
Ok, now let’s be honest, if this is the case, then the corresponding actions will show forth thankfulness, if the actions show something else, then guess what? We need a redefinition for correction sake that the proper actions would truly reflect the attitude we desire displayed. So I said, this is what it would look more like when you are truly thankful… Sometimes we need to be taught behavioral reflections, for we’ve not understood properly how to display, or express, what we do feel is at least a seed in our hearts. Being open to instruction and correction will cause truth in righteousness to shine through us! Amen.
Who’s definition do we live by anyway, God’s or ours? See we’ve lived by our own for all of the days we are alive up to now. God in His great grace has given us His word and the wisdom of the spirit to redefine for us wrong thinking and improper to Godliness, actions.
So, if one has truly received mercy, understanding that their own sin would have eternally separated them from the Father and Creator of All Spirits, if they do realize that if they do not humbly believe they are unworthy without Jesus and completely worthy with Him according to God’s standard, and begin to redefine life’s actions raising for themselves personally the standard of God’s word, then they will willingly also sow mercy towards others who may be undeserving as they also realize they are.
See if we feel we are fine as we are, why would we ever change? If we feel we know well, why would we ever give another mercy? The one forgiven much that one, who knows this, easily forgives. (He is able through the strength given him through the revelation and realization of the depth of our offense to God, and of the great mercy God has shown us )
I did not say our sin was the worst sin, for some sin has a greater effect on society than others do. Where sin is sin is, it eternally separates man from God, and one who knows this also knows that unless that man receives the sacrifice of Jesus, and lives a renewed life as evidence of that revelation by faith, before God, He is doomed to darkness and death eternally.
So, are you, the temple of God’s spirit, the new Jerusalem, the place of peace, the church and body of the Lord Jesus Christ, a place of refuge for the undeserving? Could they run to you to receive mercy and forgiveness in time of need? Deserving or undeserving?
Remember repentance is NOT just saying, “Oh I’m so sorry”, nor is it saying a mere prayer and staying with the same offensive actions afterwards. Even God extends mercy to those who have full willingness to change. The wrath of God comes on those who will not change, even when shown where or how to. Grace is for the pursuers of God. Much of what God asks of us is not easy to accomplish as we are, we need His grace while we change. We do not always deserve His blessings, we need mercy to get from identification of offense to changed person. He does not give these to those who have no desire for them. They are not and excuse, or a pardon to go on sinning.
To those moldable, teachable, repentant, instructable; grace and mercy are for the taking, and are in abundant supply.
Those who sow will also reap.
Need grace to change, give it whole you watch someone else walk this road.
Need mercy and forgiveness? Give it to those who ask it, those who see and now desire to live differently. Don’t hold them to a past life as they begin to walk the new.
Do to others in the exact proportion you’d like them to also do to you.
Don’t think irresponsibly, asking mercy with no intent on change. Expecting grace with no repentance. This is not how the principles benefit us.