If you had, at this very moment, the choice between receiving justice or mercy in your life, which one would you choose? Your initial reaction, without thinking too deeply, may be that of choosing justice, and that makes perfect sense. After all, we live in a country that prides itself on dispensing justice to its citizens. And those efforts should be applauded because they benefit all of us. Justice for all is one of the basic fundamentals America was founded upon.Certainly, in order to accurately answer the initial question, you would want to know the circumstances. For instance, are we speaking about justice in a legal sense, justice among coworkers, justice between friends or family, or something more profound? It might help if we kept a simple definition in mind of justice and mercy. Think about the fact that justice would be receiving only what you do deserve; whereas, mercy is receiving what you do not deserve. Does that help?If we were viewing nothing but the physical world, justice is a good thing, but mercy could be better. To illustrate that, let's say you are shopping for a gift and you pick up an item that you accidentally drop. The item breaks, and you realize that you need to take it to the checkout counter to pay for it. In that situation, would you want the clerk to charge you for the item, or would you rather hear the clerk say, "Don't worry about it. You don't have to pay anything?" In short, would you prefer justice, which means you pay for the item, or mercy, which means you pay nothing for the broken item? Do you want what you deserve or what you don't deserve?Of course, the real question is: When you stand before God in judgment, do you want to receive only what you deserve, which would be justice, or do you want God to extend what you don't deserve, which would be mercy? That's what we want to explore throughout this study together.I pray that by the time we conclude our thoughts, we will all come to the point of saying: "God, be merciful to me."

Profound reflections on the cross that help you to meditate on and marvel at the sacrificial love of Jesus. This book can be used as a devotional, especially during Lent and Easter. These profound reflections on the cross from David Mathis, author of The Christmas We Didn’t Expect, will help you to meditate on and marvel at Jesus’ life, sacrificial death, and spectacular resurrection-enabling you to treasure anew who Jesus is and what he has done. Many of us are so familiar with the Easter story that it becomes easy to miss subtle details and difficult to really enjoy its meaning. This book will help you to pause and marvel at Jesus, whose now-glorified wounds are a sign of his unfailing love and the decisive victory that he has won: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) This book can be used as a devotional. The chapters on Holy Week make it especially helpful during the Lent season and at Easter.

Jesus' first recorded sermon in the Bible is a blueprint for being happy here on earth. And though His definition contains no prescriptions for acquiring cars, homes, or savings, it does require transformation and obedience. MacArthur examines Jesus' timeless definition of happiness, and explains that our reward for following Jesus' plan is citizenship in the kingdom of God- and an abiding joy that can never be taken away. Study guide and review included for individual or group study.

The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.

Lament is how you live between the poles of a hard life and trusting God’s goodness. Lament is how we bring our sorrow to God—but it is a neglected dimension of the Christian life for many Christians today. We need to recover the practice of honest spiritual struggle that gives us permission to vocalize our pain and wrestle with our sorrow. Lament avoids trite answers and quick solutions, progressively moving us toward deeper worship and trust. Exploring how the Bible—through the psalms of lament and the book of Lamentations—gives voice to our pain, this book invites us to grieve, struggle, and tap into the rich reservoir of grace and mercy God offers in the darkest moments of our lives.

33 Days to Merciful Love is the stirring sequel to the international sensation, 33 Days to Morning Glory. Using the same 33-day preparation format, 33 Days to Merciful Love journeys with one of the most beloved saints of modern times, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and concludes with a consecration to Divine Mercy. So whether you want to deepen your love of Divine Mercy or have a devotion to St. Thérèse, 33 Days to Merciful Love is the book for you.