Mercy Seat of God Outreach Ministries

06/12/2026

Love Like Him

From friendships to family, relationships can be tough to navigate at times. But if there’s one thing that can set your relationships apart, it’s understanding real love.

In Paul’s first letter to the believers in Corinth, Greece, he explains that even if you have all the faith, all the knowledge, or all the generosity in the world, or if you can speak in tongues, or if you have the gift of prophecy—none of it means anything without love. He continues:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV

Chances are, you want to be a patient person. You intend to be a kind human. You desire to be a content and humble individual. But, sometimes you get in a hurry. Sometimes you get annoyed. Sometimes you can be rude, selfish, jealous, unthoughtful, or arrogant.

Sometimes, it’s hard being human. But God knows that and He wants to help you.

In the same letter, Paul goes on to say that love keeps no record of wrongs and rejoices in the truth. It always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Most notably, love never fails.

But why does love seem to fail at times? After all, divorce rates are high, estranged families are commonplace, and the brokenness of this world is evident on just about every news broadcast or social media feed.

And that’s exactly why Jesus came! He offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for the redemption of the world. And that’s what real love looks like—to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13). He is love, and His love never fails.

So, now that redemption has begun to break through—first, through Jesus and, now, through His Spirit inside of us—we can love others well by looking to Him, leaning on Him, trusting in Him, listening to Him, and following His lead.

God has given you everything you need to love others like He loves you.

05/26/2026

An Example Worth Following

Jesus stood in silence as he was stripped, spit on, beaten, and mocked. He stood there as they twisted thorns into a crown and shoved it onto His head. He watched as they gambled for His clothes. He was rejected, accused, beaten, stripped, and crucified—and He endured all of this willingly, because of love.

Imagine having unlimited power and authority, and giving it all up. Imagine voluntarily sacrificing your life so that others could also experience God’s deep, unconditional love. This is what Jesus modeled for us.

“Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges… When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:6-8 NLT

Jesus knew whose He was, and what He was called to do. He knew that selfless service mattered more than selfishness. He knew that humility was greater than pride. And He knew that obeying God would lead to our freedom and His glory.

Jesus modeled humility by laying down His life so that we could know the love of God personally. And if we say that we follow Jesus, then we need to have the same attitude and outlook on life that Jesus did. But we can only do this by staying united in Jesus as we follow His example together.

So, how do we stay united? We show love to each other. And how do we show love to each other? By thinking about other people first, and choosing not to hold onto bitterness. True love requires a willingness to let go of pride, and to serve without expecting anything in return.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:12-13 ESV

So who can you show love to today? Spend a few moments allowing God to reveal how you can practically embrace humility, stay united in love, and serve others selflessly today.

05/21/2026

From Fearful to Fearless

Think of a time when you were fearful of others. For some, this might look like fearing harm or violence from a specific person or group. But for many of us, we can get sidelined by a different kind of fear...

Maybe you're worried that someone won't like you—your personality, your looks, your opinions, or your work.

Maybe you're afraid that speaking up for what's right could cost you—your job, your reputation, your comfort.

Maybe you've felt misunderstood, and the narrative has gotten twisted—with a little bit of truth and a whole lot of exaggeration. There's more to the story, but it's challenging to explain.

Maybe you’re so busy and preoccupied, making sure everyone around you is happy, that you're neglecting your own life and calling in the process.

Maybe you say “yes” to any and every opportunity or event—because you don't want to let anyone down, or get left out.

There are many ways in which we might live in fear of others. But the result is always the same: striving for man's approval leaves us anxious, exhausted, distracted, and disappointed. When we fail to trust God, it shows.

"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe."
Proverbs 29:25

We cannot trust God if we’re living in a constant state of fear, because fear is the opposite of a faith-fueled trust. God’s approval, after all, is the only approval that matters.

Pleasing God matters more than pleasing people. Being accepted by God matters more than being accepted by people.

The great news is, we don’t have to earn His acceptance! We don’t have to prove that we are worthy of His time, attention, or love. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection did this for us. We are now considered worthy because He is already worthy! When we belong to Jesus, the Holy Spirit helps us to become more like Him.

Acceptance and inclusion from others will never give us the true safety and security we desire. But God’s acceptance of us is unconditional, and it transforms us from the inside out. We simply need to receive Him—allowing His love to change the way we think and act.

As the knowledge of God's love increases in our lives, the fear of people decreases.

When we trust in God, we can rest in the assurance that we are secure for eternity. We are loved by our gracious Savior. He alone has the power to change the course of our lives.

Take some time to survey your own heart. Are your thoughts, words, and actions a result of fearing man—or trusting God? Consider a few small ways you can begin to place your trust in God rather than living in fear of what others might think.

05/04/2026

The Urgent Call

Have you ever shared the Good News of Jesus with someone in your life?

When Jesus was teaching and training the twelve disciples, he often used imagery and metaphors that were part of their culture to communicate important truths to them. In Matthew 9:37-38, Jesus relates the work that He is doing to a farmer’s work in the field.

Jesus says that the people who do not know Jesus are like a field of grain that's ready to be harvested. But, there are not enough workers to go and harvest among the fields. Jesus says to pray that God would send more workers to gather the harvest.

Essentially, there are people who are ready and willing to hear and respond to the Gospel message—the hope that Jesus brings for every person. But when Jesus says "the workers are few" (Matthew 9:38), what He really means is: there are not enough people sharing the Good News with others.

As Christians, we are entrusted with the free gift of eternal life, and we’re tasked with sharing that message with others. However, many Christians keep their faith to themselves.

We are to be bold in sharing the message of the cross with other people so that they can experience new life in Jesus, too.

Take a few minutes today to consider what small step you can take to begin sharing Jesus with other people. Pray for God to give you courage, and then step out and begin sharing with others.

04/13/2026

God So Loves You

If you’ve experienced any part of the Bible, you probably know that John 3:16 highlights a vital part of the gospel message…

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV

Think about it:

“For God so loved the world …”

God didn’t merely like the world, but He loved the world. He loved you so much that He created you, made a way for you, and desired a forever relationship with you.

“… that he gave his one and only Son …”

Because of God’s immense love for the world, He gave—generously and sacrificially—His one and only Son … because it’s only through His death that we can have life.

“… that whoever believes in him …”

It’s not enough to know that Jesus existed as a real, historical person—James 2:19 reminds us that even the demons believe that and shudder. Believing in Jesus means we choose to trust Him as Savior and Master of our lives.

“… shall not perish but have eternal life.”

We cannot earn our salvation, but we can trust the One who saves us. God created us for eternity, but He also gave us the ability to choose Him. Eternity isn’t something for the distant future, but it’s already in motion right now.

04/10/2026

God is Close

No matter what we face, we can always seek our unchanging God. We just need to call on Him in truth.

Praying with truth requires recognizing our own brokenness. That means we need to accept and acknowledge that there is nothing we’ve done that makes us worthy of talking to our Creator.

God draws near to us because He is good, kind, merciful, and humble. And we call on Him in truth when we humbly submit our will to His and genuinely delight in Him.

This doesn’t mean we need to call on Him perfectly—we can’t. We simply need to come as we are, and acknowledge our deep need for His grace, mercy, and love. You don’t need to have your life together. You don’t need to be free from anxiety, depression, or fear. In whatever moment you find yourself, God wants you to honestly and intentionally talk to Him.

And even though we might not always sense that God is near, the Psalms remind us that God will come to anyone who calls out to Him. God’s presence is not reliant on our feelings or our perception of circumstances—He is near whether we realize it or not.

So today, come as you are to the God who loves you. Draw near to God, and allow Him to draw near to you.

04/09/2026

How to Make Disciples

Imagine being a disciple in Jesus’ day...

Just before Jesus returns to heaven, He commands you to tell all nations the story of the gospel. In your travels, you encounter new people and cultures and share all that God has done through His Son, Jesus. People’s lives are changed because of God’s salvation and His working through you.

God asks us to continue to make disciples in Jesus' name, because His is the only name that can offer salvation.

Disciple-making starts with loving others as God has loved us. It involves thoughtful teaching and instruction that points people toward a loving relationship with God. We can teach others about discipleship as we go about our daily lives. Here are two ways to get started…

MODELING:

But as for you, promote the kind of living that reflects right teaching. Titus 2:1 NIV

If we want to help people know God, it's important to have hearts that demonstrate Jesus’ teachings. Jesus cared for the poor and the oppressed. He cared more about inward heart attitudes than outward demonstrations. He sacrificed Himself for the good of others.

When we model Christ’s sacrificial love and compassion in our relationships, we are illustrating that we have been transformed by God’s love. The way we live will invite others to experience the same sort of love that transformed us.

MENTORSHIP:

Give instruction to the wise, and they will become wiser still; teach the righteous and they will gain in learning. Proverbs 9:9 NRSV

As each of us grows in intimacy with God, we can offer wisdom to people we know. Taking time to listen to people’s stories and encourage them to walk with God through their experiences can lead to a powerful mentoring relationship.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave His disciples the command to make more disciples. He declared that all disciples should be made in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is a comforting reminder that when we make disciples, we aren’t doing it by our power.

God’s grace goes before us, and the Holy Spirit works in our hearts to transform us. This is all possible because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. So take a moment to think about someone you would like to see draw closer to God. How can you show up in their life today?

04/08/2026

Faith Begins By Hearing

Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” (NLT)

Everyone who follows Jesus first heard the Good News somewhere. At some point, in some way, the message of Jesus reached them.

The apostle Paul wrote these words in a letter to believers in Rome as he explained how people come to faith. Faith begins when the Good News about Jesus is heard. God uses the message of Christ to open the hearts of people everywhere with His beautiful invitation to new life.

But what makes this news so good?

Sometimes people hesitate to talk about faith because they have not fully discovered how good God truly is. Some imagine God as distant or angry, ready to judge. But that is not the God revealed through Jesus.

Jesus is compassionate. He knows every person, including you. He sees every story, including yours. He understands your fears, struggles, and burdens.

Jesus did not come to condemn the broken. He came to carry judgment on Himself, to lift what is heavy, and to bring healing and hope to all who will receive Him.

This is the Good News: God loves people. God is near. Through Jesus, forgiveness and new life are possible...for you, for your loved ones…for all people.

When this truth takes root in your heart, sharing it will become less about obligation and more about overflowing love and joy. The Good News was never meant to stop with us.

Someone in your life is waiting to hear it, and they may need to hear it from you.

A simple conversation, a gentle invitation, or a small act of kindness may lead to a life-changing moment of transformation when someone hears the Good News—from you—for the first time ever. Will you share it?

08/14/2025

08/14/2025

Created to Love Others

When we believe in Jesus and live our lives following after Him, we get to experience His grace and mercy every day! We get to walk in new life and new ways of thinking about God's creation and our place in it. Not to mention, we can rest knowing we are God's own children!

But it can be just as easy to live life thinking only of ourselves and the good things we have received. Jesus spent most of His ministry helping and assisting others, but if we're being honest—and Jesus was always honest, too—most of us have a tendency to be selfish with God's gifts, or ignore opportunities to serve the weak or needy in our everyday lives.

As Paul was speaking to the leaders at the church in Ephesus in Acts 20:35, he made sure to remind them that his life has not been about himself, but about helping others. Paul says that everything he has done has been about helping those who are weak and in need. Paul didn't say these things to boast about himself, he said them to point back to Jesus as the truest example of love.

While the Christian faith is certainly about loving God, it is also about loving others as well. It is about using our new life in Christ to bring positive change to the lives of others—the same positive change Christ brought about in us.

Jesus said that when we use our life to help others, we end up even more blessed. It is always more blessed to give to others than to receive for ourselves.

Take some time to consider the way your own life has been blessed by others. Then, write down a few ways that you can begin to help others who are in need. What practical ways can you bless those in your neighborhood, work, or school? Begin to build a habit of being a blessing to others.