We will read the first four verses to begin this morning. First four verses of Proverbs chapter three and children can be dismissed for children's church as well. So, alright. It's good to have some children for children's church this morning. Amen.

Amen. Alright. They came a long ways too just for our children's church, I think. But how where Ohio. Okay.

Good. Amen. So, they're here visiting their folks. Votes and Alright. Proverbs chapter three verses one through four.

My son, forget not my law. Let thine heart keep my commandments. For length of days and long life and peace shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee. Bind them about thy neck and write them upon the table of thine heart.

So shall thou find favor and good understanding the sight of God man. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for this day, this morning, this opportunity to praise your name once again. Thank you Lord for your word and the instruction that it gives us. Lord, may we hide it in our hearts.

May we follow it with all of our heart. May we not let mercy and truth abandon us but may we make them part of every day of our life. More evident part, each and every day as we draw closer to you. So, we look into your word today. We pray that you would use it, inform us more to the image of your son and if there's one here today that is unsure of their relationship with you, we pray that they would make sure of that before they leave this place today.

In Jesus name, amen. The one Bible study I have labels this chapter guidance for the young. Proverbs three. We all need guidance in life, young or old. And this chapter is a collection of critical principles which we need to hear and heed if we are to be guided by the wisdom and the will of God who never makes mistakes.

Right. We all need guidance. Every day of our life and God has given us instruction in his word. He has given us most of the guidance he has right here in the pages that he has preserved for us so that we can know his will today and do it. He has given us his spirit to guide our understanding and application of these principles that we read in God's word and how foolish it would be for us, the creature, for us, the student, for us, the follower to ignore the instructions of our creator and Lord and God.

God has given us these today that we might keep his commandments that we might have favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Solomon begins with the overarching principle in verses one and two. Do not overlook God's law, his instructions, and his commands. Verses one and two again, my son, forget not my law, my instructions, but let thine heart keep my commandments. What God has told us that we need to do, his commands.

He is the master and we are his privileged servants. He has the right to give what? Commands. It is our privilege and responsibility to follow those commands, to heed his instructions that he has given us. If you desire to have a long and fruitful and peaceful life, listen to who?

Listen to God, right? Everybody says today in the world, listen to your what? Listen to your heart. You just gotta listen to your heart. Well, the Bible says, the heart of man is deceitfully wicked.

That's right. Don't listen to your heart. Listen to the Lord. Listen to his spirit moving. But don't listen to the flesh.

Don't just do what feels good. Do what is right. Trust in the Lord. Consider the young man whose parents told him to avoid alcohol in keeping with God's warnings in scripture. Proverbs 20 verse one says, wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

But the young man didn't listen. He began drinking with his buddies, going to parties on the weekends. One night, been in a party, he was considerably intoxicated and being in the drunken state of mind that he was, he got in his car and he took off down the road with his girlfriend. You know, they say, don't drive drunk. Well, if you're drunk, your your mind is already befuddled and you're not thinking straight.

And that's when you're likely to do something stupid like get in a car and what? Drive in that state of mind. That's what this young man did. About a mile from his home on a curvy curvy road, he went around a curve on the wrong side. He met an oncoming pickup truck head on.

He collided. The man in the truck died in the accident. He left behind a wife and two small girls. And the girlfriend, well, she will never walk again. And where is that young man?

Well, he's spending about a decade of his life in prison for vehicular manslaughter. While the rest of his life, he will remember the night that he made that fateful error in judgment and cost the lives of a man and the ability of a girl to walk again. Maybe he should have listened to his parents. Maybe he should have listened to the wisdom of his creator. And this is something that has played out every week in The United States Of America.

We have so much, and yet we do not listen. God has told us in his word here, if you want to have favor in the sight of God and man, if you want to have a fruitful life, listen to God. Listen to God. Psalm one nineteen nine and eleven say this, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee. Hide God's word in your heart. Start when you're young. Continue when you're older. God gives instructions in his word not to hold us back.

God gives instruction his word not to keep us from having fun. God gives us instructions in his word. He's revealed to us to keep us safe, to bring us joy. He knows better than anybody else because he made us. He knows what brings peace and joy in the life of those he created.

Keep his commandments. In verses three and four, Solomon draws our attention to two crucial elements of this that we need to use in our decision making in life and our treatment of others. Look in verses three and four again. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee. Bind them upon thy neck, write them upon the table of thine heart.

So shall thou find favor and good understanding with the sight of God and man. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee. Let them not get away from you. Let them not leave your life, your thought process, your heart, your compassion. Cling to them, embrace them, make them part of your everyday experience.

Mercy and truth are vital. These two are coupled together many times in the scriptures particularly in Psalms and Proverbs. Let me read just a few of these for you. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth. Unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

He shall send from heaven and save me from the reproach of him that shall swallow me up, Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. Psalm 5,710, for thy mercy is great under the heavens and thy clouds and thy truth unto the clouds. Psalm 61, he shall abide before God forever. Oh, prepare mercy and truth which may preserve him.

Psalm sixty nine thirteen, but as for me, my prayer is unto thee, oh Lord, in an acceptable time, oh God, and the multitude of thy mercy, hear me in the truth of thy salvation. Mercy and truth are met together. Psalm 86, but thou, oh Lord, art a god, full of compassion and gracious long suffering and plenteous in what? Mercy and truth. Justice and judgement are the habitation of thy throne.

Mercy and truth shall go before thy face, faith. He that hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. For the Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth to all. For thy mercy is great above the heavens, thy truth reaches under the clouds, by mercy and truth, iniquity is purged, and by the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil.

And I skipped a few for the sake of time. Several verses, again and again and again, God couples these two together. Mercy and truth. We're going to spend the next few minutes focusing on the first of the two and that is mercy and we'll finish by focusing on the second one tonight. So, come back at 06:00 if you can to hear more about truth.

These are the foundations of all our hope in Jesus Christ. Mercy and truth. For it is by his everlasting mercy and his enduring truth that we can be saved and secured. If it were not for the mercy of God, we would have no hope of salvation. It is only by the knowledge of the truth that we can know that he is preparing and preserving a place in heaven for who?

For us, who have trusted in Jesus Christ and received his mercy and grace ourselves. Mercy. Mercy is the attribute of being kind, loving, and compassionate. The Old Testament word translated mercy here is also translated as kind, loving, and compassionate. A person with a kind, loving, and compassionate heart is a merciful person, a gracious person, and one willing to forgive others.

Choosing one who chooses to treat others not based solely on merit but also on love and understanding. A merciful person has the ability to be empathetic and sympathetic towards the plight and failings of others. Holding back on dealing out the punishment they may deserve. A merciful, compassionate person isn't keeping a record of what? A record of wrongs.

A merciful, compassionate person is able to look over those wrongs, is able to empathize with the human nature that we all suffer from by which we all fail. A merciful person is more than just about dealing out justice or punishment that is concerned about the person as well. Our Lord is a just and holy God. He must punish sin. But he is also a merciful God.

Who cares about the people he created and does not desire that we suffer under the punishment that we deserve. He is a merciful God that is touched with the feeling of our what? Infirmities. Who knows our frame. And desires that we know his salvation.

So much that he sent his son. When we Christians hear the word mercy, we immediately think of the mercy of God demonstrated towards us. For it is not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his what? Mercy, he saved us. If you think today that you are going to earn God's favor, you are mistaken.

You will never earn God's favor. You will stand before him someday and the books will be open, it says, and Revelation chapter 20 and you will be judged out of those things written in those books and you will be cast forever into the what? Into the lake of fire. But there is a way of what? Escape.

All those whose names were found written in the book of life were not cast into the lake of fire. There is a way to get your name written in another book, to get your sins forgiven. To be reunited with the God who made you and receive eternal life and that is through the mercy of God and the sacrifice of Christ. In Luke chapter 18, Luke tells us of this little story here about two men. Luke 18 verse ten, two men went up into the temple to pray.

The one, a Pharisee, the other a public. And now, just quickly, they both went up to the what? Temple. Were they going to the right place? Yes, they're going to place of worship.

They both went up there to pray. Is that a good reason to go to the temple to pray and talk to the Lord? Yes, it is. However, the one a Pharisee and the other Republican, the Pharisees stood and prayed thus with himself. So, he really wasn't talking to who?

He really wasn't talking to God. He was just going through the motions and he said, God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are. Extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week. I give tithes to all of all that I possess.

What was he doing? He was bragging to God about his good works. Do you think God was impressed? No, he wasn't and he's not impressed with our good works either. Particularly, if you're trying to get to heaven, by doing good works.

The Bible says, our righteousness, our good works are as filthy rags. You're not getting there that way. Neither was that Pharisee. Even if you're going to church, you're not getting that way. You're not getting there that way.

Even if you're spending time in prayer, you're not getting there that way. If you think that going to church and spending time in prayer is going to impress the Lord and by your good works, he's going to let you into heaven. Because you and I like that filthy rag were stained with what? With sin And all the good works we do cannot erase that fact. Says in verse 12 here, verse 13, and the publican, a tax collector, traitor to his own people, standing afar off would not lift up so much his eyes into heaven.

But smote upon his breast saying, God be what? Merciful to me a sinner. I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone that exalted himself himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be what? Shall be exalted.

If it were not for the mercies of God that are new every morning, we would be miserably lost and without hope. Our self righteous works, our filthy rags are not going to impress almighty God. They're not going to gain us in entrance. Into his home in heaven. There's only one way to gain entrance into heaven and that is through humbling ourselves and calling upon Jesus Christ for his what?

For his mercy who gave his life for us. Amen. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father but by me. Not you, Jesus and Jesus alone.

Only Christ is acceptable in the sight of God almighty and only by his grace and mercy are we afforded a place in heaven to the righteousness of Christ bestowed upon all those who believe. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God. In him. He should have destroyed us all. But like Noah, we have found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

The one deserved it may be. According to his excellent mercy, he has secured us in the ark of salvation in Jesus Christ. His mercy and grace toward us is something which we must never forget. To be grateful for. You know, in some cultures, if you save somebody's life then that person owes you a life debt and they feel obligated to serve you because you save their what?

Their life. We do, oh Jesus Christ, a life debt. He gave his life for us. He has saved our life out of the lake of fire, out of our own sin, and selfishness. Romans twelve one and two say this, Paul says, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God which is your what?

Reasonable service. Let me start that verse again. I, we kind of just slid right over part of it. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the. Mercies.

Mercies of God. By the mercies of God. By the mercy that God has shown. Through the sacrifice of his son. And through the gift of salvation that he has given.

To an undeserved people. We owe him our life. It is our what? Reasonable service. But secondly, this morning, I want to look at this.

This isn't only about the mercy of God demonstrated in his sacrifice. But it's also about the mercy of God which should be evident and evident attribute. An ornament of grace about the neck of the children of God. So, as the writer of Proverbs here is talking about mercy, he's not only talking about the mercy by which we have access to God in the throne of grace and that God has shown toward us but the mercy that should be evident in the lives of God's children. We should be like our father in heaven.

It his mercy should be like a necklace adorning our lives that everybody sees and gives glory to who? Gives glory. To God. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father. Which is in heaven.

It is a character trait which every child of God should cultivate and demonstrate in their lives toward others. As we testify of the mercy of our father in heaven. As we have been shown mercy we need to learn how to show mercy to others. I think in fundamental circles, sometimes we kind of lose track of that a little bit. God is a just and holy God and that what God says in his word is important and it needs to be heeded and it needs to be followed and we need to preach it.

Sin is bad and is wrong and it needs to be confessed and forsaken and we need to preach it. We also need to preach and live as merciful children of God and show mercy toward one another as God has shown mercy toward us. Every day God shows me mercy because there's not one day that goes by. That I deserve. His grace and his goodness.

But he shows me mercy every day He is a merciful God and we need to be able to show others what that's like and how we treat them when they fail us. And they will. We need to learn how to show mercy In Matthew 18, Peter asked Jesus, how many times should I forgive somebody up to 70 times? And what did Jesus say? He said, no, Peter.

70 times seven. Which means you need to keep track and when you get it to four ninety, that's it. No. No? What was Jesus saying?

Don't keep count. Just keep forgiving. If they come and ask for forgiveness again and again and again, keep forgiving. He he told a story, a parable in order to illustrate that. There was a a man, a servant who owned the king an an amount that he would never ever be able to pay back.

He was looking at being thrown in debtors prison. His family sold to pay the debt and he came and he pleaded with the king and the king forgave his debt. All of it. Who is this man an illustration of us? Because we owed a debt we could never what?

We could never pay. Well, the man went away celebrating and he ran across a friend of his and the friend owed him just a few bucks. And he said to his friend, pay me back now. His friend said, I I don't have it now. Just give me some time.

He said, no. Nope. I'm going to turn you into the authorities. Well, the king got wind of it Do you think the king was happy with the servant that he forgave millions? Who wouldn't forgive a fellow servant, a few bucks?

The answer to that is no. The king was not pleased. Likewise, our God is not pleased and he isn't glorified in our life. When we do not learn to cultivate the mercy of God in our life and to be willing to show mercy toward others in small ways that he has shown us in huge ways. We must have mercy upon those who owe us And have not paid us.

Sometimes, that may mean forgiving the debt. At other times, that may mean waiting a little bit longer. But be merciful. I'm sure you've been in a bind before If nothing else, we've been unbind with God. Jesus Christ, by his mercy, delivered us out of it.

Mercy, we must have mercy upon those who mistreat us and do not see it. You know, sometimes other people mistreat us and they don't even seem to recognize what they're doing. They're so so into themselves. They're so into whatever. They're so insensitive that they don't even see.

That they're hurting you. And sometimes they just don't really care. But in Matthew five forty four, Jesus said, I think I have that up here. But I say unto you, love your enemies. Bless them that curse you.

Do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. Amen. Be merciful. Think about the person, the soul, and not just about how you were mistreated. We need to have mercy upon those who have hurt us, have yet to acknowledge it.

Mercy upon those who repeatedly sin against us And though having confessed it, do it again. That's what Peter was complaining about. Well, they do the same thing over and over again. They ask for forgiveness and then they go out and they do it again. How many times do I put up with this?

They come to me and say, I'm sorry. Do I have to forgive them? Because I know tomorrow, they're going to do it again. Think for a minute how God feels. How many times have you asked God to forgive you for what you did today and you get up tomorrow and you what?

And you do it again. Praise the Lord. We have a merciful and a forgiving savior whose mercies are new every morning. He says that over and over and again in the Psalms, why? Because we need it sometimes.

Every day. We need to learn how to forgive and be merciful towards others who have the same failings we do and sometimes, struggle day after day after day. Luke seventeen three and four. Says, take heed to yourself if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive him. If he trespass against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying I repent, thou shalt what?

Forgive him. Now, God didn't say that was going to be easy but it'll be easier as we learn to cultivate a merciful heart and learn from our savior and think about his mercy towards us. We need to learn how to have mercy upon our brothers and sisters in Christ who are as imperfect as we are. Be you kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Sometimes, we step on each other's feet.

Sometimes, we stomp on each other's feet. Learn to forgive. If you want to marry your marriage to last, you'll learn to what? Forgive. If you want your friendship to last, if you want your business partnership to last, if you want your church to last, You need to learn to what?

Forgive and be merciful. Compassion with Christ was not a put on or a show as it was with the Pharisees but it's that which just came from his heart. If you have to feign compassion, then you don't have compassion. For compassion comes from the heart. Matthew nine thirty six, it says, but when he saw the multitudes, that is Jesus, he was moved with compassion on them because he fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd.

That reminds me of going to the mall at Christmas time just before Christmas and you're trying to get to a present to buy and you gotta go find it and you gotta get through the crowd and then you get in line to check out and the line is 15 people long and people get up there and they don't know what they're doing and they're arguing with the clerk and ever been there? Maybe not. Maybe you're one who gets all your Christmas presents in November. But not me. Do you, do we stop to think a moment about the souls of the people that are around us?

And their needs are we just completely consumed with the fact that they are in our way. Jesus had every reason to be upset. He left the cities because he couldn't get any rest because they were on him day in and day out and they followed him out of the cities and they wouldn't let him be. But he looked on them and he had what? Compassion.

It was the same Christ that as he hung on the cross and they drove nails through his hands and they hoisted him up on the cross. And as he struggled to breathe, he managed to get out these words. Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. This is the kind of compassion and mercy which we should display humbly continually about our necks because it is written in our hearts. If so, we will indeed have favor with both God and men.

You know what kind of person most people are drawn to? Somebody that exudes love and compassion and mercy and kindness. You want to have favor with men? Learn to have mercy. You want to have favor with God?

Learn to have mercy. For it is the merciful who obtain mercy at the hand of God. Have you thrown yourself in faith upon the mercy of God? To save your soul, to make you his child. The only way to become a child of God, the only way to secure eternity in heaven is to throw yourself upon his what?

His mercy. Have you done that? And asked him to be the Lord and savior of your life, accepted his gracious gift of salvation and made him your Lord. If you haven't, I plead with you today. We're going to sing an invitation hymn in just a moment.

It's for you. If you'll come, I'll meet you up here. And I'll show you today how you can be saved in knowing. Are you a merciful person? Or are you a hard unyielding, unforgiving one?

Being Christ like is not being only a stickler for the rules but an understanding friend who can show mercy and compassion and grant forgiveness. Are you struggling in that area today? Well, this invitation is for you. Take a moment and talk with your God. You don't have to sing the song.

Spend some time in prayer with him. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for your mercy and Lord, help us to take the mercy and truth of God and hang them around our neck and make it a part of our life, our treatment of others. Lord, make us a merciful people. Help us to see how vital it is.

Help us to recognize in our life when we are not a merciful people. And to confess it. And to seek your help and cleansing from it. Lord, I pray if there's one that's here today has never trusted Christ that they would come. As we sing this hymn of invitation today, in Jesus name, we do pray.