BE MERCIFUL
Memorise:
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. .. Matthew 5:7
Read:
Matthew 18:21-35
Message
Many people ask God for mercy, but when God looks into their lives and sees that they don't show mercy to others around them, He withholds His mercy. From our memory verse today, you will realise that if you are merciful to others, you will also enjoy God's mercy. Psalm 130:3 says that if God were to count our iniquities, we will not stand. It is only by His mercy that we are still alive, and if we are wise, we will also have mercy on those around us.
In our Bible reading for today, Jesus Christ told the story of a man who owed the king ten thousand talents. The king commanded that he and his family be sold in order to pay the debt, but the man asked for mercy, and the king forgave him of the debt. The same man went out and saw someone that owed him a hundred pence. His debtor begged for a little more time to pay his debt, but this man refused to forgive the debtor and locked him in prison. The king heard about it, withdrew his mercy, and gave the unmerciful servant to tormentors. Proverbs 11:17 says:
The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. The Scripture above says that when you are merciful, you are doing good to yourself, but if you are cruel, you are hurting yourself because your cruelty will only rob you of the mercies of God.
In John 14:23, Jesus said if you love Him, His Father will love you, and both of them will come and dwell in you, How do you show God that you love Him? 1 John 4:21 says that if you love God, then you must love your brother. Love your neighbour like yourself because you cannot say you love God and hate your neighbour. If you decide not to love your neighbour, you are telling God that you don't need His love. Galatians 6:7 says:
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Whatever you sow is what you will reap. If you sow mercy into the lives of others, you will reap mercy. However, if you decide to sow unforgiveness, then do not complain when you reap unforgiveness (Job 4:8).
Bible In One Year:
Mark 1-3
Hymn:
Take My Life And Let It Be
Action Point:
Be merciful to everyone.
Take my life, and let it be