Friday, February 24, 2017

Be Merciful (LG31)


‘Last Generation’
Mat 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”
We will need His mercy in the coming World War 3, so we must be merciful now.

Luke 16:1-7 He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’ Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’ So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ “
    This is a fantastic parable from our Lord Jesus, which reveals to us how we should plan for our future. This steward/servant realized that he was found to be wasting his goods and was to be sacked.
    Brethren, how many Christians have not wasted his goods by spending money on fabulous holidays? Luxurious homes instead of low cost houses? Expensive cars instead of cheap cars and vans? High hospital bills instead of trusting Him to heal and expensive health food? We all need His mercy for all our wealth belongs to God.
    During retrenchment, many Christians would want to get more money from the master. Looking back, this steward was merciful to the poor and needy debtors and discounted their debts without the master's approval knowing that he will receive mercy when he becomes a pauper.

Luke:16.8 “So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.
    Surprisingly, the master commended the unjust steward (unbeliever) for being wise (shrewd) by showing mercy to the poor and needy. But Christians (sons of the light), who are given full permission by our Lord to give His money to feed, care and help the needy, instead, enrich themselves (and churches).

Mat 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
    Our Lord had instructed us to use up God’s money (unrighteous mammon) and not to hoard it in banks, stocks, properties, etc., which are laying treasures on earth.

Luke 16:9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.”
    Brethren, our Lord’s final advice is to use His money under our stewardship to win friends. Charity, generosity, kindness and compassion will win many souls to Christianity (friends). When we send His money to mission works and charitable homes, many will be saved.
    When we are no longer on earth (fail), all those saved will testify of their salvations to the Lord in heaven (everlasting home) because of the mercies and love shown to them. So brethren, be merciful and God will be merciful to us during WW3.