September 23rd 2018
Be Merciful, Just As Your Father Is Merciful.
(Luke 6:36)
Luke 6:31-36 (NIV)
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners’, expecting to be repaid in full.
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Applying the Golden Rule, “Do to others as you would have them do to you,” to those who you believe love you, it is not too difficult, but even then, it may still be a little difficult to apply to those who love us that we may not like! It is possible to love someone that you do not like! Do you believe or accept that concept? Do to others as you would have them do to you. "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners’, expecting to be repaid in full. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:31-34, 36). Many times, brothers and/or sisters may have a love/hate relationship with their siblings, especially when they still live at home. This sibling rivalry often ends when they no longer share the same environment.
Applying the Golden Rule, “Do to others as you would have them do to you,” to those who you believe have chosen to be your enemy, is very difficult, but Jesus told us we need to do it. Jesus told us we should choose to do it, if we are truly His followers! Do you believe that? Do to others as you would have them do to you. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:31, 35-36). It may make loving our enemies a bit easier we can truly accept the fact that we are all created by God, and thus, we all maintain a part of His image and likeness. This is of course, is a Christian principal that all who claim to follow Jesus must believe.
In the early accounts of Genesis, we read about how and when God created mankind, and then the genealogies supplied by God gives an account of Adam and his descendants. This is the written account of Adam’s line. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them "man". (Genesis 5:1-2). Such accounts we read about the fact that mankind was created in the image and likeness of God. Because of this image of God, we know that we all are given an immortal soul, which means there is a part of each of us that will never die. Living in this cursed world all members of mankind must die, and thus, if you do not accept this promise from God of our immortality, then you would believe when you die that is the end for you. Atheists and agnostics profess a theory that they do not believe we have an immortal soul! John wrote about this death event and how the worldly part of us does pass away when we die, but that this event does not stop our existence. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives for ever. (1John 2:17).
The death of a Christian, therefore, may be a time of loss and grief for those left behind, but it is a time of joy and blessing for the one who dies, including a happy reunion with those who have gone before. The death of a believer is a transition period of leaving this mortal earthly life and then starting the new immortal lifecycle. Jesus told His disciples (us) about this wonderful account of when a believer dies to this life, He has already prepared our new immortal living space. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3). Therefore, when a believer dies we have been given the way to this place, which is sometimes called heaven. Of course, Jesus is the Way!
People who do not accept this promise of heaven through Jesus do not and cannot accept this idea of salvation is only available to members of mankind with the wisdom to accept this promise. Such wisdom is not available until you have a fear of the Lord or that you hold Jesus in awe because we believe that He is who He said He is. The writer of Proverbs tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10). We have a great advantage over the Old Testament writers, as we have the New Testament to show us proof of Jesus being that long-awaited Messiah. James wrote about such wisdom and understanding which is available to us now. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13). Unbelievers do not have the humility to be able to believe that there is a God that they should worship and adore. As James wrote,” Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”
Some people say they do not believe there is a god, and they demand that this god must show itself to them before they will believe! They do not and cannot understand that God does not need them, but they need God! Their determination of need is only based on this life, as that is all they believe exists. What do you believe? Please believe that all members of mankind have been created with an immortal piece, a spark of life, that is breathed into each of us, which is in the shape and image of the likeness of God. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1John 3:2). You are a child of God, and when Jesus comes back, “when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” Are you trying even now to see Jesus as He is?
If you know someone who needs to hear this story of Jesus, try to tell them in a nice way. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24). They may not be capable of believing it, but maybe you can plant a seed that will grow into their salvation!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
(Luke 6:36)
Luke 6:31-36 (NIV)
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners’, expecting to be repaid in full.
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Applying the Golden Rule, “Do to others as you would have them do to you,” to those who you believe love you, it is not too difficult, but even then, it may still be a little difficult to apply to those who love us that we may not like! It is possible to love someone that you do not like! Do you believe or accept that concept? Do to others as you would have them do to you. "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners’, expecting to be repaid in full. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:31-34, 36). Many times, brothers and/or sisters may have a love/hate relationship with their siblings, especially when they still live at home. This sibling rivalry often ends when they no longer share the same environment.
Applying the Golden Rule, “Do to others as you would have them do to you,” to those who you believe have chosen to be your enemy, is very difficult, but Jesus told us we need to do it. Jesus told us we should choose to do it, if we are truly His followers! Do you believe that? Do to others as you would have them do to you. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:31, 35-36). It may make loving our enemies a bit easier we can truly accept the fact that we are all created by God, and thus, we all maintain a part of His image and likeness. This is of course, is a Christian principal that all who claim to follow Jesus must believe.
In the early accounts of Genesis, we read about how and when God created mankind, and then the genealogies supplied by God gives an account of Adam and his descendants. This is the written account of Adam’s line. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them "man". (Genesis 5:1-2). Such accounts we read about the fact that mankind was created in the image and likeness of God. Because of this image of God, we know that we all are given an immortal soul, which means there is a part of each of us that will never die. Living in this cursed world all members of mankind must die, and thus, if you do not accept this promise from God of our immortality, then you would believe when you die that is the end for you. Atheists and agnostics profess a theory that they do not believe we have an immortal soul! John wrote about this death event and how the worldly part of us does pass away when we die, but that this event does not stop our existence. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives for ever. (1John 2:17).
The death of a Christian, therefore, may be a time of loss and grief for those left behind, but it is a time of joy and blessing for the one who dies, including a happy reunion with those who have gone before. The death of a believer is a transition period of leaving this mortal earthly life and then starting the new immortal lifecycle. Jesus told His disciples (us) about this wonderful account of when a believer dies to this life, He has already prepared our new immortal living space. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3). Therefore, when a believer dies we have been given the way to this place, which is sometimes called heaven. Of course, Jesus is the Way!
People who do not accept this promise of heaven through Jesus do not and cannot accept this idea of salvation is only available to members of mankind with the wisdom to accept this promise. Such wisdom is not available until you have a fear of the Lord or that you hold Jesus in awe because we believe that He is who He said He is. The writer of Proverbs tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10). We have a great advantage over the Old Testament writers, as we have the New Testament to show us proof of Jesus being that long-awaited Messiah. James wrote about such wisdom and understanding which is available to us now. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13). Unbelievers do not have the humility to be able to believe that there is a God that they should worship and adore. As James wrote,” Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”
Some people say they do not believe there is a god, and they demand that this god must show itself to them before they will believe! They do not and cannot understand that God does not need them, but they need God! Their determination of need is only based on this life, as that is all they believe exists. What do you believe? Please believe that all members of mankind have been created with an immortal piece, a spark of life, that is breathed into each of us, which is in the shape and image of the likeness of God. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1John 3:2). You are a child of God, and when Jesus comes back, “when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” Are you trying even now to see Jesus as He is?
If you know someone who needs to hear this story of Jesus, try to tell them in a nice way. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24). They may not be capable of believing it, but maybe you can plant a seed that will grow into their salvation!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak