January 26, 2010: The Journey 37

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."

Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters, what a beautiful morning. I have set my computer in a different location and now as I prepare the message God gives me I can look out my window and watch the sun come up. This morning here at the Southern Location of the North Pole the sky is a very light red and the clouds are few as the dawn is breaking after a day where we had 3.66 inches of rain.

Today is Tuesday, schools day on this line. Please, please pray for our school children. Other prayer requests listed at the end of the message...

The Journey 37: Matthew 5:7 - "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (NIV)

Blessed are the merciful! Do you show mercy on others? Let me ask you a question this morning. You are pulled for jury duty and the case you get assigned to is very serious, let's say armed robbery with an assault charge. The man who did the crime was about 22 and the evidence is there, in fact he was caught on camera so it is very plain to see that this young man did the crime. You are on the jury and it is up to all of you to decide what will happen to this man. You do a background check and find that he has some things in the past, not armed robbery, but a simple assault and a couple of drug charges. You have seen the man in court, you have watched him, you have looked in his eyes, you have seen the eyes of those he robbed and the one he assaulted and you have seen the face and eyes of the young man's mother. Now you know you must do something, he really does need punished. Do you send him to the local lockup, or off to state prison where the big timers go? Will you show mercy or throw the book at him? Will you recommend to the judge some rehab in jail or will you say let's send him to "split rocks" or hard labor? Oh, and what is the man's skin color, if it is different than yours, would that make a difference to you?

We do not face it each day but more often than not. We may not be on the jury but we read about these things and in our minds we are saying, throw the book at him, or please have mercy on him. People who are in charge of the hiring and firing at work places face these decisions almost daily. Do you fire them and train someone new or do you give them a day or two off and retrain them? Do you show mercy or fire them?

You are walking out the door of your work place and you have about $3.00 in your hand and you are heading for that burger joint across the street, you have enough for the special, a small burger, fries and a drink. Then it happens, you see this old person on the street and they are hungry, do you take them along to the burger joint and buy three of those $1.00 burgers and on the way back to work you hand that hungry person one, or do you give them two or maybe even all of them? Do you show mercy or let them be hungry while you fill your belly?

Are you really thinking about this? It happens daily to Jesus, does He show mercy, forgive us and send us to heaven or does He just say, sorry, I don't know you and you head to hell...
I want to bring something out here again, let's go back to the scripture. Are you ready for this?

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." These the words of Jesus, and folks, the way I read this if we show mercy to others we will be shown mercy. If we do not show mercy, please do not expect it from God. Throughout the Bible we will read these things and we will touch on them more tomorrow. Dear brothers and sisters, today will you show mercy on someone, find someone and show mercy on them, seek them out and show mercy on them? And then go to prayer and ask God to show that same mercy on you. Will someone say Amen to this today...

Dear Father in Heaven, teach me mercy and show me the people who in my life need the mercy... and Lord, please show that equal mercy on me. Lord, I ask today for no more than I give for I am unworthy of any more. Lord, thanks for the mercy You gave to all of us when You bled and died on the cross. Bless also this day our schools and all who have anything to do with them. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Now go forth showing mercy and you can do that in the way you share your blessings. Jesus loves all of you, and He will show mercy on you, if you show mercy on others. Love ya, Pastor Dan.

Carry The Light Ministries
16 Dewalt Drive
Mechanicsburg, Pa. 17050
Phones Home 717 691 8200 Cell 717 991 0754

Prayer List.

Matthew, Hospital, depression
Mark and Joan, Jobs
Vicki, lots of health issues
Saylor Family, Health...
People of Haiti Mercy
Workers in Haiti
Jaired and Christy Laudig... Home flooded yesterday
Pastor Larry and Luella, Traveling protection
Dave, Duane and Neil. Traveling protection
The Couriers, Open doors