Barry Parish Church

19th March 2019

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment ... he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me ... “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.

Luke 16:19-25.

 

    

 

Prayer Points

 

Pray about your own attitude to wealth – if you have it or if you don’t! Confess any absorbing of the world’s value system.

 

Trust God with your own finances. Perhaps you need to pray for money, a job, better management of your money.Trust God because he knows your needs before you ask.

 

Is there a gift you should make? Pray about your giving to those in need as well as spreading God’s Good News in the world.

 

Pray for those caught in the trap of debt.

 

         

     DAY 12 : POVERTY

 

Let’s consider the rich. There is enormous wealth in the hands of some. Wealth is not wrong; it is a gift from God. But to be wealthy without generosity is abhorrent to God. It is not His way for those who live in riches to close their hearts to the abject poverty that surrounds them.

 

The rich man did just this in Luke 16 and he got his ‘reward.’ When we are rich we can alleviate need by giving out of our wealth. As well as generosity there is often a need for justice. We should be aware of trade issues that keep the poor, poor and the rich, rich. There are injustices to fight.

 

Let’s consider the poor. God hears the cry of the poor and will not forsake them (Isaiah 41:17). When we are poor we can be encouraged knowing that God sees our situation and cares. There is no shame in being poor. Jesus lived dependent on others’ generosity (Luke 8:3).

 

Let’s check our attitude. There is a ‘poverty spirit’. Do we have the attitude that second best, second hand and second rate is what we are worth? If so, we have not understood how much God values us. This poverty of spirit inhibits us from achieving our full potential. Perhaps we should realise we are children of the king.

 

And finally, in Revelation 3:14-22 Jesus describes a church that

has lost it. They have absorbed the value system of the world

and have become luke-warm. They think they are rich and don’t

need a thing. But Jesus says to them, “You do not realise that

you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” He counsels

them to repent, to hear him knocking at the door, receive him

and eat with him. Spiritual poverty needs addressing.

 

    

Pray

 

*    Pray for your ‘big issue’

*    Pray for your ‘three friends’

*    Pray for a new wave of revival.

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