Love Your Enemies

By -
I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best - the sun to warm and the rain to nourish - to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty.
Matthew 5:43-45 (The Message)

Our flesh naturally wants to retaliate when someone persecutes us, but Jesus calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who spitefully use us. When we do this, Jesus said, we will be true children of our Father in heaven. In this way, our actions will mirror the character and nature of our loving God. Love is the higher way, love is God's way. May we love our God, ourselves, our neighbors and yes, even our enemies. Amen.

Love,
Jackie

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Be Clothed with Humility

By -
Image
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” — 1 Peter 5:5 (NKJV) Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished. (Proverbs 16:5 NASB1995) Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling. (Proverbs 16:8 NASB1995) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, (1 Peter 5:6 NKJV)  Even Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (See Philippians 2:8) Humble yourselves [with an attitude of repentance and insignificance] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up, He will give you purpose]. (James 4:10 AMP)
Read more

The King of Glory

By -
Image
Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah — Psalm 24:9-10 (NKJV) The earth is the LORD’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. (Psalm 24:1-2 NASB1995) He gives to all people, life and breath and all things. (See Acts 17:25) …for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. (1 Corinthians 8:6 NASB1995) May we be a generation of those who diligently seek Him, who continually seek His face. Require Him as your greatest need. (See Psalm 24:6 AMP) Open up the door of your heart to Him today. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the presen
Read more

Be Captivated by Christ

By -
Image
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” — Daniel 3:16-18 (NASB1995) Our attitude and mindset should be similar to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before they were thrown into the fiery furnace. Know that our God is able to deliver us. Let us trust Yahweh to deliver us from all of our fiery furnace experiences. And no matter what happens, do not serve or compromise with the principles of this world, nor follow the traditions of men. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than a
Read more