Loving Your Enemies

"But I [Jesus] say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you."1

Bob Lewis relates the story of a Christian woman "who owned two prize-winning chickens. One afternoon, the chickens worked their way out of her yard and into her neighbor's garden. The neighbor, known for his hot temper, captured both birds, wrung their necks and then threw their lifeless carcasses across the fence into the Christian's yard.

"The woman was understandably hurt and considered giving her neighbor a piece of her mind. Instead, she took the chickens home and prepared two chicken pot pies. Whereupon she took one to her neighbor and then apologized for not being more watchful of her chickens. The man was speechless. The chicken pot pie coupled with an apology filled him with such a sense of burning shame that his whole life began to change."Need I say more?

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I find it real easy to love those who are lovable but don't know how to love my enemies and those who would mistreat me. Please help me to grow in love so that I will always be 'as Christ' to everyone—friend or foe. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Matthew 5:44 (NKJV).

Credit: Daily Encounter

Second Chances

"Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 'Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.'"1

I think most of us enjoy the story of "Jonah and the Whale (Great Fish)."

Jonah was commissioned by God to go to Nineveh and warn the people that if they didn't repent of their wicked, sinful ways, God would destroy them. Jonah didn't like these people and didn't want God to save them, so he boarded a ship and went off in the opposite direction. But God sent a great storm "to shake Jonah up."

However, all aboard the ship were terrified for their lives. When Jonah admitted he was the cause of the storm, the sailors threw him overboard.But God in his mercy sent a big fish to swallow Jonah.

Had God not done this, without a doubt Jonah would have drowned. On the third day, Jonah repented and God caused the great fish to vomit him up on a beach. After Jonah repented and God rescued him, God commissioned him a second time.

Having worked in the area of recovery for a number of years, and specifically in the area of divorce and grief recovery over the past decade, I have seen too many individuals rush into a second marriage without resolving the issues that caused their first marriage to fail—and then see their second marriage and, for some, their third marriage fail.

What many fail to realize is that, in all of life (not just marriage), what we fail to resolve we are destined to repeat … repeat … repeat … until we get it right! The good news is that no matter how many times we fail, God in his mercy and infinite patience will give us a second, third, fourth, fifth, ad infinitum opportunity to get things right.

However, once we get it right, we don't have to go through the same failure again! This is why I encourage divorcees (and others who have failed in other situations) to resolve the issues in their life that caused their marriage or situation to fail so they won't have to go through the same terrible experience.

God wants us to recover, heal and become whole so we won't keep hurting ourselves—and others. Like Jonah, God will keep giving us as many opportunities as we need so we will get it right. That means quitting the blame game, admitting and facing our personal problems, and getting into recovery.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to admit every failure in my life and help me to see the causes behind these failures, and lead me to the help I need to resolve these issues and recover so I can move on with my life in more creative and wholesome ways. Please help me to use every one of my failures as an opportunity to grow and become a better, healthier, more God-honoring person. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Jonah 3:1-2 (NIV).

Credit: Daily Encounter

The Power of Gossip

"A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret."1

Alan Boone tells the humorous story how, at the end of their first date, a young man takes his favorite girl home. Emboldened by the night, he decides to try for that important first kiss. With an air of confidence, he leans with his hand against the wall and, smiling, he says to her:

"Darling, how about a goodnight kiss?"
Horrified, she replies, "Are you mad? My parents will see us!"
"Oh come on! Who's gonna see us at this hour?"
"No, please. Can you imagine if we get caught?"
"Oh come on, there's nobody around, they're all sleeping!"
"No way. It's just too risky!"
"Oh please, please, I like you so much!"
"No, no, and no. I like you too, but I just can't!"
"Oh yes you can. Please?"
"NO, no. I just can't.""Pleeeeease?"

Out of the blue, the porch light goes on, and the girl's sister shows up in her pajamas, hair disheveled. In a sleepy voice the sister says: "Dad says to go ahead and give him a kiss. Or I can do it. Or if need be, he'll come down himself and do it. But for crying out loud tell him to take his hand off the intercom button!"2

Ooops ... Some time ago after teaching a class, I was sharing personally with a friend and my microphone was still turned on! Very embarrassing!

What can be even more devastating and disappointing is when you have shared in confidence something very personal with someone that you trusted, only to find that they have shared it with someone else, and that someone shared it with someone else, and so on. Trust has been broken and you feel betrayed.

How easy it is to gossip. We can do it in numerous ways besides verbal assaults on a person's character. When someone's name is mentioned, all we have to do is say, "Oh, HIM!" in a negative tone of voice—or even give a dirty look at the mention of a person's name.

As another has said, "Most of us would never steal a man's transportation, but think nothing of stealing his reputation."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to guard my tongue, and always ignore and never pass on harmful gossip. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Proverbs 11:13 (NIV).
2. Alan Smith, Boone, NC. www.TFTD-online.com.

Credit: Daily Encounter

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday dear ME, Happy birthday to ME!!!!!

An Obedient Heart!!!

Morning all. Sometimes I find myself wondering why I am here. You know we can really let the cares of this passing world take over our lives and take our eyes off what is important.

What is important is living the life Jehovah God placed us here to live. He made us for himself and for his habitation. He deposited things in our lives to be beneficial to others and to give God all the honour and glory.

How many of us can honestly say that we are living within the will of God? I know that if I answer this question right now it would be in the negative. Yep!

Part of the problem is that I am never satisfied with my circumstances. I always think that there is something better out there for me and that God will want me to be happy … Blah! Blah! Blah! You know what I mean, the usual things we say to convince ourselves that our rebellion against God is not really rebellion.

I went to church yesterday morning and our Pastor was saying certain things that pertained to me and I was praying to Heavenly Father yesterday about my situation (which I created myself) and I asked him “Lord, why am I so disobedient?” No matter how much he shows me He loves me and how much I am worth to Him, I always, ALWAYS do something to mess up, be it doing something I am not to do or not doing something I am to do.

Therefore, this morning I was praying again this morning and all I asked Him was for a “Heart to obey Him”. That is all I want is an obedient heart, not to deny him. I also told Him “Lord I am not going to stop bothering you until you give me that new heart”.

Anyway, I was listening to a CD about 7 youths who Jesus carried to hell to show them the suffering of lost souls sent there. One of the youths sited Proverbs 27:20 and I did some research and came upon http://www.letgodbetrue.come/ and the interpretation of this Proverb below.

God Bless and I Love you all.

Proverbs 27:20 - Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

There is always room for one more fool to live a painful and dysfunctional life and die a miserable death! Hell and destruction are never full! Therefore, fools are always lusting after the evil things that will ruin their lives! The eyes of man are never satisfied! Fools rush to their own hurt and loss every day! There is always room for one more! Go on in, fool!

There is no limit to loveless marriages, foolish children, lonely hearts, underemployed sluggards, early deaths, starving dreamers, and other problems. You can join them, reader! Prisons have few vacancies, because another fool shows up to fill the house of pain. Divorce Court never closes, because one more fool chose to marry for lust instead of faith or chose to divorce for feelings instead of facts. A.A. always takes new members, for there is one more lush unwilling to drink water. Hell and destruction are never full.

Fools are hilarious! They always want, wish, and lust for something to make them happy - which they never find! They think a man, a woman, a child, a house, an amount of money, a car, a boat, affection from another fool, marriage, an event, a promotion, or something else will make them happy! But they never find it, no matter how hard and long they look! They are doomed to misery, for they have got on a treadmill to nowhere!

They are never content with what they have, even if it is much; for they imagine there is something more exciting out there to make them happy. So they live frustrated and lonely lives, searching for Nirvana, and then they die and wake up in hell! What a miserable existence! Hell and destruction are never full! A fool's eyes are never satisfied!

Hell and destruction are a miserable and painful life and an unnecessary death (23:13-14). The lake of fire is never full either! It always has a little more room! But the lesson here is about painful lives. You too can destroy your marriage, fail with your children, or live with a lonely and frustrated soul. You too can turn your life into hell and destruction. The grave never says, "Enough" (30:15-16), so fools find new ways to lie and die miserably. No matter how many bodies are cast into the ground each day, there is room for more!

The eyes of man are never satisfied, because man craves anything other than God. There is no end to the lust of the flesh and eyes and the pride of life (I Jn 2:15-17). Every foolish man thinks a little more of this or that will make him happy. He cannot relax; he dreams of something better; he needs another event to bring him a taste of excitement. He refuses to accept his present circumstances, for he thinks himself too good for them! He thinks in the near future he will discover something to bring peace and joy.

Give a woman a good husband: she wants a different man. Give him a good job: he wants to work for himself. Give her a warm home and children: she wants something to do. Give him a good income: he wants more. Give her a good body: she wants it better. The problem is not improvement; the problem is out-of-control priorities leading to sin. Why do men with beautiful wives divorce more often than those with average wives? Why are women that could be content with the Lord always frustrated and looking for more?

The strange woman - by her sins of fornication and adultery - takes men down to death and hell (2:18-19; 5:5; 7:27; 9:18; Eccl 7:26). But there is always room for one more fool to use the cover of darkness to go near her house to taste her deceitful offerings (7:6-10). He sees her beauty and hears her flattery and is sure he has found the treasure of pleasure. Foolish men are not satisfied with their wives, so the punishing ruin of adultery always has room for one more fool to be accepted into its downward spiral to destruction.

Adam and Eve were not satisfied in Paradise, and it cost them everything. He that loves silver will not be satisfied with silver, which is vanity and vexation of spirit (Eccl 5:10). Covetousness is idolatry and a great evil, which leads to constant frustration and unhappiness (Eph 5:5). Men's hearts always want something else or something more, and this evil fretting against God and lust for new things will take them down to destruction.

Godliness with contentment is great gain (I Tim 6:6). But fools cannot learn the lesson! They hear it, but they cannot learn it. For they have convinced themselves - deceived themselves - that there is something else that will excite and fulfill their little souls. But the blessed God will never let you find anything positive outside Him, so those who get their eyes and hearts attached to the things of this life are doomed to misery!

Fool! Are you discontent, frustrated, and suffering misery and pain in your life? It is your fault! You have chosen your own lusts over the things of God and heaven. You protect your pet sins; you resent correction by your teachers; and you intend to do things your way. If you will make the blessed God your everlasting portion, you can always be content and filled with joy (Ps 16:11; 73:25-26).

If you choose wisdom, you can find life and escape death (13:14; 14:27). There is also room for one more saint!

Credit: Let God Be True.

Stand Up and Be Counted

Good morning to all of you my beautiful brothers and sisters in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I am sorry that I am not around much to minister to you but as I said in an earlier thread I am really busy and many things are happening all at once in my life. However, one thing remains consistent, that is My Love for Christ Jesus and his Love for us.

I am leaving you with an article written by the Daily Encounter and I hope that it blesses you in a mighty way. Until we meet again - may the Good Lord Bless and Keep You. I Love you all.

"When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was in the wrong."1

On more than one occasion Jesus confronted the Pharisees in no uncertain terms for their hypocritical behavior, as did the Apostle Paul to Peter in the above Scripture verse.

So when is it right for us to confront others and when do we need to keep silent?

How do we know when we are reacting in proportion to what has happened or if we are overreacting?

When someone attacks us personally, when do we turn the other cheek?

Or when we see wrong in society, business, or politics, should we speak out or should we look the other way and say nothing?

When people attacked Jesus and accused him falsely, he remained totally non defensive and said nothing because he had nothing to hide. On the other hand, when people misused the house of God and used people for their own ends, or tried to hide their hypocrisy behind a facade of religious piety, or loved their man–made legalistic rules more than they loved people, Jesus spoke out against them in no uncertain terms.

The bottom line is our motive. Jesus always did what he did because he loved God and he loved people. He attacked evil and wrong head on because it was destructive to those whom God loves—us.

Furthermore, Jesus always spoke with authority but was never authoritarian, rigid, controlling or manipulative because he always acted out of pure motives and had no hidden agenda. What we need to do if we are going to make an impact in our world is, first of all, to acknowledge our own shortcomings and with God's help, work to overcome these.

Second, we need to love the things God loves and hate the things he hates and speak out against the things God hates as Jesus did. We need to be angry with these too. We simply cannot love righteousness without hating unrighteousness.

Remember that meekness is not weakness, and also the words of Edmund Burke who said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

"Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me the insight to discern that which is right and that which is wrong, and give me the courage to stand up and be counted, speak out against and confront the wrong, but always in a loving and Christ–like manner. And help me always to be willing to do my part to bring about change. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Galatians 2:11 (NIV).

Credit: Daily Encounter

Sand and Stone

Hey Morning guys. I know its been a while but I went on vacation and just got back and you know how it is when you come off vacation your desk at work is swamped.

Anyway I experienced some heavy stuff over the past three weeks but time will not permit me to speak on it just yet since I have a meeting I must run into.

However, be rest assured that I was thinking of you all the time. How much you guys mean to both me and God.

So anyway below is something I got from my friend Larry and I hope its a blessing to you as it has been to me. Until we meet again, may the good Lord bless and keep you.

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT.

DURING SOME POINT OF THE JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN ARGUMENT;

AND ONE FRIEND SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE IN THE FACE.

THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED WAS HURT,

BUT WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING, WROTE IN THE SAND:

'TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE'.

THEY KEPT ON WALKING, UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS,

WHERE THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A BATH

THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE MIRE !

AND STARTED DROWNING, BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM THE NEAR DROWNING, HE WROTE ON A STONE:

'TODAY MY ST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE '.

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND ASKED HIM,

'AFTER I HURT YOU, YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW, YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?'

THE FRIEND REPLIED:

'WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US WE SHOULD WRITE I T DOWN IN SAND,

WHERE WINDS OF FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.

BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING GOOD FOR US,

WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE WHERE NO WIND CAN EVER ERASE IT.'

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.