Matthew 5:43-48 NLT
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Make no mistake about it; the battle lines are being drawn.
The time is coming, and our faith is being tested. The only question that needs to be answered is, will we leave things in God’s hands, or will we take matters into our own hands?
The checkered history that we have had is being rewritten right in front of our eyes.
The one thing that I like about the Bible is that it was a record of both the good and the bad. And we need both.
The question for the Christian is, what are you going to do?
When the Christian church started, John and Peter were brought in front of the day’s religious leaders because of what they were preaching.
Peter and John were preaching about the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and people’s lives were being changed, and people were being healed.
A question to consider, is there an evident change in your life due to the work that Jesus is doing in your life?
If not, we have no right to demand anything from anyone. Not that we should be demanding anything anyway.
This demanding is happening now from the “enemy,” right?
Demanding “justice”…
Demanding “rights”…
They are forcefully removing the history of our country.
But here is what we have to remember about the “enemy”:
Ephesians 6:12 NLT
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Let’s go back to Peter and John; they were in the temple, preaching the saving grace of Jesus. Eventually, they were brought before the council.
One of the members of the council came up with this:
Acts 5:34-39 NLT
But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered. “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”
As a Christian, we need to remind ourselves that the people of God win.
Here’s something that we have to remind ourselves when we are focused on God’s Will, God will be out in front of us. He will be a hedge of protection for us.
What do we do amid this turmoil? We focus on the needs of those directly around us and minister to those needs in the name of Jesus Christ.
We pass on the love of Jesus Christ to those directly around us, and we encourage others to do the same.
Our urge will be to take up arms and fight, but Jesus taught us that this is not the way to act.
Matthew 26:50-53 NLT
Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear. “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?
The only thing that will provide any change is a heart change at the hands of Jesus Christ.
Anything by demand will never stand.
Heavenly Father, Please give me the strength to focus on You.
Please give me the strength and courage not to react to the madness that is going on around me but to have the peace of Jesus Christ front and center in my heart.
I thank You for the desire to study Your Word and the ability that You allow me to have to understand it; I only pray that You grant me the strength and courage to stand firm in Your Word.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️
