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| The Bible's Most Ignored Verses |
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6:27 "But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, These verses are perhaps the most ignored verses in the Bible. Love your enemies. Who does that? Who does good to those who give out hatred?
There is no excuse to ignore Jesus' instructions. Yet we ignore His teachings about non-violence. We pretend they are not in the Bible. Rather than turning the other cheek we fight back. Rather than praying for those who curse us we speak evil back to them.
Men and brethern, these things ought not so to be. These teaching are practical and they are commandments. We ignore them at our peril.
So how can we be kind, loving, and non-violent to our enemies when we feel like cussing and smashing and going to war with them? We have to trust God more than we trust our emotions. When anger or hate arise, we must not accept them.
A good place to start is prayer. Everytime somebody does something wrong to you, ask God to bless them. You may not feel like it and you may not mean it, but you can obey God and do it. Say: "Jesus, I ask you to bless ___________. He has mistreated me, but I am obeying You and praying for him. Meet his financial needs, his health needs. Bless his family. Help him to know how real You are and how much you love Him."
If you will pray like that every time an offense comes to your mind, you will experience miracles of forgiveness and emotional healing in yourself. As you obey God's command to pray for your enemies you will eventually begin to feel kindness and compassion for them.
Why not quit ignoring Jesus' commandments that we be non-violent? Why not begin to pray for those who offend you right not? All you have to lose is your disobedience. |
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| To add a comment to "The Bible's Most Ignored Verses" |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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Amen Steve, it is only possible through the Spirit. Anyone that lashes out in anger is not as spiritual as they think they are, they are carnal and need to get their hearts right with God. Thanx for posting this. |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
Excellent word Steve....Just another one of those passages of scripture that folks like to ignore (smile)...but YES we are commanded to love our enemies, and to do good to those that hate us....No if's....ands.....or but's about it....we just have to DO it ;o) |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
Steve,
This is why I find it so hard to read this site sometimes. Seeing the anger spewed on what is supposed to be a Christian site. But I deal with it personally as a pastor and it wears on me more than most things. How can someone be so angry at any one when they have received so much grace and mercy from the Lord? |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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| Thanks for your thoughtful comments, Prophet Jay, MarJay, and Jerry. |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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What's even harder is when you hear God say, when you ask Him to bless them, "YOU go bless them." Ouch. But that's where we are truly blessed in obedience. And that's where we will heap burning coals on their head and really puzzle those who are lost. I mean, what a way to show God's love, eh? |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
Father, help me to do this obediently. In the name of Jesus. |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
A good Word. Amen! |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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| Thanks for all the encouraging comments. |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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"YOU go bless them." I'm with Lara and Jerry. The best way to bless our enemy is to tell them the truth with love. Of course we need to pray about how to do that. We need to study Jesus modus operandi in the Gospels. He wasn't always sweetness and light but I never read of him going off in a huff - letting the sun go down on his anger, so to speak. See Gal 1:10, Rm 7:14 - 8:39 Poor old Paul! We are in good company and well advised.
They will know the truth, the truth that can set them free when we love our enemies Jesus way. No one is good but God alone so we can expect imperfection but not condemnation. If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to those who love him even with righteous anger. He raised Jesus from the dead.
Alex
Ps I wonder how the Chicargoe taxi driver may have reacted with a more aggressive passenger. |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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| [star!] |
Ditto Jerry. I preach and teach holiness until I sound like a broken record, yet still see selfish, unspiritual behavior among my own congregation. I pray for changed hearts till my knees bleed, yet see carnality having the final say. How does God change a heart when we won't change our minds? |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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How does God change a heart when we won't change our minds?
Awesome question, Jimmy. |
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| August 31, 2009 |
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Great blog Steve! It was a kind of...ummm...bad traffic day. I'm feeling somewhat convicted now after reading this...thanks for touching my heart. :) |
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| September 01, 2009 |
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| Thank you, Birdie. |
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