God's Mighty Men The Sermon today talked about loving your Enemies and Praying for those who persecute you. This is one of the hardest things we can do, and it does not come easy. Doing this for our friends is OK… but to those who do not like me or I do not like them – that is a different story. Here are the verses:
Luke 6:27-31 > “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.
This is an area of my life that I have really been working on because it does not coming naturally to me. I would like to break some of these areas down and what it looks to me on being the Christian that Christ would have me be.
- Love your enemies: To me this means that I have to wish the best for them and that they need Jesus just as I do. I have to Love them enough to make sure that they are seeing Jesus in me, so that they would desire that relationship. So my relationship with my enemy has to be one that looks like the relationship that Christ has with me.
- Do GOOD to those who hate you: Now I really struggle with this one – if someone hates me – I would say “it is their problem and not mine, why do I want to do Good for them”… but this verse says that I need to? So I must be looking at ways that I can help my enemy whenever there is a need?
- Bless those who curse you: Bless them – what does that mean? I guess I should be talking good about them and leave out all the Bad stuff that I desire to say. When I am talking with them – I really need to focus on the positive and not the negative stuff.
- Pray for those who mistreat you: I have learned to do this recently – I need to pray for those who want to see harm come to me. This part may not change their desire to harm me – but it will change my heart to accept their persecution.
- Turn the other Check: Now this one does not come instinctively to me – I want to hit them back… This is an area that I believe we will have to do at times to show that Christ lives within us. God is going to put us in situations where this act of obedience is going to be required.
- Give your coat and shirt away: This one comes a little easier for me. Diane and I enjoy blessing people with what we have – but for an enemy it might be a little harder. I do believe that when you bless someone – bless them to the greatest of your ability. For example: instead of giving someone $20.00 because it is easy — Give them $50.00 (The shirt).
- Give whatever is asked: For me this normally requires my Time> I cherish my time and it is one of the items that I struggle at sharing… Material items is easy, but giving of me comes a little harder – and if you do not like me then normally you do not get me… so I need to work on this one.
- Do not demand anything in return: I have always felt that I should never put demands on what I am giving away… Whether it be Material Items or even if I am giving away Love. When you put expectations on your generosity, most of the time you will be disappointed – so leave the expectations out.
**The Golden Rule: Treat others the same way you want them to treat you!!
Out of all of this you can see that I have to be active in Loving My Enemies. The end result is not for my enemies, but it is for ME. The saying of (“They will know we are Christians by our love”) goes along ways when we start loving our enemies.
So are you “Loving Your Enemies”?
Do you know who Your Enemies are?
Do you need allot of work at some these items like I do?
Love always Wins!
Bobbyg
