Fighting fire with fire water!
I was watching the final episode of an anime series, Gate Keepers… The main character is faced with a best friend/significant other who has turned into an enemy by the hate inside. As the enemy pours on the hate, the main character turns on the love. I don’t mean that sappy stuff… I mean the smack-u-up-beat-u-up-b/c-u-need-it-then-kiss-u kind of love. The love displayed breaks through the hate and reaches to the heart of this friend-turned-enemy.
…
I’m a sucker for happy endings, God. What’s mine going to be like? What’s the journey going to be like? As far as the BOOK says, God wins. I like it when the good side wins.
“You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
— Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV) —
Don’t listen to hearsay… loving your neighbor and hating your enemy. It sounds so reasonable…but think it through. The math just doesn’t add up!
Fighting fire with fire => big flames
Hating those who hate you => What’s love? Only loving those who love in return?
Giving love even to those who hate you => Godly.
Truth:
What our Father want us to do…
Love your enemies & pray for those who persecute you.
The best example I can find of this truth being lived out is when Jesus is nailed to the cross.. and he prays to God: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34 NIV)
How we know our Father in heaven is like this:
He does good for both the good & righteous as well as the evil and unrighteous…
Love isn’t just treating people nice…
we have to have the right intentions…
not for a reward like tax collectors…
but for the same reason God does: Its right thing to do.
How do we love people?
Reach out… but make sure you aren’t just reaching out to brothers in Christ…
reach out to everyone, reach out to the world… don’t shut yourself away from it.
Justification for all this?
Be perfect… perfect like God… like God is perfect.
== Prayers ==
AB just got laid off. Father, what is your will in this matter? Let my friend’s eyes be opened.
H is being shady. Father, help me to shine the light.
EG is … interesting. What did you want done here?
PL seems to be at a crossroads with D. Shine, PL, Shine!
BC is/was holding something against me. Remind me to ask for forgiveness… not just from you, but from those who I wrong as well.
Thank you for getting me through another week. Help me work hard for you, Lord. Guide my steps so I may not stumble in the dark.
Helps me to better balance my time so that you may be glorified in my handling of family, work, and friends.
I pray all these in the name of the head of the church, the one in whom we may abide forever, Jesus. Amen.
== EDIT ==
== Random Prayer ==
The Passion of Christ.
I want a group of us to watch it and see it.
This weekend.
Lively discussion included, please.
What do you think, Dad?
Sincerely your adopted-son-via-Jesus,
ha256
great post brother. 🙂 and I’m looking forward to reading a review of the Passion after you’ve watched it. Think of it as doing a sis-in-Christ a favour will ya? 🙁
Man-O-Man!! You are still rockin hurra! Sorry it’s been a while….been busy but i still love ya dude!!! keep rockin!
“Love isn’t just treating people nice…
we have to have the right intentions…
not for a reward like tax collectors…
but for the same reason God does: Its right thing to do.” –Amen to that! The world of the unsaved is a huge one, lets show them the love that Christ freely gives, and also be witnesses by our actions and by having the ‘What would Jesus say and do?” mentality. Not for us but for His Glory and His Kingdom!
From reading the prayer request ha256, I can really tell that the love of the Lord is in you! God bless you brother and keep being you with Christ being at the center of it all!
i checked the amplified bible.
see if this helps:
13If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself.
~ ie. He cannot deny His own Words.
my 2 cents. hope this helps.
btw, so did you get to see the passion with your friends?
I wanna see the passion of Christ….tell me about it when you do…..i’m afriad of graphic stuff…. i just might start wailing and crying and screaming in the middle of it….and then have bad dreams
This verse has been resonating in my mind. There’s a co-worker that I can’t seem to get along with… I’m praying about it and asking for God’s love… b/c I don’t know how to love her.
I loved reading your prayer.
mm.. great posting again.. so many times our eyes comes off the Cross and onto ourselves.. it is good to be reminded that He is still a perfect God.