The LORD within her is righteous; he does no injustice; every morning he shows forth his justice; each dawn he does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame.

Zephaniah 3:1-8

The LORD within her is righteous; he does no injustice; every morning he shows forth his justice; each dawn he does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame. Zephaniah 3:5

I continue my study of Zephaniah using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zephaniah 3:1-8, which is the text for the second division of the commentary's chapter covering Zephaniah 2:4-3:8.  The commentary further breaks down this second division into eight subdivisions, and today I review the last four that explore 3:4-8.

1. The priests dishonor God and dishonor His word (3:4): "Not only were the political leaders dishonoring God and leading the people to do so, in what was a much greater tragedy, the religious leaders were doing the same. They are described as “reckless” and “treacherous,” not to mention that they “profane the sanctuary” and “they do violence to instruction.” Much like the priests in the book of Malachi, these priests had abandoned their calling for their own pursuit of pleasure." See also Malachi 1:6-7....While these priests were making a show of serving God, their behavior belied any belief in God....The church may not be led by priests, as it was when Zephaniah wrote, but her leaders are just as susceptible today to burnout, doubt, and even self-serving behavior that teeters on the edge of the ethical—occasionally even falling off the edge."
   
2. God is faithful when His people are not (3:5): God "reaffirms" that He is still Holy, righteous, and faithful.  Yet this was not enough for Judah as they continued in their sin.
   
3. God’s discipline is fruitless (3:6-7): "He has delivered blow after blow of judgment in an effort to rouse them from their spiritual slumber, but they refuse to respond in obedience."
   
4. God’s justice is coming because of their obstinate disobedience (3:8): The text ends here on a somber note as God warns Judah of impending judgement.  The commentary however ends on a hopeful note as it looks forward to the remaining text in Zephaniah (3:9-20) and how it describes how God restores Judah so that they will trust and obey. 
   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your faithfulness and how You never change - I am grateful that You are My Rock and Refuge - I take great comfort in Your faithfulness.  I am not deserving of how You are faithful in providing mercies new every morning that never cease, You always provide for all of my needs and I can never be separated from Your love.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of these blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

...[B]ut I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”

Pages: 197-210, John 5, 8 and Ezekiel 11, 36

...[B]ut I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” John 5:42-47

This morning, I continued with John Piper's Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture, Part 2 The Super Natural Act of Reading the Bible, chapter twelve - Why the Pharisees Couldn't Read.  Here, Piper seeks to help us understand more deeply what stops us from reading the Bible supernaturally.  He uses the Pharisees and the Sadducees as examples of those who had read the law but did not recognized or believe in Jesus and so misinterpreted both the law and who Jesus really is; Piper states that the problem was "moral and spiritual....What prevented the reading that Jesus expected was not skills they lacked, but sins they loved.  The problem was not mental deficiencies, but misplaced desires."  Piper then goes on to list those misplaced desires as desire for "human praise, money, etc."  He points to John 5:42-47 where the Jewish leaders are challenging Jesus and seeking to persecute Him.  Piper then points to John 8:42-44 where Jesus then "links this love of self-exaltation to Satan.  "[Jesus] says that [the Jewish leaders] cannot welcome the words of Jesus because their desires are in sync with the Devil[.]" 

Piper wraps up the chapter by pointing to Ezekiel 11:19 and 36:26 for how God gives us a "heart of flesh" to help us grow in our sensitivity to "God's worth and beauty[.]"

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are truly and amazing God and my Lord and Savior!  Thank You for rescuing me, adopting me into Your family, and for helping me see Your worth and beauty.  I am not deserving for all that You have done and do for me.  My sin, worry, etc. continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.

Exodus 5-8

But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go. Exodus 8:32

Day 23 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on Moses and Aaron's confrontation with Pharaoh over a request from Moses that he take the Israelites into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to God.

During this time, Pharaoh's heart is hardened five times - despite it becoming clear to readers that God is working in the plagues demonstrated in Egypt and even Pharaoh's magicians indicated that “This is the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19).  

All of us may have experienced hardness of heart towards God at one time or another or we know others in our lives who have.  We need hope that God can soften hardened hearts.

For a perspective on this - check out John Piper's post "Does God Ever Soften a Heart He Has Hardened?".  See also this post for thoughts on how a hunger and thirst for righteousness ignites a "greater and greater flame of passion for God in our hearts".

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has softened my heart towards Yourself and towards others - thank You Jesus!  I am grateful.  Yet I am undeserving of Your mercy.  I am often harsh with others.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

1 John 2

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.  But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. v9-11

Hate is a powerful word and it implies hardness of heart, which impedes our ability to love - both God and others.  We certainly should not hate anyone nor should we hate other believers as the scripture today indicates. John refers to a "new command" not just in v8 here but also in John 13:34-35 (as told by Jesus):

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

These are the two most important commandments - to love God and to love others.

The Holy Spirit has helped rid me (mostly) of use of the word "hate" - as He has "luck".

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and I know You love me and I know You desire for me to love others.  Thank You Jesus for loving me - knowing everything about me.  I am not deserving of such love.  I worry and I have other sin - falling short often of not loving others.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10

The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. v8-9

Paul is writing about Israel and how Christ revealed Himself to the Jews and how "they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness" (v3).  He was the Messiah expected by the Jews but they did not see Him as such.

Therefore, since The Word is near us - in the form of scripture, the church, the Holy Spirit, and those who share these with us - we should take the time to know Him as He is revealed in all of these things.  We are all seeking something, something that is real and who will fill our lives with the Fruits of the Spirit.  With Jesus, we get all of this and more, but we must simply believe and profess our faith. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the One True God - the One who created and is in all things - and also our Savior. Thank You Jesus for adopting us as Your children and giving us fruits of the Spirit and everlasting life!  We are undeserving of such love and blessings.  I know for myself that I worry.  Please forgive me Father and help me turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind, and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

John 4

They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” v42

As a follow up to my post yesterday, other remarkable aspects of Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well include the timing of the encounter and the reaction of the townspeople in v27-42.

MacArthur indicates the divine timing of the encounter writing: "[h]ad the disciples arrived earlier, they would have interrupted and destroyed the conversation; and if they arrived any later, she would have gone and they would not have heard His declaration of messiahship. This feature subtly reveals Jesus' diving control over the situation that was occurring."

We must also remember that each time someone comes to faith it is the hand of God - a miracle (see Ephesians 2:8).  I think about my own testimony and the story of my mom coming to faith at 81 years old even though she was Jewish her entire life up until that point (watch this video starting at 6:00 and ending at 12:43).  As such we have the miracle of faith of the Samaritan woman at the well and the townspeople.
 

 "Many...believed in Him because of the woman's testimony" (v39)...."[a]nd because of His words many more became believers." (v41)

One would think that everyone would have such a reaction to Jesus.  Yet this is not the case.  Of course the Jewish elders, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, etc. and many others' hearts were hardened as were the townspeople in the region of Gadarenes where Jesus heals a man (or two men depending on the account you are reading - see also Matthew 8, Mark 5, Luke 8) from his demons - in this story all accounts indicate that the people of the region "pleaded" with Jesus to leave.  The only exception here is noted in Mark where he indicates that "the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed" (Mark 5:20).

ALL believers have a story to tell that is a miracle - what is YOURS?

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has performed many miracles in my life with of course the most important being faith itself!  Thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of such a gift.  I worry, and my sin goes on and on...PLEASE forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”

Luke 23

The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” v47

I can imagine what it was like to see Jesus in real life as the centurion did - it is not surprising to see the centurion react to Jesus' crucifixion - see also Matthew 27 and Mark 15 as he did.  Matthew Henry indicates that there are some accounts that this centurion was named Longinus and that he was healed of an eye disease by drops of blood that flowed from the wound in Jesus' side cause by the spear piercing inflicted by the centurion soldiers.

The centurion's reaction contrasts with the reaction of the Sanhedrin who in Acts 6 seized Stephen, and although they "looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel", their hearts were hardened and perhaps grew more hardened by Stephen's speech (Acts 7), and they ultimately stoned Stephen.

We should not let our hearts be hardened - in any area of our life.  We should continue to pray for soft hearts and humility.  We need to allow Jesus to work in our hearts and lives so that OTHERS can see Jesus in us. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who died for me - suffering beyond my comprehension.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such an act.  I am selfish, etc. and I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me over come and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

Luke 22

But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. v51

I have previously posted on hardened hearts, including recently.  I find it striking here that Peter (see John 18) would cut off the ear of one of the high priest's servants and then in response to Jesus' amazing grace - He immediately heals the man even though the mob came to arrest Him - the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders' hardness of heart persisted with Jesus' arrest and ultimate crucifixion.  I know Jesus HAD to go to the cross, but I can't help but wonder about the extent to which the Jewish leaders' hearts were pricked even a tiny amount by Jesus, His teachings, and His ministry. Both Nicodemus and Gamaliel strike me as Jewish leaders who both AT LEAST acted in an open-minded manner to Jesus - check out this commentary that discusses the leadership of both these men as models for church leadership.  Also, in poking around, I found that the Catholic church recognizes Gamaliel as a saint, and Gamaliel is portrayed in a very famous painting "Saint Stephen Mourned by Saints Gamaliel and Nicodemus".

For us, we should ALL be mindful to our own hardness of heart, not just about Jesus but also about any hardness of heart that may exist in AREAS of life as even believers can have stubborn pockets of this hardness in our lives.

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus thank You for continuing to prick my heart and working to prevent me from hardness of heart.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your love and grace.  I daily miss the mark and I know I am stubborn and closed minded in at least several areas of my life.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouse to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

Luke 20

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people. v19

Although many of Jesus' words and teachings were not evident to His disciples (see also post here), they WERE becoming more evident to the Jewish leaders whose selfishness and hardened hearts could not be overcome - Jesus had to be turned over to the authorities and crucified.  The law HAD to be fulfilled.  John Piper writes SO eloquently that God's love for His One and Only Son was the only remaining obstacle between God and our salvation - so Jesus HAD to die for us.

From this, I believe a challenge for us as believers exists to avoid the hardened hearts and selfishness that prevent us from being who God intends for us.  We must go to God daily, and serve Him and others.  We must deny ourselves and glorify Him (not ourselves) as this is why exist. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me more than I can ever imagine - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of Your love - I worry way too much!  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Matthew 18

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. v22

Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who sins against him and Jesus' response reinforces that we are to love and forgive others as Jesus loves us.  

Jesus came to rescue us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).

We are to love others as Jesus loves us (John 13:34). 

Forgive as Jesus forgave us (Colossians 3:13).

Jesus of course sets a high bar and one that we cannot reach but Jesus will transform our heart and mind as we draw near to him (Romans 12:2).

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are an awesome God who loves me, came to rescue and save me - all while I was still a sinner.  You love me just as I am and You continue to do a work in my heart and life - thank You Jesus for the many blessings You pour out.  I am not worth such blessings.  I worry, among my many sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 11

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. v19

Israel and Judah's hearts had hardened towards God as they worshiped other gods before and above God.  God wants our heart above anything else from us.  He does not want us to follow His commands as an end in itself - our actions and life should be a manifestation of our love of God.  Our love of God and our desire to be more like Him WILL result in a changed heart and as a result we will love others and serve others - just as Jesus did.

For God is not looking for those who cut their bodies in actual body circumcision, but he is looking for those with changed hearts and minds. Romans 2:29 TLB

John 15 - The Vine and the Branches

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has given me a new heart - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled.

Numbers 11

Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. v10

Very rarely do you hear sermons about how God becomes angry.  In fact, a quick search this morning revealed to me that God is described more often as "angry" than "slow to anger, abounding in love".  In the Bible, God's anger is aroused when his people are repeatedly disobedient and when they have hardened hearts. 

Yet, when we think about it, all of us have hardened hearts to some degree - we say, I can't do this or that when in reality we can - of course with God's help.

One of my favorite verses of the Bible is when the angel Gabriel speaks to Mary and reassures her that we can have faith in God's promises.  Luke 1:37 of the NIV translation says, "[f]or no word from God ever fails".  The NKJ translation says "For with God nothing will be impossible”.

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Ephesians 1:18-21

We should recognize the power of Jesus that is within us and not be hardened.  

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me - this I know.  Yet there are parts of my life that are hardened.  Please forgive me Jesus and do not be angry with me.  Help me turn from my sin and towards You. I want to overcome the world and my sin.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me have faith!  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.

Proverbs 10

Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs. v12

The Bible indicates that we are to hate sin - our own sin - but I have not seen scripture where it tells us to hate others, regardless of what they do.  Instead we are to love.

I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. Psalm 36:1-2

Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9

In fact, further on in Romans 12 Paul is careful to instruct us to avoid hate or revenge even when we may feel justified:

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.

 

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:14-21

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God full of love for me - so much so that I can describe it or even imagine it.  I know You love me and You love me the same until the end of the age.  Thank You Jesus - that I have such a permanent and faithful love such as Yours - I cannot find such love here on earth.  I am not worth such love - I let You down and I sin.  Forgive me for my harshness of others and help me overcome and turn from my sin.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell.

Psalm 137

Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. v7

Revenge and justice belongs to the Lord.  We should give it up to Him and let Him handle it according to His ways - and He will ultimately in Revelation during the final days.  We should not take justice into our own hands.  Au contraire, we are to love and serve everyone, even those who oppress us.

Think of what Joseph did in captivity (Genesis 39-50), Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, (Daniel 3), or Daniel (Daniel 6) - they all served their earthly masters as if serving the Lord.

We also have Paul's writings:

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. Ephesians 6:5-8

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites. Colossians 3:22-25

There are also words spoken from Jesus himself:

If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Luke 6:29

You have heard that it was 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 children 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 own people, 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

...and the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10).

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God full of love and compassion for all of creation and all of Your children - regardless of what they do.  Your love is beyond what my words can describe.  I am deeply grateful for Your love.  Thank You Jesus.  I cannot do any good thing without You.  Please forgive me for my harshness with others.  Help me overcome such sin and turn towards You instead.  Praise You for a good doctor's report for Lisa yesterday.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Continue to heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo. Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.