No Evil For Evil.

Rom 12:13  Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 

Rom 12:14  Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 

Rom 12:15  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 

Rom 12:16  Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 

Rom 12:17  Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men

We are to help others as we are able to help them meet their needs. We are to bless those who persecute us….bless and NOT curse them.

Yes, we read that right, BLESS THOSE WHO PERSECUTE US, DON'T CURSE THEM.

That's not our first reaction though is it? Our knee-jerk response isn't a blessing, but it should be, shouldn't it? Not too long ago I reacted very badly to someone I perceived had slighted me, and I regretted it shortly afterwards- but not before I behaved badly enough to be ashamed of my reaction. It tears me apart when I act out, lashing out because I'm hurt by something someone does, or says to me. I know I'm NOT supposed to react that way. And right about now some of you may be thinking- but you're only human, it's normal. That's Satan talking to me too saying the same things. Satan wants us to believe that our knee jerk reactions are normal and acceptable. Sure going on to ask for forgiveness is all well and good, but if we excuse our instant reactions because we can ask for forgiveness later, we are deceived. We need to seek to listen, and do that which we are instructed to do. We are told to BLESS those who persecute us. We aren't told to pick and choose who we bless and only bless those who are good to us. We are told to bless those who PERSECUTE US. No one likes to be persecuted. Being persecuted enflames us with all sorts of emotions- anger, sadness, hurt, despair, hatred, the need for revenge.

The word of God goes on to tell us not to recompense evil for evil, but again, our usual first reaction is to do so.

We need to pray and pray hard that we stop reacting as the world has taught us to react, but rather react according to the word of God.

Rom 12:13  Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 

Rom 12:14  Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 

Rom 12:15  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 

Rom 12:16  Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 

Rom 12:17  Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men

Giving to others in need, blessing those who hurt us, not cursing them. Rejoicing with those who rejoice….

Again, there are a lot of people who are very quick to get upset with others who are rejoicing because they want to be the ones to rejoice. Too often people will pretend to be happy for others when inside they are crying out- 'Why not me?!' I'm not saying all people are like this, but again it's known and it's something people hide as they pretend to rejoice with others who are rejoicing. Why else would we be instructed to rejoice with those who are rejoicing? 

We are to weep with those who weep… not ignore them and worry about our own pain, but commiserate with others.  We need to feel the pain of others, share the pain. Help each other. We need to love each other, not put on any airs or think we are better than ANYONE else in any way. Too many people believe they are better than others in so many different ways. Yet even the worst of the worst person is still deserving of forgiveness, still caught up by Satan in an awful work. It's hard to fathom as the evildoers commit atrocities that sicken us to our very cores.
 

We can't be wise in our own conceits, we just can't, yet again… it is so easy to do so.

We need to provide things honest to everyone, not pick and choose who deserves our honesty and who doesn't.

Please, Lord, there is SO much we need to learn from You. We need the Holy Spirit working in us, helping us to be Yours.

Too often we excuse ourselves and our humanity, our sinful, fallen humanity, but we have to stop excusing ourselves and start seeking forgiveness as we admit our shortcomings, and seek to LISTEN and do as we are instructed.  There is so much instruction in the Word of God, and no room for any excuses.

Please, Lord, please empty us of all the evil that so easily resides in us, disguising itself as something good.

All through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOR NOW AND FOREVER!!!!!!!

On the Front Lines.

Rom 12:10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 

Rom 12:11  Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 

Rom 12:12  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer

A Christ follower being given instruction….

Be kind to each other, as brothers who love each other.

Be honorable preferring to be with each other- other Christ followers.

Rejoice in hope.

Be patient in tribulation.

Be instant in prayer.

Kindness. Loving. Honorable. Rejoicing. Hopeful. Patient. Prayerful.

These are the very traits Satan will attack in us. You wonder why it's hard to be kind, loving, honorable, rejoicing, hopeful, patient and prayerful. We don't have to wonder.

In a war you go to the front lines and that mean you are where the most danger is taking place. You don't sit back in the war room making plans for others to execute- you are always supposed to be on the front lines in the worst danger. As a solider goes to the front line and expects to be attacked, we too have to expect to be attacked and expect it always! We can't let our guards down. There is no retreating from Spiritual warfare, not if you are in the battle to win. Sure, you can retreat, but retreating in the spiritual battle means being overcome by the enemy - it doesn't mean finding a safe place to recoup. We take our refuge with us on the front lines, our safe harbor is with us keeping us in the battle.  As we are attacked on the front lines of this spirit battle we will be thrown into situations that will try us to the uttermost. Our ability to be kind to one another, to love others as if they were our brothers, to remain honorable, to rejoice in hope, to truly be patient no matter what, and praying through every attack, all of that will be tested. When we feel least kind, patient, rejoiceful, honorable, hopeful, prayer this is because the spiritual weapons being wielded against us are vile. While we suffer Satan will send a non-stop barrage of silent yet heard very loudly spiritually- God is doing this, God is allowing this to happen to you- God is to be blamed. Satan LOVES to use this litany of twisted truth. Didn't he use twisted truth with Jesus Himself as He was tempted in the wilderness? He took God's own words and threw them at Jesus to get Him to fall to the veiled temptations.

Mat 4:6  And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 

Satan used God's words against Jesus! It is written, Satan said those words- IT IS WRITTEN.  Who wrote it? God.

Psa 91:11  For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 

Psa 91:12  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 

SATAN used GOD'S WORDS! Yet coming from Satan they were twisted! So why don't we realize that Satan will twist God's word, that Satan will twist our lives as we seek to be Christ followers. Satan wants us to BLAME GOD to the point we turn from God as our enemy, so we look upon God as wanting us to suffer, desiring our tribulations. Satan would have us no longer rejoice, no longer pray, no longer be patient, no longer love our fellow man, he wants us to turn our focus INWARDS as our outward circumstances challenge us to the utmost! As our hearts are broken, our spirit under siege, as all around us disaster rains down, Satan wants us to get filled with anger, upset, and point it towards God.  God would have us TRUST HIM, truly being PATIENT - remaining IN HIM- during our constant tribulations. Please LORD, please we would be YOURS!

As we fight this spiritual battle help us to be YOURS, wholly YOURS!

All through Your grace, Your love, Your mercy, now and forever, in JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR!!!!!!!  

Evil and Good.

Rom 12:9  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 


Love isn't false. We see false love all the time though, don't we? Love. Putting another's welfare, another's life before our own, protecting another, wanting only the best for someone else. Love isn't giving someone all they desire, but rather giving them all they need, as God would have us give them.


We read this verse the other day-


Mat 25:44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 
Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 


This is love. Feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, befriending a stranger, clothing those in need of clothes, tending to the sick, visiting those imprisoned.  Whenever we see a need such as these and turn a blind eye, truly our love is filled with falsehood.


We are also told to abhor that which is evil.


Dictionary definition- abhor- to regard with extreme repugnance or aversion; detest utterly; loathe; abominate.


Is this our reaction to evil?


e·vil
ˈēvəl/

adjective
1. 1.
   profoundly immoral and malevolent.
   "his evil deeds"

synonyms:

wicked, bad, wrong, immoral, sinful, foul, vile, dishonorable, corrupt, iniquitous, depraved, reprobate, villainous, nefarious, vicious, malicious; More

noun
2. 1.
   profound immorality, wickedness, and depravity, especially when regarded as a supernatural force.
   "the world is stalked by relentless evil"

synonyms:

wickedness, bad, badness, wrongdoing, sin, ill, immorality, vice, iniquity, degeneracy, corruption, depravity, villainy, nefariousness, malevolence; More



From <https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+evil&oq=what+is+evil&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.5673j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8>



*******


Evil.


The first reference in the Bible to evil is this--


Gen_2:9  And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.


There was a tree of good and evil.  Good and evil.  We know people have done a horrific job of calling good - evil, and evil - good, so it's all but impossible to discern fully between the two. One man's evil is another's good and vice versa. A whole group of people who have turned evil into good so that seemingly all the world follows after that calling it good, will never make it good, not ever. Where is the standard we are to adhere to? It's with God, it's with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, it's with the Holy Spirit, and we find in the written word of God- the Bible only truth. Taking everything, the entire Bible in the context it's meant to be taken in, we will find only truth. Pick it apart and take things out of full context- historical and otherwise - then you will only find a book filled with conflict, filled with confusion, filled with contradiction and people will say that our standard for good is flawed. Those looking to be blind, will be allowed to be blind. Those looking for truth with pure sincerity will find truth, those looking for anything else will not comprehend truth.


We are told this….


Rom 12:9  … Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 


Evil and good….     We are to ABHOR evil.  Not pick and choose evils to like and evils to hate. Simply- abhor evil- all evil.  If our personal temptations towards evil have us trying to make excuses for that evil so we can turn it into something acceptable to our conscience then we have to know that we are only putting on blinders, very dead blinders.  If we do not hate the evil  we are tempted towards but coddle it, coax it into something we actually believe is good, then we are lost. God help us not to call any evil in our lives good! Better to fall at the foot of the cross constantly as we recognize the evil we hate, than to pamper it until we no longer see its evil.


Help us to ABHOR evil, not accept it, please LORD.  So many people today want us to accept evil just because we are supposed to tolerate everything as everyone's right to be anything, do anything that they desire- evil included.  We can LOVE people without LOVING evil. I don't have to love someone's evil to love them, and I wouldn't expect anyone to love any evil in me! God help us. We truly live in the days when this is so true---

Gen_6:5  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.


Please, Lord, please help us not to be among the wicked of the earth! Please, help us to be Yours in all we do- save us from ourselves, Lord, keep us from evil!


Help us, Lord to 'cleave to that which is good'.  Help us grasp the 'good' You reveal to us and cling to it tightly, never letting it go.

All in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now and forever!!!!!!!  

Gifts.

Rom 12:4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 

Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 

Rom 12:6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 

Rom 12:7  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 

Rom 12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

All members NOT having the same office.  As Christians we do NOT all have the same gifts. Some seem to have amazing gifts that they use to the glory of God, while others scarcely seem to have any gifts at all and they struggle mightily. We tend to hold in high esteem those whose talents we can witness, but there are a lot of people whose talents are unseen. We are to use any gifts God gives to us as humble, meek, cheerful, simple, diligent, loving Christ followers.

If you don't have one of the gifts mentioned above that does not mean you do not have any gifts. We are ALL members of ONE body in Christ, all of us living for CHRIST. 

The superstar preacher, or internationally famous singer, the best-selling author are all being used by God where He needs them to be used. The introverted prayer warrior who only prays in private, the praise giving person who is too shy to shout out, the quiet hard working man or woman - all of these are being used by God where He needs them to be used. It's NOT for us to judge another's gifts, we are to pray that our Lord and Savior reveals to us the gifts He wants us to have and use. We are to understand that the gifts don't have to be blatant, they can be the simplest gifts that exist. The important thing, the most important thing is that we use our gifts for our Lord and Savior!

All through HIS amazing LOVE! 

Think Soberly.

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 

Think soberly.

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world

Live soberly.

1Th 5:6  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

Be sober.

1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 

1Pe 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ

1Pe 4:7  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour

Sober

SO'BER, a. [L. sobrius.]

1. Temperate in the use of spiritous liquors; habitually temperate; as a sober man.

2. Not intoxicated or overpowered by spiritous liquors; not drunken.

3. Not mad or insane; not wild, visionary or heated with passion; having the regular exercise of cool dispassionate reason.

4. Regular; calm; not under the influence of passion; as sober judgment; a man in his sober senses.

5. Serious; solemn; grave; as the sober livery of autumn.

We are to live our lives in Christ, for Christ. We forget this so easily. We are prone to living for ourselves at any given moment. Is it any wonder that we are told more than once to live and to be sober. This isn't telling us to not drink- how can this simply be about drinking when we are told to think soberly. We are not to be overly impassioned in our day to day lives. Truly our judgment and senses are to be sober, regular, calm. 

If we are living soberly we aren't seeking to be over excited by life, we aren't seeking emotional highs, we are not using our feelings as a gauge for our lives. Feelings truly do fluctuate in our lives all the time. So much can cause us to feel emotional from one moment to the next. Illness can depress us, a change in seasons can upset us emotionally, the chemicals in our brains will alter due to hormones and such all the time making us feel things we might not feel were they all on an even keel. If we take hold of our feelings and let them guide us through our lives we are in for a very rocky existence.

We are told to live soberly- we need to recognize that no matter what our feelings are doing to us, no matter the emotional rollercoaster our life is based upon, we have to have our feet grounded on the Rock- on Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.

If our lives around us is falling totally apart, and believe me this happens as you probably know very well, we must look to Christ as our strength, not to ourselves. We have to LEARN that we are not to rely upon ourselves, but on CHRIST, and CHRIST in us, our HOPE.

Col_1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory

Col_3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

This is TRUTH!

Why do we think too highly of ourselves?

God help us. Far from crucifying our flesh we glory in it.

Gal_5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

We do think highly of ourselves. We think so much of ourselves we can scarcely think of others - in truth.

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 

Rom 11:20  Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear

Mic 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? 

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 

2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

1Pe 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ

Eph 4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 

Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

A more in-depth study on this tomorrow. God forgive me my many short comings.

Please Lord, please keep me in You!

Please. 

Living Sacrifices.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

Our bodies are LIVING sacrifices. I know I've talked about this before but I can't help but come back around to it time and time again because there is a message here that I have to learn.

A sacrifice is the giving up of something. You can sacrifice your time- you're giving up your time- time you'd rather spend doing something other than what you are doing. You can sacrifice your money- give money away that you'd rather keep. You can sacrifice any of your possessions- give them up. When the Israelis of old were asked to bring sacrifices they brought animals. But no longer, no sacrificial animals were desired. However, if we present our bodies as LIVING sacrifices - this is what God desires. If we sacrifice our lives to God we are giving Him access to all of us, all our actions, all our everything. To do this we can't be conformed to this world and this world WANTS conformers.

You might think this world is filled with rebels and non-conformers but if you truly look closer at things even the rebels and non-conformers quickly desire conformers to THEIR views no longer allowing them to be non-conformers, but rather non-conformer conformers. If God is our conformer he does so by transforming us in our minds, renewing our minds and our minds are renewed in this way-

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

Joh 3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 

We need to be born of the Spirit. Our mind is renewed by the Holy Spirit.

Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 

Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 

Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them

We are God's workmanship, we are CREATED in CHRIST JESUS unto good works. TRULY when any good comes from us it is by the grace of our LORD and SAVIOR.

We must present ourselves living sacrifices, willing to be alive to CHRIST and HIS will, not our own. We present ourselves to God alive for Him to use by the Holy Spirit. We die to self so we live for Him. How are we to live for Him? We need to do what the Holy Spirit leads us to do. We need to comprehend in the word of God, what He'd have us do. We aren’t stupid. We can say we don't know what to do, but in truth we do. We are told.

Remember this--

Mat 25:42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 

Mat 25:43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 

Mat 25:44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 

Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 

We KNOW what Christ would have us do. If we are waiting to get a hand written noted from God, a detailed list of instructions, then we will wait forever because GOD ALREADY GAVE US THE NOTE and the DETAILS! If we want our name at the top we are being stupid! Seriously, stupid! We need to wake up to the truth, the WORD of God and seek the truth. We need to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us as we set out to do what we are led to do through the word of God.

May God help us- transform us. May we TRULY be LIVING SACRIFICES to GOD!

All through Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR, now and forever!!!!!!!