RETURN GOOD FOR EVIL! - PART 2

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY MARCH 18, 2023..

SUBJECT : RETURN GOOD FOR EVIL! - PART 2

Memory verse: "You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD." (Leviticus 19 vs 18.)

READ: Matthew 5 vs 38 - 44; First Peter 3 vs 10 - 12:

Matthew 5:38: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'

5:39: But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 

5:40: If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.

5:41: And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

5:42: Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

5:43: You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

5:44: But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

First Peter 3:10: For "He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.

3:11: Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.

3:12: For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil."

INTIMATION:

One of the Pharisees, a lawyer, asked Jesus a question to test Him, saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him: ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’” The Scripture in Matthew Jesus said, “This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22 vs 37 - 40.) 

If you love God, you would obey His word (John 14 vs 23). The Scripture says, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." (First John 4 vs 7 - 8.) 

When you do not love, you do not know God, you are clearly a child of the devil. All the devil does are evil; there is no good with him. But God is love, and He is associated with all that is good: "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." (Acts 10 vs 38.)

The Scripture recognizes the devil as the evil doer, and those who do evil as children of the devil; "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He is a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it." (John 8 vs 44.)

As I said yesterday, It is often our desire to return evil for evil, tear people down verbally or get back at them, if we feel hurt. God encourages us to pay back wrongs by praying for the offenders, to seek peace and pursue it. If we love life and desire to see good days, we should eschew evil and do good. "For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil." 

In God's kingdom, revenge is an unacceptable behavior, and therefore, is ungodly. Rise above getting back at those who hurt you. Instead of reacting angrily to these people and speaking guile words, pray for them. When our speech is motivated by Satan, it is full of bitter envy, selfish ambition, earthly concerns and desires, unspiritual thoughts and ideas, confusion, and evil. But when our speech motivated by God and His wisdom, it is full of mercy, love for others, peace, consideration for others, submission, sincerity, impartiality, and righteousness.

Too often we see peace as merely the absence of conflict, and we think of peacemaking as a passive role. But an effective peacemaker actively pursues peace by building good relationships, knowing that peace is a by-product of commitment. The peacemaker anticipates problems and deals with them before they occur. When conflicts arise, they are brought into the open and dealt with before they grow to unmanageable level. Making peace is hard work—you have to search for it and work to maintain it—and it results in God's blessing.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with Your spirit of love, and help me to tame my tongue, that I may manifest the fruit of the Spirit at all times, in Jesus' Name I prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!