Matthew 5:33-41
33"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
38 "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
The Scriptures are situation based. Abraham's life was not Jacob's. Or we would have told the same events over and over. Sometimes an evil person will be convinced and convicted of goodness when presented over and over with gracious kindness and love.
James Chapter 4 tells us about dealing with evil.
James 4:5-8a
“He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
Resist like Joseph and Potipher's wife - RUN.
Ephesians 6:13
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
I've memorized few verses in my life, I actually pray and quote the gist of Scripture. This is one I have memorized and will pray this when feeling pressed. I gave this to a friend of mine and she was trapped in an airplane bathroom minutes later. She said this verse kept her from freaking out. It is a handy verse. Remembering even the key issues of truth, righteousness, the Gospel-Peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of Salvation. And the Sword of the Spirit - The WORD of GOD. Which is why I memorized it.
Romans 13:12 calls this the armor of light. So more than one Biblical source says this is good.
Ephesians 4:27
and do not give the devil a foothold.
2 Corinthians 6:7
In truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left
Jude 1:9
But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
Sometimes more words do not help.
A recent article in Christianity Today says Christians have a moral duty not to remain silent in the face of cruelty. Yes to good. No to evil.
Some suffering is - just the way the world is.
Revelation 12:9
The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
All of creation was affected by the Fall.
Genesis 3: 17
To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
Life is rough, Jesus commented on that.
Romans 8:20-22
20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
No one is innocent.
Psalm 65
Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion,
and to you shall vows be performed.
2 O you who hear prayer,
to you shall all flesh come.
3 When iniquities prevail against me,
you atone for our transgressions.
4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
to dwell in your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple!
Mark 10: 18
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Our suffering is not directly related to our sins.
Luke 13:2-5
Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
C. S. Lewis said, in ‘The Problem of Pain’: “The question of suffering is not just an academic issue. The questioner may well have in mind some bitter personal experience - all the more reason to handle the subject 'with gentleness and respect”
1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect
Out of His love, the Judge became the Rescuer.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
He drank the cup of suffering to the dregs in order to save us.
Isaiah 53:3-5
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
Luke 22:44
And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
The main key is prayer. We consider this secondary to action, however Jesus did this continually. When we call to HIM, we are answered.
Revelations 21:1-5
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"
Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
I believe this as I call upon the LORD. And rest and trust in Him.
<><
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment