"No more tit-for-tat stuff." ~~Jesus

Our culture tends to be one of retaliation. Someone hurts us, we envision a way to get them back. There is no thought of taking one for Jesus.

Jesus challenges to live in GOD's World (Kingdom). In His world, we are to represent Him. He is love. Love acts differently. Love doesn't retaliate. Love doesn't plot on how to get even. Love looks for an opportunity to do good no matter what the other person has done. Love rules!!

"No more tit-for-tat stuff." ~~Jesus (Matthew 5 The Message)

"I write this, dear children, to guide you out of missing God's goal for your life." ~~Apostle John

John has a focus for his message to us. It is one we ought to all make the most of. God has a goal for our life. Without Jesus, we miss it. We shouldn't. We don't have to.

God is in a good mood. We have help in understanding how  to meet God's goal. We have help in living a life of power, in God's Spirit to hit the mark.

And John is clear about the goal. It is to love one another. It is to love everyone we come in contact with. God's goal is love.

"I write this, dear children, to guide you out of missing God's goal for your life (sin)." ~~Apostle John (1 John 2:1 The Message)

 

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"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies." ~~Jesus

Jesus challenges us to go beyond what the rules say. He knows we focus on "what the rule says" and then find loopholes. Religion is about loopholes. GOD is about real love.

Our mission, according to Jesus, is an extraordinary kind of love. Our love is to be like GOD's love. A love that almost can't be understood. A love for even our enemies. His Spirit makes it happen for us.

Do we have a passion for that kind of love? Will we live that out today?

"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies." ~~Jesus (Matthew 5:44 The Message)

Charity without love

Without love, all my charity is nothing. Love is the start and end of it all. It doesn't matter what I say or think or do. I am completely bankrupt without love. Sacrifice is nothing without the starting point of love. Jesus made this so very clear. Paul got it. I must lean in, hear Him and love. Giving from love changes everything. Giving and sacrifice without love is useless. There is a difference.

May I love and be profitable!!

And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:3

"If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it." ~~Jesus

Jesus challenges us to have a GOD World (Kingdom) approach to retaliation. Our normal approach to being sued is to defend ourselves or counter sue. Jesus challenges us to give our enemies what they want and then overwhelm them with love and generosity by giving them something precious they didn't ask for. GOD's way is love. GOD's way is generosity. Our heavenly Father doesn't want us to retaliate. Being generous gains attention for GOD where retaliation is expected.

Jesus sets a standard for us that requires us to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the power of love.

"If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it." ~~Jesus (Matthew 5:40 The Message)

Will God always rescue me?

God promises that because I love Him, He will always rescue me. He will protect me. He knows me by name. How cool is that?

"Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it." ~~Jesus

Jesus challenges not to retaliate. It is in our core, when someone hurts us, to strike back. Jesus has a different way. Don't hit back at all. Just take it. Agree with your adversary.

Jesus has higher standards for us than what the world expects. He expects us to be full of the love of God. Love acts differently. Love is kind and patient. Love does not retaliate.

May I love like God. May I not be defensive and retaliate.

"Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it." ~~Jesus 

God sticks by everyone who loves Him.

God sticks by everyone who loves Him. It is all over for us if we don't. Jesus challenges us to love God with everything we have. Our passion, our intelligence, who we are at our core. We need to love Him 24/7. That is all there is to it.

"They act like they are worshiping me, but they don't mean it." ~~Jesus

Jesus challenges us to stop acting. And, He is serious. He means it.

How many times do we just go through the motions? What about our prayers at meals? What about how we sing (or don't sing) the songs at church? What about our "gifts" at the offering time?

Are we just acting? Do we really mean it?

May we worship God like we mean it. May we be head over heels in love with Jesus and let our worship show it.

"They act like they are worshiping me, but they don't mean it." ~~Jesus (Mark 7:6 The Message)

Expect nothing in return

Sometimes I am so very tempted to get upset with the "ungrateful". OK, truth be told, I do get upset. I succumb to the temptation. I feel justified. I blessed them and they didn't respond. I gave and they weren't thankful. I go out of my way and they don't notice. How righteous I feel. What is wrong with them? Oh my goodness. What is wrong with me? Really. I have been ungrateful to my heavenly Father. What is His response?
 
To show me mercy. To be kind. To love me. To lavish His gifts on me. To put His best clothes on me. To give me my inheritance. To prepare a feast for me. To go find an amazing ring and put it on my finger.
 
He does good, is good and is in a good mood. He doesn't get offended at all. He is God. He is stunningly great. How amazing? Amazing gifts in spite of my ungrateful heart. He is absolutely perfect.
 
May I be merciful like my heavenly Father. REALLY. My reward will be huge. I will be His son.

If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:34-36

"Go and do the same."~~Jesus

Jesus challenges us. He tells us stories to shake us up. He wants us to love like our heavenly Father loves.

There is the story about a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man. A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I'll pay you on my way back.'What do you think?

So Jesus tells this to a group of religious leaders. He asks, "Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?"

"The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded.

Jesus said, "Go and do the same." Luke 10:37 (The Message)

Is it counterfeit?

It is all about love!! May our Father’s HOLY Spirit bring more love!!! How powerful is that?

 "The Pentecostal power, when you sum it all up, is just more of God's love. If it does not bring more love, it is simply a counterfeit."
----- William J. Seymour (quoted in “Apostolic Faith”)

 

 

"It's who you are and the way you live that count before God." ~~Jesus

We get caught up in the wrong things. What church do we go to or what denomination do we belong to. How good is the worship team or choir. What school did we graduate from. What neighborhood do we live in. What is my title at work. How much money we earn. What car do we drive. The list goes on and on.

Jesus challenges us down to our core. What is my relationship with our loving God and Father? Do I love Him and Him only? Do I seek with all my heart to please Him every day? Do I love the people in my life the way He loves me?

That is all that is important. Jesus challenges us to live that way.

"It's who you are and the way you live that count before God." ~~Jesus (John 4:24 The Message)

No fear

In our Father's house there are many, many rooms. But the one thing there is no room for is fear. Every room is filled with His love. In fact, the more His love forms in me and matures, this love just pushes out all fear. It is banished!!

Fear can cripple me and my faith. So I pursue my Father's love. I seek to have it mature in me. Be well formed. That pushes out the fear.

There is no fear in love ; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 1 John 4:18

Power and love

I don't have to be timid or shy. Fear can't grip my heart. He has given me His HOLY Spirit. The Spirit gives me power that I have never known. I can be bold.

I have His love drenching my heart and soul. With His sensible care I persevere. His love is a gift to me.

The discipline He brings into my life makes a difference. I can focus on His daily direction. I can move according to His long range goals for me. That direction and focus drives out all fear.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

"I've been given it all by my Father! Only the Father knows who the Son is and only the Son knows who the Father is." ~~Jesus

Oh my goodness. Jesus has everything. It is a great gift from His Father. All authority, power, love. Everything!! Nothing is lacking in Him. Their relationship is like none other. Only that kind of love can produce a world for us that is different than what we know today.

Jesus has it all. Nothing is impossible or lacking. May I know it and live that way.

"I've been given it all by my Father! Only the Father knows who the Son is and only the Son knows who the Father is." ~~Jesus (Luke 10:22)

Compassion in the heart

Now this is amazing. One of God's gifts is a sense of compassion in the heart. Even if I don't always feel it in the natural, when I am living God's way, it is a gift He gives me. That is His goal for me and He gives me the power to live that way.

The key is to live God's way. The fruit of compassion will come. That is how I learn to love more like our Father. He gives me a sense of compassion in my heart.

May I live God's way. May the fruit of compassion in the heart be mine.

But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like .... a sense of compassion in the heart. Galatians5:19-26

Should it be me first?

God is love. He isn't selfish. Plainly put, neither should I be.

May I love the way our Father does. May I always put others first.

Love isn't always 'me first'. 1 Corinthians 13

"He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love." ~~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Pride of His life

What an amazing day this was. Jesus goes to be baptized by his cousin, John the Baptist. His Father validates He is His son. The Holy Spirit comes down on Him.

The sign is a dove. The voice is "You are my Son." "You are chosen." "You are marked with love." "You are my pride of life."

That is our longing. We all want to know we are loved by our Father. We all want to hear He is proud of us.

We get that in His Spirit. We get that in His love. We are chosen.

How cool is that?

After all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized. As he was praying, the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit, like a dove descending, came down on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: "You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life." Luke 3:21-22