Prayer: The Greatest Neglected Power (Matthew 26:41)

Matthew 26:41, Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

The disciples had undergone a long day. It was, in all likelihood, late at night. They couldn’t keep their eyes open. Though just hours before they had professed their allegiance to Jesus in spirit, in their flesh, they couldn’t stay awake. If one cannot endure a little fatigue when there is no suffering, how will one do when the temptation or the great trial of their faithfulness and courage comes.

Christ instructed the disciples that the flesh is weak, though our intentions may be strong. So, we ought to pray earnestly, so that our intentions will be fulfilled in spite of our flesh. Prayer is necessary because of our weakness in the flesh. See these Scriptures: Romans 7:15-20; Romans 8:12-13; I Corinthians 9:27; Colossians 3:5.

Our failure to think of prayer as a privilege may be partly due to the fact that we can pray any time. The door to prayer is open so continuously that we fail to avail ourselves of an opportunity which is always there. Calling upon the Lord will either make a man stop sinning or sin will make him stop praying. Unless we have within us, that which is above us, we shall soon yield to that which is about us. D.L. Moody said, "Fervency in prayer by the power of the Holy Spirit is a good preservative against thoughts rushing in. Flies never settle on a boiling pot." Calling on the Lord consistently will help us to keep the fire burning for God in our hearts. It will help us stay alert to destructive temptations that cross our path.

1)Adoration (I Chronicles 29:10-13; Psalm 25:8; 63:3-4; Revelation 4:8; 5:12).
During this time, focus directly on God, adoring Him for Who He is.

2)Confession (II Corinthians 7:9-10; Psalm 25:11; 51:10-13; 139:23-24; Jeremiah 31:34; I John 1:4-9).
We cannot stand before the throne of a holy God with sin between us and our Saviour. Thank God, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins!

3)Thanksgiving (I Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 100:4-5; Philippians 4:6-7; I Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Take time to thank the Lord for what He has done. Thank Him for salvation, the many blessings in your life, protection, provision, open doors, and opportunities.
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4)Supplication (Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6; I Timothy 2:1-4).
This is the time to ask God for His divine help to meet needs, solve problems, work in someone's life.

Here is a profound principle concerning prayer. As we watch, that is, as we are mentally disciplined to focus upon that which we ought and as we pray without ceasing, we will not enter into temptation. Prayer has a spiritually antiseptic quality. As long as we are in a spirit of prayer, we will not walk in the flesh. When we are on the line with God, the devil cant’ get through. The line is busy.

Mr. Roger Babson in an after-dinner address made the following statement: "Prayer is the greatest unused power in the world, and faith is the greatest undiscovered resource." Faith is a grasping of Almighty power; the hand of man laid on the arm of God; when the things impossible to us become the possible, O Lord, through Thee.

Jesus Christ is the greatest example of prayer. Below are seven points with Scripture to help us concerning our prayer life.

1. Jesus Began Each Morning in Prayer (Mark 1:35).
2. Jesus Valued the Importance of Time Alone with God (Matthew 14:23).
3. Jesus was Persistent in Prayer (Matthew 26:36-44).
4. Jesus Persevered in Prayer (Luke 6:12).
5. Jesus Knew the Importance of Group Prayer (Luke 9:28; Matthew 26:37-38).
6. Jesus Had Faith When He Prayed (Hebrews 11:6; John 11:41-42).
7. Jesus Prayed According to the Will of God (I John 5:14; Mark 14:36).

By dying to our own desires and praying for the will of God to be done, we die to self and the Lord takes pleasure in what we have done.

Prayer: Father, with my whole heart I praise You for this wondrous life of continuous prayer, continuous fellowship, continuous answers, and continuous oneness with Him who lives to pray forever! Father keep me abiding and walking in the presence of Your glory, so that my prayer may be the spontaneous expression of my life with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Let Me Tell You About Jesus (Mark 5:17-20) - Part 1

Mark 5:17-20, And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. 18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. 19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. 20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

If I were to take the time to share with you all the times I have had to tell others about Jesus, it would take all day. Although I cannot know how many parts this series of the devotion will cover, each day I will attempt to write about the encounters I have had the opportunity to share my faith in Christ with others. The Lord has been so good to me and has allowed me countless of opportunities to share with others of His goodness and grace. Today, I would like share with you this encounter…

I ministered on the streets of downtown Memphis for 13 years. It was during this same time that I pastored in north Mississippi. On Friday and Saturday evenings I would fill my backpack full of Gospel tracts and New Testaments and set off for downtown. I would spend many hours there handing out the Gospel tracts and New Testaments until the backpack was empty. I would walk through the parks, the shelter’s, historic Beale Street and many other areas.

There are a few times a year when downtown Memphis hosts a large crowd. One is Elvis week and the other is Memphis in May International Festival celebration. It typically hosts over 100,000 people during the weekend. These two festivities bring crowds of people, not just from all over these United States, but also from all over the world. Talk about world-wide missions’ endeavors. Jesus has commanded us to tell others about Him. This event gave me the opportunity to reach the world with the Gospel of Christ. Imagine, people from different parts of the world coming into your own backyard and all you have to do is get up and go tell them about Jesus. Matthew 28:19-20, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Acts 1:8, But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

I received a call one day in my church office. My phones’ caller ID verified this call was an incoming call from British Columbia in Canada It was not to my surprise when the caller on the other end asked to speak to me. What had surprised me was why he was calling. He had explained to me that our paths had crossed several weeks before on Beale Street in Memphis, TN. Furthermore, he went on to say that he did not remember me at all, but it’s what I had told him that he held to. He went on to tell me that I didn’t say much to Him other than I told him Jesus loves Him and that He died for Him. I told him to not throw it away but to keep it and to put it in his pocket, and later, when he have a chance, to read it. He went on to tell me that he was giving me a call to tell me about a decision he had made the next day. He told me that he had read the Gospel tract that I had handed him the following day and he had trusted Christ as his Saviour. We continued to converse for the next half an hour. I as able to share Scriptures with him regarding spiritual growth and what he could do to share his faith in Christ with others.

You never know when the opportunity to tell others about Jesus will occur. John 1:29, The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John the Baptist saw Jesus and spoke up right away, telling others that Christ was the solution to the world’s sin problem. He was the One who would be the sacrifice, the Lamb of God, for mankind’s sins. That is our message to this lost and dying world. That is our blessing and responsibility to tell others and point them to Christ.

PRAYER: Father, thank You for bringing me to a saving faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ. That is the best thing that has ever happened in my life. Forgive me for not sharing this Good News with others on a regular basis. Bring people into my life that I can tell about Your amazing love. In Jesus name, AMEN!

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Building Others Up! (Proverbs 3:27)

Proverbs 3:27, Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

God cares about the smallest details of our lives. The man who owes you money and has the means to pay it back, yet keeps on putting you off is foolish, for God sees him and takes note of his behavior. When someone is due good at our hand, there is great wisdom in rewarding that good. The good may be money owed or a word of thanks. The greater thought is that when we owe someone, there is wisdom in paying the good due to them promptly. Moral principles are entrenched in God's laws, which are all impartial and just. God does not look kindly on people who procrastinate to the point of criminal inactivity.

As believers, we have a Biblical responsibility to be prompt in our obligations and if we are able to help and assistance those who need our help (Exodus 23:4-5; Acts 20:35; I Timothy 5:16; James 1:27). Galatians 6:10, As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

When the mantle was passed from Moses to Joshua, God knew Joshua would need all the help he could get in leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. So, God told Moses, Joshua’s mentor, the instructions according to Deuteronomy 3:27-28, Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan. Everyone needs encouragement…even you need it!

During the 1920’s the Chisolm’s were the epitome of American high society. Everlina, the Chisolm’s housekeeper, had been with them for 45 years, and when her niece came over to play, they took the little girl under their wing. She sang beautifully and Mrs. Chisolm, a trained musician, asked if she would like to become a professional singer. She was thrilled. Her most prized possessions were recordings of famous opera singers, and when the Metropolitan was on the radio she was mesmerized. It was on that day she took the first step towards realizing her dream and guests of the Chisholm’s were amazed by the girl who sang with a talent and sensitivity far beyond her years. Elizabeth Chisholm continued to sponsor her education by sending her to study at Julliard. As a result, the world was introduced to the phenomenal talent of Leontyne Price, the darling of the Metropolitan Opera.

The Bible admonishes us to “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it”. One of the highest responsibilities we have is to encourage one another. As followers of the Lord, we are instructed to build others up by emphasizing on others potential. Become the oxygen to others around you who are gasping for hope. Strengthen to persevere for the Kingdom. Encourage then that all things work together for good to them that love God.
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These verses can apply to giving rewards, assistance, or praise to those who deserve them. Another application, however, is the on-time payment of your debts to your creditors or wages to those who work for you. Wisdom is demonstrated by how we respond to and interact with others.

Love places us in debt to our neighbor, so we are morally obligated to do our neighbor good when he is in need if we have the ability or resources to do him good. This good is not to be delayed but promptly performed.

Do not delay to help those who deserve it.
As believers, we have a holy responsibility to be prompt in our obligations and to be generous in helping and giving to those in need. This command relates to the following:
· Paying workers their wages and paying them promptly (Leviticus 19:13; Deuteronomy 24:14-15; James 5:4).
· Providing assistance to those who need our help (Exodus 23:4-5; Acts 20:35; I Timothy 5:16; James 1:27).
· Paying our debts in a timely manner (Psalm 37:21; Romans 13:8).

Four examples of withholding good:
1. Jacob (Genesis 25:29-33)
2. The Ammonites (Deuteronomy 23:3-4)
3. Nabal (I Samuel 25:10-11)
4. The priests and Levite (Luke 10:30-35)

Three examples of not withholding good:
1. Abraham (Genesis 13:9; 14:23)
2. The widow (I Kings 17:9-16)
3. The good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37)

Question to Consider:
Who can you encourage today?

PRAYER: Lord, help me to be mindful of others who I can help, encourage or build up in the faith. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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The Lord is our Refuge and Strength (Psalm 46:1)

Psalm 46:1, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

One early Sunday morning, while driving to church I noticed a turtle on its back in the middle of the street not far from church. I stopped my truck, walked over to the turtle and placed the turtle upright on its belly. Since it was early, I wanted to stick around and make sure the turtle would come out of its shell and move along. During this time, I began to wonder how this could have happened, if it were a dog or another animal. I also wondered how long the turtle was in this condition. Then this thought hit me! How a believer’s security and strength are found in the Lord.

Psalm 46 expresses trust and confidence in God during a time when the situations of life are unstable or unsecure. When troubles come, disasters strike, or temptations arise, we usually trust in our own strength. That is we have a tendency to look within ourselves. Psalm 46 compels us to turn our attention to the LORD; if we do this, we can enjoy the peace of God. The word “refuge” gives the picture of a shelter from danger.

This is where the turtle becomes our teacher. Turtles may move slow and spook easily; however, they quickly slip into their shell. They are quick to seek refuge in their shells where they remain very still. The captivating characteristic is its shell which offers protection. A turtle’s shell is covered by square plates called scutes. They add an extra hard layer to the turtle’s shell and are made of a material called keratin. This helps protect the turtle from the elements, predators, from the hardships of life. The great strength of the shell is not on the outside, but on the inside. The inner layer of the shell gives it its strength, shape, and support. What a reminder to us that our strength comes from within when we put our faith in the Lord. As the turtle seeks refuge in its shell, we are to seek refuge in the Lord. He is our shell and our source of security and serenity.

The Lord is our true security in the storms of life. Isaiah 4:5-6, And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. 6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain. David well knew that God was his refuge and strength. He had experienced God’s providential deliverance on numerous occasions. The idea of a “very present help” is that of one being near at hand. When trouble comes, God’s help is right beside us for He said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). He is readily available to help if you will take refuge in Him and trust in His strength. It’s not like God is just hanging out on the sideline when we’re in trouble. When we find ourselves facing trouble, God is already on the scene.

When trouble strikes, God is sufficient to get you through. The fact that God is our refuge and strength does not mean that we are exempt from predicaments and difficulties. The abundant life is not an uncomplicated life. We need to be clear on this because many false teachers today claim that it is God’s will for every person to enjoy prosperity and perfect health. They teach that since Jesus has promised to answer the prayer of faith, all that stands between you and material prosperity and physical health is your lack of faith. Confess it as yours by faith, and it’s yours, according to this heresy. God does not exempt Christians from these circumstances. Troubles come into the lives of the saved and the lost. The question is, when trouble strikes, do you want to face it with God as your refuge and strength or do you want to find help elsewhere? Psalm 46 shows that when trouble strikes, He is present to help us in every way we need it.

Regardless of the circumstances we face in life, no dilemma is too big for our God. God is our refuge and strength. If we will learn to take refuge in Him and lean on Him alone for strength, then with the psalmist we can face the most challenging crises with confidence, because God is with us and He is sufficient. But we would be in error if we thought that God insulates us from problems. The power and ability to face the difficulties and uncertainties of life are found in God. No dilemma, whether physical, emotional, relational, financial, or spiritual, is too big for our God. If we will learn to take refuge in Him and lean on Him alone for security and strength, we can confront the calamities with confidence, because God is with us, for us and He is sufficient.

God is sufficient to get you through any trial you encounter. He is the one who keeps us and sustains us. Whatever personal catastrophe you face: a major health problem, the death of a loved one, the loss of your job, emotional problems, relational conflicts, or whatever, God is bigger than your problems. When circumstances are out of our control, we can run to God and find refuge and rest in Him. Our most challenging struggles are easy for God to handle. The Lord is our refuge, our strength, and always near when trouble emerges. God is sovereign over all things, we can hide in Him knowing that every struggle and challenge we encounter is easy for Him to handle.

PRAYER: Father, thank You for being my refuge and strength. Strengthen me that I may stand fast in the evil day and to trust in Your Word, in Jesus name I pray, AMEN.

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Walk the Talk (I John 2:6)

I John 2:6, He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

A June 21, 1974 article that appeared in Christianity Today was about Christians in the Soviet Union. A former criminal, Kozlov, who later became a church leader, wrote of life in a Soviet prison. Here is what he stated: Among the general despair, while prisoners like myself were cursing ourselves, the camp, and the authorities; while we opened up our veins, our stomachs, or hanged ourselves; the Christians (often with sentences of 20 to 25 years) did not despair. One could see Christ reflected in their faces. Their pure, upright lives, deep faith, and devotion to God, their gentleness and their wonderful manliness became a shining example of real-life for thousands. These Christian prisoners imitated the life of Jesus Christ. They walked or lived as the Lord did. John speaks again of the lifestyle of the Christian, dealing now with the walk of the believer. He states that if you say you abide in the Lord, then you need to behave like Him.

This word “abideth” means “to dwell, to reside, to remain, to continue to exist or to live, to persist.” The word "walk" means “to keep on walking; to continuously walk”. If a person says that he abides in Christ, he ought to walk as Jesus walked. The word “ought” means “debt, constraint, obligation”. The person who professes Jesus is obligated to walk as Jesus walked. He is in debt to walk as Christ walked. If a person claims to have a relationship with the Lord, then that person’s talk should match their walk. He or she needs to walk or live as Jesus lived. This is an important aspect of reaching people for Jesus Christ. We are the lights in the world (Matthew 5:14-16), now that He has ascended into Heaven. The Christian life is a walk (Ephesians 2:10; 4:1, 17; 5:1, 8, 15; Colossians 1:10; I Thessalonians 2:12).

The priority of the Christian's life is to walk as Jesus walked. Being a Christian is not a part-time deal. It is a consistent way of life. We need to be realistic and admit that no Christian will ever be perfect on this side of the grave. However, we do have a priority to walk as Christ walked. The priority of Christ's life was to obey the perfect will of God. What a testimony we would have if we would simply set our hearts to love and do the will of God. When we walk as Christ walked, in obedience to the Word and will of God, we please Him.

How did Christ walk upon earth?
• He walked believing and trusting God.
• He walked fellowshipping and communing with God.
• He walked giving and sacrificing all He was and had to God.
• He walked loving and caring for others just as God said to do.
• He walked obeying and keeping all of God's commandments.
• He walked seeking and following after God.
• He walked teaching and telling others about God.
• He walked worshipping and praying to God.

Jesus showed us how we should live in total dependence on the Father and in complete submission to His will, no matter how difficult. Following Jesus’ example is not meant to be optional for Christians; it is to be a way of life (Acts 11:26) that boldly identifies with Christ (Mark 8:34) and reflects His character. This is not possible without spending time in God’s Word because that is the one place where we actually see what Jesus would do. By studying God’s Word for ourselves and praying that God would help us apply it to our lives, we invite the Holy Spirit to guide us in Jesus’ steps and develop His character in us (John 14:25-26; 17:12-15). To walk as Jesus walked means that our lives should be characterized by daily dependence on God, submission to Him, and obedience to His will.

Everyone who claims to abide in Christ should have the same focus and direction, not to act in independence from God, but in total dependence on Him. John is saying, ‘if we say we know Jesus we need to show that we know Jesus.’ John gives the requirement for abiding in Jesus. We are to live as He lived. Our walk and our talk ought to coincide; what we say with our lips ought to be consistent with the way we live our life. We cannot live like Jesus if we do not know Jesus. God’s not interested in how high we can jump, but how straight we can walk when we hit the ground. We should not live to please ourselves apart from God, but to do the things that are pleasing to Him. Our hearts desire should be, wherever He is I want to be, whatever He’s doing I want to do, whatever He’s saying I want to say, wherever He’s going I want to go! Are you abiding in Jesus? Do you remain in Jesus? Are you continuing with Him? How do you measure up? Are you walking as Jesus walked? Additional Verses to Study: Matthew 16:24; John 13:15; Romans 6:4; II Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 2:10; 4:1, 17; 5:1-2, 8, 15; Philippians 2:5; Colossians 1:10; 3:13; I Thessalonians 2:12; Hebrews 3:1-2; I Peter 2:21; I John 1:7; 2:6.

Points to Ponder:
In our Christian life we daily face the decision of, will we live for Jesus and follow Him or will we live for self?
God wants us to show that we know Him to this world.
We need to let the world know that our walk lines up with our talk.
We will seek to please Him by our thoughts, words, and deeds.
While we will never perfectly walk as Jesus walked, it should be our constant aim and effort to do so.

Questions to Consider:
Are you giving evidence that you know God by the way you are living?
Do you have the assurance from the Lord?
Is the love of God being perfected in you?
If you have never accepted Jesus as your Saviour, would you trust Jesus today?
Would you begin to walk daily as He did?

PRAYER: Father, You have reminded me that our relationship goes two ways—You abide in me and I abide in You. Continue, Lord, to develop the fruit in my life that demonstrates Your indwelling power. Deepen my reliance on You by leading me into increased expressions of Your Word applied in and to my life. Thank You for abiding in me, Lord Jesus. In Your strong name I pray, Amen.

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Empathy for the Enemy (Proverbs 25:21-22)

Proverbs 25:21-22, If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.

Solomon unveils an important principle in controlling your anger in these verses. Displaying compassion and kindness to an enemy is like heaping coals of fire on his head. Heaping coals of fire on the head was an indication of caring for your enemy. The principle involves investing in the life of your enemy or offender. The flesh says, “No way! There is no way I’m going to do anything for my enemy! They are not getting a thing from me!” Yet, Solomon says to give to and do good to your offender and the Lord will reward you.

What is the meaning behind the “coals of fire?” In Egypt, a man showed repentance by carrying a pan of burning coals on his head. It was a symbol of shame, conviction, guilt, and the changing of the mind. Fire was precious, especially when you traveled from one place to another. To give someone your coals was to provide them with warmth. The result is our kindness will overcome evil.

The natural reaction is to retaliate against our enemies, but godly wisdom tells us to respond in kindness. Give in secret and anger will be smothered, muffled, or appeased. A gift in secret pacifieth anger (Proverbs 21:14). The best way to defeat an enemy is to smother him with kindness. If he has a need, meet his need. Give him food when he is hungry and water when he is thirsty. It can calm anger in your enemy and in you. It’s hard to give to someone and remain angry with them. This is what the Lord did for us when He gave His life for us and continues to bless us, even though we do things that are offensive to Him.

Doing good to an enemy is a difficult and unnatural response. God doesn’t want you getting bitter, hard-hearted, or to ever hold a grudge. If you’re not careful in resolving conflicting matters, you may hold a grudge against someone, and take pleasure in their misfortunes. Thinking of the individual only in connection with our injuries. The spark maybe confined for years until least expected and then bursts out into an out-of-control flame. When you’re kind to your enemies it shames. Don’t offer them a cold shoulder; offer them a kind hand. That will shame them more than any retaliation we might put up. Honor godly wisdom and the Lord will recompense us (Romans 12:20-21).

Paul spoke about investing in your enemy also. This will cause the heart and mind of the enemy to burn with conviction and possibly change. Romans 12:19-21, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Most people return good for good and evil for evil. We have a higher standard that the Lord has set for us. We are to return good for evil. This requires love and faith that God will work His will in our lives and in their lives. We are to obey the Lord in this matter. I Peter 3:9, Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For all the railing or criticizing you have received from your enemies you return blessings; knowing you will receive the greater reward.

Our generosity and kindness would bring about conviction and a change in attitude toward us. Watchman Nee tells about a Chinese Christian who owned a rice paddy next to one owned by a communist man. The Christian irrigated his paddy by pumping water out of a canal, using one of those leg- operated pumps that make the user appear to be seated on a bicycle. Every day, after the Christian had pumped enough water to fill his field, the communist would come out, remove some boards that kept the water in the Christian’s field and let all the water flow down into his own field. That way, he didn’t have to pump. This continued day after day. Finally, the Christian prayed, “Lord, if this keeps up, I’m going to lose all my rice, maybe even my field. I’ve got a family to care for. What can I do?” In answer to his request, the Lord put a thought in his mind. So, the next morning he arose much earlier, in the predawn hours of darkness, and started pumping water into the field of his communist neighbor. Then he replaced the boards and pumped water into his own rice paddy. In a few weeks both fields of rice were doing well—and the communist was converted. This perhaps is something that everybody admires to do, but very few are willing to imitate. Matthew 5:44, But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; It is difficult to hate and be angry with those who you are praying for. This is one of Jesus’ most difficult commands to obey. Yet, when it is obeyed, it has a powerful effect upon others.

Questions to Consider:
Who are the first three people who come to mind that you need to love?
What are some actions the Holy Spirit has shown you to love and do good to your enemies?
Will you decide to do it?
Will you do it willingly and joyfully?
What actions will you commit to doing today?

Points to Ponder:
God doesn’t expect you to trust your enemies; He does expect you to forgive them.
Never has a man truly conquered his enemies’ heart by revenge; however, many times by love.
It is hard for a person to be mean to someone who is being kind and tenderhearted towards them.
Don’t worry or concern yourself if your enemy has not regarded all the good you’ve done for him.
If you obey this command the enemy has no claim on your life.

PRAYER: I realize this is a matter of obedience to You. Already some names have come to mind. Help me to pray for my enemies, and count on You to give me guidance on the helpful ways that I can love them. Help me to treat enemies that come across my path as You commanded. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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