Thursday, January 1, 2009, 8:00 a.m. – The Lord began with this scripture:
Psalm 139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
I was praying about two people in my life who appeared as though they were rising up against me. The Lord said to me that they have disdain (scorn; contempt; disregard; and disrespect) for me. I prayed what my response to them should be and the Lord spoke to me through the following three scriptures. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening:
Luke 6:27-36: Love for Enemies
27"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Hebrews 12:1-3: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Romans 12:17-21: Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"says the Lord. 20On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The Lord also reminded me of the words to this song:
So Send I You / E. Margaret Clarkson / John W. Peterson
So send I you to labor unrewarded
To serve unpaid unloved unsought unknown
To bear rebuke to suffer scorn and scoffing
So send I you to toil for Me alone
So send I you to bind the bruised and broken
O'er wand'ring souls to work to weep to wake
To bear the burdens of a world a-weary
So send I you to suffer for My sake
So send I you to loneliness and longing
With heart a-hung'ring for the loved and known
Forsaking home and kindred friend and dear one
So send I you to know My love alone
So send I you to leave your life's ambition
To die to dear desire self-will resign
To labor long and love where men revile you
So send I you to lose your life in Mine
So send I you to hearts made hard by hatred
To eyes made blind because they will not see
To spend tho' it be blood to spend and spare not
So send I you to taste of Calvary
As the Father hath sent Me so send I you
In Summary: I am to love my enemies by doing good to them, blessing them (saying either good things about them and/or to them) and praying for them. If my enemy is hungry, I should feed him and if he is thirsty, I should give him something to drink. I am to fix my eyes on Jesus, not on man, and I am to consider HIM who endured the cross, scorning its shame, and who endured opposition from sinful men and yet overcame; and who is now sitting at the right hand of the throne of God. Considering what Jesus did for me when I am going through difficult times will help me to not grow weary or to lose heart.
I am to live at peace with everyone, as far as it depends on me, and I am to be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody as long as it coincides with the word of God. This is not speaking of being a people pleaser more than a God pleaser, but it is speaking of getting along with people as much as is within our power to do so understanding what the will of God is and keeping our main focus on Jesus and seeking to please HIM above all else.
Serving the Lord as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ has its rewards but with it often comes rejection, disdain, scorn and scoffing, loneliness, forsaking family and friends to go where He sends us, giving up our life’s ambitions, being reviled by man, and being hated, etc. Yet, we do so out of love for our Lord and obedience to His commands, and out of love for our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are in need of a Savior; who are bruised and broken; whose eyes and hearts are blinded to the things of God; and who are hardened to spiritual matters of the heart.
