Blessing Enemies

[quietbloke]

Enemies can be converted to Christ!

 

[rocknanchor]

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”
(Romans 12:14)

“, , from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.
My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.”
(James 3:10)

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood”
(Ephesians 6:12)

“For many walk, , , who set their minds on earthly things.”
(Philippians 3:18,19)

Those who walk in verse 18 are described as NOT walking in the Spirit.

 

[musicalpilgrim]

“For many walk, , , who set their minds on earthly things.”
(Philippians 3:18,19)

Those who walk in verse 18 are described as NOT walking in the Spirit.

2 Corinthians: 5
18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

Philippians 2:
1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ?
Any comfort from his love?
Any fellowship together in the Spirit?
Are your hearts tender and compassionate?

2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

God really has given us a ministry of reconciliation, of restoring relationships. A lot of Paul's letters are about getting on with each other.

 

[rocknanchor]

Are your hearts tender and compassionate?

Amen to these, and this one is likely the most abused when interrelations are needed.

 

[quietbloke]

I always remember that incident in 'The Cross and the Switchblade',where David Wilkerson is confronted by a young drug addict,who threatens him and the preacher says 'You could cut me into pieces and every piece would say,"I love you!"

 

[rocknanchor]

Ever see the world's in-depth version of forgiveness? It is quite selfish.

Here's one

How Do You Forgive Even When It Feels Impossible? (Part 1)

 

[quietbloke]

We choose to forgive

 

[musicalpilgrim]

Ever see the world's in-depth version of forgiveness? It is quite selfish.

Ephesians 4
be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

I thank God that we live in the world, but are not part of it...

 

[rocknanchor]

Ephesians 4
be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

I thank God that we live in the world, but are not part of it...

Goodness, a one-verse smack-down. Excellent!

 

[quietbloke]

'As the mountains surround Jerusalem,so the LORD surrounds His people,both now and evermore' (Psalms125:2)

 

[quietbloke]

'Give us aid against the enemy..'(Psalms 60:11)

 

[quietbloke]

'Calamity will surely overcome the wicked. Heavy penalties are meted out to those who hate the good' (Psalms 34:31 Living Bible)

 

[rocknanchor]

Losing 'all' to gain Christ, , God forbid I should lose the ability to resist an adversary!

 

[rocknanchor]

May the Spirit lead when that time comes!

 

[quietbloke]

Love! Love! Love!

 

[quietbloke]

Not easy but we must love

 

[quietbloke]

'The LORD preserves all who love Him,but the wicked He will destroy' (Psalms 145:20)

 

[rocknanchor]

'The LORD preserves all who love Him, but the wicked He will destroy' (Psalms 145:20)

How I love the church and also the enemy, but aren’t we a bit in the way of the back-half of that verse coming to pass? It seems we love our neighbor not as ourselves, we love our neighbor with wiggle-room and turn on any friend or foe willing to contest our ascribing to the hireling’s mantra; 'see, hear and smell the wolf coming, do nothing then cave.'

Where do we appear while loving, praying for that enemy if he now has been granted strong-man status? I’ve long-held that we are willing to give more grief to a few disobedient Christians than we are called upon in regard to the world’s external uprising. Indeed, indeed, he did say “What have I to do with them outside” yet spoke also of those outside and the wrath God is willing to grant them by civil measures – AKA God’s will. Are we in alignment or contending with His will there?

But some will undoubtedly want me slapped squarely down while denying the scriptural application; Yes, we love the enemy, yes, we rejoice at their abuse, but God does not call us to destruction, and that is where we are. We must at some point determine to ride with determination to God’s will, not abandonment based on a hireling’s love saying ‘sheep to the slaughter, next’.

What scriptural applications? The ones no one is willing to discuss obviously, yet I happen to like the one that heads them all up, those who comprise that fall of Babylon

“And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament, , “The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, ,“
(Revelation 18:9)

But some will undoubtedly want me slapped down for assuming we have some sort of authority to waltz into that book of deep prophesy to act upon it. Yet did not the Father advise us to do just that?

“Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. “Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. “To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning, , “
(Revelation 18:4-7)

The foolish “wicked”, yes, so foolish would see such a destruction (v20) by God’s hand, may the Lord grant mercy and lead us along in strength to abide in the understanding of His will! Amen!

 

[quietbloke]

'Do not envy the oppressor and choose none of his ways. For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD. But His secret counsel is with the upright' (Psalms)

 

[rocknanchor]

“But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, ,”
(2 Timothy 3:9)