I just received the most uplifting email message, and want to share it here. May God bless John and Sandy for expressing the truth of God's word in this practical way.
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES
(from The Elijah List)
But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you." --Jesus Christ, Matthew 5:44
"...God is Love." 1 John 4:8
"And He said to him, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'"
"This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'"
"On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." Matthew 22:37-40 (Emphasis Added).
Mel Gibson-Jews-Catholics-Protestants and All
There has been much publicity lately about Mel Gibson, who allegedly made anti-Semitic slurs during a highly publicized DUI case. Remember, he is still the same film star and producer that brought us Passion of Christ--a 2004 box office runaway hit. More than that, he is a human in need of our love, prayers, and forgiveness!
You can also be sure, this did not come as a coincidence with the backdrop of the Middle East conflicts. The enemy knows just how to add misery to conflict. It is his plan to bring all sides against each other in the end. Yet again, the plans of the enemy of God, with his tactics to undermine the Message of the Cross, will only serve to make it headline news for all the world to observe.
However, as usual, it "backfired on him!" We saw it happen in the case of removing the Ten Commandments from the Alabama Capital. It made headline news and then served more publicity as a traveling educational display. The Ten Commandments proved it to be yet another publicity tool for the uncontrollable spread of God's infallible Word. You see, the devil means to take the message of the Cross and make it to be non-effective.
Christians, this is again one of those opportunities where we must arise to the occasion and join in the prayer of agreement, and see this as a box office smash hit for the King of kings and the Lord of lords! The world is watching the TV tonight, and there seems to already be evidence coming in from many voices telling us this is about to become yet another major victory for the Kingdom of God!
Decrees
I decree in the Name of the Lord, that we will see the largest move of God for the Jews and the Gentile Christians becoming as "one," more than the world has ever seen!
I decree in the Name of the Lord, that it will bring all communities to the theatre, and cause this to make Jews, Gentiles, and all forms of God's creation hunger for the real truth of the Gospel message!
I decree in the Name of the Lord, that our Christian faith be further challenged in our Renewal to now live the message of Christ in Agape Love and Forgiveness!
I decree in the Name of the Lord, that Mel Gibson is totally loved, accepted, forgiven, and completely healed as the Greatest Testimony of the Century!
I decree these circumstances will now sow into the transformation of the Peace of Jerusalem!
I decree in the Name of Adonai-Elohim, Shalom!
I decree Grace--Grace to the mountains that would come against God's own!
We will again see another box office hit as a major form of blessings sown into the Jews for the Peace of Jerusalem!
The enemy's plans will be reversed in what he meant for evil against the Jewish and the Christian community and the Cross of Calvary. You will see both communities are coming even closer, one to another, in the Love of God and Yeshua despite all the enemy's devices!
This is really going to give the devil a huge black eye! God's got the show!
Is There Not a Cause?
However, this and the settings of the world affairs, which are presently inching their way up from the background to the foreground, have challenged us. We must walk in the truth of the Love of the Lord now more than ever!
After reviewing many replies from all forms of media and various groups of people, including the Jewish community, (in response to Mel Gibson's headline news), I feel that it is a very timely exposure, as a message in the Kingdom of God.
It is not in my opinion or discernment, that Mr. Gibson's situation came to light by a set of common circumstances. Yes, I believe that sin brings about consequences. That is Biblical. I also believe in my spirit that this case has made worldwide news for opposing reasons that the enemy of God hopes to produce.
Not only would the enemy of God like to counter attack one of the world's most popular film portrayals of Jesus Christ-- His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead-- but also the enemy of Christianity wants to pit Christians against Jews, and any other form of turmoil he can concoct.
It is no accident that Gibson's issues came to the surface, either. I believe anyone who gets as close to God and the Cross of Calvary as Gibson has done, will find all necessary issues come to the top of the barrel. Whatever is on the inside, will be revealed near the message of the Cross. It is the way of the Cross for all our lives--to embrace the truth of Cavalry and allow it to continue daily in one form or another.
We are not totally complete yet, and I can see this in my own walk with the Lord. I am thankful that I am not what I once was, but I have much to lay at His feet to be continually honed! I never want to be like I was, now that the spiritual odometer reading has many more miles on it. I also never want to forget where He has brought me from. I don't want anything to keep me from having Passion for the compassion that I know Jesus displayed in His life, His ministry, and His torture on the Cross of Calvary for all of my sins. That means all--past, present, and future!
No, my wife does not call me Saint John Mark at the dinner table. I have some crusty edges too, yet I know who has taken care of them--Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He loved all people, and He died to save all humans upon the face of the earth!
Genuine Love
Considering the other movies that have made headline news, such as The Da' Vinci Code or Harry Potter, we must not argue the fact that people pay millions of dollars to view movies that include the "supernatural." Why do you suppose they do that? I believe it is the innate desire of their "spirit-being" to find--Genuine Love, Acceptance, and Forgiveness--a life lived as Christ in front of them! Hurting people are tired of emptiness.
The enemy wants to tell people that there is no such thing as Genuine Love with eternal forgiveness. Well guess who showed the Christian community that it does exist...Jews did!
The Jewish leaders certainly impressed me with a majority (at least that I witnessed), of honest hearts willing to forgive and work to resolve the issues in Mel Gibson's heart concerning what he reportedly said about the Jewish race. The Jewish community that I found and surveyed, had an attitude that should make us jealous, and yet I find this is what we as Gentile Christians, are literally supposed to do for them. (Romans 11:11-13; Ephesians 2:13-15)
In a recent quote, Mel Gibson's apologies to the Jewish community elicited this reply:
"We are glad that Mel Gibson has finally owned up to the fact that he made anti-Semitic remarks, and his apology sounds sincere. We welcome his efforts to repair the damage he has caused," said Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League. "Once he completes his rehabilitation for alcohol abuse, we will be ready and willing to help him with his second rehabilitation to combat this disease of prejudice." (The Associated Press News Service; 07-28-06)
I know this type of lesson does not win the popularity poll from most of the readers, yet it is the catalyst, by God's design, that will diffuse our enemy!
God always uses every means possible to bring about an exposure that should then be dealt with in love. Love never said consequences will not apply. That is the very point! Christians can and should be the voice of the Lord to the people in the wake of crises. Again, our purpose should be to restore a brother or sister back to the Lord.
Sin always bears consequence, and that is not the issue here. We are not to judge, and we must not allow ourselves to add more fuel to the enemy's fire of fault and blame.
We were never called as God's Spiritual Justice System. God can take care of His name without our help. The help we can offer the world, is to allow them to see the love of Jesus in the middle of a crises. Whether it is a drunk driving case or the Middle East conflict, we must do as our Lord tells us, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
John Mark and Sandy Pool
