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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; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Matthew 5:44 - 45 (KJV)
"But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matthew 5:44- 45 (NASB)
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matthew 5:44- 45 (NIV)
President Lincoln was once taken to task for his attitude toward his
enemies. "why do you try to make friends of them?" asked an associate. "You
should try and destroy them."
"Am I not destroying my enemies," Lincoln replied gently, "when I make them
my friends?"
These Christians love each other even before they are acquainted.
Saint Celsus
February 8
"We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies" 2
Thessalonians 3:11.
Martin Luther had much to say about gossip and its terrible by-products. Luther pointed
out that when we gossip we are doing Satan's chores for him. He related an incident of a
couple so happily married that it was the talk of the town. The devil couldn't cause
disharmony between them, but he finally hit upon the trick: he sent an old hag to the wife
to tell her that her husband was having an affair with another woman and he planned to
kill her. The hag told her that she would find a knife under her husband's pillow. She
then hurriedly went to the husband with the same terrible tale. Unfortunately for the
wife, the husband found her knife first, and that was the end of the town's happiest
marriage.
There are several vital lessons here: malicious tongues kill; Satan is behind the vicious
tongue; trust your partner; and, above all, check your sources.
Gossip is verbal interest in the failings of others rather than their feelings. Our own
faults should keep us busy enough
praying to a forgiving and forgetting Father and offering prayers of thanksgiving that He
so willingly overlooks our own many mal practices of tongue.
Pascal shares this verity: "I take it as a matter not to be disputed, that if all
knew what each said of the other, there would not be four friends in the world. This seems
proved by the quarrels and disputes caused by the disclosures which are occasionally
made." The busybodies are parasites who go about stinging the innocent with veiled
but spiteful venom. Let us beware of the one who is busy with everyone else's business.
Paul gives excellent advice to Timothy: "Turn away from godless chatter and the
opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge..." 1 Timothy 6:20..
Pat Nordman ©
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Excerpts from today's Spurgeon's Devotions |
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Spurgeon's Morning for February 8 |
Spurgeon's Evening February 8 |
"Thou shalt call his name Jesus." - Matthew 1:21 |
"He shall save his people from their sins." - Matthew 1:21
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When a person is dear, everything connected with him becomes dear for his sake. Thus, so precious is the person of the Lord Jesus in the estimation of all true believers, that everything about him they consider to be inestimable beyond all price. |
Many persons, if they are asked what they understand by salvation, will reply, "Being saved from hell and taken to heaven." This is one result of salvation, but it is not one tithe of what is contained in that boon. |
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But my mouth would
encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief. Job
16:5 (NIV) by Cathy Vinson When we think of the most important decision that is ever made,
some of us might think it is the decision to accept Christ. This isn't necessary wrong.
But ONE decision has been made to precede all decisions; that is GOD'S decision to have
mercy. We can almost hear the decision-making process in the heart of God:
"I was enraged by his sinful greed; Do you feel the anguish and the pause...a pause turning Him in
mercy? God will instead heal this man He's created. Something will have to give, though.
And that will be Himself. We are totally bent on proceeding willfully, "yet he kept
on." God says to us, "You were wearied by all your ways, but you would not say
'It is hopeless" (Is 57:10). After giving out punishment after punishment, God is, so
to speak, at the end of Himself. What will he do? The songwriter says: "He placed His
love upon the altar." Why? Why does He love? "God IS love." How tenderly He looks
at us: "...nor will I always be angry, for then the spirit of man would grow faint
before Me-the breath of men that I have created" (Is 57:16) Oh, how He loves His man! In God's vulnerability, He will place
His love, His healing...His Son upon the altar and call out "Peace, peace to those
far and near...and I will heal them (Is 57:19b). Behold the decision of Father
"Peace,
peace to those far and near...and I will heal them (Is 57:19b) Send
a note to Cathy
Vinson , the
writer of this devotion. Other Whispers from the Wilderness Devotions
are found HERE Religion
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February 8 Leviticus
16:1 - 18:30
Linked to Bible Gaitway TM
Today's Devotion
The
Decision
I punished him, and hid My face in anger,
yet he kept on in his willful ways.
I have seen his ways, BUT I will heal him;
I will guide him and restore comfort to him"
(Is 57:17)
... ONE decision
has been made to precede all decisions; that is GOD'S decision to have mercy.
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