A Little Too Easy

Luke 6: ³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ And 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.35 But 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 children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

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Irritated and disgusted were the words that described this particular week. Even on Saturday, I brooded over the divisiveness the group I worked with fostered. When I stepped in church, I felt relief. I mean everyone looked and acted like me so I felt comfortable. It was easy.

• Sometimes I want to separate GOD from certain parts of my life.
• Sometimes I desire to have an easy time serving GOD.
• Sometimes I wish that doing things for GOD would be trouble free and easy.

JESUS challenges HIS followers thinking by asking the right questions. HE asks them about their choices to love and serve people who look and act like them. HE says it is easy to serve people who already love you and have plenty of money to repay you. Unfortunately that would constrain who I serve. GOD has an answer.

• GOD wants me to have a larger reward by loving my enemies.
• GOD wants me to be extremely blessed by loaning to those who cannot pay me back.
• GOD wants me to serve those who are ungrateful and wicked because I am the same.

The HEAVENLY FATHER is merciful to me and HE expects me to be the same towards others, especially those who are difficult to serve. Patience, love and kindness gets added each time I show mercy to those who are constantly angry at me, or show their hatred towards me.

GOD blesses me to see people in a different light. Instead of adversarial stances, HE grants me the ability to pray for those who may never pray for me. I look forward to the rewards HE promises me.

• Are you upset with someone or some group of people?
• Do you place blame on them for what they have done?
• Can you stop seeking blame and seek restoration just as GOD has restored you with HIS mercy?

Is this how you repay ME?

Amos 2: ¹⁰ I brought you up out of Egypt
    and led you forty years in the wilderness
    to give you the land of the Amorites.

¹¹ “I also raised up prophets from among your children
    and Nazirites from among your youths.
Is this not true, people of Israel?”
declares the Lord.
¹² “But you made the Nazirites drink wine
    and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.

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Swish, I went to the ground in front of the bus! The driver had just started to pull off and suddenly stopped in the nick of time. I was not harmed. “Hey!” someone cried out to me to get my attention just before I stepped into traffic. I was not harmed. A car in which I had two total loss accidents was now in its third and final accident. I was not harmed.

• I have had many close calls in my life.
• I have had some very narrow escapes in my life.
• I have had several brushes with death in my life.

During the incident I don’t think I got scared, but afterwards I shuttered with fear. I may have become a little more cautious when standing on a snowy bus stop. Safety became top of mind as I plodded along with new fears. BUT GOD saw I was missing the lesson.

• GOD does not save me to be safe rather HE wants me to have a relationship with HIM.
• GOD does not protect me from harm for nothing rather HE wants me to serve HIM.
• GOD does not answer my prayers just to give me “my” way rather HE wants me to align my desires to HIS in order to grow HIS kingdom.

The one thing I did not do in the incidents mentioned is “Thank GOD” for HIS protection. HE enabled me to be safe in many instances so I can speak about HIM this day. Unfortunately there have been times where I have forgotten that I am HIS creation.

I kept stacking up demands and requests, not serving or praising HIM, meanwhile HE allowed me to keep ignoring HIM until I was in deep trouble. Fortunately for me GOD is slow to anger. HE listens when I truly turn my heart towards HIS. I can actually hear GOD’s pain as HE mentions HIS salvation of when we were brought out of the desert. GOD deserves my praise!

• Are you demanding GOD to get you out of your situation?
• Do you feel HE is ignoring you?
• Will you allow HIM to guide you back to HIM by praising HIM today?
• Will you take a moment to thank HIM today for all HE has done in your life?
• Have you ask GOD for your purpose yet?

You are welcome here.

Mark 6: ¹¹ And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

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Many times I have felt unwelcome in a place. The group would not ask any questions about me or talk to me or have conversations with me. Even if they would include me, it felt like I was on the periphery rather being inside.

I don’t know if it were cultural differences or if it were something I was saying or not saying, but the result was the same, I wasn’t supposed to be there.

• GOD wants me to tell people about HIS SON through my experiences.
• GOD wants me to share HIS wisdom through my circumstances.
• GOD wants me to embrace people who HE sends to me.

I cannot reach every person, nor was I designed to. Quite honestly, there are places that do not want to hear what I have to say.  At one point I used to lose sleep trying to steer cold hearts to CHRIST thinking it was me who was doing the saving.

• If my approach is humble, generous, warm and loving yet not accepted, then it’s time to go.
• If my approach is sincere, gracious and merciful yet not accepted, then it’s time to go.
• If my approach is prayerful, kind, patient and GODLY yet not accepted, then it’s time to go.

I noticed one thing about this passage. The people were “sent” out, not sitting and listening. When GOD sends me out to tell people about HIS SON and it they will not listen then I need to prayerfully leave and take my message to those who are willing to be drawn to HIM.

Notice I said “prayerfully” because I believe it takes discernment, wisdom and patience to understand know when to leave. This isn’t a call to give up on “that” person GOD has in your life, rather if I am sent and not listened to, then I can move on.

• Have you accepted GOD’s calling to “go” and teach others about HIS great news?
• Have you run into a group of very stubborn people who you know in your heart will not listen?
• Are the people you are serving draining you spiritually?
• Is it time to listen to GOD and move on?

Give the gift of a “new” you this year.

2 Timothy 3: ¹ But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

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“Wow, what a harsh list” I thought to myself as I read this scripture in the middle of the night.  What in the world am I going to write about that could possibly be encouraging about this scripture? This particular scripture was on my plan and there was no way around it.

When I pondered over it, I saw it wasn’t so bad. In fact I saw a wonderful Christmas list I could give my family and neighbors.

Here are the top twenty (20) gifts I could give this year:

1.    Do not be a lover of myself rather love my family and neighbors.

2.    Do not love money instead I can be content with GOD’s blessings.

3.    Do not be boastful rather when GOD blesses me with plenty I should remain humble.

4.    Do not be proud instead I can allow people to serve me and admit when I am down.

5.    Do not be abusive rather include my family in decisions leveraging their strengths.

6.    Do not disobey my parents instead listen to their wisdom for they have been where I am going.

7.    Do not be ungrateful rather be thankful for all the blessings GOD has given me.

8.    Do not be unholy instead focus on GOD’s love and remain pure to HIS word.

9.    Do not be without love rather love those who can’t or won’t understand my love.

10.  Do not be unforgiving instead I should be the quickest to forgive and ready to do it again.

11.  Do not be slanderous rather hold my harsh tongue when I’m ready to ridicule someone else.

12.  Do not be without self-control instead control my thoughts, eyes, and obsessions.

13.  Do not be brutal rather be gentle with the souls GOD has placed in my care.

14.  Do not be evil instead be a “lover of good.”

15.  Do not be treacherous rather remain positive and focused on GOD’s ways.

16.  Do not be rash instead remain calm and patient especially when things go wrong.

17.  Do not be conceited rather think humbly of myself and my capabilities.

18.  Do not be a lover of pleasure rather than a lover of GOD.

19.  Do not have a form of godliness instead worship GOD the way HE wants to be worshiped.

20.  Do not deny GOD’s power instead throw all my doubts away and remain true to the faith.

Have a very merry Christmas being a new you!