Monday, April 25, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 25, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 25:21-22 (HCSB)
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:61 (HCSB)
Though the ropes of the wicked were wrapped around me, I did not forget Your instruction.

The Word for encouragement:

Romans 12:19-21 (HCSB)
19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. 21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

My observation:

In Paul's letter to the church at Rome he gives some encouragement to the believers of how they should relate to their enemies. Notice that this message is to the church, and not to the world. In the matter of vengeance Paul reminded the church that this is an area that God has reserved for himself. I don't know about you but when God puts up a "No Parking" sign, you can believe that I will not park in the space that he has reserved for himself. We never know the whole picture, which renders us incapable of being a righteous judge of others.

If believers want to do something positive in the life of an enemy, Paul gives some advice. He encourages the church to give them a large dosage of love in action. He said that in doing this you might be able to shame them into repentance. If they fail to repent, they remain in the hands of God, who is the only one capable of judging righteously.

Romans 2:5 (HCSB)
But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment is revealed.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I pray that you will give me the wisdom and the discipline to refrain from giving out vengeance to those who may have wronged me. Instead, help me, by the power of the Holy Spirit of God to do what Jesus would do. Father, help me to love my enemies, and to reserve vengeance to you.

Matthew 5:44-45 (HCSB)
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Hebrews 10:30 (HCSB)
For we know the One who has said, Vengeance belongs to Me, I will repay, and again, The Lord will judge His people.



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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://www.herbcotton.org
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Proverbs 3:5-6 (HCSB)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 6 think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.










 





 


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