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Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Nazarene Publishing House [The Foundry Publishing House] in Kansas City, Missouri, United States "Love The Unlovable (As God Does)" David Restrick for Tuesday, 4 July 2017 - Luke 6:27 Nevertheless, to you who are listening, what I say is this:
“Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 “If someone hits you on one cheek, offer the other too; if someone takes your coat, let him have your shirt as well. 30 “If someone asks you for something, give it to him; if someone takes what belongs to you, don’t demand it back. 31 “Treat other people as you would like them to treat you. 32 What credit is it to you if you love only those who love you? Why, even sinners love those who love them. 33 What credit is it to you if you do good only to those who do good to you? Even sinners do that. 34 What credit is it to you if you lend only to those who you expect will pay you back? Even sinners lend to each other, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend expecting nothing back! Your reward will be great, and you will be children of Ha‘Elyon; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Show compassion, just as your Father shows compassion. 37 “Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. “Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive gifts — the full measure, compacted, shaken together and overflowing, will be put right in your lap. For the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure back to you!”
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As we read Luke 6, we might think that Jesus has made a mistake. Love our enemies? Do good to those who hate us? You have to be kidding! The normal thing to do is to hate our enemies, and get back at those who hate us! Jesus spoke these words to the people in the region of Galilee, and their enemies would have been the Romans, the occupying authorities of a foreign government. No one had invited them, and no one wanted them there. Nevertheless, Jesus tells the Galileans that they are to love their enemies and do good to them. It all seems rather incongruous, and even impossible to do. Then Jesus adds a clarifying instruction, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). We are called to live like Jesus. At one time our teens wore bracelets with WWJD – What would Jesus do? Jesus loved us when we were still sinners. His goodness was bestowed on us when we did not deserve it. He calls us to do the same to others. "I Want to Be Like Jesus" by Thomas O. Chisholm copyright 1945, Renewed 1973 by Lillenas Publishing Company. All rights reserved. 1. I have one deep, supreme desire - That I may be like Jesus. To this I fervently aspire - That I may be like Jesus. I want my heart His throne to be, So that a watching world may see His likeness shining forth in me. I want to be like Jesus. 2. He spent His life in doing good; I want to be like Jesus. In lowly paths of service trod; I want to be like Jesus. He sympathized with hearts distressed, He spoke the words that cheered and blessed, He welcomed sinners to His breast, I want to be like Jesus. 3. A holy, harmless life He led; I want to be like Jesus. The Father’s will - His drink and bread; I want to be like Jesus. And when at last He comes to die, “Forgive them, Father,” hear Him cry For those who taunt and crucify. I want to be like Jesus. 4. Oh, perfect life of Christ, my Lord! I want to be like Jesus. My recompense and my reward - That I may be like Jesus. His Spirit fill my hung’ring soul, His power all my life control. My deepest prayer, my highest goal - That I may be like Jesus. Thought for Today:
Blessed be God, who did not reject my prayer
or turn his grace away from me.[Psalm 66:20].
Please pray:
That many people in Lesotho will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKedosh.
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