February 1, 2010 The Journey 41

"But I tell you to love your enemies."

Good Morning, brothers and sisters, it is Monday and believe it or not, it is February. Today being Monday is the day we set aside on this line to pray for our leaders, our military, our police, firefighters, EMT's and all who work hard to keep us safe and secure and also healthy. That is a big prayer list. Also today please pray for Robin Hood (real name) who had emergency surgery for a blocked intestine. One other new request today is for Chuck Small for pneumonia. Ongoing requests today for Ronald, cancer, Pastor Tony, for strength and vision, Pastor Larry and his wife Luella and all those in Florida who will be coming North, for safe passage. For Kathleen Sansoni, cancer. For jobs for Mark, Joan, Tom and LeaAnne.

The Journey 41: Matthew 5:43 - "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 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." (NIV)

This may well be one of the hardest things that our Lord Jesus has told us to do. Did you notice that Jesus really does not ask us to love our enemies, but makes it an order. You see those words in verse 44 - "I tell you:" Jesus is not saying, Please if you can, love those enemies, or will you try and love your enemies, no, Jesus tells us, in fact we could call it an order. Let me ask you, did you ever have someone make you so mad that you wanted to "punch them in the nose"? Maybe it was someone who treated you mean, or someone who took advantage of you, or maybe it was an X spouse. Whom ever it might have been, and you were/are really upset with them, you are to love them and pray for them. Oh here is one, you get behind in a bill, or there has been a mistake in your account and it goes to a collector and day after day a person calls you and each day you get mad. That collector knows in your voice they are getting to you. Send in the money... I don't owe it you say. If you knew where that collector was calling from you might go to their office and punch them in the nose or give them a fat lip. But wait, you are a Christian now and you love God... So you try and explain, I paid that bill, and I want you to know that I love you and that I am going to pray for you. Can I pray for you now? I am not sending money because I don't owe it, but I am going to pray for you. Gosh that is hard to do.

I know a man whose daughter was raped and murdered. The one who did it was caught, went to trial and was given life in prison and while in prison this murderer came to Jesus, gave his life to our Lord, and then called the father of the girl he raped and murdered. He wanted to see this man face to face and tell him he was sorry. The man hated this murderer, he had murdered his daughter. But this man also knew/knows Jesus and knew what he had to do. He went to the prison and talked to this man and forgave him. This, folks, is a true story. Folks, there is no place in the Bible that tells you that you need to love the sin that your enemy did against you, but you must love them and pray for them and forgive them if you want to get into heaven. Folks, I also know there is no place in the Bible where they list exceptions to this law of Jesus.

All this week I want you to put your feet in those shoes of Jesus for we are going to be walking with Him and hear a lot of things we might just not want to hear. Today, loving and praying for your enemies is just a start, but a hard start. Let's all today get with the program, THE JESUS PROGRAM.

Dear Father in Heaven. We need to get serious about these things, sometimes we make it sound easy to get into heaven. Just believe in Jesus and be saved, but Jesus tells us so much more, and Lord, we want to do these things Jesus wants us to do. Help us with them. First, Lord, point out to us those we might have buried out of our mind and help us to love them and pray for them, and Lord, pray for our own self to get this done without delay. Lord, I pray today for President Obama, who, Lord, I confess I really did not vote for or like because of his stand on abortion, but Lord, I am praying today for his safety and that of his family. I am also praying today that if he does not know you, he will come to learn who you are. I pray for the safety of all on our prayer list who work to keep us safe. Also, Lord, I ask healing for those with cancer, those with sight problems and those who need the touch because of a stroke. Lord, I also pray for Vicki and ask your touch on her very many problems. In the name of Jesus, I ask all these things... Amen.

Now go forth praying for those you do not like and trying your best to make amends for whatever made them your enemy. Also, please remember to share those blessings. Love ya, Pastor Dan.

Carry The Light Ministries
16 Dewalt Drive
Mechanicsburg, Pa. 17050
Phones Home 717 691 8200 Cell 717 991 0754