Groundhog Day 2010 The Journey 42

"If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."

Good Morning, my brothers, sisters and Phil... Phil, Pennsylvania's groundhog, tells us this morning we will have six more weeks of winter. Now let me tell you what the Lord tells us about the weather.

Matthew 16:2 - He (Jesus) replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'it will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' 3 and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.'" (NIV)

The sailors of old used that as you might have heard it this way. "Red skies at night, sailors delight, red skies in the morning, sailors take warning."

Now this is my take on the weather. Take what God gives us for it is a blessing just to be alive for another bonus day on this fine earth. Don't worry about the weather, but prepare for it. A few years ago we say Katrina hit New Orleans and watched as people needed pulled from the roof tops. Those people had many warnings the storm is coming, a big one. Most all could have walked out to higher grounds before the storm hit. But, folks, people have been trained, or should I say brainwashed, to wait for the government to help them, and the rest is history. Please, folks, do not wait upon the government, wait upon the Lord and the Lord only.

Today is Tuesday and the day we pray for our schools and all who have anything to do with them. Also, ongoing prayers for Ron, Matt, the Saylor family, Vicki, Pastor Tony and Ruby and for jobs, Mark, Joan and LeaAnne and others.

The Journey 42: Matthew 5:38 - "You have heard that it was said, 'eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' 39 but I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." (NIV)

Some of these things that our Good Lord wants us to do are hard, really hard. My parents did teach me to walk away from a fight, don't worry if people called you chicken, just walk away. They told me about turning the other cheek, but folks, in all reality, if you are going to walk away from the fight after someone belts you in the cheek, you might as well walk away before they hit the other one... or so I thought. You see, folks, our Lord God will protect us and He will at some time take care of those who strike out on us. And please, brothers and sisters, do not think of what God is telling us here as just turning the other cheek when confronted by one who wants to hit you to hurt you. More often these words of God come into play in our lives by verbal things. So let me talk about this verbal side of this. If someone is saying things about you that hurt, do not go and pick a fight over it, but turn the other cheek for them and when you get a chance to talk to them one on one, tell them you forgave them for the things they were saying.

Now let us put this on the other side completely. Don't be someone who strikes a persons cheek in the first place, do not go to people and be the aggressor, be it by striking people or talking about them.

If we truly walk in step with our Lord Jesus, if we try our very best to live for Him, we will from time to time hear those cheap shots taken at us, and we will come under attack from time to time, and it might not be as we walk alone, but as a group. You say you don't believe that, then take a look back at 9/11/2001, were we hit because we are a Christian Nation? And there is more of these things coming. Folks, hold your head high and walk with the Lord, there is no better way to get through each day than to walk with Jesus... AMEN.

Dear Father in heaven, we need your help on this one, when someone strikes us either in words or by the use of a fist, we want to fight back, Lord help us to stay calm and walk with You. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Now go forth, sharing those blessings and walking with Jesus. Love ya, Pastor Dan.

Carry The Light Ministries
16 Dewalt Drive
Mechanicsburg, Pa. 17050
Phones Home 717 691 8200 Cell 717 991 0754
icarrythelight4God@msn.com