Romans 12:9-21 Live In Peace and Harmony

Romans 12:9-21 NIV
Just, be nice and do what is right, already! That's it! Quit playing games! Quit doing what is unlawful! Do what is good for all people and think a whole lot less about what it is that you want.

Paul admonishes the Romans to love one and another and treat one another with respect so that we might live in harmony with one another and in peace. Stealing from your neighbor, selling drugs to their children kind of breaks the harmony. It pretty much upsets the balance of peace in any community.

We are to hate what is evil and cling to those things that are good. But, that does not mean that we are to hate and take personal vengeance on those whom we have deemed to have done evil. That only creates more disharmony; disunity. Leave the vengeance to God. Pray for your enemy, that they will repent and turn to the way of the LORD; then and only then will we live in peace and harmony.

May God open the eyes and hearts of those who would divide our communities by doing what is harmful evil. May all of our children and their children live in health, wholeness and prosperity. May we all live in peace and harmony.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Nahum 1 - Avenging God

"The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
    the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance on his foes
    and vents his wrath against his enemies.
The Lord is slow to anger but great in power;
    the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
    and clouds are the dust of his feet." (Nahum 1:2-3 NIV)

Nahum prophesies against Nineveh. He warns that those (in this case Nineveh) who go against His people will not go unpunished. Sometimes, in reading some of these prophesies it sounds awfully vengeful and hurtful. Well, vengeance is the LORD's to take and while it may appear to be really bad news to those who worship false idols and persecute those who worship the LORD, it is good news to the people of God. Those who find themselves attacked and persecuted by God's enemies have no other place to turn for hope except in the LORD and His promise that He will deliver them from the hands of their enemies.

He will deliver us! It is the LORD who saves! Thanks be to God!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 140 - Pray For Your Enemy

We find the author of Psalms a little more than upset this morning. That person wants vengeance in a big way.... "May burning coals fall on them; may they be thrown into the fire, into miry pits, never to rise." (Psalm 140:10 NIV)

I'm not saying that I've never thought this way. But, I'm thinking there is a more excellent way.  According to Jesus, we are to "...love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matt 5:43-45)

It is undeniable that there are many who persecute those who love the LORD. The arrogant lay out snares for the innocent seeking to damage or utterly destroy them. But, anger and vengeance only propagates the enmity. Pray for peace. Pray for protection, pray for mercy, pray that the LORD will be your strong deliverer, but pray for your enemy. as well. Pray that those who hate and persecute you will come to know the LORD and you will have lost an enemy and gained a brother or sister.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 140:5 Or they have spread cords as a net
2. Psalm 140:8 Heb adds they are exalted
3. Psalm 140:9 Cn Compare Gk: Heb those who surround me are uplifted in head; Heb divides verses 8 and 9 differently

 

Psalm 109 - Vengeance is God's

^"He loved to pronounce a curse—
may it come back on him.
He found no pleasure in blessing—
may it be far from him.
He wore cursing as his garment;
it entered into his body like water,
into his bones like oil.
May it be like a cloak wrapped about him,
like a belt tied forever around him.
May this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers,
to those who speak evil of me. (Psalm109:17-20 NIV)

Vengeance is the LORD's.  I have learned over the years that it is not my place to take vengeance on those who accuse me.  God will take care of me. He will take care of those who are falsely accused or accosted. He will take care of those who falsely accuse or unjustly attack others. No, I am not a pacifist. I definitely will defend others when they are attacked. There are times when we need to defend ourselves. There are times when we need to seek assistance from the law. However, there are also times, I think, that we should step back when it is we who are being attacked and let go and let God, as the saying goes.

Years ago when I was very young, I was selling insurance door to door.  At one home, a man, arrogant and full of deceit attempted to assault me.  I was pretty shaken, but I got away unharmed.  I wanted to press charges.  A co-worker, an older Christian man, talked me into not doing that. The man who had attempted to harm me was pretty well known and liked in the community.  I was a stranger.  He was a local politician. I was an insurance salesman. "Do nothing, he said. Who are the authorities going to believe? Let us pray together and leave the vengeance to God.  Let us pray that the evil he intended upon you return to him." So we did.

Did God answer our prayers?  You tell me.  The following week, while the man was at work, his  wife left him. With his new convertible filled with his precious electronics in the trunk, she and her boyfriend sped away from the house and wrecked his vehicle. It hit the newspapers. The car and the contents were totalled. His wife and her boyfriend were unharmed, but his ego was definitely done in. He was no longer the prideful man he had been the week before.

Sure, there are days, still, when I would like to take vengeance.  But, I learned that day, almost forty years ago, to leave vengeance to God. He will take care of me. He always has. Why would He not continue?

Remember, your curses against others are prayers. Prayers that just might return and turn upon you. Watch what comes out of your lips - prefer blessings to curses - as what you do to others may be done to you.

"He loved to pronounce a curse—may it come back on him." (vs 17)
God's blessings and peace - Pr. J
 

Psalm 101 - The Wicked Silenced

"Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land; I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the Lord." (Psalm 101:8 NIV)

The LORD is tired of the evil that people do to one another.  He promises to put an end to the evil.  I pray that those who are unjustly persecuted will find relief in Him.   It is a sad state that so many have to endure injustices by others who simply like to do injustice, who simply like to harass and bully others, whether it is in the school systems or in a job.  It is just plain crazy that this happens.  Can you imagine going to work and being able to do your job well, because no one is harassing you.  There are a lot of people in this country and world who live under these circumstances and it kind balloons out on us.  Someone makes you miserable and since you're miserable others around you end up being miserable, as well.  Seems like it is just human nature.  But, when will it stop?  When will the greed, selfishness, the self-centeredness stop?  When will the anger and hatred stop?  When will the unjust back-stabbing stop?  I guess, the best answer to that is when God will put a stop to it.  Humankind doesn't seem capable of loving, of caring.

It just amazes me that people don't get that if people treated one another with open minds and justice, we'd all live a little better.  The sad thing is that so many in our governments as well as the public sector claim to be Christian.  Do they not know that it is the faithful, those who do not do wicked and deceitful things to our neighbors, that will live in God's presence, in His House, His Kingdom?

And... if there is to be vengeance for the ill done to you, trust that to the hands of God. He promises to cause the wicked to be silent.  You will only help wickedness to grow in this world and in your own life, by thinking that vengeance belongs to you. The LORD is just, trust in Him to defend and deliver us.  Trust your lives to His hands. 

Speak no evil of your neighbor. Do not persecute him. Rather, spend your days, singing God's praises; singing of His love and justice.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 17 - Vindication

David pleas for the LORD to vindicate him; to confront them. David has planned no evil for them. He has not spoken evil by verbally attacking them. He places his vindication; even his vengeance, in God's hands.

For most of us, that is much easier said than done. When we are being persecuted or bullied, as we would say in the language of today, it is very difficult not to attack back. But, I'm thinking that it would be better not to open our lips and attack bullies back; not to plan an all out assault on them. Do we really want to waste our days arguing and fighting? Do we really want to fall into a trap becoming like those who persecute us?

David writes: "Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent through what your lips have commanded. My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled." (vs 4-5 NIV) Sometimes, the best course of action when we are being bullied is just to step back - ignore them - let God's will be done. Allow the LORD to vindicate you.

On occasions, when my granddaughter has gotten herself involved in "spitting matches" with others her age, I have advised her to have nothing to do with them. Back off and let God take care of it. Quit "spitting" back. God knows what He's doing, she doesn't. He knows what is really going on, while her vision is limited. Nothing she can do can match the way God can save and vindicate her. I also, usually, have to remind her that this is not "karma." It is the work of God protecting and keeping His children.

May God keep you in His peace - Pr. J