OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY AUGUST 29TH 2024
THEME: LOVE THOSE WHO HATE YOU
MEMORISE: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Matthew 5:44
READ: Matthew 5:38-48
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
MESSAGE
For many Christians, when they are having a dispute with someone, they tend to forget that they are still born again. As they don't seem to like a fellow or the fellow doesn't like them, they treat him or her badly. Jesus Christ said in Luke 6:35 that you must not only love your enemies, but you should also be kind to them. When you know the right things to do for people, whether you are on good terms with them or not, do it. The Bible says that it is sinful for you to know something good that you are supposed to do and not do it. James 4:17 says:
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Don't victimize someone with your position because the person is not your friend. Whether you are the one who is right or not does not matter, the moment you decide to victimize them, you become the one who is wrong.
In the Bible reading for today, Jesus Christ said clearly that you are not to repay evil with evil, rather, you are to repay evil with good. The reason for this is that He does not want your heart to abhor any form of corruption or evil at all. Apostle Paul said that when you decide to avenge yourself or repay evil for evil, you are letting evil overcome you. Romans 12:20-21 says:
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink: for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good.
The Scripture above says that you should love, care for, and even provide for those that hate you. You shouldn't relate with people based on whether they love you or not or on how they treat you; you should relate with them based on how God wants you to. Don't let evil overcome you in a bid to repay someone or show them how powerful you are. If evil overcomes you, it means that you are now on the side of the devil as opposed to the side of God. I will conclude this teaching with the words of Apostle Paul in Romans 12:18:
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
KEY POINT
Whether you are on good terms with someone or not, be good to them.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 21-22
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD
1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
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