Vengeance is the Lord’s Portfolio, not His Followers!

26 Nov 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Roman 12:19b.       Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Ah friends, you wouldn’t know how good it feels to finally get to writing the Bit. I woke up late, because I went to bed in the early hours of the morning, (smile) then I had to deal with a couple of unforeseen issues around the house. Those of you who own houses know the frustrating way things can happen around it that need your immediate attention. So it’s now midday that I’m finally sitting down to the computer to see what the Lord wants us to talk about this cold, drizzly Tuesday afternoon in the season of autumn 2024, when our world is going crazy all around us.  

The first thing He suggests is that we offer up this month’s prayer from the In Touch Devotional. So please pray with me. ‘Father, when I’ve been hurt, help me breathe and trust You. When I get defensive and try to protect myself, help me breathe and trust You. when retaliation is the only thing on my mind, help me to breathe and trust You. When I fear everything might go wrong again, help me breathe and trust You. When forgiveness seems impossible, help me breathe and trust You. When I offer grace (even when it makes no sense), help me breathe and trust You, In Jesus’ name, amen.’ 

Oh my fellow believers that prayer certainly makes a lot of sense, because it’s exactly how most of us behave, or feel like behaving when we’ve been hurt. All at once the fighting spirit rises up in us, and declares we must have vindication, revenge, or whatever we think is necessary to ease our pain. But ofttimes, that’s the wrong reaction, for it can blow up the situation to unnecessary proportions, and cause even worse problems. The right way to handle it, is as the prayer says; take a deep breath, and turn it over to God.

 Remember Bruh Paul’s words to the church at Rome? ‘Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, 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.’ (Rom. 12:19-21) 

Yes friends, from way back when, for example in Leviticus 19:18 and Deuteronomy 32:35, the Lord warned the Israelites about taking revenge, and clearly stated that that was His prerogative. And Bruh Paul is here advocating, treating our enemies or tormentors with a good heart. Piling coals of fire on their heads, as the scholars say, might ‘refer to a sense of shame or remorse engendered when we treat an evildoer kindly. Paul is discussing personal not national enemies. He is not teaching pacifism.’ 

And I like this commentary which answers the question ‘Why did God say Vengeance is mine? When God says that vengeance is His, it means that He will handle it. He will handle ensuring that justice is served to the individual or individuals who are persecuting you. It means that He will repay the individual or individuals for the wrongs that have been done or are being done to you.’ Simple and straightforward! 

But in these days where hate, anger, revenge and all the other negative emotions predominate, few of us are willing to leave the vengeance to God, but instead want to take it into our own hands, because we feel it’s our right to do so, and it will give us the satisfaction we so rightly deserve. However, if you consider yourself a true believer in and follower of Christ, you might be getting your priorities somewhat mixed up, for Jesus taught the exact opposite of what we so often want to do. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, He said it thus: ‘Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 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 (spitefully) use you, and persecute you. 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 the unjust. 

For if ye LOVE them which LOVE you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans (tax collectors) the same? And if ye salute (greet) your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans (tax collectors) so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.’ (Matt. 5:43-48) 

There you have it my fellow saints, plain and straightforward, in black and white or red, according to which Bible you’re reading. (smile) And we obviously cannot be as perfect or complete as our heavenly Father but we can try to get as close as possible to perfection, by showing LOVE to our enemies, which means doing good toward them so that we can win them over to Christ. And when we do show true brotherly LOVE to our enemies, we prove that we’re truly the children of God, as LOVE is a necessary proof of salvation. 

And the good thing about Bruh Paul and Jesus is that they didn’t just talk the talk, NO, they also walked the walk. As this scripture from Hebrews so vividly shows of Jesus’ behaviour. ‘Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint not (become discouraged).’ (Heb. 12:2-3) 

Yes friends, Jesus is the greatest example of humility, perseverance and long-suffering! Please note that in all the ‘sufferation’ He endured, He did not even once retaliate or say an abusive word to His detractors and abusers. And yes, that’s difficult to do in this aggressive, abusive and vengeful world. But we have the example of Jesus, and the tools He gave us to do it, so let’s start using them and being better witnesses for His holy cause nuh. It’s what He desires and expects of us. 

Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And having spouted all of that goodness and holiness, (smile) it’s now our bounden duty to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…salvation is all about LOVE…LOVE from God for us…and from us to God… and LOVE for ourselves and our neighbours…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 February 2018 1 John 3:18.

13 Feb 2018 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

1 John 3:18.    My little children, let us not LOVE in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Welcome friends, welcome to another great day on God’s great earth! Wow! Both the SON and the Sun are shining brightly; the latter so bright that if you’re not careful you can be blinded by its reflection off the white snow. (smile) Is it ever a joy and a pleasure to be alive to see another day! 

Please give our wonderful God much praise and thanks for the breath we’re still drawing in these turbulent times, for without Him we’d surely be faltering in the darkness of an evil and ungodly world. 

And can you imagine the bacchanal that ‘s taking place in places like T&T and Rio right now, at the height of the carnival season? Mama Yo! Fete fuh so! Everybody’s trying to get in as much partying as possible because tomorrow is Ash Wednesday…and then all the party done! (smile) 

Enough about partying though, let’s turn our attention to something that’s much more important and oh so lacking, but ever so necessary in our world, if it’s ever to run right; we’re talking about how to ‘Practice LOVING.’ That’s the name of the poem I want to share with us today from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. 

Please pray sincerely with me. ‘It is so simple, dear Lord So pleasant and comfortable To sit in church on a Sunday morning Listening to a sermon about LOVE – Perhaps even speculating a bit On whether my LOVE surpasses the LOVE Of the person to my right Or the Person to my left. 

But to LOVE with Your LOVE To practice LOVING, dear God How uncomfortable the church pew becomes When I hear this ringing challenge When I see Your gazing eyes. Suddenly I remember the vicious remarks Of the woman who misjudged me. I remember the unscrupulous associate Who finagled my husband’s job. I remember the careless driver Who totaled our shining new car. 

So quickly, Lord, I am faced With a haunting parade Of shameful, UNLOVING attitudes. God, You know me so much better Than I know my own complex self And still You continue to LOVE me. Give me, I pray, a fresh glimpse Of Your vast, immeasurable LOVE For it is only out of gratitude for Your LOVE That I shall finally learn What it means to practice LOVING.’ 

And isn’t that the everlasting truth my brethren! Only with God’s help can we truly practice LOVE! It’s something our world desperately lacks, but so badly needs! Just look at all the strife and war, the anger, hate and resentment that’s so blatant in our current societies. How could that ever be good for us eh? 

We need to come together rather then be split apart, and ONLY LOVE, or rather the PRACTICE OF LOVE, brings people together. And yes, I know that tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and everybody will be spouting LOVE, but LOVE is not, cannot be a one Day Special, if it is to have any real and lasting effect, especially if fuelled by commercialism as Valentine’s Day is in our current society. 

Hence the command from the first epistle of John in our Bit: ‘My little children, let us not LOVE in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.’ And as the scholars tell us: ‘3:18. In tongue refers to mere talk.’ And over the years I’ve tried to beat it into my children’s heads that you can’t talk LOVE, because LOVE is an action word! I hope you finally got the message mih LOVELIES! (smile)

Unfortunately though, when coming to LOVE, that’s all our world is about; TALK! We talk a very good talk about LOVE, but not enough of us walk the walk of true and sincere LOVE. And it’s not an easy thing to do, when we are surrounded and bombarded by all sorts of injustices and other things which don’t normally bring out the emotion of LOVE. 

Our poem above points out some of those difficult times; vicious remarks from being misjudged, unscrupulous associates, and careless drivers. Those things certainly don’t bring out LOVE in a natural manner, but our God wants us to have that sort of response, because that’s His response to our own misdeeds. 

So LOVE is something we have to actively and consciously work at, especially since our Lord and Saviour, our Leader, Jesus Christ so plainly and purposefully commanded. 

‘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 (spitefully) use you, and persecute you. 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.’ (Matt.5:44-45) 

Ah friends, obviously that doesn’t sit well with our normal sinful nature, but if we’re born again and are true believers, we need to adhere to the words of our Leader. And we know that anytime we flounder, all we have to do is to cry out to Him for help, and He will help us. So nothing He asks us to do is impossible. That’s why we can go home now sincerely declaring who and who’s we are in our Tuesday Mantra. 

All together now, in strong voice: ‘I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world.  Amen!’ 

All glory to God my people! Now let’s go out and do exactly as we just said; share Jesus’ LOVE with the world. Much LOVE!

…what the world needs now…is LOVE…sweet LOVE…something we can never have enough of…