Pray for your friends, pray for your family, pray for the lady (or man) walking down the road, and yes, pray for your enemies!
In Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:28 Jesus said to pray for those who despitefully use you.
Luke 6:27-28 “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”
How often do I see things on facebook where people are putting their problems with family out there?
May is the month of graduations and new beginnings. All the study and hard work is coming to a celebratory end. The anticipation of the end of such a long journey can be a precarious time if we are not careful. Finishing well is so important in so many ways.
When I received an email from my brother, Dale, saying that he was considering retirement, he had attached a picture of a corner in his home with a note that read, “After almost 40 years of marriage I have finally arrived. I now have my very own man-corner. I had thoughts of having a man-cave, but those dreams were dashed long ago…”
The photo shows a modest but nice wooden desk and a two-drawer file cabinet: that’s about all—not even a chair.
Winston Churchill was once asked, “Doesn’t it thrill you to know that every time you make a speech, the hall is packed to overflowing?”
“It’s quite flattering,” replied Winston, “But whenever I feel that way, I always remember that if instead of making a political speech I was being hanged, the crowd would be twice as big.”
A Christian must always remember that they were not called to be popular.
Today we will begin chapter three of Ephesians in our verse by verse study. Eph. 3:1 says, “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles.”
“For this cause” refers to that which was previously mentioned in the epistle. “The prisoner of Jesus Christ.”
Paul wrote several of his letters from prison (2Tim 1:8, Phm 1:1), but did not consider himself a prisoner of Rome.
This week we will continue our verse by verse walk through the book of Ephesians. Eph. 2:20 says, “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.”
“Chief corner” is one word in the Greek. It speaks of the cornerstone. The foundation of the apostles and prophets are speaking of the foundation they laid, which is Christ Himself.
A certain ambassador of France in times past was often involved in duels. As he was purchasing train tickets to meet at a certain location, his assistant noticed that he bought a one-way ticket. He remarked that he thought that was rather pessimistic, to which the ambassador said, “I plan on using my opponents ticket for the return trip”.
While a student at Brigham Young University I obtained employment as an Operating Room orderly at a local hospital. It was one of the most interesting jobs I have ever had. It was my privilege to pick up patients in their rooms and transport them to the OR and, after surgery, take them to Recovery and then back to their rooms.
God has brought us through Lent and Holy Week culminating in the glorious Easter Celebration. The big question is, “Does the Resurrection of Jesus make a difference in your life? That is a fair question. If God’s power to give eternal life, beginning this very minute, doesn’t make a difference in the way you feel, think and act, then maybe you lack one of the following.
First, is you don’t have the knowledge.
The last words Jesus Christ said before He was taken up to heaven is written in Mark 16:15-20 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
