Pray for your enemies

Last night, I felt like reading from Micah (a book in the Bible). Just when I was finished with the first chapter, a sudden urge came in my hart to pray for a Pastor I know. He was attacked few years ago on his farm in South Africa and he was shot a couple of times and his foreman was killed in this incident. A lot of other bad things also happened witch I don't want to mention. It just felt like I had to ask God to help him to forgive those people and also that his family will too. I don't know if he did forgive, but that's what I felt God wanted me to pray.

This is one of the things that causes racism in South Africa. A man of God should not be racist or have hate in his hart, especially if we want God to use us in the ministry and the most important is to get forgiveness from God. Matthew 6 : 14-15

After I prayed for the Pastor, I continued to read Micah. To my surprise, the next verses explained the situations that is happening in South Africa at the moment. Micah 2 : 1-2 The farmers are being murdered for their property and there are no justest. These murderers have the power in their hands because the country's government doesn't do anything to prevent these or prosecute the farm murderers. Some even suspect the government have something to do with these incidents.

It is bad and I feel sorry for us that went through these tragedies. But the verses that came after Micah 2 : 2, show me that we should pray, not just for the sake of the victims but for the souls of these murderers. The judgement to these people will be heavy and it will be everlasting. Micah 2 : 3-4.

If you feel any unforgiveness in your hart, don't get the attitude that you have to forgive because you want God to forgive but rather ask God to help you to truly forgive. The burden to try to do it on your own will never succeed. God's power is great to mend a broken heart.

May God's will be done.

God Bless!!

^{Matthew 6 : 14} For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
¹⁵ But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

^{Micah 2 : 1} Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
² And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
³ Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.
⁴ In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.

Parable of Faith

When I was in youth service, a few years ago. I had to leave my home and live at the youth centre for the years I was studying at church.

The one morning I was laying in my bed, waiting for sunrise, to get ready for the day. While I was talking to God I suddenly longed for my dogs that was left behind at home. I had two dogs, one German Shepherd and a small crossbreed.

The German Shepherd was a loyal dog that was very disciplined. She always listened when we spoke and never charged us for attention.

The crossbreed was selfish and never listened to anyone. He also use to charge and jump on us even though we never gave him attention or patted him. He used to role in any dung he can find and always smelled bad. So bad smelly that we didn't even wanted to touch him.

They were not allowed in the house. The German Shepherd never tried entering the house unless there was thunder on the way. The crossbreed took any chance he got. We tried very hard to get him out when he got in. Sometimes we didn't notice him sneaking passed us. Then he will lay under the couch until we went to bed, then he will sneak through the house.

After a few years we got tired of fighting with the crossbreed to stay outside. Eventually we let him come and go as he pleased. Because it was hard to get him out from under the couch, he slept in the house. He got most of the leftover food and was fed while we were eating. But the German Shepherd was being a good dog outside.

I was missing them so much that I wished I could go and pat them. Yes, even the stinky, selfish one.

While I was thinking about them, God asked. Do you see what faith is?

The crossbreed got what he wanted because he believed he will and never stopped trying. He will also get that pat he always believed he would get when you see him again.

The German Shepherd behaved yes but she lacked faith. She was always scared to go for something she wanted and that made her lack a nice life the crossbreed had. She also had self-pity and believed things would never change for her. The only time she did try to run for your comfort, was when she was scared and had nothing else to lose.

Faith is to go for something you want, no matter what and not to stop trying if you fail. Stop trying means there wasn't faith to start with.

Even though the one was behaving and the other one was bad most of the time. You loved them both.

God loves the righteous and the wicked, the reason God sent His only Son. But what you believe is what you get...

Luk 18:1  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Luk 18:2  Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: Luk 18:3  And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. Luk 18:4  And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Luk 18:5  Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. Luk 18:6  And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. Luk 18:7  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? Luk 18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Kingdom of God

Stay a child, to these belong the Kingdom of God...

The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away!

A lot of times I have heard at funerals that people say "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away"... This however, is the words of Job, not God.

Job 1:21 (KJV)  ²¹ and said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

(Afrikaans) ²¹ en gesê: Naak het ek uit my moeder se skoot gekom, en naak sal ek daarheen terugkeer. Die HERE het gegee, en die HERE het geneem: die Naam van die HERE sy geloofd!

God is the Giver, not the taker.

Jeremiah 29:10-12 (KJV) ¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

¹² Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

 (Afrikaans) ¹¹ Want Ek weet watter gedagtes Ek aangaande julle koester, spreek die HERE, gedagtes van vrede en nie van onheil nie, om julle 'n hoopvolle toekoms te gee.

¹² Dan sal julle My aanroep en heengaan en tot My bid. en Ek sal na julle luister.

And I know a lot more scriptures that show us that God is the Giver, not the taker. Even if you read the book of Job, you will see that God say even if ' you ' take everything from Job... He did not say even if ' I ' take everything from Job. He told that to the enemy (the taker), after satan told God if God will harm Job, then he will not serve God anymore. The devil challenged God to struck at Job and then God told the enemy that the enemy can struck but not kill him... After the enemy stole everything, belongings, family and health. God gave back in double fold.

So do yourself a favor and read the book of  Job. This book just show that we can rejoice in the LORD always for what ever the enemy takes, God gives back and not just what the enemy stole but double fold.

Before we run with a scripture in our heart, we must understand the concept in what it is meant or from whose mouth it came from. Job was in a bad state and so was I a lot of times in my life. I also made the mistake of thinking God will take and punish. But time with God learned me that He cares for us and Job also learned that. At the end of the book of Job, Job apologized for thinking that God was the taker...

There is one thing though I did agree on with Job in this scripture... blessed be the name of the Lord.