“Our Daily Bread”   

http://odb.org/2012/10/31/something-to-hide/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie                                  

http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht

Romans 12:17… Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.  (NKJV)

How we respond to evil of any kind, will show those around us much about our faith in Jesus Christ…  If we respond to either words of evil or actions taken against us, with any kind of negative response, we can in no way consider ourselves to be acting as Jesus has called all Christians to act…

The words that come out of our mouth reflect how much are hearts are filled with the love of Christ… Jesus Himself told us this, in…Matthew 15:18… But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.  (NKJV)

If you are a Christian, you have to decide if you want to live for the Lord in a way that will please Him…or live for yourself the way those still living in the world of sin and shame live…  Anyone who is not a Christian, cannot help repaying evil for evil, because this is the natural reaction of someone who does not know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior… But Christians are called to live as Jesus Christ lived, when He walked among us…  We are called to love all of those around us, all of the time…

Jesus teaches this at the beginning of His public ministry, in His “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew chapters 5, 6, & 7), in…Matthew 5:43-44… “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,”  (NKJV)

If we as Christians say we are living our lives for the Lord, then all of our actions both in speech or otherwise, should reflect our love for those around us… If we don’t have the capacity to love someone shouting in our face…then quite simply, we are not being controlled by the Holy Spirit… We have let our own flesh (or Satan) overtake the power of the Holy Spirit…

The Ephesians in the church at Ephesus had problems with false prophets and their own flesh affecting their lives… The Apostle Paul gave them instructions on how to overcome their sins, when he told them this, in… Ephesians 5:18-20…  And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,  (NKJV)

Being filled with the Holy Spirit, means that the Christian is being totally controlled by the Holy Spirit; and is walking with the Lord and righteous in His sight…  Christians can re-gain the filling of the Holy Spirit by confessing and repenting of any and all sins…as they ask the Lord to take back full control of their lives…

1 John 1:9…  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (NKJV)

When we are walking with the Lord, our hearts will be filled with a joy and a peace that only a heart filled with the love of Christ will possess… The supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, if left in total control of the Christian’s life…will be able to easily react to evil in a way that show those around us that we are indeed living for the Lord…

Matthew 5:14 & 16…  “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  (NKJV)

Heavenly Father, I pray that all Christians will get to a point in their lives, where they are able to experience the supernatural peace and the joy You promise to all of Your children who are living obediently to Your will and Your ways… I pray Lord, for this perfect peace to calm all of the storms Your children will face…in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

written by bruce r mills