New Rule

"Pray Twice as Long For Your Enemies Than the Time It Takes to Criticize Them"


"But I (Jesus) 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 KJV (Capitals are mine for emphasis)

THEY CARRY "A CRITICAL SPIRIT" WHEREVER THEY GO

I don't know about you, but negative people "bug" me. It's like "a contagious disease". I don't like to be around them for too long, as they are depressing, and if one is not careful, they will bring you down to their level of low-living. They carry "a critical spirit" wherever they go. Recently I heard one preacher say, "If you are always changing churches, and everyone of them stinks, smell yourself, as it is probably you who is carrying the stink".

"THE GREATEST POWER IN THE WORLD: LOVE"

There is absolutely no way in the flesh that we can sincerely love our enemies. Only God's love through us can accomplish this awesome command given by Jesus Himself. Down through the centuries, one religion has spread around the world through "the power of the sword". We like to say that Christianity has been spread across nations through "the greatest power in the world: love". Sadly, this has not always been the case, but this is ideally how it is suppose to work.

IT IS LIKE "A BOOMERANG"

Why should we bless those who curse us? The answer is simple. It is like "a boomerang". If those who delight in cursing us receive the blessing, we have gained a friend. If they do not, then the blessing we have sent will come back to us. If we speak cursing against those who have cursed us, then when they do not receive it, the curse we have spoken will make a u-turn, and come right back to us.

TWO WRONGS DO NOT MAKE A RIGHT. RETRIBUTION BELONGS TO GOD. VENGEANCE IS HIS; NOT OURS

What is the purpose of doing good to those who hate us? If we allow that hatred to "get under our skin", it will fester, and poison our entire system. Letting such a spirit, which is the exact opposite of love, to transfer itself into our spirit, will eventually permeate everything we say, and influence all of our actions in a negative way. Two wrongs do not make a right. Retribution belongs to God. Vengeance is His; not ours. God does not want us to "get down in the gutter and fight dirty" like those who aim weapons of hatred toward us. Let us do good to them, and we will not be sorry later, as goodness will triumph over hatred.

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW THEM TO ENTER OUR LIVES?

It is like "an automatic reaction of the flesh" which responds negatively to those who despitefully use us, and outright persecute us for our beliefs. Why does God allow them to enter our lives? It is so that we can learn about a life filled with loving, blessing, doing good and praying. Isn't it better than going through the rest of our lives hating, cursing, doing evil and being caught up lashing out at those who do not espouse our same values?

IT DOES MORE HARM TO US THAN THE ONES WE ARE CONSTANTLY POINTING OUT THEIR FAULTS AND FAILURES

I have come up with a new rule for myself. It is "praying twice as long for my enemies than the time it takes to criticize them". Negative outbursts, laced with "self-righteous hatred", will eventually eat away at us like a malignant tumor. It does more harm to us than the ones we are constantly pointing out their faults and failures. We may or may not like the policies of the President, Prime Minister, Governor or Mayor, but it will be far more profitable if we pray for them, and believe the Lord to change them for the better.

"A PRAYER REVIVAL" WILL DO FAR MORE THAN ENGAGING IN THE TACTICS OF THE FLESH

The love of God bathed in prayer, doing good and sending out blessing will be far more effective and powerful than "flapping our jaws" about politicians and their policies which we do not like. What kind of positive and godly changes would we see if all those who name the name of Jesus would "pray for those who have the rule over us"--as the Scripture instructs us to do--instead of engaging in character assassination? "A prayer revival" will do far more than engaging in the tactics of the flesh.