That is what I have been telling myself: "Pray for those who despitefully use you".......but how do I pray?...Lord, hit 'em with a baseball Bat?:beatdeadhorse ........JUST KIDDING....JUST KIDDING.....I used to hear an elderly person say, "He told us to pray for them that despitefully use us - but He didn't tell us how to pray."........but you know, He wants us to LOVE OUR ENEMIES...If we love 'em, we're not going to be asking for the baseball bat to be used...We're going to be asking God to give them GRACE, just as we need GRACE. We're going to be asking God to give them MERCY, just as we need MERCY. We're going to ask Him to let us love them and see that we need Him even more so that we can love them. We're going to be asking Him to not let us lean to our own understanding - but to have the mind of Christ....because our carnal thoughts get us in trouble. ....because we want to strike back when are struck but that is not God's way. Vengence is mine, saith the Lord......He's the one with the paycheck. I'm just the hired hand/the servant.

True it is that we have seen better days..and have with holy bell been knoll'd to church...Pray for us. Thanks.

Greetings in the lovely name of Jesus, our wondrous eternal Lord and Saviour!

As I read the above mentioned words I was reminded of how our Lord must have felt when He was betrayed by a close friend and disciple - Judas Iscariot. Oh, how He must have been grieved to know that one who had spent many hours in close association with Him, had elected of his own volition, to betray Him for a mere 30 pieces of silver. Judas' actions were a reflection of the depth of friendship which he felt towards our Lord all the while he travelled with Him, and shows how others sometimes place more emphasis upon themselves and their desires than they do upon even their closest friends.

Did Christ Jesus' love for Judas Iscariot cease when He was betrayed? Of course not! In fact, Judas had not committed the unpardonable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, therefore IMHO it was possible that our Lord would have forgiven him for his betrayal, however we find that Judas was so overwhelmed with grief because of his actions, that there is no record he ever sought such forgiveness, rather he went out and committed suicide.

When others do things, whether by word or deed, which bring us grief or pain, we must remember to continue our brotherly love for them, and not treat them as our enemies. It is always painful when those in whom we have invested our love and friendship are most often the same ones who bring us hurt, nevertheless we must follow the example displayed by Jesus, and follow in His footsteps. We must forgive those who have brought us emotional pain. even when we might not think they are deserving of our forgiveness, or even if they never acknowledge that they have hurt us or ask for our forgiveness. Only by forgiving others are we able to move forward.

I don't know the particulars regarding the hurt which you feel that others have inflicted upon you, however I do know that it is possible to overcome such hurt through forgiveness.

May God bless you and mend your troubled heart shall be my prayer.

Thanks for the Encouragement, PapaDon
 

Thanks, PapaDon........I appreciate your words. I am "gonna make it"...I just have to keep telling myself that I can do ALL things through Christ who strengtheneth me and that nothing can separate me from the Love of God....His Grace is sufficient and I've been made more than a conqueror...What else do I need? He gave me His Word and He died for my Sins and He allowed me hear His Word preached. He's healed me of every disease I ever had, supplied my needs, given me a good family. My child is dedicated to God and married to a wonderful Christian woman. What on earth have I been whining about? If God is for me, who can be against me?...No weapon formed against me can prosper. He's fighting my battles....I must be crazy to be worrying. He told me in Philippians 4:8 what to think on.

Don't you just LOVE THIS (I'm getting a little fancy with the cut and paste here) ..LOL...I hope these translations are accurate:

JEHOVAH-JIREH: "The Lord will Provide." Gen. 22:14. From "jireh" ("to see" or "to provide," or to "foresee" as a prophet.) God always provides, adequate when the times come.

JEHOVAH-ROPHE: "The Lord Who Heals" Ex. 15:22-26. From "rophe" ("to heal"); implies spiritual, emotional as well as physical healing. (Jer. 30:17, 3:22; Isa. 61:1) God heals body, soul and spirit; all levels of man's being.
JEHOVAH-ROPHE OR RAPHA, I NEED EMOTIONAL HEALING.

JEHOVAH-NISSI: "The Lord Our Banner." Ex. 17:15. God on the battlefield, from word which means "to glisten," "to lift up," See Psalm 4:6.

JEHOVAH-M'KADDESH: "The Lord Who Sanctifies" Lev. 20:8. "To make whole, set apart for holiness."

JEHOVAH-SHALOM: "The Lord Our Peace" Judges 6:24. "Shalom" translated "peace" 170 times means "whole," "finished," "fulfilled," "perfected." Related to "well," welfare." Deut. 27:6; Dan. 5:26; I Kings 9:25 8:61; Gen. 15:16; Ex. 21:34, 22:5, 6; Lev. 7:11-21.

JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU "The Lord Our Righteousness" Jer. 23:5, 6, 33:16. From "tsidek" (straight, stiff, balanced - as on scales - full weight, justice, right, righteous, declared innocent.) God our Righteousness.

JEHOVAH-ROHI: "The Lord Our Shepherd" Psa. 23, from "ro'eh" (to pasture).

JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH: "The Lord is There" (Ezek. 48:35).

JEHOVAH-SABAOTH: "The Lord of Hosts" The commander of the angelic host and the armies of God. Isa. 1:24; Psa. 46:7, 11; 2 Kings 3:9-12; Jer. 11:20 (NT: Rom. 9:29; James 5:4, Rev. 19: 11-16).

Elohim (God)
Jehovah/Yahweh (the self-existent one: I AM)
Jehovah-jireh (the Lord will provide)
Jehovah-rapha (the Lord who heals)
Jehovah-nissi (the Lord our banner)
Jehovah-Shalom (the Lord our peace)
Jehovah-ra-ah (the Lord my shepherd)
Jehovah-tsidkenu (the Lord our righteousness)
Jehovah-shammad (the Lord is present)
Jehovah-Elohim (the Lord God)
Jehovah Sabaoth (the Lord of hosts)
El Elyon (The Most High God)
Adonai (Our Master)
El Shaddai (Almighty God, the Strength Giver)
El Olam (Everlasting God)

Talk Lady, we have been in a similar situation whereby we had someone who we love and respected try to split our Church, tell lies (some believed until this day)
We have prayed for God to forgive him.

We also prayed for God to bless him---and he has!!
He has his own place, and he owns 3 companies all doing well!!

God knows and God understands!

Praying!

GOD MOVED IN A GREAT WAY TODAY..........This isn't over, but at least there is a "truce"...a relief, a release from some of the constant bombardment. Words can't express what it means to know that someone cared enough to take me to the Lord in Prayer.

THANK YOU....THANK YOU...THANK YOU....I believe that God will reward you for your labors...Prayer and Intercession are labors just as much as a pulpit ministry....To all of you who have PMed me and consulted with me, I LOVE YA IN THE LORD!

Wishing you blessings....from my husband and from TalkLady...:) :)

Good reports make the bones fat...

I guess I've heard a lot of good reports in my life then :)

You're welcome...Sis. Falla stormed the gates too!

Love & Blessings, Sis. Rhonda

Yes, thanks to sis. falla, rhoni, bro hutchison and his wife. Thanks to everyone who prayed for me!...Now I need to pray for others who are here.

Job 42:10
And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.


Don't you love it???

Well Sis. I've decided to hang around AFF ,but hey do pray for us as we need and covet your prayers.