5/29/2023 6 Comments May 29, 2023Teaching | Mission Update | Prayer
Video above/Transcript below
This Week's Teaching: "Repay Evil With Blessing"
You are going to be insulted by someone today. You will be offended by someone today. Someone will speak evil or do evil to you, and you have a choice how you respond.
If you listen to how we talk, we believe that other people are measured by their worst, and we are measured by our best. The reality is, if you wanna live a life full of blessing, you need to bless others when they are at their worst. We reap what we sow. If you want to reap a life of blessing, you sow blessing. But this isn't just about doing good so that good will come to us. This is about doing good. In Peter's first letter he writes, "All of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another. Be compassionate and humble." And then he writes this: "Do not repay evil with evil, or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing because to this you were called, so that you may inherit a blessing." Then he quotes Psalm 34. He says, "For whoever would love life and see, good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good. They must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ear is attentive to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." I believe in the church, we have taken our cue from the world way too much. We fight and we bicker, and we insult and we trade jab for jab. We repay evil with evil. And I believe God wants to remind you today, to do good to those who do bad to you, to speak genuine, heartfelt blessing over those who speak genuine, heartfelt curses over you, to pray God's grace over those who mistreat you. This is the Christian way, and it's uncomfortable if this world is our home. If this world is the best that we will ever get from God. It's uncomfortable if our sole hope is that we would experience the kingdom of this world, the kingdom of this earth. But our hope is beyond this. Our hope is set on eternity. We will one day receive an inheritance from God. If you want to receive blessing, be someone who speaks blessing. "Keep your tongue from evil, your lips from deceitful speech, and do good, seek peace and pursue it, for the eye of the Lord is on the righteous and his ear is attentive to their prayer, but he sets his face against those who do evil." Be encouraged. Speak peace, speak blessing, and in this you will be blessed. Take that into your day. Amen. Mission Update
Prayers
Thank you so much for partnering with us in this!
6 Comments
Bob and Marlene Prather
5/29/2023 12:49:46 pm
You and Wendy are in our prayers daily and yes we are supposed to heap kindness upon people's heads who are not kind.
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Roger
5/30/2023 12:46:36 pm
Thanks Bob and Marlene.
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Geary Richard
5/29/2023 06:16:27 pm
Roger, As I read your mission updates and the struggles of injury and illness, I think of two verses (which I had to look up because I could not recite them from memory) Hebrews 12:1 and 1 Peter 5:8. I know your strength come from the Lord and Satan is fighting a losing battle. God Bless.
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Roger
5/30/2023 12:44:01 pm
Thanks Geary!
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Jota
5/30/2023 05:38:47 am
One of my readings for today was that passage in Luke 13 where Jesus warns about those who will be outside, knocking at the doors asking to be let in. What a hard text. I pray for Wendy's healing and for much fruitfulness as you engage in meaningful conversation in OH. Peace.
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Roger
5/30/2023 12:45:43 pm
Hard text indeed. A sober reminder of the gravity and hope of our call! Thanks for the prayers Jota. Praying for you as well.
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AuthorRoger Shenk is the pastor of X242, a network of microchurches. Archives
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