Michael continues how evangelist DL Moody recalls that when he conducted a revival in England, he noticed an older gentleman on the front row who was standing, singing and raising his hands in joyful praise. His smile lit up the room. After the service Moody asked him, why are you so blessed? He said, years ago, when I was in India, I was in charge of a platoon of British soldiers. I was the worst of the worst. One night I had been drinking and stumbled into the barracks. I noticed one man fast asleep in his bunk. I knew he was a Christian and I despised Christians. I dragged him out of his bunk and onto the floor. In a blind rage, I kicked him with my muddy boots and punched him until he was bloody and nearly unconscious. Then I stumbled to my bed and fell asleep in a drunken stupor. When I woke up the next morning with a hangover, I tried to open my eyes. The first thing I noticed was my boots spit shined and polished by my footlocker. I realized the soldier I had kicked the night before had crawled through his own blood to spit shine my muddy boots. That was the first time I had ever prayed. “God, that man has something I don’t have. I want whatever he has.” That’s when I had a change of heart. God answered my prayer and I’ve been a Christian ever since.
Jesus says that you’re of the wrong spirit if you seek vengeance and the wrath of God. Jesus said, blessed are the poor in spirit and blessed are those who mourn…. Blessed are the peacemakers. Now is the acceptable year of the Lord. He came not to condemn the world. The Son of God came not into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. Jesus didn’t come to make war but to bring peace. Blessed are the peacemakers, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. There is no peace without the Prince of Peace. Peace is the result of reconciliation and Jesus is the one who reconciles. He reconciles our hearts with God’s heart, for there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
The Love of God compels a man to approach God’s throne of grace. It is the kindness, gentleness, goodness and love of God that calls a man to repentance. Jesus said to his disciples, If they rejected you, they have rejected me. If they hate you it’s because they hated me. However, as Paul said, be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good. Jesus Christ himself is our example. For even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.
In Mark 12, what are the basic precepts? Thou shalt love the lord thy God with all thy heart, with, with all thy soul, and with all thy might and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Why? Because Love covers a multitude of sins. Love is the fulfillment of the law. Love is the nature of God himself. What is it that you love most? Do you love God above all? To love God above all is to die to self. The Apostle Paul said, That I may know him and the power of the resurrection, being conformed to his death, even the death of the cross. According to Galatians 2:20, for I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life that I now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
The humanistic world says, you deserve a break today, so get what you deserve. Therefore, take it all in and grab for all the gusto you can get. Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. People of this secular world say, “I want my just desserts.” But be careful what you desire. Because if God gave you your just desserts, the wages of sin is death.
Contrary to the fallen world’s doctrine, to die to self is to live for Christ. To love with the love of God is to be not overcome of evil with might but to overcome evil with good. Abraham Lincoln said, the best way to defeat your enemy is to make them your friend. Through believing faith that works in love, greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Focus on the Solution. Despite the persecution of this world, we may live and love to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ, Michael
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