Evil For Evil

Have you ever felt like doing something like that? You know, revenge (Romans 12:19 AMP). Of course you have. Whenever you asked God to turn back the clock for you because you finally thought of something you could have said when someone capped on you. Do you know what capped means? Not being shot. It means when someone said something witty and mean to you and you didn't know you were insulted until minutes or hours, if not days, later. Then you think about what was said and now know what you could have said (Mark 13:11 AMP). Once you get a really good enough thing to say, you've missed the opportunity to say it.

Have you ever asked God to give you that chance again? Or have you ever asked God to give you something to say that is better than the cap that was made on you? Why is it that we never think of the scriptures that we need to say (Philippians 4:8 AMP) ? Why not bless that person so much that everyone says, "oooh" because of what you did? Does that sound weird? If so, why do you think that is?

I remember someone said something to me and I thought of what to say back months later. That's right, months. I couldn't believe that someone that looked like she ate corn through a knot hole in the fence had anything derogatory to say about me. And when I thought what I could have said, it was way too late. There were so many times that moment kept floating through my mind. I never thought it was necessary to do anything other then shrug it off as a learning moment and let it go. Oddly, it kept showing up. The very same thing over and over even when it had nothing to do with anything that was actually going on. Was I going crazy? No, I wasn't going crazy but I had to recognize that still, small voice. My deliverance came when I heard the lesson and was able to teach someone else so not to make the wrong turn through this journey we have claimed as life (Deuteronomy 30:19 AMP).

Is it crazy to ask God to do something for you when He tells us to do the very opposite? Yes, it is crazy! If you think about it rationally, would God give you an insult to hurt someone? In order for God to do this, He would have to tell the devil to consider you like He did with Job. Job's actions and requests were from fear. When we ask God to do something that opposes righteousness and holiness, you receive from the one that holds those attributes - your enemy. Do you need to be in a field scraping your open sores? Then don't ask God to do anything oppositional then what He tells for us to do (1 Peter 1:13-16 KJV).

Be good. Think good thoughts. And despite the stupidity of others, kill that nasty spirit with kindness. This is being more like God rather than your old self that should have passed away. Amen?

Sometimes The Good You Do Don't Do You Any Good?

I actually heard someone say this. I thought about it for a moment because a moment is all I needed to realize that as quick as it rolls off the tongue, a person not being knowledgeable in Christ, could think that statement is profound. Sometimes the good you do, don't do you any good. Really? Does that type of thinking go along with the saying, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions"? When I heard the person say the title of this entry, I had that moment. But when it came to writing material based on it, I couldn't even come up with a testimony. Hey, I don't get writer's block!

Going back to the mission statement for Kingdom Living (written at the top of this blog), the material for me to write started to flow again. In defining good, you already know, that's God. Jesus said it to His disciples (Luke 18:19 AMP). Now when accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we also agree to be followers of Him. It is the definition of Christian. We desire to be more like Him. So when we do things that are pleasing in His sight, it is without malice, grumbling, or with an ulterior motive. We do so because we are blessed and continue to be while others either don't know who they are in Christ or haven't yet chose the abundant life. Twisted statements, like those mentioned above, makes sense to them. To them, it is profound, sound, and words to live by. The road to hell statement, has been said often throughout my childhood.

When we do good for others, we do so for others to be well off. We do so, because we have been provided for. We do so also out of obedience in Christ. He did it, so we do it too. How can this not be good for you? How can this lead you to hell (3 John 1:11 AMP)?

When you are doing something for someone else because you owe it to him/her, do you feel frustration because you don't wish to pay back the debt, or you might have issues with the person that hasn't been sorted out, or you could be thinking that this good thing you are doing is going to advance this person even higher then he already is (1 John 5:1-3 AMP)? Thoughts like that could worry a person into an early grave. Why? Because it is what the enemy does. It might have started out as a test to see if your heart is as good as you would like it to be. The test shows you what God sees and what you need to rid yourself of. If you don't use better words to push out those negative thoughts, then you are what I like to call, "feeding the beast." The more you grumble, complain, or look at what someone else has and compare it to what you don't, the beast gnaws away at the blessings you do have until the only thing you have left is your health. The ease Jesus came to give, you have opposed it - hence comes disease. So if this defines, that road paved to hell - well, I guess it would make sense. But it would also show that your intentions weren't good, which then becomes biblical and the truth (Proverbs 21:27 AMP).

I was going to write an entry on why a Christian would be bored. I had a hard time getting material on that too. Then I saw a banner on facebook. It said: only boring people get bored. Which in a sense is scriptural. Christianity is a faith walk. We walk in the spirit so not to fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16 AMP). The Word also says that faith without works is dead (James 2:20 AMP). Its as if you can have as much faith that God will do this or that for you, but without any effort from you (the ability God has put in you), would He be a good Father to do it all? A man can guide his children to assist them to walk, but if he walks for them, they will never try to walk themselves. If man assists a baby bird to come out of his shell because the baby bird seems to be struggling so hard to get it off, he kills the baby bird. He might have had good intentions in the assistance, but the bird needs the struggle to get his lungs activated. Because of human assistance, the baby bird never gets that necessary struggle to breath appropriately and eventually dies. God is good.

Some seeds might be a good snack and that's all they will ever be. Other seeds can do more if planted in good soil though it has a process to go through even in the dirt to get to where it needs to be and produce fruit. There is an outer covering that has to sloughed off otherwise, it won't grow. Water and the minerals in the dirt gnaw away at the outer covering to get to the inside. When the minerals do,  along with heat from the sun, the seed then germinates and grows. This is also what happens to a believer. The serpent, when cursed after the fall of man, was told by God that he would eat the dust of the earth for the rest of its days. The dust of the earth was also used to create flesh (man). The struggles man goes through is first because of the curse. Then we find the Lord who came not to condemn man but to give him life. Without Jesus, man would continually be cursed, having good

intentions based on his own definition and still going to hell. God allows man to go through what he does so he can not only live the life he has chosen but an abundant life having produced much fruit (1 John 5;10-12 AMP).

Understanding this basic concept can move a hum-drum life into the stratosphere. But it is up to you. Can you still do good and be content or have you turned to the dust once again (2 Peter 2:20-22 AMP)?

It Was A Mistake

A mistake is a missed opportunity, a lapse in judgment, a wrong turn, a word spoken too soon, a signed contract based on the personality of a con artist, or a business deal gone awry. A mistake isn't repeated because it is costly whether it is financial, a person's time, or the direction of one's life.

Many car accidents come from the mistake of depth perception, running an amber light, not looking out of the correct mirror, or just plain arrogance. The same mistake is rarely repeated, if actually a mistake, because people value their vehicles. Trusting a Realtor with an attractive smile to purchase a house or a piece of land and later finding that the property has faulty wiring or flood damage is a mistake not repeated because people value not wasting their hard earned money. Allowing a stylist creative license with hair having the end result of looking crazy is never repeated because people value the opinions of others. A mistake isn't something fondly remembered nevertheless, is reminded of so not to do it again.

Using the phrase, a mistake, has been abused. People have had affairs, misappropriated funds, has run from the law, ruined families, people have lost their minds and lives based on someone stating that they have made a mistake.

A mistake is not a preconceived, premeditated, plan for action. People attend college and are trained for certain positions of employment so not to make a mistake especially while on the job. A doctor making a mistake makes him a liability. His/her insurance rates are too high to meet. Other doctors try not to associate themselves with a medical professional who has made a mistake. Police officers carry lethal weapons and have to rely on the months and months of training so not to withdraw their weapon too soon but soon enough so not to become the victim. A lawyer without the right strategy can make a mistake causing his/her client to receive an unjust punishment. A mistake for trained professionals is the difference between having a career and being unemployed.

In Christianity, a minister, speaker, or anyone calling themselves "the mouth piece of God" cannot have the luxury of stating that they have made mistakes. They have been to school and have had their own personal study. They have been in prayer and have a close, continuing relationship with God having taken on the responsibility of feeding the flock. He/she cannot afford to give the flock tainted or spoiled spiritual food. It is the difference of having a flock for the next sermon and closing the ministry down. There would be no reason for such a profession to make a mistake over that pulpit because of so many other factors have been set for such a thing not to happen. Much like a doctor or lawyer with the concentration being specifically on one subject so that he/she could do the best job for their client. The same with the clergy only not to be pleasing to man, but pleasing to God having still the assignment that has been given to them. After all, how many times have we heard that the pastor, minister, evangelist, preacher, or bishop have said that they have not taken their assignment lightly but has count it as an honor and a privilege?  How then would a mistake happen? How then could they have heard anyone else but the voice of the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-5 AMP)?

In that same vein, with a Christian couple knowing the basics of what is expected from the two of them that have become one in front of witnesses, how could a mistake happen within that couple? How could he/she be in an uncompromising position knowing not only that the vows spoken weren't just lip service but also that they have received the blood bought salvation of Christ, Who sees all? How could anyone with these factors in place (Christianity, the blood of the lamb, the anointing, a spouse, integrity, character, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit), then decide to embezzle funds from their place of employment, cheat on their taxes, lie to cover for a friend, manipulate to cause confusion, have an affair just to do it, plot revenge, continually be late on a job, start an argument to distract from the real issue, gossip, brag, or be a dead beat parent? All of which has been rationalized with - it was a mistake (2 Peter 2:20-22 AMP).

One of my favorite television shows for the last 20 years is COPS. It is the first reality show I believe that has come on T.V. and is credible. I watch the show and feel comforted that there are those that have been employed to uphold the law and no matter how fast the criminal runs, or cries, pleads for the officer to let him/her go with a warning, the officer doesn't say a word until he hears what is necessary from the device he has strapped to his shoulder. The information given back dictates what the officer will do to this person. If a repeating offender, there is no amount of tears that will sway the officer from doing his/her appointed assignment (Romans 13:4 AMP). It could be a traffic violation. If the offender did not appear in court at the date given, the judge issues a warrant for arrest. There is no skipping out on that court date. Once found, he/she will serve jail time. Those committing felonies, get the royal treatment especially if they run. Pepper spray, taser, canine officer, billy club, whatever device necessary to be used to subdue the non-complaint individual, it is used and well deserving because of the offense. It is written in scripture - I would suppose that's why it is so comforting to watch.


God is good. He is our Heavenly Father to those who believe. He is the creator of us all. How then would He allow for anarchy to continue and those perpetuating it to live a care free life. It doesn't happen for them and it would never happen to those who believe. Mistakes repeated are not mistakes. No one is fooled - not man and definitely not God. If man (in the authority of police, judge, or parole officer) doesn't take the opportunity to give correction, correction will be. God will see to it (Proverbs 2:8-10 AMP). Disregard what is written if that's what will make you feel better (Proverbs 1:7 AMP). Just know when making a plan, right it down. One is less likely to make mistakes. To call a foiled plan a mistake is deceptive. Deception is evil. With God being good, evil will never reign - ever!