Do you know what spirit we are of?
Brethren,
Do you know much about a famous painter, known as "Pablo Piccasso?"
Yes?"
And if so, do you know that Pablo Picasso’s most important political painting, was titled, "Guernica?"
Yes? No?"
Well, please know that Pablo's masterpiece was a portrayal of the 1937 destruction of a Spanish town by that name. "Guernica." During the Spanish revolution and the ramp-up to World War II, Nazi Germany’s planes were permitted by Spain’s Nationalist forces to use the town for bombing practice.
"Bombing practice?"
Yes, these calculated and pre-meditated bombings took a large number of lives, drawing the attention of a global community that was concerned over the immorality of bombing civilian targets. And isn't that exactly what's happening in Ukraine today?" 🇺🇦
Brethren,
Pablo Picasso’s painting captured the imaginations of the watching world and became a catalyst for debate about humanity’s capacity to destroy one another. And would humanity, really destroy one another?"
For those of us who feel confident that we would never intentionally shed the blood of another, we would do well to remember what The LORD told us in Mathew 5:21-24." Do you remember it."
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with a brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment.”
And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!'
shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says,
You "fool.' shall be in danger of Hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
[Brethren,
The heart can be murderous without ever actually committing murder. This is absolutely true, though many, say; I never killed no one!" No? "Have you ever hated anyone?" And how many people, practice hate towards others, almost everyday?" The BIBLE teaches, that hate is equal to murder, and that no murderer has Everlasting LIFE."
[Brethren,
Knowing that we've been called to LOVE, and not, to hate; "How do you feel about GOD’S command to LOVE our enemies?" Are you willing to take up your Cross, and embrace The WORD of The LIVING GOD, JESUS CHRIST, as our BOSS?" Are we willing to do GOD'S will, above our own?"
I pray that we are, Beloved,"
because The LORD, says in Luke 14:33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be MY disciple.
[The greatest command that we have from GOD, "is to LOVE HIM." Yes, to LOVE HIM above all else." For if we LOVE HIM? "We will then, obey HIM." Yes, only if we LOVE HIM!" For HE, says: If you LOVE ME, keep MY commandments."
[Yes, if we LOVE HIM above all else; And our fellow man, as we LOVE ourselves." We will be fruitful for GOD, and all things will work together for our good." Yes, simply because we LOVE GOD."
For Romans 8:28 assures us of this, by saying: And we know that all things work together for good to those who LOVE GOD, those who are called according to HIS purpose.
[Brethren,
The purpose that GOD created us, I hope you might agree; Is that we might live for HIS GLORY?" And to LOVE The LORD our GOD, with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Yes, and to meditate on The WORD of The LIVING GOD, at length."
For I cringe at the thought of those who don't know that they only LOVE GOD, as much as the person they LOVE the least.
For 1st John 4:20-21
If someone says, "I LOVE GOD," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not LOVE his brother whom he has seen, how can he LOVE GOD Whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from HIM: that he who LOVES GOD must LOVE HIS Brother also.
[With that said, is it fair to say, that one who "LOVES" his brother very little; "also LOVES GOD, very little?"
Wouldn’t you say?"
All I know, is that when unchecked anger toward others threatens to overwhelm us, we desperately need The HOLY SPIRIT to remind us, what we SPIRIT we are of."
For The LORD reminded HIS disciples, and rebuked them for their attitude, and their evil demeanor.
Consider how Luke 9:53-56 reveals the heart of the disciples, after they learned that some Samaritans didn't want to recieve The LORD."
"But they did not recieve HIM, because HIS FACE was set for the journey to JERUSALEM. And when HIS disciples James and John saw this, they said, "LORD, do YOU want us to command fire to come down from HEAVEN and consume them, just as Elijah did?"
But HE turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of SPIRIT you are of.
For The Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to SAVE them."
Is that clear Beloved?" 🤔
The WORD of The LIVING GOD, "JESUS CHRIST," has come to "SAVE." Yes, to SAVE, and not to destroy us who trust in HIS finished work of The Cross, for the remission of our sins." And through our obedience to repent of our sins, we no longer live by bread alone!" No!"
But we daily feed on JESUS, our LORD, Who wants to wash us, fill us, and control our hearts, so that our human tendencies can be replaced by the fruits of The SPIRIT." Yes, and not with the works of the flesh. Consider how Galatians 5:19–23 reveals the works of the flesh, and contrasts them by the fruits of The SPIRIT.
"Consider them": Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are, adulterery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like, of which I told you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit The KINGDOM of GOD.
But the fruit of The SPIRIT is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL.
Against such there is no law.
[Brethren,
If we walk in The SPIRIT of GOD, we will know what SPIRIT we are of." And then, LOVE, JOY, and PEACE will mark our relationships.
"Beginning with our relationship with -
JESUS
OK