Progressive habits of effective Christians

​S-2Peter 1:5-9 NIV

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control;and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

O - Peter here describes the progressive habits that Christians should make every effort to work on in their lives.  I believe these to be a circular progression that you start off with faith and progress all the way through love.  We are never complete as we should go around adding to each a further measure of these areas.  But what caught my eye today was verse 9 which says whoever doesn't have these attributes are blind and nearsighted having forgot that their salvation has cleansed them from their past sins leaving know excuse as to why they aren't increasing in faith, goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love. 

A - The application for me is to remember the gift of mercy my salvation is.  Jesus has paid for the forgiveness of my sins and as I repent and seek God I can start increasing my faith, goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love.   If I do this I will be more productive and effective in my knowledge of Christ. 

P - Dear heavenly Father thank you for today's lesson, may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord you help me increase in these progressive habits, doing so knowing you have forgiven me for my past sins.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.

Habits of effective Christians

​S-2 Peter 1:5-8 Niv

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control;and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ

O- These are the seven progressive habits of highly effective christians.  With them one becomes increasing effective as a servant of Jesus Christ.  You start with faith in Christ and add to it goodness in deeds and attitude. To goodness we add knowledge of the Lord and His ways.  To knowledge we learn and practice self control of our actions and thoughts wanting them to be pure and Christ like.  To self control and perseverance of trials we face in this world.  To perseverance you add godliness as we learn to live christ like existences. To godliness we learn mutual affections with our fellow man and to this we add genuine godly love of those around us.

A - The Lord has laid this verse before me many a times to contemplate in hopes of living it out.   I know I fall short often of God's best for my life and need to look to this scripture to work on the attributes of and effective christian.   I am struggling today to live a life of perseverance and my faith is at a low period.  But I still come before the Lord dedicating my life to live in a manner that is good and pleasing to Him.

P- Dear heavenly Father thank you for today's devotion may it be sealed to my heart. I pray Lord that you would give me with the wisdom and fortitude to live out this scripture of progressively coming to live a Christ like life.  I pray this in Jesus name, Amen

The Faith required for effective Prayer

 S -  Mark 11: 20-25   (NASB)

20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21 And being reminded, Peter *said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree that You cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered and *said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted to him. 24 Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted to you. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you for your [g]offenses

O - Jesus tells his disciples the power of having deep faith in God.   When led by God, and praying from the spirit of God within us,  we should have confidence in our prayer will be granted to us.   For if we believe we are praying God's will,  will not God grant the prayer? 

A - The application for me is to recognize how often I pray small prayers.   Not that small prayers are not important,  but more so that small prayers are more achievable or reasonable.   I often pray simply that certain scripture be sealed to my heart that it might affect my future decisions. Instead I might pray specific prayers in which my mind is transformed and that God's blessing be upon me that the promises of the scripture might be fulfilled in my life.  So that is the application for me is to pray specific and measurable prayers that are based on promises of God in His word. 

P- Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's lesson, may it be sealed to my heart and transform my mind.  I pray Lord that I would pray with the Faith that Jesus speaks to when He is speaking to the m about the fig tree.   I pray Lord for freedom of the bondage of Pornography,  a pray for restoration of my marriage from the past sins I have committed.   I pray for a blessing on each of my daughters that they may find men of God to marry.   I pray for each of their husbands that they may grow up knowing you and following you, having received salvation from Jesus' sacrifice they walk in freedom of sexual sin.   Watch over them Lord that their future and their children's future is guarded by your angels.   I pray all this in Jesus Christ' name, Amen.

Seeking, Asking, Knocking

 S - Luke 11:9-13 (NASB)

9 “So I say to you, [i]ask, and it will be given to you; [j]seek, and you will find; [k]knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened. 11 Now [l]which one of you fathers will his son ask for a [m]fish, and instead of a fish, he will give him a snake? 12 Or he will even ask for an egg, and his father will give him a scorpion? 13 So if you, despite being [n]evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will [o]your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

O -  My observation is this we are to do three things to seek the things of God for our life   1) Ask   2) Seek   3) Knock.   Each one is progressive and requires increasing action on our part.   Each one comes with the promise that if we are moved to action God will answer.   Our our Heavenly Father is a good, good Father and he will not give us something we have not asked for, and despite our sin He knows how to give good gifts to us that are beyond our ask.  The most important gift God will give those who ask Him is the Holy Spirit.

A - The application for me is to rejoice in the Lord's love and grace.  He is my good Father and when I asked gave me the Holy Spirit to guide and correct me.    I ask from that which the Holy Spirit reveals.   I seek out God's kingdom on earth and heaven.   I  knock on the door and Jesus opens it and makes a way for me.   

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's word, may it be sealed to my heart.   I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen

Being Proactive - allowing God's wisdom to guide your steps

 S - Prov 14: 14-18  (NASB)
The backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways,
But a good man will be satisfied [g]with his.
15 The [h]naive believes everything,
But the sensible man considers his steps.
16 A wise man [i]is cautious and turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless.
17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of evil devices is hated.
18 The [j]naive inherit foolishness,
But the sensible are crowned with knowledge.

O - Wisdom and knowledge are so awesome, especially when they come from the Lord.  Solomon rips off like 20 pieces of golden wisdom bits, and I chose just a portion of which to reflect for today.    Wisdom is often juxtaposed to what is unwise so we understand that wisdom is a choice more than a matter of understanding.     Backsliders (which has been me)  have done so when they try and control all of their life in their ways instead of God's ways.   Don't be naive, but consider carefully your steps.   Run away from evil, don't be arrogant and careless because your path will be full of troubles.   Maintain an even temperedness,  because in your quick temperateness you act foolishly.  Check your feelings against God's truth and then respond as God designed you to respond. 

A =  The action for me to take is to be WISE!   Act in these manners by leaving a space between how I feel and how I act.  This space is reserved for God to speak truth into each and every situation I face.  This is a practiced habit,  proactiveness vice reactiveness. 

P -  Lord thank you so much for today's word, may it be sealed to my heart.  I love you Lord and your ways, they are so much better than my ways and you are so much smarter than me.   Help me Lord to walk in your ways, especially with my wife in this season of recovery.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen

God is Love

 S - 1 John 4:7-21  (NASB)
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is [a]born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested [b]in us, that God has sent His [c]only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has [d]for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear [e]involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

O - I think my devotions have been surrounded by this thought that John is communicating to the early church.   He first starts exhorting us to love one another but then quickly moves into a complete discussion of what love is, where it comes from, and what it looks like (and doesn't look like) and thus... Love is God.   Love is from God and comes from knowing God. Love has been shown to us by God the Father by sending His only son to die for our sins.  God doesn't love us because we loved Him, but rather love originates from Him.   God's love is perfected in us when we abide in God and love one another.   We abide in God when we confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior.   The presence of fear is the absence of love,  we can have both love and fear, both those that fear have not been perfected in love.

A -  The application for me is to strive to be perfect in God's love,  to learn to love others how God loves me.    I am to allow the peace of God and the Holy Spirit's dwelling in me to cast out all fear and worry.   Each day I am to seek God and abide in Him so that His love may be in me and flow out of me to others.

P -  Dear heavenly Father, thank you for todays lesson, may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord that you would abide in me, and show me how to love like you love.  I pray Lord that you cast out any spirit of fear in my life and grant me peace so that I may love others.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen

Re-establishing the progressive habits of effective Christians

S- 2 Peter 1:5-11 NASB

5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral [g]excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

O- Peter is teaching us in this passage the progressively perfect habits a Christian is to practice so that they may grow in Christ and follow God's calling on their life.  Faith builds moral Excellence is where we start so that the stumbling block of sin doesn't become an obstacle.   Out of moral excellence comes a hunger for the knowledge of who God is,  which in turn yields a life of self control.   When you have faith, knowledge, and self control  you are able  perseverance and walk in godliness which is the end goal for a Christian on their personal journey with the Lord.    Once you understand and are living a godly life you will be ready to be kind to and love other believers.   Out of God's outpouring of love on you, and you onto other believers you will learn how true love really is, and you will be able to love those who have yet to come to know Christ and you will be able to love them like God does.

A - The application for me is to return to these progressive habits of highly effective Christians.  I am to focus on the process of learning to live a godly life through strengthening my faith, growing in the knowledge of God,  increasing my ability to maintain self control of my attitude and behavior.   Out of this I will seek to expand my perseverance in all areas of my life (home, work, in the church).   This should be enough to focus on this season and prepare me more for the work in the mission field of spreading Christ's love for all mankind.

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's lesson may it be sealed to my heart.   I pray lord for the knowledge and perseverance as I re-establish and grow my ability to love you and grow in Godliness.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.

The Prayer of Faith

S-James 5:. NIV

The Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

O-the prayer of a righteous person is effective, that is the message for me today. James reminds me we all have troubles we are dealing with but we all can pray, or more importantly we can go to the elders amongst us and ask for prayer.

A-. This is a reminder for me to have to prayer list, one for proper and things I am praying for and one in which I will send the prayers of elders who provide a spiritual covering that only God's people can provide.

P- Dear heavenly father thank you for today's lesson, may it be sealed to my heart. Lord help me to seek out prayer for those things in my life that I need a spiritual covering.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.

Guarding against the hubris of success and position

Guarding against the hubris of success and position 

S- 2 Chron 26 NIV

3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem.   4 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done.   5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

 16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.   17 Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in.   18 They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests,the descendants of Aaron,who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.” 

O- Uzziah was not a bad King,  he was simply human.    Time and again we see God’s leaders start off right and not finish well.   From Moses to David and from David to up to Jesus,  many sought to lead the Lord’s people well and sought the Lords’ guidance and direction in their daily roles as leader.  They all fell though,  and Uzziah was no different.   Once he became powerful, pride or “hubris” became his downfall.   

A-  The lessons from this are significant to me, as the Lord has given me people to lead.  He expects me to steward this authority well.    I though and no better than Moses, David, or any of the Kings we read about in the Bible.  I am vulnerable to allowing arrogance swell up and my own position or success cause me to become unfaithful.   So what can I do.   I am not exactly sure other than seek God on this matter.  From this passage of scripture in verse 5 we see a part of the answer:

1. Seek God - in all decisions you are making he will not let your arrogance get in the way of making good decisions.
2. Fear God -   Not sure what comes first,  but out of a healthy fear of the Lord I will always want to seek the Lord for his direction.
3. Put a trusted prophet or priest as your advisor at all times.    While prophets and priests can’t bear the burden of leadership,  they stand as those who are constantly seeking and hearing the Lord, and a good one will be willing to share with you the truth of what God is saying about a situation.

P -  Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for today’s lesson,may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord that you would guide me in every decision I make, and make known to me the prophets you have placed in my life.   I pray Lord that you would continue to guide and anoint me as a leader over your people and those you are calling to you.  I pray for protection from the Hubris that comes from success and positional authorities you have given me.  May I always fear you and seek you.   I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen. 

Commit you plans to the Lord

Commit your plans to the Lord

S- Proverbs 16 NASB

1 The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives.

3 Commit your works to the LORD And your plans will be established.

O -  These proverbs are from the Lord, given to Solomon the wisest man for all time,  and tell us more about our character and God’s design for us.   Because of sin we often will fall short of living by these proverbs, heck even Solomon fell short of following his own advice.  I am reminded that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom because without a healthy respect that God will hold us accountable for what we know the right thing is now that he has revealed it.   That fear of being disciplined and corrected most of the the time is enough for me to give pause prior to acting.  In the case of these three connected proverbs I am reminded I have plans in my heart but they should not guide my words if the plans are not from the Lord (my plans are sometime selfish and more like wishes).  What comes out of my mouth needs to be from the Lord otherwise it is not true and causes me and others to stumble.   I of course act in a manner I believe to be right and even believe to be righteous, but I am too fall short in these areas as my motives are sometimes coming from a place of hurt and bitterness and with a desire for revenge.     In the end my work is important to me and I make my own plans and then ask God to bless it vice committing my job and efforts to the Lord and allowing Him then to establish my plan. 

A -  The application for me is to recognize that I must commit my life, actions, words, and job to the Lord as the starting point.  If I do this with all my heart, mind, and soul, he will guide my words, motives, actions each and everyday and I will be able to glorify him in all the things I do.   So easily written,  not so easily lived.  Despite that I am excited and encourage to give this my full effort.  

P -  Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for todays lesson, may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord you would forgive me my transgressions and arrogance as I have made plans that I have not committed to you.  I do that now, lay down my life and ask that you would establish my plans, guide my words, and actions.    I desire to be your light in this world full of darkness.   I pray all this in Jesus Christ name, Amen.

The house of the Lord dwells in my heart

The house of the Lord dwells in my heart

S -  2 Chron 7 (NASB)

12 ¶ Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.

13 "If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people,

14 and My people fnwho are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

15 "Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the fnprayer offered in this place.

16 "For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.

O -  The temple that Solomon built was intended to be the closest representation of the heaven on earth, and would be the dwelling place of the Lord.  God gave Moses a plan for a mobile temple, and promised him a permanent home in the promised land.  Moses faithfully followed the instructions, but made a few errors a long the way and never got to make it completely to the promised land.   The leaders that followed up to David, stumbled in many and varied ways to provide a home for the Lord.   Eventually David, a man after God’s own heart became a King to lead Israel who had rejected God alone as King.  David through war was able to claim his throne and lead his people.  The Lord told David because of the killing he did and even his sin, David wouldn’t build the temple, but his son Solomon would... and he did.  Solomon sought wisdom from the Lord to lead God’s people and it was granted to him, and when he finished building the temple the Lord was pleased and once again dwelled in it amongst his people.    The Lord though knows mans heart,  that even those called by name to be God’s people would once again sin, but “if they would humble themselves and pray, and seek God’s face, and turn from their wicked ways , he would forgive their  sins and heal their land.   He would entire the temple they prepared and be with them forever.  Now this is a foreshadowing of Jesus to come both the first time to lead God’s people back to him (David),  to prepare a temple (in our hearts),  to help reconcile our sin (the sacrifice on the cross).   

A -  The application for me is this, God has His final plan for me and His people whom he has called by name.     I am free and forgiven, because of the sacrifice of Jesus,  and now I get to invite God into my heart,  a temple which He has prepared that he might lead and guide me, and be the Lord of my life.    Even this is still a mere symbol of what more is to come.   When Jesus returns, after a period, there will be a conquering of sin and death, and Heaven will come down to earth and we will literally dwell in the temple with God.  The application for me is to understand I am both David and Solomon,  but sinful by nature, but seeking after God, and needing to humbly repent and allow God’s Holy Spirit to dwell in me, and to guide me.   

P-  Dear Heavenly Father, I do humbly come before you, repenting for my sins of pride and arrogance, and even disobedience.  I pray Lord that you would forgive me and guide my heart, head , and hands as I get to live this life for you now.    I pray today that you provide for my physical, emotional and spiritual needs today as I go before you with a hopeful and humble heart, full of joy at the opportunity to share your love with those I interact with.   I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.

Love thy neighbor and thy enemy

s- Matthew 5 NASB

43 ¶ "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.'

44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45 so that you may fnbe sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

47 "If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

48 "Therefore fnyou are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect`.

O -  Mathew Henry Commentary:

• I. See here how this law was corrupted by the comments of the Jewish teachers, v. 43. God said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour; and by neighbour they understood those only of their own country, nation, and religion; and those only that they were pleased to look upon as their friends: yet this was not the worst; from this command, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, they were willing to infer what God never designed; Thou shalt hate thine enemy; and they looked upon whom they pleased as their enemies, thus making void the great command of God by their traditions, though there were express laws to the contrary, Ex. 23:4, 5; Deu. 23:7. Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, nor an Egyptian, though these nations had been as much enemies to Israel as any whatsoever. It was true, God appointed them to destroy the seven devoted nations of Canaan, and not to make leagues with them; but there was a particular reason for it-to make room for Israel, and that they might not be snares to them; but it was very ill-natured from hence to infer, that they must hate all their enemies; yet the moral philosophy of the heathen then allowed this. It is Cicero's rule, Nemini nocere nisi prius lacessitum injuriâ-To injure no one, unless previously injured. De Offic. See how willing corrupt passions are to fetch countenance from the word of God, and to take occasion by the commandment to justify themselves.
• II. See how it is cleared by the command of the Lord Jesus, who teaches us another lesson: "But I say unto you, I, who come to be the great Peace-Maker, the general Reconciler, who loved you when you were strangers and enemies, I say, Love your enemies,' v. 44. Though men are ever so bad themselves, and carry it ever so basely towards us, yet that does not discharge us from the great debt we owe them, of love to our kind, love to our kin. We cannot but find ourselves very prone to wish the hurt, or at least very coldly to desire the good, of those that hate us, and have been abusive to us; but that which is at the bottom hereof is a root of bitterness, which must be plucked up, and a remnant of corrupt nature which grace must conquer. Note, it is the great duty of Christians to love their enemies; we cannot have complacency in one that is openly wicked and profane, nor put a confidence in one that we know to be deceitful; nor are we to love all alike; but we must pay respect to the human nature, and so far honour all men: we must take notice, with pleasure, of that even in our enemies which is amiable and commendable; ingenuousness, good temper, learning, and moral virtue, kindness to others, profession of religion, etc., and love that, though they are our enemies. We must have a compassion for them, and a good will toward them. We are here told,
• 1. That we must speak well of them: Bless them that curse you. When we speak to them, we must answer their revilings with courteous and friendly words, and not render railing for railing; behind their backs we must commend that in them which is commendable, and when we have said all the good we can of them, not be forward to say any thing more. See 1 Pt. 3:9. They, in whose tongues is the law of kindness, can give good words to those who give bad words to them.
• 2. That we must do well to them: "Do good to them that hate you, and that will be a better proof of love than good words. Be ready to do them all the real kindness that you can, and glad of an opportunity to do it, in their bodies, estates, names, families; and especially to do good to their souls.' It was said of Archbishop Cranmer, that the way to make him a friend was to do him an ill turn; so many did he serve who had disobliged him.
• 3. We must pray for them: Pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you. Note,
• (1.) It is no new thing for the most excellent saints to be hated, and cursed, and persecuted, and despitefully used, by wicked people; Christ himself was so treated.
• (2.) That when at any time we meet with such usage, we have an opportunity of showing our conformity both to the precept and to the example of Christ, by praying for them who thus abuse us. If we cannot otherwise testify our love to them, yet this way we may without ostentation, and it is such a way as surely we durst not dissemble in. We must pray that God will forgive them, that they may never fare the worse for any thing they have done against us, and that he would make them to be at peace with us; and this is one way of making them so. Plutarch, in his Laconic Apophthegms, has this of Aristo; when one commended Cleomenes's saying, who, being asked what a good king should do, replied, Tous men philous euergetein, tous de echthrous kakoµs poiein-Good turns to his friends, and evil to his enemies; he said, How much better is it tous men philous euergetein, tous de echthrous philous poiein-to do good to our friends, and make friends of our enemies. This is heaping coals of fire on their heads.
• Two reasons are here given to enforce this command (which sounds so harsh) of loving our enemies. We must do it,
• [1.] That we may be like God our Father; "that ye may be, may approve yourselves to be, the children of your Father which is in heaven.' Can we write a better copy? It is a copy in which love to the worst of enemies is reconciled to, and consistent with, infinite purity and holiness. God maketh his sun to rise, and sendeth rain, on the just and the unjust, v. 45. Note,
• First, Sunshine and rain are great blessings to the world, and they come from God. It is his sun that shines, and the rain is sent by him. They do not come of course, or by chance, but from God.
• Secondly, Common mercies must be valued as instances and proofs of the goodness of God, who in them shows himself a bountiful Benefactor to the world of mankind, who would be very miserable without these favours, and are utterly unworthy of the least of them.
• Thirdly, These gifts of common providence are dispensed indifferently to good and evil, just and unjust; so that we cannot know love and hatred by what is before us, but by what is within us; not by the shining of the sun on our heads, but by the rising of the Sun of Righteousness in our hearts.
• Fourthly, The worst of men partake of the comforts of this life in common with others, though they abuse them, and fight against God with his own weapons; which is an amazing instance of God's patience and bounty. It was but once that God forbade his sun to shine on the Egyptians, when the Israelites had light in their dwellings; God could make such a distinction every day.
• Fifthly, The gifts of God's bounty to wicked men that are in rebellion against him, teach us to do good to those that hate us; especially considering, that though there is in us a carnal mind which is enmity to God, yet we share in his bounty.
• Sixthly, Those only will be accepted as the children of God, who study to resemble him, particularly in his goodness.
• [2.] That we may herein do more than others, v. 46, 47.
• First, Publicans love their friends. Nature inclines them to it; interest directs them to it. To do good to them who do good to us, is a common piece of humanity, which even those whom the Jews hated and despised could give as good proofs as of the best of them. The publicans were men of no good fame, yet they were grateful to such as had helped them to their places, and courteous to those they had a dependence upon; and shall we be no better than they? In doing this we serve ourselves and consult our own advantage; and what reward can we expect for that, unless a regard to God, and a sense of duty, carrying us further than our natural inclination and worldly interest?
• Secondly, We must therefore love our enemies, that we may exceed them. If we must go beyond scribes and Pharisees, much more beyond publicans. Note, Christianity is something more than humanity. It is a serious question, and which we should frequently put to ourselves, "What do we more than others? What excelling thing do we do? We know more than others; we talk more of the things of God than others; we profess, and have promised, more than others; God has done more for us, and therefore justly expects more from us than from others; the glory of God is more concerned in us than in others; but what do we more than others? Wherein do we live above the rate of the children of this world? Are we not carnal, and do we not walk as men, below the character of Christians? In this especially we must do more than others, that while every one will render good for good, we must render good for evil; and this will speak a nobler principle, and is consonant to a higher rule, than the most of men act by. Others salute their brethren, they embrace those of their own party, and way, and opinion; but we must not so confine our respect, but love our enemies, otherwise what reward have we? We cannot expect the reward of Christians, if we rise no higher than the virtue of publicans.' Note, Those who promise themselves a reward above others must study to do more than others.
• Lastly, Our Saviour concludes this subject with this exhortation (v. 48), Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Which may be understood,
• 1. In general, including all those things wherein we must be followers of God as dear children. Note, It is the duty of Christians to desire, and aim at, and press toward a perfection in grace and holiness, Phil. 3:12-14. And therein we must study to conform ourselves to the example of our heavenly Father, 1 Pt. 1:15, 16. Or,
• 2. In this particular before mentioned, of doing good to our enemies; see Lu. 6:36. It is God's perfection to forgive injuries and to entertain strangers, and to do good to the evil and unthankful, and it will be ours to be like him. We that owe so much, that owe our all, to the divine bounty, ought to copy it out as well as we can.

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