“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do!” (Luke 23:34 NKJV)

At Jesus’ most painful and darkest hour, and from the very cross where He was being crucified, He looked beyond what was happening to Himself and focused instead on the needs of others. He asked for forgiveness for them and said something very interesting and powerful, “forgive them for they know not what they do!”

Jesus knew that if they had truly understood who He was, God’s very son, (1 John 4:15 & John 3:16), they would never have attacked Him! He had all the information. He knew why He was there, and what He was there for; “the Lamb of God, willingly laying down His life for the sins of the world.” (John 1:29) This information helped Him to do what was right in spite of how He felt!

Having the right information will help you treat others with kindness and forgiveness

In the same way, knowing that you are a redeemed person (1 Peter 1:18), and knowing that you have been forgiven and bought at the price of Jesus’ death on the cross, (1 Cor. 6:20), and knowing that you are a member of God’s family, (Eph. 2:19), and knowing that you are God’s Ambassador, (2 Cor. 5:20), then you too, can do the right thing as needed, even in difficult or extreme circumstances!

Don’t give evil for evil!

Instead do the very opposite. Be kind to those who are not kind to you. Be polite to those who are rude to you. Be patient to those who are impatient to you. Be loving to those who are unloving to you!

“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.” (1 Peter 3:9 NIV)

Being kind to others helps you, too!

In a study conducted by Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, psychology professor at the University of California, students were assigned the task of doing five random acts of kindness per week for six weeks. At the end of the study, the students’ levels of happiness had increased by 41.66 percent! Being kind to others had a profoundly positive effect on their own level of happiness!

The golden rule

“Do to others as you would have them to do to you.” (Luke6:31 NIV)

Quote:

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” - Mark Twain

“We know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands” (2 Cor. 5:1 NIV)

“Remember the Alamo!”

While visiting San Antonio, Texas, for a conference I was speaking at, Susan and I visited the Alamo. It was a stark reminder of what had happened there during the Texas Revolution, February 23 to March 6, 1836, where so many had died. According to eye witness accounts it was a slaughter with perhaps as many as ten-to-one against those who were garrisoned within the walls of the Alamo. They didn’t have a chance and were brutally and mercilessly destroyed. Santa Anna’s cruelty during the battle outraged and emblazoned great numbers of Texans to rise up with the now famous battle cry, “remember the Alamo!” and they defeated the Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto, on April 21, 1836, ending the revolution.

The Alamo is now called the “Alamo Shrine” and as you walk through it, you see many displays depicting what had happened during that battle, including lists of names of those who had died there, including Davie Crocket.

All are only temporary here

In the promise scripture passage above, we are reminded of several important things.

“If the earthly tent we live in (our body) is destroyed.” – All will die someday, some even tragically (destroyed).

As terrible as the Alamo battle was, it is now history! It is an undeniable fact that every single person involved in every aspect of the Texas Revolution is now dead! And it is a stark reminder to us that all people will die. Some tragically, as in the Alamo, some by natural causes, and some for many other reasons. There are no exceptions. The Bible says that everybody will eventually die. (Heb. 9:27)

“we have a building (body) from God” – When we die we will get a new body to live in. There will come a day at the appearing of Jesus that our bodies, too, will be transformed and we will then have brand new transformed ones. (2 Cor. 5:3)

“an eternal house (body) in heaven” – We will have a new body that will last forever. The body we have now is only temporary, but our resurrected body will be made perfect and will last indefinitely. (1 Corinthians 15:35-58)

“in heaven” – It will be in Heaven. And, Jesus has prepared a wonderful place in Heaven for you to live. (John 14:2-4)

“not built by human hands.” – It’s made by God. Everything God creates is perfect and made with absolute excellence! (Psalm 86:8-10)

To recap:

Someday, we too will be a part of history, because all die and we will too. But, no matter how we die, if we have received Christ (John 1:12), we will receive a brand-new body made by God that will last forever in Heaven! It’s a promise!

“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” (Matt. 6:26 NASB)

God wants you to look at the birds of the air and notice something important about them

They are constantly being fed and taken care of by Him, and you are more important to Him than the birds! Which means, “God will supply to you what you need, just as he faithfully does for His birds!”

So, don’t worry about your “needs!”

Instead, expect God to do what he says He will do, and He will! That is how faith works! “And my God shall supply all your need!” (Phil. 4:19a NKJV)

“Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:6a NKJV)

I have a friend who says, “I have two angels following me and I will tell you their names. One’s name is ‘Goodness’ and the other’s name is “Mercy.”

Even though my friend says it In a humorous way, it is still very much true! God is all about “goodness and mercy” and he provides loads of it to you!

Goodness – “God’s goodness and love last forever. “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 107:1 NIV).

Mercy – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3 ESV)

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me” (Psalm 23:4 NLT)

According to the dictionary

Fear is defined as an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

Some synonyms: terror, fright, fearfulness, horror, alarm, panic, agitation, trepidation, dread, consternation, dismay, distress.

What are you afraid of?

No matter what you are afraid of, God promises to be there to help you! The good news is that the Bible has a lot to say about fear. In fact, the Bible says, “don’t be afraid”, 365 times! One for each day of the year! So, if you struggle with fear, you can read and apply one every day!

“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4 NASB)

A few years ago, when I was going through a particularly rough time, a friend said to me, “How are you doing?”

I answered, “Okay, I guess, under the circumstances!”

He then said, “What are you doing under there!?”

I laughed, at the time. But, as the years have passed, I have come to realize that there was a great truth in that simple statement made by my friend, so long ago. I don’t have to remain “under any circumstance” because of Christ living in me, and also because of the many Bible promises that cover every possible thing!

One scripture passage says, “they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (Rev. 12:11 NKJV).

Notice that they overcame their adversary two ways:

1) By the Blood of the Lamb (what Jesus did for them on the cross)

2) By what they professed with their mouth (they testified)

So, no matter what negative “circumstance” comes your way, you can victoriously rise above it by standing firmly on God’s Word, and by saying boldly and confidently, “I am an overcomer because of what Jesus has done for me! And, greater is He (Jesus) who is in me, than he (the devil) who is in the world! Therefore, I am an overcomer!”

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor. 12:9-10 NIV)

“God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.” (1 Cor. 1:27b NKJV)

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak

“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31NIV)

SELF-CONTROL – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23 NIV)

Jesus promises that if you abide (remain) in Him you will produce this kind of spiritual fruit as a direct result. (John 15:4)

Self-control is the ninth of the nine fruits of the spirit listed in this passage. Each one is a promise!

Self-control defined

Self-control: the ability to control oneself, in particular one’s emotions and desires or the expression of them in one’s behavior, especially in difficult situations.

synonyms: self-discipline, restraint, self-possession, self-command, willpower, composure.

Self-control is often paired with “sober-mindedness” (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8; Titus 2:2; 1 Peter 4:7), and in several places the language of “self-control” applies especially to the mind. Mark 5:15 and Luke 8:35 characterize the healed demoniac as “clothed and in his right mind.” Paul uses similar language to speak of being in his right mind (2 Corinthians 5:13), as well as not being out of his mind (Acts 26:25). And, Romans 12:3 exhorts every Christian “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,” but to exercise a form of self-control: thinking “with sober judgment.”

Bible verses about self-control

“but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled.” (Titus 1:8 NASB)

“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.” (2 Peter 1:5-9 NASB)

GENTLENESS – “But the fruit of the Spirit love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23 NIV)

Jesus promises that if you abide (remain) in Him you will produce this kind of spiritual fruit as a direct result. (John 15:4)

Gentleness is the eighth of the nine fruits of the spirit listed in this passage. Each one is a promise!

Gentleness defined

Gentleness: the quality or state of being gentle; especially mildness of manners or disposition.

Synonyms: meekness, carefulness, caution, kindness, tenderness

Gentleness, also translated “meekness,” does not mean weakness. Rather, it involves humility and thankfulness toward God, and polite, restrained behavior toward others. The opposites of gentleness are anger, a desire for revenge, and self-aggrandizement.

Two Bible verses about gentleness

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Eph. 4:2 NIV)

“Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.” (Phil. 4:5 NASB)