Key Thought

Today's Prayer

Father, I confess that doing good to and loving my enemy is not something I enjoy doing or find easy. Please use your Holy Spirit to transform me and empower me to be more like your Son as I deal with my enemies. Give me wisdom to know how to stand for righteousness and truth, to oppose evil and those who promote it, and not to become corrupted by the power of hate. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

"I say to you people that are listening to me, love your enemies. Do good to those people that hate you. Ask God to bless those people that say bad things to you. Pray for those people that are mean to you. If a person hits you on the side of your face, let him hit the other side too. If a person takes your coat, don't stop him from taking your shirt too. Give to every person that asks you. When a person takes something that is yours, don't ask for it back. Do for other people what you want them to do for you. "If you love only those people that love you, should you get some special praise for doing that? No! Even sinners love the people that love them! If you do good only to those people that do good to you, should you get some special praise for doing that? No! Even sinners do that! If you loan things to people, always expecting to get something back, should you get some special praise for that? No! Even sinners lend to other sinners so that they can get back the same amount! "I'm telling you to love your enemies and do good to them. Lend to people without expecting to get anything back. If you do these things, you will have a great reward. You will be children of the Most High (God). Yes, because God is good even to the people that are full of sin and not thankful. Give love and mercy the same as your Father gives love and mercy.

Related Scripture Readings

There were also two criminals led out with Jesus to be killed. Jesus and the two criminals were led to a place called "The Skull." There the soldiers nailed Jesus to his cross. They also nailed the criminals to their crosses. They put one criminal beside Jesus on the right, and they put the other criminal beside Jesus on the left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive these people {that are killing me}. They don't know what they are doing. " The soldiers gambled with dice to decide who would get Jesus' clothes. The people stood there watching {Jesus}. The Jewish leaders laughed at Jesus. They said, "If he is God's Chosen One, the Christ, then let him save himself. He saved other people, didn't he?" Even the soldiers laughed at Jesus and teased him. They came to Jesus and offered him some wine. The soldiers said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!" (At the top of the cross these words were written: "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.")

The Jewish leaders heard Stephen say these things. They became very angry. The Jewish leaders were so mad that they were grinding their teeth at Stephen. But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. Stephen looked up into the sky. He saw the Glory of God. He saw Jesus standing at God's right side. Stephen said, "Look! I see heaven open. And I see the Son of Man standing at God's right side!" Then the Jewish leaders all shouted with a loud voice. They closed (covered) their ears with their hands. They all ran at Stephen together. They took him out of the city and threw rocks at him until he was dead. The men who told lies against Stephen gave their coats to a young man named Saul. Then they threw rocks at Stephen. But Stephen was praying. He said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" He fell on his knees and shouted, "Lord, don't blame them for this sin!" After Stephen said this, he died.

You believe in God through Christ. God raised Christ from death. Then God gave glory to him. So your faith and your hope are in God. Now you have made yourselves pure by obeying the truth. Now you can have true love for your brothers and sisters. So love each other deeply—with all your heart. You have been born again. This new life did not come from something that dies. It came from something that cannot die. You were born again through God's living message that continues forever. The Scripture says, "People {don't live forever; they} are all like grass, and all their glory is like a wild flower. The grass dies, and the flower falls. But the word of God will live forever." And this is the word (teaching) that was told to you.