In light of all the terrorist activities that have taken place this week, my flesh wants to rise up and wipe these people off the face of the earth, everyone connected with them and the horse they rode in on. But do you know what?  The Holy Spirit stirred within me, saddened by my thoughts, and reminded me to examine my heart. What did Jesus say? What would He do in the same situation?  Well, it’s pretty clear what Jesus would do, for He said in Matthew 5:38-48, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?  Do not even the publicans the same?  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others?  Do not even the publicans so?  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

     Does this sound like what you want to do right now? No?  Well, you’re not alone, I don’t either. But if I want to be like my heavenly Father, and my Lord Jesus, I will, I must, no matter how bad it hurts, no matter how my flesh cries out for JUSTICE!!!  I must remember, as you must remember, if I insist on them getting what is coming to them, then I must also accept what I deserve from God….no mercy, but to go straight to hell, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
 But God has granted me mercy, where I deserved death and hell. And He has given you the same mercy.  How can I, how can we, who call ourselves children of God, show others less mercy than we are asking for ourselves?
 Hey wait! you say….I’ve never killed anyone, nor robbed anyone of their children, or father or wife or husband or mother….They deserve to die….  Yes, my friends, they deserve to die. We do too…we helped put Jesus on that cross, each and every one of us.  Is this going to be an easy row to hoe?  No.  Jesus never promised us easy.  He just said He would never forsake us or leave us.  He said He would help us change from glory to glory, to take on hearts like Him. Let us also start seeing people like Jesus sees people….with eyes of mercy. If we will, we will have eyes of mercy looking at us when payday comes.   One day, we will stand before Jesus. I would much rather hear “Well done” than to BE well done…..know what I mean?   When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, one thing He said was, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”.  What that REALLY means is, Father God, I ask you not to forgive my sins, unless I forgive all who have ever sinned against me.   HEEEEEYYYYY WAIT! THAT ISN’T WHAT I SAID!!!   Well, if you have ever prayed the Lord’s prayer, then that’s exactly what you said….

Am I a bleeding heart doormat person who is afraid to ask for justice for the terrorists, one who is a wimp, who will just roll over for anyone who wants to walk on me? No, like I said, my flesh wants to declare war….but, that’s exactly what the devil wants us to do, shed more blood, and shed more blood, it never ends, one avenging another, back and forth, until all are dead. After all, the thief comes only for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  And that isn’t what Jesus taught. So I have to ask myself, where is my heart….really?  Will I serve Jesus, or not?  Who will YOU serve?  As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!  Remember…..Jesus is examining our hearts?  What will He find?????