Psalm 109:1-5
“O God, whom I praise,
don’t stand silent and aloof
2 while the wicked slander me
and tell lies about me.
3 They surround me with hateful words
and fight against me for no reason.
4 I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations
even as I am praying for them!
5 They repay evil for good,
and hatred for my love.”
Hebrews 12:1-3
“12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”
James 3:17
“But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.”
Isaiah 55:11
“It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
Hebrews 12:11
“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”
We all know that special someone who we have loved hard, prayed hard for, and who utterly rejected or hurt us. Oh that we would never receive the rejection personally and that our storehouses of His compassion, grace and mercy would never run low. “He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows” and we are called to walk in His ways and through the things He suffered for us. Why is it we are so surprised when such things come? I am still learning to wait in confident and calm trust for HIS Word (spoken in love and gentleness and with a yielding spirit) to return bearing great fruit for His Kingdom… Praise God for His abounding grace and mercy and for the promises to those who obey. That my heart and soul would forever echo the words of our Lord and Savior… “Forgive them for they know not what they do”. Not once did His heart (Romans 8 nothing can separate us from the love of God) harden against those who persecuted Him, even unto death.
Isaiah 30:15 + 19-26
“15 This is what the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“If you come back to me and trust me, you will be saved. If you will be calm and trust me, you will be strong.” But you don’t want to do that.”
“19 You people who live on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will not cry anymore. The Lord will hear your crying, and he will comfort you. When he hears you, he will help you. 20 The Lord has given you sorrow and hurt like the bread and water you ate every day. He is your teacher; he will not continue to hide from you, but you will see your teacher with your own eyes. 21 If you go the wrong way—to the right or to the left—you will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the right way. You should go this way.” 22 You have statues covered with silver and gold, but you will ruin them for further use. You will throw them away like filthy rags and say, “Go away!”
23 At that time the Lord will send rain for the seeds you plant in the ground, and the ground will grow food for you. The harvest will be rich and great, and you will have plenty of food in the fields for your animals. 24 Your oxen and donkeys that work the soil will have all the food they need. You will have to use shovels and pitchforks to spread all their food. 25 Every mountain and hill will have streams filled with water. These things will happen after many people are killed and the towers are pulled down. 26 At that time the light from the moon will be bright like the sun, and the light from the sun will be seven times brighter than now, like the light of seven days. These things will happen when the Lord bandages his broken people and heals the hurts he gave them.”
Healing and Discipleship 