Leave Your Enemies in GOD's Hands by Max Lucado

This is a good article. I must say, it was well written.

I will highlight the statements that stuck in my head and I bring with everyday. People are very open to other people and so you can never please everyone. Some will hate you and some will love you. I do not consider anyone my enemy. Everyone is my friend. This article still applies to my life though. I love how my sister calls me "my friend" and she gave me a profound insight on this. Just as how GOD considers us "friends", I am inspired to do the same in order that I may love the ones who hate me. For Christians, mistakes to others can be prevented that is why we are given the wisdom to do so. For us to be able to do this, we must think before we speak and act. If we love and respect someone, we do not provoke them to get angry, jealous, envious, upset, sad, or disappointed at us through our words and actions. You have to ask yourself first, "Will GOD be pleased and glorified if I do/say this?"

Here is the article...

Some years ago a rottweiler attacked our golden retriever puppy at a kennel. The worthless animal climbed out of its run and into Molly’s and nearly killed her. He left her with dozens of gashes and a dangling ear. I wrote a letter to the dog’s owner, urging him to put the dog to sleep.

But when I showed the letter to the kennel owner, she begged me to reconsider. “What that dog did was horrible, but I’m still training him. I’m not finished with him yet.”

God would say the same about the rottweiler who attacked you. “What he did was unthinkable, unacceptable, inexcusable, but I’m not finished yet.”

Your enemies still figure into God’s plan. Their pulse is proof: God hasn’t given up on them. They may be out of God’s will, but not out of His reach. You honor God when you see them, not as His failures, but as His projects.

God occupies the only seat on the supreme court of heaven. He wears the robe and refuses to share the gavel. For this reason Paul wrote, “Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. ‘I’ll do the judging,’ says God. ‘I’ll take care of it’ ” (Rom. 12:19 MSG).

Revenge removes God from the equation. Vigilantes displace and replace God. “I’m not sure you can handle this one, Lord. You may punish too little or too slowly. I’ll take this matter into my hands, thank you.”

Is this what you want to say? Jesus didn’t. No one had a clearer sense of right and wrong than the perfect Son of God. Yet, “when he suffered, he didn’t make any threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly” (1 Pet. 2:23 GOD’S WORD).

Only God assesses accurate judgments. We impose punishments too slight or severe. God dispenses perfect justice. Vengeance is his job. Leave your enemies in God’s hands. You’re not endorsing their misbehavior when you do. You can hate what someone did without letting hatred consume you. Forgiveness is not excusing.

Nor is forgiveness pretending. David didn’t gloss over or sidestep Saul’s sin. He addressed it directly. He didn’t avoid the issue, but he did avoid Saul.

Do the same. Give grace, but, if need be, keep your distance. You can forgive the abusive husband without living with him. Be quick to give mercy to the immoral pastor, but be slow to give him a pulpit. Society can dispense grace and prison terms at the same time. Offer the child molester a second chance, but keep him off the playgrounds.

Forgiveness is not foolishness.

Forgiveness is, at its core, choosing to see your offender with different eyes. You don’t excuse him, endorse her, or embrace them. You just route thoughts about them through heaven. You see your enemy as God’s child and revenge as God’s job.

By the way, how can we grace-recipients do anything less? Dare we ask God for grace when we refuse to give it? This is a huge issue in Scripture. Jesus was tough on sinners who refused to forgive other sinners. In the final sum, we give grace because we’ve been given grace.

I've learned in the book "Ever Increasing Faith" to always believe and trust everyone you meet. It is up to GOD to do the judging. Whether people judge me or not, I've learned not to think that people are doing that to me because I insist to focus my eyes on JESUS. Also, I've learned a lot about demons and I am not going to share details about that but I want to address everyone that...

(Just like how my youths and I say)

2 Chronicles 20:15
"...For the battle is not yours, but God's."

One of the things I've learned from our pastor is that, in order to receive inner healing and deliverance, if you have faulted someone, you go to him first. Do not go on telling others that you have faulted that person unless you haven't talked to him yet. Confront your mistakes, not announce it and disgrace yourself. Communication is an effective key to good relationships. True humility is not admitting your mistakes to everyone, but to that certain someone you know you have faulted.

GIVE THEM TO GOD!

ALL THE GLORY BELONGS TO GOD ALONE!!!

P.U.S.H.

When you feel GOD's love, OVERFLOW!