Daily Bible Study

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Day 34 Matthew 5:43 “You have heard it said, ‘You will love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you, and persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore, be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Do you do what everyone else does? When they wear certain clothing, do you run out to buy the same clothing? Do you try to imitate everything they do to try to fit into a certain group? If they do something wrong, do you think you won’t get caught when you do the same thing? Or is their cause a just one and you want to be recognized as one of their followers? Right or wrong, you want to be recognized as one of their followers. Jesus told the people to go against what their leaders taught them. They were to love the unlovable, bless those who wronged them, pray for those who used them, and persecuted them. When they did, God would recognize them and call you, His son. When you follow the crowd, you will receive no reward. Jesus wants you to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. Perfect does not mean that you never do anything wrong. It means complete. Jesus wants you to be complete even as God your Father is complete. Many Christians follow everything their leaders do, believing that when they do, they are following God. Jesus wants you to follow Him. When your pastors and teachers tell you something they say is in God’s Word, don’t take their word for it. Look it up yourself. If you find everything they say is from the Bible, good. Listen to them. However, when they contradict God’s Word, leave and find someone who follows God unapologetically. You can only know if your pastors and teachers speak from God’s Word when you spend time in God’s Word. The more you study, the more you will know that what you hear is from God or not. What does the Bible say? It says you are to love everyone. You are not to pick and choose who you love or hate. Love everyone. Bless everyone. Even those who hate and despise you. You don’t know what God is doing in that person. Remember what kind of person you were before you accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. God loves everyone. He sent His Son to preach, teach, and die for everyone. He didn’t pick and choose who would receive the gospel and who wouldn’t. When you do what God’s Word says, when you practice what Jesus taught, you will be complete. Don’t follow the crowd. You don’t know where it leads. Follow Jesus. When you do, you will always find Him walking beside you, leading you along the right path leading to eternal life. Let’s pray: Father, I don’t want to follow the crowd. I want to follow You. Help me study Your Word so I will know when the teaching is good or not. Lead me where You want me to go, say what You want me to say, and do what You want me to do. Make me complete in You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 16 August 2023 by Valerie Routhieaux The image belongs to me.