Tuesday, August 04, 2020

Aug 4, 2020 … Vengeance Not Mine

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 217 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from David Crowder singing … Forgiven … powerfully singing how Christ has forgiven all who nailed Him to the cross by our sins.

Young David spares Saul's life ... 

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Highlight Passage : … 1 Samuel 24:12 [ESV] ...  12 May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.  
… David has the opportunity to revenge Saul’s desire to kill David but refuses to do so to God’s anointed King.
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Highlight Passage [Context] : … 1 Samuel 24 [ESV] ... USE THIS LINK
… David spares the life of King Saul who was trying to kill David.
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Reference Passage : … Deuteronomy 32:35-36 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK
… God is clear in His word that HE is the One, and the only One, who will take vengeance on the unrighteous.

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 20:22 [ESV] … 22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”; … wait for the Lord, and He will deliver you. 
… God’s advice, thru Solomon, on resisting vengeance.

Reference Passage : … Matthew 5:38-45 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK
… Jesus Himself preaches on resisting vengeance and forgiving our enemies.

Reference Passage : … Romans 12:19 [ESV] … 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 
… Paul quotes God’s truth [see Deut. 32 above] on letting God take vengeance when Christians are wronged by others.

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Xochitl Dixon, AT THIS LINK  uses a personal story of choosing to forgive someone who had wronged the author rather than seeking vengeance, … which, as Christians, we should know, from God’s word, should only be God’s to exercise.

Oh how natural it is to seek to take revenge when we are wronged by someone. That certainly would’ve been David’s feelings when Saul was pursuing him to kill David. However, David refused to take vengeance when He had the chance (see highlight passages and the attached photo). And God’s word is clear (see reference passages) that we are to seek to forgive those who wrong us rather than seeking vengeance. … Difficult?For sure!!But necessary?ABSOLUTELY!!

So, I pray that if we have anyone whom we feel has wronged us … that we will stop … RIGHT NOW … and remember how we were forgiven by God just [as Crowder sings in the linked song]; and then, let’s pray that God takes whatever action HE sees will make things right in HIS eyes. 

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for forgiving me so that I can forgive those who’ve wronged me.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me today, to pray for forgiveness for anyone who has wronged us. … Amen

Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.</ span>

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