What can mankind directed by the sniveling serpent do to me? I've seen him many times in many people and the most damaging proves over and over again through a loved one, a "brother or sister in the Lord". I have come to understand that there are those who follow a false lord.. They make one up that will allow them to do whatever they want to. This one who they follow is not the savior. I recognize that now. 

Some are fallen away from the truth, some struggle due to the weeds and rocky places in their lives that renders them faithless and out of God's will. I have been in hard places where I was greatly deceived and even tricked by the one who desires greatly for believers to slip, to fall, to never rise up to stand and fight the good fight. Only Jesus! To him who is able to keep you from falling and bring us into his glorious presence, without spot! And with great JOY!!

So, we follow the edict we have heard. W dont just hear and walk on. No. Pray for your enemies, do good to those who *1Luke 6:27-31 ²⁷ “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹ If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.

You may get glimpses of something surprising when those who follow a false Jesus don't get their way. Ultimately they must get their way. The thoughts of such ones are distorted as they hear the truth but don't do what the hear.*1 They practice to go against what the bible teaches in their treatment of others, and behave as self righteous in the doing. They beat there chest full of pride and hateful arrogance and watch out! They will even beat you. They will cheat on you, and wipe there mouth, and say, "I've done nothing wrong.". They will lie even to your face as they spit their vile and even threaten you that even the Pastor will believe anything they say. As a follower of Jesus it is unbelievable to experience first hand, and is very disheartening.

 What has this taught me? To dig in deeper to God's word. When the word tells you:

Jesus said if you love any of these more than me, you are none of mine. Matthew 10:37-39  "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me, in one translation.

I like the ease of the New Living translation; “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. In other words to put someone before the Lord God is to make a god of them. I use to do that but, not any more, and I understand why God will not abide it. 

 

What I have realized is that when you have greater love for a spouse, a child, grand child, sister, aunt, uncle, parent, or friend or ANYONE, you are setting yourself up. Put no one above GOD. Reserve that title as Greatest Love for God alone. He will never disappoint, let you down, abandon, or turn his back on you.                                                                                                                                                                                      

*1 Greater love has no man than this, to lay down his life for his friends.

*2 James 1: 22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 1:25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.