Bless Those Who Persecute You
First15 Devotional
First15
4.9 • 2.3K Ratings
🗓️ 14 June 2021
⏱️ 11 minutes
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Summary
In the middle of our week on the marks of a true Christian, today we’re looking at Paul’s command to bless those who persecute you. Truly blessing those around us that seem to be against us is an incredible act of love, producing fruit not only in the lives of others, but in our lives as well. May God give us insight into his heart for this command today, as well as the courage to live it out.
Our Scripture for today comes from Romans 12:14, and today's worship is Mercy by Amanda Cook.
Check out our Worship for the Weekday playlist on Spotify!
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As believers, we want a real connection with God every day, not just on Sunday. We want the peace and passion that comes from living with God, not for God. But when Monday morning rolls around we’re left thinking:
“Now what?” “How do I find and keep a daily connection with my Creator on my own?”
At First15, we know that meaningful worship isn’t just for Sunday. Every believer should be able to find a daily connection to God with fresh worship created specifically for their weekday.
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First15 is a daily devotional written and recorded by Craig Denison. If you would like to learn more about the First15 app, books, blogs, videos and our other resources, please visit first15.org. You can always reach out to us on our contact page on the website.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | In the middle of our week, on the marks of a true Christian, today we're looking at Paul's command to bless those who persecute you. |
| 0:13.0 | Truly blessing those around us that seem to be against us is an incredible act of love, producing fruit not only in the lives of others, |
| 0:23.5 | but in our lives as well. May God give us insight into his heart for this command today, |
| 0:30.4 | as well as the courage to live it out. Welcome to the First of team podcast. |
| 0:56.0 | Our verse for today comes from Romans 12, verse 14, where Paul writes, Bless those who persecute you. |
| 0:59.0 | Bless and do not curse them. |
| 1:04.0 | Think back on an unresolved conflict you've had. |
| 1:09.0 | Maybe a friend, spouse, family member, or coworker wronged you. |
| 1:13.6 | Reflect on the anger, frustration, and sense of injustice you felt. |
| 1:20.6 | Maybe you still feel those feelings today when you remember that situation. |
| 1:26.6 | Conflict without grace and forgiveness is like a small hole in the fabric of our emotions |
| 1:34.3 | that seems to tear larger and larger with every passing day. |
| 1:39.3 | The more we play the scenario over in our heads, the worse it seems to get. |
| 1:46.0 | The feelings of unforgiveness and the need for fairness carry with them an increasingly heavy burden. |
| 1:54.0 | And the Bible teaches us that unforgiveness and seeking fairness our weights we were never intended to bear. |
| 2:04.5 | Jesus completely turned our system of fairness on its head. |
| 2:09.7 | In Luke 6, 27 through 31, Jesus said, |
| 2:14.5 | I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those |
| 2:21.7 | who curse you, pray for those who abuse you, to one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the |
| 2:29.1 | other also, and from one who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. |
| 2:37.0 | Give to everyone who begs from you, |
| 2:39.5 | and from one who takes away your goods, |
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