Pursue Peace With All People Through Forgiveness and Tithe to the Lord, Hebrews 12:14

Nowhere in the Bible do I see the statement thatIf you do not turn the other cheek and forgive
we need to just pray a sinners prayer, go to70 times 7 then you are not doing the right thing
church and continue in our sin and lusts and we willand therefore you are not righteous
be welcomed into heaven.1 John 3:7 (New King James Version)
This verse describes the people who will be found7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who
in heavenpractices righteousness is righteous, just as He is
Hebrews 12:14 (New King James Version)righteous.
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness,Don't be deceived and don't deceive yourself. If
without which no one will see the Lord:you throw a person into prison that owes you a
Does this look easy to you?little then the Master who let you off a lifetime of
Is there anyone that you don't like? Do you notsin will throw you into hell. Want to prove this
love Catholics and show them the true gospelcorrect? Simply hold bitterness in your heart to
every time you meet them with no judgmentalyour death bed and you'll go to hell and then it will
tones but do you lead them into a full savingbe too late. This is why only the people pursuing
knowledge of Jesus?peace and the holy life will see the Lord.
How are you with Muslims? Do you love themAnd don't put off the fast and prayer so that
and are you full of grace and peace with them?you can forgive, repent and get on your knees as
What about Asians and the Chinese especiallythe Master is at the door right now and He is only
when they push in front of you as they get ongoing to take the obedient holy people with Him.
the bus and they seem rude the way they chat2 Peter 3:10-11 (New King James Version)
in their language in your country? How's your10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in
attitude there? Do they have to speak yourthe night, in which the heavens will pass away
language in your country or are they allowed towith a great noise, and the elements will melt with
speak in their mother tongue?fervent heat; both the earth and the works that
How is that relationship with that man thatare in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all
molested you as a child? Have you got a lovingthese things will be dissolved, what manner of
word and smile for him also? Are you at peacepersons ought you to be in holy conduct and
with a vile man that hurt you in so many ways?godliness,
Do you have any racism in you and that coloursThere are no excuses for not obeying Jesus. No
the way that you treat people?excuses! We have to cease from sinning and
How does a junkie fair with you when he asksstart to obey the Word of God and walk with the
you for your spare change? Does he get it with amind of Christ
smile and a little tract that you keep in your bag?1 Peter 4:1-2 (New King James Version)
How is that ex wife of yours? Are you happy1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the
with her knowing she took your house and yourflesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind,
children and made you look a fool in front of thefor he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased
world? Have you got a smile for her and are youfrom sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest
willing to slip her a couple of hundred for a fridgeof his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but
when hers breaks down?for the will of God.
How do you treat that man that married you exWe need to be set apart and not walking like the
wife? Is he welcome for a game of chess, orworld and its lusts. We should not be drinking and
welcome for a beer with your friends? Do youpartying and taking wives and making it merry.
love him and shake his hand with a firm friendlyWe should be getting clean and holy and putting
shake even if he seduced her out of your bedon our bridal wear and the right clothes and be
and into his?doing the works of righteousness that we were
I suppose I am talking about this versesaved to do and we should have the pure religion
1 John 5:18 (New King James Version)in our lives that is full of giving and mercy and
18 We know that whoever is born of God doesdifferent to the world.
not sin; but he who has been born of God keepsJames 1:27 (New King James Version)
himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the
If you have bitterness or racism or unforgivenessFather is this: to visit orphans and widows in their
in you then the wicked one has touched you andtrouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the
you are sinning. Your foe does not need toworld.
repent, you need to forgive and turn the otherThis is not just going to the help of widows and
cheek. The wicked one wants you to go to hellorphans. Though your money going to missions
and he wants your prayer life to be stale and hewho are looking after orphans overseas is a good
wants your prayers to be ineffective and if youinvestment, this is the church making sure single
are knowingly in sin you can be sure God will notmothers without a job and divorced mothers and
feel obligated to answer any of your prayers.children have enough support and their children
We have to love everyone as this is part ofhave a good father figure supporting them from
being holy and set apart for God. We have to bethe church.
different people. We have to be a people who doBeing unspotted from the world would be putting
things strangely and different to the rest of theat least ten percent of your income in the
world. We have to have light in us and we haveoffering plate each weak instead of 3% of the
to have that light burning so bright that peopleWestern giving. Want to give to another ministry?
come to us. The love of Christ has to beLet that be an offering above your 10% tithe.
manifest in us and it must draw all people toYou don't think your church is worth your money,
speak to us about why we are joyful and wewell find a church that is and go there. If you
always smile at them and love them no matterthink tithing is not relevant in the New Testament
their sin or race or culture.consider what Jesus said about denying oneself,
1 John 4:7-8 (New King James Version)taking up your cross and following Him. If you are
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is ofnot tithing 10% you are saying you don't trust
God; and everyone who loves is born of God andGod and you are spotted with the world in this
knows God. 8 He who does not love does notbehaviour. An apostle rebuked me in love in this
know God, for God is love.area and now I tithe.
We are commanded to love all men and especiallyYou may have false teaching saying tithing is not
show grace to our enemies so that withsomething we have to do these days, well you
continued forgiveness of them Christ might meltare essentially saying that, I will repeat, you have
their hearts with our example. I don't know aboutmore faith in your money then God as a provider.
you but it is hard sometimes to show love toI didn't have enough money for a coffee at my
someone who is determined to take yourfavorite coffee shop today where I read my
reputation down and slander you all around theBible each day and where I pray and I was sitting
world you live in. But love you must and youon a good seat without a purchase. The owner
must feed him and bless him, it's the only way topolitely asked me to move to another seat as his
have peace and have your prayers answered. Ifpaying customers needed mine. As I am a regular
we do not show mercy to another who hasI apologized that I had no money today. He said
wronged us we hate them.that was okay and I moved.
1 John 4:19-21 (New King James Version)One minute later a man came up to me and gave
19 We love Him because He first loved us.me four dollars and said that it's for my coffee.
20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates hisHe had heard me talking to the manager and the
brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love hisHoly Spirit had put it on his heart to shout me a
brother whom he has seen, how can he love Godcoffee.
whom he has not seen? 21 And thisDon't tell me the Lord can't provide for you if you
commandment we have from Him: that he whotithe 10%. You are just lacking faith. Try the Lord
loves God must love his brother also.out for six months and tithe and watch the
Oh you'll buck at this scripture and say I don'tovertime and miracles start to happen in your life.
hate him. I just don't like him. But if you don't setIf you have been convicted so far in what I have
him free and forgive him you are doing thesaid so far, you need to obey the Word of God I
opposite of love. This is the verse God broughthave used to support what I have said. If you
me to, to give me the breakthrough with adon't, Satan is not your enemy, it is yourself.
former friend who has made himself an enemyJames 1:22 (New King James Version)
of me. I had a love/hate relationship and God22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers
showed me I had to drop the hate out of it andonly, deceiving yourselves.
change it to love/mercyDon't be tempted to ignore my advice on
Hating and fearing others is of the world. If weforgiveness or on tithing, because that temptation
can't trust God to fight our battles and go into allis not coming from God. Go ahead and start to
sorts of ways to solve our problems by gossiptithe. If you are giving to some ministry withdraw
and slander and unforgiveness we basically areyour support if you can't afford both. No ministry
bound up with fear from our enemy and ourhas a right to ask for your support without
situation. The only way through is to get God'sadmonishing you to first be tithing to your church.
love in our heart and apply that love and grace toTithing is hard, but you'll be surprised that Jews
the person hurting us.tithe more then you still. You might be surprised
1 John 4:15-18 (New King James Version)that even many non Christians tithe 10% of their
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son ofincome and teach it in their books quoting the
God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And weBible as a source. It's just that these guys often
have known and believed the love that God hasgive their money to good charities.
for us. God is love, and he who abides in loveJesus said we are to put our hand to the plough
abides in God, and God in him.and not turn from it. He told us to preach the
17 Love has been perfected among us in this:gospel to all men. He told us unless we are
that we may have boldness in the day ofprepared to leave our family, friends, houses and
judgment; because as He is, so are we in thisproperty for His sake we are not worthy of Him.
world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfectHe said that He is the Pearl of great price and we
love casts out fear, because fear involvesshould sell everything to buy Him.
torment. But he who fears has not been madeHe said He is the hidden treasure in a field and we
perfect in love.should, when we find him, sell all we own to
We need to get on our knees and fast and praypossess Him.
and seek to abide in Jesus and get back toHe said if we want to be perfect we should sell
walking with Him. We are to love God and repentall, give to the poor and follow Him.
of our fear and our stupid ways of dealing withJesus was not a man of money and left no
our enemy the way we think best and then whenbankroll to the apostles as they went back fishing.
we ask for the grace to love our brother God willIs Jesus worth forgiving your enemies for, is He
grant it and we will find ourself overwhelmed withworth doing a study into the other faiths and their
tears and love as we pray that our brother seesstrong points so you can love them more? Is He
the error of his ways. Jesus prayed for us on theworth giving 10% of your money to, and is He
cross and we were His enemy mocking Him atworth following and obeying in all you do and say?
the bottom of the cross. Don't be a mockerIf you have been convicted, if you need to
today as you read this. Respect Jesus and forgiveforgive, take the time to do it.
your brother who is harming you and turn fromIf you don't tithe, don't delay it just step out in
your childish ways of justification and dealing withfaith and start.
things in the flesh.