Earlier this week I posted an article titled, “If We Hate People We’re Gonna Die.” The article has been rewritten and the title changed which now reads, “Let Us Not Hate People.” God showed me that certain things said in that piece could have been taken the wrong way. Which means I said them wrong. Hence I spoke insensitively. I do apologize if you read the original article titled, “If We Hate People We’re Gonna Die” and came away feeling like, “If I don’t preach the gospel as much as others that means I must hate people like Jonah did and I’m doomed.” God knows that wasn’t at all what I intended. But they say the road to hell is sometimes paved with good intentions. Never mind my intentions. As a speaker of God’s word I have an obligation to reflect God’s heart, and I don’t believe I did a good job of that in the original article. I do believe (and hope God feels the same) that the rewritten article “Let Us Not Hate People,” shows a more balanced viewpoint from God’s word. I do again apologize if I offended any of you.
Jonah 4:11 ESV “Should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”
What do you expect from a people who do not know their left hand from their right? You expect them to know how to do what is right?
How can you expect someone who doesn’t know their left hand from their right hand to do what is right?
They’re mentally screwed up.
Instead of putting them down you need to spend more time teaching them.
Turn your anger into merciful compassion and help please.😊
1 John 4:8 KJV “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
Matthew 24:10-12 NIV “AT THAT TIME MANY WILL TURN AWAY from the faith and will BETRAY AND HATE EACH OTHER, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, THE LOVE OF MOST WILL GROW COLD.”
I’ve heard black people say they hate black people, white people say they hate white people, black people who hate whites, and whites who hate blacks and so on. All not good. Christians, it is our duty to forgive and love. (Matthew 6:14-15) Forgiveness and love overcomes hatred. It is not our duty to nitpick at the faults and failures of people or certain nationalities. As disciples of Jesus we are called to learn how to love folks regardless of their shortcomings. And yes, it is a challenge.
Jesus said he came to save the world not to condemn it. (John 3:17) We need Jesus’ heart guys, Oh we need His heart, ALL OF US.❤️ Satan is tricking many Christians into hating people and they don’t even know it. I’m guilty of this myself.
JONAH
The prophet Jonah hated people from Nineveh. He hated them so much that when God told him to go to Nineveh and preach to the Ninevites Jonah went on a trip in the opposite direction. It is very hard to help people you don’t like. But Jesus thinks differently and encourages us to learn from Him. The Bible says when Jesus watched a group of messed up people he had pity on them. To him they were like lost sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 9:36 ESV “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
The Ninevites that Jonah hated were a cruel vicious people. Just like many folks are today. But God sees things from a different vantage point. He alone can judge each individual heart. He alone knows exactly what makes people tick. God severely chastised Jonah for his disobedience like a loving father would do to a son. Towards the end of Jonah’s lesson God asked him:
Jonah 4:11 ESV “Should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”
Let’s get one thing understood: just because some people preach the gospel seemingly less than others doesn’t mean they love God less, or hate people like Jonah did. Everyone is different. Everyone’s calling is different. (1 Corinthians 12:27-30)
God told Jonah, ‘these people can’t discern their right hand from their left, should I not pity them?’ God knew they had serious issues. Just like you and I can look at certain folks today and see they have serious problems. But, ‘Should I not pity them?’ God is asking. God is a God of mercy not just judgment. The Bible says that mercy triumphs over judgment.
Zechariah 7:9 NIV “This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; SHOW MERCY AND COMPASSION to one another.”
James 2:12-13 NLT “So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.”
Once Jonah repented and obeyed God by preaching to the Ninevites do you know what happened?😊 The Bible says every one of them from the king of Nineveh to the lowest citizen repented! WOW!😃 That’s right, everybody repented. 120,000 people got saved!😃 Jonah was really wrong about those Ninevites just as I have been about folks at times. He may not have been wrong about some of their conduct but no one can see the human heart like God can. Just as Jonah repented so can we.😪 The story of Jonah and the Ninevites can be found in the Bible book of Jonah. It’s a short book check it out when you get a chance.😊
You and I may never get to see a whole nation of people get saved like Jonah did and that’s ok. Individuals though are being saved the Bible says from every nationality. (Revelation 7:9-10) What a privilege we have to be a part of this lifesaving work of God.😊
Let’s get one thing understood: just because some people preach the gospel seemingly less than others doesn’t mean they love God less, or hate people like Jonah did. Everyone is different. Everyone’s calling is different. (1 Corinthians 12:27-30) But in Jonah’s case it was indeed hatred for others. And before Jonah could be used by God to help anybody else JONAH NEEDED TO REPENT FIRST. (Luke 6:41-42) WE ALL NEED TO REPENT FIRST! Repentance is an ongoing thing. Sometimes we are just as jacked up as those Ninevites we are always talking about, as those black people we talk about, as those white people we talk about, etcetera, we just can’t see it. But God has a way of showing us ourselves. Once we see it, once the light bulb comes on and we realize that we are no better than those quote in quote, “messed up people,” we can now be used by God to help save some.😊
OVERCOMING HATING OTHERS
I admit to hating people myself. I hope that it’s not there still lurking and I just can’t see it. That’s scary. With that being said I am still fighting the hate monster. The first step to overcoming this demon would be admitting it to yourself and to God. Second, we must pray and beg God to create in us a new heart.
Psalms 51:10-13 NL “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you.”
It must become our desire and routine to ask God to help us see things, see people, from His point of view. We must be willing to throw away opinions we have about other people when we see they are not godly. God is creating in us a new heart.❤️ We must let God be the judge. And lastly, REGULAR Bible study is a must. It is in God’s word that we see His heart. It is also where we see our hearts too, and that they don’t always line up with God’s heart. Instead of getting mad at this we should GET GLAD and THANK GOD for showing us when our thinking is off so we can repent.
Proverbs 12:15 KJV “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.”
Revelation 3:19 ESV “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.”
Psalm 61:1-3 KJV “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. [2] From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. [3] For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.”
If you’re presently going through or have been through some thangs read the book of Psalms and watch how encouraged you feel. When I first became a believer I had an older mentor who told me all the stuff I would go through for believing in Jesus Christ. He said, “Satan’s gonna throw everything at you including the kitchen sink!”😳 He also told me, “Read the book of Psalms, read the Psalms.” Here decades later I think I’m just starting to understand what he was saying about reading the Psalms. Reading the book of Psalms (written by David Asaph and others under inspiration of the Holy Spirit) is like reading your own life if you’re a believer. All the Bible is good don’t get me wrong, but the book of Psalms speaks distinctly, and vice versa with other passages of scripture.
David is credited as author of the Psalms more than others. David and Asaph were regular folks just like us who did great things by God’s Spirit. They got down and depressed at times just like us too, was persecuted just like we are, and had all the same problems that we have. But through it all David and Asaph cried to God. I mean they literally cried to God. They knew how to pray and tell God exactly how they were feeling even when their feelings were wrong. They were real. They didn’t know that their feelings were wrong but at least they had the good sense to pray to God about how they were feeling. (Psalm 73) And God answered them, protected them, encouraged them, and gave them an eternal future.😊
Remember, David was a man after God’s own heart. (Acts 13:22) If you’re going through some stuff I encourage us to do exactly what David and Asaph did, CRY TO GOD!!! He is the only one that can really help us. Believe in His promises to save you. Keep praising him, singing to Him, and giving Him thanks just like David did. To the flesh singing to God may sound corny. But David is called a man after God’s own heart for good reason, and he sung to God all the time.😊 I recently asked God to give me a song to sing and he answered me!😃 It’s so sweet and simple here are the lyrics:
“You go to know who’s God and child are you Know that he will bring you through Ooh ooh baby Ooh ooh baby”
Hah hah hah.😆 Guess what? Every time (even when I’m depressed) I sing those lyrics I feel great immediately! I know that my song came from God. These words speak faith and strength. Knowing who God is; how loving and powerful He is, and knowing that you are His child,😂 what is it that our Heavenly Father will not bring us through?😊 Nothing.
Jeremiah 32:27 KJV “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”
I’m starting to understand why David sung to God all the time: not because God needs our praise, but because praising God (The Creator Of All Living Things) is a gift to us, and it makes us feel good. In a world with much evil don’t we need some real feel good? Jive or not, corny or not I’m praising God with singing and with songs.
Psalm 50:23 KJV “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.”
I feel like I’ve discovered a great secret: I am just starting to understand the real purpose of music. The Psalms helped me do that. I’m a musician who left Satan’s music business years ago to follow Jesus so this is big to me. Knowing the original purpose of music, what it’s really meant for is huge for anybody. Did you know that the entire book of Psalms are all songs sung to or about God? Yep, that’s right.😊
The book of Psalms just like all of God’s word has special power. I entreat you if you are going through some thangs to read the Bible book of Psalms little by little and meditate on what you read. Then watch how encouraged you feel.🤗
1 John 3:15 NIV “ANYONE who hates a brother or sister is a MURDERER, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.”
In light of the passage above ANYTHING my brother or sister does that annoys me is not worth me hating them. We must forgive as Jesus says. I know God is not playing when he says, “ANYONE who hates a brother or sister is a MURDERER, and YOU KNOW that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.” That means I will spend eternity in the fire 🔥 for hating my brethren. If I can’t seem to shake nagging thoughts and feelings about another brother or sister it is obvious that I have a problem. And my problem is worse than whatever it is they’re doing that irritates me. If this is you if this is me we need to confess our sin and go to God quickly in prayer, asking Him for forgiveness, and asking him for patience.😊And please do not overlook God’s requirement for forgiveness:
Matthew 6:14-15 NIV “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Unity in the spirit among believers is a must God says. It’s not a suggestion. If a brother or sister constantly gets my goat I HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS THAN THEM, or the problems I only perceive they have. My perceptions may be wrong.🤔 This is where I need to look at myself not them.
Luke 6:41-42 NIV “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 NET “Consider the work of God: For who can make straight what he has bent? In times of prosperity be joyful, but in times of adversity consider this: God has made one as well as the other, so that no one can discover what the future holds.”
There are many things being said in the media, many predictions about the future. These can weigh heavy on the heart. And many of these foretellings go contrary to what God says:
Matthew 6:31-34 NIV “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things WILL be given to you as well. Therefore DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Are you gonna let someone else paint your reality? And fill your mind with constant worries? Or will we listen to God who is the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega. (Revelation 22:13) He knows the whole story and how it’s gonna end before it even starts. That’s powerful! I think that’s the person we should listen to not the media, don’t you?😊
Use the extra time we currently have due to the pandemic to dive deep into God’s word. Hear His voice. Listen to what He is saying. It is the total opposite of the picture the world is painting for us. It always is.
Psalms 42:11 NET “Why are you depressed, O my soul? Why are you upset? Wait for God! For I WILL AGAIN GIVE THANKS to my God for his saving intervention.”
Even David Got Depressed
If the giant killer got depressed who says we will never experience depression? Throughout the Bible book of Psalms David expresses his feelings of depression to God quite often. But that’s OK.😁 In the passage above David shows us the secret of how to get over and defeat depression. GIVE THANKS TO GOD!!!😃 That’s right, while you’re feeling like crap thank God anyway for his saving interventions. Think about the times when God saved you. Remember that one? Yeah, remember that other one? Remember the one when it looked like it was all over for you? Your enemies thought they had you then, didn’t they? Yet God rescued you, didn’t He?😊 If you and I would only do what David did when he felt like dung: pray to God about it and openly share our feelings with Him, then think about the many times he saved us against all odds, and thank Him regardless of how you’re feeling, I promise you will feel better. If you and I do this throughout our lives we will not only feel better immediately we will also overcome and defeat depression.😊
Philippians 4:6-7 NET “Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition WITH THANKSGIVING, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Colossians 3:17 NET “And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 2:6-7 NET “Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught, and OVERFLOWING WITH THANKFULNESS.”
Like The Bereans 