SAY NOT

Rise and Shine for Jesus! \O/

By Pam Iannello (my late mother)

"SAY NOT"

Proverbs 24:29 (KJV)

Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

Humility admits imperfection, wouldn’t you agree? That's why, in the spirit of meekness, a reasonable individual understands that people will fail them as they will fail others from time to time. BUT, when we respond to the sinful behavior of other people in the manner described above, we leave no room for God’s character to be demonstrated in and through us. Ladies, when somebody serves us up a huge dose of flesh, more often than not we serve a huge dose of flesh back, thus the fleshly ping-pong tournament is set in motion. Back and forth we go, quenching the Spirit with every come back… Then, in the end, the pastor is called to patch up the battered and bruised participants and bring healing to an event they could have averted at the outset if someone had just crucified their flesh! Sad to say, a lot of churches are permeated with this kind of hell-coached exercise and God is not pleased!

Romans 8:8 (KJV)

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Yes, this is the reaction many believers are prone to exhibit, yet our heavenly Father says such an attitude should have no place in the Christian’s life! “SAY NOT” is His command in the matter; restrain yourselves from continuing the sin in the situation. Rendering evil for evil is nothing more than living out a DAYCARE type of Christianity like a bunch of toddlers in a nursery. Instead, the Lord orders us to counter it with Christ like conduct. Grow up; rise above your circumstances and choose a Spirit-filled comeback and leave the outcome with God!

Romans 7:5 (KJV)

For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

So then, as we ponder our opening morsel of scripture and use it to examine our own hearts today, is there a chance you might have a vindictive nature? Do you ever justify your improper behavior with thinking such as, “Well, he/she did it to me first.” What about when your husband spends money you think he shouldn’t have and you make a beeline to Walmart on an equally unrestricted shopping spree to prove a point? How many of you have slacked in your housekeeping duties, silently penalizing your husband because he failed you one way or another? If a sister in the Lord offends you, do you intentionally avoid her company from that point on to “teach her a lesson”? Think about it ladies, how much of your Christianity rests upon the nature of the OTHER person in front of you and not the One you say lives in your heart? When sin enters your relationship with someone, do you STOP meeting their needs, thereby allowing them to put you out of business as a Christian, or do you continue to GIVE to meet their needs and put them out of business as a foe?

Proverbs 25:21-22 (KJV)

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: [22] For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.

Clearly, the Bible teaches us that we must offer our enemies bread and water. In John 6:35, Jesus stated that HE is the Bread Of Life… Likewise, water is depictive of the Word. Hence, we must serve our enemies Jesus when conflict arises, not our flesh! Ladies, our gracious conduct toward our foes can influence them toward us for good – if we can get past our flesh fast enough to do the right thing! Throw some light on the problem, amen? Provide things honest; supply a scriptural response for a change! No matter how often people may injure or grieve you, the Bible teaches that you must respond in the character of the Lord, not “I will do so to him as he hath done to me.”

Romans 12:17 (KJV)

Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

I don’t know about you, but fleshly tournaments wear me out and in the end they are a waste of time! Nobody gets a trophy; everybody loses. The only person in the audience who enjoys the whole affair is the devil… It makes far more sense to offer Spirit whenever we are offered flesh, amen? It’s time God’s people stopped operating with a daycare mentality like a bunch of babies who only care to render to a man according to his work. Yes, two can play that game, but two can’t if one won’t! I hope you’ll be that one that will follow God’s rule.

God Bless,

Pam

Isaiah 60:1&2

Copyright 2004 Pamela A. Iannello