Day of Praise

We, Apr 3, 4th Day of Easter, "Day of Praise"

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." - Romans 12:14-15

Two mini encouragements:

1) I'm running into people right and left who are saying, "It works!" When you "bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse" (Romans 12:14), it actually works!

That's why God commands it! It works a) by setting free the one who's been hurt from negative "heart poisons" of bitterness and the like and b) by also kindling the positive spirit treasures of joy and praise.

Try it!

2) I'm sure I've done it a gazillion times too, so please don't feel sorry for me.

But I can remember when we lived in the Fox Meadows neighborhood in Memphis, TN. I was three and four years old. I can remember multiple times that we went tadpole hunting in the local Crick, (which, in case you don't know, is Northern and Southern couuuuntry for "Creek"). We'd get us a bunch o' them thar tad frogs. Not all o' em lived long. It made me sad. It made the next door jealous neighbor girl glad. And that made me more sad. (I really don't remember getting mad.) But I do remember gladness when we got our new fence at the same house; now, the neighbor girl was not happy. She rejoiced with those who mourned; and she mourned with those who rejoiced." which, of course, is the exact opposite of Romans 12:15.

So, "rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." - Romans 12:15

It works too!

Praise God!




Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson