Hate is a very destructive emotion and it should not be a part of our lives as Christians. Hate is the feeling of intense or passionate dislike for someone or something, but the world has defined hatred as disagreement. To disagree, however, simply means I don’t agree with your behavior, point of view, or opinion on something. Just because I disagree with you, doesn’t mean I hate you. It’s amazing how we sit back and allow the politically correct to redefine the meaning of words; so-called Christians still believe in the rhetoric of the lost who don’t believe in Christ or His teaching.

On the contrary, to truly hate someone, means you don’t care about a person, or group of persons, at all. As a consequence, you have no compassion for that individual or group. Clearly, most of us would never physically murder anyone, but when we hate someone in our hearts, the Bible says it is like murder (I John 3:15). By saying this, God was letting us know that our intentions are just as important as, if not more important than, our actions. We may not have to go before a judge in a courtroom, but one day we will have to go before the Righteous Judge.

How long will we allow someone or something to have such an ill effect on our lives (I John 1:9)? I don’t hate anyone to the point that I wouldn’t care if they died. If the person I dislike the most came to me and wanted to get their life right with God, I wouldn’t hesitate to help them. But when we hate someone, it separates us from God; and the effects of hate, in our lives and in the lives of those around us, can be detrimental. Let’s confess our sins to God and watch what happens; if hate was your issue, anger will leave and depression will subside. But first, we need to forgive, and then, we need to let it go.

Just a Thought,

PSS 

What is hate? By definition, hate is to feel intense or passionate dislike for someone or something. To the world (those who are opposed to God and His ways), hate is defined as disagreeing with a lifestyle choice. If you don’t agree with them, then, in their opinion, you are a hater. Hate is typically wrong, very destructive, and unhealthy; however, there is also a hate which all Christians should embrace.

Romans 12:9 says, “Hate what is evil (sin); cling to what is good (God’s way)” (NIV). We should love what God loves and hate what God hates, and God hates sin. Sin is anything God calls wrong. God has warned us in Isaiah 5:20 about calling “evil good, and good evil.” In doing so, you will find yourself opposing God and His ways.  We must learn to hate sin because it will lead a person to eternal death.

The Bible teaches us, “My people perish for a lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). It is sad that people could know the Truth, and yet still embrace a way that is not God’s way.  We must learn, believe, and act on the Word of God, lest we perish for a lack of knowledge. It’s our only hope and the only way we will truly live forever with God in heaven.

You are not a hater if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle choice. That’s called freedom of conscience, freedom of religion. Let’s embrace God’s way.

Just a Thought,

PSS

Friday, the 26th day of June, we all realized we are no longer a Christian nation. The Supreme Court decided, after 150 years, that homosexual marriage was hidden in the 14^th Amendment to the Constitution of The United States of America.  However, the truth of the matter is, it is not there. Furthermore, while this case was pending, Supreme Court Justices Kagan and Ginsburg performed same-sex ceremonies -- so much for a fair and impartial verdict! Nevertheless, no matter how this court does away with our constitution and the democratic process, we should not honor such a law.

The homosexual community says this new ruling is freedom, and we should accept it. But, for whom is this freedom: for the business owner who believes it’s wrong and doesn’t want to serve a homosexual couple by photographing their union, or for the baker who won’t bake their cake? Where is freedom of conscience, freedom of religion?

George Orwell once said, “The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.”  History has shown us that any nation which has embraced homosexual sin has fallen or been destroyed. Accordingly, Harvard sociologist Pitirim Sorokin found no culture surviving once it ceased to support marriage and monogamy (marriage between a man and a woman -- traditional marriage).

This new Supreme Court decision did not change the Word of God and it definitely didn’t change God. In truth, God’s Word, from the beginning to the end, clearly condemns immorality; and homosexual marriage will never be accepted by God. Therefore, we must keep believing and speaking the truth. It’s the only hope for people to be able to repent and get right with God.

This is a sad moment for America and for those of us who still believe in God’s inerrant Truth – His Word -- not a truth watered down by so-called politically-correct Christians. We must pray and stand up for righteousness: God’s way of living and thinking.

Just a Thought,

PSS

As human beings, we were created greater than all other things God created. Along with the life He’s given us, He also gave us emotions and the ability to make choices. Emotions are an outward expression of an internal reaction to people, things or events around us. They are a gift from God, but too many people are controlled by their emotions and live by how they feel rather than living by God and His Word.

All too often, I hear people say things like, “I feel this way so it must be true.” They ignore right and wrong, sound reasoning and even common sense. It’s unfortunate people live that way, but one of the reasons we don’t get along with others is that we don’t get what we want. To win the fight that is going on in each of us, we have to go against some of our natural inclinations to follow our emotions.

If you cannot control or learn to control your emotions, you will eventually sabotage your life and your future. As Christians, one of our goals should be to live with steadiness and stability, at a place where we aren’t constantly up and down. To be on a path of strength and stability, we must not be led by our feelings. We must be fixed on God, obeying His Word because it’s right.

Just a Thought,

PSS

All of us have emotions, but not all of us know how to control them. In turn, we are either a master of our emotions or a slave to them. Since emotions are based on feelings, they are difficult to define. As a consequence, our emotions or feelings can turn a fantasy into reality, or should I say a false reality?

Have you ever met someone who has an awful temper? Their temper is a result of them never having learned to control themselves. Instead, their temper controls them and they allow themselves to act in ways that could harm them or others. It controls their lives and destroys their relationships. In order to justify their behavior, these people will place the blame on others. Unfortunately, some people are temperamental because they have never learned to control their emotions.

In comparison, the healthiest and most balanced people have learned to control their emotions. In order to control our emotions, however, we must develop self-control; without it, we will be out of control. The Bible teaches that we must practice self-control -- controlling our actions as well as our emotions. Self-control takes work and if we work at developing a spirit of self-control, we can then master our emotions and no longer be a slave to them.

Just a Thought,

PSS