because you opted in to be encouraged. I'm thinking
today of a verse from 2 Chronicles. We're going
way back. 2 Chronicles, and it's in chapter 20,
and it's verse 23. It's a unique situation. You
should read probably the whole story if you really
want to dig into it in 2 Chronicles chapter 20.
But I'm just going to read verse 23 for today
for the principle that the Lord has laid on my
heart. And it says, The men of Ammon and Moab
rose up against the men from Mount Phaer. to
destroy and annihilate them. After they finished
slaughtering the men from Zair, they helped to
destroy one another. The bottom line is these
were men who were willing to take others' lives
with their swords. It was probably pretty easy
to turn them against each other because they
had had past rivalries. They could take with
their sword what they couldn't take by any other
means. It's like that in the world. People want
what they want, and they're going to do what
they have to do to get it. not like that in the
kingdom. We submit to God the Father through
his Son, Jesus Christ. Our fellowship is with
God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. We
can't just go around attacking anyone we want.
We can't just go around beating people up with
words or holding anger in our heart against people,
feeling vengeful, gossip, slander, all these
things the kingdom just does not allow. Let it
be said, then, that if you live by the sword,
you die by the sword. That's what Jesus said
to Peter, and it's absolutely true. The way you
live, live for Christ, is the way you will live.
And the way you live your whole life is the way
you will die, honoring God and transitioning
to heaven for eternity through his son Jesus.
Praise God for your desire to live right. The
race day coming up, April 5th at New Heights,
1 o 'clock, April 5th.