You never hate a person, only the evil that they do!
Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Psalm 97:10 New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Hate is a bold and powerful emotion as well as a word . Look very closely here to what God says, God does not say here to hate people who are evil. We must not hate people, but hate evil itself. It’s a tough combination to pull off, but absolutely vital. You don’t hate the homosexual, you hate the homosexual acts they do and the one who causes them to do the things they do. God doesn’t hate the homosexual, He hates the evil behind it (Romans 1:20-32). Evil is here because of the evil one — the champion of hate, lies, and death (Satan). So when evil rears its ugly head, let’s be courageous and oppose Satan and his work, we already have the victory anyway in Christ! In the process, let’s pray for those trapped in the evil one’s tentacles, even if they consider us enemies. This is what God directs in His Word. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:44-45
MY PRAYER…
Almighty God, make my heart grieved by the evil in my world. Give me the power to be strong against those things opposed to Your will and character. Yet Father, just as You redeemed me by grace, and rescued me while I was a captive to sin, give me courage to care about those who are in the evil one’s embrace. Lord, help me to pray for those who are despitefully used by the evil one, help me to heap coals of fire upon their heads and lips through love and prayer for them. Through my Savior, Jesus, I pray.
Amen