drive to a well-known famous bakery, he would drive extra miles around to avoid driving through the community.

Many times, it takes time to build up such contempt to despise individuals to make you drive completely around the area. I did tell this gentleman that I knew some people from the area who loved God and loved people regardless of their economic status.

I told him he should stop using that imaginary brush he keeps using to identify all people in a false way. James and John were part of this paint brushing as well against the Samaritans Just think how deep their disdain went.

They wanted to retaliate by calling down fire from heaven on the people, as Elijah had done on the servants of a wicked king of Israel in 2 Kings chapter 1. Let's go look at (Luke 9:55-56) a little closer.

After hearing their request to destroy the Samaritans with the help of God, Jesus rebuked them. The Greek word (epitimaō) means to severely censure, admonish, reprove, and chide someone for such a negative attitude.

But then Jesus tells them they do not know what spirit they are of. What did Jesus mean? The word "spirit" in the Greek text is (pneuma). This means breath. The breath of the soul. The Holy Spirit has a breath from God.

The two disciples were operating out of identity past and future biases. They operated from the spirit of human anger, prejudice, and fleshly zeal rather than the Holy Spirit. Remember when Peter spoke these words about Jesus' identity?

15} "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16} And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

 

17} And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar–jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 16:15-17 KJV).

You see beloved, James and John were acting out of the flesh and not the spirit or they would have understood what Jesus said after that before he said it. They confused their own desire for revenge with righteous indignation.

The disciples did not fully understand who they were as Jesus' chosen disciples. They not only needed to be followers of Jesus, but imitators of Jesus in spirit and in truth.

Remember, they had just heard God speak from a cloud saying "This is my beloved Son, hear him" in verse 35. But notice how quickly anger and disdain can evaporate when the mind of flesh is allowed to bring up hatred hidden in the depths of the heart.

We can see a lot of this manifest itself throughout our nation today. Look at how many people are drawn away and divided into their own hate filled camps of negative identity profiling.

Anytime you identify through the flesh you are headed for conflict, separation, and division. When something is woke without Jesus, it's actually dead. And if something is alive in Christ it's the Spirit and fruit of the Holy Spirit that leads it.

The Bible tells us to love your enemy and do good unto them. True followers of Jesus seek to see people as Jesus sees them. I have a pull over light hoody I use for doing outside chores that says on it, "God does not see color."

Jesus demonstrated his love without nationality bias towards the Samaritans by ministering to the woman at the well about the Kingdom of God. (John 4:7-26).

23} "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24} God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24 KJV).

The word "spirit" listed above is the same Greek word (pneuma) in (Luke 9:55). Jesus spoke the same language to the Samaritan woman as he did to James and John. Here's a question for you. Are you bearing fruit of peace or division?

Here are some digestive words to feed your spirit so you are fruitful and God is glorified. (Psalm 31:5; 77:3-6; 142:3; 143:7; Proverbs 1:23; Isaiah 26:9; 30:1; 38:16; 44:3; 59:21; Ezekiel 3:14; 36:27; 37:14; Joel 2:28-29; Zechariah 4:6).


🗣📢 Last words: When was the last time you examined yourself in the Spirit? Please read this verse aloud into your spirit. If you say you are peaceful (Matthew 5:9) then fruitful evidence should follow that fruit because it comes from the Holy Spirit.

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV).

A reprobate comes the Greek word (adokimos). It is someone that is
unapproved or rejected by their own worthless moral attitude. Someone who is a castaway, not standing the test, not approved.

There are many people in our country shouting very loudly above everyone else that they’re peacefully speaking or protesting or crying out for injustices. But in the end, most crave conflict, dangerous agitation, and even violence to achieve it.

Did you know there are some churches whose congregations are trapped in false guilt of thinking they are to blame for the division and separation in our country? Never accept from anyone that your birth skin makes you a victim or privileged. (Acts 17:24-28).

No matter the pigment of one’s skin color, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sins of the past, present, and future. Things that happened in our nation’s past don't have to keep living in the future. We all are from one blood.

Jesus crossed barriers like that to promote the peace that passes all understanding and unites instead of separating into angry camps of division. If you truly desire to know the love of God that bridges all divisions, please read these verses in your spirit.

4} "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5} For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6} For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7} Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8} So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9} But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10} And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." (Romans 8:4-10 KJV).

If you love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, then you should love your neighbor as yourself. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Matthew 22:37-39). There's a difference between disagreeing and shaking the dust off your feet than disagreeing with hatred and violence.

When you disagree with someone who are you representing, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit or Satan and his devil's? Your fruit will always find you out. We can only serve one or the other. Can we blow it at times? Of course.

But I'm speaking about a habitual consistent character showing identity of who we reveal ourselves to be when we are compassionate in our spirit. Like James and John, do you know what manner of spirit you are?

Remember beloved, when others reject or scorn you, you may feel like retaliating. But we must remember that judgment belongs to God, and we must not expect him to use his power to carry out personal vendettas.

If you love God, then love people. The next time you're involved in a very heated protest, why not set up a prayer area away from the wild freckus of cursing, name calling, and shouting hatred words and invite people to pray.

Some people might join you. You'll then be able to tell who the real peacemakers are from both sides. This much I do know, Jesus loves his creation and his heart aches for people to turn to him before his return and grace runs out.

Jesus is concerned with every aspect of your life, the physical as well as the spiritual. When Jesus meets a need, he provides abundantly and extravagantly. James and John found out Jesus did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them.

This starts from the womb to the tomb. It's not his will that any should perish. If you desire to know the love of God and produce the love of God in action, please read (1 John 4:1-21). Read these verses twice.

After reading these verses, your homework assignment (without going back to read) is to count how many times the word "Love" is in that chapter. After writing down your number, pray and ask God to spiritually plant them deep in the soil of your heart and soul.

Now you know what spirit you are.


🛐 Here’s a prayer you can pray to be in the right spirit. "Heavenly Father, thank you for today's alive message. Lord, with my soul I have desired you today. I have sought after you from my spirit. Please renew my mind, Lord.

Sometimes I'm exhausted and burnt out from carrying the heavy burdens of life. I confess that I have let daily distractions and worries distance me from your presence. Please forgive me, cleanse my heart, renew a steadfast spirit in me.

Jesus I'm asking for a fresh outpouring and filling of your Holy Spirit today. Wash over me with your living water to drain away my anxiety and despair. Replace my fatigue with your deep-rooted joy and clarity to my mind.

Give me the grace to let go of past regrets and step into the fresh start you are springing up right now. Strengthen my inner being so I can walk closely with you and bear good fruit. In you, Lord, I'm victorious.

I surrender the weight of my week and my anxieties to you. Lord, search my heart, renew my weary spirit, and give me the wisdom to walk in your truth. Order my steps. Keep my eyes fixed on you. In Jesus' name, Amen."


❤ "If you would like to know Jesus as your Savior, please read the drop-down page entitled "How to know Jesus."


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