BBD 02.22.13 Mean on Purpose

#1 · February 22, 2013, 4:30 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on February 22, 2013, 4:30 pm
Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>

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Visit the Burning Bush websites:

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www.theburningbush.org

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 170
countries. Celebrating 15 years online since January 31, 1998. Since
June 8, 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth
of God's Word to more than 16,000 subscribers across the world.

You can now leave comments/feedback about the devotionals at
www.theburningbush.net.

There is a translation tool on theburningbush.net website in the top
left hand corner of all of the pages.

The Burning Bush Devotional
There are 16,000 Subscribers to the Email Devotional

02.22.13

Mean on Purpose

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all
men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to
wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the
Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty,
give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his
head.” - Romans 12:18-20 NKJV.

For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the
Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of the living God. - Hebrews 10:30-31.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and
hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who
curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who
spitefully use you and persecute you.” - Matthew 5:43-44.

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in
return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the
Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be
merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. - Luke 6:35-36.

Mark Hussey aka Dogg has been fired! He was fired after he uploaded a
video of himself. Now what terrible, horrible thing has the Dogg done?
He videoed himself being mean on purpose. The Dogg is, no was, a
snowplow driver plowing the streets of Lowell, Massachusetts for a
private contractor. He not only blocked driveways, covered up cars,
but he appeared to enjoy every bit of it. Now Dogg says he was just
doing his job and only made the video after he had been slaving away
for 22 hours straight. But when you hear someone laughing as they undo
the hours of work you have done clearing your driveway, it is a little
irritating! I’m not sure how I would react to something like that. We
don’t have as much snow here, but we are used to neighbors plowing our
driveways and helping us dig out instead of making things worse. It
appears that Mark will have to find another career path now, which at
the age of 47 may be hard to do. Wait, maybe he can go into politics!
His campaign slogan can be: “I‘m the Dogg, and I‘m mean enough to
stand up to those !@%!#! in Washington.” (boston.cbs.local.com
02.22.13)

Most likely every person at some time or another will be on the
receiving end of someone being mean on purpose. How do you cope with
it when it happens to you? The natural human response when someone
does something bad to you, is to lash out in anger toward them. That
anger is unleashed sometimes verbally, sometimes physically and
sometimes in other punishing ways including financial. The Dogg has
experienced a loss of employment as many have lashed out in response
to his meanness.

How should we as Christians respond to those who are less than kind
toward us? Jesus says we are to…love them. Love is probably not what
first came to mind when homeowners in Lowell, Mass. saw their
driveways covered in snow. But Jesus says we should love them. Jesus
goes further by saying that we should bless them. Not only should we
bless them, we are to do good to them. And…we are to pray for them.
Before you completely throw up your hands and say that you can never
do that, try it. In doing what God wants us to do, we can find joy.
God promises, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” Release the anger,
knowing that it is not up to you to lash out at those who have wronged
you. Rejoice that God is going to take care of it for you. By giving
your desire for revenge to the Lord, you will find peace.

In our community, a young man has killed his mother in an apparent
drug related attack. His sister is not seeking revenge and instead is
extending forgiveness. She is praying for her brother and believing
that eventually her brother will come to know Jesus as his Savior.
This young woman has peace. She has peace in the midst of a terrible,
horrible thing. What a powerful witness she has been to all that know
of what has happened. You can have peace too. Choose to react to
meanness with love, blessing, goodness, and prayer.

Copyright © 2013. Ed Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online
since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
Burning Bush Devotional was first sent. Ed Wrather began writing
devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of these first
devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent to
prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

Ed Wrather has retired from pastoring full-time and hopefully will
have more time now to write the devotional and to pursue other
ministry opportunities. If you would like to hear his testimony in
your church or at your event please fill free to make contact. Ed is
also interested in preaching revivals if there is an opportunity to do
so. You can make contact at edwrather@yahoo.com or WratherEd@gmail.com

Prayer Requests: Please continue to pray for Nesha Greer, the
11-year-old girl with stage four osteosarcoma. She is experiencing
much pain. Please continue to pray for my wife, Jeanie. Many prayer
needs are posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request
page. You can also post your prayer requests there (Of course, I am
always in need of prayer - please pray for me.).

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They
may subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-join@welovegod.org

There is a complete devotional archive at the old Burning Bush
website. Here is the URL: www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You can unsubscribe to the pure text version of the devotional by
sending a blank email to burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org and then
respond to the confirmation email.

You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-join@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending
a blank email to burningbushhtml-leave@welovegod.org and then respond
to the confirmation email. If the link does not work, copy and paste
the link.

Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>

TO UNSUBSCRIBE from this devotional send an email to:
burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org and then MUST RESPOND to the
confirmation email.

Visit the Burning Bush websites:

http://www.theburningbush.net
http://www.theburningbush.org

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 170
countries. Celebrating 15 years online since January 31, 1998. Since
June 8, 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth
of God's Word to more than 16,000 subscribers across the world.

You can now leave comments/feedback about the devotionals at
http://www.theburningbush.net.

There is a translation tool on theburningbush.net website in the top
left hand corner of all of the pages.

The Burning Bush Devotional
There are 16,000 Subscribers to the Email Devotional

02.22.13

Mean on Purpose

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all
men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to
wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the
Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty,
give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his
head.” - Romans 12:18-20 NKJV.

For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the
Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of the living God. - Hebrews 10:30-31.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and
hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who
curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who
spitefully use you and persecute you.” - Matthew 5:43-44.

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in
return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the
Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be
merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. - Luke 6:35-36.

Mark Hussey aka Dogg has been fired! He was fired after he uploaded a
video of himself. Now what terrible, horrible thing has the Dogg done?
He videoed himself being mean on purpose. The Dogg is, no was, a
snowplow driver plowing the streets of Lowell, Massachusetts for a
private contractor. He not only blocked driveways, covered up cars,
but he appeared to enjoy every bit of it. Now Dogg says he was just
doing his job and only made the video after he had been slaving away
for 22 hours straight. But when you hear someone laughing as they undo
the hours of work you have done clearing your driveway, it is a little
irritating! I’m not sure how I would react to something like that. We
don’t have as much snow here, but we are used to neighbors plowing our
driveways and helping us dig out instead of making things worse. It
appears that Mark will have to find another career path now, which at
the age of 47 may be hard to do. Wait, maybe he can go into politics!
His campaign slogan can be: “I‘m the Dogg, and I‘m mean enough to
stand up to those !@%!#! in Washington.” (boston.cbs.local.com
02.22.13)

Most likely every person at some time or another will be on the
receiving end of someone being mean on purpose. How do you cope with
it when it happens to you? The natural human response when someone
does something bad to you, is to lash out in anger toward them. That
anger is unleashed sometimes verbally, sometimes physically and
sometimes in other punishing ways including financial. The Dogg has
experienced a loss of employment as many have lashed out in response
to his meanness.

How should we as Christians respond to those who are less than kind
toward us? Jesus says we are to…love them. Love is probably not what
first came to mind when homeowners in Lowell, Mass. saw their
driveways covered in snow. But Jesus says we should love them. Jesus
goes further by saying that we should bless them. Not only should we
bless them, we are to do good to them. And…we are to pray for them.
Before you completely throw up your hands and say that you can never
do that, try it. In doing what God wants us to do, we can find joy.
God promises, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” Release the anger,
knowing that it is not up to you to lash out at those who have wronged
you. Rejoice that God is going to take care of it for you. By giving
your desire for revenge to the Lord, you will find peace.

In our community, a young man has killed his mother in an apparent
drug related attack. His sister is not seeking revenge and instead is
extending forgiveness. She is praying for her brother and believing
that eventually her brother will come to know Jesus as his Savior.
This young woman has peace. She has peace in the midst of a terrible,
horrible thing. What a powerful witness she has been to all that know
of what has happened. You can have peace too. Choose to react to
meanness with love, blessing, goodness, and prayer.

Copyright © 2013. Ed Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online
since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
Burning Bush Devotional was first sent. Ed Wrather began writing
devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of these first
devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent to
prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

Ed Wrather has retired from pastoring full-time and hopefully will
have more time now to write the devotional and to pursue other
ministry opportunities. If you would like to hear his testimony in
your church or at your event please fill free to make contact. Ed is
also interested in preaching revivals if there is an opportunity to do
so. You can make contact at edwrather@yahoo.com or WratherEd@gmail.com

Prayer Requests: Please continue to pray for Nesha Greer, the
11-year-old girl with stage four osteosarcoma. She is experiencing
much pain. Please continue to pray for my wife, Jeanie. Many prayer
needs are posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request
page. You can also post your prayer requests there (Of course, I am
always in need of prayer - please pray for me.).

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They
may subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-join@welovegod.org

There is a complete devotional archive at the old Burning Bush
website. Here is the URL: http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You can unsubscribe to the pure text version of the devotional by
sending a blank email to burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org and then
respond to the confirmation email.

You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-join@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending
a blank email to burningbushhtml-leave@welovegod.org and then respond
to the confirmation email. If the link does not work, copy and paste
the link.