DEVOTION FOR TODAY

The first time I saw the American drama series, How To Get Away With Murder, you can imagine the thoughts that passed through my mind in one minute. Quite frankly, most American movies can teach a whole lot of bad practices. If that were practical, I am sure murder will be too easy to get away with. You know we live in a world where we have laws. Law is a system of rules that are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior. If the institutions are not there, no law will be enforced.
There is something however that can make you live above the law. I am sure you would love that. It is what we know as instructions. Instruction is simply a direction or order detailing how something should be done, operated or assembled. God gives instructions which is also the action or process of teaching. In Luke 6:27-31, Jesus gives us eight instructions on how to treat people the way you want them to treat you. 1. Love your enemies. Enemies are necessary to your purpose and destination in life. Don’t pray for your enemies to die. Love them. 2. Do good to those who hate you. Like it or not, people will hate you for stupid reasons. Don't retaliate. Treat them good because there are people you hate as well. Before they pray you out of existence, do them good. It can change their opinion of you. 3. Bless those who curse you. It's an instruction. Before the curse strays out of your mouth, catch it. Bless instead. 4. Pray for those who use you and despise you. The fact that they use you is a sign you are important. They just despise you because they are not as gifted and gracious as you are. Pray for them to grow up. 5. Turn the left cheek when you are smitten on the right one. For me, it depends on the state of my mind based on the impact of the slap. If the right slap woke up my left brain, may be the left slap will wake up my right brain. Sometimes, that may be what I need to be smarter than them. WARNING: Don't practice this with everyone. It could be dangerous for your health. 6. Give your coat to those who forcefully take your cloak. Don’t struggle with an armed man who wants your bag. It is stupid. Even if you know how to disarm him, you just have to be smarter than him not stupid. 7. Give to everyone who ask of you. That is if you have what they are asking for. You can't give what you don't have. However, you shoot yourself in the leg every time you say I DON'T HAVE when you have. Simply say you are not in the mood or next time. 8. Don’t ask again for your goods from those who took it from you. That they TOOK it implies it was by force. If you didn't let them, they might hurt you. So let them have it. God who gave them to you will restore. Jesus began all these instructions by saying, BUT I SAY TO YOU. If you do these because He said it, you are obeying His instructions and that obligates Him to protect and provide for you all it takes to do them. So just go for the ride. He is in charge. Partner with me to reach 30 million souls in 50 nations this year. Bishop Michael O. Amamieye - www.aggressivefaith.org.