Christian Perfection

Thought for the Day

Matthew 5:43-48 You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. (44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you; (45) That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (46) For if you love them which love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same? (47) And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more than others? do not even the publicans so? (48) Be therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

When we think of defining perfection or even someone trying to be perfect, we come away with a much different view of the subject than our Lord does. Most people view perfection in light of not making mistakes or elevating ourselves to a high level of appearance or performance. God places perfection here in the context of how we demonstrate His love to others including our enemies. We are to "be perfect" as "our Father in heaven is perfect". He does this by allowing His sun to shine and His rain to fall on the good and the bad. (v.45) Of course this does not mean that He overlooks sin and allows just anyone into Heaven, but it shows that His compassionate acts as the Creator toward His creation is not limited to just those who treat Him with the honor He is due. If our Father is willing to demonstrate such unbounded compassion, why not us? Why not me? Be perfect; treat others with the kindness the Lord has shown to you!

Application

Find that person who is getting on your last nerve today and show them kindness, not because they deserve it, but because this is what your Father does. This is true perfection!

If you are uncertain of your relationship with God check out the link "How to Know God" at www.fbc301.org.

Praying For Persecuted Christians In Iran

TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran has arrested a number of Christian missionaries in Tehran province and vowed to detain more of them, the provincial governor was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA on Tuesday.

Morteza Tamaddon said "the leaders of this movement have been arrested in Tehran province and more will be arrested in the near future."

He did not give their identities, so it was unclear whether they are foreigners, Iranians or a combination of both.

Nor did he explain what he meant by their belonging to a movement, which he called "deviated" and "corrupt."

He referred to them as "tabshiri," or missionaries, and likened them to the Taliban.

"Just like the Taliban... who have inserted themselves into Islam like a parasite, they have crafted a movement with Britain's backing in the name of Christianity," Tamaddon said.

"But their conspiracy was unveiled quickly and the first blows were delivered to them," he added, without saying what they were allegedly conspiring to do.

"Various kinds of fake, deviated and corrupt cults have sharpened their teeth for our beliefs and one can see their activities among the youth," he said, branding Christian missionaries as an example of "cultural onslaught" against Iran.

Christianity is among the recognised religions in Iran but, under the country's Sharia-based law, renouncing Islam, or apostasy, is punishable by death.

However, some Christian converts have been jailed in recent years and media have reported several crackdowns on "home churches" in predominantly Shiite Muslim Iran.

Christians, Jews and Zoroastrian minorities are free to practise their religion but they are not allowed to proselytise, and their women have to observe the mandatory Islamic dress code in public.

The Lighted Path

Thought for the Day

Proverbs 4:18

(18) But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Several weeks ago Annabeth asked me why God makes us wait until we die to see Heaven. This is a very common thought for us humans. I often wish that the Lord would show me all the details of his plan for me all at once, but this is not the way He works. His plan is reveled gradually, like the way the lights on a car only illuminate what is immediately in front of me. It is as I move into the light that I have that more light is revealed. It shines "more and more" as I move closer to Him. Even when Israel was sent in to conquer the promised land, they were told that God would drive out their enemies from the land "little by little" (Ex 23:29, 30). He does not show us His plan all at once or we would probably become completely overwhelmed.

Application

Walk in the light that God has given you today. Find one thing in His Word to act on today and the next step will become increasingly apparent.

If you are uncertain of your relationship with God check out the link "How to Know God" at www.fbc301.org.