Who believes what we've heard and seen?
   Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?
The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
    a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
    nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
    a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
    We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
    our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
    that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
    that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
    Through his bruises we get healed.
We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.
    We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong,
    on him, on him.

Isaiah 53:1-6 (The Message)

"I promise you that on the day of judgment, everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken."

Matthew 12:36 (CEV)

“I have told you these things,

so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart!

I have overcome the world.”

 John 16:33 (NIV)

"He who guards his mouth and his tongue
keeps himself from calamity."

Proverbs 21:23 (NIV)

"The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need."

Proverbs 23:1 (New Living Translation)

"Many are the plans in a man's heart,

but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

"Listen, my son, to your father's instruction

and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

They will be a garland to grace your head

and a chain to adorn your neck."

Proverbs 1:8-9 (NIV)

"The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."

Isaiah 40:8 (New Living Translation)

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."  John 10:27

Whose voice you listen to and follow, determines what you do and who you are.

Whether you're lying down in bed or watching TV or browsing the internet or chatting with your friends or sitting in class or strolling in the park or even skydiving, you constantly hear different voices. Who do you listen to? Who do you follow?

Others and the world?

"You're not cool because you don't drink and go to wild parties."

"Eooowww, no way she can join us because she doesn't dress and act like us."

"You're good for nothing!"

"I'm better than you."

"Show me the money!"

"If you love me, you'll have sex with me."

"Stay away from us, Jesus freak!"

You're own?

"Nobody loves me."

"Nobody cares."

"I hate my parents!"

"I hate my life!"

"I wish I was dead!"

"I wish I was never born!"

"Nobody tells me what to do!"

"I'm going to fail."

"I'm scared, they might not like me anymore."

Satan?

"Don't trust God, he'll only betray you."

"You are your own boss, don't listen to any of those preachings at church."

"Don't bother about what is right, just do what makes you feel good."

"God doesn't exist."

"Don't mind the feelings of others. What matters is that you're happy."

"It's no use obeying God, he will not reward you for anything you do."

"Give up, God doesn't love you, he doesn't care!"

"There's no more hope, you will never ever going to change."

"Jesus freak!"

God's Word?

"Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Mt 11:29

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jer 21:3

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me," John 10:27,28

"My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Gal 2:20

"See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him." 1 John 3:1

"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven." Mt 10:32-33

"For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly." 2 Tim 3:2-5

HOW TO KNOW GOD

Rom 12:21

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

This verse provides a very simple formula for us to follow if we are to experience and enforce the victory of God in our lives. What is evil? It is anything or anyone that goes against the will of God. What is good? It is doing the will of God. What is the goal of evil? It is to make you evil or to keep you evil! Therefore, by doing good you destroy the power of evil in your life. You break the power of it's chains! To do good is itself the victory.

We should do good no matter what the circumstance. To do good to those who are good to us is relatively easy but the challenge is to be able to do good to those who are bad to us. Repaying bad for bad only proves that you are no different than the other person. It only proves that you are evil. Repaying good for bad proves that you are a true child of God, a Christian, a true follower of Christ.

How do you respond when someone does you wrong? Do you feel the urge to strike back? That's good. You know why? That means you're human and not a tree! What really counts is how you respond, and that is despite of how you feel. It determines whether you are a person who is obedient to God or one who is still in a state of rebellion towards Him.

Make your choice today: do good and LIVE or do EVIL and die.

CHALLENGE: Determine the areas in your life today where you find it hard to respond in a Godly way when someone does wrong to you and ask God with all humility to create a change in you, to transform you into His image and likeness, to be Godly, to do good as He would, to be like Him.

PRAYER: Father, help me to respond with good towards the people who do me wrong. Teach me your ways. I want to follow you and be like you. Teach me how to be a true Christian, showing forth your glory and mercy. Help me to be a channel of your goodness. Give me the courage to do what is right even when it means to go against what's popular, even when I know people who don't know you will hate me all the more. My desire is to obey and do your will. Help me to do good as you want me to and be the overcomer that I was meant to be. Give me faith and courage to do as you command. I know you will never leave me nor forsake me. Be with me Jesus as I live the life of victory that you have given me. Amen.