ONCE UPON A TIME as a new Christian I deeply struggled with this thought: “How can I be a Christian and not like…. not want to have anything to do with him / her?!”
Fill in the blank. I have no doubt satan has also attacked you in this area.

Beloved: in this world we live in the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. satan, however, can only eat your lunch and pop the bag IF you let him.

 

Hebrews 3:14
We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.

 

Firmly to the end: that’s the end of our earthly walk. Our next destination is totally our choice, Heaven or Hell, both real. One is in the future of every person God has and will ever create. In the meantime, there is a Hell to shun: my prayer for all people living, breathing and moving today and in the future until Jesus puts all evil under His feet permanently is they would love, cherish and worship Truth – Truth – also known as – Jesus Christ!

 

John 8:42-44
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

 

My question: “How can I be a Christian and not like…. not want to have anything to do with him / her?!”  has been answered. My holiness – intact. My love for God and man, set firm. My will is only and ever will be: “My will, Father, is Your will! I want only what You want.  And: I don’t want anything You don’t want!”

 

 Selah and forever settled in me. Amen!

 

So Beloved: you too, be at peace. I will give you Scriptures to show you, like Hell and the devil, there are people you need to shun; there are people you need to mark and avoid…

 

As I was just this morning sitting down to write this posting, I sent my son an email and talked about this very subject; not knowing I would post it also…  God is good all the time! And as I was writing I comforted my son; there are people to completely stay away from. Our Father brought this incident to my mind, one I had forgotten about years ago. There is a reason, a very real spiritual reason, why I don’t like some people; why I will have nothing to do with them…

 

2 Timothy 3:1-5
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

 

Selah.

 

And as you read the Scriptures at the end of this “Joy Story” I will confirm the biblical truth (for biblical truth is all that matters) of avoiding certain types of people.

 

My husband had bought me a bike, much to my surprise and delight. I like the coaster bikes! Mine was blue and tan and beautiful. But he had bought it without me, believing it would be right for me… Sadly, it was not and we ended up giving it to someone else. It had been too big, too high for me to be able to safely dismount. I knew how to ride a bike (even though it had been years since I had) and I was certain from the first try I could not keep this bike. Though I did try on many occasions and rode blocks and blocks from my home, I was very uncomfortable (the only time I ever was this way with a bike) and I finally, sadly decided this was not my bike.

 

On one of these occasions a neighbor I did not like saw me riding up me driveway. The driveway is steep and hard enough to get up on any bike; and I was struggling.

 

Now this ‘lady’ had seen me out and about several times and knew I was having difficulties…  And what did she do? This neighbor, this ‘lady’ who never called out before to me from her house called out – AND – called out VERY LOUDLY: “HI! HOW ARE YOU?!”  Friends: this was no coincidence. This was no kind word. This was an orchestrated agenda to cause me to fall! Truly, her shouting at me took me off guard and I chose (remember those words always: I chose) to ignore her, not lose my balance, not fall and not hurt myself!

GOOD LESSON: IGNORE, DON’T LOSE YOUR BALANCE & DON’T GET HURT!

 

Was I imaging this? NO!
Brothers, sisters: remember there are people in this world evil enough to murder their very own babies, born and unborn! satan uses his children in many horrific ways. This was one of them. This evil and very phony greeting could have seriously damaged me… and she knew it! I have never caused harm to this neighbor. In fact when we first moved into our neighborhood and started a Bible study, guess who we invited? A divorced, lonely neighbor who didn’t come.
She had no interest in God…

 

Selah.

 

I chose not to let this ugly woman hurt me. I took this situation to God and even before I asked Him I knew she had done this to try to hurt me. My response? I left her alone. I prayed for her and I told God she tried to hurt me! He knew. He cares. He loves me
and her…

 

As I told my son I tell you: there’s always a reason you don’t like someone; a spiritual reason. There’s always a right answer when you want nothing to do with someone. There is always a spiritual source for everything. Beloved, don’t let satan shame you into getting along with everyone. You cannot on Earth. And you won’t until the Prince of Peace is worshipped and loved by all in His sight and those who reject Him are cast out of His presence! In the meantime share the gospel with whom you can. Love Him more than your very breath and hate evil, don’t participate, don’t hide it and don’t ignore it. There is never a time to call evil good! There is always a time to hate it and love God and His Law, never forgetting: Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law.

 

Matthew 10:11-15
Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting.  If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

 

Selah!

 

SCRIPTURAL TRUTHS FOR THIS “JOY STORY”

 

Psalm 1
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Romans 16:17-18
I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.

 

Romans 12:9-21
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary:

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