Today's Passage - Hebrews 5:7-8

Hebrews 5:7-8   During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered   The most precious example that Jesus gave us is His submission. When the Lord walked the road to Calvary, He was reluctant to do so. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He cried out three times, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me." According to the flesh, He was not willing, but the Lord did not stop there. He went on to say in those three times, "Yet not as I will, but as you will."   Jesus submitted to the will of God and walked the road of Calvary. When He obeyed, He demonstrated love in action. When the Bible tells us to love, it is not referring to a feeling of love, because it is not possible to feel any love when we face our enemies. If we feel love, that cannot be our enemy. But the Lord gave us an example of love through the act of submission. Although there may be no feeling of love, we can obey God in action and when we do so, our feelings will follow our actions. How do we obey God? Matthew 5:44 says, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. The Lord tells us that in "loving your enemies", God is requesting that we pray for those who persecute us and bless them. When we truly submit under the Lordship of Christ to pray for those who persecute us, the Spirit of God will pour out the love of God into our lives. Loving our enemies is a difficult task and perhaps we really cannot feel love in our hearts. But as we obey the Lord and pray for those who persecute us, the Lord will pour out his love and free us from all bitterness and hatred.   When you come before the Lord, you can also experience the grace of being set free. Do you have some unlovable people in your lives that you find difficult to forgive? All you have to do is to come before the Lord and surrender before Him saying, "Lord, I want to pray for those who persecute me!" When you submit to God, you will experience the power released by the Holy Spirit in your life! Are you willing to pray for those who persecute you?   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, I thank you for your example of submission that allows us to be set free by submitting to you each day. I pray for my brothers and sisters who are trapped in bitterness and hatred. I pray that when they say, "Lord, I submit to you and I am willing to pray for those who persecute me.", Lord you will release your power, and they may experience joy and freedom. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!  Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!