Text: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
8 A time to love, and a time to hate. A time of war, and a time of peace.
Turn the other cheek etc.
Matthew 5:38-48 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.
39 But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine 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 which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Jeremiah prays for destruction of his enemies
Jeremiah 18:20-23 Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
21 Therefore deliver up their children to the famine and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.
22 Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.
23 Yet, Lord, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.
David prays for victory over his enemies
Psalm 35:1-8 Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler and stand up for mine help.
3 Draw out also the spear and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
There are times when we need to pray for God to bring evil and injustice to an end.
Pray for the weak to have deliverance from the strong.
Pray for justice for the innocent.
We must be concerned for the victims of cruelty, oppression and evil.
We have a right to pray for God's protection for victims of evil people. They are appeals to God to administer justice and penalties upon the wicked.
If just retribution is not administered by God or human government, violence and chaos will reign in society.
Vengeance belongs to the Lord.
Pray that God delivers us from all our enemies. Don't do anything about these things unless God directs you. If God directs you to act, act as he directs you.
Jesus gets angry
Matthew 21:12-14 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
8 A time to love, and a time to hate: a time of war, and a time of peace.
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