Dearly Beloved,

WHY WOULD YOU CURSE?

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse" (Romans 12:14, NIV).

"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing,
because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing" (1
Peter 3:9, NIV).

As I was sending out my usual prayer wishes for the beginning of the
month by SMS early in the morning on the first day of this month, I
received a call from an unknown person who was mad at me for sending
an SMS to her mobile phone. In spite of introducing myself to her and
explanation, she did not hesitate to rain curses on me because she
received a prayer wish from an unknown person. Even my blessings to
counter her curses could not stop her from the cursing. I later sent
another SMS full of blessings to her, though she did not react to the
second SMS.

The incident made me to wonder: why would one curse another person? It
is understandable if one curses someone or something because of
something bad that the person or thing has done, or something good
that the person or thing did not do. However, to curse because of
something good that comes from an unknown source is unimaginable to
me.

Many biblical injunctions teach against cursing, rather, they instruct
that we should bless people, even people that do bad things to us
(Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:28; Romans 12:14, 19-21; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1
Peter 3:9). Jesus Christ and other early Christians exemplified this
(see Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60; 1 Corinthians 4:12-13; 1 Peter 2:21-23).

There should not be any reason whatsoever for cursing other people.
Even when people do things that deserve your curse, bless them and
leave room for God to judge (see Romans 12:19). You are called to be a
blessing to others (1 Peter 2:21; 3:9). Why would you curse?

In His service,

Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).

NB
Let me use this medium to request again for the mobile phone numbers
of people that want to be receiving prayer wishes/quotes by SMS from
me (if you are not already in the list). Remember to include your
country code if you are not in Nigeria. In addition, if you have given
me your number before and you have not been receiving frequently from
me by SMS, please let me know. God bless you!


--
_________________________
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
+234 805 515 9591
http://www.thewordthruthenet.org/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualdigest2003/

"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will
have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted
in my body, whether by life or by death. FOR TO ME, TO LIVE IS CHRIST
AND TO DIE IS GAIN" (Philippians 1:20-21, NIV).