Can Christ’s love really overcome bitterness and transform even the darkest suffering? We reflect on the life of Jacob DeShazer as a powerful testimony to Jesus’ command in Matthew 5:44, seeing how the gospel turned hatred into forgiveness and enemies into brothers. Captured, tortured, and imprisoned during WWII, DeShazer encountered Christ through Scripture, and the love of Jesus changed his heart from vengeance to compassion. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, he not only forgave his captors but returned to Japan to proclaim salvation, showing us that loving our enemies is possible only because Christ first loved us when we were His enemies.
More Commands
- Abide in Me
- Repent
- Follow Me
- Rejoice
- Let Your Light Shine
- Honor God's Law
- Be Reconciled
- Do Not Lust
- Keep Your Word
- Go the Second Mile
- Love Your Enemies
- Be Perfect
- Practice Secret Disciplines
- Lay Up Treasures
- Seek God's Kingdom
- Judge Not
- Do Not Cast Pearls
- Ask, Seek, and Knock
- Do Unto Others
- Choose the Narrow Way
- Beware of False Prophets
- Pray for Laborers
- Be Wise as Serpents, Harmless as Doves
- Fear Not
- Hear God’s Voice
- Take My Yoke
- Honor Your Parents
- Beware of Leaven
- Deny Yourself
- Despise Not Little Ones
- Go to Offenders
- Beware of Covetousness
- Forgive Offenders
- Honor Marriage
- Be a Servant
- Be a House of Prayer
- Ask in Faith
- Bring in the Poor
- Render to Caesar
- Love the Lord
- Love Your Neighbor
- Take No Thought
- Await My Return
- Take, Eat, and Drink
- Be Born Again
- Keep My Commandments
- Watch and Pray
- Feed My Sheep
- Baptize My Disciples
- Receive God's Power
- Make Disciples
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Gabe Cleator, Host
Gabe Cleator loves Jesus and desires to help others to cultivate an intimate relationship with Him. His years of ministry to young men through the Journey to the Heart program as well as serving with Family Conferences have all been fueled by his desire to see people embrace Christ as the All-Sufficient One. He holds a bachelor's degree in Biblical Ministries and currently serves as the director of the Home Discipleship Network under the ministry of IBLP. His vision as the director is dynamic and focused. He says, “My heart burns to see God's people turn back to a vibrant, living Christianity that has Christ at the center and the Word as the foundation.” In 2021, Gabe released his first book, Always and in Everything, calling God’s people to discover the power of giving thanks in all things. Gabe and his wife, Sara, live in East Texas where they enjoy serving the Lord together. Gabe loves spending time in the great outdoors, especially when it involves taking fishing trips or visiting National Parks. From mountains and canyons, to waterfalls and wildlife, he takes great joy in the fact that his Heavenly Father made all these things!