Ask away and let's help each other understand the Word and our Walk better!
UPDATE ON THE ANGER ISSUE:
Wow y'all I am learning so much. I have these set of verses that I read daily and I tell you what, the more I read them, the more they get in my brain and start transforming me from the inside out.
Here is one that really hit me yesterday!
Luke 6:27 "But I say to you(Jesus is speaking) who hear, love your enemies, do good to those hate you."
There are three things I learned from that verse yesterday, that I am going to have to take a lifetime to learn.
1. 'But I say to you who HEAR..' - The first lesson is that we need to be ready to hear. Obviously Jesus knows that there are people who will hear him and some who will not. So, are we listening and ready to hear Him??
2. 'Love your enemies...' - The second lesson is like a one-two punch and I am about to fall on the ground! I live this out, but too often I live out its evil twin: anger. Yesterday, I started pondering this part of the verse and I was overwhelmed with thoughts of how to Love your enemies. I mean, when you really start thinking about situations you really see how tough this part of the verse is. So, we are to love those who persecute us, our family and our children. Oooh, if you know me, I am a mama bear. You don't mess with my family. But, now I am realizing Jesus is telling me to be counter cultural, counter what my flesh and the world wants me to be like and I am like, whoa, wait a minute, this is almost...unnatural. But, I know Jesus is right, for the H0ly Spirit over time let's this verse sit in me, and makes it almost, cozy to me. I have to learn to be like Jesus and if he could do what he did before the cross and during the cross, then I know THROUGH HIM, AND HIM ONLY that I can love my enemies. The question for me is: Will I surrender to Him to let Him teach me and mold me to love my enemies.
3. 'Do good to those hate you...' -Wow, lesson three has me down on the ground for the count. I-chee-wa-wa. Luke 6:32-33 puts this vers in an interesting context: "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same." Wow, Jesus is once again, in the very same verse asking us to be different than the world, especially different from what our flesh wants us to be like. We aren't accomplishing much for the Kingdom of God when we are just doing what sinners do everyday. So, we gotta step it up a notch.
My journey has been awesome so far and my journey has profoundly taken me from showing me how foolish it is to be easily angered, then showing me to do the opposite in my life and be wise and loving towards others, and then the Word has graciously shown me ways I can do good to others.
Here are some ways from the Word of God that you can love and do good to others, that in the process will also remove a spirit of quick temperedness.
A. Proverbs 15:26b -tells us to SPEAK PLEASANT WORDS because they are pure
B. Eccl. 10:4 - Great verse for the workplace : "If the rulers temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because COMPOSURE allays great offenses."
C. Matthew 5:44 'But I say to you, love your enemies and PRAY for those who persecute you.'
D.Luke 6:27 -DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE YOU.
E. Romans 12:20-21 'But if your enemy is hungry, FEED HIM, and if he is thirsty, GIVE HIM A DRINK, for in so doing you will heap buring coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.'
F. Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13 - FORGIVE OTHERS
G. 1 Peter 3:9 - 'Don't return evil for evil, insult for insult. GIVE A BLESSING INSTEAD.'
CHALLENGE:
1. Pick one of the 'good things to do to others' above and let me know how you do on it today or during the week!
2. Ask your question that you may have!
Have a wonderful and blessed day!
NChrist, Susan
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1 Peter 1:6-9
6In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
7so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
8and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
7so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
8and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
Michael and I
Squirrely
Maya
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9 comments:
I don't know one person who doesn't struggle with this issue!
I have heard people often say "I am going to kill them with kindness". I always thought that was a great way to put it until I realized that most of the people saying that spent their time being not so much kind as extremely passive agressive.
DDR next week sounds great. In the evening with none of my kiddos, I presume? I think any night but Friday works. We could go see Gladys and then hang out afterward if you want.
That would be great!Um, Mondays, Friday next week and Sunday are my good evenings. I think Sunday is out for you, because of Group. So, Monday and Friday would be good for me, how 'bout you?
ok, so can I be honest? Yesterdays blog terrified me. I know you said it shouldn't, but I was overwhelmed. So much so that I started asking Andrew (my husband) what if what we have planned for our lives is not meant to be, what if its not God's plan and I got pretty emotional.
I know that I should have faith in God and be happy that he is coming again, but I can't help but feel selfish becuase of the plans I have made for myself.
Does this make sense?
I know I can't live in fear, I just don't know what to do.
So my question is how do I live my life without being scared of not acheving my goals before Christ comes back?
Hebrews 11:1-6 This is the great roll-call of the faithful. I think verse 6 is the theme of the whole chapter...the one big lesson we are to learn. "And without faith it is impossible to please Him...." We are told that we must believe that God is who he says he is and that he rewards those who seek him. Ashleigh's question is a valid one, but it need not frighten you if you don't always make the right decisions. Faith is what is important, not goals. To believe in good times...to still believe when you have questions and doubts. We are imperfect beings who will not always get it right. And sometimes God will give you a task and you will do your very best; but the results may not turn out the way you expected...they will turn out the way God intended. You may never know why it turned out that way....what's most important is that your faith remains solid and that you trust God's plan instead of your own. From experience, my husband and I have learned and continue to learn that God truly does reward those who keep the faith and continue to seek him no matter what the circumstances. My husband belongs in that great roll-call of faith...he has demonstrated unswerving faith over the past few years and has seen his faith rewarded after great testing. I am blessed to be loved by him. On a side note, thanks Susan and Michael, Squirrelly and Maya for the incredibly beautiful and lyrical rendition of "Happy Birthday" you were so thoughtful to leave on my e-mail. It was way better than the musical card which was really great. What a wonderful family I have!!! Okay, I"ll shut up now.
Ash, I totally remember being exactly where you are.
I had one majorly bad night after seeing the second Lord of the Rings movie. The bad guys in the movie really scared me because I likened them to demons. I started thinking about a million different "what ifs".
One of my "what if's" was similar to what you are talking about.
What if I don't get to do what I want to do before it's all over?
It took a loooong time for me to get that question out of my head.
I had to start asking myself about what was could really be greater than eternity with Jesus in Heaven.
I still have days when I wonder if I'll see the girls get married, if I'll know what it feels like to be a grandma, if I'll ever meet my in laws.
I think about how amazing it will feel to have those experiences and then I remind myself that all of them will pale in comparison to Heaven.
Call me any time Ash! I love you SIL!
Ashleigh, we has youth group last night and I am sorry that I did not get to get back to your question. I totally understand how you feel. And Chelle, about the Lord of the Rings Two, Ditto Majorly, but my fear was taken away when Gandalf comes to the resuce! Aw, the Glorious return of Christ!
Okay, Ash, back to your question. In my life, I have had to find contentment in God's plan above the plan I have more my life. I have had to learn to Surrender my plans to Him. Yes, there are things I want and want to see happen one day, but I know that His plan is best. I long to die before Michael or us to die together. I fear, Michael dying first and me being left here on my own. However, this is concern of mine that I have had to cry out to the Lord about and He has answered me and let me know that it would be hard, but I will get through because of Him. We just got done teaching our youth about crying out to God. Being real with God about your concerns, worries, fears, doubts. That we need to be real with Him, wait on Him for the answer or for comfort, then praise Him when He answers and be there for others when they go through similar situations. I have learned to find contentment in God's plan and to know that His Glorious return will be just that, Absolutely Glorious and it will make all my plans pale in comparison! But, to get there, you just need to cry out to God and let Him wrap His arms around you and let Him just mold your dreams into His dreams and to give you a desire for His return that makes you glad instead of fearful. Hope that helps.
By the way Ash, I forgot to tell you. I am so thankful for your honesty! I am so thankful that you read and comment on the blogs and I am honored to see you be honest before us and to watch you grow. You all are amazing blessings to me, and I hope you never forget that:)
Thank you, I think I am feeling a little better about this, I just never thought about in the way I did the other day. I have always dreamed of being a mother and watching my children gorw up and it just hit me that that may never happen. I have been praying constantly about this and asking God to help me part of his plan instead of my plan.
I appreciate that you all are hear for me to talk to. :-D
Hebrews 11: 7-16 The O.T. believers were just amazing. Noah built an ark not knowing what was coming and enduring the ridicule of his neighbors; Abraham left his home country to travel to an undisclosed location; Sarah did not completely give up hope and suffered thru childbirth way beyond the age of child-bearing. None of them understood completely the plan God had...it was a promise that would continue thru all generations. Verse 16 explains the believer's own perception: "they were seeking a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he has prepared a city for them." I feel drawn back to verse 6 that focuses on believing and seeking. Today's believer is just like those of old....we believe, we follow his directions as best we can and in his strength, and we continue to seek his Presence. In doing these things, however imperfectly, God is pleased to accept our imperfections...he is pleased to be known as our God. Hey, Susan, I love the pictures of the "grand-dogs"!!
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