Just sharing.

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Deal With Conflict by Standing For Good



How do you handle conflict? I realize that many smart people tell us that conflict is a positive thing: it pushes issues to the forefront that would otherwise remain stewing in our internal crock pots.
Let’s first get a Biblical perspective on confrontation…
Let’s start with a Bible verse that addresses conflict, 1 Cor 16:8,9 “But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”

Apostle Paul
When Paul wrote the above verses, he was planning a trip to Corinth, but decided to stay in Ephesus because of the two polarities he was confronting: opportunity and adversaries. For Paul, they were one in the same; the gospel not only produces conflict but flourishes because of adversaries. Paul’s message created quite a stir in Ephesus; because the new believers could not in good conscience continue to support the purchase of silver idols, the silversmiths saw their profits nosedive and therefore organized an angry mob set on doing Paul in. (Acts 19:23-41)

Paul loved it. Was he a masochist? Of course not. He was literally a man on a mission…a mission which produced conflict.
How about you? Do you believe so strongly in anything that you will continue to stand even when standing alone? I am not talking about some martyr complex nor am I suggesting hard headedness for the sake of being hard headed. The opposition is not the issue; the belief is. I would assert that such conviction must be rooted in your very core values, and I would hope that those core values are for good and not evil.
Now, let’s get a perspective from a prominent historical figure…

Winston Churchill
Biographer William Manchester writes about Winston Churchill at a time during WW II when England was weak and ready to collapse, “If anyone is going to rally England, it must be someone who is ruthless for the good. If England is to survive, indeed if civilization is to survive, there must be a man who would rise to face Hitler with a voracity for freedom greater than Hitler’s voracity for evil.” Manchester pauses, then proceeds again with this single sentence, “In London there was such a man.”
Churchill himself said, “No other generation had the opportunity to fight for a foe quite like this. This is not a burden on us. It is a privilege if we understand it. It is our battle – not just ours to win or to lose – but to take. Surrender is not an option.”
Us
I ask again, “How about you? Are you, like Churchill, ruthless for good? Do you have a voracity for good? Is conflict a privilege? Is surrender an option?”
I hope this post has inspired you to be more like the Apostle Paul and Churchill. These two men were so focused on their respective missions that their adversaries, no matter how powerful, were never deterrents. Let’s hereby resolve to focus on the mission God has given us, to stand for my convictions and to stay on task when conflicts arise. I want to be ruthless for good. Don’t you?

 

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Be Grateful for His Gifts of Patience & Endurance At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. Matthew 24:10-13 NIV ________________ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:2-4 KJV ________________ Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Hebrews 10:35-39 KJV ________________ Thanks be unto God for his indescribable gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“He began to wash the disciples’ feet.”

John 13:5

The Lord Jesus loves his people so much, that every day he is still doing for them much that is analogous to washing their soiled feet. Their poorest actions he accepts; their deepest sorrow he feels; their slenderest wish he hears, and their every transgression he forgives. He is still their servant as well as their Friend and Master. He not only performs majestic deeds for them, as wearing the mitre on his brow, and the precious jewels glittering on his breastplate, and standing up to plead for them, but humbly, patiently, he yet goes about among his people with the basin and the towel.

He does this when he puts away from us day by day our constant infirmities and sins. Last night, when you bowed the knee, you mournfully confessed that much of your conduct was not worthy of your profession; and even tonight, you must mourn afresh that you have fallen again into the selfsame folly and sin from which special grace delivered you long ago; and yet Jesus will have great patience with you; he will hear your confession of sin; he will say, “I will, be thou clean”; he will again apply the blood of sprinkling, and speak peace to your conscience, and remove every spot. It is a great act of eternal love when Christ once for all absolves the sinner, and puts him into the family of God; but what condescending patience there is when the Saviour with much long-suffering bears the oft recurring follies of his wayward disciple; day by day, and hour by hour, washing away the multiplied transgressions of his erring but yet beloved child!

To dry up a flood of rebellion is something marvellous, but to endure the constant dropping of repeated offences—to bear with a perpetual trying of patience, this is divine indeed! While we find comfort and peace in our Lord's daily cleansing, its legitimate influence upon us will be to increase our watchfulness, and quicken our desire for holiness. Is it so?

 

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Dads: Four Phrases a Daughter Needs to Hear From You




Dads, we know you love your daughter. And you know you love your daughter. But you might be surprised at much she needs to hear it. In the research with teens and preteens for For Parents Only, I found that these four phrases have a lot more impact than you might think. And as you’ll see, they are especially powerful and important when coming from a father. Use them often!

1. “I love you, sweetheart.” Until she is married, you are the main guy in your daughter’s life. So this gives you a special responsibility: countering the little voice inside the head of most girls (95%) and women (80%) that secretly wonders Am I loveable? Where you as a man probably have a little voice that asks Do I measure up? you might be shocked by how much your daughter doubts whether she is worth being loved and accepted by those around her. And feeling loved by a man is one of the main ways girls tend to look for an answer to that question. So as you hug her, affirm her, and tell her just how loved and loveable she is, it is far less likely she’ll feel the need to go looking for love in all the wrong places.

2. “You’re beautiful.” Just as girls doubt that they are lovable, they really doubt that they are lovely. We women can be really hard on ourselves. We see all our flaws. And every magazine rack your daughter passes screams at her that how she looks is not enough. Your daughter needs to see evidence that she is beautiful, and the most healthy, human evidence of that at this time in her life is getting that verbal affirmation from you. When she comes in dressed for school, tell her she looks great. If you need to ask her to adjust her attire, make sure she knows you think she is beautiful, regardless. Even consider taking her shopping every now and then. She will love seeing you light up when she presents herself in a way that lights her up.

3. “I’m so proud of you.” You like to hear this phrase. Your daughter does, too. The years daughters are living at home, involve lots of hard work, growing, and trying to find their way. We found in the research that all our kids (girls and boys) don’t have a clear roadmap for who they are and how they should handle life, school, relationships and everything else. They often feel like they are flailing around trying to figure it out. And there is an immense relief when a parent says they are proud of them. Whew, I did something right! This is vital from any parent figure, but it is very clear from our interviews and surveys that God has given it a special weight of authority when coming from a father. Don’t skimp on this phrase.

4. “I’m always here for you – even when you make mistakes.” You may not always have to say this out loud (although you should do that too!) but you do need to show it. As noted, our boys and girls won’t always do it right. They will mess up, not work hard enough, make wrong choices, and suffer the consequences. And they need to know that you are there with them through those consequences. This is key for girls and boys, but for a girl, when a father is angry or disappointed and seems to withdraw, she emotionally translates that as if he’s saying, “I don’t love you right now.” That is not at all what you’re saying, but that is what she’s hearing. So when she drives recklessly, despite all your efforts to teach safe driving, let her suffer the consequences of having to go to court – but show her that you will stand beside her throughout it and that you are there for her no matter what.

 

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Grateful for His Promise of Future Blessings! "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:1-3 NIV ________________ By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:9,10,16 KJV ________________ "But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. "He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. Revelation 3:4,5 NASB ________________ Thanks be unto God for his indescribable gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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''She gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.”

Ruth 2:3

Her hap was. Yes, it seemed nothing but an accident, but how divinely was it overruled! Ruth had gone forth with her mother's blessing, under the care of her mother's God, to humble but honourable toil, and the providence of God was guiding her every step. Little did she know that amid the sheaves she would find a husband, that he should make her the joint owner of all those broad acres, and that she a poor foreigner should become one of the progenitors of the great Messiah. God is very good to those who trust in him, and often surprises them with unlooked for blessings.

Little do we know what may happen to us to-morrow, but this sweet fact may cheer us, that no good thing shall be withheld. Chance is banished from the faith of Christians, for they see the hand of God in everything. The trivial events of to-day or to-morrow may involve consequences of the highest importance. O Lord, deal as graciously with thy servants as thou didst with Ruth.

How blessed would it be, if, in wandering in the field of meditation to-night, our hap should be to light upon the place where our next Kinsman will reveal himself to us! O Spirit of God, guide us to him. We would sooner glean in his field than bear away the whole harvest from any other. O for the footsteps of his flock, which may conduct us to the green pastures where he dwells!

This is a weary world when Jesus is away — we could better do without sun and moon that without him — but how divinely fair all things become in the glory of his presence! Our souls know the virtue which dwells in Jesus, and can never be content without him. We will wait in prayer this night until our hap shall be to light on a part of the field belonging to Jesus wherein he will manifest himself to us.

 

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All “Things” Steered Through All (Look for the Design)

227 The wise is one thing, to be acquainted with true judgement, how all things are steered through all.*

So said Heraclitus: the wisest man to live in Ephesus until Saint John moved there. Saint Basil recommends we begin our studies learning from the noble pagans, particularly in terms of virtue. Says the Saint: “Since the life to come is to be attained through virtue, chief attention must be paid to those passages in which virtue is praised. . . .”

Note how oddly this passage is worded. Heraclitus does not say wisdom is one thing or the wise person does one one thing. Instead this short aphorism says (literally) “one thing is the wise.” In another fragment, Heraclitus refers directly to his one god, Zeus, but not here. This one thing is a principal that if followed unites all the wise making them: being acquainted with true judgment. Judgement is choosing: any fool can choose, but the wise choose truly.

The world is always changing and our data is incomplete so true judgment is hard. God alone will possess true judgment fully so God is fully wise. God is by nature true judgment, because God knows all and is good. He never chooses a falsehood or misunderstands. God has by nature the one thing.
The rest of us as we (constantly) change can hope to participate in the one thing and so become one with the wise! In fact, for Heraclitus this may even be stated more strongly: to have true judgement is to participate in the nature of God. This (may be) an early form of theosis, finding our natures, briefly taken to the one thing that we can share with God.

The true judgment for Heraclitus will show how all things are steered through the all (the whole of the physical cosmos). Things in the cosmos are constantly moving, changing, but there is (for Heraclitus) an eternal Logos that steers the change and is himself unchanging: the word comes from the Word. Partly this is the structure (logos) of the cosmos (sustained by Logos) and might form a reason to think science is possible despite the constant changes in the world. There is an under-arching order that never changes, as Kirk* points out in his commentary on the passage, Heraclitus is not just interested, however, in science. His physical cosmos contains logos and this logos is linked to the great Logos (God). The microcosm and the macrocosm (the smallest view of reality and the broadest view) are linked by similar design.

The Word is found in the word. The things in the word are guided by the word and we can know this work if we judge with truth. Yet the human mind can also find God and the Word that governs the word if only for a moment and can be “the wise.”
Saint John transforms this language at the beginning of his Gospel to express a deeper Truth revealed to the Jewish people. The Logos of Heraclitus is not the Logos of John 1, because the Logos of John has revealed Himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ. We need not seek momentary true judgement, but can see God full of grace and truth. The grace sustains us in the Word.

The logos/Logos of Heraclitus was fire/God/beginning, but lacked the personal nature that God revealed to the Jewish people. Heraclitus (may have) provided a language for the Hebrew message to be put into Greek, but the revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ is rooted in the deeper, Hebrew, understanding. What Heraclitus saw dimly, the Jewish people experienced. He looked within and also out at the world, but the good God revealed Himself by coming down in the flesh. He came and helped us judge rightly about ideas such as the one and the many, nature and mind.
Glorious truth!

 

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Joyfully Grateful! Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Ecclesiates 9:7,8 NIV ______________ O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. Psalm 95:1-3 KJV ______________ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6,7 NASB ______________ Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“We are all as an unclean thing.”

Isaiah 64:6

The believer is a new creature, he belongs to a holy generation and a peculiar people — the Spirit of God is in him, and in all respects he is far removed from the natural man; but for all that the Christian is a sinner still. He is so from the imperfection of his nature, and will continue so to the end of his earthly life. The black fingers of sin leave smuts upon our fairest robes. Sin mars our repentance, ere the great Potter has finished it, upon the wheel. Selfishness defiles our tears, and unbelief tampers with our faith. The best thing we ever did apart from the merit of Jesus only swelled the number of our sins; for when we have been most pure in our own sight, yet, like the heavens, we are not pure in God's sight; and as he charged his angels with folly, much more must he charge us with it, even in our most angelic frames of mind.

The song which thrills to heaven, and seeks to emulate seraphic strains, hath human discords in it. The prayer which moves the arm of God is still a bruised and battered prayer, and only moves that arm because the sinless One, the great Mediator, has stepped in to take away the sin of our supplication. The most golden faith or the purest degree of sanctification to which a Christian ever attained on earth, has still so much alloy in it as to be only worthy of the flames, in itself considered. Every night we look in the glass we see a sinner, and had need confess, “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.”

Oh, how precious the blood of Christ to such hearts as ours! How priceless a gift is his perfect righteousness! And how bright the hope of perfect holiness hereafter! Even now, though sin dwells in us, its power is broken. It has no dominion; it is a broken-backed snake; we are in bitter conflict with it, but it is with a vanquished foe that we have to deal. Yet a little while and we shall enter victoriously into the city where nothing defileth.

 

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The Christian View of Work



Work is a good thing, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time, the Bible shows us that God is still working and our working is God’s will.
Working for God
When I was working my way through college, paying as I went, I remember having some of the most difficult jobs of all. One was a janitorial position at an aircraft manufacturing plant that I worked at for over seven years, and prior to that, I worked as a janitor at a public school as I was completing my college degree for another three years. There I was, ten years in all; moping, cleaning, dumping and hauling trash, and scrubbing toilets and urinals. I remember my beloved wife encouraging me by saying, “Any work that is honest work is worthy of honor.” That was so encouraging. I also remember memorizing Ecclesiastes 9:10 as I gained my new “camel knees.” I kept repeating, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”

The Apostle Paul had the correct idea about work, writing, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Col 3:23-24). I wasn’t just cleaning toilets for my employer, although that was true; more so, and on a higher plain, I was working for God and doing it “for the Lord and not for men.” I was “serving the Lord Christ,” and not my employer alone. Even though I had to juggle church activities, family, work, homework, and school, I had a new perspective on work, and I believe it helped me persevere for those ten years. Paul’s fitting conclusion is: “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31).

Not Working
The Bible does not have kind things to say to those who can work but choose not to, especially if they have a family. God’s Word says that “if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim 5:8). Paul also wrote, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need” (Eph 4:28). Honest work, whatever it is, is honorable work. Tragically, our society has judged those who are in some jobs as unworthy or unqualified for other work, ignoring the fact that many are in school as they work, while many others cannot find another job, so to look at a person’s job and determine their human value, worth, or social status is to do great injustice to them. Many a shoe clerk has risen to great heights by cleaning toilets and going to school.

I believe they make the best managers too, having known what it’s like for the new employee. There are also consequences of work or not working diligently. Scripture says, “Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys” (Prov 18:9). This means our lack of work or productivity doesn’t only hurt us, but it hurts others. God ordained work as we read that “the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Gen 2:15), and this was before the fall, so work is not a result of the curse or the fall. Yes, work became more difficult after the fall, or really, as a result of the fall (Gen 3:17-19), but work was the will of God then, and it is the will of God now. This is particularly true if you have a family. If the Apostle Paul were here today, he “would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). That should tell us what God thinks about work and providing for our families.

God at Work
God is still at work today, but sometimes, He uses us as a means to do His work (Matt 25:35-36). All you can do is “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established” (Prov 16:3). By committing our work as unto the Lord, we end up doing it for the Lord (Matt 25:40). When Jesus was accused of working on the Sabbath by healing a man, He “answered them, My Father is working until now, and I am working” (John 5:17), but we cannot think for a moment that we are doing works to be saved (Eph 2:8-9). We must remember that we “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal” (John 6:27). God expected man to keep up the Garden (Gen 2:15), and He expects us to keep working in our own “garden,” wherever that may be and whatever that might include.
Consequences
God can forgive our sins, but we may likely still have to pay for the consequences of our sins. The Proverbs say that “The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor” (Prov 12:24). Those who are diligent at work will do much better than the slothful or lazy worker because people can see the difference. Remaining a lazy or slothful worker may keep a person in forced labor or hard labor for much of their lives, so indeed, “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied” (Prov 13:4).

It is because of their diligence that their supplies or needs are met. Paul’s instructions to the church at Thessalonica were “to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you” (1 Thess 4:11). It’s not really your 401-K or Social Security benefits (if it survives) or a company that you’re working for. It is the Lord Himself. His retirement packages infinitely exceed anything that mankind can offer, so “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Col 3:23-24).

Conclusion
I know a few people who really love their jobs and they feel blessed by God because of it, but even those who work in difficult jobs with low pay and little chance for advancement should realize that they work for God and not primarily a company or person. Solomon understood “that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him” (Eccl 3:22)? People who look at work like they are doing it for the Lord have a completely different perspective on work, and I believe it helps them endure their jobs just a little easier…even if it’s scrubbing toilets.

 

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Give thanks to the LORD Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Psalm 105:1,2 NIV ______________ O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 136:1,2 KJV ______________ "Now consider this, you who forget God, Or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver. "He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God." Psalm 50:22,23 NASB ______________ Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.”

Song of Solomon 5:11

Comparisons all fail to set forth the Lord Jesus, but the spouse uses the best within her reach. By the head of Jesus we may understand his deity, “for the head of Christ is God” and then the ingot of purest gold is the best conceivable metaphor, but all too poor to describe one so precious, so pure, so dear, so glorious. Jesus is not a grain of gold, but a vast globe of it, a priceless mass of treasure such as earth and heaven cannot excel. The creatures are mere iron and clay, they all shall perish like wood, hay, and stubble, but the ever living Head of the creation of God shall shine on for ever and ever. In him is no mixture, nor smallest taint of alloy. He is for ever infinitely holy and altogether divine.

The bushy locks depict his manly vigour. There is nothing effeminate in our Beloved. He is the manliest of men. Bold as a lion, laborious as an ox, swift as an eagle. Every conceivable and inconceivable beauty is to be found in him, though once he was despised and rejected of men.

“His head the finest gold;
With secret sweet perfume,
His curled locks hang all as black
As any raven's plume.”


The glory of his head is not shorn away, he is eternally crowned with peerless majesty. The black hair indicates youthful freshness, for Jesus has the dew of his youth upon him. Others grow languid with age, but he is for ever a Priest as was Melchizedek; others come and go, but he abides as God upon his throne, world without end. We will behold him to-night and adore him. Angels are gazing upon him—his redeemed must not turn away their eyes from him. Where else is there such a Beloved? O for an hour's fellowship with him! Away, ye intruding cares! Jesus draws me, and I run after him.

 

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Four Ways to Experiencing Knowledge



“An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.”
Proverbs 18:15 (ESV)
Just like we exercise our bodies to stay fit — it’s important to exercise our brains by seeking knowledge and applying it to our lives.
When we study the word knowledge in Scripture, we find its root-word, yādaʿ, to know, occurs 944 times in the Bible.[1]The word “knowledge” is found no less than 156 times in the New and Old Testaments and refers to a knowledge that is both experiential and relational.[2]Experiential knowledge is gained when we apply what we’ve learned to our lives. We acquire a much deeper understanding of what we’ve learned when we invest time practicing a newly acquired skill or principle. So, it’s not only important that we consistently engage in “learning” we must also consistently engage in “applying” what we’ve learned.

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-8 (ESV)
Applying what we’ve learned is the final and most important step in Bible Study, a step that is often overlooked. It’s easy to say, “we know” what God’s Word says about a particular topic, yet it can difficult to “apply” what we “know” to our everyday lives.
Consider the following insights from a recent article by the Barna Group:

“Bible reading has become the religious equivalent of sound-bite journalism. When people read the Bible they typically open it, read a brief passage without much regard for the context, and consider the primary thought or feeling that the passage provided. If they are comfortable with it, they accept it; otherwise, they deem it interesting but irrelevant to their life and move on. There is shockingly little growth evident in people’s understanding of the fundamental themes of the scriptures and amazingly little interest in deepening their knowledge and application of biblical principles.”[3]
While the biblical principles we learn from God’s Word are timeless and unchanging, the application of these principles needs to be specific, according to our individual circumstances.
Exercise your courage muscles today by experiencing the knowledge of God as you apply His Word to our life.

1. Choose a book of the Bible to read.
2. Pray: Ask God for wisdom, discernment, and to challenge you through His Word.
3. Observe: Read each passage carefully, asking questions of the text like, Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.
4. Interpret: Look for timeless life lessons you can apply to your life.
5. Apply: Identify changes you need to make by answering the following questions:
6. a) What is God encouraging me to do?
7. b) What can I do today to be obedient to God?
8. c) Will I need someone to hold me accountable?
9. d) How will I regularly apply this lesson throughout the rest of my life?

 

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Grateful to the Great I AM! And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. Exodus 3:13,14 KJV ________________ I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. Isaiah 45:5-7 NIV ________________ Thanks be unto God for his indescribable gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.”

Hosea 13:5

Yes, Lord, thou didst indeed know me in my fallen state, and thou didst even then choose me for thyself. When I was loathsome and self-abhorred, thou didst receive me as thy child, and thou didst satisfy my craving wants. Blessed for ever be thy name for this free, rich, abounding mercy. Since then, my inward experience has often been a wilderness; but thou hast owned me still as thy beloved, and poured streams of love and grace into me to gladden me, and make me fruitful. Yea, when my outward circumstances have been at the worst, and I have wandered in a land of drought, thy sweet presence has solaced me. Men have not known me when scorn has awaited me, but thou hast known my soul in adversities, for no affliction dims the lustre of thy love. Most gracious Lord, I magnify thee for all thy faithfulness to me in trying circumstances, and I deplore that I should at any time have forgotten thee and been exalted in heart, when I have owed all to thy gentleness and love. Have mercy upon thy servant in this thing!

My soul, if Jesus thus acknowledged thee in thy low estate, be sure that thou own both himself and his cause now that thou art in thy prosperity. Be not lifted up by thy worldly successes so as to be ashamed of the truth or of the poor church with which thou hast been associated. Follow Jesus into the wilderness: bear the cross with him when the heat of persecution grows hot. He owned thee, O my soul, in thy poverty and shame—never be so treacherous as to be ashamed of him. O for more shame at the thought of being ashamed of my best Beloved! Jesus, my soul cleaveth to thee.

“I'll turn to thee in days of light,
As well as nights of care,
Thou brightest amid all that's bright!
Thou fairest of the fair!”

 

[beensetfree]

6 Ways to Prevent Resentment From Ruining Your Marriage



There are many issues that lead to the end of a marriage. When partners have hurt feelings, it can be a challenge to forgive, let go, and move on. However, problems in a marriage such ongoing high conflict or lack of sexual intimacy seldom develop overnight or go away on their own.


Resentment is one of the main problems that prevents couples from having a loving, sustainable relationship. It can be tricky because it often masquerades as other emotions — such as boredom and anger — and has the ability to erode the quality of a marriage over time if it’s not dealt with effectively.
Experiencing resentment and anger often go hand in hand and are equally toxic emotions. A person may feel in control — yet they are actually giving up control to others. This is because they may experience a brief period of winning an argument but never take the time to listen to their partner’s point of view or allow themselves to be influenced by them.
6 ways to prevent resentment from ruining your marriage:

1. Express your feelings and be vulnerable in small steps so you can build confidence in being more open with your partner. Discussing minor issues (daily chores) is a great place to start before tackling bigger matters such as finances.
2. Be transparent and communicate about key issues in your relationship. Be sure to be forthcoming about finances, your past, and concerns with a family member, co-workers, children, etc.
3. Take responsibility for your part in the dispute. One person’s ability to do this can change the dynamic of the relationship. Someone literally has to make the first move so join your partner for a cup of tea or glass of wine and start sharing.
4. Say you’re sorry and mean it to your partner when appropriate. This will validate their feelings and allow you both to move on.
5. Show compassion to your partner. Expressing empathy will go a long way to smooth things over – especially after an argument. After he or she has expressed their point of view, saying something like: “I heard you and will consider your perspective.”
6. Always be respectful in your communication. Resentment can build when couples sweep things under the rug, so be vulnerable. Also, and don’t be too critical of your partner, issue ultimatums, or call your him or her a name that has negative connotations. Keep your tone friendly even when you disagree with your partner!

Further, one of the biggest difficulties with ongoing resentment in a marriage is that it often leads to withdrawal. Along with this comes less warmth, loss of love over time, and less fondness and admiration for your partner. However, practicing forgiveness can allow you to move on with your life and to embrace love, trust, and intimacy.

What does forgiveness really mean? What I’ve come to realize is that forgiveness is more of a perspective and a practice rather than about one act. Forgiving is one way of letting go of your old baggage so that you can heal and move on with your life. It’s about giving yourself, your children, and perhaps even your partner, the kind of future you and they deserve – unhampered by hurt and recycled anger. It’s about choosing to live a life wherein others don’t have power over you and you’re not dominated by unresolved anger, bitterness, and resentment.

Forgiveness is a conscious choice and doesn’t mean you condone a person’s actions. It simply means that you are unwilling to give them power over you. Consider this: you can spend your life waiting for someone to apologize or ask for forgiveness, but in the end, it’s better to make a decision to move on with your life and to let go of resentment.

 

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Be Ye Thankful Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. Matthew 14:19,20 NIV ______________ For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. Romans 1:20-22 KJV ______________ Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:16-18 NASB ______________ Thanks be unto God for his indescribable gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away: so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

Matthew 24:39

Universal was the doom, neither rich nor poor escaped: the learned and the illiterate, the admired and the abhorred, the religious and the profane, the old and the young, all sank in one common ruin. Some had doubtless ridiculed the patriarch—where now their merry jests? Others had threatened him for his zeal which they counted madness—where now their boastings and hard speeches? The critic who judged the old man's work is drowned in the same sea which covers his sneering companions. Those who spoke patronizingly of the good man's fidelity to his convictions, but shared not in them, have sunk to rise no more, and the workers who for pay helped to build the wondrous ark, are all lost also. The flood swept them all away, and made no single exception. Even so, out of Christ, final destruction is sure to every man of woman born; no rank, possession, or character, shall suffice to save a single soul who has not believed in the Lord Jesus. My soul, behold this wide-spread judgment and tremble at it.

How marvellous the general apathy! they were all eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, till the awful morning dawned. There was not one wise man upon earth out of the ark. Folly duped the whole race, folly as to self-preservation—the most foolish of all follies. Folly in doubting the most true God—the most malignant of fooleries. Strange, my soul, is it not? All men are negligent of their souls till grace gives them reason, then they leave their madness and act like rational beings, but not till then.

All, blessed be God, were safe in the ark, no ruin entered there. From the huge elephant down to the tiny mouse all were safe. The timid hare was equally secure with the courageous lion, the helpless cony as safe as the laborious ox. All are safe in Jesus. My soul, art thou in him?

 

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Grateful for His Promise of His Inheritance! Grateful for His Promise of His Inheritance! Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Titus 2:13 KJV ------------- Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers? Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. Psalm 94:16-19 NIV ------------- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5 KJV ------------- Thanks be unto God for his indescribable gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

The Benefits of Premarital Counseling



In her recent article for marriage.com, therapist LaWanda N. Evans, LPC, NCC, argues that couples who undergo premarital counseling will have happier and healthier marriages. While not unheard of in our culture today, many couples view working with a counselor as something reserved for marriage and so this practice is not widespread. And ever more, therapy is commonly seen as a route to repairing an already broken marriage.

But rather than waiting until the damage in a relationship is already done, Evans applies the principles and positive effects of couples counseling to premarital relationships, and views the resulting improvements in communication and intimacy as something that will enrich the lives of couples, no matter whether they are married yet or not.
Indeed, Evans outlines a number of prescient points in support of her belief that “premarital counseling is worth the investment and important to the health and longevity of your relationship.” She analyzes myriad triggers that may not arise until after a couple is married, including one or another partners’ views on and experiences with infidelity, domestic violence, a history with childhood abuse, and anger management issues. As with married couples who commit to counseling, the fact is that unmarried couples will benefit greatly from putting everything out on the table sooner rather than later.

What’s more, couples who go through counseling before marriage actually experience benefits unique and specific to unwed couples as well. Rather than waiting until it’s too late, unmarried couples can foster an open, honest and ultimately productive dialogue about expectations prior to making the commitment that marriage entails. This may in fact prevent couples who are incompatible from getting married — and in the end, premarital counseling is sure to improve those well-known and worrying statistics about the prevalence of divorce.

Evans makes clear that the process of premarital counseling arms partners with the tools to communicate more effectively, understand each other’s expectations, and diffuse potential problems before they arise. Well before issues surface as a result of the everyday stresses of life and take their toll on long terms relationships, couples can prepare themselves for conflicts big and small. In other words, an ounce of a prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Whether it’s financial stress, problems around parenting, or something as seemingly simple as they way a couple talks to each other on a daily basis, Evans’ preemptive approach is sure to spell success for a number of unwed couples. The very act of going to counseling signals a positive commitment that will eliminate the unease many people have with revealing themselves — all their flaws, foibles and fears — to a partner, and make marriage an adventure that a couple can go on together with their eyes and their hearts open.