Count To Ten

A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.

Proverbs 19:11

God loves us and treats us with love. If we are to do this to others, then we need to get the beast of anger under control. Grandma’s idea that we should count to ten before we say anything in anger is a good one. For some of us, counting to twenty or thirty is better yet.

And, as this scripture says, sometimes the best course of action is no action. When we ignore small things that irritate us, we open up the door to minister to those who bug us. Not everyone may be receptive to the Gospel, but everyone is receptive to a break. Just the fact that we do not snap at a person who offends us is a testimony of God’s love.

 

All Those Parties

 

He who receives you receives Me, and He who receives Me receives Him who sent me.

Matthew 10:40

Jesus makes it clear that God goes with us when we set out to preach the Gospel and it encompasses all manner of sharing the love of Jesus and the message of salvation with everyone.

It is Christmas season and we may be invited to parties.  We should not shy away from accepting invitations from those who are not Christians and even those who openly proclaim their unbelief, because we can’t bring them to Jesus if we don’t talk to them. And, if the invitation appears to be for an event which we find objectionable, we can counter with, “Well, I can’t make it, but how about if we have coffee on Tuesday? I’ll buy.”

When we are welcomed by unbelievers, we have an opportunity to share the love of God.

Possible With God

 

But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”

Luke 18:27

For centuries people have tried to explain away the miracle of Jesus’s birth and His ministry. The problem is how do you explain the unexplainable? No matter how deeply they delve into history or how much money is spent, in the end they are left with a choice of one of two things: Either Jesus was a great con man or He was who He said He was, The Son of God.

While we may get frustrated with all the questioning, we need to understand that the questioning has nothing to do with us. Our faith is based upon the truth that God cannot lie and that if God says Jesus is His Son, then Jesus is His Son.

The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.

Yielding the Celebration

 

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:1-3

Sometimes, along with all the holiday parties and celebrating comes bickering among families regarding who will celebrate where and when. And, sadly, this often involves children.

Let us step back and take a look at what we can do to make all this better for our families. Rather than quibble about the celebration, let us declare our decision to forgo fighting for Christmas on Christmas Day and yield to the other side and have our party on another day so that the children get two or three or four celebrations filled with the love and joy that Christmas is all about.

Just so you know, we have done this for years - celebrated with the our children and grandchild on a day other than Christmas.  There is no better feeling than knowing the blessings of family gathering together. 

And, by doing this, we all will have a Merry Christmas.

Get The Job Done

 

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Yes, it is true that we sometimes get tired doing the work of the Lord.  We get discouraged when we don't see the results we want to see, or if we are criticized by people as being foolish.  But that does not detract from the fact we are working for the Lord and following what He has directed us to do.  

Remember we are not working for the approval of people, but to accomplish that which God has called us to do.

So, when only two people show up for your Bible study group, keep teaching and when the church bus won't start, call some people to go pick up people.  

Don't give up.  Give in to God.  Get the job done.

Ask For Prayer

 

Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me….

Romans 15:30

What do you do when something awful happens in your life? What do you do if it is embarrassing? What if it makes you feel ashamed of yourself and your family?

I will tell you what I did when this happened – I hid out. I did not show my face anywhere including at church. I was so worried about what people would say or think that I shortchanged my friends at church by assuming that they would accuse me or gossip about me or snub me, that I walked away from the very people who wanted to comfort me.

I denied myself the blessing of feeling loved and cared for and I denied my friends the opportunity to bless me and my family with their prayers. 

I was wrong. I left myself wallowing in self pity and shame.

We cannot control everything that happens in life, but we can trust God to send people to help us through the hard times. We just need to be open to receive the prayers and love that God will send our way.

God is there for us and God’s servants are there to minister to us. Be bold ask and receive prayers and comfort.

Truth Is Your Friend

 

… And you will know the truth and the truth will make you free….

John 8:31

The bad part about lies is that they are ever changing and evolving because we cannot remember the exact story we tell. When we live a lie, we spend way too much time trying to keep our story consistent. The hype and the spin and the conjecturing are exhausting for us and for those who hear us and try to make sense of our senseless explanation.

The truth, once said is the truth and nothing can change it. The truth brings light and understanding and freedom. When we speak the truth we take control. As much as gossiping lips may try, they cannot alter the truth.

So, what can we do when we are confronted by people who perhaps know things about us which we would rather not have known? We can do one of two things: We can tell the true story, own it and move on, or we can say nothing and let the past be the past. It is up to us. Either way, we choose not to lie.

Truth is your friend. Embrace it.