Accept One Another

 

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good and to his edification.

For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on me.”

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.

Romans 15:1-7

We all have our ideas of what right behavior is for a Christian and we base some of this on what the Bible says and some on what we think. We all know people who are Christians who do and say things with which we do not agree. So, what do we do in these cases?

I think what Paul is saying is that we should accept these believers as fellow believers and offer encouragement to them. We need not lecture them regarding their shortcomings because they are most likely aware of where they fall short.

So, rather than criticize each other we are to try to build one another up with the Word of God and by our own witness. When we accept one another we open the door to change in all our lives so that we can be better servants of God.

So, let us all be a little more tolerant of one another in the interest of furthering the work of the Gospel.

God Sympathizes With Us

 

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:15-16

When we struggle with problems and temptations, God does not abandon us.  God is right there with us.  He understands our pain and our feelings of inadequacy. 

In tough times and in all times God offers mercy and grace to help us.

Call on God, He will here your voice and answer. 

When You Have Done What You Can Do

 

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword? … But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

Romans 8:35, 37

What do we do when we think we have done all we can do?

Do we give up in distress or do we give it to God to see what He has planned?

When we give our problems to God, it banishes resignation and hopelessness, and opens us up to receive divine guidance and intervention. God is not limited by human circumstances. God has authority over all things, even that which we consider to be mundane.

The intervention of God may be as small as the electric company's truck breaking down on the way to shut off our electricity or as big as ridding our bodies of disease. There are no limits to God’s power and His love for us.

God loves us and nothing can separate us from Him.

Use The Scripture With Care

He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

Matthew 12:30

I think this is one of the most frequently misused scriptures. It is used to bully opponents into supporting controversial and sometimes immoral actions by implying that seeking answers to lingering questions is somehow hindering progress. The misuse of the words “If you are not for us, you are against us” does nothing to resolve conflict or promote truth. It only serves to make people angry.

And, yes, there are people today who are enemies of the Gospel. And, yes, we need to arm ourselves with the Truth of the Gospel and be prepared to do battle for the souls of men and women who have been misled about the nature of God by telling them about Jesus who loves them.

Remember, Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He comes in love.

God Has Forgiven You

 

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.”

John 18:25

The Apostle Peter was famous for messing up. He was the guy who cut off the Roman soldier’s ear in the garden and who denied Christ three times in one day. Peter was not perfect, but he was forgiven and he became one of the most dynamic evangelists in the world, bringing thousands to know Jesus. So, awe inspiring was Peter’s ministry that he is the model for the Pope of the Catholic Church.

We all mess up. We all sin. We can beat ourselves up for our shortcomings and have a regular pity party. Or, we can ask God’s forgiveness and get on with the mission God has assigned us – to take the Gospel to the world.

Forget your sin because God has forgiven you, and get busy on the rest of the story.

Encouraging Words

 

Take care brethren, that there not be in anyone of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginnings of our assurance firm until the end….

Hebrews 3:12-14

How does a person fall away from God? I don’t think it usually is in one big leap into a life of sin. I think it is by the slow chipping away of their faith.

That is why the Apostle Paul cautions us to keep an eye on our brothers and sisters in the Lord, so that they do not slip away from the living God. And, like wise for ourselves. We know that we look upon ourselves as being pretty good. However, it is the eyes of others who can see those things which may indicate we are moving away from God.

We need not jump all over each other to keep ourselves in check, but rather encourage one another with fellowship and the Word of God, so that we remain faithful until the end.

Roll With It

 

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?

Romans 11:33-34

We love to make plans. We plan our vacations and we plan our career paths. We plan when we want to have a baby or buy a home. Every day we consciously or subconsciously decide what will come next in our life.

We get frustrated when our plans do not work out. What we need to consider is that God is the Master Planner and we cannot possibly know what His plans are or how modifying our plans can put us in line with God’s plans.

Our best bet is to acknowledge that God knows what’s best for His kingdom and what is best for us, and roll with it.