Thursday... Let's take care of those differences and hurtful memories.

And that is a great way to live.

Paul in Ephesians 4:3 (NLT) says, "Make every effort to keep yourselves united together with peace." It is so hard to live with someone and be in conflict, isn't it? Always remembering something they did especially in your past. Well, making an effort in the here and now can make such a difference in each day and in our futures.

Verse 2 says, "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowances for each other's faults because of your love." That is such a great idea.

The Message says it this way. "I don't want anyone of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline - not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences." What a great idea. And in our homes is a great place for us to start and continue to do, isn't it?

Now later in this chapter Pauls gets practical. In verses 26-27 he writes, "And 'don't sin by letting anger control you.' Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil."

Let's say someone does something to you and you become angry at them. Now if you do nothing about this anger before you go to sleep then it becomes a part of your memory, a hurtful memory but if you forgive them and resolve the conflict before you go to sleep then the Spirit wipes it from your memory. In other words, the devil won't have a foothold in your memories. Even if they haven't asked you to forgive them, just forgive them before you go to sleep. As verse 3 says, "Make every effort to keep yourselves united together with peace."

Verse 27 in the Amplified Bible says, "And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness]."

Verse 32 says, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." He isn't asking you to do something that he hasn't already done to you.

Now this is important for us to see. Yes, someone is bad to you and God will judge them and deal with them but even if you haven't done what they did, you will be by judged by God, held responsible for your reaction to what they did to you. This is so important for us to see.

Remember, "And 'don't sin by letting anger control you.' Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry." And "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowances for each other's faults because of your love." And, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Your being forgiven and forgiving is a big deal with God.

So let's take care of the wrongs done to us by others and not let them become a controlling part of our memories. Let's work it out before we go to sleep so the Spirit can take care of it before it becomes a controlling, painful memory. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

Tuesday... It is so worth it. It really is!

Tuesday... It is so worth it. It really is! Look at this, Proverbs 5:21-23 (CEV) says, "The Lord sees everything, and he watches us closely. Sinners are trapped and caught by their own evil deeds. They get lost and die because of their foolishness and lack of self-control." That is true of so many. Now look at this, Luke 15:1-7 says, "Tax collectors and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus. So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses started grumbling, 'This man is friendly with sinners. He even eats with them.' Then Jesus told them this story: If any of you has 100 sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won't you leave the 99 in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it? And when you find it, you will put it on your shoulder and carry it home. Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, 'Let's celebrate! I've found my lost sheep.' Jesus said, 'In the same way there is mo...

Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do

Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT), "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and the stars you set in place - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do. No, not the fact that I can go out my front door and look out at night at the marvels of the sky. I can do that and it is amazing and it takes my breath away each time I see it. Yes, that is a fact but the reality of who did that and the wisdom and the faith that I have to believe that and to marvel that the one who did that cares about me makes such a difference in how I live my life. Yes, God really does. That is so wonderful for us to believe. And that is why faith and wisdom are so important. Now whatever belief you have at how that marvel happened must also be believed through faith. And the sad thing to me is that more and more people have been taught that there is no God and therefore he did not have a h...

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together!

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together! They really do. And this is what caught my attention this morning as I was reading Proverbs 2. Verse 1 (NRSVUE) says, "My child, if you accept my words and treasure my commands within you." Verse 3 (NIV), "Indeed i f you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, Verse 4, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, Verse 5, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." And verses 9-11, " Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you." There will always be some effort we must do, some ifs for the thens to be realized in our lives. So many of us want to understand without the ifs. But the thens are so worth, so very worth the effort. Verses 5-6 in the Ampli...

Todays Beginning

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