MAKE ALLOWANCE, GET RID OF, OVERLOOK?

 

September 18, 2024

 

Ephesians 4:31

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.  Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you”.

Colossians 3:13

… make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.

Proverbs 19:11

A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”

 

On Monday we began by discussing that forgiving one another means letting go of our resentment toward others. We looked at Colossians 3:13 which says to “make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.” We also read together Ephesians 4:31, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” The Bible’s call to forgiveness has its foundation in the grace of Jesus toward us.

Yesterday, we tried to clarify some misconceptions regarding forgiveness, saying that for forgiveness to be authentic we must be honest about the impact of hurt or unkindness toward us. In this we recognized that forgiveness is a process that has a worthwhile payoff for us.

Today, lets think about forgiveness and boundaries. Colossians 3:13 says, “forgive anyone who offends you.” So, forgiving one another is unlimited, has no boundaries. The word “offends” refers to any complaint against you (right or wrong), sin against you, or wrong against you. When you are offended by someone you are to forgive them. 

This teaching is not just a New Testament teaching, in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament in Proverbs 19:11 we encounter a similar teaching which says, “a person’s wisdom yields patience;
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.” So, overlooking an offense is immediately forgiving an offense. It is to your glory to overlook an offense, and it is to your dishonour to hold on to an offense. Let it go, says Proverbs 19. Do not isolate this verse from the other verses and thoughts we have looked at, see forgiveness in its broader context.

We live in a fallen world. In a world that is not the way it is supposed to be, we are going to have parents, spouse, children, friends, coworkers, bosses, coaches, teachers, students, and strangers say things and do things that are going to offend you and insult you throughout your entire life. We need to learn how to process and deal with being offended or insulted, if we don’t, we will be bound or trapped in our own prison of holding grudges, being bitter, and being angry at people all our life. I believe the outcome of this is that we will become someone we don’t want to be.

The Bible’s teaching says forgiving one another is to be unlimited. Our forgiveness toward others is unlimited in three aspects. Our forgiveness has no limits in regard to the person, offense, and the amount. Colossians 3:13 says, “Forgive anyone who offends you”.

The Bible calls us to live a life characterized by a constant flow of forgiveness.

Jesus made it clear in Luke 17:4, "Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them." (see also Matthew 18:21-35).



LET US PRAY

“Father, only You understand how much I’ve been hurt by this person. I don’t want to carry the pain for another second. I don’t want to be a bitter person. But I need Your Grace and the Power of the Cross to release my hurt and to forgive those who’ve hurt me. This is the turning point. First, I need to experience Your forgiveness.

You know all the ways I’ve hurt others, and I’m so sorry for my sins. Jesus, thank you for dying for me. I accept Your grace and forgiveness, and I need it daily. Today I’m turning to You, and I’m choosing to forgive the way you have forgiven me. Every time the memory comes back, I’ll forgive that person again until the pain is gone. Heal my heart with Your grace. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

(Prayer published by Rick Warren)

 

BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED

 

September 17, 2024

Ephesians 4:32 

 “Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ as forgiven you” 

So Yesterday we mentioned that forgiveness is a process. While the Bible calls us to forgive each other and emphasizes that the forgiveness we have received through God's grace in Jesus is our example for this. Asking for forgiveness or extending forgiveness to another can be a hard journey. Being hurt, or lied to by someone you trusted can run very deep within us. So when we say that the bible tells us to forgive those who have scarred us, that is an uncomfortable teaching. Maybe yesterday as you read the Bible passages you felt this lump in your stomach, this wall going up, or found yourself saying "You don't know what happened to me." 

To further our understanding of forgiveness, it's crucial to address common misconceptions about what forgiveness does not entail. The following are some thoughts that I have have found of great help in my life.

Forgiveness is not denying, approving, or diminishing the wrong that was committed against you. Acknowledging the true extent of the wrong done to you is crucial if you seek sincere forgiveness. It's not about claiming you're okay, downplaying the issue, or pretending you've moved on because it's in the past. To forgive is to recognize that the person's actions were wrong and unacceptable to you, and that it matters greatly. Forgiveness isn't about condoning their actions; it's about not letting their actions consume your heart.

Forgiveness is not enabling continued wrongdoing. While Jesus teaches us that forgiveness ought to be extended many times, Matthew 18:21-22 "Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times." (see also, Luke 17:3-4). Forgiveness should be granted in a way that does not condone or facilitate further harm or violation by the individual. Forgiveness does not equate to permission for repeated offenses. That's why above we mentioned that downplaying an offense is an unhealthy approach as it lifts the accountability off the shoulders of an offender.

This leads to this thought that Forgiveness is not forgetting about what was committed against you. I think that is actually impossible to completely forget such things. You are not going to forget about some pain, abuse, or violation that was made against you. Just because you still remember and the memory still hurts, does not mean you are walking in unforgiveness. Just because you still remember and the memory still hurts, does not mean you are walking in unforgiveness. Yes, I wrote the previous sentence twice in hoping we all take that in. Remembering an offense may be more of an indication that you are still hurting or grieving over the hurt. In the Bible when God says, “Their sin I will remember no more,” I do not believe that it means that He has no memory, but rather that He chooses not to bring it up or keep it in the forefront of His thinking. He does not hold it against them anymore. You can forgive someone and still feel hurt by the offense but not hold it against the person.

Forgiveness is not a one-time event. Those who have been hurt and wounded will have seasons when they feel the pain of past hurts and have to forgive their offenders yet again. A thought, a smell, a picture, a sound, or word, a situation can trigger an emotional response and maybe rekindle the bitterness you once had. Even if the person is out of your life, you still may have to forgive that person in your heart again.

Forgiveness is not reconciliation. Forgiveness is you forgiving the offender. Repentance is the offender asking for forgiveness and to stop doing the offensive actions. Reconciliation is when both forgiveness by the sufferer and repentance by the offender meet. Sometimes, reconciliation requires time, a lot of time especially when trust has been violated.

Forgiveness is not neglecting justice. If a crime has been committed against you, you can forgive the criminal and call the police to arrest him or her at the same time. Just because you forgive someone does not mean that they do not need to face the consequences of their actions. 

Without forgiveness our life will be controlled by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation that is why Jesus invites us into a space of forgiveness. There is healing in that space but it can be a tough space to be, and we will need the powerful activity of God's Spirit to help us through. Guess what? That is exactly what we are promised in the word of God.  "I will heal your wounds," declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 30:17)

Let Go?

 

September 16, 2024

Colossians 3:13

“Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others”

Over the next few days let us consider the importance and power of forgiveness. Everyone that is reading this is either needing to forgive someone or will need to forgive someone or needing forgiveness from someone else. I believe we can all acknowledge that in our living people are going to be unkind, impolite, and sometimes rude. Some of us have been mistreated and hurt. For sure, some things in our life should not have been said or happened, but they did happen and they were said. Here is an uncomfortable truth, without forgiveness our life will be controlled by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation. It is our natural inclination to respond to unkindness or being wronged with an attitude of “payback.” Yet, deep down in our spirit we know that for our personal and spiritual growth and peace we must learn to be forgivers of individuals that we encounter and experience in our day to day. This week as we continue our One-Anothering series we will focus on forgiving one another.

The Bible has many instructions and examples about forgiveness, and the Bible also includes warnings about being unforgiving. I want to share two of the teachings with you today.


The first is Ephesians 4:31, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. (32) Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (NLT). When you start forgiving others you will discover that the bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander toward the person begins to melt away. That is why we said above that being forgiving is important for our personal spiritual growth and peace. Please note I said when we take the first step toward forgiveness that our resentment or unforgiveness begins to melt away. There is a process to forgiveness and we need to recognize that.

The second statement about forgiveness you need to see and the one we will focus most of our attention on today is Colossians 3:13 which says, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (NLT).

I want us to unpack Colossians 3:13 and examine some key truths and principles about forgiveness.

First, forgiving one another is letting go of our resentment toward others. Colossians 3:13 says we are to “forgive.” You are told to “make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you” (NLT). The word “forgive” (aphiemi) literally means to let loose, release, or let go of something. For example, if you take out a loan from a bank, you are in debt to that bank, but if that bank were to forgive you of your debt they are letting go of that debt, they are releasing you from paying them back. They are forgiving you of that debt.

When someone sins against you: they lie to you or about you, they break a promise or vow they made to you, they steal from you, they hurt or violate you in some way, they were rude to you, they offended you… they sinned against you in some way. If you are not careful you will begin to hold a grudge against them and you will feel like they owe you something. This grudge shows up in the form of resentment, bitterness, and anger. 

To forgive someone is to let go of the grudge, let loose of the offense, and to not hold them in debt for what they said or did. You are releasing them from the debt of sin against you. You are letting go of the resentment and grudge you have against them. This is why Jesus said, “But when you are praying first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against…” (Mark 11:25, NLT). Stop holding the grudge and let it go. You let it go with forgiveness.

A second principle we encounter is that forgiving one another is based on Jesus forgiving you. Look again at Colossians 3:13, “Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (NLT). Our motivation to forgive others is based on Jesus love and forgiveness toward us. This is significant. What we tend to do is forgive people based on what they say or don’t say, do or don’t do. For example, if they apologize or ask for forgiveness, but it doesn’t seem genuine or real enough we hold back forgiving them. Our forgiveness is based on whether or not we see enough humbleness, remorse, or regret. (at least that has been my struggle)

The truth and reality of this verse in Colossians 3, is very uncomfortable for us to hear, because it states that we are to forgive people because the Lord forgave us. Forgiveness, according to the Bible, is not conditional on the character or actions of the other person.

This concept is repeated in Ephesians 4:32 where it says, “Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ as forgiven you” (NLT). I think one of the signs that you have truly forgiven someone and let the grudge and resentment go is when you can treat that person with kindness and tenderness.

In the days ahead we will dig a little deeper into this. For today, I wonder if the following questions may be a good exercise for us as we think of One-Anothering by “forgiving one another.”



1. Who do you need to forgive? Who has hurt you? Who lied to you? Deceived you? Violated you and your trust?



“When you forgive someone you set a prisoner free… and that prisoner is you.”



2. Who do you need to ask forgiveness from? Who have you hurt? Lied to you or lied about? Have you violated someone? Have you misused someone’s trust? 

It takes courage to ask for forgiveness. You can do it. God supports you on this.

 

BUILDING UP

 

September 13, 2024

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O most high; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night . . . For you, O Lord have made me glad by your work. Amen.     (Psalm 92:1-2, 4)

I Peter 4:5

 “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.”

Serving one another involves a selfless attitude. To repeat our verse again 1 Peter 4:5 tells us, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (NLT). See our spiritual gift isn't just for personal delight; it's meant for spiritual service (1 Cor. 12:7). While we do find joy in employing our gift to help others, its main purpose is to fulfill the role God has crafted for each of us within His kingdom.

Using your spiritual gift to serve others does several things: Using your gift reveals the presence of God. Listen to 1 Corinthians 12:7, “A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial” (HCSB). When we use our gift to serve others it is a demonstration of God's presence in that situation. Isn't that powerful, and overwhelming?  Listen to how this Bible translation explains it, “Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits” (The Message, 1 Cor. 12:7). It may be beneficial to consider using our Spiritual Gift from this perspective: when you teach others through the gift of teaching, you reflect God as a teacher. When you offer encouragement with the gift of encouragement, you portray God as an encourager. When you demonstrate kindness with the gift of kindness, you reveal God as kindhearted and full of good will.

Utilizing your spiritual gift strengthens fellow believers. Consider 1 Corinthians 12:7 once more, which states, “A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial” (HCSB). The term 'beneficial' encompasses strengthening, supporting, aiding, being useful, and building up.

Here's an illustration of how spiritual gifts can impact a person's life. Imagine an individual with the gift of evangelism guiding someone to a faith in Jesus. This new believer then joins an ALPHA or Bible Study Group, there they take in the Gospel's message from someone graced with the gift of teaching. As this person matures in faith, they faces challenges and becomes disheartened, normal stuff right. But then, a person with the gift of encouragement steps in, offering the precise words needed to rekindle the individual's determination to follow Jesus. This journey of spiritual growth is sustained by the diverse gifts of different individuals playing a role in his life. That's what it means to be the body of Christ, that's what it means when we say "we are in this together." 

LET US PRAY

Make me a channel of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love;
where there is injury, your healing power,
and where there’s doubt, true faith in you.

Make me a channel of your peace:
where there’s despair in life let me bring hope;
Where there is darkness, only light,
and where there’s sadness, ever joy.

O, Spirit, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace:
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
in giving to all that we receive,
and in dying that we’re born to eternal life. Amen.

Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi

USE IT WELL

 

September 12, 2024

1 Peter 4:5

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another”

Serving one another involves excellence. 1 Peter 4:5 says, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (NLT). God has bestowed upon us spiritual gift(s), and it's His desire for each of us to utilize that gift effectively. 

To use your gift effectively, there are some recommendations I'd like to share.


Discover your spiritual gift. How do you do that?

Start by exploring what the Scriptures reveal about spiritual gifts. Engage in ministry work and take note of your strengths and passions. Your spiritual gifts will become clearer as you participate in various ministries. Talking with fellow believers who are knowledgeable about spiritual gifts can provide insight into your own gifts as they observe your contributions. Do not limit yourself to one experience of ministry, and don't be hard on yourself if you try something and it just doesn't seem like a fit. Prayerfully ask God to reveal your place and purpose in Kingdom work. 


Develop and deploy your spiritual gift. In other words, once you have discovered your spiritual gift use it. Do something with it. You might discover that your gift is hospitality, but you may wonder where to start to use that gift. One approach to unpacking your gifts is to learn from others with the same gift. Serve along side of them and apply whatever you witness in them to help you effectively use your gift in hospitality, or whatever your gift is. 

Whatever your spiritual gift is, discover it, develop it, then use it faithfully. Why? Because, as the Apostle Paul taught, we are the body of Christ, and the body of Christ, the Christian Community, the Church needs our gifts to be whole as God intends. 

I believe, the Apsotle Paul explains it much better than I ever could in I Corithians 12:12-27. Read the following slowly, don't rush through it, take in the beauty of this description of Spiritual Gifts and the body of Christ.

12 There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ. 13 We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. 14 So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts.

15 Suppose the foot says, “I am not a hand. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. 16 And suppose the ear says, “I am not an eye. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? 18 God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be. 19 If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body? 20 As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body.

21 The eye can’t say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 In fact, it is just the opposite. The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we can’t do without. 23 The parts that we think are less important we treat with special honor. The private parts aren’t shown. But they are treated with special care. 24 The parts that can be shown don’t need special care. But God has put together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honor to the parts that didn’t have any. 25 In that way, the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of one another. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy.

27 You are the body of Christ. 

Each one of you is a part of it. 

Thanks be to God. Amen

A RICH VARIETY

 

September 11, 2024

My father, my God, I'm in your hand; may I rejoice above all things in simply being there. Help me to learn what it means to love you with my heart, mind, soul, and strength. Amen.

1 Peter 4:10

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another”

Yesterday in our devotional we looked at the phrase in our verse that tells us that each of us have been the recipient of spiritual gift(s) by God. We placed emphasis on the fact that these gifts are spiritual in nature, and are ours through God's grace. We don't earn them, God purposely by His Holy Spirit gives them to us. Let's explore deeper into the topic of Spiritual Gifts today, expanding on our discussions so far this week. We'll explore the significance of the teaching in our verse that these Spiritual Gifts are "from his great variety of spiritual gifts." 

So, we could say that serving one another involves variety. 1 Peter says, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (NLT). Let’s talk about this variety.

Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 give us two list of spiritual gifts. (I invite you to read them if have the time) Some of those gifts include the gift of service, the gift of teaching, the gift of encouragement, the gift of giving, the gift of leadership, the gift of kindness, the gift of faith, the gift of discernment and a few others. Actually, there are about 20 different gifts listed in Romans and 1 Corinthians. They come in a variety.

Spiritual gifts come in a variety of styles. You can take two believers with the gift of teaching and their style of teaching will be different. You can take two believers with the gift of leadership and their leadership style will be different. You can take two believers with the gift of kindness and their style of kindness will be different.

Spiritual gifts are given for a variety of needs. This is why one believer with the gift of teaching in their style meets the need of group A rather than that group B, but another believer with the gift of teaching in their style meets the need group C. Spiritual gifts are given for a variety of needs. This is why the person with the gift of leadership is designed to lead Group A, but not Group B. But Group B needs this other believer with the gift of leadership to lead them. Variety of needs.

Spiritual gifts serve a multitude of purposes. While they generally share common objectives within the church, each gift also fulfills its distinct role. The gift of teaching imparts God's truth to believers. The gift of encouragement uplifts those who are disheartened. The gift of leadership propels believers onward.

I hope this helps us to recognize that Spiritual Gifts come in "rich variety" and are given by God's full knowledge of each one of us. They are personalized, based on the purpose that God has for us to fulfill. Now this overwhelms me, think about how intimately we are known by our creator!! That our Spirtitual Gifts are given to us based on God's knowledge of you and me. Maybe, that is part of what Psalm 139 means when it says "we are fearfully and wonderfully made." (?) 

LET US PRAY

Lord God, you are the Builder of all things, we are truly blessed by the ministry of your Holy Spirit within us. We are so grateful that through the power of your Holy Spirit, we can walk as children of the light. Your Spirit enables us to live lives of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We thank you that you’ve also given each of us different gifts of the Spirit, so we can serve each other and build up your church. Amen.

GIFTED for SERVICE

 

September 10, 2024

Oh God, you are the giver of all good and perfect gifts and I desire to praise your name for all your goodness to me. Encourage and strengthen me today by your grace and goodness. I want to be yours and yours alone oh God. Amen.

1 Peter 4:10

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another”

It's been my experience when we talk about serving one another we usually jump ahead to the act of service. You know what I mean, a particular need that needs to be addressed, or a person the needs assistance in some way, or some role that needs to be filled in church life. In this sense serving one another becomes task oriented. That's why our verse today, this week, strikes me, because it begins by suggesting that serving one another is connected to gifting. That's interesting don't you think?

Look at our verse, “God has given each of you a gift….” This gifting is referring to spiritual gifts. If you are a Jesus-follower, then you have a spiritual gift. This is also emphasized in 1 Corinthians 12:7 “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other” (NLT). Allow me to share some observations from the Bible regarding our spiritual gifts.

Our spiritual gift is a spiritual ability. Notice the Bible calls these gifts “spiritual”. A spiritual gift is not a physical ability. For example, the person with great athletic ability has been blessed with a physical talent, but running or jumping extremely well is not a spiritual gift. A person who has the ability to play a musical instrument well has been blessed by God with that ability, but it is not a spiritual gift. There is no such thing as the spiritual gift of auto mechanics, swimming, writing, painting or carpentry. Those are physical talents, not spiritual abilities. While physical talents may not be spiritual gifts, they can and should still be utilized to honor God. Spiritual gifts are distinct because they pertain to spiritual and supernatural realms, which is why in the Bible they are referred to as spiritual gifts.

Our spiritual gift is given by God. Notice the Bible says, “God has given” you and me a spiritual gift. 1 Corinthians 12:11 clearly states this, “It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have” (NLT). The Holy Spirit determines and chooses what gift we receive. It is by God's sovereign choice, not by individual decision. The reason God chooses our spiritual gifts is because He knows us, we are his workmanship, his handiwork, created with a purpose, and God alone knows what spiritual gift is best so that we can do the good works He planned in advance for us to do (Eph. 2:10). You need a certain spiritual ability in order to accomplish what He wants you to accomplish in your life.

Our spiritual gift is given to us by grace. Spiritual gifts are not something you earn; they are a testament to grace. They're given freely, not by merit, but through the divine generosity and kindness of God. They should then, be regarded as blessings, graciously bestowed upon us.

This is part of what we said yesterday that we are blessed with a giftedness that makes us the right fit to serve others, and others are gifted in a way that makes them just what we need too. That is why it is important for us to learn about and discover our Spiritual gift(s). We will look closer at this over the next couple days.

LET US PRAY

 Oh God, put your grace into my heart so I may praise your great and glorious name. You have made me, and you send me into the world to do your work. Help me to fulfill the purpose for which I was created, and to show my gratitude and praise by giving myself to your service. Amen

A GOOD PLACE TO START

 

September 9, 2010

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

1 Peter 4:10

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another”

 

Over the next few days in our One-Anothering series we are going to examine what it means to serve one another. When we think about the act of serving, we need to remember that there are two sides to serving. While it’s important that we serve others, it is equally important to let others serve us. “Sister, Brother, let me be your servant let me be as Christ to you, Pray that I would have the grace to let you be my servant too”, we often sing.

I believe God designed us to need others. We need others in our life to help us grow, think, feel, and do what God has called us to do. I wonder if there are people in our life who we are perfectly designed to bless, encourage, and serve. You bring to their table exactly what they need. On the other hand, there are people in our life that are exactly what we need. They bring to our table exactly what we need. That is a good thing for us to ponder today.

Our verse today says that we each have been given a gift that we are to use in the act of serving others. Our key verse this week is this: “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” We want to reflect together about some basic truths in regard to serving others.

Today, let us think about two things.

First, who is there in your network of relationships that you are “exactly what they need”?

Second, who is there in your network of relationships that are “exactly what you need”?

Take some time with this, some introspection might be required. It will be worthwhile I promise. This week as we look at “serving one another” it is my prayer that we would grow in our relationship with God, and others.

 

LET US PRAY

Give me the heart of a servant,
Tender and faithful and true.
Fill me with love, then use me, O Lord,
So that the world can see You. ..

 

 

 

TO WHOM CAN I SHOW KINDNESS?

 September 06, 2024

Galatians 6:10 

"So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, ...."

Our week of Devotions ends with a story I read recently, a true story, I would like to share with you. The author, Jennifer, describes the following event,

I went with our son and daughter to the store to ship some boxes, and I didn’t know then that I wasn’t fine. I felt like the clerk was being aloof and unhelpful, and almost instantaneously — and without empathy — impatience and judgment flashed hot and demanding within me.

And the feeling didn’t repel me; I leaned in.

My tone, an instrument effective in its ability to help and to hurt, switched like a light gone out. It became a twisted comfort–this feeling of power: choosing to be harsh instead of kind.

“You were not nice,” my son tells me when I turn away from the clerk and towards the door. Embarrassment swells in my chest, an icy familiar chill. My first instinct is to defend, reject, and explain. I can feel the wrestling match begin within me, shame feeling like a too-heavy blanket pressing on my chest. Was I unkind? Yeah, and no one deserves unkindness.

Every have an experience like that? After I read Jennifer’s account I was remeinded of something that Mother Teresa said,

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile."

That’s very good advice and teaching don’t you think? “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.”

That does not come naturally to us. (Maybe I should be saying that doesn’t come naturally to me.) Don’t you find that lasting change is difficult, I sure do. That is why we so desperately need prayer, healing, and the Holy Spirit alive in our hearts.

Will you pray with me that the Holy Spirit empowers us to do whatever it takes to get better, day by day, at being the living expressions of God’s kindness: kindness in our faces, kindness in our eyes, kindness in our smiles? Amen.

WE REALLY DO NEED EACH OTHER

 

September 5, 2024

 

Oh Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; … lead me, in your righteousness … let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy … for you bless the righteous, oh Lord; you cover them with favor as with a shield. Amen.

Hebrews 10:24 (New Living Translation)

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works”

Hebrews 10:24 (New International Version)

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Hebrews 10:24 (The Voice)

Let us consider how to inspire each other to greater love and to righteous deeds

Hebrews 10:24 (HCSB)

Let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works.

 

You have perhaps noticed so far this week that motivating one another involves action. Hebrews 10:24 calls to us with this encouragement to action, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works” (NLT). This verse motivates us, I believe, with two actions in mind.

One, we are motivating one another toward acts of love. This type of love (agape) is the unrestricted, unrestrained, and unconditional love that can only come from God working through us. 

Showing “acts of love” is not always easy and that’s why we are encouraged to motivate one another to acts of love. There will be those times when we need to show an act of love toward someone we don’t like and it will be difficult to sacrifice for them. To say that kind word, to help them, to bless them, and to not say what we know will hurt them. We will need to be motivated to do the right thing and sometimes we will need to do the motivating for someone else.

Loving your enemy, your neighbor, or others in general can be challenging, which is why we require mutual encouragement.

Two, we are motivating one another toward good works. Acts of love and good works overlap. Your good works, like helping someone move, leading a Group, buying groceries for the single mom, serving at the Community Dinner, helping your neighbor with his car, providing a meal for a family during a time of loss, etc. These good works not only bless others, but they say a lot about you and the life of Jesus in you. Both love and good deeds are a witness to God's love for all.

Look at 1 Peter 2:12 says, “Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do what is evil, they will, by observing your good works, glorify God on the day of visitation” (HCSB). Even when people speak badly of you, your good works will defend your character and bring glory to God.

We live in a world of the instant, of the minute, of action with a quick payoff, but this Bible verse is calling us to love and good deeds and then to wait to realize the outcome of a character that shows God’s glory, even to our worst critiques. That’s a hard ask, isn’t it? We do not do this waiting thing very well and that is why we need the context of a community of people just like us, who know it is hard to love, and to wait for results, to journey with us and to encourage us, to spur us on, to inspire us toward our calling in Jesus as a faith community to show love through righteous acts and leave the impact to God.

So, together “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” Amen.

Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; said all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed … as he who called you is holy, be yourselves holy in all your conduct.  I Peter 1:13, 15

 LET US PRAY

Jesus, my savior, let your love rule my heart without a rival, for only then can I fulfill my duty and your command of loving you with all my heart, and mind, and soul, and strength and my neighbor as myself. Amen. 

I WILL HOLD THE CHRIST-LIGHT FOR YOU

 

September 4, 2024

I pause, heavenly father, to commune with you. Help me to be still and know that you are God. Ease any tense muscles or strained nerves or wrought-up emotions. Let me be relaxed in body and calm in spirit so that I may be more responsive to your presence. Amen

Roy E. Dickerson in Daily Prayer Companion

 

Hebrews 10:24

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works”

 

Yesterday, we looked at the idea that motiving one another involves concentration on the person we are called to encourage and inspire. Discovering what drives and makes another individual do the things they do,  can help us in our calling to be motivators and to think of ways to fulfill this role in the lives of others for the glory of God.

Today, let us consider that motivating one another involves inspiration. Look again at Hebrews 10:24, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works” (NLT). The word “motivate” (paroxusmos) is a strong word which literally means to sharpen and figuratively speaks of sharpening of one’s mind or to stimulate to do some action.

What does “motivate” look like in your life and mine?

To motivate is to support, encourage and inspire.  One translation of our verse says, “Let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works.”  Consider this concept within the framework of our planning experiences; promoting something means shining a spotlight on it. So, if we are placing the spotlight on acts of love and good works, we are wanting that person to demonstrate love and good works in some way. We are spotlighting their attention on something that we believe will bring joy and blessing to them, as well as, result in growth as God’s servant. To motivate is to promote.

No matter how you look at it, motivating one another is about inspiring each other to live for God by loving others and doing good deeds in Christ name. This, of course, is a response of gratitude for what Jeus has done for us. 

That is the wonderful experience of Christian Community, motivating, encouraging, inspiring, promoting each other to growth and maturity. Sometimes we are the “motivators,” and many times, if you are like me,  we need to be the ones that are inspired by our fellow believers toward “love and good works’!!

LET US PRAY

God, we approach you with open hearts, eager to be embraced by your love. May our hearts and minds overflow with your divine love, extending its reach to those we encounter. Teach us to be generous with our love so it may reach further than we can imagine. May we shine the Christ-Light of your love, illuminating the darkness. Amen.

 

BEING MOTIVATED

 

September 3, 2024

Dear God, let me seek and find you in this place of prayer. May your presence become so clear to me that I will also recognize you in all the places I may be today. Amen

Hebrews 10:24 (New Living Translation)

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works”

The last couple of weeks we have been thinking together about the Bible’s teaching regarding “one-anothering”. We want to continue to look at this biblical theme, and let the “searchlight” of God’s Holy Spirit speak to us and give us understanding so that we can be fine examples of “one-Anothering.”



Today we are focusing our attention on Hebrews 10:24 which says as you just read, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works” (NLT). Acts of love can be challenging and time-consuming, and good deeds may sometimes be emotionally taxing and inconvenient. It's not uncommon to feel weary when loving certain individuals becomes difficult; they may let you down, make poor choices, and seem to take advantage of your kindness. This can lead to a sense of fatigue from continuously showing them love and kindness. Over time, this weariness can extend to a general feeling of exhaustion from loving others and doing good.

This is why the Bible says things like Galatians 6:9, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (NLT). Sometimes doing the right thing, saying the right thing, being kind, forgiving, patient, generous, and loving is hard work. If you haven’t already, you will face a day when you need someone to come along and motivate you to keep “doing what is good.” That’s what I invite us to think about this week as we look at some Biblical principles about motivating one another.


We will start with this, motivating one another involves concentration. The Bible says, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works” (NLT). The term "think" (katanoeo) refers to the act of focusing one's mind on something, to observe or consider with care and attention. It involves studying and examining closely, which requires concentration.

When it comes to effectively motivating others, consider adopting this method that I have found quite beneficial. It's a thoughtful way to become someone who inspires those around them. Reflect on these questions with me.

What motivates her or him?
What are their strengths? What are their weaknesses?
What’s the best way to motivate them?
What discourages them? What encourages them?
Who would be the best person to talk to them?
Why are they not inspired?
How do we inspire them?

With information about the person you are wanting to motivate, you think “of ways” to motivate them.

Talk to them.
Pray for them. Pray with them.
Introduce them to someone who is doing what they need to do.
Do they need something to help them to do what they need to do.

Do not misunderstand what the phrase “let us think of ways” implies. It is really about developing ways or approaches to motivate another believer to experience victory in their life and to grow and experience what God intends for them. 

So, go back over those questions and ask God to speak into your mind and heart who he might have you inspire toward fully experiencing all that God has for them.

LET US PRAY 

God help me to remember that:
We are pilgrims on a journey; we are travelers on the road.
We are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load. Amen.

WORK AT IT WITH ALL YOUR HEART

 

September 2, 2024

Thank you, Lord, for graciously revealing yourself to us in Scripture. The first thing you show us about yourself is that you are the God who created all things. You are a God who worked, and who is working still. May you work in and through my life today. Help me to see all of my work this day as an imitation of your creativity. Amen.



Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Genesis 2:7

Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.



The Bible begins by telling us something about God. The first thing we learn about God is that God worked. He made something. He exercised his creative, visionary, ordering power. Throughout Genesis 1 and 2, We witness God deeply immersed in the act of creation.

“The earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2).

In Genesis 2, we see God working the “dirt” of his creation.

“The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground” (Gen. 2:7).

What occurs to me in the opening chapters of the Bible is that work isn't some "add on" to the biblical story. No, work comes right at the start. In the beginning, God worked.

Created in God’s image (Gen. 1:27), we were designed with work in mind. From the beginning God intended and created human beings to be his partners in the work of bringing creation to fulfillment. God created a perfect world and then entrusted humanity with the task of continuing the work of creation.

“God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth’” (Gen. 1:28a).

You see, the Creating God could have created everything imaginable and filled the earth himself. When we acknowledge this truth of a God who could do it all, I am overwhelmed by the fact that God chose to create humankind to work alongside him to participate in God’s own work.

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it" (Gen. 2:15).

Through our work, God provides food and drink, products and services, knowledge and beauty, organizations and communities, growth and health, and ultimately, praise and glory to Himself. Our work is designed to fulfill God's intentions. It is primarily through our work that we contribute to the greater good, discover meaning in our everyday lives, and leave a lasting impact on the world. We all desire to make a mark on the world, to ensure our lives have significance. This is because we were created with value and sigificance by our loving creator.

There are two words in Hebrew in Genesis 2:15 regarding human calling, avad (“work” or “till”) and shamar (“keep”). These same words are also used to describe our vocation (work) to worship God and keep his commandments. Work done according to God’s purpose is holy

On this Labor Day, I wonder what it might look like if we believed that our work, no matter what we are doing, is fulfilling God’s purpose and is in fact HOLY.

What might the implications for our work be?

How would God go about doing our job?

What values would God bring to it?

What products would God make?

Which people would God serve?

What organizations would God build?

What standards would God use?

In what ways should our work display the God we represent?

Upon completing a task, can we look at the outcomes and feel grateful, thinking, "Thank you, God, for the opportunity to work alongside you in achieving this"?

LET US PRAY

Oh God, put your grace into my heart so I may praise your great and glorious name. You have made me, and you send me into the world to do your work. Assist me to fulfill the purpose of my creation, and to show my praise by giving myself to your service. Amen.