Friday's Proverb...

"Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart."

Proverbs 3:3

QBQ - Is my kindness written deep in my heart?  Does it show from the inside out, as it should?

As we've read all week, our kindness should shine for all to see.  We should wrap ourselves in it, keep it prevalent and visible for all, and never, EVER lose sight of the fact that we show kindness because kindness was shown to us when we did not deserve it.  Stand up for that today!

May He bless you!!!

Kindness... in closing...

"The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness."

Psalm 145:17

We will close on this in the same place we started, with God's amazing kindness.  It says He is "filled" with it, and that everything He does is "righteous."  This, in case you didn't already know, is absolutely correct!

And as followers, we should attempt to follow this, just as we should with everything we have looked into thus far.  Wouldn't it be great to do everything you already will do, and know that it was the right and righteous thing to do, and you did it with kindness?  How much better would you sleep at night knowing you were kind, and not mean or rude or short or any of the other words we use to describe a lack of patient kindness?

I struggle HEAVILY in this area, as my family and friends would attest (if they were being completely honest and not sparing my feelings).  I am quick to respond, usually with a less-than-positive sounding tone.  It is not meant to be unkind, and not intended that way at all, but it "seems" that way to some.  I fight it at home; I fight it at work; I fight it at church; it is my single greatest personality flaw.  And it is one of the key reasons I started this study; I desire to better this in me, and I know that I can, by the strength and grace of God. 

Closing this portion is difficult, as I really enjoy reading about how kind God has been to me.  And then I further enjoy the exercise of putting that same kindness on display for others.  So I will ask that not just today, but from now on, we all keep kindness as a close companion.  Turn to the softer response in all situations, and show God's kindness in you and through you to all you encounter, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Kindness... what not to do...

"As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it."

2 Corinthians 6:1

Have you ever given someone a gift that they just adored?  They had an absolute fit over it, because it was the perfect thing, exactly what they wanted, precisely what they needed.  You could not possibly have done better with this gift for this person on this occasion.  Ever been there?  Better yet, have you ever received that gift?  (Trick question, kids... don't answer that one, because you know you have, as a Christian.)

But have you ever given a gift that was not "all the rage" for the recipient?  The average response, the slow thanks, the confused look upon the face of the person opening it and the silence all add up to the truth that this gift is not what they either expected or wanted... or perhaps they don't realize that they need it.  And so it gets ignored, and your feelings on this matter, in this moment are quite strong.  It's a tad embarrassing, honestly.

We have been given a gift of kindness that we did not deserve.  And I know that I do my fair share and then some of squandering that gift at times, as I show my humanity to others in my reactions and responses.  Do you?  Let's all take a moment today and purposefully not ignore the gift that we have been given.  Make a concerted effort to show kindness today, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Kindness... some more...

"Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."

Colossians 3:12 (Emphasis added)

If this doesn't say it all, then I don't know what will.  We've covered God's kindness to us, and it is vast.  But now we must look to the kindness we need to show to each other, and this verse, I believe, is the best way to discuss that point.

Paul tells the church at Colossae that they must "clothe" themselves in this and other traits.  They literally need to put it on, like a coat, and have it visible and present for all to see.  Equally important is the fact that they must have it wrapped around themselves, ensuring their own emotions and instant reactions and humanity don't hinder the spreading of the Word and the Way.

Think about that for a second: we're always fighting the urges of the flesh.  So cover your flesh, all of it, with kindness and don't let your flesh show to others.  If your flesh cannot get loose to cause the problems, then your problems just might seem a little less frightening.  (I just love the way Paul uses metaphors!)

Take a moment today to reflect on how you can cover your flesh with a cloak of kindness.  Cover up and respond first with the kindness that you show to others.  Some things are still going to agitate the flesh, for certain... but how we respond to those things, and whether we show and use that kindness cloak will determine our effectiveness as witnesses!  Show what you know, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Kindness... continued...

"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins."

Romans 3:23-24

I'm going to be brief again today, because I think that the verse says all that is needed for this point.  Although we should take special note that this particular verse does not say that only a few have fallen short, or that there are some who are not in need of His kindness... it says ALL, which does include you and me. 

Good news side of that, though, is that God is kind.  It says that He gave us "undeserved kindness" by sending Christ to us.  Put simply, this means that we are saved by grace, not works, and there is nothing we could ever do to earn the kindness that has been shown to us by the Father.  And that includes works we do alone and works we come together to perform as a group... we cannot now and never will be able to attain the level of "deserving" His kindness and mercy and love.  Period.

So, as we are to model this kindness to show Christ to others and show the fruit of the Spirit alive in us, I'll ask again today that you find someone who needs kindness, and show it to them.  Please notice, I didn't say someone who "deserves" it, I said someone who "needs" it: that is what happened for us through Christ, not the other way around.  And in showing this kindness, bring honor to the Lord today!

God bless you all!!!

Kindness... from God...

"He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding."

Ephesians 1:7-8

I have attempted to be patient with this next passage, and have found peace in doing so.  Now it is with joy that I can share the depth of the love God has for us in His unyielding kindness.  (You like the throwbacks to the previous fruits there?  All ties together, folks... don't forget that.)

As we move into kindness for our next portion of this study, we should first look at how God is kind to us.  There won't be a ton of extrapolation on this, as it is certainly not necessary when you read things like this passage from Ephesians.  The verse describes Him as being "so rich" in kindness.  Not just rich, but "so rich" in this attribute He shows to us.  His wealth of kindness, to put it another way, overflows onto and into us all (and please understand, when I say all I mean ALL) without ceasing or diminishing... He's that kind.

And given His level of patience, as we discussed in the last portion of that fruit, we are blessed that His patience and kindness work together.  I know plenty of people who are patient, but not kind.  They wait and wait and wait, and when their turn comes to speak or act, malice and vengance is all they portray.  They are not kind.  But God is.

Take a moment today to think about one person you could show more kindness to.  Contact that one person and share a kind word.  And, as we studied in the first part of this conglomerate, be certain you share this kind word with ABSOLUTELY NO EXPECTATIONS AT ALL.  Do it because it's the kind thing to do, look for nothing in return, and honor the Lord in this!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... at peace...

"The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance."

2 Peter 3:9

Yeah... we've been busy talking about how we should be patient, and I tried twice to close this portion of the study but couldn't, and it has to do with the fact that I had not yet discussed how God is patient.  He is patient with us... all of us. 

Have you ever thought about that?  Imagine if one of your friends or family acted towards you the way we all DO (tough to admit, but deep down we all know it's the truth) act towards God a lot of the time.  How would that make you feel?  I'm not gathering a warm and fuzzy vibe over here, and I'm betting the same is true for you.  But God loves us through it, over and over and over and over and over again.  He is patient with us.

We (humanity) were created by Him, for Him, and we turned our back on a simple instruction, and yet His patience held.  We made Him so furious that He washed the planet clean of most, but for the future a faithful few were spared, and His patience held.  We longed and yearned for the Messiah, crying out that God had abandoned us... and we sought idols and false gods, distorting the Law, and His patience held.  We begged for prophets, then cast them out, one by one, as we did not like what they had to say, and His patience held.  We murdered, we coveted, we stole, we lied, we cheated, we openly turned our back on Him to try and make it our own way, and His patience held.  We found His Son, learned from Him, and then crucified Him to keep our status quo, and His patience held.  We heard and saw the resurrected Christ, received the Spirit and converted thousands, but still tried to hide sin in our hearts, and His patience held.  We formed new nations and new governments, all the while patting ourselves on the back for our genius and ingenuity, while only some gave credit to God where it belongs, and His patience held.  We broke vows and promises and covenants and traditions and patterns of faith to assuage our "modern society," and His patience held.  We, the human race in total, are wretched, fickle, faulty, filthy, failed things, and if any one of us were actually in charge, we would call forth another flood and spare no one... except, of course, our own person... but we are not in charge, and His patience still holds.  I'm gonna repeat that last part for you: WE ARE NOT IN CHARGE, AND HIS PATIENCE STILL HOLDS!

Take a moment today to think about how patient God has been with you.  If you are like me, you will probably work your way to tears as you think of all the times you have wronged the One who does no wrong.  It will humble you, as it does me, to realize that we really are less than not capable of even hoping to be beneath unworthy of seeking even the smallest momentary glimpse of His shadow... yet His patience was such that He came back to save us and free us and wash us clean through the death of His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.  So be patient today, more than you have ever been, and honor the Lord in this!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... still...

"May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy..."

Colossians 1:11

I find it personally humorous that I have been unable to post until now today, due to some network issues at my home.  It forced me to have patience with this thought.  And I'm quite glad.

Because in all the round and round we've done on patience and what it means, we have failed to discuss what it brings.  And this segment of a statement from Paul tells us clearly, this practice of patience brings forth strength and power from God himself.

So as I attempt to come to the real close of patience (seriously), I would ask that you all focus on what patience and the increase of it has brought you.  If you feel stonger, recognize that this is a blessing from God, and honor the Lord in using that strength to further His kingdom!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... yet again...

"He must increase, but I must decrease."

John 3:30

Another part of the journey of patience is reminding myself of my place.  I wear a bracelet from the organization "I Am Second" to aid in this practice.  He does, and must continue to come first... always.

The Word tells us so many stories of those who put God and Jesus first, and what outcomes they had.  All of them are amazing, which is why their stories were passed down to us through the centuries, but the thing that is not mentioned is the time leading up to the great story part.  There was patience involved, and the sowing of that patience and focus and dedication allowed for the reaping of greater fruit.  Moses, David, Nehemiah, Ezekiel, Paul, Timothy... Jesus... they all had patience.  We must endeavor to have it, too.

Take a minute today to put yourself in place behind Christ.  Let Him go before you in all things.  Pray before jumping into something.  Focus your heart and mind where they should be.  Dig deep for the patience you need to show true Christ-like calm in all situations, and honor the Lord in this!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... again...

"I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:6

Okay, I know I said I was "closing" yesterday, but I realized last night that in my haste (irony, right!) I forgot to mention a few things.  This one, in particular, is important to say and important to hear... for me, at least.

We must remain patient for the fulfillment of what we are to become.  So many people, myself DEFINITELY included, have this "I wanna be the best thing I'll ever be right now immediately" mentality.  But we miss the point that each step on our journey betters us, because it is God who has laid this path in front of us.  The work begun in us is one that will be carried out, for sure, but we must endeavor to see where we are growing and improving.

The Amplified version says that this work will be brought "to a flourishing finish," and I really dig that translation.  A flourishing finish... like with jazz hands and fireworks and a long power chord with dissonance that resolves at the last moment in a massive fermata!  But we have to actually get there first.  You don't get to that chord and hear it with all its power unless you hear the whole song before it.  Without the progression, it is meaningless.

Take a moment today to reflect on where you are right now.  Look back to see what brought you here, and examine where the Hand of God caused a turn to bring you to this point.  Then know that He will continue, and that you must be patient to allow it to happen.  He said He will do it... so He will.  Believe that, and honor the Lord in this!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... in closing...

"But he who stands firm to the end will be saved."

Matthew 24:13

Patience is so difficult a thing, as we've said, given our world and the freedoms (or trappings) of modern technology.  Everything on earth... well, everything in America, at least... is always all about bigger, better, faster, more, More, MORE!!! 

Let's change that thought process, just for today.  Lets' take a moment, right now, wherever you are and whatever you're doing, to slow down.  Slow down and think of nothing at all.  Slow down to the pace of a crawl, mentally, and focus on nothing for just a few moments.  You will find it quite freeing, I believe.

And after you've done that, realize that we have all we "need" as supplied by God.  Everything else is a "want," and purely of the flesh.  But we are cared for and provided for, just as Jesus said we would be. 

So be patient.  Going faster only increases your propensity to miss warning signs and oncoming traffic.  So be patient.  Speeding gets you a ticket.  So be patient.  Not thinking things through brings more headache, heartache and grief than anything else.  So be patient. 

Encourage your own patience today by encouraging the patience of another.  Stand firm, all the way to the end, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... further...

"You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near."

James 5:8

As we continue to examine patience (and oddly I am feeling like rushing through it in my flesh, but in my spirit I know I need to take heed of the whole process), we have to realize that words like the ones above from James are speaking to us, even today.

And even though we cannot know when the Lord will return, I would not want to be one of those left standing who wasn't ready... so I have to remain vigilant, and be prepared for it to happen at any given moment.  But I must also remember to remain patient, and not overly anxious for the Lord's return, as that creates another problem altogether. 

If one cannot control the anticipation, they may begin to grow overly excitable about things in the world, and they may begin to place deadlines on things and tell people that the end is near... like people have been saying since Jesus' time.  And none of them have been correct.  Not one.  Out of countelss trillions who have been born and have died before us, including those today who claim the world's end is right around the corner, not one has been right so far: betting odds are bad on those folks, I think.  So why would anyone continue trying to make God work on a human schedule?  Patience.

Take time today (because it's Sunday) to think about one aspect of your worship that could use more patience.  Do you rush through prayer?  Do you long for the chorus of a song, ignoring the words in the verse?  Do you wish for only the contemporary songs and ignore the hymns?  Do you pray for the sermon to get to the end point so you can get a donut or some more coffee?  Be patient within your own worship today, and honor the Lord through this!

God bless you all!!!

Sunday's thought...

"He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."

Psalm 23:3b

I had someone ask me if it was me who writes these posts on the blog today, and I was shocked when I answered him.  I said that it is me who strikes the keys of the keyboard, yes... but it is God who pulls the strings of my heart to do so. 

For those of you who, like me, are fanatic musicians and play mutiple instruments, think of it this way: He is the musician, and I am the instrument.  Through me, He makes things happen.  But an instrument cannot play itself... it requires masterful hands to move people through the music.

Focus in prayer today on how you are used as an instrument for God's kingdom.  Some write, some sing, some preach, some teach, some serve and some lead... and some lead by serving, which is especially powerful!  But whatever it is that makes you an instrument for the Musician, honor Him by being ready to be used for what you were born for to the fullest extent of His power!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... Who rewards it...

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."

Hebrews 10:23

If we look back a few days to the characteristics of God, we see that He knows all, sees all, is always present and has all power to do whatever is needed.  And therefore, if He promises us anything at all, it WILL be done.  The thing we need to grasp, though, is that it will happen on His timeline... not ours.

And so patience becomes a NEED in our walk, just as it is in everything.  We have to grow into the understanding that things all happen in sequence, and that we are not now, nor will we ever be, privy to that sequence of events or the timeline surrounding it.  It is not our place to know; it is our place to worship.

The best examples I can think of come from the Old Testament, starting with Moses.  After fleeing Egypt, Moses tended sheep on a hillside for forty years... FORTY YEARS... before he returned to free the people enslaved by the Pharaoh.  He waited, fulfilling his purpose at the present (not lingering in the past or wandering to the future), and then when he was ready (as deemed so by God), he went to accomplish amazing feats that we know about today!  And the second example would come from Ezekiel, in which God tells the prophet that He will keep His covenant and spare a remnant... but it has nothing to do with the people or anything they did.  They don't deserve it at all.  It is because He cannot have His Name questioned, or His faithfulness doubted.  He saves them for His name's sake... because He promised He would do it.

Look deep today and think about how you can be more "unswerving," as the Word says.  Decide on one aspect that you can improve upon, and focus only on that today.  Pray for the strength to share it when the time is right and the Spirit moves, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Patience...

"We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."

Hebrews 6:12

Patience is next in our list of the fruit of the Spirit, and it is possibly the most elusive of all.  Given our extremely mobile and well-connected society, and how much smaller the world has become for all of us, we all expect things to move at our pace.  But, much like with events in the world of recent times, we are not in control of the time clock: God is.

And in the game of life, we have no way of knowing whether this is the first or last quarter, so why stress over whether we are playing forward or point guard?  The place I am in right now is PRECISELY where I am supposed to be, just as it is for you.  So have patience (I say mostly to myself) and know that the best is still yet to come.

Side note: placing earthly, temporal deadlines on Heavenly, eternal concepts is equal to blasphemy.  It is telling God that your idea of when-where-how is better than His.  He knows; we don't; nothing further to discuss on that point.

And ponder on that thought for a moment... things do get better when we calm down and relax and stay patient and focused and faithful.  When we keep our cool, remember Who is in control of all things (ALL THINGS), and remember that we are saved, justified, blessed and covered by the blood of the Lamb, things seem to be less difficult.  Giants grow smaller.  Thunder seems quieter.  Nothing is quite so scary any more.  But it takes patience to see it through.  It takes patience to calm down.  It takes patience to be rational.

Take a moment this evening to ponder on what one thing you could be more patient in.  Whether it is your job, your relationships, your chores, your homework or whatever the case may be, decide on one thing that you will slow down and focus on.  And then DO IT!  And as you patiently approach this topic or task with a fresh perspective, remember that you do this, like everything, to bring glory to God the Father!

God bless you all!!!

Friday's Proverb...

"A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."

Proverbs 14:30

QBQ - How can I ensure my peace outshines everything else?  Does my envy keep me from my peace?

The majority of my problems are all caused by the same culprit: me.  I get in my own way all the time, and I really wish I could figure out how not to.  But if I start to focus on the peace that we have been learning about, and I look for that peace specifically, I may see the higher road! 

Take time today to focus on your own inner peace, let it muzzle the envy you have, and honor the Lord in doing so.

May He bless you!!!

Peace... in closing...

"Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Romans 5:1

We are justified.  I will say that again for you: we are justified.  And this justification, as Paul tells us, comes not through the simple ramblings of our own insignificant thoughts and wishes, but rather from our Heavenly Father and our Savior.  And we have peace with God.

Since we are all born sinners, and God hates sin and cannot look upon it, to have peace with God is a pretty awesome thing, don't you think?  Jesus washes us clean, allows us that peace with the Father, and justifies our very existence as children of God. 

And here comes the tricky part that all saved Christians must understand and never, ever forget... if Jesus justified you once, it never has to be done again.  If you ask for it to be done again, you ask Christ to climb back on the cross, because apparently the first time wasn't enough.  Assuming that you or anyone else is not competely justified, and therefore at peace with the Father for all eternity, is the same as questioning the power of the Almighty.  Don't be that believer... please.

Take a moment today to reflect on the peace that Christ has given to us, and the price of that peace that He willingly paid for all mankind.  And yes, that does include YOU, and all you've done and all you will do in the future.  Honor His sacrifice by accepting that peace into yourself completely, and living it out for all those around you to see.  Show the most powerful witness you ever could, by being the expectation... not the exception.

God bless you all!!!

Peace... the salutation...

"Grace to you, and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ."

Paul... a bunch of places

I don't mean to make light of such powerful words, so please do not think there is any hint of disrespect to the man Paul or to his customary greeting and salutation... but he honestly used it at the top and bottom of every letter he wrote.

And given who Paul was and who he became, it is especially powerful that he would understand so very deeply that peace needs to be offered at the beginning and end of everything. And it should be this way because before us (meaning, before creation), there was only God. I imagine that was a pretty peaceful time. And after us, when we arrive in Heaven to worship the Creator for all eternity, and all pain and strife are gone... that will be fairly peaceful, as well, I would assume. So Paul starts and ends in godly fashion, and we should pay careful attention to do the same.

For those of you who know me personally and exchange emails with me frequently, you know that I close my own messages by praying "grace and peace to you and yours" to whomever I am sending. I do this as a personal reminder that I need to shed grace and pray peace on all people... ALL PEOPLE... that I encounter. We all should have a level of focus and dedication, mirroring Paul, to the positive encouragement and uplifting of others through peace.

Take a moment today and think about how you can "increase the peace," as it were, in your own outlook on life. The only person you can control is you, and you should, as Ghandi said, "be the change you wish to see in the world." So be that today! Shed peace on someone... on everyone you meet today. Do it in spirit, in action or in speech, and do it with the grace that IS afforded to you in all circumstances as a saved Christian. The feeling you get will blow you away!

And, as always, grace and peace to you and yours, brothers and sisters.

God bless you all!!!

Peace... prayed over us all...

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Peace is already granted unto us. And then Paul shares the greatest thought one could ever share with another believer. He prays that God would wash us clean, because He is the God of peace. And it is peace that will cleanse us and keep us pure.

Peace, as we said earlier, is one of those things we all yearn for. Some are militant in their chase for it, believing that once all opposition is ended, peace will naturally occur. But this is not true, as seen by many centuries of one king rising and taking the war away, only for another uprising to come later because of the growth of corruption within the once-fair kingdom that supported peace. Why does this happen? Simple: people are involved.

Others are passive in their approach, believing that if they are at peace, they will bring peace. True, to some extent, but the problem still exists that people are invloved in the equation, and we are (ALL OF US) wretched and fickle things, with no constancy about anything in our natural design. We simply are not built to be that good.

But the best way to achieve this, in my humble opinion, is to turn it over to God, as Paul did. Speak the words with purpose, and share them openly. And recognize that the only way to peace is from two directions that are not natural... from within and from above. God brings peace, not man. Having God and Christ makes the impossible things into possible goals. This is the only way it works.

Take a moment today to pray peace over someone. Meditate on this verse, and then designate a person to pray over with these amazing words. Think about how completely peace cleanses, as the verse explains, and look for that cleanliness in that person when you see them next. It'll bless ya!

God bless you all!!!

Peace...

"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful."

John 14:27

Peace. Peace is defined as the freedom from disturbance, or a state of quiet and tranquility. And if earth defines it as such a calming thing, just imagine how powerful it truly is when Jesus gives us His peace! And it is peace that resides in our hearts, and gives us freedom.

Jesus Christ, the Son, the Savior, one with the Father who created all things, gave us His peace. And if He is tranquil over all things, why would we concern ourselves with anything except the eternal salvation of ourselves and those we love? He left us His peace so that we would be peaceful. Perhaps we should try to use that... hmm...

And He points out that He does not give "as the world gives." Imagine all that you have gained from the world, and how fleeting it was. Like happiness and contentment, which are only replaced by sadness and longing for something better. But the PEACE that we have allows our JOY to radiate through all of that, and we can realize that we have no need of anything... no need of anything... NO NEED OF ANYTHING AT ALL!!! Because we have Him, and His peace, firmly implanted in our hearts.

Take a moment today and think about ways in which you can better show His peace to those around you. Is it a little more smiling? A little more laughter? Perhaps a little less grumbling or complaining about things which we cannot control? Whatever the case may be, focus and show that peace today to all you encounter. It will be a blessing and a powerful witness!

God bless you all!!!