KINDNESS BRINGS UNITY AND REPENTANCE

There is a verse in Romans 2:4 which says '...kindness leads to repentance.' That is oh so very true! Being kind to others whether you agree with them, their lifestyle choices, or a host of other things, not only brings unity and peace, but it leads to repentance by sinners. Guess what? All of us are sinners! In Romans 3:23(NIV) says 'we all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory.' All means all.

Human nature tends to label and classify "bad sins" versus "not as bad sins". All sin is sin whether it is murder, lying,rape,fornication, gluttony, homosexuality, abortion, stealing, or cheating. No matter what, Jesus forgives and forgets. It says in Psalm 103:12(NIV) 'As far as the East is from the West, so far He has removed our transgressions from us.' It is "religious" people that are the finger pointers and think they are right. That is very prideful. All people need kindness and the love of others in an unconditional way if they ever expect to be drawn to a relationship with Christ. Eating too much at a church potluck could perhaps get you in the gluttony category.

Don't be finger pointing at others and treating them like they are not worth anything because everyone has a chance to come to Jesus. By harping on someone and trying to change them yourself is the wrong way to have positive change. The Holy Spirit is responsible for convicting and turning from sin.

First take care of your own sins before you condemn others. John 8:11(NLT) says to the woman about to be stoned by committing adultery "...Go and sin no more." Read all of John chapter 8 when you get a moment.

Kindness is the way to reach out to others that we don't like particularly or don't understand or those who have hurt or are hurting us. Some examples would be those with body piercing, tattoos, vulgar language, mentally ill, those people collecting money fraudulently at exit ramps, the drunk, the drug addict, prostitutes, those in the middle east who do not like Christians and want to "kill the infidel", those who push for homosexual marriage, those who want to kill babies in the womb, tyrants in public office, and I am sure you can add to this list.

So today your job is to put Jesus on the throne and leave Him there. Confess to Him any sins that keep you from fully having a life in Christ. Lift up those in prayer that are on the list above that you might be able to love others with Jesus' love.

PRAYER: It is so easy to judge others and when I do this I know you are not pleased with me. Teach me how to pray for others some of which may not even like me. Help me also to remember I am far from perfect. In Jesus' name.Amen.

Click on link for an awesome song of praise and worship.

http://youtu.be/ipwEtvWL_3c

PEDESTAL FALL

 

Recently I heard the sad story of a popular Youth/College Pastor who

had been arrested for some bizarre antics. Instead of condemnation of this young minister or

talking bad about him because he is from a mega church and you only go

for denominational smaller churches, it is time to pray and love, not

judge him.

Just because a person is a pastor or church worker we sort of expect

the best out of them and put them up on a "spiritual pedestal" that we

think they could never fall from. All if us are capable of sin and the

enemy especially rejoices when he gets a church leader to tumble off

that "pedestal".

Is it not true as a believer we are to be gracious with our mouth

meaning what comes out of it? When you start ridiculing a person or

putting he or she down maybe it is time for a mouth check. We all have faults and slip ups. Just because a person is up in front of people at church does not mean they are not going through a hidden struggle.

Romans 3:10(NASB) reminds us 'There is none righteous no not one.' Isaiah 64:6(NIV) says 'All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.' Romans 3:23(NIV) says 'We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.'

We need to constantly be on our guard against spiritual warfare as Satan is out there loving to destroy the testimony of Christians or bringing trouble their way. Do not "beat up" those who are wounded and judge them, as you never know when you might be in a similar situation.

Matthew 26:41(NIV) reminds us 'Watch and pray so you will not fall into temptation for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.'

PRAYER: Lord Jesus as the old hymn goes, "I need you every hour" and oh how true that is. When I let down my guard or do not take time each day to spend time with you I am leaving home without my proper spiritual "armor" on then I am vulnerable to attacks of the enemy. Lord show me how to pray for those who are caught up in something that is hurting them or their ministry. In Jesus' name. Amen!

YOU BE THE JUDGE!!! NOT !!

Oh it is so very easy to find fault or judge someone without knowing
their story. For instance you see a home with Christmas lights still
up in March and you assume they are lazy. First of all there could be
someone very ill living there or maybe a family member could not come home in December due to military service and they are celebrating late. You just do not know so better not to
judge. Judging,assuming, jumping to conclusions. All things we should try to avoid doing.

Matthew 7:1-5(NIV) says '“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.' One version of the Bible calls the plank in your eye a "Telephone Pole". I love that illustration. What do we get from judging someone? We do not know their story, their background so to speak. We all have some "issues" in our life. No one is perfect.

It is best to follow the simple rule maybe your parents taught you and that is if you do not have anything good to say do not say anything at all. PRAYER: Lord it is so easy to be critical. I am not perfect. Help me to not condemn others but to show love, kindness, and understanding. You are not pleased with me when I get critical. Help me Lord to be kind and love one another. In Jesus' name. Amen.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT MAN

 

Have you ever put your trust or faith in a 'mere man' only to be let down and disappointed? Take a sports figure who is caught doping or cheating. Maybe it is a preacher who fell from grace. Perhaps a respected school teacher caught in a criminal act. Maybe it is a friend who has betrayed you in some way. For some maybe it is finding out a spouse has cheated on you. It could be an individual you trusted that it is found they embezzled money. Perhaps you shared something in confidence and found out it was not kept a secret. These are just a few examples. The point is humans can let us down but God never let us down.

When bad things happen to people, and they will at times, we are not to be the judge. Beware or the same scenarios occurring in your life. Pray for protection and for individuals caught in these traps. God does and can restore, redeem, and forgive. Often tragedies and downfalls in life cause the individual to get closer to the Lord.

Our hope and our trust should not be placed in mere man. Now in the case of the mention of an unfaithful spouse, those individuals, if they had a Christian marriage, took a vow before God to stay true to each other so that in fact should be followed as you grow in love daily putting God first and your spouse second. Don't ever put yourself in a tempting situation where you might fall. If one of the partners failed it is time to seek reconciliation and counseling to restore what God brought together. Stay best friends and this is unlikely to occur but still make sure God is number one.

Turn to the Lord and look to Him for your strength. Pray for you to stay strong and not led away by temptations and roadblocks man may put in your path.

Isaiah 40:31 says "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles. They will run and not be weary. They will walk and not faint."

Who do you trust today?

PRAYER: Lord I thank you for being there for me when it seems the world around me and people are faltering. Lord I thank you for being supremely in control. I look to you for my source of strength as I go through life. In Jesus name.

Click on link for a wonderful song of praise:
http://youtu.be/W48NfLLSFNc