Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
Memory of the month: And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" —Luke 24:32
Today's reading: DEUTERONOMY 28-29 MARK 14:54-72
Think Blessings
If you look in a dictionary, you will find these definitions:
Bless-invoke divine favor upon; ask God to look favorably on.
Curse- invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something; an offensive word or phrase used to express anger or annoyance.
Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.
The way of the world is to lash out in anger or to seek revenge. Where does that come from?
If someone offends you, your 'feelings are hurt'. If they do something to make you really look bad, you may want to cook something up to get back at them. Does this sound like something that would happen on a playground? Yep, it does. But adults, even whole cultures, act like this. Why?
Feelings can only be hurt if they are allowed to be. My Dad would say to me, "Your feelings are sticking out too far".
We get hurt because we allow it. Once we allow that, we have to allow ourselves to 'get even'-with a quick out-lash of hurtful words or we sit back and cook up revenge.
This has become such an accepted thing that four letter words and curses fly like pollen and dust.
What does the scripture say?
Ephesians 4:26 "Be angry, yet do not sin." Do not let the sun set upon your anger..."
Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.
2 Corinthians 10:5..overthrowing reasonings and every high thing that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every thought into the obedience of the Christ;
'Reasonings that lift self up against the knowledge of God'...these things are of the enemy.
Think what it would be like if we did not allow our feelings to be hurt-we practice, in the Spirit, until we live in a mental place where words cannot touch us...
Psalm 121:3 ►He will not let your foot slip--
It takes work-a conscious work-practice to know that words cannot touch us-that even physical harm cannot touch what belongs to God. Walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:15 But if you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out, or you will be consumed by each other. 16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.
An angel spoke to the apostles in prison in:
Acts 5:19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying, 20“Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.”
We must speak new life. This is our mission. We must live Jesus before the world and speak of His new life.
Speak life...
...because He loves us...
Father in Heaven,
Forgive me for letting my mind plan with thoughts of hurt.
Grow me into Your child who answers only with kindness and blessings and speaks only life.
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