Matthew 5:23-24: "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift."
These verses cut right to the core of my very heart. Gods Word tells us to remember Him through holy communion and yet, also tells us the heart with which we need to approach the altar. This chapter also tells us not to go to bed before we get anything that is on our heart against our spouse in particular settled. It also tells us not to let the sun go down on our wrath. In II Corinthians 5:20 it says we are to be reconciled to God. How embarrassing to have to deal with this when taking communion.
Meditate On This!
Reconciliation is a serious, serious topic with God. He reconciled us to Himself through His Son. He now wants us to go to others and settle our disputes, not through the courts, but through the love of His spirit. I dont want this to be a bummer to you, but maybe the next time you take communion, God will sear this teaching in your heart. Its not only to ask Him for forgiveness, but to go to that brother you have offended and resolve the issue. Man, I wish that wasnt in the Scriptures, but it is. This week, please consider if there is anyone that would keep you from fellowshipping with God, especially in the remembrance of His sacrifice of death through communion.
John 21:15: "When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?. . ."
These words came after Peter had failed his Lord in a miserable way. Jesus was ready to forgive and tell him to go on. Remember, Peter wasnt the only one who had failed Jesus. All twelve had failed him! Judas allowed it to consume him, and he went out and killed himself. Though Peter, Im sure, was consumed by the failure that he had experienced, he talked to Jesus and turned that failure into faith.
Meditate On This!
Are you living your life in the fear of failing? One of the biggest mistakes you can make in life is to be continually fearing that you will make a mistake! The Lord is not expecting perfection out of you, but rather a heart that pumps for Him. If you fail to ask for forgiveness, if you live your life afraid because you might fail Him, give that up and start living a life that is free, even free to fail. Just fail forward!
Micah 7:18: "Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy."
Have you ever been in the doghouse? I mean, really in the dog house! With your wife, or maybe with an employer? Was the tension in the room so thick you could cut it with a knife? Sometimes we are given "lip service" that says "I forgive you", but the reality is that in our relationships, we feel the effects of that misunderstanding. I can remember a number of times in my life doing something that got me in trouble. Sometimes I was innocent, but the results were still the same. It took a long time to restore the trust of the other person.
Meditate On This!
Isn't it great to know that in God our Father we do not have to wonder if He forgives our sin and transgression! Did you read what it said above ". . . you do not stay angry forever, but delight to show mercy"! Our God is a loving God who does not hold grudges. He is a God of compassion and One who really does forgive us if we confess our sins.
Maybe today you are living in some type of guilt. Get on your knees right now and confess to the Father of love, mercy and compassion that you desire to "tighten up" your relationship with Him. Once you have done that, get up and walk this week in the knowledge of knowing that God our Father loves to deal out mercy.
Matthew 5:39: "But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."
The story is told of two psychiatrists who conducted their practice in the same professional building. Since they had similar office hours, they often had occasion to ride up on the elevator together. Before leaving, the one would inevitably turn around and spit on his colleague. Without ever becoming angry, the other man would calmly take out his handkerchief, wipe his face, and then get off a few floors later. One morning the elevator operator could contain his curiosity no longer. After closing the door behind the first doctor, he asked, "How can you stand to be assaulted like that?" The second psychiatrist smiled and said, "Olcum, I dont know. That is his problem."
That story sounds too good to be true, doesn't it. Our natural response is to fight back. However, because of the grace of God toward us, our supernatural response should be one of understanding. My friend, Tim Cash, has said often that "hurting people hurt people". That is so true.
Meditate On This!
Two things to meditate on this week: Are you hurting someone? Maybe it is your wife or a loved one, maybe it is an enemy. Ask yourself, "Why am I doing this? Is this like Jesus?"
Secondly, are you being hurt by someone else? How would Jesus have you respond to that person?
Taken from Info Search
Proverbs 15:1: "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."
C.H. Spurgeon told the story of a group of drinking men in Boston who saw a respected pastor coming along the street. "Ill play a trick on ol Cotton," said one of them. Crossing to the other side, the unruly fellow stepped up to the minister and whispered, "Cotton, you are an old fool!" The preacher calmly replied, "Im afraid I am. The Lord made both you and me wiser than we are, even wise to salvation." The fellow returned to his companions thoroughly ashamed. When they pressed him to repeat Cottons words, the joking came to an end. The ministers gentle reply had silenced them.
Meditate On This!
How often do you respond to your enemies with a gentle reply? That is what Jesus did, isnt it. And we are in the process to become more like Jesus. This week, as insults and misrepresentations come your way, ask the Spirit of God to help you give a gentle answer to anyone, no matter how hard the circumstance. Stop, listen, and speak gently.
Taken from Info Search
Hebrews 9:14: "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"
We have all heard the phrase, "every decision you make has a consequence". Some of those consequences are pretty tough to take. They not only affect us, but family members and people we hang with. We must first ask forgiveness, then understand that forgiveness and walk freely. Too often we end up in the shackles of our past and forget that God has forgiven us and wants us to live a life of freedom.
Meditate On This!
The blood of Christ is clearly the price involved in the atonement of your sins. The atonement is one of the themes of the book of Hebrews and pivotal in understanding your relationship to Christ. The sacrifices of the Old Testament were only forerunners to His work. His blood and atonement include reconciliation (the restoration of man to fellowship with God), propitiation (the satisfying of the just demands of Gods holiness for the punishment of sin), and redemption (the purchasing of the enslaved sinner to make him free).
Christs death on Golgotha was in our place, and makes possible mans forgiveness because it satisfies the just and holy wrath of God. Quit carrying that around with you, Brother! Meditate on your position before God, and those things that are keeping you from truly serving Him as an atoned, redeemed, restored man.
