WisdomForInspiredLiving.com
DATE:
PLANTING SEEDS: (Truth)
Scripture Memorization : 1 John 5:3 (NIV)
In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
COFFEE CUP COUNSELING: (My Personal Perspective)
Almost every night since my children were 5 and 7 we have made a point to get together nearly every evening before bed and read the Bible together. Then after we are finished we share with each other, either what our favorite part was, what stood out to us, or what we questioned. It’s been an excellent way for us to talk about truth, learn scripture and discuss how it applies to our lives. Because the word is living, meaning it continually applies to life in every way. Even when our lives change with circumstances “the word” remains steadfast. There are times where you read scripture that makes no sense at all, but then because life happens and you read it again later or it comes back to your memory because in that moment it applies, you go AHA!!! That’s what that means…and truth grows. Our family is on our 5th time through the Bible and currently in 2 John. I’ve had numerous AHA moments.
Last night I was so excited about scripture. I’ve been on this “balance kick” the last couple years. Mostly because I hear so many sermons on grace and love and mercy and very little about correction and discipline, even though I read scripture that states God disciplines those he loves. We call the hard correction part of scripture FIRE AND BRIMSTONE preaching and we call the love and mercy preaching FU FU. So most people pick sides and fight that Christian bandwagon. You will hear the love and mercy sermons tell you that you attract more bees with honey than vinegar and you will hear the fire and brimstone preaching say that we are loving people straight to hell. Both are semi accurate. But TRUTH is 100% accurate, so you have to find it. You have to dig and you have to be humble enough to say God is right and we are trying.
Last night in 1 John 5 and through 2 John, you will see the balance that I love. My favorite part was seeing what “love” was to God. I took the opportunity to use my family heritage as an example. You see I actually have 3 men I call Dad as my Mom was married three times. So I have a Biological Father, a Step-Father and a Father who Adopted me. Further, I had a Grandpa who was my hero. All 4 men did say they loved me. But which ones would I be able to say I knew it. Now I can’t see their hearts, so my perception is tainted based on emotions, but it was not hard for my boys to pick out the ones that I absolutely knew without a doubt loved me and those that loved me in word only.
God is like that too, except God can see our hearts, so we have more of an advantage. If we simply say we love God, yet we do not follow his commandments, our love is not complete. You can see in this that there are two parts of love. An emotion and an act. Now many of us cringe when we here the word “act” because we have tried so hard in Christianity to make it very clear that in order to receive salvation we only need to accept Jesus Christ and not by any “act” or “doing” of our own. But we are not talking about salvation, we are talking about loving God and loving others. In doing so, we have both feelings and doings. If you just say you love someone and never talk to them, contact them or spend time with them, do things for them in their best interest, what would you base that love on? Word only.
Now, here’s the other side of that. Let’s say that we see someone who loves Christ, engaged in sin that is opposite of following God’s commands. Are they automatically not a “true Christian”, as many like to point out? Not at all. Remember I said that the word of God is living and that some times you can read it and it not make sense and the next time you have an AHA moment…and remember that I said God sees the heart? Well if we see a brother or sister caught in sin, we should gently restore them back to truth. Well in order to do so you have to tell them about the sin right….and so when you do, don’t fall for that “you're judging me” line. You’re not, you can’t restore without speaking truth. But here’s the key, now that you spoke truth, let those seeds grow and let freewill take over and let God do the rest of the work! Just like if you get pulled over for having a headlight out. You don’t start wailing to the police officer what a failure you are and that you should be thrown into jail for the rest of your life. So just like when a person makes a mistake and someone stops and tells them, should that person throw a fit and think that they are going to be condemned to hell for eternity either. Ha… I know my analogies are funny sometimes, but it’s true. Just look at the word, see if your brother and/or sister (those that are living for Christ) are sharing God’s truth or their opinion with you based on scripture (which is absolute truth) and if it’s sin or hindering you in your walk with Christ, then ask God to help you work it out, and be thankful that you have brothers and/or sisters in Christ, who love you enough, to look out for you.
So share away. Speak truth, set the captives free!
MEDITATION & DISCUSSION:
Take time to journal your thoughts on this scripture. You are more than welcomed to share your insight, testimony, thoughts, questions with me below, or keep it for your own personal journal.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SHARE WITH A FRIEND:
Studies indicate that if we share what we have learned with someone else within 24 hours of being taught, the chances of it remaining in our memory is increased. If you have had a friend, relative, or anyone come to mind while reading this blog, please share this with them! You can text it, post it to Social Media, Discuss it at Bible Study, watch my YouTube Channel or print this blog out, invite a friend to have coffee and discuss! It’s easy!
I’m going to share today’s blog with _____________________________________________________.
I thought of them because:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Don’t forget to memorize and meditate on today’s Word! It’s absolute Truth!
Scripture Memorization : 1 John 5:3 (NIV)
In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
DATE:
PLANTING SEEDS: (Truth)
Scripture Memorization : 1 John 5:3 (NIV)
In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
COFFEE CUP COUNSELING: (My Personal Perspective)
Almost every night since my children were 5 and 7 we have made a point to get together nearly every evening before bed and read the Bible together. Then after we are finished we share with each other, either what our favorite part was, what stood out to us, or what we questioned. It’s been an excellent way for us to talk about truth, learn scripture and discuss how it applies to our lives. Because the word is living, meaning it continually applies to life in every way. Even when our lives change with circumstances “the word” remains steadfast. There are times where you read scripture that makes no sense at all, but then because life happens and you read it again later or it comes back to your memory because in that moment it applies, you go AHA!!! That’s what that means…and truth grows. Our family is on our 5th time through the Bible and currently in 2 John. I’ve had numerous AHA moments.
Last night I was so excited about scripture. I’ve been on this “balance kick” the last couple years. Mostly because I hear so many sermons on grace and love and mercy and very little about correction and discipline, even though I read scripture that states God disciplines those he loves. We call the hard correction part of scripture FIRE AND BRIMSTONE preaching and we call the love and mercy preaching FU FU. So most people pick sides and fight that Christian bandwagon. You will hear the love and mercy sermons tell you that you attract more bees with honey than vinegar and you will hear the fire and brimstone preaching say that we are loving people straight to hell. Both are semi accurate. But TRUTH is 100% accurate, so you have to find it. You have to dig and you have to be humble enough to say God is right and we are trying.
Last night in 1 John 5 and through 2 John, you will see the balance that I love. My favorite part was seeing what “love” was to God. I took the opportunity to use my family heritage as an example. You see I actually have 3 men I call Dad as my Mom was married three times. So I have a Biological Father, a Step-Father and a Father who Adopted me. Further, I had a Grandpa who was my hero. All 4 men did say they loved me. But which ones would I be able to say I knew it. Now I can’t see their hearts, so my perception is tainted based on emotions, but it was not hard for my boys to pick out the ones that I absolutely knew without a doubt loved me and those that loved me in word only.
God is like that too, except God can see our hearts, so we have more of an advantage. If we simply say we love God, yet we do not follow his commandments, our love is not complete. You can see in this that there are two parts of love. An emotion and an act. Now many of us cringe when we here the word “act” because we have tried so hard in Christianity to make it very clear that in order to receive salvation we only need to accept Jesus Christ and not by any “act” or “doing” of our own. But we are not talking about salvation, we are talking about loving God and loving others. In doing so, we have both feelings and doings. If you just say you love someone and never talk to them, contact them or spend time with them, do things for them in their best interest, what would you base that love on? Word only.
Now, here’s the other side of that. Let’s say that we see someone who loves Christ, engaged in sin that is opposite of following God’s commands. Are they automatically not a “true Christian”, as many like to point out? Not at all. Remember I said that the word of God is living and that some times you can read it and it not make sense and the next time you have an AHA moment…and remember that I said God sees the heart? Well if we see a brother or sister caught in sin, we should gently restore them back to truth. Well in order to do so you have to tell them about the sin right….and so when you do, don’t fall for that “you're judging me” line. You’re not, you can’t restore without speaking truth. But here’s the key, now that you spoke truth, let those seeds grow and let freewill take over and let God do the rest of the work! Just like if you get pulled over for having a headlight out. You don’t start wailing to the police officer what a failure you are and that you should be thrown into jail for the rest of your life. So just like when a person makes a mistake and someone stops and tells them, should that person throw a fit and think that they are going to be condemned to hell for eternity either. Ha… I know my analogies are funny sometimes, but it’s true. Just look at the word, see if your brother and/or sister (those that are living for Christ) are sharing God’s truth or their opinion with you based on scripture (which is absolute truth) and if it’s sin or hindering you in your walk with Christ, then ask God to help you work it out, and be thankful that you have brothers and/or sisters in Christ, who love you enough, to look out for you.
So share away. Speak truth, set the captives free!
MEDITATION & DISCUSSION:
Take time to journal your thoughts on this scripture. You are more than welcomed to share your insight, testimony, thoughts, questions with me below, or keep it for your own personal journal.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SHARE WITH A FRIEND:
Studies indicate that if we share what we have learned with someone else within 24 hours of being taught, the chances of it remaining in our memory is increased. If you have had a friend, relative, or anyone come to mind while reading this blog, please share this with them! You can text it, post it to Social Media, Discuss it at Bible Study, watch my YouTube Channel or print this blog out, invite a friend to have coffee and discuss! It’s easy!
I’m going to share today’s blog with _____________________________________________________.
I thought of them because:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Don’t forget to memorize and meditate on today’s Word! It’s absolute Truth!
Scripture Memorization : 1 John 5:3 (NIV)
In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
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