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Students

Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge

Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

…

So what is a disciple?
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disciple –
noun: disciple; plural noun: disciples
1) a personal follower of Jesus during his life, especially one of the twelve Apostles.
2) a follower or student of a teacher, leader, or philosopher.
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Original Greek Transliteration: mathetes
1) a learner, pupil, disciple
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If I am called to be a student, how much time am I spending gaining knowledge from the book that holds the knowledge?

Am I doing His will? Do I have a grasp on the Truth of His will, or am I just guessing based on what “I think is right”?

Maybe I’m just behind the curve, but I find new areas in my life daily that need refinement and correction. I continue to be surprised by what my human reason would have thought was right as opposed to what scripture demonstrates is truth.

Proverbs 3:5

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not depend on your own understanding.”

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How will this be?

Josh Killen

”How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will over…shadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. Luke 1:34-38 (NIV)

Dear heavenly Father, the one thing I share in common with Mary is incredulity over the mind-boggling, heart-encouraging promises you have made in connection with the birth of Jesus. I too say, “How will this be?” And I hear you answer back, from the Scriptures and the history of redemption, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

One Day I will love perfectly, with the kindness and compassion of Jesus. I will only think and see with the wisdom and eyes of heaven. I will fully embrace the will of God as my favorite bread and utter delight.

One Day I will never be selfish, petty, or defensive again. I will never get my feelings hurt, insist on being right, or demand more. I will think of others more highly and more often than myself. I won’t keep a record of anybody’s wrongs, and will only, and forever, be an encourager. I will be free, so very free and whole.

To all of these promises I find myself saying, “How will this be, since I’m still so very much not like Jesus?” And you answer back so grace-fully, “Things impossible with man are possible with God.” To which I say and pray, “May it be as you have promised in the gospel, holy and faithful Father. I am yours and your servant.” So very Amen I pray in Jesus’ exalted name.

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A big thanks to Josh for sharing this beautiful application of the Word this morning. I too find myself asking, “But Lord, how could you love me, how could you ever use me – You know what all I have done.” But He proves over and over in His Word that even with imperfect people (that we all are), His Will is done through His faithful children. One of my favorites:

1 Corinthians 15:9-10 AMP
For I am the least [worthy] of the apostles, who am not fit or deserving to be called a…n apostle, because I once wronged and pursued and molested the church of God [oppressing it with cruelty and violence]. But by the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not [found to be] for nothing (fruitless and without effect). In fact, I worked harder than all of them [the apostles], though it was not really I, but the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God which was with me.

Yes, God the great creator, that potter that fashioned all the vessels will take something broken, and filthy, and vile – and will remold it, so that it can hold something beautiful in it – His Holy Spirit. And when something beautiful like the love of Christ comes overflowing out of a cup that used to be empty with selfishness and disobedience and rebellion against God – who can deny that it is God’s Glory and Power and Mercy and Honor. Every person in the Bible but Jesus is flawed just like you and I, and I think of the great example and contribution of Paul who was clearly an enemy of God prior to his salvation on the road to Damascus –

1 Corinthians 15:9-10 AMP
For I am the least [worthy] of the apostles, who am not fit or deserving to be called an apostle, because I once wronged and pursued and molested the church of God [oppressing it with cruelty and violence]. But by the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not [found to be] for nothing (fruitless and without effect). In fact, I worked harder than all of them [the apostles], though it was not really I, but the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God which was with me.

Yes, God made us what he made us, so He could reshape us into what He is reshaping us into – and this He does for His glory and honor. I can’t beat because it is Him doing the work, it is Him making those changes – because when He moves in, together with Him, we tear down walls, sweep out the dirt, and make this temple a dwelling place for fit Him to dwell – and in turn, we find that it becomes a place for four us to dwell as well as we are now Children of God, sharing in His Kingdom.

Big thanks again to Josh Killen this morning. His post sent me on a journey that I needed this morning.

Love y’all!

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Holidays with Family

During the Holidays, it is time again to spend time with family. And who has hurt us or disappointed us in the past if it isn’t family. Maybe your family is from another world where life is perfect and is without disfunction, or maybe you are like the rest of us that deal with the inevitable hurt and bitterness that can exist within a family.

When hurts are not healed with love,
When family members take sides against each other,
When we care more about being right than reaching out to another in love and mercy,
When it just isn’t worth forgiving and trying to reconcile with them anymore,
When the bitterness has taken hold in a situation and hearts are hardened to a point of a military stand off –
Where is the peace? Where is the love?

So we pray, and we hold out hope.

Forgiveness is not only about others, but also about our own spiritual growth. Love and forgiveness cannot be separated. If we choose to live out the love of God as the purpose of our life, then forgiving is an option that cannot be avoided.

#1 Because we are sinners we should forgive others

Matthew 6:14-15 NIV
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Colossians 3:13 NIV
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Ephesians 4:31-32 NIV
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

#2 We should be ready to forgive over and over again

Matthew 18: 21-22 NIV
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? “Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

#3 We forgive to avoid making others be overwhelmed

2 corinthians 2:5-8 NIV
If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.

#4 If we have Christ’s love in us, Love will lead to forgiving others

1 corinthians 13:4 – 6 NIV
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

#5 Not forgiving others keeps us from coming to God

Matthew 5:23-24 NIV
“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.”

#6 We are called to forgive others rather than judge others

Luke 6:37 NIV
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

John 8:7 NIV
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

#7 Stephen provides a remarkable example of the forgiveness of a Christ follower

Acts 7:59-60 NIV
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

#8 Jesus is our Model

Luke 23:33-34 NIV
When they came to a place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

#9 Jesus commanded us to forgive with an open heart

Luke 17:3-4 NIV
So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says , ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

#10 Even if they are our enemy, that isn’t an excuse to not show them love and kindness

Romans 12:20 NIV
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

I believe that your life will be blessed through forgiving others. Would you like to choose to forgive for the benefit of others? Maybe your decision can bring an opportunity of redemption for them? Maybe it can bring an opportunity of spiritual growth for us as well.

http://www.positivelypositive.com/2012/02/11/hurt/