loving each other

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 1 John 4:11 NLT

How should we love each other? John says that we cannot say we love our fellow believer and hate them in our hearts at the same time. How we speak about them shows how we regard them.  Do we gossip about them? Do we criticise them? If we do then there is not much love for them there.

When people disappoint us,  we are prone to complain about them. Have we spoken to them first? If not why not? This is how Jesus told us to deal with things: first speak to your brother, if they will not listen take another along, if they still refuse to listen take it to the church(Matt 18:15-17). The last sounds extreme and this puts us off, so we stick with complaining and criticising.  

Today let us solve brotherly conflicts the right way. Amen!

harmony

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Romans 15:5 NLT

Living in harmony requires patience and encouragement. If it is lacking then we need to seek for it.  Impatience and unwillingness to encourage one another is just like other worldly situations, and therefore no example to follow.

Jesus typified patience. The very night He was to face His trial his disciples were feuding about who was the greatest, swearing allegiance, and refusal to face the truth that they would desert Him. They were asked to stay awake and pray, and they fell asleep. Totally useless, but Jesus was patient with them. This did not mean He did not speak the truth to them, He did, but in a way that was devoid of anger or resentment. 

I wonder what we can learn from His example? Grace? Yes and amen!

weaker believers

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Romans 15:5 NLT

What is 'this patience' referring to? Obviously what was previously written. The verse before refers to scripture being written to give us encouragement and hope as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled. The whole chapter speaks about tolerance for weaker believers. The previous chapter also deals with grace towards weaker believers.

If Paul sees the need to address the treatment of weaker believers then perhaps we should take note, perhaps I should. Because I am a focussed and ardent believer I can be impatient with those who are weaker in faith. However,  I have a few friends who are even more prescriptive than I and I find their intolerance hard to handle. Ha ha! The mud is on me!

Today I pray for grace and patience with weaker believers. Lord have mercy! Amen!

painful discipline

No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. Hebrews 12:11 NLT

Recently my daughter sent me her old iPhone. I have been a Samsung Galaxy user for over 6 years, and the transition is painful. I had an Apple ID from 2016 but obviously forgotten ID and password. After several encounters with Groundhog Day I am having to come to terms with a 12 day wait, because they need to verify it is me,.all without an up-to-date email address or bank details. This should be fun!!

Nothing would budge the Apple technician. They are stuck on their rules, and so I wait. I am writing this on my old Samsung as it still works, just.

We all experience these trying moments of technological freedom (bondage). Many modern items of equipment or online applications are similar. I just did a fundraising ride on my bike and the AP wanted to use my Facebook account to log in. I have also forgotten my Facebook login. Another GroundhogDay!

Discipline does not always make sense or make it easy to compute. I remember as a  child being marched into my bedroom lain over my bed and receiving the strap without explanation. It turns out my siblings and I destroyed our neighbours formative TV antenna.  It was on the rubbish heap out the back of their garage, it looked like it was fair game. I don't remember the neighbour ever using it for an antenna either. 

Scripture tells us the Jesus, the Son of God, learned obedience through what He suffered.  If it was good enough for Him, then I suppose it is good enough for me.

Ah! Discipline! Such fun!

the mind of the Lord

No discipline is enjoyable while it is hapoening- it's painful, but afterwards there is a peaceful harvest of right living. Hebrews 12:11

In understanding discipline we consider the discipline we received. This is not always perfect as our parents were flawed humans, some more so. Disicpline from a loving God is not harsh or brutal, but truthful and confronting, if necessary.

The Holy Spirit is our teacher. He leads gently,' No! Not that way, this way.' Often it is revelatory.  After banging our heads on a closed door we see another opening. Paul the Apostle had this. He was trying to go into a particular land but was resisted by the Holy Spirit, then he had a dream of a man in Macedonia calling him to come, and so he changed direction.

Again Paul was seeking God for healing of what he called 'a thorn in the flesh', the Holy Spirit said, "No! My strength is made perfect in your weakness!"

Being told 'No!' Is a form of discipline. If we are continually hitting a brick wall we are missing the door. As the Lord said in Isaiah 55:8 My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are my ways your ways.

Finding the mind of the Lord is a continual practice we must follow. His ways bring peace and righteousness, ours can create calamity. Amen

listening

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life". John 5:24 NLT

Jesus often said: he who has ears let him hear. This means that although we have ears we do not always listen. Listening is intentional. It take effort to listen. I can see people wander when their limit has been reached. It is often after  few minutes.

If we love someone we want to talk to them and have them talk to us. So, listening is one of the best ways to show our love. Amen!

life

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

John 5:24 NLT

The mystery around the Christian life is ongoing. How can someone who still fails and stumbles, in other words sins, not be judged, but pass from death into life? There is only one way: the first part of this verse gives us the clue: whoever listens and believes that God sent Jesus will be saved from judgement. The listening and believing are profound, intentional, daily.

I cannot, at any time, attempt to save myself, by pseudo-good deeds, deception, manipulation  or flattery.  The only thing that saves me is my faith in the One who is just, pure and holy- Jesus! He is the key, the door, the way. Amen!