Are You Offended by Easily Offended People?

"[Love] 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."  (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

Okay, so I know that most of us have heard parts of the above verse and others in Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians read at weddings at least once, maybe a thousand times.  It is so over-recited that it has begun to seem trite, archaic, and melodramatically idealistic.  In fact, I went to a wedding three nights ago, and guess what verses were read?!?!  However, for some reason, it really resonated with me this time.  Why?  Maybe because I am coming up on my sixth wedding anniversary, and I have been sharpened (Proverbs 27:17) by my husband for almost 2,200 days now!  The "love" talked about in these verses is a relational love, but not necessarily a romantic love.  It can pertain to platonic and familial love, as well.  In the Bible, we learn that people will know that we are disciples of Christ based on our love for one another (John 13:35).  The whole thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is about love! Verse 13 states, "And now these three remain; faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love."  Don't misunderstand me.  Not for a single second am I saying that loving the unlovable is easy.  Loving the lovable is not even easy all the time, either!  But Christ does it with us--EVERY SINGLE DAY! 

It's important when trying to be Christlike in our every day lives, that we remember that God's mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23)!  We are not perfect and won't be until death.  However, we must "press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Jesus Christ" (Philippians 3:14). "God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but He gave us a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7).  That means we need to make a very deliberate effort to love the unlovely!  How do we do this?  First, know who you are in Christ.  If you are confident in your beliefs, nobody can offend you!  If you are not offended, you are more likely to treat that person the way that Jesus would treat them.  Second, you must exercise profound self-control (a fruit of the Spirit), by "[demolishing] arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and [taking] captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). Third, make it a point to stick with steps one and two NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS!  Let's Devise2bWise all the days of our lives!

**All CAPS and bold emphasis are mine.  For those without a Gmail account, please submit comments or questions to lbeauwilliams@gmail.com.  If you have a Gmail account, please feel free to put comments on blog :)**

Ain't Too Proud to Beg

"...The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16)

Let's talk about feeling desolate, desperate, uninspired, hopeless, wretched, unlovable, etc.  I have felt all of these, and I could use myriad additional descriptive words, as I'm sure you could as well.  It's no fun feeling this way, but what's even less fun is feeling too proud to get on your knees and pray!  MC Hammer once sang, in his song aptly titled, "Pray," that "we got to pray just to make it today!"  Isn't that the truth?  It is for me!  I cannot make it from day to day without "trusting in the Lord with all my heart and leaning NOT on my own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5).  In James 4:10, the Bible says that if we humble ourselves before the Lord, then He will lift us up.

I've written previously about not giving in to your emotions because they are constantly changing, but trusting in Jesus Christ, who is the same, yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  The reason I bring this up is because when you pray, it's important to confess your sins, praise God's holy name, and proclaim his promises with unwavering faith!  The Bible warns us:  "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does" (James 1: 6-8).  OUCH!!!  It's imperative that you retrain your thinking patterns if they are unhealthy!  We must take every thought captive in order to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).  Remember, that "when pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom" (Proverbs 11:2).  Let's Devise2bWise today and every tomorrow that God affords us! 


**All CAPS and bold emphasis are mine.  For those without a Gmail account, please submit comments or questions to lbeauwilliams@gmail.com.  If you have a Gmail account, please feel free to put comments on blog :)**

Don't Bob for that Apple

"The man has now become like one of us, knowing good AND evil.  He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." (Genesis 3:22)

Let's talk about something that everyone faces, well if you are a human and not a robot, at least!  Temptation!  Yes, Temptation is a conniving mistress, a greedy coquette, a presumptuous paramour.  The Bible has a wealth of knowledge regarding the blessings that come with avoiding temptation.  "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12).  The good news is that God always provides a way of escaping temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13).  You just need to make sure that you are spiritually in tune to those ways (1 Corinthians 2:10-16)!  How do you make sure you are spiritually accessible?  Learn the Word, fellowship with other believers, make sure you have an accountability partner, etc.

Today, I want to discuss practical thinking in conjunction with biblical knowledge in order to prevail over temptation.  First, it is imperative that you seek wisdom for it "will save you from the ways of wicked men" (Proverbs 2:12).  Second, cultivate your relationship with God DAILY.  Third, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23).  Fourth, know your triggers!  Know what emotions you have commonly experienced when you made less than desirable choices in the past.  Remember that you possess all 9 fruits of the spirit, and one of those is self-control, so employ it!  Fifth, DO NOT EVER THINK YOU ARE ABOVE TEMPTATION.  Even Jesus was tempted (Hebrews 4:15)!  Having ammunition when the enemy comes at you will bring you closer to making a savvy step in the right direction.  Below is an acronym I have formulated in order to help you remember the practical part of today's post when combating temptation:

Apply

Principles of the Bible &

Prior knowledge to

Leave behind

Evildoing

"Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

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Don't be a Judge Judy

 

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1-2

I have a confession to make!  I curse--A LOT.  Let's be honest.  We all have vices that we need God's help to confront and change.  "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives" (1 John 1:8-10).  Now, I definitely want to and intend to work on this nasty habit of mine; I know that as long as I am pursuing the Lord and his Word that he will align my heart with His will for my life (Matthew 7:7-11).  As Christians, we are perpetual works in progress, and we will be working towards the goal of perfection in Christ until the day we die (Psalm 57:2)!  I know that "from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45), but I also know that I am not perfect, and that is why I need a Savior!  "For sin shall not be your master, because your are not under law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14).  "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God..." (Ephesians 2:8).

Do not misunderstand me.  I am not saying that we should just sin our days away.  Although God is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9) and His mercies are new each day (Lamentations 3:22-23), he does expect us to be obedient.  Obedience brings blessing and favor, and who wouldn't want that?!?  When feeling discouraged when you stumble, remember that "the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart'" (1 Samuel 16:7).  "Your father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matthew 6:8).  In Romans 8:26, we learn that even though "we do not know what we ought to pray for, [the] Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."  God, omnipotent and omnipresent, knows the condition of our hearts (Romans 8:27)!

Although we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), we are not perfect due to the fallen world that we live in.  The good news is that through Christ all things are possible (Philippians 4:13)!  We "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), so let us not be proud, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).  God implores us to "approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).  Have some confidence in the Father of our faith!

However, do not forget to heed God's warning while embracing his grace.  We must give grace to others if we want to receive grace from God.  In James, chapter 4, verses 11-12, we are given a big ole slab of humble pie.  "Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it.  When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.  There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy.  But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?"

I hope that you will commit the words that Paul told to the church in Corinth to your heart:  "I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.  My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent.  It is the Lord who judges me."  God is a just God.  Don't be so presumptuous to think that you can do a better job than He can.  When you and I judge, we are essentially saying, "God, step down from your throne, give me your scepter, and let me rule for a while."

Don't be the person in this picture.  Be a Christian.

**Bold emphasis is mine.  For those without a Gmail account, please submit comments or questions to lbeauwilliams@gmail.com.  If you have a Gmail account, please feel free to put comments on blog :)**

Don't be an Idiom! Be a Black Sheep!

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me"  (Matthew 5:11).

Oftentimes, I buy jewelry pieces to reflect my Christian beliefs.  It's a good reminder to me on a daily basis that I am a Christian, and I should strive to ALWAYS act like one!  When I saw this black sheep pendant from Mignon Faget, I just could not pass it up.  Usually the term "black sheep" has a negative connotation; however, just as God works to illuminate good through His people here on Earth, I chose a positive outlook on this "black sheep".  I thought about how there are several times in the Bible when Jesus prophesies that people of the world will ridicule and persecute believers (as seen in the verse underneath the picture above).  Jesus blesses His followers and encourages us to forge ahead.  

I hope you are encouraged as you read this.  Verses 12-16 of the book of Matthew state the following:  "Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.  You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Another interesting fact about the phenomenon of the black sheep is that it is rare and is considered to be a product of a much less dominant gene.  In the world we live in today, true Christianity is oftentimes a rare gem.  I hope that you "wear" your Christianity proudly and share the Gospel through your actions.  The Bible implores us to "not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (James 1:22).  Like James Brown once sang, "Say it loud!  I'm black and I'm proud!"  ;)

**BOLD and ALL CAPS emphasis is mine.  For those without a Gmail account, please submit comments or questions to lbeauwilliams@gmail.com.  If you have a Gmail account, please feel free to put comments on blog :)**

Free Your Mind

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

“For He will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in His sight." Psalm 72:12-14

Patriotic Cookie Cake Recipe:

Ingredients:

 Directions:

Roll out cookie dough into a giant circle and bake according to directions on package.  Let cookie cool.  Frost cookie.  Place alternating stripes in frosting.  Sprinkle blue sprinkles for the sky and place little pieces of marshmallow for the stars.  Refrigerate until an hour before eating.  Enjoy!

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Stomp on Footholds

Below is my interpretation of the enemy's wily ways of attempting to keep God's children in bondage. 

Bondage

Who snuffed the light from your dying soul?
Why have you given the enemy control?

He seeps with vile deceit into your thoughts,
“You’re undesirable in your own thin skin,
So immutably broken in your vat of sin.
Keep comfort in your “living” den---
Away from people
I’ll be your friend.”

Who snuffed the light from your dying soul?
Why have you given the enemy control? 

It is imperative that you know the Word of God so that you can claim victory in Jesus Christ!  "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57). Per the above illustration, you need to know that "our struggle is against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm" (Ephesians 6:12).  Your best defense is knowing AND internalizing the Word, "the sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17). 

"Do not give the devil a foothold" (Ephesians 4:27).  In Matthew 18:18, Jesus says, "whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  Bind the enemy and any foothold before it becomes a stronghold!  Let loose what God says about you in your mind!  Learn who you are in Christ so that you can claim victory!  "...You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11).

Courtesy of restorationministries.org.

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a.LWAYS r.EFER TO THE k.ING

My husband pointed out the above bumper sticker on the back of a truck on our way home from church today.  It immediately brought me back to why I love the story of Noah and the building of the ark so much.  When everyone else thought Noah was out of his mind, he listened to God, trusted Him, and walked by faith and not by sight.  Because of Noah's obedience to God, he "found favor in the eyes of the Lord" (Genesis 6:8).  "By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith" (Hebrews11:7). 

   

The more time you spend with God, the easier it is to hear the Holy Spirit's promptings.  Spend time cultivating your relationship with God just like you would your friends.  The result will be that "the Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13).  "God is not a God of disorder but of peace" (1 Corinthians 14:33).  If you are feeling restless, you need to check your motives.  "Test everything.  Hold on to the good.  Avoid every kind of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).  If God is a God of peace as 1 Corinthians 14:33 says, then Satan is the author of disorder.  Keep this in mind when faced with small, medium, and large decisions.  "Do NOT be anxious about anything, but in EVERYTHING, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. " (Philippians 4:6-7).**

**ALL CAPS emphasis is mine.  For those without a Gmail account, please submit comments or questions to lbeauwilliams@gmail.com.  If you have a Gmail account, please feel free to put comments on blog :)**