Our hearts are idol factories! Oh how we need these reminders over and over that that we are worshippers, and unless we are clinging to the only one and true God, are hearts will lead us astray. Looking so forward to immersing my heart in book Hosea with this perfectly appointed community. Let's read truth!
When I'm tempted to criticize or gossip it's usually because I've been hurt and its a self defense mechanism. I've had a few repeat offenders in my life that have brought serious temptation to for me to retaliate in gossip and criticism out of the hurt they've caused me . But then one day the Lord revealed to me how much He loves me and will always protect and vindicate me. He showed me I never needed to response in ugliness, I needed only to pray for those who I felt hurt me and pray for my own heart, well I can tell you as I practiced what God was speaking to my heart, I was able to turn those situations over to Him and today those same relationships have all been restored, and the ones that have not been restored are far removed from my life. It's super hard sometimes to resist gossip especially when we feel we have been wronged, but God is truly able and willing to fully project us and the more I able to believe that, the less I sin with my own critical words.
One of the things I love about SRT is how each passage reading day by day speaks to each of us individually, and how the Lord personalizes it for each one of us. What I see in these passages is that although we should strive for wisdom, it's not something we can just claim, it's something we cultivate by another means, by passionately pursuing peace. Pursuing peace in all situations is something we can actively do day by day, and in doing so God calls us wise. I'm maneuvering through some difficult situations in my life, and where I'm tempted to be bitter with certain people, I'm praying God grant me the grace to not just be at peace, but passionately pursue peace with them in every situation.
I think this is also reminder not to stress out. Stress should be our first indicator that we are no longer working out of an overflow of God's fullness, but that we are working out of our depleted selves. Let us serve our families and communities out of a heart that is full, and may that fullness come from taking time to read Gods word and spending quality time with One who loves us most and who is able to strengthen us to manage our daily and weekly responsibilities in joy and not works. I so needed this reminder today.
How often I'm tempted to take offense and hold on to grudges. This passage opens my eyes and reminds me how God views this behavior. I need to walk in the same forgiveness and mercy God offers me daily.
I love meditating on the knowledge that we are learning from a man that grew up with Jesus. He knew Jesus on a level of intimacy that was rare. We are going to gain so much in the book of James.
I think in leadership the key is always pointing back to Christ. In our example, in how we serve, in how we submit, our leadership goals should be always be a show and tell experience. We show them through our lives and tell them God's word on matters. Of course easier said than done. Leadership as a Christian looks far different than the leadership of this world. Leadership in this world is about gaining followers and receiving power, leadership in Christ is about serving others and letting our lives be poured out as an example so that Christ gains followers! It starts in the home and flows out to the world.
Verse 1- 2 of our passage really struck me. That by embracing the same willingness to suffer in the flesh as Christ did, we would be free from the lusts of man. We should strive to be "armed" with this same attitude Christ had about suffering in the flesh. Makes think how critical and how fruitful fasting can become in a believers life. I know when I fast or deny my flesh anything it demands it suffers ...yet I never saw the promise attached to that suffering. Freedom. I still don't "want" to ever suffer but now I can embrace hardship in a new light remembering how God uses our hardships to bring greater freedom into our lives. Loving this journey.
These 5 words: Godly submission has Gospel power. That statement written in our devotional title SAYS IT ALL. And we don't need to "get it" or understand it fully, we just need to know it, trust it, cling to it, and remember it when it gets hard. Jesus submitted unto death. In submission Jesus clung to the cross, in our submission we cling to Jesus.
GODLY-SUBMISSION-HAS-GOSPEL-POWER ....let's write that statement on the tablets of our hearts sisters.
It's amazing to me how we can read a familiar passage of scripture, but if we ask God, He will illuminate something entirely new and something we needed to see at this season of our lives. As I was reading this passage this evening, what God illuminated to me was verse 6, b part "..and he who believes on Him will by NO MEANS BE PUT TO SHAME". What freedom the Father offers us when He promises that for us the believers...no shame, for you no shame, for me no shame...ever never ever...no shame. So long as we are looking to our Cornerstone, we are covered in priestly robes and all shame is gone.
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Ruth Marie 
Experiment