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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness Gal 5:22 |
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Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Today's Passage : Today's Passage:Life’s Hardships Bible Verse:Hebrews 12:5-7,11-14 (ESV) "You have forgotten the exhortation, addressed to you as God's children: My child, do not regard the Lord's discipline lightly, or lose heart when you are punished; for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.” Endure life's trials for the sake of discipline. God treats you as his child; for what child does a loving father not discipline? It always seems painful rather than pleasant; but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, lift your drooping hands, and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not become crippled, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. " Message:
One thing that characterizes a responsible adult is the willingness and confidence to discipline others in his charge. Another is the ability to accept discipline. We see the opposite every day.
One prominent public case in our lives was Roman Polanski, a movie director who drugged and raped a 13-year old girl in 1977 and fled the country to escape a prison sentence. He thereafter lived in European countries (rarely leaving France) that refuse to extradite him. At one point, when he was finally arrested in Switzerland, many journalists and people in the entertainment industry loudly protested his extradition!
The damage to the child happened long ago. But what of the damage to Polanski himself? Was he really better off having escaped his rightful punishment for this crime? Was (and is) society better off?
Dodging responsibility has become (and perhaps always was) a profession — literally. Every politician has his spin doctor, every celebrity a Public Relations consultant (not to mention some who need criminal defense attorneys). People have a right to have their side of a story told, to make sure the facts in their favor are told; but they go far beyond that. It’s nothing new, of course. But if “the Lord disciplines those he loves,” these people need a lot of love.
punishment and forgiveness|photo of woman with chains looking into sun
Forgiveness
“Behold,” Job tells us, “how happy is the man whom God reproves.” The best thing that can happen to someone who has done something wrong is to be held accountable, and thus, have a chance to learn from their correction. For God will hold us all accountable; the day will come when no secret will be hid. Forgiveness is the cardinal virtue of Christianity; but forgiveness does not necessarily require the absence of discipline. The hardest lessons are often the ones that change lives.
Accepting responsibility is another matter. Who has not heard the line, “every person in here is innocent,” in a prison movie? People defend their righteousness fiercely; some die rather than admit their wrongdoing.
It is best to take this very hard truth to heart, as early as possible: evil lives within us, each and every one. Do we have a mean streak that we hide from ourselves, perhaps disguising it as humor or rightful indignation? Do we rationalize our greed? Have we cheated on our taxes for so long that we don’t even question it?
We have no control over the lying politician or out-of-control movie star. “Judgment is mine,” sayeth the Lord. But we have control over our own lives. Every person on earth has some painful truth that he does not want to face about himself. It is our job to find out and face the truth about our own faults, because only then can we truly repent and find the beauty of Christ’s forgiveness.
Meditation : Prayer : Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that you direct my way unto you, and make me and all of us to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you; to the end that we may establish our hearts unblameable in holiness before you, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints..........Amen |
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