Luke 16:10 NASBS

He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.

Ephesians 3:2 NASBS

if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you;

Paul’s allusion to the stewardship God gave him might go over many people’s heads. God entrusted him with the duty of caring for His church and guiding and instructing His people. Paul considered his calling from Christ as a privilege, a duty, and a commitment for which God Himself would hold him accountable.

We will witness Paul bringing up this responsibility given to him multiple times. He recognized that the responsibility assigned to him was not just a favor or a fight he could fancy to follow or disregard. This stewardship was a divine mandate in his life.

The grace that Paul speaks of in the second verse of Ephesians 3 is distinct from the love and forgiveness that comes from God and that grants us a new life in Christ. He is speaking of the grace of being entrusted with the divine mandate to be an apostle to the Gentiles and to take care of the many churches he came across.

Romans 1:14-15 NASBS

I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. [15] So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

Paul sees preaching the Gospel as an obligation he cannot ignore, and he approaches it with the passion of an ardent missionary, eager to reach every heart that needs to hear the message. He stands unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and faithfully serves as a steward of God’s gifts.

I find the best context for this passage in 1 Corinthians 12, where Paul teaches about the Spiritual Gifts. He affirms to all members of the church that the gifts imparted by the Spirit of God aid in mutual growth in Christ.

It’s not about how impressive the gift is, it’s about how it contributes to the church. Paul was a pro at evangelizing to the Gentiles. God handpicked him to be the one apostle for the Gentiles. In being faithful to the calling and divine commission to spread the word of salvation to the Gentiles, Paul reached out to many people All Around the World. Paul tirelessly worked for the spiritual benefit of all, regardless of background, from the most well-known to the most obscure, from those of Greek and Roman descent, to the Barbarians, Jews, and Gentiles, both free and enslaved, men and women alike.

The thought of sharing the gospel filled Paul with eagerness and anticipation. Do we approach our Christian service with eagerness and enthusiasm? Or do we just do it because we feel like we have to? Once we get how much Jesus has done for us and what he’s got for others, we’ll want to tell everyone the Good News. Can we pray to God to revive our enthusiasm and willingness to follow Him, and to share the message of Christ with others?

Let this be a prayer for all of us, myself included.

Hey friends, how about we email all together in a journey through the book of Ephesians. But that’s not all! How about we email in this journey using Art Designs to explain the verses of the Bible in Ephesians?

Today we are going to have a look at

Ephesians 1:7-8 NASBS that day:
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace [8] which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight

Here is what the Bible means:

Just so that you know, you can use and share this design as much as you would like!

If you would like to follow us closer, you can follow my Facebook Page on the following link: Facebook Page

Blessings

Yury Gaudard

The Bible in Art Design is a project that was established to assist everyone in learning and understanding more about the Bible. By employing designs to describe the Bible, one may both understand and share it.

Here is the verse where our designed was designed for:

Ephesians 1:3-6 NASBS
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, [4] just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love [5] He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, [6] to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

If you would like to follow our day to day work you can do so by following our Facebook Page on the following link: The Bible in Design

Blessings

Pastor Yury Gaudard

The Bible in Art Design is a project that was established to assist everyone in learning and understanding more about the Bible. By employing designs to describe the Bible, one may both understand and share it.

Here is our first design taken from Ephesians 1:1-3 NASBS
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: [2] Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

You can use and share this image freely!

If you want to follow every project of ours, you can follow our Facebook Page on the link below: The Bible in Design

Blessings, Pastor Yury Gaudard

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There is a significant distinction between being Jealous and being Zealous. Both come from a heart that cares, but one is concerned with their own well-being and the other with the growth of the group. One is insecure and attacks others, while the other is self-assured and questions the approach. In the end, only the one will keep their relationships healthy. Look at this post!

Love is often considered the greatest of all things. It’s a powerful emotion that can move mountains and conquer even the most difficult of obstacles. As humans, we often place faith and hope in each other to get through life, but love is what truly binds us together. In 1 Corinthians 13:13 it states ‘And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.’ This statement speaks volumes about its power and importance in our lives.

Hebrews 11:1,6 NIV
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. [6] And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

By faith we please God and abide in Him. Faith gives us the certainty that He is with us in difficult days and the courage to act according to His Will.

Faith isn’t an empty bucket of hope because we hope in the one who lives and who is powerful to do much more than we can ever imagine.

Now hope is taken by hand and conducted through faith as we see in Romans 5:1-5 NIV that says:

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. [3] Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

By faith we hope. We hope in His promises for us, in the well being of loved ones, for a life of purpose and being loved by others. We also hope for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done. We hope for more of Hi Presence.

And this hope isn’t in vain because of love, the unmeasurable and infinite love of God that embraces and transforms everything we are and will ever be. And this hope isn’t in vain, because the one we hope in is with us, and for us and sitting upon the throne of Glory.

1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:11 NASB

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

This is one of the most well-known Bible verses, and it speaks of spiritual progress and letting go of things that are no longer fit for those who have achieved a particular level of comprehension of the truth. This verse, I believe, is also crucial to everything Paul is saying to the Corinthian church.

Throughout the epistle to the Corinthians, Paul draws their attention to a number of things they were doing that were wrong in God’s sight. Claims of spiritual superiority over one another, suing one another in public courts, abusing the community meal, and sexual misbehavior were among the many difficulties in the Corinthian church. The objective of Paul’s letter to them was to demand greater ethical and moral standards, as well as to call them to “a yet more excellent way.”1 Corinthians 12:31 NASB

To comprehend what Paul means in this verse, we must first evaluate what he said in chapters 12, 13, and 14. Paul begins Chapter 12 by stating that he does not want the Corinthians to be ignorant of the Spiritual Gifts. He also argues that everyone who declares Jesus to be the Lord does so under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Then he begins to call everyone to recognize that there are different kinds of (spiritual) gifts, different kinds of ministries, and different ways those ministries’ function, but (and this is crucial) it is the same God who does all things in all people. In other words, very different Christians can be used by the same God in completely different locations, with completely different ways of performing ministry, and with completely different personalities, and they are all from God, being led by God, and pleased God.

God distributes His gifts in the way He sees fit, and it is the same Spirit (of God) who performs all things in all His people. God brought everyone into one body, from all diverse nations, backgrounds, and social classes, without prejudice or showing partiality as we see in Acts 10:34-35 Voice

“It is clear to me now that God plays no favorites, [35] that God accepts every person whatever his or her culture or ethnic background, that God welcomes all who revere Him and do right.”

Paul then goes on to add that even the less honorable members of the body received abundant honor, and the less presentable He made much more presentable so that there would be no division. If one suffers, all suffer; if one is recognized, all rejoice; and all are called to care for one another equally, regardless of race, social rank, or educational level. None of that matters; what matters is that they comprehend the significance of being one.

Paul says the same thing at the close of chapter 12 and the beginning of chapter 14. Desire spiritual gifts with passion. But then He introduces chapter 13, also known as the love chapter.

In chapter 13, love is portrayed as a highly practical idea within the context of what was going on in the church, rather than a romantic and detached one. Within the church, the Corinthians were contentious and competing with one another. In their arrogance, they used God’s spiritual gifts to exalt themselves above others. They didn’t realize that God is one, that He created one body, and that He meant His body to be one. There is no Paul or Apollo, only Christ Jesus, the cornerstone upon which we all stand.

In 1 Corinthians 14:12 Voice Paul instructs them to use spiritual gifts to strengthen the community of believers. He writes: It’s the same with you; in your passion for spiritual gifts, seek to strengthen the community of believers, and you will all be better off.

And again in 1 Corinthians 14:20 NASB he uses the word children to call the church in Corinth to maturity. He writes: Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

With this background in mind, we can clearly see that 1 Corinthians 13:11 is a call to put away disagreements, competition, bias based on social standing, education, and ethnicity, prideful arrogance, and measuring one’s level of spirituality by the gifts of the Spirit. Paul introduces the most excellent way to the church in Corinth.

Appreciating one another is essential if we are to follow the most excellent way. That’s to help one another grow, work together toward a common goal, and acknowledge and appreciate our unique characteristics. The most excellent way is foolproof, and if someone deviates from it in any way, there will be a loss of significance, a loss on the ability to influence and impact others, and they will not be able to earn honor. According to Paul, even though a person can have all these tremendous spiritual skills and can accomplish whatever they want spiritually, if they don’t follow the most excellent way of love, it’s all for nothing.

A call to Christian maturity is an invitation to love, and a response of love is a fitting response to that call.

1 Corinthians 13:11 NASB

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

The absence of love renders all other efforts meaningless. In a world without love, we all become irrelevant. When love isn’t the locomotive carrying our intentions, all else fades in significance.

REMEMBER: Love is the ultimate standard by which godly deeds are judged. Love is for the advantage of others, for the development of others, for the honor of others, and it is the very bond that completes perfection. Love is the glue that holds everything together in harmony. Love is our very mission because God is love and we are called to love!

1 Corinthians 13:8-10 NASB

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. [9] For we know in part and we prophesy in part; [10] but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

Paul redefines for the church in Corinth their existence purpose. They were very well equipped in all gifts of the Spirit but that made them prideful, and they started comparing, competing and dividing against each other.

In this comparing, competing, and dividing they lost the essence of their very mission and identity. They forgot what the most excellent way was, that is love, and went on their way to claim spiritual superiority over one another; to sue one another in public courts; and to abuse the communal meal. In the midst of so much confusion, even incest was found amongst them.

But Paul comes to remind them of their purpose. All of the gifts will be done away, will cease. All the knowledge will be set aside one day when the one who is perfect, Christ Jesus our Lord, comes. What will not be done away and will count to the very end is love.

When I read the words “love never fails” I am just so aware that we, as human beings fail all the time. We fail in all our relationships. But when I am busy learning and trying to practice the love that Christ showed me on the cross, I then realize that this is the very center of God’s will for my life.

Other things will disappear over time. Yet the worth and significance of love will endure for all time.

Romans 13:8-10 Voice

Don’t owe anyone anything, with the exception of love to one another—that is a debt which never ends— because the person who loves others has fulfilled the law. [9] The commands given to you in the Scriptures—do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not take what is not yours, do not covet— and any other command you have heard are summarized in God’s instruction: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [10] Does love hurt anyone? Absolutely not. In fact, love achieves everything the law requires.

And again Galatians 5:14 Voice

For the whole law comes down to this one instruction: “Love your neighbor as yourself,”

Matthew 7:12 NASB

“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

1 John 4:7-12 NASB

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. [8] The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. [9] By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. [10] In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. [11] Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. [12] No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

Love never fails, therefore:

• Love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Mt 5:44
• Love God with all we have and our neighbor as ourselves. Mt 22:37-39
• Love God and hate the love for money. Lk 16:13
• Love less the approval of men and love more God’s approval. Jn 12:43
• Love one another as He loved us. Jn 13:34 – 15:12
• Keep His commandments. Jn 14:15
• Abide in His love. Jn 15:9
• God has prepared things the eye has not seen, ear has not heard and that have not entered the heart of man to those who love Him. 1 Corinthians 2:9
• If we love God, we are known by Him. 1 Corinthians 8:3
• God is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us. Ep 2:4
• We should walk in love, just as Christ walked in love and gave himself for us. Ep 5:2
• We should love Christ with incorruptible love. Ep 6:24
• We will receive the crown of life, if in endurance we remain faithful. James 1:12
• We should fervently love one another from the heart.1 Peter 1:22
• There is no cause for stumbling in us if we love and walk in the light.  1 John 2:10
• Do not love the things of the world, because if you do, it means the Father’s love isn’t in you. 1 John 2:15
• We are not from God if we don’t love one another. We should love one another. 1 John 3:10-11.
• We should love in deed and truth, not only with our tongue. 1 John 3:18
• If we love, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:12
• We love, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Remember:

Love is the most excellent way!

1 Corinthians 13:7 NASB

(Love) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

To love is to say I love you, even when you’re at your worst. I believe in you, even when you don’t believe in yourself. Love knows that people are capable of change and growth, and so it gives them hope.

We love others as Christ loves us, and as a result, we put everything in the best light imaginable. Love is always ready to believe anything that will help someone grow and to believe in them even when no one else will.

Love has a higher standard than perfection, and it hopes when imperfections are obvious. Rather than letting your shortcomings define you, love prays that they draw you closer to the Father.

When it doesn’t give up but keeps hoping for the best, love might reshape a person’s perspective on what failure means to them.

When love does not give up after the first, second, or third mistake that a person makes, but instead continues to walk alongside them, that love successfully reframes that person’s perspective on life.

Love remains unshaken in the face of persecution and personal attacks. It has a long life and does not give up. It continues to believe, it continues to hope, and consequently it continues to endure.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:7 that “love bears all things.” To bear all things according to the Bible means: To roof over, to cover with silence, to preserve or to conceal the errors and faults of others.

A love that bears all things is a love that protects the other, that doesn’t expose this person’s mistakes, that doesn’t gossip about it. It is to be a shield for that person’s life.

The passage that represents this verse best is when Noah gets drunk and is exposed by one of his sons. That’s a love that exposes. Then we have the two other sons who came walking backwards and covered their father. This is what it means to bear.

Another passage we can use to express the meaning of this page is 1 Peter 4:8 NASBS that says: “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.” To bear all things is to show love, and to show love is to cover a multitude of sins.

By covering a multitude of sins, I mean a love that is full of grace and ready to forgive, not a love that does not confront mistakes or accepts physical abuse. The love who bears all things is the same love that confronts and in the case of physical abuse, denounces and leaves the abuser.  

The Bible speaks about it in Matthew 18:15-17 AMPC

” If your brother wrongs you, go and show him his fault, between you and him privately. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. [16] But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed and upheld by the testimony of two or three witnesses. [17] If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a pagan and a tax collector.”

Love does not tolerate violence against others, especially physical and verbal abuse. Love covers those who make mistakes by confronting them in prayer, hoping that they will repent and alter their ways fully.

In case the person confronted does not change, as seen in the verses above, they should be considered as someone who does not belong with you. When the mistake affects only the person involved, that mistake should be dealt with only that person. When it involves others, reconciliation should consider all parts involved. When it involves a crime, it should be reported to the authorities and dealt with accordingly.

Women, do not allow your husbands to be abusive towards you. Speak to your pastor if that is the case. Pastors, do not allow the men in your congregation to abuse their wives and children. When you see that happening, denounce it to the police and shelter the family in need. Then deal with the abuser after the police dealt with him. Don’t let abuse happen. If he genuinely repents and changes, and if the family wants to forgive him, watch very closely over that family. If he becomes abusive again, make him legally pay for it by calling the police and sheltering the family. DON’T ALLOW ABUSE IN THE FAMILIES. WOMEN, LEAVE THE ABUSER. PASTOR, PROTECT THE FAMILIES.

Again, Luke 17:3 – Strong’s Concordance w/ NASB says that: (My notes)

Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke (Call the police) him; and if he repents, forgive him (but don’t allow the abuser back to abuse again).

Love covers sin by confronting it in the hopes that there will be repentance and change. Again, love does not condone abusive husbands. Love does not condone crime. Love does not condone disrespect or disregard.

Remember: 1 Corinthians 13:6 AMPC (Love) It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

Blessings,

Yury Gaudard

Article from Focus on the Family in Canada: https://www.focusonthefamily.ca/content/truth-and-love-in-complex-times

“Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it.”

Timothy Keller wrote those words in his book, The Meaning of Marriage, but the principle they express is universal: the absolute need for both love and truth in every relationship, in every area of life.

While most Christians would give that principle their hearty assent, putting it into practice proves more difficult – in fact impossible – apart from the grace of God. By nature, everyone leans toward one pole or the other of the truth-love axis – or by turns both, depending on the situation. To hold them in consistent balance requires power from on high.

This is especially so during a cultural moment when the Christian faith is met with growing opposition, particularly as it confronts prevailing beliefs surrounding sexuality. In this atmosphere, people of faith too often default to one of the polar extremes: downplaying unpopular teachings of Scripture to avoid offence (love without truth) or else doubling down on their convictions with little regard for the feelings of others (truth without love).

But as at all times, followers of Jesus are called to be faithful, compassionate ambassadors of their Lord – who is full of grace and truth – to a broken humanity. In order to do that, it’s essential to keep a number of factors in view.

The fallout from cultural Christianity

Christianity used to enjoy a unique position of respect and influence in Western society. This was evident in every avenue of culture, from education to public ethics, from legislation to the arts. Alas, that is no longer the case. Nowadays, influential cultural voices routinely portray Christianity as an outmoded and oppressive belief system. They call for limits on its freedom of expression wherever it conflicts with popular attitudes toward sexuality, among other issues. They insist people of faith fall in line with those attitudes or be labelled as intolerant bigots.

This shift in status has led to two opposite and equally wrong reactions. On the one side are those who’ve sought to regain the respect of the culture by agreeing with its judgments and distancing themselves from classic, orthodox Christian belief. On the other are those who’ve become bitter, adopting a siege mentality and yearning for the “good old days” of cultural pre-eminence.

Both positions, however, neglect one vital truth: While God at times grants favour to His church in the eyes of the surrounding culture, this is not His usual practice, either now or in the past. Indeed, as has often been noted, prosperity can be more hazardous than persecution to the spiritual health of the church. It can produce a complacent, cultural Christianity in which everyone assumes they’re Christian by default, despite the lack of a genuine living faith in Jesus.

The loss of cultural status is never easy to accept, but it is salutary in that it creates humility while undercutting pride and self-righteousness. Christians are right to thank God for the freedoms we’ve enjoyed (and continue to enjoy), as well as to work to maintain them for the sake of the Gospel. At the same time, the changing cultural landscape is an opportunity to remain faithful in presenting Christ to the world in a gracious and winsome fashion.

Building a hierarchy of sins

All sins are not equal. A small child who fibs about stealing a cookie is clearly not the same as a mass murderer who engages in genocide. And yet in one crucial sense, all sins are the same: they’re all expressions of rebellion against God, a rejection of His person and standards by His fallen creatures. All sins, from smallest to greatest, are an offence against the infinite holiness of God and thus worthy of eternal punishment – which Jesus bore on the cross on behalf of His people.

Be that as it may, His people have often entertained the urge to clump sins into categories that they personally find less or more offensive. The specifics may vary with time and tradition, and the borders may be porous, but there’s usually a hierarchy.

There are the socially acceptable sins (greed, gossip, gluttony) that barely register as sins. Then there are the nostalgic sins of youth (misdeeds during high school or college, perhaps) that show up in many personal testimonies. And there are the unspeakable sins that get treated as if they’re beyond the pale of mercy or compassion. For progressives, social injustice is the typical deal-breaker. For conservatives, it’s various (and selective) forms of sexual immorality.

But however they’re defined, such hierarchies of sin don’t bear up under the weight of Scripture. Every form of sin deserves God’s judgment, yet every type of sinner can be reconciled to God via the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. And so, we need to ask ourselves: Do we focus on certain sins and ignore others in our preaching, teaching and lifestyle? Would some kinds of sinners feel less welcome in our churches than other kinds of sinners?

The perils of dehumanizing others

There was a man (we’ll call him John) who attended a Bible-believing church for many years. John was committed to a high view of Scripture as the infallible, authoritative Word of God. He was outspoken against any form of sexuality that ran contrary to the teachings of that Word. Then one day, a close friend or family member of John’s (perhaps his son or daughter) came out to him as gay or lesbian. From that moment, John began to question the Bible’s teaching on sexuality and its reliability in general. At length he moved his family to a church more in line with his revised beliefs, and eventually they stopped attending church altogether.

John’s story may also have gone in a different direction, but one that’s no less heartbreaking. In this alternate scenario, after John’s friend or relative came out to him, he rejected them in a fit of righteous anger and cut off all contact with them.

Both scenarios share a pair of common traits. First, they suggest that John’s initial convictions about sexuality were rooted in his learned prejudices, rather than in Scriptural truth and grace. When the issues became personal, those convictions peeled away into one or the other of Keller’s polarities: either love without truth or truth without love.

Second, each scenario betrays a dehumanizing trend at odds with the value Scripture places on every human being as a divine image-bearer. It could be that John had grown accustomed to thinking of LGBTQ individuals as a faceless mass of “those people.” But once “those people” acquired a face, that of a loved one who was a kind, intelligent, actual person, it created an apparent dilemma in John’s mind. Either he had to reject everything he’d ever believed about sexuality, or he had to reject the person.

It’s a false dilemma, of course, as well as being tragic and unscriptural. There are no easy answers for how to navigate such challenging relationships with a Biblical blend of truth and love. But at the very least, we need to begin by showing people that we’re for them rather than against them. If they know us at all, there’s a good chance they already know what we believe about sexuality. In the long run, accepting them (without condoning their choices) will prove far more beneficial than sitting on either horn of that dilemma.

Images of Jesus, distorted and true

What we believe about Jesus will shape what we believe about everything else. In progressive circles, Jesus comes across as something of a laid-back life coach, whose message could be summed up as “be kind and don’t judge.” All that talk about sin and judgment and atoning sacrifice must’ve been added later, they assume, by patriarchal religious types trying to twist Jesus’ words. This has led to a belief system in which the only thing that matters is love, defined as uncritical acceptance of every belief and lifestyle choice. Love without truth.

By contrast, some conservative traditions leave an impression of Jesus as a stern taskmaster more than a gracious saviour, a second Moses rather than a second Adam, threatening judgment against those who don’t follow the rules. They’re quick to point out that Jesus spoke more about hell than anyone else in the Bible. This too has led to a belief system, in which the chief activity in the Christian life is to root out sin in others, take offence at it and pass judgment on it. Truth without love.

Both of these are distortions, however, exaggerating one aspect of Jesus’ character at the expense of another. Contrary to both, the Scriptures offer a well-rounded portrait of Jesus as the divine Son of God, able to control the weather, raise the dead and read the thoughts of those around Him. He has all power in heaven and on earth, and will return at the end of time to judge the world and everyone in it. And yet He is also supremely loving, gentle and kind, eagerly receiving everyone who comes to Him, in fact searching them out and drawing them to Himself. Even so, He doesn’t leave them in their sin, but calls them to a new life of holiness and obedience in following Him.

If Jesus was only this and nothing more – a perfect example of truth and love working together – He would only serve to remind us how far short we fall of the divine ideal. But He is, of course, far more than that. He has borne the guilt of our innumerable failures to be truthful and loving, and has credited His own perfections to our account. It’s only because of this Gospel exchange that we can be inspired and energized to reflect Jesus’ own truth and love to others.

As Tim Keller observed, “Unless we preach Jesus rather than a set of ‘morals of the story’ or timeless principles or good advice, people will never truly understand, love, or obey the Word of God.”

God has got this (and everything else)

All Christians claim to believe that God is sovereign, but what they mean by that varies considerably. As with our view of Christ, our view of divine sovereignty shapes how we see everything else.

Nevertheless, the complexities of our cultural moment often serve to highlight the gap between what we profess to believe and what we believe in reality. We become anxious and defensive as if God were in heaven, face to palm, wondering how we managed to mess up and how He’s going to fix it. Deep down, we may even fear that He’s not going to fix it, or at least not the way we’d prefer.

But nothing that happens anywhere at any time occurs outside of God’s purposes. He has permitted and ordained every historical or cultural development, whether good or ill. He never needs a backup plan. He’s got this, as well as everything else.

There’s an oft-quoted ancient Chinese curse (which turns out to be neither Chinese nor ancient): “May you live in interesting times.” The idea is that peace and stability are uneventful, whereas interesting times involve upheaval and uncertainty.

From a human standpoint, it may indeed appear that we’re living in such interesting times. But in reality, that’s true of every time and every culture, even though the specific problems and challenges may vary. And from the perspective of divine sovereignty, all times can be viewed as interesting, in a positive sense. Each of them offers a variety of opportunities for God’s people to share His truth and love with a broken world. And all of them fit together in a mosaic of history that will ultimately display God’s goodness, wisdom and glory.

Sources and further reading

Glynn Harrison, A Better Story: God, Sex and Human Flourishing, Inter-Varsity Press, 2017.

Timothy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God, Penguin Books, 2013.

Timothy Keller, Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism, Random House, 2015.

Tony Reinke, “Speaking Truth in Love,” Desiring God, January 25, 2014.

Subby Szterszky is the managing editor of Focus on Faith and Culture, an e-newsletter produced by Focus on the Family Canada.

1 Corinthians 13:5 NASBS – (Love) is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,

In the article “Love is not easily provoked and does not take into account wrong doings. How can we love someone who persecutes us? How can we love the same way Christ did and pray for our enemies?”, we will explore the idea of love, how it is often misunderstood, and how Christ’s example of love can challenge us to change the way we think about and respond to those who persecute us.

The significance the Bible places on love and relationships is made abundantly clear in 1 Corinthians 13. As an action word, “love” embodies God’s will for our relationships with one another.

This is the craziest thing ever to achieve. Imagine this in real life. Love is not easily provoked. What!?!

Should we just decide to be so forgiving, and kind, and patient, and loving that when the first insulting stone is thrown our way, we’ll duck and smile in return?

Perhaps the fact that people are out there offending and getting offended by each other the whole time is something they forgot to teach us in school. And what happens is that after experiencing betrayal, backstabbing, gossip and so much aggressiveness in real life, our brain shuts to what we call trust. We have difficulty trusting others, therefore the first thing we wonder when we meet a new person is if we can be ourselves with them.

And according to a research conducted by ourworldindata.org/trust only 30% of people in the UK think that most people can be trusted. For South Africans the numbers go down to 23% (research conducted in 2014), and in South American countries, the average percentage is around 10%.

By nature, we are suspicious of people and often times, our suspicions are confirmed through experience. How can we follow Paul’s advice and not be provoked or take into account wrong suffered without completely cancelling out the person who is coming against us?

How can we not repay them at the first opportunity? How can we not speak badly about that person? How can we not start a war against the person who brought you to your knees, made you feel worthless and exposed you for the world to see?

According to Paul, love is the answer. The same love that Christ had for us is the same love that is not readily provoked and does not maintain a record of the hurts that it has endured.

When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was, He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… [and] love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39). Christ’s command to love our enemies is found throughout the New Testament. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44). Paul echoes this sentiment in his letter to the Romans, saying,

Romans 12:18-21 AMPC

If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. [19] Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord. [20] But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head. Do not let yourself be overcome by evil but overcome (master) evil with good.

It is certainly difficult to love those who constantly mistreat us or take from us. But Christ commands us to love even our enemies, those who despicably mistreat us. Again and again we need to have Christ’s words close to our hearts when He said to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

To love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, to not resist those taking from you and to give to those who are constantly asking of you is to display the Father’s love in its mature and perfect state. To do it, one must be grounded in His love.

This Christian girl was bullied and attacked constantly when she was in high school. Here’s what she had to say: “There was a girl in my class who was always making fun of me and trying to make me look bad in front of others. It was hard to not get angry with her, especially since she seemed to take joy in making my life difficult.

But I realized that if I allowed myself to stay angry with her, she would always have power over me. So instead, I decided to try and understand why she was behaving the way she was. And through that understanding, I was able to find compassion for her. It wasn’t easy, but eventually I was able to let go of the anger I felt towards her.”

Jesus went through great suffering during His life. He was constantly criticized and faced opposition, even to the point of being spat on and falsely accused. Despite all this, He did not retaliate.

1 Peter 2:23-24 NASB say

“and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; [24] and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”

In conclusion, it is important to remember what Christ said about those who persecute us: “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44) Christ’s example shows us that we should not be provoked by those who attack us, but instead we should let go of the wrongdoings and be rooted in God’s love. When we do this, we can overcome any persecution with love.

1 Corinthians 13:4 NASBS

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,

According to the Bible, boasting is taking credit for oneself in an exaggerated manner, as if the accomplishments were done on one’s own strength rather than through the grace and favor of the Lord.

The definition of the word arrogant in the Thayer Dictionary of the Bible is:

– to inflate

– blow up

– to cause to swell up

– to puff up

– make proud

– to be puffed up

– to bear one’s self loftily

– be proud

The Thayer’s Definition for boast or brag is:

– to boast oneself

– a self-display

– employing rhetorical embellishments in extolling oneself excessively

Paul teaches that boasting is inappropriate, and if we are going to boast of anything, it should be in the Lord. To put it another way, no one should go through life acting as if everything they do or obtain is the result of their own particular power, goodness, and wealth. We shouldn’t be boastful or arrogant, puffing ourselves up to show how good, strong, and capable we are in ourselves, and we shouldn’t overstate our capabilities. Love is not like that at all. Love does not boast about itself, nor does it become inflated by overconfidence.

We shouldn’t become boastful because it hurts the principle of unity and leads us to challenge and envy one another.

The Bible says that the wicked is boastful and boasting is evil. It destroys unity and leads to envy and competition. A boastful heart is often filled with pride, arrogance, and rage. The boastful speaks with insolent pride and won’t stand before the Lord, because He rejects the proud but gives grace to the humble. By Grace we have been saved, not our deeds, so that we won’t boast to the Lord.

Paul also explains that when we boast about things that correspond to God and His purposes, we are participating in what he calls “a boasting that conforms to the kingdom, and that’s the type of boasting we are called to have. For example, Paul boasts about being crucified for this world (Galatians 2:20 and 6:14), about God’s power manifesting in his weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9-11), about considering losing everything a gain so that he can know Him, and experience the power of Jesus’ resurrection (Philippians 3:1-10).

Jeremiah 9:23-24 NASBS

Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

Blessings

Extra resources and Bible verses on the meaning of being boastful and arrogant in the Bible:

To boast is tremendously frowned upon in the Bible because it says that the boastful:

– Will not stand before God’s eyes (Psalm 5:5)

– We shouldn’t boast in pride our let arrogance come out of our mouth. (1 Samuel 2:3)

– The wicked is boastful (Psalm 10:3)

– We shouldn’t boast or trust in our own capacity to solve our problems but in the Lord (some boast in horses but I boast in the Lord – Psalm 20:7)

– The humble rejoices with boasting in the Lord (Psalm 34:2)

– The boastful self-exalts and speaks with insolent pride, lifting his horn. (Psalm 75:4-5)

– An overly boastful heart is often accompanied by traits such as excessive pride, arrogance, and rage. They are all members of the same extended family. (Isaiah 16:6)

– A person should not be boastful about their wisdom, might or riches. Instead, they should boast in knowing and understanding the Lord, that He exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

– Being boastful in this context is strongly associated with trusting one’s own riches and strengths and is referred to as backsliding and sliding away for trusting one’s own power. (Jeremiah 49:4)

– We see Daniel describing a boastful horn of an apocalyptic beast, and that alone is a very powerful stigmatization of the word boastful. The beast in Daniel’s vision ends up being slain and destroyed and thrown into the fire. (Daniel 7:11)

– Being boastful and arrogant is one of many acts that, when practiced sincerely and without remorse for having sinned against God, will render a person worthy of death.

Romans 1:32 NKJV

who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Galatians 5:26 NASBS – Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

– It is not through our own deeds that we have been saved, but rather through God’s grace. Nobody has the right to boast in front of God. Nobody can exalt themselves before Him. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

– Boast in arrogance is evil. The boastful pride of life is not from the Father but from the world. (James 4:16 – 1 John 2:16)

Bible verses about Boasting and Arrogance that were used to create this article:

Psalm 5:5 NASBS

The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity.

1 Samuel 2:1-5 NASBS

[1] Then Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.  [2] “There is no one holy like the LORD, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. [3] “Boast no more so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the LORD is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed. [4] “The bows of the mighty are shattered, But the feeble gird on strength.  [5] “Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, But those who were hungry cease to hunger. Even the barren gives birth to seven, But she who has many children languishes.

Psalm 10:3 NASBS

For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire, And the greedy man curses and spurns the LORD.

Psalm 20:7 NASBS

Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.

Psalm 34:2 NASBS

My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice.

Psalm 75:4-7 NASBS

“I said to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn; [5] Do not lift up your horn on high, Do not speak with insolent pride.’” [6] For not from the east, nor from the west, Nor from the desert comes exaltation;  [7] But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another.

Isaiah 16:6 NASBS

We have heard of the pride of Moab, an excessive pride; Even of his arrogance, pride, and fury; His idle boasts are false.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 NASBS

Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 49:4 NASBS

“How boastful you are about the valleys! Your valley is flowing away, O backsliding daughter Who trusts in her treasures, saying, ‘Who will come against me?’

Daniel 7:11 NASBS

Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire.

Romans 1:30 NASBS

slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,

Romans 15:17 NASBS – Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God.

1 Corinthians 1:28-31 NASBS

[28] and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,  [29] so that no man may boast before God.  [30] But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, [31] so that, just as it is written, “Let HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”

1 Corinthians 5:6 NASBS

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?

2 Corinthians 10:17 NASBS

But he WHO BOASTS IS TO BOAST IN THE LORD.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NASBS

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Galatians 5:26 NASBS

Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Galatians 6:14 NASBS

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Ephesians 2:8-10 NASBS

[8] For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; [9] not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

2 Timothy 3:2 NASBS – For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

James 4:14-17 NASBS

[14] Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.  [15] Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” [16] But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. [17] Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

1 John 2:16 NASBS

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

1 Corinthians 13:4 NASBS

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,

The Bible addresses two distinct forms of the emotion known as jealousy. There is human jealousy, and then there is the godly jealousy.

When it declares that love is not jealous, 1 Corinthians 13:4 is referring to human jealousy as the object of its criticism. The emotion known as human jealousy is defined by the Cambridge dictionary as “a feeling of unhappiness and anger because someone has something or someone that you want:”

Let us try to grasp biblically what godly jealousy is in order to comprehend what Paul means when he says that love is not jealous. Paul is saying something quite powerful in 2 Corinthians 11:2 NASB

For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.  

And here is what he means: In ancient times the father of the bride was the one giving His daughter to be betrothed (a commitment to wait until marriage in sexual purity and commitment of heart). The father was the one taking care of the daughter and anxious that everything would go as planned until her wedding day. He would care for all of his daughter’s needs.

Paul here is saying that he had fathered the church and was fully caring for them. He was taking care that they were pure as a bride was expected to be to her husband. That he was providing the church with all knowledge and wisdom so that they would be protected from false teachers and doctrines.

He named this responsibility that he took upon himself to care, provide, prepare, and protect “Godly jealousy,” which is distinct from the jealousy that is found in the world.

When we compare human jealousy to the feeling Paul had toward the church in Corinth, we see that the godly jealousy in Paul’s heart was exactly the opposite feeling to human jealousy. Godly jealousy refers to giving and caring, and the world’s jealousy to taking and controlling.

This is exactly why Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:4 AMP that – (love) and is not jealous or envious. Love isn’t based on having but giving; not in possessing but protecting, not in taking but providing;

Worldly jealousy comes from an innate desire to be in charge of others and take their things. This type of jealousy comes from a selfish place. Godly jealousy is a worry for someone’s well-being, a desire to bless them, to care for them and that they would walk in the right path.

Remember: to love is to give, to provide, to protect and to care. To love is not to seek, but to give; to own, but to guard; to take, but to provide. The foundation of love is not acquisition but sacrifice; not possession but protection; not appropriation but assistance. Love is not jealous of envious.

1 Corinthians 13:4 AMP

love is kind and thoughtful…

A loving heart is a fascinating expression of kindness. Kindness is a warm and generous heart in action. Kindness has a similar definition in both Greek and English dictionaries. It would be something like being friendly, generous, and considerate. Being generous and pleasant.

The work kind is used 7 times in the New Testament as an adjective and 1 as a verb, that is in 1 Corinthians 13:4. In the first 7 times it is used as an adjective it is 2 times for kindness, 2 times for kind, 2 times for good and 1 time for easy.

Of all passages, one calls a tremendous attention. It is Matthew 11:28-30 NASBS

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. [30] For My yoke is easy* and My burden is light.”

Here Jesus is using the word easy to describe kindness in an interesting way. A yoke is a wooden crosspiece fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to a plow or cart. A yoke allows two animals to share a load and pull together. Yokes were used in Bible times primarily with bulls or oxen to plow fields and pull wagons. The animals yoked together needed to be close in size and weight for the cart or plow to pull evenly.

When Jesus referred to the yoke as “easy,” he was giving us a far broader reality of what it means to be kind. An “easy” yoke meant that the burden being shouldered was not heavy because Jesus Christ would be pulling with us.

Being kind is coming alongside someone who is struggling and assisting that person in achieving their goal, in addition to being kind, mild, compassionate, benevolent, pleasant, and generous. Being kind often entails carrying the greater load, bearing biggest weight, and walking the extra mile, like Jesus did.

Jesus shows us how to be kind by being meek rather than proud, by being gentle rather than insistent, and by assisting those with heavy and burdened hearts to find peace.

Jesus’s definition of kindness in this passage is considerably more proactive than the passive worldly concept of not being unpleasant or rude. One of the hallmarks of love is its generous nature. The point is to ease people’s burdens, give them a break, and go the extra mile! The kindness described in the Bible is proactive and present, rather than receptive. It is an intentional and active landing of a hand rather than merely a reaction.

Actions of kindness are expressions of love.

Matthew 11:28 Voice

Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Show some kindness today!

1 Corinthians 13:4 tells us that love is patient. But what is patience? According to Oxford languages dictionary, patience is: “the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.”

Accepting or tolerating delays, hardships, or pain without feeling upset or anxious is impossible without knowing that the Lord is watching over you.

According to the Greek translation of the word patience, the word means:

1 – to be of a long spirit, not to lose heart.

This definition is connected to this verse in Luke 18:7 NASBS

“now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?”

In order for one to not lose heart, remember that the Lord brings justice to those who cry out to Him day and night.

Therefore, being patient without the comfort of the Holy Spirit reminding you of Jesus’ words becomes a great challenge. We definitely don’t serve Him for what He can accomplish for us, but we do hope with patience that His promises will not fail in our lives.

One definition of patience is bearing hardship while holding out hope for a brighter tomorrow or in other words, to persevere. The Thayer Greek Dictionary defines perseverance as “being patient and brave in enduring misfortunes and troubles.”

Look at what Romans 5:3-5 NASBS say:

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; [4] and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; [5] and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

We continue because we know that perseverance develops “Proven Character,” which leads to hope that is nourished by the Holy Spirit’s assurance that God loves us, that He cares for us, that He is our Shepherd, the sole Guard over our lives.

To me, it makes sense to say that patience in troubled times can only be found in the presence of hope. And it is the Holy Spirit, not our own, that gives us true Hope in Him. God’s Spirit, the Parakletos, gives us hope, patience, and endurance that cannot be destroyed by adversity.

That’s why Paul affirms in Galatians 5:22 NASBS that:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…

Patience, at least the kind of patience under suffering that fills you with Hope through the Comforter, isn’t the product of an independent and powerful heart. Patience is one of the hallmarks of true love and a divine gift from the Holy Spirit.

But that’s not all. Patience is also defined as:

“to be patient in bearing the offenses and injuries of others.”

To demonstrate the virtue of having a forgiving heart, Jesus told the story of the King who settled accounts with his servants. Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive those who offend against him just before the parable was taught.

In the parable, Jesus depicts the King being begged by one of His servants to be patient with Him because he was struggling to pay his obligation, and the King entirely forgave his servant’s debt.

This same servant went to another individual who owed him money and imprisoned him for failing to pay his debt to him. When the king found out about it, he got extremely angry towards the servant and put him in jail himself.

Jesus was attempting to teach something extremely important here. He wanted his disciples to realize that those of us who have had all of our debts forgiven by God should be ready to forgive those who ask us to be patient in enduring their mistakes.

Patience becomes an act of mercy and forgiveness in this context. Again, no matter how many times individuals offend us and ask for our forgiveness, we must be prepared to be patient with them, knowing that our Heavenly Father forgives us for all of our transgressions.

Without the reality of the forgiveness we have received through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, having patience in terms of forgiving and being kind with other people becomes impossible. Loving others means forgiving and being gracious to them despite their flaws, which is what we mean when we talk about patience.

But that’s not all. Being patient is also defined as:

“to be mild and slow in avenging.”

And “to be longsuffering, slow to anger, slow to punish.”

2 PETER 3:9 AMP say:

The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

To be patient is to put the love that we receive from God into practice by:

• Trusting Him for better days when facing difficulties, knowing that He is faithful to come through for us. Don’t lose heart because will not God bring about justice for their elect who cry to Him day and night? Luke 18:7
• To be patient is also to persevere patiently and bravely in enduring misfortunes and troubles. To be patient in tribulations builds perseverance, perseverance forges a proven character, and a proven character grows in hope as the love of God is poured in our hearts through His Spirit. (Romans 5:3-5)
• Patience is also a fruit of the Spirit, which shows us the very importance of God’s help in our lives so that we can grow in patience. (Gal 5:22)
• Patience is a powerful example of love for God because it perseveres in the desert with the assurance that God is with and for you. – Patience is also a powerful example of love for others because it is merciful, forgiving, and compassionate at its core. (1 Cor 13:4)
• To be patient is also defined as bearing the offenses and injuries of others. To exercise patience is to show grace and exercise forgiveness toward people, especially when they offend us. Matthew 6:12 TPT – Forgive us the wrongs we have done as we ourselves release forgiveness to those who have wronged us.
• The Lord… is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. God Himself doesn’t use our sin to condemn us, but He is constantly calling us back to being close to Him. He wants us to repent, to be transformed and to confess our sins.

1 John 1:9 AMP

If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises] and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].

Remember: Love is patient, and patience gives character to love.

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Sign up here for the devotional

2 Corinthians 8:12-14 NIV

For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality,

Mark 6:31 NIV

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

While we are in the midst of our Month of Godly Self-Worth, it is of the utmost importance that we find a good balance in our lives between being busy at work, being busy with family, being busy helping others, and attending to things that concern to our wellbeing and our wellbeing alone.

It is fascinating to observe the apostle Paul delivering a sermon to the congregation in Corinth about the significance of having enough in order to be in a position to assist other people. Equality, or as I prefer to put it, a sense of equilibrium, should be the primary focus and end objective.

Then we see Jesus and the apostles being so busy that they themselves hardly have time to eat or rest. This is a reflection of how Jesus and the apostles lived their lives. Does something like that ring a bell? It reminds me of my two children and how they will occasionally be watching cartoons on the television, but as soon as I sit down to do something for myself, they will run over and sit on top of me. This happens a lot, especially if I am in the middle of doing something for myself. It is delightful, but at the same time it can be very draining.

Jesus and the apostles were always surrounded by people who asked him for things, but on many occasions, Jesus would go away to rest, pray, and sleep. Because Jesus emphasized the necessity of loving one’s neighbor as one loves oneself, his teachings suggest that a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle that prioritizes both one’s own well-being and the well-being of others is of the utmost significance.

But how can we achieve this sense of equilibrium given how hectic our lives are? How do we get the rest that we so richly deserve and rediscover the joy in life that we so desperately seek?

The following are three suggestions that will help you achieve the healthy pace that you need and the joy in life that you crave for:

1 – Self-Compassion – Have compassion and patience with yourself. Be kind to yourself when you make mistakes. Be hopeful when things aren’t happening. Look at yourself and believe that you are special, that you deserve to feel well and that things will work out for you. You are a child of God and you will only be able to love others well when you love yourself well.

2 – Connect with others – Life is better when we have friends to share our lives with. People that will be there in the fun moments and in the dark moments. Don’t overcommit, but also don’t hide yourself in your own nest.

“Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joys, and dividing our grief.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero

3- Volunteer to something – There’s nothing like feeling important and becoming meaningful in someone else’s eyes. When we give, we receive twice as much, and we become a fountain of living water to those who drink from us and for ourselves. There is much to gain if we can discover out how to keep helping others without being burned out.

And you, what are your thoughts about this statement?

We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. —GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

Investing more time in my personal wellbeing was THE VERY LAST THING I promised to do. I spend the most of my days taking care of other people’s problems, my kids’ needs, and home duties. Life has a weird way of keeping you insanely busy. When you look at your alarm clock and realize it is already 22:43 and question if it really needs to go off at 5:30 or if 6:00 would be sufficient.

This was the question that inspired me to devote myself more to my personal wellbeing: When was the last time you gave yourself a day off?

Even if your days are as jam-packed as mine, you can still find time to visit a museum, relax in a park, watch a play, or experience some other kind of cultural expression if you really want to. Really. In the larger scheme of things, what are a few hours spent creating a memory or experiencing an adventure worth? What’s a couple of hours if you need to refuel your soul and spirit?

Have you even taken the time to figure out what it is that you enjoy doing? Similarly to a relaxing pastime that allows you to go into a different world and refuel your energy reserves. Something that doesn’t need much effort yet nonetheless makes you happy. Does that even exist in your world? Have you ever consider setting aside some time to do it? Don’t try to fool me by saying that your interest consists solely of checking your friends’ latest status updates on Facebook.

Here is one passage on the topic of wellbeing from the Bible, out of many others, that is actually making a difference in my life:

Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God.   

(Ecclesiastes 5:18-19)

Reading this verse, I was struck by how the Bible emphasizes the importance of self-love before moving on to love for others. We are not living; we are merely surviving when we are constantly anxious, never able to relax and take pleasure in life, caught in a never-ending cycle of exhausting and toxic relationships, and obligated to perform, perform, perform.

I know many of us are survivors of past traumas and current conflicts, but God wants us to grasp that we cannot give if we do not have. We cannot love unless we love ourselves, and I would like to push you to love yourself and find time in your life to add a hobby that you can spend a small amount of time on and that will make you smile.

To wrap off this post, I want to declare God’s word over your current situation and season of your life.

It is Song of Solomon 2:11-13 AMPC

For, behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing [of birds] has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth and ripens her green figs, and the vines are in blossom and give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Blessings

This is what happened with Elijah: 1 Kings 19:1-4 AMPC

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had slain all the prophets [of Baal] with the sword. [2] Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow. [3] Then he was afraid and arose and went for his life and came to Beersheba of Judah [over eighty miles, and out of Jezebel’s realm] and left his servant there. [4] But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a lone broom or juniper tree and asked that he might die. He said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am no better than my fathers.

Have you ever considered the possibility that the lows of sadness frequently follow significant spiritual achievements? Having genuine faith does not guarantee that you will never go through these moments.

Jezebel, the queen, made a death threat to Elijah just after he had won a significant victory over the prophets of Baal and had seen his prayer for rain answered. Because of this, he got the urge to end his life and ran away to the desert. Elijah was under the impression that he did not measure up to others’ expectations and that he had atrociously failed in both his life and his mission.

God sent an Angel to provide for Elijah’s needs. The Angel touched Elijah, even though it didn’t need to. The Angel gave him food twice and let Elijah rest well enough so that Elijah could go on a long journey to meet with God.

God’s response to Elijah’s losing it has a lot to teach us when we are going through moments of low.

Elijah was tired and scared, but it didn’t mean his faith wasn’t sincere. It means that we are all human beings, and because we feel we should be tough and never give up, we are never properly prepared for moments of low self-esteem, loneliness, or difficulties. The first thing we can take away from this is the knowledge that we will inevitably experience setbacks, exhaustion, and feelings of sadness and loneliness without ever, ever, being a failure.

It’s also crucial to be in the company of those who appreciate and cheer you on. The angel’s touch on Elijah was meant to show how much value there is in receiving comfort from a friend, just as much as receiving God’s own touch.

And then there was Elijah’s requirement for solitude in the face of the crisis. It was necessary for him to take some time away from the battleground, and there was nothing inherently wrong with it. Because he was able to escape, he was finally able to get some sleep, which allowed him to restore both his mental and physical energy. Elijah was also served food by the Angel.

In His solitude, he could get the sleep and nourishment he needed. These material considerations are often overlooked, but they are of such paramount importance to God that He personally dispatched someone to Elijah’s side to provide for his needs.

The second thing that you should take away from this is the importance of looking after yourself first before worrying about other people. Before you can help someone else win their war, you have to win the wars that are raging within yourself. To be able to assist others in being healthy, you must first ensure that you are in good health yourself. You need to strike the proper balance, and you need to battle for the right balance, because if you don’t, your lack of balance will not only endanger your life but also make it impossible for you to accomplish your mission.

1 Kings 19:7 AMPC

The angel of the Lord came the second time and touched him and said, Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.

Here we see God restoring Elijah’s perspective on His life and destiny. You’ve got a long road ahead of you. The goal of the trip was a face-to-face encounter with the Creator. And that, all by itself, is a volley of power and optimism being fired at someone’s life. Elijah went from saying, “I want to die because I am not good enough,” to being told, “There is a long path ahead of you, and this trip will lead you into experiencing powerful meetings with the Father that will change your life forever.”

The third thing that we pick up from this experience is that it is always important to have a change of perspective in our minds in relation to our lives and destinies, and that it is also important to have the assurance that God is always close to the broken and contrite heart.

I love this quote by Cristine Cain that says: “Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried, but you’ve actually been planted.”

― Christine Caine

Feeling depressed doesn’t imply your faith isn’t genuine, it just means that you are a human being that has feelings. Some of these feelings may be awful loneliness and misery, but you will never be defined by how you feel, but by God, who made you and loves you. You may fail, but in God’s sight, you are a magnificent success.

The second lesson you should take away from this is the necessity of first taking care of yourself before worrying about others. The third thing that we should take away from this is that God wants to transform our perspective for our lives and destiny by assuring us that He is with us in our brokenness and that He will restore our sense that we have a purpose in life.

Hey there, we are doing a Godly Self-Worth Month and I would like to share with you 5 Tips for you to grow your self-worth in a Biblical way. Click on the link below and enjoy!

https://www.canva.com/design/DAFN0-ijZfw/ENX3pYHeedJN6NIGL5dAcg/view?website#4

Matthew 20:25-28 NASBS
But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. [26] It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, [27] and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; [28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

This is one more principle of the”upside down kingdom” that Jesus taught about.

This time Jesus was talking about His death on the cross with his disciples, and how He was about to fulfill Isaiah 53 as “The Suffering Servant.”

But it didn’t seem like the disciples understood Jesus very well. They weren’t looking at the example of suffering to be followed but to the rewards to be collected. They were after power, honour and influence.

They wanted to be sitting at a position where people would have to respect them, would have to honour them and that they would have power to rule over people, or as Jesus said, “to Lord over them.”

Wouldn’t it be perfect if such position was created? Our such structure of power? A place where we, as ambassadors of the King could justify our authority to rule over people, or demand that people paid honour and respect to our name and our position, and that people would fear our power and influence?

But as quickly as Jesus’ disciples climbed on that ladder, Jesus stood up and taught them this wasn’t His kingdom.

In His kingdom there would be servants willing to serve in such radical way that even death would be on the table. Servants that would serve each other because of love and not fear. Servants that would consider others above themselves. Servants that would consider other’s matters above their own interests. Servants that would empty themselves so that others may grow. Servants that would seek to serve, not Lord over others. Servants, slaves, suffering and making of themselves nothing. Does that ring a bell?

My prayer is that we, ambassadors of the upside down kingdom, don’t make of His church, Jesus, the Head of the Church, the Real Boss, The Only Boss, a comfortable place for us to exercise lordship over others.

My prayer is that we, ambassadors of the upside down kingdom, will be reminded that Our Lord, Our Real Boss, doesn’t have a seat of honour, comfort and authority for us on Earth, but a cup of suffering, humility and servanthood.

May we be found drinking of this cup, not sitting on that seat. Amen.

Matthew 17:24-27 NASBS

When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the two-drachma tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the two-drachma tax?” [25] He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?” [26] When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are exempt. [27] However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.”

Jesus did not have a job that paid him a salary, but he did have a ministry that required him to travel from place to place, during which he would stay in the homes of others or even sleep outside. And He was not by himself. He had a large number of followers who adhered to him as their master. In Matthew chapter 10, we are told about the seventy disciples that went out with Jesus as well as the twelve apostles and the women who followed him. In Acts 1 and 2, we are told that there were roughly 120 persons who had been with Jesus and were now gathered together.

Acts 1:15 NASBS

“At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said…”

This was not inexpensive! However, we learn that Jesus was sponsored by notable ladies of his time. Many of whom were married to prominent Roman Empire figures.

The truth of Jesus’ mission was that he frequently had his disciples pick food that had been left on the ground. This food was left on the ground because the Lord had commanded farmers to leave food behind in order to feed those who were less fortunate.

Ruth is a particularly wonderful illustration of this point. When she was approached by Boaz about working for him, she was in the process of gathering food from the ground.

At least twice, it was necessary for Jesus to multiply the amount of food and fish that was available. Additionally, he provided the fishermen with two different recommendations for where to cast their nets, and as a result, they brought back an abundance of fish. (Peter, James, and John were the ones who actually did the fishing.)

It would appear that Jesus was never able to save up sufficient funds to provide himself with a pleasant place to sleep or an abundance of food to consume. Even a spot to lay his head down was in short supply for him. What a bizarre occurrence. What a completely insane way of living! We even learned that he went hungry and thirsty when he was wandering around in the desert.

And at this point, the question was posed to Peter as to whether or not Jesus paid taxes like everyone else. Peter then stated that Jesus paid taxes just like everyone else in the community.

What we see next is Jesus teaching a beautiful principle that we don’t talk about enough. The principle of not offending, or in the literal translation from the Greek, to not scandalize anyone by following the rules and regulations of the land.

Jesus was being very circumspect in the way that he testified in front of the country so that no one would question his honesty. By reading Matthew 18:1-14 NASB, we will gain a deeper comprehension of the “stumbling block or scandal principle” as well as an appreciation for the significance of this doctrine. It is written there:

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” [2] And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, [3] and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. [4] Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. [5] And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; [6] but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. [7] “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes! [8] “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. [9] If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell. [10] “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. [11] [For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.] [12] “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? [13] If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. [14] So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

First, there will be stumbling blocks or scandals, but it is a terrible thing to cause stumbling blocks or to be the source of stumbling blocks. Jesus speaks out against people who will one day commit the act, and He uses the toughest possible language.

He stated that it would be preferable for them to have a large millstone hung around their necks and for them to be drowned in the depths of the ocean. In addition to this, he instructs us to get rid of anything in our lives that could be considered a hindrance to the progress of others. We should amputate any body part—feet, hands, eyes, or anything else—that causes us to be the reason that others trip and fall as a result of our behavior.

And that fact alone places a significant amount of responsibility on leaders and pastors, not because they are superior to other people but because the position they have places them in a much more public platform than the majority of other people. This obligation to not be a stumbling block and the exposure that comes from the position of visibility that they hold both put a lot of pressure on the family members, particularly the children and the spouse. Everyone in the pastor’s family is held to the same standard of perfection. (But is it even possible for anyone to reach perfection?)

I’d want to draw your attention to something that I believe every Christian should be aware of. And it is the ministry pressures on pastors and Christian leaders.

I believe we should be cautious about putting too much pressure on people who lead us in Christ and their families. Every day, they bear a heavy weight. A burden for their church, a hardship for their family, and a burden for themselves.

They must be at their best emotionally, physically, and spiritually in order to do their jobs. But here’s the truth, which I discovered as a pastor. It is difficult to achieve this condition of wellness in almost everything, at almost all times. Pastoral mental health has also become a severe issue. Every day, many people drop out of ministry due to burnout. Many people are succumbing to depression and despair.

Many, if not all, are entirely alone. They can’t just relax and be themselves with any congregant for fear of letting down their guard and saying or doing something that would cause a stumbling block. And, course, we are not without flaws.

The majority of pastors do not have anybody to talk to about their difficulties and struggles. They are unable to air their grievances with their partners because if their partners understood everything that was going on behind the scenes, they would leave the church. They are unable to disclose their hearts because they are tasked with the obligation of shepherding the congregation and caring for them, not the other way around. They are unable to vent to the congregants because they are expected to be perfect.

They are unable to communicate with their colleagues in ministry due to the high level of competitiveness and struggle for power that exists in the field. Not to even mention the worry that their private life will be made public and shamed due to the fact that they aren’t maintaining “a high standard”.

In addition to that, pastors are required to become experts not only in the art of pastoring and preaching but also in other various fields. In order for them to be able to relate to people and offer assistance, it is now necessary for them to have specialized knowledge in the area of discipleship. This includes having an understanding of the challenges that everyone faces in the areas of children and adolescents, parenting, marriage, and the workplace.

They need to be very entertaining, and they need to make their sermons appealing, in order to bring more people to the church and increase the number of people who attend services there. A successful event requires an enthusiastic and engaged audience. Anything less than that is a failure. Failure can be defined as the absence of growth in the church. Believe what I say about this. Every day, we carry the feeling we are failing with us in our hearts. The majority of us are dissatisfied and depressed because we are unable to conform to the archetype of success that has been superimposed on us as a result of the success of Mega Churches.

On a weekly basis, the vast majority of us, if not all of us, are subjected to severe criticism. And yet, it is incumbent upon us to assist and bless those who so self-righteously stand in opposition to us.

These are maybe some of the reasons why the rate of suicide among ministers and pastors has reached an all-time high. These are maybe some of the reasons why many pastors and other Christian leaders just give up and find new employment. They do so in a state of profound guilt and frustration, as well as with the feeling that they have failed and that they themselves are a failure.

When you are a pastor, you are aware that you have the profession that is the least appreciated that a person can have. But even compared to other professions, we are in a league of our own.

We hardly ever get a chance to turn off our minds because troubles can show up at any time. Due to the fact that we are always on call, we struggle to find a healthy balance between our personal lives, including our families and our free time (of which most of us don’t even have any). We are a public figure, thus everyone is paying close attention to what we do. We are required to have an extensive background in everything and to always be excited and in good health. The way that our families interact ought to serve as a model for other families. We take in and are aware of the issues that everyone else is facing, and what I am describing here could most certainly have more things added to it.

We don’t want to be stumbling blocks and this is a heavy, heavy, heavy responsibility to carry. We want to master in all areas of life so that we can help anyone and everyone the whole time. We want to overcome all weaknesses and be the strongest against sin, do that we can help all others to overcome as well.

We also dream of being successful and that for us is a church full of committed disciples that are constantly growing spiritually and leading others to Christ. Success for pastors is a to have a responsive and appreciative group of people around us. (Can I say that this is unachievable, or should we continue to try?)

Yes, we are simply regular folks who answered Jesus’s call to follow him to this extraordinary place. We sincerely hoped that everyone was aware of that. And immediately got on board to assist in lowering the unachievable expectations, to enjoy more, and to be more forgiving. to look at us not for the work we do, but rather for the people we are when we step away from the pulpit. Just your average Christian who lives his life trying to please Jesus.

It would be good, if possible, to form a few friendships inside the congregation that would last a lifetime. Those who would take pleasure in who we are and share the most intimate moments with us in prayer and discussion, as well as the most intimate times of confessing our sins to each other and praying for one another without passing judgment. May I inquire whether this is an impossible goal or whether we should keep our hopes alive?

Jesus continues in Matthew 18 instructing us to go to those who sin and try to restore them, but because we are people who expect instant perfection from leaders, we prefer to judge and stone them.

Obviously, there will be terrible cases of misconduct and I am not trying to say we shouldn’t take it serious or not follow up on the legal procedures. We should be hold legally responsible for misconduct, especially those who affect the lives of others. But I am not talking about these, I am talking about our day to day struggles in life.

We also shouldn’t forget that everything is redeemable under the cross. And that Jesus can restore even the biggest of sinners.

What I intend with this article is that Christians could change some of the expectations on their hearts towards pastors and pray for them. And be their friends. And be the ones supporting their heavy and tired hands. And covering them instead of exposing. And loving.

You can add here what I missed, but for now this is what is in my heart.

Matthew 16:15-18 NASBS
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” [16] Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [17] And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. [18] I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

“You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” Peter declares. And he does so because his Heavenly Father discloses it to him.

The truth that Jesus is the Son of the Living God was to be the church’s core truth and in direct relation to Peter and his confession, Jesus was declaring His church.

The church was to be built on confessing people. Confessing people that had a personal and profound revelation of who Jesus is!

Such people have been entrusted with the interpretation of God’s kingdom, and the authority to structure its mission now rests with such Christ-followers.

It is impossible for the gates of hell to prevail over these Christ-followers.

It’s a rock we can rely on to have the Father unveil Jesus into our hearts and proclaim it to one another!

Matthew 13:51 NASBS
“Have you understood all these things?” (The parables Jesus was teaching) They said to Him, “Yes.”

The purpose of Jesus’ parables was to keep people from having insights that went beyond the level to which they were prepared to go.

As a result of their inability to comprehend, they would approach closer to inquire about the meaning.

Because if Jesus simply taught in a way that everyone understood perfectly, there would be no need for people to approach him and inquire about the interpretation and meaning of the parables.

The minds of those who heard Jesus teach in a way that everyone understood perfectly would be brimming with knowledge and confidence in their own interpretation of the events. Instead of fostering trust, this would foster independence.

If Jesus taught in a way that everyone understood perfectly, people would begin to see themselves as masters of their own lives rather than as children of the Kingdom of God.

By teaching in parables, Jesus invites us to become more intimate with him, to place our faith in Him for answers and solutions, and to become more and more reliant on Him as our Father.

Matthew 13:44 New American Standard Bible
The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

As far as I’m concerned, this is one of the most powerful passages in the entire Bible.

The most valuable treasure is the kingdom of Heaven, also known as the kingdom of God. When someone discovers it, they immediately sell everything. They turn in everything they have. There is no longer any sense of self-righteousness, self-reliance, or self-sufficiency in them.

When compared to the kingdom, even the most despised sin becomes insignificant. When the King decrees it, even the largest sums of money are easily distributed to those in need.

Everything else fades away as soon as we discover the kingdom. Everything.

Your existence occurs in a split second. Bring before the cross and offered as a living sacrifice, where we are for the purpose of allowing Jesus to live in us!

Galatians 2:20 New American Standard Bible
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

We no longer desire to make a difference in the world on our own terms, but rather that Christ will use us to do so. It is our desire for the kingdom to come and Your will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven!

Jesus, you are the most precious thing in the world!

Matthew 13:16-17 NASBS
But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. [17] For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

These verses have always had a great impact on me, and it has always sparked a strong desire in me to grow closer to Jesus.

Throughout history, prophets and kings wished to have what the disciples had, which was face-to-face communication with God in human form. That is, to hear His words, to see with their own eyes, and to personally feel Him for who He truly was.

They saw all of the miracles taking place right in front of their very eyes. The multiplication of food. The visions of kindness towards the needy and the frustration with religious hypocrites were on the horizon.

All of the words of understanding. All of the words of wisdom where there. All the power manifested right in front of their very eyes.

Then they were witness to all of the cultural upheaval his actions caused in the society of their day and age. He treated women with the same regard and esteem that he did males. He had a soft spot for sinners and a healing touch for those suffering from leprosy. He blessed disruptive children. He was attracted to the unlivable and went out to those who had been rejected.

Then we see God manifested in the person of Jesus Christ, who is clad in humility like no one else before Him. A love-inspired humility exhibited in front of them.

When he washed their feet, Christ demonstrated His humility and showed love to his disciples till the end. He considered himself to be nothing, and he humbled himself further. When Jesus died on the cross, he did it in utter surrender, humiliation, and suffering.

This was done in order for us to be saved and forgiven. He was able to express in actuality the depth, length, width, and height of God’s unconditional love in a tangible way. No one deserves this kind of unconditional love, yet it was theirs and it is ours.

And the disciples were there to witness it firsthand. They had a full and complete experience. They were there to witness it. They put their hands on it. They took a whiff of it. They were dripping wet in it. Take it in stride.

They are blessed, according to Jesus.

And how fortunate we are! We are also blessed because we can have an encounter with Him, even if it is not in the flesh but rather in the Spirit.

We are blessed because, via the Spirit He sends to live within us, we may hear Him and see Him for who He truly is. We can have a personal encounter with Him and His power.

We can have it! Just by reading His Word, we can find peace. All it takes is some quiet time in prayer. We have the ability to experience so. We are blessed because when we seek Him with all of our hearts, we will find Him.

We are blessed because we can call out Abba as His Spirit confirms in our spirits that we are His and have become His heirs even as we suffer in Him.

We are fortunate in that we have been given the ability to comprehend the mysteries of His heart and of His Kingdom.

We are blessed because He is with us all of the time, in every condition, and till the end of the world!

Thank you very much, Jesus! We pray that you will lead us to the depths of your Word and into the embrace of Your Arms. Amen!

Why did Jesus use parables?

Because he wanted people to understand that He is the Truth, not just a messenger of the Truth.

Because He desired that people have a personal relationship with Him and rely on Him to reveal the truth to them rather than being independent and knowledgeable on their own.

Because the unfolding of truth in old wine skins will break the old wine skins. That is why Jesus gradually reveals who He is, who we are, and what we are called to be.

It’s all about journeying with Him and being transformed by His Spirit on a daily basis. The closer we walk with Him, the more transformed we become. The more we are transformed, the more He unveils Himself in and through us.

The truth of Jesus shines through the transformed actions of those who are being transformed in His image. Human knowledge shines through knowledge.

The truth of Jesus is life transformation, while the truth of the world is mind edification.

With Jesus, truth is revealed in a relational way. He is the truth. The majority of world knowledge is processed in our self-sufficient mind that is independent of Him.

His Spirit bestows the revelation of truth. It is spiritually born. World knowledge is processed by the mind.

We require both, and God desires that we access both. We will miss the practical application and discernment of the truth if we only use our Spirit. Our minds help us to process the truth.

We will miss the life-giving relationship that enables the necessary transformation of our old self into His image if we only use our minds. Day by day, little by little.

Therefore, Jesus did not desire to set precise laws, but rather that we pursue a life-giving connection with him.

Even the most abstract ideals, like as faith, hope, surrender, trust, and love, come to life in the context of a relationship because our Spirit brings them to life and our intellect make them practical.

When Jesus and the Pharisees clashed, one of the reasons was their legalism, or the practice of keeping regulations as an end in itself.

Matthew 12:1-7 NASBS say:
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. [2] But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.” [3] But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, [4] how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? [5] Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? [6] But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here. [7] But if you had known what this means, ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

This statement made by Jesus (I desire compassion, and not sacrifice) was revolutionary at the time He made it. But He wasn’t making it from himself, but using the Book of Hosea as reference.

Hosea 6:6 reveals clearly what God desires: “For I desire kindness rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

The sacrifices mentioned here were the Israelite religious sacrifices. God is saying here that He desired more than a legalistic, ritualistic return to old worship. Even if these sacrifices were effective, they would only serve as substitutes for a personal knowledge of God and a true relationship with Him.

What He truly desired was for people to base everything on this relationship with Him. People weren’t supposed to base their lives in empty rituals, but in the communion with the living God, who gives and speaks.

Knowing Him requires having personal encounters with Him and living in trust and obedience to Him. It’s a way of life that involves constant communion with God’s Spirit.

Genuine worship, not empty rituals, allows God’s relationship with His people to be felt and experienced.

All that we do to excuse ourselves rather than submitting to a relationship distinguished by intimacy and integrity would be considered sacrifices in our eyes rather than getting to know God.

These rituals and sacrifices to God sometimes become our effort to earn His attention.

Our works gradually become a substitute for intimacy with God. The reality is that we are frequently uninterested in God. We want to do this worship thing at church and then move on with our lives.

Our sacrifices can include prayer, worship, church attendance, volunteer work for the church, and so on.

What needs to be done in intimate fellowship with God ends up being done for God. We do the “sacrifice” for God to justify ourselves instead of doing in close fellowship with Him to please Him. Instead of doing with Him, we do for Him, and it eventually becomes an exercise done without Him.

All of these things we do for Him are critical in following Him authentically. But the problem is that in our self-justifying effort, we might get so consumed with working for the Lord that our personal relationship with Him becomes secondary.

Good is looking for worshippers that will worship Him in Spirit and true. He is looking for those that won’t worship him with their lips and have their hearts distant from Him. He is looking for those who truly desired intimacy with Him.

As opposed to self-justifying legalistic and judgemental people, Jesus is looking for those who will overflow with compassion from the private place of intimacy.

Matthew 9:13 NASBS
But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Amen!

What I’m about to share alters everything. My perception of the Gospels, Jesus, and the way I behaved for many years.

The verses we are reading from are in Matthew 11:20-24 NASBS that say:
Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. [21] “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. [22] Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. [23] And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. [24] Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”

The judgments of Jesus are expressed as pity. The word translated “woe” could well be translated “alas,” a word of sorrow and pity more than of anger. (Taken from the Preachers Commentary)

This reminds me of the passage of the flood in Genesis 6:5-8 NASBS that say:
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. [6] The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. [7] The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” [8] But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

The Lord was sorry and grieved in his heart ❤. He sighted at the terrible situation to which He was bringing judgement upon.

In these texts, we can observe two aspects of God’s personality. His judgment on injustice and wrongdoing, which speaks of His fairness, and His generous love, that causes Him to be very saddened by the judgment.

In other words, God desires that we walk in his Presence and reap the benefits of our loyalty to Him. But when we don’t, when we walk in our flesh, we reap the consequences of our wickedness.

Galatians 6:8 NASBS states that:
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

In passages like this one in Genesis, or when Jesus talks to the Pharisees in the Seven Woes, He speaks with immense severity as well as a grieved and sorry heart, as though pitying them.

The phrase Woe or Alas appears 37 times in the New Testament.

As I read through all 37 verses in which this word was used, I became increasingly aware of the similarities between the Greek word οὐαί and the Hebrew word חם Transliterated Word
nâcham
That according to the Strong’s Dictionary of the Bible means: Definition
A primitive root; properly to {sigh} that {is} breathe strongly; by implication to be {sorry} that {is} (in a favorable sense) to {pity} console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself): – comfort ({self}) ease [one´ s {self]} repent ({-er} {-ing} self).

The word sorry is also used twice as compassion. Psalm 135:14 NASBS
For the LORD will judge His people And will have compassion on His servants.

We can observe the shape of a judgment warning blended with God’s compassion and love in this Psalm.

We can also see in the verses in Revelation that the word Woe is clearly used in the same compassionate and pitiful way.

Revelation 18:19 NASBS says:
And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’

As a result, we comprehend that God may both bring judgment and sorrow bitterly over it, as in expressing deep compassion for people who will be judged.

When bringing judgment to change the realities of injustices, Hebrews 12:29 NASBS describes our God as a consuming fire.

That is why He sent Jesus, so that through repentance, judgment might be replaced by forgiveness, and destruction and suffering could be replaced by restoration on the most fundamental level.

Everything changes when we read the book of Jude and interpret the word Woe as arriving with a loving emotion toward individuals to whom the warnings are delivered.

In Jude 1:11-16, the New American Standard Bible, we read the following:
Woe (warning judgment and compassion) to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. [12] These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; [13] wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. [14] It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, [15] to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” [16] These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.

Everything changes as a result of this revelation! The transformation of an angry, legalistic, and judgemental heart into one filled with love and compassion.

We can surely say that throughout time, God’s live and passionate heart has remained the same.

Yury Gaudard

Olá queridos, eu sou Yury Gaudard, pastor e missionário na África do Sul a mais de dez anos. Sou pastor em tempo integral para a igreja Metodista da África do Sul. Resolvi escrever brevemente sobre o Bolsonarismo nas igrejas evangélicas. Este texto é um alerta sério e responsável da minha parte.

O primeiro perigo é o fato de que a igreja evangélica e seus líderes não estão conseguindo distinguir o fato de que o Bolsonarismo não representa o Cristianismo.

O Bolsonarismo é uma ideologia política de extrema direita que apoia a tortura, o autoritarismo, a ditadura, que vê diferenças hierárquicas entre homens e mulheres, é elitista e se auto denomina conservador, mas isso é apenas uma estratégia eleitoral, pois é um conservadorismo que não é cumprido. É hipócrita.

Esse Bolsonarismo entrou na igreja com um apelo homofóbico, com uma ideia conservadora hipócrita e uma histeria comunista. Precisamos entender que também há a questão dos favores a pastores.

Com relação ao conservadorismo hipócrita, o mesmo se dá para ganhar votos. Pois os frutos desse conservadorismo não existem na vida de seu líder. Ele destila ódio, ele destila desrespeito, ele destila autoritarismo, ele destila ataques, ele se fundamenta no Ego e arrogância de seu líder.

Ser um cristão conservador significa seguir fielmente exemplo do seu mestre Jesus. O exemplo de Jesus foi amor até mesmo dos seus inimigos, respeito e proteção aos abandonados na sociedade, o não julgamento, a honra aos pequenos, às mulheres, aos mendigos, aos abandonados, o servir, a humildade, o dar a outra face.

O fato de Bolsonaro dar uma plataforma a pastores tem sido uma estratégia de sucesso, pois os mesmos pela primeira vez na história da igreja cristã brasileira se uniram para manipular (pedir votos do púlpito) os seus congregantes a votar e apoiar e defender o Bolsonaro.

Os pastores têm se empenhado como nunca antes para eleger de novo um presidente que não cumpriu 90% das promessas pelas quais foi eleito. Incluindo um escândalo em sua própria família de corrupção em que o mesmo morreu o mundo para abafar.

Queridos, imagine se nós nos unissemos para orar e ganhar o Brasil outra Jesus. Imagine se entendessemos que um governo não move os céus e não muda a terra, mas sim os corações de pessoas sendo salvas. Imagine.

Há uma idolatria cega sobre Bolsonaro que tomou conta do meio cristão e eu, como pastor, tenho um problema com isso.

Bolsonaro não é cristão, pois não tem frutos dignos de arrependimento. A Igreja evangélica tem mais de 40 milhões de pessoas. Se os evangélicos prometessem ao Lula is seus votos, ele se tornaria defensor de qq coisa que lhe fosse pedido. Entendam isso. O logo da campanha de Bolsonaro é pra ganhar votos.

Queridos, todos temos o direito livre de votar e apoiar quem quisermos, mas faço aqui um alerta muito sério.

Quando apoiamos alguém, entramos em aliança com esta pessoa.

Essa aliança está levando cristãos a uma cegueira fanática aonde perderam a capacidade de criticar e de se distanciar daquilo que é errado. Apenas bajulando e encontram desculpas para todos os erros cometidos pelo presidente

Perderam a unção profética e a trocaram por bajulação em troca de favores e plataforma. Aonde existe bajulação em troca de favores o Senhor envia um espírito de mentira de sua parte. Há cegueira também.

Se somente os profetas conseguirem cobrar. Se somente os profetas conseguirem distanciar a essência do Cristianismo dessa ideologia política que ofende o coração de Deus em muitas instâncias. Se os profetas unissem a igreja e apontassem o seu foco para a transformação do coração dos homens através de Jesus ao invés de uma ideologia política corrupta e maligna(com carinha de coisa santa).

O Bolsonarismo é o diabo vestido de luz prometendo poder e favores, mas os céus estão cerrados sobre essa ideologia do ódio. Sobre essa idolatria cristã.

Bajuladores com um espírito de mentira em suas boca nos tornamos pois perdemos a coragem de confronto e de separação do que é santo e do que não é!

No cenário atual, qualquer candidato apoiado por evangélicos faria tudo o que os mesmos pedirem. E não, eu não sou comunista ou esquerdista. E não, Bolsonaro não é de direita. Ele é de extrema direita. Seus ídolos são torturadores e sua arrogância e ego são um sinal vermelho de alerta para o que pode vir.

Um segundo mandato é uma carta branca para exercer todas as suas loucuras, das quais a maneira como lidou com Covid foi uma. Influenciou a muitos a não ser cuidarem e nós pastores caímos nessa. Muitos podem ter morrido pela nossa falta de firmeza em influenciar as pessoas a se protegerem. E isso porque seguimos cegamente um líder louco.

Queridos, eu não quero que o Lula ganhe. Nem o PT.

Eu não me importo que vc vote no Bolsonaro. Embora eu não o farei. Até o momento tenho duas coisas definidas. Não voto no Lula nem no Bolsonaro.

O que eu me importo é a incorporação do Bolsonarismo como uma parte do Cristianismo, pois Jesus não se parece em nada com Bolsonaro. Se Bolsonaro estiver certo, Jesus tem que estar errado.

O que eu me importo é o silêncio dos profetas.

O que eu me importo é testemunho terrível que esta aliança entre o Cristianismo e o Bolsonarismo está dando ao mundo de quem nós somos como seguidores de Cristo.

Mas você não consegue enxergar, consegue?

Nós não fomos chamados para eleger presidente. O último que tentou fazer foi Cristianismo a religião do estado, Constantino, destruiu a igreja.

Nós fomos chamados a fazer a diferença no mundo através de amar e ajudar as pessoas. Nós fomos chamados pra anunciar as boas novas do Evangelho.

Acordem profetas. Denunciem está aliança. Denunciem a idolatria. Denunciem os bajuladores e o espírito de mentira. Bolsonaro não é o Messias.

Matthew 11:7-11 NASBS
As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? [8] But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ palaces! [9] But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. [10] This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.’ [11] Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

John was humble since he was the one who said Christ had to increase and he had to shrink.

He was obedient because he did exactly what was asked of him.

He was completely surrendered since he had dedicated his life to serving the Father.

Even in the face of death, he was courageous and never gave up. His moral principles and bravery were outstanding.

In the end, though, he doubted himself since he was only human. He went to his disciples and inquired if Jesus was the one or if he should wait for someone else.

It is important to note that John was the one who lumped for joy in his mother’s womb when Mary came to visit his mother Elizabeth.

He was the first person to be told that Jesus was the Christ who was not a member of Jesus’ family.

He was responsible for preparing the way for Jesus. He highlighted that Jesus was the Lamb of God who atoned for the world’s sins.

In the kingdom, he was the greatest son of a woman. He was a trailblazer. He was chosen to go before Jesus and pave the way for the Lord.

But he had his misgivings, which were understandable given the difficulties he was facing in that moment. When he faced death for the sake of righteousness, his conviction was brought to its knees. His faith was brought to its knees.

He doubted because he was only human, which is understandable.

When Jesus was approached by John’s disciples, and they made known John’s doubts and confessed his state of weakness, Jesus responded with encouragement rather than criticism.

And this serves as an example for everyone who serve the Lord. The lesson we learn is that it is acceptable to have doubts, be fearful, be weak, be lost, fail, and cry.

We fail. We are not, and will never be, above the perceived flaws that continuously surround us. This chapter teaches us how that it is ok to have doubts.

After all, God told nearly everyone He had a personal relationship with not to be fearful. After all, Jesus wept and was exceedingly lonely and sad at times. And that was him experiencing what every single human being goes through. (without sin)

Doubts, worries, feelings of loneliness, sorrow, despair, and even losing sight of the vision God has given us are things we all go through in our journey. God will not be angry with us for feeling weak.

What is not appropriate is to try to deal with all of these concerns on your own. God has a remedy for every problem, a word for every emotion, and an escape for every weakness.

He also asks us to come to Him with our flaws, fears, sorrows, tears, and deficiencies so that He with pour out his love and strengthen us.

This appears to be the main theme of Matthew 11 because, at the end of the chapter, Jesus turns to everyone and invites them to partake in the same medicine that he had provided to John. His encouraging words.

Christ says in Matthew 11:28-30 NASBS
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. [30] For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

This is for you, myself, and anyone else that  approaches Him.

Don’t let sin, grief, hopelessness, or despair hinder you from experiencing God’s abundant grace! He is who he is: Immanuel, God with us. Come to him, you who are suffering, and he will give you rest!

Matthew 10:40-42 NASBS
“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. [41] He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. [42] And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”

If you receive someone under my name, it is certain that you are receiving me.

In the event that you do receive this individual whom I have sent, you will be eligible for the same reward that this individual’s ministry is currently receiving. Whether it’s because of his/her calling or because of his/her character.

As long as you give to those whom I have sent, even if it is only a cup of water, says Jesus, you will never forfeit your reward.

There are three different tiers of rewards available here. The first of these has a clear connection to Jesus. Receiving people whom Jesus sends has the same significance as receiving the Lord himself.

The second one is when you adopt a disciple of Jesus, his or her reward will be yours. To receive or adopt mean that you accept full responsibility for supporting, caring, and protecting that person. Whatever achievements that person is having and whatever rewards that person is receiving from the Lord will be yours as well.

The third is that when you accept responsibility for people whom Jesus has sent, even if it is with a cup of water, you will never forfeit your reward.

Finally, we can see that Jesus is imparting the most important spiritual lesson possible in terms of supporting, protecting, and caring for those whom he sends. In all respects.

Provide a roof, protection, and shelter, as well as nourishment to those sent to do God’s work. When we do that, we will be getting Jesus, as well as the prize Jesus is conferring on that individual, and we will never lose it.

Your gift of love has an eternal, unforgettably beautiful, and tremendously powerful worth in God’s Kingdom!

Matthew 10:16 NASBS
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

Jesus is sending the disciples out into the world as sheep among wolves. They should be as clever or wise as serpents, and as innocent as doves in their dealings with others.

According to the original meaning, the word wise or shrewd signifies thoughtful, as in sagacious or discrete (implying a cautious character; while G4680 denotes practical skill or acumen; and G4908 indicates rather intelligence or mental acquirement).

This is revolutionary in my opinion since Jesus granted the disciples the authority to cure the sick, raise the dead, and perform other miracles. Their provision would come from the people they were helping, and this was something the disciples were aware of. Also, It didn’t matter that the disciples understood exactly where they were meant to go; their lives didn’t depend on it alone.

Jesus provided the power, wisdom, and provision, but it was necessary for the disciples to learn survival techniques.

The disciples, according to Jesus, should have sagacity combined with discretion, as well as prudence manifested in practical abilities to deal with difficult situations.

Our sagacity, knowledge and temperance are all excellent qualities, and we need them combined with the practical skills that are so vital in a world that is eager to destroy Christians that become outstanding.

These practical abilities take the shape of intelligence, which is acquired through mental training.

To put it another way, we should be street- wise people so that we can protect ourselves against the wolves of the world.

What we are being challenged to do is use our skills and expertise to season our worldly relationships.

It’s not simply about having more of Jesus power (which is essential). It is also about acquiring practical skills while employing our intelligence in order to move around and thrive in a world full of challenges.