Friday, November 6, 2009

HIS Words [9]

Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing.

Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, here's what you do:

Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you're worth.
God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what he's asked;
But he turns his back on those who do evil things.

1 Peter 3:9-11

I was struggling this morning with trying to understand the reason[s] why so many people are content with the lighter side of Jesus...what I call the fluffy, feel good stuff. I find it so easy to ask "why?" with such a judgmental heart, that it bothers me that I can ask "why?" with such a judgmental heart.

I had a Twitter conversation about this today and then headed outside to hear from Jesus. This is what I read [above].

Although my Bible didn't magically fall open to "judge lest not you be judged" or "take that log out of your own eye first" [paraphrase mine], those two verses followed in my mind after reading the above passage.

And then God brings this scripture to mind:

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Phillipians 4:8 [The Message]

2 comments:

  1. Ooh! I really loved this post. Thanks for sharing God's Good Word here! Wonderful reminder for today.

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  2. When you sort scripture and it makes sense, the Holy Spirit can bring the words alive. And those are words I didn't find myself in. I'm revealed.

    Thanks for having that conversation with me!

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