Written by TWFYT
Thursday August 14
"I will build my church." Matthew 16:18
Author Sherry Surratt notes that when Jesus promised to build His church, "[he] wasn't just talking about the bricks or wood from a...building, but he was talking about building his church of...ordinary, human people who are imperfect...broken and [who] bring their messy lives...with them every time they walk through the door. This is what Christ died for...He died for people--for his church...a group of people, led by people, and not a single one of us is perfect. We're a broken bunch who hopefully recognizes our brokenness and acknowledges that Jesus is the only fix...No matter how long we've been in the church, we ever reach perfection...we'll have to work at it every day. We'll come face-to-face with our human side every morning when we wake up, and...when we do, we'll bump up against each other and we'll get hurt. Our natural tendency is to steer clear of what hurts us...So when we encounter gossip aimed at us or witness hatred or hypocrisy in our fellow churchgoers or even our pastors, it's natural to think about walking away. But to do this is to separate ourselves from something that God built for us to use for our good...The Bible never says other people aren't going to wound [us]...What [it] does teach...is that it doesn't help to just sit in hurt and feel sorry for [ourselves] (See Mt 5:24). God's Word warns [us] not to let bitterness set in (See Heb 12:15). This has nothing to do with pretending something didn't happen. It has everything to do with being honest...admitting when our spirit is crushed and leaving revenge in the hands of God."
Thursday August 14
"I will build my church." Matthew 16:18
Author Sherry Surratt notes that when Jesus promised to build His church, "[he] wasn't just talking about the bricks or wood from a...building, but he was talking about building his church of...ordinary, human people who are imperfect...broken and [who] bring their messy lives...with them every time they walk through the door. This is what Christ died for...He died for people--for his church...a group of people, led by people, and not a single one of us is perfect. We're a broken bunch who hopefully recognizes our brokenness and acknowledges that Jesus is the only fix...No matter how long we've been in the church, we ever reach perfection...we'll have to work at it every day. We'll come face-to-face with our human side every morning when we wake up, and...when we do, we'll bump up against each other and we'll get hurt. Our natural tendency is to steer clear of what hurts us...So when we encounter gossip aimed at us or witness hatred or hypocrisy in our fellow churchgoers or even our pastors, it's natural to think about walking away. But to do this is to separate ourselves from something that God built for us to use for our good...The Bible never says other people aren't going to wound [us]...What [it] does teach...is that it doesn't help to just sit in hurt and feel sorry for [ourselves] (See Mt 5:24). God's Word warns [us] not to let bitterness set in (See Heb 12:15). This has nothing to do with pretending something didn't happen. It has everything to do with being honest...admitting when our spirit is crushed and leaving revenge in the hands of God."
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January
START BY FORGIVINGEMBRACING UNCERTAINTY AND FOLLOWING GODBLESSING IS PROGRESSIVEIS GOD SHAKING YOU UP?DON'T AVOID--ENGAGEYOU ARE COMMANDED TO LOVEJUST SOW THE SEEDSEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (1)SEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (2)PRAY ABOUT IT, THEN TAKE ACTIONTHE IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORDTHE LINK BETWEEN DISOBEDIENCE AND STRESSHAVE YOU TALKED TO GOD ABOUT IT?KNOW YOUR PURPOSE, KNOW YOUR PARTNERSHOW GOD SEES YOUBE GUIDED BY WISDOM, NOT IMPULSEPAUSE AND REFLECTWHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (1)WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (2)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (3)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (4)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (5)SEEKING GOD
February
PRACTICE SAYING NO TO YOURSELFTHE BEST IS YET TO COMETHE GRANDFATHER'S MISTAKE BECAME THE GRANDSON'S MIRACLEHOW TO CONQUER THE FEAR OF FAILINGLET'S RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCESPASS IT ON TO OTHERSKEEP TRUSTING GODFEAR IS THE ENEMY OF GROWTHCHANGE YOUR ROUTINEYOU ARE NOT BEYOND GOD'S REACHDON'T LOOK AT CHRISTIANS, LOOK AT CHRISTUNDERSTANDING THE WORD "IMPUTED"GOVERNED BY CHRIST'S LOVE FOR USTODAY EXCEPT GOD'S FAVORGROWTH IS ABOUT ENLARGEMENTFIND PRAYER PARTNERSKEEP PRAYING AND BELIEVINGREFUSE TO WEAR THE LABELJESUS IS THE ANSWERSHAKE IT OFF, AND MOVE FORWARDWHEN OTHERS "DON'T GET IT"RIGHTEOUSNSS IS A GIFT, NOT A REWARD
March
HOW LONG WILL YOU LIVE?DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (1)DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (2)KNOW WHEN TO LET GOPUT AWAY THE MEASURING STICKCONNECT, COMMIT, COMMUNICATEUSE YOUR IMAGINATIONCONSULT GOD ON YOUR DAILY TO-DO LISTBEARING SPIRITUAL FRUITHOW GOD SEES YOUBORN TO BELIEVE (1)BORN TO BELIEVE (2)ONLY JESUS CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULPUT GOD BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE FOE"FORGIVE THEM" AND DELETE ITBE TRUE TO THE SCRIPTURESTHE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (1)THE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (2)IF YOU'RE A LEADER, READ THISPRAYER AND YOUR RASLEARN TO SAY NOYOU CAN LEARN TO LOVEALWAYS AGREE WITH GOD'S WORD
April
BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (1)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (2)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (3)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (4)REJOICE - DAY FORTY-ONE IS COMINGPASTOR, KEEP YOUR SWORD SHARPDON'T BURN OUT (1)DON'T BURN OUT (2)THE WAITING STRATEGYRESOLVE CONFLICT QUICKLY (1)RESOLVE CONFLICT QUICKLY (2)HELP FOR CAREGIVERS
May
TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR MOTHERKNOWING THE SEASON YOU'RE INFAITH IS NOT FAITH UNTIL IT IS ACTED UPONHAVE A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVEFREE FROM JEALOUSYDON'T LOVE YOUR PASSION FOR GODGET ALONE WITH GOD (1)GET ALONE WITH GOD (2)GET ALONE WITH GOD (3)WHO ARE YOU DEPENDING ON?THE SECRET TO SUCCESSHOW TO STAY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT GODDEALING WITH RELATIONSHIP ISSUES (1)DEALING WITH RELATIONSHIP ISSUES (2)COMPASSION BEGINS WITH THE WORD "NOTICE"WHEN GOD ASKS YOU TO GIVEARE YOU IN A STRESS MESS?WHEN YOU FEEL BLAH