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
MAKE PRAYER YOUR FIRST PRIORITYBIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (1)BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (2)BIBLE READING; THEY KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (3)LIVING IN THE PROMISED LANDWHEN YOUR MATE STRUGGLES WITH INSECURITYKEEP PERSEVERING AND REFUSE TO QUITSHOW YOUR APPRECIATIONCOUNT YOUR BLESSINGSTHE "DOWNSIDE" OF IMMORALITYHAVE YOU BEEN WRONGED? FORGIVE"KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON"BE SENSITIVE TO GOD'S PRESENCEA PRAYER FOR GOD-CONFIDENCELIVE FROM "GLORY TO GLORY"ABOUNDING GRACEPREVAILING PRAYERTHE FIRST BEATITUDETHE SECOND BEATITUDETHE THIRD BEATITUDETHE FOURTH BEATITUDETHE FIFTH BEATITUDETHE SIXTH BEATITUDETHE SEVENTH BEATITUDETHE EIGHTH BEATITUDEBE CONTENTYOU ARE A STEWARDDEMONSTRATING GOD'S KINGDOM WHERE YOU LIVEAVOID COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERSHE'S LOOKING FOR LABORERSKNOWING AND ENJOYING YOUR INHERITANCE
February
HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (1)HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (2)HEALING FOR YOUR MINDHUMBLE YOURSELF, AND TRY TO MAKE IT RIGHTYOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCELIVE ON PURPOSE, FOR A PURPOSEHOW TO "RENEW" YOUR MINDFIGHT FOR YOUR MARRIAGETRUE REPENTANCE BRINGS RESTORATION"I HAVE SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME"RESPONSIBILITY AND THE "ABILITY TO RESPOND"MEDITATE AND ASSIMILATECLICK THE SAVE BUTTONBE CONFIDENT OF GOD'S LOVE FOR YOUGOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (1)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (2)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (3)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (4)PRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODHEALING FOR ANXIETYEXPERIENCING GOD'S PEACETHE CHALLENGES AND REWARDS OF LEADERSHIPSTAY TRUE TO THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORDLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODOVERCOMING ENVYRELY ON GOD, NOT YOURSELFPAID IN FULLTRY FOR RECONCILIATION
March
HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (1)HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (2)EMBRACE "THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD"CONFIDANTS, CONSTITUENTS, COMRADESIT CAME TO PASS—NOT STAYLIVE FOR A CAUSE GREATER THAN YOURSELFFREE FROM GUILT AND CONDEMNATIONPRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODJUST PLAY YOUR PARTYOU ARE AN AGENT OF RECONCILIATIONLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODWHEN YOU LONG FOR COMPANIONSHIPTHE WHOLE WORLD MUST HEAR GOD'S WORDWILL YOU HEAR CHRIST, OR THE CRISIS?LIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (1)YOU CAN OUTGROW THE PROBLEMGOD WILL GIVE YOU KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDINGLIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (2)THE WAY UP IS DOWNTHE WORST FAILURE...IS FAILURE TO TRYARE YOU WASHING YOUR NETS?"OVERNIGHT SUCCES" USUALLY TAKES MANY YEARSYOU HAVE FULL FORGIVENESSKNOW WHO YOU AREHE'S THE GOD OF NEW BEGINNINGSGOD IS "AT WORK IN YOU"OVERCOMING WORKAHOLISMTHE TOUCH OF HIS HANDCHRIST CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULTRY FASTINGGOD IS WORKING IN YOU, WITH YOU, AND THROUGH YOUASK GOD FOR A DREAMTODAY GOD IS "WITH YOU"