Feet stepped on !

[Hiskid1973]

Had and incredible meeting in our local ecklesia today…One of the songs that started our praise and worship time was "We are the body(why aren’t our feet going)…Preaching started with:
2Cor 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish
and
2Cor5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God…

He asked then how do we smell to those around us…Do they see and smell a good representation of Christ…Does your word/deed of Christ show up to your coworkers, family members or the guy who cut you off down the road…He went on and it was quiet…They Holy Spirit uses the word we hide in our hearts to bring out change and obedience to Him allows more flesh to die and more of Christ to be seen…Want to know how you reflect Christ asl those closest to you for feedback…Ask the Lord to show you what you need to change to reflect Him…There was alot of discussion after the service…Peoples lives affected for eternity…

I told he pastor " I guess the more flesh dies the better we smell’. I thiought later that’s another thing that’s opposite between the kingdom of God and the world…May you reflect for this week how you came become a better smelling fragrance of Christ to those He puts in your path…

Grace and peace to you…Kim

 

[Trishie]

Jesus, You command that we love each other as You have loved us. You add that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for others. “Since the Father loved us so much that He sent You to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away, we too should love one another.”[John 4:10-11]“By such love, everyone will know that we are Your disciples.” “Anyone who says ‘I love God’, and hates his brother is a liar, since a person who does not love the brother that he can see, cannot love God whom he has never seen.” [1 letter of John 4:20-21]

It can be difficult to love others when they appear ‘troublesome’, or misjudge or reject us, or when we are weary and preoccupied

Each of us has only our personal consciousness, so that we only know our own feelings and thoughts, and may only imagine another’s.“The depths of a person can only be known by his own spirit, not by any other person.” [1Corinthians 2:1] So how can we truly love*? “Let us love one another, since love comes from God.”* [John 4:7] Therefore, Jesus, we pray for and welcome God’s love in us that we may love as You have loved us.

As You have said, to live as Your disciples, as children of the Father, is impossible for humankind—but “nothing is impossible to God.” Love begins with awareness that each person is loved child of the Father. Therefore, Jesus, I pray for Your love in me for everyone You bring into my life. I forgive and bless each person who has hurt my loved ones or me. Please ensure that we forgive, however deeply others action or inaction wound us.

You have made us Your brothers and sisters; therefore, we will strive to overcome the difficulties that natural selfishness generates. We seldom must actually die as You did, for another person’s sake. Yet every day there are ways that we relinquish some preference, desire, or convenience for the need or wish of another person.

Let Your Holy Spirit carry us lovingly though these little deaths. Love requires that we do so generously, kindly and cheerfully, for reluctance or resentment is not of the love that lays down life for anyone. You wish us to love all whom You in any way entrust to our care, but You also require us to love and pray for our enemies—those who make our lives difficult and painful. Jesus, forgive us for those failures to love them truly. [Matthew. 5:44]

 

[Trishie]

You say that when we do a kindness to anyone we do it for You. [Matthew 25:40]. You teach that the consequence of not living this Christ-love towards others is self-condemnation to that miserable pit where no love penetrates, for all who dwell within have ultimately rejected divine love.

Our love “is not to be mere words or mere talk, but something real and active; only by this can we be certain that we are children of the truth.” [John 3:18-19] Your apostle Paul exhorts,“Do not let your love be pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other…If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you must make hospitality your special care.” [Romans 12:9-13]

“Be compassionate as your heavenly Father is compassionate”even to the sacrifice of His beloved Son.“Do not judge others and you will not yourself be judged. Grant pardon and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure.”[Luke 6:36-38*] “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be children of your Father in heaven, for He causes the sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and His rain to fall on honest and dishonest persons alike…You must therefore be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” [Matthew 5:43-48]

“Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye’…Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter in your brother’s eye.”[Luke 6: 39-42]

 

[Trishie]

“Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You; or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and make You welcome; naked and clothe You; sick or in prison and go to see You?” Jesus replies “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” “In so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least, you neglected to do it to me.” [Matthew 25:37-40, 45-46]

“Is there a poor brother among you, one of your brothers, in any town of yours? Do not harden your heart or close your hand against that poor brother of yours, but be open-handed with him.” [Deuteronomy 15:7-8] “Each one should give what he has decided in his own mind, not grudgingly or because he is made to, ‘for God loves a cheerful giver.’”[Proverbs 28:2]“And there is no limit to the blessings which God can send you…for yourselves…for all sorts of good works.” [2Corinthians 9:6-8] “None of us lives for himself only.” [Romans 14:7]

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves…For Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.’”[Romans. 15:1-3]* “Malice must be banished from your tongue.” [Psalm 34:13]“Cease to do evil. Learn to do good, search for justice, help the oppressed, be just to the orphan, and plead for the widow. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”*[Isaiah 1:17-18]

Loving God, unless You love through me, I cannot love You above all, or cherish other persons, as Jesus loves me.

Know, love and serve through me, for my attempts may be tainted with selfish responses or kindly mistakes. Others’ logic and reality before You is mystery to me, for I have only my own consciousness. I know something of my sinfulness, yet what appears to be ‘sin’ in others may instead be a differing virtue, or a product of innocence or ignorance that only appears to be sin or error.

I ask You Who-Are-Love to be my love and service of others, welcoming everyone as Your beloved. I want to celebrate Your love, beauty and inspiration in others, even if it is obscure. Let Your Spirit fill my heart, mouth and prayer with gifts of Your love and truth for others. Let me be endowment of Your own self, Your sacrament present to them. I ask this despite my evident failures in loving.

I believe that You will free me wholly into Your love, wisdom, and compassion. I wait humbly in my daily efforts, knowing that in Your mercy You will grant my prayer to love Yourself in me with all strength and being, and to love others through me with Jesus’ love.

 

[Hiskid1973]

Thanks Trishie…Thank You Lord for your words of life to us…Holy Spirit search our hearts for any ungodly ways…Lord let Your word, which we are to hide in our hearts change us for Your glory…Bless abundantly my dear sister as she is an example of You around this forum…Thank you Jesus…