Good day dear friends. We received great news from a couple of folks yesterday in church: biopsies negative! We thank the Lord with these our brothers and sisters. Don't forget the men of our church are invited to the monthly men's breakfast tomorrow morning.
We continue our study of forgiveness. Here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: Read Luke 6:37-47 and discover that forgiveness is a foundational part of the Christian life. What, in addition to forgiveness, matters to God? What do you suppose happens if we don’t forgive as we should?
Here is that text:
Matthew 6:37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back." 39 He also told them a parable: "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. 41 Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your neighbor, "Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye. 43 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. 46 "Why do you call me "Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell you? 47 I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them.
The Sermon on the Mount was the first motivational seminar. In it Jesus shares the secrets to abundant living. The best thing was that He didn't have to sell movitational tapes or books. Jesus in effect said, "God expects you to do the unexpected!" Jesus taught the people how to pray and then after the prayer emphasized the parts of the prayer that we sometimes take for granted and then in this passage goes into talking about relational living. We are told not to judge. We do that all the time and find it easy. We're living in expected ways. The unexpected lifestyle says we do not judge. And for those that may be wondering what it means to judge, it means to place people in pre-determined categories or to place labels on persons and then treat them accordingly. It also means to judge some people as less than us or of little worth. To NOT judge means to accept folks as they are. Notice right after this comes, "Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned." This is easy too. I find it very easy to condemn as I watch the television news. Sometimes a story comes out that is so hideous that I find myself condemning the person doing or accused of having done the malicious deed. Just last night a news report showed a garbage bag dragged out of a river containing a live baby girl. Thank God the child had not drowned as perhaps was the intention, but the child was still alive. This occured in Brazil. I found myself condemning the mother or whomever was doing this. But Jesus says, that's expected. Do the unexpected. I did ask why would a mother or someone do this? And I silently prayed for the Lord to touch that person's heart to realize the error of his/her ways. Then comes, "Forgive, and you will be forgiven." This is the foundational basis of a good life. Letting go and letting God, as the simple saying says. Letting go of the weight that grudges cause comes when we forgive. And being free of that weight helps us to enjoy life to the fullest.
The rest of the passage deals with right living. We must realize we need God to help us live our lives filled with grace. We must be positive towards others and towards life. We must continually share hope with others. We must love others. Resolve to be a person that is known as being good. One who lives a life that does the unexpected!
PRAYER: God of the unexpected life, come to me today and help me overcome all this is evil in me. Let me show, because You live in me, that I am good. Let my actions shine the Light of Jesus. In Whose name I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
