GUARD THE TRUTH

Rom. 16:17 And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things that are contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.  NLT

       There are those in the Church who are natural trouble makers.  They have a knack for disrupting the fellowship of the church.  They stir up people and often divide people over matters of faith.  They have a knack for teaching things that are not true, even using truth to do it.  Some people are very skilled in distorting what God has said and using it to their advantage.  Divisions in the Church are common whenever man preaches another Gospel message.

      We must always be on guard for those who are not preaching and teaching truth.  We must always examine what we hear in light of the Scriptures.  We must not blindly accept what we hear just because someone in a position of authority is speaking to us.   There is a great need in the Church for people to think for themselves Biblically.  

       We need to examine the Word for ourselves and strive to understand it through the Spirit of Christ.  Understanding comes from much prayer and study.  Wise is he who will not believe what he hears until it is verified by the Spirit through the Word.

       We dare not let others think for us.  We must be discerning listeners for there are many false teachers in the Church today.  If we can’t discern the truth for ourselves, we must then seek out those who can help us.  Stay away from those who cause division in the Church or who teach things contrary to God’s Word.  Pray for discernment in what you hear.  Take heed when you sense the Spirit telling you something is not right. 

      It is imperative that you think clearly and Biblically about God and His workings in the world.  It is imperative that you know correctly the truth.  Don’t settle for anything less than the truth and the whole truth as revealed to us in the Scriptures by God.

WATCH OUT!

Rom. 16:17 And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people's faith by teaching things that are contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.  NLT

      We should be on the lookout for those who divide the Church and lead people astray, but it seems like we aren't.  We are not too careful about warding off problems amongst us.  We don't like to ruffle feathers so we don't confront those who stir up trouble.  We then sit back and bemoan the fact that there is trouble within the church.

      It is our obligation to stand guard over the integrity of the Gospel and how it is lived out amongst us.  The Word of God and holy living are sacred trusts that we dare not mess up.  We can avoid much of the internal strife in the Church by being more responsible when it comes to squelching those who cause divisions in the Church and lead people astray.

      The Lord gave us instructions on how to discipline one another for a reason.  When we properly follow His guidance, harmony is restored and maintained in the church.  Disciplining one another is not an ego or power trip.  It should always be done humbly, compassionately, and with the intent of restoration of the offending party's soul to the fellowship of the church.  When discipline fails to restore, we are to stay away from them.

     We must take very seriously the condition of our souls.  We must not be negligent when it comes to having fellowship with people who can lead us away from God.  We must always strive to keep our souls lined up with godliness.  We must stand guard over our souls so that we will not wander away from God.  Peace with God and the eternal state of our souls is at stake.

PRAY FOR THOSE SERVING

Rom. 15:30 Dear friends, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me given you by the Holy Spirit.  NLT

      I wonder how often we join with others in their ministries by faithfully praying for them.  For most of us it's probably not very often.  Many people hand out prayer cards, make appeals through letters or the internet, and make personal appeals for prayer support.  Much of the time those appeals are soon forgotten.  I wonder how much different things would be for those who serve if they were to be supported faithfully by prayer.  I can't help but think that a lot of things would be different.

      We must never forget that those who are serving the Lord are human, too.  They struggle just like we do.  They are tempted by Satan just as we are.  They have bad days just like we do.  They have personal issues at home just like we do.  They have fears and doubts just like we do.  They are faced with the same issues that you and I face in our walk with the Lord.  Also, because they are more in the limelight than we usually are, they are more vulnerable to Satan's attacks than what we usually are.  In other words, those who are serving the Lord in various ways in leadership roles need our prayer support.

       Let us strive, with the Lord's help, to be better prayer warriors on their behalf.  Let us ask the Lord to hold us accountable for our commitments to pray for others.  Let us not be found guilty of saying one thing and doing another.  The servants of the Lord need our prayer support on a regular basis.  They need to know someone is praying for them.  Will you be a prayer warrior for someone starting today?

GOOD BOASTING

GOOD BOASTING

Rom. 15:18  I dare not boast of anything else.  I have brought the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I lived before them.  NLT

      The Apostle Paul was saved to be a witness to the Gentiles of God's saving grace through Christ Jesus.  It was what God commanded him to do.  It was what he did with a passion.  He was not very well-liked by his fellow Jews because of it.  He was often beaten, thrown into prison, run out of town, and falsely accused before the Roman council because of it.  Life was very difficult for Paul, but he could not be stopped. 

      Paul was a humble man and did not boast of his accomplishments.  He could have taken pride in his birth pedigree, but he didn't.  He could have boasted of his Roman citizenship, but he didn't.  He could have boasted of all of his successes in the churches he helped establish and preached in, but he didn't.

      The only thing that Paul pointed to was the fact that that he did what God told him to do.  He brought many Gentiles to God through his preaching, teaching and living.  His message was very clear and consistent wherever he went and he backed up his message with the way he lived. 

       The only real witness that we have that matters to the world is whether or not our living supports what we proclaim.  It's not too hard to notice a hypocrite and the world jumps on them like fleas on a dog.  The world may not agree with us when we live what we preach, but they do have to respect the fact that we live it.  Let us always strive to show by our example of living that the Gospel message is for real and that it indeed does change lives.

PATIENCE AND ENCOURAGEMENT

Rom. 15:5  May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other--each with the attitude of Christ Jesus toward the other.  NLT

      If you lack patience, don't let it bother you.  God gives us all the patience we need if we but ask Him to.  So often we struggle with patience because we don't go to the source of patience, God.  We try to no avail to handle things on our own and when we fail to do what we want or expect to do, we get upset and lose patience over it.  One of the biggest reasons why we struggle to get along with others is due to our lack of patience.  God can help us; He will help us, if we turn to Him and ask Him for it.

      Now I know that as we get older, patience physically becomes harder.  Our nerves are more on edge and if we use caffeine in our drinks and don’t get adequate rest, it makes it even harder.  Therefore, we need to try to work harder on helping ourselves as much as we can.  When we sense ourselves getting impatient, we need to try to pause and ask the Lord to help us through the moment and deal with things as we should. 

       If you get down and discouraged over things, turn to the Lord; He will lift you up as you focus on Him and all that He has done for you.  The Lord does not want you down and in a funky mood.  He wants to see you joyful, upbeat, feeling positive about things.  The Lord will help you when you are down if you will but turn to Him and ask Him to.

      When we deal with life patiently and positively, we find ourselves better able to live in harmony with others.  Loving one another with godly love and seeing one another as Christ sees us, is very doable when we let Jesus be Lord of our hearts and living.  When we keep our eyes and hearts fixed on Jesus, life becomes so much easier and enjoyable for us and those whom we share life with.

DIFFERENT CONVICTIONS

Rom. 14:23  But if people have doubts about whether they should eat something, they shouldn't eat it.  They would be condemned for not acting in faith before God.  If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.  NLT

      God dwells in every believer's heart through the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit guides us into all truth, helps us to understand the truth, and empowers us to live the truth.  He works within each of us in unique ways and we learn to apply truth within the context of our personalities and situations in life.  There are many things we differ in because of our uniqueness.  As long as we don't deviate from the truth of the Scriptures, it's okay to have different convictions about things.

     We sin when we go against what the Spirit has convicted us of.  If we sincerely believe something is wrong and we go ahead and do it, we sin.  We are responsible for our own convictions.  It doesn't matter whether or not someone else holds the same convictions that you do or not.  Unless the Lord clearly shows you that what you are convinced of is wrong, you sin when you go against what you believe to be true.

      We need to have a clear grasp on what we believe about things so that we will live it.  We need to examine the Scriptures and ask the Lord to give us clear understanding of it.  We need to ask the Lord then for the strength and willpower to live by our convictions.  We must have a clear sense of right and wrong and live by it.  God holds us accountable for the choices we make.

THE GOAL OF HARMONY

Rom. 14:19  So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.  NLT

      Let's just do it.  Let us aim for harmony in the Church and try to build each other up.  Being a part of church life would be so much more pleasant if we were to do it.  If harmony becomes our goal, the issue becomes how we can do it.  Let me offer a few thoughts.

      Harmony can be achieved if we were to set aside our personal agendas and expectations of others.  We need to quit insisting on having things our way all the time.  When there is a general consensus on what to do or how to do it, we submit to what the majority believes to be right.  As long as there is not a doctrinal issue at stake, it doesn't matter if we get our way or not.  We need to have a humble spirit and work together for the common good of the body of Christ. 

      Harmony can be achieved when we are united on our common goal, the exaltation of Christ and the evangelism of the world.  All believers in Christ should share in these two goals for the Church.  When we do, getting along and working together becomes so much easier.

      Harmony can be achieved when we are united together in prayer.  Prayer should overshadow everything we do in the Church.  When we ask the Lord together to guide us and help us relate to each other in a Christ- like way, we will be more apt to live and work peaceably with each other.

     Harmony can be achieved when our mutual goal is to try and build each other up.  When we are looking out for the interests of others, self doesn't get in the way nearly as much.  When we are seeking the good of others, we won't be so hard to get along with. 

      Harmony can be achieved when we work together to achieve it.  Let us always strive to get along with others and work together for the good and the glory of Christ.  It is what pleases God.

DON'T BE AN OBSTACLE

DON’T BE AN OBSTACLE

Rom. 14:13  So don't condemn each other anymore.  Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian's path.  NLT

      When we condemn others, we are putting obstacles in their walk with the Lord.  We are hindering their progress by dragging them down with our words.  Instead of building them up and encouraging them to go further with the Lord, we halt their progress. 

      Living godly lives is difficult enough the way it is without someone pointing out to us all that we are doing wrong.  Granted, sometimes we do need correction so that we can stay on the right path to God, but we don't need to always be put down to the point where we are discouraged and defeated.  Negativity breeds negativity and we need to be careful that we are not an obstacle in another believer's path.

      We need to be positive contributors to one another's walk.  We need to come alongside of others and gently prod them on to a deeper walk with the Lord.  We need to always offer guidance with love and tenderness.  We need to ask the Lord to guard our hearts so that we don't sit in judgment over others.  We need to ask Him for self-control over our tongues.  We need to ask Him to teach us how to be positive and not negative influencers in the lives of others.

     Pride in our own righteousness is often the root cause of why we condemn others.  Ask the Lord to strip you of your pride, forgive you and keep you humble before Him.  Ask Him to keep you from being an obstacle in another Christian's path. 

CONDEMN ANOTHER?

Rom. 14:10 So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God.  NLT

      This truth should haunt every believer who has every condemned another believer.  It is so easy to set ourselves up as better than someone else.  It is easy to notice what someone else does wrong and not see what we are doing wrong.  It is easy to have closed minds about things and not try to understand what is really going on in others’ lives.

      We ought to embrace one another in the love of Christ.  We ought to seek to understand why people do what they do and help them to understand why it may be wrong.  We ought to exercise grace towards those whom we may disagree with. 

       Condemning others rarely does any good.  It creates harsh feelings and causes us to be very defensive.  It creates within us a sense of self-righteousness and pride.  It also breaks down fellowship within the body of Christ.  Our goal as believers should always be edification and restoration, never alienation.

      There certainly is a need for accountability in the church.  We can never condone sinful and disruptive behavior.  But when the time comes for the church to deal with those things, it should always be bathed in love and done with much prayer.  We should never forget that each of us is going to stand before the judgment seat of God and give an account before Him as to how we have lived and treated others.  We should always look inward at ourselves before we look outward at someone else.

      If you tend to look down on others because of what they do or say, ask the Lord to help you change your attitude.  We are to walk humbly before God and be gracious to all.  May the Lord help us to have the heart of Christ towards each other.

FUTILE ARGUMENTS

Rom. 14:1 Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.  NLT

       I went through my argumentative stage.  I was so sure of what I believed that I was more than willing to proclaim it to whoever would listen.  It didn’t matter much that others had similar convictions about what they believed.  I was on a mission to convince the world that I was right.

      Fortunately, I outgrew that stage of my life.  I am just as sure of my beliefs as I was then, but I have matured in my thinking.  Most of the time all that arguing accomplishes is a division of fellowship.  Rarely does it change anyone’s convictions.

     One of the real dangers of arguments is that many times we don’t really know what we think we know.  Understanding is gained over time through much prayer and study.  The Lord often has to tweak our understanding as we mature in faith.  Some things are revealed to us as time goes on when we are more able to comprehend it. 

      Some things we understand totally differently later on in life than we do when we are younger in faith.  And, some things simply fall under the category of the unknown that must be believed by faith because the Lord does not give us clear answers on it.

       Imagine how damaging it could be to a fellow believer who is weak in faith if we were to persuade them to believe something that later on we no longer know to be true.  Let the Lord guide others to a proper understanding of truth.  It is the Holy Spirit who gives understanding. We can preach and teach until we are blue in the face, but unless the Lord does the convincing, our efforts are in vain.  A much better approach would be to pray that the Lord would help us and others to understand the things we need to know.  

      Those who are weak in faith need our fellowship more than anything else.  They need others to come alongside of them to encourage them and spur them on to greater and stronger faith.  They need others to love them, not condemn them.  Speak the truth, but always do it in love.

WEAKER IN FAITH

Rom. 14:1 Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.  NLT

       Some Christians are stronger in faith than others.  There are many reasons why it is so.  New believers tend to live on emotions more than Biblical understanding.  Most of them are not grounded in truth and have not had time to develop an understanding of it.  Many are in the process of developing disciplines that will help them to grow, but they are not firmly established yet and so their growth is sporadic.

       There are also many of us who simply never grow up; they remain weak in faith.  They lack commitment to the disciplines of faith and so they just sort of wander through life knowing Christ on a very weak foundation.  They struggle greatly in their ability to resist temptations.  They are sporadic in their commitment to church life.  They believe, but have a difficult time with applying what they believe to their living.

      Weak Christians tend to be more reactive than more established believers.  They are quicker to argue over things because they are more defensive.  They have little understanding of how some things can be understood by others in different ways and lived out differently.  They are not prone to be gracious with those who they don't agree with. 

       But, just because they may be weak in faith and don’t get things right doesn’t mean they are not Christians.  We need to be patient and gracious with them and do what we can do to help them grow stronger instead of finding fault with them and arguing with them over how they may act or think.

       We accomplish nothing by being argumentative.  We aren't always going to agree with one another on everything we know to be true.  We aren't going to persuade very many people by arguing with them over details.  Instead, we should be gracious towards one another and agree to disagree agreeably and serve the Lord together in peace.  We are to love one another and not be at odds with one another over things we don't agree on.  Let the Spirit of Christ guide into all truth and do your best to serve the Lord with your best for His honor and glory. 

LET JESUS CONTROL YOU

Rom. 13:14  But let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of you, and don't think of ways to indulge your evil desires.  NLT

      We are naturally born with a tendency to love and long for the things of the world.  Chasing after evil is what we want to do.  We like it when we are engaged in the pleasures of sin.  We sin naturally and easily.

       But, for the child of God, we must move beyond our natural instincts.  Jesus changes our natural desires into longings for God.  We no longer are satisfied by evil desires.  They are empty and delusional.  We discover that only God can satisfy the soul.  Therefore, we must work hard at staying away from our evil desires and let Christ control us.

      Jesus can only have control of us with our permission and cooperation.  He will not make us into a people after His own heart that pleases God unless we give Him full control over our lives.  What we must do is engage ourselves in those things which help us to stay surrendered to Him.  We must faithfully and consistently be students of the Scriptures.  We must stay in constant touch with Him through prayer.  We must put feet to our prayers and seize opportunities given to us daily to serve Him.  We must develop a grateful spirit and learn to praise Him often in our lives. 

       In other words, we must discipline our souls so that we have a mindset for godly things.  We must shun those things which pull us away from God.  We must refuse to participate in sinful practices.  We must strive to keep our thoughts off of evil and onto those things which are wholesome and good for our souls.  It's not always easy to do, but try we must.  We will stumble and fall, but we must never give up. 

      Let the Lord have control of you; great will be your reward in heaven.

TIME IS RUNNING OUT

Rom. 13:11  Another reason for right living is that you know how late it is; time is running out.  Wake up, for the coming of our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  NLT

     We need a wake-up call.  I don't believe that we believe that it is late, that time is running out.  Life goes on and we give very little serious thought to the fact that things are going to change.  Life as it is known today just cannot continue.  Mankind is out of control.  Weapons of mass destruction are available and in the hands of unstable people.  We have lost our sense of what is good for the common good.  Self-interests are the rule of the day.  We are lost and don't even know or care.  Time is indeed running out.

       We have been lulled to sleep by our modern world.  We have the mindset that things will get better than they are simply because we are more knowledgeable and have the capabilities to do things that no previous generation has ever had. 

      God has made it very clear in His Word that things are going to change big time.  He has the day set in heaven for Christ's return for the Church.  Each day draws us closer to that day.  We have no guarantee for another breath, another tomorrow.  The Lord's coming is a lot closer now than we can even imagine.  World events and the mindset of mankind all point to His soon return. 

      We need to be very serious about this, lest He comes and catches us unprepared.  We need to take good care of our souls and reach out to as many people as possible before He comes.  Today is our day of salvation.  If we wait until it's more convenient for us, our day of salvation may never come.  Wake up!  The day of salvation is soon upon us.  Are you ready?

THE DEBT OF LOVE

Rom. 13:8-10 Pay all your debts, except the debt of love for others. You can never finish paying that! If you love your neighbors, you will fulfill all the requirements of God's law. For the commandments against adultery and murder and stealing and coveting---and any other commandment---are all summed up in this one commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself."  Love does no wrong to anyone, so love satisfies all of God's requirements.  NLT

       Jesus loved us enough to go to the cross and stay there on it for us. His love led Him into the pits of hell to overcome death's grip on us. He took the full fury of God against sin upon His own heart so we wouldn't have to on ours. His love for us was stronger than His love for himself.

       No matter what we do, we can never repay the debt of love we owe Him. It is impossible for us to fully grasp the price Jesus paid for our sins simply because He loved us and wanted to spare us the agonizing consequences of sin.

       We are compelled to love Him in return. How can we not? We can't love Him as much as He loves us, but we can love Him more than we often do. One of the proofs of our love for Him is how we love each other. Loving others is the heart of Christian living. We cannot truly claim to love God if we don't love one another. So the issue becomes how that love is played out in our lives.

       If you love someone, you will not do them wrong. You will not purposely do anything that will harm another. Love seeks the good of another. It takes on the character of love found in I Corinthians 13:4-8a. This has a twofold application for us.

       We will be diligent about how we act so that we will not be guilty of leading someone astray. Love dictates that we will be godly examples so that no one will be driven away from the Lord by what they see in us.    

       We will not treat others with anything but God's love. We will weigh carefully our speech and actions so that we can do that which is good and not harm to those around us. We will treat others with grace and mercy instead of condemnation.

       If we do these things, we will fulfill God's requirements of love.  We will also discover a new found respect for others and ourselves.  We show our love for God by obeying Him in the matter of loving others.

LOVE DOES NO WRONG

Rom. 13:10  Love does no wrong to anyone, so love satisfies all of God's requirements.  NLT

     Love does no wrong.  Think about this for a few moments today.  Love does not hurt others.  Love does not withhold forgiveness when it is asked for.  Love does not demean others.  Love does not let others suffer when we can do something about it.  Love does no wrong.

       How often have you truly been loved by those who say they love you?  Probably not as often as you should be.  Loving one another should be the norm in the family of God.  We are told in I Corinthians 13:4-8a just what this love is like in practical terms.  Godly love builds others up; it does not tear them down. 

       To love one another God's way is demanding.  It demands of us thoughtful effort.  We must purposely strive to act in a godly way towards one another.  We must set aside our personal agendas and emotions and act like God acts towards us.  God loves us unconditionally and sacrificially.

       God gave His all for our salvation.  He who knew no sin became sin for us so that we can be set free from sin's condemnation and have eternal life with Him.  He died for everyone who has ever lived and does not withhold His love from anyone who would receive it.

       All of God's demands for holy living can be met by loving one another with godly love.  If we put forth the effort and truly try to love one another as we should, all will be well with our souls before God, for love satisfies all of God's requirements for eternal love.  If you truly love the Lord you will obey His commandments and all of His commandments are summarized in loving God with all that we are and loving one another as ourselves.

BE BETTER THAN YOUR SIN

Rom. 12:21 Don't let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.  NLT

       The emphasis on this verse is you and I. We determine whether or not evil overcomes us. We choose whether or not we fall into sin. We cannot make the claim that we had no choice in the matter that "the devil made me do it."  We cannot escape our responsibility for sin in our lives. We can conquer sin. How? By doing good.

       Goodness is a quality of character. It is the desire and striving to live a godly life. When we strive to do that which pleases God and is acceptable to Him, we put a nail in the coffin of sin in our lives. The more we live to do that which is good, the less desire we will have to sin.

       Our goodness before God does not depend on our doing good, but our ability to do good depends on our goodness. Jesus makes us good. He changes our hearts and motivates us to live godly lives. You will never overcome evil in your life on your own. Your only hope is to live near to the heart of God, to live in Jesus.

      It is when we fail to keep close to the Lord that we fail in our battle with sin. Evil will creep in and get the best of you whenever you fail to call upon the Lord to help you get out of temptation's way. It is always a good thing to first call on the name of the Lord before you try to handle what tempts you. 

       And, when you ask the Lord to help you, mean it.  Be willing to do your part and the Lord will give you what you need to do that which is good for you instead of your falling down into sin.

       If you are not a victor over your sin, it’s by choice.  You have all the help you will ever need to overcome sin in Christ Jesus our Lord.

DON'T GET EVEN

Rom. 12:19  Dear friends, never avenge yourselves.  Leave that to God.  For it is written, "I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it," says the Lord.  NLT

      One of the normal things to do as a child is to get even with those who does him wrong.  I know I did it.  Regardless whether it was a sibling or not, I wanted to make things even, or get the upper hand.  You do me wrong, then I will do you wrong.  It was the law of nature.  Sadly, many never grow out of their childhood years.  They are bent on getting even whenever they are wronged, often causing much harm, even death.  It is a theme that is interwoven throughout the things that entertain us; it is the cause of what we call road rage.  Avenging ourselves only seems like the right thing to do.

     However, God does not see things as we see them.  He says to let Him take care of those who wrong us.  It is not our role to play God with others.  Instead of getting even, we are to strive to just let things go and move forward with grace and love.  We are to forgive those who wrong us and strive to live peaceably with them.  We are to pray for those who have vengeful hearts instead of making them pay for what they do. 

       God is just and He will take care of whatever business needs to be taken care of.  If vengeance is needed, He will take care of it at the proper time.  He alone knows when it is time to execute justice.  He does not act on the same timetable that we do.  He sees what we don't and knows whether or not the vengeful soul will repent.  He gives everyone ample amount of time to change their attitude and actions.  He would much rather wait and not have to mete out vengeance than to do it quickly and lose a soul.

     When someone wrongs you, don't take matters into your own hands.  Instead take them to the Lord and let Him take care of it.  He is able and will do the right thing every time. 

PEACEFUL LIVING

Rom. 12:17-18 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.   NLT

       How we respond to those who would persecute us says a lot about our relationship with God. When we have a heart that is bent on justice instead of mercy, we have sin in our hearts. In order to do what is honorable in God's eyes, we need to have a heart that wants to treat others not as they deserve, but for their good. The right thing to do is to always strive to do that which is good, regardless whether it is acknowledged, appreciated, or accepted. We can't control the thoughts and reactions of others, but we can control, with the Lord in control, our own.

       As much as is possible, we are to live in peace with everyone. It is sometimes literally impossible to be at peace with some people, but our part is to try our best to make and maintain the peace. Don't let your reactions be governed by your sinful nature or the actions and words of others. Let the Lord rule your heart and give you a heart of love and peace for everyone. Just remember, when others act in sinful ways toward you, their real problem is their problem with God, not you.  Do the right thing and pray for them. The worse it gets, the more you should pray. God's love compels us to pray for those who would do evil to us. Let others see God at work in you and not your sinful nature.

       As much as possible, live at peace with everyone; this is God’s will for you.

ENJOY BEING WITH OTHERS

Rom. 12:16  Live in harmony with each other.  Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people.  And don't think you know it all!  NLT

      Churches seem to be the worst offenders of this verse.  Some church bodies are so into their own world that they will not fellowship with anyone else.  They think that to do so would put their doctrinal position into jeopardy.  They fear that they might think differently about things and no longer stand on solid Biblical ground.  Thus, they choose not to fellowship with other church bodies or work with them for the advancement of the Gospel. 

       Living in harmony with one another is often difficult and not done.  Rather than work through issues, there is the tendency to just break fellowship with one another.  It happens a lot within the church.  One may sit next to someone in church and even serve alongside of them, but be out of fellowship with them.  Such living is sin.

       Some try to act important in the church.  They get the idea because of what they do or have accomplished in life that they are better than others.  In God's family, no one is any more important than anyone else.  Period.  No one is worthy of being exalted to a higher status than anyone else.  Instead, we are to enjoy each other's fellowship.  Church life would be so much more enjoyable for everyone if we would do this.

       Protect your soul.  Don't think you know it all; you don't.  No matter how much you may have learned about life, the Scriptures, how to apply them, and people, you don't know it all.  We are all in the learning process.  There is so much more to learn than what you think you know.  Don't let your knowledge puff you up; it is sin. 

       Humbly use what you do know for the honor and glory of Christ, learn what you can, and never forget there are always going to be those who know more than you do and can do more things you can and do them better.  Live in harmony with others and you will enjoy your life a whole lot more.

JUST GET ALONG

Rom. 12:16 Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!  NLT

       I wonder what life would be like if we were to take to heart this verse of Scripture. Would things be different in our homes, churches, and on our jobs? Let's face it, we like to think of ourselves as being important. We want to be the center of attention. We want to put ourselves on a pedestal and to act like we are the go to person in our world. It is ingrained in us and it takes a lot of effort to live humbly before others. The only sure way we are going to overcome this sinful tendency is to live humbly in Christ. We must keep the Lord on the pedestal of our hearts at all times. It is when we step up and try to stand on the pedestal with Christ that we get ourselves into trouble.

      We must understand something about ourselves. We don't know it all! I don't care how educated we may be, how long we have been Christians, how many hours we have poured ourselves over the Scriptures, how well we are versed in the Biblical languages, or what our position may be in the church, we do not know it all. In fact, we know very little of what there is to know. There are things the Lord has hidden from us. We must learn to humbly accept and appreciate what we do know, and accept by faith what we don't. It's not for us to know all things. God knows and that is enough for us to know. Let us strive to not let our differences in understanding separate us.

      Our goal is to live in harmony with each other. Sometimes it's not too hard to do, but sometimes others make it very difficult. Our part is not to change the way others may react towards us. We are to strive to be the ones who live peacefully. We can't control how others live or think, but we can control ourselves. Learn to relax and enjoy the company of ordinary people. Learn to agree to disagree on things that separate you agreeably and get on with living and working together for the glory of Christ on earth.

EMPATHY FOR OTHERS

Rom. 12:15 When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow.   NLT

      Do you emphasize with others? Are you able to get into what they are experiencing and share with them the joys and sorrows of life? Are you able to come alongside of others and truly become one with them in what they are going through? If so, you are a true friend. You are someone special. You are loving them in the same way God loves you.

     God gets into our skins. He is able to identify completely with all the emotions of life we go through. He was fully human and understands the highs and lows of our emotional lives. He is able to meet us where we are at and minister to our present need.

      God loves us so much that he is not swayed by our momentary emotions. His love for us does not depend on our happiness, rather our happiness depends on His love for us. God understands, accepts, and overlooks our fickle emotions. If God's love flows through us, we will be the same way towards others.

      Everyone needs someone in their life who will emphasize with them in the highs and lows of life. Will you be that kind of a friend for someone today?  Rejoice with those who are happy and be genuinely glad for them.  Sorrow with those who are sad and strive to make them know they are not all alone in their sadness, that someone really does care.