By: Undre Griggs, Jr Think of the person you consider as one of the calmest people you know. Why do you think of them that way? Is it the way they act with their kids, friends, or maybe how they respond to a foes? Whatever the reason, there is something that makes you consider that person calm and not easily angered. Proverbs 14:29 (ESV): Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. Of all the reasons you listed, have you ever considered the fact that the person is understanding? Understanding people tend to be able to relate to others. They know they have made mistakes and they could easily be in a similar situation. It only takes a moment to make a decision, and it is easy to regret those decisions. There is a saying that if you live long enough, you will be rich and poor, young and old, wise and foolish, and even the righteous and the one out of line. By humbling ourselves and exalting others, we will find it effortless to relate to the other person and to remain calm. The person who lacks understanding will likely come off as self-righteous. They will see any misdeed as an egregious attack on their trust and they will find it difficult to forgive others. Their anger will fester because they believe they could never do anything like that to another person, and their lack of humility will always cloud their judgment. Proverbs 16:18-19 (ESV): Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. It is always better to be a lowly person who finds friends among the poor and less fortunate. Even though they may be prosperous, the proud and self-righteous do not have enough understanding to save themselves from destruction. They live a life believing they are humble, obedient, and righteous; but the Judgment Day will prove otherwise. We see Scripture highlighting this with the parable of the Sheep and the Goat (Matthew 25:31-46) as well as the person who Jesus judged as lawless. The lawless person told Jesus he drove out demons in His name, but Jesus told Him to get away because He never knew him (Matthew 7:21-23). This is the destruction that a lack of understanding can cause in someone’s life. It is a foolish decision to live a life where you lean on your own understanding and not God’s. Choose to be humble, slow to anger, and striving for an understanding where you are aware enough to know whether you are living a righteous or self-righteous life.
By: Undre Griggs, Jr. What is it about love that makes it so perfect? Love has the ability to turn enemies into friends, and it has the ability to create lasting relationships. Colossians 3:14 (ESV): And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. We may not wake up each day with the intention of offending others, but it is going to happen. Love helps us be humble enough to apologize and forgiving enough to accept it. Love holds us together through the most difficult of situations. When we find it difficult to forgive, when we see ourselves looking for justification over compassion, we will find love is often missing. The Greek word for harmony in this verse means, perfection or maturity. Perfection in the sense that harmony is built on what has already occurred and continues to be supported by what is to come. 1 Peter 4:18 (ESV): Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Sound relationships are built on trust, compassion, understanding, and love. Our relationships are maintained by the same love they are built on. We strive to maintain this perfect unity, because it is the only way to have lasting relationships. As misunderstandings occur, and bitterness or selfishness creep their ugly head, we have to return to what sustains us. Luke 6:35 (ESV): But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. It is the reminder that our love is fueled by the love God has for us. We look at others and it is much easier to recognize shortcomings and wrongdoings. However, how easy is it to see it in ourselves? Love asks us to bear the burden of those we encounter. It is not because we are better than they are, but because we are the same. We are all ungrateful and evil when compared to God. God is perfect and without sin; He is full of love and righteousness. As those who sin, the wages of our lifestyle is death. God has provided us an opportunity at salvation and we do not have the ability to earn or repay this gift. It is a blessing to be considered children of the Most High, and it is the bond of love that connects us to God and each other.
By: Undre Griggs, Jr. Stealing and taking from others is wrong. We all understand we should be willing to work for what we want in life. The apostle Paul takes it a step further when explaining why stealing is wrong. Ephesians 4:28 (ESV): Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. The apostle Paul wants the church to understand it is not enough to make an honest living. Those who have are expected to share with those in need. Paul wants to make sure Christians understand it is not enough to abstain from wrongdoing, but we are to live a righteous life. As James says under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works”. By faith, we will share our blessings with others in need. It is faith in Jesus Christ that reminds us all of our blessings come from above, and that we have an obligation to use it to further His kingdom. When we give to those in need, we provide a testimony to the righteousness of God. Acts 20:35 (ESV): In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ We have the ability to help on an individual basis or through our donations to the church. The church uses the money it receives to spread the word of God. This can be accomplished through support of local shelters and Christian schools; as well as supporting the needy within their congregation. We also have the ability to provide support on a personal level. We can see someone in need and contribute to that need. Individuals may choose to raise money for someone who was in a car accident and needs surgery. They may bring food or fill up the gas-tank of someone who recently lost their job. Someone may support training or paying down a hospital bill of a member who cannot afford to pay for it on his or her own. The best way I have heard it stated is this; getting into heaven is not as much about what you are not doing as much as it is about what you are doing. We do not have the ability to earn our way into heaven on our own. It is not about sinning fewer times than another, as the wages of all sin is death. It is the action of accepting Jesus Christ in baptism that provides us the ability to be saved. Naturally, abstaining from wrongdoing is a good thing and expected from God. However, the expression of our faith through our actions is what truly reflects Christ to others.
By: Undre Griggs, Jr. As we have explored the ways to be blessed by God, we close the same way Jesus closes – by repeating his man-point. Matthew 5:11 (NKJV): Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Christians should look at the opportunity to be persecuted as an occasion to be one with Christ. To live a life that forces others to mischaracterize and coordinate their attempts to slander you is an honor. This tactic is saved for the righteous, and was even used on Jesus Himself. It is important to understand this is often a last resort. Most of the time, the world is going to attempt to get you to join them in their foolishness. It is not until you reject all forms of evil, that the world feels compelled to lie about you. Jesus does not want us to be discouraged when this happens, but encouraged. To live a true and faithful life devoted to Christ, obeying His commands, and sharing the Gospel is a reward within itself; but we are promised so much more. Matthew 5:12 (NKJV): Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Jesus continues His theme of re-centering our focus on the heavenly kingdom. There is nothing on this earth that we should be willing to lose our soul over. This includes our relationships, careers, family and wealth. If the choice is between being faithful to Christ or being faithful to something else, we should always choose Christ. As a husband and father of four children, this is not easy for me say, but I know it is true. Christians are expected to love God more than they love anyone or anything else. Romans 12:9-13 (ESV): Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Honoring Christ is sometimes going to cause us internal conflict, as well as external persecution; but the reward of heaven is our shining light through the darkness. The worst mistake a Christian can make is to assume he or she can correct an issue with the world by prioritizing it over Christ. The apostle Paul makes it clear; he is not concerned about any trails on earth, because they pale in comparison to the reward of heaven. Live a faithful life, share the Gospel, put Christ first, and your example may be exactly what you need to change the difficult circumstances in your life.
By: Undre Griggs, Jr. It may not always appear to be a blessing to have to endure rough times, but Jesus wants us to understand it is. Like each of the blessings we have discussed over the past several weeks, this blessing is here on earth and in heaven. Matthew 5:10 (ESV): Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Reflect on the life of Jesus Christ. He lived a humble life devoted to healing the sick and teaching the lost. Jesus was consistent and unapologetic in his message. He called out the atrocities of the rich and poor, the powerful and meek, as well as the popular and the disliked. By living a life of righteousness, when Jesus was put to death on the cross, everyone knew He was innocent. Along with His burial and resurrection, the fact Jesus lived a sinless and selfless life is powerful. We may not be able to live a sinless life, but if we can live a Christ centered life that creates hardship for us, people will know we are innocent. Consider how you felt when you heard a story of someone released from prison after a wrongful conviction was overturned. You think about the years of their life they lost, how you would have felt if you were in that situation, and wonder how something like this could happen. The answer to the last question may vary, but it ultimately leads to sharing the Gospel. If the only reason you are being persecuted is because you are a Christian, even an unbeliever understands that is wrong. They may not know why you are holding fast to your faith, but they know it means more to you than your well-being. There is no greater proclamation of your faith in the return of Jesus Christ than for you to make decisions based purely on your salvation. Hebrews 11:6 (ESV): And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Understanding the commitment required to remain faithful, Jesus makes it clear the reward is entry into the kingdom of heaven. The apostle Paul says, he does not consider his suffering when making decisions because they pale in comparison to his reward in heaven (Romans 8:18). In a world where people are focused on amassing wealth and instant gratification, having an eternal mindset makes your testimony influential. Stay true to the faith, understanding if you suffer for the faith, your reward will be greater than anything you may have lost on earth. And more importantly, the testimony of your steadfast faith while suffering may help bring a lost soul to Christ.
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Dean Road
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