It doesn't matter if we are praying for that person, always lifting them
up and trying to be a Godly example and inspiration to him or her. If
we don't feel elevated and at peace at the end of any encounter with
them, our growth in God will be hindered. We hear the following statement often and we
should take it more to heart. Some people we will need to love and pray
for from afar.
How often do we ignore this truth in the name of being good Christians? We are good Christians when we attend to our own advancement in the Lord first, at all costs. We are good Christians when we guard our hearts with all diligence. Our Father does want us to come to him with broken spirits and broken and contrite hearts but not through being ignorant about our detrimental relationships with others.
There is no doubt about it; we need to discuss with God if we should be closely associated with these types of persons. The ones whom we need to love and pray for from afar are the very persons who drain our spirits, depress us and prey upon us, whether purposely or unintentionally. It is difficult to deny these people access to our lives when they continually burden us with the same conversations, the same complaints and the same attitudes.
When we realize, however, that they never take our Godly advice and that they never do what we suggest to resolve their own issues, it becomes clear that our relationships with God are being eroded through our relationships with them. They are toxic relationships, a form of being unequally yoked. If we persist in the belief that we are slowly influencing them and that we are long-suffering for good, then we need to think long and hard and often about the wisdom of that train of thought.
Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits. (I Corinthians 15:33)
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20)
Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? (I Corinthians 5:6)
We have to also be sure that WE are uplifting to others. If we are critical of them, unfairly judgemental, always oppressive, non-receptive to learning from them, bearers of bad reports, complainers, holier-than-thou, etc., then maybe we should be removed from their lives through their own recognition of the truth. It works both ways.
If we ask, God will give us seeing eyes and hearing ears to honestly evaluate our relationships so that we can walk in the light. The purity of our close associations is paramount to maintaining and strengthening our connection to God. Healthy relationships inspire and motivate us to higher heights in Christ Jesus.
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17)
I am sharing 3 poems by David C Brown about Our Heavenly Father. The poetry of this long-term Christian writer has such a calming, restful quality. It's as though he's encouraging us to live quietly and peacefully in our relationship with God. I never fail to feel restored and quietened when I read his verse.
THE FATHER OF SPIRITS
If we will live, we must be subject to
The Father as the One who has the Name
Father of spirits; He will bear us through
His chastening. We gladly own His claim
Upon us since it from Him we came;
He rules our spirits in a way to suit
Our needs, and to secure from us His fruit.
(Hebrews 12: 9)
What a beautiful and insightful way to describe God's purging of the branches. The last line, "He rules our spirits in a way to suit Our needs, and to secure from us His fruit," gives me chills because of its depth of meaning.
This is because I think about how we suffer through God's purging and we judge it as being for his unknown purposes. David's light on this Godly process advocates that we can only realize the fulfillment of our own dreams, needs and personal prayers through it. Even the securing of his fruit from us (and what a great twist of words David wrote in that phrase) blesses us because we are the better for God's clipping and pruning process.
Here are 2 more poems that David has written about the glory and loving kindnesses of The Father.
THE FATHER OF LIGHTS
When first the light broke through the primal darkness
It gave this earth hope it would live anew,
Although exposing chaos in its starkness.
Then great and small lights graced the settings due
To them, while looking to the Light that's true;
Father of lights, since then each light that's burning
Comes from One with no shadow and no turning.
(James 1: 17)
THE FATHER OF COMPASSIONS
Satan, the flesh, and sin, in their own fashions
Have clashed against me to disturb my soul;
But I turn to the Father of compassions,
The God of all encouragements, and roll
My burden on the One who will console;
In spite of ills my foes seek to impart
The Father of compassions binds my heart.
(2 Cor 1: 3)
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David works in the environment industry and lives in Scotland. His interests are Jesus Christ, Christianity, the Bible, poetry, the environment and sustainable development. Some of his favorite books are the Bible, The Sufferings of Christ and George Herbert.
His poetry blog is Grace Notes.
You can find his books at Lulu.
There is so much to fear in this life, within and without of ourselves. We struggle with personal fears and fears based in living in a fallen world. We live dual lives in the flesh and in our reborn spirits. In response to the challenges of crucifying the flesh and bringing the body under, God Our Father says to fear not! Fear thou not. Fear not for I am with you. Fear not for I am your God. Fear not for I will strengthen you. I will take you right hand and say to you, fear not. I will help you.
This is the strong and durable message that I am conveying in this Fear Not set of pocket cards. Post them around your house. Carry them with you. Give them as gifts. Use them to memorize these dynamic fear not scriptures that will help build up courage in you and transform you into relying more on Our Father God.
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| Fear Not Christian Scripture Pocket Cards by Christian Words Shop |
Fear Not Pocket Cards
For these mini pocket cards I chose scriptures from Psalms, Isaiah and Luke that encourage us to live each day by refusing to give in to fear. Some of them I have memorized and will be working on the others.
You receive 9 Cards On The Printable Sheet In These Approx Sizes:
♦ This JPEG printable file prints on 8 1/2 x 11" paper or card stock.
♦ Print out, cut out, laminate them or leave un-laminated, write on back.
♦ Print as often as needed and even use in your crafting projects and digital applications
Fear Not Printable Pocket Cards
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Fill your life with reminders of Jesus Christ.
Spend your money on merchandise that glorifies God.
Surround yourself with products that
invite in The Holy Spirit everyday.
God wants you to begin a tithes and offerings process when you are happy to give. If you are afraid to release your funds in this way or begrudge tithing and offering for any reason, then you should wait. If you are already giving and want to increase your donations, rather than force yourself beyond your faith, you should ask God to help you to advance in that area.
If you want to tithe and offer but have not begun yet, don't fear that you will never begin to give. It just means that you need more faith and reliance upon God to be able to give through a pure and fearless heart. If you feel that it would be unwise to give at this time, it is more harmful than useful to succumb to hounding from other Christians. They may mean well but it does little good to pressure and shame others by declaring that we can't afford not to give, that we will never prosper if we don't give, that God is angry because we don't give.
You may be burdened with bills and debts, have a large family for which to make ends meet or be struggling to build up your life on a very low income. The platitudes spoken by others, while they may be based in truth, do not inspire faith. Faith is built by feeding the Word into our spirits each day and by consistent and fervent prayer. These faithful, daily practices are an indication that we are asking Our Father for help and that we are serious about growing into giving.
It was not necessary for Ananias and Sapphira to lie and embellish the amount that they had given. The problem was not how much they had given but that they lied about the amount that they did give. They led others to believe that they had given more than they had, therefore they stole from God through lying. Dishonesty was the problem.
The bottom line is honesty with ourselves and honesty with God is of the utmost importance. If we give through fear, anxiety and faithlessness, it is similar to keeping some back but pretending to be all in. We didn't really want to give what we gave. Maybe we feel that we just can't afford to give at this time. We feel bullied but are afraid to admit it to ourselves and to God. Because of this, we step out before we are ready and for the wrong reasons. On the other hand, when we are honest with ourselves and God, we can begin to grow. God can help us to do it the right way.
The perfect time to start giving will never come, just like with anything else that you need to stretch to do. You'll never have enough money because that money will seem to always be needed for something else. Even so, you have to start somewhere. It's better, though, to grow into giving or to increase giving through pure and fearless hearts. God can and will establish it in you as you continue in prayer, Bible study and occasional fasting. The keys are honesty and to not be ashamed of that honesty, and faith.
When you come into the blessed peace of giving from a pure heart, you will always have this assurance:
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. (Luke 6:38)
Similar to I Thessalonians 5:14-22, this scripture passage suggests that we cultivate a mind to always give thanks in good times and in bad. Every situation is not good and God does not ask us to live a life of pretense. He is motivating us to grow into gratefulness in abundance and lack, joy and sorrow, peace and upheaval.
When we embrace fear and frustration, we overlook what
God may be doing because he works in such unusual ways. Being overly excited when we are
blessed can cause us to focus on the blessing and not the Blessor. We can begin to focus on the next expected blessing and forget to take out time to thank God. It's easy to miss what he may be doing. Embracing a thankful spirit will help
us to work with God, not against him, in doing his will and receiving from him.
This scripture passage is a reminder that it is God's will for us to grow into the peaceful attitude of thankfulness, not only in difficult times but in good times, as well. We will then attract the good into our lives that God intends and handle difficulties in a way that pleases him.
All good gifts come from him and he takes the bad things and works them out for our good, one way or another. So, give Our Heavenly Father thanks in all things in the name of Jesus.
Scripture Printable Giving Thanks Always
At Christian Words Shop at Printaphoria
Hot pink and green floral swags decorate this vibrant design. It is also a good message to display in your kitchen, dining or other eating area.
This is an 8.5 x 11" .jpeg printable file that you download through the file link that you receive upon payment. As always with Printaphoria products, you may print it as often as you need for your own use. Display it at home, in the office, at church, anywhere.
This design is copyrighted. Files and printed graphics are not to be given away or shared. Please direct anyone interested in this printable to the listing at Scripture Printable In Everything Give Thanks.
You
may sell crafts in which you have incorporated this printable, such as
digital designs, scrap-booking, gift wrapping, paper crafting, collage,
altered-art, bookmaking and other creative projects.
Thanks for visiting
Christian Words Shop at Printaphoria!
Fill your life with reminders of Jesus Christ.
Spend your money on merchandise that glorifies God.
Surround yourself with products that
invite in The Holy Spirit everyday.