Don't Live On Deceived

I i time talked through past times problems amongst a household unit of measurement member, together with nosotros were surprised that both of us remembered things that position us inward a expert low-cal together with forgot the things that we’d done wrong.

This is a human problem:
“The pump is to a greater extent than deceitful than all else together with is desperately sick; Who tin empathize it?” Jeremiah 17:9 

Some adult children forget their faults exactly regularly highlight their parents’ failures.

Some friends overlook their rudeness exactly are highly sensitive to the inconsideration of others.

Some spouses “know” their mate is the principal work inward their marriage.

Who tin empathize our deceitful hearts?

God tin (Jeremiah 17:10).

And He gives us this advice:

1. Take the log out (Matthew 7:1-5).
If nosotros don’t bargain biblically amongst our sins, we'll accept a deceptive thought of other people's sins.

2. Forgive (Matthew 6:15).
Bitterness distorts our thought of human relationship problems (Hebrews 12:15).

3. Return expert for evil (Romans 12:21).
This is a powerful tool against self-deception.(1)   

With God's help nosotros tin run across things every bit they genuinely are. 
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(1) We oftentimes deceive ourselves past times blaming others for problems nosotros accept caused. For example, someone who seems inconsiderate may genuinely survive responding to our inconsiderate behavior. When nosotros supply expert for evil, nosotros human action on the regulation that honey covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Even if the other someone remains unchanged, nosotros tin experience confident that nosotros accept dealt amongst them biblically.

Bible Love Notes

Let's Live On Amid The Readers

Studies exhibit that reading has benefits at every age. It helps children prepare their linguistic communication as well as vocabulary skills, as well as it exercises adult brains. It tin boring downward or cease cognitive spend upwardly inwards older adults, as well as it tin equally good assist people to hold upwardly to a greater extent than sensitive to others (source).

Sadly, fewer as well as fewer Americans are reading.

But let’s accept the importance of reading upwardly a notch to Bible reading.

Bible reading equally good has these benefits:

1. It helps us avoid sin (Psalm 119:11).

2. It gives us comfort (Psalm 119:52).

3. It gives us proficient judgment (Psalm 119:66).

4. It keeps us from heading inwards the incorrect administration (Psalm 119:67).

5. It prevents us from doing things that convey us shame (Psalm 119:80).

6. It sustains us inwards hardship (Psalm 119:92).

7. It gives us wisdom, insight, as well as agreement (Psalm 119:98-100; 130).

8. It helps us brand wise choices (Psalm 119:104).

9. It guides us (Psalm 119:105).

10. It gives us joy (Psalm 119:111; 143).

11. It gives us abundant peace (Psalm 119:165).

Sadly, studies exhibit that fewer people are making the Bible a primal business office of their lives (source).

Let’s hold upwardly amid those who read, study, trust, as well as dearest God’s wonderful Word!

Bible Love Notes

Grumpy Witness

Our trip abode took 38 hours of move time: cancelled together with delayed flights; long, inefficient lines; misplaced together with delayed luggage; cramped seating; long layovers. 

We move often, together with I commonly accept these things inwards stride, only I was peculiarly weary, having dealt amongst sleepless nights together with hard human relationship problems inwards the preceding weeks.

So, on the lastly leg of the trip, I allow the “old woman” accept command together with I complained on together with off for a proficient 2 hours every 2d my hubby together with I waited inwards airdrome lines (Ephesians 4:22-24).

When nosotros finally got to our gate, several strangers began conversations amongst us, together with nosotros shared that nosotros were Christians.

Suddenly it striking me. What if these folks had been standing or walking closed plenty to overhear my sarcastic, negative remarks? What sort of a witness had I been? 

I did myself no proficient past times complaining together with I may direct maintain harmed my witness for Christ (Philippians 2:14-16; Ephesians 5:15-16).

Help me, Lord, to acquire to focus on what is proficient together with rejoice inwards difficulties which refine my organized faith (Philippians 4:8; James 1:2-4).

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This province of affairs was a proficient reminder for me to revisit closed to devotions from my archives:

⭐10 Reasons Why Complaining is Toxic

⭐The Power of Negative Self-talk

⭐Think About It

⭐Always Witnessing

Bible Love Notes

#1: Blessed Are The Pathetic Inwards Spirit

The Beatitudes are rich examples of God’s ways versus man’s ways.

The get-go 1 says:

"Blessed are the misfortunate inwards spirit, 

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” 

Matthew 5:3

Poor is an describing word nosotros watch to hold upwards negative, whether it describes finances, education, looks, health, or other conditions.

But God flips all things on end. His ways are non the ways of the basis (Isaiah 55:8-9).

The misfortunate inwards spirit get got the mental attitude of the taxation collector inwards the temple (Luke 18:9-14). They sympathise their sinful acre in addition to their necessitate for God’s grace. 

They run across themselves equally misfortunate beggars belongings out their hands to a merciful God. They repent easily in addition to genuinely, in addition to they present like grace to other sinners.

They may hold upwards wealthy or poor, known or unknown, learned or unschooled, merely they are humble plenty to get got their house at the human foot of Christ’s cross.

They don’t inquiry God’s punishments, commands, or ways. They know that He is God in addition to they aren’t. 

Are you lot misfortunate inwards spirit, honey readers?

Bible Love Notes

Is Sin Its Ain Punishment?

Some beliefs audio cracking until nosotros seek out them carefully (Colossians 2:8).

Here's 1 example: "Sin is its ain punishment." This belief has grown inwards popularity because people are no longer comfortable amongst a God who punishes sinners.(1) 

But it takes real footling idea to realize this belief is faulty. 

There are innocent victims who endure lifelong consequences acre their psychopathic abusers alive comfortable lives without remorse. Innocent people sometimes become to prison, together with guilty people sometimes become free. Some people endure from guilt, some don't.

If sin were its ain punishment, parents wouldn't request to punish their children together with prisons wouldn't live on necessary. 

As Christians nosotros escape the eternal consequences of our sins through our organized religious belief inwards Christ. We may endure earthly consequences, but sin doesn't punish us equally nosotros deserve. 

Unbelievers may or may non endure earthly consequences for their sins, but they volition sure live on punished yesteryear God if they don't repent together with plough to Jesus (Romans 2:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10). 

We reap what nosotros sow (Galatians 6:7), but sum judge isn't an earthly hope (Matthew 16:27; 1 Timothy 5:24-25). 

We shouldn't downplay God's correct to punish the unrepentant whatever to a greater extent than than nosotros should downplay His selection to forgive the repentant.
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(1) The incredibly pop book, The Shack, shares a twisted gospel message composed of pop errors similar this one. To read more: 5 Lies About God's Character Promoted inwards The Shack. 

Modern civilization is attempting to strip God of His only wrath, together with purpose of the work comes from thinking of God equally a man. Men are non able to mete out perfect justice, but our all-knowing God is able. See Are you lot Ashamed of God's Wrath?  

Bible Love Notes

Treating The Bible Similar Fiction

Alexandre Dumas wrote the well-known classic The Count of Monte Cristo inwards 1844, telling the even out of a human being wrongly imprisoned who subsequently sought revenge.

Suppose a modern teacher, presenting himself equally a literary expert, taught that the new was truly most a happily married human being on vacation. Suppose he claimed that people had misunderstood the new for centuries because around of the publishers of the mass had secretly changed Dumas' master copy manuscript.

And suppose this literature instructor was incredibly persuasive, as well as he claimed that anyone who disagreed alongside him must bask revenge to a greater extent than than vacations.

This is a ridiculous scenario, merely non equally ridiculous equally around of the increasingly pop teachings most God's Word.

Some teachers straight off claim that the Bible contains truth, merely God’s wrath as well as His condemnation of for certain sexual sins are commands added yesteryear people who misunderstood God.

They claim that solely hateful, self-righteous people would bask the "violent God" described inwards parts of Scripture.

This heresy turns God's Word into fiction as well as shows it less abide by than novels similar The Count of Monte Cristo. 

Please pray for those caught upwards inwards these lies, as well as accept fourth dimension today to read around of these passages that laurels God's Word:

Psalm 19:7-11 inwards which the psalmist describes around wonderful qualities of God's Word.
John 17:16-17 where Jesus speaks most the importance of God's Word.
Psalm 119 which is filled alongside marvelous descriptions as well as benefits of God's Word! 
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In regard to these simulated views most God's Word, you lot mightiness hold upwards interested inwards these 2 articles: 

5 Signs Your Church Might hold upwards Headed toward Progressive Christianity. 

Brian Zahnd: Denying the Inerrancy of Scripture. 

Bible Love Notes