Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Nazarene Publishing House [The Foundry Publishing House] in Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Thursday, 3 August 2017 - "Stumbling Stone Free Life" by Fred Prince - 2 Corinthians 6:1-13
“At the acceptable time I heard you;
in the day of salvation I helped you.”[2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8]
3 We try not to put obstacles in anyone’s path, so that no one can find fault with the work we do. 4 On the contrary, we try to commend ourselves in every way as workers for God by continually enduring troubles, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, overwork, lack of sleep and food. 6 We commend ourselves by our purity, knowledge, patience and kindness; by the Ruach HaKodesh; by genuineness of love 7 and truthfulness of speech; and by God’s power. We commend ourselves through our use of righteous weapons, whether for pressing our cause or defending it; 8 through being honored and dishonored, praised and blamed, considered deceptive and sincere, 9 unknown and famous. And we commend ourselves as God’s workers headed for death, yet look! we’re alive! as punished, yet not killed; 10 as having reason to be sad, yet always filled with joy; as poor, yet making many people rich; as having nothing, yet having everything!
11 Dear friends in Corinth! We have spoken frankly to you, we have opened our hearts wide. 12 Any constraint you feel has not been imposed by us, but by your own inner selves. 13 So, just to be “fair” (I am using the language of children), open wide your hearts too.
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Thought for Today:
I’m convinced what others see me doing is more influential than the words I say. They are more likely to be drawn to Christ by what they see if my actions match my words. Conversely, they are also more likely to stumble over what they see–if they see the Christ follower not doing the Christ-like thing.
I’m persuaded that parent, teacher, leader–the life you live is more influential than the lessons you teach. How your students see you react, and how you treat them and others impacts them more than you can imagine.
What others see when we are facing crises; when dealing with the irritations of life, when stressed out is more influential–should I dare say–than when we pray with them. Oh, I absolutely think we should do that–but strictly talking about how we personally influence and impact others–it’s our example, it’s what they see.
Right in the middle of telling what others should see in us, ""purity, understanding, patience and kindness," the Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 6:6, tells how this is possible " "in the Holy Spirit." If we are living in the Spirit we will be empowered to live the stumbling-stone-free-life.
Hymn for Today:
I’m persuaded that parent, teacher, leader–the life you live is more influential than the lessons you teach. How your students see you react, and how you treat them and others impacts them more than you can imagine.
What others see when we are facing crises; when dealing with the irritations of life, when stressed out is more influential–should I dare say–than when we pray with them. Oh, I absolutely think we should do that–but strictly talking about how we personally influence and impact others–it’s our example, it’s what they see.
Right in the middle of telling what others should see in us, ""purity, understanding, patience and kindness," the Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 6:6, tells how this is possible " "in the Holy Spirit." If we are living in the Spirit we will be empowered to live the stumbling-stone-free-life.
Hymn for Today:
"Holy Spirit, Be My Guide" by Mildred Cope copyright 1963, Renewed 1991 by Lillenas Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
1. Holy Spirit, my heart yearns for Thee;
Holy Spirit, abide in me.
Make me clean; O make me pure.
I must know the double cure.
Refrain:
Holy Spirit, be my Guide;
Holy Spirit, my heart’s open wide.
Make me to know Thy will divine;
Holy Spirit, be Thou mine.
2. Ne'er my trust will be in vain
nought to lose and all to gain
take my life, my self. my soul
burn the chaff and make me whole
Refrain:
Holy Spirit be my Guide
Holy Spirit my door's open wide
make me to know Thy will divine
Holy Spirit be Thou mine.
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"Holy Spirit, Be My Guide" by Clara McAlister Brooks
1. By the promise of the Father,
Comes the Spirit from on high,
Into hearts redeemed from evil,
By His pow’r to sanctify.
Refrain:
Holy Spirit, faithful Teacher,
In my trusting heart abide;
By Thy sacred, holy presence
Be my Comforter and Guide.
2. Reigning there without a rival,
Paradise is now restored;
Perfect peace, abiding pleasure,
Bliss the world cannot afford.
Refrain:
Holy Spirit, faithful Teacher,
In my trusting heart abide;
By Thy sacred, holy presence
Be my Comforter and Guide.
3. Pow’r to overcome He gives us,
Pow’r to reign through Jesus’ grace;
Holy boldness in each conflict,
Entrance to that heav’nly place.
Refrain:
Holy Spirit, faithful Teacher,
In my trusting heart abide;
By Thy sacred, holy presence
Be my Comforter and Guide.
4. Since the Comforter abideth,
Naught my spirit can molest;
I am sanctified and happy,
Sweet and peaceful is my rest.
Refrain:
Holy Spirit, faithful Teacher,
In my trusting heart abide;
By Thy sacred, holy presence
Be my Comforter and Guide.
For I have set you an example, so that you may do as I have done to you.[John 13:15].
Please pray:
That many people in Sierra Leone will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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