Prov 15:12
12 Mockers don’t love those who rebuke them, so they stay away from the wise.
NLT
- Prov 22:6; Prov 1:5
- Sometimes the things that we need to hear hurt. Do you avoid the people who will tell you what you need to hear instead of what you want to hear? Do you seek those that will speak into your life even when it means correcting you, or do you avoid them, do you look for people that will just say nice things about you?
- Vs31 there are always those ready to speak into us life changing instruction but we have to open up and choose to hear.
Prov 14:6
A scoffer seeks Wisdom in vain [for his very attitude blinds and deafens him to it], but knowledge is easy to him who [being teachable] understands. AMP
- Your attitude can be deafening. How is yours? Rev 3:13NLT
- Are you willing to admit you are wrong? Do you receive correction or try to defend yourself? Do you make excuses and point the blame at something or someone else or do you own up to what you can change? He who thinks he knows it all doesn’t learn anything.
Eph 6:6-8
6 Work hard, but not just to please your masters when they are watching. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. 7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 8 Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free. NLT
- Who are you working for? I think I forget sometimes. Does your work show it?
- vs 6 ; Matt 23:5; Col 3:22;
- God is watching. Take joy in this regardless of what everyone else sees, God sees straight. I want to live in a way that I can stand before You with eager expectation of all that You will bring to the light. Lord don’t let things sit in my life that I wouldn’t want brought out into the light in front of everyone.
Col 1:4
4 for we have heard that you trust in Christ Jesus and that you love all of God’s people. NLT
- It appears that our faith in Christ and our love for all God’s people run hand in hand. John 13:35 by this all men will know that you are my disciples. It is a funny thought he tells us in Mathew 22:37-40 that we are to love him more then anything else and next we are to love people. Even though God is first, the thing that people will see is how we love each other.(john 13:35)
- Rom 2:4 tells us that it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. It is that kindness and love that the world needs to see in us. It is that love that will draw them in. Not legalistic rules. Not even simply our devotion to God. A life truly devoted to God will get their respect. Wow, you really…. That is awesome… good for you. But it is when we let love shine through us that they will want some.
- If this is so it throws a wrench in the plans of those who are hoping to be a hermit Christian. Heb 10:24-25 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching NKJV
- We are to think of others and stir love and good works as we gather together. Christianity wasn’t meant to be done alone.
- If they can’t see your love that is a fruit of the spirit(Gal 5:22) something isn’t right. Can my/our love be seen?
- Vs 11
Phil 3:17
Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. NKJV
- Examples are so important. We shape our lives by a model or models, the models we saw in our parents, on TV or movies, in our friends, bosses, church leaders, or whoever we chose to look up to. What model are you shaping your life after? We need to choose carefully, to follow God’s word and find Godly examples that we can look up to Ps 101:6. Not only do I need to think about who I am modeling after but I need to be careful about the model I set. 1 Cor 11:1; Phil 4:9; James 3:1; Show us that as a leader I am to be a model people can follow. I need to be growing so following me can take people closer to God. God will ask me what I have done with the influence he has given me.
Title: White Elephant Party!
Location: The Gym at Resurrection Life Church!
Description: It cost $5 plus bring a wrapped, fun, $5 gift. We will eat pizza, cookies, & milk. We are going to play a game where everyone gets a gift and watch a Christmas movie!
Start Time: 5:30 PM
Date: 2009-12-18
End Time: 9:00 PM
