The story of the scorpion. This will really change your thinking on forgiveness.

An old man saw a scorpion drowning and decided to pull it out from the water. He calmly extended his hand to reach the creature.

When he did, the scorpion stung him. With the effect of the pain, the old man let go the creature and it fell back into the water. The man realizing that the scorpion was drowning again, got back and tried to rescue it but then again it stung him. He let go of it again.

A young boy standing by, approached the old man and said, “Excuse me Sir, you are going to hurt yourself trying to save the evil-vicious creature, why do you insist? Don’t you realize that each time you try to help the scorpion, it stings you?”

The man replied, “The nature of the scorpion is to sting and mine is to help. My nature will not change in helping the scorpion.”

So the man thought for a while and used a leaf from a nearby tree and pulled the scorpion out from the water and saved its life.

MORAL LESSON:

Do not change your nature. If someone hurts you, just take precautions. Some pursue happiness while others create it. Let your conscience be your guide in whatever you do.

Verses on forgiveness and helping those who hurt you

Ephesians 4:32 ESV / 489 helpful votes

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Colossians 3:13 Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Mark 11:25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

So you think you’re poor?

From the standpoint of material wealth, many people have a hard time realizing how rich they are. Going through a little mental exercise suggested by Robert Heilbroner can help us to count our blessings, however. Imagine doing the following, and you will see how daily life is for as many as a billion people in the world.

1. Take out all the furniture in your home except for one table and a couple of chairs. Use blanket and pads for beds.

2. Take away all of your clothing except for your oldest dress or suit, shirt or blouse. Leave only one pair of shoes.

3. Empty the pantry and the refrigerator except for a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt, a few potatoes, some onions, and a dish of dried beans.

4. Dismantle the bathroom, shut off the running water, and remove all the electrical wiring in your house.

5. Take away the house itself and move the family into the tool shed.

6. Place your “house’ in a shantytown.

7. Cancel all subscriptions to newspapers, magazines, and book clubs. This is no great loss because now none of you can read anyway.

8. Leave only one radio for the whole shantytown.

9. Move the nearest hospital or clinic ten miles away and put a midwife in charge instead of a doctor.

10. Throw away your bankbooks, stock certificates, pension plans, and insurance policies. Leave the family a cash hoard of ten dollars.

11. Give the head of the family a few acres to cultivate on which he can raise a few hundred dollars of cash crops, of which one third will go to the landlord and one tenth to the money lenders.

12. Lop off twenty-five or more years in life expectancy.

By comparison how rich we are! And with our wealth comes responsibility to use it wisely, not to be wasteful, and to help others. Think on these things.

Some verses on wealth

Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.

Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Proverbs 22:7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Proverbs 28:22 A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.

The Church in times of need, and how they should respond.

You can always count on a church or christian organization to arrive on the scene when there has been a natural disaster of some sort. Hurricane Katrina was a great example of this. Churches continued helping in New Orleans by cleaning and rebuilding years after the storm struck. Why does the church live this way? Why do Christians spend their money and time to help others in trouble? There are many reasons for this, but a great component is the comfort we receive from our Father in heaven when we are in need of it. A person who has truly experienced the grace of God in these events simply cannot stand back and watch others suffer. Especially after they have experienced the comfort and peace that comes from none but the Almighty God (Philippians 4:7).

We do not only provide a physical comfort to those who are suffering though. The Christian’s is a comfort that cannot be matched by food, money, a new house, or anything here on the Earth. The early church actually grew, in many ways, because of the manner in which Christians treated and helped non-Christians in their time of need. There is something special when a person helps someone who is not of their family without expecting to receive anything in return. Remember the words of James, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27).

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV)

A Tuesday (Or whatever day) Prayer

Lord, for many the circumstances in life are so uncertain.  The solutions to our problems can be very perplexing and seem beyond our grasp.  There are many things about tomorrow that we don’t seem to understand.   But we know Who holds tomorrow, and we do know Who holds our hand.* Thank you, God, that You don’t expect us to have all the right answers or to fully understand all that concerns us.  You simply want us to trust You as we hold on to Your unchanging hand while You go before us making our paths straight.  Grant us the grace to trust You more.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Weeding it out

Christians need to look out for eah other-helping those who are feeling weak and guiding those who are heading in the wrong direction. This will guard against “any root of bitterness” that might pop up in the fellowship of believers. This phrase can refer to the bitterness of unbelief that can poison a church and the bitterness between people that can poison relationships.

Once bitterness is planted, it tends to spread like wildfire and almost always causes some sort of trouble. A bitterness that takes root in our lives, and pop up in our actions and words that can’t be taken back or undone. We can avoid the root of bitterness by dealing with our feelings as soon as they hit us. When hurt or doubt are allowed to remain in our lives, they provide nice and rich soil for the root of anger, and bitterness. With God‘s help, we can keep that root from having a place to grow, and if it’s already taken root, to be weeded out. Now put on those gloves, and let’s go weeding.

As always, I’ve provided some scripture to not only support what we’re praying about today, but to also help us if we’re experiencing bitterness in our lives.

Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 20:22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

James 1:19-20 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Hebrews 12:15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

Dealing with the difficult people in life.

I don’t know about you, but one of my biggest struggles is dealing with mean spirited people. I wish I could sit here and tell you that I have the patience of Job, and was able to remain calm when others start snapping at me for no reason. I wish I could sit here and tell you that there wasn’t some small, worldly part of me that would find satisfaction in letting them have a taste of their own medicine. Sometimes, I want to do these things, but we all know that remaining calm and not retaliating are the right and mature things to do, but sometimes it’s also the hardest thing to do.

One of the ways that I chose to deal with people who like to lash out is to realize that there is usually something else behind their actions, and to pray for them. Sometimes this doesn’t help the anger I still harbor against them, but then I realize that I need to pray for myself as well. The bottom line is that holding our tongues and our anger against others is always the best thing to do no matter how much they agitate and antagonize us. Remember that Jesus took a lot more abuse than we did, and He never retaliated. Yet when we look at it He could have done anything He wanted to to exact revenge…He chose instead to love them where they were at. An example that we need to live by.

We all face people who are just plain old mean. The question is how do we deal with them? By denying our own inclination to strike back and to show them a Christ-like love. I know that it’s not always easy to do but think about it from another angle; how would you feel if you lashed out at someone without really meaning to because you were having a bad day, and that person just gave you a hug or a kind word? You’d probably feel guilty at first, love for them the second, then that’s usually followed by a feeling of joy because someone finally cared and showed you that your troubles are only a big as you let them be. So the answer to how do we deal with difficult people is simple…put your own emotions aside, and just show them that you care no matter how mean they are. Jesus did it.

There are a million other ways to handle mean people, and I’d love to hear how you do it. So for now, I’m going to post some Bible verses on the topic and ask you to think about what you feel is the best way to respond. I look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Proverbs 20:22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

James 1:19-20 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Hebrews 12:15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

Hebrews 12:14-15 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

James 1:26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.

Nevertheless

And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:41-44 ESV)

Jesus had spent the evening with the twelve in what men would eventually label “The Last Supper”. He sat at the table of eleven faithful and one devil, serving them all. A discussion eventually broke out among them regarding who “was to be regarded as the greatest” (Luke 22:24). Like all fallen men, the disciples brought talk of the kingdom, thrones, and judgement back to themselves as centerpiece. Undoubtedly they each imagined themselves seated high upon a throne, regaled in fine garments, judging the twelve tribes of Israel from a place of authority. But the scene that would play out late into that dark night would change the course of the Christian man’s thinking forever.

The authority in the kingdom is not man’s, nor was it ever intended to be. In fact, King Jesus lived in a way that undeniably displayed this. While he walked the earth as a man without equal, he remained a servant (Mark 10:45). God’s plan for the world has never been, nor will ever be about the authority of men. Jesus lived this truth out even to the end as he submitted his authority, praying “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” His earthly life was lived to honor and glorify the Father by submitting to his divine authority rather than promote his own. It is obvious here the anguish and agony of this intimate moment, as Jesus is faced with this looming cup he must drink from; that cup was the wrath of God. “Nevertheless”, he said, and drank deeply from the cup of wrath, becoming for us “sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Is your life lived to exalt the Father’s authority, or promote your own? Answer this question by letting your flesh take a back seat to the Spirit’s leading today.

Are you more concerned with what’s in the bank than what’s in your heart? Stop coveting and worrying and be happy.

I’ve been noticing a very disturbing trend among Christians lately, and that trend is people focusing more on what they don’t have than what they posses in their hearts, Jesus. It’s one of those things that really make me scratch my head and wonder how anyone calling themself a Christian can be so focused on what they have on this earth, but will never be able to take with them to heaven. The Bible specifically addresses worrying over wanting what others have, and being angry about what we don’t have in Matthew 6:25-34

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[a]?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I firmly believe that there is nothing wrong with having money or possesions, it’s what we do with them that can make or break us spiritually. If we own a lot, and hoard it instead of helping others with it, then we need to reevaluate our faith and our hearts. I also believe that God allows us to have what we can handle. And by that I mean that if He blesses us, and we squander the money instead of using it wisely, then we may find ourselves having it taken away. It’s like a parent giving a teenager a new car. Will they give the young adult a muscle car that may lead them into a dangerous situation, or will they give the child a car that’s safe and and conservative so they will not be harmed? Sometimes God deals with us the same way when it comes to possesions and faith, He’s not going to allow us to have more than what we can handle, so we need to respect His judgement and be content with what we do have, not what we don’t.

The bottom line is best summed up in the Matthew verses above. We can be angry that we don’t have a palace to live in while we’re here on this earth, or we can be happy knowing that one day we will be living in the greatest mansion of all in the kingdom of Heaven. If you cannot find happiness in knowing that Jesus died on the cross for you so you can enter the gates one day, then I would suggest that you ask Him for a more grateful heart. In fact, that’s not a bad idea to do even if you do find contentment.

Take a look around today and ask yourself if you are truly happy with a heart full of God, or a bank full of money. Be honest with yourself. I’ll let you be the judge and hopethat we learn to be content with whatever it is that God has blessed us with rather than what we don’t have. Be blessed today…:)

Prayer…it dosn’t work unless you come clean.

When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses– Mark 11:25

The only way any prayer is ever heard is through the righteous intercession of Jesus Christ. Yet it is Jesus who here reminds us that successful prayers are accompanied by holy lives.

If you have anything against any one, Jesus says, forgive them from your heart before you seek to pray to your heavenly Father. Do not think about asking ask for  forgiveness that you are not yourself willing to give to others.

We get this insightful view of prayer, then, from Jesus himself — your prayer life is both indestructible and delicate, it is both independent of your actions and yet influenced by the decisions you make.

You see, the access we have to God through Jesus Christ is based entirely on his goodness, not your own. For this reason, you can always pray to God, come boldly to God, when you are clinging to the perfect and sufficient work of Christ on your behalf.

On the other hand, scripture is very clear that our way of life — what we do and fail to do — will greatly influence our communion with God. Paul tells husbands to honor and cherish their wives “that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Peter 3:7). Jesus warns not to even bother praying if we are harboring resentment or bitterness or unforgiveness in our hearts.

Today, then, dear believer, go boldly in Christ’s name to the throne of grace, and freely love and forgive others so that your prayers are not hindered.