(1 Thessalonians 4:9-10)
Every Christian woman.. every true follower of Jesus Christ...the women you go to church with, the women who go to other churches, every woman in every city of every state, and every woman in every country in all the world.. every woman who names the name of Jesus as her LORD.. is your SISTER. Your FAMILY.
In our human-ness, we forget this. We forget that the REAL FAMILY.. the one that MATTERS TO GOD.. is His Family. That Family is as important to Him as the people who live in your house with you.
But sometimes we forget this.
I am writing here to remind you.
Christians. We are MORE THAN people who sit in the same church building for a few hours a week.. but we are MYSTERIOUSLY and MIRACULOUSLY JOINED ... FOREVER... by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT OF THE HOLY GOD in to a HOLY FAMILY.
Seems so silly for a woman who writes a blog to write about being KIND.
Not really. Maybe we need to stop focusing on those BIG issues - what is my ministry, what is my gift, how can I be important, how can we get new members to help pay the church mortGage....and focus on the big question: AM I BECOMING MORE LIKE JESUS? AM I ALLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CHANGE ME FROM THE INSIDE OUT?
AM I..........KIND? TO OTHERS? AM I? This is a big deal question that God wants us to answer.
In my last blog I wrote that the Bible's definition of kindness is mercy, long-suffering, compassion. You KNOW what being KIND is.
YOUR DAUGHTERS ARE WATCHING YOU, CHRISTIAN MOM, FOLLOWER-OF-JESUS WOMAN. Does she see you being kind and compassionate toward others? Do you have patience and encouraging words for those women who annoy you to the bone? Does she hearing you talking about people behind closed doors?
How do you treat your "sister" who is a different culture than you are?
That woman of a different race? The one who loves Jesus? She's your sister in the Lord. I am perplexed and confused and saddened when I see someone is a Christian... a follower of Christ... think it's acceptable to carry deep deep prejudice deep inside for decades and decades of life. I find it impossible that someone who has BEEN FORGIVEN justifies her unwillingness to forgive a woman of another race.. a different culture. Find me the verse.. the chapter and verse.. which gives you permission to exclude someone from the FAMILY the HOLY SPIRIT has formed because they are different than you are. You cannot.
SO then.. sweet Mrs. Younger.. today I challenge you to think about your sisters.
And find one to be kind to.
The one who talks too much.
The one who eats too much.
The one who has too much drama in her life.
The one who expects too much from you.
The one who gives nothing to the friendship.
The one who has talked about you behind your back.
The one who has everything you want and don't have.
ASK THE LORD TO GIVE YOU KINDNESS.
You cannot do it on your own.
Only through allowing the Holy Spirit to give you the Fruit of the Spirit.
I saw this post on Facebook. Let me know what you think. Add your comments.
I don't know that I have ever made a post like this but something I noticed today about being surrounded with church people is the lack of LOVE that some have for one another. Most cannot even be genuinely friendly yet we knock someone who doesn't show up enough for our services. Let me tell you why many don't show up...because they dont feel LOVE. If there is one feeling that better be in your church it's LOVE. Without the feeling of LOVE how can one believe God is among you. There are some who have "highly esteemed yourself" better than others (which the Word of God speaks against) . It says we are NOT to esteem ourselves above anyone. We don't all have the same gifts but one thing that is very important is LOVE. Without LOVE it doesn't matter how many good deeds you've did, or mission trips you take or how many church functions you attended, its all nothing if you don't have LOVE. I personally apologize to anyone if I have ever made you feel that I didn't show you kindness and love..anytime. The church, claiming to know Jesus and His love and forgiveness need to start showing it. You are always remembered for how you made someone feel. The lost are looking to the Church and our testimony and what are we "showing" them?? Love ye one another as Christ has loved us... 1 Corinthians 13, James chapter 2, 1 John are all a good read on loving one another.
XO,
Mrs. Older
But sometimes we forget this.
I am writing here to remind you.
Christians. We are MORE THAN people who sit in the same church building for a few hours a week.. but we are MYSTERIOUSLY and MIRACULOUSLY JOINED ... FOREVER... by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT OF THE HOLY GOD in to a HOLY FAMILY.
Seems so silly for a woman who writes a blog to write about being KIND.
Not really. Maybe we need to stop focusing on those BIG issues - what is my ministry, what is my gift, how can I be important, how can we get new members to help pay the church mortGage....and focus on the big question: AM I BECOMING MORE LIKE JESUS? AM I ALLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CHANGE ME FROM THE INSIDE OUT?
AM I..........KIND? TO OTHERS? AM I? This is a big deal question that God wants us to answer.
In my last blog I wrote that the Bible's definition of kindness is mercy, long-suffering, compassion. You KNOW what being KIND is.
YOUR DAUGHTERS ARE WATCHING YOU, CHRISTIAN MOM, FOLLOWER-OF-JESUS WOMAN. Does she see you being kind and compassionate toward others? Do you have patience and encouraging words for those women who annoy you to the bone? Does she hearing you talking about people behind closed doors?
How do you treat your "sister" who is a different culture than you are?
That woman of a different race? The one who loves Jesus? She's your sister in the Lord. I am perplexed and confused and saddened when I see someone is a Christian... a follower of Christ... think it's acceptable to carry deep deep prejudice deep inside for decades and decades of life. I find it impossible that someone who has BEEN FORGIVEN justifies her unwillingness to forgive a woman of another race.. a different culture. Find me the verse.. the chapter and verse.. which gives you permission to exclude someone from the FAMILY the HOLY SPIRIT has formed because they are different than you are. You cannot.
SO then.. sweet Mrs. Younger.. today I challenge you to think about your sisters.
And find one to be kind to.
The one who talks too much.
The one who eats too much.
The one who has too much drama in her life.
The one who expects too much from you.
The one who gives nothing to the friendship.
The one who has talked about you behind your back.
The one who has everything you want and don't have.
ASK THE LORD TO GIVE YOU KINDNESS.
You cannot do it on your own.
Only through allowing the Holy Spirit to give you the Fruit of the Spirit.
I saw this post on Facebook. Let me know what you think. Add your comments.
I don't know that I have ever made a post like this but something I noticed today about being surrounded with church people is the lack of LOVE that some have for one another. Most cannot even be genuinely friendly yet we knock someone who doesn't show up enough for our services. Let me tell you why many don't show up...because they dont feel LOVE. If there is one feeling that better be in your church it's LOVE. Without the feeling of LOVE how can one believe God is among you. There are some who have "highly esteemed yourself" better than others (which the Word of God speaks against) . It says we are NOT to esteem ourselves above anyone. We don't all have the same gifts but one thing that is very important is LOVE. Without LOVE it doesn't matter how many good deeds you've did, or mission trips you take or how many church functions you attended, its all nothing if you don't have LOVE. I personally apologize to anyone if I have ever made you feel that I didn't show you kindness and love..anytime. The church, claiming to know Jesus and His love and forgiveness need to start showing it. You are always remembered for how you made someone feel. The lost are looking to the Church and our testimony and what are we "showing" them?? Love ye one another as Christ has loved us... 1 Corinthians 13, James chapter 2, 1 John are all a good read on loving one another.
XO,
Mrs. Older
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