Right Relations / Relationship Status

Now this is still a rough draft continuing my work on ‘Right Relations’ a lesson on learning who we are and the relationships we have. Would love your thoughts and feedback if you have any. Well here is the next installment. I hope you find something you can use in your own relationships.

Relationship Status

When filling out forms, how often do you come across your relationship status? You have to check the box next to-: Single-Married-Divorced or Widowed. On some of the social media you will even find the status of-Complicated. This one I find interesting, because to me it is a big flashing sign you are not in a right relationship. Regarding the original choices on my relationship status, tells me that I am partially defined by what type of relationship I am in. If you are a woman who is married you take on your husband’s name and are identified as his wife. There is nothing wrong with this. It is something I am in agreement with. Today you have women who keep their maiden name or hyphenate their last name with their husband’s name. Both of these I have a problem with, because to me this is telling the world you are only partially committed to your marriage. I am divorced and could have gone back to my maiden name, but I chose to keep my married name when my ex-husband divorced me even when he had petitioned the courts demanding that I changed my name. I did not keep his name as a way to hold on to our marriage. It was over and that is actually a blessing because it had been an abusive relationship. We had a daughter together and I wanted her to grow up knowing that even though I was no longer married to her father, that we shared a name. That I was not going to deny how she came into my life and that I would not abandon her.
Now back to the status check list there have been times I have wanted to create a new box and label it Bride of Christ. In Isaiah there is a verse that talks about God taking me in like a wife who had been forsaken. This as well as many other scriptures have and continue to encourage me. I am a bride of Christ, I belong to my Heavenly Father and I am proud to say this. It is a major part of who I am. It is my identity. Taking on the name ‘Christian’ tells the world I belong to Him, and that He loves and accepts me for who I am. I do not claim to be the same person I was before I entered into this relationship, but whom of us in any of our relationships, stay who we were in the beginning. As my relationship with Jesus has grown, I have grown. I am still me, but I am much better than who I was before. So this is part of the reason for me diving in deeper on learning about relationships. As I am learning more of what relationships are and who I am in these relations, I am learning and growing in each relationship I have. My relationship with God, my Heavenly Father, with Jesus, and His Holy Spirit. Also my relationships with my family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc…

This is not a complete work and I am continuing to dive in deeper, hope you enjoy my process.

Is it time for a change of your name?

As you read through your Bible you find that names were changed by God. In Genesis 17:5 You read that God change Abram to Abraham and in verse 15 Sarai becomes Sarah. Jacob becomes Israel, Simon becomes Peter, and Saul becomes Paul are just a few names that were changed by God.

So why the name change? When a woman marries a man she then takes on his family name which identifies her as his wife. Think about that we are called the bride of Christ. Who we were before we came into the knowledge and relationship with Jesus is now a part of our past. That is who we used to be, but now we are made new by Jesus.                 2 Corinthians 5:17  (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.                                       Isaiah 43:18 “Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past.
Ezekiel 36:26″Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Most of us still identify with the person we were and still hold onto the traits of the person we were before we received Christ Jesus as our Savior and repented of our sins. When we repented, we turned from our sinful way of living and turned to Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father but through Him.

I can try to change my behavior on my own, but this is nothing more than what is called behavior modification. My actions have changed but the desire to do the things I once did is still there. There are two things that I need, but not limited to, and they are (1) The heart of Christ Jesus.  James 4:8  – Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded. 1 Samuel 16:7  – But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (2) I need the mind of Christ. For how I think and see things are not how God sees or thinks. Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

I have to make the decision to submit to God and allow Him to transform me into the creation He wants me to be so that I can better share the love of Jesus and testify what God has done for me through His Son Jesus. How He changed my life in ways that I never could on my own.

Questions;

If God changed your name today, what do you think He would change it to?

What part of the old you are you holding onto? (like an old pair of jeans that do not fit anymore but you hold onto because one day they might fit again)

 

 

 

A Tree Falls And The lessons Continue / Fallen But Not Useless

The tree that fell in the playground of the apartments I lived in continues to teach us lessons. Today as I looked at the branches cut and in piles and looked at the tree that they came from I received another lesson.

Fallen does not mean useless it also does not mean that you have changed who you are. Your purpose may have changed, and your location may have changed and you may even feel separated from the source of life with your creator but you still have purpose and you are still His creation.

He can take the broken pieces of your life and use them for many new purposes.  One thing that you can easily do with a fallen branch is cut it into firewood. This of course would be a one time use. Yet this wood can become so much more than that. I have already gathered branches from this tree and put them to use.

They now have my grapevine growing upon them. Supporting life that is already growing its fruit.

Previously I have used a fallen branches and turned them into walking sticks like my other had done when she was alive. Here are a couple I have previously made.

The wood that is used to build homes and and furniture all came from a tree. This chair, shop, barn and home were all built from wood that was once part trees. They all serve a purpose. A place to sit and rest. A place to work. A place to shelter animals and store supplies and equipment. A home to shelter a family or even an individual.

Whether that tree was cut down or fell that was used to build these I do not know. What I know is wood comes from a tree and eternal life comes from Jesus. There is one piece of wood that was used to bring us salvation. It was used to make the cross upon which our Savior was crucified.

This cross is not that cross but it is a reminder to us of the price He paid for us and how He has forgiven us. Another tree that gave a piece of itself to be used for the greatest purpose in any trees life.So if you have fallen or someone you know has fallen do not write yourself or them off. You are useful and you have a purpose. Let yourself be picked up and make a new start. Become something new.

Proverbs 24:16 for though a righteous man falls seven times, he will rise again, but the wicked stumble into calamity.

Psalm 37:23-24 The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.

Psalm 145:14-16 The LORD helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Isaiah 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.

 

Self Examination / How honest can you be?

If you are a woman you have more than like seen one of these breast self exam cards. A woman will examine herself to check for cancer but how many of us examine ourselves for the cancer of sin that slowly eats way the life of its’ host. We are quick to point out others flaws and report the wrong doings of others but how often do we confess our own sins? Publicly admit any wrong doings on our parts. Yet we publicly point out the wrongs others may be doing. Thanks to the Internet and social media opinions outweigh facts. People write what they want and though each of us can have our own opinion it is just that an opinion not fact. The best lies have a grain of truth. We can ‘t even believe what we see in the news any more. Yet criticism, and judgments are made and the ones doing this believe they are right and just.  The bible tells us that none are without sin.

Romans 3:10 (KJV)  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

1 John 1:7-9 (KJV) ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

One of the Bible studies called Self portraits discusses how we see ourselves.

https://emotionalpeace.wordpress.com/2015/08/30/self-portraits-bible-lesson/

I have gone back to this lesson to dig a little deeper. To examine myself once again.

So here is a self portrait that does not show my best side but it is honest look in the mirror. Each picture in this collage depicts a small part of me. It may be incomplete but as I made this and chose each picture as it reflected what I saw in my mirror. In the top row there is a picture of a woman who has a cap pulled down over her face with boss written on it. When I looked at it I saw how pride had blinded me. That I have been stubborn and let resentment and unforgiveness had bound me up like the straight jacket she is wearing. The pink boxing gloves represents the fighter inside of me. Yet why was I fighting and who was I fighting? The picture of a hunter with his bow drawn represents being constantly under attack. The train was my feeling of hopelessness. The ladder in the middle of the painting represents feeling like I am going nowhere. The shadow represents the darkness inside of me. The wolf howling represents like I am being hunted. The whitewater  canoe is me being tossed around by my own emotions. How turbulent they are.  The doll with the key in its back is feeling empty and like a puppet. The winding road is me getting off track. The picture of the woman drinking water is the unquenchable thirst. Looking to have my needs met by that which will never satisfy me truly. The man standing in front of the painting represents the mess my life is in. The scarecrow represents the empty fears I have. The woman hanging off the ledge is me barely hanging on. The black pig is the demons I wrestle with. Miss Piggy is that no matter what I do my past will always be my past no matter how I want to dress it up. The piggy banks in the soil being watered is all that I have wasted. A life of turmoil and under attack. Walking on the wrong road blind. Wasting my life, confused and hopeless. Bitter and filled with hateful emotions. Fighting the wrong fights. This is one part of me in a nutshell. Exposing my underbelly. Being honest with myself and the world.

Sketch by Julie Sheppard

I don’t want to be a hypocrite anymore. Passing judgments on others while ignoring my own sins. So it is time to take the log out of my own eye.A self examination is not something to be done once, but like the breast self exam card says to do monthly, we need to do a self check on a regular basis.   Can you examine yourself honestly and then will you share your results?

Proverbs 1:8-9 Lesson 2

A lesson from Proverbs #2 Instruction and Teaching

Proverbs1: 8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. 9 They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.

Instruction and teaching are they the same thing?

Instruction / noun

1. the act or practice of instructing or teaching; education.
2. knowledge or information imparted.
3. an item of such knowledge or information.
4. Usually, instructions. orders or directions:

The instructions are on the back of the box.

5. the act of furnishing with authoritative directions.
6. Computers. a command given to a computer to carry out a particular operation.

Synonyms directionstar disciplinestar guidancestar informationstar lessonstar preparationstar schoolingstar teachingstar trainingstar apprenticeshipstar coachingstar drillingstar edificationstar enlightenmentstar groundingstar tuitionstar tutelage

Teaching / noun

1. the act or profession of a person who teaches.
2. something that is taught.
3. Often, teachings. doctrines or precepts:

the teachings of Lao-tzu.

Synonyms coachingstar cultivationstar culturestar disciplinestar guidancestar instructionstar learningstar readingstar schoolingstar trainingstar tutoringstar apprenticeshipstar drillingstar enlightenmentstar tutelagestar book learningstar

Looking at the definitions including the synonyms we see that they are the same. Then why in verse 8 is instruction and teachings mentioned?

שְׁמַע בְּנִי מוּסַר אָבִי וְאַל־תִּטֹּשׁ תּוֹרַת אִמֶּ

1:8 sh’ma B’niy mûšar äviykhä w’al–Ti‡osh TôratiMekhä

1:8 My son, 1121 hear 8085 z8798 the instruction 4148 of thy father, 1 and forsake 5203 z8799 notx408 the law 8451 of thy mother: 517

Musar is the Hebrew word for discipline which is also instruction. Which you read in the English translation of the scripture from the Hebrew translation.  The word used in this translation for teachings is law. So as we go to the root of this scripture we see discipline and law are the original words used for instruction and teachings.

 

Tôwrâh – ‘instruction, teaching, guidance, law’

More than Just ‘Law’

The word  tôrâh (Strong’s #8451) means more than just ‘law’, its usual simplistic translation (always ‘law’ in the KJV 219x). It derives from  yârâh (Strong’s #3384) meaning ‘to shoot out the hand as pointing, to show, indicate’, ‘to teach, instruct’, ‘to lay foundations’, ‘to sprinkle, to water’, ‘to shoot, as an arrow’.

Yârâh begins with the letter ‘y’ yôdh which is the picture letter of a hand whilst another word sometimes used for teaching and instruction lâmadh (Strong’s #3925) begins with picture letter ‘l’ of an ox-goad, used for disciplining and training an animal or soldiers. How much better to be taught by pointing than by poking, by the demonstration of the hand rather than the discipline of the rod.

Tôrâh then derives from a root verb which has more to do with ‘hand’ led instruction than ‘rod’ following legalism. It means:

• ‘instruction’ as from a parent to a child (Proverbs 1:8; 3:1; 4:2; 7:2).
• ‘doctrine/instruction’ via the prophets (Isaiah 1:10; 8:16,20; 42:4,21)
• ‘legal instruction’ as in the ‘law of sacrifice’ (Leviticus 6:7; 7:7)
• ‘the Pentateuch/Mosaic revelation’ (Joshua 1:8)

First Use

Regarding the last definition, it cannot exclusively mean ‘The Law’ as its first use predates the Law and is used of Abraham’s obedience to God’s revelation:

“…And all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my torah.” (Genesis 26:4-5)

So Abraham was renowned and the world blessed not because of mere ‘faith’ but, in agreement with the early rabbis and the apostle James, because of his obedience to God’s torah. Torah is not just law and faith involved action and obedience.

It was also broader than ‘a Law’ for Jews only as its second use in the Bible says that there was “one torah” (Exodus 12:49) for the Israelite and for the stranger in their midst.

Summary

Its basic idea, then, is ‘instruction’ or ‘teaching’ to a valued individual rather than to a beast of burden. Even when it is legitimately translated as ‘law’ the emphasis is still on instruction. The Torah/Law of Moses might better be translated as ‘the instruction of God by revelation through Moses’.

In the modern Christian church ‘law’ has become a negative word and ‘revelation’ a positive one. But they are both the same. The famous verse in Proverbs 29:18 is usually quoted as half a verse only. Its second half, written in parallel terminology, says the same thing so that revelation and torah instruction are virtually identical:

So we listen and do not forsake the instructions and teachings of our parents. Continue reading verse 9 and we see that we are to wear these upon our head and around our neck. So what comes to your mind when you read this?

I thought about the Helmet of Salvation. How you wear the helmet on your head and then I thought about how some helmets include a collar. How do we guard our minds? We keep the Word of God in the center of our thoughts. We focus on His teachings and how He disciplines us in His love. Athletes and soldiers discipline not only their bodies but their minds. They train themselves to be able to do what is needed to perform their tasks. When we look to the Proverbs we look to the wisdom of God. For His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. Isaiah 55:8-9 We lean not on our own understanding. Proverbs 3:5.

There are some who think we do away with the law because of grace and that the law being fulfilled we no longer need the law. The commands of God to me are eternal. Jesus said, ‘If you love me you will keep my commands.’ John 14:15. He went further when He added a command. John 13:34-35 (NKJV)  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The 10 Commandments

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make idols.
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet.

God’s instructions are to teach us how to live life and how to love. We look to His Word for guidance. Jesus is also known as our teacher. John 3:2.  He is also the Word of God made flesh. John 1:1.

Discipline – Law / Instructions – Teachings

What do these mean to you?

1 Corinthians 13 / Love is… Love is not… Bible Study Lessons 1- 10

Love Suffers Long Lesson #1 / 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NKJV)

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

1 Corinthians 13:4 (ESV)  Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant

 

long–suffering

adjective  long–suf·fer·ing \-ˌsə-f(ə-)riŋ, –ˈsə-\

Simple Definition of long–suffering

• : suffering for a long time without complaining : very patient during difficult times

Full Definition of long–suffering

1. : patiently enduring lasting offense or hardship

patient

adjective  pa·tient \ˈpā-shənt\

Simple Definition of patient

• : able to remain calm and not become annoyed when waiting for a long time or when dealing with problems or difficult people
• : done in a careful way over a long period of time without hurrying

 

Full Definition of patient

1. 1: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint
2. 2: manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain
3. 3: not hasty or impetuous
4. 4: steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity
5. 5a : able or willing to bear —used with ofb :  susceptible, admitting <patient of one interpretation>

patiently

adverb

forbearance

noun  for·bear·ance \fȯr-ˈber-ən(t)s, fər-\

Simple Definition of forbearance

• : the quality of someone who is patient and able to deal with a difficult person or situation without becoming angry

Can you suffer without complaining?

Are you able to remain calm when you are being assaulted, verbally or physically?

How do you deal with difficult people or situations?

Are you patient?

To be honest I have failed miserably at all of these. I complain, get defensive when under attack, difficult people irritate me and my thoughts are not pleasant or loving towards them, and no I am not a patient person by nature. I used to have a joke saying, ‘It is a good thing I am not a doctor because I have no patience’. Am I working on these things? Yes, and through God’s grace changes have been made in me.

 

 

 

 

 

Love Is Kind Lesson#2 / Bible Study 1 Corinthians 13:4

1 Corinthians 13:4 NKJV  Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

1 Corinthians 13:4 NKJV   Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant

 

What does it mean to be kind?

Kind  (kaɪnd) adj kind·er, kind·est

1. Having or showing a friendly, generous, sympathetic, or warm-hearted nature.
2. Agreeable or beneficial: a dry climate kind to asthmatics.

[Middle English kinde, natural, kind, from Old English gecynde, natural; see genə- in Indo-European roots.]

Synonyms: kind1, kindly, kindhearted, benign, benevolent

These adjectives mean having or showing a tender, considerate, and helping nature. Kind and kindly are the leastspecific: thanked her for her kind letter; a kindly gentleman. Kindhearted especially suggests an innately kinddisposition: a kindhearted teacher. Benign implies gentleness and mildness: benign intentions; a benign sovereign.Benevolent suggests charitableness and a desire to promote the welfare or happiness of others: a benevolent

1. having a friendly or generous nature or attitude
2. helpful to others or to another: a kind deed.
3. considerate or humane
4. cordial; courteous (esp in the phrase kind regards)
5. pleasant; agreeable; mild: a kind climate.
6. informal beneficial or not harmful: a detergent that is kind to the hands.
7. archaic loving

[Old English gecynde natural, native; see kind2]

What does it mean to be friendly?

 

 

In what ways are you generous?

 

 

Are you sympathetic?

 

 

Are you agreeable?

 

 

Are you beneficial?

 

 

 

Love Does Not Envy / Lesson#3

1 Corinthians 13:4 NKJV  Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

 

What does it mean to envy?  envy noun  en·vy \ˈen-vē\

Simple Definition of envy

:the feeling of wanting to have what someone else has

:someone or something that causes envy

Source: Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

 

Full Definition of envy plural  envies

1: painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage

2obsolete:  malice

3: an object of envious notice or feeling <his new car made him the envy of his friends>

Definition of envy for Students plural envies

1: a feeling of unhappiness over another’s good fortune together with a desire to have the same good fortune <He was filled with envy on seeing her success.>

2: a person or a thing that is envied

Thesaurus Synonyms of envy

a painful awareness of another’s possessions or advantages and a desire to have them too <her envy of her neighbor’s fancy clothes wrecked their friendship>Synonyms covetousness, enviousness, green-eyed monster, invidiousness, jealousy, resentment

Related Words animosity, enmity, hatred, ill will; malice, maliciousness, spitefulness

Envy, jealousy, and coveting are one in the same, and they all lead to wrong thinking and emotions.  Envy or jealousy can make you feel less about yourself. You can be bitter and resentful. You can even be jealous of how another gets away with a wrong, while you suffer an injustice. This list can go on and on.

 

In what ways have you been envious or jealous?

 

 

 

What have you coveted?

 

 

 

Have you ever been resentful when someone has wrongfully prospered?

 

 

 

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love does not…#4

1 Corinthians 13:4 (NKJV) 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

 

1 Corinthians 13:4 (GNT) 4 Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud;

 

1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV) 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

 

1 Corinthians 13:4 (NASB) 4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,

 

Parade (noun) 5. An ostentatious show; an exhibition: make a parade of one’s talents.

(verb) 4. To behave so as to attract attention; show off.

(tr)to exhibit or flaunt: he was parading his medals.

Ostentatious (ˌɒstɛnˈteɪʃəs) adj

Characterized by pretentious, showy, or vulgar display

Characterized by pretentious show in an attempt to impress others.

Intended to attract notice: ostentatious charity.

Conceited (kənˈsiːtɪd) adj1. Having a high or exaggerated opinion of oneself or one’s accomplishments

 

conceited – characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance; “a conceited fool”; “an attitude of self-conceited arrogance”; “an egotistical disregard of others”;”so swollen by victory that he was unfit for normal duty”; “growing ever more swollen-headed and arbitrary”; “vain about her clothes”

self-conceited, swollen, swollen-headed, vain, egotistic, egotistical

proud – feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride; “proud parents”; “proud of his accomplishments”; “a proud moment”; “proud to serve his country”; “a proud name”; “proud princes”

Conceited  adjective self-important, vain, arrogant, stuck up (informal), cocky, narcissistic, puffed up, egotistical, overweening, immodest, vainglorious, swollen-headed, bigheaded (informal), full of yourself, too big for your boots or breeches I thought him conceited and arrogant.

modest, humble, unassuming, self-effacing

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

 

Conceited adjective

Thinking too highly of oneself:   egoistic, egoistical, egotistic, egotistical, narcissistic, vain, vain glorious.

Informal: bigheaded, stuck-up, swell headed.

Unduly preoccupied with one’s own appearance:

narcissistic, vain.

Boast  (bəʊst) vb

(intr;sometimes foll by of or about) to speak in exaggerated or excessively proud terms of one’s possessions, skills, or superior qualities; brag

(tr)to possess (something to be proud of): the city boasts a fine cathedral.

n3. a bragging statement 4. a possession, attribute, attainment, etc, that is or may be bragged about

Synonyms: boast1, brag, crow2, vaunt

These verbs all mean to speak with pride, often excessive pride, about oneself or something related to oneself. Boast is the most general: “We confide [that is, have confidence] in our strength, without boasting of it; we respect that of others, without fearing it” (Thomas Jefferson).

Brag implies exaggerated claims and often an air of insolent superiority: He bragged about his grades. Crow stresses exultation and often loud rejoicing: No candidate should crow until the votes have been counted. Vaunt suggests ostentatiousness and lofty extravagance of expression: “He did not vaunt of his new dignity, but I understood he washighly pleased with it” (James Boswell).

Brag  (bræɡ) vb, brags, bragging or bragged

to speak of (one’s own achievements, possessions, etc) arrogantly and boastfully

n 1. boastful talk or behavior, or an instance of this 2. something boasted of: his brag was his new car.

A braggart; boaster

ar·ro·gant   (ăr′ə-gənt) adj.

Havingor displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or self-importance. 2. Marked by or arising from a feeling or assumption of one’s superiority toward others: an arrogant contempt for theweak.

[Middle English arrogaunt, from Old French, from Latin arrogāns, arrogant-, present participle of arrogāre, toarrogate; see arrogate.]

ar′ro·gant·ly adv. Synonyms: arrogant, haughty, disdainful, supercilious

These adjectives mean characterized by an inflated ego and disdain for what one considers inferior. One who is arrogant is overbearingly proud and demands excessive power or consideration: an arrogant and pompous professor, unpopular with students and colleagues alike. Haughty suggests superiority, as by reason of high status: “Her laugh was satirical, and so was the habitual expression of her arched and haughty lip” (Charlotte Brontë).

Disdainful emphasizes scorn or contempt: “Nor [let] grandeur hear with a disdainful smile, / The short and simple annals of the poor” (Thomas Gray).

Supercilious implies haughty disdain and aloofness: “Failure would confirm the critics who called him supercilious for following his own methods and not theirs” (Neal Bascomb).

 

Proud  (praʊd) adj

(follby: of, an infinitive, or a clause) pleased or satisfied, as with oneself, one’s possessions, achievements, etc, or with another person, his or her achievements, qualities, etc

Feeling honoured or gratified by or as if by some distinction

having an inordinately high opinion of oneself; arrogant or haughty

Definitions from  http://www.thefreedictionary.com

 

Why are so many definitions included with this lesson? They are listed for clarity. So you can see and understand what these words mean in their context. Taking a shovel and digging in deep. Getting to the core and getting past the surface. The word Love has been used so carelessly and without meaning, I want to get to the truth about love. People say they love chocolate, hamburgers, cake, etc… in the same manner as they say I love you. They have become empty and meaningless words. We confuse love with lust and passion. Why do we use the word lovers for the people we have had sex with? This makes me think of Tina Turner’s song, ‘What’s love got to do with it’. What does love have to do with sex, or any materialistic, physical thing? Nothing. To be honest most of us don’t even love ourselves and do not even realize this. Yet the love God has for us, and gave to us through His Son Jesus is true and filled with life, joy, hope, and truth. Yet how do we learn to understand this kind of love? We dive into His Word. Jesus is the Word made flesh. In this lesson I used parallel versions and definitions(more definitions can be found at http://www.thefreedictionary.com)  to learn what was really being said in this verse and the two last words of this verse(more actually if you look at the different versions) parade itself/ puffed up: conceited or proud; boast/proud: brag/arrogant. These are things that love is not. It is not about itself or what it can get. It is a real, living, and growing life that gives more than it seeks for itself. I have learned one thing about myself, and that is that I have so much to learn about love and I do not think I am alone. I hope you want to learn too.

Is love about what you want or can get?

 

Have you ever behaved in a rude or arrogant matter?

 

Have you sought attention because of a need to feel loved?

 

Do you have moments where you behave like you are better than those around you?

 

Do you ever think your sin is not as bad as another?

 

1 Corinthians 13 has been a lifeline for me for the last five years. It has helped me learn how to deal with tragedies and loss without turning headlong into a self destructive lifestyle. Understanding, that because terrible things have happened, that this does not mean that He does not love me. He knows and feels my pain. I have also learned that if someone hurts me, I do not have to hurt them back, and this does not make me a doormat. I continue to desire to learn and understand what His love is so that I can share this love with others. This is lesson 4 and more will come. I hope and pray that you will share what you know about love and any insights you can give to helps us all grow in His love.

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is not rude #5

 

NKJV does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

 

NIV It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs

 

ESV or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

 

YOUNG’s doth not act unseemly, doth not seek its own things, is not provoked, doth not impute evil,

 

Rude   (ro͞od) adj. rud·er, rud·est

 

Ill-mannered ,discourteous, or insulting: was offended by his rude behavior.

a.Undevelopedor uncivilized; primitive: a rude and savage land.

Crude, unfinished, or made with limited skill: a rude thatched hut.

Ina natural, raw state: bales of rude cotton.

Unpleasantly forceful or harsh: faced rude winds; received a rude shock.

Chiefly British Vigorous or robust: in rude health.

Archaic Lacking education or refinement: “They were so rude and ignorant … that very little could be learned from them” (Samuel Johnson).

Dishonor ( dis·hon·or )  (dĭs-ŏn′ər)n.

 

Loss of honor, respect, or reputation.

The condition of having lost honor or good repute.

A cause of loss of honor: was a dishonor to the club.

Failure to pay or refusal to accept a note, a bill, or another commercial obligation.

tr.v. dis·hon·ored, dis·hon·or·ing, dis·hon·ors

 

To bring shame or disgrace upon.

To treat in a disrespectful or demeaning manner.

To fail or refuse to accept or pay (a note, bill, or check, for example).

syn: See disgrace.

unseemly   (ŭn-sēm′lē) adj. un·seem·li·er, un·seem·li·est  1. Not in accord with accepted standards of decency or morality. 2. Not suited to the circumstances; inappropriate: took an unseemly amount of time to complete the project.

Unattractive; unsightly: “The point at which the walls of suburban houses meet the lawns is apparently unseemly and must be covered up with these stunted trees” (Amy Benson).

adv.

In an improper or inappropriate manner.

Synonyms: unseemly, improper, unbecoming, indelicate, indecent, indecorous

These adjectives mean not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper. What is unseemly reflects badly on one’s manners or morals: an unseemly outburst; married in unseemly haste. Improper often refers to unethical conduct, a breach of etiquette, or morally offensive behavior: improper business practices; improper behavior at the dinner table. Unbecoming suggests what is beneath the standard implied by one’s character or position: language unbecoming to an officer. Indelicate suggests immodesty, coarseness, or tactlessness: indelicate barnyard humor; an indelicate reference to the senator’s family troubles. Indecent refers to what is considered crude or vulgar, especially with regard to sexual impropriety or sexually explicit material: an indecent proposal; indecent programming. Indecorous implies violation of propriety or decorum: an exposé of the author’s indecorous past.

 

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

 

Our actions and behavior say more about us than just the words we speak. I know I do not behave as I should and that I may act in a rude manner at times without realizing that I am doing so.  Pain and not feeling well has its effect on my attitude, but this does not excuse rude disrespectful or unseemly behavior. Just because I have had a bad day does not mean that I can take it out on others. This is not the only way one can be rude, disrespectful, or unseemly. I hate it when I snap at a person for any reason, but I do this at times, and the reason does not matter because I know it is not how God would like to see me behave towards anyone. My actions and reactions without love can cause harm and this is something that I do not want to do. I have been hurt enough in my life and I know I have hurt others. I cannot change what has been done, and I cannot change how others behave, but I can take accountability for my own actions, and make the changes that need to be made in myself. Of course I need God’s help and guidance to do this. So I submit to His will and follow Jesus, who is The Word, and my Savior.

 

Have you ever been sprayed by a skunk? If you have you know how difficult it is and how much time it takes to get rid of the stink. The same can be said about the sin in our lives. It leaves a stink on us and some of us become nose blind to the stench it leaves on us. Yet with submission to God’s will and receiving His love through His Son Jesus we become a pleasing aroma.

 

Ephesians 5:2 ESV And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 

2 Corinthians 2:14-17 ESV But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

 

1 Peter 4:8 ESV Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

 

Questions for thought and comments.

 

Think about a time when someone was rude or disrespectful to you. How did that make you feel?

 

Can you remember how you reacted?

 

How can you apply this part of this scripture to your own life?

 

 

Love does not seek its own 1 Corinthians 13:5 Lesson 6

1 Corinthians 13: 5(NKJV) does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV) It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

1 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV) or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

1 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT)  or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

 

Seeking, insisting, or demanding your own way is not love. Even God who created us does not demand. He has given us commands, instructions, and laws, but gives us free will to choose what we will and will not do. The results of our choices and how they impact our lives and the lives we touch are our own. When Adam and Eve did the one thing they were asked not to do. God did not stop them but the result of their action was that they had to leave Eden. God did not make them eat the fruit but told them not to. Then God told them that a Savior would be born through a woman to redeem man and defeat the enemy. Even when His command was broken He still makes a way to forgive and to love us who do not deserve His love or mercy.

 

He knew we would continue to sin yet He loves us so completely He paid the price for our actions in sending His Son Jesus to pay the debt of our sins to redeem us. Yet if someone were to wrongs you, do you demand they make payment or make repairs? I cannot answer for you but I know I have.

 

If I am only out to do things that are for my gain alone and do not care if I hurt anyone or cause any damage as long as I get what I want I am being selfish and self seeking.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean to you to be self seeking?

 

 

What do you think it means to insist on your own way and are there times when it is okay to do so?

 

 

Are you demanding about anything?

 

 

When we think of love we think about feelings and what we get if we want to be honest it is about our wants, desires, and needs. Man is selfish by nature. Yet this is not an excuse. God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not ours. When we enter into a relationship with Jesus we receive His love and forgiveness. His love transforms us from what we were to His image, but this transformation does not take place overnight. If you are an artist, who paints, sculpts, or carves, you know the image does not appear like magic. You form; you chisel, and cut away. You stroke paint onto a canvas. It may take you days, weeks, or months. You took one thing and transformed a blank canvas, a block of, stone, or a lump of clay and created a piece of art for you and others to enjoy, and appreciate. Now if you force any of your process what usually happens? It doesn’t turn out the way you wanted and may even be broken beyond repair. Demanding or insisting with force can do great damage.

So I pray to become less demanding and more pleasing to our Lord. Seeking to serve the needs of others, knowing He provides for all of my needs.

 

Definitions

self-seek·ing  (sĕlf′sē′kĭng)  adj.1. Pursuing only one’s own ends or interests.

Exhibiting concern only with promoting one’s own ends orinterests: self-seeking maneuvers.

n.Determined pursuit of one’s own ends or interests.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

the act oraninstance of seeking one’s own profit or interest, esp exclusively

adj. having or showing an exclusive preoccupation with one’s own profit or interest: a self-seeking attitude.

ˌself-seeking  adjective selfish, self-interested, mercenary, calculating, opportunistic, self-serving, acquisitive, on the make(slang), careerist, gold-digging, fortune-hunting, looking out for number one (informal), out for what you can getPoliticians are untrustworthy self-seeking creatures.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

self-seeking  adjective Concerned only with oneself:

egocentric, egoistic, egoistical, egomaniacal, egotistic, egotistical, self-absorbed, self-centered, self-involved, selfish, self-serving.

Idiom: wrapped up in oneself.

in·sist   (ĭn-sĭst′) v. in·sist·ed, in·sist·ing, in·sists

v.intr. To be resolute or firm in a demand or course: I insist on paying my share of the expenses.

v.tr.To assert or demand (something) firmly or persistently: We insist that you stay for dinner.

 

Vb  1. to make a determined demand (for): he insisted that his rights be respected; he insisted on his rights.  2. to express a convinced belief (in) or assertion (of): he insisted that she was mad; he insisted on her madness.

Verb  1. persist, press (someone), be firm, stand firm, stand your ground, lay down the law, put your foot down(informal), not take no for an  answer, brook no refusal, take or make a stand I didn’t want to join in, but heinsisted.

demand, order, urge, require, command, dictate, entreatI insisted that the fault be repaired.

assert, state, maintain, hold, claim, declare, repeat, vow, swear, contend, affirm, reiterate, profess, avow,aver, asseverateHe insisted that he was acting out of compassion.

Demand 1. To ask for urgently or peremptorily: demand an investigation into the murder; demanding that he leave immediately; demanded to speak to the manager.

To claim as just or due: demand repayment of a loan.

To ask to be informed of: demanded an explanation for the interruption.

To require as useful, just, proper, or necessary; call for: a gem that demands a fine setting.

Law

To lay legal claim to; claim formally.

To ask that (something) be done in accordance with a legal requirement. verb 1. request, ask (for), order, expect, claim, seek, call for, insist on, exact, appeal for, solicit She demanded an immediate apology.

challenge, ask, question, inquire ‘What do you expect me to do about it?’ she demanded. 3. require, take, want, need, involve, call for, entail, necessitate, cry out for The task demands much patience and hard work. require give, provide, produce, supply, grant, contribute, yield, come up with, furnish

noun

request, order, charge, bidding He grew ever more fierce in his demands.

need, want, call, market, claim, requirement, necessity The demand for coal is down.

in demand sought after, needed, popular, favoured, requested, in favour, fashionable, well-liked, in vogue, like gold dust He was much in demand as a lecturer.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

 

 

1 Corinthians 13:5 / Love is not easily angered / Lesson 7

 

1 Corinthians 13:5(NKJV) 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

1 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)  5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

1 Corinthians 13:5(NIV) 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

 

Definition of provoke / provoked / provoking – transitive verb

1a archaic :  to arouse to a feeling or action b :  to incite to anger

provoke, excite, stimulate, pique, quicken mean to arouse as if by pricking. provoke directs attention to the response called forth <my stories usually provoke laughter>. excite implies a stirring up or moving profoundly <news that excited anger and frustration>. stimulate suggests a rousing out of lethargy, quiescence, or indifference <stimulating conversation>. pique suggests stimulating by mild irritation or challenge <that remark piqued my interest>. quicken implies beneficially stimulating and making active or lively <the high salary quickened her desire to have the job>.

Synonyms – irritate / to rouse to strong feeling or action <his teasing finally provoked her to anger> <bees generally will not sting unless they are provoked>

Synonyms arouse, encourage, excite, fire (up), impassion, incite, instigate, move, pique, rev (up), spark, stimulate, stir

Related Words fan, ignite, inflame (also enflame), kindle, trigger; activate, animate, drive, energize, galvanize, induce, inspire, key (up), motivate, motive, pump up, quicken, set off, vitalize; abet, ferment, foment, raise, whip (up); anger, enrage, madden, upset; jeer, taunt, tease; aggravate, annoy, bother, exasperate, gall, get, irritate, vex

Definition of irritable :  capable of being irritated: asa :  easily exasperated or excited <gets irritable when he tires>b :  responsive to stimuli

Synonyms of irritable / easily irritated or annoyed <that irritable old man always yells at people to stay off of his lawn>Synonyms choleric, crabby, cranky, cross, crotchety, fiery, grouchy, grumpy, irascible, peevish, perverse, pettish, petulant, prickly, quick-tempered, raspy, ratty, short-tempered, snappish, snappy, snarky, snippety, snippy, stuffy, testy, waspish Related Words bearish, bilious, cantankerous, cross-grained, curmudgeonly, disagreeable, dyspeptic, ill-humored, ill-natured, ill-tempered, off-color (or off-colored), ornery, querulous, snarly, surly; argumentative, bellicose, belligerent, combative, contentious, disputatious, fractious, fretful, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent; huffy, pouty, sensitive, short, sulky, sullen, tetchy, thin-skinned, touchy; hot-blooded, passionate

 

Definition of anger / angered / angering :  to make strongly displeased :  make angry

anger noun an·ger : a strong feeling of being upset or annoyed because of something wrong or bad : the feeling that makes someone want to hurt other people, to shout, etc. : the feeling of being angry

Synonyms of anger / an intense emotional state of displeasure with someone or something <managed to stifle his anger when the receptionist put him on hold for the third time>Synonyms angriness, [chiefly Scottish], choler, furor, fury, indignation, irateness, ire, lividity, lividness, mad, madness, mood [archaic], outrage, rage, spleen, wrath, wrathfulness Related Words aggravation, annoyance, exasperation, irritation, vexation; acrimoniousness, acrimony, animosity, antagonism, antipathy, bile, biliousness, bitterness, contempt ,embitterment, enmity, grudge, hostility, rancor; envy, jaundice, jealousy, pique ,resentment; malevolence, malice, spite, vengefulness, venom, vindictiveness, virulence, vitriol; belligerence, contentiousness, contrariness, crankiness, disputatiousness, hot-headedness, irascibility, irascibleness, irritability, orneriness, pugnacity, quarrelsomeness, blowup, flare, flare-up, outburst; chafe, dander, dudgeon, huff, pet, rise, ruffle, temper; air rage, road rage; delirium, heat, passion, warmth

 

Are you easily provoked, irritable, or angered?

 

 

 

What is something that easily angers you?

 

 

 

The more the love of Christ grows in us the less we can become angered provoke or irritable. For His love is opposite of these things and His love is True love. Being angered or irritable alone is not a sin but what we do when we are these things can be if we are not acting according to His love. We may not show our anger or irritation but if we let it take root in our mind it still can cause damage. Remember just because a person is smiling at you does not mean their thoughts towards you are good.

 

We can be provoked by various things and what is provoked can also vary. When provoked to anger we often react in a negative manner. Anger colors our judgment and we react in haste. The enemy uses this against us to use us to do harm. Jabez when he prayed to the Lord asked to be kept from doing harm. When we see wrongs being committed it is okay to be angry but being easily angered we are not thinking clearly but emotionally. Emotions cloud our judgment and we often seek revenge not justice. When angry or irritated we are not thinking about love.  Living in a world with so much violence and injustice it is easy to be provoked and feel anger. This world and all that is wrong will one day come to an end. So how do we live in this world and not be easily provoked, irritated, or angered? It takes love, His love which is merciful and forgiving. Think about all that He suffered for our sakes while on this earth and why He did it. It helps you look at any situation with new eyes. His love covers a multitude of sins. Live in His love, and love your enemies and you will not be as easily angered as you were before you received His love. As his love grows in us and we begin to see through His eyes we begin to see those who have harmed us for who they are. People who themselves are hurting and lost. Who have been wounded by abuse, neglect, rejection and hatred to name a few things. Then compassion takes place of resentment and anger. Forgiveness and mercy takes place of bitterness and resentment. Love takes place of hate. Love always wins because Jesus is love. We should not ignore the things that anger or upset us, because pretending will not make the problem go away. Deal with the problem using God’s love and His Word to guide you.

 

 

1 Corinthians 13:5 Love Thinks No Evil Lesson 8

 

5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; NKJV

5  or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ESV

5  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. NIV

5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, NASB

5 Thinks no evil; is not resentful; keeps no records of wrongs; does not take into account a wrong suffered.  The last two versions you can also use the word grudge.

 

evil /ˈēvəl/noun: evil, plural noun: evils

profound immorality, wickedness, and depravity, especially when regarded as a supernatural force: “the world is stalked by relentless evil”

synonyms: wickedness, bad, badness, wrongdoing, sin, ill, immorality, vice, iniquity, degeneracy, corruption, depravity, villainy, nefariousness, malevolence, devil, turpitude

▪ a manifestation of this, especially in people’s actions:

“the evil that took place last Thursday”

Synonyms: abomination, atrocity, obscenity, outrage, enormity, crime, monstrosity, barbarity

▪ something that is harmful or undesirable:

“sexism, racism, and all other unpleasant social evils”

synonyms: harm, pain, misery, sorrow, suffering, trouble, disaster, misfortune, catastrophe, affliction, woe, hardship

 

adjective

profoundly immoral and malevolent: “his evil deeds“

synonyms: wicked, bad, wrong, immoral, sinful, foul, vile, dishonorable, corrupt, iniquitous, depraved, reprobate, villainous, nefarious, vicious, malicious, malevolent, sinister, demonic, devilish, diabolical, fiendish, dark, monstrous, shocking, despicable, atrocious, heinous, odious, contemptible, horrible, execrable, lowdown, dirty

▪ (of a force or spirit) embodying or associated with the forces of the devil:

“we have been driven out of the house by this evil spirit”

▪ harmful or tending to harm:

“the evil effects of high taxes”

synonyms: cruel, mischievous, pernicious, malignant, malign, baleful, vicious, destructive, harmful, hurtful, injurious, detrimental, deleterious, inimical, bad, ruinous

▪ (of something seen or smelled) extremely unpleasant:

“a bathroom with an evil smell”

synonyms: unpleasant, disagreeable, nasty, horrible, foul, disgusting, filthy, vile, noxious

Word Origin Old English yfel, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch euvel and German Übel.

 

resentful /rəˈzentfəl/ adjective

feeling or expressing bitterness or indignation at having been treated unfairly:

“he was angry and resentful of their intrusion”

synonyms: aggrieved, indignant, irritated, piqued, put out, in high dudgeon, dissatisfied, disgruntled, discontented, offended, bitter, jaundiced, envious, jealous, brooding, miffed, peeved, sore

Derivatives

1.resentfully adverb 2.resentfulness n.

Synonyms; acrid, acrimonious, embittered, hard, rancorous, bitter, sore

Related Words

disaffected, discontented, disgruntled, malcontent; contemptuous, cynical, disdainful, misanthropic, scornful; angry, cruel, harsh, irritated, mad, rough, savage, vehement, vicious, virulent, vitriolic; acid, caustic, cutting, mordant, sarcastic, trenchant; knock-down, drag-out (or knock-down-and-drag-out)

In the NKJV it says thinks no evil. It is not just what we do but what we think that we have to consider. Jesus said, ‘To even look at a woman with lust in your eyes is to have committed adultery. Wrong thinking happens before one takes action. Sometimes it is a quick thought and other times the thought lingers and takes root. It can hide itself behind reasons, logics and what one holds to be their right. (Something we saw in the woman’s march that recently took place in protest to our new President Trump) to name a few ways it can hide in our minds. Scripture tells us to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5 (NKJV)  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, )and there is a reason for this. If we allow wrong thinking to continue those thoughts turn into actions and wrong attitudes. Even smells are listed in above definitions in the synonyms.

Most of us do not think we do anything that is evil but the definitions above reveal that there are things we do that we do not realize they are doing something evil. Most of us do not intend to do any harm.

Being resentful or holding a grudge harms both the one holding the grudge and the one the grudge is held against. Not keeping records of a wrong done to you does not mean you forget what had been done. What was done cannot be changed because it was done in the past. It frees your mind letting go of the thoughts and not keeping yourself in the same prison you are holding the wrong doer. Instead of focusing your thoughts on the pain you suffered or the wrong done to you, thinking on the goodness of Jesus and the love you have can change not only how you think but how you live.

 

Think about your thoughts.

Do you remember the saying think before you speak?

 

Do you take your thoughts captive and take them to God?

 

Do you justify you’re a thoughts?

 

Do you want to change how you think?

 

1 Corinthians 13:6-7 Rejoicing In Truth Lesson 9

1 Corinthians 13:6- (NKJV)  does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

 

1 Corinthians 13:6-7 (NIV) 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 

1 Corinthians 13:6-7 (ESV)  it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

 

Rejoicing in truth. What does this mean to you?

 

Truth is not opinion or your perspective and point of view. The real Truth is Jesus.

 

Definition of truth  plural   truths\ˈtrüthz, ˈtrüths\

 

1aarchaic :  fidelity, constancyb :  sincerity in action, character, and utterance

2a(1) :  the state of being the case :  fact (2) :  the body of real things, events, and facts : actuality (3) often capitalized :  a transcendent fundamental or spiritual realityb :  a judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true <truths of thermodynamics>c :  the body of true statements and propositions

3a:  the property (as of a statement) of being in accord with fact or realityb chiefly British :  true 2c :  fidelity to an original or to a standard

4capitalized,Christian Science :  god

in truth

: in accordance with fact :  actually

Origin and Etymology of truth  Middle English trewthe, from Old Englishtrēowth fidelity; akin to Old English trēowefaithful — more at true

Definition of truth for English Language Learners

the truth: the real facts about something : the things that are true

:the quality or state of being true

:a statement or idea that is true or accepted as true

Synonyms facticity, factuality, sooth, trueness, verity

 

Definition of rejoice

rejoiced

rejoicing

1. transitive verb

: to give joy to :  gladden

3. intransitive verb

: to feel joy or great delight

rejoicer   noun

rejoicingly -ˈjȯi-siŋ-lē\ adverb

rejoice in

: have, possess

Definition of rejoice for English Language Learners

:to feel or show that you are very happy about something

Synonyms crow, delight, exuberate, glory, jubilate,joy, kvell, exult, triumph

 

Verse 7 – bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

 

What does it mean to bear something?

 

What do you believe in?

 

What does it mean to endure?

 

 

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 Love is…Lesson#10 Conclusion

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 (NKJV) Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

 

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 (ESV) Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

 

What does it mean to fail?

1. Fail intransitive verb

1a:  to lose strength :  weaken <her health was failing>b :  to fade or die away <until our family line fails>c :  to stop functioning normally <the patient’s heart failed>

2a:  to fall short <failed in his duty>b :  to be or become absent or inadequate <the water supply failed>c :  to be unsuccessful <the marriage failed>; specifically :  to be unsuccessful in achieving a passing grade <took the exam and failed>d :  to become bankrupt or insolvent <banks were failing>

4. transitive verb

1a:  to disappoint the expectations or trust of <her friends failed her>b :  to miss performing an expected service or function for <his wit failed him>

2: to be deficient in :  lack <never failed an invincible courage — Douglas MacArthur>

3: to leave undone :  neglect <fail to lock the door>

Love does not fail means that it will not lose its’ strength, not stop functioning, will not fall short. It is never absent, inadequate, or unsuccessful. Love will not disappoint you and lacks nothing. Love will not neglect you.

 

Prophecies will pass away not because they are not true but because the true prophecy of Jesus will be fulfilled and once fulfilled it is then done but love is never done it has no end. You can have all the knowledge in this world and still have nothing if you do not know love. Love is not something you can comprehend truly by mans way of thinking. The love God has given to us makes no rational sense in the way man thinks. A man would rather kill an enemy verses sacrificing his own life to save another. Many of us can be a know it all. ‘Oh I knew that and let me tell you the right way to do that etc…’ They say a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing and I believe who ever first said that had quite a revelation. This is even true of Christians. We have some knowledge but none of us have complete understanding of God’s Word. There is division amongst His body because one part holds on to one piece of the truth while another part holds on to their little piece. Yet instead of working together and learning from each other they stay divided. If a body is divided how can it function? It cannot even stand.

 

When we were children we spoke as a child speaks but when we grow we mature and how we speak changes. As we mature the childish behavior stops and we come adults. Yet today how many of us only grow old and never mature?

Our vision is impaired right now. We see shapes and colors. We may even put on a pair of glasses to try and see better, yet even then we do not see all that God is doing and sometimes we do not even see what He has already done.

 

We are still growing and maturing. We know in part and see in part. One day we will see Jesus return and He will take us home. Until that day we are to abide in faith, hope and love and the Word says out of these three the greatest is love.

Faith – we believe.

Hope – we trust.

Love is everything.

In this study we have looked at what love is and what it is not. In your own words would you make two lists? If you ever made a list of pros and cons it should look something like that. On one side at the top of the list write Love is not, and on the top of the second list write, Love is. Personalize this list. Do not worry you are not changing God’s word, but do make it personal to you. Even take events from your own life and place them in your lists. When we are done with our lists we will share them.

Questions for discussion;

In this ten part lesson from 1 Corinthians 13 which verse speaks the most to you today?

 

From the scripture discussing what love is not which one is at the top of your list to work on in yourself?

 

 

What is the most important part of these lessons to you?

Acceptable Loss?

When is loss of life acceptable and meaningless? The world treats life as it is expendable. Your life an my life mean nothing to this world. Drugs both legal and illegal taking lives everyday. Babies thrown away through countless abortions. Lives lost to murders. Fatal car accidents caused by careless drivers who are to busy on their phone or devices. This list goes on and you know of ways lives are wasted or destroyed everyday.

You can heard it said in our government and big business the term acceptable loss. It is usually a financial loss when it comes to business but not always. The bean counters calculate the costs of lawsuits to be filed against the company. If the pay out to the law suits is less than making the costly changes that may prevent the loss of life then they proceed and subtract the legal costs from their profits.Then there are casualties of war. Innocent lives of no combatant people, the nonmilitary residents of a war zone who are injured or worse killed due to battles happening where they live.Once again you can hear the term acceptable loss.

The unfortunate fact that lives will be lost and people will be injured and killed everyday is going to happen. Even people who live in peaceful areas still face death. Most hope to pass from this world peacefully.  Yet I do not believe that any loss of life is acceptable and I believe God feels the same. If He did not He could have wiped us out  years ago before He sent His Son to pay the price for our sins. Yet He is merciful and patient. He is not slow as we count slowness but patient that all call to repentance.2 Peter 3:9.

As frustrating as waiting can be, I am grateful God is patient, loving and merciful or none of us would have a chance. Your life and the lives of those around you, and not just the lives of those you like, all life is precious to Jesus. He died for you and for me so that we can live and not perish. Life is a gift and we should treasure all life. No loss is acceptable.

Matthew 18:12-14

John 3:16

Romans 6:23

John 6:35

Criticism verses Loves

Do you realize how critical and judgmental people can be? I know I can be. It is not my intent and it is an area I am working on.I have to take the time to look in the mirror at myself or it is easy for me to argue and become less of a person than those who criticize or judge me.

Have you noticed that we all have some great reasons to pass judgment on each other? We are quick to criticize those in the world for how they live. We even turn on our brothers and sister in Christ. We spread hate and not His love by slandering each other and the we use the excuse of having wisdom and understanding and that we have to expose sin. Yet we do not deal with the sin in our own hearts.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV)  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,^[a]but have not love, it profits me nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:12(NKJV)  For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

The body of Christ is divided not because of the world but because of our own demanding ways and holding on to the small part of understanding we have. We cling to religion and legalism or we go as far as saying we do not have to obey the law.Jesus said ‘If you love me, you will keep my commands’ He added one command and that was for us to love one another as He loves us. I have been criticized and called a number of names and the sad thing is more than half of those who have done this call themselves Christians. Does this mean I am to hate them? Definitely not! /these people do so out of their own limited way of thinking and that I do not fit their mold of what they want me to be. I am definitely a unique individual. God has taken the broken parts of my life and transformed them into a working vessel He can use. My obedience is to God first. My life is to please God and I do this by living my life in love. I have learned that I will never learn everything there is to learn in my life on this earth. I know in part and I will spend my life seeking God and His instruction. Life can be compared to a puzzle, we all have a piece and we can only see what that piece shows. Then another comes and we are able to put our pieces together and the picture grows. This continues until all the pieces are brought together. What happens if a piece or more turns up missing? The picture cannot be complete. I like to think that Jesus holds those missing pieces waiting for us to work together so He can then finish what He started.

If you look only to find what you do not agree with you will find it every time. It is so easy to find the flaws and wrongs in others. It is even easier to justify your judgment. Remember this though Satan used scripture against Jesus when he was tempting Jesus in the wilderness.

Matthew 4:1-11 (NKJV)  Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. ³ Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”⁴ But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”^[a]5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶ and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’and,‘In their hands they shall bear you up,Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”[b]⁷ Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”^[c]8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you,^[d] Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”^[e]11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

Here are a few things I am turning to work on my own self.

One learning to listen to ALL another has to say as well as how they are saying it because no two people communicate perfectly and even when they are saying the same thing due to lack of understanding and problems communicating they can still fall into a argument disagreeing over something they actually agree upon. If I interrupt or dismiss what they have to say before I have listen to all what they have to say. Another thing is by listening not just hearing I am validating the person and this does not mean I agree but accept that what they have to say is important to them

The next is acknowledging I do not know everything, that what I know is only a small part of all the wisdom God has. For His thoughts are not my thoughts and His ways are not my ways. I need a spirit of humility and compassion.

Another thing I contemplate is 1 Corinthians 13 Love does not demand its own way. God gave me free will,  who am I to demand another to see as I see and not allow them to have their own opinion.. What I mean is that I can say what I have to say and another can say what they have to say. If we do not agree I do not need to repeat myself or use every argument I can come up trying to force them into agreement with myself, or to make sure I have been heard. A term a friend taught me some years back is sand paper people and what is even funnier to me is that a majority of my friends fall into this category. The fact that we are friends is that we have learned that we do not have to agree but we respect each other and our different opinions. We all come from different backgrounds and have had different life experiences. Unfortunately the majority of us have lived through one form of abuse or another. How we have developed and healed has been different and at different times in our lives. I would be wrong to tell them they need to be where I am because I had already been there and done that and I know the right way, Yet I would be wrong. How I was hurt and how I was healed is not the same. Similar yes we have both been hurt by abuse but how my abuse effected me is going to be different than how they were affected. The time it takes me to heal is dependent on the degree of my wound and God’s timing.

God is our Judge, Jesus is our Advocate, the Holy Spirit is our Helper, and Satan is our accuser..I have to ask myself am I being any one of these.

Does this mean I do not call sin, sin?  Sin must be addressed and not swept under the rug but I have to ask myself am I trying to help another out of the ditch or am I standing above the one in the ditch kicking dirt down on them burying them with my judgment. Do I get down on my knees with an outstretched arm and help them up. Think about the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan’.

None of us are without sin and none of us is perfect but we hypocritically demand others be perfect and agree with us. Where is the love of Jesus in this. He did not choose the elite or highly educated. He chose men who were rough and ones who were even despised by their community. You even have women from backgrounds not acceptable by religious standards. Rahab the harlot,who hides and protects the spies Joshua sent into Canaan.Then Ruth the Moabite who becomes the grandmother of David. The woman who anoints Jesus is despised by those who are with Jesus. The Samaritan woman at the well would not have even been spoken to by the religious. She even tells Jesus if you knew who I am you would not speak to me. Jesus does speak to her and He speaks to her with love.

Man or woman. Adult or child. No matter your race or background  or opinion, Jesus loves you. Can we learn to love each other as He loves us or we continue to justify our actions no matter who we may hurt or keep from coming to know the love and mercy Jesus has for all of us.

 

How to stop or avoid an argument

How to stop or avoid an argument.

Love does not demand its own way.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7New Living Translation (NLT)

⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

These verses describe what is and is not love. My focus today is on the sentence – It does not demand its own way. How often do we argue with one another? An argument consists of at least two people in a disagreement. Both feel that they are right. The arguing is each one demanding they are right. Yet once you have entered an argument you have already lost even if you may be right. The other person may hear you but they are not listening to you and vice versa. This is just one example of a person demanding their own way, so I am going to keep on this topic. Say I do not agree with you. Instead of walking away or moving on to another subject, I keep persisting on you agreeing with me. I finally irritate you until you are upset and a full blown argument takes place. I might have been right but the way I handled this conversation was absolutely wrong. I was not getting the response I wanted, so I kept nagging you and insisting you agree with me. You may have had something for me to listen to but I was refusing to hear you. Now both of us are upset and nothing more than irritation, hurt feelings, and anger are left. So what was the point? I was demanding my own way; I was not speaking in love.

It is not easy when you have something to say and the other person is refusing to listen to what you have to say, but at the same time how often do we really listen to the others need? Is it just about what I want? When we take the time to listen to each other, and care about the others needs and wants as much as our own, this is just one way to show love. I have not perfected this quality but I am working on this personally. Of course since I have decided to make this change in myself I have met many challenges. I regularly find people who want nothing more than to argue. So I have had to either move the conversation to a more positive conversation, or politely end the conversation. Neither is easy to do, and takes effort. Yet I remind myself of this scripture and focus on the sentence-It does not demand its own way. I also ask myself when I feel like an argument is about to begin, if I am trying to demand my own way. I cannot control how another behaves, but I can choose how I will act or react. I hope that there is someone else this will help.

Proverbs 15:1-2 (NKJV)

15 A soft answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
² The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,
But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.

I Didn’t Promise You A Rose Garden

Who remembers this song?

Life is not fair and it life is not easy but life is good. God gave to each of us life, love, mercy and forgiveness. For too long we have lived with a myth, that once you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior life will get easier. It is a better life but He tells us that the world will hate us. We are not hated because of ourselves but because Jesus is in us.

John 15:18-27 (NKJV) The World’s Hatred

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ He who hates Me hates My Father also. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. ²⁵ But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’^[a]

The Coming Rejection

²⁶ “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. ²⁷ And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

Footnotes:

1. John 15:25 Psalm 69:4

New King James Version (NKJV) Jesus did not promise us a rose garden but He did go to prepare a place for us, and He did promise to come back for us.

Here are some promises God has made to us

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Romans 8: 38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

There are so many more promises God has given to us. He is faithful and true.