Thoughts for Life: COFFEE BREATH

~ Adam R. Holz- "I was sitting in my chair one morning years ago when my youngest came downstairs. She made a beeline for me, jumping up onto my lap. I gave her a fatherly squeeze and gentle kiss on the head, and she squealed with delight.

But then she forrowed her brow, crinkled her nose, and shot an accusatory glance at my coffee mug. 'Daddy,' she announced solemnly. 'I love you, and I like you, but I don't like your smell.' (Google image, Man drinking coffee))

My daughter couldn't have known it, but she spoke with grace and truth: she didn't want to hurt my feelings, but she felt compelled to tell me something. And sometimes we need to do that in our relationships.

Ephesians 4, Paul zeroes in on how we relate to each other — especially when telling difficult truths. "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love" (v. 2). Humility, gentleness, and patience form our relational foundation.

Cultivating those character qualities as God guides us will help us "[speak] the truth in love: (v. 15) and seek to communicate 'what is helpful for buildig others up according to their needs' (v. 29).

No one likes being confronted about weaknesses and blind spots. But when something about us 'smells,' God can use faithful friends to speak into our lives with grace, truth, humility, and gentleness.

Our prayer,

Father, help me to humbly receive correction, and help me to offer it with love, grace and gentleness."

Amen

936-940- One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-

936- 2 Cor. 5:8 "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord."

937- Romans 5:6 "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."

938- Ps. 119:58 "I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word."

939- Ps. 33:11 "The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations."

940- Pro. 14:33a "Wisdom resteh in the heart of him that hath understanding."

Quotes for today-

"God knows not only what we do but the motives and intentions behind our actions."

(p. 63 in THE AWE OF GOD , by John Bevere)

"We can't do anything to make God love us more or less, but we are responsible for how pleased He is with us." [p. 68, quotes from THE AWE OF GOD By John Bevere)

Words of wisdom-

God is building something in and through us! The King is coming! Let's live in sight of that! We need to use every opportunity to proclaim Christ to sinners now, and do the work that we have been commanded to do by Jesus, for unless there is a wonderful intervention by God, "the night is coming when no one can work." (John 9:4).

Words from the Father in a journal:

"I do want to help you see that how you are is changing to become more like Me, and in time you and others will see it. It is true that 'you are you', but remember that I made you that way from your life's experiences up 'till now. You can only deal with what you've been through, and then commit it all to Me to change into My likeness."

Special words of faith-

"Jesus Christ crucified is the center, as well as the sum and experience of all our knowledge, preaching and experience. 'To know Jesus and Him crucifieid, is not the minimum of knowledge, but the maximum of knowledge. No doctrine is seen clearly and truly unless it leads to the Cross." (1 Cor. 2:2)

#3 of 23 Parallels between Moses and Messiah:

Moses stripped himself of the glories of Egypt and chose to identify and suffer alongside his people (Hebrews 11:24-26).

Messiah emptied Himself of all the glories of Heaven and chose to suffer to the point of death for His people (Philippians 2:6-8).

Special Scripture:

"Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation. I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not return to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land." (Ps. 85:6-9)

Upcoming posts:

29th- THE LONLIEST MAN

Dave Branon

5/6th- WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT?

Merlin Carothers

13th- SEEING JESUS

Kenneth Peterson