Today's Soul Food — May 18
 

 

GOLDEN WORDS



Because they went forth for His name's sake. 

3 John 7

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Let us go to win for the Lamb the reward of His sacrifice.

Nicholas von Zinzendorf

 

Daily Meditations by  Pat Nordman ©

 

May 18

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13.

In his remarkable book, THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, Dr. Emmet Fox deals with our forgiving those who hurt us. In the chapter, Resist Not Evil, he states, "...When someone injures you, instead of seeking to get your own back or to repay him in his own coin, you are to do the very opposite–you are to forgive him, and set him free. No matter what the provocation may be, and no matter how many times it is repeated, you are to do this. You are to loose him and let him go, for thus only can you be freed yourselfthus only can you possess your own soul. To return evil for evil, to answer violence with violence and hate with hate, is to start a vicious circle to which there is no ending but the wearing out of your own life and your brother's, too.

"Antagonize any situation, and you give it power against yourself; offer mental nonresistance, and it crumbles away in front of you." Dr. Fox points out that "the mere rehearsing in thought of any difficulty endows it with new life. Going over old grievances mentally; thinking how badly someone acted at some time, for instance, and recalling the details, has the effect of revivifying that which was quietly expiring of neglect."
By mentally resisting what we feel is a bad circumstance, we give it power and life and, in the process, deplete our own spiritual energies and, perhaps, even our physical stamina. Resentment fosters selfpity which fosters inability to act and react in a Christlike way. In our anger and frustration, we also are tempted to give others "a piece of our mind" and, in the process, lose our own peace of mind.

Pat Nordman ©

 

Excerpts from today's Spurgeon's Devotions


Spurgeon's Morning
for May 18

birds in winter


Spurgeon's Evening
for May 18

 

"In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him."

- Colossians 2:9, 10

 

"Afterward."

- Hebrews 12:11


How vast his grace, how firm his faithfulness, how unswerving his immutability, how infinite his power, how limitless his knowledge! All these are by the Lord Jesus made the pillars of the temple of salvation; and all, without diminution of their infinity, are covenanted to us as our perpetual inheritance. 


How happy are tried Christians, afterwards. No calm more deep than that which succeeds a storm. Who has not rejoiced in clear shinings after rain? ... It is peace, sweet, deep peace, which follows the horrible turmoil which once reigned in our tormented, guilty souls. See, then, the happy estate of a Christian! He has his best things last, and he therefore in this world receives his worst things first.

   
 

 

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May 18   2Kings 4:1 - 5:27

365 days of Bible Readings Linked to Bible Gaitway TM 


Current Bible Question ?



Who made the ark of the covenant?
 


Previous question and Answer:

When Elijah challenged the priests of Baal, what were they sacrificing to their god?

A bullock — 1 Kings 18:25


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Today's  Devotion
 

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..and by his light I walked through darkness!    JOB 29:3 NIV

No Restrictions

by Pat Nordman

 

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you"

Ephesians 4:3


". . .He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked"  

Luke 6:35c

 

 

The very nature of Jesus was and is kindness, and His territory is the depth and height and width of heaven and earth.


Loving someone is the easy part–it is the living with someone that turns our heart into sour mash that becomes bitter and unpalatable. This admonition to be kind and to forgive narrows it down to all, but especially those in very close quarters, such as the kin. If the Kinsman can be kind, then we can be kind to the kin!

God placed no restrictions on His kindness and neither can we. We are to assail our adversary with darts dipped in agape love, not the fetid grapes of wrath. The very nature of Jesus was and is kindness, and His territory is the depth and height and width of heaven and earth. This means that there is no place where we cannot show His love; we have no excuse for not showing and sharing His mercy and active love.

God's Word speaks of the mercy seat. At times we need to sit ourselves on His mercy seat and be recharged with His pure love that is unconditional. Our problem seems to be with the fact that His love is unconditional, conditioned on our accepting His love, which in turn grants us the privilege of being His sons and daughters. We are constantly in need of His unconditional love to keep us from losing our privileges. The continuance of our privileges depends on the continuance of our faith and our diligent effort to meet the responsibilities of these privileges, confusing as that may sound. One of these responsibilities (and privileges) is to love as He loves; to be merciful as He is merciful. It is on our individual ledger as one of those accounts payable that balances out the accounts receivable!

 

Send a note to © Pat Nordman , the writer of this devotion


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