Whatsoever Things Are True
by Dan Coburn
Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church
pastordan@mtida.net
Dropping the Tude.  
Often, when we see someone respond in an inappropriate way, a third party might justify with: “well, they have been through a lot”. Surely this is truth, but is there nothing to be done about it?  All of us have zexperienced hurt - real or imagined. We have all been let down by someone we love, or passed over for a promotion, or taken for granted, or even worse, ignored. Imagine if the emotional scars were visible on the outside. What would we all look like?  Does it matter for us in our everyday lives? Does it effect our decisions? Our relationships? Are there no practical steps to be taken or do we just have to “get over it”?  First, does it effect you?  Yes.  Holding on to hurts Always results in bitterness. It can be suppressed for a long time, but it is bitterness just the same. “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;” - Heb. 12:15.  Spiritual Switch.  A couple of things about the “Root”.  First, it sends out taps that spread. Do you want to do that to your family? Your kids? Second, a root is underground. Hidden. Yet everything you take in is filtered through this root of bitterness. Also, it can literally become your identity.  Ie; “I am a victim of _______” - you fill in the blank, although you may need more space.  You may even yearn for revenge. “I want them to feel the hurt I feel”.  Point is, one day you wake up and ask: “How did I get like this?”  Nugget: A bitter spirit Always does more damage to the vessel in which it is stored (that’s you) than the object on which it is poured. Worse yet, there are side effects both physical and emotional relegating us to negative angry people, constantly complaining while perpetual un-forgiveness governs every aspect of our being. Test; Have you ever used being wronged as an excuse to do wrong?  Me too. The world will counsel you to do so, while as usual, God’s standard is diametrically opposed. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” - Eph. 4:32
Hmm. The single word in the Bible that gives me the most grief is the two letter word z- “as” which means the same, and to the same degree. I have to forgive like Jesus forgave me? “But God commendeth (displayed or manifested) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:8.  Application: Long before I confessed; long before I apologized, long before I believed, God sent His sone to die for me. To provide my forgiveness.  I’m supposed to forgive “as” He does, yet I’m holding my breath for my enemies to come to me on bended knee in sack-cloth with tear filled apologies?  More ironic, is the fact that they don’t think about me often, if ever, yet my life is consumed with this anger? We are entering a study on Wednesday nights at 6:45 ish, where we will address topics common to all of us, but rarely discussed. We begin with "Dropping the Baggage" which we all silently carry. God ordained steps to deliver us from our own past. Then we'll be "Dealing with Doubt".  This should keep us busy for a few weeks. Come join us.  

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