Tuesday, Aug 05, 2008

TWG - August 5, 2008

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TWG - August 5, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 16; Psalm 69; Acts 21:17-40

Today is August 5, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. This is your invitation to take one step forward every day in your relationship with Christ. We invite you to do something unbelievably radical. We invite you to deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Jesus

We had a great Lord’s Day! On Sunday David Harsh led worship at Pine Grove… what a blessing. Then we talked about the Lord’s Day and the importance of worship. We learned a lot about worship at David’s seminar and then he put on one of the best concerts I’d ever been to! It was awesome. God is awesome. Yesterday Susan and I did breakfast with John & Dana, then I did a few odds and ends around here while Susan went picking and canning beans. That’s about it! I put a picture of David Harsh on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Check it out.

This week’s theme verse is Luke 6:27-31 27 "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, "bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. "To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. "Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. "And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

How do you maintain a positive attitude in difficult circumstances? When you are surrounded by opposition, hatred, foul language, revenge, violence and greed how can you possibly come out smiling? It is tough! When surrounded by negativism I tend to react negatively. Here’s an example… (This is me yelling-) “I hate it when all you negative people are negative! I’m really negative about negative people!” All too often, in our shortsightedness, we contribute to the sad and sorry state of our societies corruption, our churches conflicts and our family’s crisis’s by cursing the darkness. It is human nature to react defensively when attacked. If I throw a punch at you, even without thinking, you will try to block it or dodge it and come back with a punch of your own. You are going to react by fight or flight. The same holds true with verbal sparing. If I yell at you, you are probably going to shout back. Most of us, sadly, are more like thermometers than thermostats… we only reflect what’s going on rather than regulate it. Imagine that verbal shots are like spears. You are up against a wall and your protagonist is heaving flaming arrows at your head! If I were you, I’d do my best to side-step the javelin and let it wing past me and stick into the wall. Once the spear is stuck behind you, your enemy is without a weapon! You have disarmed him! Let me explain. Most of the time I’m too slow to figure out what’s coming at me! The verbal jab hits the mark and I’m wounded. I react out of anger or some other primal instinct and throw a barb back at him. The fight is on! But if I am intentional about my relationships, with practice, I can see what is coming my way and I can duck! If I choose not to be hurt when a verbal spear comes my way I can respond positively. That changes the entire mood of the encounter! Now we can make some positive progress! Boy do I have a long way to go! In Luke 6 Jesus put it this way, (If I may paraphrase) “When faced with opposition, hatred, foul language, revenge, violence or greed, dodge those bullets and toss back some love, good sportsmanship, uplifting words, blessings, kindness and generosity.” If you do, you will totally disarm them and throw them for a loop! The way to solve your problems is not by adding more acid! But by calming the storm with fitting, kind and wise words.

Dear Lord. Please keep my attitude in check. I must admit that I don’t react like I should. I am much too defensive. I want your mind. I Know that when you were attacked that you didn’t even open your mouth to defend yourself. Please help me to be constructive and positive in the way I talk to others.

"Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Prov. 3:5-6

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