Sunday, March 23, 2014

March 23, 2014 … Troublemaker

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 82

Devotional Song: Go to this link …  Please go to this video link to hear Wayne Watson singing Friend of a Wounded Heart, … reminding us Jesus always meets us where we are, no matter how wounded may be our hearts from those who’ve hurt us.
=============


Highlight Passage – NKJV: Proverbs 6: 16 … 19b [NKJV] …  
16 These six things the LORD hates, …Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: … 19 A false witness who speaks lies, … and one who sows discord among brethren.  
============
Highlight Passage [Context] – NKJV: Proverbs 6: 16-19: [NKJV] Go to this link 
============

Reference Passage #1: John 17: 20-21 [NKJV] …  
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. …”

Reference Passage #2: Philippians 2: 3-11 [NKJV] … Go to this link -

Reference Passage #3: Ephesians 4: 29 [NKJV] …  
29 Let no corrupt words proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

My Journal for Today: In today’s world of social media, it’s so easy to become a provoker of evil … or at least to become a trouble maker by what we communicate to others. And my Our Daily Bread reminded me, from Proverbs 6, 19b that God hates trouble making. Sure, we might cause trouble in our interactions with others by an oversight or mistake; but as the attached photo implies, I’m talking about willful, even pre-planned, trouble-making, which can cause all kinds of interpersonal evil to be spread.

And it’s so easy to become a trouble-maker these days; and it’s most certainly spreading like wildfire among our youth with cyber-bullying, “sexting,” and the use of websites like Facebook and Twitter to strike out at others and causing havoc in our world. And this kind of interactive evil strikes directly at the heart of Jesus, Who so desires – and prays – for His followers to have unity and closeness (see part of His Priestly prayer from John 17 quoted above).

No, … God desires that we pursue and hold on to an attitude of Christlikeness in our communications [see Phil. 2: 3-11, linked above], doing all we can to humbly die to self and live for others just as our Savior set aside His glory and died on the cross for us.

 No, … we, who are in Christ, are to do all we can to avoid evil communication, and doing all we can to make sure that any words from our mouths or keyboards either edify or give grace to others. [see Ephesians 4: 29]

So, … let’s move forth today and do all we can to lift up others with our words, encouraging them with all our say or write, and shining forth the love of God.

My Prayer for Today … Lord, as the Psalmist prayed, … may the words of my mouth and the mediations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight. … You are my strength and my Redeemer. … Amen

Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread [TGIF], distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK  on the date of my blog, you’ll find a link to read the Our Daily Bread blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

No comments: