Seeing Others The Right Way
I read the vine about three to four times a week for some refreshment. Here is today's.
Seeing Others The Right Way
The Word for Today with Bob Gass
"Take Mark… he is profitable… for the ministry." –2 Timothy 4:11
When John Mark decided to take time off to visit his family, it didn't sit too well with Paul. Later when Barnabas wanted to take John Mark on their next mission's trip, Paul exploded! 'The contention became so sharp… they parted from one another… Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas' (Acts 15:38-40 NKJV). But the story doesn't end there. Later, an older and wiser Paul who had learned to add grace to his grit, writes, 'For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world… [so] Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry' (2 Timothy 4:10-11). There are three important lessons here for you:
1) Always be willing to give someone a second chance. After all, that's what God does for you. Now in extending grace you can get hurt and disappointed, but if you're going to be Christ-like it's a risk you must take.
2) Don't measure everybody else by your standards and goals. The truth is, they may not be called to do what you're called to do. Or they may have been called to do it in a different way. Don't make your personal preferences a precondition for loving, accepting and working with someone.
3) When you look for the best in others you usually find it. The Bible says, '… We have this treasure in earthen vessels… ' (2 Corinthians 4:7). So every time you meet the treasure you'll bump into the earthen vessel. Don't allow that to devalue the treasure, or your responsibility to look for it. Motivated people will rise to meet your expectations.
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Have you had times when you sit so long on a chair, your butt kind of hurts? Hurt of any kind generally isn't good, but in a way, I am glad for this hurt because it means I was really absorbed in what I was doing, being very disciplined and not leaving my chair for hours. And that is rare. It's a good kind of feeling. Haha :)
Up next -
.....More assignments and exams before a two week break
.....OCF Clayton winter camp!
.....Abi, Wanli, Spacie come to Melbourne!
.....Sydney for Hillsongs ++ Tripping up with Wesleyans, and back with OCFers
.....Last semester being an undergrad
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I learnt something yesterday. John 1:14 says the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us; the Word became flesh to meet a need - our need. (Isn't that amazing? How God became man in order to "stoop to our level" to redeem us?) Like how Jesus met the need of the Samaritan woman at the well by offering her the living water (John 4:1-26), I can also minister, by meeting needs.
Romans 1:19-20 says creation testifies to God's glory; am I not, too, His creation?
The kingdom of the heavens is now advancing
Invade my heart, invade this broken town
The kingdom of the heavens is buried treasure
Would you sell yourself to buy the one you found
I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things...I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. –Philippians 3:8-11
God bless :)
Seeing Others The Right Way
The Word for Today with Bob Gass
"Take Mark… he is profitable… for the ministry." –2 Timothy 4:11
When John Mark decided to take time off to visit his family, it didn't sit too well with Paul. Later when Barnabas wanted to take John Mark on their next mission's trip, Paul exploded! 'The contention became so sharp… they parted from one another… Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas' (Acts 15:38-40 NKJV). But the story doesn't end there. Later, an older and wiser Paul who had learned to add grace to his grit, writes, 'For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world… [so] Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry' (2 Timothy 4:10-11). There are three important lessons here for you:
1) Always be willing to give someone a second chance. After all, that's what God does for you. Now in extending grace you can get hurt and disappointed, but if you're going to be Christ-like it's a risk you must take.
2) Don't measure everybody else by your standards and goals. The truth is, they may not be called to do what you're called to do. Or they may have been called to do it in a different way. Don't make your personal preferences a precondition for loving, accepting and working with someone.
3) When you look for the best in others you usually find it. The Bible says, '… We have this treasure in earthen vessels… ' (2 Corinthians 4:7). So every time you meet the treasure you'll bump into the earthen vessel. Don't allow that to devalue the treasure, or your responsibility to look for it. Motivated people will rise to meet your expectations.
--
Have you had times when you sit so long on a chair, your butt kind of hurts? Hurt of any kind generally isn't good, but in a way, I am glad for this hurt because it means I was really absorbed in what I was doing, being very disciplined and not leaving my chair for hours. And that is rare. It's a good kind of feeling. Haha :)
Up next -
.....More assignments and exams before a two week break
.....OCF Clayton winter camp!
.....Abi, Wanli, Spacie come to Melbourne!
.....Sydney for Hillsongs ++ Tripping up with Wesleyans, and back with OCFers
.....Last semester being an undergrad
Road trips are funnn! Here's in the backseat with good friends for one.
--
I learnt something yesterday. John 1:14 says the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us; the Word became flesh to meet a need - our need. (Isn't that amazing? How God became man in order to "stoop to our level" to redeem us?) Like how Jesus met the need of the Samaritan woman at the well by offering her the living water (John 4:1-26), I can also minister, by meeting needs.
Romans 1:19-20 says creation testifies to God's glory; am I not, too, His creation?
The kingdom of the heavens is now advancing
Invade my heart, invade this broken town
The kingdom of the heavens is buried treasure
Would you sell yourself to buy the one you found
I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things...I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. –Philippians 3:8-11
God bless :)
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