What Matters
The following 'Coffee Break' REALLY 'hit home' with me this morning.
Just last night, I was 'advising' someone to 'move on' and to 'let go' of a situation which was causing her stress and strife. Genesis 27:40 - "You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. But when you decide to break free, you will shake his yoke from your neck.” Mark 6:11 - "
Acts 18:6 - "But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, 'Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent'.....”
This morning, I emailed another to, basically, let sleeping dogs lie (To "let sleeping dogs lie" is to avoid restarting old conflicts. Revisiting an old conflict is like waking a sleeping dog; we are better not to do it. It means that one should not say something or do something that would cause someone else to be angry or to make trouble.) When I read the following quote, it was 'true' for me since I DID once startle a friend's sleeping dog, and she chewed up my face: "What is the truth in the saying, 'Let sleeping dogs lie'? If a dog
is asleep or in the twilight stage between wake and sleep and something stimulates him—a touch or someone petting his body—he can react for several seconds before he is technically awake. He can reflexively bite a family member—without even knowing he’s doing it!" ~ from Dr. Dennis Fetko
Then, I was speaking to someone and we were talking about living a 'clutter-free' life. My Mother was a 'collector', and she passed those desires on to me. So, now, not only do 'I' have 'my' stuff, I have Mother's, too. Ecclesiastes 5:13 - "There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver." Isaiah 23:18 - "But in the end her profits will be given to the L
Ronnie couldn't find his wallet. We looked EVERYWHERE for it - and to 'end' a long story, it had been in his shirt pocket the whole time - he had forgotten he put it there. Matthew 18:12 -
Anyway, I know that you will be blessed by 'Coffee Break' and hope you have a great, peaceful day. Maggie
__________________________________________________________________
Coffee Break
Revelation 3:11
"That no man take thy crown." Is that possible? Evidently, it is or there wouldn't be this warning in the verse. The next question then is, "How is it possible?". There are two ways that come to mind: carelessness and distraction.
When you forget the value of something, you can become careless with it. This happens with material possessions, it happens with relationships and it can happen with spiritual things in our lives. When we forget just how valuable what we have is, we often begin to take it for granted. When it is taken for granted, we don't show it the same care that we once did and we often begin to neglect it. Are you neglecting so great a salvation this morning? Have you forgotten just how precious your salvation is? Have you become "careless" with it forgetting how much it cost for you to be able to have it?
The second way is through distractions. I remember when my daughter was a little girl, not three years old yet. I took her to the local fair to ride the rides. I stopped by the concession stand to get us something to drink. She was standing beside me and I turned to place my order, in that brief second while I was putting my attention on making the order, she walked off from my side. That brief moment of "distraction" from her could have caused me to lose the most valuable thing to me on earth. What temporary thing is distracting you from that which is eternal? What is captivating your attention so that it is placed on something besides eternal riches? Where is your focus- on things above or things below?
Matthew 16:26 - "
Matthew 6:19,20 -
1 Corinthians 6:20 - "for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body."
1 Peter 1:18,19 - "For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver."
Hebrews 2:3 - "So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus Himself and then delivered to us by those who heard Him speak?"
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Each of the adages presented in this post is so reflective of what I am going through at this point in my life. Specifically, my husband has told me that, after 30 years of marriage, he has had enough. Neither one of us has committed any serious blunders; however, I have indeed taken our relationship for granted and have become careless with something of value as described in your post. We currently remain together and are trying to work through our issues. So, God willing, everything will be okay. If so, I will endeavor to forever show him the love and support he needs.
Reply to this
Your 'comment' so went directly into my heart ----
You will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Take care and God bless always. Maggie
Reply to this