1. Positively – We accept it as being His Word.

Acts 2:40 Gladly receive the Word of God. When was the last time you were glad you received God’s word?

 ^{With many other words, he warned them, and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.}”

James 1:23 Meekness – Not just listen, do.

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror.

Acts 17:11 Daily – Searching as they are teaching.

Now, the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Psalm 119:11 Hide on Heart so that you might not sin.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Matthew 7:24-27 Obediently – Be able to think differently. What’s different in your life this week because you follow the Lord? Are you accepting and allowing change to happen continuously?

The Wise and Foolish Builders

²⁴ “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

2. Negatively – Are you skeptical?

1 Thess. 2:13 Word of Men.

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

Luke 24:11 Skeptically not sure. But they did not believe the women because their words seemed nonsense to them.

Mark 5:40 Mocking.  But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him and went in where the child was.

2 Peter 3:16 Twisting – Twists to our own destruction.

¹⁶ He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Jeremiah 36:23-24 Try to Destroy. Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot until the entire scroll was burned in the fire. ²⁴ The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes.

Mark 10:20-21 Become Sad. “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Acts 7:54 Become angry.

When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.

3. Promises – Based on faith

Romans 10:17 Faith is produced. Is your faith weak? What are you reading? Listening to?

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

James 1:18-19 Souls saved.

¹⁸ He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.

Listening and Doing

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

John 8:31-32 Discipleship – Not just what we say, it’s what we do.

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Psalm 119:9 Strength in temptation. How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
    By living according to your word.

John 15:1-8 Bear fruit.

 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Matt. 4:1-11 Strenght in scripture. Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[a] by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[b]”

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’^[c]”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[d]”

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’^[e]”

¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Heb. 5:11- 6:1 Maturity, life is not about us; it’s about others.

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. ¹² In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! ¹³ Anyone who lives on milk, still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

6 Therefore, let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,^[a] and of faith in God,

Matt. 24:35 A Foundation. God’s word is a foundation; you have a direction and a place to stand because you have the Lord in your heart.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

2 Tim. 3:15 Wisdom

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Acts 20:32 Grace for our hearts. What are you reading? Eyes and Ears filter everything. Simple.

“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Romans 12:1-2 Transformed.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by renewing your mind. Then, you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Romans 8:29 Conformed to the image of Christ saved so we can be saved from Jesus. Make us more like Jesus.

²⁹ For those God foreknew, he was also predestined to conform to the image of his Son, who might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

How are you receiving God’s message today? Open Bibles and Open Hearts?

The husband who threatens his wife with divorce or makes offhanded comments such as “You’d be better off with someone else” or “I think I’ll find someone else” is playing into a destructive pattern.

When Joshua was leading the Israelites to the Promised Land, he challenged them to totally commit to the Lord. They could no longer serve the God of Israel and still try to worship their old idols. They needed to make a choice. We face a similar question when we come to marriage. Will we put aside any thoughts or comments about divorce and be totally committed to our spouses?

The wise husband will make every effort to communicate to his wife that whatever happens, he is with her. If there are disagreements, he will take the time to listen, understand, and seek a resolution. If she suffers physical or emotional pain, he will remain by her side. Every wife should be able to say, “I know that my husband is with me, no matter what happens. He is committed to our marriage.” Every husband needs the same commitment from his wife.

Take some time to pray individually or as a couple, asking God to help you live a life of complete commitment to each other.

Reflect on these questions:

Tell about a time you felt encouraged by your spouse’s commitment to you.

What else might your spouse do that would help you feel his or her commitment to you?

What are things your spouse says or does that make you feel insecure?

Read these passages for further study on committed love:

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

I Peter 3:7 Husbands, in the same way, be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

I John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Joshua 24:14-15 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. ¹⁵ But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

This devotion stands out from Gary Chapman as one focusing on the love language of affirmations. We need to affirm our love for each other and what better way to show it than by simply making sure you are saying positive and affirming statements to each other? I am blessed that my partner is always finding some way to make me smile every day and really goes out of his way to make sure he says something loving to me, and whenever he can find a chance with those around us. Friends and strangers alike!

I believe we always need to be working on finding more creative ways to say affirmations to let them know that you truly do care and love them. Be sure to share this with a loved one.

An ancient Hebrew proverb says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10).

The apostle Paul affirmed that concept in the New Testament. To the Christians living in Philippi who had sent him money for his ministry, he wrote, “The gifts you sent… are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:18-19).

Clearly, our giving is important to God because it is a true reflection of our gratitude to Him and our love for people. The question is not whether we will give. The question is how much shall we give and to whom shall we give it?

Take time to pray and think about the things God has given you. Make a list, if it helps. Be as comprehensive as possible. Include everything from family to health. Bring each item to God in prayer, thanking Him again and again for His incredible generosity.

Discuss and reflect on these questions:

What are the “best parts” of your life that you give to God (for example, your money, time, and attention)? What are the parts that you withhold?

If giving is a true reflection of your gratitude to God, how much gratitude are you showing?

What changes do you need to make in your giving attitudes and practices?

Consider these passages for further study on Giving:

Proverbs 12:24-25

Diligent hands will rule,
    but laziness ends in forced labor.^(A)

²⁵ Anxiety weighs down the heart,^(B)
    but a kind word cheers it up.

²⁶ The righteous choose their friends carefully,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

James 1:17-18 ¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ¹⁸ He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.

Reflect and evaluate if you are giving your best. Learn who are good examples to model. Share how you are putting your best parts of yourself to others.

If you feel loved by your spouse, you can relax, knowing that he or she will do you no ill. You feel secure in your spouse’s presence. You may face many uncertainties in your vocation. You may have enemies in other areas of your life. But with your loved one, you feel secure.

Your sense of self-worth is fed by the fact that your spouse loves you. After all, if he or she loves you, you must be worth loving. Your parents may have given you negative or mixed messages about your worth, but your spouse knows you as an adult and loves you. That love builds your self-esteem.

Love is not the answer to everything, but it creates a climate of security in which we can seek answers to the things that bother us. In the security of love, a couple can discuss differences without condemnation. Conflicts can be resolved. Two people who are different can learn to live together in harmony. We discover how to bring out the best in each other.

Take time to pray and:

Thank God for giving you someone who helps you recognize your self-worth;

Ask Him to help you do the same for your spouse;

Ask Him to bless your relationship so that it will bear fruit for Him.

Take time to discuss and reflect:

On what do you base your self-worth?

On what does your spouse base his or her self-worth?

How can you help each other guard against situations and people that can damage your self-worth?

Consider these passages for further study on self-worth:

Psalm 139:13-15 For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Colossians 3:12-14 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Titus 3:5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

When I think of my self-worth, I do my best not to rely on anyone else to determine what my self-worth is. Everyone else has their own opinion, and I wanted to base it on my own decisions and not others. I love hearing the ideas of other people, yet that should not determine who I am. How independent are you in determining what your self-worth is?

Moses had grown up in Pharaoh’s household. He was in line for all the wealth and prestige Egypt had to offer. But God’s plan called for him to deliver his fellow Israelites. As a result, Moses found himself pitted against the people he’d known and loved since he was a boy.

By faith, Moses chose to walk with God. The only assurance he had that things would turn out for the best was the promise of God. That is the assurance you have. Do you need more?

You and your loved one are on a journey together. Where will it take you? Whose lives will you impact along the way? What ups and downs lie ahead of you? God rarely offers us glimpses at His road map. But He does promise to accompany us at every step of the way. Is that good enough for you?

Take time to pray. Thank God for the stories of His faithfulness that are scattered throughout Scripture. Ask Him to bless your efforts as a couple to step out in faith, following Moses’ example.

Take time to reflect.

When you read about what God had in store for Moses, does it give you comfort or make you uneasy? Explain.

What evidence do you see of God’s work in your lives so far – both individually and as a couple?

What are your biggest concerns about the journey that lies ahead of you?

Consider these passages for further study on faith:

Genesis 15:1-6

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

“Do not be afraid, Abram.
    I am your shield,^[a]
    your very great reward.^[b]”

² But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit^[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³ And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

⁴ Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” ⁵ He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring^[d] be.”

⁶ Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Lamentations 3:22-24 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

Luke 17:5-6

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

⁶ He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

Exodus 6:1-13

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”

² God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord. ³ I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty,^[a] but by my name the Lord^[b] I did not make myself fully known to them. ⁴ I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. ⁵ Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.

⁶ “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. ⁷ I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. ⁸ And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’”

⁹ Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.

¹⁰ Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹¹ “Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.”

¹² But Moses said to the Lord, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips^[c]?”

Family Record of Moses and Aaron

¹³ Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

Having faith takes trust. Trust in the Lord and he will lead you.

The most important legacy we can leave is our personal character and integrity. This legacy has the greatest impact on how we are remembered by our children and in generations to follow. The obituaries of yesteryear told of the character of the person who had died. And though today’s death notices seldom tell whether the individual was kind or humble or generous, the qualities of character are just as important now as they were when our grandparents were young. No matter how a person tries to hide who he or she is, the truth always becomes known.

The pursuit of integrity never ends – not in this lifetime, anyway. Every day brings new obstacles, new temptations, and new challenges. On the bright side, every day also brings new opportunities to show the qualities of your character, to correct past lapses of integrity, and to add to your legacy.

Take time to pray and ask God for the wisdom to recognize integrity challenges when you face them and for the strength to make the right choices, regardless of the consequences.

Discuss and reflect on these questions:

How would you respond to someone who argued that the pursuit of integrity is just black-and-white thinking in a world mostly made up of gray areas?

How do your daily decisions – at home, at work, among friends, and in the community – reflect your commitment to integrity?

What steps can you take to correct a past lapse of integrity?

Consider these passages for further study on Integrity:

Psalm 15:1-5

Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
    Who may live on your holy mountain?

² The one whose walk is blameless,
    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth from their heart;
³ whose tongue utters no slander,
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;
⁴ who despises a vile person
    but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
    and does not change their mind;
⁵ who lends money to the poor without interest;
    who does not accept a bribe from the innocent?

Whoever does these things
    will never be shaken.

Proverbs 16:11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
    all the weights in the bag are of his making.

Titus 2:1-8

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. ² Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, love, and in endurance.

³ Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

⁶ Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. ⁷ In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸ and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

The study is from Exodus 1:15-21.

The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, ¹⁶ “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” ¹⁷ The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. ¹⁸ Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

¹⁹ The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”

²⁰ So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. ²¹ And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

Standing up for what you see is right shows that you have a stand for Integrity. There is a time and place for sharing what you stand for. Doing it publically when things could just be easily done privately should show integrity. When things are not settled publically, let them know before a public notice is made. Either way, your character, and integrity will be known to others, and they will be stood out in ways you may never realize.

As children mature into adulthood and parents enter old age, adult children find new tangible ways to express honor to their parents. Joseph provided a home and food for his dad. Honor may also be expressed by visits, phone calls cards, and care for physical needs. Ideally, siblings work together to care for their parents. A sibling who is more financially secure may provide financial support to the parents, while a sibling who lives nearby may provide more frequent company.

Ultimately, children honor their parents by the way they invest their lives. The saddest of all parents are those whose children have chosen drugs, alcohol, crime, or other irresponsible lifestyles. The happiest of parents are those who are honored by children who choose a self-giving lifestyle, investing in life for the benefit of God and good in the world. These are, above all, parents most honored.

Spend time together in prayer, praying specifically for your parents as they age and for your changing roles in their lives.

Reflect on these questions:

What does it look like to honor our parents in this stage of their lives?

What makes our parents feel honored?

What are some new, tangible ways we can express honor to them?

Consider these passages for further study on Parents:

Proverbs 20:20 If someone curses their father or mother,
    their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.

Proverbs 23:22 Listen to your father, who gave you life and do not despise your mother when she is old.

Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

I love my parents. They have always been there for me in my celebrations of life, recitals, graduations, new baby, and happy events in my life, and all the hard times, divorce, custody case, relocation case, and even struggling as a business owner. Now I am proud to have them in all times of my life. Always sharing how much I love them.

Tell them you love them today!

As one wife expressed it, “I am committed to my husband’s well-being. I want to do everything I can to enrich his life and help him accomplish his objectives in life.” If her husband has the same attitude toward her, they will find resolutions to their conflicts that will benefit both of them. Selfishness is the opposite of love. Selfish people seek to impose their will on others. What is important to them is “getting my way.” On the other hand, Lovers seek to do those things that are most helpful for their spouses.

Take time to pray:

• Thank God for giving you someone to help keep you from becoming self-centered.
• Ask Him to reveal areas in which you’ve neglected to enrich your spouse’s life.
• Ask Him to bless your efforts to make things right with your spouse.

Reflect on these questions:

• Are you committed to your spouse’s well-being? In what ways do you show it?
• Do you believe your spouse is committed to your well-being? In what ways does he or she show it?
• What specific steps can you take this week to enrich your spouse’s life and seek their well-being?

Consider these passages for further study on selfishness:

Psalm 119:36 Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money!

Romans 2:8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.

I Corinthians 13:4-6 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

A good attitude to keep in focus when being a value with the loved ones close to you. Devotional thoughts of Gary Chapman. Share a personal way that you are enriching your loved ones around you. For me, I like to take the time to rub my feet or simply fix a drink for my loved one. Sharing positive and encouraging words always help me smile and know that I love them.

Clearly, Jacob had imagined the worst: an enraged brother who might murder him and his whole clan, Jacob approached Esau tentatively, bowing and offering gifts to placate his brother. But his posturing was unnecessary because Esau ran toward Jacob and embraced, hugged, and kissed him. The choice to forgive had set Esau free but indeed was not an easy choice.

Why is it so hard for us to forgive? Because we are made in God’s image, we have a deep concern for justice. Though God’s forgiveness for us is free, it was costly. Because Christ paid the penalty on the cross, God can forgive us and still be just.

When others sin against us, forgiveness is also costly. Our sense of justice demands that they pay for their sin. As much as we want to be reconciled, we cannot ignore wrongdoing. However, because we remember that God forgave us when we did not deserve it, we too can choose to forgive others. Love is always ready to forgive.

Our marriages should be marked by this same ready forgiveness. We hurt each other often and deeply, and unless we want to live in the same emotional exile from each other that these brothers experienced, we too must forgive.

Spend time praying about forgiveness. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind any unresolved issues between you. Ask God to help you forgive each other sincerely, from the heart.

Take time to discuss together or reflect on these questions:

• What can emotional exile look like in a relationship?
• What makes it hard for us to forgive each other?
• What stands unresolved between us?

Consider these passages for further study on Forgiveness:

Luke 17:3-4

So watch yourselves.

“If your brother or sister^[a] sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. ⁴ Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Genesis 33:1-15

Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants. ² He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. ³ He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

⁴ But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. ⁵ Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he asked.

Jacob answered, “They are the children God has graciously given your servant.”

⁶ Then the female servants and their children approached and bowed down. ⁷ Next, Leah and her children came and bowed down. Last of all came to Joseph and Rachel, and they too bowed down.

⁸ Esau asked, “What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?”

“To find favor in your eyes, my lord,” he said.

⁹ But Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”

¹⁰ “No, please!” said Jacob. “If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably. ¹¹ Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it.

¹² Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way; I’ll accompany you.”

¹³ But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. ¹⁴ So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the flocks and herds before me and the pace of the children until I come to my lord in Seir.”

¹⁵ Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.”

“But why do that?” Jacob asked. “Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord.”

Great thoughts and reflection by Gary Chapman. It allowed me to consider all points of view to see how people react, respond, and turn situations around from hurt and pain. Take it to the next level, and contact a Forgiveness Coach too! I recommend you connect with Rob Scott and see how your life can be different today.

What a multidimensional relationship Abraham had with God. Abraham treated God with deep respect, calling Him “the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:22). Abraham deferred to God as his Master, obeying God’s often cryptic instructions. But this was not a flat, one-sided relationship; God considered Abraham His friend – a very personal, tender honor.

We see their friendship through their conversations. God often spoke personally with Abraham. Genesis 15 records one of their detailed conversations, in which Abraham respectfully but insistently questioned God. And before God judged the wicked city of Sodom, He said, “Should I hide my plan from Abraham? (Genesis 18:17). God did not withhold His intentions but actually engaged in a dialogue with Abraham. God patiently listed as Abraham sought to persuade Him not to destroy the righteous along with the wicked. They negotiated, and God agreed to spare the city if as few as ten righteous people could be found living there. And when ten could not be found, God first delivered Abraham’s nephew Lot and his family before destroying Sodom.

God’s friendship is available to us too. The Psalms often speak of God’s love for those He created and His desire to draw near and spend quality time with them. “The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth” (n).

Spend time with the Lord engage with others and spend time in silence listening for responses. Thanks to the Lord for the access of being close. Reflect on these questions:

How can we approach God with both proper respect and the familiarity of friendship?

Would you consider yourself a friend of God? Why or why not?

Do you feel that the Lord is close to you?

Consider these passages for further study on the relationship with God:

John 6:55-59 ⁵⁵ For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷ Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” ⁵⁹ He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in^[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 12:1-21

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ, we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your^[a] faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,^[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Love in Action

⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[c] Do not be conceited.

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[d] says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”^[e]

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Genesis 15:1-21

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

“Do not be afraid, Abram.
    I am your shield,^[a]
    your very great reward.^[b]”

² But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit^[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³ And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

⁴ Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” ⁵ He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring^[d] be.”

⁶ Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

⁷ He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.”

⁸ But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?”

⁹ So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”

¹⁰ Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two, and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. ¹¹ Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

¹² As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and thick and dreadful darkness came over him. ¹³ Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. ¹⁴ But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward, they will come out with great possessions. ¹⁵ You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. ¹⁶ In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”

¹⁷ When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. ¹⁸ On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants, I give this land, from the Wadi^[e] of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates— ¹⁹ the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, ²⁰ Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, ²¹ Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”

These thoughts remind me of a song titled, “What a friend we have in Jesus”. A great comfort to know that he is there for us and approaches our love and friendship with deep respect. Thoughts are of Gary Chapman.

How is your relationship with the Lord?