BLENDED FAMILY

Friday, April 19, 2019

Closer than a brother

But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!”
Matthew 12:48-49

When you’re looking for potential leaders, if someone you’re considering lacks loyalty, he’s disqualified. Don’t even consider taking him on the journey with you because in the end, he’ll hurt you more than help you. So what does it mean for others to be loyal to you?
1. They love you unconditionally – They accept you with your strengths and weaknesses intact. They care for you, but don’t put you on a pedestal.
2. They represent you well to others – Loyal people may take you to task privately or hold you accountable, but they never criticize you to others.
3. They are able to laugh and cry with you as you travel together – This makes the trip less lonely.
4. They make your dream, their dream – Some people will share the journey with you only briefly. But a few, a special few, will want to come alongside you and help you for the rest of the way.
When people combine loyalty with other talents and abilities, they can be some of your greatest assets. If you find people like that, take good care of them.

Saturday, April 13, 2019

Favor in r Trial

1 Peter 2:18-25 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are [a]unreasonable. 19 For this finds [b]favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds [c]favor with God.

Christ Is Our Example
21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 [d]and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself [e]bore our sins in His body on the [f]cross, so that we might die to [g]sin and live to righteousness; for by His [h]wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and [i]Guardian of your souls.

Every believer wants God’s favor. We usually have expectations of what that looks like since the word favor brings to mind blessings, and no one would include things like mistreatment in that category. But while unfairness and other harsh conditions aren’t good in themselves, the way we respond can bring divine favor.

Scripture tells us that obedience brings blessing, but from a human perspective, it sometimes seems that the only result is trouble. Peter uses the example of a servant who submits to an unreasonable master but is treated unjustly and suffers as a result of doing what’s right.

There are basically two ways to respond to such unfair treatment. We can grumble, complain, and seek vengeance, or we can patiently endure it. The latter is the only response that finds favor with God. Why? Because when we act this way, we are following in Christ’s footsteps.

No one was treated more unfairly than Jesus. He never did wrong, yet He was reviled, mocked, tortured, and killed by men. However, He didn’t revile in return or utter threats but instead entrusted Himself to His Father.

Having this kind of attitude may seem impossible, and it is—apart from God’s power. But Jesus bore our transgressions on the cross so we might die to sin and live righteously. 

He’s given us all we need to respond in a manner that pleases our heavenly Father. Every difficult, unjust, and painful situation is an opportunity to entrust ourselves to God, who judges righteously. Then, through the Holy Spirit, we’ll be empowered to respond in a Christlike manner, which God looks upon with favor.