'Rd' a.k.a. " Overwegcompound " at the Lodge's space

The Command to Forgive
Matthew 6:9-15
Mercy is best understood when we have experienced it on both the giving and receiving ends. The truth is, we simply may not realize the gift's high price until we've pardoned someone who wronged us--as much as we long to be given clemency, our human nature struggles against offering it. So a warning follows the Lord's Prayer: God won't forgive those who withhold forgiveness from others.
Jesus is not saying that an unforgiving spirit cancels our salvation. When we receive Him as Savior, our sin-debt is paid in full. But even believers will sometimes fail to do right. Though these wrongs pose no danger to our eternal destiny, they do obstruct fellowship with God. Think of our connection with Him as a long pipe which sin can clog. Then our prayers cannot go up, and His blessings are prevented from raining down. So Christians must do regular spiritual "housecleaning"--confession and repentance from sin.
A bitter spirit toward another person will "clog" our fellowship with the Father--when we allow anger into our heart, it tends to squeeze Him out of His rightful place in our life. Furthermore, negative feelings will seep into other areas and affect what we think, say, and do. Then when we most need the Lord's help or comfort, His Spirit will not move.
Is a lack of mercy blocking your fellowship with the Lord? If so, you have a choice. Either continue hindering His love, or cry out to Him from under your bitter load. God will hear the prayer, cleanse your heart, and patiently teach you to forgive.

Defeating False Teachers
2 Peter 2:1-3
Outside a grocery store one evening, I watched two young men confronting shoppers with an erroneous statement about scriptural teaching. Anyone who seemed vague about Christian faith was invited to learn "what God really said" at a Bible study. I was not invited. In fact, the men abandoned me quickly when I used the Word to defend my beliefs.
A false teacher wants to create uncertainty in his listeners. In order to gain followers, he must persuade his audience that he possesses knowledge they lack. The people who accept this misleading information as absolute truth will usually return to the false teacher for more. Having followers strokes his ego and provides "proof" that he is right.
Those who have a sound doctrine won't be led astray. That's why it is so important for our faith to rest on biblical truth--for example,  Jesus Christ died for the sins of mankind, the Holy Spirit dwells in believers, and Christians will be resurrected bodily. Defeating false teachers takes more than "my pastor says . . ."When confronted, we must defend our faith with Scripture we ourselves have studied. By regularly reading and applying God's Word, we will be better prepared when confronted with untruth.
Building a sound doctrine protects believers from misleading messages and arms them to defend the faith. Do not be caught unprepared. If you haven't already started, begin to study the Bible today. Should you need help, ask your pastor or a godly mentor for guidance.

Exposing False Teachers
Matthew 7:15-20
New Testament writers warned about false teachings that sounded good but defied truth (2 Tim. 4:3; 1 John 4:1). Believers today must still heed these warnings! Ungodly leaders subtly twist truth with such conviction that unprepared Christians can be charmed by their lies. That's why the Bible instructs us to evaluate the message of whoever desires to lead us (Matt. 7:20).
The false teacher is deceptive. Verse 15 of today's passage describes him as a wolf in sheep's clothing. He appears to want people to know the "real" truth about God, but his interpretation of Scripture may contain outright lies or a distorted mix of fact and error. Since wise believers study God's Word, they can detect a "sheepskin" starting to slip. The wolf is further exposed by his personal life, which won't be consistent with righteousness (Matt. 7:16). A close study of his decisions, actions, and words will reveal that he does not follow the Lord's will or biblical principles.
The false teacher's life and message are self-indulgent. His enticing ideas appeal to his listeners' fleshly nature. In fact, he'll often permit activities prohibited in Scripture. Some deceivers describe God's grace as a license to live without restraint (Jude 4). Paul clearly denounces this lie, teaching that believers have died to sin and shouldn't live in it (Rom. 6:2).
The body of Christ is expected to use Scripture as the standard against which to measure a leader's lifestyle and words. When we seek divine truth, we are given the discernment to know a holy message from a misleading one.

God Won't Ask

God won't ask the square footage of your house...but He'll ask how many
people you welcomed into your home.

God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet...but He'll ask
how many you helped to clothe.

God won't ask what your highest salary was...but He'll ask if you
compromised your character to obtain it.

God won't ask what your job title was...but He'll ask if you performed
your job to the best of your ability.

God won't ask how many friends you had...but He'll ask how many people
to whom you were a friend.

God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived...but He'll ask how you
treated your neighbors.

God won't ask about the color of your skin...but He'll ask about the
content of your character.

God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation... but He'll
lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.


always remember psalms 37:4