Manna for Your Morning

“ If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss. ” — Luke 6:48-49 (MSG) In Luke 6:47 (MSG), Jesus said: “ These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on. ” Let us build our lives on Jesus, the Living Word, the strong foundation. When we build on Jesus, the solid Rock what is built will last forever.

Smart people know how to hold their tongue; their grandeur is to forgive and forget.  — Proverbs 19:11 (The Message) If you find it hard to forgive, try this: Stop thinking about the offense and stop talking about it. That will allow forgiveness and healing to come easier. While you cannot erase the event from your brain, you can stop bringing the offense up to the forefront of your memory. Let it fade into the background. The more you rehearse it in your mind, the more heated and wounded your feelings become. Like a pot of boiling water, you have to remove the pan from the fire, if you want the water to cool down. Meditate on whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report (Philippians 4:8). The LORD is good and ready to forgive (Psalm 86:5). Let us be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1).