Posted using ShareThis

Posted using ShareThis

Posted using ShareThis

Remove this old leaven (yeast) from among us so that you will be a new lump (of dough). Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.

Definition of leaven: to mingle or permeate with some modifying, alleviating, or vivifying element

“One bad apple spoils the barrel.” These days produce is too expensive to purchase a bag of luscious looking apples only to get home and find one rotting and causing those around it to rot. It’s the same with people. A person with a bad attitude likes to spread it around to everyone around them.

The Passover practiced removing malice and wickedness in order to form a new lump of sincerity and truth. Is there one amongst us with blatant sins that need confronting? Making ourselves into a new lump by taking a closer look at ourselves is really the objective. Ask yourself: Am I setting a negative example by being impatient? Do I want to have things my way all the time? Do I have unrealistic expectations which cause me to have a judgmental attitude?

Therefore, by becoming a “new lump” I will purge any attitudes or negative actions within myself first before I go around criticizing others. I can always find something in me that needs adjusting but we tend to find it much easier to look outward, find someone doing something we perceive as wrong and spend our time being critical of them.

Instead of cleaning up our own messes, we prefer to focus on someone else’s dirty little secret. There is always something in us that can be improved upon. Looking outward at other’s faults is an example. Going around with a critical attitude tends to ruin all those around us and really needs to be taken care of within ourselves.

via How do You Acquire Judgment with Wisdom?.

Paul was thinking of Philemon when he expressed genuine gratitude to God for such a true friend. Do you have such a person in your life?

Truthful, trustworthy and in it for the long haul—not just when things are going good, are attributes to look for in a true friend. Plus, it has been said that to have a friend, you have to be a friend.

Do you have someone in your life that you can safely confide in? A man once said that he performed this experiment: He shared a secret with someone to see if the secret got out. If it did, he knew he could not trust this person; that he could not safely confide in this person.

Meanwhile, a real friend tells you the truth even when it hurts. Do you have someone in your life that holds you accountable? That will confront you if necessary? Is there someone in your life that is not afraid to tell you that you need an attitude adjustment? Do you have someone who would speak in your defense, if necessary? If you needed a new kidney, can you think of anyone you could go to and ask for one of theirs or that would volunteer a kidney before you even asked?

Finally, an old adage states that: If you can count the number of true friends on one hand at the end of your life, consider yourself richly blessed! Why not take a moment and assess your friendships? Who do you thank God for bringing into your life? But even more importantly: Who is thanking God for you right now?

My mother used to rise early every morning. It was in her blood. She could not sleep late and was too active to want to. The first thing she did after grabbing her coffee was to grab her Bible. After she had finished her devotional, she would pray for me and my siblings. I rested assured even when I did not deserve it that, if nobody else, my mother would be praying for me. I was using her. I was using her prayerlife because I was lazy in my own.

My mother passed away in 2000. I continue to flounder around in my prayerlife. The only person that I know of that prays for me often is an associate pastor at my church. He responds every week to anything I have requested prayer for. Every Wednesday in the mail will be a postcard from him with reassuring words that he is praying for me. I am so grateful for him and his prayers but do I reciprocate? He has needs just like I do but do I pray for him?

via Is there a Way to Find Rest?.

via Your Reputation Precedes You.

via How do We Convey Generosity and Diligence?.