what I learned today

It always amazes me that when I sit down to study, God takes me exactly where He wants me to be.  It's no accident.

I've been using She Reads Truth as my daily devotion and it challenges me every time!

Matthew 5:22  addresses any anger, ANY hard feelings we are holding on to against someone.

I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgement; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, "You fool" will be liable to the hell of fire.


Strong words about holding onto ANY, ANY, ANY grudge against anyone.

It doesn't say you can by angry toward someone that did something wrong to you, it doesn't say anything about 'justified anger', a term I often hear tossed around.  And here is why -

My reading says, "..when we go to those places in our hearts, someone is dying - we are; ....anger kills our spirits and clouds our lives with noxious fumes.  A thought life that includes these practices destroys our spirit for all the work the Father wants to unfold around us.  That is why the teachings of Jesus were so revolutionary, here is a God not only concerned with output, but concerned about our hearts"

When I think about any other religion, at least what I know about them, it's appears to be all about the output - constantly trying to achieve more and more to be acceptable.

The reverse is true for our spiritual walk, we can't even accomplish what He created us to do if we harbor ill-will or hatred toward another.

This could even mean that someone we watch and judge as not 'putting out enough' - could actually be the one God is most pleased with if they are abiding in Him with a pure heart and clean mind.  Remember Mary and Martha?

Today's challenge is simple.  Forgive - let go of it - and let God 'abide fully' in the very hearts and minds He created.

What I learned today - I'm unusable by The almighty God if my mind is not where it needs to be before Him.  Only then is my work accomplishing what He desires.