Clicking on the Scripture links above will open a new window where you can read the scripture from the Holman Christian Standard Bible at Biblegateway.com or choose the Bible version you prefer to read. Check back each day to get the Scripture to read in the One Year Bible Reading Plan.
Is Christ on the increase in your life?
A Voice in the Wilderness
John the Baptist’s assigned calling, the purpose for his life, was to be the “forerunner” of Jesus. A “forerunner” is a person or thing that precedes the coming or development of someone or something else. But when the new person enters the scene, the forerunner’s influence decreases so that the new person will increase. For John, he was to point people to the Messiah. He prepared the way for Jesus to come onto the scene of history. Had the people paid attention to the prophet Isaiah, who lived about 700 years before the birth of John and Jesus, they should have been able to recognize John for who he was. Isaiah foretold that John would come before the Messiah. Isaiah 40:3-5 says:
“A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Matthew 3:3 clearly identifies John as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy. “For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” So if the people had connected the dots and recognized John as the prophesied forerunner for the Messiah, then they should have also recognized Jesus as the Messiah.
John knew his ministry would decrease once Jesus began his ministry
John was six months older than Jesus and he was Jesus’ cousin. Before Jesus began his public ministry, John’s job was to point the people to the coming Messiah. He had been preparing them and baptizing them, calling them to repent of their sins. Once Jesus stepped on the scene, John’s job would decrease while Jesus’ job was to increase. However, for a time, their ministries overlapped. Then some of John’s disciples came to him and said that people were going to Jesus to get baptized. John was quick to respond that he was not the Christ and that he was to point people to Jesus as the Christ. Because Jesus is Christ – the Messiah – the people should be going to Him to be baptized. John then said that he must decrease so that Christ would increase.
The more we surrender to Christ the more He increases and we decrease
This same statement is true for us today. As we surrender more and more of our lives to Christ, growing spiritually, we should be decreasing and Christ should increasing. As Christ increases in our lives, the result should be our lives reflecting more and more of Him and less and less of us. If Christ is increasing in our lives, then our old sinful nature should become less noticeable as Christ transforms us into a new person. This means that old habits (such as cursing, lying, drinking, abusing drugs, stealing, adultery, etc.) are put away while new habits (such as attending church, worshiping, singing praise songs, Bible study and prayer) replace the old.
As Jesus increases in our lives then our lives should take more and more shape from Him. His characteristics will become evident in our lives. We will begin to forgive like He forgives and love unconditionally like He loves. We would enjoy spending time in His Word, studying it and applying it to our lives. And we would spend time in prayer, not as a requirement, but as the opportunity to talk to our Savior.
Who is on the increase in your life: You or Christ?
Take a moment to reflect on your own life. Would you say that you are decreasing and Christ is increasing in your life? How has your life changed since you became a Christian so that Jesus is reflected in your life? What areas still need work? Would you confess those to God now and surrender them to Him?
#ReadYourBible #2Kings #John #hemustincrease
Click here to listen to our devotions on Spotify be sure to follow us.
Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.
We are an affiliate of CBD. We earn a commission on any purchase you make when you enter the store through this link. However, your CBD price is the same. Visit CBD for Bibles, Bible studies, gifts & more
New in the shop: He or She Who Kneels
Romans 8:37 says, “No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.” Our victories come when we are on our knees praying.
Ephesians 4:32 says, “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Kindness never goes out of style. Scatter some wherever you go.
This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
Scripture to memorize and meditate on
Conversation Starters
Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
Romance Builders
Relationship Builders
Personal reflections
Date ideas
Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples
Now in the WCM Store! Buy your copy today for only $24.95
Also available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.
Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.
Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More
Everything Christian for less!
Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.
Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.
Clicking on the Scripture links above will open a new window where you can read the scripture from the Holman Christian Standard Bible at Biblegateway.com or choose the Bible version you prefer to read. Check back each day to get the Scripture to read in the One Year Bible Reading Plan.
Is Christ on the increase in your life?
A Voice in the Wilderness
John the Baptist’s assigned calling, the purpose for his life, was to be the “forerunner” of Jesus. A “forerunner” is a person or thing that precedes the coming or development of someone or something else. But when the new person enters the scene, the forerunner’s influence decreases so that the new person will increase. For John, he was to point people to the Messiah. He prepared the way for Jesus to come onto the scene of history. Had the people paid attention to the prophet Isaiah, who lived about 700 years before the birth of John and Jesus, they should have been able to recognize John for who he was. Isaiah foretold that John would come before the Messiah. Isaiah 40:3-5 says:
“A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Matthew 3:3 clearly identifies John as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy. “For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” So if the people had connected the dots and recognized John as the prophesied forerunner for the Messiah, then they should have also recognized Jesus as the Messiah.
John knew his ministry would decrease once Jesus began his ministry
John was six months older than Jesus and he was Jesus’ cousin. Before Jesus began his public ministry, John’s job was to point the people to the coming Messiah. He had been preparing them and baptizing them, calling them to repent of their sins. Once Jesus stepped on the scene, John’s job would decrease while Jesus’ job was to increase. However, for a time, their ministries overlapped. Then some of John’s disciples came to him and said that people were going to Jesus to get baptized. John was quick to respond that he was not the Christ and that he was to point people to Jesus as the Christ. Because Jesus is Christ – the Messiah – the people should be going to Him to be baptized. John then said that he must decrease so that Christ would increase.
The more we surrender to Christ the more He increases and we decrease
This same statement is true for us today. As we surrender more and more of our lives to Christ, growing spiritually, we should be decreasing and Christ should increasing. As Christ increases in our lives, the result should be our lives reflecting more and more of Him and less and less of us. If Christ is increasing in our lives, then our old sinful nature should become less noticeable as Christ transforms us into a new person. This means that old habits (such as cursing, lying, drinking, abusing drugs, stealing, adultery, etc.) are put away while new habits (such as attending church, worshiping, singing praise songs, Bible study and prayer) replace the old.
As Jesus increases in our lives then our lives should take more and more shape from Him. His characteristics will become evident in our lives. We will begin to forgive like He forgives and love unconditionally like He loves. We would enjoy spending time in His Word, studying it and applying it to our lives. And we would spend time in prayer, not as a requirement, but as the opportunity to talk to our Savior.
Who is on the increase in your life: You or Christ?
Take a moment to reflect on your own life. Would you say that you are decreasing and Christ is increasing in your life? How has your life changed since you became a Christian so that Jesus is reflected in your life? What areas still need work? Would you confess those to God now and surrender them to Him?
#ReadYourBible #2Kings #John #hemustincrease
Click here to listen to our devotions on Spotify be sure to follow us.
Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.
We are an affiliate of CBD. We earn a commission on any purchase you make when you enter the store through this link. However, your CBD price is the same. Visit CBD for Bibles, Bible studies, gifts & more
New in the shop: He or She Who Kneels
Romans 8:37 says, “No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.” Our victories come when we are on our knees praying.
Ephesians 4:32 says, “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Kindness never goes out of style. Scatter some wherever you go.
This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
Scripture to memorize and meditate on
Conversation Starters
Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
Romance Builders
Relationship Builders
Personal reflections
Date ideas
Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples
Now in the WCM Store! Buy your copy today for only $24.95
Also available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.
Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.
Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More
Everything Christian for less!
Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.
Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.
Clicking on the Scripture links above will open a new window where you can read the scripture from the Holman Christian Standard Bible at Biblegateway.com or choose the Bible version you prefer to read. Check back each day to get the Scripture to read in the One Year Bible Reading Plan.
Skip the Grudge – Love Your Neighbor
Who do you call “Neighbor”?
Who are the people that you call “neighbor”? The people that live next door, across the street, down the street, or within your housing development, apartment building or condo? What about the people at work or in your school? What about the people that live right inside of your home…your spouse, parents, brothers, sisters? Basically, anyone you come in contact with as you live your life is your neighbor and God expects us to all get along. We are not to take revenge or bear a grudge. In fact, He expects us to love others as much as we love ourselves.
Revenge and Grudges
There is nothing right or okay about taking revenge or holding on to a grudge. What is the difference between these? Revenge is any form of personal retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some perceived harm or injustice while a grudge is deep-seated animosity or ill-feeling about something or someone. Both are products of hate.
A closer look at revenge
We feel the need to get revenge when we feel like we have been slighted, at a disadvantage, disempowered, treated poorly, threatened, or placed in an unfair situation due to someone or something. The most common emotions that accompany this type of situation can be feelings of anger, resentment, frustration, and deep hurt. We often don’t feel like we have a way out to express ourselves unless we get back at whatever or whoever caused this turmoil. What’s more, there are negative physical and medical risks posed with holding onto an angry grudge. They include heart disease, high blood pressure, headaches, digestive imbalances, insomnia, anxiety and depression, skin problems including eczema, and stroke.
A closer look at grudges
Grudges are not any better. When we hang on to the things others do or say to us, we are holding a grudge. While we don’t often like to admit it, holding a grudge is a common way some people respond to feeling that they’ve been wronged. However, just like revenge, holding a grudge can end up hurting you as much as the person who inspired it.
Clinging to hate and anger can impact you, emotionally, physically, and socially. You might think that harboring ill-will harms the person you’re mad at, but ultimately you’re the one who suffers from it. Essentially, a grudge inhibits your ability to cope with or resolve your issue and keeps you stuck in the past—trapped in an unpleasant event or interaction that causes you distress. The grudge doesn’t solve your problem and is highly unlikely to make you feel any better. Consider that the phrase “holding a grudge,” comes from the Old French word grouchier, which means “to grumble” and is related to the English word “grouch.” Related older English and German words have similar meanings that translate into “to complain,” “to wail,” “to grumble,” and “to cry out.”
No wonder God says, “Do not revenge or bear a grudge!”
Forgiveness removes the need for revenge and grudges
Letting go of revenge and grudges can make way for improved health and peace of mind. Forgiveness involves a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. It doesn’t mean forgetting or excusing the harm done to you or making up with the person who caused the harm, although it does open the door for the opportunity to mend broken relationships. Forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life. If revenge and grudges affect us negatively, then forgiveness affects us positively. Forgiveness can lead to
healthier relationships
Improved mental health
Less anxiety, stress and hostility
Lower blood pressure
Fewer symptoms of depression
A stronger immune system
Improved heart health
Improved self-esteem
Jesus said in Matthew 6:15, “But if you don’t forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing.” There is no place in the Christian’s life for either revenge or bearing grudges. No where in the life of Christ will you find him taking revenge or holding a grudge. Not when Judas betrayed him, not when the 12 disciples left him, not when Peter denied him, and not when the Roman soldier nailed him to a cross. Instead, from the cross, He asks His Father to “Forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
God wants us to forgive….just as He forgave us. Paul told us in Romans 12:19, Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” When you hold on to a grudge or seek revenge, you are typically the person that is most miserable while the one you are angry with goes on with their life. But when you release it and let it go into the hands of the Almighty God and choose forgiveness instead, you demonstrate the nature and character of Christ.
Bless those who persecute you
Proverbs 25:21-22 says, “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” It really comes down to one word: “LOVE.” We are to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are to even love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us. Paul wrote in Romans 12:14, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” If you want to defeat the urge to take revenge or hold a grudge, bless the person who did you wrong. Stop and pray for that person and ask God to bless them. You’ll feel much better than hanging on to anger and holding grudges and seeking revenge.
Try to find at least five things that you can do for other people today that show you love them as much as you love yourself. Can you do one thing for each of the following people: someone in your home, someone on your street, someone at work, a friend, a total stranger or homeless person. As you do, say a prayer of blessing for each of these people.
Love your Neighbor
Loving your neighbor as yourself is found eight times in the Bible. Not once. Not twice. Eight times. Loving your neighbor as yourself is so important to God that He not only repeats Himself, He makes it a command. And not just one in a list of many commands. Jesus coupled the command to love your neighbor as yourself with loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
But when someone wrongs us, it becomes very difficult to love them. We must remember that there was a time when we, too, were difficult to love – but Jesus died for us anyway. Romans 5:8 says, “But God proves His own love for us in that whilewewere stillsinners, Christ died for us!” Jesus had compassion, grace, and mercy on us. And this is why he came to earth. In Luke 5:32, Jesus says, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Then we must remember that Jesus loves those who wrong us just as much as He loves us – and he came to die for them too. Because He lives within us, the same compassion, grace and mercy he had on us, we should extend to others.
Love in Words
James writes, “You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19) And in verse 1:26, he says “If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.” If you and I launch verbal destruction, those words will have devastating consequences on others.
The childhood rhyme about stick and stones versus words is not true. Words build up or tear down. There is an old saying that says, “Never say in anger what you don’t mean, because you can say you’re sorry, but you can’t take it back.” Satan can use our tongue to cause division, putting others down, bragging, false teaching, exaggeration, complaining, or just flat out lying. The tongue can express or repress; offend or befriend; affirm or alienate; build or belittle; comfort or criticize; delight or destroy. It only takes a few words to hurt someone and the easiest way to get revenge is through words.
Our words have power. They can bring joy or cause misery. Proverbs 18:21 puts it this way: “The tongue has the power of life and death.” The stakes are high. Your words can either speak life, or your words can speak death. Our tongues can build others up, or they can tear them down. They can result in blessings or revenge and grudges.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.”
To love your neighbor as yourself is to use words to build them up. Speaking words of encouragement is the most obvious example but there are others. We can be more intentional with our words by looking for and magnifying the good. We can always find something good if we’ll take the time to look for it. If you are having a hard time finding good in someone who has wronged you, ask the Holy Spirit to show you the good in them.
Love in Action
It is one thing to say we love our neighbor, but putting love into action is another – especially when we feel we have been wronged in some way. To put love in action, means we serve. Serving from the heart is kindness in action. Kindness is one of the attributes of love listed in 1 Corinthians 13. The funny thing about kindness, though, is you can do acts of kindness without kindness residing in your heart. If the kind thing is done out of duty then it isn’t love. But if you have to start from a sense of duty, then start there and while you serve them, ask God to change duty into genuine, Christ-like love.
Jesus said he came to serve (Matthew 20:28). God, who is love, came to serve. Love serves. For you to love your neighbor as yourself, you’ll have a heart to serve them. You can do so in simple ways. Let them know you’re there for them. If they need a ride somewhere, you drive them. If they need their dog or cat checked on while they’re out of town, you do that for them. Other examples are getting their mail for them or taking them a meal if they’re not well.
What does the Bible say?
Romans 12:17 says, “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. And in 1 Thessalonians 5: 15, Paul tell us, “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.” And in Ephesians 4:31-32, we are told to “let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” James tells us that mercy triumphs judgement (James 2:13). King Solomon instructs us in Proverbs 19:11 that “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”
We could list many other verses, but one thing is clear. God does not want us to live in hate and anger, bearing grudges or seeking revenge. He wants us, with the power of His help, to love those who do us wrong – both in word and action.
Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.
Click here to listen to our devotions on Spotify be sure to follow us.
Visit our three retail experiences:
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We are an affiliate of CBD. We earn a commission on any purchase you make when you enter the store through this link. However, your CBD price is the same. Visit CBD for Bibles, Bible studies, gifts & more
With all that’s going on in the world today, sometimes we just need to be still and know that God is God and He is in control of all things. From Psalm 46:10, this design is on t-shirts, long-sleeved tees, mugs, bags, tumblers, and more. Click the link to see all the available products in this design.
This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
Scripture to memorize and meditate on
Conversation Starters
Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
Romance Builders
Relationship Builders
Personal reflections
Date ideas
Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples
Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.
Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.
Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More
Everything Christian for less!
Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.
Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.
Clicking on the Scripture links above will open a new window where you can read the scripture from the Holman Christian Standard Bible at Biblegateway.com or choose the Bible version you prefer to read. Check back each day to get the Scripture to read in the One Year Bible Reading Plan.
Skip the Grudge – Love Your Neighbor
Who do you call “Neighbor”?
Who are the people that you call “neighbor”? The people that live next door, across the street, down the street, or within your housing development, apartment building or condo? What about the people at work or in your school? What about the people that live right inside of your home…your spouse, parents, brothers, sisters? Basically, anyone you come in contact with as you live your life is your neighbor and God expects us to all get along. We are not to take revenge or bear a grudge. In fact, He expects us to love others as much as we love ourselves.
Revenge and Grudges
There is nothing right or okay about taking revenge or holding on to a grudge. What is the difference between these? Revenge is any form of personal retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some perceived harm or injustice while a grudge is deep-seated animosity or ill-feeling about something or someone. Both are products of hate.
A closer look at revenge
We feel the need to get revenge when we feel like we have been slighted, at a disadvantage, disempowered, treated poorly, threatened, or placed in an unfair situation due to someone or something. The most common emotions that accompany this type of situation can be feelings of anger, resentment, frustration, and deep hurt. We often don’t feel like we have a way out to express ourselves unless we get back at whatever or whoever caused this turmoil. What’s more, there are negative physical and medical risks posed with holding onto an angry grudge. They include heart disease, high blood pressure, headaches, digestive imbalances, insomnia, anxiety and depression, skin problems including eczema, and stroke.
A closer look at grudges
Grudges are not any better. When we hang on to the things others do or say to us, we are holding a grudge. While we don’t often like to admit it, holding a grudge is a common way some people respond to feeling that they’ve been wronged. However, just like revenge, holding a grudge can end up hurting you as much as the person who inspired it.
Clinging to hate and anger can impact you, emotionally, physically, and socially. You might think that harboring ill-will harms the person you’re mad at, but ultimately you’re the one who suffers from it. Essentially, a grudge inhibits your ability to cope with or resolve your issue and keeps you stuck in the past—trapped in an unpleasant event or interaction that causes you distress. The grudge doesn’t solve your problem and is highly unlikely to make you feel any better. Consider that the phrase “holding a grudge,” comes from the Old French word grouchier, which means “to grumble” and is related to the English word “grouch.” Related older English and German words have similar meanings that translate into “to complain,” “to wail,” “to grumble,” and “to cry out.”
No wonder God says, “Do not revenge or bear a grudge!”
Forgiveness removes the need for revenge and grudges
Letting go of revenge and grudges can make way for improved health and peace of mind. Forgiveness involves a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. It doesn’t mean forgetting or excusing the harm done to you or making up with the person who caused the harm, although it does open the door for the opportunity to mend broken relationships. Forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life. If revenge and grudges affect us negatively, then forgiveness affects us positively. Forgiveness can lead to
healthier relationships
Improved mental health
Less anxiety, stress and hostility
Lower blood pressure
Fewer symptoms of depression
A stronger immune system
Improved heart health
Improved self-esteem
Jesus said in Matthew 6:15, “But if you don’t forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing.” There is no place in the Christian’s life for either revenge or bearing grudges. No where in the life of Christ will you find him taking revenge or holding a grudge. Not when Judas betrayed him, not when the 12 disciples left him, not when Peter denied him, and not when the Roman soldier nailed him to a cross. Instead, from the cross, He asks His Father to “Forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
God wants us to forgive….just as He forgave us. Paul told us in Romans 12:19, Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” When you hold on to a grudge or seek revenge, you are typically the person that is most miserable while the one you are angry with goes on with their life. But when you release it and let it go into the hands of the Almighty God and choose forgiveness instead, you demonstrate the nature and character of Christ.
Bless those who persecute you
Proverbs 25:21-22 says, “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” It really comes down to one word: “LOVE.” We are to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are to even love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us. Paul wrote in Romans 12:14, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” If you want to defeat the urge to take revenge or hold a grudge, bless the person who did you wrong. Stop and pray for that person and ask God to bless them. You’ll feel much better than hanging on to anger and holding grudges and seeking revenge.
Try to find at least five things that you can do for other people today that show you love them as much as you love yourself. Can you do one thing for each of the following people: someone in your home, someone on your street, someone at work, a friend, a total stranger or homeless person. As you do, say a prayer of blessing for each of these people.
Love your Neighbor
Loving your neighbor as yourself is found eight times in the Bible. Not once. Not twice. Eight times. Loving your neighbor as yourself is so important to God that He not only repeats Himself, He makes it a command. And not just one in a list of many commands. Jesus coupled the command to love your neighbor as yourself with loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
But when someone wrongs us, it becomes very difficult to love them. We must remember that there was a time when we, too, were difficult to love – but Jesus died for us anyway. Romans 5:8 says, “But God proves His own love for us in that whilewewere stillsinners, Christ died for us!” Jesus had compassion, grace, and mercy on us. And this is why he came to earth. In Luke 5:32, Jesus says, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Then we must remember that Jesus loves those who wrong us just as much as He loves us – and he came to die for them too. Because He lives within us, the same compassion, grace and mercy he had on us, we should extend to others.
Love in Words
James writes, “You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19) And in verse 1:26, he says “If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.” If you and I launch verbal destruction, those words will have devastating consequences on others.
The childhood rhyme about stick and stones versus words is not true. Words build up or tear down. There is an old saying that says, “Never say in anger what you don’t mean, because you can say you’re sorry, but you can’t take it back.” Satan can use our tongue to cause division, putting others down, bragging, false teaching, exaggeration, complaining, or just flat out lying. The tongue can express or repress; offend or befriend; affirm or alienate; build or belittle; comfort or criticize; delight or destroy. It only takes a few words to hurt someone and the easiest way to get revenge is through words.
Our words have power. They can bring joy or cause misery. Proverbs 18:21 puts it this way: “The tongue has the power of life and death.” The stakes are high. Your words can either speak life, or your words can speak death. Our tongues can build others up, or they can tear them down. They can result in blessings or revenge and grudges.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.”
To love your neighbor as yourself is to use words to build them up. Speaking words of encouragement is the most obvious example but there are others. We can be more intentional with our words by looking for and magnifying the good. We can always find something good if we’ll take the time to look for it. If you are having a hard time finding good in someone who has wronged you, ask the Holy Spirit to show you the good in them.
Love in Action
It is one thing to say we love our neighbor, but putting love into action is another – especially when we feel we have been wronged in some way. To put love in action, means we serve. Serving from the heart is kindness in action. Kindness is one of the attributes of love listed in 1 Corinthians 13. The funny thing about kindness, though, is you can do acts of kindness without kindness residing in your heart. If the kind thing is done out of duty then it isn’t love. But if you have to start from a sense of duty, then start there and while you serve them, ask God to change duty into genuine, Christ-like love.
Jesus said he came to serve (Matthew 20:28). God, who is love, came to serve. Love serves. For you to love your neighbor as yourself, you’ll have a heart to serve them. You can do so in simple ways. Let them know you’re there for them. If they need a ride somewhere, you drive them. If they need their dog or cat checked on while they’re out of town, you do that for them. Other examples are getting their mail for them or taking them a meal if they’re not well.
What does the Bible say?
Romans 12:17 says, “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. And in 1 Thessalonians 5: 15, Paul tell us, “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.” And in Ephesians 4:31-32, we are told to “let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” James tells us that mercy triumphs judgement (James 2:13). King Solomon instructs us in Proverbs 19:11 that “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”
We could list many other verses, but one thing is clear. God does not want us to live in hate and anger, bearing grudges or seeking revenge. He wants us, with the power of His help, to love those who do us wrong – both in word and action.
Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.
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This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
Scripture to memorize and meditate on
Conversation Starters
Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
Romance Builders
Relationship Builders
Personal reflections
Date ideas
Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples
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The Danger of Hard Hearts and Dull Ears
What is a hard heart?
The reason God flooded the earth was because the world had become full of people with hard hearts and dull ears. Jesus said in Matthew 13:15, ‘The hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’ But what do these people with hard hearts and dull ears look like?
The root cause of a hard heart is sin and pride. Such a person is unteachable, arrogant, and refuses to repent. They want to live life their own way rather than God’s way. They do not listen to what the Bible says or what God is saying to them. Whenever we stop listening to God, all that is left is a dull heart that refuses to listen to sound teaching and instruction. A hard heart says there is no God. A hard heart chooses to live the way they want, regardless of what the Bible teaches. Over time, that person’s heart get harder and harder until they become unable to distinguish between right and wrong.
The Bible’s view of the heart
The Bible considers the heart to be the hub of human personality, producing the things we would ordinarily ascribe to the “mind.” For example, The Bible tells us that grief (John 14:1); desires (Matthew 5:28); joy (Ephesians 5:19); understanding (Isaiah 6:10; Matthew 13:15); thoughts and reasoning (Genesis 6:5; Hebrews 4:12; Mark 2:8); and, most importantly, faith and belief (Hebrews 3:12; Romans 10:10; Mark 11:23) are all products of the heart. Also, Jesus tells us that the heart is a source for good and evil and that what comes out of our mouth – good or bad – begins in the heart (Luke 6:43–45). Considering this, it’s easy to see how a hardened heart can dull a person’s ability to perceive and understand the things of God.
Can Christians have hard hearts?
What keeps a lost person from surrendering their heart to Jesus? A hard heart that is determined to live in their sin and refusing to accept the free gift of salvation. They would rather remain in their stubbornness of sin and pride then to know the joy that is found in surrendering to God. But what about the Christian? Can he or she have a hard heart?
Anyone’s heart can harden, even faithful Christians’. Satan would love for everyone of us to have hard hearts so that we are not living victoriously in fellowship with God and telling others the good news of the Gospel. Christians can experience a hard heart when the Holy Spirit reveals an area of sin or pride and ask us to surrender it to Him, but we stubbornly hang on to it, making it an idol in our lives, and refusing to repent. So it is important for us to understand what causes a “hard heart.”
Sin causes hard hearts
Sin causes hearts to grow hard, especially continual and unrepentant sin. Now we know that “if we confess our sins, [Jesus] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9). However, if we don’t confess our sins, they have a cumulative and desensitizing effect on the conscience, making it difficult to even distinguish right from wrong, just like in the days of Noah and in our world today. Scripture makes it clear that if we relentlessly continue to engage in sin, there will come a time when God will give us over to our “debased mind” and let us have it our way. But we also find in Scripture that God will bring judgment, such as when He sent the flood to destroy the earth and when Israel and Judah were conquered and carried off into captivity for 70 years.
Pride causes hard hearts
Pride will also cause our hearts to harden. The “pride of your heart has deceived you . . . you who say to yourself, ‘who can bring me down to the ground’ . . . I will bring you down declares the LORD” (Obadiah verses 3-4). When Moses came to Pharaoh with God’s instruction to let the nation of Israel go and release them from slavery, the root of Pharaoh’s hard-heartedness was his pride and arrogance. Even in the face of tremendous proofs and witnessing God’s powerful hand at work, Pharaoh’s hardened heart caused him to deny the sovereignty of the one, true God.
Whenever when we are inclined to think that we do not need God and want live life our way, it would be wise to recall what King Solomon taught us in Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”
Set backs and disappoints in life can cause hard hearts
Hearts can also become hardened when we suffer setbacks and disappointments in life. Life can be overwhelming and impossible at times. When these difficult times come we must choose whether we will blame God and become angry or bitter or turn to Him trusting that He is in control and He is working in the difficult moment to teach us something new about Him as He grows our faith and dependence on Him. Because God is omniscient, he is never caught by surprise by the events of our life or in our world. He is always working to fulfill His prefect and holy plan for our lives.
No one is immune to trials here on earth. Yet, just as steel is forged by a blacksmith’s hammer, so, too, can our faith be strengthened by the trials we encounter in the valleys of life. As Paul encouraged the Romans: “But we also rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us” (Romans 5:3–5).
What does the Bible mean by “dull ears”?
When the Bible says that people have become dull of hearing, it is not saying that people are unintelligent or incapable of understanding. Nor does it mean that such people have abandoned their faith. Neither is it referring to new Christian who has not yet matured enough to understand the Word of God.
Being dull of hearing indicates laziness. Thayer’s definition of this Greek word suggests the idea of sluggishness and indolence. One who is “dull of hearing” is not necessarily lazy in every area of life. He or she may be a very hard worker at their job or at home, but is still “dull of hearing” as the Hebrew writer described. This is a laziness about learning the word of God.
Such a person is stuck in “spiritual infancy” and still grappling to understand the elementary principles of God’s Word and have not made sufficient progress to understand the deeper teachings. Because they are stuck in the basics, this person should not be teaching the Word of God to others. Hebrews 6:11-12 tells us, “Now we want each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the final realization of your hope, so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.”
In a world full of hard hearts and dull ears, Noah was a righteous man before God
In Genesis 6:9, the Bible tells us that Noah was a just man, perfect in his generation and that he walked with God. We also learn in verses 5-6 that “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” so much so that God was greatly grieved.
Although God found Noah “perfect in his generation,” it does not mean Noah was sinless. Rather he could be said to be wholesome, godly, and honorable, obedient to God. And God found him as righteous. But for the people in Noah’s day, not so much. Their wickedness was a testimony that they had hard hearts and dull ears.
People with hard hearts and dull ears refuse to hear what God has to say
The entire time the Noah built the ark, he preached of God’s coming judgment. However, the people were so totally depraved that they were not at all concerned. They chose to live in sin and pride than to hear that God was going to judge them by flooding the earth. They did not believe Noah and they were content to continue living in their wickedness and idolatry. Why? Because they had hard hearts and dull ears. They heard Noah warning them of God’s coming judgement. But they just laughed at him.
Noah told the people God was sending a flood, but they refused to listen
When I read about the people’s response to Noah, I imagine it went something like this:
“Hey! Old Man!” someone shouted as they passed by. “What are you building?”
Noah says, “A boat.”
The passerby is silent. He looks around left…and to the right. Maybe he heard wrong. “A what?”
“A boat.”
“Did you say a boat?”
“Yes. A boat.”
“Do you see water around here?”
“No. Do you?”
“No. So why are you building a boat?”
“Because God is going to judge the earth for its sin, pride and wickedness by sending a flood over all the earth.”
“What’s a flood?”
“God said He is disappointed in the human race he created and He’s fed up with the sin so He is going to destroy the entire human race along with all the animals by sending rain.”
“Rain? What is rain? We’ve never seen rain before. Have you ever seen rain?”
“No. I’ve never seen rain.”
“What is rain supposed to be?”
“Water that falls from the sky.”
The passerby laughs. “Old man, you’ve out in the sun too long. Water doesn’t fall from the sky and even if it did, how can water destroy everyone?”
“All I know is God said He was sending rain that would cause the earth to flood and everyone would perish. He told me to build a boat and that my sons and I and our wives would enter the boat along with two of each species of animals and all else would perish. But it’s not too late. You can turn to God and He will save you. Just repent of your sins.”
The passerby laughs harder. “You’re one crazy old man. There is no such thing as rain and never has there been a flood before.”
The man continues on his journey laughing as he walked along. A little ways down the road a pair of elephants walk passed him. He thought about what the old man had said about two of every animal getting on the boat and hesitated for just a second. Then laughed again and continued on.
People with hard hearts and dull ears refuses to repent
None of them repented. Not one person had any desire to seek God. They simply continued on living the way they wanted and made fun of the old man building a large boat where there was no water in which to launch it. Day after day. Yet Noah was obedient to what God told him to do. Noah did not need to know what rain was or what a flood was. He simply surrendered his heart to be obedient to what God told him to do. This is why God found him to be righteous.
Our World is like the days of Noah
In Matthew 25:31-33, we find that Jesus also warns us and says that the world will once again be like the days of Noah before He comes to earth again. In 2 Timothy 3:1-4, we get a description of what the world will be like: “But know this: Difficult times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
Doesn’t this sound like the world we live in today? If you have any doubts, you only need to watch the news feeds alerts on your phone or turn on the evening news. The question we need to ask ourselves is, “Would God say that He has seen me righteous before Him in this generation?” Or would He find us with the same hard hearts and dead ears as the people in Noah’s day?
The antidote to hard hearts and dull ears
First and foremost, we have to recognize the effect that this spiritual disease has on us. God will help us to see our heart’s condition when we ask Him: “Search me O God, and know my heart…see if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23–24). God can heal any heart once we recognize our disobedience and repent of our sins. In Ezekiel 36:26, God says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” But true repentance is more than simply a resolute feeling of steadfast determination. Repentance manifests itself in a changed life.
After repenting of our sins, hard hearts begin to be cured when we study God’s Word. “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart. . . . I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9–11). The Bible is our manual for living as it is “God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). If we are to live life to the fullest as God intended, we need to study and obey God’s written Word, which not only keeps a heart soft and pure but allows us to be “blessed” in whatever we do (Joshua 1:8; James 1:25).
Lord, revive the hearts and ears of your people – the ones who are called by your name – the children of God. May we seek you with all our hearts – and find you. May we be obedient to your word and your will. Break our hearts for what breaks yours. May we come to you in repentance and total surrender. Lord, we are desperate for you and long to see you pour out the Holy Spirit across our land.
Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.
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This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
Scripture to memorize and meditate on
Conversation Starters
Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
Romance Builders
Relationship Builders
Personal reflections
Date ideas
Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples
Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.
Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.
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Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.
Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.
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