That One Dang Person 10/6/2018

Good Morning,

A dreary rainy day has us wrapped in a coat of weather that if it were snow we would have had three feet of the white fluff. So I am thankful for it just being dark and rainy. I just poured a cup of Door County Bourbon Vanilla Creme Coffee and now it is time to write.

Have you ever experienced that one person who no matter what you do, you cannot please them? That one person who finds faults in everything you do. That one person who cannot agree with you at all. That one person who can say two words and can make you feel like cow dung in a few seconds. That one person who can push your buttons so fast that you can go from zero to ballistic, faster than the speed of sound. That person who just has to be the center of attention, no matter what. That one person who gains height by making you feel small.

It might be a family member, a coworker, a neighbor or worse yet a friend that you aren't smart enough to dodge or ditch. You are all picturing that person right now and your guts are churning and your teeth are grinding. Your blood pressure has just gone up and your fists are clenched. This is a good exercise for a Saturday morning.

Now that you have all pictured Ms, or Mr. McNasty in your mind.and have committed murder, slander, or mayhem in you imagination STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This lesson is very important. I chose today's Scripture Lesson from the English Standard Version of the Bible, because it uses the word "unappeasable" in the  text. God gave me the goal  for today to advise myself and you not to become the people in the text.

2 Timothy 3:2-4 English Standard Version (ESV)

² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

Look at the description of people God says are out there. As You read the passage, I bet you can assign a name to each description. I hope your name is not there. Today we will use this Scripture as a self examination of character. Character can also be described as an attribute of a man or woman. The word character is also used negatively when applied like this. "He is a real character".

Each day, every Christian should be into the Word of God allowing it to work on our attributes (character). We should avoid at all costs obtaining an attribute/ character list like the one above. I believe the first sign of heading in the wrong direction is when you start to be unappeasable. You start by making comments that never flatter anyone's attempts at pleasing you.

Now how can we cure this attribute cancer? The answer is simple and it is found in Scripture. Imagine that????? In Romans Chapter 12 we find the design for not being a "Butt Head". I have highlighted some key points for us.

Romans 12 New King James Version (NKJV)

Living Sacrifices to God

12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  Stay pure in mind and body. Stay in the Word and renew your hearts and minds daily/

Serve God with Spiritual Gifts

³ For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. ⁴ For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, ⁵ so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. ⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; ⁷ or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; ⁸ he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Put others first. Use your gifts to minister.

Behave Like a Christian   

Behavior in check, is a verb. Know WHO you represent. Love, bless, forgive, live at peace. Be kind to those who drive you crazy. Lay off from being evil
⁹ Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; ¹¹ not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; ¹² rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; ¹³ distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Wow. That was a mouth full God sent us today. Chew on that one for awhile and enjoy your day. Feel free to pass this one on.

Marty