Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3) Without a doubt, life can be challenging when attempting to live it in 'community' with others. Sometimes it is even more challenging than if we tried to live alone! Can we always choose who is part of our community? Not always, so we just need to know that God has placed us there to be a blessing, to live at 'peace' with one another, and to spur each other on to good things. Be patient with each other - easier said than done, right? We all do and say things that aren't always kind or thoughtful. We might not always come across as patient, especially when tired or stressed. God's request is that we...
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. (Psalm 107:1-2) We might not realize how vital our testimony of grace can be in helping others realize how good God really is. We are actually told to 'tell others', not just in words, but in all our actions. We might think none will listen, but when they 'see' his goodness at work in and through us, they are really seeing a living testimony. The faithfulness of God's love is best observed - not just talked about. We can say God is good, that his mercies are new every morning, but when these mercies become evident in our lives so that others can see them, we are living out grace's outcome. God's actions always have an outcome - in us and through us. We need to be faithful to declare his goodness. God has always come to those who call upon his name. Those who are lost need only call on his...