Offenses will come (Luke 17:1)

The bait of satan is to use offenses to hinder us from entering into a life of willing forgiveness and joyful holiness.
The Gospel we preach will offend but we seek if at all possible not to offend (even by sometimes giving up our rights).
When we are offended, we need to ask the Lord for healing and seek by His power to forgive, knowing how much we have been forgiven ourselves. The test of true forgiveness comes when we can really pray blessing for the person who has wronged us like David did in Ps 35:12-14.
Our Father has called us to be holy ("kadosh") meaning to be a cut above the rest (higher level of living), let us then rise up to His level of compassionate and forgiving love for all who offend us.

True Sons

The Bible has 2 Greek words translated as "sons".
1) "teknon" meaning son by birth (John 1:12)
2) "huios" meaning son who display the character of the father (Matt 5:45)

We should move from just being "teknons" (immature sons) to "huios" (mature sons who are led by the Spirit to grow into the character of our Heavenly Father)

Critical/Complaining Spirit

Recently I have found myself harbouring a critical/complaining spirit that subtly invaded my soul. Though circumstances seem right for me to complain or provide 'constructive' criticism, they actually made me cynical and harsh in my attitude.
The Holy Spirit gently reminded me to be thankful and grateful in all circumstances so that my spirit man will stay refreshed, joyful and victorious. Thanks be to God for His grace!

The New Testament

The NT has 27 books (mostly letters) written from about 49 AD to 95 AD.
The order shown below is when each book was written:
1. James / Galatians
2. 1 & 2 Thessalonians
3. 1 & 2 Corinthians
4. Romans
5. Mark
6. Ephesians/Colossians/Philemon/Philippians (the letters of Paul from his first imprisonment)
7. Matthew
8. Luke
9. Jude
10. 1 Timothy/1 Peter/Titus
11. Acts
12. 2 Peter/ 2 Timothy / Hebrews
13. John
14. 1 John / 2 John / 3 John
15. Revelation

The ONLY Question that Matters

The only question that each of us really need to ask and that really has eternal ramifications is:

WHO IS JESUS TO ME?

If we answer that Jesus is a Great Teacher, Leader or Prophet that He can do nothing more in our lives then provide us teachings and principles which in most cases we cannot sustain or completely live up to.

But if we answer that Jesus is the Son of God, then we have full assurance and hope that He can and will save us and grant us eternal life that starts now when we put our full trust in Him.

To God eternal life is knowing and believing in His Son, Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
John 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

Healings on the Sabbath

In the gospels, Jesus healed on the Sabbath. There are 7 records of this to show that God cares for all who need His touch even on the rest day where He willingly healed all who came to Him.
1. Deliverance of a man possessed with a demon (Mk 1:21-28)
2. Healing of Peter's mother-in-law (Mk 1:29-31)
3. Healing of the lame man by the Pool of Bethesda ( Jn 5:1-18)
4. Healing of the man with a shriveled hand (Mk 3:1-6)
5. Healing of a crippled woman (Lk 13:10-17)
6. Healing of a man with dropsy (abnormal accumulation of fluids) (Lk 14:1-6)
7. Healing of a man born blind (Jn 9:1-16)
Remember that Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath! Complete rest and healing is ours if we commune with and trust in the Lord, especially on the Sabbath day.

John 6:29

The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.
Believing in Jesus is God's work in us, drawing us to Him and then helping us to live out His work through our lives.
All that we do for God begins with our faith in Jesus, continues in faith through Jesus and ends in faith revealed when Jesus comes.