Here I go again (first entry of this nature). Though this is out of character…I just felt compelled to share this with those that read my site.
I have been doing a lot of thinking, a lot of soul searching, and a lot of praying (even reading). Some things in my life have not felt balanced. There are so many factors that have gone into these feelings that it’s been hard to pinpoint what it actually was that has been causing it. I’ll just share a few things with you and you can sort them out how you will.
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God
Matthew 22:36-40 (New International Version)
36″Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
38This is the first and greatest commandment.
39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”Colossians 3:17 (New International Version)
17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.Colossians 3:23 (New International Version)
23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, -
Wife/Husband (Spouse)
Ephesians 5:24-26 (New International Version)
24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,Colossians 3:18-20 (New International Version)
Rules for Christian Households
18Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.1 Peter 3:6-8 (New International Version)
6like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
7Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. -
Children
Colossians 3:18-20 (New International Version)
20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. -
Family (outside of immediate family)
Suffering for Doing Good
1 Peter 3:6-8 (New International Version)
8Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. -
Friends
John 15:12-14 (New International Version)
12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
14You are my friends if you do what I command.Philippians 2:3-4 (New International Version)
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Like I said above, interpret these how you feel they mean. Please click and read the links as well, since I have taken different passages from different places and even broken them apart in support of this post. I am going to leave you with one last thing…a very good friend forwarded to me just moments ago.
Matthew 10:37-39 (New International Version)
37″Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
38and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 19:4-6 (New International Version)
4″Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’
5and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?
6So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”