Words that are NOT harmful are often interpreted to be harmful.
Words that are NOT intended to be harmful are often taken to be harmful.
Words that are NEVER spoken are often heard clearly and misunderstood as harmful.
Words that are spoken TO BE helpful, are often twisted Into something harmful.
Words THAT ARE good and INTENDED TO build people up are spoken, but seldom heard, even when spoken by God.
TWO POINTS
1- READ TO HEED
When we read the word of God, we should read it with open hearts and minds, eager to hear what God wants us to hear, ready to change what God wants us to change and ready to do what God wants us to do. The Scripture is a treasure trove of transforming truth for those who read with expectation and obedience. Each expedition into the Bible should discover nuggets of grace that will inform us, transform us, conform us to the will of God.
2- REASONS FOR MISSING THE MESSAGE
Three of the reasons people miss the message of God are:
Sinful nature,
Negative outlook,
Suspicion,
But we can be delivered from these by the sanctifying grace of God that imparts to us perfect love.
Matthew 5:43-48 (Standard of Love)
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (Characteristics of Love)
4 Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself (brags not), is not puffed up (inwardly proud),
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;
6 Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Philippians 4:8-9 (Focus of Love)
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 (Power of Love)
3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
Titus 3:2-5 (Deliverance of Love)
2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.
3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
1 John 2:5-10 (Perfection of Love)
5 But whoso keeps his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abides in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shines.
9 He that saith he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loves his brother abides in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1 John 5:2-4 (Holiness of Love)
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.
Matthew 5:43-48 (Standard of Love)
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (Characteristics of Love)
4 Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself (brags not), is not puffed up (inwardly proud),
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;
6 Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Philippians 4:8-9 (Focus of Love)
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 (Power of Love)
3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
Titus 3:2-5 (Deliverance of Love)
2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.
3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
1 John 2:5-10 (Perfection of Love)
5 But whoso keeps his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abides in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shines.
9 He that saith he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loves his brother abides in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1 John 5:2-4 (Holiness of Love)
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.
