Walking in the Spirit…

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

  • Recently, I posted about an incident about my experience in a local car shop.
  • During the situation, I was infuriated and really wanted to confront this individual about their thoughtless, rude behavior.
  • The Lord let me know that speaking at that time would have resulted in me moving in the flesh versus The Spirit.
  • As I was ruminating over what happened days later, the Lord let me know what would have happened, had I ignored His warning.

Scripture references:

James 1:19-20

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Matthew 5:7

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Galatians 5:19-25

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Romans 12:19

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

BCUFam, Ecclesiastes 3:7 tells us there us a time and season to everything in our lives—-—specifically a time to keep silence and a time to speak. Interestingly enough, “keep silent” is listed first. Even when we are right, we have to check with the Lord to see if we should speak. In this case the answer was “no”, and here is why.

Matthew 24:12 reminds us that in the last days, because iniquity shall abound, the love of many would wax cold. Cold love is a selfish, self-gratifying, I-do-what-I feel-like spirit that does not think through the consequences and after effects of their decision making. The least little incident is an invitation to get immediate retribution by any means necessary.

The Lord CLEARLY let me know my fleshly response would have been a trigger for something sinister to happen and that reaction would have negatively effected everyone in the shop that day, as well as their families. As much as I wanted to be avenged, I certainly would not have wanted to be responsible for anyone getting hurt or killed, over such an important, yet minor offense.

And on top of it, what if things had quickly escalated where I did not have time to repent, and I lost my life? I likely would have missed Heaven——-all over a place in line. We have to ask ourselves if what we are thinking, saying, or doing will help or hinder us from seeing Jesus in peace. When we think about it that way, let’s opt to walk in the Spirit with the help of the Lord. Amen? Amen! Let’s pray!

Eternal God and Savior we come before you in the Name of Jesus, thanking You for the reminder to walk in the Spirit rather than the flesh. Walking the way You instruct us to in Galatians 5 may not always be popular or feel good, but we bring our thoughts, flesh and actions under subjection to you, Jesus, so we are not pleasing people or ourselves, but You and You alone.

Bless us to remember that you are recording our thoughts, deeds, actions and our interactions——and we will one day have to give an account for all that we have done in this life. We desire that our account be in the positive so that You can welcome us into the Kingdom of Heaven and not miss out because we want to do things our way. Thank You for this timely reminder as You continue to keep and strengthen us, as we give Your name the praise, glory and honor that belongs to You, in Jesus Name we pray, Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Also, if you so inclined, join us for our Thursday Night Bible Study––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform BCU is available on. Some of those platforms are Amazon Music, AnchorFm, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify,  Stitcher Radio , and many more of your favorite podcast platforms!

Thank you SO much for stopping by! May God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

BlenCouragesU3 Comments

And she cut right in front of us…

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

  • Recently, I needed to take my car to a local shop for servicing.
  • I intentionally arrived early to be among the first to arrive. I was the fourth person in line.
  • When the shop opened, one of the patrons behind us made her way to the counter ahead of two of us who were waiting.
  • Understandably, I was infuriated and really wanted to confront this individual about their thoughtless, rude behavior.
  • The Lord slowed me down and reminded me of what His Word said about love, patience, our thoughts, and how to treat those who mistreat us.

Scripture references:

James 1:19-20

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Matthew 5:7

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Matthew 5:44-49

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, 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 maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth 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.

Romans 12:19

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

BCUFam, there is a time and a place to speak, and my flesh rose up ready—-like Pillsbury dough! Hmm–hmmm!😆 Before I spoke, the Lord patiently spoke to my agitated heart. He let me know that I even though I was right, I did not know the person, what they were capable of, what was in her bag, and that I was risking a situation that could escalate out of control—-if I spoke in that moment. Because the Lord had all those answers, I took that as a warning, and left her in His capable hands.

In retrospect, and all glory to God, by not confronting her in anger, I was able to keep my witness for Christ, (I did have my BCU shirt on that had Matthew 7:14 on it), was obedient to James 1:19-20, and was able to bring my thoughts under subjection by recalling Matthew 5:44-45. When we handle things God’s way, we get His results which are always perfect. Amen? Amen!

Eternal God and Heavenly Savior, we come before you in the name of Jesus, thanking You for Your goodness, grace, mercy, love, power, kindness, and for the Word that You have given us, as it relates to how we treat others when we are mistreated.We ask that You help us to be slow to speak, slow to get angry and quick to hear—especially to hear You, Jesus, so that we walk in the Spirit versus walking in the flesh. Please forgive us for the times we have allowed our emotions, feelings and being wronged to have us react in a way that did not honor You. Help us to remember we want to glorify You in our thoughts, words, actions and interactions.

We bless You for this time today and ask that you bless the listeners in a special way, in Jesus name we pray, Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Also, if you so inclined, join us for our Thursday Night Bible Study––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform BCU is available on. Some of those platforms are Amazon Music, AnchorFm, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify,  Stitcher Radio , and many more of your favorite podcast platforms!

Thank you SO much for stopping by! May God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

BlenCouragesU2 Comments

A pop-quiz on love

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

  • On one of my very rare days off, I went to get a treat from a local eatery.
  • In doing so, I had an encounter with a cashier who was less than helpful when taking my order, which is a “spiritual trigger” for me. The enemy and my flesh knows that all too well!
  • The Lord also knows that, and I’m certain this was a “pop quiz” from Him in applying Matthew 5:43-48.

Scripture references

Matthew 5:43-48

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, 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 maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth 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.

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

How we treat others who mistreat us is a barometer of our love and maturity in Christ.

BCUFam, big battles and big testimonies are a part of many of our lives, and we thank God for them. Just as important are the day-to-day interactions we have, in respect as to how we treat people who mistreat us. It is easy to bicker, quibble, wrangle, and verbally spar with others as a way to prove we are right or to avenge ourselves. While the Lord gives us permission to speak up in a firm way as needed, the love we have for Jesus and people will have us conduct ourselves that honors God. And yes, sometimes we may feel that throwing napkins, telling someone off, or flipping a table will avenge us, but if we love, bless, do good and pray instead, we will be called the children of our Father in Heaven and the Lord will take care of our enemies (see Luke 18:1-8). Amen? Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Also, if you so inclined, join us for our Thursday Night Bible Study––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform BCU is available on. Some of those platforms are Amazon Music, AnchorFm, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify,  Stitcher Radio , and many more!

Thank you SO much for stopping by! May God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

BlenCouragesULeave a comment

Work and the Lord

Hey there BCU Fam!

Typically, you have the option of listening to our podcast, reading the notes or both. For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

  • Many of us work in one capacity or another–whether on a job, at home, or in a ministry of some sort.
  • Unless the Lord tells us otherwise, all jobs, functions, tasks and assignments are from the Lord.
  • Some of our assignments have “unpleasant” aspects and/or people attached to them.
  • Despite the unpleasantness, we are responsible for doing our work as unto the Lord and not as unto people.

KJV Scripture references

Colossians 3:22-25

22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

2 Peter 3:18

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Taking everything into account, BCUFam, the Lord knows when the work we do feels menial, unfair, unpleasant or wrong. That is the wonderful thing about Jesus being our supervisor–we can go to Him at anytime and talk with Him about it. He will let us know if this is a trial to strengthen our faith (Romans 12:12, I Peter 4:12-14), or maybe a chastisement we need to patiently endure (Proverbs 3:11, Hebrews 12:11). Perhaps, it’s thorn in our flesh to keep is from being exalted above measure (2 Corinthians 12:7), or an inequity He will avenge us from us (Luke 18:7). Whatever the reason is, Jesus will help us to handle the situation so the works gets done, and He is glorified, and we are rewarded accordingly! Amen? Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Stitcher Radio , Google Play, and Apple Podcasts.

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

BlenCouragesU4 Comments