Finding True Life-Giving Joy Part 3

Modeling Self Control in Situations, Living a Truly Unoffendable Life

For Part 1: Centering Our Hearts on a Loving God

For Part 2: Loving Others When They Do and Don't Deserve It

”Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.“

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

‭

Jesus was Mocked, Beaten, Betrayed, Yet Loved Others.

Jesus was never "offended."

Jesus never threw a fit when things didn't go his way.

Jesus, THE SON OF GOD, reacted out of humility, love, kindness and gentleness, when handling situations. Now, sure, he did knock over some tables, but think about how ruthless the people in the temple were, using God's temple, to take advantage of the poor.

Jesus responded with the word of God in situations that did not glorify God. He was meticulous in the way he responded, and intelligent in the way he used them.

Jesus didn't sulk, paint himself a victim, respond in ways to hurt the people who hurt him, or use his words out of impulsiveness or anger.

Jesus did not let the actions or words of others, prevent him from glorifying God and shining his light.

”A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.“

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

”A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them.“

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When we feel attacked or hurt by others, our words and our actions can steer a bad situation toward God. In these times, our self-control, gentleness, reaction of love, and kindness can allow others to see God's light.

Living Un-Offended

We truly cannot live in God's light, if we allow the world around us to offend us.

We cannot live in God's light if we are constantly impulsive with our words and our actions.

We cannot live in God's light if our actions and our words do not glorify God.

People's actions and reactions are their own. Self-control, only found in becoming more like Jesus, allows us to not feel attacked or hurt by others words and actions. Instead of reacting, because we feel attacked, we respond out of love, we extend grace, and we are gentle and kind with our words.

There is so much power in living un-offended, and not allowing others to hurt you.

There's so much peace in not taking offense to others words and actions.

There's so much freedom in knowing you can love others no matter what.

You can put all of the your worth and your confidence in Jesus, because of his death on the cross. When your confidence and worth comes from God, you can live in the light of love, and shine that light into darkness, no matter what.

Remember..

You are the daughter or son of a king.

”See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.“

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

”For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.“

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

”For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.“

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭26‬-‭29‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You are chosen.

”I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away.“

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

”You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.“

‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

”Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.“

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You are set apart.

”Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.“

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You are treasured by the God of the universe.

”But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”“

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

”For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure. “The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.“

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭7‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You are forgiven by the blood of Jesus.

”He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.“

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

”Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.“

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭31‬-‭32‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You are wonderfully and perfectly made.

”Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You were created for an incredible purpose.

”For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.“

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

”“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”“

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

”For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.“

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You are loved, no matter what!

”“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.“

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

”We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.“

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬