Daily Treasure

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).

Today’s verse is helpful in many of the areas where we may be weak. If we live by it, our relationship with others will be pleasant. We often have a tendency to use a “knee-jerk” reaction with others. People say or do unkind things to us; our first impulse is far from what it should be. Try a little kindness. It throws our enemies off guard. In our hearts, we must forgive them. When someone comes asking forgiveness, be willing to forgive and forget. Our responses are being noticed, sometimes when we least expect it.

I often use silly illustrations to make a point, but I think of tender-hearted as being like a marshmallow. A marshmallow is tough on the outside and tender on the inside. If we allow the Spirit to keep our heart tender, we’re going to look at people differently. We’re going to feel their hurts and desire to help when we can.

We live in stressful and changing times, but the truths of today’s verse change not. We will make the Spirit very happy if we apply them to our everyday lives.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray and invite young women to your group. Someone has to carry the torch.

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29).

If I could put “corrupt communication” another way, I would use the word “gossip.” I’m sure we’ve all heard the expression, “if you can’t say anything good, don’t say anything at all.” Some would do well to practice that instead of repeating things that will cause hurt to others. It may seem innocent, but what we say often speaks louder than our testimony.

We won’t grieve the Spirit if we will pray for God to put a guard on our tongue. Make sure your words are always sweet because sometimes you may have to eat them.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray about your WAC group visiting someone in a nursing home. You will come away blessed.

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26).

Another way we can keep from grieving the Spirit is found in how we manage our anger. Some anger is just. When Jesus drove the money-changers out of the temple, He felt anger. He was right in feeling that way. Those evil-doers were bringing reproach on the house of God and He wasn’t just going to stand by and do nothing.

We are not to let people walk all over us, but we have to be able to handle matters so it won’t hurt our testimony. Sometimes counting to ten before we act will cause us to remember we belong to God. It’s when anger gets out of control it will lead us into sin.

Our scripture today tells us not to let our wrath last even one day. If you allow it to go beyond a day that anger will build and lead you to do evil. If you have anger issues, try memorizing today’s verse. It will keep you from grieving the Spirit and facing future problems.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: The U.S. presidential election is next month. Pray and vote.

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Ephesians 4:22-23).

Our Bible study this week deals with “Failed Relationships With the Spirit.” Grieving or quenching the Holy Spirit will always lead to failure. Let’s look this week on ways we can keep from grieving the Spirit. Before the Spirit came to live in our hearts, our conversation or lifestyle was contrary to God and His Word. Once we repented of our sins and the Spirit moved in, we had to take off the filthy garments of the “old man” and make needful changes in our life. Our attitudes and actions had to show we became a new creature in Christ. There will be times we will slip, but the wooing of the Spirit will guide us back to a right relationship with God.

So first I would say, listen as the Spirit tries to help us grow in Christ. Spending time in the Word will help us listen better. We will sadden the Spirit if we fail to heed His words and fall back into our old lifestyle. The reason is simple. He knows our old life will lead us far away from God.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray about a WAC group Christmas project. Christmas Joy (www.wnac.org) or Operation Christmas Child (www.samaritanpurse.org) are excellent choices.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Satan is the enemy and he is seeking to destroy us. 1 Peter 5:8 reminds us of this truth. Prayer is a vital weapon in this war with our enemy. We must be diligent to use this weapon not just for ourselves, but also for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray for our college students, they are also under satan’s attack daily.

Diane Conn
Tennessee

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Marjorie Workman as she begins a new phase of life called retirement. (We love you, Marge.)

“I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:12-13).

It is so simple to think about, but yet so many of us struggle with it. Contentment is something that is extremely hard as human beings. We have so much yet we desire so much more. Paul learned to be content on all levels of prosperity. Why then is it so hard for us to be content? Most of us do not live in extreme prosperity nor do we live in extreme poverty. If Paul could learn to be content at the extreme levels, should we not be able to be content in the middle?

God has blessed us all in so many ways that we can not even begin to imagine how to thank Him. God wants us to live in contentment and trust Him in all that we do. When we do that, we can see that our lives will be richly blessed.

Mallory White
Virginia (Student at FWBBC)

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for FWBIM as they work through the missionary funding restructure.

“But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31).

It would have been impossible to cover the subject of the gifts of the Holy Spirit within five devotions. I challenge you to do an in-depth study of 1 Corinthians 12 using the excellent Bible study in the TWG magazine and extra study helps. Prayer and searching the scriptures regarding this matter are vital. We should not expect to receive all gifts or any one in particular. However, it should be our heart’s desire to be led by the Spirit so He can impart to us what He will. Paul then closes the chapter with a promise to show us “a more excellent way.” There is a priceless gift we can all strive to receive. Paul begins sharing about the greatest gift of all, “love” found in 1 Corinthians 13.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: November is time for FWBHM’s Mission North America Offering. Begin praying what the Lord would have you give.