Crazy About Jesus
Podcast & Blog by our Pastors
Day 30: Taking Action
Read the epilogue
Pray the prayer of freedom from offense and release every one. Be easy on those who have passed away, they do not have the opportunity to say, “I’m sorry”.
This has been such a great journey reading this book together. Thank you for joining me and I pray that you let the power of the Holy Spirit heal you.
Day 28: Approaching Someone Who Has Offended You
Read this section in Chapter 14
John Bevere handled this section so well. Before you go to a person who has offended you — check your motive and check your attitude. If you cannot control your emotions, then wait until you can. Do not tell everyone else about it in the meantime.
Day 27: Asking Forgiveness of One who is Offended
Read Chapter 14 section“Asking Forgiveness of One Who is Offended”
Why can’t we just ignore the situation? I mean, if I leave them alone then the damage should be minimal and the issue might just go away. Clearly, the devil would not let it be that easy. What God is asking of us is not easy either. We cannot control how the other person will respond. All we can control is what we do. So, let’s be obedient and pursue peace even at the cost of our pride.
Day 26: Objective Reconciliation
Read Chapter 14 stopping at “Asking Forgiveness of One Who is Offended”
Whether or not I am right or wrong does not matter. Whether I’m justified or not doesn’t matter. What does matter is that I do not put any of my brothers/sisters in Christ in any danger of harboring offense or going to Hell. Or for that matter — ending up there myself. We cannot judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions.
Day 25: Healing in Confrontation
Read the remainder of Chapter 13
Healing in confrontation can be dangerous. Too many people interpret this to mean that they should let others know when they have offended them. Many times people are unaware that they have even done anything to offend you and confronting them can actually make things worse. This is not what the scripture means nor is it what John Bevere is saying. Bevere went to the person with a gift and repented of his attitude. He didn’t mention why he had an attitude or why he was offended. He simply asked for forgiveness for his bad attitude. Be careful with this. Repent and make things right in your heart first. Make sure God is telling you to go to the person and make sure you do it the right way. It is your attitude that is being corrected, not what they have done.
Day 24: Escaping the Trap
Read chapter 13 stopping at Healing in Confrontation
“But as for me”… We are different from everyone else and that takes a conscious decision to be different, act differently, and react differently. It is imperative for us to cultivate our relationship with Jesus, build ourselves up in the Word, and realize we are nothing and can do nothing apart from Him. We must stay in communion with Him so that anything inside of us that is not pleasing to Him is dealt with and removed.
Day 23: A Potential King Defiled
Read the remainder of Chapter 12
The deeper we get into the book, the deeper we should be examining our hearts, our motives, our attitudes, and our mouths. It is sometimes difficult to understand that complaining can lead to discontent which leads to bitterness, un-forgiveness, and eventually rebellion.
Every one of us can think of certain situations where we would’ve handled things differently than the leadership. What most people do not realize is that God reveals things to leadership, especially pastors, regarding details of situations that He would never reveal to someone in the congregation. God’s aim is always purely restoration while others may want the person restored or forgiven only after they have acknowledged the wrong or at least until they have suffered for awhile.
Day 22: Revenge - The Trap
Read chapter 12 stopping gat A Potential King Defiled
No matter what anyone has done to us, it pales in comparison to what we (our sin) has done to Jesus. Doesn’t this put everything into perspective? We really have no right to hold on to any offense or to demand justice. Jesus forgave us before we even asked!
Day 21: The Unforgiving Servant
Read the remainder of Chapter 11
Ouch! What an example of both the reality of harboring un-forgiveness and risking going to Hell. Do I really think so much of myself that I am the only one who is justified to be offended and get away with it? Nothing or no one is worth me not forgiving because the cost of un-forgiveness is just too high. After all we have been forgiven for, it should be easy for us to choose to forgive our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Day 20: Forgiveness - You Don’t Give, You Don’t Get
Read Chapter 11 stopping at The Unforgiving Servant
“I wonder how many Christians would want God to forgive them in the same way they have forgiven those who have offended them.” That is a tough statement to think about. Have I extended grace and mercy the way I would want someone to extend it to me? When He said, “forgive, and you will be forgiven,” we really have no option but to forgive.
Day 19: Laying Down Our Rights
Read the remainder of Chapter 10
In an age where all we hear is, “my rights, my body, my choice, and my feelings,” this chapter really hits home. Once again, we are reminded that life is not only about us but also about others. Many have interpreted the scripture in 2 Corinthians 6:3 to mean that we do not offend with truth. This is not what Jesus was talking about. He was saying to not let our liberty in Christ be a stumbling block to others.
Day 18: Lest We Offend Them
Read Chapter 10 stopping at Laying Down our Rights
Once we become born again, the “getting rid of selfishness” begins. Part of the renewing of our mind process is changing our thinking from only focusing on ourselves to instead thinking of others. We are to be about the master’s business, reconciling people to God and each other. It is important that I live my life in such a way that people see the love of God. Anything I “give up” to please God, He will more than make up.
Lord, may my life never be a stumbling block to others!
Day 17: The Rock of Offense
Read Chapter 9
This was such an important chapter to understand that anyone can hurt your feelings, yes; even Jesus! Jesus was loving, compassionate, and he spoke truth. Truth is sometimes offensive and facing truth sometimes can hurt. Don’t let this become an opportunity to allow offense to take root in your life.
Day 16: Grace is Given to the Humble
Read the remainder of Chapter 8
May we always stay humble and realize we can do nothing without Him. In the story of the young man, his response was the best: “But what grieved my heart the most was not running around in bars and drinking. It was that I turned my back on the Holy Spirit. I love Him so much. My fellowship with Him has never been as sweet as it is now.”
Day 15: All That Can Be Shaken Will Be Shaken
Read Chapter 8 stopping at “Grace is Given to the Humble”
Fall in love with God! That is the answer to everything and is the sure foundation that everything is built on. Nothing will shake you from your foundation!
What an eye opener - Peter’s love for Jesus is what allowed Him to run back to Jesus after denying Him. May I be so rooted and grounded in my love for Him that nothing the enemy throws at me will shake me.
Day 14: You Have no Other Option Than…
Read the remainder of Chapter 7
“As a result of hearing the revealed Word of God in His heart He became a stone. A house built of stones on the solid foundation of a rock will endure the storms that beat against it.” - p.84
These two sentences are so powerful! May our hearts be so built on the Word of God that we are not shaken or moved by trials, hurt feelings, lack of recognition for our talents, or anything that could possibly bring offense! I have seen so many walk away from God after being offended. It is so not worth any of it!
Day 13: The Sure Foundation
Read Chapter 7 stopping at No Other Option
I love today’s reading; what God has revealed in our hearts is unshakeable! Our emotions can and will decieve us. Emotions are real and God gave them to us but we can’t get lost in them or let our emotions rule over us, especially at the altar. If we stay focused on our emotions for too long, the enemy will take us back to what we’ve already received deliverance from. We have to consciously turn off the emotion, get our focus off of ourselves, and put our focus on Jesus.
Jesus reveals truth not feelings to us. That revelation should carry us through every trial, every temptation, and give us the will power to not bite the apple!
Day 12: Self-Preservation
Finish Reading Chapter 6
Wow! Wow, is about the only thing I can say after this chapter. Feelings are such an easy trap set by the enemy to get us out of the will of God. If you’re being led by your feelings you can convince yourself that God is saying something that He didn’t even say. For example, many people have thought God was leading them to leave a church but were in fact being led by their feelings. Ultimately, if we’re being led by our feelings then we are walking in our own will and unable to hear what God is truly saying. The sad thing is, at this point, we’ve left offended and that offense goes with us to the next church and the cycle starts all over again. However, it must be said that if we choose to stay, we must be careful not to express our feelings to everyone in the church in order to justify what we are feeling. That is what the Bible calls, “sowing discord among the brethren.”
Day 11: Hiding From Reality
Read Chapter 6 stopping at Self Preservation
“Spiritual growth is a function of neither time nor learning, but it is a function of obedience” - p.67
This is such a powerful sentence! Obedience is the key to everything — walking in love, peace, blessings, and His perfect will for our lives. This is the reason it is important to teach your children to obey your voice (the voice of authority), the first time; not after you count to three. You are training them to respond to God’s voice. I have never heard God count to three. He may give me another chance but if I keep ignoring Him, He quits leading and guiding.
