The world is offended.  Seriously, some days I feel like everyone is offended over any given number of offenses.  Small offenses or bigger ones, it really doesn't matter.  All that seems to matter is everyone's opinions and everyone is right.  Everyone suddenly becomes an expert over any given number of topics and if anyone doesn't agree with them, then "anyone" is wrong.  But I have a confession to make.  I'm easily offended.  I'm not so much offended over differing opinions or views.  That's just life.  Everyone is unique with differing God-given skills and talents.  That's the way God created us.  I'm not offended over the uniqueness that God created in all of us.  I'm easily offended when someone criticizes ME or something I've said or done.  It has been often said that I can't take a joke.  Well, I can as long as the said joke doesn't criticize a person's character.  In my personal case, I'm easily offended when someone brings to my attention that I have acted in error or performed a task that doesn't measure up to my criticizer's standards.  I carry my heart on my sleeve.  I don't like criticism even if it is intended as constructive criticism.  This is a serious problem for me because this character flaw (one of many) causes me to react negatively instead of responding positively.  Sometimes my reactions cause rifts in my relationships with others, especially those closest to me who always endure the "privilege" of hearing my said reactions.

What does the Bible say about being easily offended.

As a result of my very recent reaction to the criticism of something I did, I did something I should have done a long time ago.  I went to God's Word to explore what the Bible says about being easily offended.  I know what God says about being easily offended in general, but I wanted a list of Bible verses to turn to when I become easily offended in the future.  It will happen again and "truth be told," it will happen to you too.  No one really likes to hear someone else bring to our attention a character flaw (we all have them) or criticize something we have said or done.  

I've been working on a prayer strategy like I learned about in the movie, War Room.  I will soon have a war room (part of a closet) in my home.  I also bought an ammo box that will become my battle box.  My prayer requests will be attached to my closet wall much like Clara's closet in War Room.  My battle box will be geared more toward my growth in my relationship with Jesus.  I've decided that these verses about being easily offended will be placed in my battle box.  Whenever I feel offended, I'll go to my battle box.  I'll go to war against Satan and his intention to destroy my relationship with my Lord and with the people around me.  

 Now, let's get to those verses.

What does the Bible say about being easily offended?

Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others. - Ecclesiastes 7:21-22                               (Wow, this one stepped on my toes.  How often have I been critical of others?  Probably more than I realize.)

And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil. - 2 Timothy 2:24

The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent. - Exodus 14:14

This item is available here.

The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult. - Proverbs - 22:16

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. - 1 Peter 5:8

Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words. - Proverbs 23:9 (Let's not be fools and despise the wise words of others.) 

A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back. - Proverbs 29:11

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. - 1 John 2:16

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. - Hebrews 12:11

But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. - 1 Corinthians 8:9

You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes. - Job 5:21

A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty, but a fool's provocation is heavier than both. Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. - Proverbs 27:3-6

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. - Proverbs 19:11

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. - James 1:19

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. - James 1:12

A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle. - Proverbs 18:19

Now let's take this one step further.  When we are criticized by others, whether it was meant to be harmful or not, we have to learn to forgive others when they have committed an offense against us.  The said offense might have been words alone or perhaps the hurtful words were attached to a hurtful action.  Either way, forgiveness is a vital part of our spiritual growth.  Forgiveness is sometimes hard for me (another character flaw -  I have many), but the Bible has a lot to say about forgiveness.  Come back soon for a list of Bible verses about the topic of forgiveness.  In the meantime, consider checking out the following resources about forgiveness.

PIN ME!

What does the Bible say about being easily offended?

A Study Through the Psalms

The book of Psalms is a book of songs, poems, and hymns.  Some of them are psalms of Thanksgiving.  Some of them are songs of lament.  A psalm of lament is a psalm of tears, grief, and frustration.

Psalm 126:  A Psalm of Thanksgiving for Return from Captivity
A Song of Ascents

1.  When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion,
We were like those who dream.

2.  Then our mouth was filled with laughter
And our tongue with joyful shouting;
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”

3.  The Lord has done great things for us;
We are glad.
 

This Psalm 126:3 wall art is available here.

4.  Restore our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.

5.  Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.

6.  He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

The superscription for Psalm 126 means "Psalm of Ascent."  There are 14 psalms of ascent.  Psalms of ascent were traveling psalms.

If you are in a bad place in your life and you then  your situation will never end, it will.  Someday your circumstances will change.  As we read through Psalm 126, you'll notice how quickly circumstances can change.  In verse 2, the psalmist writes of laughter.  In verse 5, the psalmist writes of sowing in tears.

Just like circumstances can quickly change from bad to good, circumstances can also quickly change from good to bad.  No matter how wonderful things might seem right now, you will shed tears again.  If you are in a season of sorrow right now, God can and will use your circumstances for His good.  He can use them for your good too.  Don't waste your sorrow.  Allow God to use it.

What can we learn from Psalm 126?

1.  There will be lots of tears in life. 

Tears are OK.  God gave us tear ducts for a reason.  Tears can be joyful or sorrowful.

Don't make laughter the goal of your life because you can't laugh all the time.  The Bible teaches us there there is a time to laugh and also a time to mourn.  In fact, the Bible tells us that there is an appointed time for everything.

There is an appointed time for everything. 
And there is a time for every event under heaven—

² A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

³ A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.

⁴ A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.

⁵ A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.

⁶ A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.

⁷ A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.

⁸ A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace. - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

This item is available here.

 Even Jesus cried.

Jesus wept. -  John 11:35

When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it. - Luke 19:41

In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. - Hebrews 5:7

Crying is part of being human.

2.  There will be even more tears when you live the Christ centered life.  

The more you get serious about following Jesus, you will weep more, not less.  What does it mean to get serious about following Jesus?  What does it mean to be saved?  Learn more here.

When you get saved, you get a new heart.  Of course, you don't get a physical new heart, but you get a new heart condition - a heart for the Lord.  When Christ comes into your heart, your heart becomes tender.  As Christ followers with new hearts, we will weep when we see evil and hurt around us.  We will weep as we see millions being deceived by Satan and believing his lies.

Our sin should make us weep.

Don't avoid or suppress your tears.  We learn in Psalm 126:5 that tears produce joy.  

God is full of grace and deeply loves us.

Let's take a look at another Psalm.  Let's read Psalm 139.

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
 
² You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
 
³ You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
 
⁴ Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
 
⁵ You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
 
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

⁷ Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?

⁸ If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

⁹ If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

¹⁰ Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.

¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”

¹² Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.

¹³ For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴ I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;

¹⁶ Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

¹⁷ How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

¹⁸ If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.

¹⁹ O that You would slay the wicked, O God;
Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.

²⁰ For they speak against You wickedly,
And Your enemies take Your name in vain.

²¹ Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

²² I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

²⁴ And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way. - Psalm 139

God's heart is attracted to our tears.  When we weep, he hears us.  He loves us so much that he sent us a Redeemer and this world so desperately needs a Redeemer.  You can tell Jesus anything and you can cry freely when you talk to Him.

Our world is broken and we should weep more.  Our hearts should break over all that breaks the heart of God.

Tears are not forever for those of us who know Jesus - for those of us who have a relationship with Him, but for those who do not know Him, their tears will never end.

Come to Jesus right now.  God will catch your tears. 

Read all posts in this series here.

 PIN ME!

Psalm 126:  God Loves You (Summer Playlist Series)

You may also like:

Psalm 73:  Comparison, Envy, and Jealousy (Summer Playlist Series)

Psalm 73:  Comparison, Envy, and Jealousy (Summer Playlist Series)

Reasons to Get Involved in a Small Group Bible Study

Yesterday, we talked about 5 reasons worship is important.  Today we are talking about the reasons it is important to get involved in a small group Bible study.  This post is based on the notes I took during my pastor’s sermon. 

Image Credit – Freely Photos – CCO Public Domain Image

There are several types of small group Bible studies.  The most common type is Bible Fellowship.  I still sometimes call it Sunday School but somewhere along the way, somebody thought the name “Bible Fellowship” worked better.  It’s the same thing.  Small groups meet at church either before or after the main worship service to study the Bible and “fellowship” together.  We always have food in our Bible Fellowship class so that makes the fellowship official.  It’s a Baptist church, after all.  🙂

Another type of small group Bible study is a discipleship group.  Discipleship groups usually meet at sometime other than before or after the main Sunday morning worship service.  They can meet on Sunday nights, Wednesday nights, or any other night of the week – whatever works best for the group.  Discipleship groups generally focus on a specific topic for a pre-determined number of weeks.  Then, when the study is done, they start over again with a different topic of study and/or an entirely different group of people.  Other types of small group Bible studies include women’s studies, men’s studies, and youth studies.

Reasons to Get Involved in Small Group Bible Study

Now that you know a little bit about the different types of small group Bible studies, let’s talk about the reason it is important to get involved in some type of small group Bible study.

Remember the graphic from yesterday?  We are looking at three areas of growth in the Christian life.  The first area in the first circle is “worship.”  We are to gather together in worship.  Now look at the next circle, the big on in the middle.  The middle circle represents small group Bible studies such as Bible Fellowship and Discipleship groups.  Getting involved in a small group Bible study is a great way to get plugged into your church fellowship, as represented by the smaller circle at the top – the one with the plug in it. Get it?  🙂

The disciples modeled for us a good example of the importance of small group Bible study in Acts, chapter 5.

And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. – Acts 5:42

Notice they went from “house to house?”  They kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ both in the temple and from “house to house.”

Small Group Bible Study Guards Us Against Isolation

 

Isolation is not encouraged in scripture except for particular times of prayer.  Jesus  spent most of is time with people.  He was only alone when He prayed.

He who separates himself seeks his own desire, he quarrels against all sound wisdom. – Proverbs 18:1.

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.  For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?  And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him.  A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 

Isolation is dangerous.  If there is an addiction, a person will not get over it alone. We ALL need encouragement.  We need to be around people of God.

Small Group Bible Study Groups Support Us During Hardships

After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,  strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” – Acts 14:21-22

Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2

Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11

 Small Group Bible Study Groups Grow Us Through Discipleship

 

We grow in Christ when we get together with other believers.  We are never completely mature.  We always have growing to do.  There are 4 stages of spiritual development.

The Infant Stage:  This is a brand new believer.  Someone who has been a Christian for a long time can also be in this infant stage.  We stay in the infant stage when we neglect to grow in Christ.

The Child Stage:  In this stage, a believer is beginning to grow.  He or she is starting to apply God’s Word to his or her life.

The Young Adult Stage:  During this stage, the believer is developing a deeper relationship with Jesus.  He or she is nurturing a deeper understanding of God’s Word.  The spiritual young adult realized that God has made him or her for a purpose.

The Parent Stage:  The spiritual parent has reached a stage of maturity which allows him or her to disciple others.

Small Group Bible Study Bible Study Groups Sharpen Us with Accountability

 

We, as believers, should welcome accountability.  Living without accountability can be compared to traveling down a dangerous mountain road without guardrails.

At the end of his sermon, our pastor asked us a very important question.  Now let me ask you:

If your life ends this week, maybe even today, do you know for certain that you will be with Jesus?

We are never promised tomorrow.  Earlier this week, thousands of people got out of bed and got dressed.  They probably took great care to pick out special clothes for that day.  They were excited.  They needed to dress appropriately for that evening because they were going to attend a concert in Las Vegas.  While they were preparing for the evening, I doubt any of them thought for a single second that someone would open fire on them, killing 59 people and injuring more than 500 others.  Some of them were prepared to meet Jesus.  Others were not.  Are you ready?  If you’re not sure, click here.

Image Credit – Freely Photos – CCO Public Domain Image

Temptation and Help from Temptation (The Lord’s Prayer Series)

Photo Credit – Naasom Azevedo – CCO Public Domain – Freely Photos

The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon.

Our main scripture passage for today is Matthew 6:13.

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Temptation and Help from Temptation

We are on a hit list . . .Satan’s hit list.

1.  Temptation is not a sin.

2.  Temptation is an opportunity for great spiritual growth in the life of a Jesus-Follower.

Pray for God to get you through it and grow you through it.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. – James 1:2-3

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.  But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. – James 1:13-14

Tests motivate us and measure us in order to grow us.  God does not tempt us but He allows temptation from the enemy to test us.

3.  Temptation is a tool the devil uses to destroy us.  Satan’s purpose is to destroy us.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. – 1 Peter 5:8

Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. – Matthew 26:41 

Watch and pray!

We are prone to temptation:

when our bodies are weak and worn down.

when we are preparing for a great spiritual undertaking.

after enjoying a great spiritual incidence (for example, after a church camp.)

But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. – James 1:14

4.  All temptations fall under these three areas:

A.  Pleasure
B.  Possessions
C.  Pride  

5.  There are four stages in every temptation.

Desire – I want it.

Doubt – I’m not good enough anyway.

Deception – We believe lies such as “no one will find out” or “God doesn’t care what I do.”

Disobedience – We give in to sin.

6.  God helps us through His Spirit.

He guides us.

He convicts us.  We are uncomfortable because we know it is wrong.

If there is not conviction of sin in your life, you are not saved.

7.  God helps us through His Word.

Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might no sin against thee. – Psalm 119:11 

Memorize scripture.

If we are hungering for sin, we are not hungering for God’s Word.

Watch what we allow into our lives:  books, movies, etc.

Don’t fill our minds with trash.

8.  God helps us through His people.

For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. – Ecclesiastes 4:10 

God’s people provide accountability and encouragement.  Go to church!

9.  The greatest temptation is to do nothing.  Apply what God has taught you.  One great temptation is to not do what we should be doing.

Don’t put stuff off . . . especially the decision to know Jesus.

You'll find all my posts about this Bible study series here.