Tag: work

Markethive

God’s Words: Patience

Life transforming words.

Written by Gary Fleetwood on 26/09/2017
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: Patience, God, Longsuffering
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23
What should we do and how should we act when someone mistreats us or takes advantage of us? How should we respond when someone hurts us or says something ugly to us? Well, we can respond in one of two ways.

First, we can just react and become just like the other person — ugly. We can match them ugly word for ugly word. Or, we can respond the way that God would want us to respond — with what He calls “patience” or “longsuffering”.

What is “longsuffering” and how does it work in my life?
Have you ever met someone who gets angry very easily? You never know when they might just say very ugly things to you. Well, this word “patience” or “longsuffering” represents the exact opposite. It means to wait a long time when something does not go our way or when someone says or does something ugly to us and not get mad. As 1 Corinthians 13:4a says, “Love is patient and kind.” It means to simply remain calm when someone is saying or doing things that normally would annoy us. It is when we are wronged by someone, but do not try and get back at them.

So, what do you think would be the opposite of “longsuffering”? The opposite is ANGER, getting angry with someone. Think of it this way. When we feel ourselves starting to become angry with someone for how they are treating us, it is like a signal from God that we are not responding to that situation the way He would want us to respond. He wants us to remain calm and to not react in an ugly way toward that person. God would never want us to take revenge against someone who had wronged us. He never wants us to respond in a bad way or to become bitter and angry towards them. In James 1:20, we are told, “the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

Can God use an angry person?
Probably not. What if God became angry every time that we mistreated someone else or said something ugly to them? He does not do that, but just remains calm and does not become angry with us. He remains calm with us when we sin against Him, and that is the same attitude and response that He wants us to have with those who may sin against us. Just treat them like Christ treats us — gently, patiently, kindly, lovingly.

What do I do when I know that I have an anger problem in my life?
Over 30 years ago I had an anger problem where every couple of months I would lose my temper and become angry with my family about something they had done.The Lord began to speak to my heart and it was as if He said to me that because of my anger that He could not use me. It was during that time that I made a very simple decision that I would never become angry again, and for the last 30 years I have never become angry one time. I feel so much better because I know that no matter how badly someone may mistreat me that I will not become angry with them. It actually allows me to treat them as Christ would treat them. So, they get to see what Christ is like through my life and through my “longsuffering” towards them. It is like Christ is actually living His life through me — or through you. Wow! What an incredible idea — God living His life through our life!!

Recently someone drove their car in the front yard of our home late at night. They were spinning their wheels and going in circles and just ruined our whole front yard. I was away from home that week and when my wife sent me the pictures of the yard, I just felt sorry for the people that did it. So, I took some time to pray for them. I asked God to work in their life and to help them to come to Him. The grass and dirt in my yard are not really that important to me. I can easily fix the yard, but I know that only God can fix the heart of these people who damaged our yard for no good reason. It was great! I was not angry, but actually sensed God’s love for these people. In 1 Peter 3:9, we are told, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.”

So, the next time that someone mistreats you or says something ugly to you — remain calm, exercise longsuffering, and just remember how God treats us when we do something ugly to someone. If we will do that one simple thing, we will find out how God is able to work through our life. Enjoy His journey

Pray this week:
Lord Jesus, if someone comes into my life this week and tries to make me angry, would you please help me to demonstrate “longsuffering” towards them?

Do you truly believe that you can respond to someone who is treating you in an ugly way with patience and longsuffering?

 

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

I’m Unemployed Is God Punishing Me?

Thinking through God’s Calling and Your Opportunity

Written by GodLife on 30/04/2019
Series: Weekly Devotional
Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people.

Colossians 3:23
Did you know that "God helps those who help themselves" is one of the most-quoted phony Bible verses out there? Remember this: God “know(s) the hopes of the helpless” (Psalm 10:17) and His “power works best in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) If you’ve been praying for a job for a long time, here are a few things to consider.

Consider God’s Calling
Does God have a plan for you? Yes. The bigger question is, "What is God’s plan?" We all have dreams for our life, but God’s plan is first. He does not want to just be a part of the plans I make for my life. God’s plan involves His “Kingdom” because He is the King, and we owe loyalty to Him. Sin is disloyalty to Him, and “The Lord will not hear me if I hold on to sin in my heart.” (Psalm 66:18) But there’s more to think about as you wait for an answer to your prayer for a job.

Consider How God Created You
Ephesians 2:1-10 shows that it’s God’s work, not ours, that is most important. “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10) You are unique for God's purposes. Sometimes it's hard for you to see your uniquenesses. Ask a trusted Christian friend to pray with you. Together, you can think through the things that make you different from others. This may open some doors you hadn’t thought about before.

Consider the Importance of Patience
Sometimes you might pray and submit yourself humbly to God, but still have to wait a while. Waiting for fulfillment makes the eventual answer unforgettable. The Bible says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life." (Proverbs 13:12) God’s calling for you is a holy calling, no matter what your job is. If you are certain you are where He wants you to be, you can be a grocery clerk, a truck driver or a dog catcher to the glory of God just as much as the preacher or full-time Christian worker can! “Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people.” (Colossians 3:23)

Pray this week:
Father, help me put your plan first in my life. Show me what you want me to do.

What kind of work did God prepare you to do?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

Forgiving Others in the Church

How can I forgive someone who keeps hurting me?

Written by Ruth on 21/08/2018
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: Church, Church And Community, Forgiveness, Reconciliation
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32
Is this true for you? — someone at the church you attend bothers you so much that sometimes you would just rather stay home from church! 

Does an “enemy” keep you away from church?
The day before He died, Jesus told His disciples that the most important command He was giving them was to love each other (John 15:12-17). During the whole final evening with them, He was preparing them for life after His death, resurrection, and ascension to Heaven (John 13-17). He had kept them together as His disciples for the past three years, and now they needed to know how they could remain together even though they would be spread to different parts of the world. Jesus’ answer was love for one another, which would unite them.

We also need help in loving each other, even when there are disagreements among us in the church. The disciples had missed Jesus’ point so often, argued with one another and hoped to gain advantage over one another. (Luke 22:24-30). Without Him walking with them, would selfishness and bitterness divide them? Not if they listened to what He said. He told His disciples they must always forgive each other, and this is what we, too, must do. We must not allow anger and bitterness to grow. When that happens, we become ineffective witnesses for Him.

How am I to forgive another Christian who hurts me?
Jesus was committing His disciples to one another as an eternal family. This means a few things:

First, it's pretty much impossible to avoid offending others in this life, so we should not pretend we're never offensive. Siblings don't always get along. But they never stop being family. What does it take to maintain peace? You have to go to someone who feels wronged—even if you don't know what you did wrong. Jesus even gave this priority over our worship in Matthew 5:23-24.

Second, because we know we've done things that give others reason to be offended, forgive others. They may not even know what they did wrong. Go to them. Be persistent and patient. (Matthew 18:15-22) Jesus never runs out of forgiveness for us; we have to be the same way.

Why should I forgive, even when they are not sorry?
One of my dear friends was the victim of a conspiracy in her family. Divorced and raising two children on her own had made life a struggle, but then her father and younger sister agreed to bypass her in the inheritance of some family property. It caused her to curse and forsake her family for years. She even emigrated to another country in order to make an irreversible break in her family relationships. 

But then, something happened to change her mind. She found Jesus. It was a few years before she reconciled with her family. They didn't recompense her for the lost property or years of hard work. But when God changed her life, He gave her first the desire, then later, the actual power, to forgive. Looking back, she now sees clearly how unforgiveness is really what hurt her and cost her the most. It really wasn't until she released her hold on it that she herself was free.

When Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15 that we cannot be forgiven if we do not forgive others, He was telling us two things: 1) not forgiving someone is disobedience to Him, and 2) we cannot see our own need for forgiveness if we keep anger and bitterness in our hearts. In essence, forgiving someone is more about our relationship with Jesus than with that person. 

How do we forgive when we do not feel like doing so? Forgiveness is a choice, not a feeling. We must choose to obey. It may be that we must say to Jesus, “I do not want to forgive because that makes what they did right, and it was not right! But I want to be near You more than I want to keep this anger, so I choose to forgive. Help me, Lord Jesus!” Then, the next time you remember what they did or you see them at church or anywhere else, you can simply say to Jesus, “I have given this to You, I will not take it back.” It will not be long before you realize you are free from the slavery of what this person did. You are free from anger and bitterness. You are free to do or say whatever Jesus asks you to say to them with peace in your heart (Philippians 4:7, and Luke 12:11-12).

Pray this week:
Lord Jesus, I have trouble forgiving ___ in my church. I choose to obey You because I need Your peace more than I need proof of being right or even worldly justice. I give this situation into Your hands; help me to leave it with You. Help me also to speak Your words to them so we may be reconciled to each other for the work of Your kingdom.
 

Who do you need to forgive and reconcile with?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

No it is not New Years Eve but here is a promise I am making

What is it with working online that is so great … the possibility of flexible hours, working on cutting edge technlology projects, meeting thousands of people spread across the globe ???

frustrated at working online

That of course does happen but at what cost to your sanity?

I have met some amazing people online, that is a fact, but I have also met some real assholes and snakes too. From unfilled promises, to downright abuse of trust is the tip of the iceberg.

I vow this; if I ever get to the point where any one of my ventures gives me enough capital to hangup my coding gloves, I will do it big time. 

By this I mean, I will delete all my social media accounts, terminate my online phone numbers, terminate all my website domains, terminate all my hosting accounts, close my Skype account etc etc… You get the picture.

I will then go live away from it all, next to a beach or lake and say goodbye to the 'new era of technology'. Maybe it is coming sooner that I could hope for.

If you believe that my message is worth spreading, please use the share buttons if they show on this page.

Stephen Hodgkiss
Chief Engineer at MarketHive
markethive.com

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member