WEDNESDAY'S WORD - BLIND SPOT - Sadell Bradley - 10/13/2021

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD BLIND SPOT 10/13/2021   “We all have blind spots – those areas for improvement and growth. As painful as it can be to admit we’re doing things we never wanted to do and saying things we never wanted to say, it is this acknowledgement that enables us to take the first step toward change. Be gentle with yourself. Be real with yourself. Take baby steps.”― Rhonda Louise Robbins

We've all been there. Happily driving along the road looking ahead and about to change lanes. As we're coming over...we hear a horn sound. Another car is in our BLIND SPOT. It's startling. You become frustrated at yourself for what you didn't or couldn't see coming. You're relieved that the BLIND SPOT - the area where your view was obstructed, didn't cause a severe accident. Figuratively, a blind spot is an area where someone lacks understanding or impartiality. Sometimes relational blind spots can cause harm or injury. Everyone has blind spots, areas where our ‘view’ of a situation is obstructed by feelings, pride, shame, or defenses to shield us from the past.   To the left is an instrument used in psychology called the Johari Window. It reveals how each person has places in their life that are OPEN—known to yourself and others, HIDDEN—known to yourself but not known to others, BLIND SPOTS—not known to yourself but known to others, and UNKNOWN—not known to yourself nor others. Because our knowledge of ourselves is partial, and our knowledge of others is even less...Jesus instructed us not to judge, “Refuse to be a critic full of bias toward others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you’ll be judged by the same standard that you’ve used to judge others. The measurement you use on them will be used on you. 3 Why would you focus on the flaw in someone else’s life and fail to notice the glaring flaws of your own? 4 How could you say to your friend, ‘Let me show you where you’re wrong,’ when you’re guilty of even more? 5 You’re being hypercritical and a hypocrite! First acknowledge and deal with your own ‘blind spots,’ and then you’ll be capable of dealing with the ‘blind spot’ of your friend." (Matt. 7:1-5, TPT) Webster says the phrase, "Stay in your own lane," advises against expressing thoughts or opinions on subjects about which one has insufficient knowledge or ability. In driving as well as in life—staying in your lane is the safest course of action.

 WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY BLESSED are the PERSECUTED TONIGHT 7:00 pm EST @warehouseOTR on Facebook or YouTube thewarehousechurch.org

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - IRASCIBLE- Sadell Bradley - 10/05/2021

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD IRASCIBLE 10/5/2021 “The most irascible person is most likely to become apathetic in dangerous situations." - Franz Grillparzer - Austrian Dramatist IRASCIBLE means having or showing a tendency to be easily angered. We might call such a person quick-tempered, snappy, or hot headed. The opposite of irascible is placid, calm or peaceful— someone who is not easily upset or excited. The LORD uses the phrase 'slow to anger,' to describe His character when Moses ascends Mt. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, "5Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:5-7) We see this combination of God's love, mercy, and judgment when He introduces Himself. God is not irascible. It takes Him a while to become angry. What about you? Are you slow or quick to anger? Christ's followers must keep their irascibility in check. "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." (James 1:19-21) Proverbs 14:17 says, "A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated." Your anger may not look like someone else's. Sometimes anger explodes. At other times it's quiet but calculating, and it simmers. Certain circumstances or statements can cause anger to arise within us, but the character of God is for us to be merciful, compassionate, gentle and unhurried when it comes to anger..  WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY BLESSED are the MERCIFUL TONIGHT 7:00 pm EST @warehouseOTR on Facebook or YouTube thewarehousechurch.org

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - TRIANGULATION - Sadell Bradley - 09/29/21

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD TRIANGULATION 9/29/2021 “There IS an answer to the exhaustive chaos of a triangulated dynamic. Excuse yourself from the triangle and refuse to play. It works every time." - Unknown Last week, one of my Seminary classmates was talking about TRIANGULATION—the technical definition is the formation of, or division into triangles. In psychology though, triangulation is a family theory term. If a two-person emotional system is unstable, when under stress it can form itself into a three person system. For example, dad is angry at mom, and their communication is strained. Instead of directly confronting mom about the problem, dad goes to his daughter to talk to her about mom. His daughter feels special because dad has confided in her. Triangulation can be used as a substitute for dad's direct communication with mom, as a way to get his daughter on his side, or to prompt his daughter to be the third-party messenger and carry what he's said to mom. The third party, in this case the daughter, has been 'triangulated' into the relationship. The daughter's duty was to refer her dad back to his wife. Triangulation is not limited to family spheres. This unhealthy pattern is seen in the workplace, with friends, and even in churches. Conversations that should be held directly between the conflicted parties become fodder (food) for what the Bible terms backbiting. "For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." (Galatians 5:14-15) Triangulation or backbiting is talking about someone maliciously who is not present. Some triangulations may not go to the level of defamation or slander, but they all extend past the boundary of Jesus' instructions on how to handle conflict,“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector." (Matthew 18:15-17, NLT) Jesus doesn't want us to form triangles. He wants us to form a CIRCLE around conflicting parties, speaking truth in loving ways so that relationships are not fractured, but restored.

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - ENMITY - Sadell Bradley- 9/22/2021

WEDNESDAY'S WORD ENMITY 9/22/2021 “I speak of peace, while covert enmity under the smile of safety wounds the world." - William Shakespeare ENMITY - is the state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something. We often use the word enemy to describe a person's negative posture toward us, but enmity - the term for their hostility and opposition, is not very familiar. Webster's definition of ENMITY is positive, active, and typically mutual hatred or ill will. That description goes well with the first mention of enmity in Genesis 3. The devil disguises himself as a serpent, deceives Eve, and she eats from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. She shares the fruit with Adam who eats as well, directly disobeying God's command and opening the portal of sin and judgment for all mankind. God declares judgment on them all. In verse 14, He curses the serpent to crawl on the ground in the dust forever. In verse 15 God says, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” There will not be a mutual admiration society between Eve the mother of all living's seed and the devil's. Throughout all generations, there will be hostility and opposition—enmity. Satan thought he'd won the war against God and His new human creation, but it was only a skirmish. Genesis 3:15 is called the protoevangelium or 'first gospel' because it is the initial Messianic prophecy that points to the coming Savior. Jesus Christ won the victory over Satan, sin, and death at the Cross of Calvary. 1 John 3:8 says, "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." There's a war going on. Maybe in this season, you're experiencing spiritual warfare, oppression, or hostility. Revelation 12:12b explains one of the reasons why "Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” The enemy has anger, fury, and rage because he only has a little time left until his end and ultimate destination, "The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." Rev. 20:10 Despite the warfare you're currently experiencing, your end is victory! That's a great part of the Good News!  WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY BLESSED are the PEACEMAKERS TONIGHT 7:00 pm EST @warehouseOTR on Facebook or YouTube thewarehousechurch.org