OUR DAILY BREAD : RESPONDING TO CRITICISM

[cimi]

September 16
Tuesday


RESPONDING
TO CRITICISM

READ:
1 Peter 2:4-12
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When they speak
against you as evildoers,
they may, by your good
works which they
observe glorify God.
__1 Peter 2:12
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Abraham Lincoln knew what it meant to face criticism. He is quoted as saying, "If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how__the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what's said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out worng, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference."

Lincoln, against huge opposition, went on to reunite the fractured United States, win the civil War, and abolish slavery in the US. Had he allowed his critics to defeat him, Lincoln would not have accomplished what he did.

The apostle Peter understood the dangers of unfounded criticism. He wrote, "Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God" (1 Peter 2:12).

Criticism can consume our lives to the point of emotional paralysis, or we can set our hearts to serve God faithfully undeterred by that criticism and put our God on display. When we do that, we won't need to answer our critics with words__our lives will say all that is needed. __Bill Crowder
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`````````````````````If we keep dong what is right__``````````````
``````````````````````And serving Christ each day,```````````````
````````````````````We need not fear what others think````````````
``````````````````Nor what the critics say. __D. De Haan`````````
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The most powerful testimony is a godly life.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Peter 2:4-12************

4 Coming to Him as to a
living stone, rejected indeed
by men, but chosen by God
and precious, 5 you also, as
living stones, are being built
up a spiritual house, a holy
priesthood, to offer up
spiritual sacrifices acceptable
to God through Jesus Christ.

6 Therefore it is also
contained in the Scripture,
"Behold, I lay in Zion a chief
cornerstone, elect, precious,
and he who believes on Him
will by no means be put to
shame."

7 Therefore, to you who
believe, He is precious; but to
those who are disobedient,
"The stone which the
builders rejected has become
the chief cornerstone," 8 and
"A stone of stumbling and a
rock of offense." They
stumble, being disobedient to
the word, to which they also
were appointed.

9 But you are a chosen
generation, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, His
own special people, that you
may proclaim the praises of
Him who called you out of
darkness into His marvelous
light; 10 who once were not a
people but are now the
people of God, who had not
obtained mercy but now have
obtained mercy.

11 Beloved, I beg you as
sojourners and pilgrims,
abstain from fleshly lusts
which war against the soul,

12 having your conduct
honorable among the
gentiles, that when they
speak against you as
evildoers, they may, by your
good works which they
observe, glorify God in the
day of visitation.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

When Jesus was criticized, He challenged His critics to believe in
His works (John 10:28). In a similar way, we too are being watched.
Our conduct should be a testimony to our faith in Christ.
__Dennis Fisher