Optimist Ibk

The teachings of Jesus were some of the most revolutionary ideas people heard during that time, not always because they were pleasant and easy to follow. Sometimes it was also because of the challenge it posed to those who thought they were “holy” enough for heaven already. Here are five of some of the most challenging teachings Jesus gave to the disciples and to us today, that give us a bigger perspective of what it is to live in Him. 1. Be a slave In Mark 10:44, Jesus said, “and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.” How often must leaders wish that they could just kick back and relax while they let others do all the hard work, but Jesus made it clear that leadership not just a privilege, but a privilege to serve others beyond what the world measures. 2. Forgive at all times When Peter, in Matthew 18, tried to show off by through a rhetorical question at Jesus and implying that he can forgive as many as seven times (when Jewish law would only allow up to th

I recently talked to an old friend whose marriage is in crisis. His wife has been having an ongoing affair with her personal trainer at the gym. The aftermath of the affair is ripping their family apart. What she naively assumed would just be a “harmless fling” is now having immeasurably devastating consequences for her marriage and their children. Infidelity destroys marriages. I see it every day. Typically, when we’re talking about “infidelity,” we’re referring only to a sexual affair. While sexual affairs might be the most destructive form of infidelity, there are many other ways people can be unfaithful in marriage. Smaller acts of “infidelity” often lead to a sexual affair. We need to safeguard our marriages from infidelity in ALL its forms. The literal definition of infidelity is simply broken trust or broken loyalty. If you want to protect your marriage from all forms of infidelity, please avoid the following behaviors. Preventing all nine of these acts of broken loyalty an