Aug.03.04: Light for the Day - "Acceptance"

-- Romans 15:7
"So accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified."

------------
Jesus accepts you the way you are,
but loves you too much to leave you that way.
-- Lee Venden

If God accepts me as I am,
then I had better do the same.
-- Hugh Montefiore

-----------
God accepts you - warts and all. Can you do the same for those around you? It's easy to get off track. A different race, different religious beliefs, even a different style of clothes can lead you to make judgments before you even carry on a conversation with someone.

The key is to bypass what you see and focus on what you know. God created each person with great love and care. God accepts each person, even if he or she has not accepted Him. The more you learn to view others through God's love, instead of sizing them up with your eyes, the easier it will be to accept them as equals, treat them as friends, and love them as God's precious children.

-- G's DA

-------------
-- Acts 10:35
"But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him."

-- Romans 14:1-23
1 Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.
2 For instance, one person believes it is all right to eat anything. But another believer who has a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables.
3 Those who think it is all right to eat anything must not look down on those who won’t. And those who won’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them.
4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. Each person should have a personal conviction about this matter.
6 Those who have a special day for worshiping the Lord are trying to honor him. Those who eat all kinds of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who won’t eat everything also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.
7 For we are not our own masters when we live or when we die.
8 While we live, we live to please the Lord. And when we die, we go to be with the Lord. So in life and in death, we belong to the Lord.
9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose, so that He might be Lord of those who are alive and of those who have died.
10 So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God.
11 For the Scriptures say, "‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow to me and every tongue will confess allegiance to God.’" (Isaiah 45:23)
12 Yes, each of us will have to give a personal account to God.
13 So don’t condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian’s path.
14 I know and am perfectly sure on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong.
15 And if another Christian is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.
16 Then you will not be condemned for doing something you know is all right.
17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God. And other people will approve of you, too.
19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
20 Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, there is nothing wrong with these things in themselves. But it is wrong to eat anything if it makes another person stumble.
21 Don’t eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another Christian to stumble.
22 You may have the faith to believe that there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by doing something they know is all right.
23 But if people have doubts about whether they should eat something, they shouldn’t eat it. They would be condemned for not acting in faith before God. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.
-- Romans 15:1-7
1 We may know that these things make no difference, but we cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves. We must be considerate of the doubts and fears of those who think these things are wrong.
2 We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the Lord.
3 For even Christ didn’t please himself. As the Scriptures say, "Those who insult you are also insulting me." (Psalm 69:9)
4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises.
5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other—each with the attitude of Christ Jesus toward the other.
6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 So accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified.

-- Matthew 22:35-40
35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap Him with this question:
36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
37 Jesus replied: "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

-- 2 Peter 3:8,9
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

-- 1 Timothy 2:1-4
1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God’s mercy upon them, and give thanks.
2 Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity.
3 This is good and pleases God our Savior,
4 for He wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.