THE OFFENDABILITY FACTOR AT THE MAN CAVE

        "For we are God’s masterpiece.
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,
so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
Ephesians 2:10 NLT 

          God may have made us a masterpiece, but sometimes we act more like disaster-piece! Life is full of offensive opportunities to build resentment. This week's class at the Sunshine Rescue Mission (SRM) was about the dangers of being offended. Resentment is like a parasite that destroys our relationships with God and people.
          We finished up Session #12 and the Epilogue of the workbook "Strong Men Great Dads." The written material is combined with a timely message that we believe the Holy Spirit has given us: Just for these men. At such a time as this in their lives.
          Our notes from this week are posted below followed by pictures of our lesson in the workbook. We love questions and we remain teachable as we can all learn more about God's love from each other. Please feel free to leave a question or comment below.
Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody. Jesus loves you and so do we.

          Notes From Our Time of Prayerful Preparation

• Fresh fire from God will only fall on a worthy sacrifice - unblemished, undefeated, undefined and totally surrendered.
• Sin must be burned up in the fire of repentance before the fire of God will consume an offering.
• Sometimes it’s okay to burn bridges.
• It’s okay to burn your bridge to what you were addicted to.
• It’s okay to burn your bridge to anything that comes between you and God.

          “What do you want me to do for you?”
          “Lord,” he said, “I want to see.”
​          Luke 18:41 NLT

• Lord, I want to see what You see. Amen.
• The cup comes before the crown. Suffering comes before glory.
• Brokenness is a bridge to a greater capacity to love.
• Jesus agonized being separated from His Father.
• Abraham must have agonized over Isaac.

“America is spiritually dying because God has sales reps and not channels of His glory.”
Mario Murillo - “Reaching Critical Mass”

• Fire will will not fall on offended folks.
• Your offendability is like a stethoscope from which can be heard the sounds of your woundedness.
• The offendability scope reveals the wounds still festering in your character.
• “Resentment can transform from a behavioral reaction to a

personality trait. However, when Christ stitches our wounds
together, the bleeding stops and peace is restored.”

• Some resentment carries no blame - you can’t blame anybody

because they are all doing what’s acceptable.

• Identifying the reasons for resentment is not always possible. Trusting God is always possible.
• Ask yourself: “Is my resentment a reaction to the inaction of

somebody not meeting my expectations?”

• Resentment is a magnet that pulls hurtful memories to the

forefront of your thoughts.

• Resentment is a parasite that takes up residence in your heart

and causes behavioral alterations. It uses you as the host body to
perpetuate its parasitic destruction of your free will. Eventually
you become like a resentment zombie, resenting everything and
everyone.

1. Am I easily offended?
2. Does resentment cause me to be depressed?
3. Do I have a critical spirit?
4. Forgiveness can be an offensive behavior when the person you’re forgiving had no intention to sin against you.

“Gently instruct those who oppose the truth.
Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts,
and they will learn the truth.
Then they will come to their senses
and escape from the devil’s trap.
For they have been held captive by him
to do whatever he wants.”
2 Timothy 2:25-26

• What’s the loudest voice in your heart?
• Pride and arrogance are parasites.
• Parasites steal your identity in Christ?

“Never hold a grudge or try to get even, but plan your life
around the noblest way to benefit others.”
Romans 12:17 TPT

• Faith that isn’t tested is faith that can’t be trusted.
• Reading the Bible put me into a tailspin. Not stopping, I knew I had to press in.
• The devil wants us to think think that it’s a mark of humility to boast about our past and present sinfulness, our weaknesses, our failures and our unworthiness.
• We are God's masterpieces created to give Him glory through our thoughts, words and actions.

Ephesians 2:10 NLT “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has
created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good
things he planned for us long ago.”
Synonyms of parasite

• a person who is supported by or seeks support from another without making an adequate return
• a parasite who lived in the family's basement and ​refused to get a job or pay rent
• bloodsucker, freeloader, leech, moocher, sponge

The beginning of a Song called Parasite
I’ve been a Pharisee of hypocrisy.
A faker and a fraud - hyped with sanctimony.
Parasite
Yeah, I’ve been living with insincerity.
Resentment has overwhelmed and offended me.
Parasite
It’s become a bloodsucker living inside of me.
Cheerless and hopeless - Yo, I’m dying in a deep dark sea.
Parasite
Infected my heart, affected my mind,
Stolen. my Christ-sight, resentment has made me blind.
Parasite
“
Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will
kill your enemies.” ::Nelson Mandela        

YWAP IS BIG ON MENTORING & COMMUNITY SERVICE! YWAP empowers people in Christ to become collaborators in a community effort to create a better world for children and their families. Investing in youth is a preemptive strike against sexual abuse, drug addiction and human trafficking. We appreciate your prayers and support. For more information about YWAP programs, to volunteer or become a guest speaker, please call us at: 716-830-8240 or email, ywapbuffalo@yahoo.com.