“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8 NIV)

Love never fails

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Cor. 13:4-8 NIV)

Love covers all transgressions

“Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.” (Prov. 10:12 NASB)

Foster love

“Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” (Prov. 17:9 NIV)

Clothe yourself with love

“Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (Col. 3:14 NLT)

 “If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:20 ESV)

The truth is not in the hypocrite

“Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2:4 ESV)

The hypocrite’s heart is far from God

“You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” (Matt. 15:7-9 ESV)

Hypocrites won’t escape God’s judgement

“Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?”

Covered things will be revealed

“Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” (Luke 12:2 ESV)

The answer to hypocrisy

“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” (Matt. 7:5 ESV)

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” (1 Peter 2:16 ESV)

“Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?" "No, not seven times," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven!” (Matt.18:21-22 NLT)

Forgive one another

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Eph. 4:32 ESV)

Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you

“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Col. 3:13 ESV)

“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25 ESV)

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 ESV)

A warning about forgiveness

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matt. 6:14-15 ESV)

 “The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.” (Prov. 15:28 ESV)

Have you ever been quick to say something, then immediately afterwards regretted what you had just said? I have, many times, and I cringe when I remember them. In each case, if I had just taken a few seconds to pause and think, I would have held my tongue and avoided trouble.

The tongue is a fire

“For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” (James 3:2-10 ESV)

It’s better to THINK before you speak!

Bad words spouted out quickly and rashly are like toothpaste. Once they are squeezed out of the tube, they are impossible to get back in. It’s much better to hold your tongue, take a breath, breathe slowly, count to ten, and then ponder the following five questions in this well known acrostic THINK before you speak.

T: Is it truthful?

Is what I’m about to say the truth?

H: Is it helpful?

Or will it simply harm the other person?

I: Is it inspirational?

Does it build up or does it tear down?

N: Is it necessary?

If it’s not necessary, why do I need to say it?

K: Is it kind?

Your mother was right when she uttered those famous words, “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”

Keeping control of what you say will keep you out of trouble

“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” (Prov. 21:23 ESV)

Give grace to those who hear

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29 ESV)

A soft answer

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Prov. 15:1 ESV)

 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NIV)

Apart from Him you can do nothing

A branch, by definition, is a secondary stem or limb growing from the trunk or main stem of a tree or shrub. It’s a bough, limb, arm or offshoot from the main trunk or vine it is attached to. A branch cannot exist on its own, but must receive nourishment from the main trunk or vine that it grows from. Jesus, described Himself as the true vine (the main vine or trunk) that branches are attached to, and He described his followers as the branches that are attached to Him. He said we will produce much fruit by remaining attached to Him, the true vine. He said apart from Him, we can do nothing!

The Father prunes away branches that do not produce fruit

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.” (John 15:1-2 NLT)

You are pruned by His message

“You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.” (John 15:3 NLT)

To remain fruitful, remain in Jesus

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4 NLT)

 “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15 NIV)

You are His friend

“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:14 KJV)

No greater love than this kind of friendship

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13 ESV)

Quote

“The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain (with God) and the surrounding influence and qualities produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to give our attention to, and it is the one thing that is continually under attack.” - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Therefore, be a good friend to others

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Col. 3:12-14 NIV)

 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14-16 NIV)

You are the light (Christ) of the world

In the above passage Jesus, in His sermon on the mount, explains that His followers must be lights shining in the world so that others may see good deeds and glorify God.

Lights in the open to be seen

“No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.” (Luke 11:33 NLT)

Live as children of light

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth).” (Eph. 5:8-9 NIV)

Light exposes deeds of darkness

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” (Eph. 5:11 NIV)

Called out of darkness into His marvelous light

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9 ESV)

Walk in the light like Jesus

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7 ESV)

 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” (Matt. 5:13 NIV)

As part of His sermon on the mount, in the above passage, Jesus described His followers as the salt of the earth.

Interesting facts about salt

• Salt is a crystalline compound NaCl that consists of sodium chloride.
• It has multiple uses. Salt is a mineral used since ancient times in many cultures as a seasoning, a preservative, a disinfectant, a component of ceremonial offerings, and as a unit of exchange. 
• Salt is a necessity of life, without it you will die.
• Salt never loses its flavor unless it is mixed (contaminated) with something else.

Jesus warned that salt is worthless if it loses its saltiness (flavor)

If believers lost their “flavor,” they would be of no benefit to others. They would then only be worthy of being “thrown out and trampled upon by men” (Matthew 5:13)

We need to be “salt”

Salt creates thirstiness. A follower of Jesus has a job to make people thirsty for God. If a Christian isn’t “flavoring” his world for Jesus he probably has been contaminated by the world in such a way he has lost saltiness.

Get the salt out of the shaker and into the world

• You can can share God’s love with others around you. “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” (2 Cor. 5:20a ESV)
• You can be ready to give gracious answers. “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Col. 4:6 NIV)
  
• You can hold fast to the infallible Word of Truth.  “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” (Prov. 30:5 ESV)
• You can live a life of integrity. “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. (Prov 10:9 ESV)

 “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.” (1 Tim. 6:17 NLT)

It’s okay to be rich, but be careful

Some people are rich in this world, and that’s okay. The Bible doesn’t teach that having money is wrong. It’s the “love” of it that’s wrong (1 Tim. 6:10). The above passage warns that rich people should not be proud or put their trust in their money, but their trust should be in God.

It’s dangerous to trust in riches

“Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf..” (Prov. 11:28 NIV)

The deceitfulness of riches choke the Word

“But the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.” (Mark 4:19 ESV)

Where your treasure is your heart will be

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-20 ESV)

Therefore…

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5 ESV)