Ephesians 3:20-21 (NLT)
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
The apostle closes this chapter of Ephesians with praise to God for what He is able to accomplish in our lives. He gives notice of God’s inexhaustible capability to do more than we may ever imagine or ask for. The praise God receives comes from the collective church of believers in Christ Jesus and will carry forward for generations to come.
Skye Jethani, from the sermon "Church: The Wisdom of God on Display," said: A few weeks ago I was in Cape Town, South Africa, for a gathering of world Christian leaders from 200 countries. One of the speakers was the Anglican archbishop of Jos, Nigeria. His name is Benjamin Kwashi, and he shared a story that was horrific and inspiring at the same time. Jos, this city in Nigeria, has been rocked by sectarian violence for years now, primarily between Christians and Muslims. There have been endless cycles of violence and vengeance and hundreds of people killed. In March of 2009, a gang of people broke into the bishop's house to kill him. He wasn't home, but his wife was. They did unspeakable things to her, and they beat her and left her for dead. He found her, and she was still alive, but she spent most of the following year in recovery. A year to the day after this gang beat her, in March of 2010, they came back. They broke into his home again, and this time they did find Benjamin. They dragged him out of his house, and they were about to kill him. They had machetes and clubs. Benjamin asked for just a moment to pray before they began. So he knelt there on the dirt and began to pray.
A moment later he felt someone holding his hand. He looked up, and it was his wife. I still can't believe the courage of that woman. She could have run, but instead she broke through this line of the same people who had attacked her a year ago and knelt with her husband to pray with him, knowing that her life was over as well. And then a moment later, he felt someone holding his other hand. He looked, and it was his teenage son. Benjamin begged his son to leave so that he wouldn't be killed as well. And his son said, "Father, they've all left. They're all gone."
Why did they leave? Benjamin said he has no idea. And he knows they'll be back. I'd like to believe that the reason they left is that when this bishop and his wife were kneeling in the dirt in prayer, the manifold wisdom of God was put on display before the powers and authorities in the heavenly realm. There was wisdom and power there that these people could not comprehend, and they became afraid and they fled.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Love not judgment
Mark 14:3-5 (NLT)
3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head. 4 Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. 5 “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.
This story starts in the home of Simon in Bethany. Simon previously was a leper. Leprosy is caused by the organism Mycobacteriumleprae. It is not very contagious and has a long incubation period, which makes it difficult to determine where or when the disease was contracted. Leprosy has two common forms, tuberculoid and lepromatous, and both forms produce sores on the skin, but the lepromatous form is most severe, producing large, disfiguring lumps and bumps. All forms of the disease eventually cause nerve damage in the arms and legs, which causes sensory loss in the skin and muscle weakness. People with long-term leprosy may lose the use of their hands or feet due to repeated injury resulting from lack of sensation. Leprosy was misunderstood for years and people with the disease were placed in isolated leper colonies.
Usually the focus of these verses is on the woman pouring the perfume over the head of Jesus. Many who were there became upset that the perfume could have been sold to help the needy. They forgot or misunderstood Jesus was more than capable of tending to those in need. This woman did a good deed by pouring out her possessions for Her Savior who would pour out His life for her. But we need to remember Simon the leper. Without modern antibiotics leprosy was not curable and yet we find these people sitting and eating with a man who had been a leper. Usually the leper had to announce they were diseased and had to move away from those without the disease. Maybe because Jesus was present these people were not fearful of what they had seen Jesus heal. It is very reminiscent of modern times where HIV was not understood. At first people weren’t sure how it was acquired. Some cast blame on certain groups. People were isolated and separated from friends and families. The medical community has learned a lot more about HIV and AIDs. There are more and more people who are surviving, some who are even symptomatic free. We need to remember God commands us to love all people and care for them. Even while we may not understand a problem we need to trust God and allow Him to take care of the needs of others without imposing our judgment or criticism. We need to act out of love and let those in need know they are loved no matter what the circumstance. May each of us seek to love others as God loves us.
3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head. 4 Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. 5 “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.
This story starts in the home of Simon in Bethany. Simon previously was a leper. Leprosy is caused by the organism Mycobacteriumleprae. It is not very contagious and has a long incubation period, which makes it difficult to determine where or when the disease was contracted. Leprosy has two common forms, tuberculoid and lepromatous, and both forms produce sores on the skin, but the lepromatous form is most severe, producing large, disfiguring lumps and bumps. All forms of the disease eventually cause nerve damage in the arms and legs, which causes sensory loss in the skin and muscle weakness. People with long-term leprosy may lose the use of their hands or feet due to repeated injury resulting from lack of sensation. Leprosy was misunderstood for years and people with the disease were placed in isolated leper colonies.
Usually the focus of these verses is on the woman pouring the perfume over the head of Jesus. Many who were there became upset that the perfume could have been sold to help the needy. They forgot or misunderstood Jesus was more than capable of tending to those in need. This woman did a good deed by pouring out her possessions for Her Savior who would pour out His life for her. But we need to remember Simon the leper. Without modern antibiotics leprosy was not curable and yet we find these people sitting and eating with a man who had been a leper. Usually the leper had to announce they were diseased and had to move away from those without the disease. Maybe because Jesus was present these people were not fearful of what they had seen Jesus heal. It is very reminiscent of modern times where HIV was not understood. At first people weren’t sure how it was acquired. Some cast blame on certain groups. People were isolated and separated from friends and families. The medical community has learned a lot more about HIV and AIDs. There are more and more people who are surviving, some who are even symptomatic free. We need to remember God commands us to love all people and care for them. Even while we may not understand a problem we need to trust God and allow Him to take care of the needs of others without imposing our judgment or criticism. We need to act out of love and let those in need know they are loved no matter what the circumstance. May each of us seek to love others as God loves us.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Lead Me
Ephesians 5:28 (NLT)
In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.
God intended the husband and wife to be as one; unified in their thoughts; unified in their beliefs and unified in their dependence upon each other. So the apostle directs husbands they should love their wives and treat them with respect as though they were tending to themselves.
The following song lyrics are LEAD ME by Sanctus Real. They are strong words about the duty of a husband to lead his family. Read through the words and see if you can identify with what the writer is trying to express.
I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling
But on the inside, I can hear her saying
"Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?
Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone."
I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying
"Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?
Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone."
So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I am called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't you lead me?
To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love
Chasing dreams that I could give up
I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this out home
Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone
Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone
Christian lyrics - LEAD ME LYRICS - SANCTUS REAL
In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.
God intended the husband and wife to be as one; unified in their thoughts; unified in their beliefs and unified in their dependence upon each other. So the apostle directs husbands they should love their wives and treat them with respect as though they were tending to themselves.
The following song lyrics are LEAD ME by Sanctus Real. They are strong words about the duty of a husband to lead his family. Read through the words and see if you can identify with what the writer is trying to express.
I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling
But on the inside, I can hear her saying
"Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?
Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone."
I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying
"Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?
Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone."
So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I am called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't you lead me?
To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love
Chasing dreams that I could give up
I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this out home
Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone
Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone
Christian lyrics - LEAD ME LYRICS - SANCTUS REAL
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Innocent
Hebrews 3:13 (NLT)
13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.
The apostle advises believers they should give warning to each other about sin which encroaches into their lives. Believers should be doing this on a constant basis for each day we have on earth is a blessing from God. Because we do not know if tomorrow will come then today is our day for improvement, our day to dispose of sin, and our day to focus on God.
Maybe you have had this experience before. You go to leave a department store, but the clerk forgot to remove the security tag. As you walk through the door the alarm suddenly goes off. People look towards you wondering if you are going to run or wait to have the tag disarmed. You stand there feeling somewhat awkward as if maybe you are guilty of something you did not do. You know you are innocent and wonder what people are thinking. Just remember Christ stood before Pilate beaten for a crime He never committed. When the people were given the choice to set Jesus free or let a hardened criminal free, the people cried out “Free Barabbas”. Jesus was totally innocent, yet He was crucified, a man without sin. His innocent blood was the sacrifice for our sin. Thank God even when we feel guilty our guilt and shame has already been paid for in full by Christ.
13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.
The apostle advises believers they should give warning to each other about sin which encroaches into their lives. Believers should be doing this on a constant basis for each day we have on earth is a blessing from God. Because we do not know if tomorrow will come then today is our day for improvement, our day to dispose of sin, and our day to focus on God.
Maybe you have had this experience before. You go to leave a department store, but the clerk forgot to remove the security tag. As you walk through the door the alarm suddenly goes off. People look towards you wondering if you are going to run or wait to have the tag disarmed. You stand there feeling somewhat awkward as if maybe you are guilty of something you did not do. You know you are innocent and wonder what people are thinking. Just remember Christ stood before Pilate beaten for a crime He never committed. When the people were given the choice to set Jesus free or let a hardened criminal free, the people cried out “Free Barabbas”. Jesus was totally innocent, yet He was crucified, a man without sin. His innocent blood was the sacrifice for our sin. Thank God even when we feel guilty our guilt and shame has already been paid for in full by Christ.
Monday, April 25, 2011
What you need
Luke 24:44-48(KJV)
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
Christ appeared to the disciples again after his resurrection to strengthen their faith. They first feared His appearance but they gained confidence it was Christ as He spoke with them and dined with them. Christ then opened their minds to understand the meaning of the scriptures and that what must have happened did happen. Christ rose from the dead and now repentance and remission of sins was to be preached to all nations. These disciples were the witnesses to His words.
Chuck Swindoll, in Embraced by the Spirit (Zondervan 2010) wrote:
“One of my most unforgettable moments happened when I was about ten years old. My father served our country during World War II in a plant in our hometown, building all sorts of interesting equipment for the massive tanks, fighter planes, and bombers that defended us in lands far away. Dad worked too long and too hard. As a result he suffered a physical breakdown. And on its heels came an emotional trauma that puzzled everyone, including the doctors.
I was convinced in my heart that my dad was going to die. He may have had such thoughts too, because one night he called me into his room for a somber father-son talk …. I remember leaning hard against his bed, listening carefully to a voice that was hardly more than a whisper. I thought I was hearing him for the last time. He gave me counsel on life—how I should live, how I should conduct myself as his son. The counsel wasn't long, and then I left and went across the hall to the room that I shared with my older brother. All alone, I lay across my bed and sobbed, convinced that I would never see my dad alive again.
That scene still haunts me. Even though my dad recovered to live … I still remember the night he talked to me. Something very significant is wrapped up in our final words. Consider the night in Jerusalem when the Lord and his disciples gathered for … what we call "The Last Supper." Less than twelve hours after [that meal], Jesus was nailed to a cross; a few hours later, he was dead. Jesus understood the significance of those moments and the importance of his last counsel. And so he gave them exactly what they would need to carry them through the rest of their days.”
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
Christ appeared to the disciples again after his resurrection to strengthen their faith. They first feared His appearance but they gained confidence it was Christ as He spoke with them and dined with them. Christ then opened their minds to understand the meaning of the scriptures and that what must have happened did happen. Christ rose from the dead and now repentance and remission of sins was to be preached to all nations. These disciples were the witnesses to His words.
Chuck Swindoll, in Embraced by the Spirit (Zondervan 2010) wrote:
“One of my most unforgettable moments happened when I was about ten years old. My father served our country during World War II in a plant in our hometown, building all sorts of interesting equipment for the massive tanks, fighter planes, and bombers that defended us in lands far away. Dad worked too long and too hard. As a result he suffered a physical breakdown. And on its heels came an emotional trauma that puzzled everyone, including the doctors.
I was convinced in my heart that my dad was going to die. He may have had such thoughts too, because one night he called me into his room for a somber father-son talk …. I remember leaning hard against his bed, listening carefully to a voice that was hardly more than a whisper. I thought I was hearing him for the last time. He gave me counsel on life—how I should live, how I should conduct myself as his son. The counsel wasn't long, and then I left and went across the hall to the room that I shared with my older brother. All alone, I lay across my bed and sobbed, convinced that I would never see my dad alive again.
That scene still haunts me. Even though my dad recovered to live … I still remember the night he talked to me. Something very significant is wrapped up in our final words. Consider the night in Jerusalem when the Lord and his disciples gathered for … what we call "The Last Supper." Less than twelve hours after [that meal], Jesus was nailed to a cross; a few hours later, he was dead. Jesus understood the significance of those moments and the importance of his last counsel. And so he gave them exactly what they would need to carry them through the rest of their days.”
Friday, April 22, 2011
A wager to believe
John 16:9 (NLT)
9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.
These are the spoken words of Jesus. Jesus speaking to the disciples about His impending death Jesus knows they are grieved; but he encourages them it is for the best so that the Holy Spirit may come. The sin Jesus refers to in the verse above is the disbelief in His Holy Salvation through His death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave to follow. He tells them the Holy Spirit will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
The world has a wide host of people with various beliefs. Some do not believe God exists. Some are so strongly opposed to God they have created their own belief system to prove God does not exist. Some just do not care one way or the other, while some may not have even pondered the question of God’s existence. There are those who believe in various gods while others believe they are part of a universal god. There are many beliefs, but Jesus said the world’s sin is that it refuses to believe He is God. The mathematician, philosopher, and physicist Blaise Pascal suggested even though the existence of God cannot be determined through reason, a person should wager as though God exists, because living life accordingly has everything to gain, and nothing to lose. Pascal formulated his suggestion uniquely on the God of Jesus Christ as implied by the greater context of his Pensées, a posthumously published collection of notes made by Pascal in his last years as he worked on a treatise on Christian apologetics. This theorem is often referred to as Pascal’s Gambit. Pascal believed why ignore the possibility there is a God when there is so much to gain than to ignore God and loose what he has to offer. And what does God have to offer, eternal salvation through His son Jesus Christ, along with his mercy, love and grace!
9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.
These are the spoken words of Jesus. Jesus speaking to the disciples about His impending death Jesus knows they are grieved; but he encourages them it is for the best so that the Holy Spirit may come. The sin Jesus refers to in the verse above is the disbelief in His Holy Salvation through His death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave to follow. He tells them the Holy Spirit will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
The world has a wide host of people with various beliefs. Some do not believe God exists. Some are so strongly opposed to God they have created their own belief system to prove God does not exist. Some just do not care one way or the other, while some may not have even pondered the question of God’s existence. There are those who believe in various gods while others believe they are part of a universal god. There are many beliefs, but Jesus said the world’s sin is that it refuses to believe He is God. The mathematician, philosopher, and physicist Blaise Pascal suggested even though the existence of God cannot be determined through reason, a person should wager as though God exists, because living life accordingly has everything to gain, and nothing to lose. Pascal formulated his suggestion uniquely on the God of Jesus Christ as implied by the greater context of his Pensées, a posthumously published collection of notes made by Pascal in his last years as he worked on a treatise on Christian apologetics. This theorem is often referred to as Pascal’s Gambit. Pascal believed why ignore the possibility there is a God when there is so much to gain than to ignore God and loose what he has to offer. And what does God have to offer, eternal salvation through His son Jesus Christ, along with his mercy, love and grace!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Evil desires evil
Proverbs 21:10 (NLT)
10 Evil people desire evil; their neighbors get no mercy from them.
The character of a wicked person has a strong inclination to perform mischief. His soul desires not only having the evil in hand, but also in seeing it and having pleasure in it. This comes from the root of sin, wickedness lying deep within ones soul and its lust conceives sin and brings it forth. There is a strong aversion against doing what is right and no man is spared that stands in his way. His neighbors find no favor and they stand closest to the path of his sinful nature.
Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister, George McDonald said, "Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because He would give the best, and man will not take it." Man always seems to think he wants the best of everything, but the problem is man does not want what is really best for him. His desires turn evil and the extremes he takes to gain what he thinks he desires hurt other people; even close neighbors and friends. But God understand exactly what we need and we need to be asking God to direct us. We need to let God intervene and change our hearts so that we desire good instead of evil. Turn your life over to God and see where He will lead you!
10 Evil people desire evil; their neighbors get no mercy from them.
The character of a wicked person has a strong inclination to perform mischief. His soul desires not only having the evil in hand, but also in seeing it and having pleasure in it. This comes from the root of sin, wickedness lying deep within ones soul and its lust conceives sin and brings it forth. There is a strong aversion against doing what is right and no man is spared that stands in his way. His neighbors find no favor and they stand closest to the path of his sinful nature.
Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister, George McDonald said, "Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because He would give the best, and man will not take it." Man always seems to think he wants the best of everything, but the problem is man does not want what is really best for him. His desires turn evil and the extremes he takes to gain what he thinks he desires hurt other people; even close neighbors and friends. But God understand exactly what we need and we need to be asking God to direct us. We need to let God intervene and change our hearts so that we desire good instead of evil. Turn your life over to God and see where He will lead you!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Not even listening to an ass
Numbers 22:27-31 (KJV)
27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. 28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 29 And Balaam said unto the ass, because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. 30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? Was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. 31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
God had given Balaam specific instructions to follow, yet Balaam was intent on following his own desires. As he rode off on his ass to meet others to go against God; angels of the Lord were placed in front of him as a warning. Had Balaam been able to hear and see God as he thought he could he would have been able to see the angels, but he did not. It was his ass that finally lay down and refused to go further. Even when the ass spoke to Balaam he did not see the wonder in its speech. Instead he had to admit he didn’t understand the actions of the ass. The God allowed Balaam to see he angel with sword drawn ready to strike and it was then he fell to his face in humility.
1 Corinthians 1:27 says, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;” Balaam, a supposed wise man could not see the wrong or danger before him. It took an ass to explain the consequences that lay before him. Most would be amazed an animal would talk and give reproof, yet Balaam was so fixed on obtaining what he desired he couldn’t even see the reality before him. God gives us plenty of warning signs to help us move away from sin, but like Balaam we are so wrapped up with our own desires that we would miss God’s direction even if an ass spoke to us.
27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. 28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 29 And Balaam said unto the ass, because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. 30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? Was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. 31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
God had given Balaam specific instructions to follow, yet Balaam was intent on following his own desires. As he rode off on his ass to meet others to go against God; angels of the Lord were placed in front of him as a warning. Had Balaam been able to hear and see God as he thought he could he would have been able to see the angels, but he did not. It was his ass that finally lay down and refused to go further. Even when the ass spoke to Balaam he did not see the wonder in its speech. Instead he had to admit he didn’t understand the actions of the ass. The God allowed Balaam to see he angel with sword drawn ready to strike and it was then he fell to his face in humility.
1 Corinthians 1:27 says, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;” Balaam, a supposed wise man could not see the wrong or danger before him. It took an ass to explain the consequences that lay before him. Most would be amazed an animal would talk and give reproof, yet Balaam was so fixed on obtaining what he desired he couldn’t even see the reality before him. God gives us plenty of warning signs to help us move away from sin, but like Balaam we are so wrapped up with our own desires that we would miss God’s direction even if an ass spoke to us.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Controlling Temper
Proverbs 19:11 (NLT)
11 Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
There are two rules a wise man will follow. The first is that one should control their anger until they understand all the merits of the provocation. The philosopher Plato said to his servant, "I would beat thee, but that I am angry.’’ Give it time, and it will cool. When a person takes time to reflect upon and understand their feelings often the anger they are feeling will subside and reason will return to them. Second a person should not be over critical in their resentments. The person who can hold back their anger and express their emotions on pleasant terms will gain much more respect. Calmness and peace is endured much more greatly than strife and anger.
Fighting rush-hour traffic from suburban Maryland to Washington D.C., can cause its share of near misses and irritating moments. One morning, a young lady darted her compact car from a side street into the stream of traffic immediately in front of a driver, forcing him to brake sharply. He avoided hitting her by inches and was obviously furious. Within seconds, traffic stopped at a red light, and I watched him pull up behind the offender, leap from his car, and stride angrily toward hers. Clearly, he intended to give her a royal bowling out. Seeing him coming, the very attractive young lady jumped from her car and ran to meet him--a big smile on her face! Before he could say one word or know what was happening, she had thrown her arms around him, hugged him tightly, and planted a passionate kiss on his lips! Then she was back in her car and driving away, leaving her antagonist standing in the middle of the street still speechless and looking somewhat confused and embarrassed--but no longer angry! [B.R. Holt, Caldwell, ID. Christian Reader, "Lite Fare."}
Perhaps the woman’s actions were a little drastic on both accounts, but she knew she was in the wrong and wanted to defuse the situation. And while her approach was a little extreme it did leave the man wondering about his anger. It is better to defuse the anger in our hearts rather than to let it fester and create damage to our hearts and character.
11 Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
There are two rules a wise man will follow. The first is that one should control their anger until they understand all the merits of the provocation. The philosopher Plato said to his servant, "I would beat thee, but that I am angry.’’ Give it time, and it will cool. When a person takes time to reflect upon and understand their feelings often the anger they are feeling will subside and reason will return to them. Second a person should not be over critical in their resentments. The person who can hold back their anger and express their emotions on pleasant terms will gain much more respect. Calmness and peace is endured much more greatly than strife and anger.
Fighting rush-hour traffic from suburban Maryland to Washington D.C., can cause its share of near misses and irritating moments. One morning, a young lady darted her compact car from a side street into the stream of traffic immediately in front of a driver, forcing him to brake sharply. He avoided hitting her by inches and was obviously furious. Within seconds, traffic stopped at a red light, and I watched him pull up behind the offender, leap from his car, and stride angrily toward hers. Clearly, he intended to give her a royal bowling out. Seeing him coming, the very attractive young lady jumped from her car and ran to meet him--a big smile on her face! Before he could say one word or know what was happening, she had thrown her arms around him, hugged him tightly, and planted a passionate kiss on his lips! Then she was back in her car and driving away, leaving her antagonist standing in the middle of the street still speechless and looking somewhat confused and embarrassed--but no longer angry! [B.R. Holt, Caldwell, ID. Christian Reader, "Lite Fare."}
Perhaps the woman’s actions were a little drastic on both accounts, but she knew she was in the wrong and wanted to defuse the situation. And while her approach was a little extreme it did leave the man wondering about his anger. It is better to defuse the anger in our hearts rather than to let it fester and create damage to our hearts and character.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Listen before reacting
Proverbs 18:13 (NLT)
13 Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.
Some people take pride in being quick trying to give a response before they even understand the full point of what is being said. They think the matter to be so plain they give no consideration to the person speaking. They miss the point of the words spoken and in the end they will feel both shameful and foolish.
[Sun Sentinel, November 08, 1998|ANN LANDERS Syndicated Columnist]
“Dear Ann Landers: I have enjoyed your column for a long time and always thought it would be nice if I could send something as sort of a "payback." Well, I have found what I've been looking for. The Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyers Journal printed the following questions actually asked of witnesses during a trial. The responses to some of the questions were given by insightful witnesses. This is not a put-on. It's for real. -- Ronita in Center Line, Mich.
Dear Ronita: What a thoughtful friend you are. My thanks for sending it on:
1. Now, doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
2. The youngest son, the 20-year-old, how old is he?
3. Were you present when your picture was taken?
4. Were you alone or by yourself?
5. Was it you or your younger brother who was killed in the war?”
Often we react before thinking through the things we are about to say. It becomes even worst when emotions are tense and angry. Instead of stopping and listening even to themselves the person blurts out a statement. Watch someone in a tense argument sometimes and you may see a person answering before they even hear the complete statement from the other person. They are letting emotions irrationally drive their statements and they are not taking time to consider the feelings or the words of the other person.
13 Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.
Some people take pride in being quick trying to give a response before they even understand the full point of what is being said. They think the matter to be so plain they give no consideration to the person speaking. They miss the point of the words spoken and in the end they will feel both shameful and foolish.
[Sun Sentinel, November 08, 1998|ANN LANDERS Syndicated Columnist]
“Dear Ann Landers: I have enjoyed your column for a long time and always thought it would be nice if I could send something as sort of a "payback." Well, I have found what I've been looking for. The Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyers Journal printed the following questions actually asked of witnesses during a trial. The responses to some of the questions were given by insightful witnesses. This is not a put-on. It's for real. -- Ronita in Center Line, Mich.
Dear Ronita: What a thoughtful friend you are. My thanks for sending it on:
1. Now, doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
2. The youngest son, the 20-year-old, how old is he?
3. Were you present when your picture was taken?
4. Were you alone or by yourself?
5. Was it you or your younger brother who was killed in the war?”
Often we react before thinking through the things we are about to say. It becomes even worst when emotions are tense and angry. Instead of stopping and listening even to themselves the person blurts out a statement. Watch someone in a tense argument sometimes and you may see a person answering before they even hear the complete statement from the other person. They are letting emotions irrationally drive their statements and they are not taking time to consider the feelings or the words of the other person.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Justice
Proverbs 21:3 (ESV)
3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
King Solomon reminds us it is better for a person to do what is right, to live by godly laws, and exhibit justice as the Lord would show. Trying to say I gave up this or I gave up that only promotes self, but doing what is right towards others lifts other’s lives up as well.
2 Chronicles tells us the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes. God desires to see justice properly administered, not twisted and perverted. King David said God would judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness. The same justice would be given to orphans, widows, the poor and the afflicted. David knew God loved justice and hated evil. Solomon his son said it was not right to acquit the guilty or deny justice to the innocent. Solomon also encouraged us to speak up for justice and to ensure it is administered properly. In Ecclesiastes Solomon said, “Don’t be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. “
Think about today, who seems to receive pardon when justice is put away, the rich or the poor, the famous or the unknown? Man has forgotten how to administer proper justice. We can even see it in our laws. There was a time a judge could hand down a proper sentence for the crime committed, but now judges are required to hand down a sentence based upon a strict law (red tape and bureaucracy). A student who innocently takes a knife to school in their lunch box is punished just as harsh as someone who takes a knife with the intent to cause harm. We have watched as the rich and famous manipulate the court systems, which the poor face harsh times. We all need to be praying God would restore the justice of the land so that all might receive that which is fair and just. May God extend His love, mercy, grace and justice to all!
3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
King Solomon reminds us it is better for a person to do what is right, to live by godly laws, and exhibit justice as the Lord would show. Trying to say I gave up this or I gave up that only promotes self, but doing what is right towards others lifts other’s lives up as well.
2 Chronicles tells us the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes. God desires to see justice properly administered, not twisted and perverted. King David said God would judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness. The same justice would be given to orphans, widows, the poor and the afflicted. David knew God loved justice and hated evil. Solomon his son said it was not right to acquit the guilty or deny justice to the innocent. Solomon also encouraged us to speak up for justice and to ensure it is administered properly. In Ecclesiastes Solomon said, “Don’t be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. “
Think about today, who seems to receive pardon when justice is put away, the rich or the poor, the famous or the unknown? Man has forgotten how to administer proper justice. We can even see it in our laws. There was a time a judge could hand down a proper sentence for the crime committed, but now judges are required to hand down a sentence based upon a strict law (red tape and bureaucracy). A student who innocently takes a knife to school in their lunch box is punished just as harsh as someone who takes a knife with the intent to cause harm. We have watched as the rich and famous manipulate the court systems, which the poor face harsh times. We all need to be praying God would restore the justice of the land so that all might receive that which is fair and just. May God extend His love, mercy, grace and justice to all!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Hold firm even when others are weak
Revelation 2:24-25 (The Message)
24 -25"The rest of you Thyatirans, who have nothing to do with this outrage, who scorn this playing around with the Devil that gets paraded as profundity, be assured I'll not make life any harder for you than it already is. Hold on to the truth you have until I get there.
In these verses Jesus is speaking to the Thyatira church. He notes there are many who are doing impressive work and are persistent in their love and faith for Him. Yet there are some who have allowed immoral acts to be brought into the church. Jesus tells those who are faithful to hold on.
In his book The Unexpected Journey, Thom Rainer shares the story of Kathi, a woman who left behind a life of witchcraft and Wiccan paganism to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Immediately after her decision to become a Christian, she describes to Thom how God delivered her from the powers of evil in her life, as well as her physical deafness (Kathi had been suffering progressive hearing loss for years).
That next day [after I accepted Christ], we left on our family vacation, camping on the beach. I found a small … church for us to attend. Most of the time when I lip read, I am able to follow less than half of what someone is saying. But I was able to understand every word of the preacher at this church.
When the service was over, I spoke to him and asked him how he was able to speak so well for lip readers. He was puzzled, as he had done nothing special. I explained to him my condition of deafness, and he asked to pray for me. No one had ever done that before, but he did pray for my hearing to be restored.
After Kathi and her family returned to their camp site, Kathi fell violently ill. She was confined to the camp site's bathhouse for hours, vomiting to the point of dehydration. "It was at that point that I sensed God was speaking to me again," she says. "He told me that the other gods I had been worshiping had to go. Up to that point, I had seen my conversion as a lateral move. I still had my other gods. I wasn't convinced they were evil or that paganism was wrong. But now God said they had to go. I hesitated at first because I had become so comfortable with these other gods. They had been with me for many years."
Thom writes an account of what happened next for Kathi:
Kathi soon obeyed. She started calling each of the gods by the Egyptian names she knew and telling them in Jesus' name they had to go. There were many of them, because the ancient Egyptians had a deity to represent every facet of life. Kathi also told anything she had worshiped as a Wiccan and anything she had remembered from the folklore of her childhood that it had to go, too. "They resisted at first," she said. "But once they heard the name of Jesus, they left. As each god left, I saw them as they were, no lovely masks anymore. Instead, they had horrible, evil faces. It scared me witless. I knew then that these were no gods at all, but demons."
Immediately after they were gone, Kathi felt better. She left the bathhouse and went to her family and began to tell her husband what had happened. When he responded, she heard every word he said—but she did not have her hearing aids in her ears. She was able to hear everything—the ocean, the birds, and her children's voices. Kathi has never stopped thanking God for what he did for her.
[Thom S. Rainer, The Unexpected Journey (Zondervan, 2005), pp. 121-122]
24 -25"The rest of you Thyatirans, who have nothing to do with this outrage, who scorn this playing around with the Devil that gets paraded as profundity, be assured I'll not make life any harder for you than it already is. Hold on to the truth you have until I get there.
In these verses Jesus is speaking to the Thyatira church. He notes there are many who are doing impressive work and are persistent in their love and faith for Him. Yet there are some who have allowed immoral acts to be brought into the church. Jesus tells those who are faithful to hold on.
In his book The Unexpected Journey, Thom Rainer shares the story of Kathi, a woman who left behind a life of witchcraft and Wiccan paganism to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Immediately after her decision to become a Christian, she describes to Thom how God delivered her from the powers of evil in her life, as well as her physical deafness (Kathi had been suffering progressive hearing loss for years).
That next day [after I accepted Christ], we left on our family vacation, camping on the beach. I found a small … church for us to attend. Most of the time when I lip read, I am able to follow less than half of what someone is saying. But I was able to understand every word of the preacher at this church.
When the service was over, I spoke to him and asked him how he was able to speak so well for lip readers. He was puzzled, as he had done nothing special. I explained to him my condition of deafness, and he asked to pray for me. No one had ever done that before, but he did pray for my hearing to be restored.
After Kathi and her family returned to their camp site, Kathi fell violently ill. She was confined to the camp site's bathhouse for hours, vomiting to the point of dehydration. "It was at that point that I sensed God was speaking to me again," she says. "He told me that the other gods I had been worshiping had to go. Up to that point, I had seen my conversion as a lateral move. I still had my other gods. I wasn't convinced they were evil or that paganism was wrong. But now God said they had to go. I hesitated at first because I had become so comfortable with these other gods. They had been with me for many years."
Thom writes an account of what happened next for Kathi:
Kathi soon obeyed. She started calling each of the gods by the Egyptian names she knew and telling them in Jesus' name they had to go. There were many of them, because the ancient Egyptians had a deity to represent every facet of life. Kathi also told anything she had worshiped as a Wiccan and anything she had remembered from the folklore of her childhood that it had to go, too. "They resisted at first," she said. "But once they heard the name of Jesus, they left. As each god left, I saw them as they were, no lovely masks anymore. Instead, they had horrible, evil faces. It scared me witless. I knew then that these were no gods at all, but demons."
Immediately after they were gone, Kathi felt better. She left the bathhouse and went to her family and began to tell her husband what had happened. When he responded, she heard every word he said—but she did not have her hearing aids in her ears. She was able to hear everything—the ocean, the birds, and her children's voices. Kathi has never stopped thanking God for what he did for her.
[Thom S. Rainer, The Unexpected Journey (Zondervan, 2005), pp. 121-122]
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Wisdom
Proverbs 12:1 (NLT)
1 To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.
This proverb makes the point that one should enjoy the wisdom discipline brings to a person. For when one hates to be corrected they miss out on the opportunity to learn and grow from their mistakes.
The proverbs were given to us in the Bible so that we would learn how to live in a wise manner. They allow us to live well in this world that God has created for us. The major theme in this proverb is we all need to be open to advice. There are some who will close off the thoughts of others before they even speak. There are some who will pretend to listen while ignoring the wisdom being shared. I once heard a parent say I did the best I could do, when in actuality they “did the best they knew how to do.” There is always room to learn and grow in God’s wisdom. Be quick to listen and slow to speak so that you can hear the wisdom in the words of others.
1 To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.
This proverb makes the point that one should enjoy the wisdom discipline brings to a person. For when one hates to be corrected they miss out on the opportunity to learn and grow from their mistakes.
The proverbs were given to us in the Bible so that we would learn how to live in a wise manner. They allow us to live well in this world that God has created for us. The major theme in this proverb is we all need to be open to advice. There are some who will close off the thoughts of others before they even speak. There are some who will pretend to listen while ignoring the wisdom being shared. I once heard a parent say I did the best I could do, when in actuality they “did the best they knew how to do.” There is always room to learn and grow in God’s wisdom. Be quick to listen and slow to speak so that you can hear the wisdom in the words of others.
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