When anger shows upo, trouble will follow

James 1:19 – Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

 

Can you imagine what would happen if we all took the time to put a buffer between our anger, and the event that triggered it? If we just slowed down, prayed on it, then reacted? Secular Psychology has been saying that we should take a breath before reacting for a few decades now, but the Bible has been saying it for many Centuries.

 

Most of our anger comes from a point of self control than logic. When we are told that we have to do something, or it doesn’t go the way we want, then we get mad. That’s not Biblical because everything that we do is ordained, and controlled by God. So if we get angry because we lose control, then what we’re really doing is getting mad at God because we don’t think His way is good enough for us. This is why we see so many cases of tragedy throughout the Bible, because people didn’t have faith in God’s way, and got angry.

 

Avoid anger at all costs, it only produces sin. Make sure that you don’t fly off the handle when you feel that urge to react angrily. As soon as you feel it, walk away, pray on it, and by that time, you will give a more Godly response. A Godly response will be much more peaceful.

 

Is what you give God your best, or what’s left over?

What do you give God?

Genesis 4:1 Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions  from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Would you get jealous of someone else if they brought a better gift to God than yours? If you would, there’s a way to prevent that, bring the best you have to God.

God doesn’t necessarily judge us on what we bring in terms of money, He just wants the best of what we’re able to give. An example of this is found in Mark 12:43,44

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

It’s not how much we give in Dollars, it’s how much we give from our hearts. So what have you given your best of today? Your time? Your devotion? Your attention? All of these things are worth more than gold to God, and you can afford to give them.

Beginning today, wake up in the morning, pray that God shows you what He wants from you, and give it your best. Make it an offering of sacrifice, but make sure it’s the best of what you have. Doing this will bring more blessings than you have ever seen.

What this Country REALLY needs to do.

Colossians 3:15-17 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And BE THANKFUL. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, WITH THANKFULNESS in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS to God the Father through him.

 

My Dentist is from Vietnam. He was a young child during the war, and lost a brother. His family was sponsored, and moved to San Diego. They proudly became citizens, and became involved in many Civic organizations. He now volunteers his services to the Wounded Warrior Project to help Veterans like me through their Dental issues at little to no cost. He said that it’s the least he could do for a Country that has been so wonderful to him. He doesn’t demand that his Country serves him, he finds a way to serve his Country. I consider him more Patriotic than a vast majority of Americans that were born here.

 

As we were waiting for the first shot of Novocaine to work it’s way into my gums, he said that he just couldn’t understand why there was so much arguing and bickering over such minor issues in this Nation. Most Countries would love to have these petty differences, but they have to focus on starvation, famine, extreme poverty, things that we cannot even imagine in our pampered lives. We rant, rave, and act like spoiled children over who’s right about the wearing of a mask while others starve to death.

 

So many people call themselves Patriots while demanding that their Country bow to their every want and desire. They’ve never done a thing for this Nation other than whine because it’s not perfect. We have become a Country of complainers.

 

Today’s verses talk about being thankful to God for the gifts that he has given us, and we need to take it to heart. We have been blessed and need to stop pouting about what we don’t have, and focus on what we do. We need to stop acting so spoiled and remember to help others like we used to do. We need to grow up spiritually and return to our roots of kindness, generosity, and Christian love.

Are you tired of your appearance?

The other day I heard someone say that when they passed a mirror, all they could think of is, “That can’t be right.” It’s funny in a way, but unfortunately, in today’s world, there’s a lot of emphasis placed on what we look like on the outside rather than what we look like in our hearts.

Psalms 90:17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

Charles William Eliot, former president of Harvard University, had a birthmark on his face that bothered him greatly. As a young man, he was told that surgeons could do nothing to remove it. Someone described that moment as “the dark hour of his soul.” Eliot’s mother gave him this helpful advice: “My son, it is not possible for you to get rid of that hardship…But it is possible for you, with God’s help, to grow a mind and soul so big that people will forget to look at your face.”

Yes, it’s true. All of us have things we’d love to change about our bodies. And many of us tend to spend an awful lot of time and money trying to change, fix and cover those things up. But I think there is much truth in Mrs. Eliot’s words. When we are shining boldly for the Lord, I don’t believe anyone sees them!

Do you REALLY want to make a drastic difference in your appearance today? Let’s stop focusing on our outward issues today and start focusing on what really counts — walking uprightly and wholeheartedly with the Lord — a spiritual extreme makeover! We will glow like never before, at a low low price and 100% guaranteed!

Kind words for your rulers

Yesterday I became very angry regarding our leaders and I let my opinion be known. This morning the Lord sent me this article that led me to a great deal of conviction. Funny how that works, isn’t it?…:) So here it is, the article that led me to repentance.

And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’” Acts 23:5

The high priest just had Paul slapped in the face for sharing the Gospel. Paul then insults the high priest, which most of us probably would do if we weren’t too afraid. After this he is told he insulted the high priest and we have Acts 23:5. This can be a hard verse to swallow; we aren’t supposed to speak evil of a ruler. But what if we don’t agree? Too bad, do not speak evil of a ruler. A ruler can refer to your boss, supervisor, elected official, the president, maybe some other leader in your life. But why shouldn’t we speak evil of a ruler? Some might say because it hurts our witness, which it does. But, it is deeper. Lets look at the verse Paul references:

You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people. Exodus 22:28

When we speak evil of a ruler, we are questioning God’s authority to appoint those who are in charge (Romans 13:1-3). Does this mean we have to be happy with how everything is going? No.  Does this mean we can’t respectfully disagree? Yes. We need to remember to trust God and not speak to others about how horrible the ruler is and how we could do better.  If we truly believe God is in charge, then we can trust that he will put the right people over us at the right time and in the right circumstances. As Christians we need to make an effort to curb negative speech about our rulers and repent when necessary, because we are really cutting down God.

Think of a something kind to say today about the rulers around you.

Promise Keepers Lead Rally to ‘Revive Detroit’

CBN News story….Detroit is picture perfect from a distance. But up close it’s a picture of urban decay. High poverty rates, high crime rates, and high unemployment are driving people away.

Detroit Police Sgt. John Bennett has patrolled the city’s streets for more than 16 years.

“I don’t know how much longer I’m going to stay honestly. I don’t know how much longer I can hang on,” he told CBN News.

“We’ve lost in the police department a thousand officers that haven’t been replaced in the last five to six years,” he said.

Motor City‘s problems are simply bigger than police and government. That’s why 50 area pastors are coming together to pray and to plan.

And they’re being led by Promise Keepers, a Christian organization with a mission to unite men to become warriors to change their world.

“Number one, is it is a revival, renewal, and a rediscovery of the word of God,” Promise Keepers president Dr. Raleigh Washington told CBN News. “There are a lot of solid churches in the Detroit area doing a great job, but it needs to be on a combined basis. That is why the pastors are coming together.”

With Detroit’s problems being so deep and so large, how can pastors make a difference? PK President Dr. Raleigh Washington and PK founder Bill McCartney addressed that question and more on CBN News Channel Morning News, Aug. 23.

The Promise Keepers’ “Reviving Detroit Summit” included a message from former Muslim Brotherhood terrorist Kamal Saleem. Saleem told pastors radical Islam made a conscious effort to divide the city as early as the 1960s.

Nevertheless, Washington said, “I am not preaching against Islam.”

“I am preaching for Christianity because I believe Jesus Christ is the only way, the only truth and the only life,” he explained. “When I hear Islam or anyone preaching different, that goes against what the Bible says.”

Dr. Washington said it’s time for Detroit Christians of all backgrounds to stand together to pull their city from the brink of disaster.

“Racial reconciliation is critical because it undergirds oneness,” he said.

And he believes standing one with God is enough to bring revival to the Motor City.

Egyptian Christians, Muslims March against Obama

CBN News story 8/24/13….Hundreds of Egyptian protestors, many of them Coptic Christians, rallied in front of the White House Thursday, outraged over President Barack Obama’s support of the Muslim Brotherhood.

“Don’t support terrorists!” protestor Hale Salem said. “Don’t support terrorists! Please, Mr. Obama I voted for you — don’t support terrorists.”

“He’s asking us as Egyptians to leave the terrorists in Egypt alone? To kill us, to kill our people? It’s not gonna happen,” another protestor declared.

Muslims were also present, voicing their opposition against the Brotherhood.

“I’m a Muslim,” demonstrator Mina Khalifa said. “It’s not a Christian thing. It’s an Egyptian thing.”

Another Muslim protestor, Suzanne Elnahal, said, “They are terrorists; they have done so many problems in Egypt.”

Meanwhile, there are new concerns the old regime is making a comeback, as former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was released from prison and flown to a military hospital. He is now under house arrest.

But protestors say Mubarak wasn’t as bad as ousted President Mohammed Morsi.

“He’s not really a good guy, but he’s not at least a terrorist,” anti-Brotherhood demonstrator Layla Sedhom said. “But Mohammed Morsi is a terrorist. He belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood.”

The protestors say the Egyptian military is needed to keep order.

“They protect us from (the) Muslim Brotherhood,” Madline Mansour, a Coptic Christian, said. “Muslim Brotherhood kill us, kill all Christian people. Morsi is a terrorist. He belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood.”

Those at the rally say the Brotherhood has burned dozens of Christian churches, businesses, and more.

“For the Coptic Christians, they burn their houses. They’re targeting them,” one protestor said.

The protestors are also angered by Western media coverage of the situation in Egypt. They rallied against the Washington Post, accusing both the newspaper and Obama of being biased in favor of the Muslim Brotherhood.

“So the Obama administration helps the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt; that’s not right,” anti-Brotherhood protestor Sawers Kamel said. “That has a lot of question marks. Why? Why?”

Do we complain about, or pray for, our bosses and those in leadership?

I don’t expect this to be the most popular of my blogs, but I don’t mind because it’s a very important topic that most people in the work force fail to realize….praying for those who lead us.

Yesterday as I left the workplace, I saw my boss poised over just one of the many problems that he faced that day. Earlier I had watched his wife, who also runs the company, running around trying to settle personnel problems and accounting issues. Yet both of them had the added burden of trying to keep the employees motivated and trying not to look stressed. While they pulled this feat off well, I couldn’t help to think about all they go through.

Today is Friday and throughout the world, employees everywhere are elated because of the upcoming weekend. But the problem that business owners and others in charge have, is that most of them never quit working. They have a lot of responsibility that goes home with them. It doesn’t stay at the office because it’s 5 O’clock. They have invested everything they have in it. Their livelihood depends on the success of their business. So maybe we as employees can help them out. How? By praying for peace and success in the business that we are employed by. By becoming better employees and allowing Jesus to shine though us by having an exemplary work ethic. By not getting mad if they initiate a policy that we think is unfair. Policies are not always easy to institute because the person doing the enforcement will become very unpopular. Let’s try to walk a step in their shoes. And this includes our political leaders as well.

I am blessed to have two Christian bosses who are wonderful people. If you’re not, and am less than thrilled to be working for them, don’t be angry and hate, pray for them. Maybe that prayer will change their lives and business around. Believe me, they are stressed, and they need prayers for peace just like anyone else. Having said all of this I have posted a prayer below and ask that you pray this for your bosses before and during work today or whenever (since this blog is read around the world). If you can’t think of a prayer consider the one below, or just simply say a brief one. Our leaders need it.

 

1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,

 

Dear God, our Creator,

We come to You today praying for our boss, our supervisors and for those in authority over us in the workplace.

We begin by requesting that you will give our boss and supervisors your wisdom, guidance and the ability to lead well.  Help them to seek out and listen to sound advice and to decide how to take action in timely and efficient ways that are good for the business and good for the customers and clients who are served.  Here are some specific special requests I now make for my boss…

We pray for the family life of our boss and supervisors that they will be able to balance work and home life in healthy ways.  We pray for their spiritual life that they might come into a stronger faith in You.  We pray for their social life that they might partner with and support worthy causes in our community as You prosper them in business.  Here are some specific prayers I offer for my boss…

We intercede for them about the things only you can provide.  We pray for their physical health that it might remain strong.  We ask that they will be able to maintain a healthy physical and moral lifestyle.   We pray for Your forgiveness and mercy in any ways they have erred.  We pray for Your blessings upon them as You open new doors of opportunity before them. We stand against any emotional or spiritual attacks they might be facing and we plead the blood of Christ over them in their times of stress and crisis.  We pray that you will increase their ability to bear the responsibility of running a business.  Give them grace and fairness in dealing with employees.  Grant them a spirit of inclusiveness, respectfulness, teamwork, and self control.   Lead them not into the temptation of seeking bottom line profits through questionable or unethical means.  And deliver them from the evils of ruthless competitors.  Here are some specific needs my boss has today…

We conclude our prayer by offering out thanksgiving for our boss and supervisors.  Thank you for their ability to handle daily problems, for their experience and leadership, for their vision and dedication.  Thank you for the jobs they have provided for us and for the income these jobs provide.  May we learn how to express our gratitude to them for their guidance and mentoring.  Here are some specific ways I am thankful for my boss…

Amen.

Resentment when things don’t go your way…when good things happen to bad people.

Ressentir is an old French word, literally meaning “intense feeling.” In English, it is resent, and it refers to feeling pain and indignation due to injustice or insult. People may feel resentful when they are cheated on, stolen from, or lied to. Resentment is often a reaction to being insulted or having one’s errors or weaknesses exposed. Resentment can be directed at an action, a statement, or a person—often, an authority figure, such as a parent, a teacher, or God. Resentment is the cheapest and least legitimate form of anger. It is all emotion and no strength.

Resentment can be sparked by perceived unfair treatment by another person. It could be an injustice, like not getting a deserved promotion, or it could be an insult. Either way, resentment stems from a love of the things of the world and a lack of faith in God and His plan. It is legitimate to recognize unfair treatment, and even to do something about it. But it is not helpful to wallow in feelings of self-righteous anger. The Bible is not concerned with the honor of human pride. An intense emotional response to an otherwise harmless insult may show a lack of spiritual maturity and a love of self (Matthew 5:38-39). As David fled Jerusalem, he faced the curses and insults of Shimei (2 Samuel 16:5-8). Rather than respond with resentment towards Shimei—and instead of killing him, as was the king’s right (verse 9)—David chose the path of humility. His words are amazing: “If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’” (verse 10). David avoided feelings of resentment by viewing the situation as from the Lord.

Other times, people feel resentment when God allows or orchestrates an injustice in the course of ministry. If we’re serving God, we should be treated fairly—or so the logic goes. But then we have the example of Elijah, who faced many hardships although he was a faithful servant of the Lord (1 Kings 19:10). Not to mention Job. Jesus warned us of injustice in this fallen world: “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you” (John 15:18). Knowing injustice is a fact of life should circumvent resentment in our hearts, as should keeping our eyes on the goal. Being treated unfairly is painful, but our heavenly rewards will more than compensate (Matthew 5:11-12; 6:19-21).

Another situation that can foster resentment is when we are dishonored because of personal sin. Being accused of a failing we’re innocent of is injustice. Being accused of sin we are guilty of can bring overwhelming shame and a goodly amount of denial. Sometimes the only way God can draw our attention to our sin is to expose our faults in public. As the saying goes, “He loves us too much to leave us where we are.” We may dislike what God is speaking into our lives, but resentment isn’t going to help. Instead, when our sins have found us out (Numbers 32:23), it’s vital to admit we’re wrong. Human pride is nothing compared to the true honor we receive when He sanctifies us (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Resentment is a passive, weak emotion that has no place in the Christian life. If there is injustice, we should deal with it through prayer and godly action. If there is insult, we should concentrate on who we are in Christ and not place too much value on the cruel words of others. If we face injustice in the course of our work for God, we should accept it as to be expected. And if God allows us to be dishonored for the sake of sanctification, the best, least painful response is to repent and allow Him to work in us.

Are you a Christian in name, or by actions?

For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel….. (Ezra 7:10

Jesus, in Matthew 15:8, quoted Isaiah saying, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me”. The scribes and Pharisees he was speaking of had substituted their own laws for those of God’s, simply giving lip-service to the Lord. We are guilty of the same when our actions do not follow the truth our lips declare we believe. When the way in which we live does not reflect our professed beliefs, I have news for you, we don’t really believe them! It’s like a man talking about the power of gravity but then walking off of a cliff because he didn’t really think he would fall.

When we don’t live out the truth we say we believe in, our faith is dead. For “as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:26). The life, the essence is gone from our faith when we don’t live according to it. All our Christianity is in this condition is an empty husk, a mausoleum for our decaying words. If we are genuinely in Christ, we “ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:6). It is the Spirit led flow of a believer’s life to “do”, or put into practice, what we learn from Scripture. Be encouraged to live out the truth that we profess.

Ask yourself these questions today and answer honestly both to yourself and the Lord:

• Is there a lack of joy in my Christian walk?
• Do I neglect prayer because I don’t actually believe it does anything?
• Do I neglect the Bible and simply listen to what others have to say about it?
• Do I, like the Pharisees, honor God with my lips but not with my heart or actions?

Be encouraged: abiding joy is possible and it grows from living faith, prayer is both heard by God and powerful (James 5:16), and it is our glory to search Scripture for its deep wisdom (Proverbs 25:2).