Dealing with Angry People

Dealing with angry people and their drama is the same as dealing with addiction issues.  Proverbs 19:19 says to let angry people face the consequences of their actions. If you intercede to smooth things over it won’t solve the problem, it will only prolong it. 

Proverbs 19:19 (MSG) 19 Let angry people endure the backlash of their own anger; if you try to make it better, you’ll only make it worse. 

12/29/2019

Be Alert and of Sober Mind

Getting high or drunk is a common way to wind down but with this comes lowered judgment and risk. You cannot be alert and of sober mind if you habitually get buzzed or drink a lot to relax. Ask God if this applies to you. Let him direct you in this very important matter. 

1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV) 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

12/22/2019

The Lineage of Jesus

Rahab, a prostitute, said God’s miracle of power and deliverance of the Jews from Egypt was so respected in her world that she was inspired to take the side of God against her own people. Holding God in awe, she became a part of the lineage of Jesus. 

Joshua 2:8-11 (NIV) 8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

12/18/2019

The Good Samaritan

Being a decent human being is rooted in the story of the Good Samaritan, as is the Golden Rule. Enmity and disputes will exist as long as there are humans but the divine effect of being respectful to others, regardless of affiliation and social status, will exist longer. 

Luke 10:33-37 (TLB) 33 “But a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw him, he felt deep pity. 34 Kneeling beside him the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his donkey and walked along beside him till they came to an inn, where he nursed him through the night 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two twenty-dollar bills and told him to take care of the man. ‘If his bill runs higher than that,’ he said, ‘I’ll pay the difference the next time I am here.’ 36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the bandits’ victim?” 37 The man replied, “The one who showed him some pity.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” 

12/15/2019

Choosing Your Friends

God told the Israelites not to live with or adopt the cultural ideals of other nations. This wasn’t xenophobia . He knew they would be seduced by their idols and choose those idols over him, and they did. Be careful who you live with and who you look up to for the same reason. 

Exodus 23:33 (NIV) 33 Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.”

12/11/2019

Man-made or God-made

Some churches have traditions - rules developed over time - to help them worship and honor God more fully. Ask God for right interpretation of his word to avoid man-made, Pharisee-like legalism or anything else that complicates living out your direct relationship with God.

Mark 7:10-13 (MSG) ….You get rid of God’s command so you won’t be inconvenienced in following the religious fashions! Moses said, ‘Respect your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone denouncing father or mother should be killed.’ But you weasel out of that by saying that it’s perfectly acceptable to say to father or mother, ‘Gift! What I owed you I’ve given as a gift to God,’ thus relieving yourselves of obligation to father or mother. You scratch out God’s Word and scrawl a whim in its place. You do a lot of things like this.”

12/8/2019

Avoiding Conflict

Avoidance and running from conflict is a lazy habit. Make it your desire to meet adversity and the hard issues of life calmly and with God. You move forward when you face difficulties with God. Being able to handle the pressure of adversity is a holy and valuable skill.  

Proverbs 24:10 (TLB) 10 You are a poor specimen if you can’t stand the pressure of adversity. 

12/1/2019