The more you become an expert in something like music or sports, the more you need to practice to remain at that level. Baseball players take more groundballs and musicians play more scales. One area where we don’t need any practice is being a sinner. Nothing comes more naturally to us than sinning. It constantly…
Read MoreTime is something you can never get back. As of writing this, no time machine has been invented. So we have to be wise with how we use our time. We shouldn’t fritter it away or, even worse, use it for the wrong purposes. Paul tells us to redeem the time by sharing the Gospel…
Read More.When you are struggling, you can have others come alongside you and support you, but they can’t carry your sorrows. Loved ones can surround you, but they can’t feel the pain of your disease. While their love and support make the sorrow easier, it is yours to carry alone. When it comes to your sin,…
Read MorePleasing God is Impossible Without Faith. No good work or behavior will get you over the top. It is stepping out in faith that will please Him. Your willingness to step out of your comfort zone when you don’t know the outcome and when things don’t look promising is faith. Faith is where we learn…
Read MoreYou need to set the example for others to follow. Whether they are your children or younger workers at your job, you need to set the example for them to follow. They have questions and are looking for good examples to model their lives after. Your actions could show the way for someone who has…
Read MoreWhat fills your heart with joy? Is it your family or friends? Maybe it’s your hobby? Whatever it is, it fills your heart and puts a song on your lips. Did you know that you fill your heavenly Father’s heart with joy? You make creation sing for joy. The mountains break forth into singing because God…
Read MoreOne of the most painful things to deal with is when someone turns on you. You thought they were a friend and when you needed them they turned against you. Getting over pain like that can take some time. Some people never recover. Fortunately, one of the greatest promises in scripture is “God will never…
Read MoreThe phrase “Every cloud has a silver lining” means you can derive good from every bad situation. It probably originated from a John Milton poem from 1634. While it may be a generalization, there is some truth to the idiom. Finding the silver lining may not always be easy, but after time it will become…
Read MoreDo you ever wish you could silence the foolish people? Those who blab off their mouths and spew gossip and lies? Maybe you would like to walk up to them and deliver the perfect one-liner that leaves them without a response? Fortunately, most of us aren’t that witty or quick, which saves us a lot of headaches. There is a way to silence the foolish people. It is through your good deeds. Leave them speechless by what you do, not by what you say.
“For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.”
When wronged by another person, our initial reaction is to defend ourselves. They attack us by spreading rumors and gossip. We want to confront the person. We dream of the perfect comeback to their slander. Unfortunately, the reason the person is foolish is that nothing silences them. Their mouths run on and on. Proverbs often warns us about stooping to the level of a foolish person. Prov 10:8 The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. Just as the old saying goes: “it does no good to wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty, but he enjoys it.”
Read MoreHave you ever been so excited you couldn’t keep quiet? Have you kept thinking that you gotta tell someone? That’s what the resurrection of Jesus Christ did to the disciples. They were so transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit that they couldn’t keep quiet and needed to tell everyone about the Good News of Jesus Christ. Of course, this got them into trouble as well. We should all want to get to the point where you can’t keep quiet about Jesus.
But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
What drives you to follow Jesus? Is it a promise of eternal reward? Is it the relief that comes from forgiveness of your sins? What if you were brought in before authorities to give an answer? Would you stand firm in your faith if you were told to stop following Jesus? Peter and John were brought before the religious council and told to stop proclaiming Jesus’ name. Their reply; “What is right in God’s eyes?” They answered to a higher calling, and even at the threat of harm, they would not back down.
Read More
