Michael Stone charged into the parliament building in Belfast, Northern Ireland, armed with bombs, a knife and a handgun. After he was wrestled to the floor, he was charged with trying to kill several of the leaders that were inside. His defense after his arrest was that everything he did that day was merely "performance art replicating a terrorist attack." In other words it was just a joke! Many people may not have the chutzpah as Stone but use the same technique. They will criticize the church and its leader’s using humor or as if they are just “having some fun.” What it really is a thin layered attack. Those that do this may think it is harmless but the Bible says otherwise. In Proverbs 26:18-19, we read, “Like a madman who throws Firebrands, arrows and death, So is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, "Was I not joking?" Next time we hear people veil their attacks a just a joke, lets remember what the Bible says and watch out for what they are really doing.
I always hated buying gifts for my Mom. If I got her something like a new set of pans, it was like saying “Here’s something you can use to go make me something to eat”. A gift for her was seemingly a gift for me. There are however gifts you give that benefit you more than the receiver. For example, forgiveness. When you give it, you are giving it to yourself as much as you are giving it to them. Jesus said that when we forgive others it means God is forgiving us our wrongs (Matthew 6:14-15). I once read: “ Heaven is where everyone's forgiven. Hell is where nobody's forgiven. So, when we forgive we pull heaven down into our lives. When we withhold forgiveness, we pull hell up into our lives ” Give yourself something nice today, Forgive.
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