Ecclesiastes 12:10

  Consider a man that most would consider the epitome of a good man. He serves at his church, he gives of his means, he prays daily, never misses Bible class, and has no vices to be seen. He has the “pure and faultless” religion James tells us about, he helps widows and is concerned for the kids. Yet this man, on certain occasions when he is mad or challenged when he is tired or frustrated, will say sometimes he shouldn’t. Just a slip of the tongue. He didn’t mean much by it.  An angry outburst, a half-truth, a bit of gossip, a hint of slander, an insult, a dig, not much of anything. Just some words.  Now what does that make of his religion?  The Bible says it is worthless. If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. James 1:26  Wait, he is a good man! What about all the things he does?  It's just some loose talk!  Consider what Jesus tells us in Ma...

  A DEA Agent stopped by the farm of an old rancher. He told the man, “I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs.” The rancher said, “Okay, but don’t go into that field over there…”, as he pointed out the location. The DEA Agent verbally exploded and said, “Look mister, I have the authority of the federal government with me!” Reaching into his rear back pocket, the arrogant officer removed his badge and proudly displayed it to the rancher. “See this badge?! This badge means I can go wherever I want on any land! No questions asked!   The rancher kindly nodded, apologized, and went about his chores. Moments later the rancher heard screams, he looked up and saw the DEA agent running for his life, being chased by the rancher’s big bull.  With every step, the bull was gaining ground on the officer. The old rancher seeing his predicament moved over to the fence, and yelled at the top of his lungs, ““YOUR BADGE! SHOW HIM YOUR BADGE!”   At times it can be te...

Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent. Proverbs 17:28       You need to say something.  That’s what we think. A person makes a jab. An accusation is hurled at us. We are questioned. It’s human nature to want to defend ourselves, yet that can be at times the worst thing we can do.   Years ago, I had a mentor tell me “Never get in a mudsling contest with a pig, they love it and you just end up getting dirty.”  We don’t have to respond to everything. Sometimes the best thing we can say is nothing at all.   Lots of the talk we get into is not near as productive as we think. Silence may we more effective than we can imagine. Think about how Jesus used it (John 8:6, Mark 14:61). Maybe we should learn to use it as well.

    Cunningham's Law is an axiom coined by Steven McGeady. It’s named after Ward Cunningham, the inventor of wiki software, who initially gave him the advice.  It states " the best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer ."   That doesn’t just work on the internet. People that would instantly shut up like an oyster if you asked something of them will open up if it makes them feel superior. We like to be right and are quick to let people know when they are wrong.   The problem is that isn’t the best way to communicate. When you jump on a person for their error they are just as likely to double down on the mistake than consider the truth. That’s why the Bible tells us in 2 nd Timothy 2:24-25, “ The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance lead...

  As Dave Carrol was getting to his seat on the plane, he overheard one of the passengers exclaim that “the baggage handlers were literally out there throwing guitars”. This worried Dave since he and his band were musicians traveling to a gig and they had just checked their guitars.   Sure enough, when he picked up his baggage, his guitar was damaged beyond repair. He was of course upset and tried to get the airline to fix its mistake. Yet, like many companies in our time, they didn’t seem to care much about customer service. After spending months trying to get them to pay for the damaged equipment, the airline only said they you give him a $1500 voucher rather than pay for the $3500 guitar. Except they would do that either because they said Dave had made the claim incorrectly.   So, what could a musician do about it?  He wrote a song about it. His ballad United Breaks Guitars was a catch little ditty about his poor experience with the airline. The song went v...

  I once knew a fellow that you would describe as religious. He had strong beliefs. He spoke out against liquor, lewdness, and the like. He gave out of his pocket for good works. He made it to services on a regular basis.  He never stole from his neighbor, never cheated on his wife, and never lied to his boss. All and very religious.   Expect.   If you upset him, he’d yell at you. If you disagreed with him, he’d curses you. If you irked him, he’d badmouth you. If you did something he didn’t agree with, he’d speak against you. If you made a mistake, he’d tell everyone about it. If you weren’t on his side, he’d mock you.  So, what kind of religion did he have? According to James a worthless one. If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.  James 1:26      You can be right on in doctrine and practices but if you don’t consider your words an...

“The right word and the wrong word is like the difference between lightning and a lightning bug” - Mark Twain    Every find yourself searching for the right word? It can be a struggle even if our vocabulary is verbose. However, most times it not about knowing the word as much as it is choosing the right one for the right circumstances.   Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances . Proverbs 25:11  Words have power. The can be the difference between life and death (Proverbs 18:21). Great damage or great good can be done with our selection of words (James 3:6). Our religion can be worthless if we use the wrong ones (James 1:26).  Angry words can ruin our relationships. Vulgar words can ruin our example. Foolish words can harm our neighbors. Cuttings words can demoralize our allies. Unwholesome words can corrupt our efforts. Slanderous words can destroy people's lives.  Your words say a lot about you b...

    People like to comment on things. If you don’t believe me, just post something online and wait for the takes to come rolling in. People can’t seem to help themselves. Even when their opinion is irrelevant or unwarranted, they can’t resist chiming in.  Many times those comment don’t do much of any good and may even cause great harm   I think it might have to do with our pride. We expect everyone wants to know our take since we are so important.  If we don’t remark we might not be relevant anymore.   This concept, I think, is seen in John 3, when we read about a discussion involving John the Baptist disciples. In verse 25 we read, “ Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purification .” The next line is John’s disciples going to him with their concerns that all the people were now going to Jesus to be baptized. Why the odd transition?   Maybe in the discussion, the people quoted Je...

    In 1840, the Whig party needed a candidate to unseat Martin Van Buren. So, they created one. They took a Virginia aristocrat by the name of William Henry Harrison and transformed into a ‘ hard cider–swillin’, log cabin–livin’ everyman’ . Harrison wasn’t known for much outside of his victory in the rather obscure battle of Tippecanoe and that exactly what the Whigs wanted. All he had to do during the campaign against Van Buren, was to avoid any controversial issues and keep his mouth shut.  The campaign was a success.   So, his Inauguration Day was really the first chance Harrison had to speak his mind. And boy did he. His speech still holds the record for the longest ever at over two hours. It was described as the “ longest, most excruciatingly boring Inaugural Address ever delivered ’. It was an ordeal for the audiences not just because of the speech but also because the temperatures were below freezing.   That didn’t faze Harrison. Even without a co...

  Like a lot of folks, you're on the internet. You purse the blogs, check in on your group on Facebook and scan the twitter feed. Yet whether you are in cyberspace or in person in the real world, you should be acting like a Christian. So when the moment comes to make a comment on some post what should you do? Here is a handy checklist . Ask if you need to say what you are planning to say Here is a handy verse to consider: Ephesians 4:29 ” Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear ”. So if the comment is not wholesome, good for others, on topic, uplifting, and generous to the recipient, then don’t say it. Ask why you are saying what you are planning to say Here is another verse to consider: 2 Timothy 2:24-25 " The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged...

  If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee. It hardly seems worth it.   Yet it seems today we still do a lot of yelling. Every few weeks another cause or issue pops up that forces us to raise our voices. We must express our anger. So we post on the internet, rant in the cafes, bellyache in the break room. We can’t hardly seem to wait to yell about something. But is it worth it?   Let’s consider some Bible verses: Proverbs 18:2   A fool does not delight in understanding, But only in revealing his own mind. Proverbs 15:1-2   A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.  The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly. Proverbs 29:22   An angry man stirs up strife, And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression. James 1:19-20    This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone mus...

  Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed in Ford’s Theater April 14 th , 1865. Of course, he had no idea that night would be his last. Lincoln loved the theater and it was his common diversion for his stressful job. So he probably didn’t think much about what he carried in his pocket that night, but maybe we should.   In the personal effects found on Abraham Lincoln that night: a small handkerchief embroidered “A. Lincoln,” a pocketknife, a watch fob, glasses (one repaired with cotton string), a Confederate five-dollar bill, and wallet with only some worn-out newspaper clipping in it. Most of the items were common enough but I want you to notice the newspaper clipping. One began, “ Abe Lincoln is one of the greatest statesmen of all time .  The clippings were, even at the time of his death, so well-worn they were almost unreadable. They mostly were articles extolling his presidency.   Contrary to what some today might say, Lincoln was the most vilifi...

  A four letter word meaning “one of the U.S.,” read the clue. The answer? “Utah.” Five letters: “Red Indian on the Missouri.” That one is “Omaha.” Normal enough crossword clues, that is unless the clues are in the Daily Telegraph, a British paper, in May of 1944. This is just months before the super-secret invasion of Normandy, where troops are set to land on beaches code-named Utah and Omaha.   A panic sets in for military officials. Could a spy be leaking information via the crossword in the paper? The investigation seems to be leading that way. Two years prior, the same author named Leonard Dawe, had been interrogated when one of his clues predicted what was the name of a port that the allies were about to unsuccessfully raid. It seemed the German had been forewarned.  The more they looked more suspect clues they saw. A review of earlier crossword puzzles showed that Dawe had used the code words for the three other beaches — Gold, Juno, and Sword....

  We’ve all probably heard the adage that the majority of communication is nonverbal. This notion is from Dr. Albert Mehrabian, author of the book Silent Messages. In his research, he found that only 7% of any message is conveyed through words, the rest (38% through certain vocal elements and 55% through nonverbal elements) is unspoken.   What we say is more about how we say it and the influence of other factors that make the message.  Our smile conveys sincerity.  Our dress imparts seriousness (or the lack thereof). A head nod implies conviction. This isn’t just for the person talking, but also for the one listening .   I know when I preach the nonverbals of the crowd affect my message. Are they disinterested? Am I making my point? Am I being confusing? Do they agree? Are they about to throw tomatoes?   The sad thing is I know that often times peoples nonverbals are not at all directed towards the lesson. His scowl isn’t about the sermon...

   It is a simple truth that we might miss the significance of; large things are made up of smaller things.   As one author put it;   Drops of ink are shaped into letter, letters are arranged into words, words form sentences and sentences combine to express thought. Great forests are made of trees that grew from sapling that started as small seeds.  Walls are built from many stones. An ocean is formed by drops of water.  Be they dead stone, living flesh or rolling sea, all things hold to this truth, large things are made from smaller things   This truth isn’t just in nature but in our lives as well. Principles determine our choices. Choices create our actions. Our actions form our behavior. Our behavior defines our character. Our character established our worth.   What we are and the value of it comes from the everyday minor insignificant thoughts and actions.   We may think,”Oh that’s no big thing why bother”, but l...

   I can't stand the rambling preacher.  That fellow that spends his time talking about everything but his lesson.  The guy whose lesson on the Prodigal Son includes sections on picking peas, the best hitter in baseball and temperature of last night’s dinner.  Maybe it bother me more because I fear that I may just be that guy. Rambling might be entertaining (usually not) but it is definitely not edifying.  For the preacher, his purpose is to build up his listeners with his words not just fill time.   But that qualifier isn’t just for preacher however; “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29   This verse gives us a purpose (edification), a place (according to the need of the moment), and a plan (give grace) for our speech.  It also commands us to limit speec...

  I’ll admit I have a skill that may be more trouble than it is worth.  Since I have a pretty good ear for voices, I can often pick up certain speech patterns.  That pattern will be the basis of a way to mimic them.  So then I can do a decent impersonation of a lot of people.  However, it usually isn’t as fun for them as it is for everyone else.   I learned a long time ago that impersonations are not about duplication but reduction.  If you can reduce a person's speech to an easy to mimic phrase or peculiarity, you can pull off a passable impression even if you don’t sound all that much like the person.  Simplify a person to their most basic peculiarity and they are easy to mock.   You see this in our world today.  We like to reduce people down to their most basic trait.  He’s crazy.  She’s is dumb blonde.  They are just selfish kids.  He’s so ambitious.  She is just u...

   I’ll let you finish but first let me say one thing…   One of the most annoying and frustrating things to do to someone is to interrupt them. [1]   Nothing makes you feel less important than to have someone take what you said in another direction before you can even get it said.     I’ve learned to deal with it by not taking it as an insult but enjoying it for its comic effect.  P eople that interrupt often sound very senseless and will have conversion that resemble a roller coaster more than an intelligent exchange of ideas. They jump to conclusions so fast it will spin your head and make points so absurd that it is a shame it isn’t a joke.     It is hard to make sense, when you don’t know what is going on. He who gives an answer before he hears, It is folly and shame to him. Proverbs 18:13    However, the interrupter is becoming a pretty standard player in our world today.  ...

    Over the last few weeks I heard many folks exclaim about how the world can accept something that the Bible so clearly condemns. That started me thinking about some other clear commands the scriptures teach that we might be quick to forget, ignore or just down right defy. Here are a few I came up with… Complaining: James 5:9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. Angry Derogatory Outburst: Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Being Idle and Undisciplined: 2 Thessalonians 3:11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Meddling: 1 Peter 4:15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; Gossiping Proverbs 20:19 He who goes about as ...

  Recently a young man was kicked off a Southwest flight bound for Chicago because of his shirt.  His shirt boldly proclaimed a dirty word that still isn’t allowed on television.  The airline has a clear policy on every ticket about offensive language and dress.  The young man was convinced that no one was offended by the language but the crew held their ground.  I glad they did and help keep a modicum of decency for at least that flight.  It seems however that profanity is becoming much more accepted part of our culture.  Many don’t think a thing about filling their speech with any swear and curse word they know.      But what about the Christian? How should we view this kind of language? What does the Bible teach about the vocabulary we use?    Well first let’s figure out what we are talking about.  What makes a word a bad word?  I think a simple way is to look at the words we use to describe this langu...