Ecclesiastes 12:10

  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...

  I have hit some bad golf shots before but I don’t think anyone has hit one worse than Metthieu Boya. He’s not a tour pro, however, just a ground technician at an airport in the west African state of Benin. On his lunch break, He was trying to get in a little practice when he sliced a drive, badly. The ball struck the windscreen of a jet fighter that was preparing to take off, causing it to careened into the four jets neatly lined up by the runway. Those five plans happened to be the entire Air force of Benin.   Whoops.   You wouldn’t think a golf ball could bring down an air force but here it is. Little things can do big damage. Like words. A caustic remark at the wrong time, a little white lie, a pointed barb may not seem like much but they can kill joy, deflate hope and send folks down the wrong path.   James tells us, “ So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small ...

  Some people speak because they have something to say. Others speak because they have to say something.   We live in a world that has to comment. When we see folks do or say what we think they ought not, we feel the need to rebuke, redress, and return volley.   We see how that is working out for us.     It was tough for Ezekiel as well. He lived in a day when it seemed everyone had lost their mind. As a man of God, he wanted to set them straight but God did something to him. He shut his mouth for him: "Moreover, I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be mute and cannot be a man who rebukes them, for they are a rebellious house. "But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you will say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.' He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house . Ezekiel 3:26-27     God knew Ezekiel would want to throw in his two cents but...

  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...

  There is an old axiom: Never argue with a fool, people might not know the difference.   It’s true you know. All you have to do to see it is look at how people respond online. People often on the right side of an issue will make themselves wrong because they will engage those that seemly have nothing better to do than agitate.  Rather than stand for truth or defend the good, they descend into petty bickering and insults Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him. Proverbs 26:4   The world it seems has decided that ridicule and mocking are the way to prove a point. It also seems some Christians are following along.  What did Jesus tell us about spotting those in error, that their deeds are more telling than their words? What does it say when our deeds are just like them? Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. 3 John 1:11  Years ago a friend gave me some good advice. Never get ...

    Maybe you think Mark Twain said it best: “ Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself ." - Mark Twain    It’s not hard to think less of our elected officials.  Whether we look to Washington, the State Capital or City Hall, it can be easy to find fault.  And with our form of government, we have the responsibility to involve ourselves in the political process.  So we have to choose candidates, voice our opinions and publicly discuss the issues.  However, it seems as of late the process has become a little more animated maybe than it ought to be.  While it is important to be good citizen of our country, we must also remember that our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).  And the Bible has something to say about how we speak about our government officials: Proverbs 24:21   My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise , Ti...

Monday Morning Scattershooting while wondering why people think I'm being condescending. It’s just that I'm too busy thinking about far more important things they wouldn't understand.     I have to admit I am getting a little tired of Facebook.  To be honest I never much cared for it. [1]   Now however the noise is getting a little overwhelming.  Too many opinions, too much information, too much bickering, too much meddling, too many busybodies.  For some reason, people can’t handle making comments.  I now avoid the comment section on any website. Not that there are not good point in some discussions, but to get to them you have to wade thru so much junk.  I still can’t believe how people don’t think about what they are saying in public forums.  Maybe it is the false mask we think we have online.  We will say things to a screen that we would never say to person.  As Oscar Wilde put it, “ Man is least himself when h...