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Words to Live By

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,” – James 1:19 We’ve been talking about God solutions the past couple of days, and in the Book of James, we receive another brilliant message: “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” What a sound philosophy that is. This wisdom answers a question about the anger issues many people experience today. People want to know what they should do when they’re angry or what to do if someone is mad at them. What is God’s solution for our response? Let me repeat God’s wisdom: Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry! We must ask the Lord to help us walk in this advice. Do you think a

October 7, 2022 2 Comments

How I Respond

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” – Luke 6:27,28 Not long ago, I was driving on the freeway at a good speed and saw a guy in a pickup truck barreling down, weaving in and out of traffic. He then abruptly veered in front of my car, cutting me off to get on another freeway. Because I’m a Christian and a pastor I never flip people off! However, there is something you can do; you can give drivers a big thumbs down, and say, “BOO! BOO!” So, I did this to the driver and he looked at me, flipped me off, and to this I said, “BOO!” It’s not as striking, but it gets the job done. As I continued driving down the road, I was feeling

September 26, 2022 1 Comment

The Gift of Surrender

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” – Romans 12:18,19 How do you feel about your boss? I’m guessing that a few of you have inspiring, fair and all-around great bosses. I’ve experienced this and wouldn’t you agree it makes a world of difference? When you work at a job with people you admire and whom you enjoy seeing, you are blessed more than most! But what if the opposite is true? How do you handle it if you have authoritarian figures in your life who take advantage of their position and attempt to keep you from carrying out your responsibilities? I’ve had this experience as well. As hard as we may try to

April 2, 2022 No Comments

The Allure of Gentleness

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” – Philippians 4:5 I don’t know about you, but the world we’re living in wears on me sometimes. Especially since the dawn of the pandemic, it seems like there’s an angry energy that’s permeating society. While I believe it’s fueled by political tensions, a barrage of fear, and the pressures put on us by an increasingly media and image-driven culture, at the end of the day, it’s draining. Sharp edges and harshness seem to be all too common in interactions and reactions, and this is precisely why the children of God need to step up and be the antidote. Like Dallas Willard once said, there’s an “allure in gentleness,” and especially in times like these, we can be a source of healing and comfort to people. Because we’re filled with the Holy Spirit, we have the power to forgo

August 15, 2021 3 Comments

Words Can Wound

“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” – Matthew 12:36,37 Like it or not, I believe we carry around careless and unkind things spoken over us in our hearts…and even in our bodies. As I was growing up, I was often called “stupid” and “clumsy,” and to this day, though people can say a lot of things and not upset me, if someone utters either of those words, I have a strong emotional and physical reaction. You see, labels create a negative imprint on our spirits, and when we’re identified by them in any season of life, they continue to haunt us. Even as an adult, I’ve laid awake at night on several occasions thinking about vitriol spewed

March 26, 2021 No Comments

It Matters to God

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.” – Matthew 5:38-40 I don’t know about you, but I’ve noticed that the world seems to be getting harsher all the time. I think a lot of it is because of the COVID situation, but people in general are stressed, impatient, and many are acting out on their impulses (I’ve especially witnessed it on our Southern California freeways). Unfortunately, this can be really wearing for those of us who are trying to do the right thing. Just for “staying in our lane,” both literally and figuratively, we are often the target of the slander,

February 17, 2021 1 Comment

The Root of the Problem

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.’” – Matthew 5:27-29 As Christians, we should constantly seek to become more like Jesus. While this is an everyday aspiration, looking ahead to a new year gives us an opportunity to commit ourselves again to the call of discipleship. In light of our divided culture — one in which social media has given everyone a platform — many of us feel a burden to cultivate unity. More than ever, we’re zealous about bringing divine justice and mercy to earth, yet

December 28, 2020 No Comments

The Struggle is Real

“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” – Psalm 40:2 How are you doing? When’s the last time someone asked you that question? If it wasn’t too long ago, how did you respond? I think many of us, when queried on our condition or status, give a canned or rote response rather than answering in a way that reflects the true state of our being. While this is fine in casual encounters, it’s beneficial for each of us to pause occasionally and take an account of the state of our hearts and souls. Here in Southern California, COVID-19 remains at the forefront of our lives, and we were recently faced with another shutdown. For many, the feeling of going backwards is especially difficult, and while I realize that

December 15, 2020 No Comments

Anger Is Not a Sin

“‘In your anger do not sin:’ Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” -Ephesians 4:26-27

March 8, 2017 2 Comments

DEAL WITH IT…

“Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.”
-Ecclesiastes 7:9

August 26, 2016 No Comments

Words to Live By

How I Respond

The Gift of Surrender

Words Can Wound

It Matters to God

The Root of the Problem

The Struggle is Real

Anger Is Not a Sin

DEAL WITH IT…

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