No Grumbling Or Arguing!

Philippians 2:14-16; No grumbling; nor arguing so that you might shine like stars on the day of Jesus the Christ.

Crooked Ways Are Found Out

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
   but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.

                                          (Prov 10:9 NIV)

I have spent a bit of time attempting to teach teen-age felons what it means to have integrity through cognitive behavior therapy. After I left the correctional facility and once again began serving in the church, I often thought how much easier it was to teach felons than Christians. 

Yes, that sounds horribly judgmental. But, it is the truth. Felons have been convicted. They have already been found guilty. You can present the case as to how badly they have damaged their and their loved one's lives without too much denial. But, way too often, Christians can be caught in the most obvious lies or other damaging words or deeds and still deny that they have been taking a crooked path. Christians are never as bad as the felons, or at least so many think. Sadly my experience has been that most of us who are not felons probably are not simply because we've never been caught. We are sinful human beings and it is really most helpful to one's life to repent; that is to acknowledge our sins and turn around to follow Christ on the straight and narrow path.

But, take my word for it. You can lie all you want. You can sneak around and do things that are most damaging to you, your loved ones, even your church. But, there are those whose eyes are wide open and they know the truth. You can deny it. But, you are only lying to yourself. Your attempts to stagger down the crooked path are found out. You cannot hide from God and you cannot hide from humankind forever. But, do not worry. You will most likely be allowed to go on deceiving yourself by thinking that no one knows. Christians, to a large degree, do not like confrontation and most will let you continue on the crooked path to your own demise.

I do not like confrontation. But, neither am I afraid of it. I do get tired of it, though. I get very tired of watching and listening to those who have no integrity. 

May God have mercy.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Shine Like A Star

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.  (Philippians 2:14-16 NIV)

Most people (maybe all) end up grumbling about something or arguing with someone at one time or another. But, as children of God we are to make every attempt to stay away from these things. They will drag us down and into situations that are detrimental to our spiritual and physical health. 

When we find ourselves being pulled into these warped and crooked lifestyles we ought to do all that we can to turn away from them and to the way that Jesus would have us go. Turn to the Word for wisdom and strength. We are to immerse ourselves in the word of God found in the Holy Scriptures so that we might have guidance and peace. We will shine like stars among the darkness brought into this world by grumbling and  arguing as we hold firmly to the word of life.

May God keep us in the Word so that we might be recognized as His children on the day of Jesus the Christ. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

The name of the righteous is used in blessings,
    but the name of the wicked will rot.

The wise in heart accept commands,
    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
    but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.

                                                       (Prov 10:6-9 NIV)

Words of wisdom often fall on deaf ears. We can share these words all we want; but, there are those who would rather chatter about their own self-righteousness albeit mostly exaggerations and sometimes out right falsehoods. Although, not everyone appreciates it, it is in my nature to confront those who chatter on tripping over their own stories. Their stories are easily found out because they cannot keep their stories straight. They make known the crooked path that they are on by the unending chatter. They make it known and they end up falling. Their names become detested rather than a blessing and honor.

I confront often; but, confrontation alone helps very little. In addition to and probably even more important than confrontation with those who refuse to walk in integrity is to turn them over to God in prayer. Sometimes, some things; some people, we just have to let go of and let God deal directly with them.

May God help us all to walk in integrity, in the knowledge of the truth, who is Jesus the Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Quit Scheming And Live Life

Solomon's search for wisdom; his search to discover the theme of things, seems to have left him just a little depressed! "Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart." (Eccl 7:3 NIV)  From my own experience, frustration is not better than laughter. But, there is a time and a season and a place for both. Frustration, indeed, my help you to grow as you face the challenges before you; but, laughter lends itself to healing of the mind, the body, and the soul. It is good to do each in the appropriate time and place.

"Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future." (Eccl 7:13-14)

We will encounter both the good and the bad times in our journey here on earth. No one gets to be "happy, happy, happy" all the time and no one should be living their lives in constant sorrow or depression. "Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes." (Eccl 7:18b)

Solomon tested all things. With the wisdom he was allotted, he attempted to discover the scheme of all things. But, in the end here is what he found:  "...God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes." (Eccl 7:29)

The search to figure out why humankind would work so hard their whole lives at scheming to make others so miserable is futile. Searching out the evil purposes of humankind will lead to depression. That is simply what we have chosen to do and only God can know why. God, and maybe each of us can search out our own hearts to figure out why it is we, personally, do so much scheming. We should search our hearts and our own minds, repent, and live the life that God intended for us to live, as children of His heavenly kingdom. Live life!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Shine Like The Stars!

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. Philippians 2:24-26 NIV

I read and sometimes even watch a little news every morning. Lately, the amount I subject myself to has become very, very little. The grumbling and arguing of the pundits and the people has become more than a bit much. Fake news has hit an all time high. Fake news being fabricated stories; lies and slander. Do we really have time for all of the dissension and division that goes with it?

We live in a warped and crooked generation. I suppose there are many reasons for this negativity. Mainly; though, I believe, it comes from one's desire to advance their own personal agendas.

It is not just the media who advances the grumbling and negativity for the benefit of their personal self-serving agendas.  Many others, politicians, movie stars, athletes, even Christians, participate in this negativity. But, it does not have to be. It can change. The world does not have to so terribly steeped in dissension. There are an awful lot of Christians in the world (including politicians, movie stars, professional athletes) and if we would but hold firmly to the word of life and share that word; the light of Christ will shine throughout the world. The light will shine and the darkness will disappear from around us. The "stars" of this world are not the shining lights that can guide anyone on the path of life. Only the light of Christ can do that.

Do not get caught in the trap of grumbling or arguing about everything little thing according to your own will. Focus on God's word and His will. Hold firmly to the word of life that his light might shine forth through you, so that the world may see the truth, who is Jesus the Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Fall Off The Crooked Path

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
    but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.
                                                             Proverbs 10:9 NIV

When my youngest granddaughter was very young, she would sometimes attempt to blame others for things that occurred. I would simply tell her that her nose was growing in reference to the Pinocchio fairy tale. She would grab her nose and then tell me what had actually happened in an attempt to keep her nose from growing. She's not buying that story (my exaggeration and falsehood)any longer. Fortunately, I think both of my granddaughters have figured out that I can figure out when they are exaggerating to make themselves look more innocent. I cannot always prove when someone is telling me a falsehood. But, that does not mean that I don't know.

I have found that most often those who choose the crooked paths of deceits will be found out. They either fall of the path or simply loose their way and those who love them have to try to find them and bring them back even as the Good Shepherd would do and would have us do. The bringing back often involves confronting the lack of integrity; the out right lies, the gross exaggerations that were used to justify their actions and to make others look like the ones in the wrong.

It is not just children who take the crooked paths and choose to walk without integrity. They usually learn it somewhere outside of themselves. Politicians, businessmen and women, churchmen and women (and the list goes on) all have a tendency to look after themselves and if a little deceit helps our goals then that seems to be the best path at the time. But, is it? For some reason humanity just hasn't been able to figure out that those who walk without integrity will be exposed. We haven't quite figured out that no matter what we've done; trying to justify our actions or inactions with lies, only gets us more lost. We will eventually fall off that crooked path and lose even ourselves.

May God help us always to speak and act with integrity. Help us to speak the truth in love.

God's Peace - Pr. J