What the Lord Really Requires Part 2 - Act Justly

Previously, we discussed what the Lord really wants from us. Turn to Micah 6:6-8.

With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good, And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Today we are going to take a look at what it means to act justly.

The word "to act" imply behavior. It's something that you do. You have to do, you have to behave in such a way that is justly. Justly means honestly and fairly. It also means in conformity to fact or rule and it also means as deserved. Let's take a look at some examples in Scripture.

First let's look at the story of Zacchaeus. Luke 19:1-9. Zacchaeus was a tax collector. Tax collectors were seen as sinners because they often cheated and collected more money than was required. They made themselves quite wealthy through such dishonest gain. Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector and was quite wealthy, however, he repented. Verse 8 reads, "But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord!" Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." When Zacchaeus repented, it wasn't just a "move forward" philosophy. It wasn't just a "I'll stop cheating" decision. He went back and made his past actions right again. He didn't just repay what he took - he multiplied his retribution.

Next, we have the story of Ananias and Sapphira, a dishonest couple. You can read their story in Acts 5:1-11. Members of the church had been sharing their possessions and giving money to the apostles. Ananias and Sapphira wanted in on some of the attention received. They had a plot of land and sold it. They decided that they didn't want to give all the money, but they wanted the church to believe that they had given all of their money. They lied to the apostles and said that they had given all that they had earned from the sale. Ananias ans Sapphira wanted the praise of men and thought they could fool men. But God cannot be fooled. Verse 4b says "You have not lied to me but to God." Ananias and Sapphire died as a result of their lies.

Psalm 106:3 - Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right. When you act justly, you do what is right. You are honest and you are fair. When you do what is right, you obey God. You conform to the rule of God. James 1:22 says, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

"justly." Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 26 Jun. 2013. .

What the Lord Really Requires Part I

Have you even been handed a long list of "dos and don'ts"? Do not steal. Do not covet. Those are a couple from the ten commandments. Perhaps you've heard "do not drink" or "do not gamble". Be this. Be that. You can't do this and you can't do that. And then the reactions are priceless: Well, then I'll never be a Christian! This is not what Christianity should be about! That type of thinking is reminiscent of the Pharisees.

God is pretty simple with his requirements. Let's take a look at the story of Naaman. He was a very powerful man, yet he suffered from leprosy. He took the advice of a servant girl and sought out Elisha, a prophet of God. Let's read 2 Kings 5:9-12.

So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed." But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel?" So he turned and went off in a rage.

Naaman was upset because Elisha didn't do what Naaman had imagined. He imagined some mystical, magical performance and when he didn't get what he had imagined, he was ready to walk away from a cure. How quickly do we dismiss the simplicity of God's commands because it doesn't look like Hollywood?

Let's continue reading in 2 Kings 5:13-14.

Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed.'!" So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

How simple, yet, extraordinary. Let's look at Micah 6:8b. "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Look at Matthew 22:37-40. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

That last sentence is what really explains it. All the Law and the Prophets hand on these two commandments. If you love God and you love your neighbor, then you won't steal from them. You won't covet what they have. If you love God, then everything else will fall into place. If we love God, then we will keep His commandments. So, instead of trying to keep tallying the dos and don'ts, just concentrate on loving God. Concentrate on acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly.

Over the next few weeks, I will post blogs that explain exactly what those three things mean.

Waah Waah Waah Waaaaaaaaaaah

It's hot! It's cold! I'm hungry! I'm thirsty! But everyone else has one! It's not fair. Why me? Complain, complain, complain. God hates complaining. If you really want to ignite God's anger, then grumble away. It's what the Israelites did throughout the Old Testament. Start in Exodus 14:10. The Israelites have just left Egypt and have come to the Red Sea. Pharaoh and his army are chasing after them. Take a look at verses 11 - 12. "They said to Moses, 'Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians?' It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!'" These people had just witnessed ten terrifying plagues in Egypt. Moses has spent time showing the power of God to Pharaoh and at the first moment of fright, the people freak out. God saves them, of course, and uses Moses to part the Red Sea. The Israelites cross safely and Pharaoh's army is swept away. The people rejoice in song, but almost immediately they return to their complaining.

This time, it is about water. Exodus 15:23-24. "When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, 'What are we to drink?'" They did not ask for water. They did not ask for anything to drink. They simply complained that there was nothing to drink. All we have to do is ask. God will provide. The same applies today. Matthew 7:7. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." My children complain about being thirsty all the time. "I'm thirsty!" And I respond, "That's a complaint. Don't complain. Ask." Then I get, "May I have a drink?" All we have to do is ask. Just a few verses later, in verse 11 it says, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Sometimes we go without because we didn't ask!

God provides, despite the complaints. The complaints don't go away; they get worse. Look at Exodus 16:3. "The Israelites said to them, 'If only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death." Doesn't this sound a little dramatic to you? Oh, "If only we had died!" God responds by providing manna and quail. The Israelites had grumbled against Moses, or so they thought, as he was their leader, but in verse 8, Moses makes it quite clear that the grumbling was really against the Lord. It says, "Moses also said, 'You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord." Consider what Moses just said. When we complain and grumble against our leaders, we are really grumbling against God. Who are you to complain about what God gives or doesn't give?

You would think, that after all that God had shown, that the people of Israel would trust the Lord to provide for them, but they don't. In chapter 17 of Exodus we again see the people complain about being thirsty. Exodus 17:3-4. "But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, 'Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?' Then Moses cried out to the Lord, 'What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.'" How quickly they forget! How quick do we forget? Look back at verse 2. "So they quarreled with Moses and said, 'Give us water to drink.' Moses replied, 'Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?' When we complain and argue, we reveal a serious lack of faith in God. Why would we put Him to the test after He has already demonstrated His mighty power and His love by providing previously? Do you really trust the Lord? If you do, then silence your complaints!

In the book of Numbers we begin to see God's wrath come down on the people for their complaints. Numbers 11:1. "Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp." Complaining is displeasing to the Lord. The complaining doesn't end though! Numbers 11:4-6. "The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, 'If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost - also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!" God heard them and He sent quail. Look at verse 19 to see just how much quail he sent. "You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, but for a whole month - until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it - because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, 'Why did we ever leave Egypt?'" Notice that God's anger doesn't come from them wanting meat - it comes from them complaining about leaving Egypt. They had cried out to God because the yoke of their slavery was so heavy and now they spurned the gifts God had already bestowed upon them. We need to quit complaining about how great the past was because it wasn't. But God did more than send them more quail than they could stand. Look at Numbers 11:33. "But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague." God does not put up with complaining or arguing. You need to watch your tongue.

Philippians 2:14 says, "Do everything without complaining or arguing." EVERYTHING. Easy times, hard times, whatever it is, don't complain. Rejoice because God is all-knowing, all-powerful and He's got everything under His control. Trust Him.

The Blame Game

Today I wanted to share with you an audio done by Iron Disciple. It's message is directed at the men, but I think the ladies can learn a few things from this as well.

http://www.irondisciple.com/blaming-your-wife/

You and only you are responsible for your actions. When you make a mistake, admit it. Nobody's perfect and no one expects you to be. The Bible even says that we all fall short of the glory of God. If it weren't so, then we wouldn't need Jesus. But we do. We need Him. Acts 4:12 says, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."

Bless Your Heart

People really know how to go running their mouths, talking about things they have no business discussing, offering advice to others as if they were experts on the subject matter and never stop to consider the horrid self righteousness that permeates through each and every word they utter from their lips. They always set themselves up with classic phrases such as "bless your heart" or "I say this with all the love in my Christian heart." You reek of foul, fake foolishness. If you really had love, then you would go to the source and ask questions, not condemn or even condone. You would seek to understand, not judge. You watch someone and then you judge as if you had the eyes of God to see in their hearts!

Just as an iceberg has most of itself hidden under deep waters, each person's life has itself hidden in shrouds of the past. You may not understand the why or the how of someone's actions but you can bet they have a thousand miles of worn out shoes that tell one amazing story. If you knew every detail, you'd eat every foul word or thought that had manifested itself inside your tiny box of previous understanding. Knowing that should be enough to prevent future rash judgments, but yet, we always assume the worst about a person until they come forward with the whole story, and even then we tend to doubt them. Don't. It's not your business to know every intimate detail. You don't have to understand someone's actions or words. God knows. And that should be sufficient for you.

So the next time you think you have the urge to offer some supposed "wise words", ask yourself, "Do I really know the situation? Will my words help or wound the heart?" If you're not sure, then go with the latter. Too many "well-meaning" people drive others away with "good" intentions. Shut up, listen and give a hug instead.

Yada Yada Yada

God gave us two ears and one mouth because we should listen more than we talk. Or so the saying goes. Many people flap their jaws so much you might think that they had two mouths and one ear! Whether they can't stand the silence, or whether they just like the sound of their own voice, they think others will listen to them more. Or maybe they think that others will perceive them as intelligent or important. It is not the quantity of words that count. In fact, rambling on and on will ensure that everyone stops listening to you! In fact, the two most memorable speeches by the greatest of men were also the shortest! I bet most of you can quote Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" and Winston Churchill when he spoke to a group of students and told them to "Never, ever, ever give in." Their brevity and word choice made them memorable.

Is it possible for us to over-talk like that when we pray to God? Our first reaction might be to say, "No way!" And while it is true that God hears every word you utter, whether it is with your mouth or your heart, maybe we do need to slow down and zip up our lips for a moment. The first thought that came to my mind was when Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. Open your Bible to Matthew 6:5-15. Read through it carefully. Now, take a closer look at verse 7. "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." There it is: do not keep on babbling. Verse 8 explains why. God knows what we need before we ask Him.

God wants us to come to Him and speak to Him and tell Him all about our troubles. He wants to hear from us, but He also wants us to listen to Him. For however long you speak to God in prayer, you should be listening for twice that. Psalm 46:10 "He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Just be still. Perhaps God has words He wants to speak to you. Do you let Him speak to you? Open your Bible and find out what He wants you to know.

God's All Ears

Ever feel the need to just vent to someone? Ever feel better after you call up a good friend and just let it all out? People spend a great deal of time talking to each other and even themselves! We talk with friends, family and even therapists. Talking is good for us. It helps us work out our problems, come up with solutions and gives others an opportunity to share and carry our burdens with us. Do we give that opportunity to God as well?

We have 24/7, instantaneous access to the Creator of the entire universe and He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us and Jesus went willingly. He has our best interests at heart and cares about us more than we can possibly begin to imagine, and do we go to Him? Do we spend as much time talking to Him as we do our therapists, friends and family? He is the one in control and He is the one that has the power to immeasurably more than we can imagine. Ephesians 3:20. Do we go to Him?

The Bible instructs us to go to God in prayer for everything. Look at Ephesians 6:18. "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." It says on "all occasions" and "all kinds of prayers and requests". Are you happy? Pray! Are you sad? Pray! Do you have a request? Pray! Look at Philippians 4:6. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." It says to go to God in "every situation." Maybe you're going through a life-changing ordeal or maybe you just need to figure out what to feed your kids for supper; pray about it! God cares about the little things too. Do not put limits on God's power by refusing to present even your smallest requests. There is nothing too big or too small for Him to notice.

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians encourages this continual act of prayer, as does Colossians. Look at Colossians 1:9. "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, . . ." It says "we have not stopped praying." Colossians 4:2 tells us to "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Devote yourselves. To devote means to concentrate. It also means to set apart; dedicate by a solemn act. 1 Thessalonians 3:10 uses the words "Night and day." "Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith." They prayed earnestly, night and day. How many time do we petition God? How often do we go before Him and present our requests? Do we say it once and then wash our hands just because His will be done? Do our prayers not mean more than that? Every example of prayer in the Bible points out that persistence is key. Luke 18:1-8 tells us about a parable that Jesus told concerning a persistent widow. Verse 1 explains the purpose of the parable. It teaches us that we should pray and not give up. Do not stop praying. Do not give up. God is listening.

"devote." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 25 Apr. 2013. .

The act of prayer is solemn and it is time that we set apart to speak to God, but it is also something that we can do continuously throughout our entire day. Yet, you may feel that you don't always have the right words to say to God. You needn't worry or fear. Romans 8:26 tells us, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." We don't need words because God already knows what is on our hearts. He already knows what we need before we ask. A cute little story was shared around Facebook regarding a little girl who was saying her bedtime prayers. She bowed her little head and folded her little hands and began to recite her ABC's. When questioned, she replied, "I didn't know what to say, so I gave God all the letters and He could put them in the right order."

So I urge you, take 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to heart. "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Can you hear me now?

Back in the "old" days, when people lost an electronic signal they would follow a simplistic ritual to retrieve it. One might wiggle around the 'rabbit ears' that sat on top of the television. If that didn't work, then a swift smack against the side of the machine was sure to restore order. Compact radios were waved around in the air and then you would have to "freeze" when you caught that signal lest you lose it again. Drivers would carefully inch forward while waiting at red lights if the radio signal cut out. Today, we have a man wearing a business suit who meanders all over the country saying, "Can you hear me now?" so the cell phone company can enhance the signal. We keep an eye on how many "bars" we have and we complain to the company when the signal goes haywire.

Do you do that with prayer? How many times do we blame God or complain to Him when we think He hasn't answered our prayers? We accuse Him of not listening, of not hearing us and even of abandoning us. Let's get one thing straight: it isn't God's fault. You lost your signal. Is that possible? Let's turn to Scripture.

1 Peter 3:7 suggests that the prayers of a husband can be hindered. "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers." Two definitions of "hinder" are as follows: 1. to cause delay, interruption, or difficulty in; hamper; impede: The storm hindered our progress. 2. to prevent from doing, acting, or happening; stop: to hinder a man from committing a crime. You can look at those definitions at dictionary.com by clicking here. Basically, if a husband does not treat his wife with respect, his prayers at best will be delayed. God cares about how you treat people. Check out 1 Peter 3:8-12. You can even read part of that in Psalm 34: 12-16. Verse 12 says, "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

Perhaps there is something in your life that you need to straighten out. Righteousness will strengthen your signal. Get right with God.

You Don't Have to Press Zero

An interesting commercial aired recently that showed a man walking in the surf while dialing a customer service representative. As soon as the ringing ceased and a voice came on, he pressed zero on his phone's keypad. Pressing zero typically gets us to an operator who can then direct our call to the appropriate person. Well, as it turned out, the man didn't need to press zero because a real live person had answered instead of the typical automated answering service. The catch phrase used in the commercial was, "You don't have to press zero. I'm here. How can I help you?" How powerful! I'd rather be a customer for a company that cares enough to have a real person talk to me than one where I have to listen to long drawn out menus as I try to figure out which buttons to press to get me to the right person, only to end up leaving a message to a machine in the end. Getting a live person right away sounds like a little slice of heaven! And it is. When we "call" God, we don't have to navigate our way through the angels before we get to speak to the Almighty. We don't have to press zero. When we call on God, He is right there listening! "What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?" Deuteronomy 4:7.

But it gets even better than that. Not only is God listening, but praying is the most powerful and even magical tool that we have. James 5:16 tells us that it is powerful when used by the righteous. "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Jesus urged us to pray and gave many promises. "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22. What an amazing promise! Notice the condition: If you believe. Elijah prayed that it would not rain and it didn't. James 5:17. "Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years." You can read more the story in 1 Kings 17. Put your trust in the Lord, have faith that He will deliver. We need to take advantage of the power of prayer and believe that we will receive. Remember that you are talking to the Almighty. If you don't believe you will receive, then it is like you do not believe in God's awesome power. God can do anything. Anything. So go to Him and don't be afraid.

A Lost Nose

The hour is late and whispers are running wild; do you know where your nose is? Most of us have heard the expression, "Keep your nose in your own beeswax." Basically, it means to mind your own business. So I will ask you again; do you know where your nose is?

It is a lot easier, or so we think, to come up with solutions to everybody else's problems. We offer unwanted albeit well-meaning advice and we are quick to consider ourselves experts in the various fields of advice. The married advise the singles. Women with multiple bouncing babies advise scores of infertile women. The employed advise the unemployed. We think we know better because we think we've been there. But what does the Bible tell us to do with our nose? We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:11 "and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,". There are three things to note here. First, lead a quiet life. Second, mind your own business and third, work with your hands.

First, lead a quiet life. Don't air your dirty laundry for the whole neighborhood to see. Save the drama for your mama. We all have problems and things that happen. Some things are for sharing and others, not so much. In other words, don't gossip about yourself! Take your prayers and petitions to God and lay your heart bare to Him. People can't stick their nose into your business if they don't know it!

Second, mind your own business. Don't get yourself entangled and enmeshed in someone's life or someone's problems when you don't belong there. You need to follow Galatians 6:2 where it tells us to "carry each other's burdens", however, do not confuse that with meddling! Just a few verses down, in verse 10 it says, "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." When you carry someone's burdens, you are doing good. You can do good without sticking yourself in the middle of someone else's affairs. You just have to watch yourself and evaluate yourself. Know when to step back.

And third, work with your hands. If you're busy with your own work, you don't have time to go sticking your nose into what everyone else is doing. It's too busy being right where it belongs!

So, if you've lost your nose, I suggest you find something of your own to work on. Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:3-5. "“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." We all have enough business of our own to fix, so get to work on your own planks.

Give it to Jesus

Dear Lord,

I've been carrying around a pretty heavy load lately. I have a lot of worries, a lot of happenings and a lot of people that I have to deal with and frankly, I'm not doing a very good job with all of it. I read in Matthew 6:27 that you can't add a single hour to your life by worrying, so I took all my worries and packed them in this pretty gigantic box. There's nothing I can accomplish by holding on to these worries and they are blocking my line of sight that leads to You.

And then I had all these "events" happening and they are more than I can handle. My burdens are great and I am weary. Then I read in Matthew 11:28 that You said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Here I am. I packed all those burdens in that box as well and I've brought it to You. I shall put my trust in You, Lord. I see how you care for the lilies of the field and the small sparrows in the sky. I saw what you said about my worth in Matthew 10:31. You said, "So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." So, I went ahead and packed my fears into that box as well.

There's still a lot of people out there, though, and I sometimes get frustrated and annoyed and lost my patience with them. Then I read what Paul said in 1 Timothy 4:16. "But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life." 2 Peter 3:9 reminds me of God's patience. It says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." I will remember that our goal is to get to heaven.

I will leave my box with you and I will fix my eyes on You. I will run the race and not give up. I choose the narrow way.

As Ever,
Me

I challenge you to pack your own box. Get a box and write down all your worries, fears and anything that takes your eyes off of the cross and put it in the box. Tape it shut. Cut a slit in the top so you can always add more when needed, but you can't take anything back out. Write Jesus on the box because all of it belongs to Him. Remember, Jesus said in Matthew 11:30, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Carry only His yoke.

The Strength of Gentleness

Society often looks down on quiet, meek-seeming people as if their nature showed weakness. A quick-temper and flapping tongue boasts of strength, but it is nothing more than a flashy show of childishness. A soft-spoken person is anything but weak. It requires a great deal of strength and self-control to maintain a spirit of gentleness. A calm person is not complacent, but rather in control of their body and their actions. They are firm and unyielding in their dealings with other people.

My former boss carried such a beautiful, quiet and gentle spirit with her everywhere she went and I'll never forget her soft, yet non-negotiable voice. Every so often the ladies would organize a "Ladies Night Out" and we'd meet at a restaurant around town for dinner. On one particular evening, we had chosen a little, quaint Italian restaurant. Our party must have had near twenty guests and the waiter began to explain that he had to put everything on one check and that he could not split it for each of us. Without batting an eye, she replied, "No. You can split it and you will." Our waiter, slightly flabbergasted, attempted to tell her he could not split the checks and started spouting off computer reasons. She offered a small smile and repeated herself. "You can split it." He sputtered and gestured and again attempted to make a speech about being unable to split the check. She looked him straight in the eye and said, "You can split the check. You will split the check. Do not worry, you will get your tip; split the check."

Not once did she ever raise her voice. Not once did she lose her small smile. She never gave a hint of annoyance, nor did she complain about the waiter or the check. Her tone was so matter of fact that you simply could not argue with her, because she didn't argue. She made a simple statement and repeated it over and over. What composure! I remember feeling frazzled and frustrated with the waiter and panicking about how we were going to pay our bill correctly with so many ladies eating out together. She simply did not take no for an answer, nor did she let it ruin her evening. She maintained her cheerful disposition throughout the entire exchange.

And yes, our waiter did split our check.

1 Peter 3:4 says, " . . . the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight." You see, God cares about how we conduct ourselves and how we treat other people. Self-control and kindness are just two of the fruits of the Spirit, and these two are essential to maintaining a gentle and quiet spirit. This, then, is how we ought to live. Colossians 3:12 says, "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

Use your ears and listen to your voice. Think on your actions and what you do with your hands and your facial expressions. Does the world see the gentleness of Christ in you?

Got Your Checklist?

If you're going to get everything done that needs to be done, you have to keep a to-do list, a checklist and a calendar. People used to carry around little booklets and calendars as planners. Nowadays, most of us use some sort of smartphone and the internet to keep up with our schedules. These things come in handy when you are keeping up with bills or making out your grocery list. They can help keep your organized at work so you complete your projects in a timely manner. Yet, we've become so dependent upon using such lists, that we take them places they ought not to go. And where is that?

Let's consider the Pharisees who constantly plotted against Jesus. The constantly "checked" his actions and those of his disciples. They became angry when Jesus healed on the Sabbath and when his disciples did not wash their hands before eating. They asked him questions not to gain knowledge but to try and trap him in contradicting the Law. They had their little check lists and went around evaluating everyone they could find. They were so intent on finding sin that they lost sight of the purpose of the Law.

Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?

The very question shows a lack of love and it shows the the coldness of heart that these Pharisees had. Jesus had the perfect answer for them. Matthew 12:12 ". . . therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Other times the Pharisees asked Jesus, "Why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" Mark 2:27 says "Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." The checklist of accusatory questions continues with topics such as fasting and hand washing. They condemn him for eating with "tax collectors and sinners." They ask about paying taxes. They even bring an adulterous woman to him and demand that she be stoned as the Law commands. Did Jesus stone her? No. He said, "“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7.

So, before you pull out your checklist, take a good look at yourself. Matthew 7:1-5 says it quite well. "“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

How quickly we condemn each other, but our Lord is compassionate and shows mercy. He didn't even wait for us to repent before sacrificing his only Son. Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Put your checklist away. Forgive each other. Show mercy and praise God for ". . . there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, . . ." Romans 8:1.

A Great and Noble Task

Deep down, inside each of us is a desire to be known and to be important. We want to be validated, heard and understood. It is from this desire that ambition and motivation are born. That moment has the potential for great good and great evil. In order for good to come about we first have to remember that God is the potter and we are the clay. Isaiah 64:8 tells us this, "Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." This is a reminder of our Creator. We wouldn't be here if He hadn't made us. Second, God has a purpose for each and every one of us. We can read in Jeremiah 1:5 where God specifically tells Jeremiah His plan and purpose. It read, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” We know that God has prepared works for us, even today, to complete. Ephesians 2:10 says it plainly. "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

As ambition and motivation grow in our hearts, we need to set our eyes on Jesus and complete the works that have been prepared for us. All too often, we make our own plans and go to great lengths to accomplish them and then forget to consider the will of God. Proverbs 19:21 tells us this. "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

We must not be discontent with our lot in God's plans. Not everyone can be a king. Not everyone can be a great speaker. Some of us were born to lead. Some of us were born to carry out simple tasks. Consider Romans 9:21. "Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" Do not be disappointed to feel "common." 1 Corinthians 12:14-20 explains the importance of each part. "Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body." If the feet refused to walk because they were not hands, how could the body function?

Instead of bemoaning your position, take heart from one who had no sight, nor the ability to hear: Helen Keller. She said, "I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker." This is the heart of 1 Thessalonians 4:11. "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, . . . ".

When we don't make it our ambition to lead quiet lives, we give Satan the opportunity to plant selfish desires in our hearts. We stop doing the work God has given us because we're too busy staring at somebody else's task. The singles stare at the couples. The couples stare at the singles. The parents stare at the childless and the childless stare at the parents. The child longs to be an adult and the adult longs to be a child again. Satan distracts us by telling the foot how the hand is so much better. The grass is always greener on the other side. You have to remember that Satan is also telling the hand how the foot is so much better.

Take a moment and consider your position. Are you doing the Lord's work? Or are you too busy wishing to be something that you aren't? Trust your Creator. You are exactly where He wants you to be.

Sacrifices Are Easy

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6.

Sometimes we get so caught up on the letter of the law that we forget the purpose of the law. The meaning and intent become obsolete and we scrutinize every word and nuance of meaning until we turn God's colorful world into a simplistic black and white version. The most interesting fact is that the people who ran the fine-tooth comb through the letter of the law were the Pharisees. Turn to Matthew 12:1-14. You read here that these so-called religious leaders of the day were not really interested in upholding the law, but looking for a reason to make an accusation.

The Pharisees questioned Jesus, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" You can look in Exodus 20 to read about the Ten Commandments. This is what it says about the Sabbath in verses 8-11:

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

It says you shall not do any work. Our first inclination then, would be to say it wasn't lawful. Here, we must keep in mind what it says in the New Testament: 1 Corinthians 1:25
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

We think we're so smart and we puff out our chests as we focus on one word or one verse. We are quick to judge and slow to think. So, take a moment and think. As a reading teacher, there are several key components to consider when you are trying to comprehend text. Taking the text at face value is not one of them. You must consider the author's purpose and the context. Ask yourself, what is the purpose of this commandment? What is the context of the commandment and what is the context of the situation where the Pharisees asked this question? There's also one more thing. You have to look at the text as a whole and look at what is written in the other parts.

Reread the verse at the top of this post. Now, consider what Jesus said in Matthew 12:7. "If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[b] you would not have condemned the innocent." What does it mean 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'?

Let's define mercy. Mercy means compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence.

Now let's define sacrifice. The World English Dictionary offers several definitions. Let's look at three of them.

1. a surrender of something of value as a means of gaining something more desirable or of preventing some evil
2. a ritual killing of a person or animal with the intention of propitiating or pleasing a deity
3. a symbolic offering of something to a deity

Consider Matthew 5:23-24. "23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift."

It is so much easier to sacrifice and give up something than it is to show compassion to each other. It is easier to ask for forgiveness than just obey in the first place. If we can't show mercy, what good is our sacrifice? It means nothing. Read Matthew 22:36-40:

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

All the Law and the Prophets hand on these two commandments. All. Keeping that in mind, return to the question the Pharisees asked Jesus. "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" Jesus never said yes or no, but he healed the man with the shriveled hand. His answer was, "It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." He also tells us in Mark 2:27 that ". . . “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."

Let us put away our "red pens" and lower our fingers and show mercy. Be merciful like your heavenly Father.

WWJD? WWJS?

Do as I say, not as I do. If you've heard this saying before, then you know how ludicrous it sounds. Actions speak louder than words; therefore quit the talk and walk the walk. There are too many people today who will chatter idly and appear to listen. Heed the words in James 1:22. "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." If you are not applying the scriptures to your daily life, then you are lying to yourself.

We are instructed in Titus 3:1-2 " . . . to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men." How can you be peaceable when you gossip, complain, argue and slander one another? Where is your integrity? "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." {James 1:26.)

We must be holy. 1 Peter 1:16 explains that we must be holy because God is holy. Therefore, do not let evil pour forth from your mouth. 1 Peter 4:11 says "If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God." For a long time, society embraced the fad of WWJD bracelets. The noble intent was to consider your actions and compare them to Jesus. Is what you were about to do something that Jesus would do? It also applied to facing situations where you didn't know what you should do. Looking at the bracelet and seeing the WWJD was supposed to inspire you to consider what Jesus would do in your situation so you could act accordingly. It's time for a new bracelet. WWJS. What would Jesus say?

Satan and his minions are hard at work. The Bible compares Satan to a lion. He is a hunter and if you lack self-control and let down your guard he will worm his way into your heart and release the reins on your tongue. We were forewarned of the godlessness in 2 Timothy 3. Verse 2 states that "People will be lovers of themselves . . . slanderous . . . without self-control . . . [and) . . . having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them." Do not allow Satan to enter your heart. He will not only destroy you, but everyone around you.

If you are running your mouth and saying things you ought not to say {You might earnestly believe some things need to be said but you better think twice.) then you are living in sin. You are a stumbling block to your fellow Brothers and Sisters, not to mention the unbelievers. How can your preach the gospel and allow folly to pour out at the same time? You're a hypocrite and the nonbeliever sees it. As Colossians 4:6 says, "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

Let us meditate on the wisdom from Proverbs. Chapter 12 and verse 23 say, "A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly."

Proverbs 17:28
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.

Proverbs 18:2
A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.

Proverbs 29:11
A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.

Let us not be fools, but be wise. God will grant wisdom to those who seek it. James 1:5 tells us so. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

Tend Your Garden

Have you ever been 'thrown under the bus' by anyone? Have you ever fabricated the truth to make yourself look good, even at the expense of another? Self-preservation often takes control when we encounter situations that may expose our sins and flaws. Gossip and complaining and arguments lead to quarreling and quarreling spawns slander.

Consider 2 Corinthians 12:20. For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.

What exactly is slander? It is defamation, malicious and false. If you slander, then you are lying. If you slander, you are gossiping. If you slander, then you are tearing down the church. Why would you raise such derogatory accusations against a Brother or Sister in Christ? You may fool some of the people, but you can never fool God. He knows your heart and He weighs your motives. 1 Corinthians 4:5 tells us that "He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts."

2 Corinthians was written by Paul and he addressed the church in Corinth. Paul feared for the Corinthians. Look closely at the list of fears he has for the church. Quarreling. Jealousy. Outbursts of anger. Factions. Slander. Gossip. Arrogance. Disorder. If Paul were to walk in the doors of your church building or fellowship with the body of believers today what would he find?

We have Christians parading around and patting themselves on the back because they have not stolen or murdered. They congratulate themselves for perfect attendance. They are just like the Pharisees. They keep the letter of the law but not the heart of the law. They allow evil to fester in their hearts and they release the reins on their tongues.

We must cleanse ourselves. Ephesians 4:31 says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." Likewise Colossians 3:18 also urges us to ". . . rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." Then again in 1 Peter 2:1 it says "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind."

Getting rid of these horrific attributes will not come easy. First, you must fill your heart with goodness. Meditate on God's Law. Memorize scriptures. Sing hymns. Look at Galations 5:22-23a. It lists the fruits of the Spirit. Focus on your fruits and memorize them. Take note of any fruits you produce throughout the day and go out of your way to produce more of the fruits. " . . . the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

Plant your garden and fertilize it so that you can produce good fruit.

O Be Careful Little Mouth What You Say

When we talk of 'taming the tongue' many people automatically assume that it means to watch your language. Don't curse. Don't say bad words. After that, we conclude that it refers to gossip. All of those things are correct, but there is another aspect of taming our tongues that often goes unnoticed. Complaining and arguing.

Turn your Bibles to Philippians 2:14. Read it. Read it again. "Do everything without complaining or arguing."

The key word I want you to focus on is "everything." Everything. All. Without exception. Each and every thing. Now notice the word "do." For you non-English majors out there, do is a verb. Do is an action word. As Christians, we are called to serve. What type of servant are you? Are you the one that mumbles and groans and nitpicks?

People say that they just to need to let it all out, or that it helps them get through the task. Well, folks, that's not what the Bible is teaching us. Complaints and arguments have no place in the body of Christ. Our mothers taught us that if we had nothing nice to say then we didn't say anything at all! Complaints and arguing are not "nice." In fact, if you "have" to get it out, then perhaps you need to take a closer look at the condition of your heart.

Turn to Matthew 15:1-20. The Pharisees question the disciples of Jesus when they do not wash their hands and Jesus takes this opportunity to explain the true cause of uncleanliness. If you find yourself muttering under your breath then you need to repent and purify your heart. You are unclean.

What should come out of your mouth, then? Turn to Ephesians 4:29. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Complaints do not edify anyone, nor do they bring lost souls to Christ. Complaints and arguments are just as "unwholesome" as foul language and gossip.

Look at 2 Timothy 2:23. "Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels." The Bible says it like it is - arguments are stupid. Stupid. What do they do? They produce quarrels. People continue to believe that if they "argue" then they will convince or change someone else's opinions. If you are on Facebook, then you know full well that no one's mind has ever been changed by starting an argument. What happens when someone posts an argument? Everyone starts quarreling and someone eventually resorts to name calling and maybe even a 'caps lock' just to show how loud they are really yelling. Read Romans 16:17-18. Arguments not only lead to quarrels but they also lead to division. Division is detrimental to our mission as Christians.

Now imagine how you look to non-believers. Did you bring them to Christ? Did you show them Jesus? Not by a long shot. In fact, you have driven them away. Repent. Memorize Philippians 2:14 and recite it every time you start to complain or argue.

Tattle Tales All Grown Up

"It's not gossip if it's true!"

"We're not gossiping. Bless your heart; we were just discussing how we could help you."

"I only told Jane. It's not like I was gossiping."

"I'm not trying to gossip, but did you know?"

"I saw it myself."

"He/she informed me him/herself."

How many times have you heard someone say one of the above? How many times have you said one of the above? Take a moment and reflect on the conversations you have had and be honest with yourself. Are you gossiping? Are you trying to deny or sugarcoat your actions?

Let's take a moment to define "gossip."

Dictionary.com defines gossip as "idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others" and "light, familiar talk or writing." I really like the 3rd definition they list: a person given to tattling or idle talk.

If you gossip then you are a tattle-tale.

We need to understand that any form of idle chatter that concerns the personal and private affairs of a third party is malicious. When you open your mouth to discuss some tantalizing piece of news, you are spreading rumors which will inevitably evolve and deteriorate into an outright lie. Don't believe it? Then you must never have played the game "telephone." This popular children's game sets a perfect example how one piece of information becomes construed as it is passed from one person to another.

Perhaps the most outrageous information about gossip is the inappropriate claim that gossip is an acceptable and even beneficial social act. The claim that gossip helps bond friends is simply preposterous. This article {right-click here to read it in a new tab or window) suggests that most gossip is not malicious. Such a claim is hogwash. There is absolutely no form of gossip that anyone should consider acceptable.

My dear Christian Brothers and Sisters, take a moment to read James 1:26. It says, "Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless." Now look at James 3:4-6. It says, "Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell."

Now consider what we read in Matthew 12:36. "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken."

The subjects you choose to discuss can easily grow into a wild and uncontrollable fire. Gossip is nothing but a wildfire. Stay away from it. Control your tongue; bite it if you must. If a Brother or Sister begins to stoke the blaze then put his or her tongue out with a bucket of ice cold water!