Nov

30

Is Anger a Sin?

By Julie B Cosgrove | Comments Off


Are Christians supposed to get angry? Is it a sin?  Not Yet.

Look at what the 4th Psalm says – Be angry, and do not sin;  (vs.4).  Aha!  So believers can be angry. Jesus certainly appeared angry when he turned the money changers out of the Temple claiming they had turned the House of God into a den of thieves.  He had harsh words for the Pharisees that kept trying to catch him in a falsehood.  But, He did not sin.  So what is the difference?

I think it lies in the root cause of the anger. Is it hurt? Jealousy?  Pride?  If the anger focuses on us and not on an injustice, then our feet are touching the edge of the precipice known as sin.   Sin is an action, anger an emotion.   Paul suggested we should not let the sun go down on our anger, i.e. brood over it. The Psalmist agrees –  ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. (vs.4)

When anger looms inside of me, I try and turn it over to the Lord to examine, correct or approve before I take action. My tongue has permanent teeth marks in it as a result. Words lashed out in anger are rarely fruitful.  That doesn’t mean I have to swallow it down as I turn the other cheek – that leads to ulcers and psychosis. But our God is a God of transformations and blessings.  He is a just God.   There are times when anger can be righteous, if we offer it to God first and then wait for His response. That is what the rest of the Psalmist’s thoughts are -Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. (vs.5)

The next time anger looms, take it to the Lord. Lay it at His feet and let Him transform it. See what He does to it.  Will  He turn it into constructive action, or into empathy, or a lesson in patience?  Whatever it becomes, it will be blessed and free of sin if we trust God to help us deal with it. It’s not easy.  But it is worth the try.

 

 

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Nov

30

We’re All Leaders

By Jan Ross | Comments Off


Whether or not you are in any type of leadership position, you have the potential to lead people to Christ.  You have people who follow you in one way or another.  Paul was full of wisdom as he beckoned the people to follow him but only as he followed Christ.  Essentially, he was leading people to Christ through his life and the example he set with his daily activities and ministry outreaches.

Interestingly, Paul didn’t say “follow me” and just leave it there!  The words he added bring us to today’s thought . . . “Follow me as I follow Christ!”

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)

We must be careful that our lives (public or private) always point to Christ.  We can’t afford to let our guard down, to treat our leadership influence lightly or frivolously.  It’s important to remember that as a leader (and we’re all leaders), there are people who look to us to give them direction and guidance, many times without ever asking us to utter a word.  In fact, the way we live our lives very often speaks louder than the words we utter.  We can have degrees in theology and divinity, we can have certificates from Bible Colleges and Institutes, we can subscribe to every form of Bible correspondence course, have a library full of reference material, but if our lives don’t show Christ in our words and deeds, our public and private life, everywhere we go and do not go, then we’ve missed our objective as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Take some time today and consider those who look up to you, who come to you for answers, who consider you to be a leader whether they realize it or not.  Are they following Christ in you?  Or, are they just following you?  If they are following you, you have failed to accomplish your goal.  If they are following Christ in you, you have displayed the attributes of a true disciple of Jesus Christ, one whom God can trust to lead His people to Him.

Father, help me to remember that as Your child and as one whom You have called to lead, that every moment of every day must be focused on You so that I can say in the words of Paul, “Follow me as I follow Christ”!  Lord, I submit myself to You again and commit my life to be that of a beacon of light in the darkness of this world.  Lord Jesus, shine through me as I follow You!  In Jesus’ name, by His blood, for His glory, amen and amen!

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Nov

27

Obstacles

By Jan Ross | 3 Comments


Obstacles are sometimes hard to overcome; they can cause people to quit trying, or they can cause people to develop more determination than ever!

Mark 2:4 talks about an obstacle.  A friend was sick, unable to walk and needed the healing touch of the Lord.  Yet because of the throngs of people it seemed to be an impossibility to reach Him.  Immediately the friends tried to find a way to reach the Lord regardless of what they had to do!  Finally, they climbed up on the rooftop, removed some of the tiles, and lowered their friend down to where Jesus was . . . to receive from Him a healing touch.

“And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.” (Mark 2:4)

Sometimes it takes determination and fervency in our requests for help of any kind from the Lord.  These men, acting on their faith that Jesus would heal their friend, withstood every barrier and acted on their faith.

Probably in an attempt to gain entrance into the house, they were ridiculed (this man had been lame since birth), pushed out of the way by others anxious to receive His touch . . . they may even have been told to leave, that there was no possibility for them to get their friend inside on this stretcher.  Yet, they withstood the opposition and persevered.

When you need a touch from the Lord, do you seek Him and soon give up when you are unable to “reach” Him . . . or are you fervent in your prayer?  The Bible tells us in James 5:16 that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  That lets us know that we may be called upon to persevere against all opposition from the enemy.  Folks, we cannot cower down in the face of opposition to our prayers . . . we have to have an attitude to prevail against all odds.  The Christian walk was never meant to be one of weakness . . . that’s why we’re told in Ephesians 6:10 to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might”.  This is a war we are in; we’ve been given the armor to wear and weapons with which to fight.  To run in retreat would be to surrender to the enemy.

The next time you pray and feel the opposition from the enemy, remember that you are a prevailer.  You are an overcomer. You are equipped to push through opposition.  Stand firm and don’t give up when the hindrances to prayer begin to bombard your mind.  Remember that Jesus was right there for the lame man all the time.  He was in his midst, He never moved — the lame man and his friends had to push through the opposition to reach Him.

Jesus is always there to hear our prayer, to meet our needs, to give us that healing touch that we so desperately need.  Press into Him until you “reach” Him!

Father, so many times I begin to pray and my mind becomes muddled with things that I need to be doing, with problems I am facing, with business that needs tended to.  Help me, Lord, become that one You call an “effectual, fervent prayer” so that I won’t succumb to the enemy’s temptation to disregard prayer for things that distract me.  Lord, help me to persevere and stand firm when I am hindered during my time with You.  I thank You, Lord, that You are always in my midst; help me to remember that it is I who must move closer to You day after day, in every way!  Amen!

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Nov

27

Level Ground

By Julie B Cosgrove | Comments Off


Teach me to do your will, for you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me  on level ground!                             Psalm 143:10

Yesterday, my great-nieces were over to our house playing in the front yard.  One was showing us her skills in jump rope skipping, the other, cartwheels. Our yard slopes towards the street. It wasn’t long before they realized how hard it was to tumble and hop uphill, and far too easy going down.  They both kept losing their balance. “This isn’t like our school playground,” the jumper discovered. “My gym class floor is flat,” the other responded.

Isn’t that life? Sometimes it is  such a struggle and an uphill battle, while other times, we head downhill so fast that we can’t seem to find the brakes.  But when we follow God’s will, when we turn to Him as our source, He levels the playing field. We are on solid ground –  the straight path,  secure without fear of being out of balance.  Life is may be full of ups and downs,  but Our Lord makes a straight path in the wilderness.  Prepare ye the way.   

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. . .  (Proverbs 3:5)

 

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Nov

26

Give Thanks

By Jan Ross | Comments Off


Giving thanks should come naturally to all believers simply because of the victory that has been given through our Lord Jesus Christ.

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (1 Corinthians 15:57)

But, what exactly does it mean to “give thanks”?  The word “thanks” in today’s verse comes from the Greek word chairo, a verb meaning to rejoice, to be glad – but not just any kind of rejoicing but to rejoice exceedingly.  It also means to be well and to thrive.

When you think about today’s verse, our thanks giving should be more than mere words, giving thanks infers action – it means to not only be glad but to act glad.  To not only say you’re rejoicing but to rejoice exceedingly in your daily activities.  It not only means to give thanks, but it also means to live a thankful life – to thrive in your rejoicing and thanks giving . . . it’s about living out the victory that was given us through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Years ago, when I sang in our choir at church, we faced the congregation; it was impossible not to notice people’s faces.  Some were truly rejoicing; others were saying the words but their faces failed to show it, their actions didn’t prove it and their sincerity was truly questionable.

Take some time today and get serious with the Lord, let Him know that you are exceedingly grateful for the victory that was given us through Jesus Christ our Lord—more than enough to cause us to “rejoice in the Lord always”!

Be thankful . . . the price paid for your redemption is worth more than anything money can buy, and it’s yours absolutely free.  All God asks is that you be thankful.

Give thanks with a grateful heart,
Give thanks unto the Holy One,
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son
And now let the weak say “I am strong”,
Let the poor say “I am rich”,
Because of what the Lord, has done for us
Give Thanks!

Father, I am glad—exceedingly glad for the victory that You have given me through Jesus Christ my Lord.  Your bountiful blessings are immeasurable and Your love unfathomable.  Lord, help me to live a life of thankfulness not hiding my joy from anyone.  Help me to rejoice always, to bring glory to You in all I do and say from a heart that is overwhelmed with thanks and gladness.  Thank You, Lord . . . Thank You!  Amen and Amen!

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

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