Do Not Be Angry

Do you anger easily? Is your temperament to be angry when the smallest thing doesn’t go your way? Has your anger gone so far as to wish ill of another person? Have you attempted to inflict injury on someone else? Do you want to eliminate these thoughts?

Some of us are quicker to anger than others. But make no mistake about it, we all get angry. If we are not careful and disciplined, our anger can get the best of us. Our anger can cause us to act in inappropriate ways, perhaps even physical confrontation.

God initially gives the command that we are not to commit murder (Exodus 20:13). Some believe Jesus extended the command further when He said we are not to be angry. However, when we remember Jesus is God, we might need to reevaluate that line of thinking. We might consider that Jesus was merely clarifying the command.

Why should we not grow angry with our brothers and sisters in Christ? God is working in them in the same way he is working in us. Additionally, not one of us is perfect. We are called to show grace and mercy to one another. Rather than getting angry, we might first attempt to understand why someone did what they did that might cause us to be angry.

If our first reaction to someone doing something we do not like is to understand why, we would see a lot less anger in this world. If we were to seek to see the situation as the other person does, we might find they had a justifiable reason for what they did. Now, make no mistake about it, this will not always be the case. However, more times than not, people do not just do things out of the blue to upset us.

I pray we all seek to understand one another. I pray we recognize that God is at work in our brothers and sisters. I pray each one of us do our best to keep our anger in check, relying on God to help us. Seek understanding. Know that God is at work. Do not be angry. Show grace and mercy.

Matthew 5:21-22 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment.”

Honor Your Parents

Do you honor your parents? Do you argue with your mother? Do you think your father is too strict? Have you wished you had different parents? Have you thought of running away?

There are many children in this world who do not know their parents. There are others who wish they did not. Some live hard lives with parents who are abusive, addicts, or disengaged and selfish.

Our parents may not be perfect. In fact, it is sure they are not. After all, there has only been one perfect person who walked this earth. However, God tells us to honor them. Yes, we are to honor them regardless.

Honoring our parents, even bad parents, does not mean we must agree with them at all times. It does mean we hold them in high esteem, if for no other reason than they are the reason we were given life. It is not always easy. In fact, it can be downright difficult. But look at what God promises when we do. We are blessed by God.

God desires to bless us. However, he will not simply give us every blessing possible without us playing a part in it. God requires us to obey him, including honoring our parents.

Think about this for just a moment. Do you want your children to honor you? How will they know how to do that if you do not model it for them? Each of us is to be an example, a positive example, for our children. If our parents are not a positive example for us, we should start anew with our children and be a positive example for them.

I pray we all choose to honor our parents. I pray we obey God’s commands. I pray each one of us will be a positive example for our children. Respect your parents. Treat your parents well. Bless your parents. Honor your parents. Obey God’s commands.

Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

Keep the Sabbath Holy

Do you remember the Sabbath? Do you know what the Sabbath is? Do you know why God says we are to remember the Sabbath? Do you know what makes the Sabbath special? Will decide to remember the Sabbath?

For some of us, the Sabbath is a foreign word. For others, we may have heard it, but believe it is only a day for the Jews. The Sabbath is an important day to God, whether he know what it is or not. Unfortunately, if we do not know about the Sabbath, we cannot properly follow God’s commands.

The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week by the calendar. However, it is more than a day of the week. For those of us who are Christian, we have made Sunday rather than Saturday our Sabbath, as a remembrance of Christ rising from the dead.

What is the purpose of the Sabbath? It is to be a day in which rest and focus on God. It is a day for us to recharge. It is a day for us to relieve ourselves of worry, fear, and anxiety. It is a day God set aside. It is to remember that God also rested after six days of creating.

Remembering the Sabbath includes remembering what God has done. It is remembering that he has created each one of us. It is remembering God is in control. It is remembering God has a plan for each of us. It is remembering God has promised us an eternity with him.

When we remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, we obey God. Obeying God pleases him. Keeping the Sabbath holy is edifying to us, it builds us up. We are strengthened in our faith. We honor God and God honors us in return. Keeping the Sabbath holy is much more than merely sitting in a pew for an hour. It is spending the day with God and remembering all he has done for us.

I pray we all remember the Sabbath. I pray we keep the Sabbath holy. I pray each one of us spend time on Sunday with God and focus on him. Remember the Sabbath. Keep it holy. Spend time with God. Spend time focusing on God. Be relieved of your worries. Go to church on Sunday.

Exodus 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”

Owed Debts

What do you owe? Have you thought about what you owe to others? Have you thought about who you owe?  Do you pay what you owe? Have you considered that owing someone is not always financial?

I see a horrific trend in our culture today. Many, if not most, seem to think they are owed rather than they owe. There are people who always demand attention. There are people who track every penny owed them but fail to repay their own debts. There are people who demand respect but give none.

The Apostle Paul tells the Roman church they should pay all debts. He calls out both financial and personal debts. Financial debts are much easier to track. They are quantified through loan balances, invoices, tax statements, or cash register totals. Many of our financial transactions are agreed upon. We sign the loan contract. We agree to have someone perform work for us. We choose to buy products.

It is the personal debts that are more difficult to quantify. Some are relatively easy. There are people who are voted into office, promoted to managerial positions, or appointed to leadership positions. Even if we do not like them, we are to give them the respect and honor their position warrants.

But what about people in our everyday lives? We should treat all people respect. I’ve heard it said more times than I can count. Yet I continue to see people being disrespectful, yelling at one another rather than having a respectful conversation. I see people become upset about what was served for dinner rather than being thankful for the dinner that was provided. I’ve seen people accuse others of something without first asking respectful questions. If we will treat everyone with respect, we will be respected. Respect cannot be demanded.

I pray we all evaluate our debts. I pray we pay those to whom we owe debts. I pray each one of us pays special attention to our paying the debt of respect and honor to others. Pay your financial debts. Pay your personal debts. Treat everyone with respect. Give honor to those who have earned it. Honor God in all your actions.

Romans 13:8 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Accepting Rest

Does your soul seek rest? Have you found it? Are you looking in the right place? Have you heard the correct message? Have you put your faith in the One who can grant you the rest you seek? Will you commit to Jesus?

Whether we realize it or not, our souls seek rest. We desire calm and peace. We want to know that everything will work out. We long for confidence the future is guaranteed to fall in our favor. The confidence we desire is available to us.

We have been promised the rest we desire. God has promised rest to those who would follow him before Jesus came. Jesus promised rest to those who follow Him. God does not go back on his promises. It still stands. It is still available to every one of us who will accept the promise.

If there is any who have not heard the promise, they should hear the message. If a person has not believed it before, they should believe it now. For many, it is not a bolt of lightning nor a single moment in which their belief and faith occur. No, their faith grows over time as they learn more about God, learn more about Jesus, and experience God in their lives.

Faith is a wonderful thing. It brings rest to our souls through trust in God. God grants us rest as we believe in him. If we do not have the rest God has promised, it is due to our desire to be in control and hold on to our own independence rather than leaning on and trusting God.

If we have heard the good news, it is time we put our faith in Jesus. It is when our faith is put in Him that we find the rest our souls desperately seek. Jesus longs to relieve us of our worry. He longs to relieve us of the burden we carry. He longs to give us rest.

I pray we all believe the good news we have heard. I pray we put our faith in Jesus Christ. I pray each one of us will accept the peace and rest God is so willing to grant us. Believe in Jesus. Put your faith in Jesus. Ask God for the rest you seek. Trust God to grant you rest.

Hebrews 4:1-2 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.

Quietly Rest

Do you have a quiet place you can go to when you need rest? Is there a place where you can block out all the noise of the world? Are you still seeking a quiet place in which to find rest? Have you even attempted to rest your soul in solitude?

We live in a hustle and bustle world. True rest is seldom found. Sure, we may sleep for six or seven or even eight hours, but we do not truly rest. We may sit down for a few hours in the evening, but we are watching television rather than resting. We have lost the importance of rest.

Our vacations are filled with activity. Oh, we may be away from our jobs, but we are no less busy. We bounce from one activity to another. True, we may see things we have never seen, and they may be very enjoyable. And, yes, they may even bring some small bit of rest to our minds. Yet, our minds still go back to the tasks of work that are stacking up for our return.

Just the other day, we were discussing with an employee the many things they do for the church. One point made was that this person needed to take time off, get away, enjoy a few days doing what they liked. Recharge their battery. Good advice. But we cannot fully recharge without the rest that only comes when we spend quiet time with God.

In today’s passage, the apostles have returned from a busy assignment. Jesus knows they have put in a lot of work and need to recharge. He tells them to come with Him to a quiet place to get some rest. We need that quiet place as well.

Some of us are afraid of the quiet. So much so that if it is quiet for more than a couple moments, we feel compelled to say something. Sitting in quiet is unnerving for some. Yet, when we convince ourselves to be quiet, to sit in quiet, to focus on God, we can truly recharge. Doing so will surprise us more than a beautiful sunset. We will desire to do it again and again.

I pray we all discover a quiet place where we can rest. I pray we seek quiet time with God. I pray each one of us will go to our quiet place, spend time with Jesus, and be surprisingly recharged. Find your quiet place. Spend time with God. Spend time with Jesus. Get some rest. Be recharged.

Mark 6:30-31 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Commandment With A Promise

What does honor mean to you? Do you honor others? Do you only honor those who are in high-ranking positions? Does someone need to do something special for you to honor them? Do you honor your parents?

To honor someone else is to treat them with high respect. It does not mean we falsely put them on a pedestal, but we do give them a high level of respect for who they are. Some may say we should honor everyone. We should certainly treat everyone with respect.

Honor also means holding someone in high esteem. In other words, even though we do not put them on a pedestal, we grant them higher respect than everyone else. We put more credence in their advice than others. We listen patiently, even if we have heard the story multiple times.

If we take a few moments to look at the ten commandments, honoring our parents is the only commandment that comes with a promise. That is just how important honoring our parents is to God. Holding our parents in high esteem, treating them with high respect does not mean we must always agree with them. It does mean we do speak to them in respectful tones. When we disagree, we speak calmly and rationally. We do not raise our voice to our parents.

Notice the promise is so that it will go well with us. If we want to live a life of joy, we are to honor our parents. We may still hit rough patches, but we do not have that nagging guilt of disrespecting our parents. We might say that by treating everyone with respect our lives increase in joy and are less stressful.

I pray we all honor our parents. I pray we view them with high esteem. I pray we treat our parents with a high level of respect and find that we have more enjoyment in life. Honor your parents. Treat them with respect. Hold them in high esteem. Reap the reward. Obey God.

Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Regular Rest

Do you take time to rest? Do you allow yourself to relax and recuperate from a busy week? Do you purposely set aside time for rest or is it a catch as catch can situation? Do you know your body, mind, and soul need rest?

Some people seem to never rest. They are always busy doing something. They may hold down two or three jobs. We often call them workaholics. There are some who are always on the go, not necessarily working but searching to be entertained. Both need rest.

God instructed us to set aside time for regular rest thousands of years ago. He knows what science has recently discovered…we need rest. It is not simply physical rest we need. Science has conducted studies that tell us we should get at least seven hours of sleep per night for good physical health. But that is only one area in which we need rest.

Our minds need rest, too. Resting our minds becomes more challenging. Sometimes rest for the mind can come through entertainment. Sometimes it can come through quiet time. It may come from reading a book. Rest for the mind allows us to release the stress of our jobs and other worries.

Rest for our souls is related to both physical and mind but include another key component. To find rest for our souls we must spend time with God. We may find rest for our souls in worship service. However, a more complete rest is found when we are in quiet contemplation, seeking God’s peace and his will for our lives.

Regular rest in all three areas promote good health. With proper rest, we are physically able to complete our work, we are able to focus properly on our tasks, and we have a peace that is beyond understanding. We become a complete person, just as God designed us to be.

I pray we all get the rest we need. I pray we set aside times for physical and mental rest. I pray each one of us seeks quiet times with God to acquire the peace our soul’s desire. Set aside time to rest. Rest physically. Rest mentally. Seek rest for your soul. Spend quiet time with God. Give your worries to God. Accept his peace.

Exodus 34:21 “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.”

Who’s Number 1?

Who is number one in your life? Who is it you hold above all others? Are you serving other gods? Do you set other priorities above God? Have you considered the importance of making God number one?

Despite what we may think, we often do not make God our number one priority. We put our jobs ahead of him. We put our families ahead of him. We may even be serving other gods rather than him.

No, we do not want to admit it. But if we stop, think, and are honest with ourselves, we all do it. If we are truly making an effort to put God first, we likely do not put him in the backseat often. Yet, there is no escaping there are times we will.

We call some of those other gods our houses, vehicles, clothing, vacations, spouse, children, parents, jobs, money, possessions, and more. Any or all of these may be taking the top spot in our lives at various times.

Lest we fool ourselves, God is a jealous God. When we do not put him first, he is not going to respond well to us. That doesn’t mean he will leave us destitute. It does mean we will not live the abundant life he has planned for us.

We cannot live out his promises if we do not make him our top priority. We cannot fully experience his love for us if we do not love him with our whole heart. We cannot carry out his will for our lives if we are unwilling to spend time with him to discern his will. This includes corporate worship in his church.

I pray we commit to making God our number one priority. I pray we love him as he loves us. I pray each one of us will seek to know him better so we can carry out his will for our lives. Make God number one. Put God first. Spend time with God. Discern his will for you. Join others in worship.

Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”