When is it right to be angry?

Bible Reading - Hebrews 13:17-19

Today’s reading is about the way that God viewed the attitude and behaviour of the nation of Israel over a long period of time. If you read the passage a couple of times you will begin to see some recurring themes. Write them down and think ‘Is my attitude ever like this?’

The main attitudes I discovered are these: arrogance, refusing to listen, open rebellion, carelessness and unbelief. I am sure there are more but these the ones that caught my attention.

Not good you say and you are right! How can we make sure that we do not fall into the trap of acting in the same way? The passage makes clear that God must punish sin so we must avoid these things if at all possible.

The answers are in the same passage.

• Listen to what God has to say (v7)
• Do not be stubborn and harden your heart (v8)
•  Do not be rebellious (v8)
•  Do not ignore the evidences of God’s goodness in your life (v9)
• Keep a tight control of your  will and the things that you love (v10)
• Believe what God has said as unbelief is the door to disaster (v12)

We need to help each other to avoid slipping up in these various ways. 

We should be aware of the dangers and that not believing God creates a distance between us and Him (v12).

Our first priority, on a daily basis, is to remind ourselves of these things. We must also encourage our Christian friends not to be deceived or turn away from God (v12).

God must punish sin but he has given us enough warnings so that we can walk in a way that is pleasing to him. Live for Him and help other Christians to do the same.

Words are Powerful, Choose them well!

The title of this blog is a slogan that I seem to see regularly in the Daily Telegraph. ‘Words are powerful, Choose them well’. In the following examples, selected from today’s news, you will see the powerful and sometimes devastating effect that words can have.

Comments on Social Media can affect the outcome of court cases

The Attorney General has recently commented that the justice system needs to catch up with the modern world. In the past, only the Media had the power outside of the courts to influence jurors and if they did not have access to newsprint this could generally be avoided.

Now with the advent of social media, the possibilities are endless. Members of the public don’t understand the implications of the Contempt of Court Act and may comment on cases without realising the damage that this can do to the outcome of a case.

The power of words!

Nobody is perfect!!

‘He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He’.

Deut 32. 4

Take time to read today’s verse though a couple of times. Note carefully the absolute statements that are made.

‘He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He’.

The writer, Moses, had no doubts about the character of God, no grey areas no maybes. I wonder if that is that the way that you and I think about God.

A brief overview of the Bible would convince you that although Bible characters did not always understand what God was doing or why he was doing it they without exception declare his right to act as he chooses and defend the principle that God always acts justly and fairly. 

A little light reflection!

‘This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all’ 

1 John 1. 5

When you stop and think about it, it would be a very strange thing to say about anyone - ‘you are light’. We might say ‘so and so is kind, patient’ and so on but to say someone is light is very odd indeed. When you bring in the fact that we are talking about God it makes more sense. It is not however until you stop and consider the character of God that you really get a feel for what it means?