Tag Archive | Jesus Christ

How many ways to Heaven? Jesus says, just one!

Apr4

Question:  Are there many different ways to Heaven?

Answer:  No.  Jesus says there is just one way to Heaven and that’s through Him!  In John 14:6,  it reads, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ ” (NKJV) Believers know that Jesus does not lie.  Therefore, we can be assured that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus, as our Lord and Savior!  Jesus does not say that there is any other way.  In fact, many other scriptures in the Holy Bible confirm this.  For example, in Acts 4:12, the Apostle Peter says of Jesus, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  John the Baptist says in John 3:36,  “He who believes in the Son (Jesus) has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Also, in 1 John 5:10-13, the Bible gives another summary on the only way to God in Heaven.  It says, “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.  And this is the testimony; that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”

These scriptures are the words of God.  Believers know that they are true.  Sadly, even some Christians will try to deny God’s Word.  They do not want to admit to others that not every person will go to Heaven even if they are doing so-called “good deeds” or saying they believe in some type of  “god.”   This “One way to God” teaching sounds mean, divisive, and unfair to them.  What these people forget is that God is a loving God.  Remember that John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son , that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s offer of salvation is given to all people groups.

God wants us to realize that we are all sinners in need of a Savior.  He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross to take the punishment for our sins — although Jesus remained sinless.  He wants us to ask His forgiveness for our sins and repent.   He wants us to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and be saved.  However, He has also given us free-will.  It’s up to each able-minded individual to decide to accept or reject Jesus as his or her Lord and Savior.   Those who harden their own hearts and refuse to accept Jesus as their Savior have condemned themselves to eternal separation from a holy God.  In other words, they choose Hell over Heaven!  Still, they are making this choice for themselves.

Renowned Pastor Greg Laurie does a beautiful job of explaining that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus.  Listen to this 3 minute 13 second video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch0Qcd-wufY&feature=youtu.be

Believers must continue to pray for all those who reject Jesus Christ and the teachings of God’s Holy Word, and who believe that there are multiple ways to Heaven.  Pray that they realize that God’s words are true.  Pray that they accept that when Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me,” He meant it!  He IS the one and only way!

(Reposted from my January 24,2014 Blog)

Will the real Christian please stand up?

Mar4

Question: Why is it that so many people call themselves Christians, yet they take opposite stands on many of today’s social issues?

Answer:  Many of these people are Christians in name only.  If you question them about their beliefs, you’ll find that they don’t actually believe God’s Holy Word.  They simply pick and choose the parts of the Bible they like and dismiss the rest.  They believe that Jesus was a good religious leader.  However, they don’t understand that they need to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They may not want to live their lives the way God commands us to live in order to please Him.

Therefore, when it comes to taking a stand on today’s social issues, true Bible believing Christians will desire to follow God’s Word. In John 14:15, Jesus says, “If you love Me,  keep my commandments.” ( NKJV)  Believers will agree that if God calls a behavior sin, it is sin. Period.  No matter how many laws are passed or how many people vote for it, if God says it’s wrong, then it is wrong.  Each one of us will stand before God one day and answer for our sins.  If we haven’t accepted Jesus as the only One who died on the Cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins, we will not go to Heaven.  (Read John 3:16).

If you are calling yourself a Christian, you need to start reading the Bible to find out if you are living as God wants you to live.  Feeding the poor, helping needy children, and doing other good works are wonderful things.  But they do not make you a Christian.  Jesus says in Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to me in that day ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”

Romans 1:18-32 details why we all should feel guilty when we disobey God and embrace sin.  It also tells us of the destructive results that come from embracing sin.  So if you see someone who is calling themselves a Christian while also being unrepentant in approving of things that God calls sin, take notice.  You should pray for the discernment of God’s Holy Spirit to know if they are really Believers. In Matthew 7:20, Jesus says, “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

So make sure you’re not a Christian in name only.  As the common saying goes: if you were on trial accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict?  Be sure, by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  Understand that Jesus took the punishment we all deserve when He was put to death on the cross.  Ask Him to forgive you of your sins.  Praise God that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and lives with our Father God in Heaven!  Commit to living your life to please Him while we’re on this earth.  And, rejoice in knowing that as true Christians, we’ll be able to join Jesus in Heaven one day!

Follow me on Twitter: @valclarksplace

Re-posted from my Oct. 29, 2015 Blog

Are you hiding from God’s Word?

Jan8

Question: As a Christian, does it really matter if I don’t read the Bible much?

Answer: Yes, it actually does matter. God has blessed us with His word! He wants us to know what He has to say to us. Knowing His word gives Believers the firm foundation we need to live our lives to please God.

Jesus said, “…whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25 NKJV)

The Apostle Paul prepares Timothy for the ministry by telling him “that from childhood you (Timothy) have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15)

Paul goes on to say, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Therefore, knowing how important God’s Holy word is to our lives, you would think Christians would be seeking to read, listen to, and study God’s actual words to us much more instead of many making excuses not to. They actually end up “hiding” from God’s Word. The reasons why they don’t read the Bible regularly vary.

For example, some people say they don’t have the extra time in their busy schedules to read the Bible. But many of these same people find time to watch television, check their social media, engage in their favorite hobbies, and hold lengthy conversations on their phones. If they really wanted to do it, they could easily give about 15 minutes to reading a chapter in the Bible.

Others say they just don’t understand the Scriptures when they read them. This group needs to know that Bible translations like the New King James Version (NKJV) or the English Standard Version (ESV) along with various Study Bibles can help their readers understand the Scriptures. Of course, if you have reading ability problems, you can get recordings of others reading the Scriptures word for word for you. And remember to pray for the Lord to give you understanding as you read His Holy word! Our God is faithful, so He will help those who sincerely seek His help!

Still, there are other people who don’t really want to know God’s Word. They know God condemns sin, and these people don’t want to face the truth of their unrighteous living. They don’t want to feel convicted by God’s words.

We read about this in 2 Timothy 4:3-4. The Apostle Paul warns Timothy that “…the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables.”

However, instead of hiding from God’s word, these people need to know that the Scriptures also tell us that if they will accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, repent and ask Him to forgive their sins, He will do so. (John 3:16; Acts 3:19)

Of course, just knowing Scripture isn’t enough. Even Satan can quote Scripture. Remember how he did just that when he tried unsuccessfully to tempt Jesus (Read Matthew 4: 5-7.) Once we know what God says, we are to act accordingly. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only…” (James 1:22)

So, stop hiding from God’s word! Start reading it today. It will change your life — if you let it!

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas!

Dec3

Question:  In the hustle and bustle of the season, how can I make sure I’m keeping Christ in Christmas?

Answer:  Even dedicated Christians can sometimes find themselves consumed with every tradition of the holiday season except what’s most important.  They can forget that Jesus really is the reason for the season!  Christians know that this is the time of the year we choose to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we should make the time and make the effort to keep Christ in our Christmas!  But, if we know this, then why don’t we do it?

Unfortunately, some Christians can get as consumed with creating the picture-perfect Christmas experience as the world does. They fill themselves with anxiety trying to get the best super sales on the most popular gifts.  Adults get worked up over seeing their peers gifting themselves with the latest “must-have” gadgets and new technology.  They wear themselves out trying to keep up with the trends of the crowd. They forget to pause, reflect, and be thankful for the greatest gift – Jesus Christ.

Likewise, many Christian families find themselves in turmoil during this season.  Married couples fight over which in-laws they are going to spend Christmas Day with.  Parents argue over how much money they are going to spend to make sure their children have this year’s hottest toys. They fill the family calendar with so many seasonal activities that they find themselves exhausted.  Yet, they fail to make time for the most important things – reading, meditating on, and discussing God’s Word.

Most importantly, during this season of spending extra time with family and friends, too many Christians fail to include in their discussions talk of their walk with the Lord.  They tend not to share with their family and friends how God has brought them faithfully through this year.  They are willing to talk about everything else but Jesus.  It doesn’t have to be this way.

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas!  See that you and your family are keeping Christ in Christmas. There are many ways you can do this.  For example, plan to take your family to a church Christmas program that tells the story of Christ’s birth.  While decorating the tree, play or sing Christmas hymns that give praise to our Lord.  Make sure to share with your family and friends how God has blessed you this year.  And, always make sure your family knows the story of the birth of our Savior.  Luke 2: 1-20 spells out in detail how Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  This Bible passage may be one you’d even want to read aloud together.  Listen to a reading of this account by clicking here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCKpwaRxIww&feature=youtube_gdata.    

And, have a very Merry CHRISTmas!

(Re-posted from my December 2014 Blog)

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family    www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries   http://www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network  www.cbn.com

World Magazine   http://www.worldmag.com

Are you living the “thankful” life?

Nov12

Question: How can I stop complaining so much and remember to be more thankful?

Answer: Start by taking a few moments right now to thank God for the many blessings in your life! Ask God to forgive you for all the times you’ve failed to give Him the glory for your life. Our Heavenly Father knows that none of our lives will be perfect, for only Jesus Christ lived a perfect life. God knows that we often have to deal with frustrations and disappointments. He knows that we can find these times hard to deal with. He has given Believers His Holy Spirit to live in us, and to guide and strengthen us as we deal with these challenges. It’s through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can learn to live the “thankful” life during both good times and hard times.

God commands us, as Believers, to be obedient to His Holy Word. He wants us to live our lives to please Him. Multiple times in His Word, He lets us know that part of being obedient is being thankful. For example:

-In Psalm 92:1, His Word tells us that “It is good to give thanks to the LORD…” (NKJV)

-Psalm 100:4-5 says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.”

-Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

-First Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

So, we see in these scriptures and in many others why God wants us to be thankful. He wants us to value and appreciate all that He has done and continues to do for us because He loves us. Of course, we are to be most thankful for the ultimate way God showed His love for us: by giving us His Son, Jesus Christ! (Read John 3:16)

Believers are thankful that God gave us Jesus to die on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins and that Jesus rose again on the third day to live with God forever in Heaven. We are thankful that we’ve accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, have asked Him to forgive us of our sins, and have repented of our sins to also be able to live in Heaven one day.

For these reasons and many others, we have so many blessings in our lives for which to be thankful. God wants us to be thankful at all times – when things are easy and even when things are difficult. He wants us to know that He is always with us and has given us His Holy Spirit to help us.

Through the power of His Holy Spirit in us, we can live the “thankful” life!

Reposted from my November 12, 2022 blog post.

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Don’t be afraid to let your light shine!

Oct8

Question: How do I get over being so hesitant to share my faith with others?

Answer: Always start with prayer! Pray for God’s Holy Spirit to give you the discernment to know when you should share your beliefs with others and that you will know what to say. Most people will quickly reject your message if they feel like they are being ambushed. Make sure you are dealing with them in a way that reflects God’s love for them. By approaching others in this way, you will be able to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16 NKJV)

One of the first areas you should focus on when letting your light shine is in your attitude. Is your outlook on life reflective of your biblical beliefs? Do you think such things as, “Nothing good ever happens to me!” or “If it can go wrong, it will go wrong!” When you look at life in these ways, you are not showing the faith Believers are supposed to have in God. Instead, you should remember that our loving Father has promised to bless His children.

God’s word says, “Ask, and it will be given to you, seek; and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened…. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:7-8,11)

Know that what God has for you is for you! He will bless you according to His will for your life! You should make sure you are reflecting this biblical outlook on life in your communications and conversations with family, friends, and others. Doing so will be letting your light shine!

Also, in your conversations with others, you should be expressing your thoughts in ways that reflect God’s love. Are you always being critical of others? Are you often putting people down? Are you using foul language or telling or laughing at dirty jokes? Are you constantly spreading gossip? If so, you are not being “salt and light” for the Lord! Ask Jesus to forgive you and repent of these sins. He will forgive you. Then, you won’t look like a hypocrite when you tell others about how much of a Believer you are! They will be able to match your talk with your profession of faith. (See Colossians 4:6)

Of course, another way you let your light shine is through your actions. Do you try to do things to help those in need? Do you treat people fairly and with respect? Do you try to encourage those who are dealing with challenging situations? Are you reading your Bible, attending church regularly, and giving financially to the work of the Lord? You are being “salt and light” for God when people see you doing these things!

Do you continue to lie, cheat, steal, or engage in sexual sin? If so, then you’re reflecting the darkness of Satan rather than the light of God. “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:8)

And what about our willingness to share our faith? By not sharing our faith with others at the appropriate times, we may look like we are ashamed of our beliefs. Be aware of Jesus’ warning about this: “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)

Bottom line? Don’t be hesitant or afraid to share your faith in God. Tell others how He has blessed you. Let them know that they also can be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. So, go ahead– be bold. And let your light shine!

Are you really putting God first?

Sep3

Question: How can I be sure my decisions put God first instead of just pleasing myself?

Answer: You can start by making sure your decisions don’t go against the word of God! The two ways you can be guided with this is by praying for the Holy Spirit to help you, and by studying to know God’s word. In reading the Bible, we learn about the many promises Our Heavenly Father has made to us. One of these promises is that He will be there for us, and He will give us His Holy Spirit to guide us.

Jesus said, “…when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” (John 16:13 NKJV)

Unfortunately, there are times when we try to talk ourselves into believing that what we want is equal to what God wants. But this may not be the case. For example, we may want to support those who promote sinful behaviors, especially if they are people we like. We convince ourselves that it’s okay to support their sinful agendas as long as we’re not actually committing these sins ourselves and we like the good things these people may also do.

But God’s word says, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones” (Proverbs 3:7-8). If your support helps these people or others sin against God, then you are sharing in their sin! You are choosing to put their desires ahead of God’s commands. That’s not putting God first! As Believers, our first obedience must be to God. For to God, obedience is better than sacrifice. (See 1 Samuel 15:22)

A different type of example of not putting God first could happen in the way we respond to our achievements. When given the opportunity, we may enthusiastically give credit for our success to many people– our parents, teachers, mentors, and even ourselves. While acknowledging the help of all these people is fine, we must remember to give the main credit to God! He is the one who blessed us to be able to achieve that success by providing us with the various people, skills, wisdom, and opportunities that helped us to achieve. Therefore, make sure to give God the credit for His many blessings in your life.

Now, we are not perfect people. The only perfect one to walk this earth was our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! So, there are going to be times when we fail to put God first. Just remember that God loves us even when we fail Him. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you keep God first in your life. He will guide you and keep you on the right track.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3: 5-7)

Amen!

What do you need to repent of today?

Jul1

Question: God knows I like getting my own way. Does He really expect me to change my ways?

Answer: Yes! God commands us to put Him first, not ourselves. In Exodus 20:3, the Lord says, “You shall have no other gods before me.”(NKJV) So, if getting your own way means doing something that displeases God, then He expects you to change. For example, if you prefer to keep siding with people, organizations, or things that promote sin, rejecting the commands of God, He expects you to change. If you don’t, you are making these things into idols or “little gods” in your life. You are choosing to put these things ahead of pleasing the true and living God. This is wrong! God expects us all to repent and turn away from all sin!

So, what would prompt Believers into wanting to support these sinful things anyway? Well, sometimes it’s because changing our way of thinking can be hard. An example of this is when we really like someone and don’t want to acknowledge any fault in them — even when they promote sinful things. We may make excuses for why the sins they are promoting really aren’t that bad. We may rationalize that other folk out there are doing worse things. Those other folks may be doing worse things. But we still must admit that the sinful behaviors of the people we like are also wrong. If we don’t repent, we will have to answer to God for calling these sinful people good and giving them our support. God says in His Word: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil…” (Isaiah 5:20a)

Another reason Believers sometimes call “good” what God says is sinful is because we don’t want to be seen as unintelligent, anti-social, or hateful by the world. But by studying God’s Holy Word, we learn what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had to say about this. In John 15:18-19, Jesus says, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” Jesus goes on to say that those who treat you this way do it “because they do not know Him who sent Me.” (v.21) In other words, the world does not know and follow God.

Even when you hear people who promote sin say things that appear to affirm God, they are in reality working against God. You need to turn away from following after such people. Repent of your sins and pray for God’s Holy Spirit to help you live for Christ.

Remember that you will never be perfect. Only Jesus Christ walked on this earth and never committed any sin. Therefore, when you fall short and sin, ask Jesus to forgive you and repent. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Likewise, pray that you will be honest with God. Ask Him to reveal to you what you need to repent of today. Jesus said, “…Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) Jesus also said that “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7) That’s how much God loves you and cares about you.

So, do what is pleasing to God. Repent today!

What excuses are you making to God today?

Jun3

Question: How do I do a better job of living my life for God?

Answer: The first step to living our lives to please God is to understand that we are all sinners. We can’t enter Heaven in our sin, so we need a Savior to take away our sin. Because God loves us, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to be our one and only Lord and Savior. (Read John 3:16) God gave His Son to die on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. Jesus rose to life again three days after His death and lives with God in Heaven. When we have accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord, have asked Him to forgive us, and have repented, He cleanses us of our sins.

But know that Salvation only comes through Jesus Christ! “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4: 12 NKJV)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new…. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (Read 1 Corinthians 5:17-21)

Once we are saved, the next step to living our lives for God is to know God’s words to us through the Holy Bible. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness….”

In knowing the importance of the Scriptures, we can understand why Believers must stay in God’s word. We can understand why we should regularly read and study the Bible. Through these Scriptures, we also learn of our need to pray regularly. We learn that we need to pray for God’s Holy Spirit to bless us, to guide us, to comfort and help us as we deal with life’s challenges.

A third important step in living to please God is to understand that living for God is not merely a suggestion. It’s also not something you apply to one area of your life but not to another. It’s not something you do just on Sundays. And it’s not something you make excuses not to do because of the unfair actions of others towards you.

You can’t tell God you are making decisions in your life that go against His word because you want to be accepted by those in the sinful culture. You can’t even blame your life choices on the fact that there are some hypocrites in the church.

God already knows about everything that’s going on in the world. He is still in control and will deal with all these things in His own time! He wants us as Believers to love and trust Him and to live according to His word. In part of what’s known as The Great Commission (See Matthew 28: 18-20), Jesus instructs His disciples to “make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” His word expresses His desire for how He wants us to live!

So, as you talk to God today through prayer, see to it that you are not making excuses for why you are not living to please Him! Instead, follow the instructions of Jesus and live your life according to God’s word. Ask His forgiveness and repent when you fall short. He loves you and will forgive you.

Show your love for Him by choosing to live your life to please God. No excuses!

Why is everybody so angry?

May7

Question: I’m encountering more and more people being mean these days. Why are people so angry?

Answer: It does seem as if we are witnessing an increase in people being mean and “behaving badly!” Many people seem perfectly fine with acting out angrily against others. For example, if you choose not to speed down the road, impatient drivers will speed around you…even cutting you off while cursing you out in the process. Another example is teachers having to deal with parents or students speaking to them rudely and even threatening them because the student received a bad grade. In other cases, teachers and administrators are being rude and unfair to parents and students when they disagree with what they are being taught. Each side can get so angry at the other that they refuse to even try to work peaceably on solutions together.

More examples of anger can be seen in the huge rise in violent crimes. More and more cities are becoming so overrun with crime, the people there feel like they’re living in a war zone. Murders, rapes, and assaults are increasingly being committed – even against the elderly and small children. There is an environment where there is no regard for life! So many people just seem to be mad at the world!

We also see this anger being displayed shamelessly through social media. Instead of using these platforms for positive things like sharing God’s Word or nurturing relationships with positive pictures and thoughts, some choose to do just the opposite. They would prefer to share mean posts and comments! They forget that while they can hide from people behind a computer screen they can’t hide from God. He sees and hears everything that we do and say and will judge us accordingly if we don’t repent of our sins!

But people continue to take out their pent-up anger on others everywhere from in the home to out in the community. They lash out at co-workers, doctors, flight attendants, grocery and restaurant employees, rival sports fans, and even fellow churchgoers. These displays of anger are especially sad and disappointing when we see them coming from those who say they are Believers!

The bottom line is that when we are being mean to people, we are committing sin! We are being disobedient to God because Jesus said, “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” (Luke 6:31 ESV)

We learn from the Apostle Paul that God wants us to show love to one another just as God shows love to us. Part of showing this love is to be kind to each other and not rude (Read 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7). Paul also reminds us to be kind and control our anger in his letter to the Ephesians. “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil….. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:26-27, 29).”

He goes on to say, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4: 31- 32)”

Since none of us is perfect, there will be times when we get angry. In fact, there are times when we witness evil that we should get angry. Even Jesus looked on the religious leaders with anger when they were opposed to Him healing a man on the Sabbath (read Mark 3:1-5). But we are not to hold on to our anger until it causes us to sin.

Believers must remember to pray to God in Jesus’ name and lean on His Holy Spirit to help us deal with our anger. Then, we can truly stop being so angry! Amen!