Living Under the Influence

David was a man after God’s own heart. He was a faithful follower of God. He was true to his calling. He held no contempt toward those who threatened his life, and yet we know that he was not perfect. He knew it too. He was, after all, human like us. He knew his weaknesses, his vulnerabilities and his sinful nature. He knew how easy it was to say something he shouldn’t. He especially knew the power of influence. Do you?

Tongue Tied

In these verses the father warns his son about falling into the web of an immoral person. He describes one whose words may be “as sweet as honey and as smooth as olive oil,” but whose character is ruined by sin. He warns that associating with such people will only lead to “bitter poison and pain.”

Diligent Discernment

The coming of the kingdom means an engaging with the powers. Jesus has come to redeem a fallen world and that involves doing battle – plundering the house of the enemy. Jesus’ healing of a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute strikes hope in the hearts of some and judgment in the hearts of others. Is he Son of David or only a servant of Beelzebul prince of demons?

Seeds

“Heidi, your shoulders are sagging. Can I help you?” Those words spoken by a colleague were like a healing balm to my soul. Immediately I sat up straight, shoulders back and ready to tackle the mountain of files on my desk. But, I have also had people stand in my doorway and hurl destructive and angry words at me. In the aftermath of those encounters I feel exhausted and dejected.

Your Legacy

Someone once reminded me that the most important part of a gravestone is the dash that comes between the year someone was born and the year they died. That dash represents everything that happened over the course of that person’s life. Unfortunately, most people don’t stop to think about their legacy until long after their legacy has already been determined in the minds of the people around them.

Maintaining A Healthy Diet

“From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled” is how one version expresses the first part of verse 20.

What a fascinating and counter-intuitive thought! We might normally expect that our bellies are filled by what goes into them, not by what comes out – that what we say is the product, or fruit, of ideas and influences we have ingested. And, of course, that is true enough, but these two sayings playfully flip the obvious idea on its head.

The Power of Words

Have you ever been so sure someone could rescue you by speaking up on your behalf that you started your request with words of praise and thanks?

That’s how the Psalmist begins: “O God, whom I praise! Do not remain silent.”

He asks God to appoint an accuser in a court.

Magic Spelling

We are living in the golden age of communication. If we are seized by a notion we wish to share, within three minutes we can have it published worldwide, effortlessly and for free. It’s an incredible privilege never before afforded the human race, but instead of being awed by our power to communicate ideas with one another, we’ve lost our respect for it.

What is Truth?

We often get the impression that Jesus had nothing to say after he was arrested. While it’s true that some of the Scriptures emphasize his silence before those who interrogated him it’s also true that other Scriptures bear record to the times he did speak, whether to Caiaphas or Pilate or someone else. And in this passage Jesus had a lot to say to Pilate.

Amos The Man: What’s In A Name?

What’s your name? Say it, in your mind. Say it in a whisper. Say it. How many times has it passed your lips? How many times have you answered the question: What is your name? How many times have you heard it spoken, have you turned to look? Was it said with anger, with love, as command, as demand, as question, as plea?