I have to admit that I have had strong opinions about some controversial topics and have been known to end up in extended debates about these topics with no likelihood of coming to agreement.

There are a number of controversial subjects facing us today and tempting us toward arguments.

Paul writes precisely about this in 2 Timothy 2:23-26 “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”

Dear Lord, Help us (me) strive to be the kind and thoughtful servant you desire. Help us know when to avoid discussions that will only devolve to quarrels, and when we do engage give us the ability to gently instruct with your truth for the benefit of those to whom we are speaking. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

There is a story about Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple Computer and John Sculley, who was hired by Steve Jobs to be the CEO of Apple in the mid 1980’s. John Sculley had been a vice president at PepsiCo, where he had made Pepsi the number one Cola brand.

The story goes that when John Sculley was reluctant to leave PepsiCo for Apple, Steve Jobs asked him, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?”

In a similar way, we have a calling to do God’s will while we are doing our daily work and in our daily activities

Paul writes in Acts 20:24 his view, “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus; the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”

And Jesus says in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Dear Lord, We know the question you have for us, “Are we going to spend all our lives focused on getting everything we want for ourselves, or are we going to be part of your work in the world?” Help us choose wisely. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

One limiting belief many of us have as Christians is that because we are not living a flawless Christian life, we cannot witness and evangelize. We think we have to have all the answers, and follow all the rules before we can be acceptable witnesses to lead others to Christ.

This is obviously not the case, and Paul makes it clear in Philippians 3:12-14 “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

It is not our “goodness” that saves people, but it is our witness that can open the door for the Holy Spirit to come to them. Our authentic enthusiasm for Christ is a better tool for evangelism than how much we know about the Bible or how good we are.

Dear Lord, help us always remember that we do not bring people to believe, we only bring them to the opportunity, and You save them. Our best witness is our joyful confidence in your guidance and protection, and our hope for eternal Salvation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I have heard it said that your life is like an echo, what you send out comes back to you, or like a mirror, a reflection of you.

Paul writes in his letter to Titus 1:15, “A person who is pure of heart sees goodness and purity in everything; but a person whose own heart is evil and untrusting finds evil in everything, for his dirty mind and rebellious heart color all he sees and hears.”

I imagine you have met both kinds of people, those that look for the best in everything, and have good positive attitudes, and those that see the negative and problems in every experience. How interesting that they both can be looking at the same situation and see such different pictures. The verse above from Paul’s letter to Titus tells us that the way people look at a situation is an indication of what is in their own heart and mind. How they look at things is as much a statement on themselves as it is a statement on the people or things about which they are commenting.

We all should do a quick evaluation of ourselves periodically to make sure we are sending out the right message, and also use this guidance to take a look at the people with whom we are spending our time.

Dear Lord, help us be people of pure hearts and find the goodness and purity you have put in our world. Help us also be a positive influence on those with evil and untrusting hearts, that they might see your love through us and desire to change. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Just after Solomon was king of Israel, there was a split in the kingdom of Israel with Judah in the south and Israel in the north. During this time, God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah trying to tell the people of Judah to get back on course and follow God’s guidance.

He writes in Jeremiah 6:16, “This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!”

How similar is this to the attitude many people have today. They know right and wrong in their hearts, they can read God’s guidance in the Bible, they can look and see people who have followed God’s direction and had peace and prosperity, but after all this input, many people still say, “no that is not the road we want.” They live their lives in opposition to the direction God has established, and wonder why things don’t work out for them.

Ultimately, Judah was overtaken, destroyed and its people were enslaved.

Dear Lord, You give us right and wrong in our consciences, you outline your will in the bible, and you provide us many wonderful Christians on which to model our lives. Help us use these things to keep us on the path that leads to your will. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.