Journal Entry

I've noticed that my blogging has decreased as I have given more time to journaling. So, I'm going share a little of that time with you. I hope it will encourage and challenge you. I know my Bible-reading time has been enriched as of late, and I am hearing God whisper to me as I write my thoughts down on paper. Here are some of those thoughts, organized as I wrote them down, "SOAP"-style in my Life Journal:

"Shady Characters"

"But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city." (Acts 17:5)

Those nasty Pharisees! Always stirring up trouble for our heroes. This is at least the second reference in Acts to the jealousy that the religious leaders experienced as they witnessed the awesome power of God through the relatively uneducated disciples. Jealousy motivated their acts of persecution against the early church. The people who believed they knew 1) the answers and 2) the real God, were watching rookies preach a new Gospel that radically transformed lives and won peoples' devotion.

We've all got a little Pharisee in us, and sometimes he rears his ugly head. I wonder where and how often I've stirred up trouble in the spiritual realm--by inciting and partnering with "bad characters"--because I am jealous of what another believer is experiencing (success, promotion, recognition, etc.). I know I am guilty of this sin.

Who are these shady agents? They're not an angry mob pursuing a specific person... No--they're much worse: bitterness, division, resentment, anger...and the list goes on. Rather than blatantly singling out an apostle to stone, these insidious assassins sneakily seek to undermine and sink whole groups of God's people--by setting them against each other.

Dear God, please investigate my heart! Search me, know me and reveal any hurtful way in me. It's only when I'm convicted of my own sin and respond to Your invitation to truly repent, that I can be lead in Your everlasting way.

Less Is More

Brevity. Some things are better left unsaid. Sometimes less is more.

I'm not generally know for being short-winded. That's funny! For so much of my life I was fearful of speaking in front of people. Now I'm working on saying more by talking less.

When my wife and I started working with 4th and 5th grade (almost 10 years ago!), one of the 5th graders oft reminded us of his favorite verse: "Jesus wept" (John 11:35). No, he wasn't sadistic! And he didn't dislike Jesus!!! He just liked to get to the point. No reason to complicate or dilute things with excessive words!

Jesus was like this, too. I remember my pastor saying that God says a lot with very few words. He added (with affection and a knowing smile, by the way) that pastors often use a whole lot of words to say a little. Jesus used simple examples and everyday language. He knew when to start and when to stop. When to speak and when to remain silent.

I'm asking God to help me with this. I want to be a person who is listening for the Spirit--and not just listening to myself talk. This will help me be a better help to the people in my care.