Don’t Get Defensive

In review of James 3:17 it says, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (NIV).

James 3:13-18

If I want to be wise and understand God's ways, I would prove it by living an honorable life, and doing good works with humility that comes from wisdom. However if I am bitterly jealous and I harbor selfish ambition in my heart, I shouldn’t try to cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there I will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

I’m reminded this morning that true wisdom can be measured by the depth of a person's character. Just as I can identify a tree by the type of fruit it produces, I can evaluate my own wisdom by the way I act. Foolishness leads to disorder, but wisdom leads to peace and goodness. In my life, am I tempted to escalate the conflict, pass on gossip or fan the fire of discord? Careful, winsome speech and wise, loving words are the seeds of peace. God loves those who are peacemakers.

Bitter jealousy and selfish ambition are inspired by the devil. It is easy for us to be drawn into wrong desires by the pressures of society and sometimes even by well-meaning Christians. By listening to the world’s advice to: "Assert yourself," "Go for it," "Set high goals," I can be easily drawn into greed and destructive competitiveness. Seeking God's wisdom delivers me from the need to compare myself to others and to want what they have.

Am I a reasonable person? Can others reason with me? The Bible says if I’m wise, I’m reasonable and open to suggestions. A wise person does not antagonize others’ anger, does not minimize their feelings, and does not criticize their suggestions. I know at times I can be overly sensitive. If somebody makes a suggestion, I take it as a personal criticism and get defensive. But a wise person can learn from anybody!

Wise people are not defensive. They’re not stubborn. They’re open to reason. They’re willing to listen and learn. James 3:17 describes wisdom as “submissive,” but that word really means reasonable, willing to listen, and open to ideas and suggestions. The Living Bible says, “It allows discussion.”

If something is true, listen and learn from it. If it’s false, ignore it and forget it. “A fool thinks he needs no advice, but a wise man listens to others” (Proverbs 12:15 TLB).

Bottom Line:

Wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere.

What this means to me:

The wisdom I obtain from above is pure first of all; it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy.

In summary, If I want to be wise and truly understand God's ways, I should prove it by living an honorable life, and doing good works works with humility that comes from  wisdom. Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, I will find disorder and every kind of evil. Wisdom from above is first of all pure, peace loving, gentle and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It will show no favoritism and is always sincere. True wisdom can be measured by the depth of my character and how I act. When I seek God's wisdom I get deliverance from the need to compare myself to others. It would be wise for me to not antagonize another's anger, minimize their feelings or criticize their suggestions. If someone does make a suggestion, don't take it as a personal criticism and become defensive. Don't be defensive or stubborn. Be open to reason. Be willing to listen and learn. Be open to ideas and suggestions. Allow discussion. If something is true, listen and learn, if it's false, ignore and forget it.

While I like to think of myself as be a reasonable person, I know that I do take things personally and become defensive. I still need a lot of help from God to overcome this. Perhaps this is why I have situations that come up all the time. God is giving me the opportunity to learn from it and change myself so that I don’t automatically become defensive. This morning Father I thank you for your word on this manner and pointing this out in my life. You are teaching me through my experiences. I pray for your assistance, guidance and wisdom in this area, as well in the decisions and organization of my work today. Help me to lead well and to respond rightly to others. This I pray in you Son Jesus name, amen!

God’s Guarantee to Be Stress-Free

In review of Philippians 4:7 it says, “If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand” (TLB).

Today’s verse comes from Philippians 4:6-7. In it Paul reminds me to not worry or stress about anything; instead, I should pray about everything. I simply tell God what I need, and then thank him for all he has done. When I do, then I will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything I can understand. His peace will guard my heart and mind as I live in Christ Jesus.

Will it ever be possible to never worry about anything? It seems like an impossibility; as I have worries in my job, at home, and with the world. Paul's advice to me is to turn my worries and concerns into prayers.

So, to worry less, I need to pray more. When ever I feel a worry or concern come up, I need to stop and pray.

I'm reminded this morning that God's peace is drastically different from the world's version of peace. I will not find true peace in positive thinking, the absence of conflict, or in just having good feelings. It comes from knowing that God is in control. My citizenship in Christ's Kingdom is sure, my destiny is set, and I can have victory over sin. I need to let God's peace guard my heart against any anxiety that comes up or I feel.

In general our culture is more stressed than ever. And this stress is deadly. As of June 2018, suicide rates in the US are up 30 percent since 1999. If we’ve ever needed God’s stress-free guarantee, it’s today.

The Bible shares God’s guarantee in Philippians 4:7, where it says, “If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand” (TLB).

This isn’t a stress guarantee from a doctor. It’s not a guarantee from a pharmaceutical company. It’s so much better. It’s a guarantee from the Creator of the universe.

Today I’m challenged to imagine myself in a situation where I have no logical reason to be at peace, but still I am. Well this is God’s guarantee. It’s God’s promise. There are more than 5,000 promises in the Bible, and every one of them has a premise. Every promise has a premise. There is a premise behind God’s stress guarantee, as well. The verse from Philippians 4 begins with, “If I do this.”

It is possible to “experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.” Stress doesn’t have to win. Stress and anxiety do not need to control me. There is hope and it’s found in following and trusting in Jesus and having the certainty of knowing that God is in control.

Bottom Line:

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

What this means to me:

If I stop and pray about my concerns and anxieties, I will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than what my mind can understand. His peace will keep my thoughts and my heart quiet and at rest as I trust in Christ Jesus.

In summary, I should not worry or stress about anything, instead, I should pray about everything. Simply tell God what I need, and then thank him for all he has done. If I do, then I will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything I can understand. God's peace is different from the worlds. The world's form of peace is positive thinking or good feeling, or the absence of conflict. God's peace comes from me knowing that God is in control and that my destiny is set.

As I reflect on today’s passage I sense God telling me that, especially at work, that I’m being too stressed and carrying lots of anxiety. He wants me to know that I can bring any concern, no matter how little or how big to him. I can tell him what I need. He will provide in his own way what I need, whether it be relief, guidance or learning/training that I need. Instead of me holding onto these, I need to pause and ask God. This morning Father I pray for the Holy Spirit to remind me of this simple act. To experience your grace and your peace. I pray also for your wisdom and guidance for my day. More importantly, help me interact and respond well to others. In you Son Jesus name I pray, amen!

What Could Go Wrong?

In review of Proverbs 22:3 it says, “A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences” (TLB).

Today’s verse comes from Proverbs 22:3. In it I’m told that a prudent person will foresee danger and takes precautions. While a simpleton will just go on blindly and then end up suffering the consequences.

This means that when I see trouble coming, it makes more sense to be smart and either hide from it or take precautions to deal with it, versus just walking right into it.

My life will have good and have problems, therefore it would be smart for me to expect the best but to prepare for the worst. Solomon expressed this idea in the Bible: “A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences” (Proverbs 22:3 TLB). What he’s telling me is that the wise person recognizes there’s going to be problems in any decision and prepares for them.

Even the Bible knows about Murphy’s Law: If anything can go wrong, it will. I can’t ignore problems, because they’re not going to ignore me! Problems are inevitable. They are a part of life. The wise person doesn’t deny their inevitability. A wise person prepares for them by asking, “What could go wrong? And what will happen if it does?”

I don’t need to have all of my doubts resolved. I don’t have to have all of the problems figured out or solve them before I make a decision. But to be wise, I must make a decision in faith, knowing that problems will come, doing my best to plan for them, and then trusting God to give me what I need to confront them.

Bottom Line:

When you see trouble coming, don’t be stupid and walk right into it, be smart and either hide or put together a plan.

What this means to me:

It would be sensible that when I see trouble coming and to avoid it or take some precautions. This is better than not thinking clearly and walking right into it, only to regret it later.

In summary, it would be prudent for me to foresee danger and take precautions, vs. just going on blindly and then suffering the consequences. To be wise, I must make a decision in faith, knowing that problems will come, then doing my best to plan for them, trusting God to give me what I need in order to confront them.

It can be paralyzing to feel like I need to solve every problem before I make a decision, or to not take the time to think through it, even procrastinate. It's like trying to have the perfect life without problems. However this can lead me to make no decision at all which ultimately results in suffering the consequences that are inevitable. What I need to do is to have faith to think through, get advice and make an intelligent decision, where I can minimize any downfall or trust that God will teach and train me through the situation. This morning Father I ask you to help bring to light situations where I'm not thinking clearly through what's ahead. Help me to put together the best plans possible and not just let them spring upon me. I also pray this morning Father for your wisdom and guidance in handling my work load. Help me to lead and how to interact rightly with others. These things I pray in your Son Jesus name, amen!

Every Decision Has a Price Tag Associated with it

In review of Proverbs 20:25 it says, “It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows” (NIV).

Proverbs 20:25

I shouldn't trap myself by making a rash promise to God, or anyone else, only to count and regret the cost afterwards.

This mornings verse points out the danger of making a promise rashly, only to later reconsider or count the true cost and then not intend to fulfill it. What I’m learning is that God takes promises seriously and requires that they be carried out. Jesus, also reminds me that it is better not to make promises to God unless I plan to carry them out. It is extremely important that if I’m going to make a promise, that I be fully aware of the consequences of breaking it.

In this life I only have a certain number of days. Every time I give a minute of my life to anything, I’m giving a piece of my life away. It’s time I’ll never get back. When I give my time to something, I’m giving a piece of my life for it.

This is why every decision has a price tag. Every decision will cost me time, money, energy, reputation, talents, or resources. There’s always an investment to be made.

Proverbs 20:25 says, “It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows” (NIV). It is a trap to decide without deliberating, to make a promise without pondering, to make a commitment without first considering the cost.

One of the rules of life is that it’s always easier to get in than to get out. It’s easier to get into a relationship than get out. It’s easier to get into debt than to get out. It’s easier to fill my schedule than to fulfill my schedule.

There is a price tag with every decision. So be sure to really count the cost.

Bottom Line:

Be careful to not fall into the trap of making promises before you fully think through it.

What this means to me:

It is a trap for me to to dedicate to or promise something rashly, only later to  reconsider what I vowed.

In summary, God takes promises seriously and requires that they be carried out. So it's better to not make a promise to God unless I plan to carry it out. Every time I give a minute of my life to anything, I'm giving a piece of my life away. It's time I'll never get back. So every decision will cost me. There is always an investment to be made. Therefore, it's a trap to decide without deliberating, to make a promise without pondering, to make a commitment without first consider the cost. It's always easier to get in then to get out. Likewise, it's easy to fill my schedule than to fulfill my schedule.

As you speak to me in your Word this morning, you have a warning for me about promises, especially ones I make rashly. Your intent is for me to fulfill what I promise or commit to. I should be fully thinking through the implication of it. This is timely, as I’m thinking about my assistance to help lead a discussion group as part of the next Financial Peace University at church. This will require some dedication on my part to be there on time (leave work early enough or work from home) and a willingness to spend one-on-one time with others. I also need to heed caution as I schedule my day and activities. This morning Father I pray for your wisdom and guidance on tasks in front of me and decisions that I need to make. Help me lead well and interact with others rightly. These things I pray in your Son Jesus name, amen!

Three Steps to Making Wise Decisions

In review of Proverbs 28:26 it says, “A man is a fool to trust himself! But those who use God’s wisdom are safe” (TLB).

Today’s verse is Proverbs 28:26. It reminds me that those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom will be safe.

In our culture, a rugged individualist is often considered a hero. We tend to admire the bold, self-directed individual who knows what they want and fights for it. They are self-reliant, not giving or even one to ask for advice. I'm learning that this is in contrast to God's way. For a person can't know the future and can't predict the consequences of his or her choice with any certainty. And so the totally self-reliant person is doomed to failure. On the other hand, a wise person will depend on God, and on others who are wise, for their decisions.

We all tend to make decisions frivolously, but the Bible gives a simple, workable plan on how to handle things differently. Whether it’s a decision about career, finances, health, children, or the future. I’m reminded this morning of these three principles from God’s Word for making wise decisions.

First, I should pray for guidance. Before I do anything else, get God’s perspective on the issue. Proverbs 28:26 says, “A man is a fool to trust himself! But those who use God’s wisdom are  safe” (TLB). I know I’ve made a foolish decisions that I thought were the best thing to do at the time. We all get impressions, but they are just that, impressions. They are not from God. They are from what you ate last night or just ideas that pop into my mind. I need something greater than simply intuition, gut feelings, or “I think.” I need absolute truth on which to base my decisions. I need God’s guidance, and I get that by praying and asking God for it.

Second is to get the facts. There is no contradiction between faith and fact, and it is wise to find out all you can before you make a decision. The Bible says in Proverbs 13:16, “Every prudent man acts with knowledge” (ESV), and in Proverbs 18:13, “What a shame—yes, how stupid!—to decide before knowing the facts!” (TLB).

Lastly, ask for advice. Talk to somebody who’s made a similar decision. Talk to friends who know your weaknesses. Learn to ask for advice! Proverbs 24:6 says, “The more advice you get, the more likely you are to win” (GNT).

It is wise to learn from experience, but it is wiser to learn from the experiences of others. I’ll never have time to learn everything from personal experience. I don’t have time to make all the mistakes in life. Life is too short to learn everything by trial and error. But I can learn from others’ successes, and I can learn from others’ failures.

Bottom Line:

Those who trust in themselves are foolish, but those who walk in wisdom will be kept safe.

What this means to me:

It would be foolish for me to follow my own thoughts and opinions. It would be better and safer for to me follow the teachings of wiser people.

In summary, to trust in my own insight only is foolish. If I walk in wisdom  I will be safe. I can't know the future and can't predict the consequences of my choice with any certainty. Being totally self-reliant will doom me to failure. It's wiser for me to depend on God, and on others who are wise, for their decisions. There are three principles from God's Word for making wise decisions. First, be sure to pray for guidance, and avoid simple intuition, or gut feelings. I need absolute truth on which to base my decisions. This only comes from praying and asking God for it. Second is to make sure I get the facts. It's wise to find out all I can before I make a decision. Lastly be sure I'm asking for advice. Talk with others who've made similar decisions. Learn to ask for advice. Also it's wise to learn from others successes and failures.

I know I often miss all three steps. I realize that I’m about to make a decision on a new TV, but I haven’t really prayed about it, nor obtained all the facts or have gotten advice. So this mornings verse is a great reminder for me on this. I als to o do this with work decisions. I need to incorporate this into my daily decisions at work. This morning Father I pray for the assistance from the Holy Spirit to help remind me about this before making bigger decisions. I also pray today Father for your continued wisdom and guidance in my work, leadership and how I react to others. These things I pray in your Son Jesus name, amen!