Encouraged by God's Word

Archive for May, 2009

Hello Friends,

How many times have you seen someone entice another person to do something wrong, and then the second person get caught?

It happens all the time. Little kids do it, teenagers do it and adults do it. It happens in all areas of life.

You see this a lot with kids. One kid entices or dares another kid to do something that they know is wrong. But when they get caught, the second kid is usually the one caught red handed. The first kid gets off freely and the second is punished.

You also see this in sports. You usually have one player commit a foul against another but when the second player retaliates, he gets caught by the referee and the first player acts as if he didn’ t do any

thing wrong.

The referee then blows the whistle and charges the second player with the foul and he and his team are punished.

The first person doesn’t get caught because they anticipate what is going to happen. They know trouble is coming and they’re smart enough to avoid it.

Are you looking to avoid evil or do you go with the flow and get caught up?

Proverbs 27:12 says A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; the simple pass on and are punished.

A prudent man, or someone who is marked by wisdom, knows beforehand what to expect and he does whatever possible to avoid evil. He stays clear of evil at all cost because he knows what it will do to him.

The simple (or foolish) aren’t so wise. They don’t recognize the danger ahead of them and they fall into the trap. They are dealt with harshly and because of that, they receive pain and punishment.

Could some of your pain be coming from the fact that you have foolish ways? Could it be you’re not using wisdom in all that you do? Are you looking ahead at all of the possible dangers and doing whatever possible to hide from them?

Tell me, are you running towards or away from evil? When it calls do you answer? Does evil have your phone number on speed dial? Are you programmed with a tracking device so evil can find you 24 hours a day?

Hide from evil and don’t get involved with it. Keep yourself from doing wrong so you don’t get punished.

Be Encouraged and Have a Great Day!

Hello Friends,

Do you remember when the What Would Jesus Do? (WWJD) phrase became popular in the 1990’s? It was a big thing for Christians as a reminder that Jesus was the example to follow in their daily lives.

There was also a big marketing campaign to go with the phrase. There were all types of WWJD paraphernalia. People had t-shirts, bracelets, wrist bands, CD’s, tattoos, hats and all types of WWJD stuff.

There are also other types of Christian paraphernalia people display especially on their cars. There are the “Jesus Saves” bumper stickers, the Christian fish symbol, the license plate frames with Christian slogans or church names on it. And then there’s my favorite, the personalized license plates.

Last week I was on my way to work and there was a broke down car in the lane I was in. As the cars in front of me started to move from my lane to the left, I put on my blinker and started to move over also.

As I was moving over, the car in the left lane moved up quickly and stopped me from getting over. As she went past, I noticed she had personalized tags.

Now I’m not going to say what her tags said because someone on this list may know her, but based on her actions, she was not living up to what her tags said.

I wonder how many times we have had images or slogans on our clothing or personal property that contradict our everyday actions.

Do you act as if Jesus saved you just like your bumper sticker proclaims?

2 Corinthians 5:20 says Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

Here we are called to be ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador is an authorized representative or messenger. We as born again Christians are authorized by God to represent His kingdom. We are supposed to portray or exhibit Christ like qualities at all times.

Also as an ambassador, we are called to be messengers. Messengers of what: the gospel of Jesus Christ. The words we say and the actions we take are ones that should reflect the gospel. Those who see how we live should have some idea of what Christianity is all about.

When you wear your favorite Jesus t-shirt and you act like an idiot, it’s like giving the kingdom of God a black eye. You undermine all that Jesus died for and you set a bad example for the church.

Are your actions hypocritical? Do you want to be known as the reason why people don’t want to be associated with Christians or the church? Well if you don’t act Christ like then that’s what’s going to happen.

God ministers to the unbelievers in many ways other than in the building we call the church. He uses people everyday, all the time and if you’re a Christian, you should present yourself that way.

So the next time you feel like acting ugly, cussing someone out, or punching someone in the face, just remember that someone is watching you and waiting to determine if this is what Jesus would do.

Be Encouraged and Have a Great Day!

Hello Friends,

One day I was at work talking with some coworkers and an argument came up that got intense. It wasn’t real serious; as a matter of fact, they were really clowning each other. Now I can’t remember what was being discussed but I do remember walking into the middle of it and instigating this playful argument.

At the end of the argument, another coworker looked at me and said, “Mr. Gainous, you ain’t nothing but a pot stirrer!” Not sure if I heard her correctly the first time, I asked her to repeat herself which she did and she said what I thought she said.

I was stirring the pot. I kept the two people going at each other.

After I gave her a funny look, I replied “Surely you’re not talking about me, I’m innocent” all while trying not to laugh at the absurd statement I just made.

Although I was joking when I was instigating the argument, the words I spoke really influenced people’s reactions towards each other and they kept going at one another.

Now we were all having fun and it really wasn’t a “real” argument but instigating or “pot stirring” will keep an argument going and actually intensify it.

I’m just wandering how many arguments have you instigated? How many times have you stirred the pot at the expense of others?

Proverbs 17:9 says He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends.

If you are a loving person, you should always be ready to cover up those things which are a transgression. In essence you should be willing to forgive others of their sins just as God has forgiven us of our sins. That’s how you demonstrate love.

But if you are a person who instigates or stirs the pot by making noise, talking trash and repeating what was said, you are the one who separates friends.

You should not be the person who keeps the argument going. You should not be the person who keeps the tension in the air. You should not be the one who says, “You know what Lisa said about you?” No, it shouldn’t be you. Mind your business and let the matter die down. Don’t repeat it.

So the next time you’re in the middle of something that’s not good, be the bigger person and forgive the other individual for their sins just as God forgave us of our sins. And if you’re on the outside of an argument, stay there. Don’t repeat anything that’s said because all it does is keep the fire going.

Don’t be known as a pot stirrer.

Be Encouraged and Have a Great Day!

Hello Friends,

Actor and comedian Clerow Wilson Jr., also known as Flip Wilson, had a comedy-variety television show from 1970-1974. It was a show where Flip played many characters but one of the funniest was Geraldine Jones. Now I was VERY young when this show aired and I don’t really remember a whole lot about it but I do remember Geraldine always reciting one of her classic lines, “The devil made me do it”.

When Geraldine made this statement, she was a person who didn’t take responsibility for her actions. She was quick to blame the devil for her wrong doing. Now Satan will mess you up sometimes, will put some obstacles in front of you, and will do what he can to get you off track, but you can’t blame him for everything.

A lot of times our problems and troubles and drama come from our own actions. We stumble because of some of the bad decisions we make and not because the devil made us do it. And some of these bad decisions are based on what someone enticed us to do.

Have you ever done something wrong and it was based on what someone else did? Have you let others persuade you to do something stupid because it seemed like a good idea at the time?

Some of us are so weak we will let anyone coerce us to do just about anything.

And most of the time, people don’t have to do a lot of convincing at all. All they have to do is say let’s do it and you’re down for it.

Proverbs 1:10 says My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

The proverb says it with clarity and simplicity. If you are enticed by someone who sins and you know it is a sin, do not consent. Do not be in compliance or approval of what is being done or proposed by someone you know is wrong.

What happened to having some guts or boldness to stand on your own? What happened to being your own man or woman and thinking for yourself? How many times are you going to let your friend entice you to do something that you have no business doing at all?

When they say let’s go do it, just say no! Don’t let them entice you to do wrong. Instead, you should entice them to do right?

In order to be in that mindset of doing right, you must set your mind on Jesus and let Him lead you to do the right thing and help you to deter the enemy. This way you won’t have any reason to blame the devil and say he made you do it.

Be Encouraged and Have a Great Day!

Hello Friends,

In the past year I’ve reconnected with a great deal of people I haven’t seen in years. Some of these folks I worked with, some I went to college with and some high school. And there are even those who I grew up with in my old neighborhood in Capitol Heights, MD.

I’m talking about people I was in kindergarten with, played rec. ball with and those I ran the streets with. These are some of the people that my childhood memories are made of.

Over this period of time I’ve also had the privilege to meet some new people and one thing God is constantly reminding me of is that I can’t make it without healthy relationships in my life. In order for me to be successful, it is a necessity to have healthy relationships.

A relationship is the state of being connected, linked or associated with someone. It’s having that bond between two individuals. And if you’re connected to someone, it should be beneficial to everyone involved.

Now for me these relationships come in all different types of people. There are my immediate family members, my not so immediate family members, my close knit friends and my not so close knit friends. And then there are the casual folks that I come in contact with. But regardless of how involved I am with a person, in the end, the healthy relationships are the ones that benefit me.

How do you define a healthy relationship? What do you get out of it? What are you putting into it?

1 Thessalonians 5:11 says Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Are your relationships comforting? Do they edify?

If your relationships don’t reassure, encourage or calm you or the other people, they are not comforting. If your relationships don’t improve, enlighten or uplift you and the other people, they’re not edifying?

Many times we get involved in relationships with folks who always take and never give. This is not a healthy relationship. This is a draining relationship. This is a strenuous relationship. This is a taxing relationship. This is a relationship that’s one way and it’s not going in the direction that you would like.

Healthy relationships should be give and take; you give while they take and vice versa; they give while you take. This way both parties are assured to support one another and when people support each other the relationship is comforting and edifying.

Now if the truth be told, we know some folks who will always be the ones who take, and take, and take, and never give but if you want to be guaranteed to be in a relationship where someone is more than willing to give to you, you need to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate giver in that He gave His life so that you may have eternal life.

Now what are you going to give Him

?

Be Encouraged and Have a Great Day!