Volume 9 Post/Email 2 – Exaggeration
by brian
Another specific practice related to speech is exaggeration. The character flaw in exaggerating stories and details is the lack of honesty, humility, and integrity.
Not only is exaggerating a form of lying, but the book of Proverbs discusses letting our words be few. Furthermore, that we are not to praise ourselves, nor to use flattery.
Proverbs 27:2 reads, "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips."
Proverbs 26:28 states, "A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin."
A similar reflection question as the previous week: Will I practice verbal integrity this week?
-Brian
Volume 9 Post/Email 1 – Verbal Integrity
by brian
I genuinely hope this morning's message finds you doing well. When this is sent Jamie and I should be enjoying our vacation at Myrtle Beach. Also, I hope all the father's experienced a blessed day on Sunday.
Scripture addresses hundreds of areas related to our life, including numerous issues related to our behavior and character. One such matter is our words and conversations.
We are told to avoid unwholesome speech, such as complaining, gossiping, slandering and lying. Some of the proverbs even instruct confidentiality and the sin and damage that occurs when we break it.
We are also told to speak healthy words that build others up, to give testimony to the gospel, and to share words of faith with others.
Reflection Question: Did my life reflect verbal integrity last week?
-Brian
Volume 6 Post/Email 6 – The Good News
by brian
(While this message is being typed before the Superbowl, it will not be posted and read until afterward.)
This year a 30 second Superbowl commercial costs $3 million. It is difficult to fathom every second of communicating a message costing a company $100,000! Yet, these companies are willing to spend that enormous amount of money to advertise and potentially affect successful sales.
What about Christians? What about churches? How much are we willing to sacrifice to communicate our hope and message of salvation in Jesus Christ?
There will not be a marketed product in those commercials that people need! On the other hand, every person needs Jesus!
Ministering to others through conversations and service always have the potential of making an impression and positive difference in another's life, faith and eternal destiny.
The church in Acts was willing to sacrifice their money, time, freedom and even their wellbeing to witness to the world about the good news.
Acts 5:41-42 reads, "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ."
We should not underestimate the time spent influencing others. Whether it's 30 seconds or 30 minutes, 30 days or 30 years, we all have opportunities to witness to, teach, encourage, and impact people in ways that glorify Christ.
-Brian
Volume 6 Post/Email 3 – Christian Fellowship
by brian
Today (Sunday) has been a bundle of blessings for me. The time spent in worship this morning and evening were both edifying. My youngest brother joining Jamie and I for worship and lunch was a pleasant surprise. Visiting in a home this afternoon with 7 other Christians for visiting and prayer was encouraging. And the icing on the cake was spending almost 3 hours at JA this evening. After an hour of worship, we spent almost two more hours in fellowship. I was blessed by the many personal and positive conversations and quality time building closer relationships. I thank God this evening for my church family. James Avenue is a congregation with immeasurable love and heart.
I was especially uplifted toward the end of the evening by the 20 minutes or so of talking with and listening to Tim share with me more about the details of their journey with Caleb. When you consider the time that passed until the news could get to the top where there was cell phone service, to the forty minutes it took for the helicopter to arrive after the 911 call and all the critical time that passed, to the numerous scary occasions after Caleb came out of his coma concerning his brain and even liver, kidneys, etc., it is truly incredible to see him walking and playing [and "amening" 
] tonight at James Avenue. It all goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway), Caleb's story is one incredible testimony to the power of prayer. His healing and progress throughout the past 3 months is a tremendous encouragement and blessing to all of us. And as Larry mentioned tonight, seeing Tim and Tiffany's faith through this adversity is also a positive testimony and example for us.
I realize this elguy is a little more "informal", but I just decided to share some of the blessings of this day concerning the handiwork of God and a brief expression of my gratitude for times of fellowship and for Christian friendships.
-Brian
Volume 3 Post/Email 8 – Colossians 4:2
by brian
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
When my spiritual life is unfocused, I suffer. A lack of devotion to speaking with God is costly.
1. I am not prepared to deal with Satan and temptation when I am not devoted to prayer.
2. My attitude drifts from being grateful and positive when I am not devoted to prayer.
3. The Great Commission of Jesus Christ is less of a priority when I am not devoted to prayer.
Colossians 4:3 reads, "And pray for us too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains."
Colossians 4:5 reads, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity."
Am I watchful and thankful?
Without being devoted to prayer, being thankful is difficult, and being watchful even harder.
However, when my spiritual life is focused, God grants me wisdom and strength for any temptation.
When my spiritual life is focused, God cleanses my heart from ungrateful, unloving, and negative attitudes.
When my spiritual life is focused, God's will for my influence on others is my will, and so I am watchful for people to pray for and to have beneficial spiritual conversations with.
Colossians 4:6 - "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
A good measure for assessing my spiritual conversations is whether they are grace-oriented. Paul teaches us to be "full of grace" when talking with others about God.
Obviously, being "devoted" (vs. 2) implies an ongoing, continual, everyday practice.
Everyday Let God Use You to pray for others, speak with others, and be a Christian example for others.
Let's be devoted to prayer, being watchful and thankful!
-Brian
Volume 2 Post/Email 11 – 1 Peter 2:5
by brian
The final 2 posts on the concept of spiritual formation will be from First Peter Chapter 2.
1 Peter 2:5 reads, "You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
In post 3 we reflected on the first three verses of this chapter and growing as spiritually newborn babies.
Likewise, verse 5 implies gradual spiritual growth.
Our spiritual life is indeed, a journey. We "are being built" into a spiritual house.
I believe the tense of the verb is a present participle, indicating a continual reality.
The Christian life is always to be a "present tense" matter.
We have the daily privilege of being holy priests, and living before a loving and holy God.
We have the daily honor and opportunity to express love to God in worship.
How much of our lives involves any sense of God?
If we model Jesus, we will not compartmentalize our lives into the secular and spiritual.
Therefore, we should not think this verse applies only to spiritual acts like prayer. Intentionally befriending and doing good to others during the day, because of a heart oriented towards God and his will, is also spiritual.
Hebrews 13:16 reads, "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."
We should not reduce spiritual living, worship, and honoring God to a minimum amount of occasions. We should not think God is only interested in when we pray, study, etc.
He is pleased when we go to work, and how we work. He can be pleased by a conversation we initiate with a co-worker. Perhaps God smiles as we initiate a friendly conversation with a child?
Maybe God is just as honored when we adults play and interact with the kids before a Wednesday night class as he is when we are singing in the auditorium?
Is God not glorified when we share a meal with our family? Is it not spiritual (of God, God-like) to devote some energy to helping a kid with their homework, or to coaching a team, or teaching music, or being involved in a camping trip?
When a wife or husband cooks the meal for the evening [usually when we guys step up it's with the grill ], can that not be with a godly, grateful, generous heart?
Are these matters supposed to be in a spiritual (God) context or not?
Jesus honored the Father with a heart oriented to worshipping His Father and doing His will through the nitty gritty of daily life! When Jesus spent time with children, or enjoyed a meal with some adults, or spent time in a boat with the disciples, these were also spiritual moments!
When the routine of our day is not spiritual is if we choose to not allow the heart, will and Spirit of God to impact certain moments of our schedule.
As we experience spiritual transformation into the likeness of Jesus, our eyes become more aware and astute to the spiritual realities and opportunities of the present moment.
It may be a moment to relax, to read, to sing, to pray, to visit, to eat, to play, etc. - but all in God's presence joyfully living our life with Him.
Am I missing something?
-Brian
Volume 2 Post/Email 5 – 1 Timothy 2:8
by brian
As we continue thinking about and seeking spiritual formation into the likeness of Christ, I want to think about the transforming experience prayer should be.
Prayer is central to our spiritual life! This is probably why there are hundreds of Scriptures on prayer – to emphasize its importance.
While there are so many stories and teachings to choose from, I have selected one short verse for us to think upon, primarily because of its simplicity.
Paul writes in 1 Timothy 2:8, “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.”
Some will narrow their focus on this verse to the part that mentions “men everywhere” and talk about male spiritual leadership including only men praying (that the Bible states that all can get on their knees, but that only men can lift their hands in prayer). This is what some will emphasize as Paul's real concern in 1 Timothy 2:8.
Others will narrow their focus on this verse to the phrase “lift up holy hands” and discuss the freedom Christians have to lift hands in worship/expression to God. This is what some will emphasize as Paul's real concern in 1 Timothy 2:8.
I do not want to narrow the focus on either, for 2 reasons. (1) I might read too much into a phrase, such as, that Paul is actually trying to exclude women from being participants in prayer. (2) I might miss the primary message of the verse.
Prayer is (supposed to be) a holy thing. Paul is exhorting Timothy to make sure those he is teaching do not make something holy, unholy.
How specifically does he convey this concept?
By saying that we are to be holy!
How might we be unholy?
Two examples in the verse are offered - by our anger, and by our disputing! Usually anger leads to disputing, but disputing can also lead to anger, or fuel the anger.
Our lives should be a reflection of our prayers, which is to say, our lives should be holy. We aren't to honor Jesus with our lips but deny him in our lifestyle.
In 2 Timothy 2:22 Paul tells Timothy, “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with all those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
Elsewhere Peter says, “be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (1 Peter 4:7b)
We need self-control concerning anger and fighting. If I fight with my hands, they could become unholy. If I fight with my words, my lips and speech could become unholy.
May the prayers we lift up this week be with holy lives, with holy hands and holy lips!
May the holy and divine act of prayer and worship of The Divine transform our lives by changing our hearts!
May the prayers we lift up to God this week indeed be with pure hearts.
And, may the way we treat others and talk with others this week be with pure hearts, without anger or disputing.
-Brian
Volume 1 Post/Email 3 – Philippians 2:14
by brian
Have you ever struggled to have a positive attitude?
Have you ever failed to bite your tongue?
Yes, even good-hearted, well-intentioned Christians can be tempted and led into sinful attitudes and conversations.
James warns Christians in 1:27 to keep from being polluted by the world.
None of us are immune from the pollution in the world, including toxic thoughts, toxic attitudes, and corrosive, divisive, hurtful and poisonous words.
In Philippians 2:14 Paul writes, “Do everything without complaining or arguing.”
One way we impact people every day is by our attitude and conversations. Paul exhorts us to refrain from the negative activity of complaining to people or fighting word battles with others.
This verse can be a focus and priority this week to let God use us in positive ways by the simple daily activities of talking and interacting with others.
-Brian