Tuesday... Many of us it seems have problems here.

I know I can.

Proverbs 14:29 (NLT) says, "People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness." We can be so quick in our temper, can't we? When all we need is to take time to stop and strive to understand.

The Amplified Bible gives a little more detail. It says, "He who is slow to anger has great understanding [and profits from self-control]." How many times have we jumped to a conclusion but then find that we look so foolish? Oh if we would just stop and strive to understand what is happening and do all we can to listen.

James the brother of Jesus over in his book in the New Testament in chapter 1:19 (NLT) gives such good advice. James writes, "Understand this," There's that word again. "Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters; You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry."

I love how The Message says it. It says, "Post this at all intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear." I love that, "Post this at all intersections." That would really make a difference in our driving if we would, "Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear." That would take care of a lot of road rage. wouldn't it?

Back to Proverbs 14. The rest of verse 29 in the Amplified Bible says, "But he who is quick-tempered exposes and exalts his foolishness [for all to see]." And that is so true. We sure do have a lot of foolishness going around.

Proverbs 16:32 (AMP) says, "He who is slow to anger is better and more honorable than the mighty [soldier], and he who rules and controls his own spirit, than he who captures a city." And in this day in which we live, we sure do need a lot more ruling and controlling our own spirit. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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Tuesday... I wonder what would happen if we didn't take the credit?

Nehemiah 6:16b (NLT), "They realized this work had been done with the help of our God." Tuesday... I wonder what would happen if we didn't take the credit? Over in the Old Testament in the book of Nehemiah it tells of a major task that through the leadership of Nehemiah was accomplished. The walls of Jerusalem had been torn down and God had laid it on Nehemiah to build those walls back up. It was definitely an almost impossible task but Nehemiah 6:15-16 says, "So on October 2 the wall was finished - just fifty-two days after we had begun. When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God." Now, we so many times want to take credit for doing the impossible. It would make such a difference for us. But I wonder what would happen through us if God got the credit? Psalm 96 tells us what we are to do. Verses 2-3 says, "Sing to the LORD; praise his name. ...

Tuesday... We just have trouble listening.

1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT), "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." Tuesday... We just have trouble listening. Over in Jeremiah 25:4 (NLT) it says, "Again and again the LORD has sent you his servants, the prophets, but you have not listened or even paid attention." And Jeremiah went on to tell what was going to happen. There will be consequences if we do not listen to what God says through his Word. Now the Apostle Paul over in 1 Corinthians was having a problem with some professed Christ followers who were having trouble at listening. And we too can have problems at listening. We can think that being a Christ follower means we do a lot of finger pointing and we give up on people who don't do what we say. We can even do that in our families. But Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT), "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." In verse ...

Thursday... Yet, now this is true.

Colossians 1:22a (NLT), "Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body." Thursday... Yet, now this is true. Now Paul a prisoner in Rome is writing a letter to a church in Colossae. And in Colossians 1:21 (MSG) he says, "Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds" The NLT says "This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated by your evil thoughts and actions." And that is where so many in this world live today. They are blowing it and they don't know what to do. Yes, they are hostile in their minds and they are engaging in evil deeds but there is Good News. Now Paul in verses 19-20 sets the stage for an answer to those who don't want to live that way. He says, "For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and earth b...

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