Turn yourself In

1:25 AM / Posted by Bhebhe Lacson /

Accountability Check
Do we immediately become defensive when criticized?
Is the criticism we give to others loving and helpful?
In what ways can we become more accountable?

True friends speak the truth in love.

Galatians 2:11-21
Paul Opposes Peter
11When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

14When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?

15"We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' 16know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.

17"If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!

The spiritual-sounding phrase "I am answerable only to God" may be a subtle excuse for not answering to anyone, including God!

Charles Colson, one of President Nixon's closest aides during the Watergate coverup, became a Christian. In an article titled "The Problem of Power," he wrote, "Christians need to hold one another accountable. Although I know intellectually how vulnerable I am to pride and power, I am the last one to know when I succumb to their seduction. That's why spiritual lone rangers are so dangerous--and why we must depend on trusted brothers and sisters who love us enough to tell us the truth."

Paul confronted Peter face-to-face for his hypocrisy (Gal. 2:11-14). How embarrassing for Peter! But he needed the rebuke. Peter knew from his previous boasting and denial of Christ that he couldn't trust his own estimate of himself.

All of us must come to that realization sooner or later. One way to make sure you're not the last one to know when you're sinning is to "turn yourself in." Ask a Christian brother or sister to show you where you need improvement. They can help hold you accountable.

Don't be a spiritual lone ranger. Turn yourself in



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Don't Say it!

4:30 AM / Posted by Bhebhe Lacson /

There are some silent people
Whose praises should be sung;
They preach a mighty sermon
By guarding well their tongue. --Posegate

If you hold your tongue now, you won't have to eat your words later.

Proverbs 10:8-21

8 The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

9 The man of integrity walks securely,
but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.

10 He who winks maliciously causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

12 Hatred stirs up dissension,
but love covers over all wrongs.

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.

14 Wise men store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.

15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,
but poverty is the ruin of the poor.

16 The wages of the righteous bring them life,
but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.

17 He who heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

18 He who conceals his hatred has lying lips,
and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

19 When words are many, sin is not absent,
but he who holds his tongue is wise.

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of judgment.
[There is] a time to keep silence. --Ecclesiastes 3:7

In Discipleship Journal, Cynthia Heald told of a time she and her husband Jack were talking about remodeling their house. He said he wished he had his brother-in-law's skill for carpentry. "For a brief second," Cynthia wrote, "I was ready to make a snappy reply by saying, 'Maybe my next husband will be more handy.'" She went on, "For once in my life I thought before I spoke and asked myself, 'Will this benefit Jack?' Of course the answer was no! So I was quiet for a moment and responded in a much more positive way."

The Bible tells us that we can accomplish much good with kind, thoughtful, and wise words (Prov. 10:31-32; 16:23; Eph. 4:29). We can all think of times we have been blessed by the gentle, encouraging words of a brother or sister in Christ.

Ecclesiastes tells us that there is also "a time to keep silence" (3:7). Sometimes we can accomplish more by not saying anything. We avoid inflicting pain, creating conflict, or damaging someone's reputation or future.

When we're tempted to say something critical, damaging, confidential, boastful, whiny, or patronizing, we need to stop and think of the effect. Let's follow Solomon's advice about "a time to keep silence" and don't say it! —DC Egner


PERSONAL REFLECTION:

Have you experienced, you wanted to burst out in anger and wanted to say anything that would hurt the person your angry with at the very moment? I did, my heart aches in so much anger and disappointment, after receiving a very harsh comment, I wanted to answer back -- something damaging, something that would hurt the person twice as much as I was hurt, that is our sinful nature -- but after I calm down, I'm glad I didn't, I'm thankful that I chose to keep silent or I would regret the words that might have been said, words that you can't take back

I won't forget this line from Ninang Jane during her testimony: "Huwag mong Hayaang masira ang patotoo mo dahil sa maling gawa nila"; it's true we are accountable for it.

I think I am victorious - I am victorious over satan, I am victorious over my old sinful nature - and I praise God for that!

As Christians, let us strive to say something encouraging to someone, specially to our fellow Christians, let's be more sensitive toward each others' feelings. Let's think twice before we say something.


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Taming the Tongue

4:29 AM / Posted by Bhebhe Lacson /

Lord, set a watch upon my lips,
My tongue control today;
Help me evaluate each thought
And guard each word I say. —Hess

To bridle your tongue, give God the reins of your heart.


Proverbs 10:18-32

18 He who conceals his hatred has lying lips,
and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

19 When words are many, sin is not absent,
but he who holds his tongue is wise.

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of judgment.

22 The blessing of the LORD brings wealth,
and he adds no trouble to it.

23 A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct,
but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.

24 What the wicked dreads will overtake him;
what the righteous desire will be granted.

25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
but the righteous stand firm forever.

26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so is a sluggard to those who send him.

27 The fear of the LORD adds length to life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.

28 The prospect of the righteous is joy,
but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.

29 The way of the LORD is a refuge for the righteous,
but it is the ruin of those who do evil.

30 The righteous will never be uprooted,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.

31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but a perverse tongue will be cut out.

32 The lips of the righteous know what is fitting,
but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.



He who restrains his lips is wise. --Proverbs 10:19


At amusement parks, the bumper-car ride is always popular. People enjoy driving recklessly for a few minutes, bumping deliberately but harmlessly into other people's cars.

Some people have a bumper-car mentality in their relationships with others. Using blunt words, they deliberately bump into others' feelings, which is anything but harmless.

Solomon wrote, "He who restrains his lips is wise" (Proverbs 10:19). But James said, "No man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (James 3:8). He said that with the tongue we bless our God who created us, but we also curse those whom He has created (v.9). Lest we think that Christians do the blessing and non-Christians do the cursing, we need to remember that James was writing to Christians.

To tame our tongues, we need God's help. In Romans 6:13, Paul said that we need to make a choice—to present the parts of our body "as instruments of righteousness to God," not "as instruments of unrighteousness to sin."

Today and every day, choose to present your body—including your unruly tongue—as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:2) to be used by Him as an instrument of blessing. — J Yoder


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Saying Unkind words to our Fellow Christians

2:38 AM / Posted by Bhebhe Lacson /

MAN EATERS

It's only a word! But a word may harm
And open a wound with its lingering smart;
And a word may heal or a word may charm
If it comes direct from a loving heart. —Anon.

It's better to bite your tongue than to make a biting remark.


Ephesians 4:25-32

25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26"In your anger do not sin"[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.


If you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! --Galatians 5:15


Have you ever heard of one snake eating another snake? According to zookeepers, two of these reptiles will sometimes grab different ends of the same piece of food. Sooner or later their struggle for that last bite brings them nose to nose. But then comes the surprise. The snake with the widest bite will keep right on going and actually swallow the other!

Christians have been known to "consume one another" too. We may say something unkind to a fellow Christian, who then becomes defensive, and an argument develops. We know we would be better off if we held our tongue and trusted the Lord for the outcome, but we just keep going.

It's easy to assume that we're too mature to let things go too far. But the apostle Paul reminded us in Galatians 5:15 that words and emotions can get out of hand—even among Christians. When this happens, feelings get hurt, friendships are destroyed, the church becomes divided, and the body of Christ suffers.

It is crucial that we ask the Lord daily to help us to "be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another" (Eph. 4:32). Only as we rely on Him will the love of Christ in our hearts replace the man-eating impulses of a sharp tongue and a bitter spirit. — Mart De Haan



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How we're Remembered

1:34 AM / Posted by Bhebhe Lacson /

2 Chronicles 21:4-20

Jehoram King of Judah
4 When Jehoram established himself firmly over his father's kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the princes of Israel. 5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. 6 He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. 7 Nevertheless, because of the covenant the LORD had made with David, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever.

8 In the time of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against Judah and set up its own king. 9 So Jehoram went there with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night. 10 To this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah.
Libnah revolted at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers. 11 He had also built high places on the hills of Judah and had caused the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves and had led Judah astray.

12 Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet, which said:
"This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: 'You have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah. 13 But you have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did. You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your father's house, men who were better than you. 14 So now the LORD is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow. 15 You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out.' "

16 The LORD aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabs who lived near the Cushites. 17 They attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king's palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah, [a] the youngest.

18 After all this, the LORD afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels. 19 In the course of time, at the end of the second year, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great pain. His people made no fire in his honor, as they had for his fathers.

20 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one's regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.


"HE PASSED AWAY, TO NO ONE'S REGRET" 2Chronicles 21:20



Do you ever wonder how people will feel when you die? Will they be sorry? Will they mourn? Will they even notice?

Don't laugh! It has happened.

Jehoram, a king of Judah, had a righteous father, Jehoshaphat. But Jehoram was the opposite. It was only because God had promised David that H would preserve his kingdom that Jehoram and his entire family were not destroyed.

Even so, Jehoram himself was punished, through a disease that we won't go into detail to describe.

Did you notice that Jehoram's subjects weren't too keen on him either? Verse 19 says the people "made passing of a king. And they didn't even respect Jehoram enough to bury him in the tombs of the kings.

Indeed, as the Bible says, Jehoram, "passed away, to no one's regret" (v.20)

Granted, few people in the world are that disagreeable. But the story of Jehoram is a reminder that our Christian lives are lived out in the ocntext of social relationships. How we treat others demonstrates the depth of our faith. And how people feel when we die indicates how they felt about us when we were alive.

How do you brighten up a room - by entering it or by leaving it? God's Holy Spirit creates in us the kind of personality that attracts others.

Iknow, talk about death is a little morbid and -- I hope -- alot premature. But it's a way to get us to look at life. The love that Jesus creates within our hearts shines out and brings us into strong realtionships. It will produce friends, and they will be the kind of people who will carry us through any situation.


REFLECTION:
* How do I want to be remembered?
Which qualities am I praying that the Holy Spirity will develop in my life, so that I can radiate Christ's loe to others?



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What's your Problem!!?!?!

12:08 AM / Posted by Bhebhe Lacson /

Philippians 3:1-14
1Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

2Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

3For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

4Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

5Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

7But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

12Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.


For King David, it was lust. For Moses, anger, For Peter, lack of self-control. We've all got one (at least) so we may as well ADMIT IT.

What I'm talking about is a problem in our lives that gets in the way of our relationship with God. Even people who seem to have it all together -King David, for example - CAN LET A TEMPTATION IN THE WEAK AREA LEAD TO SIN. When that happens, it's a matter of paying the price for the sin. In his case, he paid for it through the death of his son and with lifelong regret.

Thinking about this, it would be easy to buy into the philosophy of our day. We could say, well, it wasn't David's fault that he committed adultery. It was his environment. Or he was just fulfilling a natural impulse. Or it wasn't really wrong after all.

Think about of experiences ahead of you. But you may also be struggling with some problem that will surely sidetrack you in your efforts to please God. If you don't take care of it now, you may struggle with it for years to come.

It may be something sexual, or some other lifestyle problem, such as alcohol or other drugs. It may be anger, which threatens to destroy your relationships. It may be dishonesty, or A TONGUE THAT IS OUT OF CONTROL - either with profanities, gossiping, or HATEFUL WORDS. It may be a disinterest in spiritual things.

WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?? Don't wait till it does its damage. Turn it over to God, flee the temptation, and seek to overcome it with God's help. You'll be glad you did.

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