Today Reminder – 26 October 2016

A reminder for today

Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.(Ephesians 4:29)

Just as the digital age has ushered in new ways of enhancing human connection, it’s also opened up the scope and range of social rejection. You can no hurt someone without even talking to them. Hurtful words can be posted on social media and within seconds everyone will know about it. I can say that I had a similar experience. I was scorned on Facebook and within seconds people I did not even know, knew about it and had something to add. So many of us fail at this. Our words are seldom an encouragement and our words are so easily focused on hurting and destroying. It is because so many of us live in our own little selfish bubble and we see the world only through our own misguided views. 

Imagine the effect if that person wrote a good and helpful word of encouragement instead of trying to hurt you. You would be so deeply touched and you would surely give it thought. You would surely have a higher regard for that person instead of anger and hurt. 

So today I have a big challenge for you. Go out into this day and encourage. Even when you feel you want to strangle someone, take a moment and say helpful words. I want you to avoid foul or abusive language and only speak words that encourages, rebuilds and grows. Let the seed of your words bloom in the hearts of those who receives it.

Lord, bless us today with kind hearts and encouraging words so that we will uplift and renew hearts all around us. In Jesus name.

Have an awesome day dear friend of Jesus. 

Cheers

Today Reminder – 25 October 2016

A reminder for today

And "don't sin by letting anger control you." Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.(Ephesians 4:26-27)

Anger, anger is one of the easiest ways the devil can get a grip in your life and one that he can use over and over again. To think of it anger is such a waste of energy. You get angry and in most cases you cannot change it. You see it in traffic as people get angry at other and you see it at work when people’s opinions differ from each other and you see it at home when loved ones get upset at each other. Then you shout and fight and in the end you break more than what you fix. This is something I struggled with for a long time and from time to time I still get very upset. At then end I always realize that it was just the wrong way of doing it and a calmer approach would have been much more successful. In most cases we get angry because we see only our side and everything is all about our discomfort and loss. Our time was wasted and our idea was better and our space was used. Me me me and me. We never take a moment to love first and fight last. We always fight first and then we try and fix it by love.

This is a little bit like trying to build a house by putting up the roof first. It just does not work. But it is not your fault, because that is how this world teach it to us. This is the norm and this how everyone else does it. We see it in our colleagues and we even see it on TV. What is your fault is that you know Jesus did it differently and yet you follow the world. 

So today I want you to try and put yourself second and take a moment to think before you act.

Lord, I pray that you will give us wisdom to do life looking at your example and not this world. In Jesus name. 

Have an awesome day dear friend of Jesus. 

Cheers

Today Reminder – 24 October 2016

A reminder for today

Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.(Ephesians 4:24)

Does moral values still exist, or is it dying out? One thing I can tell you about the world we live in is that rules does not apply anymore. You see it every day in traffic. The people here in South Africa are disobeying traffic rules more and more and its is a terrible sickness. I grew up in a South Africa that functioned by rules and you were punished when you disobeyed them, but today it is as if people just doesn’t care anymore. This traffic renegade syndrome started with the minibus taxis that just has no moral backbone and they drive through traffic disregarding the other cars and breaking about every rule you can think off. Now I see the same arrogant driving in every other car. Is it so easy to fall into a bad habit and just stop caring. You see the same ignorant behavior in how people educate their children. People disobey rules and this habit is transported to their kids and in the end we are creating a society with no moral backbone. No wonder the world has become a place where people are worth less and less each day. Lives are taken and destroyed as if it is the norm. We see a similar scenario in the Bible in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. “For we are about to destroy this city completely. The outcry against this place is so great it has reached the LORD, and he has sent us to destroy it."(Genesis 19:13)

Can you imagine how the Lord must feel about this world? So today I want you to think what it is that you teach. What do you show the world around you about good values. Do you disregard the rules and follow the crowd, or do you obey the rules and accept the scorns for you are standing by what is right and what is wrong. We must lead by example, you cannot be angry at another for breaking a rule when you only obey the ones that you like. When we stand for right we must always stand by what is right. This the the very heart of our new nature in Jesus Christ. Jesus did not come here to be popular and allow the people to live as they did. He spoke against wrongs and He showed mercy to the outcasts. So to be truly righteous, you must live truly righteous.

Lord, I pray that you will change the hearts of people so that they can see the mistakes in what they do. Please save us so that we will turn from our wicked ways and seek you in all we do. Let our hearts seek right above wrong and do not let us be misguided by the masses. In Jesus name.

Have an awesome day dear friend of Jesus. 

Cheers