Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is prudent.” Proverbs 10:19 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “There are too many people doing too much talking.”

In yesterday’s message I pointed out that God created humans as relational beings and that we need positive and encouraging interactions with other people. I also noted that we can use our words to help or to hurt, to bless or to curse.

God created words. The ability to communicate with each other is intended by God to enhance our relationships and to meet that deep need within each of us to be nurtured by others in positive and encouraging ways. So you would think, since we live in “the information age”, with our 24/7 news cycles and social media platforms that provide us with near instantaneous communications with almost anyone else anywhere on the planet, that we would be awash in good, positive, affirming communications. Yes, you would think that. But the exact opposite is true.

The overwhelming volume of constant and instantaneous communication with others is, for the most part, not bringing us joy and adding meaning to our lives. Instead, sadly, texting, tweeting, and posting seem to have opened the floodgates for a tsunami of loud, angry, and highly opinionated voices. Suddenly everyone is a talk-radio host. Anyone with an opinion and a keyboard can gain an audience 24/7.

In their book, “Redeeming How We Talk” Ken Wytsma and A.J. Swoboda write, “The ability of humans to talk in dignified and respectful ways has fallen on hard times. It isn’t that the amount of information or words has declined, but rather that deep, transformational, and redemptive communication has fallen victim to the new realities of modern culture.” As Christians we need to prayerfully consider why God has given us the ability to communicate to begin with. Why did He make words so powerful and how does He intend for us to use them?

I stated in “Our thought for today”, that too many people are doing too much talking. It would probably be more accurate to say that too many people are doing too much talking that is not redemptive, nurturing, or encouraging. What if today everyone started to use their social media platforms for good instead of for bad? What if all of that constant and instantaneous information flow was lifting people up and blessing their socks off instead of provoking them and making them mad?

What if you and I were the ones to start that?

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but (He has given us a spirit) of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline (abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control.)”

2 Timothy 1:7 (Amplified Bible)

Our thought for today: “Be kind but be bold”

The Amplified Bible is a very helpful translation because the translators use all the English words necessary to capture the full meaning of the original Biblical language. Doing so sometimes results in long and awkward sentences, and it can make for difficult reading, but it does capture the full original meaning for us. Such is the case with 2 Timothy 1:7.

Timothy was a young pastor and a protégé of the Apostle Paul. He had been assigned to lead the rambunctious and unruly church in the city of Ephesus. Not only were the non-Christians in that city resistant and even opposed to the Gospel, but the Christians in the church were a pretty tough crowd too. So Timothy had his work cut-out for him as he attempted to speak truth to a sin-filled culture. He got a lot of blowback.

So in 2 Timothy 1:7 Paul reminded him that thanks to Jesus we do not need to be timid or fearful as we face such challenges. The Holy Spirit gives us a spirit of power, love, sound judgment, discipline, self-control, a well-balanced mind, and a sense of calm confidence. It’s in that frame of mind that we should approach our encounters with those who might disagree with us, or who might be unreceptive and even hostile to our message.

In previous devotional messages in this series we’ve discussed ways in which this calm sense of confidence and courage is developed and nurtured. It comes from doing your homework so that you are sure of what you believe and why you believe it. It also comes from taking the time to understand the other person’s position so you are then prepared to speak about it in an intelligent and rational manner. And most importantly, it comes from bathing the entire situation in prayer before you begin speaking.

When it comes to speaking a message of Biblical truth to people who disagree and who might not want to hear what you have to say, your situation might be challenging, but it probably won’t be as challenging as the situation Timothy faced. And if the promise of 2 Timothy 1:7 was helpful for him, it will certainly be helpful for you and me too.

You can be kind but bold. God will help you. Fearless and confident, calm and self-controlled, you can make your case and you can make it well.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation.”

Our Bible verse for today: “Now go! I will help you speak and I will teach you what to say.” Exodus 4:12 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “God will give you the words.”

This morning I want to return to our subject from yesterday of praying before you speak. If you ask Him to, God will give you the words He wants you to speak. In Exodus 4:12 we find an Old Testament example of a man who was unsure of himself when it came to speaking. So God reassured Moses that when the time came, He would give him the words.

Jesus picked up on this theme in Matthew 10:19 and Luke 12:12. There He told His disciples not to worry about whether or not they would know what to say when it came time to speak for Him, because the Holy Spirit would give them the words. James also hints at this when he writes in James 1:5 that if any of us lacks wisdom we should ask God for it and it will be given to us.

All of this suggests a prayerful attitude on the part of the individual. This is about people who want their words to honor God and to bless others, and who are therefore seeking the right words from God.

As has been noted in a previous devotional this month, when a person is prayerful and thoughtful about what they are going to say, and when they have taken the time to be sure of their facts, that person can then approach the conversation with a quiet sense of confidence. When you know what you believe and why you believe it, and you understand the other person’s position as well, you are prepared to speak calmly and rationally.

It’s when a person has a weak position that they will be unsure of themselves, and they will then have a tendency to get defensive and emotional. That’s also when a person is most likely to use poor logic, superficial clichés, and overheated language. Praying about it first can help to prevent this from happening.

If you pray before you speak God will give you the words He wants you to say, words that will honor Him and bless others.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” Proverbs 17:28 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Pray more, speak less.”

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” That clever line is usually attributed to Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, or Samuel Johnson. But whoever spoke it, it was obviously inspired by Proverbs 17:28. A wise person thinks before they speak, while a fool just blurts out whatever pops into his or her head. However, even the fool stands a chance of being thought wise if he would just be quiet. Sadly, fools are seldom quiet.

I used to be related to a man who fits that description. He is loud and obnoxious by nature. Worse, he has an opinion about everything, and it’s inconceivable to him that other people might not be interested in hearing his opinions. So he shares them often, and loudly, and usually with multiple exclamation points. Most of what he says is silly nonsense, and all he succeeds in accomplishing by making those statements is to convince everyone that he really is silly and nonsensical. But on and on he goes, spitting and sputtering and spouting off.

Most of us would benefit from speaking less and listening more. And when it is time to speak, most of us would benefit from praying more about it before we speak. Ask God to give you the words He wants you to speak. Invite the Holy Spirit to influence your speech so that it honors God and blesses others.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a student of history and that I read many biographies. One of the men I have great respect for from American history is George Washington. He was a dignified and quiet man who had the habit of listening more than he spoke. Most of the time Washington would simply sit and listen as everyone else spoke. He himself would say little. Instead he would carefully consider what everyone else had to say; he would give lots of thought to what he himself wanted to say; and then when he finally did speak, his words had substance and were profound. Everyone knew that when Washington finally decided to speak, it would be with words that were worth listening to.

Most of us speak too much and listen too little. And we also speak too quickly without praying about it first. Our words should honor God and bless others. So pray first and speak second.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Your words should make things better not worse.”

Ephesians 4:29 is just one of the places in Scripture where the people of God are instructed to not use profane, foul, corrupting, or course language. The issue must be important to God since He teaches it so many times in so many different places in the Bible. Instead of bad language the people of God are to choose their words carefully, ensuring their speech honors God and blesses others. By the end of this month we will have referred to at least twenty-six of those verses and passages.

However, despite the clear teaching of Scripture, I know Christians who routinely pepper their speech with “salty” language. It’s not too often that I hear Christians using explicitly profane language, (after all, I’m a pastor, who talks that way in front of their pastor?) But I do hear them use what the Bible calls “course” language, which we would probably consider to be questionable but not necessarily profane speech. The teaching of the Bible is that we shouldn’t talk like that. Our words are to be gracious and helpful, building people up instead of tearing them down, making situations better instead of worse.

I also know Christians who routinely use unnecessarily strong, provoking, and angry words, especially on social media such as Facebook. Although such talk could not be classified as profane or foul, it certainly is not helpful and it does not build others up. It also does not further the cause of Christ. Nobody is going to be won to faith in Christ, or be persuaded to abandon unbiblical positions, as a result of mean-spirited statements and angry, provoking words. Statements like that just stir things up and make the situation worse.

The teaching of the Bible is clear – we are to bless people with our words, building them up instead of tearing them down, and promoting the cause of Christ with love and grace.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “Peter and the other apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than men!’” Acts 5:29 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Be bold but gracious.”

In Acts 5:29. Peter and the other apostles had been experiencing great persecution simply because they were Christians. Finally they were arrested and brought before the authorities in a religious court. Previously the apostles had been commanded that they were no longer to speak the name of Jesus in public or to teach His gospel, but they had done it anyway. So now they were under arrest and facing punishment.

After being accused by the High Priest and other authorities of having broken the law and therefore deserving punishment, Peter responded with the words recorded in Acts 5:29, “We must obey God rather than men.” Jesus had instructed them to share the Good News and so they were doing it – and they fully intended to continue doing so.

Peter spoke those words boldly but graciously. There’s no indication that he was angry, mean, or threatening in any way. He was evidently respectful of the High Priest’s position and he spoke to him in a measured tone, simply advising him that “we will obey God’s rules rather than yours.” This is consistent with what we see from many other Biblical examples including Moses before Pharaoh, Jeremiah before Zedekiah, Daniel before Nebuchadnezzar, Jesus before Pilate, and Paul before Agrippa – they were bold but gracious and they simply stated that despite the challenges involved, they would obey God rather than follow the unbiblical rules of men.

I was told the other day that a new law was recently passed in the state of California making it illegal to distribute literature that encourages or enables what they term “discriminatory ideas”. Evidently that includes literature that conflicts with the Gay and Lesbian agenda. If true, that then makes my new book, “Getting Along without Going Along: Biblical sexual ethics in an age of controversy and conflict”, illegal in California. That’s unfortunate because I have many friends and relatives in California who will want to purchase a copy, and I fully intend to sell them one.

Legislation like that has been proposed in California numerous times in years past, but I didn’t know it had actually made it into law (it was probably only a matter of time anyway). I’ll have to see it for myself to be sure. If it has passed, then I’m sure there will be a legal challenge to it. Regardless, I intend to sell and distribute my book in California anyway. I won’t be needlessly confrontational about it; I’ll simply and quietly provide copies to those who want one. But the book teaches Biblical truth about the issue of sexual ethics and I do intend to distribute it.

When we’re faced with challenging situations that require us to take a stand for a Biblical principles or religious rights we have to do so boldly, but also graciously. That’s our Biblical example.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.” Colossians 4:6 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “The tone of your speech reveals the level of your confidence.”

Yoda is one of my heroes. That wise little gnome from the Star Wars movies was always so calm and so sure of himself! He was thoughtful and wise and in control of his emotions. Profound wisdom seemed to radiate from him in waves as he gently guided young Luke to deeper insights and greater understanding.

No matter the situation Yoda never got ruffled or agitated because Yoda was confident. He knew what he believed and why he believed it, and he had the patience to help others see the wisdom of his words. He didn’t feel as if he needed to force his perspective on others, he simply stated his case, kindly and gently attempted to persuade them, and then gave them time and room to learn for themselves.

Mr. Miyagi, the kind and gentle teacher from the movie “The Karate Kid” was the same way. I have great respect and admiration for people who are confident enough to be calm and kind no matter the situation. They are that way because they are confident in what they know and in their abilities.

Generally the less sure a person is of their position the more likely they are to get agitated when others disagree with them. When someone has a weak position and they know it that often makes them unsure of themselves. As they try harder and harder to make their case, their words will get stronger, their voice will get louder, and they will often resort to silly clichés or disparaging remarks. Someone who is sure of him or herself doesn’t need to do that.

I recently saw a report on the television news of a confrontation between two high government officials. One of them was harsh and aggressive in his speech and demeanor. The other was calm and reasoned. As the exchange went back and forth it quickly became clear that the calm one was confident and the angry one was not. The calm one appeared sure of himself and he was in control. The other one seemed agitated and he was struggling.

In Colossians 4:6 Paul writes that as Christians we should be gracious with our words. He also says that our words should be “seasoned with salt”. That means that they should be Biblically wise. We should speak words of wisdom, and we should do so graciously.

The tone of your speech often reveals the level of your confidence. If you are sure of yourself you will be in control of your emotions and that will enable you to be rational, reasonable, and calm as you make your case.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another; just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:31-32 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You go first.”

It’s not my intention to get political this morning. I also don’t intend to take sides in any political skirmish. But when it comes to “changing the tone of the conversation” in our society, the place that needs it the most is Washington, D.C. The tone in Washington sets the tone for the rest of the nation. And that’s the problem. A political commentator recently said, “I don’t believe there has been this much anger and division in our nation since just prior to the Civil War”. I think he might be right.

There’s a raging argument about who’s to blame. Many people say it is President Trump’s fault. One person said, “It’s like having Bart Simpson in the White House!” Those people claim that Donald Trump is obnoxious, egotistical, and mean-spirited. They claim that he shows no restraint, no grace, and no ability to forgive. Supporters of the President claim that he simply will not be a verbal punching bag for anyone, and when he is attacked he punches back twice as hard. The opponents of the President say he starts it. His supporters say he is just defending himself. And on and on it goes.

Personally I don’t care who started it, it just needs to stop. And somebody needs to go first. Somebody needs to decide, “I will be the gracious one. I will be dignified and show restraint. I will take the steps necessary to change the tone and to cool things down.”

What’s true in Washington D.C. is also true in our own lives. As the followers of Jesus we should be the adults in the room. We should be the ones who have the dignity, the grace, and the restraint needed to stay calm and not get angry. We should be the ones who take the steps necessary to cool things down rather than being the ones who further inflame the situation.

In Ephesians 4:31-32 the Apostle Paul reminds us that bitterness, anger, wrath, shouting, slander, and malice should not be evident among us. That’s true whether we’re interacting with other Christians or with the world in general.

Ideally we would like to see a good example being set for us by our leaders so that the change can begin at the top and work its way down into the rest of society. Unfortunately, I suspect it will probably have to be the other way around. It will have to be a grassroots effort that begins with you and me and works its way up to them. If we don’t behave badly, and if we insist that they don’t either, then maybe we can get this under control.

Maybe we’re the ones who need to go first.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is: