Politics and Religion

Do you always attempt to prove a wrong?

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Who among us have never tried to prove a wrong? Whether it was something which you have said that hurt somebody‘s feelings, or your downright failure to honor a commitment as well as disobeying a command.

Such behavior is common among human beings; Christian and secular. Rather than fess up and accept responsibility for your action or inaction you put up defenses. Then, when, you are backed into a corner you come up with excuses that usually make no sense. Oddly enough, once you start making excuses you are inclined to lie. The Bible tells us “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight” (Proverbs 12:22).

Do you remember when you were a child how you would try to prove a wrong to wiggle your way out of trouble? That was what Adam and Eve did after they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Here is what the Bible says happened when God confronted both man and woman.

Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” Then Adam replied, “I have heard thy voice in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” The man replied, “It was the woman whom you gave me offered me the fruit, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What is this that thou has done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.” (Genesis 3:9-13).

So, my dear brothers and sisters, the next time the adversary tempt you to prove a wrong fess up and accept responsibility because that is what Jesus expects you to do.

Perception does not equal reality

002In our work environments, it is easy to hear—or speak—unkind things about managers, coworkers, customers, people in other departments as though it is indeed the truth, when, in fact, it is just a perception, and often it’s an incorrect perception. What harm is done to people’s careers, reputations and feelings because of these deadly opinions so freely expressed!
Have you noticed how easily we gravitate toward these negative opinions and perceptions—ours as well as those expressed to us by others? Our old nature just seems to love to hear and believe the worst. And yet, Christians should be just the opposite. When the love of God is spread in our hearts, our new nature will cause us to discount the unlovely things we hear.
First Corinthians 13:6 says that love—true agape love— does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. A child of God should have an unmistakable trademark of this kind of love, which doesn’t gleefully indulge in these careless expressions of unkind and negative opinions and perceptions, either in their own minds or from others.
Why don’t we simply make a decision to be skeptical of negative perceptions—other people’s perceptions expressed to us and our own perceptions formed in our minds?      Let’s ask God to give us discernment so that we can see past the flippant opinions expressed and understand the truth. When you find yourself forming a negative impression of others, stop and put yourself in their shoes; ask yourself if you really have adequate input to form this perception; become skeptical of your own opinions.
The Psalmist said, “I have resolved that my mouth will not sin” (Psalm 17:3). And he prayed, “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3). I try to visualize my mouth as having two guards on either side, carefully screening the words I’m getting ready to say.
Once I started to give my reactions and opinions about another organization, and that guard at the door of my lips quickly reminded me that my opinion was not needed, and it would not build anyone up or bring about any good. So, the words were screened before they came out. Join me in asking God to teach us to remember that our perceptions do not necessarily equal reality.

One rose will do

 

Breaking News: Boston Bombing Suspects Had First Planned Attack for July Fourth – prhayz@gmail.com – Gmail

BREAKING NEWS Thursday, May 2, 2013 7:08 PM EDTBoston Bombing Suspects Had First Planned Attack for July FourthWASHINGTON − The surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings told F.B.I. interrogators that, as he and his brother plotted their deadly assault, they considered suicide attacks and striking on the Fourth of July, according to a law enforcement official.But the suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, told investigators that he and his brother, Tamerlan, 26, who was killed in a shootout with the police, ultimately decided to use pressure-cooker bombs and other homemade explosive devices, the official said.The brothers finished building the bombs in Tamerlan’s apartment in Cambridge, Mass., faster than they anticipated and so decided to accelerate their attack to the Boston Marathon on April 15, Patriots Day in Massachusetts, from July, according to the account that Dzhokhar provided authorities. They picked the finish line of the marathon after driving around the Boston area looking for alternative sites, according to this account.In addition, Mr. Dzhokhar told authorities that he and his brother viewed the Internet sermons of Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical American cleric who moved to Yemen and was killed in September 2011 by an American drone strike. There is no indication that the brothers communicated with Mr. Awakli before his death.READ MORE »http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/03/us/Boston-bombing-suspects-planned-july-fourth-attack.html?emc=na

via Breaking News: Boston Bombing Suspects Had First Planned Attack for July Fourth – prhayz@gmail.com – Gmail.

Jackie Robinson’s Faith Missing From ’42’ Movie

Jackie Robinson’s Faith Missing From ’42’ Movie.

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