Friday Coffee with PJ

As I write these words, I just finished a cup of tea. "What?" you might be thinking, "Tea over coffee? Are you sick?" Well, sort of. I feel a cold coming on and when I feel a bit under the weather, I prefer tea over coffee. Not sure why ... but I do. So today feel free to pour yourself a cup of tea and join me for a couple of random thoughts which I hope will help you in your spiritual journey with Christ. 

One concern (among others) that I have when I consider the walk of many Christians is just how ungracious some are. I see Christ followers who easily get bent out of shape when someone offends them or if something is not done in the way they think it should be done. They carry grudges, allow a critical spirit to grow within them, and are down right negative about the circumstances they endure and the people they encounter. 

If you are reading this and you claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ, I urge you to examine your own heart. Are you harboring resentment, jealousy, bitterness toward someone (Ephesians 4:31)? Have you been critical of a brother or sister in Christ (James 4:11)? Do you gripe and complain about this, that, and the other thing (Philippians 2:14-16)? 

My friends, God has graced us. He has withheld from us what we truly deserve to receive from his hand (i.e. judgement) and instead opened his hand and showered us with a multitude of blessings - NONE of which we deserve in any sense of the word! 

So if God has graced us in this way ... who are we NOT to grace others around us? If we as Christians have truly experienced God's grace in our lives, we should be the most gracious people in the world (Matthew 18:21-35)! 

So, take a look in the mirror. Do some soul searching. Then come to Christ and repent and confess and find the joy and peace that only he can give ... and then give that joy and peace to others! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj