Beware of the Madness of Anger!

Jordan Linn Graham was charged this week with the murder (second degree) of her newlywed husband, Cody Johnson to whom she had been married a scant seven days. According to authorities, on July 7th she and Johnson were hiking in Montana's Glacier National Park when they began to argue (Graham claimed she was having "second thoughts" about their marriage). Instead of walking away, Graham informed authorities that in her anger she pushed Johnson face first off a cliff. She then proceeded to report him missing the next day. Johnson's body was discovered three days later. Investigators unraveled her attempt to cover up what had happened . . . and as a result filed the second degree murder charges. 

What a sad and bizarre tale! To go from being a newly married bride to a widow accused of the murder of her own husband - ouch! And all because her anger went unchecked. The Old Testament book of wisdom warns of the dangers of anger when it declares, "A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression." (29:22). All of us could, I am sure, do some work in this area of anger management. So before shaking your head at this Jordan Graham ... perhaps a look into the mirror would be in order. And after you do that, take some time to read this article on how to deal with anger. 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

A Prayer When Tough Times Lay before Us!

This morning in our weekly staff meeting, a prayer was distributed for us to reflect on and pray back to God. The prayer was written by a Puritan from years gone by. His prayer gripped my heart. Here is just an excerpt ... I thought it could benefit a number of you who read my blog. Far too often we think much of ourselves and not nearly enough of Christ. Take a moment ... and make the words of this individual from yesteryear your words as you talk to the Father.

"When I am afraid of evils to come, comfort me by showing me that in myself I am a dying, condemned wretch, but in Christ I am reconciled and live; that in myself I find insufficiency and no rest, but in Christ there is satisfaction and peace; that in myself I am feeble and unable to do good, but in Christ I have the ability to do all things. Amen."  (from an unnamed Puritan) 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj 

Friday Coffee with PJ

Hope you are having a solid week as you seek to walk with Jesus! Now, grab your coffee and think on a few things with me.

1. The other night, just before I was to lead our India 2013 team meeting, I thought I should check my passport to be sure that my Indian visa was current (on my second trip to India in 2008, I opted for a long term visa . . . but I could not remember if it was for five or ten years). I was glad to see the year 2018 listed as its expiration date. But then I thought I should take a look at my passport. I was pretty certain I had renewed it in 2006. But nope! I had renewed it in March of 2004. No problem, right? I will be traveling in November of this year and my passport doesn't expire until March 1, 2014. But then I recalled reading somewhere that if your passport expires within 6 months of any international travel, you must renew your passport before departing on your trip. Hmm. So I went to the State Department's passport website and read the following: "If possible, you should renew your passport approximately nine (9) months before it expires. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six (6) months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met."  Sigh . . . one more thing to add to my never diminishing to do list! So yesterday I took care of it. I sure don't want to be left standing at the gate as my team departs for Mumbai! 

As I thought about this ... I asked myself, "When is an expiration date not an expiration date?"  I guess when it's on your passport! Of course, I understand why this is done. Countries and airlines want to be sure that if your trip somehow gets interrupted and you have to change return dates, that your passport will still be valid! So I get that! But there is ONE expiration date that is set - and that is the date that you and I will one day depart this life for the next! God has numbered our days (Psalm 139:16). So ... in the face of this reality - are YOU ready to meet God?  If you have any question about that, please check out Two Ways to Live: The Choice We All Face. 

2. I was struck by one particular verse that I ran across this week. The verse is Psalm 96:30 and it reads, "I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving."  In particular, it was the last half of the verse that got me thinking. We can magnify God as we give thanks! And of course, in magnifying God we are putting him on display for others to see! That really got to me. Because my default setting is not being thankful. My default setting is that of complaining (when I take the time to intentionally listen to myself, I find myself complaining far more than I thought possible!). So ... I have determined this week to begin each day with a time of thanksgiving to God. In addition, whenever I catch myself complaining, I immediately confess that to God and replace it with thanks! Will you join me in this effort? Let's stop complaining and start thanking. In the process, God gets magnified and we grow more satisfied! 

And just so you know, I am VERY thankful that I checked my passport's expiration date when I did! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

Thursday A La Carte

Here are this week's offerings . . .

1. Having just celebrated the Labor Day holiday, here are some very good thoughts about work.

2. Tim Tebow just got cut .... again. This time it was the New England Patriots. So how should we think about Tebow? Justin Taylor has some thoughts. 

3. In the midst of the tragic turmoil unfolding in Syria, we need to be praying for the church there. Here is one man's prayer. 

4. Listening to a friend. Shouldn't be hard ... yet it often is. Ed Welch gives a brief answer to the question, "How do I listen well as a friend?" 

5. On a lighter note . . . 

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Some Gators!

Over this past weekend, the Missisippi state record for the largest captured alligator was broken twice! Take a moment to view the video below. The size of these creatures is truly stunning!

Wow! Two 700 pound plus alligators. Don't know what they eat to grow that big, but whatever their diet is, it sure has grown both of them!

How about you ... and your faith? Is your faith growing? Can you honestly say that your faith is stronger than it was a year ago? Six months ago? Or even last week? What are you doing to feed your faith? How much time do you spend in God's Word? In prayer? In ministry for Christ? Engaged in accountable relationships? Telling others about Jesus? My friends, God's will for you is that you would "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). So, make sure your daily diet includes those things that will help you grow!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Beware of the Sinkhole of Sin!

Sinkholes have been in the news often of late. Predominant in the south, they are still not unheard of in our region. In fact, Pennsylvania is on the list of the states most likely to experience these destructive events of nature (take a moment and watch the video below of a sinkhole doing its thing!).

As I watched this, my mind turned to the destructive nature of something else ... sin! Sin always destroys.  It devours both the inner person and his outer world. How often have you seen a public figure resign from office due to a sinful act(s) of adultery or some sort of embezzlement scheme? What began as a temptation to sin ended up as a "sinkhole" that swallowed up the individual's life.

Friends, sin is subtle. It can sneak up on us and ensnare us. If we give in to it and allow it to continue unchallenged, it will, like the sinkhole in this video, swallow us whole! So, above all else, guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23) AND be sure that you are engaging in accountable relationships in your life (Proverbs 27:17; Hebrews 3:13).

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Friday Coffee with PJ

Time to grab that favorite brew (for me that means COFFEE!!!) and take a few moments to reflect on some random thoughts I have for you!

1. Christians are upset about the recent Supreme Court ruling concerning gay marriage . . . and rightly so! Jesus makes it clear that from the beginning God's design for marriage involves a man and a woman (Matthew 19:3-6). But Jesus also makes it clear that marriage is to be a permanent and intimate relationship. SO ... before we run off to write a letter to the editor, let's be sure to be giving our marriage the priority in our lives that it deserves and requires.

2. School bells were ringing this week as most of the school students in Lancaster County returned for yet another year of school. Now ... where did the summer go? September arrives in just two days - yet it seems just like yesterday that we were celebrating Mother's Day! Time has a way of racing by. I am reminded of that every time I hear a clock tick. With each tick, a second of time slips into the abyss of the past, never to be experienced again! Reminds me of James 4:14 in which James refers to our lives as a mist that is here today and gone tomorrow. So . . . all this means we must make the most of our time and invest it in things that will outlast us! How about YOU? Are you making the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:15-16). Are you striving to live your life for God and His purposes?

3. Finally ... here's a quote from Tony Evans that you might want to chew on: "Your ability to perceive divine truth is related to how much you want to know. If you are satisfied with a story here and a story there, a good feeling here and a good feeling there, you won't fully understand all that God has for you in His Word." (from his book, Returning to Your First Love). Hmmm. When you interact with God's Word whether reading or listening, do you come with a prepared heart ... a heart that says ... "Here am I, God, teach me YOUR way that I may walk in it!"?

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj