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Gentle Speech
I was on Facebook, arguing. Bad move. What made me think I was obligated to “correct” a stranger on a hot topic—especially a divisive one? The results were heated words, hurt feelings (on my part anyway), and a broken chance to witness well for Jesus. That’s the sum outcome of “internet anger.” It’s the term for the harsh words flung daily across the blogosphere. As one ethics expert explained, people wrongly conclude that rage “is how public ideas are talked about.”
Paul’s wise advice to Timothy made the same caution. “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you…
God’s Mercy at Work
My anger percolated when a woman mistreated, blamed, and gossiped about me. I wanted everyone to know what she’d done—wanted her to suffer as I’d suffered because of her behavior. I steamed with resentment until a headache pierced my temples. But as I began praying for my pain to go away, the Holy Spirit convicted me. How could I plot revenge while begging God for relief? If I believed the Lord would care for me, why wouldn’t I trust Him to handle this situation? Knowing that people who are hurting often hurt other people, I asked God to help me…
Slow for a Reason
In a BBC video series on The Life of Mammals, host David Attenborough climbs a tree to take a humorous look at a three-toed sloth. Getting face-to-face with the world’s slowest moving mammal, he greets it with a “boo!” Failing to get a reaction, he explains that going slow is what you do if you are a three-toed sloth living primarily on leaves that are not easily digested and not very nutritious.
In a rehearsal of Israel’s history, Nehemiah reminds us of another example and explanation for going slow (9:9–21), but this one isn’t comical. According to Nehemiah, our God is…
Clean Containers
“Hatred corrodes the container that carries it.” These words were spoken by former Senator Alan Simpson at the funeral of George H.W. Bush. Attempting to describe his dear friend’s kindness, Senator Simpson recalled how the 41st president of the United States embraced humor and love rather than hatred in his professional leadership and personal relationships.
I relate to the senator’s quote, don’t you? Oh, the damage done to me when I harbor hatred!
Medical research reveals the damage done to our bodies when we cling to the negative or release bursts of anger. Our blood pressure rises. Our hearts pound. Our spirits sag.…
Worshiping God When Going Through The Storm
It’s much easier to praise God when life is smooth sailing than when you’re in the throes of a storm. Today on Discover the Word, we look at the time when Jonah found himself in the belly of a fish, but surprisingly still chose to worship God. We’ll save you a seat at the table today for Discover the […]
How Do You Respond To The Storms Of Life?
Sometimes the storms of life are enough to bring us to our knees! And today on Discover the Word, the team will discuss the great storm that came upon Jonah’s boat at sea. They were sure they were going down. But this series is called “Surprise!” so discover the crew’s surprising response to a life-threatening storm […]
Does God Hear Us When We Pray?
When in trouble, even the staunchest unbelievers resort to prayer. Today on Discover the Word, the team looks at the time when the ship Jonah was on got caught in a terrible storm and the crew begged Jonah to pray on their behalf. Does God hear us when we pray? Be part of the group today […]
Loving Our Enemies
The Bible teaches that we’re to love our enemies. Simply avoiding them isn’t enough! Today on Discover the Word, the team looks at the time when God told Jonah to go to an enemy of Israel and Jonah wasn’t exactly on board! Join us for another fascinating discussion, today on Discover the Word!
The Fantastic Tale Of Jonah
The story of Jonah is one of the most fantastic tales in the Bible. But could such a bizarre story really be true? Today on Discover the Word, the team will discuss whether Jonah was a historical person and whether his encounter with a great fish really took place. Was Jonah a real dude? Join the group […]
Think Before You Speak
Cheung was upset with his wife for failing to check the directions to the famous restaurant where they hoped to dine. The family had planned to round out their holiday in Japan with a scrumptious meal before catching the flight home. Now they were running late and would have to miss that meal. Frustrated, Cheung criticized his wife for her poor planning.
Later Cheung regretted his words. He had been too harsh, plus he realized that he had failed to thank his wife for the other seven days of great planning.
Many of us may identify with Cheung. We are tempted to…
Anger Management
As I had dinner with a friend, she expressed how fed up she was with a particular family member. But she was reluctant to say anything to him about his annoying habit of ignoring or mocking her. When she did try to confront him about the problem, he responded with sarcastic remarks. She exploded in anger at him. Both parties wound up digging in their heels, and the family rift widened.
I can relate, because I handle anger the same way. I also have a hard time confronting people. If a friend or family member says something mean, I usually suppress…
Discover the righteous anger that caused Jesus to weep
Today on Discover the Word, we will discuss another “Tearful Expression” seen in the Gospels. It’s a thought-provoking discussion about the righteous anger that caused Jesus to weep. Join the team to encounter the God who can understand your tears, because He’s experienced them Himself. Listen today to Discover the Word!
An Alternative to Anger
One morning in Perth, Australia, Fionn Mulholland discovered his car was missing. That’s when he realized he had mistakenly parked in a restricted zone and his car had been towed away. After considering the situation—even the $600 towing and parking fine—Mulholland was frustrated, but he decided not to be angry with the person he would work with to retrieve his car. Instead of venting his feelings, Mulholland wrote a humorous poem about the situation and read it to the worker he met at the tow yard. The worker liked the poem, and a possible ugly confrontation never took place.
The book…
Are you brave enough to forgive?
We can’t give what we don’t have, right? Well, today on Discover the Word, we along with our guest Nicole Unice discuss John chapter 20 and how those who’ve received forgiveness should logically be best able to give forgiveness. But that’s not always how we work. How being forgiven can make us “Brave Enough” to […]
Don’t let your pain distort the goodness of God
At one time or another, we’ve all felt hurt, wounded or angry. And in the midst of our pain, it’s easy for our viewpoint to get distorted and lose sight of the goodness and greatness of God. Today on Discover the Word, the group along with guest Torrey Robinson explore Naomi’s lament, using her lack of […]