ChurchApplied

Losing Control

Have you ever lost your temper to the point you went "bananas?" Maybe you put your fist through a door, or said something you didn't realize you were saying. It wasn't until later when someone told you that you found out. Then you were embarrassed.

Angry Man - Photo by Dunca Danie. All rights reserved.

Some people never experience this kind of anger. They are so laid back nothing ever seems to rial them. Everyone's fuse is not the same length. If yours is short, does that mean you're destined to go through life hot headed and quick-tempered? Maybe. The answer really depends on how you choose to deal with your anger.

The Old Testament tells a story about a time when King David poorly handled his anger to the point that he almost killed a man named Nabal. While he was hiding from King Saul, David and his men protected Nabal from marauding robbers. But Nabal brushed it off as no big deal and treated David as a runaway slave (1 Samuel 25:2-13).

When David realized how ungrateful Nabal was, he and some of his men set out to kill him. And he would have if Nabal's wife Abigal hadn't intervened.

Proverbs 14:17 says, "A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated."

Instead of it being a sign of strength, a quick temper is actually a sign of weakness. It's an indication that a person has lost control of their emotions. Unfortunately people are maimed and killed everyday because others allow their emotions to dictate their behavior. No wonder violence and abuse is so prevalent.

May God's Spirit free us from the debilitating effects of uncontrolled anger.

By Rich DuBose, Director, Pacific Union Conference Church Support Services

In His Hands

The old negro spiritual says, "He's got the whole world in His hands." It's a great song, but sometimes I question whether it's really true. If God has the whole world in His hands, why does He allow suffering to continue so long? At times it looks like the Devil is the one who is really in charge.

Photo by Stockxpert. All rights reserved.

I recently read about a homeless prostitute in San Francisco who was attacked by two women because her boyfriend owed one of them some money. They beat her, dragged her into a parking lot, stripped off her clothes and set her on fire. Did God have that incident in His hands, or did the Devil? This same question can be applied to every act of violence, evil, and injustice that has been committed from the beginning of time. Who's in charge here?

I guess the truth is both God and the Devil have dibs on us. The Devil's claim goes way back to the Garden of Eden when Eve stood before the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and ate the forbidden fruit. God's claim goes back before the creation of earth to a time when He and Jesus agreed upon an ambitious plan to save humans from their failure to trust in Him.1

Right now the Devil's fingerprints are everywhere. You'd be stupid to say he isn't exerting control throughout the world. But the end-game is what ultimately matters. In Superbowl XLI many were certain the Chicago Bears would ultimately win. They were quick to put points on the board and had some definitive moments of glory. But in the end the Colts walked away with the Superbowl trophy.

God has the world in His hands--at least that's what Scripture says about the final score. He will walk away with the prize! But that's hard to believe when the score is 21-7 at the top of the 4th quarter with God's team getting killed. 

Sometimes we just have to trust the Coach. We have to believe He knows what he's doing, even if we don't. Paul says, "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known."2 As much as I would like to, I cannot see the whole picture. Some vital parts appear to be missing, and at times because of this the negro spiritual is hard to sing.

Dear God, I believe my life is in your hands today. Show me how to be your hands to those who aren't so sure.

By Rich DuBose, Director, Pacific Union Conference Church Support Services

1. Revelation 13:8
2. 1 Corinthians 13:12

When Royalty Dies

Fairy tale princesses aren’t supposed to die, at least not in their prime. But on August 31, 1997 the world was shocked with the tragic death of Princess Diana. The reaction was enormous! People expressed their grief with candle light vigils, flowers and photographs pinned to fences and walls. Britain practically came to a standstill. Suddenly the world seemed much darker, which prompted singer Elton John to dedicate his song “Candle in the Wind” to Diana. The funeral, fitting for any head of state, provided an opportunity for millions to mourn and remember the Princess that everyone loved, but very few really knew.

Princess Diana - Photo by Ken Brown. All rights reserved.

Why was she so popular? Aside from being an attractive woman, she was a princess who demonstrated concern for “little” people; children and adults in poverty. She cared about people with AIDS and spoke against the use of land mines (which usually end up killing and maiming civilians). She recognized she was in a position of power, but didn’t seem to grasp for recognition or political gain. But of course Diana’s life and situation were far from perfect. Those who were closest to her now say that from the very beginning she had a rival who caught Prince Charles’ eye. Eventually her and Charles parted ways and pursued their own interests and friendships.

Princess Diana’s death was the final chapter of a story that started with such a promising introduction. Who could have guessed that it would end the way it did?

On this planet, the story always seems to end with a sob and a whimper. As much as we want to hang onto the memories of those we have lost, time erases more than we want to forget. Life is too intense; too overwhelming; too all consuming for us to dwell very long on the past. We are propelled into the future with a multitude of decisions and things to do.

Good News

According to God's promise, better days are coming. Jesus guaranteed this when He died some two thousand years ago. Paul says, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive " (1 Corinthians 15:22).

Our memories fade and dim with the passage of time, but God’s promises never do. Soon this chapter of earth's history will end in an eternal celebration of joy! (See Revelation 21:4).

By Rich DuBose, Director, Pacific Union Conference Church Support Services

Killing Words

Most of us have heard a sermon or two we didn’t care for, but on March 12, 2005, some believe Terry Ratzman's dislike for a sermon may have resulted in the worst mass killing in Wisconsin's history. When Ratzmann entered the sanctuary that day, some of his fellow members immediately knew that something was wrong. Instead of sitting in his usual spot, he remained standing and was agitated. When the sermon begin, Ratzman pulled out a 22 caliber pistol and let loose.

Photo by Vadim Tikhonov. All rights reserved.

Twenty-two shots later when the mayhem ended, pastor Gregory, his son and five other members, including Ratzman, were dead. This is not exactly what you'd expect to experience while sitting in a church pew.

Some believe the sermon Ratzman disliked was actually preached two weeks earlier. It reportedly focused on how bad fortune comes to those who make ungodly choices. Many believe other factors, including Ratzman’s difficulty finding a job, may have brought him to the breaking point. We’ll never know for sure. What we do know is that making ungodly choices always leads to tragic consequences.

On more than one occasion, the sermons Paul preached resulted in violence and physical abuse. Many did not want to hear what he had to say. While working in the city of Lystra Paul and Barnabas preached Christ to the people and they were responsive. At first they thought they were gods because Paul had healed a man who had been lame from birth. So Paul shared the truth about God and Christ, and many believed. But then "Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead." (Acts 14:19)

Not all sermons are worth hearing or preaching. But none are so bad that pastors should either be shot or stoned for preaching them. After all, a sermon is supposedly a message from the very God who says, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love." (1 John 4:7, 8)

By Rich DuBose, Director, Pacific Union Conference Church Support Services

The Gift of Ears

The difference between writers who are able to fill pages with words and those who are able to fill readers' hearts with passion is that the latter have learned to write with their ears.

Those who write only with their eyes may produce copy that is mechanically correct, content rich and helpful, but such writing often fails to touch our hearts.

Listening - Photo by Nikolay Mamluke. All rights reserved.

Writers who write with their ears squeeze tears from our eyes, elicit exclamations of shock and delight, and strike chords deep within our souls!

We know Jesus had the gift of ears because he heard people's inner cries and responded to their needs. When Jesus spied Zacchaeus outside the city of Jericho in a sycamore tree, he knew Zachaeus desired to be in harmony with God and that he longed for a better life. So Jesus said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home." (Luke 19:5)

We have the gift of ears when we understand what people say and mean. Although this kind of hearing is a gift, we receive it when we choose to become engaged in the listening process. Joe Landsberger says, "Active listening intentionally focuses on who you are listening to, whether in a group or one-on-one, in order to understand what he or she is saying. As the listener, you should then be able to repeat back in your own words what they have said to their satisfaction. This does not mean you agree with, but rather understand, what they are saying."1

Listening to God

Learning to be good listeners not only helps us better relate to what people are saying, but it helps us tune into what God is saying through Scripture and prayer. Solomon said, "Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days. Many plans are in a man's heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand" (Proverbs 19:19-21). In other words, regardless of what we think, or plan, there is wisdom in prayerfully listening for God's counsel.

1. Joe Landsberger, Study Guides and Strategies, Active Listening