I've got something on my mind that I just can't seem to shake so I thought I would put it out here for who ever reads this thing and see what you have to say.

Here's the deal:

It seems to me that, in general (and I know that's dangerous), people just don't take responsibility anymore. And not only that but, in general, people really enjoy blaming others for things.

These two thoughts really struck me while watching the news one morning as I was preparing to come to the office. Whether it's the oil spill in the gulf and the way it is being handled or not handled, the war on terror, political races, or even sporting events, passing around the blame and trying to make others look bad seems to be the calling of our day.

It makes me not want to watch the news and really makes me want to show and teach my children differently.

So What?

It didn't take long to find out what God has to say about this whole thing. Here are a couple of scriptures for you to consider. I don't think either of them need much, if any, explanation.

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. Galatians 6:4-5 NLT

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT

I encourage you to join me in applying the principles of these verses to your life right now.

Something's Fruity Part 2

You gotta love it when God does this.

As I was finishing typing the previous post about how God is developing His Fruit in my life, our internet connection went down again! We have been having a ton of problems lately and we even had a tech out this morning to work on it.

Needless to say I initially began to get upset and almost grew impatient and almost had an "outburst of anger" (see Galatians 5:19-21 NLT).

But then I laughed to myself, told God I got it, and asked Him to help me handle this "crisis" in a way that would be honoring to Him. At that moment, I allowed the Holy Spirit to control me and not my sinful nature.

Again, I am not bragging on myself. I just want to let you know how this stuff works in real life. It happens all the time. It really is a matter of who or what you allow to be in control and what you allow your mind to dwell on. I daresay that had I not been typing my blog post when this happened, I would probably not have passed the test. But because I was already focusing on the work of God in my life, I was able to handle it pretty well.

Another So What?

One of the best ways to keep the Holy Spirit in control is to keep God on your mind. You will find that you tend to behave the way you think.

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. Colossians 3:1-4 NLT