Name Calling ...

I know it's so tempting to call people, especially liberals, dumb, stupid, idiots and so on, when they are doing things that deserve such names, but it has been grieving me a lot lately to see so many brothers and sisters in the Lord launching out with such things, or sharing memes that say such things. Who is going to listen to the "truth in love" if we are calling them such names and showing how we don't really love them? Jesus died for them as much as us and the only real difference between them and us is that we know it and they don't (most likely). So as Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:4 - "Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God." I think we can probably fit name calling into that list as well. Showing Jesus' love to them is very important. I also might add, loving them is not the same thing as condoning their actions. Loving them is just that, loving them.

The Power

I wrote this the morning after the storm ripped through Quincy, causing much damage on July 11, 2015.  I'm just now getting time to post it.

I sit here writing this the morning after a strong storm that caused a lot of damage all throughout Quincy. The electricity is out throughout the majority of the city.  I haven't been out much to survey the damage, but from the few pictures I have seen online, it's fairly extensive.

Being without the electricity gives one a reminder of how dependent we as a society have become on modern conveniences; though I imagine that electrical power has been around so long that is probably isn't thought of as modern anymore, but it is a necessity none-the-less.

I'm drawn to wonder about the gifts that God has given us and how they depend on power too.  Just as our appliances need the electrical power to function, so too do we need the power of the Holy Spirit to have the spiritual gifts that God has given to us to function as well.  Are you plugged into God to receive that power?  Jesus said that apart from him we could do nothing.  Are you a part or apart from Him today?  Pray and discover which it is and get plugged in again.