IS IT OK TO BE ANGRY WITH GOD? Being angry with God is what the Bible calls “sin.” We sin when we break the Lord’s commandments. Being angry with God shows a lack of faith in Him and that is a sin. However, God wants us to tell Him when we are angry or upset with Him. It’s better to be honest than to bury feelings that He already knows about. The Lord knows life can be frustrating and isn’t ready to crush us when we question His ways. A peace that passes human understanding is available to those who take their pain and frustration to Him with an open heart and mind. God may not answer all your questions but He cares and promises to bless the “weary and heavy laden” that turn to Him. The Lord is not hyper-sensitive to criticism. He is more-than-big-enough to handle your anger in a loving way. Never hesitate to tell God exactly what you’re thinking and feeling. Bible Seeds: Jonah 4; Isaiah 55:7-9; Matthew 11:28; Romans 14:22-23; Ephesians 4:26; Philippians 4:6-7; Hebrews 11:6; I John 2:1-5, 3:4; Revelation 3:16

WHAT ABOUT THE “ONE-PERCENT”?

There’s a lot of talk these days about so-called greedy millionaires and billionaires ripping 99 percent of the people off with crooked business practices and shady tax schemes. Some call for justice and redistribution of these supposed ill-gotten gains back to the rest of society, who are alleged victims of a system stacked against them. Since these fortunes were made through the sweat of the working man, the rich should give back what belongs to those they have plundered, right? Well, actually WRONG. The purpose of this short piece is not to defend corporate (or otherwise) greed. Wall Street and the business world are, in fact, infested with men and women who are only interested in increasing their fortunes. And they don’t care how they do it. Screw the little person. Screw the law. Screw genuine morality. However, what everyone is forgetting is that everything belongs to God. EVERYTHING. As bad as corporate greed is, the “99%” do not have a right to demand “their fair share.” Any kind of wealth and material prosperity is a gift from the Lord. This doesn’t mean that God has “blessed” all the rich and the poor need to “get over it.” The human race has been given a large degree of free will and some people have taken sinful advantage of this privilege to build fortunes. God will hold the “1%” accountable and will punish accordingly at the proper time. The “99%” should work to bring any and all financial criminals to a degree of earthly justice through the criminal system. But, as experience tells us, the wealthy often find ways to avoid paying for their high crimes and misdemeanors. The Lord sees and there will be no weaseling out of divine justice. As hard as it might be, the honest “99%” and the dishonest “1%” need to acknowledge God as the Source of everything they need and/or want. Fretting about the very rich will only leave one frustrated, angry and won’t solve a problem that’s been around for centuries. Trusting Jesus as Savior solves the biggest need and problem facing the “100%”—a spiritual vacuum between each and every person and God. BIBLE SEEDS: Psalm 24:1, 50:9-11; Proverbs 24:19; Matthew 11:28-30; Luke 12:17-19; 16:19-25; Colossians 1:16; James 5:1-7

DO SOME CHRISTIANS TALK TOO MUCH? One of the most important things a believer can do is talk to God on a regular basis. This practice, known as prayer, is essential in aiding a believer in dealing with everyday life. Prayer helps keep a close relationship with God. Lack of regular communication with the Lord leads to spiritual coldness and allows certain difficulties to come into a person’s life that wouldn’t have happened if they had kept praying. So, the Bible is clear that believers need to pray. Talking to God is a very good thing. But, the Lord also wants us to listen from time-to-time. Many “prayer meetings” feature at least one or two participants who spend a lot of time talking to God about their problems. They will go on for a long time, as if in a spiritual spotlight, and don’t seem to be aware that the other participants don’t need to know every single detail of their trials. This doesn’t mean that the other participants don’t care. The vast majority of Christians will listen patiently but will quietly wonder when the self-centered one will wrap it up. God doesn’t need to hear all the details, either. Being omniscient (knowing everything-past, present and future) He already knows the circumstances. The “Kissing Cousin” of the self-centered prayer is the “sermon” prayer. Some folks believe they need to cover several biblical truths, complete with scripture verses and brief commentary, whenever they pray. Claiming God’s promises in the Bible is a good thing when praying but the Lord already understands His word and doesn’t need a refresher. Others in the group may not possess all the scriptural wisdom you’ve accumulated over the years but a prayer gathering is supposed to be focused on the Lord. Leave the teaching to Sunday School, group Bible study or devotions at home. Combine the self-centered and sermon prayers and you have an instant remedy for insomnia! The Lord also commands believers to engage in regular periods of silence in order listen to Him. It’s during these quiet times that God often makes scripture “come to life” in a way that helps Christians in their everyday life. Silence before God also allows time of sweet and peaceful fellowship between the believer’s spirit and His. If you’re a person who prides his or herself on the fact that “you’re always talking to God” consider listening to Him every now and then. Every believer should get in the habit of listening to other people and focus more energy on encouraging them in their troubles. Those that do usually end-up feeling better and God will be pleased. BIBLE SEEDS: I KINGS 9:11-13; PSALM 46:10; JOB 21:21-23; ISAIAH 30:15; MATTHEW 6:6-8; I THESSALONIANS 5:17*; JAMES 5:15-17; REVELATION 8:1 *When scripture says "pray without ceasing," it doesn't mean God wants us to be literally talking to Him all the time. Along with verbal communication, prayer is a heart/mindset focused on God. Our reverent thoughts should drift to Him often. And "listening" to the Lord is a vital part of prayer communication.