How do you manage screen time for yourself?
I set a time limit for the amount of time that I will spend. Granted I will some time override the reminder. However, knowing that I have a time set, it encourages me to do better the next time. The hardest thing is admitting that I have a problem. Doing something about it is a work in progress.
The deadliest sins are not the headlining ones, but those quietly destroying the soul from the inside out. Proverbs 6 says that stirring up strife is something God hates. That is talk under the disguise as policies, gossip, drama, and dividing behavior that tears families, and communities apart.
Can you imagine what it must have been like during the Civil War, when a mother had sons with different ideologies, one being a pacifist, one for the North, and one for the South, each thinking that what they were doing was right? History is repeating itself.
From the serpent’s dishonesty in the Garden of Eden to Proverbs’ prohibitions, lying is described as something God abhors. Deceit shatters relationships and destroys community, whether it is a so-called little “white lie” or a deliberate lie.
The first commandment forbids other gods, but modern idolatry also disguises itself as career obsession, technological reliance, or even exaggerating relationships. As noted by some thinkers, “Nothing on this earth was designed to satisfy our hearts. Only God can fulfill “
It is not sinful to have good things, but to place them in an ultimate position is. To be re-centered by worship, Scripture, and prayer keeps God in His rightful place and channels blessings into thankfulness for His goodness.
These sins are not outdated rules they are reflections of the tendencies of the human heart. To know them is to start; to fight against them requires humility, faith, and daily reliance upon the grace of God.
The Bible’s warnings are surpassed by its promises: no matter the struggle, God has the power to win and the joy of living His way.
For Christians who desire to live out their faith, understanding these sins is not fear-mongering, it’s illumination. They all have spiritual weight that can lead someone away from God’s presence and plan. The better news: God’s Word gives not only warning, but clear, grace-filled means of resisting and overcoming them.
Being a peacemaker means listening carefully, and taking intentional steps to heal broken fences. Togetherness should be the default state. These aren’t relics of outdated morality; they’re living, breathing concerns that pop up in meetings, social media feeds, and even at the dinner table.
Looking forward, there should be a new paradigm. Admitting when in the wrong, engaging in truth-telling, and making honesty a fundamental aspect of one’s self restores trust and mirrors the God who describes Himself as “the Truth.”
What’s something you believe everyone should know.
No matter your group affiliations, as an individual, you are responsible for your actions, and will reap what you sow.
Complicity is a criminal law doctrine where a person can be held responsible for a crime committed by another. It involves intentionally assisting, soliciting, or encouraging the commissions of a crime, making the accomplice liable to the same extent as the person who physically committed the act.
The concept of complicity in the Bible refers to the act of being involved with others in wrongdoing or sin, either through direct participation or passive consent. Below are examples of complicity in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Achan’s disobedience in taking forbidden items during the conquest of Jericho led to Israel’s defeat at Ai. Everything was supposed to be destroyed. Although the sin was committed by one man, the entire community suffered (Joshua 7).
Eli, the high priest, failed to restrain his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who were corrupt and abused their priestly positions. Eli’s passive complicity in their sins resulted in divine judgment upon his household (1 Samuel 2:12-17,22-25).
Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, found no fault in Jesus but succumbed to the pressure of the crowd (group think), washing his hands as a symbolic gesture of innocence. Despite his attempt to distance himself, Pilate’s complicity in the crucifixion of Christ is clear (Matthew 27:24-26).
The Apostle Paul admonished the Corinthian church for tolerating immorality among its members. Not just picking one kind of sin and ignoring others. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. He instructed them to expel the offender to prevent the spread of sin within the congregation.
This account, underscores the responsibility of church leaders to confront and correct wrongdoing. We are our brother’s and our sister’s keeper. Believers are called to uphold righteousness and justice, even when it requires standing against prevailing cultural or societal norms.
These directives emphasize the need for the church to actively address concerns and avoid complicity through inaction. (1 Corinthians 5:1-13). I believe the church has a responsibility to speak to its members about hurts in the community that they have the power to correct. Especially if they say they are believers, following Christ.
Moreover, the church is tasked with maintaining purity and holiness among its members. This involves confronting sin and exercising discipline when necessary. Complicity in sin, and wrong doing undermines the church’s witness and hinders its mission to reflect Christ’s holiness to the world.
From the time of Saul/ Paul’s conversion until his martyrdom, every move he made was aimed at advancing the knowledge, gospel, and church of Jesus Christ. Paul’s singular aim was to bring glory to Jesus.
“To live is Christ” means that we proclaim the gospel of Christ. Paul preached in synagogues; he preached as a prisoner, he preached as an apostle, and he preached as a tentmaker. His message was always the same: “Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
In this message the apostle Paul is saying that everything he has tried to be, everything he is, and everything he looked forward to being, pointed to Jesus Christ.
He brought the message of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice to prisoners, kings, soldiers, politicians, priests, and philosophers, Jews and Gentiles, men and women. He did not force it, but would literally preach to anyone who would listen. In a language that they could understand.
“To live is Christ” means that we imitate the example of Christ. Everything that Jesus did and said, that’s what Paul wanted to do and speak. Followers benefitted from his godly example: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
The Christianity lifestyle is characterized by several key aspects, if you already call yourself a Christian. If you are wondering what you should be doing in this strife we call life, it should be, what would Jesus do?
Faith: It is centered on faith in Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation, emphasizing that true faith is not achieved through works but through divine grace.
Sensitivity to Sin: Christians are encouraged to have a strong sensitivity to sin and to confess it, reflecting their commitment to God.
Living a Life of Service: Believers are called to live a life that reflects Jesus Christ, avoiding worldly influences and striving to embody the teachings of Jesus.
Prayer and Study: Engaging in prayer and diligent reading of the Scriptures is essential for understanding and growing in faith. Not to inflate your narrative.
Repentance and Confession: A Christian’s life is marked by a willingness to repent and seek forgiveness, demonstrating a genuine relationship with God. You become a “New Creature.”
These elements together define what it means to be and live a Christian life. Thus, reflecting the core beliefs practiced by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother/sister, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother/sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20).
To “ignore the noise” means to disregard distractions, irrelevant opinions, and negativity to stay focused on your true goals and what should truly matter. Identifying what is important (the signal) and actively tuning out things that derail you, whether it’s the thoughts of others, the constant barrage of information from social media, or the inevitable setbacks in any plan.
It is a mindset essential for progress, requiring the ability to filter out distractions and channel energy toward productive action and achieving desired outcomes. Thus, staying focused, and creating a distraction-free environment.
Interruptions, both external and self-inflicted, are no longer the exception; they’ve become our default mode, says Zelana Montminy, a positive psychologist and the author of Finding Focus: Own Your Attention in an Age of Distraction. “We’ve trained our brain to need and want interruptions,” she says. “It’s almost like we’re addicted to distractedness.”
It isn’t accidental. Our devices are engineered to exploit this vulnerability. I have watched parents allow their children to spend hours on tablets, until they passed out. I have also seen adults pushing a stroller with one hand and the other one on their smart phone. No interaction at all with the child.
Many of us believe we’re adept at juggling interruptions, but research tells a different story, according to Gloria Mark, Chancellor’s Professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine, and the author of Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness, and Productivity.
“Think of your mind as a whiteboard,” she says. “Each task or topic you focus on is like writing on that whiteboard. When you multitask, you’re constantly erasing and rewriting different information.”
All of that switching comes at a cost. Studies show that multitasking leads to longer completion times, more errors, and increased stress. “Your executive function, your brain’s CEO, gets fatigued,” says Mark. “And it struggles to filter out distractions or make decisions, leaving you even more susceptible to interruptions.”
The story in Luke 10:1-23 describes what should be central to our identity. When the seventy-two people Jesus sent out to tell others about the kingdom of God returned from their journeys, they reported to Him that “even the demons submit to us in your name” (v17).
While Jesus acknowledged that He’d equipped them with tremendous power and protection, He said that they were focused on the wrong thing. He insisted that their cause for rejoicing should be because their “names are written in heaven” (v20).
Not how much power and influence they swayed.
Unless you have been truly blessed, or born into privilege, you have no doubt learned that life is not fair. At least in the way you might look at it. When children try to understand why life is unfair, they may think it is because they are bad or someone else is bad.
As adults, a part of us continues to believe that we will always have good fortune if we are good. We believe if we share with others, if we are good to others, life will be fair to us. However, when that does not happen, we ask ourselves, why is life so unfair?
What we may be most angry about is that the universe and God are different from what we expect it to be. Throughout history, people of faith have given several causes for why bad things happen to good people.
Sinning by omission. Failing to do what is right or neglect a duty or responsibility. Such as failing to help someone in need or not praying. They are not about committing a wrongful act, but rather about inaction. Especially If you have the means to do more. No matter how small.
Sinning by commission. You actively commit a wrongly act, such as lying, stealing, or adultery. Many might come to the conclusion that the former sin is not as grave as this one. Afterall, you are not responsible for the other persons circumstances. “They should get a job. I work for what I get, so why can’t they.”
People, perhaps less religiously oriented, would say the reason that bad things happen to good people can be explained by science. People get sick because of viruses and germs. People attack other people because they “lack impulse control,” or have suffered an abusive childhood.
“Life is often unfair.” The answer to “why” remains an open question or perhaps even a mystery; that life is often unfair and that we do not know why. According to Chaplain Juliana Lesher, M.DIV., BCC, And Chaplain Dick Millapaugh.
Or, “so that you may show yourselves to be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45).
You might ask, in the midst of the mystery, how do we cope with the unfairness of life? It may lead us to join the author of this writer. “So, life came to mean nothing to me, because everything in it had brought me nothing but trouble. It had all been useless; I had been chasing the wind” (Ecclesiastes 2.17).
No man or woman is an island. I among others have probably repeated this phrase a hundred times, not knowing that there is more to it. It comes from the 1624 prose work Devotions upon Emergent Occasions by the English poet and clergyman John Donne.
“No man is an island, entire of itself; everyman is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. Therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”
Broken down, Donne argues that no human is truly isolated. Instead, everyone is connected to the greater whole of humanity, like our individual body parts are connected. We can only live in the absence of a few parts. Is that why he made us with two kidneys, so we can share?
The latter part, “Bell Tolls” refers to the church bell, which historically signaled death. His point is that a person’s death affects everyone and we should not try to remain detached from such events. An event that affects us all. If we can help it, no one should be left to die alone.
The Bible does not directly contain the exact phrase “no man is an island,” but the concept is strongly supported by biblical teachings. “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself” (Romans 14:7).
We are better together than we are alone. “Two are better than one, if either falls down, one can help the other up. And if two lie down together, they will keep warm.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).
But with companions, we give and receive help. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. We are better together as God leads us. Before I go outside to work, and any other time I am alone, I ask God to be with me, and all those around me. When I forget, I notice a difference.
The 80/20 rule, or Pareto Principle, states that roughly 80% of results come from 20% of causes, highlighting that a small number of inputs often yield the majority of the output. Discovered by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, it’s used in business and personal life to identify and focus on the most impactful efforts to improve overall efficiency and outcomes.
The phrase “showing up is 80% of success” is a quote attributed to Woody Allen. It was in reference to people who said they wanted to write a novel or movie. The people who actually do it are already 80% on their way to achieving something.
It emphasizes that the act of consistently being there and putting in the effort is more crucial than extraordinary talent or elaborate plans. I thought about writing a book for years that never came to fruition. As of this writing, I have published 136 posts on https://chaplainjerry.com.
While the phrase “showing up” can imply various actions, biblical passages encourage being present, consistently faithful, and actively participating in community. Hebrews 10:25 encourages not forsaking “meeting together” to “exhort one another”.
However, James 1:22 urges believers to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only,” emphasizing action over mere presence. Finally, Matthew 5:16 speaks to how believers’ “good works” should be seen, showing that their presence can glorify God.
This verse highlights the importance of consistent presence within a community, whether it’s a hospital visit, or a group of friends. Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
You won’t always have the right answers and most of the time you’ll have no idea on what to say or do, but show up. God will give you the words as He sees fit when the time comes. We were never called to be a “know it all.” We are called to serve others. We are called to love.
Philippians 2:3-8: This passage is about serving others and having a humble mindset, reflecting Christ’s own example. It encourages believers to “show up” by looking out for the interests of others, not just their own.
This verse also illustrates that showing up and letting your actions, even small acts of kindness, be visible, can bring glory to God (1 John 4:19). It’s a response to Jesus’ own act of showing up and loving us, which should inspire us to love and serve others.
Regardless, at the end of the day, we must remember that Jesus first showed up for us. If Jesus hadn’t shown up, we would have been doomed. We would be left to die in our sin. We would be headed towards a terrible destination. But the good news is, He did show up, in full glory.
Not 80/20, but 100%. Only He has no limitations. Aren’t you glad about it?
Saying we are a Christian, wearing clothes with Christian messages, and a large cross, gains attention. However, the bible teaches that the way we live and love as we share the gospel is the true identifier of those who follow Jesus. It can beam without saying a word.
When we are committed to living for Christ instead of for ourselves, the Holy Spirit changes how we feel and act, character, priorities, and ways of interacting with others. Our new life in Jesus is intended to represent Him while we point others to Him, as if God was making his appeal through us.
The Apostle Paul says, “Therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3).
Love God and others, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Serve others, be compassionate, merciful, and help the less fortunate.
Be merciful and forgiving, just as God is merciful, and forgive those who wrong you. Live out the Golden Rule. Treat others as you would want them to treat you. Be a light to others. Let your actions reflect your faith and be a positive influence on the world.
Do not judge. Avoid judging others; instead, focus on being a loving influence. Keep your word. Be honest and truthful in your commitments. Pray for others. Pray for those who persecute you and for more workers to spread the gospel.
Three core things God desires from people are to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God. These actions, outlined in the book of Micah (Micah 6:8), encapsulate acting fairly, showing compassion and forgiveness to others, and maintaining a continuous, humble relationship with God.
To determine what Jesus might tell Christians today, one must draw from her/his core teachings in the Gospels and apply them to modern issues. The central and consistent themes are love for God, selfless love for one’s neighbor, and establishing the Kingdom of God on Earth.
Jesus consistently sided with the marginalized and the poor rather than aligning with a political party or power structure. In today’s highly polarized political landscape, those are the very people we consistently beat up on a daily basis.
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