A recent video revealed a heated conversation between Kirk Franklin and his son. The words that were exchanged were hurtful and wrong, but how should we respond when incidents like this come to light, especially regarding leaders? Let's take a look at Jesus' teachings, and how He responded to a similar instance of sin.

There is a very familiar story in the Bible about David and Goliath. I don’t know if there is a person alive who has not heard of it or is unfamiliar with this story. After all, who doesn’t love a classic hero-villain story? That is what we have here in David and Goliath.

When people read this they often focus on David, because he is the hero. They may also focus on Goliath – after all he is literally the big villain in this story. Sometimes what gets overlooked are the Israelites in this story. Many people try to identify with David and try to identify the Goliaths in their life but is it possible that we are more like the Israelites? They were trained military men who were operating in their assignment when a great champion or enemy appeared that created in them a great sense of fear. Their intentions were good, but in the heat of the moment they were overcome by fear.

Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever been doing what you are supposed to do and out of nowhere a challenging life situation shows up that produces fear or anxiety in your heart? Personally, I believe we can all relate to this happening. This situation and others like it lead to the question I want to address today. Can faith and fear co-exist? As a Christian can faith and fear dwell in the same heart?

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As real as fear can be God doesn’t want you to be overcome by fear. He wants you to overcome fear. But how do you do this? How do you push past the inner turmoil to get to that place of peace that God desires you to live in? I want to share with you four things to do and focus on when fear attacks you.

I think that way too often as Christians we miss the privilege we have in prayer. It reminds me of the words to the old song “What a friend we have in Jesus”:

What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer

For too many, prayer is often seen as a required discipline and nothing more than that. When you view prayer from this perspective, then you really miss what prayer is supposed to be about. This brings me to one of my favorite portions of Scripture that really gets at what prayer is really about.

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

I truly believe if you will grasp the truth in these verses, it may just change your perspective on prayer.

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In 2011 I met my future wife. We got married three months after we met. Because of the speed with which we got married there were a lot of conversations and speculation over our decision. This led to plenty of talking about us and what and why we were doing this so quickly. Most of these conversations did not happen to us or with us, they were simply conversations about us. Needless to say I discovered that many hurtful things were said.

What these people were engaging in was gossip. If I am to be honest, I have been on both sides of the gossip train – maybe you have been too. The problem is that people who engage in this activity often won’t acknowledge or recognize they are participating in it. Who wants to admit they are a gossip? And even if we admit to gossiping, should we acknowledge that gossip is a sin? 

Unfortunately, far too many Christians engage in gossip or gossip-like behavior. You could probably even argue that in some cases people see it as acceptable behavior. After all why not talk about other people when they aren’t around? Isn’t this what everyone does? While it may seem to be true, it’s not. When it comes to the use of our mouths and the words that come out of them the Bible is clear about how we should use them. You don’t have to take my word for it, let’s see what the Bible says about gossip and if it is a sin to gossip.

What is Gossip?

Gossip is the act of sharing information or engaging in conversations about others, often without their knowledge or consent, with the intention of spreading rumors, personal details, or unverified information. It typically involves discussing someone's personal or private matters, whether true or false, in a manner that can harm their reputation or privacy. Gossip can take various forms, including idle chatter, rumors, malicious talk, or the dissemination of confidential information. Regardless of how "nice" the conversation, or prayer request may seem, gossip is still harmful and wrong.

In the Scriptures, gossip is associated with sinful behavior and is seen as a breach of trust, causing harm to individuals and communities. It is often linked to qualities such as slander, deceit, and a lack of love or concern for others. Several passages in the Bible, including Proverbs 16:28 (NIV), warn against gossip, stating, "A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends."

Additionally, the Bible encourages believers to practice virtues such as love, kindness, and truthfulness in their speech and interactions with others. Gossip, which undermines these principles, is seen as contrary to the teachings of Scripture and is a behavior that Christians are urged to avoid in order to promote harmony, respect, and compassion within their communities.

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Sometimes it’s easy to think that those who serve the body of Christ always have it all together. Unfortunately, too many in this position make it appear that way. I will tell you that is not true. We hurt, bleed, cry, and struggle just like everyone else. This leads me to my personal story and a greater understanding of Philippians 4:6

What is the connection between faith and deeds (or works)? In the letter James wrote he asks the same question. Consider what he said,

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?” (James 2:14).

Based on his question, James is making a connection between what you believe and what you do. What you profess to believe should be evident in the way you act or the things you do. 

However the verse actually asks two questions. The second question is can such faith save us? I hope there is a question rolling around in your head, because here is the one that is rolling around in mine: What is this type of faith that is connected to works that can save a person? Let’s not stop there but jump all the way in the deep end and make this really personal. Is your faith the type of faith that can save you?

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There is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a glass of cold water. I know you may have another favorite, and in the Southern part of the United States it’s hard to compete with sweet tea. But for me, water wins.

In chapter 4 of John’s gospel there is a story that deals with Jesus, a well, a woman, and water. In this chapter in the book of John, Jesus stops by a well and asks a Samaritan woman for a drink of water. Within the conversation Jesus proceeds to make the following statement:

“Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water’” (John 4:10).

If you were to inject yourself into that situation, I think your question would be very similar to hers. What exactly is this “living water” that Jesus mentions? When you really understand the nature of water, I think it will help you recognize the importance of this living water. 

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Here I am Lord. Have you ever uttered those words? I can remember many times standing at the altar with tears in my eyes, declaring to the Lord, here I am. In the “old days” there was a song we used to sing,

Here I am Lord, here I am
I give all myself to you, here I am
Here I am Lord, here I am
Let your Spirit work in me, here I am

That song brings back memories, but what does it mean? I am not sure who wrote that song, but the words are straight from the Bible. These words were spoken by the prophet Isaiah. Here is what he said:

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8).

Obviously Isaiah was making a declaration and a commitment that he was available for God’s use. These words of Isaiah were written thousands of years ago, but what is the significance of Isaiah 6:8, “Here I am Lord” today? How can you apply this right now? What is clear is that this is a verse of surrender. But what I want to walk you through are the stages necessary to get to this place of surrender.

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There seems to be lots of conversations happening around the return of Jesus, the end times, the mark of the beast, and the antichrist. While I understand the need to have the conversation, I can’t help but wonder if we are taking it too far. Could it actually be possible that Bible prophecy is becoming a distraction in your life?

How do you respond when leaders fall? Don’t assume this can’t happen or won’t happen because I believe this is part of how we get to these places in the first place. For today I want to talk to those who often struggle and find it hard to deal with these realities.

When you look at these two portions of Scripture, you see what broke Jesus’ heart was the missed opportunity and the consequences that would result because of their actions. In essence the people locked Jesus out and what he truly desired to do he could not.

The truth is, you don’t have to wonder that much about what God wants you to do right now because God has already revealed it. Believe it or not, it really isn’t that hard to figure out. I can say without a shadow of a doubt there are four things God wants you to do right now.

In the Great Commission, Jesus tells his followers (and us) to "go and make disciples of all nations." But is it enough for us just to share the Gospel with someone and go on our way? Are mass altar calls and baptism satisfying the Great Commission? Or is there something more, something important, that we are missing?