16 April 2023
Two-Minute Features | 23 April 2023 | 09 April 2023

The Destructiveness of Self-Righteousness, Part 2 (TMF:2075)

Friday, April 21, 2023
Peace to Live By: The Destructiveness of Self-Righteousness, Part 2 (TMF:2075) - Daniel Litton
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       Why is self-righteousness so destructive? Well, there are a couple reasons. The first is that this kind of attitude actually prevents Christian growth. Think about it. If we are proud of where we currently stand in our Christian walk, or in how our church stands in comparison to other churches, that we really have things down and others do not, it is impossible to grow because, again, our group of people already has things down. If you already know what you’re doing, there is nothing new to learn, nothing new to implement, nowhere new to go. We have already arrived. Second, this kind of pride is bad because in the belief among the church members that they’ve already arrived, there is then the belief that they have the right to judge others who do things differently, of whom they feel do not follow God correctly. Let me pull back the curtain a second for dramatic affect. We see far-right evangelical churches attack the Methodists and Presbyterians. “They’ve left the correct way. We have the real way” it is said.

The Destructiveness of Self-Righteousness, Part 1 (TMF:2074)

Thursday, April 20, 2023
Peace to Live By: The Destructiveness of Self-Righteousness, Part 1 (TMF:2074) - Daniel Litton
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       If we want to advance to the higher levels. It’s as simple as that, and it is accomplished by surrendering one by one each level for a higher level. Let’s take self-righteousness as our example here. I think this is a good one for us to examine for several reasons. One, it’s a reoccurring theme I think that keeps coming up in our discussions here. Two, that leads to the point that it’s a prevalent problem among Christian individuals. Three, self-righteousness often leads us to speak negatively toward others (for instance, cursing) like James is talking about in our text here. We know what self-righteousness is, but let me define it again so that there is no mistaking it. Self-righteousness in our context is when we believe our way of following the Christian life is the best way, and that all other ways are either wrong (sinful) or incomplete (lacking). It is the belief that we know best, and that if other’s don’t follow the Bible exactly as we see it, they are in the wrong, sinning against God, and sinning against us. We see this all the time among Christians.

Becoming More Positive in Our Minds (TMF:2073)

Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Peace to Live By: Becoming More Positive in Our Minds (TMF:2073) - Daniel Litton
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       And with James bringing these analogies to us, that it doesn’t make sense for the bad things and the good things to come from the same mouth, we can seek to understand just how it is that we move up from the negative side to the positive side of things. Just how is it that we becoming a more positive person? I mean, doesn’t everyone, no matter who we are, somewhere deep inside ourselves, what to become more positive? Don’t you want less stress, anxiety, and worry inside your mind? So, how do we do this? How do we become more positive, or positive in the first place if positivity is no where to found in us? We accomplish this through a simple method. This is the method of Giving Up Control, or surrendering, that I’ve already been talking about. The reality is, we have to give up control of trying to control our thoughts, our feelings, if we really want to control them. We have to surrender the lower levels of consciousness if we want to advance to the higher levels. It’s as simple as that, and it is accomplished by surrendering one by one each level for a higher level.

Blessing & Cursing from the Same Mouth (TMF:2072)

Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Peace to Live By: Blessing & Cursing from the Same Mouth (TMF:2072) - Daniel Litton
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       Let us continue here in James chapter 3. Starting in verse 10: “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.“ Today James is doubling down on what he said last week, and that is, namely, that we as Christians should not find ourselves blessing and cursing at the same time. And I said that the lower the level of consciousness, the more the cursing. The higher the level, the more the blessing. It only makes sense. And with James bringing these analogies to us, that it doesn’t make sense for the bad things and the good things to come from the same mouth, we can seek to understand just how it is that we move up from the negative side to the positive side of things. Just how is it that we becoming a more positive person?

Presenting a Reasonable God (TMF:2071)

Monday, April 17, 2023
Peace to Live By: Presenting a Reasonable God (TMF:2071) - Daniel Litton
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       I want to present a reasonable God, a God who cares, one who is actually on our side. I want the truth of the Bible to be easy to understand, easy to implement, simple to have a relationship with God. Isn’t this what we all want? Am I crazy here? Didn’t Jesus say, ““Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light"” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV). It was also said of Jesus, “he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34, ESV). Yes, this what I seek to do with my ministry. I see the destruction caused by negative teachers, negative churches, and I am on mission to help those who really need God, who need compassion and strength, who need salvation from those who wish to tare them down, who wish to get them to follow after their religion.