Sunday’s sermon at Denton Bible Church was particularly good today. Pastor Tommy Nelson was on his game, or maybe it only seemed that way since what he was saying, spoke to(of) me…but then I have yet to find a sermon where Tommy was not on his game.

Today was about bitter people, their unhappiness; how God does not want one to elevate oneself, nor become self-righteous, arrogant, offended, vengeful, and judgmental as that is what causes the bitterness and lets Satan into your life. He assured us all that “the upholding of the kingdom of God does not rest on me (you, us)”.  Those causes of such things…well just “let it go”. Know: God can and will handle it for me (you, us) instead. And in so doing (“letting it go”), those that can hold their tongue are truly blessed – those that cannot are a curse on man in His image.

Wow! Powerful stuff! It was a non-stop 50-minute sermon that produced four pages of notes that will encourage my daily struggle to have a life of less bitterness and aid my desire to “walk with distinction”  (BTW, Tommy was preaching from Ephesian 4:25 – 5:2).

Usually, my Sunday Sermon notes become a “Thump” soon after the service, but I had to share a snippet today. Tommy’s message this morning still resonates in my head this evening.

A gift of Tommy’s preaching is that he finds a way to drive his Bible-based sermon home. He left us with a quote from a favorite movie of mine – the 1950 hit “Harvey”. If you haven’t seen it, watch it soon. If it has been a while since you’ve last watched it, watch it again soon…and think what (or perhaps better asked, “who”) Harvey really represents. Hmmmm:

“Years ago my mother used to say to me, she’d say, ‘In this world, Elwood, you must be,’ – she always called me Elwood – ‘In this world, you must be oh so smart, or oh so pleasant.’ Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.” ~ Elwood P. Dowd