Christmas mystery: part two.(You need to read the previous entry before you read this. It is a sequel.)
This is Christmas day, although it might be boxing day before you get this but as I write it is Christmas, a day set apart to honor the birth of Jesus and it is as big or bigger than it ever was. It is celebrated the world over, even in places where Christianity hardly exists……that is the commercial aspect is and the gift giving as well as the drinking and partying…..so much for Jesus birth. It is the biggest retail event of the year…many retailers just would not make it were it not for this holiday.
What is it really all about anyway? The real meaning is a mystery but don’t lose heart, it is a mystery that has been revealed in the Bible.
In the previous blog entry, I said that this mystery is God becoming man that He might bring us unto Himself. If I did not say it in those actual words that is what I meant. He came to earth to save us from the curse of sin which has had a tight grip on our souls. He came to set us free. In fact it is His grace or His unearned favor that sets us free. His unmerited favor, His matchless favor. He said when the woman was taken in adultery and the law said she had to be stoned to death, “neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more.” That is grace.
Paul was writing again to the Ephesians in chapter 3 verses number 1-7 1 "For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
"Here is the mystery revealed and here is what the apostle means, that being that Christ died for all men everywhere. Here is what he says concerning the mystery from chapter 3 verses 14-19:14 "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,[c] 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." That is the real meaning, the mystery is solved, the mystery of Christmas
About Me
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The mystery of Christmas:
The gospel of John records “In the beginning was the Word , and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” The NLT says “and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:1-5. Verse 14 of this same chapter declares” And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..”
The great apostle Paul who was the instrument God used to give us so great a portion of the New Testament, wrote the following lines in his letter or epistle if you like, to the church in Ephesus. It reveals this great mystery of what the Gospel is all about in regards to those of us who are not Jewish having a place in the Kingdom of God along with those who are Jewish and in chapter 3 starting at verse 1,” 1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.”
Paul explains his calling and the purpose of it in verses 8-13. Here is how that reads, “8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship[a] of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;[b] 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.” Paul explains this mystery of the Gentiles being co-heirs with the Jews through Jesus Christ. And the intent is that every Christian would make known the fact that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh to save sinners of all races and creeds no matter who or what they may be. Verse 19 says “to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” This is what Christmas is for, not trees and mistletoe as pleasant as that may be, but that God became a man so that He Himself could become that ransom required for our sin. The God of the universe became a man. (to be cont’d.)
The great apostle Paul who was the instrument God used to give us so great a portion of the New Testament, wrote the following lines in his letter or epistle if you like, to the church in Ephesus. It reveals this great mystery of what the Gospel is all about in regards to those of us who are not Jewish having a place in the Kingdom of God along with those who are Jewish and in chapter 3 starting at verse 1,” 1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.”
Paul explains his calling and the purpose of it in verses 8-13. Here is how that reads, “8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship[a] of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;[b] 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.” Paul explains this mystery of the Gentiles being co-heirs with the Jews through Jesus Christ. And the intent is that every Christian would make known the fact that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh to save sinners of all races and creeds no matter who or what they may be. Verse 19 says “to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” This is what Christmas is for, not trees and mistletoe as pleasant as that may be, but that God became a man so that He Himself could become that ransom required for our sin. The God of the universe became a man. (to be cont’d.)
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The Christmas Storey
The gospel according to St. Luke , CH. 2 GIVES us a snapshot of the birth of Jesus. Most of my readers will know the story, so I will not reread it again, save a verse or two. I find it most interesting to note just how many and who it was that were notified of the coming birth of the One who is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Also it is interesting to know who was aware of this great event and what it was truly all about.
First of all the young woman who was to give Him birth, Mary was approached by none other than the Angel Gabriel, the same angel who had appeared to a priest named Zacharias and announced to him that he was going to be a father, the father of John the Baptist as it turned out.
Luke 1:31 says ", you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus." Then her cousin Elizabeth, the wife of Zacharias, who at the time was carrying her miracle child, John. Mary had gone to visit her and the Holy Ghost within Elizabeth witnessed to her that Mary was to be the mother of her Lord. Luke 1:43 reads ?But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"Then of course there were the shepherds, the Bible doesn't say how many of them were there but they received the news that night while most of the populace slept.. Sound familiar?
It seems notable to me that not one of the religious hierarchy, not one priest or chief priest, not one Levite was notified or was there. Just some humble shepherds, the local herdsmen of whom the priests and high priests would not even consider as amounting to anything. So it was that these shepherds were chosen to announce what the angel told them. And so they did Luke 2:17, "Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child." That was His first coming. There had been plenty of notice given, the prophets since the time of Moses had prophesied His coming. The general populace by and large seemed to ignore it. How about His next coming? There is plenty of notice given it also...the signs point to it as not too far away. To ignore it is to miss out and be left behind. If it seems like it has been delayed or that God has put it on hold, it is because of what it reads in 1 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." God doesn't make idle or slack promises, He doesn't make promises He can't keep. Be ready.
First of all the young woman who was to give Him birth, Mary was approached by none other than the Angel Gabriel, the same angel who had appeared to a priest named Zacharias and announced to him that he was going to be a father, the father of John the Baptist as it turned out.
Luke 1:31 says ", you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus." Then her cousin Elizabeth, the wife of Zacharias, who at the time was carrying her miracle child, John. Mary had gone to visit her and the Holy Ghost within Elizabeth witnessed to her that Mary was to be the mother of her Lord. Luke 1:43 reads ?But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"Then of course there were the shepherds, the Bible doesn't say how many of them were there but they received the news that night while most of the populace slept.. Sound familiar?
It seems notable to me that not one of the religious hierarchy, not one priest or chief priest, not one Levite was notified or was there. Just some humble shepherds, the local herdsmen of whom the priests and high priests would not even consider as amounting to anything. So it was that these shepherds were chosen to announce what the angel told them. And so they did Luke 2:17, "Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child." That was His first coming. There had been plenty of notice given, the prophets since the time of Moses had prophesied His coming. The general populace by and large seemed to ignore it. How about His next coming? There is plenty of notice given it also...the signs point to it as not too far away. To ignore it is to miss out and be left behind. If it seems like it has been delayed or that God has put it on hold, it is because of what it reads in 1 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." God doesn't make idle or slack promises, He doesn't make promises He can't keep. Be ready.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Abba, Father, GOD
From Romans chapter 8, verse 15 we read, "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father"
I was sitting in my rocking chair ,which I find myself doing more often these days, when my little two year old granddaughter, Charley, came up to me with an armload of her stuffed friends and said, "Gabby". That's as close as she comes to Grampy right now. I knew what she wanted, so I reached down and picked her up and all her friends and we rocked for a few minutes. It probably did more for me than it did for her but what a wonderful moment we had together and she presented all of these stuffed toys one by one and then after a few minutes she got back down and pursued other interests. It made me think about our relationship with the heavenly Father, Abba....sort of sounds like Gabby doesn't it? But in reality it is closer to "Daddy"and that is how God sees our relationship. He is my Daddy, a term with much more intimacy than Father, at least I think. That's the way little Charley is with her Daddy and another granddaughter, Sophie who just turned one year old is with her daddy. It delighted me when I held Charley for those few minutes and it delights our heavenly "Daddy" when we climb up on His lap and share time with Him. How little we take the time to present all of our friends or our cares and rest them in His care. He delights in answering our prayers when we come to Him and in faith receive His blessing. Have you had that intimate moment with Him today? He is waiting for you to call Him today.
I was sitting in my rocking chair ,which I find myself doing more often these days, when my little two year old granddaughter, Charley, came up to me with an armload of her stuffed friends and said, "Gabby". That's as close as she comes to Grampy right now. I knew what she wanted, so I reached down and picked her up and all her friends and we rocked for a few minutes. It probably did more for me than it did for her but what a wonderful moment we had together and she presented all of these stuffed toys one by one and then after a few minutes she got back down and pursued other interests. It made me think about our relationship with the heavenly Father, Abba....sort of sounds like Gabby doesn't it? But in reality it is closer to "Daddy"and that is how God sees our relationship. He is my Daddy, a term with much more intimacy than Father, at least I think. That's the way little Charley is with her Daddy and another granddaughter, Sophie who just turned one year old is with her daddy. It delighted me when I held Charley for those few minutes and it delights our heavenly "Daddy" when we climb up on His lap and share time with Him. How little we take the time to present all of our friends or our cares and rest them in His care. He delights in answering our prayers when we come to Him and in faith receive His blessing. Have you had that intimate moment with Him today? He is waiting for you to call Him today.
Friday, November 27, 2009
To do or not to do. God's wisdom put to the test
We are still studying the epistle of James in our Bible study at the church house in uptown Saint John. What a book on wisdom for the Christian to study. Earlier in this blog I addressed the part in James' letter where it speaks about being a doer and not just a hearer of the Word. Also I have talked about wisdom, so why this title today? Last Bible study we read from ch. 3 of the epistle and it talks about taming the tongue and the two kinds of wisdom. Some people that I know or have known have a philosophy of "might as well say it as think it" If what they think about another person will hurt that person, then do not say it in fact don't even think it. Get it out of your mind. If you do not harbor this kind of thinking then you will find it easier to tame your tongue. That brings in wisdom. Two kinds...earthly, sensual, devilish or demonic wisdom or wisdom that is from above...pure, peacable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. That is the result of being a doer....my question, not Shakespeare's...to do or not to do? To do is what brings forth a whole fruit basket.....full of mercy and good fruits.Read it for yourself in James chapter 3.
Friday, November 13, 2009
The preaching of the cross-the power of he WORD
Back in the year of our Lord 1951, my mother and father along with us, their three boys, left the island of my birth for greener pastures. More specifically we left Campbello Island located in the Bay of Fundy and moved to a little town in southern Ontario, just northwest of Toronto. In those days it was a rural area and the largest industry was called the Farmer's Company or Co-op or some similar name. Ah! memory. Sometimes it gets a little blurred. BUT i do remember the sadness in leaving home and going to Woodbridge even though it was a nice little town and we do have fond memories of it.
I remember the train from St. Andrews to MacAdam in New Brunswick and then transferring to a larger more comfortable one from there to Toronto. In those days they were still coal-fired steam driven engines, kind of romantic, don't you think? In a way it was an exciting adventure, had we not been missing home so much. But we hung in for six Months until winter had passed and in the spring of 1952 mother announced that we would be going home..oh joy! Oh happy day! Home to Campobello, back to the Nubble to roam the beach and row a dory again. WE COULD HARDLY WAIT!
There is one memory of Woodbridge that stands out stronger than all others and that is the night that I accepted the
Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. It was the preaching of the cross that convicted me of my sin and caused me to repent and receive His forgiveness. It is that same preaching of the Word that will cause men and women and young people to repent in our present day. It is powerful, this preached Word...it has the power to change lives from a sinner to a born again saint of God. A person might not look like a saint, whatever your concept of a saint might look like, but if he or she has accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, there will be enough of a difference in their living that you will know they are born again by the Spirit of God
Everything about them will be different. The great Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Corinthians as found in 2 Cor. 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new."
Yes it was the power of preaching the message of the cross that changed my life and is still creating a hope within my soul that someday I shall see Him. It is a hope that the Apostle John says purifies us. 1 John 3:2,3 "Beloved , now are we the children of God; and it has net been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope n Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." The power of the preaching of the cross is still the same today. Accept Him today....don't put it off.
I remember the train from St. Andrews to MacAdam in New Brunswick and then transferring to a larger more comfortable one from there to Toronto. In those days they were still coal-fired steam driven engines, kind of romantic, don't you think? In a way it was an exciting adventure, had we not been missing home so much. But we hung in for six Months until winter had passed and in the spring of 1952 mother announced that we would be going home..oh joy! Oh happy day! Home to Campobello, back to the Nubble to roam the beach and row a dory again. WE COULD HARDLY WAIT!
There is one memory of Woodbridge that stands out stronger than all others and that is the night that I accepted the
Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. It was the preaching of the cross that convicted me of my sin and caused me to repent and receive His forgiveness. It is that same preaching of the Word that will cause men and women and young people to repent in our present day. It is powerful, this preached Word...it has the power to change lives from a sinner to a born again saint of God. A person might not look like a saint, whatever your concept of a saint might look like, but if he or she has accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, there will be enough of a difference in their living that you will know they are born again by the Spirit of God
Everything about them will be different. The great Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Corinthians as found in 2 Cor. 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new."
Yes it was the power of preaching the message of the cross that changed my life and is still creating a hope within my soul that someday I shall see Him. It is a hope that the Apostle John says purifies us. 1 John 3:2,3 "Beloved , now are we the children of God; and it has net been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope n Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." The power of the preaching of the cross is still the same today. Accept Him today....don't put it off.
Monday, November 9, 2009
The preaching of the cross
As I was preparing a study in the epistle of James for Tuesday night's Bible study, the scripture found in 1 Cor. 1:18 came to my mind and I want to share it with you today. Paul says "For the message of the cross is foolishness to them that are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." And as I write this blog entry this a.m. Dr. Kutty and his dear wife are in India with a passionate call on their lives for that country preaching the message of the cross because it is the power of God unto salvation. Bishop Mohanty is spreading the Word, the message of the cross in another part of India because it is the power of God unto salvation, and because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men. verse 25
The French's left a comfortable home in N.B. to go and live in slightly less than the comfort they were used to, in fact it is considerably less comfort than what they were used to living in. Why? Because the preaching of the cross is the power of God for saving souls from sin and hell. I think of Sister Isabel who gave her life on a mission field that many times was a hard field but today there are churches planted there who are still preaching the message of the cross. Remember that they who are perishing thought she was foolish but she was used as a handmaiden of the Lord to bring this message to a lost world.
There are some ladies in Mali, Africa today who are working in 37 celsius heat, under the auspices of Medical Missions International headed up by Sister Madeleine; they have left the comforts of home and are spending their own money to bring healing and comfort to people who have nothing in this world's goods. They are dressing open wounds and sores that smell badly and look repulsive but they are bringing Christ and the message of the cross to these predominantly Muslim people who have never had this kind of love shown to them before. Why? It is because of the preaching of the cross.
My mind takes me to Barcelona where Armando and Consuelo with their sons have built a large congregation of young believers from children that they witnessed to in the parks and today it is a vibrant work of God. Why did they go from their native country of Columbia where believe it or not the Gospel is readily accepted and the Pentecostal church is one of if not the fastest growing churches in that country and go to Spain where every convert has to be extracted it seems, where folks are apethetic to say the least, it takes years sometimes to see one convert. I'm talking about the preaching of the cross. And every Christian could and should be a preacher. Paul said , "we preach Christ crucified" and that is still the only message this world needs to hear.
The French's left a comfortable home in N.B. to go and live in slightly less than the comfort they were used to, in fact it is considerably less comfort than what they were used to living in. Why? Because the preaching of the cross is the power of God for saving souls from sin and hell. I think of Sister Isabel who gave her life on a mission field that many times was a hard field but today there are churches planted there who are still preaching the message of the cross. Remember that they who are perishing thought she was foolish but she was used as a handmaiden of the Lord to bring this message to a lost world.
There are some ladies in Mali, Africa today who are working in 37 celsius heat, under the auspices of Medical Missions International headed up by Sister Madeleine; they have left the comforts of home and are spending their own money to bring healing and comfort to people who have nothing in this world's goods. They are dressing open wounds and sores that smell badly and look repulsive but they are bringing Christ and the message of the cross to these predominantly Muslim people who have never had this kind of love shown to them before. Why? It is because of the preaching of the cross.
My mind takes me to Barcelona where Armando and Consuelo with their sons have built a large congregation of young believers from children that they witnessed to in the parks and today it is a vibrant work of God. Why did they go from their native country of Columbia where believe it or not the Gospel is readily accepted and the Pentecostal church is one of if not the fastest growing churches in that country and go to Spain where every convert has to be extracted it seems, where folks are apethetic to say the least, it takes years sometimes to see one convert. I'm talking about the preaching of the cross. And every Christian could and should be a preacher. Paul said , "we preach Christ crucified" and that is still the only message this world needs to hear.
Friday, October 30, 2009
James ch. 5, vs. 16b. The prayer of faith
Our most powerful weapon
I have been writing a lot about James in this blog(I’m talking about the epistle). Tradition tells us that James spent a lot of his waking hours on his knees in prayer to God. Prayer is putting faith into action; prayer can be a lot of work sometimes…it requires human effort. Romans 8:26,27 lets us know that the Holy Spirit will help us pray…”Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
The King James calls it “groanings which cannot be uttered”
Groaning in the Spirit….I think that is what James is referring to when he said “the effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much”……ch. 5 vs. 16b.
That is the greatest and most effective thing we can do in our churches, reestablish the prayer room. I’m talking about the kind of prayer that gets heaven’s attention…the kind of prayer, faith believing prayer that moves the hand of God.
Oh’ you say a person needs to be quiet before the Lord Do you think Elijah was quiet when he called down fire from heaven and God answered with fire? I’ll bet there was a lot of shouting , in fact the Bible says that there was a lot of shouting as the Israelites saw what God was doing . They were shouting aloud, “The Lord He is God…the Lord, He is God.” In the early days of Pentecost in our city, meetings were marked with shouts of victory and folks prayed aloud in effectual fervent praying; faith believing praying. Even years later, it was like that.Yes, there is always a time to be quiet before the Lord but I think our prayers have been silenced long enough, let’s return to that fervency that James refers to in his letter to the twelve tribes scattered abroad.
I have been writing a lot about James in this blog(I’m talking about the epistle). Tradition tells us that James spent a lot of his waking hours on his knees in prayer to God. Prayer is putting faith into action; prayer can be a lot of work sometimes…it requires human effort. Romans 8:26,27 lets us know that the Holy Spirit will help us pray…”Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
The King James calls it “groanings which cannot be uttered”
Groaning in the Spirit….I think that is what James is referring to when he said “the effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much”……ch. 5 vs. 16b.
That is the greatest and most effective thing we can do in our churches, reestablish the prayer room. I’m talking about the kind of prayer that gets heaven’s attention…the kind of prayer, faith believing prayer that moves the hand of God.
Oh’ you say a person needs to be quiet before the Lord Do you think Elijah was quiet when he called down fire from heaven and God answered with fire? I’ll bet there was a lot of shouting , in fact the Bible says that there was a lot of shouting as the Israelites saw what God was doing . They were shouting aloud, “The Lord He is God…the Lord, He is God.” In the early days of Pentecost in our city, meetings were marked with shouts of victory and folks prayed aloud in effectual fervent praying; faith believing praying. Even years later, it was like that.Yes, there is always a time to be quiet before the Lord but I think our prayers have been silenced long enough, let’s return to that fervency that James refers to in his letter to the twelve tribes scattered abroad.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Righteousness; the fruit
"Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace, James 3:18. In the 4th. chapter of James epistle he is talking about wars and fights. Now it is important to remember that the people that he is addressing are primarily Christians, and yet he speaks of wars and fights coming from among them. Look at these verses and consider where you are today. Consider the church today in North America, perhaps the one you attend. Verse 1 says these wars and fights come from within, that is from our own desires for pleasure and in verses 2&3 we see James describing a deplorable condition that existed, one of lust and murder and asking amiss(not in the will of God) and verse #4 just gets worse naming some as adulterers and adultresses. He concludes this by saying that friendship with the world is to be an enemy of God.
I started this entry by quoting from verse 18 of chapter 3, "Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." Backing up just a little to verse 16, "For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there."Direct opposites, the fruit of righteousness and envy and self-seeking. The fruit of righteousness is sown; it has to be planted first, that's how you grow things; perhaps I should say that is how God grows things, we sow the seed and He does the growing. We sow seeds of peace and He grows the fruit of righteousness in us. To sow something, in this instance seeds of peace requires work, "faith without works is dead." Jesus said in John's gospel, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Christianity is not passive, grace is not passive, you must ask for His grace and it is power, power to live an effective Christian life. Keep on believing and be encouraged to walk close to Him at all times.
I started this entry by quoting from verse 18 of chapter 3, "Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." Backing up just a little to verse 16, "For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there."Direct opposites, the fruit of righteousness and envy and self-seeking. The fruit of righteousness is sown; it has to be planted first, that's how you grow things; perhaps I should say that is how God grows things, we sow the seed and He does the growing. We sow seeds of peace and He grows the fruit of righteousness in us. To sow something, in this instance seeds of peace requires work, "faith without works is dead." Jesus said in John's gospel, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Christianity is not passive, grace is not passive, you must ask for His grace and it is power, power to live an effective Christian life. Keep on believing and be encouraged to walk close to Him at all times.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Looking at James and Salvation by works
You may think that my title contradicts what I have said in past blogs, that being salvation is through grace and grace alone, not of works says the apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians.. Those verses are found in Ephesians 2:8,9:” For by grace are you saved through faith, and that (faith) not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, 9/ not of works lest anyone should boast.” My title therefore is some what misleading because I for one do believe that salvation is a free gift of God bought for me “by the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without blemish “
But is James really saying that we are saved by works or is he in agreement with all the other Bible writers who say that we are saved by faith and His marvelous grace? James is talking to Christians already saved and he is essentially telling them the same thing as Paul tells the Philippians in chapter 2:12-17
Philippians 2:12-17 (New Living Translation)
Shine Brightly for Christ
12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God,[a] just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.
Pretty well says it all, don’t you think? Not much I can add except that James and Paul are both talking to Christians(as one lady said in Bible study the other night, “Christian is the key word), people who are already saved and working because they want to, because of their love for Jesus. That is what James means when he says “faith without works is dead because it is inactive.(my word)
Haven’t heard from that many people of late via comments in the blog space, although folks have e-mailed and told med personally that they read the blog and get something from it however I would encourage you to offer a comment.
Salutations…..RC
But is James really saying that we are saved by works or is he in agreement with all the other Bible writers who say that we are saved by faith and His marvelous grace? James is talking to Christians already saved and he is essentially telling them the same thing as Paul tells the Philippians in chapter 2:12-17
Philippians 2:12-17 (New Living Translation)
Shine Brightly for Christ
12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God,[a] just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.
Pretty well says it all, don’t you think? Not much I can add except that James and Paul are both talking to Christians(as one lady said in Bible study the other night, “Christian is the key word), people who are already saved and working because they want to, because of their love for Jesus. That is what James means when he says “faith without works is dead because it is inactive.(my word)
Haven’t heard from that many people of late via comments in the blog space, although folks have e-mailed and told med personally that they read the blog and get something from it however I would encourage you to offer a comment.
Salutations…..RC
Thursday, September 24, 2009
More from the epistle from James
More from James' letter to the dispersed Jewish Christians. The other day we were sitting in the Vancouver I'ntl airport and waiting for our flight that would take us to Fairbanks, Alaska. As I was sitting there, my mind went to the verse in chapter two that says, "as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." It is true that when the body dies, the spirit of that body goes back to God and the body is truly dead.
James, here has compared the body,first part of the equation no.1 to the faith we all have been given in equation no. 2, and he compares in equation no. 1 the spirit to works in equation 2 , in other words just as the spirit gives life to the body...so works makes our faith come alive. Let me repeat what James is saying here. He is saying that works is the life that faith requires.Think on this for a while and let the Holy Spirit guide you.
Now I would have thought when considering these things that James would associate the body with works and the spirit with faith, (remember the spirit gives life) but he uses this illustration to show us that faith is useless until you put it to work. He says in verse 18, "but someone will say , you have faith and I have works." Remember the old secular song, "love and marriage...you can't have one without the other?" Well that is faith and works, you can't have faith without works....you can however have works without faith and that's no good either. You must have both says James. Abraham had both and he was called the friend of God. Rahab was a hooker and she was justified by her works because she acted in faith when she received the spies. So you need to believe but you need to act on it also. It can be action by prayer. We all say the church needs revival but if we do not repent and if we do not pray earnestly, then nothing happens. James uses another example in chapter 5 and it is just what I am saying....Elijah was a man just like we are and he prayed. We will consider this in a later blog.
James, here has compared the body,first part of the equation no.1 to the faith we all have been given in equation no. 2, and he compares in equation no. 1 the spirit to works in equation 2 , in other words just as the spirit gives life to the body...so works makes our faith come alive. Let me repeat what James is saying here. He is saying that works is the life that faith requires.Think on this for a while and let the Holy Spirit guide you.
Now I would have thought when considering these things that James would associate the body with works and the spirit with faith, (remember the spirit gives life) but he uses this illustration to show us that faith is useless until you put it to work. He says in verse 18, "but someone will say , you have faith and I have works." Remember the old secular song, "love and marriage...you can't have one without the other?" Well that is faith and works, you can't have faith without works....you can however have works without faith and that's no good either. You must have both says James. Abraham had both and he was called the friend of God. Rahab was a hooker and she was justified by her works because she acted in faith when she received the spies. So you need to believe but you need to act on it also. It can be action by prayer. We all say the church needs revival but if we do not repent and if we do not pray earnestly, then nothing happens. James uses another example in chapter 5 and it is just what I am saying....Elijah was a man just like we are and he prayed. We will consider this in a later blog.
Monday, September 14, 2009
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Part 2: A BIG GOD
As I said in my last entry, we have a big God and He has lots and lots of grace, immeasurable whereas Denali is measureable, 6.2 million acres , Alaska is measurable, but God’s grace cannot be measured by any standard of measurement known to man. In Alaska, because of it’s rich oil reserves, each resident receives a dividend check every year. God has a dividend for you and I because of the riches of His grace and it is available because of the shed blood of Jesus to everyone. on the planet , but you must ask for it. It seems like a lot of people come to the north for various reasons…perhaps to escape the so-called rat race of the south or for many other reasons, maybe just modern living pressures and Alaska is a big place to sort of hide in and really get away from it all. Some people think they can commit sin and try to excuse their sin using GOD’S grace, but it doesn’t work that way. John says that if we sin we have an advocate with the Father, the man Christ Jesus, and he also tells us that if we confess our sins that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That is grace. But we cannot use grace as an occasion to sin, we have to be sincere and forsake sin in our flesh. Maybe James has these thoughts in mind when he talks about faith without works being dead,; when he talks about being doers of the Word and not just hearers; when he talks about being tempted by our own lusts and when he tells us to lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, or the implanted word of God. When he tells us that we need to bridle our tongues. Jesus said to the woman who had committed adultery, “go and sin n more.” FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD”
Saturday, September 12, 2009
A BIG GOD
We are in Alaska and have just returned from Denali Notional park It is beautiful and it is vast covering 6.2 million acres. It is also untapped. It reminds me of the grace of God....vast and beautiful and untapped by most people. A lot of the people we met here i Alaska are from some other state or country originally. In Newfoundland they call everybody that is not from there, people from way. it seems that an awful lot of people are like that, spiritually speaking far from God..people from away.We were all like that before we met Jesus, before H came into our lives. It's like Denali, until you go there and experience it you will never know just how great it is. That is like the grace of God, until you experience it you will never know how great He really is.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Body or spirit?
While sitting in Vancouver International airprt, my thoughts went to the epistle of James chapter 2 where it says in verse 17, "as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." It is true what James says about the body, we know that when the spirit leaves the body, there is a death So also it is true what James asserts that just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead. But do you see the lesson James is giving us? THE COMPARISON? Faith equals body and spirit equals works. Now I would have thought of the body as a likeness of works , but James equates the spirit as works. In other words once works come into the picture and energizes the spirit, life occurs; body without spirit equals faith without works it becomes dead in either case. Jesus said to go and produce fruit that would remain. Faith without works is dead
Monday, August 31, 2009
Is this works or fruit? Or both?
Is this works or fruit? Or both?
If you read very much of what I write in this blog, you will probably guess that I am a King James man KJV or NKJV. But I am not opposed to some of the newer versions of the Bible either and one in particular that I sometimes like is the New Living Translation or the NLT. However the KJV is still the benchmark for me.
This entry today asks,”is this works or fruit? Or both?” I want to give you an example from the same verses that I used last entry. (At least some of the verses.) And I’m quoting from the NLT. James 1:19-26
James 1:19-26 (New Living Translation)
Listening and Doing
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger[a] does not produce the righteousness[b] God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.
Then there is another portion here in James’ epistle James 3:11-18 (New Living Translation)
11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.[a]
True Wisdom Comes from God
13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
17 but the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness .
Over in the letter that Paul writes to the church in Galatia we see the works of the flesh contrasted by the fruit of the Spirit, again reading from the NLTGalatians 5:13-26 (New Living Translation)
13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[a] 15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
Living by the Spirit’s Power
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
18 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
Paul describes what is meant by the works of the flesh, that being our sinful nature and also lists what the fruit of the Spirit consists of. Keep in mind that this is not the sum total of these fruits, there are more than just these nine but they all fall into these categories, at least that is my belief. I believe James is really talking about fruit when he refers to works…our good works or deeds are accomplished because of the work of the Holy Spirit in us producing a harvest in us. Just look at verse 22 of Galatians 5 again, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives” It is the work of the Spirit within that helps us to do these works that James refers to. So, James says……”faith without works is dead?” You betcha…it takes the Spirit of Almighty God within cultivating and working us into a spiritual kind of garden that produces good works or good fruit. If you believe this why not send me a comment on the comment form or even an e-mail saying whether you like what I write or tell me if you don’t like it if that is the case. My e-mail is atlmiss@nbnet.nb.ca
.
If you read very much of what I write in this blog, you will probably guess that I am a King James man KJV or NKJV. But I am not opposed to some of the newer versions of the Bible either and one in particular that I sometimes like is the New Living Translation or the NLT. However the KJV is still the benchmark for me.
This entry today asks,”is this works or fruit? Or both?” I want to give you an example from the same verses that I used last entry. (At least some of the verses.) And I’m quoting from the NLT. James 1:19-26
James 1:19-26 (New Living Translation)
Listening and Doing
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger[a] does not produce the righteousness[b] God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.
Then there is another portion here in James’ epistle James 3:11-18 (New Living Translation)
11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.[a]
True Wisdom Comes from God
13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
17 but the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness .
Over in the letter that Paul writes to the church in Galatia we see the works of the flesh contrasted by the fruit of the Spirit, again reading from the NLTGalatians 5:13-26 (New Living Translation)
13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[a] 15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
Living by the Spirit’s Power
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
18 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
Paul describes what is meant by the works of the flesh, that being our sinful nature and also lists what the fruit of the Spirit consists of. Keep in mind that this is not the sum total of these fruits, there are more than just these nine but they all fall into these categories, at least that is my belief. I believe James is really talking about fruit when he refers to works…our good works or deeds are accomplished because of the work of the Holy Spirit in us producing a harvest in us. Just look at verse 22 of Galatians 5 again, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives” It is the work of the Spirit within that helps us to do these works that James refers to. So, James says……”faith without works is dead?” You betcha…it takes the Spirit of Almighty God within cultivating and working us into a spiritual kind of garden that produces good works or good fruit. If you believe this why not send me a comment on the comment form or even an e-mail saying whether you like what I write or tell me if you don’t like it if that is the case. My e-mail is atlmiss@nbnet.nb.ca
.
Friday, August 28, 2009
in the time of trouble it helps
When troubles trouble us it helps to know God, As a matter of fact it makes a world of difference. And to know what His Word says as well you can depend upon .Here in the book of James chapter 1, verses 19 & 20 it tells me ho w to avoid trouble,; trouble that we can get ourselves in by our own actions. Some folks have even stopped going to church altogether because of imperfections they see in other people, but that too is not right. So let me read these two verses from the epistle of James.."So then, my beloved brethren, ( what a beautiful title to be called, beloved brethren ), let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. ( perhaps the most important of all ) verse 20 says, "for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God." Think before you speak; later in the epistle we will see what Pastor James has to say further about the tongue. In fact James writes a lot concerning the tongue. "Again from verse #20, "THE WRATH OF MAN equals 0 % of God's righteousness. So let us once again as the epistle admonishes us. "be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath." It will save us a whole lot of trouble and heartache if we apply this formula when we feel anger rising up within us...
Saturday, August 22, 2009
More from James, Pastor First Pentecostal, Jerusalem, Israel
Part 2: be a doer.
I’ve often had a struggle with this word from James’ epistle, this part that tells me to be a doer not just a hearer. After all does Paul not say in Ephesians 2: 8 that it is by grace that we are saved through faith and it is not works that saves us?
The old hymn writer penned it so well “nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to thy cross I cling” What is it about humans, they want to have a set of rules so that they can work out their salvation by themselves. Oh they say that it is all of grace but they or should I say we still try to live up to some kind of creed or some law and that word is the key….law. James said “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. He is talking about a law of liberty, not a bondage but freedom, not creeds or rules but liberty. We do because we love, not because we have to but because we want to and another part of the key is the word continue…saved by grace, yes! Kept by the continual process of prayer and the reading f the Word and by doing what the Word says.
Being a doer is not a chore buy rather a joy where Jesus is,,,once again the words from James “count it all joy” you can do that if you are a doer. Salvation is a free gift from God, it's true however if you are truly born again by the Spirit of God you need to continue in His Word to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Another hymn declares "trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus , but to trust and obey." The verse says "when in fellowship sweet, we will sit at His feet, or we'll walk by His side in the way, what He says we will do"..."doers, not hearers only."
gned to change your
life and mine as well. He talks about a whole range
I’ve often had a struggle with this word from James’ epistle, this part that tells me to be a doer not just a hearer. After all does Paul not say in Ephesians 2: 8 that it is by grace that we are saved through faith and it is not works that saves us?
The old hymn writer penned it so well “nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to thy cross I cling” What is it about humans, they want to have a set of rules so that they can work out their salvation by themselves. Oh they say that it is all of grace but they or should I say we still try to live up to some kind of creed or some law and that word is the key….law. James said “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. He is talking about a law of liberty, not a bondage but freedom, not creeds or rules but liberty. We do because we love, not because we have to but because we want to and another part of the key is the word continue…saved by grace, yes! Kept by the continual process of prayer and the reading f the Word and by doing what the Word says.
Being a doer is not a chore buy rather a joy where Jesus is,,,once again the words from James “count it all joy” you can do that if you are a doer. Salvation is a free gift from God, it's true however if you are truly born again by the Spirit of God you need to continue in His Word to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Another hymn declares "trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus , but to trust and obey." The verse says "when in fellowship sweet, we will sit at His feet, or we'll walk by His side in the way, what He says we will do"..."doers, not hearers only."
gned to change your
life and mine as well. He talks about a whole range
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
be a doer
“Fret not thyself” or be a doer
I am approaching this study in James’s epistle from a some what unorthodox angle…but then I have always done that in any study I suppose. Rather than a verse by verse, I feel to apply the epistle to our life struggles and perhaps that will mean running around a little through this epistle. Anyway here goes my thoughts for this entry.
When I read this first chapter it seems as though James jumps from topic to topic as well.and a thought came to me from Psalm 37. Verse 1 says, “Fret not thyself”
If we were writing this to a friend say, we would probably say it like this: “don’t sweat the small stuff.” That’s the modern saying. Now James isn’t talking about small stuff, however. He’s discussing some pretty big issues. For example in verses 19-27, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters; (I am reading from the New Living Translation) You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry.” Wouldn’t we save ourselves one pile of trouble if we approached our problems with this attitude? Sort of a carry over from verse 3
This time from the New King James; “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” Now back to the NLT and verse 20 “Human anger does not produce the righteousness, God desires. 21: So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the Word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
22 But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the Word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget What you look like. 23 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. 26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are only fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless “ You can read the rest for yourself. James says be doers, David in Psalm 37 says “don’t fret” And you and I if we follow their advice can truly say “don’t sweat the small stuff.”Let your faith be unwavering. Proverbs 3, 5,6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path."
I am approaching this study in James’s epistle from a some what unorthodox angle…but then I have always done that in any study I suppose. Rather than a verse by verse, I feel to apply the epistle to our life struggles and perhaps that will mean running around a little through this epistle. Anyway here goes my thoughts for this entry.
When I read this first chapter it seems as though James jumps from topic to topic as well.and a thought came to me from Psalm 37. Verse 1 says, “Fret not thyself”
If we were writing this to a friend say, we would probably say it like this: “don’t sweat the small stuff.” That’s the modern saying. Now James isn’t talking about small stuff, however. He’s discussing some pretty big issues. For example in verses 19-27, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters; (I am reading from the New Living Translation) You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry.” Wouldn’t we save ourselves one pile of trouble if we approached our problems with this attitude? Sort of a carry over from verse 3
This time from the New King James; “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” Now back to the NLT and verse 20 “Human anger does not produce the righteousness, God desires. 21: So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the Word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
22 But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the Word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget What you look like. 23 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. 26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are only fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless “ You can read the rest for yourself. James says be doers, David in Psalm 37 says “don’t fret” And you and I if we follow their advice can truly say “don’t sweat the small stuff.”Let your faith be unwavering. Proverbs 3, 5,6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path."
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The epistle of James
The epistle of James has inspired my blog writing over the past few entries and it is this book and these thoughts that will be the foundation of my portion or contribution to the home group study at the church house. This will probably start in late October.
However if you wish to get a head start, you will find it all here. That is not to say that this blog will be just about the epistle of James. I will discuss other subjects as in the past from time to time. But for today, it is the book of James.
James puts faith into action by proving the old saying “ actions speak louder than words.” He says “shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” Yes, James is saying that faith without works is useless. And it is true that we can believe for God to answer prayer but unless we act on that faith what is accomplished? Mental assent to a truth is not real faith just by itself. There needs to be a balanced walk of faith. In the salvation of a soul, until that person takes a step of faith and asks God to save them and truly repents and casts their burden on the Lord, nothing changes. That is the key word…change. When a man or a woman truly repents and is born again by the Spirit of God, there will be a change in that person’s life and it will reflect in their lifestyle. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth and said “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things become new.”
Once again we see James and Paul in total agreement.
James discusses a whole list of things that Christians and non Christians face and they are detrimental to our Christian walk and he gives us directions on how to avoid these pitfalls, if you will. He says that you ought to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. This epistle or letter to those Christians who were driven from Jerusalem and dispersed throughout the world of that time is also for our benefit today and the list includes wisdom as well as pride, discrimination, greed, lust, hypocrisy, worldliness and slander to name a few. He talks about drawing nearer to God and that is an area that we always need to strive for. We will take our time with these subjects as long as the Lord directs us to.
I have touched on the subject of joy in trials and wisdom through faith that is unwavering and a few other areas, I think, however we will come back to these subjects as we feel led to do so. This portion today is a kind of belated introduction to my thoughts on the book of James. As always, I welcome your comments, which by the way have been sparse of late.
However if you wish to get a head start, you will find it all here. That is not to say that this blog will be just about the epistle of James. I will discuss other subjects as in the past from time to time. But for today, it is the book of James.
James puts faith into action by proving the old saying “ actions speak louder than words.” He says “shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” Yes, James is saying that faith without works is useless. And it is true that we can believe for God to answer prayer but unless we act on that faith what is accomplished? Mental assent to a truth is not real faith just by itself. There needs to be a balanced walk of faith. In the salvation of a soul, until that person takes a step of faith and asks God to save them and truly repents and casts their burden on the Lord, nothing changes. That is the key word…change. When a man or a woman truly repents and is born again by the Spirit of God, there will be a change in that person’s life and it will reflect in their lifestyle. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth and said “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things become new.”
Once again we see James and Paul in total agreement.
James discusses a whole list of things that Christians and non Christians face and they are detrimental to our Christian walk and he gives us directions on how to avoid these pitfalls, if you will. He says that you ought to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. This epistle or letter to those Christians who were driven from Jerusalem and dispersed throughout the world of that time is also for our benefit today and the list includes wisdom as well as pride, discrimination, greed, lust, hypocrisy, worldliness and slander to name a few. He talks about drawing nearer to God and that is an area that we always need to strive for. We will take our time with these subjects as long as the Lord directs us to.
I have touched on the subject of joy in trials and wisdom through faith that is unwavering and a few other areas, I think, however we will come back to these subjects as we feel led to do so. This portion today is a kind of belated introduction to my thoughts on the book of James. As always, I welcome your comments, which by the way have been sparse of late.
Friday, August 7, 2009
A world without faith
A WORLD WITHOUT FAITH
Without faith it is impossible to please God. That is a fact. There is no way, it is utterly impossible to please Him without faith. You can’t bribe Him, you can’t coax Him and you absolutely cannot coerce Him, though some have tried and failed. Some folks have tried to please him on their own merits, like a kind of resume to offer to him. “I have worked for such and such organization, as though our good deeds merited us favor with God. Perhaps someone may be heavily involved with humanitarian aid groups or even involved in missions or the church in worship leading and all this is good, but it don’t impress God not even a little bit. You can do all that and still not have faith. Hebrews 11:6 states it thus, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is , and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
You see in the previous verse the writer had just given an example of a guy by the name of Enoch of whom it was said that he pleased God. Let me share the verse with you, verse 5. “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and he was not found because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. And James says, “let him ask in faith” Now James is talking about asking God for wisdom and it is in that context that he says “let him ask in faith, nothing doubting.” Do you think it is any different if you ask for healing for example or for the infilling of God’s Holy Spirit? No, because he brings it all in to context in verse 17 of James chapter 1 when he says that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning.” Surely we would not ask God for something that is not good and perfect, would we?
We live in a world without faith, a world that is cynical, logical, where seeing is believing, instead of the other way around. Jesus said that if we had faith as a grain of mustard seed that we could say unto a mountain, “be removed and cast into the sea” And it shall be done! “Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees and looks to God alone, laughs at impossibilities’ and cries it shall be done”
Remember Bill Clinton when he was called before the impeachment tribunal? When asked to explain his actions, one of his statements went something like this: “it depends on what the meaning of the word is, is.” This coming from the President of the United States. The writer to the Hebrews knew what the meaning of the word is, is, when he said “he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”…God is always present tense Is, means present tense.
It is noteworthy to read Genesis 5:24. “And Enoch walked with God; and he was not for God took him” and as we read in Hebrews 11:5, he pleased God. It is more than a one time event, faith is, it is a daily walk with God, a lifestyle if you will, it is a walk of faith…every day.
You can walk in a world without faith if you want to, but I choose to walk in faith that is centered in a Person, that being God Almighty embodied in the Lord Jesus Christ. And that is what this epistle is all about. Faith that is active, faith that works.
Without faith it is impossible to please God. That is a fact. There is no way, it is utterly impossible to please Him without faith. You can’t bribe Him, you can’t coax Him and you absolutely cannot coerce Him, though some have tried and failed. Some folks have tried to please him on their own merits, like a kind of resume to offer to him. “I have worked for such and such organization, as though our good deeds merited us favor with God. Perhaps someone may be heavily involved with humanitarian aid groups or even involved in missions or the church in worship leading and all this is good, but it don’t impress God not even a little bit. You can do all that and still not have faith. Hebrews 11:6 states it thus, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is , and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
You see in the previous verse the writer had just given an example of a guy by the name of Enoch of whom it was said that he pleased God. Let me share the verse with you, verse 5. “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and he was not found because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. And James says, “let him ask in faith” Now James is talking about asking God for wisdom and it is in that context that he says “let him ask in faith, nothing doubting.” Do you think it is any different if you ask for healing for example or for the infilling of God’s Holy Spirit? No, because he brings it all in to context in verse 17 of James chapter 1 when he says that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning.” Surely we would not ask God for something that is not good and perfect, would we?
We live in a world without faith, a world that is cynical, logical, where seeing is believing, instead of the other way around. Jesus said that if we had faith as a grain of mustard seed that we could say unto a mountain, “be removed and cast into the sea” And it shall be done! “Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees and looks to God alone, laughs at impossibilities’ and cries it shall be done”
Remember Bill Clinton when he was called before the impeachment tribunal? When asked to explain his actions, one of his statements went something like this: “it depends on what the meaning of the word is, is.” This coming from the President of the United States. The writer to the Hebrews knew what the meaning of the word is, is, when he said “he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”…God is always present tense Is, means present tense.
It is noteworthy to read Genesis 5:24. “And Enoch walked with God; and he was not for God took him” and as we read in Hebrews 11:5, he pleased God. It is more than a one time event, faith is, it is a daily walk with God, a lifestyle if you will, it is a walk of faith…every day.
You can walk in a world without faith if you want to, but I choose to walk in faith that is centered in a Person, that being God Almighty embodied in the Lord Jesus Christ. And that is what this epistle is all about. Faith that is active, faith that works.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The fear of the LORD
GETTING BACK TO OUR STUDY IN THE BOOK OF James(WHICH BY THE WAY WILL BE OUR STUDY BOOK THIS FALL IN THE CHURCH HOUSE, AND THESE BLOGS WILL PROVIDE A BASE FOR THAT STUDY), i WOULD LIKE TO READDRESS THE SUBJECT OF WISDOM AGAIN.
James said "if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God(for it). Make no mistake....God is the source of all wisdom.
The Bible says that Jesus Christ is both the wisdom of God as well as the power of God. Nevertheless God uses people in whom He has put in their hearts the Spirit of wisdom to help others, Here are some scripture verses from the book of Proverbs that point this out. Prov.11:14 " Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Proverbs 15:22Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.Proverbs 24:6For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. Here we see how God can use others to help us make the right choice. Also God has filled certain individuals with a Spirit of wisdom. Such was the case in the building of the Tabernacle that God instructed Moses to build in order that the children of Israel might have a place prepared where God would come down and meet them. Such a man was Bezalel. Exodus 31:1-3 (King James Version)
Exodus 31
1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
3And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship. There is one underlying truth in all this that we need to understand and that truth is found in
Psalm 111:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.Psalm 111:9-10 (in Context) Psalm 111 (Whole Chapter)
Proverbs 1:7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.Proverbs 1:6-8 (in Context) Proverbs 1 (Whole Chapter)
Proverbs 9:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. It says "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom(and knowledge); it is talking about a reverential kind of fear that fools have no knowledge of. You must reverence God...everything is not a big joke! it is time to get serious about God. Fools are void of understanding and of wisdom, they are like the waves of the sea that James discusses, tossed and driven, vacillating, up and down, a faith that wavers and that is not faith at all. "Let not that man suppose that he
will receive anything from the Lord."..."he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Where is your priority this morning? Is it in everyday earthly mundane legitimate things or is it in God? "Ask", Jesus said, "and ye shall receive"
James said "if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God(for it). Make no mistake....God is the source of all wisdom.
The Bible says that Jesus Christ is both the wisdom of God as well as the power of God. Nevertheless God uses people in whom He has put in their hearts the Spirit of wisdom to help others, Here are some scripture verses from the book of Proverbs that point this out. Prov.11:14 " Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Proverbs 15:22Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.Proverbs 24:6For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. Here we see how God can use others to help us make the right choice. Also God has filled certain individuals with a Spirit of wisdom. Such was the case in the building of the Tabernacle that God instructed Moses to build in order that the children of Israel might have a place prepared where God would come down and meet them. Such a man was Bezalel. Exodus 31:1-3 (King James Version)
Exodus 31
1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
3And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship. There is one underlying truth in all this that we need to understand and that truth is found in
Psalm 111:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.Psalm 111:9-10 (in Context) Psalm 111 (Whole Chapter)
Proverbs 1:7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.Proverbs 1:6-8 (in Context) Proverbs 1 (Whole Chapter)
Proverbs 9:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. It says "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom(and knowledge); it is talking about a reverential kind of fear that fools have no knowledge of. You must reverence God...everything is not a big joke! it is time to get serious about God. Fools are void of understanding and of wisdom, they are like the waves of the sea that James discusses, tossed and driven, vacillating, up and down, a faith that wavers and that is not faith at all. "Let not that man suppose that he
will receive anything from the Lord."..."he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Where is your priority this morning? Is it in everyday earthly mundane legitimate things or is it in God? "Ask", Jesus said, "and ye shall receive"
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Return: Isa. 55:6,7
This morning I'm torn, torn between continuing with the lessons from the epistle of James and on the other side the
prompting of the Holy Spirit to consider another theme, at least for today. So I am choosing the Spirit's prompting and I refer to the verses I have listed in Isaiah chapter 55 above.: Seek the LORD while He may yet be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him, And to our God for He will abundantly pardon All throughout the pages of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is this common thread running from cover to cover "Return to Me" Repent, turn from the direction in which you are going, from the path you have chosen, the path that leads to destruction and choose to follow the Lord Jesus Christ and He will abundantly pardon. You may say ....but I can't understand it this message of salvation, why Jesus had to die in myplace, I don't understand any of it. I will lose friends if I repent and accept Jesus as my savior. What have you got to lose by accepting Christ? By not accepting Him you will lose everything and you will spend eternity in an unspeakable place, a place of unimaginable torment. Return to Him today, don't put it off any longer. Return to the God of your childhood, return to the God of your fathers, return to church where you have the fellowship of others, others just like you ...sinners who have been saved by the grace of Almighty God.If you are having a hard time believing then pray like the man in Mark 9:24 who said, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. That quote from the King James translation. In a more modern language version it reads, "" I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief." Ask Him to reveal Himself to you today and He will; invite Him into your heart today.
prompting of the Holy Spirit to consider another theme, at least for today. So I am choosing the Spirit's prompting and I refer to the verses I have listed in Isaiah chapter 55 above.: Seek the LORD while He may yet be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him, And to our God for He will abundantly pardon All throughout the pages of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is this common thread running from cover to cover "Return to Me" Repent, turn from the direction in which you are going, from the path you have chosen, the path that leads to destruction and choose to follow the Lord Jesus Christ and He will abundantly pardon. You may say ....but I can't understand it this message of salvation, why Jesus had to die in myplace, I don't understand any of it. I will lose friends if I repent and accept Jesus as my savior. What have you got to lose by accepting Christ? By not accepting Him you will lose everything and you will spend eternity in an unspeakable place, a place of unimaginable torment. Return to Him today, don't put it off any longer. Return to the God of your childhood, return to the God of your fathers, return to church where you have the fellowship of others, others just like you ...sinners who have been saved by the grace of Almighty God.If you are having a hard time believing then pray like the man in Mark 9:24 who said, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. That quote from the King James translation. In a more modern language version it reads, "" I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief." Ask Him to reveal Himself to you today and He will; invite Him into your heart today.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Wisdom and faith supernatural go togethers
1 Cor. 5:17 states, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." It is talking about the resurrection which every child of God will experience some day. That is the grander theme. However, I see in this passage a principle that we can use to apply to everyday life situations; situations in which we have come to the end of our proverbial rope and there does not seem to be a light at the end of our particular tunnel, it is then that we have to believe God and trust Him and walk in faith, not what we see. The problem many times is in knowing what to do, how to act in a given situation. And that is when we need wisdom and we need the knowledge about the situation, however, there are times when we mut make choices without any knowledge. That's where we have to depend upon the LORD, by His Holy Spirit to come to our side and give us His wisdom. That is why we need to believe God without doubting.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Unwavering faith produces wisdom
. James, that old prayer warrior pastor of the first church of Jerusalem so tradition or church history or both tell us, was asking God for wisdom one day and God said something like, "James, if you want wisdom, you will find it on your knees." (It was said of James that his knees were like camels knees, he spent so much time on them) James said it like this, " If any of you lack wisdom , let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." So wisdom comes by asking God, whether you are on your knees or sitting down or standing, it doesn't matter but what does matter is faith, faith is the key. The write of Hebrews said "without faith it is impossible to please God," in fact he says that he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." James carries it a step further and says. "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts, is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind for let not that man think that he will reeive anything from the Lord.. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. God has promised us wisdom....in the time of trouble, and as we shall see a little later, in the time of temptation also. There is no reason to be fretfting and worrying and wondering if God will answer. He will, if we ask in unwavering faith. Peter writes concerning the trial of your faitt.h..that it is much more precious than gold that perishes.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Speaking of trouble
This may end this series of posts, we shall see, but speaking of trouble, the world is heading for the greatest time of trouble mankind has ever known. It is a time that is marked by many signs. You can read about it in all the gospel writings with the exception of John's gospel. However John later on recorded the entire event for us to read about in the book of Revrelation,; it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ The briefest of th gospel account is probably the account found in Mark's Gospel the 13th. chapter. The inspiration for today's blog comes out of Wednesday's "in the gap" meeting that our Pastor led...he was reading and expounding from this chapter. Verse 20 of this chapter gives you some idea of what will take place, "And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days." It is the time referred to as the "Great Tribulation" and the world has never seen the like of it to date. So Jesus said, "Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. " vs.33 It is notable that nobody knows the day or the hour, and He is speaking here of His return
(backing up to verse 32) " "but OF THAT DAY AND HOUR NO ONE KNOWS, NOT EVEN THE ANGELS IN HEAVEN, NOR THE SON, BUT ONLY THE FATHER.
Which leads me to another point...if Jesus and the Father are one, as He told Phillip He was then how come the Father knows something that Jesus didn't? Jesus only used what He had learned as a man even though He was still GOD and one day He is going to come to this earth in a cloud and every eye IS GOING TO SEE HIM. That does not mean that every one will be ready,
this is speaking of the Second Coming of Christ which is a two part event. He will come back for His saints and then with His saints and that is when every eye will see Him. It is during this period that the world will experience the greatest trouble it has ever known. I suspect that there won't be much joy in those days. Jesus advice or perhaps I should say His instructions , are to "
" be on the watch...watch,watch, watch and pray." Do not allow anything to interfere with that...watch! Do not take your salvation for granted and do not forsake your first love...don't let it grow cold! Rejoice this morning and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near.
(backing up to verse 32) " "but OF THAT DAY AND HOUR NO ONE KNOWS, NOT EVEN THE ANGELS IN HEAVEN, NOR THE SON, BUT ONLY THE FATHER.
Which leads me to another point...if Jesus and the Father are one, as He told Phillip He was then how come the Father knows something that Jesus didn't? Jesus only used what He had learned as a man even though He was still GOD and one day He is going to come to this earth in a cloud and every eye IS GOING TO SEE HIM. That does not mean that every one will be ready,
this is speaking of the Second Coming of Christ which is a two part event. He will come back for His saints and then with His saints and that is when every eye will see Him. It is during this period that the world will experience the greatest trouble it has ever known. I suspect that there won't be much joy in those days. Jesus advice or perhaps I should say His instructions , are to "
" be on the watch...watch,watch, watch and pray." Do not allow anything to interfere with that...watch! Do not take your salvation for granted and do not forsake your first love...don't let it grow cold! Rejoice this morning and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Having joy in trouble
Impossible, y ou might say and I would agree with you if it weren't for this verse in James 1 verse 2, "my brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials." To have joy in trials and that means any trial...all kinds, requires great faith, more than just a mental assent, it requires faith like the grain of mustard seed, faith that will grow, unwavering faith like James talks about, faith that comes by hearing the Word of God and that includes reading it every day. It requires faith in a God Who is able to give joy in sorrow or whatever test may come your way. Just like the wisdom that Jeames talks about in verse 6, joy must be appropriated in the same way; "let him ask of God." Just as God will give you wisdom if you ask Him, God will also give joy and real joy does not depend on circumstance, it depends on God who never changes. Earthly, sensual, carnal joy(if there is such a thing ) depends on the circumstances at present It is transient, fleeting, a kind of happy feeling that only lasts while circumstance is in your favour. It is not real joy. That real joy only comes from God and it comes as we spend time in His presence. If you lack joy, perhaps you have never excperienced Jesus in your heart and life. You need to turn your life over to Him and He will give you joy and peace and happiness. A Spirit filled life should be a model of a joy filled life. Material blessings may bring a certain amount of contentment, if circumstances are just right, but they do not produce joy. Only Jesus can satisfy your soul. He will give you joy and peace like you have never known. Let Him come into your heart today, just ask Him and He will.
Monday, July 6, 2009
logic or faith?...
Faith versus logic; when you first look at what James is saying here in ch. 1 verse 2, it doesn't make sense, or so it would seem. After all what person in their right mind would actively seek out trouble. Any kind of trouble. After all you can have joy without trouble, in fact you can have your greatest joy when there isn't any trouble in your life...can't you? A trouble free life is a joyous life, isn't it? Andre Couch, a well known Gospel song writer (hope I spelled that name right) wrote a song a few years ago that says a lot about troubles and how we can learn from it. It goes something like this, "I've had many tears and sorrows, I've had questions for tomorrow, There's been times I've felt so all alone, But if I never had a problem, I'd never know that God could solve them, I'd never know what faith in God could do. THE CHORUS GOES ON TO SAY "THROUGH IT ALL ..I've learned to trust in Jesus, I've learned to trust in God..." James, that man whom tradition says spent most of his waking hours on his knees in prayer knew what patience in times of testing and trials(trouble) was all about. After all he was the pastor of a church full of converts that were there because of persecution, many had fled Jerusalem because of it, in fact this letter that bears his name was written to those twelve tribes which had been scattered abroad. You can read it in his salutation in verse 1.
Read verses 3 & 4, "knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4/But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect(mature) and complete, lacking nothing." I don't like trouble, I do not look for troubke but there are times when it looks for me and I suspect it is the same for you. However there is a principle involved here and it is an exercise in faith that was commented on in the previous entry by one of my readers that pointed out that joy comes because we choose it. In other words we have to appropriate joy through faith...not logical you may think? But Biblical it is ..."count it all joy.
Read verses 3 & 4, "knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4/But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect(mature) and complete, lacking nothing." I don't like trouble, I do not look for troubke but there are times when it looks for me and I suspect it is the same for you. However there is a principle involved here and it is an exercise in faith that was commented on in the previous entry by one of my readers that pointed out that joy comes because we choose it. In other words we have to appropriate joy through faith...not logical you may think? But Biblical it is ..."count it all joy.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
What to do when trouble comes
What do most of us do when trouble comes? Complain, right? We do not like our own little world to be disrupted. Both James and Paul went to the school of Jesus Whom according to Hebrews 12:2 looked forward to the greatest trouble a man, any man could ever face, and that would be crucifixion on a cross, and He looked forward to it anticipating the joy that awaited Him. I'm sure that's what prompted Paul to say in his writing to the church in Thessolinica to "rejoice evermore and "in everything give thanks".....everything, he says. Read it for yourself in 1 Thessalonians 5:16,18. Also ch.1 verses 2&3 from James. "Count it all joy" In other words...worship God when trouble comes. Paul says "rejoice, and again I say rejoice" and in another place he encourages us to rejoice evermore...There is never a reason why we cannot rejoice. Easy to say but not so easy to do...we don't rejoice because we have trouble but we do so in spite of the trouble. A Christian should have the joy of the Lord; Romans 14:17 says "For the kingdom of Heaven is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (NRSV) IT IS NOT EASY BUT WE NEED TO PRACTICE JOY AND APPROPRIATE IT THROUGH FAITH,
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
TROUBLE COMES TO EVERYONE
Godspattern
As sparks fly upward: JOB’s comforter, Eliphaz the Temanite said “ human beings are born to trouble as sparks fly upward. Have you ever watched a campfire?
If you have then you know that old Eliphaz was right…the sparks do fly upward, and there is a principle of physics for the reason that they do, but I shall not go there at this time. Suffice it to say that it is one of those God given laws of physics. What he is saying, Eliphaz that is, is that just as sure and just as certain as sparks flying upward, trouble comes to all of mankind. I think he is right in his statement but Eliphaz was wrong in attitude. Everything that Job’s comforters said was not always right just because it is in the Bible doesn’t mean that it was Gods Words. All to many times we say God said such and such, but it was Eliphaz in this case, not God. That is why it is so important to read the entire context. Especially the surrounding verses.
The problem with Eliphaz was firstly he had no compassion for Job’s plight, it was an I told you so attitude and the last thing that old Job needed at that particular juncture in his life was for some self righteous character who was supposed to be one of his best friends to tell him how wicked he had been and that he needed to repent because he deserved everything that he was getting. Maybe we are all born to have trouble but the good thing about it is that trouble comes to pass, it doesn’t come to stay and especially if you are a child of God you can claim the promises of God which includes this verse found in 1 Peter 5:7 which states“ Cast all your care on Him, that’s the King James Version , in the NRSV “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because H e cares for you.” Trouble may come…..but we have a God who cares and He will carry the burden if you will put all of your confidence in Him. The old hymn writer put it thusly “O,yes He cares, I know He cares, His heart is touched by my grief, When the days are weary, the long night’s dreary I know my Savior cares. I am glad that we have a Savior who cares.
As sparks fly upward: JOB’s comforter, Eliphaz the Temanite said “ human beings are born to trouble as sparks fly upward. Have you ever watched a campfire?
If you have then you know that old Eliphaz was right…the sparks do fly upward, and there is a principle of physics for the reason that they do, but I shall not go there at this time. Suffice it to say that it is one of those God given laws of physics. What he is saying, Eliphaz that is, is that just as sure and just as certain as sparks flying upward, trouble comes to all of mankind. I think he is right in his statement but Eliphaz was wrong in attitude. Everything that Job’s comforters said was not always right just because it is in the Bible doesn’t mean that it was Gods Words. All to many times we say God said such and such, but it was Eliphaz in this case, not God. That is why it is so important to read the entire context. Especially the surrounding verses.
The problem with Eliphaz was firstly he had no compassion for Job’s plight, it was an I told you so attitude and the last thing that old Job needed at that particular juncture in his life was for some self righteous character who was supposed to be one of his best friends to tell him how wicked he had been and that he needed to repent because he deserved everything that he was getting. Maybe we are all born to have trouble but the good thing about it is that trouble comes to pass, it doesn’t come to stay and especially if you are a child of God you can claim the promises of God which includes this verse found in 1 Peter 5:7 which states“ Cast all your care on Him, that’s the King James Version , in the NRSV “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because H e cares for you.” Trouble may come…..but we have a God who cares and He will carry the burden if you will put all of your confidence in Him. The old hymn writer put it thusly “O,yes He cares, I know He cares, His heart is touched by my grief, When the days are weary, the long night’s dreary I know my Savior cares. I am glad that we have a Savior who cares.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Trouble
"For affliction does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble spring from the ground,
Yet man is born to trouble , As the sparks fly upward." The words of Eliphaz, the Temanite quoted from Job ch. 5 vs. 6 & 7.
Trouble just doesn't spring from the ground he says but we are born unto it. Sometimes I think old Eliphaz might have been on to something. It does seem ,however to spring up when you least expect it. I find that many times my troubles are self inflicted. The epistle of James in the New Testament talks about the power of the tongue and the devastation's it can bring
James 3:1-6 (New Living Translation)
James 3
Controlling the Tongue 1" Dear brothers and sisters,[a] not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.
But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell."
As I said many times I am the author of my own troubles and it's because I have said an unkind word or hurt someone else because of something I have said, foolishly, or in anger and even though I may have repented of it I can never take it back. More often than not it is to a loved one that we say some of these hurting words. And as you read the book of Job you will find that Eliphaz the Termite, that should read Temanite, got himself in hot water by saying things he shouldn't have said concerning Job, his friend. James says in verse 16 of ch. 3 "where envy and
self seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. Herein is the answer to much of our trouble, we lack wisdom...but James has an answer found in ch. 1 verse 3 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given him." Ask for wisdom from God so that you will say the right things even if provoked. Maybe you will have less trouble in your life. This is good advice for me also.
Yet man is born to trouble , As the sparks fly upward." The words of Eliphaz, the Temanite quoted from Job ch. 5 vs. 6 & 7.
Trouble just doesn't spring from the ground he says but we are born unto it. Sometimes I think old Eliphaz might have been on to something. It does seem ,however to spring up when you least expect it. I find that many times my troubles are self inflicted. The epistle of James in the New Testament talks about the power of the tongue and the devastation's it can bring
James 3:1-6 (New Living Translation)
James 3
Controlling the Tongue 1" Dear brothers and sisters,[a] not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.
But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell."
As I said many times I am the author of my own troubles and it's because I have said an unkind word or hurt someone else because of something I have said, foolishly, or in anger and even though I may have repented of it I can never take it back. More often than not it is to a loved one that we say some of these hurting words. And as you read the book of Job you will find that Eliphaz the Termite, that should read Temanite, got himself in hot water by saying things he shouldn't have said concerning Job, his friend. James says in verse 16 of ch. 3 "where envy and
self seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. Herein is the answer to much of our trouble, we lack wisdom...but James has an answer found in ch. 1 verse 3 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given him." Ask for wisdom from God so that you will say the right things even if provoked. Maybe you will have less trouble in your life. This is good advice for me also.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
When trouble comes
The man James who wrote the epistle or letter that bears his name is considered by Bible scholars to be the same man to whom Paul refers to in Galations 1:19 as the Lord's brother. If this is true, and there doesn't seem to be any forcible argument to the contrary then we know that he had the best possible example to help him understand what life is all about. Life is about trouble...now I know that you probably do not want to hear about that subject, but let's face it, if there is one thing that is common to man it is that we all face at one time or another...trouble.
What do we do with trouble? James says: rejoice; count it all joy. Now the first thought that comes to mind is that James has spent too much time on his knees and has not been smelling the coffee. And he missed out on the roses also. (It was said of James that his knees were as those of a camel, he spent so much time on them.) Some would say that he was too heavenly minded to be any earthly good...some might say that. But James had a personal relationship with his heavenly Father and a divine revelation of who Jesus really is. And he says here in ch.1 verse 2, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials." That's how trouble comes doesn't it? You sort of fall into it. "So and so is always falling into trouble." Yeah, you fall into it, you don't look for it. James says continuing on in verse 3, "knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. vs. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete , lacking nothing." The test of faith...Enter Job, I've talked about Job in either this blog or the moreaboutHisWord blog that I have done previously. Job was a good man, in fact there was no one like him in all the earth, he was blameless and upright and he feared God, that reverential kind of fear, and he hated evil. He was the greatest man of all the people of the east, and that would mean that he was the greatest man in the known world at that time. Here is an example of the kind of man he was; He had seven sons and three daughters and by the way he was the richest man alive, his sons would have these feasts in their own houses, each having a special day for it (they might have declared it a holiday) and they would invite their sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would offer burnt offerings for them because he said, "my sons may have sinned and cursed God in their hearts The Bible says this did Job regularly
Enter Satan...Trouble (note the capital T.) Read it for yourself in chapters 1&2 in the book of Job. A quick summary says that Job lost everything that was dear to him; the only thing he had left was life itself, he even lost his health, and on top of all this for reasons that I can't quite understand...God allowed it to happen. To say that I know why would not be true. Even his wife turned against him....for better, for worse, 'til death do us part? Richer, poorer, all that stuff?
Enter Eliphaz the Teminite or perhaps he should have been called the Termite. He is supposed to be one of Job's best friends and he is there to comfort him, so what does he do? He says that Job has sinned and God is punishing him for it..."Job you are a sinner, you deserve what you get" ( That's my paraphrase.) So James, if Job had been listening to you, he should be rrejoicing right about now.....this is gonna be a long series I think. "But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."That is just what happened to Job; his patience is legendary. More later.....RC
What do we do with trouble? James says: rejoice; count it all joy. Now the first thought that comes to mind is that James has spent too much time on his knees and has not been smelling the coffee. And he missed out on the roses also. (It was said of James that his knees were as those of a camel, he spent so much time on them.) Some would say that he was too heavenly minded to be any earthly good...some might say that. But James had a personal relationship with his heavenly Father and a divine revelation of who Jesus really is. And he says here in ch.1 verse 2, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials." That's how trouble comes doesn't it? You sort of fall into it. "So and so is always falling into trouble." Yeah, you fall into it, you don't look for it. James says continuing on in verse 3, "knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. vs. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete , lacking nothing." The test of faith...Enter Job, I've talked about Job in either this blog or the moreaboutHisWord blog that I have done previously. Job was a good man, in fact there was no one like him in all the earth, he was blameless and upright and he feared God, that reverential kind of fear, and he hated evil. He was the greatest man of all the people of the east, and that would mean that he was the greatest man in the known world at that time. Here is an example of the kind of man he was; He had seven sons and three daughters and by the way he was the richest man alive, his sons would have these feasts in their own houses, each having a special day for it (they might have declared it a holiday) and they would invite their sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would offer burnt offerings for them because he said, "my sons may have sinned and cursed God in their hearts The Bible says this did Job regularly
Enter Satan...Trouble (note the capital T.) Read it for yourself in chapters 1&2 in the book of Job. A quick summary says that Job lost everything that was dear to him; the only thing he had left was life itself, he even lost his health, and on top of all this for reasons that I can't quite understand...God allowed it to happen. To say that I know why would not be true. Even his wife turned against him....for better, for worse, 'til death do us part? Richer, poorer, all that stuff?
Enter Eliphaz the Teminite or perhaps he should have been called the Termite. He is supposed to be one of Job's best friends and he is there to comfort him, so what does he do? He says that Job has sinned and God is punishing him for it..."Job you are a sinner, you deserve what you get" ( That's my paraphrase.) So James, if Job had been listening to you, he should be rrejoicing right about now.....this is gonna be a long series I think. "But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."That is just what happened to Job; his patience is legendary. More later.....RC
Monday, June 8, 2009
Calgary
We are in Calgary, once known as Cow Town. A nice city Calgary is; driven by the oil industry it has it's ups and downs but by and large it is a fairly prosperous city I would say. Nice homes, fancy and expensive cars...all the earmarks of comfort. In my minds eye I have envisioned what the world must have been like in Noah's day, they were buying, selling, marrying and giving in marriage... until the day the flood came and they all perished exept eight persons...Noah, his wife and his three sons and their wives. Now I don't know how large the world population would have been at that ime but that doesn't sound like a very large percentage of the population does it? And
Noah was a preacher of righteousness and he preached to this material society for 120 years a gospel of repentance, however only 8 made it into the ark. They were probably too busy for God, but they got a few laughs at the expense of this crazy preacher. And Jesus said " as it was in the days of Noah, SO SHALL IT BE IN THE DAY OF THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN. What a sobering thought. They weren't all party goers, many of them were just honest hard working citizens, no doubt but they were too busy for God. What will it be like when He comes again? Will you be ready?
\ that time ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,j,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Noah was a preacher of righteousness and he preached to this material society for 120 years a gospel of repentance, however only 8 made it into the ark. They were probably too busy for God, but they got a few laughs at the expense of this crazy preacher. And Jesus said " as it was in the days of Noah, SO SHALL IT BE IN THE DAY OF THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN. What a sobering thought. They weren't all party goers, many of them were just honest hard working citizens, no doubt but they were too busy for God. What will it be like when He comes again? Will you be ready?
\ that time ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,j,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Friday, May 29, 2009
When the salt loses its savour
Jesus said,"You are the salt of the earth" We live in a port city on Canada's east coast and as I look out of my window, I can see the harbour and port facilities from an excellent vantage point and as I do, I see what looks to be a huge pile of raw salt(unprocessed) No doubt it is waiting to be shipped all over the world. While I was looking at this huge pile of salt I began to reflect upon what Jesus says here in Matthew ch 5 verse 13, He said "if the salt has lost its savour(flavour in the modern translations) how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."
If the salt has lost its flavour...now I probably am one who uses too much salt but I cannot stomach bland food. And neither can God stomach blandness in HIS CHILDREN. It happens in marriages; the flavour goes out of the marriage...people get tired of each other. It happens in churches, just look at the church at Ephesus, they did everything right, they lived right, they laboured right, they were patient, they could not put up with evil, they even put some so-called apostles to a test and proved that they were lying, they persevered and worked for Jesus' name's sake, but the love had gone from their worship, they had lost their first love their passion for God; the salt had lost its savour. Sometimes we take each other for granted....too many times we do that. And all too many times we take our soul's freedom for granted. In a marriage you need passion; I have been married to the same girl for almost 46 years and I can say unashamedly that my passion for her is as great as it has ever been maybe even greater. We need to be passionate about God and love Him first of all and foremost of all. The salt will lose its flavour if we don't take the necessary precautions.
If the salt has lost its flavour...now I probably am one who uses too much salt but I cannot stomach bland food. And neither can God stomach blandness in HIS CHILDREN. It happens in marriages; the flavour goes out of the marriage...people get tired of each other. It happens in churches, just look at the church at Ephesus, they did everything right, they lived right, they laboured right, they were patient, they could not put up with evil, they even put some so-called apostles to a test and proved that they were lying, they persevered and worked for Jesus' name's sake, but the love had gone from their worship, they had lost their first love their passion for God; the salt had lost its savour. Sometimes we take each other for granted....too many times we do that. And all too many times we take our soul's freedom for granted. In a marriage you need passion; I have been married to the same girl for almost 46 years and I can say unashamedly that my passion for her is as great as it has ever been maybe even greater. We need to be passionate about God and love Him first of all and foremost of all. The salt will lose its flavour if we don't take the necessary precautions.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Riding the crest
Some people seek popularity like a surfer would ride the crest of a wave. They have this thing that drives them and they have to be on top at all times. The problem with that is it is only a temporary condition, the wave breaks and down they come. In the book of Proverbs ch 18 verse 24 states "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother"; backing up to ch 17:17 "a friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity" True friends are hard to find especially if you don't ride the popularity wave. We have some close friends and you can depend on them in time of need but there is one Friend Who you can depend on at all times, even when other friends may fail you. For one thing He always knows just what you need . His name is Jesus and the Bible says that He will never leave us nor forsake us. You can find Him if you seek for Him with all of your heart, soul and mind nd strength. If you need a friend today He is waiting to hear from you. Who is Jesus? He's that Friend that sticks closer than a brother.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Who is Jesus?//a series
Just who was Jesus anyway? Some say He was a man, better yet a few say that He is still a man...a good man but just a man. The Bible says, and you may be one who questions the Bible as to whether it is relevant today, that He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I prefer to believe the Bible rather than some flaky TV personality who can't even keep their own life straight. In fact it says in 1 Timothy 6:13-15 "I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession beforePontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing , which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the King of kings and Lord of lords," verse 16 says "who alone has immortality, dwelling in unaproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see, in whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen."Rev. 19:16 says, "And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." I am not about to prove that the Bible is true...it will prove itself without my help. But I believe it with every fibre of my being. Jesus is the One who deserves all praise. He has given me eternal life...As the King of Kings and Lords of Lords, He is also the Image of the Invisible God. My next blog entry will talk about that title. Your comments are welcome on this blog or any other blogs Ihave prepared -
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
A forgiving nature
"Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; that your father in heaven may also forgive your trespasses." (Jesus in Mark 11:25 NRSV)
Jesus had just finished giving His disciples a practical lesson about faith, faith that can move a mountain but He concluded this by inserting into His faith message the necessity of forgiving anyone to whom the praying person had something against. Unforgiveness will hinder receiving answers to prayer. It will prevent you from removing the mountain that Jesus refers to in this passage. In fact unforgiveness may very well be the mountain that He is talking about. And it takes faith to remove the mountain of unforgiveness that is hindering your prayers. I have been in these situations, one in particular where a certain individual caused me much grief and has never said that they were sorry and usually avoids me and I find that tendency myself and one day I made it a point to go and shake that persons hand and every time I see them, I do just that. I have found that it works. It is a God like thing to do; it is a God quality. Forgiveness to another person gets the albatross off your back. Remember what Jesus said about forgiving your enemy and thereby heaping coals of fire on their heads? It will cause your enemy to become defenseless and you might even gain a brother. You will get an answer to your prayers. Try it...you might like it. RC
Jesus had just finished giving His disciples a practical lesson about faith, faith that can move a mountain but He concluded this by inserting into His faith message the necessity of forgiving anyone to whom the praying person had something against. Unforgiveness will hinder receiving answers to prayer. It will prevent you from removing the mountain that Jesus refers to in this passage. In fact unforgiveness may very well be the mountain that He is talking about. And it takes faith to remove the mountain of unforgiveness that is hindering your prayers. I have been in these situations, one in particular where a certain individual caused me much grief and has never said that they were sorry and usually avoids me and I find that tendency myself and one day I made it a point to go and shake that persons hand and every time I see them, I do just that. I have found that it works. It is a God like thing to do; it is a God quality. Forgiveness to another person gets the albatross off your back. Remember what Jesus said about forgiving your enemy and thereby heaping coals of fire on their heads? It will cause your enemy to become defenseless and you might even gain a brother. You will get an answer to your prayers. Try it...you might like it. RC
Friday, May 1, 2009
Hebrews 12:1,2 antidote for clutter
"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Judy and I have been married almost 46 years.....wonderful years as well. And this year we moved...so what you might say, what's the big deal? Clutter, that's the big deal...after 46 years you accumulate a lot of stuff, some of you understand better than others just what I mean. You don't realize just how much stuff until you move into a place that is a lot smaller. Then you realize that you have a way too much stuff. One meaninhg from the online dictionary that I frequently refer to describes clutter as a disorderly heap. An example statement: "it is impossible to find anything in all that clutter." Sometimes our lives are like that; cares weigh us down, family issues, health issues, finances, things that we accumulate can be burdensome to the point that they rob us of our time that we should spend with God...our first priority. This scripture reference from the book of Hebrews admonishes us to "lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with patience (endurance) the race that is set before us". This Christian life is like a race that we must run and as in any race there are hurdles...roadblocks if you will that we must jump over and in order to do so there are things that you have to rid yourself of in order to lighten your load. You need to lighten the load in order to run faster, sometimes in order to run at all. Burdens we bear can be overwhelming and sometimes we don't seem to no where to turn, it's as if we have lost our way. But the writer to the Hebrews gives us the answer..."looking unto Jesus" What a revelation! It's as though I never saw it before, although I must have read it a thousand times before, give or take a hundred or so. As I read this again this morning, it's as though He is just revealing it to me. "Looking unto Jesus". It's not hard to do. It is a Divine revelation; it's as though He was opening my minds eye to see Him standing there at the finish line cheering me on saying "you can make it, just lay aside those burdens that are weighing heavily on your heart, in fact, here...give them to Me, I will take care of these things, you don't have to carry them anymore." He's the Author and He's the Finisher of my faith. I do not have the faith but He has and He gives me just what I need when I need it. Let Him get rid of the clutter, He's the professional. An old hymn of the church comes to mind, "come every soul by sin oppressed, ther's mercy with the Lord, and He will surely give you rest, by trusting in His Word." And then the chorus "only trust Him, only trust Him, only trust Him now. He will save you, He will save you, He will save you now." "Cast your burdens on the Lord and He will sustain you." Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
All mixed up; nothing has changed
After the scripture reading of a couple of blogs ago 2 Timothy 3:16, I began to read further and that would be chapter 4 and verse 1" Now the Soirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." I f you read further you will see in verse 10 that it says, " For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those that believe. In other places we see that Jesus is identified as the Saviour. Luke 2:11-"For unto you is born this day a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 19:10-"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost/" John 3:17, "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through might be saved." Also you might want to read Acts 5:3, 1 Timothy 1:15, and there are many more similar scriptures proving Jesus is our saviour, therefore according to 1 Timothy 4:10, He alone is God. Why then are there those who say Jesus is not God?Could it be that these once stalwarts of the faith have given heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils? How then can there be any basis for fellowship? I have been asked to call a couple of these people so that they can explain their position to me, however I am not prepared to enter into what would only be an argument. These few verses that I have quoted and listed for all who read this blog are proof enough for me, anything less is men's ideas at best. At the worst they are the doctrines of devils. There is a provision in this blog setup where one may leave a comment and you may leave yours if you want to agree or disagree. I will publish anybody's opinion so long as it is not of an offensive nature and I am speaking of offensive language. I will publish disagreeing positions as well as those who agree.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Is Jesus really God?
What kind of a question is that? Of course He is really God. In a couple of hours we will gather (in community) with those of like mindedness, those of like precious faith, we call it church. The Bible calls it church and even though we all may not agree on every detail, we do all agree that Jesus is our God. We may not dot every "i" or cross every "t" exactly the same but one thing we do agree on wholeheartedly is this fundamental truth, He is very God. A couple of verses from the Amplified Bible explains this thing about community (church) and our relationship to one another and to our God. 14Although I hope to come to you before long, I am writing these instructions to you so that,
15If I am detained, you may know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and stay (the prop and support) of the Truth.
16And great and important and weighty, we confess, is the hidden truth (the mystic secret) of godliness. He [[a]God] was made visible in human flesh, justified and vindicated in the [Holy] Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, [and] taken up in glory. In these few verses the writer, who just happens to be the Apostle Paul, is explaining some fundamentals to his spiritual son in the faith, Timothy, that first of all, the church of the living God is the purveyor of all truth in the world and secondly that truth is that God became flesh; just read that verse16. Now I for the life of me cannot understand why reasonably intelligent human beings can't see that it is rerferring to none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
And to deny the truth that Jesus is God is to deny the Christian faith and I shudder to think what the consequences are for such a decision. Remember, it's not the first mile that you'll be judged for...you may stumble along the way but there is still time to repent and get ready for His appearing..."and every eye shall see Him."
15If I am detained, you may know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and stay (the prop and support) of the Truth.
16And great and important and weighty, we confess, is the hidden truth (the mystic secret) of godliness. He [[a]God] was made visible in human flesh, justified and vindicated in the [Holy] Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, [and] taken up in glory. In these few verses the writer, who just happens to be the Apostle Paul, is explaining some fundamentals to his spiritual son in the faith, Timothy, that first of all, the church of the living God is the purveyor of all truth in the world and secondly that truth is that God became flesh; just read that verse16. Now I for the life of me cannot understand why reasonably intelligent human beings can't see that it is rerferring to none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
And to deny the truth that Jesus is God is to deny the Christian faith and I shudder to think what the consequences are for such a decision. Remember, it's not the first mile that you'll be judged for...you may stumble along the way but there is still time to repent and get ready for His appearing..."and every eye shall see Him."
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