WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO?

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22

I believe A.W. Tozer said, "Self deception is the worst kind of deception." If I just go to church and change nothing in my life, if I do nothing any differently than before, what's the difference? 

Let's just get it straight. Going to church does not make you a Christian. It's a good thing, it just doesn't mean anything if you don't act accordingly. Putting on a Laker uniform doesn't make me a professional basketball player. It's doesn't even mean I know how to dribble a basketball. 

This is where it gets real. I have been walking with Christ since I was in high school in the 70's. There has been times when I honestly looked at myself and realized that I wasn't acting on what I knew was true. My decisions, my choices, and my actions were not of faith. I was not doing what the Word of God says. I was in sin. 

I'm married. We are going on our eighteenth year. I have a lot of friends who are married and a few that are divorced. If you don't do what the Bible says; love, respect, and forgive each other, I don't know how you can stay married. Honestly, it's usually more about inflexibility than infidelity. The Bible tells us to love as Christ first loved us, which is when we didn't want it and didn't deserve his love. What usually holds a marriage together is when you love your spouse when they are unloveable. 

What do you need to do?

Father, help us to do what your word says to do. Praise be to you in us today! 

TELL US WHY YOU ARE THANKFUL!

For to us a child is born, 

     to us a son is given,

     and the government will be on his shoulders. 

And he will be called 

   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 

   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, 

establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. 

The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:6-7 (NIV)

The reason to be thankful!

I am also deeply thankful for my family! 

A GOSPEL REMINDER

"Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion;
     to you our vows will be fulfilled.
 O you who hear prayer,
     to you all men will come.
 When we were overwhelmed by sins, 
     you forgave our transgressions.
  Blessed are those you choose 
     and bring near to live in your courts!
 We are filled with the good things of your house,
     of your holy temple."
 Psalm 65:1-4

This is the gospel. We were overwhelmed by sins and God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. Everyone will come before God on the great day of judgement. Everyone will bow their knees and acknowledge Christ as Lord. Despite our sins God has chosen us to dwell with me forever. He provides for all our needs in Christ Jesus. 

It is the Christmas season. Remember that it's about Christ and all he has done for us. 

Thank you Jesus, for coming into this would to save us from sin. Praise be to you in us today!

AN ANSWER FAST?

"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." James 1:19-20

I don't know about you, but if there is something I consistently get backwards it is this. I'm slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to become angry.  Which would probably explain most of the strife and confusion in my life. 

Major Ian Thomas, the founder of the Torchbearer schools, once said, and I quote, "The obvious is so obvious, that if often fails to be obvious." I believe that James 1:20-21's message is pretty straight forward. Stop talking, start listening and remember the grace - the death of Christ - that was required to save you. 

I once went on an answer fast. I didn't answer or speak for 30 seconds when someone said something to me. I spent a lot of time explaining why I wasn't talking. A few people suggested I do it more often. (Which of course was good I had to wait to respond to that comment.) What it showed me was how often I spoke out of anger or pure emotion and how thoughtless much of what I said really was. 

The righteous life is what God desires to build and see in us. We may be trying to build a happy life or a wealthy life or an exciting life. All that may happen but, God's primary concern is the righteous life in us, Christ in us, the hope of glory. 

Maybe it's time to remember that righteousness is the end God has in mind and so should we.

Father, help us to seek righteousness. Praise be to you in us today!

PASSING THE TRIAL TEST

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." James 1:12 (NIV)

A friend of mine struggled for a long time with the loss of his mother. He just couldn't believe that God let his mother die. It was a real barrier to his growth as a Christian. Until he came to grips with the ugly truth that because of sin we all die he found it difficult to trust God. 

Trials happen. Temptations will cross your path. Even Christ was tempted (Matthew 4). God does have a purpose for our trials. God's purpose is to mature us, to make us Christlike. 

Lately I have been going through a few trials that affect me and I have absolutely no control over them. All I can do is wait upon God. All I can do is trust that he is Sovereign and in control of everything. I can respond in love. I can respond with grace. I can act in faith. 

In the end, by his grace,  I hope for a crown of life. 

Father, help us to stand the test. Strengthen us in you. Praise be to you in us today!

LET THE JAMBALAYA MATURE

"Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:4 (NIV)

I was watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay on the Food Channel once and they were cooking jambalaya. The local jambalaya king said the key was to let it alone once you had the rice in it. So of course Bobby Flay didn't leave it alone, he kept taking the lid off and his rice didn't come out right. The jambalaya king didn't mess with his and his rice was perfect. The key was to let the pot do its work. 

I think our spiritual maturity is a bit like waiting for jambalaya to cook. We want to lift the lid and see what God is doing. We get impatient and start asking, "Am I mature yet? Are you done, God?" I won't know if I am patient, until I need to be patient. I won't know if I am compassionate until an opportunity to show compassion presents itself. I guess the key is just letting God do what he wants to do and having the faith that he is in control. 

Maturity is not about reaching some spot where I can say I am mature and then I am done with it. Maturity is when I learn to rest in God no matter where I am at. Everyday is an opportunity to let God work in and through us. What does God have in store for today?

Father, help us to let perseverance do it's work in us to to love as you have loved us. Praise be to you in us today!

NOT A FEELING, PERSEVERANCE

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." James 1:2-3

Consider this: it's not about your feelings. James is not telling us to feel joyful when we encounter trials. He is teaching that when you are in a trial to act like you would act if your were joyful about something. 

We are joyful when something is going well. We are joyful when we know God is in control and that he has worked something out for the good in our lives. You know, like when you get the job, you get the raise, something goes your way. You act with confidence, you know you are in the right place, you know God is with you. Choose to act like that when you go through a trial. That is what James is teaching.

When we go through trials God uses them to develop us spiritually. Now, if you are like me, you usually ask and look for any other way besides a trial. Like W.C. Fields said when asked why he was reading a Bible he said, "Looking for loopholes." Sometimes we look at grace as a loophole to get out of things rather than through them. 

If you have been a Christian for a while I am sure you have had one of those waiting on God experiences where it went past the time you had for it being possible to work things out. You thought all was lost and then God worked. We are supposed to learn perseverance from those trials, it's not a been there, done that thing. God is developing perseverance or patience (KJV) in us. That is a good thing. That God is working in your life is a good thing, a very good thing. We persevere because we know that God is Sovereign over everything and that he works all things out for our good.  

Father, help us to rest in you and persevere. Praise be to you in us today!