Tomorrow is an Illusion

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“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”  –John 5:24

The International dateline is an imaginary line that runs North to South through the Pacific ocean along the 180° longitude.  It is by design that it doesn’t cross over land, so as not to cause an issue of date and time in any given country.  For you see if one crosses the International Dateline their calendar is adjusted by one day (adding a day if traveling east to west and subtracting a day traveling west to east).  At the crossing over of this line one can actually be in two different calendar days at the same time – today and tomorrow.  The concept of tomorrow is a foreign one if you think about it.  Other than standing on the IDL, tomorrow is not something that any of us will ever experience.  You see we can talk about tomorrow, but by the time it gets here it is today, and tomorrow describes another point in time in the future. 

It is a paradox of sort when you try to rationalize the time into the future.  Similar to the Zeno Dichotomy paradox.  If you look out in front of you and pick a target, judge the distance, and step forward until you are half way to the target.  Now, step forward again, half of that distance, then again halving the distance to the target, and so on and so on.  You quickly come to realize you will never fully reach the target.  You will come within an infinite fraction of the target without actually reaching it.  With this limitation and understanding, you can never cross over to the target.

We can procrastinate and postpone our decisions as long as we choose to, but the end is inevitable.  There will come a day when there is no tomorrow and the target has been achieved.  Between today and that day we do not know how many days, weeks, months or years we have.  Putting your decision on eternity off until tomorrow, with the assumption that things will slow down and you’ll be able to focus on your purpose, is another way of not dealing with the reality that we all must make a decision.  Matthew tells us in Matthew 6:34; "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own"

Jesus Christ made it very clear in the scriptures, that obtaining eternal life is not like a dichotomy nor impossible.  It is a matter of faith, trust and accepting the grace of God the Father as enough.  We will spend our entire lives trying to become good enough to earn heaven, but that is an impossible task.  You cannot earn heaven.  In your most holy and righteous 5 minutes of life, you are still unworthy of eternal life.  Only by accepting this fact and then turning to the One who was worthy are you able to enter His paradise.  By God’s grace, He has provided a way for you.  This is through the blood and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Do not put it off one more day and enter into the dichotomy of “I’ll get to it tomorrow”.  There is no tomorrow, there is only today and an entire history of yesterday’s that you have spent waiting for tomorrow. 


Prayer:
Loving God,
You have made it clear that salvation is through Your Son – Jesus Christ, and only through Him.  We trust in Your word as the Holy truth, inspired by Your hand and written for our hope and courage.  We believe in what it says and acknowledge that You have given us free choice in the matter of our salvation.  By grace, You have given us a path to Your Kingdom, and by choice we receive it today.  Thank You for this day Lord, for tomorrow is an uncertainty.  We draw upon Your loving grace and mercy to help us through today.  In Your name we pray – Amen
 
 
 
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Love ‘em Like Jesus

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“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  – Romans 8:38-39

She said she had been saved as a child, but that was many years ago.  She hasn’t prayed or opened her Bible in many years and wasn’t even sure she knew what she believed anymore.  Confusion had set in, and it was clear that she was not feeling the love of the Savior in her life.  Ever since her parent’s divorce, she was angry at her Dad and Mom, and most of all at God.  It was so much easier to find happiness at school or behind the bleachers with a bottle than it was to go home.  Where was the promise of joy, love, happiness and peace that the pastor had talked about the day she was baptized.  Now she is on her own and living wild and free from any rules or responsibility.  She did enough work to pay for the rent and bummed food, smoke and drinks from whomever she was hanging with any particular day.  When she rolled into bed each night though, her heart ached to be loved, to be treasured and not feel like a possession, and to be held in the darkness, completely safe while she drifted off to sleep.

This could be the story of any one of 5 million young women age 16 to 23 around this globe.  There is a mourning at night as heads hit pillows.  A mourning for the lost youth of our world.  The children that long to be cherished and loved so much that they put on an act every day as if they are.  Who are these beautiful young ladies?  Where do they live?  What do they dream about and who do they look up to?  They are everywhere.  You can look to your right or your left and 1 out of every 5 will be suffering quietly, deep within their heart.  Nothing in their life up to that point has been freely given, which makes them skeptical to His gift of grace.  They look at His love as empty promises because of their past, and they challenge “How can God love me when He let these things happen…..”

These are God’s children.  His love for them is so deep, true and accepting that it is hard to comprehend.  The pain is real and it’s so easy to say God isn’t, because His presence is in the Spiritual realm.  It’s so easy to turn away from God, because they believe that He can’t love them, or that He has turned his back on them.  What do you say to this child? 

Our role in these circumstances is to simply be Jesus for them.  Love them, despite where they are in life, what they have done and who they have become.  Just listen and accept them for who God made them to be.  You see, there are times in life when God will put you in the exact right spot at the right moment to hear someone cry out for help, and He expects you to do it.  Love ‘em like Jesus, be His hands and feet, His empathy, compassion and mercy, His eyes and ears and His word.  Just be there for them.  In time, they will see God through you and long for that relationship themselves.  In that opportunity, the time is right to share the word of God the Father with them – “You are His child and He loves you eternally.  His love is immutable and His grace covers All Sins, yes All.  For if it is insufficient for one, it is insufficient for All of them.” 



Prayer:,
Loving Father,
You are the Alpha and the Omega.  You have created each of us in Your image and if we can accept that, we can begin to understand that we can do all things through You.  We are surrounded by suffering people, and we are Your feet, hands and compassion in their life.  Help us to just love them like You would, so that they might see You through us.  In Your name we pray – Amen
 

 

 

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Hitchhiking is Allowed

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“Blessed are those whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.”  – Psalm 84:5

It’s unbelievable the amount of information that is available to each of us through the internet and media today.  The problem is that when we are gathering information we aren’t always sure where it will lead us.  The web is a wonderful tool for doing research and gathering data to improve one’s knowledge on a subject or to hear/interpret others opinions on a given matter.  It’s important though to realize that not everything you read or hear is true, nor does it all have your best intentions in mind when the data is posted.

Many of us today have a GPS in built into the smart phones that we carry, and SIRI will politely provide you directions to whatever place you might want to travel.  Certainly, there is the opportunity to print maps from the internet before you leave on a journey to somewhere unfamiliar.  We can look on any one of the wonderful “maps” web-sites and within minutes have directions to our destination including fastest route, least busy route and the route with the most hotels along the way.  Regardless of the choice we make, the destination is known before we ever get behind the wheel of the vehicle.

So it is with your life.  There is a destination, as sad as it is to consider, we will all draw our last breath one day.  That is the destination for the life you are living regardless if you have an eternal plan or not, whether you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior or not.  We are each going to reach the end of life on this planet, and between the point you are today and that ending state you have to fill in the map and the highways/byways of your journey to get there.

God has a plan and purpose for your life.  You have to choose to listen and follow.  Don’t buy into the fact that you are too old or beyond your ability to serve Him.  Abraham was 99 years old when God revealed His covenant and purpose for him.  David was but a boy, a mere teen aged shepherd when Samuel came and ordained him as the future King of Israel.  Moses lived in wealth and prosperity before his actions pushed him into a life as a herder in the mountains where God spoke His purpose to Moses.  John, the disciple of Jesus Christ, was 98 years old and living on an island of prisoners when he wrote the book of Revelations (at the inspiration of Christ Himself).  Paul was well into his middle age when he met Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus.  A small boy brought forth two fish and 5 loaves for the Messiah to perform a miracle and feed thousands.  What makes you so special that God no longer has use for you?  You see, it is not whether God wants to use you, in that you can be sure.  The real question is do you want to serve?  Are you finally at the point in your life when enough is enough and you are ready to walk God’s highway to Zion.  He has placed His Holy Spirit within you, waiting on your decision.  He’s already made up His mind.  Succumb to His request and allow His plan to be revealed to you.  He will be your strength and courage at each and every step along the way.


Prayer:,
God Almighty,
You have given us but one life to live in Your name.  One beginning and one end.  Help us to lay out that map in between to serve You completely.  Help us to see Your plan for our life, so that we might walk along the road with You rather than against You.  We live to serve You and humble ourselves in unworthiness to be chosen by You.  In Your name we pray – Amen

 
 
 
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Not an Illusion

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“So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”  But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”  – John 20:25

I have always found optical illusions interesting.  The fact that what we know to be true is challenged by what we see with our eyes.  This causes a conflict in the brain to try to comprehend what is beyond logic and knowledge.  You have seen the optical illusions displayed in art galleries or shopping malls, which depict an impossible geometric image.  For example, the Penrose Triangle, which appears at first glance to be a normal 3D triangle, yet when you look more carefully 2 of the 3 legs of the triangle do not actually intersect based on our knowledge of how they should intersect.  Perhaps you've seen artwork where steps appear to lead upward, yet when you follow them to the top, the surface is actually on the same planer surface as the bottom of the staircase.  Our knowledge, logic and understanding of this world is in a 3 dimensional perspective.  There is height, width and depth to everything we look at.  Our eyes and brain are able take in the images we view and rationalize them into something we are familiar with. 

So it was with Thomas.  He knew that Jesus had died on that cross.  He knew that he had been buried and the tomb covered with a stone.  Everything he knew about life, death and resurrection up to that point was based on human thinking and comprehension.  He was limited by what he knew, and when the disciples explained to Thomas that they had seen the risen Savior, he could not transition to a comprehension of what that meant based on his experiences up to that point in his life.  I propose that Thomas did not suffer from a lack of faith.  Even though Thomas (Didymus) had traveled and associated with Jesus for quite some time, he had not fully comprehended the deity of who Jesus Christ was.  He had a hard time getting beyond the logical knowledge of Jesus the man to see Jesus as God.  In Matthew 26:61, Jesus tells the Pharisees and teachers that he will rebuild this temple in 3 days.  In John 14:1-6, Jesus tells the disciples that He will go to the Father and prepare a place for them and then return to take them with Him, and he tells Thomas specifically in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  Thomas had a hard time comprehending the completeness of what Jesus was telling them though.

We do the same thing today.  We limit our acceptance of what God can do based on our understanding from a human perspective.  We see a problem and look at it from a human perspective with limitations and restrictions.  When we take a Godly perspective on a situation and accept that God is truly omnipotent and sovereign, we immediately realize that absolutely nothing is beyond His capability, if it is within His will.  Just because we want something to come to fruition doesn’t mean that God the Father wants the same thing.  It may seem completely logical and normal within our thinking, but from His vision of the full cycle of life He has a better perspective.

Like Thomas, we must accept that God can do whatever He wants to do.  We must be able to accept things in life without fully comprehending them.  Most of all, we must learn to trust that God’s plan is best for us, and the sooner we decide to align to His plan the more fulfilling our life will become.
 
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Forgive us for our lack of faith, trust and acceptance of Your plan in our life.  We long to trust in Your love and wisdom to accept those things we don’t understand on faith, rather than on knowledge.  You have given us Your word to guide our footsteps and lay out the plans for our life.  Help us to internalize it, understand it and put it into practice that we might serve You better.  In Your name we pray – Amen

 
 
 
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In the Father’s Hands

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“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” – Acts 7:55

Where a man belongs is up early and alone with God seeking vision and direction for his family.
—John Piper
  
 

 The crowd was thick and the people were not moving. There was a commotion in the streets as the horses drew near to the scene. I saw a women pushing her way to the front of the crowd and then I heard screaming. Being the youngest in our family I was small enough to move through the adults that were standing around. I became separated from my father's hand, but my curiosity drove me to press forward. As I came upon an opening, I caught a glimpse of the scene. The woman was kneeling in the middle of this crowd, holding a teenage boy to her chest. There were four policemen standing behind her, next to their horses. People were talking and giving different stories of what had happened when a hush fell over the crowd.

  Then the crowd began to part. A large towering man was walking toward the scene and I heard one of the policeman say to another, "Who's that?" His partner responded, "It's the dad". As the man came upon the woman and boy, he did not say a word. He knealt down, tears upone his face, put one hand under the boys knees and the other under his shoulders. Standing up again, he turned and began walking away. The boy's voice was quiet but audible non the less, "I knew you would come Daddy. It hurts so bad." The father's voice cracked as he looked into the blood stained face of his son, "I've got you now, it's going to be okay."

  As they walked away, a policeman grabbed his arm. "Sir, you can't take him. We have to fill out the reports, please - just wait for the ambulance" A stern look from a furrowed brow answered the officer without any words being used. With that the man turned with his son in his arms and walked back up the hill to the hospital entrance, where he demanded that his son be treated, regardless of his color. You see in 1956 a person of color couldn't just walk into a hospital and receive treatment. Regardless of the intent of the policemen to place blame on the boy or on the boy's who had drug him behind their truck; this father was going to ensure his son was taken care of.

  As father's we are chartered with the job of leading our families in a way that demonstrates the love of God in a way that clearly establishes a foundation that will last. We look to our fathers for loving discipline to teach us right from wrong; for ethical guidance to carry on a legacy from generation to generation; for leadership in decision making to frame our independence and for strength to make it through the struggles we will face in life. A father brings vision to a family and when led by God's wisdom and courage will ensure that his children experience the love, peace and enduring grace of the Savior.


 

 

 

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He’s Got Your Back

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"for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." - 1 John 5:4

How big are your dreams? Remember when you were 18 or 20 and had such amazing dreams for your life? Then came a time when you were willing to give up on those dreams, because something or someone got in your way. We are easily dissuaded from pursuing that which in our hearts we knew would fulfill everything we could become in this world.

The Israelites, under Saul, had dreams of ruling the world with God's hand until the Philistines sent Goliath to the battlefield. Saul's army quickly become mentally and emotionally defeated by the fear of facing this giant. We all know the story of the young shepherd boy David and his response to Goliath. But carefully observe why he had persevered against this giant. It was not through his intellect, his strength or his military experience, but rather because he knew that the battle was God's and not his.

David entered into the fight defending God, not defending Saul and the Israelites. In 1 Samuel 17:26 David asks, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" and again in 17:37, "The Lord who delivered me ... will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." Finally at the battle itself David challenges Goliath directly, "...I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel...."

David was just a boy, who knew where his faith and his power came from. He had no fear for the situation at hand because of his faith in the all powerful God. Through his consistent faith he comes away from the battle as an over-comer and victorious. Are you walking into today’s battles alone or with the strength and courage of the Almighty God on your side.  The same God that stood with David that day stands with you every day of your life as well, He hasn't changed.

Prayer:
Almighty Father,
You are our strength and our courage in times of trouble.  You give us peace in all circumstances as we focus our efforts on You and Your will.  No enemy can stand before Your mighty power and we have been given all authority to call upon that power.  Today, we ask that You reign down upon us Your love, compassion and strength to take on the challenges and battles that we will face.  In Your name we pray – Amen
 

 

 

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Equality and Love

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“If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” – Romans 14:8

A family is built on trust, love and an unspoken acceptance of one another, because of a shared blood line.  It was not something that you had to learn, it was something you were born and raised in.  There is a comfort in knowing that your family will always be there when all else seems to fall apart, and though there may even be stress and problems, there is that understanding that flesh and blood is stronger than any problems we face.  Inside of the family is one area where we often let our guard down.  We are free to be who God truly made us to be without putting on the fake smiles and manners.  There is an internal freedom to take off the masks we wear in public and be ourselves around those that love us unconditionally.  Face it, most of us hide our true personality from the world, because we’re unsure of their acceptance.  We spend the majority of our life living I a false identity that we want others to perceive is truly who we are.

Now ask yourself, which one of these personalities (within family or in public) do you think God perceives you as?  I propose both.  You see He sees the best in you, and He knows the worst in you.  There is nowhere to hide the part of your personality that you aren’t necessarily proud of.  His omnipotence and love for you sees the whole package.  The cool thing is; He sees your brother and sister and neighbor and friend the same way.  Every life on this earth represents the same potential in God’s eyes.  We all belong to Him and if He loves one of us enough to provide salvation through His Son – Jesus Christ; then He loves the person next to you equally and wants them in heaven as well, regardless if they are “like” you or not.  They could be a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Republican, a Democrat, male, female or transgender.  In God’s eyes, every person is worthy of His love and salvation.  But, unless they are willing to accept this love and His son, Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, they are lost in the eternal equation.

 
Realize that in the big picture of life and death, God’s love is immutable and never changing.  It is the same for those around you as it is for you.  Think about this the next time you look at your brother, sister or neighbor with anger or contentment or judgment.  We all have one life to live – choose to live it for God and share His love with others as you do.
 
Prayer:
Heavenly Father – You are awesome and powerful.  Your love is never changing and unconditional in every way.  There is nothing we can do to separate ourselves from Your love, it is freely given for us to take.  I acknowledge before mankind that You alone are worthy of our praise and glory, and through You we will find salvation when this life has come to an end.  I pray for You to work within me, that I might be able to share Your love with others and be a light in their darkness.  Help me to remove the judgmental error of my ways and look upon others as You see them – Your beloved child.  Take away my critical eye and replace it with a heart of peace and acceptance.  In Your name I pray – Amen. 
 
 
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The Only Purpose

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“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” – 2 Peter 3:9

 

When we bury our head in the sand and ignore the facts, we are doing a disservice to the fabric of our society.  This complacency and decision to turn the other way is allowing the acceptance of worldly perspectives rather than Godly perspectives.  Let’s face it, there are mornings I wake up and read the news and become completely discouraged with the current state of the world.  I look at the poverty, the wars, the corruptness, greed and scandals; and ask myself how much longer.  Have you been there?  Have you found yourself at times wondering, “How much longer God.  How much longer must we wait for your return?”  It’s so hard to look upon all of the evil in this world and not be overwhelmed by the challenge before us as believers in Jesus Christ.  Daily we hear of violent crimes against children, abuse of spouses, murder in the streets, oppressive governments, incurable disease, increases in homelessness and unemployment and the deception of world views on our youth, drawing them away from Christ.  There are days I wake up and feel sick to my stomach as I hear the stories of what is happening around the globe to those that stand up for their faith.

Jesus Christ came for all mankind.  The scriptures are clear that God’s desire is that all of mankind would return to Him.  In the most popular verse of the Bible: John 3:16, we see that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whomever should believe in Him would not perish, but have eternal life.”   By the sacrifice of His only Son, God set a path in motion for ALL of mankind, not for some, not for a few, but for “all that believe in Him”.  This is the only requirement, yet so many in today’s world have chosen to refuse this gift, and remain in their sin and unrighteousness.

According to the scriptures, Jesus will return one day to take His children home (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).   Those who believe.  There is no other path to salvation represented in the scriptures for those who refuse the act that has already been demonstrated.  No good works, no charity, no financial gain, no position of power or authority, no relationship, and no wisdom will bridge the chasm between this world and the next.  Many have tried to twist the scriptures to accommodate other paths and define salvation in a way that brings comfort to their life-style, but the Holy Word of God cannot be twisted or conformed to our way of thinking.  Rather, we must accommodate our lifestyle to align with His Word.

A simple question and answer session:

• Do you believe in God?
• Do you believe that God created the heavens and earth?
• Do you believe that God gave the 10 Commandments to Moses as law for mankind?
• Do you believe that God flooded the earth during the days of Noah?
• Do you believe that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for the evil that dwelt within?
• Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?
• Do you believe that Jesus Christ was born to a virgin, died, and was raised again as the salvation for mankind?

If you can answer Yes to all of these questions, than do you also believe that Jesus will come back one day to bring His own home?  Peter, Paul, John and the other disciples believed this as well.  They suffered terrible deaths holding onto this truth, and the belief that it would be in their lifetime.  Just because it did not happen in their lifetime, doesn’t change the fact that it will happen.  1 Thessalonians 4:16 tells us that the “dead in Christ” will be taken up first – this includes all of those who have gone on before you.  Peter, Paul, John, Mary, …. , Billy Graham, Mother Theresa, perhaps your parents or Grandparents, perhaps your spouse, or your child.  Verse 17 tells us that “we who are alive in Christ” will then be called to dwell with Him forever.

Does your life reflect this anticipation?  Are you impatiently awaiting the return of Jesus, and keeping alert and ready for His return?  If it were today, where would you be tomorrow?  Honestly reflect on this, for you are not going to “fake” your way through it.  God knows the truth of your heart, and regardless of your words or pleading, He will judge one way or the other.  By grace He has provided a plan of salvation, not because we deserved it, but because His love for ALL of mankind is so deep. 

He wants that all should be saved, so upon His return, can this world claim that ALL or saved?  Of course not, so does this not then require our patience and adherence to His teaching until that time has come?  If you can stand upon His truth and claim salvation, then you should be reaching to those that are lost with love and compassion, just as Jesus did, so that they too can come to this redemption.  I fear that we have turned salvation into a sporting event and as long as our team wins it’s all good.  That is not the heart of God.  It’s not a competition, it is a loving discourse of God’s truth.  Jesus came to share the truth, and left the Holy Spirit with us to help us share this good news. 

In leaving the Holy Spirit with us, we have God’s advocate dwelling within until the time of Jesus return.  Rest on this, be strengthened by this, and know that you are a child of God, left here only for a select time to share this love of God with others.  For in due time either He will return or you will reach your end of days.  In either case, our only task is to glorify the Father, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to expand His Kingdom and share His love.  This is the fruit that a child of God will bear, until the time of Jesus return.  

We get wrapped up in the worldly news, and the negativity of this life, and in doing so lose sight of why we are here.  Why are we so intrigued and captivated by the meaningless dribble that comes out of the news, social media, and the mouths of those in this world?  Nothing you do, no nothing, is more important than returning the lost to the Father.  You focus on your career, on your cars, your bills, your house, your sports, and your family; while those along your life’s path are suffering in their sin, with no understanding of the Father.  Your children, your spouse, your family, your friends are all a good place to start.  For in due time, when the trumpet sounds, they will no longer have a choice.  God’s grace is sufficient for the most disgusting of sinful actions, and His redemption is available to all, but they must come to an understanding that He alone is Lord and they must be saved from their worldly unrighteousness. 

 

 

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Bible Study – James (day 9)

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“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” – James 1:26-27
 

Self control and humility.  Two words that are often times foreign in the 21^st century vocabulary.  As we discussed a few days back, the words that come from our lips cannot return thereafter and must be carefully chosen before speaking.  Rash, crude or abusive language is demeaning to other individuals regardless of it’s intent.  It demonstrates to the other individual that they are less worthy of intelligent conversation.  Often times it expresses an anger or aggression that might be otherwise kept inside.  Let’s be honest, when is the last time someone used foul language with you and your immediate reaction was “Wow, that person is very articulate and well spoken.”  Generally, it is just the opposite reaction.

But it happens.  We lose our temper and words have come from our mouth before we are capable of stopping them.  What if you heard your Pastor, Priest or Minister using curse words from the pulpit?  Would you consider them educated, full of the Holy Spirit and the love of God?  Your impression of them would certainly be diminished based on their choice of words of this nature.  We can’t demonstrate God’s love, mercy and kindness and then turn around and carelessly lose control of our words and actions.  We have created an image of hypocrisy and reduced the image of God in the eyes of the beholder.

We must be able to exercise self control in this walk with God.  The eyes of the world are upon you at all times when they realize that you are a follower of Jesus Christ.  There is a natural tendency in all mankind to evaluate and judge the authenticity of your claim to Christianity.  Jesus Christ set a very high bar for what Christianity looks like.  Completely unachievable in this lifetime, but a goal none the less.  His actions represented God the Father in everything He did, and so should ours.  But it’s so much more than actions, it must come from the heart, mind and soul.

The more you are learning and strengthening your walk with Christ, the more you are naturally inclined to emulate and present His love, purity and humility to others.  There is an old saying, “Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.” (Charles Caleb Colton), and it holds so very true in today’s world.  We need to imitating Christ and let others imitate us in our actions, words, motives and love towards others.  Take control of our words and actions so others can see the Holy Spirit that lives within you, not so that you can look pious, holy and religious to those observing your actions.  This little shift in your thinking will do incredible things for God’s Kingdom, because people will take notice and want to know what makes you different.  Then you have the perfect opportunity to tell them.

ACTIONS for Growth: Church services are on Sunday, Wednesday and sometimes on Saturday night.  It is expected that you put on your best behavior during those times.  The real question is who are you when you aren’t in the comfort zone of the church sanctuary, or around your fellow Christians?  Focus this week on living and demonstrating the “Christ-likeness” throughout the entire week through your language, actions, serving others and humbleness.  See what a difference this new you will make in those around you.     



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Bible Study – James (day 8)

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” – James 1:22 (click here for context v.22-25)

What are you afraid of?  Is there anything that fills you with complete fear and thereby reverses your action?  Lisa and I were once on a bike ride.  As we peddled down the bike path along side of a small retention pond near a golf course, we came upon a large black coiled up water moccasin in the middle of the bike path. It’s body was as round as my forearm, it was hard to determine how long it was based on it’s position. It raised it’s head, hissed and that was that.  We turned our bikes away, went to the other side of the road, peddled down the road and then came back onto the bike path 20 or 30 yards away from the slithery fellow.  There are certain things which strike fear in all of us.

There was a point in time when people feared God.  The scriptures were personal to the children of God in the times leading up to and around Jesus birth and life.  The engagement between the divine presence of God Almighty and mankind was evidenced to those familiar with Moses, Abraham, David and the other heroes from the Bible.  There is a story in 2 Samuel 6 where Uzzah was struck dead by God Almighty for touching the Ark of the Covenant when it became unsteady as they were transporting it.  This seems radical by our standards, but not by God’s.  There were many laws regarding the Ark of the Covenant throughout the Old Testament.  You see the Ark of the Covenant represented God’s Holy presence with the Israelites and was to be kept in the temple, sacred and hidden from view behind the curtain in the Most Holy Place.  Approaching the Ark was to be in God’s presence, His holiness and perfection; intolerable of man’s sinful nature.  Only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place and look upon the Ark of the Covenant after considerable cleansing and purification.  God’s actions against Uzzah were clearly defined and known by the scriptures regarding the Ark, yet he chose to defy God’s directions and take action (reaching out to steady the Ark) anyway, rather than grabbing the pole it was being carried on.

The new covenant with God holds just as much authority over mankind.  This new covenant based on the blood of Jesus Christ, has clearly defined how we are to live our lives.  Yet, many of us take it lightly, interpret it to fit into our lifestyle and thereby defy the actual word of the Lord.  God has demonstrated that He has little tolerance for mankind to take His word and adjust it to fit our means.  It was written down, by those He appointed, with the specific purpose of becoming a living document for all of mankind.  We are held accountable to living by the guidelines established by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, just as Paul, John and the others were held accountable.  Time has not minimized the relevance or intentions of the word.  It is still God’s commands to you and I, and we ought not take it lightly. 

The bible tells us clearly there is but one path to righteousness and eternity with God Almighty and that is through His Son – Jesus Christ.  Others may choose to believe that there are many paths and that all God’s are equal, they will one day discover that were deceived.  God tells us in Matthew 7:21-22 that many will come calling “Lord, Lord” but will not enter the kingdom of heaven; and many will claim that they have prophesied or cast out demons in His name, but will hear the Son state “Away from me you evil doers”  Trust in His word and the truth that is contained therein.  He has given you the path to righteousness, act on it and live by it, so that one day in the presence of the Lord you will hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.  Enter into my presence.”

ACTIONS for Growth: Have you no fear of God’s wrath on mankind?  Do you not fear the judgment seat of God Almighty, or do you even think about or care about it?  It is critical that you take this aspect of your life with the utmost sincerity and seriousness.  Studying the word of God and learning of His love, grace and mercy is the most important part of your entire life.  Are you committed as much to Him and His ways as you are to your own plans in life?     

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Bible Study – James (day 7)

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It


“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” – James 1:19-21

Very seldom do any of us go from joy to anger quickly.  You can normally feel it building, sense that the emotions are slipping down the hill of control.  It’s often times little things, the things that happen to us over a period of time that cause the volcanic eruption of anger and in many cases words that we wish we could take back.  That’s just it though, once those words leave your mouth and fall upon the ears of those around you, the impact has been made.  And like toothpaste, it can't be put back.  Then, others will fire back with a volley of their own which only insights further degradation and stimulates the beast within to engage even more in the battle.  Before you know it, you are in a full out war of words and the anger is out of control.

You and I both know that these outbursts demonstrate lack of control and should be avoided.  We fully comprehend the destructive nature of losing our tempers, yet how often do you find yourself regaining your composure before the damage is done?

Peace, love and humility come from the Lord.  These are not characteristics that are of the world, but of God.  Inherent in each of us from the moment of our conception is the love from heaven and the peace of God Himself.  From birth we begin a slow decline into the ways of the world, which can only lead us to unrighteousness, pain and suffering.  We can watch the slippery slope of tolerance over the last 20 years through our acceptance of perversion, crude and lewd behavior, lack of respect for others and the selfishness that has become our human race.  We’ve stood on the sidelines and watched as the media, movies, television, and the internet have invaded our homes with disgusting filth, language, and immoral behavior.  We have accepted it as freedom of speech and allowed it to become commonplace.  Who’s taking a stand against the onslaught and manipulation of our minds?

I hope it’s you.  I hope as God fearing, loving Christians we are all taking a stand for truth and justice.  The Holy Spirit dwells within you, and is in a constant battle for your awareness. It’s not a battle with Satan though, it’s your own mind.  Your mind is filled with whatever those with the microphone want you to believe.  Most of us are too busy to question or challenge the injustice in this world, and so we tolerate it and move on with our busyness.  These messages, these images, these words and these lies are filling your mind and heart and challenging the very nature of the spirit the Lord has placed inside of you.  You know right from wrong, good from evil and what unrighteousness looks like; yet we continually allow it to push God aside for the sake of our own interests. 

James is telling us, from 2000 years ago, to focus on God’s word, the Holy Spirit and find the peace, love and righteousness that can only come from above.  You will not find it from one another, from the media or the internet.  It comes from the word of God and the relationship you have with the Father.

ACTIONS for Growth: Yesterday we learned that God is never changing – immutable.  Today I am asking you to accept that as fact and realize that though the world might tell you that times have changed, God has not.  God is the Alpha and Omega and everything in between.  You need to focus today on reaching to Him for answers when you begin to feel the world’s pressure rising from within.  Your life will not be simpler today than yesterday, but you need to draw upon His truths and love to deal with the emotions and boiling blood pressure.  Think of a special verse, a music lyric or a simple prayer that can be on the tip of your tongue when you feel the anger growing.  Recite this instead of releasing the anger and allow the Holy Spirit to calm you down again.     





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Bible Study – James (day 6)

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

 

“Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” –James 1:16-17

In any given day, a person might be fortunate to find me in a state of loving kindness, generosity and patient in all things.  This state of being is a daily goal of mine and I often lift up these words in my morning prayers that the Lord would be kind and strengthen these characteristics in me each day.  The problem comes from the fact that this is not who I am most of the time and it is something I must work for each day.  I often find myself worrying about life, about the problems that I face each day and the struggles that our family might be going through at any given moment.  I’ve allowed myself to become consumed at times, with my own internal perspective and self-pity that I have failed to see the needs of my brother and sister, and ignored my ability to help them as the Lord would have me do.  There are times where my own arrogance and self righteousness will play on my mind and convince me that I am responsible for the things I have been blessed with.  As I look around and observe my possessions and my family, I find it easy to boast about the things I have done to achieve all of this.  Perhaps you find yourself in this position now and then.  Well, let us step back and realize together the error of our thinking and the cause of this self centeredness.

At my work there are a group of engineers whose job it is to “root cause” problems that our customers are having with our computer systems.  There are hundreds of things that can go wrong with a computer at any given time, and troubleshooting the problem to the root cause is essential to ensure that they are solving the real issue and not just a symptom of the problem.  Often times, there is a belief that the problem is caused because of this or because of that, only to discover that indeed there is a deeper reason for that symptom as well.  These individuals are extremely good at cascading through the problem scenarios and getting to root cause successfully in almost every circumstance.  But, every now and then there is a problem that leaves them with more questions than answers.  As they work through the problems symptoms, the problem goes away, but might return later under a different set of circumstances.  These shifting problems are near impossible to root cause, because they are so intermittent.

If we investigate the root cause of our feelings, our thinking and our actions, often times we will discover that underneath all unrighteousness is the symptom of selfishness or pride or personal gratification.  James tells us clearly that everything we have been blessed with has come from the Lord.  I emphasize everything, because you could look at anything you have obtained and trace the path of achievement all the way back to something God has provided for you.  Your intelligence, your physical abilities, your personality, your love or your patience are often times at the root of anything you have achieved in life.  This achievement in life has given you the ability to create a lifestyle that is demonstrative of success and blessings.  Unlike the symptoms that cause unrighteousness, the root cause for righteousness and love are never changing.

God is immutable, never changing.  He loves humanity today exactly that way He loved Abraham and Sarah, Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Nehemiah, Job, John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, Paul, John, Mark and so on and so on.  His love is consistent.  His grace is never ending and available to all of us.  His intent in our lives has never changed.  There is nothing you can do that will separate you from His love for you.  Again, I say there is nothing.  As unrighteous as you are feeling, and regardless of the sinful act that you feel guilty about, they are all covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.  God makes no exception to His rules and is not going to look the other way on your sinful acts, while holding the other 6.3 billion people on earth accountable.  He will not change His requirements for eternity and heaven.  That requirement is perfection and you can’t achieve it.

But, by the grace of the Lord, He has provided a way and that is through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.  Who, by his life, death and resurrection has created redemption for our sins and a way for us to stand before the Lord perfect and worthy of heaven.  Without the intercession of Jesus Christ on our behalf, we stand before the Lord alone, destined for eternal separation from our Creator.  Overcome your self-centeredness and accept the unchanging salvation that is available to you through Jesus Christ.

ACTIONS for Growth: God is never changing.  His will is consistent and His grace is available to all mankind.  Do a spiritual inventory today.  Analyze where you are in your walk with Christ.  Are you representing the love, patience, kindness and humility that He created you for?  If not, think through the underlying root cause of your problems, your attitude, and your personality to understand what is at the heart of your actions that separate you from Christ’s work.  This takes an honest approach and evaluation, but will bring to the surface the very things you need to work on to better serve in the manner the Lord has created you for.   

    





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