Archive for the ‘James’ Category

Boasting about Tomorrow

Posted: December 29, 2020 in Bragging, James, James 4:13-16
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James 4:13-16 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  15Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16As it is, you boast and brag, All such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and does not do it, sins.

It is good to have goals, but goals can disappoint us if we leave God out of them. There is no point in making plans as though God does not exist because the future is in his hands. The beginning of good planning is to ask: “What would I like to be doing ten years from now? One year from now? Tomorrow? How will I react if God steps in and rearranges my plans?” We can plan ahead, but we must hold on to our plans loosely. If we put God’s desires at the center of our planning, he will never disappoint us.

Jesus be Praised! 

Taming the Tongue

Posted: December 2, 2020 in Cursing, James, James 3:7-12, Swearing and cursing
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James 3:7-12 7People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 11Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you cannot draw fresh water from a salty spring.

If no human being can tame the tongue, why bother trying? Even though we may not achieve perfect control of our tongues, the Holy Spirit will help us learn self-control. Remember that we are not fighting the tongue’s fire in our own strength. The Holy Spirit will give us increasing power to monitor and control what we say, so that when we are offended, the Spirit will remind us of God’s love, and we won’t react in a hateful manner. When we are criticized, the Spirit will heal the hurt and help us to not lash out.

Our contradictory speech often puzzles us. At times, our words are right and pleasing to God, but at other times they are violent and destructive. Which of these speech patterns reflects our true identity? We were made in God’s image, but the tongue gives us a picture of our basic sinful nature. God works to change us from the inside out. When the Holy Spirit purifies a heart, he gives self-control so that the person will speak words that please God.

Let’s Bring it Home: Ask God to stop salty water from coming out of you and to replace it with the refreshing water of the Holy Spirit. 

God is My Spotter

Posted: October 11, 2020 in James, kindness, laziness
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Under Gods Command

Who is your Spotter when your having trouble getting the weight up? 

I will put more on you than you can bear.  Not a typo, it means exactly that.

The other morning, I was working out listening to Pandora Donne McCurkin Radio.  This song played with the lyrics “He will put no more on you that you can bear”.  I said, wait a minute, something ant right about that.  I been hearing that for years.  He will put no more on you that you can bear.    That statement is no where in the bible.  I believe that God puts more on you that you can bear.  This way it makes us stronger and keep us coming to him.  Just like when we are on the bench press, and we are trying to get stronger.  We tend to lift more than what we can bear and the spotter helps us to go the extra mile.  After a while, we do not need the spotter because we reach the strength level, we need to push that weight.  So now we are operating in our own strength, and that is where we get into trouble when someone slips more pounds on the bar without us knowing it.    I do believe that is the attitude today. When God rescues us, we tend to forget and go back to working out everything in our own strength, and when we think we do not need that Spiritual Spotter any longer who is God, He comes around and puts more weight on the bar or lets say more trials to keep that relationship with Him realizing that you need God.  Once we master the new weight, we must continue to put more weight on the bar and keep God as our spotter to make us stronger.  So yes, God does put more on us than what we can bear.  

Here is a scripture to back up what I am saying. 

James 1:2-4 States consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James does not say if you face trials, but whenever you face them.  He assumes that we will have trials and that it is possible to profit from them.  The point is not to pretend to be happy when we face pain, but to have a positive outlook (consider it pure joy) because of what trials can produce in our lives, James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning.  Tough times can teach us perseverance.  

We can’t really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure.  It is easy to be kind to others when everything is going well, but can we still be kind when others are treating us unfairly?  God wants to make us mature and complete.  Not to keep us from all pain.  Instead of complaining about our struggles, we should see them as opportunities for growth. 

Thank God for promising to be with us in our rough times.  Ask him to help us solve our problems or to give us the strength to endure them.  Then be patient.  God will not leave us alone with our problems; he will stay close and help us grow. 

Spiritual Training (Suffering) 08 October 2014

Posted: October 8, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, James, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, Suffering, trust in the Lord with all your heart
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Under Gods Command

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James doesn’t say if you face trials, but whenever you face them. He assumes that we will have trials and that it is possible to profit from them. The point is not to pretend to be happy when we face pain, but to have a positive outlook (“consider it pure joy”) because of what trials can produce in our lives. James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning. Tough times can teach us perseverance. For other passages dealing with perseverance (also called patience and steadfastness), see Romans 2:7; 5:3–5; 8:24, 25; 2 Corinthians 6:3–7; 2 Peter 1:2–9.

We can’t really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. It is easy to be kind to others when everything is going well, but can we still be kind when others are treating us unfairly? God wants to make us mature and complete, not to keep us from all pain. Instead of complaining about our struggles, we should see them as opportunities for growth.

Lets Bring it Home: Thank God for promising to be with you in rough times. Ask him to help you solve your problems or to give you the strength to endure them. Then be patient. God will not leave you alone with your problems; he will stay close and help you grow.

Spiritual Training 12 April 2012

Posted: April 12, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, James, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
James 1:2-4 States consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James doesn’t say if you face trials, but whenever you face them. He assumes that we will have trials and that it is possible to profit from them. The point is not to pretend to be happy when we face pain, but to have a positive outlook (consider it pure joy) because of what trials can produce in our lives, James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning. Tough times can teach us perseverance. We can’t really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. It is easy to be kind to others when everything is going well, but can we still be kind when others are treating us unfairly? God wants to make us mature and complete. Not to keep us from all pain. Instead of complaining about our struggles, we should see them as opportunities for growth. Thank God for promising to be with us in our rough times. Ask him to help us solve our problems or to give us the strength to endure them. Than be patient. God will not leave us alone with our problems; he will stay close and help us grow.