Jas 3:3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
Jas 3:4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
You cannot take back a single word you've spoken that others have been there to hear. Unlike a delete button on our computers that enable us to review things we've written and change them- when we speak in another's presence and they hear the words we say, those words have been heard forever.
I don't think there is a person who is old enough to speak and comprehend what they are saying- able to respond to others and reply in kind- that hasn't regretted words they've spoken. Ask around if you think there are those who haven't ever spoken a word they wish they could take back and not say. You might get some pretty cocky people who will readily say they've never regretted a thing, that regrets are for the foolish, but those people will be liars. Seriously, they'll be lying. Bridling our tongues and keeping them from speaking hurtful things is part of the flesh nature we possess, unfortunately, and people's lives have been altered in ways they don't want because of words spoken.
In yesterday's study we talked about the perfect person being one who does not offend in word, a person who has tamed their tongue is able to tame all their imperfections. Why is that do you think? Because the tongue though it is tiny compared to the majority of our body's members, is powerful. AND the tongue is a reflection of our minds. If we have control over our tongues we have control over our minds.
Satan delights in taking control of us in any way He can. Too many people believe they live outside of the influence of Satan, they'd rather put their own ornery, hurtful, deceptive ways down to themselves than to admit that Satan can influence them. People want to live outside the war, and most do that in their minds- believing the war doesn't even exist. So when we find ourselves caught up in a battle of the verbal kind and are slinging one hurtful barb after another and part of us thinks it's awful what we're doing, yet we keep on throwing hateful words around hoping they'll hit their target wounding the one they're aimed at- all to what end? Any victory achieved through such means is a vile victory stained so thoroughly by the blood of the unseen kind that it ends up being worthless. All too often we'll find ourselves holding that hollow victory and realize just how meaningless it is. We are filled with regret and wish we could go back and unsay what we said and get a do-over so we can do things differently. And yet, no matter how many times we hold hollow victories in our hands it would seem that we can't stop collecting them. Maybe we're hoping for a solid victory and yet we won't find that in a battle of hateful, hurtful words. Because even if you are in the absolute right of things and the other person ends up admitting it, the cost of the battle, the wounds that have been inflicted are open and bleeding for you to see and anyone that can take glory in seeing the wounds is an especially callous, heartless person.
Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Is it any wonder we are told this--
Jas 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath
SLOW TO SPEAK.
How many of the verbal battles we engage in at Satan's urging would have been thwarted if we'd known to be SLOW TO SPEAK? How many of those awful word exchanges could have never been if we'd only listened to the word of God and tamed our tongue at least slowing it down. Too many angry exchanges are made in the HEAT of the argument, in the HEAT of the moment and that heat was set ablaze by our thoughtless words. Truly, thoughtless words. Words we've taken absolutely NO time to speak of, to think about, but rather blurted them out the very microsecond after they were thought. Do you think it's possible to speak without having any thought at all? No. The words must come into our minds through thinking them and we've perfected the art of thinking and speak instantaneously rather than thinking those words and taking time to consider whether or not they are the right thing to say. We think therefore we speak is how we live. Yet we should be thinking and therefore we contemplate our thoughts before putting them into words that we can never, ever, take back, words that are forever spoken, words that can never be erased by a million apologies. A person can forgive a thoughtless word spoken, but they can't forget it. Time will ease the memory of an angry thoughtless exchange but never do away with it.
Oh to be able to learn this great lesson- be slow to speak.
All by the grace of God we will learn, all by the grace of God we will put on the full armor of God and stay protected in this wicked evil world we live in.
In His amazing love!
Amen.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Offending not in word
Jas 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Imagine not offending anyone by what we say. Seriously, imagine it.
Right now stop and think of the last time you offended someone by something you said, can you remember it? Unfortunately it's all too easy for me to remember the last time I said something that offended someone. I'm not talking about speaking truth and offending by the truth, I'm talking about every day speaking with those around us. And so what if the other party is easily offended, that's NOT the issue here, that's not an excuse for us to use. Offending in word. Our mouths, our tongues, our lips, our speech, the words that come from our thoughts spilling outwards and offending. It doesn't have to be intentionally offending. I didn't set out to offend anyone, and most of the time we do NOT set out to offend it just comes out unexpectedly from perhaps being wounded by something the other person said or did. Something caused it, perhaps a hormonal imbalance, or low blood sugar, or… I could go on and on but does it really matter what causes the offending? Excuses - legitimate or not are still excuses. Honestly there really, truly is no excuse for speaking offensively is there? Would Jesus offend? Some might said He offended a lot of people and they'd be right, but they were offended by the truth, not by any hurtful words of our Savior.
'If any man offend NOT in word…
…the same is a PERFECT man.'
A perfect man. We are so far from perfect aren't we?
This perfect man can bridle his whole body!
I truly can only imagine that because I feel so incredibly far from being any where near this perfection spoken of.
The fiery furnace of trials seems to be burning hotly all around me lately as more and more of my imperfections are exposed. I pray that God keep me through all the fires, that He protects my eternal life while stripping me of the evil flesh I possess. I pray that He sees Christ's righteousness as I cling to my Savior, whose grace alone can save me.
I pray for Him to KEEP THE DOOR OF MY LIPS!
Psa 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Jas 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Offend not in word.
By the grace of God!
Amen.
Imagine not offending anyone by what we say. Seriously, imagine it.
Right now stop and think of the last time you offended someone by something you said, can you remember it? Unfortunately it's all too easy for me to remember the last time I said something that offended someone. I'm not talking about speaking truth and offending by the truth, I'm talking about every day speaking with those around us. And so what if the other party is easily offended, that's NOT the issue here, that's not an excuse for us to use. Offending in word. Our mouths, our tongues, our lips, our speech, the words that come from our thoughts spilling outwards and offending. It doesn't have to be intentionally offending. I didn't set out to offend anyone, and most of the time we do NOT set out to offend it just comes out unexpectedly from perhaps being wounded by something the other person said or did. Something caused it, perhaps a hormonal imbalance, or low blood sugar, or… I could go on and on but does it really matter what causes the offending? Excuses - legitimate or not are still excuses. Honestly there really, truly is no excuse for speaking offensively is there? Would Jesus offend? Some might said He offended a lot of people and they'd be right, but they were offended by the truth, not by any hurtful words of our Savior.
'If any man offend NOT in word…
…the same is a PERFECT man.'
A perfect man. We are so far from perfect aren't we?
This perfect man can bridle his whole body!
I truly can only imagine that because I feel so incredibly far from being any where near this perfection spoken of.
The fiery furnace of trials seems to be burning hotly all around me lately as more and more of my imperfections are exposed. I pray that God keep me through all the fires, that He protects my eternal life while stripping me of the evil flesh I possess. I pray that He sees Christ's righteousness as I cling to my Savior, whose grace alone can save me.
I pray for Him to KEEP THE DOOR OF MY LIPS!
Psa 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Jas 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Offend not in word.
By the grace of God!
Amen.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Great condemnation
Jas 3:1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
All too often people will strive to be superior to others, advancing their knowledge so they can impart it. In truth aren't we encouraged to spread the gospel? We are to let our lights shine, right?
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven
Yet we are NOT all called to be teachers, right?
1Co 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1Co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
This verse in James tells us outright- 'be NOT MANY masters'.
Another word for master is teacher- 'be NOT MANY teachers.'
If everyone was a teacher there would be none to fill the other duties needed, right? The plain truth is that not everyone can teach and yet so many strive to become teachers, to become those who know the in-depth knowledge only deep scholars can know. Barring that, many try to pretend to be teachers having vast amounts of knowledge to impart to others. We are told 'be NOT MANY masters', so where does that leave people? If we are not to try to become so knowledgeable that we can teach? We are to become those who learn and live what we learn in our everyday lives, not seeking to be masters of it all and make that our calling. That verse doesn't stop there though, it goes on to say that MASTERS will receive GREATER condemnation.
Why? Why should masters receive greater condemnation?
It follows along this line--
Mat 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
A master- a teacher- who is not truly called to be a teacher but has made it their own desire to become a teacher is not following down the path God would have them follow. They become hypocrites in their desire to teach, and that desire is NOT based upon what God would have of them, but what THEY want. They want the accolades of a scholar, they want the superiority of a teacher lording over their students, they want the authority, the position of power and NOT the things that God would truly have of His teachers. When they take on teaching for the wrong, wrong reasons they become hypocrites and have greater condemnation than those who do not seek their own glory in any way at all.
It's important for us to know this because we have to understand that we need to follow God's will and not our own, never our own.
Please Lord help us NOT to seek to be masters, but if any of us are to be masters give us the strength and the courage, the heart love of You to know this is a true calling from you and NOT a hypocritical desire. Please Lord we do not seek great condemnation, we are Your students forever and You are great Master.
Guide us into all knowledge of You, teach us Your gospel, reveal the Kingdom to us Lord all through Your love, Your forgiveness, Your mercy, Your grace and YOUR righteousness!
In You Lord!
Amen.
All too often people will strive to be superior to others, advancing their knowledge so they can impart it. In truth aren't we encouraged to spread the gospel? We are to let our lights shine, right?
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven
Yet we are NOT all called to be teachers, right?
1Co 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1Co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
This verse in James tells us outright- 'be NOT MANY masters'.
Another word for master is teacher- 'be NOT MANY teachers.'
If everyone was a teacher there would be none to fill the other duties needed, right? The plain truth is that not everyone can teach and yet so many strive to become teachers, to become those who know the in-depth knowledge only deep scholars can know. Barring that, many try to pretend to be teachers having vast amounts of knowledge to impart to others. We are told 'be NOT MANY masters', so where does that leave people? If we are not to try to become so knowledgeable that we can teach? We are to become those who learn and live what we learn in our everyday lives, not seeking to be masters of it all and make that our calling. That verse doesn't stop there though, it goes on to say that MASTERS will receive GREATER condemnation.
Why? Why should masters receive greater condemnation?
It follows along this line--
Mat 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
A master- a teacher- who is not truly called to be a teacher but has made it their own desire to become a teacher is not following down the path God would have them follow. They become hypocrites in their desire to teach, and that desire is NOT based upon what God would have of them, but what THEY want. They want the accolades of a scholar, they want the superiority of a teacher lording over their students, they want the authority, the position of power and NOT the things that God would truly have of His teachers. When they take on teaching for the wrong, wrong reasons they become hypocrites and have greater condemnation than those who do not seek their own glory in any way at all.
It's important for us to know this because we have to understand that we need to follow God's will and not our own, never our own.
Please Lord help us NOT to seek to be masters, but if any of us are to be masters give us the strength and the courage, the heart love of You to know this is a true calling from you and NOT a hypocritical desire. Please Lord we do not seek great condemnation, we are Your students forever and You are great Master.
Guide us into all knowledge of You, teach us Your gospel, reveal the Kingdom to us Lord all through Your love, Your forgiveness, Your mercy, Your grace and YOUR righteousness!
In You Lord!
Amen.
Faith without works is dead
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
We HAVE to believe this!
We must take it to heart!
O VAIN MAN.
We are incredibly vain, incredibly. We believe more easily in our own works and NOT the works of our faith. We believe in our own vanity more than works of faith. We want to have faith without WORKS. We want to say we believe and have that be everything there is. We want to say 'By grace we are saved through faith and NOT of works' and have that mean that the works of faith are something we should not do! Of course we cannot boast we are saved by our own works! It's ludicrous for us to believe we can save ourselves. Without grace we are lost and there is NOTHING that can change that, nothing at all. We will NEVER be saved by works, never be saved by our own actions. We are only saved by the grace of God, by the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The works that come from faith will be wrought by us through Jesus. He saves us and when He saves us we need to seek to be as He is, be as He told us over and over again in His word. We cannot claim salvation and then ignore our Savior and His admonitions to us.
How can we read the above verses-
Faith without works is dead.
Abraham justified by faith.
Rahab the harlot justified by works.
Faith without works is dead.
How can we read the above verses and turn around and say we do not have to have faith works- work wrought from our faith?
We can't, we just can't.
Our faith will require actions from us and those actions are works, faith works. So if anyone tells us we are not saved by works we can tell them they're right in one sense of the word- we are not saved by our own works committed out of vanity, we are saved by faith and that results in works of faith.
By the grace of God may we have faith works in our lives. When God calls us into action may we listen and obey, committing the works of faith He requires of us, all in His love!
Amen.
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
We HAVE to believe this!
We must take it to heart!
O VAIN MAN.
We are incredibly vain, incredibly. We believe more easily in our own works and NOT the works of our faith. We believe in our own vanity more than works of faith. We want to have faith without WORKS. We want to say we believe and have that be everything there is. We want to say 'By grace we are saved through faith and NOT of works' and have that mean that the works of faith are something we should not do! Of course we cannot boast we are saved by our own works! It's ludicrous for us to believe we can save ourselves. Without grace we are lost and there is NOTHING that can change that, nothing at all. We will NEVER be saved by works, never be saved by our own actions. We are only saved by the grace of God, by the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The works that come from faith will be wrought by us through Jesus. He saves us and when He saves us we need to seek to be as He is, be as He told us over and over again in His word. We cannot claim salvation and then ignore our Savior and His admonitions to us.
How can we read the above verses-
Faith without works is dead.
Abraham justified by faith.
Rahab the harlot justified by works.
Faith without works is dead.
How can we read the above verses and turn around and say we do not have to have faith works- work wrought from our faith?
We can't, we just can't.
Our faith will require actions from us and those actions are works, faith works. So if anyone tells us we are not saved by works we can tell them they're right in one sense of the word- we are not saved by our own works committed out of vanity, we are saved by faith and that results in works of faith.
By the grace of God may we have faith works in our lives. When God calls us into action may we listen and obey, committing the works of faith He requires of us, all in His love!
Amen.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Devils also believe
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
What a statement!
It's great that we believe- but even devils believe!
It isn't enough to simply believe. People love to believe that it is enough to simply believe. They take a verse from the Bible here and another there and then they ignore so many others just to keep their precious belief that they do NOT have to do anything other than have faith. Their lives do not have to reflect Christ's, their belief can be a secret belief. They can do as they please, live as they please and as long as they believe Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior then they will be His. People REALLY believe this.
Yes, it is true that without faith we cannot please God.
Yes, it is true that faith is super important.
It's is faith that has us believe in God, but our belief in God must result in actions that God exhorts us through His word to undertake. Devils believe! Devils have faith that Jesus is the Savior, they KNOW He is, the DEVIL himself knows that Jesus is the Savior of mankind. They believe, in fact they believe more than a lot of humans truly believe.
We are told here that it is GOOD that we believe in God, that God exists.
is one.G1520 G1510.2.3
G1510
- Transliteration: Eimi
- Phonetic: i-mee'
- Definition:
1. to be, to exist, to happen, to be present
- Origin: the first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb
- TDNT entry: 08:38,2
- Part(s) of speech: Verb
- Strong's: First person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist (used only when emphatic): - am have been X it is I was. See also G1488 G1498 G1511 G1527 G2258 G2071 G2070 G2075 G2076 G2771 G2468 G5600.
This is more than God is one, this is saying that God exists in a very real way.
We are told that it is good that God exists and yet we are told that devils believe, and NOT only do devils believe they tremble.
That work for tremble--
G5425
- Transliteration: Phrisso
- Phonetic: fris'-so
- Definition:
1. to bristle, stiffen stand up
2. to shudder, to be struck with extreme fear, to be horrified
They are horrified, they are fill with fear, they KNOW what it means that God exists! They know what it means that God is real and this means they have a fate that is decided, they will perish! We will share that fate if we only believe as the devils believe. If our belief isn't a reality in our lives, if our Savior isn't a reality to us in all we do then we are in danger.
Time and time again I bring the following verses up…
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
So many believe they are prophesying in Jesus' name.
So many believe they are casting out devils in Jesus' name.
So many believe they are doing many wonderful works in Jesus' name.
So many believe … just as devils believe only the devils aren't deluding themselves with their belief, they fear because they know the power of Jesus and what it means for their future.
Please Lord, help us to believe and from that belief do the works YOU would have us do, please!
Forgive us our unworthiness Lord, help us to know You and please KNOW US.
In Your love!
Amen.
What a statement!
It's great that we believe- but even devils believe!
It isn't enough to simply believe. People love to believe that it is enough to simply believe. They take a verse from the Bible here and another there and then they ignore so many others just to keep their precious belief that they do NOT have to do anything other than have faith. Their lives do not have to reflect Christ's, their belief can be a secret belief. They can do as they please, live as they please and as long as they believe Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior then they will be His. People REALLY believe this.
Yes, it is true that without faith we cannot please God.
Yes, it is true that faith is super important.
It's is faith that has us believe in God, but our belief in God must result in actions that God exhorts us through His word to undertake. Devils believe! Devils have faith that Jesus is the Savior, they KNOW He is, the DEVIL himself knows that Jesus is the Savior of mankind. They believe, in fact they believe more than a lot of humans truly believe.
We are told here that it is GOOD that we believe in God, that God exists.
is one.G1520 G1510.2.3
G1510
- Transliteration: Eimi
- Phonetic: i-mee'
- Definition:
1. to be, to exist, to happen, to be present
- Origin: the first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb
- TDNT entry: 08:38,2
- Part(s) of speech: Verb
- Strong's: First person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist (used only when emphatic): - am have been X it is I was. See also G1488 G1498 G1511 G1527 G2258 G2071 G2070 G2075 G2076 G2771 G2468 G5600.
This is more than God is one, this is saying that God exists in a very real way.
We are told that it is good that God exists and yet we are told that devils believe, and NOT only do devils believe they tremble.
That work for tremble--
G5425
- Transliteration: Phrisso
- Phonetic: fris'-so
- Definition:
1. to bristle, stiffen stand up
2. to shudder, to be struck with extreme fear, to be horrified
They are horrified, they are fill with fear, they KNOW what it means that God exists! They know what it means that God is real and this means they have a fate that is decided, they will perish! We will share that fate if we only believe as the devils believe. If our belief isn't a reality in our lives, if our Savior isn't a reality to us in all we do then we are in danger.
Time and time again I bring the following verses up…
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
So many believe they are prophesying in Jesus' name.
So many believe they are casting out devils in Jesus' name.
So many believe they are doing many wonderful works in Jesus' name.
So many believe … just as devils believe only the devils aren't deluding themselves with their belief, they fear because they know the power of Jesus and what it means for their future.
Please Lord, help us to believe and from that belief do the works YOU would have us do, please!
Forgive us our unworthiness Lord, help us to know You and please KNOW US.
In Your love!
Amen.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Faith by works
Jas 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Our Savior healed- bodies, minds, spirits. Our Savior never ignored a need but met it wherever He could. Our Savior did not see a single person in need of healing and pass him or her by. The message of the kingdom of heaven is found in Jesus and His great example to us. No, we do not have the power He had through his connection to the Father, our sins have separated us from God. Jesus was sinless and kept His connection to the Father perfectly. The Father, and the Holy Spirit could work through our Savior because there was NOTHING separating them from Jesus, nothing.
Our Savior could perform miracles because of His perfection. The apostles were given the ability to perform miracles through their connection to Jesus, through the fact He forgave them their sins and they were cleansed by Him. He gave them their power just as God gave power to Jesus and Jesus used NO power of His own. The power the apostles used was Jesus', not theirs, they did NOT manufacture it, they were receptacles for that power and when they received the power they used it as Jesus wanted them to.
Remember this--
Act 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Act 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
Act 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Act 19:17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
These men USED Jesus' name but they were NOT connected to Jesus, they did not love Jesus, they did not have any power from Jesus and no authority to act on His behalf. These men had NO faith in our Savior, none. They thought they could simply say the name of Jesus and the power was in merely uttering His name, but they were very wrong. Is there power in Jesus' name? Yes, but there is no power in Jesus' name without a pure love for Him- it's impossible.
Those men who dared to use Jesus' name without any love for Him met with a catastrophe. The evil spirit spoke to them and said- Jesus I know, Paul I know, but who are you? Paul had the power of Jesus in Him through the love he had for the Savior and the evil spirit knew this. The evil spirit understood the power of God in Jesus, and the evil spirit knew that these men had NO power whatsoever to harm it.
We need to have a faith that has works-- natural works as a result of the faith we possess. We cannot say we have faith and believe in our Savior and then totally ignore all the things Jesus took to heart. We have to live as He lived, love like He loved, care like He cared. We might not have the power that He had, our faith might not be as pure as that of the apostles, but we have to believe and use whatever means we do possess to do the works of faith in Jesus.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
By the grace of God may we show our faith by our works! All through the love of Jesus, all through the love of our Savior, all through His power!
In Him Always!!!!!!!
Amen!
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Our Savior healed- bodies, minds, spirits. Our Savior never ignored a need but met it wherever He could. Our Savior did not see a single person in need of healing and pass him or her by. The message of the kingdom of heaven is found in Jesus and His great example to us. No, we do not have the power He had through his connection to the Father, our sins have separated us from God. Jesus was sinless and kept His connection to the Father perfectly. The Father, and the Holy Spirit could work through our Savior because there was NOTHING separating them from Jesus, nothing.
Our Savior could perform miracles because of His perfection. The apostles were given the ability to perform miracles through their connection to Jesus, through the fact He forgave them their sins and they were cleansed by Him. He gave them their power just as God gave power to Jesus and Jesus used NO power of His own. The power the apostles used was Jesus', not theirs, they did NOT manufacture it, they were receptacles for that power and when they received the power they used it as Jesus wanted them to.
Remember this--
Act 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Act 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
Act 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Act 19:17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
These men USED Jesus' name but they were NOT connected to Jesus, they did not love Jesus, they did not have any power from Jesus and no authority to act on His behalf. These men had NO faith in our Savior, none. They thought they could simply say the name of Jesus and the power was in merely uttering His name, but they were very wrong. Is there power in Jesus' name? Yes, but there is no power in Jesus' name without a pure love for Him- it's impossible.
Those men who dared to use Jesus' name without any love for Him met with a catastrophe. The evil spirit spoke to them and said- Jesus I know, Paul I know, but who are you? Paul had the power of Jesus in Him through the love he had for the Savior and the evil spirit knew this. The evil spirit understood the power of God in Jesus, and the evil spirit knew that these men had NO power whatsoever to harm it.
We need to have a faith that has works-- natural works as a result of the faith we possess. We cannot say we have faith and believe in our Savior and then totally ignore all the things Jesus took to heart. We have to live as He lived, love like He loved, care like He cared. We might not have the power that He had, our faith might not be as pure as that of the apostles, but we have to believe and use whatever means we do possess to do the works of faith in Jesus.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
By the grace of God may we show our faith by our works! All through the love of Jesus, all through the love of our Savior, all through His power!
In Him Always!!!!!!!
Amen!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Mercy rejoices against judgment
Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
If we show no mercy- we will receive no mercy.
If we show mercy- we will receive mercy.
We are judged with mercy and without mercy and it depends upon us which we will receive.
Much like the Lord's teaching prayer- we are forgiven only as we forgive.
We cannot expect to treat others horrifically and be shown mercy, we just can't. We can't expect to be mean, to be spiteful, to be selfish, to be demanding, to be ornery, to be all that is contrary to love and then expect to receive love.
So many say that God forgives us- even the most horrible among us- but they forget to say that God forgives us and expects in us a change. True repentance brings true change, yes?
How awful do we view men who beat women? We find it appalling how many women will say over and over again that the man didn't mean to do it, that he's sorry and he'll change- only to have him turn around and do it again. We want these women to leave the abusive men don't we? Also, the woman who abuses the man- and do NOT make the mistake of thinking this doesn't happen it does more than we care to imagine. We make judgment calls and yet forget to judge ourselves in our own sins. Our sins we view as lesser offenses and not so appalling. I'm NOT advocating having anyone stay in an abusive relationship but I think we need to realize how often our relationship to God is shaped in the same vein- an abusive relationship.
We offend God over and over and He forgives us, allowing us to remain with Him over and over. Yet in our Lord's teachings we know that there has to be true repentance, yes? A true seeking of forgiveness, right? A growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord.
Yet how many people reading this right now have sins that so easily beset them? How man people consider themselves wretched people because they only seem to fail over and over again to meet the high standard of perfection set?
We KNOW God's word tells us we must forgive to be forgiven, that we must show mercy to receive mercy. Even as we might be caught in a web of our sins, tangled in sins that seem to be thorns in our sides that only go deeper and deeper the more we try to remove them, we MUST show others compassion, forgiveness, mercy. What we find incredibly hard to forgive in ourselves we must forgive of others. Where we fail to give mercy to our own failings we MUST show mercy to others in theirs! Just because we fail to receive from ourselves or from others, does NOT mean we should fail to give.
These are GOD'S WORDS-
1Pe 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
This mercy we are told to extend to others if we have hope to receive mercy means so much more than we can truly imagine.
Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
We need to receive mercy desperately, and as such we MUST show mercy towards others in all things.
Please Lord, help us stop abusing You in our sins, help us to show mercy and forgiveness to others in big things and in all the many small things. Help us Lord without You we are lost.
In Your love!!!!!!!
If we show no mercy- we will receive no mercy.
If we show mercy- we will receive mercy.
We are judged with mercy and without mercy and it depends upon us which we will receive.
Much like the Lord's teaching prayer- we are forgiven only as we forgive.
We cannot expect to treat others horrifically and be shown mercy, we just can't. We can't expect to be mean, to be spiteful, to be selfish, to be demanding, to be ornery, to be all that is contrary to love and then expect to receive love.
So many say that God forgives us- even the most horrible among us- but they forget to say that God forgives us and expects in us a change. True repentance brings true change, yes?
How awful do we view men who beat women? We find it appalling how many women will say over and over again that the man didn't mean to do it, that he's sorry and he'll change- only to have him turn around and do it again. We want these women to leave the abusive men don't we? Also, the woman who abuses the man- and do NOT make the mistake of thinking this doesn't happen it does more than we care to imagine. We make judgment calls and yet forget to judge ourselves in our own sins. Our sins we view as lesser offenses and not so appalling. I'm NOT advocating having anyone stay in an abusive relationship but I think we need to realize how often our relationship to God is shaped in the same vein- an abusive relationship.
We offend God over and over and He forgives us, allowing us to remain with Him over and over. Yet in our Lord's teachings we know that there has to be true repentance, yes? A true seeking of forgiveness, right? A growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord.
Yet how many people reading this right now have sins that so easily beset them? How man people consider themselves wretched people because they only seem to fail over and over again to meet the high standard of perfection set?
We KNOW God's word tells us we must forgive to be forgiven, that we must show mercy to receive mercy. Even as we might be caught in a web of our sins, tangled in sins that seem to be thorns in our sides that only go deeper and deeper the more we try to remove them, we MUST show others compassion, forgiveness, mercy. What we find incredibly hard to forgive in ourselves we must forgive of others. Where we fail to give mercy to our own failings we MUST show mercy to others in theirs! Just because we fail to receive from ourselves or from others, does NOT mean we should fail to give.
These are GOD'S WORDS-
1Pe 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
This mercy we are told to extend to others if we have hope to receive mercy means so much more than we can truly imagine.
Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
We need to receive mercy desperately, and as such we MUST show mercy towards others in all things.
Please Lord, help us stop abusing You in our sins, help us to show mercy and forgiveness to others in big things and in all the many small things. Help us Lord without You we are lost.
In Your love!!!!!!!
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