"But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it -- he will be blessed in what he does." James 1:25
To look intently -- comes from the Greek word parakupto -- and literally means "aside/to bend forward."
In John 20: 5 look at what John does when he gets to Jesus' tomb. "He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in."
And in verse eleven look at what Mary did when she stood outside the tomb crying. "As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb...."
My sisters, re-read this chapter in John sometimes, remembering how eager Mary and John were to find Jesus. Look at all the things they did. Stoop aside, bend forward and look in and he will reveal himself to YOU.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Poets
"But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does." James 1:25
The word for "doer" comes from the Greek word "poi-e'-o" from which we get the word poet. It means maker, producer, author, performer -- a poet. We are the so-called authors of our own poem when we do God's will. But a poet who never writes a poem has nothing to prove that he is one.
The word for "doer" comes from the Greek word "poi-e'-o" from which we get the word poet. It means maker, producer, author, performer -- a poet. We are the so-called authors of our own poem when we do God's will. But a poet who never writes a poem has nothing to prove that he is one.
Do it.
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:19
Here is the entire paragraph that contains this week's verse. Count the number of times the word "do" or "does" is used.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.
Last week I wrote extensively about the need to study the Bible. But knowledge for knowledge' sake is arrogant. According to 1 Corinthians 8:1, "knowledge puffs up but love builds up."
What is the Bible telling you you need to start or stop doing? I'm not leaving this as a rhetorical question; please leave your answer along with the verse that's speaking to you right now.
Here is the entire paragraph that contains this week's verse. Count the number of times the word "do" or "does" is used.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.
Last week I wrote extensively about the need to study the Bible. But knowledge for knowledge' sake is arrogant. According to 1 Corinthians 8:1, "knowledge puffs up but love builds up."
What is the Bible telling you you need to start or stop doing? I'm not leaving this as a rhetorical question; please leave your answer along with the verse that's speaking to you right now.
Do you walk by faith?
"for we walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthianis 5:7
What is faith? Here's the definition in six translations.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." KJV and NKJV
"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." New Living Translation
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." NIV
"Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]." Amplified Version
"Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see." Contemporary English Version
"Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it." New Century Version
If I were to ask you to prove to me you have faith, could you prove it? I'm not asking if you believe in God; I'm asking for proof of your faith. Think about it and leave me your answer in the comment box.
What is faith? Here's the definition in six translations.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." KJV and NKJV
"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." New Living Translation
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." NIV
"Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]." Amplified Version
"Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see." Contemporary English Version
"Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it." New Century Version
If I were to ask you to prove to me you have faith, could you prove it? I'm not asking if you believe in God; I'm asking for proof of your faith. Think about it and leave me your answer in the comment box.
Believing in Advance
Tonight was my night to have the young mom's class I teach every-other Monday night, so I was going to keep tomorrow's post short and sweet. It is truly amazing how the one line I was going to write, fits so perfectly wtih Merrie Smith's coment about what I wrote yesterday. Merrie, thanks for embellishing what I was going to say. Here is Merrie's quote, and the one line I was going to write regarding faith.
_______________________________
“Pain, physical, moral, and spiritual pain – is the gateway of life every time. The thing that to us is the ugliest blot on the face of creation God makes to be the angel of the revelation of himself.”
I had written this quote by Oswald Chambers in my journal this morning before I read your blog today.
I have found that there is a funny thing about faith. I usually don’t recognize my own “walk of faith” until I’m looking back at the trial. I know that people have gone through much more difficult trials than I have experienced but there was a time in my life when I got so used to trials, that I did not even acknowledge them as trials, they were just life and life was often times ugly. My actions during my “survival” have not always been pretty or in step with all the Lord would have me to do.
But by the grace of God I knew at a very young age that the only way to survive this life is by trusting my Lord with my life.
I used to think that it would have been nice to be “trial free”. But the truth is the trials are very things that have made me so dependent on the Lord. My plan would have been to be pain free, but His presence in those trials is what leads me to trust Him.
“Many are the plans of man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Prov. 19:21
_________________________________
Faith is believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse.
_______________________________
“Pain, physical, moral, and spiritual pain – is the gateway of life every time. The thing that to us is the ugliest blot on the face of creation God makes to be the angel of the revelation of himself.”
I had written this quote by Oswald Chambers in my journal this morning before I read your blog today.
I have found that there is a funny thing about faith. I usually don’t recognize my own “walk of faith” until I’m looking back at the trial. I know that people have gone through much more difficult trials than I have experienced but there was a time in my life when I got so used to trials, that I did not even acknowledge them as trials, they were just life and life was often times ugly. My actions during my “survival” have not always been pretty or in step with all the Lord would have me to do.
But by the grace of God I knew at a very young age that the only way to survive this life is by trusting my Lord with my life.
I used to think that it would have been nice to be “trial free”. But the truth is the trials are very things that have made me so dependent on the Lord. My plan would have been to be pain free, but His presence in those trials is what leads me to trust Him.
“Many are the plans of man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Prov. 19:21
_________________________________
Faith is believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse.
We Walk By Faith
We live in the present moment. We forget the past, strain forward, and press on. We live by the Spirit. We keep in step with the Spirit. We are God's workmanship. We are more than conquerors. We are the light of the world. We are the salt of the earth. We are blessed. We walk by faith.
"for we walk by faith, not by sight."
2 Corinthians 5:7
The beatitudes end with Jesus telling the crowds they will be blessed when they are persecuted, which sounds like, to me, how James begins his letter in James 1:2-3. "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." If a Christian wants to become a mature Christian, he will have trials that will require faith in order to endure them. I like the Amplified Version of this text because it states more clearly what trials do: "Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience." James tell us in verse two that trials prove our faith.
If we as Christians climb the beatitude ladder to its height, we will have many, many trials -- some public, some private, some within ourselves, some with other people, some with believers, some with non-believers, some with family, some with friends, some with acquaintances, some with complete strangers. You can rest assured, you will have trials. And I believe from my own experience, and that scripture substantiates it, that the more mature you want to become, the more trials you will have. Whether we want to believe it or not God and Satan work hand-in-hand to carry us on to maturity. God tests while Satan tempts at the same time, but with God's permission. God knows just how much I can bear, whether I know it or not. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says:"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be temped beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" -- endure it. The word for endure here means "to bear by being under, bear up (a thing placed on one's shoulders)." I get a visual here of a body-builder lifting weights in order to have stronger muscles. Trials and temptations are God's way of building our spiritual muscles. Will we be faithful? Will we persevere? Will we go onto maturity by enduring the trial?
James 1:12 says, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." The test, my sisters, is life, all of it. Yes, there may be many tests along the way; but this passage implies there is only one: the test of life (singular) in this world, this side of heaven. Here is where faith kicks in. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Faith is the beginning. I must have faith this side of heaven in order to endure 'til heaven.
Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1:5 to "Add to your faith goodness; etc., etc. It all starts with faith.
"We walk by faith" is the next step in our spiritual journey in 2010.
(part one)
"for we walk by faith, not by sight."
2 Corinthians 5:7
The beatitudes end with Jesus telling the crowds they will be blessed when they are persecuted, which sounds like, to me, how James begins his letter in James 1:2-3. "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." If a Christian wants to become a mature Christian, he will have trials that will require faith in order to endure them. I like the Amplified Version of this text because it states more clearly what trials do: "Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience." James tell us in verse two that trials prove our faith.
If we as Christians climb the beatitude ladder to its height, we will have many, many trials -- some public, some private, some within ourselves, some with other people, some with believers, some with non-believers, some with family, some with friends, some with acquaintances, some with complete strangers. You can rest assured, you will have trials. And I believe from my own experience, and that scripture substantiates it, that the more mature you want to become, the more trials you will have. Whether we want to believe it or not God and Satan work hand-in-hand to carry us on to maturity. God tests while Satan tempts at the same time, but with God's permission. God knows just how much I can bear, whether I know it or not. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says:"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be temped beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" -- endure it. The word for endure here means "to bear by being under, bear up (a thing placed on one's shoulders)." I get a visual here of a body-builder lifting weights in order to have stronger muscles. Trials and temptations are God's way of building our spiritual muscles. Will we be faithful? Will we persevere? Will we go onto maturity by enduring the trial?
James 1:12 says, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." The test, my sisters, is life, all of it. Yes, there may be many tests along the way; but this passage implies there is only one: the test of life (singular) in this world, this side of heaven. Here is where faith kicks in. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Faith is the beginning. I must have faith this side of heaven in order to endure 'til heaven.
Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1:5 to "Add to your faith goodness; etc., etc. It all starts with faith.
"We walk by faith" is the next step in our spiritual journey in 2010.
(part one)
The Refiner's Fire
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8
I remember driving by Kohl’s after Phil had had his surgery, on my way home from the hospital, thinking how insignificant and trivial shopping was after I had placed so much emphasis on it prior to Phil’s heart attack. Sickness just has a way of waking us up out of our sleep, I guess. It has a way of melting away the layers that obscure our vision of what’s really important. Maybe, other than I had prayed for it to happen, that’s why I put so little emphasis on shopping now; it just doesn’t seem to matter anymore.
One definition of pure in heart is “free from the admixture or adhesion of anything that soils, adulterates, and corrupts.” Another is “purified by fire.” Please let me remind you of the analogy of the refiner’s fire.
“It is his job to melt down raw gold and turn it into a marketable product. The refiner would endure severe heat as he would painstakingly stir the melted ore. Well, every so often he would scrape off a dirty-looking film that had collected at the top. Upon the removal of that film, a beautiful golden glow would appear, seemingly perfect. But the refiner was not satisfied. He turned up the heat and kept stirring and skimming, stirring and skimming. When asked by an impatient bystander when the gold would be refined enough, he said, ‘It will only be ready when I can see my face reflecting back in the gold. Then the work will be complete.'" [http://www.backtothebible.org/index.php/Gateway-to-Joy/Adversity.html]
Even though Phil’s surgery had been painful for him, it was God’s way of refining us both in the fiery furnace of affliction – a pain that was worth it for both of us. The day before his heart attack I had prayed for God to slow him down and get his attention. And he did.
Yesterday my daughter and I crossed paths at Wal Mart while she was renting the movie The Hurt Locker and I was buying the ingredients for zucchini bread. I asked her if she wanted to come over and watch me eat my salad I had just bought at Panera Bread and then watch me make the zucchini bread while we talked. So she did. After she had already asked me if I wanted to see the movie and I had said “no,” I told her to go ahead and watch it by herself in the den while I made the zucchini bread in the kitchen which are basically one and the same room. I paid very little attention to what was going on until almost the very end of the movie when I finally had a chance to sit down. This was the quietest part of the movie and the part I was meant to hear. Here is Staff Sergeant William James exact quote to his baby son:
“You love playing with that.”
“You love playing with all your stuffed animals.”
“You love your Mommy, your Daddy.”
“You love your nature pajamas."
“You love everything, don’t you? Yeah.”
“But you know what, buddy?”
“As you get older…some of the things you love might not seem so special anymore."
“Like your Jack-in-a-box."
“Maybe you’ll realize it’s just a piece of tin and a stuffed animal.”
“And the older you get, the fewer things you really love.”
“And by the time you get to my age, maybe it’s only one or two things.”
“With me, I think it’s one.”
And in the next scene we hear the words, “Welcome to Delta Company, Sergeant.”
“God’s work of refining and purifying the soul must go on until his servants are so humbled, so dead to self, that when called into active service, they may have an eye single to the glory of God. Then they will not move rashly from impulse, and imperil the Lord’s cause because they are slaves to temptation and passion, because they follow their carnal desires; but they will move from principle and in view of the glory of God.” [Refiner’s Fire – Sermon Notes by Pastor John Grosball]
Job replied to the Lord after years of the Lord’s tests and Satan’s temptations: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”
What happened to Job and what happened to me after Phil’s heart attack was a part of the purification process God controlled the entire time. Just like the man in The Hurt Locker God intends me to come through adversity with one goal in mind – to be a better soldier – to glorify Him.
“See I have refined you, though not as silver. I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake I do this.” Isaiah tells us; for his sake he refines us. Purification is painful, so painful, but a necessary ingredient in the Christian’s life. It’s the method whereby God says “I love you. I choose you to cast my reflection upon others.” For HIS sake he allows the purification process and blesses the pure in heart who see HIM through it.
I remember driving by Kohl’s after Phil had had his surgery, on my way home from the hospital, thinking how insignificant and trivial shopping was after I had placed so much emphasis on it prior to Phil’s heart attack. Sickness just has a way of waking us up out of our sleep, I guess. It has a way of melting away the layers that obscure our vision of what’s really important. Maybe, other than I had prayed for it to happen, that’s why I put so little emphasis on shopping now; it just doesn’t seem to matter anymore.
One definition of pure in heart is “free from the admixture or adhesion of anything that soils, adulterates, and corrupts.” Another is “purified by fire.” Please let me remind you of the analogy of the refiner’s fire.
“It is his job to melt down raw gold and turn it into a marketable product. The refiner would endure severe heat as he would painstakingly stir the melted ore. Well, every so often he would scrape off a dirty-looking film that had collected at the top. Upon the removal of that film, a beautiful golden glow would appear, seemingly perfect. But the refiner was not satisfied. He turned up the heat and kept stirring and skimming, stirring and skimming. When asked by an impatient bystander when the gold would be refined enough, he said, ‘It will only be ready when I can see my face reflecting back in the gold. Then the work will be complete.'" [http://www.backtothebible.org/index.php/Gateway-to-Joy/Adversity.html]
Even though Phil’s surgery had been painful for him, it was God’s way of refining us both in the fiery furnace of affliction – a pain that was worth it for both of us. The day before his heart attack I had prayed for God to slow him down and get his attention. And he did.
Yesterday my daughter and I crossed paths at Wal Mart while she was renting the movie The Hurt Locker and I was buying the ingredients for zucchini bread. I asked her if she wanted to come over and watch me eat my salad I had just bought at Panera Bread and then watch me make the zucchini bread while we talked. So she did. After she had already asked me if I wanted to see the movie and I had said “no,” I told her to go ahead and watch it by herself in the den while I made the zucchini bread in the kitchen which are basically one and the same room. I paid very little attention to what was going on until almost the very end of the movie when I finally had a chance to sit down. This was the quietest part of the movie and the part I was meant to hear. Here is Staff Sergeant William James exact quote to his baby son:
“You love playing with that.”
“You love playing with all your stuffed animals.”
“You love your Mommy, your Daddy.”
“You love your nature pajamas."
“You love everything, don’t you? Yeah.”
“But you know what, buddy?”
“As you get older…some of the things you love might not seem so special anymore."
“Like your Jack-in-a-box."
“Maybe you’ll realize it’s just a piece of tin and a stuffed animal.”
“And the older you get, the fewer things you really love.”
“And by the time you get to my age, maybe it’s only one or two things.”
“With me, I think it’s one.”
And in the next scene we hear the words, “Welcome to Delta Company, Sergeant.”
“God’s work of refining and purifying the soul must go on until his servants are so humbled, so dead to self, that when called into active service, they may have an eye single to the glory of God. Then they will not move rashly from impulse, and imperil the Lord’s cause because they are slaves to temptation and passion, because they follow their carnal desires; but they will move from principle and in view of the glory of God.” [Refiner’s Fire – Sermon Notes by Pastor John Grosball]
Job replied to the Lord after years of the Lord’s tests and Satan’s temptations: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”
What happened to Job and what happened to me after Phil’s heart attack was a part of the purification process God controlled the entire time. Just like the man in The Hurt Locker God intends me to come through adversity with one goal in mind – to be a better soldier – to glorify Him.
“See I have refined you, though not as silver. I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake I do this.” Isaiah tells us; for his sake he refines us. Purification is painful, so painful, but a necessary ingredient in the Christian’s life. It’s the method whereby God says “I love you. I choose you to cast my reflection upon others.” For HIS sake he allows the purification process and blesses the pure in heart who see HIM through it.
Blessed are those who are persecuted
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10
Recently I was in my chiropractor’s office using the word “miserable” over and over again to describe how I felt, when he had asked me how I was. He noted to me that I had said the word “miserable” at least X amount of times and that I needed to be more positive – if I was ever going to be well I was going to have to speak it into existence. I replied, I completely agree; I’ve even taught we're a product of our own words and I have a book called Hung by the Tongue that states the same thing.
And then he noted a well known preacher, stating that even though he was criticized for preaching a feel-good religion, he’s right when he preaches that God wants us to be healthy, physically, and rich financially. Hmm I thought. So I went home and googled some of his well-known quotes. Here is one of the twelve that came up.
“God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us.”
Having been studying the beatitudes during the months of March and April, I just had to ask myself, “What’s wrong with this picture?” Does God really desire for me to be healthy and rich when according to the beatitudes this is what the blessed look like?
Blessed are the poor in spirit (spiritually empty; beggars) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, (over sin) for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek (submissive, gentle) for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (hungry) for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful (compassionate) for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart (morally upright, undivided) for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers (for God and with God) for they will be called sons of God.
And finally,
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness (harrassed, injured, tortured) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
All of these, if put into practice, will result in us being persecuted because of righteousness – the top rung of the ladder where the blessed are headed -– where every Christian should be headed. Persecution was not something that just happened to the first century Christian nor only happens today to the missionary abroad. The result of fleshing out the beatitudes, will be persecution; it’s a promise – the opposite of what many preachers preach today – certainly what the well-known preacher who’s mentioned above preaches.
How can we think that a comfort-seeking Christian can follow the cross-bearing Christ? Look at the following scripture.
“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 1:2-4 What a difference there is in “not lacking anything” from this perspective to “not lacking anything” in the physical and financial perspective suggested above. The two are nowhere near the same.
“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 2 Timothy 3:12.
“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,” Philippians 1:29 And then in this same passage Paul goes on to say,
“since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have,” indicating that struggles never go away for the Christian; they only get worse. (According to tradition Peter was crucified upside-down and Paul was beheaded by Nero.) When Paul wrote these words he was in prison, writing the book that's now become known as the book of joy -- joy, i.e. happy, blessed.
And then finally the last verse I want to call attention to:
“For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” 1 Peter 2:19-21 Let me reiterate what Peter says here -- this man who was persecuted for being a follower of Christ and was ultimately crucified upside-down: “But if you suffer for doing good (persecuted because of righteousness) and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called…….”
Was Peter healthy and rich according to the minister's standards above? No. But he was according to Jesus'. He was healthy in that he hungered and thirst for righteousness and he was rich in that he inherited the kingdom of heaven. Praise God for persecution; it's the "highest" calling for a Christian.
Recently I was in my chiropractor’s office using the word “miserable” over and over again to describe how I felt, when he had asked me how I was. He noted to me that I had said the word “miserable” at least X amount of times and that I needed to be more positive – if I was ever going to be well I was going to have to speak it into existence. I replied, I completely agree; I’ve even taught we're a product of our own words and I have a book called Hung by the Tongue that states the same thing.
And then he noted a well known preacher, stating that even though he was criticized for preaching a feel-good religion, he’s right when he preaches that God wants us to be healthy, physically, and rich financially. Hmm I thought. So I went home and googled some of his well-known quotes. Here is one of the twelve that came up.
“God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us.”
Having been studying the beatitudes during the months of March and April, I just had to ask myself, “What’s wrong with this picture?” Does God really desire for me to be healthy and rich when according to the beatitudes this is what the blessed look like?
Blessed are the poor in spirit (spiritually empty; beggars) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, (over sin) for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek (submissive, gentle) for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (hungry) for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful (compassionate) for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart (morally upright, undivided) for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers (for God and with God) for they will be called sons of God.
And finally,
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness (harrassed, injured, tortured) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
All of these, if put into practice, will result in us being persecuted because of righteousness – the top rung of the ladder where the blessed are headed -– where every Christian should be headed. Persecution was not something that just happened to the first century Christian nor only happens today to the missionary abroad. The result of fleshing out the beatitudes, will be persecution; it’s a promise – the opposite of what many preachers preach today – certainly what the well-known preacher who’s mentioned above preaches.
How can we think that a comfort-seeking Christian can follow the cross-bearing Christ? Look at the following scripture.
“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 1:2-4 What a difference there is in “not lacking anything” from this perspective to “not lacking anything” in the physical and financial perspective suggested above. The two are nowhere near the same.
“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 2 Timothy 3:12.
“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,” Philippians 1:29 And then in this same passage Paul goes on to say,
“since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have,” indicating that struggles never go away for the Christian; they only get worse. (According to tradition Peter was crucified upside-down and Paul was beheaded by Nero.) When Paul wrote these words he was in prison, writing the book that's now become known as the book of joy -- joy, i.e. happy, blessed.
And then finally the last verse I want to call attention to:
“For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” 1 Peter 2:19-21 Let me reiterate what Peter says here -- this man who was persecuted for being a follower of Christ and was ultimately crucified upside-down: “But if you suffer for doing good (persecuted because of righteousness) and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called…….”
Was Peter healthy and rich according to the minister's standards above? No. But he was according to Jesus'. He was healthy in that he hungered and thirst for righteousness and he was rich in that he inherited the kingdom of heaven. Praise God for persecution; it's the "highest" calling for a Christian.
Blessed are the peacemakers -- the Christmas gift
"Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God." Matthew 5:9
Earlier in the week Molly Geralds reminded me of a blog I posted on December 14 called Every Good and Perfect Gift. Since peace is a "gift" of the Holy Spirit, we both thought it appropriate to post it again because it goes so well with this week's verse. Peace is something God gives us; it is not something to be worked for or bought. It is a gift from God. Consider "blessed are the peacemakers" when you think about peace being a gift you give away.
______________________________________
“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 1:17
With Christmas only eleven days away, I thought James 1:17 would be an appropriate verse to meditate on this week, since James uses the word gift. And if you’re like me, what gift to give someone is on your mind right now. And if you’re not like me, you’ve probably already made that decision, wrapped it and put it under the tree. :)
Anyway, James tells us not only does God give us gifts, He gives us good and perfect gifts which is the only part of the verse I want us to meditate on this week; please feel free to meditate on the rest.
First, let’s look at the verse in four different translations.
Young’s Literal Translation--
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above,
Complete Jewish Bible—
Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above,
New American Standard Bible—
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above,
New King James Version—
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
Do you see a pattern of words here that is not carried over into the New International Version, which is the one I most frequently use? Clearly these four versions show a difference between a “good and perfect” gift and “every good gift and every perfect gift.” Young’s literal translation, which obviously is a LITERAL translation and the New American Standard Bible, which is the most literal translation today, both say “Every good thing given and every perfect gift,” which, as I have read today, are the most accurate translations.
“Every good thing given” is different from “every perfect gift” in that “every good thing given” emphasizes the “giver” while “every perfect gift” emphasizes the “gift.” I never knew this before STUDYING this verse today. And I love this new insight. Whereas before, I had only seen this passage with respect to every good and perfect gift, I now see it as two gifts. That God is giving the gifts to me, is as great a gift as the gift itself.
I literally thank God every day for "every good and perfect gift" he gives me. Yet, even as I thank him, I wonder what "every good and perfect gift" really means. Today, I think I more fully understand.
If we look back in James at James 1:5 James tells us “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” NKJ So, from James, himself, we see that one of the “good gifts” God gives us is wisdom. Here are more—many more.
Matt. 13:11-12 The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. Did you ever think of these words in the context of knowledge? And did you ever think of knowledge as being a gift?
Luke 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
John 3:27 To this John replied, A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
Acts 5:31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 11:30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience.
Romans 12:6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve….
Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, though faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Ephesians 4:8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captive in his train and gave gifts to men.
Ephesians 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers….
Titus 3:5 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 5:11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Knowledge. Wisdom. Holy Spirit. Forgiveness. Eternal life. Mercy. Spiritual gifts. Grace. Kindness. Salvation. Mercy. His Son. Atoning sacrifice. Life. And love, love, and more love.
Only God can give these gifts--perfect gifts; we cannot. How pitiful we are, if he has all these perfect gifts He wants to GIVE us, yet can’t, because no one wants to receive them. We must receive them first, but when we receive them we must give them away, lest they become a possession. A gift that is only received but never given away becomes a possession. And we do not possess these gifts -- any of these gifts—God does. A gift is only a gift when it is given away. I, literally, looked up the word possess or possession today to see if I possessed anything and what I thought was substantiated. Every time the word possession was used, other than in terms of demon possession, it was used as something to be given away – not kept. Therefore, that which I receive from God I do not possess; He gives it to me to be given away. And I give it to you and you give it to her, so she, too, can receive His gifts, that are to be given away again.
A few years ago I gave my dad a shirt and tie for Christmas. The next Christmas I went into “the junk room” and found his gift still folded neatly, in the same box I had wrapped the year before. I was saddened that he didn’t appreciate my gift enough to wear it -- like God must feel if I don't desire his gifts, i.e., to wear his name and clothe myself with Christ.
Here we are with all these gifts, perfect gifts, given to us by the Creator, the one true and living God who’s qualified to give the gifts—the ONLY one qualified. And yet we want other gifts. We want the other “worldy” gifts we fix our eyes on that are temporal. How do others know about the “gift” of eternal life, the “gift” of mercy, the “gift” of Jesus Christ, etc. unless we share our gifts with them?
Have we, like my dad, put God in a box, along with his gifts and never shared them with others? Have we ever experienced the gifts he so lavishes upon us?
This holiday season please remember that God gives “every good thing given” and “every perfect gift.” Remember to give them to others, lest they just become a possession -- not a gift at all.
Earlier in the week Molly Geralds reminded me of a blog I posted on December 14 called Every Good and Perfect Gift. Since peace is a "gift" of the Holy Spirit, we both thought it appropriate to post it again because it goes so well with this week's verse. Peace is something God gives us; it is not something to be worked for or bought. It is a gift from God. Consider "blessed are the peacemakers" when you think about peace being a gift you give away.
______________________________________
“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 1:17
With Christmas only eleven days away, I thought James 1:17 would be an appropriate verse to meditate on this week, since James uses the word gift. And if you’re like me, what gift to give someone is on your mind right now. And if you’re not like me, you’ve probably already made that decision, wrapped it and put it under the tree. :)
Anyway, James tells us not only does God give us gifts, He gives us good and perfect gifts which is the only part of the verse I want us to meditate on this week; please feel free to meditate on the rest.
First, let’s look at the verse in four different translations.
Young’s Literal Translation--
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above,
Complete Jewish Bible—
Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above,
New American Standard Bible—
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above,
New King James Version—
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
Do you see a pattern of words here that is not carried over into the New International Version, which is the one I most frequently use? Clearly these four versions show a difference between a “good and perfect” gift and “every good gift and every perfect gift.” Young’s literal translation, which obviously is a LITERAL translation and the New American Standard Bible, which is the most literal translation today, both say “Every good thing given and every perfect gift,” which, as I have read today, are the most accurate translations.
“Every good thing given” is different from “every perfect gift” in that “every good thing given” emphasizes the “giver” while “every perfect gift” emphasizes the “gift.” I never knew this before STUDYING this verse today. And I love this new insight. Whereas before, I had only seen this passage with respect to every good and perfect gift, I now see it as two gifts. That God is giving the gifts to me, is as great a gift as the gift itself.
I literally thank God every day for "every good and perfect gift" he gives me. Yet, even as I thank him, I wonder what "every good and perfect gift" really means. Today, I think I more fully understand.
If we look back in James at James 1:5 James tells us “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” NKJ So, from James, himself, we see that one of the “good gifts” God gives us is wisdom. Here are more—many more.
Matt. 13:11-12 The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. Did you ever think of these words in the context of knowledge? And did you ever think of knowledge as being a gift?
Luke 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
John 3:27 To this John replied, A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
Acts 5:31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 11:30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience.
Romans 12:6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve….
Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, though faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Ephesians 4:8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captive in his train and gave gifts to men.
Ephesians 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers….
Titus 3:5 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 5:11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Knowledge. Wisdom. Holy Spirit. Forgiveness. Eternal life. Mercy. Spiritual gifts. Grace. Kindness. Salvation. Mercy. His Son. Atoning sacrifice. Life. And love, love, and more love.
Only God can give these gifts--perfect gifts; we cannot. How pitiful we are, if he has all these perfect gifts He wants to GIVE us, yet can’t, because no one wants to receive them. We must receive them first, but when we receive them we must give them away, lest they become a possession. A gift that is only received but never given away becomes a possession. And we do not possess these gifts -- any of these gifts—God does. A gift is only a gift when it is given away. I, literally, looked up the word possess or possession today to see if I possessed anything and what I thought was substantiated. Every time the word possession was used, other than in terms of demon possession, it was used as something to be given away – not kept. Therefore, that which I receive from God I do not possess; He gives it to me to be given away. And I give it to you and you give it to her, so she, too, can receive His gifts, that are to be given away again.
A few years ago I gave my dad a shirt and tie for Christmas. The next Christmas I went into “the junk room” and found his gift still folded neatly, in the same box I had wrapped the year before. I was saddened that he didn’t appreciate my gift enough to wear it -- like God must feel if I don't desire his gifts, i.e., to wear his name and clothe myself with Christ.
Here we are with all these gifts, perfect gifts, given to us by the Creator, the one true and living God who’s qualified to give the gifts—the ONLY one qualified. And yet we want other gifts. We want the other “worldy” gifts we fix our eyes on that are temporal. How do others know about the “gift” of eternal life, the “gift” of mercy, the “gift” of Jesus Christ, etc. unless we share our gifts with them?
Have we, like my dad, put God in a box, along with his gifts and never shared them with others? Have we ever experienced the gifts he so lavishes upon us?
This holiday season please remember that God gives “every good thing given” and “every perfect gift.” Remember to give them to others, lest they just become a possession -- not a gift at all.
Blessed are the peacemakers
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." Matthew 5:9
We have come to God beggars, mourning over our sins. We realize there is nothing too bad that anyone can say about us; we won't be offended; we are under God's control. We hunger and thirst for His righteousness; He fills us. Being filled with his righteousness, we are equipped to extend mercy to others. We live in a very stained world but remain true to God. We have peace that we wish to share.
I must have peace with God before I can have the peace of God to extend to others.
We have come to God beggars, mourning over our sins. We realize there is nothing too bad that anyone can say about us; we won't be offended; we are under God's control. We hunger and thirst for His righteousness; He fills us. Being filled with his righteousness, we are equipped to extend mercy to others. We live in a very stained world but remain true to God. We have peace that we wish to share.
I must have peace with God before I can have the peace of God to extend to others.
The Pure in Heart
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8
I remember driving by Kohl’s after Phil had had his surgery, on my way home from the hospital, thinking how insignificant and trivial shopping was after I had placed so much emphasis on it prior to Phil’s heart attack. Sickness just has a way of waking us up out of our sleep, I guess. It has a way of melting away the layers that obscure our vision of what’s really important. Maybe, other than I had prayed for it to happen, that’s why I put so little emphasis on shopping now; it just doesn’t seem to matter anymore.
One definition of pure in heart is “free from the admixture or adhesion of anything that soils, adulterates, and corrupts.” Another is “purified by fire.” Please let me remind you of the analogy of the refiner’s fire.
“It is his job to melt down raw gold and turn it into a marketable product. The refiner would endure severe heat as he would painstakingly stir the melted ore. Well, every so often he would scrape off a dirty-looking film that had collected at the top. Upon the removal of that film, a beautiful golden glow would appear, seemingly perfect. But the refiner was not satisfied. He turned up the heat and kept stirring and skimming, stirring and skimming. When asked by an impatient bystander when the gold would be refined enough, he said, ‘It will only be ready when I can see my face reflecting back in the gold. Then the work will be complete.'" [http://www.backtothebible.org/index.php/Gateway-to-Joy/Adversity.html]
Even though Phil’s surgery had been painful for him, it was God’s way of refining us both in the fiery furnace of affliction – a pain that was worth it for both of us. The day before his heart attack I had prayed for God to slow him down and get his attention. And he did.
Yesterday my daughter and I crossed paths at Wal Mart while she was renting the movie The Hurt Locker and I was buying the ingredients for zucchini bread. I asked her if she wanted to come over and watch me eat my salad I had just bought at Panera Bread and then watch me make the zucchini bread while we talked. So she did. After she had already asked me if I wanted to see the movie and I had said “no,” I told her to go ahead and watch it by herself in the den while I made the zucchini bread in the kitchen which are basically one and the same room. I paid very little attention to what was going on until almost the very end of the movie when I finally had a chance to sit down. This was the quietest part of the movie and the part I was meant to hear. Here is Staff Sergeant William James exact quote to his baby son:
“You love playing with that.”
“You love playing with all your stuffed animals.”
“You love your Mommy, your Daddy.”
“You love your nature pajamas."
“You love everything, don’t you? Yeah.”
“But you know what, buddy?”
“As you get older…some of the things you love might not seem so special anymore."
“Like your Jack-in-a-box."
“Maybe you’ll realize it’s just a piece of tin and a stuffed animal.”
“And the older you get, the fewer things you really love.”
“And by the time you get to my age, maybe it’s only one or two things.”
“With me, I think it’s one.”
And in the next scene we hear the words, “Welcome to Delta Company, Sergeant.”
“God’s work of refining and purifying the soul must go on until his servants are so humbled, so dead to self, that when called into active service, they may have an eye single to the glory of God. Then they will not move rashly from impulse, and imperil the Lord’s cause because they are slaves to temptation and passion, because they follow their carnal desires; but they will move from principle and in view of the glory of God.” [Refiner’s Fire – Sermon Notes by Pastor John Grosball]
Job replied to the Lord after years of the Lord’s tests and Satan’s temptations: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”
What happened to Job and what happened to me after Phil’s heart attack was a part of the purification process God controlled the entire time. Just like the man in The Hurt Locker God intends me to come through adversity with one goal in mind – to be a better soldier – to glorify Him.
“See I have refined you, though not as silver. I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake I do this.” Isaiah tells us; for his sake he refines us. Purification is painful, so painful, but a necessary ingredient in the Christian’s life. It’s the method whereby God says “I love you. I choose you to cast my reflection upon others.” For HIS sake he allows the purification process and blesses the pure in heart who see HIM through it.
I remember driving by Kohl’s after Phil had had his surgery, on my way home from the hospital, thinking how insignificant and trivial shopping was after I had placed so much emphasis on it prior to Phil’s heart attack. Sickness just has a way of waking us up out of our sleep, I guess. It has a way of melting away the layers that obscure our vision of what’s really important. Maybe, other than I had prayed for it to happen, that’s why I put so little emphasis on shopping now; it just doesn’t seem to matter anymore.
One definition of pure in heart is “free from the admixture or adhesion of anything that soils, adulterates, and corrupts.” Another is “purified by fire.” Please let me remind you of the analogy of the refiner’s fire.
“It is his job to melt down raw gold and turn it into a marketable product. The refiner would endure severe heat as he would painstakingly stir the melted ore. Well, every so often he would scrape off a dirty-looking film that had collected at the top. Upon the removal of that film, a beautiful golden glow would appear, seemingly perfect. But the refiner was not satisfied. He turned up the heat and kept stirring and skimming, stirring and skimming. When asked by an impatient bystander when the gold would be refined enough, he said, ‘It will only be ready when I can see my face reflecting back in the gold. Then the work will be complete.'" [http://www.backtothebible.org/index.php/Gateway-to-Joy/Adversity.html]
Even though Phil’s surgery had been painful for him, it was God’s way of refining us both in the fiery furnace of affliction – a pain that was worth it for both of us. The day before his heart attack I had prayed for God to slow him down and get his attention. And he did.
Yesterday my daughter and I crossed paths at Wal Mart while she was renting the movie The Hurt Locker and I was buying the ingredients for zucchini bread. I asked her if she wanted to come over and watch me eat my salad I had just bought at Panera Bread and then watch me make the zucchini bread while we talked. So she did. After she had already asked me if I wanted to see the movie and I had said “no,” I told her to go ahead and watch it by herself in the den while I made the zucchini bread in the kitchen which are basically one and the same room. I paid very little attention to what was going on until almost the very end of the movie when I finally had a chance to sit down. This was the quietest part of the movie and the part I was meant to hear. Here is Staff Sergeant William James exact quote to his baby son:
“You love playing with that.”
“You love playing with all your stuffed animals.”
“You love your Mommy, your Daddy.”
“You love your nature pajamas."
“You love everything, don’t you? Yeah.”
“But you know what, buddy?”
“As you get older…some of the things you love might not seem so special anymore."
“Like your Jack-in-a-box."
“Maybe you’ll realize it’s just a piece of tin and a stuffed animal.”
“And the older you get, the fewer things you really love.”
“And by the time you get to my age, maybe it’s only one or two things.”
“With me, I think it’s one.”
And in the next scene we hear the words, “Welcome to Delta Company, Sergeant.”
“God’s work of refining and purifying the soul must go on until his servants are so humbled, so dead to self, that when called into active service, they may have an eye single to the glory of God. Then they will not move rashly from impulse, and imperil the Lord’s cause because they are slaves to temptation and passion, because they follow their carnal desires; but they will move from principle and in view of the glory of God.” [Refiner’s Fire – Sermon Notes by Pastor John Grosball]
Job replied to the Lord after years of the Lord’s tests and Satan’s temptations: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”
What happened to Job and what happened to me after Phil’s heart attack was a part of the purification process God controlled the entire time. Just like the man in The Hurt Locker God intends me to come through adversity with one goal in mind – to be a better soldier – to glorify Him.
“See I have refined you, though not as silver. I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake I do this.” Isaiah tells us; for his sake he refines us. Purification is painful, so painful, but a necessary ingredient in the Christian’s life. It’s the method whereby God says “I love you. I choose you to cast my reflection upon others.” For HIS sake he allows the purification process and blesses the pure in heart who see HIM through it.
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