UNTAMEABLE TONGUE

UNTAMEABLE TONGUE

Jas. 3:7-8 People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. NLT

We must somehow wrap ourselves around this truth. The tongue is inherently evil. Without restraint it will do its evil. It will destroy those around it, without regard for who they may be. An uncontrolled tongue is full of deadly poison. Why? Because the tongue is the extension of the heart. The tongue expresses what is in the heart. When the heart is full of sin, evil dominates one's speech. A sinful heart cannot be tamed by sheer willpower. What the tongue speaks is full of deadly poison; it naturally spews that which devastates and destroys.

The issue then is, what can we do about it? Without God's help, there is nothing we can do. Our hearts are naturally evil, and unless we allow the Lord to change our hearts, we are going to act naturally and let our tongues spew out its deadly poison. With great effort there may be some who can tame their tongue to some degree, but not completely. Lies are spoken, hurtful things are said, words of anger come out, etc.

The Lord alone can tame the tongue. He purifies the heart so that what comes out of it is good and not evil. His Spirit gives us the willpower to control the tongue. We can have victory over the tongue's deadly poison, but we must let Jesus be our Lord if we are going to do it. It's not an easy thing to do, but with His help, we can do it. The more you let Jesus influence your life, the more you will gain control over your tongue.

If you have no control over your tongue, the chances are good that you have control issues in other areas of your life as well. If such is the case, you need to humble yourself and let the Holy Spirit have His way with you. Remember, one of the evidences of the Spirit being in you is self-control.

Does your tongue need taming today?

TONGUE CONTROL

 

TONGUE CONTROL

Jas. 3:2 We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. NLT

No matter who you think you may be, you make mistakes in your life. Life is full of mistakes we make. No one is any different than anyone else in this regard. Mistakes are going to happen to anyone who does anything at all in life. We make mistakes in the things we do and say every day of our lives.

If we learn the discipline of controlling our tongues, it helps us in every other area of our lives as well. Great damage is done with our tongues and those who learn how to control it have a much better chance of living a happy and successful life. There are some things we can do to maintain a better control of our tongues and lives.

The best thing we can do is stay close to God and ask Him to help us. We can strive to do more thinking before we speak than we normally do. We can ask the Lord to help us to build others up instead of tearing them down. We can put ourselves on the receiving end of our conversations and examine how it would affect us. We can ask the Lord to give us more love for others so that we might not hurt them with our speech. We can ask the Lord to zip our lips when it’s needed. We can walk away from a conversation that is going nowhere but downhill. We can ask the Lord for greater self-discipline in all areas of our lives.

Gaining control over our tongues and lives is not an easy task. The journey is full of many pitfalls and failures. But, we can gain many victories if we persevere with the determination to win. Let the Lord help you in this area of your life and see what great things He can do for you.

JUDGING TEACHERS

 

JUDGING TEACHERS

James 3:1 Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged by God with greater strictness. NLT

This is a verse that needs to be taught in the Church today. Most of us like to hear ourselves think. We like to make an impression on others with what we think we know. We like to be looked up to as knowledgeable. We want others to value our understanding of things. We feed off of the attention and respect that often comes our way. But, we need to understand that not all of us are qualified to be teachers of the Word.

Good teachers are good students of the Word who practice what they teach. Good teachers teach from experience as much as they do knowledge. They are people who are mature in faith and have gleaned much wisdom from the Word. Good teachers have compassion for those they teach. They are humble in spirit knowing that they don’t have all the answers to life and are striving to learn more than they know. Good teachers are growing in faith and teach with the goal of personal application of what they teach.

Teachers are everywhere, but not all teachers are good teachers in the Church. Teaching should be sought after very carefully and with much prayer because God judges those who teach by a stricter standard than those who are listeners rather than teachers. A good teacher knows the art of listening to God even as they teach. It is good to have teachers who teach well the Word of God.

In all things we are to strive to give our best effort to the Lord. If you teach, be the best teacher you can be. If you listen, be the best listener you can be. In all things, strive to put into practice the Word proclaimed.

If you are a teacher in the Church, teach humbly, compassionately, carefully and clearly. If you are not a teacher, pray faithfully for those who teach you for they are held accountable to God for what they teach and how they teach.

We need to be careful here. Being entrusted with preaching or teaching in the church is a sacred trust. It is not to be entered into lightly. It is not a popularity or power thing. God expects teachers to do well in handling His Word and He will judge them for how they do.

If you are a teacher of the Word, study well to show yourself approved of by God, one who does not bring shame to the name of the Lord. Souls depend on you to get things right to the best of your ability. What you teach may very well eternally affect those you teach.

God is listening to you when you teach and will strictly judge you for how you do.

BELIEVING AND DOING

 

BELIEVING AND DOING

James 2:17 So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all--it is dead and useless. NLT

Believing in Christ and His ability to save us from our sins is not enough for our salvation. It is essential, but being right with God involves more than just what we believe. Most people, if they are honest, will admit that they believe in God and Jesus as our Savior. Satan himself knows that the Gospel message is true. Yet, in spite of the fact that most believe, most do not live lives that reflect their belief. Faith does no one any good if it doesn’t impact the way they live.

Saving faith is a changing faith. It changes who we are from the inside out. It changes the way we see things. It changes the way we respond to life. It changes our motives so that we are not self-motivated but Christ-motivated. We live to do good. We desire to help others become viable children of God. We treat others out of love for their souls. We serve the Lord out of our love for Him.

All who profess to have faith and do not live the life of faith have no real faith at all. The Lord demands evidence in our lives that we are sincere in our profession of faith. If you are not living what you profess to believe, you need to re-examine your life and repent of your unfaithfulness. You need to dedicate yourself to the Lord and start acting like you are saved. You must quit making excuses as to why you aren’t showing your faith and serving the Lord. If you don’t take your faith seriously, neither will God.

And no, I am not saying that works are an essential part of becoming a child of God. We are saved by grace alone. It is the finished work of Christ at Calvary that cleanses us from our sins. Nothing more and nothing less. Works is a by-product of our salvation. It is clear evidence that Christ lives in us. We change and start living for Christ and not ourselves or the world. Words of salvation are important, but so also are the works of salvation. Faith that is not seen through how we live and what we do is useless, meaningless—dead. Saving faith is seen in the fruit that we bear. Gal. 5:22-23

PROVE IT

 

PROVE IT

James 2:14 Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can't save anyone. NLT

Faith that is not backed up by action is no faith at all. It does no good to believe something to be true and never put it to the test. Anyone can believe in God and what He has revealed about himself. Anyone can claim to know God. But, unless it shows in the way he lives, it's just talk.

Only God knows the sincerity of the heart, but we can get a pretty good idea from how a person lives as to whether or not his talk is really what is true in his heart. Actions are a reflection of the heart. If how you live and talk don't line up with godliness, then you are not saved.

Jesus changes us from the inside out. He changes how we see things, what we think about, and how we live in relationship to others. He never enters into the heart of someone without changing him. The change varies in speed with the individual, but indeed change happens. In place of sinfulness, Christ makes us holy and righteous. It is who He is and He cannot be anywhere where He does not affect the person in whom He resides.

If your living does not match up to your profession, you need to fall on your knees before God today and get things right with Him.

MOTIVES MATTER

MOTIVES MATTER

James 2:12-13 So whenever you speak, or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law of love, the law that set you free. For there will be no mercy for you if you have not been merciful to others. But if you have been merciful, then God's mercy toward you will win out over his judgment against you. NLT

The Lord does not judge us for what we do. Rather, He judges us for why we do what we do. Our actions are the fruit of our hearts. God is love and commands love from us, His children. We may not always do the right thing, but if our love for God motivates us, it is okay. He knows we will mess up, but He is okay with that if our hearts are right before Him.

On the same token, if we do all the right things for the wrong reasons, we might as well not do them at all. God will use what we do in spite of us, not because of us. It does no good at all as far as our relationship with God is concerned when we are not properly motivated by His love and our love for Him.

God knows our hearts and will reward those who live in His love and let His love flow through them to others. Where there is no love from God, there can only be judgment. A loveless heart is a condemned heart. There is no mercy towards those who do not have godly love moving them in their living.

How does one know for sure that he is being directed by God's love? He stays in intimate contact with God. He sincerely seeks God and submits to His lordship. He nurtures his love for God and lovingly yields to His leading. He makes his relationship with God the priority of his life. You cannot actively seek God with a sincere heart and not be saturated by His love.

How much effort are you putting into your love relationship with God? Are you living out your love for the Lord? If you are, others will know it and be drawn to it.

THE LAW OF LOVE

THE LAW OF LOVE

James 2:12 So whenever you speak, or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law of love, the law that set you free. NLT

Notice that the child of God will be judged by the law of love. I find this to be interesting. What this means is that God will not judge us on our performance. Instead, we will be judged on the motives behind our performance. We may act like a Christian, but our actions do not make us a Christian. There is a two-fold dynamic to the law of love, proclamation and performance.

The law of love is first of all Christ living in me. Everything connected to Christ is love based. God is love and we cannot have God in our hearts without our being a people of love. Everything we do and say is affected by the love of God. We are characterized by loving hearts. We care about others and it shows. We strive to make life better for others. We enter into other people’s lives because we want to help them find their way to God.

The law of love is the basis upon which we will be judged. Whatever we do or say will be seen in the light of godly love. Godly love is love with character. It is unwavering and dependable. It endures regardless of circumstances. It is character building at all times. It always strives to help and not hinder the spiritual growth of others. It is kind and gentle, yet firm when it is needed. It is a steady stream flowing outward from the steady stream that flows inward in us. It is always fresh, being renewed constantly from Him who is love.

We are set free from all that hinders our ability to live in godly love. Jesus frees us from the sin that keeps us away from God’s love. He floods our souls with God’s love so that we can love others God’s way. We must always strive to keep sin out of our souls so that we can speak and do what pleases God. We will be judged on how well we love those whom Jesus loves.

BREAKING GOD'S LAWS

 

BREAKING GOD’S LAWS

James 2:10 And the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as the person who has broken all of God's laws. NLT

James reminds us of a very important truth: we cannot ever be good enough to make it to heaven on our own. No amount of effort will enable us to be able to live good enough lives to earn God's favor. If you were to be able to perfectly keep all of God's laws but one, you are as guilty before God as if you weren't able to keep any of them. All of our efforts to live good lives are a waste of life as far as God is concerned. God wants you to know today that you are guilty of sin. Period. You are under the curse of the law. He who sins will face God's wrath. No amount of submission to a church's rules will save you. Your only hope is in God's provision for your salvation, Jesus Christ our Lord.

You cannot earn your salvation and you cannot keep your salvation by your efforts. What saves us is our personal relationship with Christ. Jesus did everything that needed to be done at Calvary for our salvation. It is in Christ alone that we find forgiveness and pleasure in God's eyes. It is He who makes us and keeps us. Our efforts to please Him must be rooted in our relationship with Him.

There is a lot of misinformation floating around in the Church today. Our standing with God does not depend on our efforts. We must strive to live godly lives, but our efforts do not make us right with God. Our righteousness and holiness is rooted in Christ alone. He frees us from our own efforts. He frees us up so that we can live guilt-free lives. Our only hope for perfected lives is found in our relationship with Christ.

Do yourself a favor and quit trying to please God by your own efforts. Jesus already did for you what you are trying to do. Live in Christ and let Him live through you and you will find favor in God's eyes.

NOT GOOD ENOUGH

 

NOT GOOD ENOUGH

James 2:10 And the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as the person who has broken all of God’s laws. NLT

This verse should cause all who think that they are good enough to make it to heaven on their own to change their minds. Anyone who takes the time to consider all the various laws of God quickly realizes just how impossible it is to live by the law and make it to heaven. You may be able to perfectly obey all of the law except one (which no one can do) and obey the other one half the time, and you would be guilty of the full punishment of the law for sin, which is God’s condemnation, eternity in hell. The law of God demands perfection in order to be good enough to make it to heaven and perfection includes the heart motive as well as the performance.

The message is very clear: forget trying to make it to heaven by doing good. It is a path of life that leads to certain destruction. No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to be saved through the law. The only one who has ever been able to live by the law and make it to heaven is Jesus. He alone was able to enter heaven on His own merit. He alone was able to fulfill all the demands of the law for holy living. Not only was Jesus able to not sin against God, He was able to take upon himself our sins and make us right with God and satisfy the law’s demand for justice.

We will make it to heaven only through Christ. Only when His righteousness becomes our own through Calvary are we able to be accepted by God. Only Jesus is able to forgive sin and cast them into the sea of God’s forgetfulness. When God looks upon the soul of man and sees the righteousness of Christ, all is well. If Jesus is not there, then the soul is condemned to hell.

Dear friend, are you living in the righteousness of Christ today? Are you depending on Him alone for your salvation? Is your conscience clear before God? Do you know for a fact that all is well with your soul? Does your life reflect the righteousness of Christ? Do you live for Christ out of a pure heart full of love for Him?

Warning: If you have wandered away from Christ’s protective care where His righteousness no longer covers you, you are in grave danger and need to repent of your sins today! Jesus is the only way anyone is going to avoid an eternity in hell for all who sin fall short of God’s demand for righteousness and holy living. Jesus is our righteousness and holiness from God.

LASTING FAITH

 

LASTING FAITH

James 1:27 Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us. NLT

Faith that stands the test of time is faith at work and faith that refuses to let the world corrupt it. Faith at work is seen in how one treats others. A child of God is compassionate; he cares for those who are in need. He does what he can do to help those in need. He is wise enough to know that he can't help everyone, but he knows he can help some. Jesus said that all the law of God can be summarized in our love for God and our love for others. John said in his epistle that we cannot love God without loving others. And you can't love others without doing what you can to help them when they are in need. We live in the world and are given a mandate to serve Christ in it.

Also, a faith that lasts is a pure faith. We cannot let the world into our souls. We cannot participate in the world's life. We cannot let the world determine our perspective on life. We cannot listen to the world regarding what is truth or sin. We must always base our understanding on the Word of God. We must let the Spirit of God guide us through life. We must always operate out of a godly mindset. We must value the things of God instead of the things of the world.

Anyone who wants to make it to heaven must let their faith work in the world without letting the world work in their faith. We are to be in the world doing good but not let the world influence our faith. When we live life God's way, our faith will endure the test of time and we will see our Lord face-to-face when we die.

UNCONTROLLED TONGUE

 

UNCONTROLLED TONGUE

James 1:26 If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. NLT

Words can either make or break you. They either are your friend or your enemy. What you say and how you say it are a reflection on who you are. If you have trouble biting your tongue, you need to take an inventory of your soul. If you use words to berate others, gossip, or demean them, you have a sin problem. If you use words recklessly when you are emotionally charged and say things that hurt others or disrespect God, you have a sin problem. If you have a tendency to always speak before you think, you have a problem. What we say comes out of the heart. If what we say is not good, then it means that the bad in us is ruling the heart.

Our profession of faith is meaningless if it is not backed up by self-control. Words do matter to God. He takes seriously what we say and holds us accountable for it. He knows what we say and why we say what we do. While no one is going to perfectly control his tongue, we can have great control over it. Don't kid yourself. If you have an uncontrolled tongue, you have a very serious sin issue. Your words speak for themselves. Unholy words do not come from a holy heart. Don't fool yourself. An out-of-control tongue renders your profession of faith meaningless.

Words can either make or break one's spirit. Demeaning words crush the soul while edifying words build up the soul. We must take what comes out of our mouths seriously. What we say may be what determines the eternal destiny of someone's soul. Think about it. Many people wallow around in self-defeat and darkness because of ill-advised words spoken to them. It is also true that some rise up to become believers in God and themselves because someone was there to encourage them at just the right time in their lives. Don't kid yourself; your words do matter.

If you have a problem with what comes out of your mouth, ask the Lord right now to help you. Admit you have a problem, ask Him to forgive you, and ask Him to take control of your heart so that you can gain control over your words. You can do it with His help. He wants you to have victory in this. Will you let Him help you?

TONGUE CONTROL

TONGUE CONTROL

James 1:26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. NLT

This verse hits home doesn’t it? We say things that we wish we wouldn’t say. We know better, but we do it anyways. We sometimes say things that are out of character with our profession of faith. We say things flippantly about God that pricks our hearts later. We say things that are hurtful to others. We say things that are not sound Biblically. We say things that are to our advantage at the expense of others. We say things that we don’t mean because at the moment it spares us from embarrassment or a conflict we don’t want to be involved in. There are so many things we say that we shouldn’t say to others and about others. How do we stop doing it?

The only way to get our tongues under control is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. We cannot do it by ourselves. We must have the help of God. The more we are controlled by the Spirit, the less problem we will have. Godliness breeds godliness. If our hearts are pure before God, what comes out of our mouths will be good and not bad or evil. The Lord tempers our tongues with His righteousness. “Out of the heart, the mouth speaks.” If you think you are right with God and cannot control what comes out of your mouth, you are only fooling yourself. Your profession of faith isn’t worth much if you have a loose tongue.

If you find yourself guilty of not being able to control your tongue, give it over to the Lord right now. Ask Him to take charge of your tongue that you might get a handle on this. Will we do it perfectly from now on? Of course, not. But, we will find that we will do better. And the more we live under the Lord’s control; we will find we will do better. An uncontrolled tongue is a spiritual problem and can only be fixed in Christ.

LISTEN AND OBEY

 

LISTEN AND OBEY

James 1:22 And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don’t obey, you are only fooling yourself. NLT

It is good to listen to the Word of God; it is far better to listen to it and obey it. We tend to be good listeners, but poor when it comes to obeying it. We give mental agreement to what we hear and we may even say “Amen” to it, but if we don’t obey it, it is a waste of our time. Think about it for a moment. When was the last time you heard something in a message that was a life-changer for you?

We gather together to study the Bible. We gather together in worship where the Word is proclaimed. We enjoy the time spent in the Word, but it hasn’t any real impact on the way we live and think. We take great delight in listening to dynamic speakers proclaim the Word. However, if we don’t apply the things we learn and know, we are only fooling ourselves. Hearing from God is more than a spiritual duty we perform; it is a life-changing event. We won’t hear life-changing messages all the time, but we will hear them often enough to change our behavior and thought lives if we will but listen and apply it to life.

If you never hear anything that really makes a difference in your life, then a couple of things need to happen. You need to first examine your heart and seek to discover what is keeping you from hearing from God. Is there sin plugging up your ears so you can’t hear? If so, you need to repent of it so you can once again hear the voice of God.

If you can’t hear from God because he who speaks never speaks clearly from God, then either get rid of the speaker or go somewhere else where God is clearly speaking. Hearing from God is too important of a matter to not be in a position where you can hear what He has to say.

You will not hear from God if you are not into His Word where He clearly speaks. Daily you need to be in the Word with the expectation that God will speak to you. God will move you if you listen to Him.

ACCEPT GOD'S MESSAGE

 

ACCEPT GOD’S MESSAGE

James 1:21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your souls. NLT

Those who are truly saved stand out amongst men. They are a people who do not act, think or speak like the world. They are a pure people who live by God’s standards and not man’s. They are a people who are constantly changing into godliness. They do away with all that is filthy and evil in their lives.

Notice that those who are truly saved have the responsibility of getting rid of all that is evil in their lives. We must have the desire to get rid of it all. We must take measures to get rid of it. We cannot just sit back and expect the Lord to do it for us. It takes work on our part, because some evil habits and ways of thinking are stubborn and not easily gotten rid of. Purifying the heart and mind is a process that never ends. Progress depends on the amount of effort we put into it.

Those who are truly saved listen carefully to what God has to say and humbly embrace it as their own. They understand the importance of listening to God. They are interested in what the Word says and strive to apply it to their lives. They do not try to make it say what they want it to say. They don’t care how uncomfortable the Word may make them feel because they know that it is true and must be applied to their lives. They are a people who welcome the implanting of God’s Word into their hearts.

Those who are truly saved understand the importance of God’s Word because they know that if accepted and embraced, it leads to the salvation of their souls. The Word has all that the soul needs in order to be saved. The written Word becomes the Living Word when it is embraced in the heart of man. Wise is he who listens carefully to the message God implants in his heart.

LISTEN & SPEAK SOFTLY

 

LISTEN & SPEAK CALMLY

James 1:19-20 My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God’s sight. NLT

If you are sincere about your faith, you will consider carefully these verses. Applying these verses to life doesn’t come naturally. We are prone to speak quickly and listen slowly. James instructs us to do just the opposite. It is a life lesson we must learn.

Those who are good listeners have a humble spirit. They understand they don’t know it all and are willing to learn more. They are a people who are teachable. They are a people who take a genuine interest in others and want to hear what they have to say. They are a people who do not have to tell others what they know, or what they think they know. They exercise self-control and speak out when it is beneficial to others. They are slow to speak because they know that they don’t have all the answers and they don’t want to weary others with what little they may know or lead others astray by false teachings.

Those who are good listeners and controlled speakers have a much better track record when it comes to angry outbursts. Anger is reactionary. It crops up when we feel others must hear what we have to say and they aren’t listening. It is self-centered. It flows from the desire to make others hear us. Anger pushes people away instead of embracing them. Only anger that is rooted in righteousness is acceptable to God. An angry heart is a heart out of sorts with God.

When you are the instigator of anger, it is never right in God’s eyes. The only anger that is right before God is anger against sin and injustice. We should be angry at those things which bring dishonor to our Lord. We should speak out emotionally against all that is unholy. But, when we do, it should be a controlled anger not a reactionary anger. A controlled anger is expressed in a constructive and not a destructive way.

Apart from a holy anger, it is best to put into practice being quick to listen and slow to speak. We will certainly be much more successful living in peace with both God and man.

GOD CHOSE US!

GOD CHOSE US!

James 1:18 In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession. NLT

God in His goodness chose us to be His children. He chose us long before we chose Him. He worked in our lives in such a way that we opened up our hearts to Him. No matter what it took to bring us to the point of repentance, He did it because He is good and He loves us.

He is working in the same way in the lives of many who are not now saved. We don't know who they are or what needs to be done yet in them for them to be saved, but God does. He is giving everyone ample reason to turn from sin and turn to Him for salvation.

God in His goodness has given us His Word to help us be saved and to help keep us saved. His Word is God's truth revealed. It teaches us who we are, why we need Christ in our lives, what happens when we don't and what happens when we do. It teaches us all about God's demand for holy living and how to do it. It teaches us about God's character and the future home He is preparing for us in heaven. Without God's Word, we simply would not make it.

God's children are His choice possession. We are the shining glory of His creation. We are loved by God and He pours out His blessings upon us daily. God is always working out His goodness in our lives and making us more like Christ all the time so that we will be fit for heaven. God has made us uniquely different and wonderful from everything else He has created. We are created in His own image, and He calls us His children. We are the only created being who can know Him and have fellowship with Him. To God be the glory, both now and forever.

GOD DOESN'T TEST

 

GOD DOESN’T TEMPT

James 1:13-15 And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone either. Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. These evil desires lead us to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death. NLT

If you are tempted to sin, it's Satan leading you there. If you fall into sin, it's because you listened to him. You have no one but yourself to blame for sinful behavior and thoughts. You alone make the choice to sin. You sin because you want to, not because you have to. We can't sugarcoat this.

God is holy love. He loves us and desires nothing but holiness for us. Why? Because He knows that only a holy heart can satisfy and make us happy. He knows the guilt and shame that comes from sinning will make us miserable and rob us of peace. He know that sin does nothing but eats away and destroys the soul. He knows the agonizing pain that sin brings upon the soul of man. He knows the full fury of hell's wrath. And because He loves us so deeply, He wants to spare us from it all.

It is impossible for God to sin or lead any of His children into sin. It is impossible for God to not love us and do everything He can to keep us out of sin. It is impossible for us to avoid the responsibility and consequences of our sin. It's our own fault when we fall and we must do our best to guard our souls so that we don't. Christ can protect us and keep us from falling into temptation, but we must be totally surrendered and committed to Him in order for it to happen.

May the Lord help us today to be aware of sin when it rears its ugly head. May we resist the temptations to sin as we stay near to the heart of God. May we strive to always do the right thing and resist the temptations to sin we face every day.

ENDURE TESTING

ENDURE TESTING

James 1:12 God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. NLT

Is your faith being tested? Are you up against life's difficulties and you wonder if it will ever end, or why you have to do it? Do you want to blame God or others for what you are facing in life? Do you feel like you deserve a better life than you now have?

James reminds us earlier in this chapter that life's tests are not a bad thing. It is in the tough times of life that we develop toughness. Anyone can have faith when things are good, but those who have true faith are able to endure in faith during the hard times of life. It is in those hard times that we grow up and develop godly character.

God blesses all who don't lose their grip on faith when the going gets tough. When we patiently endure our times of testing, we discover in a deeper way God's faithfulness and ability to take care of us in the worst times of life. There is no greater blessing in life than to experience God's trustworthiness to be there for us and with us when we cannot help ourselves. God never leaves us stranded in the storms of life. He is always there to help us find our way to safety. He is there to show us our way to solid ground.

No matter what life may throw at you, wait patiently on the Lord. Let Him take your hand and lead you. Let Him give you what you need to make your way through. He is the only dependable help we have. He is our anchor in the storms of life. How do we know our anchor will hold? We develop a strong relationship with Him when things are calmer so that we won't doubt in the dark what we know to be true in the light.

What are you doing today to develop a strong relationship with the Lord?

SIMPLY TRUST GOD

 

SIMPLY TRUST GOD

James 1:5-6 If you need wisdom--if you want to know what God wants you to do--ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is an unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. NLT

Wisdom is the right application of knowledge; it is knowing what God wants you to do and doing it. When we ask God for wisdom, He gives it to us. He wants us to know what He wants us to do and He wants us to do it. We limit ourselves when we don't ask the Lord for wisdom. And, so often, we fail to get much wisdom because we have doubts that we will get it when we ask for it.

We tend to question what God reveals to us. We either do not understand what we are hearing from God or we question our ability to do it. We are our own worst enemy. Instead of accepting by faith what God makes known, we want something more or an easier way to live. We sometimes question God's goodness because what we hear from God doesn't seem so good to us. We want things comfortable and easy and the road to heaven is neither.

Sometimes we question whether or not God will really give us the wisdom we need to deal with our present situation. We are so overwhelmed by what we are dealing with that we get the idea that there is no way out of it, that even God can't help us.

James reminds us to trust God. Trust in God's goodness and ability. Trust His Word which promises God's provision for our every need. Trust that God loves you and will be with you through your situation and will help you. Trust in God's power and desire to help you overcome. Trust God, not yourself or anyone else, to deal with your situation. God will give you the wisdom you need if you ask Him to and trust Him to do it without doubting Him.

ASK FOR WISDOM

 

ASK FOR WISDOM

James 1:5 If you need wisdom--if you want to know what God wants you to do--ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. NLT

When I think of wisdom, I think of King Solomon. He inherited his kingship over Israel from his father, David. Solomon was blessed by God with the opportunity to ask for anything he wanted with the promise it would be given him. Solomon understood his limitations and knew he was not wise enough to rule his people so he asked God for wisdom to rule his people in a way that pleased God. God was pleased with Solomon’s request and gave him wisdom unlike any other human has ever had. Not only that, but because Solomon’s heart was at that point of his life right with God, he was blessed with wealth and fame beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.

God does not withhold wisdom from His children who sincerely seek it. He doesn’t mete out the wisdom of Solomon, but He does give His children the ability to discern what He wants them to do and the understanding of how to do it. The Lord does not want us to wander around in the dark; He wants us to fulfill the role He has ordained for us to fill. He gladly shows us what to do when we ask Him to do it.

If we have no clear sense of purpose for why we are here, we will never find fulfillment in our lives. There is no joy in Christ if there is no sense of our worth in the Kingdom of God. Each of us is created in Christ for good works and wise is he who asks the Lord for wisdom to know the work he is to do.

Wisdom is granted to those who are humble in heart. A proud soul is incapable of exercising wisdom. The humble heart understands that Jesus is the focus of all we do. He is the one who deserves honor and glory. He is the one who gives understanding. He is the one who gives direction and opportunity to use the gifts we are given. A humble soul is a hungry soul. He understands that he must continue to seek the Lord and learn from Him. He knows the importance of feasting on the riches of the Word. He knows the joy of waiting before the Lord.

God grants wisdom to all who seek Him with a pure heart. Ask Him for it and He will gladly give it to you. Wisdom is the natural fruit of those who learn to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, and soul.

Wisdom does not come naturally to most. It is something that is gleaned from living life and learning from life’s mistakes. It comes to those who have a desire and willingness to learn. It characterizes those who know they don’t know it all. Wisdom is a never ending process of God giving us what we need when and as we need it for life and applying it properly to living.

Simply put, wisdom is seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness in all we do.

GROW IN STRENGTH

 

GROW IN STRENGTH

James 1:4 So, let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. NLT

James here is talking about the testing of faith through the troubles of life. He challenges us to accept with gratitude the trials and troubles of life, for they help make us strong spiritually. We will never learn to lean on Christ and trust Him completely until we walk with Him through life's tough times. Anyone can have faith when things are easy. It's another thing to still have faith in the midst of trying times.

Endurance is the ability to live by faith for as long as we live. It is trusting in Christ regardless of what life may throw at us. Endurance is not a stagnant faith, it is a growing faith. Endurance comes from keeping our eyes focused on Christ and not circumstances. It is constantly abiding in Christ and never letting go when life isn't easy. Endurance comes from never coasting in faith. It is working out our salvation by seeking the Lord daily and applying to life His Word. It is an active faith in Christ that never takes a vacation.

Endurance is what makes us. We mature in faith and become the person God desires us to be as we endure. The more we live in faith, the stronger in character we become. We are able to face anything with boldness and confidence through a faith that weathers the storms of life. You will never make it to the end if you buckle underneath life's difficulties and give up. Cling tightly onto Christ in all things, and you will be able to face all things and come through them victoriously. We are in a marathon and not a sprint. Endure in faith and great will be your reward in heaven.

EMBRACE YOUR TROUBLES

 

EMBRACE YOUR TROUBLES

James 1:2-4 Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. NLT

We have two choices when troubles come. We can embrace them and learn from them or we can complain about them and feel sorry for ourselves. We don’t like troublesome times, but if we see them as opportunities to learn and grow, they can bring joy to the soul.

We must learn this very valuable lesson in life. Faith grows best under adversity. When we are forced to live by faith and not sight, we learn how to depend on Christ and not ourselves. Until we get to the point where we have to admit our helplessness, we will never grow in faith. A needy faith is a growing faith. Unless we need the Lord, we won’t discover the love and ability of Christ to make our lives better. When we get to the point where we can admit our need for Christ, we begin to flourish in grace.

We need troublesome times so that we can gain spiritual strength and endurance. We need to get to the point where we are steadfast in Christ regardless of life’s circumstances. We need to be able to be ready for whatever comes our way.

We stifle the growth of our faith when we avoid life’s troublesome times. If we were to expend as much energy on dealing with our difficulties as we do avoiding them, we would be life conquerors. We would be able to stand tall and firm and meet our troubles head on. We would learn more about the faithfulness, steadfastness and power of Christ to help us.

Don’t avoid troublesome times. Instead, let the Spirit of Christ work in you through them so that you can grow in faith and become better equipped to deal with life without wavering.

 

PRAY TO PLEASE GOD

Heb. 13:20-21a And now, may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, all that is pleasing to him. NLT

This is a prayer that every believer should pray for both themselves and others. It should be the desire of all of our hearts to live lives that please God and bring us peace. An absence of peace means that things aren’t right first of all with Christ and then our fellow man.

There is resurrection power in God. He who raised Jesus from the dead is able to raise the vilest of sinners from the dead. He is not limited by our sinfulness. He can and will give life to all who come to Him for the forgiveness of their sins.

There is ample power through Christ to equip us with all we need to do His will. We don’t have what it takes to fulfill God’s will for us without Christ. Without Christ we are controlled by our sinful nature. We lack the willpower to want to obey God. Only in Christ do we care to find and do His will for our lives. When we take our eyes off of Christ, we easily get distracted and lose our passion for living out His will for us.

What is God’s will for us? The bottom line is, God wants us to honor and glorify Him in all we do. He is pleased when we live righteously before Him. He is pleased when we filter all of our living and thinking through Christ. He is pleased when we make Christ the focal point of all of our living. It is His will that we be a holy people before Him.

There is only one way in which we can truly please God, and that is through the power of Christ working in us. It is only as Christ works in us to transform us into a godly people that we become a people pleasing to God. We are not capable of getting it right without Christ’s help. He alone can change the heart so that our motives are pure. He alone can make us holy.

It is my prayer that I will always let Christ work His wondrous work in me to make me holy. And it is my prayer for you today as well. May the Lord help each of us to produce all that is pleasing and acceptable to God according to His will for us.

PRAY FOR US

 

PRAY FOR US

Heb. 13:18 Pray for us, for our conscience is clear and we want to live honorably in everything we do. NLT

This should be the desire of every believer's heart, to be prayed for so that he can live honorably in everything he does. Let's face it, we need prayer. No one can live successfully in Christ without prayer. We need to pray for ourselves and we need the prayers of the body of Christ. The more prayer support we have, the more successful we will be. It baffles me how we think we can live in Christ without it. We don't pray often enough for ourselves or others. Prayer is considered an optional part of our spiritual lives. We fail to grasp the importance of prayer.

Who does most of the praying? Those who don't know Christ as their personal Savior. Think about it, the Muslims pray, the Buddhists pray, those caught up in cults pray, Hindus pray, just about everybody who believes in some kind of a god prays. Yet, we who claim to know God, fail to pray. Isn't it ironic? I wonder what the Lord thinks of us.

Who do we let do most of our praying for us? Is it not our pastors, spiritual leaders, and friends? We somehow have gotten the idea that if we join in on the prayers offered during church services that it is enough to satisfy our needs. However, we can never learn how to pray for ourselves except by doing it for ourselves. We will never let God know we care about Him unless we actually pray.

When we pray, we are talking things over with God. It is an act of worship and it shows respect for God. It is showing God we are grateful for the privilege of approaching Him. Prayer is our connecting point with God. So, why aren't we praying? Don't we have a sense of our need to be in the presence of God? I suspect that one of the reasons why we have a hard time really sensing God's presence in worship is that we are not connecting with God daily in our lives.

The only way we are going to effectively live with clear consciences is to stay in touch with our Father. I need your prayers and you need mine.

"Lord, I ask that all who read this devotional today will have a pure heart before you. I ask, Lord, that you will speak to their hearts right now about any sinful thoughts or deeds they may have. Lord, purify them so that they will know the peace of a pure heart. Forgive them of their sins so that they can face today with a clear conscience. Lord, help each one to live a life of honor before you today in all they do. And, Lord, teach each one how to pray themselves. It is prayer that moves You and opens up doors for us. It is prayer that connects us with Your heart May others see Jesus clearly in and through each one. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.”

OBEY YOUR LEADERS

 

OBEY YOUR LEADERS

Heb. 13:17 Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they know they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this joyfully and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit. NLT

First of all, be wise and discerning in whom you follow and obey. There are many false teachers and leaders out there. Make sure you are following godly men. There are some who would lead who don't consider themselves as being accountable to God.

Ask yourself some very appropriate questions. Do their lives back up what they profess? Are they pursing God or the things of the world? Are they promoting themselves or the Lord? What are they doing with their resources that prove their godliness is the real deal?

We live in a time in which it is so easy to be deceived. There are those who know how to come across well, and we must be discerning. If you can't be sure that someone is for real, then withhold your allegiance to them.

Obey those you know are genuine. Follow their example into godliness. Understand what makes them who they are in Christ. Do not disrespect them or make life rough for them. God has raised them up to help you. Their task is to watch over your soul. God holds them accountable for the care they give to you and the compassion they show.

God brings godly people into our lives to blaze the trail for us. Learn to appreciate what they do and thank the Lord for them. Encourage them often for Satan is in the business of discouraging them so they will feel defeated. Speak well of them often before man. Show your appreciation for their godly leadership.

There is joy in serving the Lord, but so often we don't give our leaders reasons to be joyful. We load them down with so much of our baggage and unrealistic expectations that they don't have the opportunity to relax and enjoy what the Lord has given them to do. As a result they simply burn out and leave the ministry God has called them to do behind. Or, their health or marriages suffer and go to pot. Or, they get so weary that they don’t care anymore; they lose the spark that once drove them as they led others.

Your spiritual leaders must be given consistent time for personal renewal. They must be encouraged and know they are appreciated. They must be lifted up in prayer. They must be trusted with personal problems that come up. They must be defended by those who follow them. They must see their ministry producing spiritual fruit.

The closer you walk to the Lord, the more joy you bring to the heart of those who lead you.

SACRIFICE OF PRAISE

 

SACRIFICE OF PRAISE

Heb. 13:15-16 With Jesus' help, let us continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by proclaiming the glory of his name. Don't forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God. NLT

We cannot bring glory to God without Jesus. We need our Lord's righteousness and holiness in order for us to want to honor God rather than ourselves. We need Jesus in order for us to be able to praise God in all things. We need Jesus in order for us to look beyond our present circumstances and know that God is good. We need Jesus to move us into action.

What we have can be any number of things, but the greatest gift that you can give is yourself. We tend to measure our giving by material things, but they pale in comparison to ourselves. Your time, loving concern, prayerful support, listening ear, and helping hand are far more valuable than anything money can do or buy.

Notice that praise is connected here with sacrifice. A sacrifice is something you give that costs you something; it often brings pain or discomfort. We are to go out of our way without thought of personal comfort to tell or show others the glory of Christ. He who acts only within the boundaries of comfort is not offering to the Lord any sacrifice at all, and will not please God.

When you invest yourself in others, you are pleasing God. Take the time today to give someone your time and attention. You will be glad you did.

OUR HEAVENLY HOME

 

OUR HEAVENLY HOME

Heb. 13:14 For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven, which is yet to come. NLT

I am so grateful today that this world is not my home. I look around me and it is not the kind of place I want to spend eternity in. It is getting more blatantly evil all the time. There is no regard for life throughout the world. People do not respect one another and treat one another with cruelty. It is a very self-driven world. It is essentially the survival of the fittest and those who aren't fit are squashed by those who are stronger.

God promises us an eternal home that is free from all traces of sin. Sin will not even be a concept in heaven. It will be a place where the glory of God will fill every space. It will be a place where pure love for one another will be the only way we will act. Everyone will be on equal footing; there will be no favoritism there. It will be a place of such beauty that there are not words to even describe it. The Lord is there right now preparing a place for us in it.

Jesus told us to not let our hearts be troubled by the things of this life. Live in fellowship with the Lord, striving to be holy in all you do, and you will be home someday. We may not be spared the troubles of this life, but it will be worth it all when we get to heaven to be with our Lord.

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and you will make it. Don't let the world draw you away from Him. Don't let yourself be attached to what is here. This world is not our home!

UNCHANGING TRUTH

 

UNCHANGING TRUTH

Heb. 13:8,9 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your spiritual strength comes from God's special favor, not from ceremonial rules about food, which don't help those who follow them. NLT

We know verse 8 well, but often don't think about verse 9. We need to think about it for a few moments. Are you easily distracted by the things you hear? Do you listen to people just because they come across as knowing what they are talking about, or they are flashy, or popular? How many voices are you listening to? And, how do you handle it when you hear conflicting things? Are you able to discern the truth from false teachings?

One thing is for sure, the truth found in Christ never changes. When you are seeking truth from God and His Word, you will not be confused or led astray. The truth of the Gospel is the same as it always has been and ever will be. We must base our understanding on what God says, and not what man says. Always check out the Word before you buy into someone's teachings.

And, in order for you to really know what God is saying, you must invest time to study the Word and pray over it. The Word of God never contradicts itself. All truth is backed up by truth. When you ask the Lord for understanding from a pure heart, you will get it. God wants you to know what you need to know and He will reveal it to you.

When you come across things that you simply can't figure out in God's Word, don't get bogged down by them. Accept them as truth because God said it and move on by faith. No one has perfect understanding of all things except God. His thoughts are beyond understanding except in those things He chooses to give us understanding on. We don't have to know all things in order for us to know they are true.

Don't get bogged down on a bunch of rules that seemingly make you acceptable to God. We cannot make ourselves holy. Our godliness and spiritual strength comes from our relationship with God alone. When we are properly connected to Christ, we will do what God wants us to do. It will be a natural way of life for us. It will be a life built on love, not rules.

It is by God’s special favor that we are strengthened, not our efforts to make ourselves strong. God gives us His unchanging Word so that we won’t be led astray, become wishy washy, or become independent from Him.

Stay focused on what God has provided for you. He has blessed His children with sufficient spiritual food to sustain all generations. Don’t add to it or take anything away from it and you will find adequate food for your soul to live by and become spiritually strong.

REMEMBER YOUR LEADERS

REMEMBER YOUR LEADERS

Heb. 13:7 Remember your leaders who first taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and trust the Lord as they do. NLT

Take a couple of minutes and think about those who played a significant role in your spiritual development. It may be a Sunday School teacher, pastor, friend, or family member. Think about the things in their lives that stand out to you as being good. What is there about what they taught you about God that stuck with you? What is there about them that makes you want to be like them?

As you think about those special people in your life, thank the Lord for their role in your life. It isn't an accident that they were a part of who you are today in Christ. The Lord brought them into your life when you needed what they could offer you to help you better understand the things of God.

As you think about them, consider your own life and the impact you are having on others. Ask the Lord to help you to do your part in the good in others' lives. Ask Him to help you be a good example that others can see and appreciate, a life worthy to be followed.

Each of us plays a significant role in the life of others. Let us always strive to be good role models, a people that please the Lord in all things. Let it be said of us that we have been faithful servants of the Lord, both in public and in private. We may not ever know the good we have done, but God does. Live faithfully and obediently and let the Lord use you in His own way for His glory. Great will be your reward in heaven if you do.