James 4

Verse 17 - "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and does not do it, sins."

This is a very strong statement when it comes to sin, and I think it gets overlooked. When we think of sins we think of adultery, lying, stealing, murder, etc.

But, as followers of Christ, faith without deeds is dead. James already told us that in Chapter 2. Here he is reminding us again.

"Anyone, who knows the good he ought to do and does not do it, SINS."

James 3

Verse 10 - "Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing."

Words can be very helpful, or very hurtful. Out of the mouth comes the truth, or a bunch of gossip and lies. This is a heart issue in most cases - the tongue only shapes the words in our hearts and minds. We can sound mighty religious in church, but if other times our mouth spews cursive language, gossip, and lies - then we have a heart/spirit issue that needs addressed.

Finally, if our heart is right with the Lord, then our mouth/tongue can be useful tools for the expansion of His Kingdom - if we speak the Good News to others. I have a phrase taped to the inside cover of my Bible (unsure of the author), but it states, "My tongue can be cruel in two ways: by speaking evil, or by refraining from speaking good."

James 2 (favoritism)

Verse 1 - "don't show favoritism"

Judging a book by it's cover, stereotyping, comparing wealth status - all of these things are very easy to do in today's society. So much emphasis is placed on having a good well paying job, big house, new cars - it becomes natural to want to gravitate to these people. We have to fight that flesh desire, and look for the heart of people. This, I confess, is not easy to do.

I often wonder if Jesus and his disciples walked into our church, how many people would befriend them, and love them, despite their different appearance. I would like to think the majority would, but I also believe the majority (myself included) would have to push away our first visual impression/judgement of them.

I want the eyes of Jesus. To see people as God sees them. All created by Him, all equally valued by Him, and wanting all to have a personal relationship with Him.

James 1

Verse 2 - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops through perseverance."

This is probably not what the people were expecting to hear this day. They were struggling, feeling down, wondering if it is all worth it, fearful - and they are told to be joyful?

What trials do we face - unemployment, divorce, debt, addictions, illness - and we are to find a spirit of joy as we go through this things? How do we do this? By putting our faith in Christ. By treasuring our salvation through Christ. By seeking His comfort, His wisdom, His will - for our lives.

This verse supports the ideal that God is more concerned with our character than our comfort. And we need to remember....it is a lifelong process.

Acts 8

Verse 4 - "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went."

They were fulfilling the Great Commission given by Jesus. They were being obedient.

I get frustrated with my weak attempts at sharing my faith with others. The disciples did it with such boldness. Why can't I?

I have Good News to share. Why don't I share it more than I do? I need a lot of work in this area. I need to be more obedient to the calling Jesus gave to all of us.

Verse 58 - "Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul."

I read this chapter, and see how Stephen gives the Sanhedrin a history lesson right up to the very day of his death; and I feel great comfort knowing our God is in control and knows everything. Every event, every conversation, every thought that anyone has ever had, is used by God in some way - either to mold us, mold someone else.

All of these events Stephen describes were part of God's plan; right up to the point that day that Stephen went home to be with the Lord - as the false witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of the person who God was working on that day - Saul.

God is still in control!

Acts 6

Verse 15 - "All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel."

I think of Matthew 28:20 - "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

The people looked INTENTLY at Stephen trying to see what this man really was about, what was driving him, motivating him - and they saw the face of an angel. Stephen is about to face stoning to death, but his obedience and love of Jesus never fails - and the presence of God is with him till the end. I think his face was angelic, because being sold out for Christ gives us that appearance.

Acts 5

Verse 40 - "They called the apostles in and had them flogged."

Verse 41 - "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name."

I almost missed the part about them being flogged. It was when I read in verse 41 about them rejoicing for suffering disgrace that I re-read why they were disgraced.

When I take a stand for Jesus, the message may not be well received and the outcome may be embarrassing or disgraceful; but I should rejoice for being counted worthy by my Creator.

This should ring in our ears as the ultimate "at a boy" compliment we could ever receive. Maybe I can be bolder with my testimony of Jesus, if I remind myself of the apostles rejoicing here in Acts 5. They were flogged, yet they rejoiced.

Acts - Chapter 4

Verse 32 - "All the believers were one in heart and mind."

Perfect unity - I can't wait to be a part of that, but I don't think we will see that here on Earth. Churches of all sizes have disagreements about the ways of the church. I have sat in rooms with people who have great faith in Christ, but could not come to a unanimous decision.

I need to do my part in living in unity with other believers. To do that, I need to know and understand God a little better each day. I need to feed on His word daily. My prayer is God would fix all the deficient areas of my thinking that breaks unity. The "church" in Acts 4 would have been something to see. I think we are trying to do that as best we can at Charter Oak. There is still much to do.

Acts 3

What impresses me about this Chapter is the boldness and clarity of Peter's words. It is hard to believe this is the same man who just 40+ days ago, denied knowing Christ due to fear for his own life. What a transformation! Peter's life is now Spirit-lead, and he is following the lead of the Holy Spirit. Peter is now in the center of God's will.

I wait for that same transformation. I would love to speak with such boldness and clarity about Christ to others. That is my prayer today.

Acts 2

Verse 21 - "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

EVERYONE!

I bet there were drunks, adulterers, tax evaders, liars, criminals, drug addicts, racists, bigots......in the crowd that day when Peter spoke these words.

EVERYONE!

This includes the people that I don't like. It includes people like Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Jack the Ripper, Hollywood celebrities, rapists, murderers......EVERYONE!

God wants no one to be lost. I need to remember that when I try to avoid certain people that I encounter each day and week. God loves them. I should to. EVERYONE!

Acts 1

verse 7 - "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority."

We are not God. Too much time is spent discussing the end of age when Christ will return (i.e. the Rapture). We shouldn't focus on the finish line, when we have an entire race ahead of us. We need to focus on the task at hand. God sees the big picture, we do not. We don't get to know the "whens" and the "whys" of what happens, so that we might be able to prepare for the next event. We are to walk with Him by faith - day-by-day, moment-by-moment; seeking His will for our lives, and trying to live it

Matthew 28

Verse 10 - "Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, there they will see me."

This is Jesus talking about the same men who betrayed Him just a few days earlier. Men who publicly denied Him, fled from His side, so they could be safe.
Jesus calls them BROTHERS. What a Savior! What a God! What a friend! Despite all my sins and disobedience, Jesus loves me like a brother.

I want to be able to love like Jesus.

Matthew 27 - The Crucifixion

Verse 46 - "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"

Answer: Me

Reading this today was difficult. More so than ever before, these words troubled me and made me hurt. My sins were on that cross. My disobedience was on that cross. My bad and selfish desires and thoughts were on that cross. My idolatry, my cursive mouth, my lack of reverence for the Sabbath, my lack of honor and respect for my parents, my murderous heart, my heart and eyes of adultery, my stealing, my lies, my covertness - ALL on that cross......nailed to Jesus.

The returning thought I have had the last few days is "how I do not revere God and treasure my salvation through Christ". This was a hard chapter to read today. I have never felt like I, personally, was in this chapter than when I read it today.

Father, forgive me for I DO know what I have done and continue to do. I am so sorry for how I have devalued your sacrifice for me. I want, need, and desire to change this - starting right now.

Matthew 26

Verse 15 (spoken by Judas)"What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?"

What or how much can I get for sacrificing a little of my relationship with Jesus?

Like the Visa/MC commercial - my relationship with Christ is PRICELESS. I just need to start treating it that way.

Exodus 20

Verse 20 - "God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."

Where is the fear of God? Does it exist? The Israelites kept on sinning, we/I keep on sinning. You don't hear many sermons including the fear of God. Where is it? Does anybody really fear God? I don't see it. I feared my Dad growing up, but I kept on getting into trouble, making bad choices.

Then I read Deuteronomy 4:10 - "Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when he said to me, "Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to REVERE me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children."

REVERE = to regard with awe, deference, & devotion.

Can I replace the fear of God with the revere of God? If I revere God; an awe of who He is, deferring to Him about everything, and a complete devotion to His Son and will - then yes - that will keep me from sinning.

I am on a journey. My journey has many peaks and valleys. My goal is to love God a little deeper each day, to get to know Him better, to include Him in everything. I want to revere God deeper every day, because the more in love, in awe, and devoted I am to Him - the better chance I have to keep from sinning.

Exodus 16

Verse 1 - "The Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin..."

I found this interesting....it is here where the Israelites will become inpatient with God and think they were better off in their old way of life.

How often do we have thoughts (or actions) of turning away from our salvation, because we think our old way of life (sin) was easier and happier? It is so easy to read these accounts of the Israelites, and later of the Disciples; and think "how stupid they are for turning away from God who is meeting their every need"?

I am so much like these people. I have God's blessings all around me, yet there are times I seek things of my old way of life instead of focusing on the joy of my salvation.

"Father, please forgive me for my disobedience. I am so thankful for all of the ways you guide and touch my life. I want to change my ways...change my focus...and treasure daily the joy of my salvation through your Son, Jesus."

Exodus Chapter 14

Verse 14 - "The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still."

There are times in my life where I try relentlessly to force the will of God to improve situations or my circumstances. I think there are far more times where I try to do it, instead of 'being still' and trusting my Lord.

Also - this chapter shows the weak faith of the Israelites. They had just witnessed all the plagues, and had the presence of God hovering over them in a very visible cloud - yet they still were fearful and worried that God was not going to save them.

Despite God's fingerprints all over my life, I still have many moments where I, too, have a weak faith. Why is that? I believe my faith is weak when I start trying to do things my way, or slightly outside the will of God. Instead, I need to be still, and let the Lord fight for me.

Exodus 12:30

Exodus 12, verse 30 - "Pharaoh and all his officials and all Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead."

The Gospel message is very clear, you are either with Him or against Him. You either accept Christ as your Savior or you do not. You are either obedient to His word, or you are not. Some day, there will be great wailing hear on Earth, when people who are not with Him, realize that it is too late.

That's what this verse speaks to me about, and it tells me there is a lot of work to do. My prayer is that I will feel concern and compassion for those I encounter that are "against Him". I want to be bolder in my witnessing, and see what God sees when He looks upon those who are "lost".

Coincidentally, the verse I was referring to above, "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters". This is found in Matthew - CHAPTER 12 - VERSE 30! I think that's pretty cool.

Exodus 5

Verse 20 - "May the Lord look upon you and judge you!"; and verse 22 - "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people?"

The Israelites quickly grumbled and were complaining that God was not looking after them (blaming Moses); and Moses was now questioning God.

How quick I am to feel God is disinterested in my life, because things don't happen the way I think they should. It comes to a lack a faith, and a struggle to "let go and let God". I have always struggled to control things, and I am slowly learning (as my faith grows deeper) to let go and trust the Lord.

Exodus 4 - God almost kills Moses?

Verse 24 - "At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses, and was about to kill him."

WHAT?

Right in the middle of God speaking to Moses from a burning bush, to giving him instructions that he would be used by God to free His people, to sending him on his way to meet Aaron to start this mission - God is going to kill Moses? WHAT?

Two reasons this verse jumps out at me - the first, is revealed in the verses that follow - Moses had not circumcised his son. This was a major act of disobedience. Israelites were to not trust the flesh, but trust God. As an act of faith and obedience, a covenant was made (circumcision) that all Israelite's would be circumcised to show they were a son of Abraham, and their faith was in God. Moses had not been obedient, and God's anger was evident.

The main reason this verse jumps out at me, is the "WHAT and WHY" factor. "What" is God doing and "why" is He doing it? This verse reminds me that my God is so awesome, original, and all powerful - that I can never understand why He does what He does, or what He allows to happen or not happen. He is God! I cannot understand all His ways. If I could, then I would be putting myself on God's level.

God is painting a masterpiece; we do not get to see all the strokes, but He reveals to us the beauty in the finished product.