James 4:17
(NAS) Therefore to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
(NIV) Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
In reading this last verse of Chapter 4 of James You end this chapter with "Therefore...." or "Anyone, then..."
The reference to these in the verses before are saying that all boasting about the future
as in "I will do this or that..." is wrong because we are like a vapor. This is arrogance. :14 How do we know what our life will be like tomorrow?
:16 "You boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil."
Yes, Father, we are like vapor. Vapor lasts but for moments. But I really do not have the reality or sense of that driving me.
My heart desires to have my real home, heaven, constantly influencing and impacting my life; to know my life here is a vapor and to yield to Your promnptings and leading without hesitation or fear or doubt.
I am amazed at your patience and longsuffering toward me. I know You know the number of times I have not followed Your Holy Spirit's promptings or done what I knew was the right thing to do in the moment and it was sin....yet because of the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the Cross for me, You do not count it against me and You would never ever bring it up to accuse me. You simply continue to love me where I am at.
Your love for me is THE most amazing thing.
In thinking of verse 17 especially makes me to realize even more the importance of doing what I know is the right and good thing to do and to also obey promptly when the Holy Spirit speaks to me. It is not about me....it is about Your desire to bless someone or to meet a need so that their heart may turn toward You whether they are a lost person or believer. I may not feel like doing what is the "good" thing to do or want to take the time to do it or have a clue why You are leading me to do something but You still want me to do it.
You very clearly here point out to Your children that "to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is sin."
Doing the right thing is an opportunity to do something that is excellent, noble, and praiseworthy (no matter how small a thing) to bring honor to Your Name. And not only that, our life on this earth is like a vapor so it makes it even more important to do that right thing in the moment. Now is the time to do it.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
A Greater Grace
James 3:5 (NAS) The Spirit (capital S) which He has made to dwell in us jealously desires us.
:6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Verse :5 is an interesting scripture. Reading the NAS version caused me to be in wonder that the Holy Spirit "jealously desires us". The word "desires" means to long for; to pursue with love, and has the idea of yearning in it.
Think of that! The Spirit of the Most High God longs for me, desires me, He wants ALL of me! Father, help me to hold that in my heart, the fact that You consder me so desirable!
And also that He feels the same about each of His children....help me to remember how HE thinks about them so that I do not taint others view of them.
Looking at the various translations, some do not capitalize spirit therefore referring to
our own spirit rather than the Holy Spirit.
Both translations have meaning for me.
James 3:5 (NIV) Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the spirit He caused to live in us envies intensely?
(JEB) Do you suppose the scripture speaks in vain when it says that there is a spirit in us which longs to envy?
In Chapter 4 James is speaking of wrong motives (lust, envy, etc) and seeking one's own pleasures, even in prayer. The results being conflicts and quarrels.
In :4 he states that friendhsip with the world is hostility toward God, and therefore an enemy of God.
Our flesh and pride tend toward the earthly emotion of envy and self seeking pleasures causing strife.
4:6 But He gives a greater grace.....(I liked this)
It seems to me, that these verses Father, after speaking of peoples' doublemindedness, are telling them that there is a greater grace through which they will be exalted.
The best kind of pleasure and joy come through a heart of humility.
You point to Your grace because You want us to know that You provide us the grace to humbly be content and not allow envy, strife or jealsousy to rule us.
Humbling ourselves enables gratitude and thanksgiving to flow from our hearts for what You have given to us and how You provide for us. Our eyes are not on what we do not have but on Your love that has provided our needs and even the pleasures we do enjoy.
Humility is so necessary in our walk with You and You are the only one who can grow us in this beautiful and rare gift. This will bless the Body of Our Risen Lord.
:6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Verse :5 is an interesting scripture. Reading the NAS version caused me to be in wonder that the Holy Spirit "jealously desires us". The word "desires" means to long for; to pursue with love, and has the idea of yearning in it.
Think of that! The Spirit of the Most High God longs for me, desires me, He wants ALL of me! Father, help me to hold that in my heart, the fact that You consder me so desirable!
And also that He feels the same about each of His children....help me to remember how HE thinks about them so that I do not taint others view of them.
Looking at the various translations, some do not capitalize spirit therefore referring to
our own spirit rather than the Holy Spirit.
Both translations have meaning for me.
James 3:5 (NIV) Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the spirit He caused to live in us envies intensely?
(JEB) Do you suppose the scripture speaks in vain when it says that there is a spirit in us which longs to envy?
In Chapter 4 James is speaking of wrong motives (lust, envy, etc) and seeking one's own pleasures, even in prayer. The results being conflicts and quarrels.
In :4 he states that friendhsip with the world is hostility toward God, and therefore an enemy of God.
Our flesh and pride tend toward the earthly emotion of envy and self seeking pleasures causing strife.
4:6 But He gives a greater grace.....(I liked this)
It seems to me, that these verses Father, after speaking of peoples' doublemindedness, are telling them that there is a greater grace through which they will be exalted.
The best kind of pleasure and joy come through a heart of humility.
You point to Your grace because You want us to know that You provide us the grace to humbly be content and not allow envy, strife or jealsousy to rule us.
Humbling ourselves enables gratitude and thanksgiving to flow from our hearts for what You have given to us and how You provide for us. Our eyes are not on what we do not have but on Your love that has provided our needs and even the pleasures we do enjoy.
Humility is so necessary in our walk with You and You are the only one who can grow us in this beautiful and rare gift. This will bless the Body of Our Risen Lord.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Orphans
John 14:18
"I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you."
This really grabbed my heart today.
In John 14:16, Jesus is comforting the disciples and speaking about giving us the Holy Spirit.."I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.."
Father, You will never leave us or forsake us..You are always with us...You will never
abandon us.
"Let not your heart be troubled nor let it be afraid." John 14:27
"This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress.." James 1:27
Jesus cares deeply for the orphans and He will come to them.
"I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you."
This really grabbed my heart today.
In John 14:16, Jesus is comforting the disciples and speaking about giving us the Holy Spirit.."I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.."
Father, You will never leave us or forsake us..You are always with us...You will never
abandon us.
"Let not your heart be troubled nor let it be afraid." John 14:27
"This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress.." James 1:27
Jesus cares deeply for the orphans and He will come to them.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sprinkled Blood
Hebrews 10:19,20
19 Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is His flesh...
You've been speaking to me about the blood of Jesus, the new and living way.
That "new" way is "sprinkled blood."
Sprinkled means "serving to purify; appointed to purify."
A new way is a way that has not been done before.
A living way brings life, true life to me. This way vibrates with life and vitality.
Webster says vitality means "the peculiarity distinguishing the living from the non-living)." Whew! Big difference!
First of all, You have given believers in Jesus access to go right on in, to go right up to the throne of THE Creator of the Universe and everything in it.
This is possible by Christ's blood that was spilled for the forgiveness of sins. This blood was appointed by You, Father, to purify which is to "free from guilt or moral or ceremonial blemish; to free from undesirable elements."
This blood that purifies us also speaks.
Hebrews 12:24 And to Jesus, mediator of a New Covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
Gen 4:10 And He said "What have you done?" The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground.
So here we see that blood speaks.
What did Abel's blood say? According to the scholars, it cried out for vengence.
And Your word says that Jesus' blood says better things.
1 Peter 1:2 (verse :1 leads in with .."who are chosen") according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you my obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood;...
So before You, I have a continual cleansing....as you transform my mind, will, and emotions to Your will.
What also came to my mind was that the accuser of our soul seeks to accuse us day and night (Rev 12:10) before our God.
We have been washed in the blood of Jesus and are continually sprinkled with it in such a way that in whatever the enemy is accusing us of before You, Father, You see the sprinkled purifying blood which declares the better thing for us:
Pure! Holy! Without blame!
The price for sin has been paid once and for all.
Thank You Father for welcoming and embracing me at Your throne!
19 Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is His flesh...
You've been speaking to me about the blood of Jesus, the new and living way.
That "new" way is "sprinkled blood."
Sprinkled means "serving to purify; appointed to purify."
A new way is a way that has not been done before.
A living way brings life, true life to me. This way vibrates with life and vitality.
Webster says vitality means "the peculiarity distinguishing the living from the non-living)." Whew! Big difference!
First of all, You have given believers in Jesus access to go right on in, to go right up to the throne of THE Creator of the Universe and everything in it.
This is possible by Christ's blood that was spilled for the forgiveness of sins. This blood was appointed by You, Father, to purify which is to "free from guilt or moral or ceremonial blemish; to free from undesirable elements."
This blood that purifies us also speaks.
Hebrews 12:24 And to Jesus, mediator of a New Covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
Gen 4:10 And He said "What have you done?" The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground.
So here we see that blood speaks.
What did Abel's blood say? According to the scholars, it cried out for vengence.
And Your word says that Jesus' blood says better things.
1 Peter 1:2 (verse :1 leads in with .."who are chosen") according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you my obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood;...
So before You, I have a continual cleansing....as you transform my mind, will, and emotions to Your will.
What also came to my mind was that the accuser of our soul seeks to accuse us day and night (Rev 12:10) before our God.
We have been washed in the blood of Jesus and are continually sprinkled with it in such a way that in whatever the enemy is accusing us of before You, Father, You see the sprinkled purifying blood which declares the better thing for us:
Pure! Holy! Without blame!
The price for sin has been paid once and for all.
Thank You Father for welcoming and embracing me at Your throne!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Sacrifice of Praise
Hebrew 13:15
Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess His name.
The Message says it this way:
Let's take our place outside with Jesus, no longer pouring out the sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus' name.
Father, I love this passage. Through our Lord Jesus and through Him alone are we able to praise Your name and call You Lord!
The Message clarifies and unites this verse with the preceding verses, which speak of Jesus going outside the camp.
His sacrifice outside the city gates on the Cross, made us holy. Blood no longer has to be shed to satisfy God's wrath against sin.
Now, instead of our own way of offering sacrifices, from within we bear the fruit of pure and thankful praise, confessing Him as Lord.
A "sacrifice of praise" means what? Are we sacrificing anything when we praise You? In reality, no sacrifice can be compared to Jesus' sacrifice which stands alone for the redemption of mankind. It is the ultimate of sacrifices.
Webster says sacrifice can mean:
1. an act of offering to a deity something precious; especially : the killing of a victim on an altar;
2. destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else
Looking up in the Greek, "sacrifice" in this verse means victim.
Jesus was the victim offered on the altar.
But as believers and Your children, we ourselves are not victims. Blood no longer has to be shed. We, now, are able to bring to Your altar something else that blesses You.
We can offer our own sacrifice to You, which has everything to do with the Cross of Jesus.
"Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess His name. " ( Yes, You say "continually").
And as Webster explains it a sacrifice can be the destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else.
When You are teaching us the price Jesus paid on the Cross to bring us to You free of sin, thankfulness and praise flow out of our heart to Your altar and it is pleasing to You.
Sometimes the will of the flesh has to be surrenderd in order for us to flow in the continual praise. Sometimes our emotions must be destroyed by the acknowledgement of what we know is Truth according to Your Word.
A sacrifice of praise is not about what we think we can produce for You. It flows continually from within our hearts because of what Jesus has already done for us at the Cross.
Thank You, Father, for Jesus.
Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess His name.
The Message says it this way:
Let's take our place outside with Jesus, no longer pouring out the sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus' name.
Father, I love this passage. Through our Lord Jesus and through Him alone are we able to praise Your name and call You Lord!
The Message clarifies and unites this verse with the preceding verses, which speak of Jesus going outside the camp.
His sacrifice outside the city gates on the Cross, made us holy. Blood no longer has to be shed to satisfy God's wrath against sin.
Now, instead of our own way of offering sacrifices, from within we bear the fruit of pure and thankful praise, confessing Him as Lord.
A "sacrifice of praise" means what? Are we sacrificing anything when we praise You? In reality, no sacrifice can be compared to Jesus' sacrifice which stands alone for the redemption of mankind. It is the ultimate of sacrifices.
Webster says sacrifice can mean:
1. an act of offering to a deity something precious; especially : the killing of a victim on an altar;
2. destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else
Looking up in the Greek, "sacrifice" in this verse means victim.
Jesus was the victim offered on the altar.
But as believers and Your children, we ourselves are not victims. Blood no longer has to be shed. We, now, are able to bring to Your altar something else that blesses You.
We can offer our own sacrifice to You, which has everything to do with the Cross of Jesus.
"Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess His name. " ( Yes, You say "continually").
And as Webster explains it a sacrifice can be the destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else.
When You are teaching us the price Jesus paid on the Cross to bring us to You free of sin, thankfulness and praise flow out of our heart to Your altar and it is pleasing to You.
Sometimes the will of the flesh has to be surrenderd in order for us to flow in the continual praise. Sometimes our emotions must be destroyed by the acknowledgement of what we know is Truth according to Your Word.
A sacrifice of praise is not about what we think we can produce for You. It flows continually from within our hearts because of what Jesus has already done for us at the Cross.
Thank You, Father, for Jesus.
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