Tuesday, February 13, 2024, 06:19
#13
James 2:14-17
What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works?
Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them,
“Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,”
and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
{{ Faith builds boldness.
Having faith in Christ Jesus, and taking the words of Christ, believing them, excepting Christ Jesus as your Lord; should build your faith in our Lord Christ Jesus
Deuteronomy 31: 6 and 8
Father God lets us know His heart for us.
6; “The LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”
8; “The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Yes, the Lord was talking with, through and about Moses and in that time but if you believe the word of GOD and have read the bible you should know that GOD is the same yesterday, today and forever.
And what is spoken in Deuteronomy is just as true to day as it was back then.
Joshua 1:5-7
“No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life.
Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
“Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go."
[[[ James 2:14-17
Here is what we can take from this:
The Lord our God goes with us, He will not fail us, He will not forsake us, He is the one who goes before us, He will be with us, He will not fail us, He will not forsake us, knowing this we have no need to fear or be dismayed.
We are to be strong and courageous; we are to obey the commandments the GOD gave to Moses, and Moses gave to the people and has been handed down to us; by keeping these commandments we are told we will have success wherever we go. ]]]
What are those commandments
Exodus 20:1-17
Then God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
1. “You shall have no other gods before Me.”
2. “You shall not make for yourself an idol,”
3. “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain”
4. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy “
5. “Honor your father and your mother”
6. “You shall not murder.”
7. “You shall not commit adultery. “
8. “You shall not steal.”
9. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
10. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
We are also to follow the two commandments Christ Jesus has shared with us, which actually engulfs all the above.
Matthew 22:36-40
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
And He said to him,
“YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND. This is the great and foremost commandment.
The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS Yourself'
On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
We are told “by keeping these commandments we are told we will have success wherever we go.”
Have faith in Father God? Have faith in His son Christ Jesus? Have faith in the Holy Spirit?
Then you should have the boldness to share the gospel with those the Lord brings in to your path.
You should have faith that He will always be there with you.
You should have faith that if a brother is in need, that if you supply that need GOD will not let you go without or come up short.
But if you are in fear, you can not be trusting nor present faith in Christ Jesus.
Figure out where you stand and then adjust your life to obey the words of GOD.
Use what faith you may have so that the Holy Spirit may grow that faith that is in you, so that in the Lord you may be bold in Christ Jesus to share His love with others.
Christ has said
“if you love me you will keep My commandments.” }}}
Monday, February 12, 2024, 06:16
#12
James 2:1-7
¶ My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.
For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?
{{ ever catch yourself looking down on someone because of the way they may look? ??
Or trying to be excepted by someone who looks wealthy? ??
Both our sin.
Not one of us is better than another, we are all sinners, we have all fallen short, not one of us on this planet has arrived to any higher states then another, we are all sinners! }}
Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?
Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?
{{ Wow take the time to think about that one.
God chose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom. And it is the rich who oppress you, and are quick to drag you into court.
Do not the rich try to lord over whomever they see as worth less than themselves?
I believe this is one reason Christ Jesus said
“it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” }}
James 2:8-13
¶ If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture,
“YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,”
you are doing well.
But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. For He who said,
“DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said,
“DO NOT COMMIT MURDER.”
Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.
For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
{{ “mercy triumphs over judgment.”
These words are comfort to a believer’s soul.
But are not a relies to do and act as you wish concerning our life and how we are to live.
Through Christ Jesus we are redeemed, forgiven and saved from the pit of hell.
For through the blood of Christ Father God sees us as clean.
But that does not give us free rain to do as we please in life.
Back to Matthew 5 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”
5:14-17
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill’
For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
Then in Matthew 5:21-47
Christ Jesus tells us that He did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it. He shows us that the commandments we have been told to obey are not only to be fulfilled through actions but that they are now to be fulfilled in out though our thoughts and words. That through our thoughts and words we can break the commandments.
Such as
‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”
and
‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’;
but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Jesus tells us that He sees our thoughts, actions and words, and that through them we can sin and break His amendments.
It is not just what we physically do but our attitude and motives.
Even though we are covered by His blood and through the blood of Christ Jesus Father God see us as clean.
It is still our responsibility to keep His commandments.
Mathew 22:38-40
“YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.
This is the great and foremost commandment.
The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’
On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
(You can’t be kipping these commandments if you are treating s rich man better than you are treating a poor man.)
It is your thoughts and actions that show who you truly are,
And your relationship with Christ Jesus.
Think that over, and then think about it aging.
Sunday, February 11, 2024, 06:39
#11
Jas 1:19-25
¶ This you know, my beloved brethren. (Referring back to yesterdays posting James 1:12-18)
But everyone must be quick to hear,
slow to speak and slow to anger;
for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
{{ simple and rather simple to understand.
1. We are to be quick to hear, to take the time to listen to what is being said not to prejudge nor wall others are speaking to be thinking of what we will say,
( When it comes to the Holy Spirit we should constantly be listening for His still small voice. For direction. )
2. Slow to speak,
( If you are not truly listening to what is being said, you will be trying to speak over the other person.
And when it comes to the Holy Spirit; you will not hear His voice and go on with your own understanding of life. )
3. Slow to anger.
( if you are not honestly taking the time and listening to what someone is actually saying to you, and are not trying to talk over them to get your point across, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you in your actions and words you will become angry to those around you.
We are told “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” )
4. As followers of Christ Jesus, we are told to put aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness in us, and in humility we are to receive the word of GOD when we are being taught from it, for it is only by hearing and obeying the words of GOD that our souls maybe saved.
So obey that word which is able to save your souls.
5. We are not to only listen to and hear the words of GOD,
we are to follow through and by obeying and live out the words of GOD before this world we live in, “to be doers of the word”
By doing (by living our lives in the manner the word of GOD is telling us) we will show proof to our believing in Christ Jesus to those we have contact with in this world.
6. By not taking the time in life to listen to and obey the words of GOD, we will become complacent in our lives forgetting what kind of person we were before we excepted the love of Christ Jesus and we will end up not living a humbled life.
This can lead to a life of not listening to others because we think we have arrived, we know the word of God, this leads to arguments, and in speech we will spend more time and effort in trying to speak over other to get our points across rather then to listen and wait for the Holy Spirit to direct our words and actions.
Not listening and always interrupting, not waiting on the Holy Spirit to guide us in our conversations; will lead to becoming angry.
And that is not the way to show the righteousness of God to anyone.
What it shows is that the word of GOD has no true depth in your own life.
“the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God”
“But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.” }}
{{ So you say you are a Christian?
Do you remember from what the Lord Christ Jesus drew you out of?
Or have you been drawn out and now think you have arrived and have no need to hear the words of Christ?
nor to obey them?
Do live a life of gratitude for wat Christ Jesus has done for you?
Has your arrogant pride placed you above others, to a position that you have no need to listen, to a position that everyone ells has to hear you?
Do you become angry when others won’t listen?
If you are one who is in this predicament, humble your self before Father God, Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit, repent, turn from your evil ways, embrace the loving forgiveness of Christ Jesus and change the way you think, act and live, become a doer of the word of GOD, not just a hearer. }}
Think about it,
In gratitude for Christ Jesus has done for you, live out your life before man in a manner that they may see the love of Christ through you.
James 1:26-27
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heatr, this man's relifion is worthless.
Pure and undefiles religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep pneself unstained by the world.
Does this describe your life?
Saturday, February 10, 2024, 03:16
#10
James 1:12-18
¶ Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial;
for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Let no one say when he is tempted,
“I am being tempted by God”;
for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin;
and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
In the exercise of His will, He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
{{ Matthew 5:10
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
John 15:20
“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also."
Why is it so many who call themselves a Christian think being persecuted is degrading to them or unjust.
If you are being persecuted for speaking the word of God in a right manner or for living your life in Christ Jesus, in a upright manner, because your goal and purpose in life is to honor and obey Christ Jesus, then stop complaining, when persecuted hold tight to the word of GOD, with out speaking evil of those persecuting you.
If you are being persecuted for doing wrong things; then relies you have brought in upon your self, and by doing so, aging you have nothing to complain about because you brought it upon yourself.
When persecution comes deal with it by planting your faitheven deeper in Christ Jesus, do not weaver from His truth be humble, trust in Him to bring you through, for once you have been approved, once you have been found to be truly faithful and obedient to the Lord you will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Revelation 2:8-11
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:
I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.”
i understand this was written to the church in Smyrna, but understand it has also been written to you, if you are a believer in and follower of Christ Jesus, if He is your Lord,
so read it as if it has been written directly to you.
“I know your tribulation”
“Do not fear what you are about to suffer.”
“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
“He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.” }}
{{ when you feel tempted; remember this God does not and can not tempted anyone for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
For it is when you give in to your own lust that you are tempted.
And it is your lust when seen through, gives birth to sin; and when you follow through with the sin it is accomplished, it brings forth death.
As a believer in Christ Jesus, we are not be deceived into believing that any good thing in our lives has come from this world or its ways.
For every good thing given and every perfect gift is from Father GOD.
Nothing good comes from the world or its ways for it is satin who at this time rules over the world. }}
{{ do not lean on your own understanding, do not except the ways of this word but rather put your faith in Christ Jesus and Him alone,
Seek first the Kingdome of GOD and His righteousness.
Stop blaming Father God or Christ Jesus for your problems in this world.
Stop complaining about everything you do not like.
Stop complaining every time your feelings get hurt.
Put your life in the hands of Christ and allow His Holy Spirit to guide you through the life Father God has set before you,
Whether it is in blessings or trial.
For even trials if handled right can become a blessing.
Take a look at Dainel in the lion’s den, take a look at the three Hebrew brothers, take a look at the lives of the disciples.
Are you any better than any of them? }}
Think about it.
Friday, February 9, 2024, 09:35
#9
James 1:9-11
¶ But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.
For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
{{ This is talking of believers in Christ Jesus, “the brother” The man of humble circumstances, the rich man:
Are not really any different, the sun rises and falls on both.
The man who lives in humble circumstances, is considered to live in a high position,
Living humbly, in the Lord being grateful for what the Lord has provided for you,
without the burden created by wealth.
( i once was rich, in all reality i had more money than a normal working man who lives in the will of GOD could ever spend, at that time in my life i didn’t know who i could trust, i didn’t care who i might hurt and my greatest desire was to gather more of everything. Was probably the most unhappy person i knew at that time.
Once i had excepted the Lord confessed my sins and repented of them, surrendering my life to Him and allowed His Holy Spirit to teach me, making Him my first love and my first desire became to fallow and obey His commandments, to become a faithful servant of the Lord rather than to stay a slave to the world and its ways. )
The humble man who is a believer in and a follower of the Lord Christ Jesus is in a higher position because His faith, hope and existences are in the Lord and not the world and its ways. Knowing that Christ Jesus is not only His provider buy ultimately his provision, and with Christ as his provision he has no other need and can live his life serving God, working the land or a job and sharing the Lord with others.
The rich man can not live is such a manner without great struggle. But than all things are posable in the Lord, if the rich man can turn from the world and toward Christ Jesus it is posable.
Another thang that is inevitable:
the sun will rise with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance will be destroyed; so too is the rich man in the midst of his pursuits it will all will fade away.
One thing the humble and the rich man have in their path of their lives is their end of life on earth.
And their lives after death. Which will either be with Christ or not. For a rich man to choose to put Christ first can be a most difficult thing he will ever do. In all things are posable.
Money is a great temptation for a lot of people and that temptation can quickly turn in to the love of it.
James 1:13-16
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
Then when lust has conceived, it gives bi
rth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. }}