2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
9The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. (James 1:2-12)
12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Our ideas of what the bible means by trials and when the bible actually means by trials can be pretty different. The really big things like serious illness, death or a break-up of a family life are quick to spring to mind, but James doesn’t limit trials to this sort of giant event. He includes in his idea of testing our everyday issues and anything that might present us with a choice of whether to follow God or not, a temptation that we may face is equally a test of our faith according to James as something we might consider as a way bigger deal.
The people who received James letter were Christians who had come from a Jewish context. Because they had turned away from Judaism, their social and economic ties with Jewish people had been cut, also it is thought that, as James tells us that they are “scattered among the nations” that they have fled Jerusalem because of persecution of the early church there. This posed all sorts of big scale problems for them; poverty, persecution, exploitation at work, legal action taken against them. But also their faith was being put to the test by more in built things, for example; pride, favoritism, fighting and inaction.
At times it is really easy to react negatively to these tests, and it makes sense that no-one wants to have to go through the things that sometimes face us in life. It is easy to get sucked into complaining and self-pity, or trying to find our own solutions to our problems or even stopping atjust finding something to take our minds off things. It is also easy to blame God for the difficult circumstance we’re in, and to get angry at him. Even if we don’t get angry at him, it is easy to think he doesn’t have things under control and to panic and try and fix things
ourselves.
This isn’t just easy, James tells us it is actually, factually deadly. The death James is talking about could be the break-up of a relationship or the break down of a friendship, but if we turn our backs on God James issues a blunt warning that the results won’t be pretty.
Perseverance James says we should have an attitude of patience, of perseverance and ultimately of joy. It sounds pretty crazy that we should be joyful in the middle of what feels like a catastrophe, but what James says shouldn’t be too radical. The advice James gives the people who he is writing to is to mourn their sin and forget about it, to be patient throughout their suffering and to look past the actual circumstance and trust God that he use it to bring them closer to maturity and completeness. Obviously, in the heat of the moment that is easier said than done, and it is much more natural not to react in this way, that’s why it is vital for us to pray for wisdom.
Having a Godly attitude towards suffering and testing circumstances will produce in us maturity and completeness that we might not lack anything, and also there is the promise of the crown of life to those who persevere under trial. These results can seem like they are all very much future
rewards that we won’t see this side of Heaven, but we will see impact in our lives now as we focus on a loving God.
James isn’t saying that hard times will be automatically easy for Christians, and I’m sure his readers knew that all too well, but he is saying we should be joyful know that he have a God we can trust who is able to use difficulty to produce good in his children.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
We must run the "good race".
I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.
The Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
(2 Timothy 4:6-8,17-18)
Paul was writing to Timothy to help him to stay on the right track. He wasn't going to be around much longer and needed to inspire his student to continue to persevere in his faith and his ministry. Paul's head was not on the executioner’s block yet, but his heart was there. He was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice. He considers himself as on the eve of death, and looks upon his blood as the libation which was poured on the sacrificial offering. He must have already had the sentence of death already passed upon him.
Paul had fulfilled his ministry and was ready to receive his reward, and he wanted Timothy to be able to do the same. Preaching the gospel is one of the most rewarding things a person can do, if they are sincerely
devoted to doing this. Paul wanted Timothy to be as inspired by the word of God as he was. He wanted Timothy to see that the reward for staying faithful and "finishing the race" was far greater than any earthly reward.
So it should be for us. We are not going to be executed for our faith (hopefully) or belief in the word of Jesus, however, our life on this world may not be as wonderful as the life of those who choose to ignore their need for God. To talk about God can sometimes make one the object of ridicule. In these days, people don't want to hear about sacrifice and forgiveness. They want to live for the moment, enjoy life's pleasures and not worry about sacrifice, or forgiveness, or compassion, or love.
Paul ran the good race which means he stayed true to his ministry to preach the word of God to everyone he could find to listen.
As Christians, we too, must run our own good race. We must stay faithful to the word of God and the example of Jesus. We must preach Jesus, in any way we are able, by word or example. Just as Paul encouraged Timothy, he also encourages us. Our reward for doing so will be beyond our imagination. Jesus has promised us that.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.
The Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
(2 Timothy 4:6-8,17-18)
Paul was writing to Timothy to help him to stay on the right track. He wasn't going to be around much longer and needed to inspire his student to continue to persevere in his faith and his ministry. Paul's head was not on the executioner’s block yet, but his heart was there. He was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice. He considers himself as on the eve of death, and looks upon his blood as the libation which was poured on the sacrificial offering. He must have already had the sentence of death already passed upon him.
Paul had fulfilled his ministry and was ready to receive his reward, and he wanted Timothy to be able to do the same. Preaching the gospel is one of the most rewarding things a person can do, if they are sincerely
devoted to doing this. Paul wanted Timothy to be as inspired by the word of God as he was. He wanted Timothy to see that the reward for staying faithful and "finishing the race" was far greater than any earthly reward.
So it should be for us. We are not going to be executed for our faith (hopefully) or belief in the word of Jesus, however, our life on this world may not be as wonderful as the life of those who choose to ignore their need for God. To talk about God can sometimes make one the object of ridicule. In these days, people don't want to hear about sacrifice and forgiveness. They want to live for the moment, enjoy life's pleasures and not worry about sacrifice, or forgiveness, or compassion, or love.
Paul ran the good race which means he stayed true to his ministry to preach the word of God to everyone he could find to listen.
As Christians, we too, must run our own good race. We must stay faithful to the word of God and the example of Jesus. We must preach Jesus, in any way we are able, by word or example. Just as Paul encouraged Timothy, he also encourages us. Our reward for doing so will be beyond our imagination. Jesus has promised us that.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Monday, June 28, 2010
Harmony begins in the heart, not in the law.
20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
21"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
25"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. (Matthew 5:20-26)
What does it really mean to be righteous? Is righteousness merely a legal reality? Is it all about either following or not following certain rules? That is not what Jesus is telling his listeners. Jesus is trying to make the point that true righteousness goes far deeper than just following certain rules.
The problem with the legal view is that it tempts one to think of their relationship with God as if it were a contract. You do your part of the bargain and God will do his part. It tempts you to think of your life only in terms of the minimum you need to do to keep on the right side of God, or even to see what you can get away with and still not be violating the contract, so that God is obligated to keep his part. Jesus is trying to tell his listeners that true righteousness goes far beyond the legal understanding of the law. Jesus is trying to get his listeners to understand the "heart" of the law.
Jesus reminds his listeners that it is wrong to commit murder. However, Jesus is telling them the deeper meaning of this commandment. God's intention was not just that people not actually murder each other. You have not necessarily fulfilled this commandment when you have managed to not physically kill another person. Jesus goes further in his instruction to his listeners. He tells them that to be angry with another person, to demean them by insults, in other words, to kill the heart of a person, is no different in the eyes of God than if one were to kill the body.
Jesus is asking them to consider the truth that the seeds of murder begin far earlier than the final act. Doesn't murder begin, Jesus is asking, way back in the angry word or the thoughtless insult? Isn't there a real death that occurs whenever we speak unkindly to others? There is discord, dissolution and pain in the relationship that wasn¹t there before and that we cannot take away. It has been brought into reality by our speaking. The words can be worked around and apologized for, but they cannot be unsaid. Damage to the relationship has been done. Killing the relationship is just as bad as killing the body.
Jesus is trying to teach his listeners the true meaning of God's commandment. Righteousness is not about just following the bare minimum of the law. The meaning of true righteousness is about maintaining right relationships. Right relationships do not start with the law, they start with the heart and with the soul.
This puts a whole new understanding to this commandment. When you hear the phrase "words can kill", it reminds us that what we say to one another is just as important as what we do to one another. To understand this message of Jesus, we have to learn to speak carefully. We must think before we speak words to one another that bring about death. It also forces us to understand the importance that God puts on relationships. We are to live in peace with one another. God's peace not just in the physical sense, but peace in the spiritual sense. Harmony begins in the heart, not in the law.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
21"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
25"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. (Matthew 5:20-26)
What does it really mean to be righteous? Is righteousness merely a legal reality? Is it all about either following or not following certain rules? That is not what Jesus is telling his listeners. Jesus is trying to make the point that true righteousness goes far deeper than just following certain rules.
The problem with the legal view is that it tempts one to think of their relationship with God as if it were a contract. You do your part of the bargain and God will do his part. It tempts you to think of your life only in terms of the minimum you need to do to keep on the right side of God, or even to see what you can get away with and still not be violating the contract, so that God is obligated to keep his part. Jesus is trying to tell his listeners that true righteousness goes far beyond the legal understanding of the law. Jesus is trying to get his listeners to understand the "heart" of the law.
Jesus reminds his listeners that it is wrong to commit murder. However, Jesus is telling them the deeper meaning of this commandment. God's intention was not just that people not actually murder each other. You have not necessarily fulfilled this commandment when you have managed to not physically kill another person. Jesus goes further in his instruction to his listeners. He tells them that to be angry with another person, to demean them by insults, in other words, to kill the heart of a person, is no different in the eyes of God than if one were to kill the body.
Jesus is asking them to consider the truth that the seeds of murder begin far earlier than the final act. Doesn't murder begin, Jesus is asking, way back in the angry word or the thoughtless insult? Isn't there a real death that occurs whenever we speak unkindly to others? There is discord, dissolution and pain in the relationship that wasn¹t there before and that we cannot take away. It has been brought into reality by our speaking. The words can be worked around and apologized for, but they cannot be unsaid. Damage to the relationship has been done. Killing the relationship is just as bad as killing the body.
Jesus is trying to teach his listeners the true meaning of God's commandment. Righteousness is not about just following the bare minimum of the law. The meaning of true righteousness is about maintaining right relationships. Right relationships do not start with the law, they start with the heart and with the soul.
This puts a whole new understanding to this commandment. When you hear the phrase "words can kill", it reminds us that what we say to one another is just as important as what we do to one another. To understand this message of Jesus, we have to learn to speak carefully. We must think before we speak words to one another that bring about death. It also forces us to understand the importance that God puts on relationships. We are to live in peace with one another. God's peace not just in the physical sense, but peace in the spiritual sense. Harmony begins in the heart, not in the law.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Sunday, June 27, 2010
We should freely give our love to God.
17"If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
(Galatians 2:17-21)
This was always confusing to me. I always believed that in order to prove that you are a true follower of Jesus, you must follow the law. It never occurred to me that Paul was talking about the difference between doing things because of a desire to follow the rules, and doing things in order to show your love for God. The two thought processes are absolutely different.
Often, we don't speed because of a fear of getting caught and paying a fine. However, the motive for not speeding should be caring for the safety of all those on the road. The first way of thinking is following the law because of a proposed consequence for not following the law. The second way of thinking is following the law because of a concern for others. One is considered "law-works" and the second is considered "heart-works".
Paul in this passage is talking about the fact that Jesus already paid the price for our sins, so we should not be so worried about the "law-works". We will not spend eternity with God because of anything we have done or because of anything we might do. We have already received that gift from our loving God. If we follow the rules, it should be because of our desire to show love and gratitude for the gift we have been given by God in Jesus. We should do things out of love, because we want to, not because we fear we will loose something of have to pay something if we don't.
If you love, there are many things that you will do for your beloved, far above and beyond what is required. If you love, you will do most anything to show your love for your beloved. God has shown us love in giving us the ultimate gift of Jesus. There is no greater gift that God could have given us.
God wants us to show our love in the same way. We offer ourselves as the greatest gift we can give to God. We offer our love, our life, and all that we do, because of our great love for God. Just as Jesus gave of himself by his own free will, we give God the gift of ourselves of our free will. We must do this out of love, not because we are afraid of the consequences.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
(Galatians 2:17-21)
This was always confusing to me. I always believed that in order to prove that you are a true follower of Jesus, you must follow the law. It never occurred to me that Paul was talking about the difference between doing things because of a desire to follow the rules, and doing things in order to show your love for God. The two thought processes are absolutely different.
Often, we don't speed because of a fear of getting caught and paying a fine. However, the motive for not speeding should be caring for the safety of all those on the road. The first way of thinking is following the law because of a proposed consequence for not following the law. The second way of thinking is following the law because of a concern for others. One is considered "law-works" and the second is considered "heart-works".
Paul in this passage is talking about the fact that Jesus already paid the price for our sins, so we should not be so worried about the "law-works". We will not spend eternity with God because of anything we have done or because of anything we might do. We have already received that gift from our loving God. If we follow the rules, it should be because of our desire to show love and gratitude for the gift we have been given by God in Jesus. We should do things out of love, because we want to, not because we fear we will loose something of have to pay something if we don't.
If you love, there are many things that you will do for your beloved, far above and beyond what is required. If you love, you will do most anything to show your love for your beloved. God has shown us love in giving us the ultimate gift of Jesus. There is no greater gift that God could have given us.
God wants us to show our love in the same way. We offer ourselves as the greatest gift we can give to God. We offer our love, our life, and all that we do, because of our great love for God. Just as Jesus gave of himself by his own free will, we give God the gift of ourselves of our free will. We must do this out of love, not because we are afraid of the consequences.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Our God is a God of Comfort
The God of All Comfort
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Sorrow is universal. It is an emotion common to all people. The sorrows of this life are quite often too heavy for us to bear alone. As followers of Jesus we are encouraged to come to God, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 2 Corinthians 1 reminds us that our God is "the God of all comfort." He is able to bind up the broken-hearted, to heal the most painful wounds, and to give hope and joy during our heaviest sorrows.
The Bible is full of things to comfort believers. It assures us that God knows all about us. Suffering makes us more thankful for our blessings. I know it is often difficult to praise God in the midst of of our suffering, however, suffering reminds us of our dependence upon God. Oftentimes when we are well and strong, we feel that we are self-sufficient. But when suffering comes we depend upon God to help us and to see us through our sorrows.
Suffering strengthens our faith in God. God wants to increase our faith. This strength comes as our faith is exercised by our hope. We cannot always understand the "whys" of God's love but we hope and exercise our faith. God has many promises for us and we need to believe them and apply them to our lives.
Suffering makes our hearts more tender and sympathetic towards others. Unless we know the personal results of God's comfort in our own tribulations, we are not able to comfort others in their trials. To have compassion is to enter in along side of the other person. Suffering enables us to better understand the needs of others.
God is always there for us, but is especially there during our trials and sorrows. God does not abandon us when we need him the most. Just as a small child will run to a parent for comfort and care when they fall and hurt themselves, we must learn to run to God during our own falls and hurts. We must trust that God is waiting to help us. We need only to ask God for help and God will come to us with comfort and love.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Sorrow is universal. It is an emotion common to all people. The sorrows of this life are quite often too heavy for us to bear alone. As followers of Jesus we are encouraged to come to God, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 2 Corinthians 1 reminds us that our God is "the God of all comfort." He is able to bind up the broken-hearted, to heal the most painful wounds, and to give hope and joy during our heaviest sorrows.
The Bible is full of things to comfort believers. It assures us that God knows all about us. Suffering makes us more thankful for our blessings. I know it is often difficult to praise God in the midst of of our suffering, however, suffering reminds us of our dependence upon God. Oftentimes when we are well and strong, we feel that we are self-sufficient. But when suffering comes we depend upon God to help us and to see us through our sorrows.
Suffering strengthens our faith in God. God wants to increase our faith. This strength comes as our faith is exercised by our hope. We cannot always understand the "whys" of God's love but we hope and exercise our faith. God has many promises for us and we need to believe them and apply them to our lives.
Suffering makes our hearts more tender and sympathetic towards others. Unless we know the personal results of God's comfort in our own tribulations, we are not able to comfort others in their trials. To have compassion is to enter in along side of the other person. Suffering enables us to better understand the needs of others.
God is always there for us, but is especially there during our trials and sorrows. God does not abandon us when we need him the most. Just as a small child will run to a parent for comfort and care when they fall and hurt themselves, we must learn to run to God during our own falls and hurts. We must trust that God is waiting to help us. We need only to ask God for help and God will come to us with comfort and love.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
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