by tascha
Last Friday I was struck by the thought that words can be violent. I mean, I know it… I’ve heard it, experienced it even [on both sides].
But still, often, people [myself included] do not really think through what is getting ready to come out of their mouth.
When I am allowing my Lord to speak through my mouth, my words will bring life… a LOT of life [as in, a WELL] to those to whom I am conversing.
Proverbs 10:11
I pray the Lord pours forth LIFE from my mouth today!
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by tascha
This verse from yesterday speaks a couple of different thoughts to my heart.
One is that righteousness and mercy co-exist.
Ok-that one is still on soak.
Proverbs 21:21
Another is that FOLLOWING righteousness leads us to FINDING righteousness. I think this lends to the idea that we will never attain “being righteous” -which reminds me of this passage:
10~As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11~There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12~They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Romans 3:10-12
And then… mercy, coupled with righteousness {which is still on soak} also leads to LIFE & HONOR. Who doesn’t want life? or to be honored?
And that leads me to some other passages:
4~But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5~Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6~Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7~That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according according to the hope of eternal life. 8~This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. Titus 3:4-8
Our works will never save us. God is the perfect example of this righteousness and mercy existing together, in harmony. His mercy is new each day… but He is also eternally righteous.
It is because of Jesus’ perfect righteousness & mercy
that I can even have a hope of entering heaven.
But, while our works will not get us to heaven, they WILL glorify God and be profitable.
I don’t know about you… but I want:
~to find more righteousness than I currently have
~to gain eternal life and have treasure [honor] to lay at Jesus’ feet {another thought I didn’t really explore here}
and ~I want my life to be profitable!
So I will continue to soak on “follow after righteousness and mercy”…
….what does this verse speak to you?
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by tascha
The last post broke down verse 2… in answering the question from verse 1: LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
If you missed it, there were some weighty questions I asked myself at the end.
And the thoughts are continued in the next few verses….
3~He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4~In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5~He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
I would like to just say up front, these are not easy or very comfortable points to talk about…
Becoming a mature Christian is not an easy path, but God does have a few promises that I would like to point out before I continue:
…lo, I [Jesus] am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Matthew 28:20
Paul often ended his letters with:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 5:28
The Lord be with you all. 2 Thessalonians 3:16
The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. 2 Timothy 4:22
Grace be with you all. Amen. Titus 3:15
from Peter:
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Peter 5:10
and a few promises from the OT that apply:
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:24
My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word. Psalm 119:28
…the joy of the Lord is my strength. Nehemiah 8:10
Our God WILL be with us; He will strengthen us; and He will fill us with His grace… as we meditate on His Word and place our hope in HIM.
…and these are only a bare scratching of the surface of the promises of God’s help for us when we trust in Him and study and apply His Words.
So, my friend, let us be STRENGTHENED by our God
for this task of maturing spiritually 🙂
Psalm 139:9,10
We will delve into the actual verses in the next post…
I would love for you to share a favorite promise in the comments.
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by tascha |
Still in James 1:
verses 13-16
13 ~Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 ~But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 ~Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 ~ Do not err, my beloved brethren.
Two things strike me as I continue with this reading. 1)-God wants us to have a proper view of temptations; and 2)-finding proper context is vital.
The previous verse tells us that enduring temptation, being tried, can bring us a crown of life.
And even further back tells us to count it JOY when we have multiple temptations, because that works patience–and she has a perfect work to do in us.
But today I read that God will not tempt me.
My temptations come when I am drawn away...
away-–from the previous admonition: ASK GOD FOR WISDOM… in faith, not wavering.
And yet I know that temptations are to be counted joy. Find JOY in being drawn away? Find JOY in the wavering of our faith? This almost sounds… contradictory.
I think the simple way to state what our view of temptations should be is found in another Scripture:
Romans 8:27 & 28 ~ 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
God searches our hearts–whether a difficulty we face is of our own foolishness or another’s, He knows.
Our view of temptations is a HEART ISSUE…
{do we repent? do we have remorse over our sin? or do we revel in Grace, thinking that Grace gives us permission for our fall? Romans 6:1-2 gives a good reply: 1 ~What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 ~ God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?}
And The Spirit intercedes for us— Stop and think about that.
I’ll wait.
Pretty amazing, isn’t it?
And continuing… God will work it out for our good. Not “for good” in a manner that would make sense to our finite minds; but “for OUR good” —in a manner that will be good for us.
But this is not arbitrary that God makes anything work for the good of just all and any… He works this good to them who are the called according to His purpose.
Keeping that thought in mind, God does not temp me; but He can take the temptations and work them for my {our} good….
This reminds me of another Scripture passage:
1 Corinthians 10:6-14 ~ 6 Now these things [the Israelites in the wilderness] were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
Wow… so much to contemplate. But I want to focus in on verse 13: all temptations are common to each of us. **But God is faithful**… He always provides a way of escape [meaning we do not have to succumb to the evil].
AND the previous verse… TAKE HEED, because no one is immune to temptations. Some are just more overt in their fall than others.
But regardless, all sin brings death.
Infidelity can bring death to a marriage… but God can restoreLIFE!
Anger can bring death to a relationship… but God can restore LIFE!
Jealousy can bring death to a friendship… but God can restore LIFE!
Complaining can bring death to a spirit of unity among believers… but God can restore LIFE!
I think you get the picture… THERE IS HOPE, even amid the death that our sin brings.
Oh, so many verses are about our HOPE…
But first… the last verse in our passage today: Do not err, my beloved brethren.
To err means to be deceived, enticed, seduced, to go astray or wander…
…sounds a little as though we are being admonished to not be drawn away to begin with.
But because our Lord knows we will… we all have that sin we war against… He provides HOPE in Himself:
I will leave you with a few verses written out, and a few more with just references for you to see for yourself… but I have barely scratched the surface of what our HOPE is and means!
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Titus 3:4-7 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
and a few from Psalms:
Psalm 31: 24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Psalm 39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.
Psalm 42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 43:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 71: 5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
Some more references for your own study…
Romans 12:9-18 | Romans 15:1-6 | 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 | Galatians 5:1-6 | Philippians 1:18-20 | Colossians 1:12-23
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by tascha
Still in James 1…
verses 17-18
17 ~ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
18 ~ Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
After having just learned that our Lord will not tempt with evil -but He can use those times to work good in our lives and Patience continues her perfect work, maturing us, challenging us to desire Wisdom without wavering in our faith – we are now reminded that anything good in our life is from God.
ANYTHING good:
Are your children relatively healthy? If not, has God given you the grace and strength to learn from their illness?
Do you and your husband share a loving relationship with each other?
Has it been a while since you’ve been in an accident?
Do you have something to eat more than once a day?
Does your home have a sturdy roof which keeps out the elements?
Do you have clothing and shoes? Beds and blankets?
These are all things that none of us deserve… yet, for the most part, I think most people reading this have several, if not all, of them.
And I am reminded of verses in 1 Thessalonians 5:
16 ~ Rejoice evermore.
and 18 ~ In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
God has no variableness… He does not change. He gave good before. He gives good today. He will continue giving good with no shadow of turning–can you imagine the shadow that would fall if God turned His back on us? [I’m thinking the study of Revelation would give a glimpse!] Hebrews 13: 8 ~ Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
And God begat us {gave us His eternal life} with the Word of Truth [His Word: the Bible]… that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
He wants us to be set-apart [as the first fruits were], consecrated to Himself.
He wants us to WANT to be separated from the evil of this world.
He wants us to desire and learn and grow in Him, to change us from what we were to be more like THE Firstfruit: Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15: 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
Just a few thoughts about these verses… I’d love to hear how something in them spoke to you!
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