uh... no.

Jesus speaking in John 13:34-35 during the night before He was killed.


"So now I am giving you a new commandment:

Love each other.

Just as I have loved you,

you should love each other.

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."



These days, does the world think of Christians as people who love?


No.

remember...

(Jesus) personally carried away our sins in His own body on the cross

so we can be dead to sin

& live for what is right.

1 Peter 2:24

life verse

I will never live you, or forsake you. Hebrews 13:5b


My life verse - it's THE major promise God has given me.

I hold on to it every day.

the rich

As you read this, remember that even those considered poor in this country are rich when compared to the rest of the world.



James 5

1 Look here, you rich people: 

Weep and groan with anguish 

because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.

2 Your wealth is rotting away, 

and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags.

3 Your gold and silver have become worthless. 

The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. 

This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment.

4 For listen! 

Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. 

The wages you held back cry out against you. 

The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the LORD of Heaven's Armies.


  5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, 

satisfying your every desire. 

You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.

6 You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.

worthy stuff

There's just a lot of worthy stuff for our consideration in these 10 verses from James 4...



James 4

1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? 
Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you? 
2 You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. 
You are jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. 
Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it.
3 And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.


  4 You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? 
I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
5 What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the Holy Spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy?
6 But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. 
As the Scriptures say,

"God opposes the proud
  but favors the humble."

  7 So humble yourselves before God. 
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. 
Wash your hands, you sinners; 
purify your hearts, 
for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
9 Let there be tears for what you have done. 
Let there be sorrow and deep grief. 
Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

73

My son that I "come by," Heith Daniels, reminded me the other day of this psalm.

It's worth a read, especially with the seemingly continued ascendancy here in America of those mentioned in the first 12 verses.

It addresses something of the thinking of many who live godly lives in a culture that is anything but godly.



Psalm 73

1 Truly God is good to Israel,
  to those whose hearts are pure.
2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
  My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3 For I envied the proud
  when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4 They seem to live such painless lives;
  their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They don't have troubles like other people;
  they're not plagued with problems like everyone else.
6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
  and clothe themselves with cruelty.
7 These fat cats have everything
  their hearts could ever wish for!
8 They scoff and speak only evil;
  in their pride they seek to crush others.
9 They boast against the very heavens,
  and their words strut throughout the earth.
10 And so the people are dismayed and confused,
  drinking in all their words.
11 "What does God know?" they ask.
  "Does the Most High even know what's happening?"
12 Look at these wicked people—
  enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.

13 Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
  Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
14 I get nothing but trouble all day long;
  every morning brings me pain.

15 If I had really spoken this way to others,
  I would have been a traitor to your people.
16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
  But what a difficult task it is!
17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
  and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path
  and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19 In an instant they are destroyed,
  completely swept away by terrors.
20 When you arise, O Lord,
  you will laugh at their silly ideas
  as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
  and I was all torn up inside.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant—
  I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
23 Yet I still belong to you;
  you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
  leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
  I desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
  but God remains the strength of my heart;
  he is mine forever.

27 Those who desert him will perish,
  for you destroy those who abandon you.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
  I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter,
  and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

James calls us out

These words of James in his epistle are interesting if juxtaposed with the favoritism, privilege, prejudice, & supremacy being expressed today in America... 



James 2

1 My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?


  2 For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, 

and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. 

3 If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, 

but you say to the poor one, "You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor"—well, 

4 doesn't this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?


  5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. 

Hasn't God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? 

Aren't they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? 

6 But you dishonor the poor! 

Isn't it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 

7 Aren't they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?


  8 Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: 

"Love your neighbor as yourself." 

9 But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. 

You are guilty of breaking the law.


  10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God's laws. 

11 For the same God who said, "You must not commit adultery," also said, "You must not murder." 

So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.


  12 So whatever you say or whatever you do, 

remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. 

13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. 

But if you have been merciful, 

God will be merciful when he judges you.

James 1

James is a forgotten book.

Read slowly from the first chapter.



James 1

1 This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
  I am writing to the "twelve tribes"—Jewish believers scattered abroad.
  Greetings!


2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

  5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

  9 Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. 10 And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. 11 The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.

  12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

  16 So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. 18 He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.


19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger* does not produce the righteousness God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

  22 But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

  26 If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

VIII

Can there be a more lyrical psalm?



Psalm 8

1 O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!


  Your glory is higher than the heavens.


2 You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength,

silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.


3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—


  the moon and the stars you set in place—


4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them,


  human beings that you should care for them?

5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God


  and crowned them with glory and honor.


6 You gave them charge of everything you made,


  putting all things under their authority—


7 the flocks and the herds


  and all the wild animals,


8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,


  and everything that swims the ocean currents.


9 O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

XII

Just read it...



Hebrews 12

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, 
let us strip off every weight that slows us down, 
especially the sin that so easily trips us up. 
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 
2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. 
Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.
Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. 
3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; 
then you won't become weary 
and give up. 
4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.



  5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,

"My child, don't make light of the LORD's discipline,
  and don't give up when he corrects you.
6 For the LORD disciplines those he loves,
  and he punishes each one he accepts as his child."



7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. 
Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 
8 If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 
9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, 
shouldn't we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, 
and live forever?


  10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, 
doing the best they knew how. 
But God's discipline is always good for us, 
so that we might share in his holiness. 
11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it's painful! 
But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.


  12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shakey legs.
13 Mark out a straight path for your feet. 
Then those who follow you, 
though they are weak and lame, 
will not stumble and fall but become strong.



14 Work at living in peace with everyone, 
and work at living a holy life, 
for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 
15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. 
Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. 
16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, 
who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 
17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father's blessing, he was rejected. 
It was too late for repentance, 
even though he begged with bitter tears.



  18 You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. 
19 For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. 
20 They staggered back under God's command: 
"If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death."
21 Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, 
"I am terrified and trembling."


  22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. 
23 You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. 
You have come to God himself, 
who is the judge over all things. 
You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. 
24 You have come to Jesus, 
the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, 
and to the sprinkled blood, 
which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.



  25 Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. 
For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! 
26 When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, 
but now he makes another promise: 
"Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also." 
27 This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, 
so that only unshakable things will remain.



  28 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, 
let us be thankful 
and please God 
by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.
29 For our God is a devouring fire.

Big Bang

By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command,

that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

Hebrews 11:3



I remember a few years ago, National Geographic Magazine had a graphic of the Big Bang.

There was an unimaginable amount of creation & expansion in the first few infinitely quick milliseconds.

Essentially, our whole universe appeared in less time than it takes me to clear my throat.

As I sat there looking at those vivid pictures & read the explanation, as fantastical & stupendous as it seemed, it didn't seem all that implausible.

Something that did impress me was that although many scientists have bought into this after much, MUCH study, in the final analysis, it is a theory which much be accept by faith.

We are expected to buy into this theory by faith that billions of years ago something happened & presto! everything we see in our universe can into being.

Now don't get me wrong - I don't have a problem taking by faith from all this scientific thought that our universe - or any parallel or otherwise existing universes - came into being rather suddenly out of nothing.

Since reading that article & looking at those graphics, I've wondered about something...

If we are encouraged to accept by faith that this mind-blowing creation of the universe(s) happened basically in the blink of an eye, then why can't we take the next step & accept by faith that "something" that made this big bang creation of the universe(s) was God?

It is a BIG step by faith to believe that all that we see in universe was created in the blink of an eye.

Why is it so hard to take the next step by faith & believe that Someone with infinite power was the One who instigated the whole thing?

Now before anyone who is reading this decides to launch into an explanation as to why scientists &/or the thinking community has already laid out why that last step by faith is improbable, may I just say, save your breath ;-)

I've heard it all before, explained by some of the finest minds we've known.

I know the deal.

At the same time, it still remains a puzzlement to me.

Accepting the possibility of the Big Bang is a BIG step by faith.

But if we're going to take BIG steps by faith, then why not consider that the Power intentionally generating that Big Bang was God?


Just a thought...

promises

Paul is considered the author of Hebrews, a book written to the followers of Jesus among the Jewish nation.

In chapter 10, the author reminds the Christ followers how rough & persecuted they were when they first started identifying that they were followers of Jesus.

They were beaten, had their property taken away, & a whole lot more.

Wonder if you & I would be followers of Jesus if half of that kind of stuff happened to us?

Anyway, after reminding them of those events, the author wrote the following 2 verses.

Maybe some of you have never read these words before & they are a new challenge for you.

Or maybe you're like me, certainly familiar with these verses - maybe God is going to whisper this assurance to you.

For me, it's one of the passages that I feel God gave me for 2018 - maybe He did that to counter my own doubts?

Here they are - strong words, incredible promises...

Don't throw away this confident trust in the Lord,

no matter what happens.

Remember the great reward it brings you!

Patient endurance is what you need now, 

so you will continue to do God's will.

Then you will receive all that He has promised.

Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT, 1st ed.)

amazing statment

Can there be a more amazing passage in the Bible that speaks to the identity of Jesus?



John 1

1 In the beginning the Word already existed.


  The Word was with God,


  and the Word was God.


2 He existed in the beginning with God.


3 God created everything through him,


  and nothing was created except through him.


4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,


  and his life brought light to everyone.


5 The light shines in the darkness,


  and the darkness can never extinguish it.


  6 God sent a man, John the Baptist, 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.

8 John himself was not the light; 

he was simply a witness to tell about the light.

9 The one who is the true light, 

who gives light to everyone, 

was coming into the world.



  10 He came into the very world he created, 

but the world didn't recognize him.

11 He came to his own people, 

and even they rejected him.

12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, 

but a birth that comes from God.



  14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. 

He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. 

And we have seen his glory, 

the glory of the Father's one and only Son.

amazing stuff

I was turning through the Bible this morning, going from what I was supposed to read in the Gospels to what I was to read in the epistles & hesitated when I passed through Romans.

This chapter is SO amazing - Paul just SO MUCH here for not only the followers of Jesus in Rome, but for us too.

Just read slowly through these 21 verses - it's so amazing...


Romans 12

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. 

Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. 

This is truly the way to worship him.

2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, 

but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

 Then you will learn to know God's will for you, 

which is good and pleasing and perfect.



  3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: 

Don't think you are better than you really are. 

Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, 

measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,5 so it is with Christ's body. 

We are many parts of one body, 

and we all belong to each other.



  6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. 

So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, 

speak out with as much faith as God has given you.

7 If your gift is serving others, 

serve them well. 

If you are a teacher, 

teach well.

8 If your gift is to encourage others, 

be encouraging. 

If it is giving, 

give generously. 

If God has given you leadership ability, 

take the responsibility seriously. 

And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, 

do it gladly.



  9 Don't just pretend to love others. 

Really love them. 

Hate what is wrong. 

Hold tightly to what is good.

10 Love each other with genuine affection, 

and take delight in honoring each other.

11 Never be lazy, 

but work hard 

and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

12 Be glad for all God is planning for you. 

Be patient in trouble, 

and keep on praying.

13 When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. 

Always be eager to practice hospitality.



  14 Bless those who persecute you. 

Don't curse them; 

pray that God will bless them.

15 Be happy with those who are happy, 

and weep with those who weep.

16 Live in harmony with each other. 

Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. 

And don't think you know it all!



  17 Never pay back evil with more evil. 

Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.

18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.



  19 Dear friends, never take revenge. 

Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

"I will take revenge;
  I will pay them back,"
  says the LORD.

20 Instead,

"If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
  If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
  burning coals of shame on their heads."



21 Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.