Listen to all the instructions and act upon them

James 1:22 (NLT)

22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

The apostle states that we should not just be ones who hear God’s word, but we should also put actions to what we hear and learn. The Greek word for “fooling” means to reckon wrong, cheat by false reasoning and to delude.  So those who hear what God say, but are not doers of His word are only deluding themselves about their actions.

Gregg Donnelly, of Maple Plain, Minnesota tells a story: Robert Kupferschmid was an 81-year old with no flying experience. However, due to a tragic emergency, he was forced to fly an airplane. On June 17, 1998, he and his 52-year-old pilot friend, Wesley Sickle, were flying from Indianapolis to Muncie, Indiana. During the flight, the pilot slumped over and died at the controls. The Cessna 172 single-engine plane began to nose-dive and Kupferschmid grabbed the controls. He got on the radio and pleaded for help.

Nearby were two pilots who heard the call. Mount Comfort was the closest airport, and the two pilots gave Kupferschmid a steady stream of instructions of climbing, steering—and the scariest part—landing. The two experienced pilots circled the runway three times before this somewhat frantic and totally inexperienced pilot was ready to attempt the landing.

Emergency vehicles were called out and ready for what seemed like an approaching disaster. Witnesses said the plane's nose nudged the center line and bounced a few times before the tail hit the ground. The Cessna ended up in a patch of soggy grass next to the runway. Amazingly, Kupferschmid was not injured.

This pilot listened and followed those instructions as if his life depended on it—and it did. Imagine what would take place in the lives of believers if we listened to and obeyed the Word of God with the same earnestness.

For some reading The Bible becomes a stressor in their life because the parts they hear is do this, do more, and more of this. They begin to feel guilt and stress. The problem is they are not reading the entirety of God’s word and acting upon what it says. Yes, God tells us things we should do or not do, but we also hear the words of Jesus telling us His burden is light. The Bible also tells us of God’s love, mercy and grace towards us. So in our hearing of the word we need to listen in full context and understand the grace of Salvation and act in accordance to that grace. God tells us what to do so like the pilot above we are able to land safely in life.

God is our hope

Psalm 119:114 (NLT)

114 You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.

In this Psalm of David, David is able to take comfort that when his enemies are against him, God is for him – providing protection and defense. When David was being pursued by his enemies he often hid in caves. In battle he used his shield for protection. Now God was both to him, a refuge where he could hide and shield that protected his life. It is though God’s promises and words that David came to know God in a close and personal way. David knew God was his comforter and protector.

In an interview about his book The Folly of Prayer (IVP, 2009), author and pastor Matt Woodley shared a story about his friend Theresa. Theresa was experiencing what St. John of the Cross calls a dark night of the soul—a period of spiritual loneliness and despair. Over the course of describing her story, listen to how Woodley discovered that what seemed most helpless in his ministry was actually the most helpful:

After marrying the man of her dreams, [Theresa] dropped into the abyss of a deep depression. Everything went dark in her mind and body. She even started writing her obituary. Three years ago I would have had plenty of answers and solutions for her. I would have been so clever and powerful. But now I could only sit with her in her pain. We prayed. I didn't know what to do, didn't have any answers, so I said, "Theresa, I have no idea what to say, so could we just read the Psalms?" Then I read Psalm 77, an agonizing psalm of lament, and I went home. I left feeling utterly powerless, and I sure didn't think that I made her feel better.

The next week another leader of our church visited Theresa. She was still suffering intensely, but when the leader asked if he could pray for her, Theresa said, "Yes, but before you pray, please read Psalm 77. I've been clinging to it all week. It's my lifeline to God." Apparently when we read Psalm 77 in utter powerlessness, God showed up in her life with power.

Woodley adds: "At times the best, most powerful and most useful way to love someone is to get to the end of myself. I admit that I can't fix or change you. My words and my advice won't heal your brokenness. But I can be with you, and we can go together to the Father." [IVP Books, "Are You There, God? An Interview with The Folly of Prayer Author Matt Woodley}

Heavenly Father I come to You in prayer for all who read these words. I pray Father these words will become their words of hope also. Father there is many who are fighting the daily battles of life and they need the comfort and protection. Bless them Father. Father, You provide hope when times seem hopeless. You provide mercy when no others will be merciful. You are always loving towards us when others may be against us. Father we thank you for the victory given to us over death through your Son Jesus Christ. Father we give thanks for Your everlasting love, your grace and your mercy. Father abide with us today and every day that we would know the depths of Your love for us. Be our source of hope!

In the precious name of Jesus,

Amen 

Lessons from The Bible

Proverbs 30:10 (NLT)

10 Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.

Most of proverbs was written by King Solomon, but chapter 30 is different in that it is penned by "Agur Ben Jakeh.’’ These are divinely inspired verses kept on record. In verse 10 there is a warning given against slander towards a worker; for the person slandered may point out the wrong and it will be held against the slanderer.

The Bible is an amazing book. It contains life stories many of us can relate to. I relate to the verse above because I have seen others slander a person in an office and then the slanderer was disciplined for their harmful words. The verse in Proverbs is just one piece of wisdom we can draw from The Bible.

The Bible also documents the lives of people, such as King David. We know David loved God and God loved David.  However, David did not live a perfect life.  Even though David desired to keep God’s commandments, he failed at times. Through the life of David we can see God’s love, mercy and grace towards him. God offers the same love, mercy and grace to us.

There are illustrations of dysfunctional families in The Bible. Abraham who had a strong faith in God often feared someone would kill him over his wife Sarah, because he believed her to be a beautiful woman. So there were times Abraham would say that Sarah was his sister as a means of trying to protect himself instead of trusting God.

Isaac is where we see the family dysfunction come into play. God had told Abraham’s son Isaac to go and live in Egypt. It is at this point we encounter these verses in Genesis 26:6-7, “So Isaac dwelt in Gerar. And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, “She is my sister”; for he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” because he thought, “lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.””  What is Isaac doing, the same dysfunctional thing his father did. He didn’t trust enough in God to protect him so he told a lie concerning his wife. A legacy passed on to him by his father.

Yes, The Bible holds many good illustrations about life. Take time to read God’s word and see what lessons you can learn.

When a need arises

Psalm 119:93 (NKJV)
93 I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have given me life.

The psalmist says he will never forget the commands and principles given to him by God; for those commands and principles are what allowed his existence to continue.

 

 

In our electronic world of today people are very familiar with search engines that find information on the internet almost instantaneously. The word Google has become a part of everyday life - If you don’t know something, Google it.

I have a co-worker who was in Boy Scouts as a youth. He memorized and learned many things making his way to become an Eagle Scout. He still carries with him many of the things he learned. A lot of them dealt with life, being ready and the ability to survive.

What if you found yourself alone on a deserted island, would you rather have survival knowledge in your mind or on the laptop you brought with you. You probably have maybe at most 4 hours to retrieve all the information you need off your laptop before the battery dies and then what do you do? If you haven’t memorized and learned some skills your stay on the island is going to be very difficult.

The electronic Bibles of today are nice in that they are compact, can contain many versions of The Bible, and can even search for keywords. However, if we don’t commit what we read to the mind and a moment comes that we need a Bible verse for comfort or hope - that will be the exact moment our electronic Bible is somewhere else.

The psalmist said, “I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have given me life.” Let’s commit God’s word to our memories that we will have an answer when the need arises.

Jesus Christ - a love so great

Ephesians 3:14-19 (NKJV)
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Above is the apostle’s prayer to God on behalf of the Ephesians who Paul loved. The prayer is to the Father who is in Christ - just as Christ is in the Father – just as we are in Christ and Christ is in us. We see from the words his posture that he bows kneeled before The Lord. Then he makes his request to the Father that the Ephesian’s who are in Christ would be strengthen, that through their faith Christ would be close to them, and that they might know the heights, the widths, and the depths of the Love Jesus Christ.

 

 

Billy Graham loves The Lord and has been a personal witness for Jesus Christ all around the world. Billy is currently 94 and has several health issues, but he wants to finish well by providing one last message to a country close to his heart – America.

My Hope America with Billy Graham is a nationwide effort to reach people across the United States with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Following a simple biblical model, My Hope America with Billy Graham combines the impact of video programs with the power of personal relationships. Under the guidance of their local pastors, Christians across America will open their homes this November to share the Gospel message with friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors using one of several new evangelistic programs featuring life-changing testimonies & powerful messages from Billy Graham. [http://myhopewithbillygraham.org/what-is-my-hope/?]

Just as the Apostle Paul loved the Ephesians, Billy Graham loves America, the country he considers home.  Yet it is a temporary home - for Billy knows his permanent home is in heaven. Billy has preached in America, just as he has preached in so many other places across the world. Billy Graham wants people to know the great love of Jesus Christ – a love so great that it is hard to comprehend.  Jesus Christ shed His blood on the cross so all could be free from the bonds of sin. When a man gives his life for another that is a friend who loves greater than we can understand.

Let us be in prayer for Dr. Graham that his message will have a great impact upon all who hear him.

 

2 Chronicles 7:14, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

 

Strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus

2 Timothy 2:1 (NKJV)

1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

The Apostle Paul writes to his friend Timothy to be persistent and consistent in his work for The Lord. In order to do the work ahead, Timothy must remain strong in Christ, accepting the grace Christ Jesus has given him through his faith. As we face trials and tribulations we need to grow stronger in our faith and that which is good. Our resolution must be to take the grace we are given and use it to love God and Jesus Christ even more.

St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople and Church Father (349–407) once said, “We must not mind insulting men, if by respecting them we offend God.” 

In our society we often think that stating our belief against sin is either not politically correct or that it is a sin itself. Jesus was often confronted by religious groups and He was never hesitant to confront the issues brought to Him. Sometimes Christ insulted the religious leaders around Him. Jesus stood firm on God’s principles and His first loyalty was to God.

The Bible teaches us that we are to pray for others and we are to lead others to Christ. Obviously we cannot be hateful in our methods or we will lose the opportunities to speak to others about Christ. The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 3:15-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Not through hate, but through love we are to learn about God and Christ, check our own ways, correct our own faults, and then instruct others in what is right. We must put God first and stand in His grace if by chance we insult others, we stood firm for God.

In everything we do be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. For Christ, being perfect, never hesitated to point out one’s sin, but Christ also offered love, mercy and grace. Ensure you that when you stand up for God you speak in His truth, His mercy, His grace, and His love for others. Remember the words of the Apostle James, “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

Discretion in the affairs of life

Psalm 112:5 (NKJV)
5 A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion.

This versus tells us that if one is to increase their estate they will use prudence in their decisions. It is not through a miracle, but from the wisdom God imparts unto us that correct judgments are made concerning the affairs of life. It is this discretion and wisdom that allows us to gain in prosperity, to save for times ahead. A person may be charitable, but again it is done with discretion that his own funds are put to use wisely.

 

 

I once worked in a downtown area. It was common to be walking down the street and a homeless person walk up and ask for money because they were hungry. Instead of immediately saying no, I would ask a question – Would you allow me to buy you a meal? It was a test I used to see if the person really was hungry. For I wanted to help those truly in need, but I didn’t want to give my hard earned money to someone looking for a way to buy alcohol or drugs.

Most of the time when I would ask a person the question they would say they really needed the money. These people failed the test and I would say “I’m sorry. I would be glad to buy you something to eat, but I don’t have money to give away.”

One day I walked outside for lunch and it was a very cold day. A man standing outside our office building shouted the familiar words, “Hey man, can you help me out with some money?  I’m hungry.” I looked at the man and returned his question with my question, “Would you allow me to buy you a meal.” His immediate response was, “Yes!” I pointed to several restaurants in area and said, “Which one would you like to go to eat.” He quickly responded, “The Duck Inn, they have a wing special.” He was actually trying to be conservative in his request and had already thought about his plans to eat.

I took the man to the restaurant and at first he didn’t want to go in. He was afraid his appearance would get him kicked out. I told him, “I’m with and you look ok to me. Let’s go in, get you some food you can eat, and sit where you can be warm.” The man followed me in, placed his order and I paid for his meal. I then asked the cashier if the man could sit peacefully and eat and even get a refill of coffee so he could be warm for a bit and the response was - that would not be a problem.

 

We need to remember to use discretion in the affairs of our life. We need to be responsible with our resourses we can help others who truly need help.

 

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” Mother Teresa