I love to write (as is obvious by the length of this post). It's good for my soul - quite literally. But I haven't written hardly anything of substances for well over a year. Working full-time, having a baby and moving will do that to you I guess. But writing...it's good for me. I could choose to write in a journal and keep it all locked up to myself, but I think it's good to share. Maybe not many people will read it, maybe some will be put-off by the topics I choose. But maybe one person will be touched and think, really think hard, about their walk with Christ because of my writing. That's my prayer. Here's my attempt to get back into the world of writing about what God lays on my heart.
For the past six weeks, I've been immersed in the book of James. I am facilitating a high school Bible study on Wednesday nights and attending a Bible study on Thursday mornings covering James also. I am by no means an expert, but studying it at the same time two different ways has definitely opened my eyes to James and his words.
James is a pretty blunt guy. He's Jesus' brother. The brother who didn't believe until after the crucifixion and resurrection, only after his big brother appeared to him. The brother who grew up with Jesus and didn't see His glory. Probably the brother who was jealous and maybe angry towards Jesus who could do no wrong. But once he believed, he became a powerful leader in the church. All we have from him is five short chapters.
This morning as I was doing my lesson for the women's study, a verse that I had previously read with the girls on Wednesdays and already had underlined in my Bible just jumped out at me again. The section I am speaking of is in chapter three, where James is talking about faith and works. No need for a theological debate here folks, works do not save you. Grace is what saves you. But once you are filled with the Holy Spirit, good works should come. Faith requires change, and this change should be apparent in your words, actions and behavior.
The specific verse is James 3:19..."You believe that God is one, you do well. Even the demons believe - and shudder." Hopefully you just shuddered a bit at the thought that the demons know our God is great and powerful. Just take a look back at any account in the gospels where a demon came into contact with Jesus. They didn't look at him and say, "you can't get me nana-nana-boo-boo." No. Not even. They trembled, they proclaimed Him as the Son of God, many times begging Him not to torture them (see Mark 3:11 and 5:7). They know. The demons know. Satan knows he isn't going to win. But by golly, he's giong to try and pursuade everyone he can to join his side. The losing side.
Words are not enough. Claiming to be a Christian or simply saying you believe in God isn't going to cut it. It's all about the personal relationship with the one and only Jesus Christ. Let's be real - are the demons in heaven? Absolutely not. And yet, they believe. So what's the difference between them and us? It's the relationship, the change that takes place, the Spirit that flows from us in the form of our words, actions and behavior.
There is more to this Christian walk than simply saying you believe and trying to be a good person. Faith requires change. A change that others can see.
If you claim to believe in Jesus as the Son of God, can I ask you to evaluate if that belief has changed you? If not, please get it right. This isn't something to be taken lightly. If you do not know Jesus now, He won't know you later...when you are standing at the gates of heaven, trying to get in.
Our world is a tough one. It's cruel and selfish. Everyone's out for themselves. It's hard to be a Christian sometimes. Hard to be the good in a world that seems pretty bad. But it's worth it, so totally worth it. Because one day, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Every single knee and every single tongue. But that doesn't mean many of those knees and tongues will be wishing they did it before it was too late.
Get right, friends. Make the changes that truth faith brings.
For the past six weeks, I've been immersed in the book of James. I am facilitating a high school Bible study on Wednesday nights and attending a Bible study on Thursday mornings covering James also. I am by no means an expert, but studying it at the same time two different ways has definitely opened my eyes to James and his words.
James is a pretty blunt guy. He's Jesus' brother. The brother who didn't believe until after the crucifixion and resurrection, only after his big brother appeared to him. The brother who grew up with Jesus and didn't see His glory. Probably the brother who was jealous and maybe angry towards Jesus who could do no wrong. But once he believed, he became a powerful leader in the church. All we have from him is five short chapters.
This morning as I was doing my lesson for the women's study, a verse that I had previously read with the girls on Wednesdays and already had underlined in my Bible just jumped out at me again. The section I am speaking of is in chapter three, where James is talking about faith and works. No need for a theological debate here folks, works do not save you. Grace is what saves you. But once you are filled with the Holy Spirit, good works should come. Faith requires change, and this change should be apparent in your words, actions and behavior.
The specific verse is James 3:19..."You believe that God is one, you do well. Even the demons believe - and shudder." Hopefully you just shuddered a bit at the thought that the demons know our God is great and powerful. Just take a look back at any account in the gospels where a demon came into contact with Jesus. They didn't look at him and say, "you can't get me nana-nana-boo-boo." No. Not even. They trembled, they proclaimed Him as the Son of God, many times begging Him not to torture them (see Mark 3:11 and 5:7). They know. The demons know. Satan knows he isn't going to win. But by golly, he's giong to try and pursuade everyone he can to join his side. The losing side.
Words are not enough. Claiming to be a Christian or simply saying you believe in God isn't going to cut it. It's all about the personal relationship with the one and only Jesus Christ. Let's be real - are the demons in heaven? Absolutely not. And yet, they believe. So what's the difference between them and us? It's the relationship, the change that takes place, the Spirit that flows from us in the form of our words, actions and behavior.
There is more to this Christian walk than simply saying you believe and trying to be a good person. Faith requires change. A change that others can see.
If you claim to believe in Jesus as the Son of God, can I ask you to evaluate if that belief has changed you? If not, please get it right. This isn't something to be taken lightly. If you do not know Jesus now, He won't know you later...when you are standing at the gates of heaven, trying to get in.
Our world is a tough one. It's cruel and selfish. Everyone's out for themselves. It's hard to be a Christian sometimes. Hard to be the good in a world that seems pretty bad. But it's worth it, so totally worth it. Because one day, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Every single knee and every single tongue. But that doesn't mean many of those knees and tongues will be wishing they did it before it was too late.
Get right, friends. Make the changes that truth faith brings.
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