James 2:14 "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?" ESV
Ephesians 2:8-9 " For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." ESV
These two verses seem to contradict one another, but actually, together, they help to make the idea of grace, faith and works very clear.
Fact: Grace is God's work. God extends grace to us in spite of our sin. The fact of grace is what saves us, no matter what we do. We can choose whether or not to believe (or have faith) in this fact.
If we have faith that God extends grace to us, that belief requires effort. If we do not put effort into believing the fact of God's grace, our faith become useless, but useless faith does not negate the fact that we are saved by grace.
Faith requires much work, but it is not that work of faith that saves us. I have had people tell me that I have a lot of faith. But what they are actually telling me is that they have seen that I have put a lot of work into my faith. My faith in itself is small, and I have to constantly feed it in order for it to survive. Feeding our faith requires that we love God and pray or communicate with Him.
In James 2, James asks the question, if a person has faith but does nothing to bolster his faith, is that kind of faith able to save him? James intends for the answer to the question to be no. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2 that it is GRACE that saves us by the process of (or through the works of) faith. Not by any works of faith alone.
So, if we do not actively exercise our faith by seeking God regularly, does that mean that we will not be saved? The answer is no. God does not require that we pray to Him every morning in order to be saved. But, without praying and getting to know God better (which is the work of faith), we will not know the joy that comes with living a life close to God.
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Blessings under trial
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death James 1:12-15 ESV
This passage always seemed so "preachy" and dull to me. Remaining steadfast under trial seems like such a hard, joyless life to live, but there is more to this passage than just changing our behavior.
A very simple analogy is my love for coffee and a cookie. I would love to sit down every afternoon for 20 minutes and eat a cookie, drink a cup of coffee and read. However, I always feel very shaky and weak when I eat a cookie and drink coffee, or if I even eat anything sweet. My desire for the coffee and cookie tempts me almost every day. I have been enduring this temptation because I know how bad I feel if I give in to it. I have noticed, however, that as I go along, the desire for coffee and cookies diminishes. Now, it does not take as much effort abstain from drinking coffee and eating a cookie as it once did.
The same principle applies to any sin. If we remain steadfast to what we know is right, the wrong behavior will become less important to us. I love this line from Walt Disney's Cinderella. Cinderella is talking to the dog about his rivalry with the cat.
Cinderella: [to Bruno, the dog] "Dreaming again? Chasing Lucifer? Catch him this time? That's bad. Suppose they heard you upstairs. You know the orders. So if you don't want to lose a warm, nice bed, you'd better get rid of those dreams. Know how? Just learn to like cats."
Changing our attitude, changing our desires requires steadfast endurance and constant work, but it eventually becomes easier. I will probably never stop liking cookies and coffee, but I certainly can live very happily without either one. When I change my desires, other things become more important to me.
I did not intend for my examples to trivialize the very hard trials that we all go through. I did not mean to sound trite. Most of our trials are not as simple as learning to not like coffee and cookies, or learning to like cats. However, when we work hard to change our behavior, our desires will change too, and that is what God wants. He wants us to take our eyes off of the temptation, and focus on Him.
This passage always seemed so "preachy" and dull to me. Remaining steadfast under trial seems like such a hard, joyless life to live, but there is more to this passage than just changing our behavior.
A very simple analogy is my love for coffee and a cookie. I would love to sit down every afternoon for 20 minutes and eat a cookie, drink a cup of coffee and read. However, I always feel very shaky and weak when I eat a cookie and drink coffee, or if I even eat anything sweet. My desire for the coffee and cookie tempts me almost every day. I have been enduring this temptation because I know how bad I feel if I give in to it. I have noticed, however, that as I go along, the desire for coffee and cookies diminishes. Now, it does not take as much effort abstain from drinking coffee and eating a cookie as it once did.
The same principle applies to any sin. If we remain steadfast to what we know is right, the wrong behavior will become less important to us. I love this line from Walt Disney's Cinderella. Cinderella is talking to the dog about his rivalry with the cat.
Cinderella: [to Bruno, the dog] "Dreaming again? Chasing Lucifer? Catch him this time? That's bad. Suppose they heard you upstairs. You know the orders. So if you don't want to lose a warm, nice bed, you'd better get rid of those dreams. Know how? Just learn to like cats."
Changing our attitude, changing our desires requires steadfast endurance and constant work, but it eventually becomes easier. I will probably never stop liking cookies and coffee, but I certainly can live very happily without either one. When I change my desires, other things become more important to me.
I did not intend for my examples to trivialize the very hard trials that we all go through. I did not mean to sound trite. Most of our trials are not as simple as learning to not like coffee and cookies, or learning to like cats. However, when we work hard to change our behavior, our desires will change too, and that is what God wants. He wants us to take our eyes off of the temptation, and focus on Him.
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Believing God is our work
“What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
John 6 28-30 ESV
Here is the background to this scripture. Jesus fed 5000 people by the Sea of Galilee. The next day, these people looked for Jesus and his disciples. Jesus recognized that these people were looking for Him, not because of the miracle He performed, but because He gave them food. Jesus told them that it was important to work for food that will give them eternal life. These people were the ones who asked the question "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?"
Jesus answer is so simple. To do the work of God, we must believe God. We must believe that God performs miracles, not because we have been doing the right things or praying the right prayers, but because we believe that God can. God CAN easily perform miracles such as feeding 5000 with five loaves of bread and two fish. It certainly was a spectacular miracle. However, it seemed to be very short lived. Instead of praising God and trusting Him for their future needs, these people wanted to know what they needed to do so that Jesus would perform the miracle again.
Believing that God will get us through a tough time in spite of great obstacles always brings the greater miracle. It may not be the spectacular miracle, but trust always brings the greater, lasting miracle--the miracle of a heart focused on God.
John 6 28-30 ESV
Here is the background to this scripture. Jesus fed 5000 people by the Sea of Galilee. The next day, these people looked for Jesus and his disciples. Jesus recognized that these people were looking for Him, not because of the miracle He performed, but because He gave them food. Jesus told them that it was important to work for food that will give them eternal life. These people were the ones who asked the question "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?"
Jesus answer is so simple. To do the work of God, we must believe God. We must believe that God performs miracles, not because we have been doing the right things or praying the right prayers, but because we believe that God can. God CAN easily perform miracles such as feeding 5000 with five loaves of bread and two fish. It certainly was a spectacular miracle. However, it seemed to be very short lived. Instead of praising God and trusting Him for their future needs, these people wanted to know what they needed to do so that Jesus would perform the miracle again.
Believing that God will get us through a tough time in spite of great obstacles always brings the greater miracle. It may not be the spectacular miracle, but trust always brings the greater, lasting miracle--the miracle of a heart focused on God.
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
All things are possible with God
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
Here is the story surrounding this verse. Jesus has traveled from Galilee to Judea. I am not exactly sure how many miles he traveled on foot, but possibly 60. After all of that walking, Jesus was followed by large crowds and he healed them. Then the Pharisees came to him and questioned him about divorce, which was a legal question that was debated by many teachers. Next, the children, probably rambunctious and crying, came to Jesus for blessings. Then a rich young man came to Jesus and said, Look how good I am. I obey the law and do everything I need to do to be saved. The young man expected Jesus to bless him, but instead, Jesus told him to sell his possessions and give to the poor. Although Jesus did not tell the man to sell all of his possessions, the young man still seemed to think that his possessions were more important than eternal life.
The verse above follows all of these happenings. Jesus must have been overwhelmed. I don't know that all of these things happened in a single day--certainly Jesus could not have traveled 60 miles on foot in one day-- but the time frame for all of these events is close. If Jesus had to remind himself and his disciples of God's incredible power in the face of being overwhelmed, then we most certainly need to remind ourselves as well. The circumstances of our overwhelmed feelings generally have to do with relationships (work, home, social), expectations of people in those relationships, and money or lack thereof. We have an impossible amount of work for one person to do, and we are at a loss as to how to take care of everything and take care of ourselves and our children as well.
Jesus says that if it is impossible for man, it is possible for God. Remind yourself of this today. All things are possible with God.
Here is the story surrounding this verse. Jesus has traveled from Galilee to Judea. I am not exactly sure how many miles he traveled on foot, but possibly 60. After all of that walking, Jesus was followed by large crowds and he healed them. Then the Pharisees came to him and questioned him about divorce, which was a legal question that was debated by many teachers. Next, the children, probably rambunctious and crying, came to Jesus for blessings. Then a rich young man came to Jesus and said, Look how good I am. I obey the law and do everything I need to do to be saved. The young man expected Jesus to bless him, but instead, Jesus told him to sell his possessions and give to the poor. Although Jesus did not tell the man to sell all of his possessions, the young man still seemed to think that his possessions were more important than eternal life.
The verse above follows all of these happenings. Jesus must have been overwhelmed. I don't know that all of these things happened in a single day--certainly Jesus could not have traveled 60 miles on foot in one day-- but the time frame for all of these events is close. If Jesus had to remind himself and his disciples of God's incredible power in the face of being overwhelmed, then we most certainly need to remind ourselves as well. The circumstances of our overwhelmed feelings generally have to do with relationships (work, home, social), expectations of people in those relationships, and money or lack thereof. We have an impossible amount of work for one person to do, and we are at a loss as to how to take care of everything and take care of ourselves and our children as well.
Jesus says that if it is impossible for man, it is possible for God. Remind yourself of this today. All things are possible with God.
Thursday, August 18, 2016
Danger of doubing
James 1: 6-8 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
When Adam and Eve sinned and ate the fruit, it was because satan had put doubt in their minds.
Genesis 3:1-5 "He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You[a] shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
God does not mind when we question Him, but He does mind when we listen to satan's questions. Any time that we have low self esteem or our problems seem greater than we can handle, it is because we are listening to satan's constant questioning. We are allowing satan to plant doubts in our mind about God's ability to carry us through. I want to encourage you to learn to recognize when satan is whispering doubt in your mind, and to continually remind yourself that God is in control of every situation, no matter how hopeless it seems.
When Adam and Eve sinned and ate the fruit, it was because satan had put doubt in their minds.
Genesis 3:1-5 "He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You[a] shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
God does not mind when we question Him, but He does mind when we listen to satan's questions. Any time that we have low self esteem or our problems seem greater than we can handle, it is because we are listening to satan's constant questioning. We are allowing satan to plant doubts in our mind about God's ability to carry us through. I want to encourage you to learn to recognize when satan is whispering doubt in your mind, and to continually remind yourself that God is in control of every situation, no matter how hopeless it seems.
Sunday, August 14, 2016
Our value in Christ
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. Luke 12:6-7 NRSV
I have always found this verse so comforting. It is not explained in the scripture why the sparrows (small seed eating birds) are sold, but it was probably either for a poor person's sacrifice or for food.
We do not put a monetary value on wild birds today, but the meaning of this verse is still is very clear--no matter how insignificant a life may seem, it is all a part of God's plan. Each and every sparrow that has ever lived or ever will live is a part of the grand scheme, and if God has taken care to plan a purpose for each and every small creature, He most certainly has a wondrous plan for our lives because He values us and loves us so much. No matter what bad things happen to us, God will use it for good--always, always, always. It is a promise that He will never fail to bring about if we have faith in His goodness.
I have always found this verse so comforting. It is not explained in the scripture why the sparrows (small seed eating birds) are sold, but it was probably either for a poor person's sacrifice or for food.
We do not put a monetary value on wild birds today, but the meaning of this verse is still is very clear--no matter how insignificant a life may seem, it is all a part of God's plan. Each and every sparrow that has ever lived or ever will live is a part of the grand scheme, and if God has taken care to plan a purpose for each and every small creature, He most certainly has a wondrous plan for our lives because He values us and loves us so much. No matter what bad things happen to us, God will use it for good--always, always, always. It is a promise that He will never fail to bring about if we have faith in His goodness.
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Embarassment and God's love for us
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. James 4:7-10
I went to the store recently, and as I was checking out, the cashier encouraged me to sign up for a store credit card. I had applied for this credit card twice in the past and was turned down both times because of my low income. I told the cashier that I did not want to sign up for the credit card, but she kept cajoling me to do it. I finally had to firmly refuse her. I did not want to tell her that I had been denied twice already because there were people in line behind me. I was very embarrassed.
I wanted to complain to the store, but there is no way to contact them directly. I tried to fill out a survey, but it was a standard survey in which the customer chooses answers about the service. As I thought about it, I realized that what I wanted to accomplish by complaining was self-justification. I did not particularly want to help improve the service, and I did not want any restitution. I did not particularly even want to help other shoppers have a better experience. I only wanted the store to see how I was wronged. This is a very double-minded attitude.
This passage in James helped me to realize that my motivation for my complaint was completely self-serving. I actually handled the interaction the correct way, and I have determined that I do not need to shop at that store again, and I do not need for the store manager to apologize to me for my embarrassment. The scripture above has a very good prescription for embarrassing situations. Embarrassment takes our eyes off of God, and focuses on ourselves. We view ourselves as victims, when in reality, we are sinners who are loved by God. Humbling ourselves before God, even when we feel like victims will allow God to exalt us!
I went to the store recently, and as I was checking out, the cashier encouraged me to sign up for a store credit card. I had applied for this credit card twice in the past and was turned down both times because of my low income. I told the cashier that I did not want to sign up for the credit card, but she kept cajoling me to do it. I finally had to firmly refuse her. I did not want to tell her that I had been denied twice already because there were people in line behind me. I was very embarrassed.
I wanted to complain to the store, but there is no way to contact them directly. I tried to fill out a survey, but it was a standard survey in which the customer chooses answers about the service. As I thought about it, I realized that what I wanted to accomplish by complaining was self-justification. I did not particularly want to help improve the service, and I did not want any restitution. I did not particularly even want to help other shoppers have a better experience. I only wanted the store to see how I was wronged. This is a very double-minded attitude.
This passage in James helped me to realize that my motivation for my complaint was completely self-serving. I actually handled the interaction the correct way, and I have determined that I do not need to shop at that store again, and I do not need for the store manager to apologize to me for my embarrassment. The scripture above has a very good prescription for embarrassing situations. Embarrassment takes our eyes off of God, and focuses on ourselves. We view ourselves as victims, when in reality, we are sinners who are loved by God. Humbling ourselves before God, even when we feel like victims will allow God to exalt us!
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