Short and sweet this morning. Think about this. Do you have the eyes of Jesus? Do you see the broken hearted, the poor, the sick, and the lost? I guess a better question is do you minister to these folks. Jesus did and he expects his followers too also. The Bible says " Be doers of the word not just hearers." Think about this today and watch this video I believe it will speak to your heart!
God bless...Tom
http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=ac3fa61bace4419b5a55
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Show some mercy!
James is so filled with good lessons. Here is another! Here is the verse:
James 2:13
13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Take time to read this three or four times and really soak it in. First of all if I recall correctly from the Word of God we are not to judge others. But it seems we do that often anyway. If we do judge others what does it say? We must show mercy. You may be thinking well so and so doesn't deserve mercy. Well my friend niether do we but our merciful God gives it to us anyway through His Son Jesus Christ. I know we want to say "but" and then give our reasoning. There are no reasons good enough...NONE! If we look at the sins we have commited against God and see day in and day out the mercy God showers upon us it should be easy for us to see the mercy we give to others is really not much in comparison to Him! The latter part of this verse shows us where victory is in showing mercy instead of judgement. So how is your mercy? We have received plenty let's make sure we are giving plenty!
Have a great day!
Tom
James 2:13
13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Take time to read this three or four times and really soak it in. First of all if I recall correctly from the Word of God we are not to judge others. But it seems we do that often anyway. If we do judge others what does it say? We must show mercy. You may be thinking well so and so doesn't deserve mercy. Well my friend niether do we but our merciful God gives it to us anyway through His Son Jesus Christ. I know we want to say "but" and then give our reasoning. There are no reasons good enough...NONE! If we look at the sins we have commited against God and see day in and day out the mercy God showers upon us it should be easy for us to see the mercy we give to others is really not much in comparison to Him! The latter part of this verse shows us where victory is in showing mercy instead of judgement. So how is your mercy? We have received plenty let's make sure we are giving plenty!
Have a great day!
Tom
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Guilty!!!
Here is todays verse:
James 2:10
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
This is a very good witnessing verse. It is so very simple. We need to grasp the point of it. We can be very good people. Matter of fact we may live up to most of the Word of God. But!!! If we stumble in one point we are guilty of all. We are sinners plain and simple. Do you know anybody who is sinless? I don't except one Jesus Christ. Matter of fact the majority of us sin daily. A thought, an unkind word, acting on our sin in anger, gossip, and list goes on and on! The good news of all this is we have One who paid for our sin on the cross. Jesus the sinless One came to this eath to be sacrificed on our behalf. Thank you Jesus, Mighty King, Prince of peace, Glorious One. Oh how we need to be shouting from the roof tops the name of Jesus. Folks don't let the world keep you silent. More than ever we need to stand for what we believe!!
We are guilty but when we call upon the name of Jesus we are FREE!!!
Tell someone about Jesus today!
Tom
James 2:10
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
This is a very good witnessing verse. It is so very simple. We need to grasp the point of it. We can be very good people. Matter of fact we may live up to most of the Word of God. But!!! If we stumble in one point we are guilty of all. We are sinners plain and simple. Do you know anybody who is sinless? I don't except one Jesus Christ. Matter of fact the majority of us sin daily. A thought, an unkind word, acting on our sin in anger, gossip, and list goes on and on! The good news of all this is we have One who paid for our sin on the cross. Jesus the sinless One came to this eath to be sacrificed on our behalf. Thank you Jesus, Mighty King, Prince of peace, Glorious One. Oh how we need to be shouting from the roof tops the name of Jesus. Folks don't let the world keep you silent. More than ever we need to stand for what we believe!!
We are guilty but when we call upon the name of Jesus we are FREE!!!
Tell someone about Jesus today!
Tom
Monday, October 26, 2009
Royal law.
Good Monday moring to everyone. I hope you had a blessed weekend and found time to praise the living God. Here is today's verse:
James 2:8
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;
This verse is so very simple but yet so very hard. Jesus told us out of His own mouth that this is the second greatest commandment with loving God with everything we have as the first. I was listening to a Christian radio station the other day and a woman called in and this was her question "How can we love others as ourselves when others are so hard to get along with?" There is a whole lot of truth to that isn't there? We pick those folks we get along with best to be our friends and we try to avoid those we don't get along with very well. According to James here though we fullfill the royal law by loving our neighbor as ourselves. Why is it a royal law? Because our King said it! Plain and simple. One of the problems I see today though is their are many people who really don't love themselves! That is where a relationship with Jesus comes in. When you have that relationship you know how much Jesus values you and others. He loves you so much He died for you! Now that proves His love. And because of that fact we should love our neighbors as ourselves because He died for them just as much as He died for you! I like the last part of verse 8 "you do well". It sounds as almost God knows some folks are hard to love! But it is a command from our Lord and this Kingdom is not a democracy it is a Monoarchy. I don't know about you but I am gonna follow my King!
Tell or show someone you love them today...it just may change their life!
Tom
James 2:8
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;
This verse is so very simple but yet so very hard. Jesus told us out of His own mouth that this is the second greatest commandment with loving God with everything we have as the first. I was listening to a Christian radio station the other day and a woman called in and this was her question "How can we love others as ourselves when others are so hard to get along with?" There is a whole lot of truth to that isn't there? We pick those folks we get along with best to be our friends and we try to avoid those we don't get along with very well. According to James here though we fullfill the royal law by loving our neighbor as ourselves. Why is it a royal law? Because our King said it! Plain and simple. One of the problems I see today though is their are many people who really don't love themselves! That is where a relationship with Jesus comes in. When you have that relationship you know how much Jesus values you and others. He loves you so much He died for you! Now that proves His love. And because of that fact we should love our neighbors as ourselves because He died for them just as much as He died for you! I like the last part of verse 8 "you do well". It sounds as almost God knows some folks are hard to love! But it is a command from our Lord and this Kingdom is not a democracy it is a Monoarchy. I don't know about you but I am gonna follow my King!
Tell or show someone you love them today...it just may change their life!
Tom
Friday, October 23, 2009
God uses the poor!
Here are today's verses...very interesting:
James 2:5-7
5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?
Verse 5 tells us that God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom. Think about how many stories int he Bible where God used those who were not in authority positions to do His work. You have to search to find those who are in authority that God did use! I think that speaks volumes to us today. If the weak and poor are valuable to God then they should be valuable to us. The weak and the poor may be us! If that is the case we need to recognize that God wants to use us in His work. But we must love Him and be available to be used. Verse 6 goes on to tell us that the rich are selfish and drag folks to court although now days there are many poor who try to drag others to court also to try and get rich many times unjustly. The rich drag folks to court just to keep their oppresive hand beating down the poor. The rich it says in verse 7 even blaspheme the name of Jesus in which we are called. Their day is coming one day.
So how does this speak to us this morning. Well if you are the poor keep your head up. God loves you and wants to use and will use you if you love Him and make yourself available to Him. Read His Word and find out how he generally uses those who are not rich in service to Him. If you are rich make sure you are treating those who are less fortunate than you right. God uses the rich in His kingdom too and wants to use you. But God also warned in His word that is is very hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God because of all the temptation that having money brings. God said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of God...so make sure you take this warning to heart!
God wants to use us all and for all to love Him and each other!
Tom
James 2:5-7
5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?
Verse 5 tells us that God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom. Think about how many stories int he Bible where God used those who were not in authority positions to do His work. You have to search to find those who are in authority that God did use! I think that speaks volumes to us today. If the weak and poor are valuable to God then they should be valuable to us. The weak and the poor may be us! If that is the case we need to recognize that God wants to use us in His work. But we must love Him and be available to be used. Verse 6 goes on to tell us that the rich are selfish and drag folks to court although now days there are many poor who try to drag others to court also to try and get rich many times unjustly. The rich drag folks to court just to keep their oppresive hand beating down the poor. The rich it says in verse 7 even blaspheme the name of Jesus in which we are called. Their day is coming one day.
So how does this speak to us this morning. Well if you are the poor keep your head up. God loves you and wants to use and will use you if you love Him and make yourself available to Him. Read His Word and find out how he generally uses those who are not rich in service to Him. If you are rich make sure you are treating those who are less fortunate than you right. God uses the rich in His kingdom too and wants to use you. But God also warned in His word that is is very hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God because of all the temptation that having money brings. God said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of God...so make sure you take this warning to heart!
God wants to use us all and for all to love Him and each other!
Tom
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Are we partial?
I am afraid the modern church may be guilty of this! Read today's verses carefully and evaluate your own church.
James 2:1-4
1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
Now I really want you to think about this situation. Put it in today's language. If a family came in your church dressed nice and looked like your all American family how many folks would run to greet them and make them feel welcome??? Now on the other hand if a family came in and smelled and were not dressed very well....how many folks would run to greet them and make them feel welcome? Be honest. In many churches today people would stare and ask each other why are they here. And in many cases that church will never see that family again because they were well aware of the fact that they were not welcome. Look what the latter part of this verse says if we act with partiality...we have become judges with evil thoughts! WOW stop and think about that. We are not to be judges! That is the job of our Lord Jesus Christ when we meet Him face to face. When I think about this situation it breaks my heart that so many people are hurt by the church. This should not be so. ALL are welcome in the house of the Lord. So this morning let us make sure this is not taking place in our church and if it is not let us be in prayer for other churches...our brothers and sisters in Christ that we are loving others not judging others!
God bless...and tell someone you love them today!
Tom
James 2:1-4
1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
Now I really want you to think about this situation. Put it in today's language. If a family came in your church dressed nice and looked like your all American family how many folks would run to greet them and make them feel welcome??? Now on the other hand if a family came in and smelled and were not dressed very well....how many folks would run to greet them and make them feel welcome? Be honest. In many churches today people would stare and ask each other why are they here. And in many cases that church will never see that family again because they were well aware of the fact that they were not welcome. Look what the latter part of this verse says if we act with partiality...we have become judges with evil thoughts! WOW stop and think about that. We are not to be judges! That is the job of our Lord Jesus Christ when we meet Him face to face. When I think about this situation it breaks my heart that so many people are hurt by the church. This should not be so. ALL are welcome in the house of the Lord. So this morning let us make sure this is not taking place in our church and if it is not let us be in prayer for other churches...our brothers and sisters in Christ that we are loving others not judging others!
God bless...and tell someone you love them today!
Tom
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Are we pure?
I love the book of James. It will beat you over the head but also keeps you on the right path if you will heed its teachings. Are you ready? Here we go for today's lesson!
James 1:27
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
There are three points in this one verse to look at. Pure religion before God...wow just think about that for a moment before we jump into the points. I hope that is what we all desire before our God. Pretty deep when you think about it. Then we look at our first point....visit orphans. So I must ask my self when is the last time I have visited an orphan? I could make excuses and say well there arn't any around my area or I don't have time or whatever but the point is clear we are to visit orphans. There are plenty of orphan homes around if we want to find them. Why do you think it is important to visit orphans. I think it is very simple. To let them know they are loved and important and who better than us to share the love of God with them. The second point is visit widows. They are many times lonely and need help around their house. If they are some sort of home then they love getting visits. If you have ever went visiting a widower and seen their face light up when you take time to sit down and visit then their is no better explanation than that. When we visit we bless them but it has been my expirience that I am the one who receives the blessing!!! The verse says "in thier trouble". When you are an orphan or a widow lonlines is a trouble placed upon them and it is our job to help with that burden! The third point is keep yourslef unspotted from the wordl!!! Hmmm How do we do that? By obeying the Word of God plain and simple. His book is pretty clear on how to keep our lives lined up with what He desires from us. So read the Bible. If you haven't read the entire Bible I challenge you to do so. The most important book ever written why don't we know it better than we do???
So are you pure this morning? Look at thos e three points and then answer the question!
Pray for someone today!
Tom
James 1:27
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
There are three points in this one verse to look at. Pure religion before God...wow just think about that for a moment before we jump into the points. I hope that is what we all desire before our God. Pretty deep when you think about it. Then we look at our first point....visit orphans. So I must ask my self when is the last time I have visited an orphan? I could make excuses and say well there arn't any around my area or I don't have time or whatever but the point is clear we are to visit orphans. There are plenty of orphan homes around if we want to find them. Why do you think it is important to visit orphans. I think it is very simple. To let them know they are loved and important and who better than us to share the love of God with them. The second point is visit widows. They are many times lonely and need help around their house. If they are some sort of home then they love getting visits. If you have ever went visiting a widower and seen their face light up when you take time to sit down and visit then their is no better explanation than that. When we visit we bless them but it has been my expirience that I am the one who receives the blessing!!! The verse says "in thier trouble". When you are an orphan or a widow lonlines is a trouble placed upon them and it is our job to help with that burden! The third point is keep yourslef unspotted from the wordl!!! Hmmm How do we do that? By obeying the Word of God plain and simple. His book is pretty clear on how to keep our lives lined up with what He desires from us. So read the Bible. If you haven't read the entire Bible I challenge you to do so. The most important book ever written why don't we know it better than we do???
So are you pure this morning? Look at thos e three points and then answer the question!
Pray for someone today!
Tom
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