Outside of that crazy thing called love, there is no God? how He is crazy in love with you! {Amazing YOU}

Some people are just good, maybe. 

Others, are lots of things. 

I am of the latter. 

What? Surprised? I know, I know... not so much of a surprise, huh? 

Truth is, it's the truth. 

I'm a mess.

 

I think, however, I am finding-- being a mess is the new "in" as far as Christian culture goes. The days of looking like the cookie cutter perfect Christian are going by the wayside and the "I'm not perfect, I'm flawed and I need Jesus look is in." 

And I wear it well. 

I am very flawed and crazy in need of Jesus. 

The trouble with being this new kind of "cool" is: We're all here.  I'm here, you're here, she's here, he's there, some of them are there, our parents are here, and even some of our grandparents. Problem is, being cool is harder than you think. 

Track with me here. 

I wonder if being "messed up and in need of grace" is really as cool as we think. 

Take myself for example: Let us expose my "coolness" - shall we?

I don't like crosses. I don't have them in my house, I don't wear them as jewelry, or apparel. I don't say, "God Bless America", and I don't pledge my allegiance to a flag. I like secular and christian music both, I love to dance like crazy with music loud and crazy kids. I drink the occasional glass of wine, sometimes a swear word comes out in adult conversation, and I often justify my haughtiness towards people who look down on the poor. Sometimes, the bible totally confuses me-- even makes me question, religious people make me super sad, I don't know where I totally stand on abortion or gay rights, I struggle with feeling worthy or of worth. If you eat processed foods often, I have to remind myself, it's OK. My children don't watch Disney channels or follow any of the recent "Bieber" type fads... sometimes (OK, always) I wonder why other children do.  Why do I do that when it's none of my business? *sigh* 

I digress. 

I don't wear or own crosses because I don't feel it is something Jesus would want me to make a fashion statement or "bling out" I think he would rather I smile, show love, talk with someone, help someone, rather than wear an item of fashion. (I know you do all those and wear crosses) I also realize it is a big step for some to wear a cross. It's OK, It's just me. I don't judge your crosses. 

I don't say "God Bless America" I'd rather say, "God Bless Everyone" It's just me. 

Come on, I don't listen to hard core rap or anything icky. But I love me a little Maroon 5 Moves Like Jagger (but we can't watch their videos), or Train from time to time. Along with various folk songs. 

Hold it, hold it, I like wine occasionally-- I didn't say I get drunk. And when in paid ministry, daily attending to the needs and mentorship of teenagers and parents, wine was not even a thought. You can't tell teenagers not to be drinking if you are, no matter how rare it is. 

I don't know where I stand on abortion or gay rights because I think everyone has free will- we can't force non-Christians to follow the ways of Jesus and we can't pretend to walk in other peoples shoes.  Now, government funding? I know where I stand on that, not a fan. 

There are days when I justify all of these and there are days when some of these make me fall to my knees. And this is just to name a few.  There are days when I wish I could just wear by best dress to church on Sunday morning, sing some songs, listen to some talking, go home feeling all christian and be happy- be safe.

Honestly, there are days when following Jesus is hard and confusing. Things I use to think were important aren't anymore. Things I use to think we're "Biblical" maybe never were, and always I'm starting back at square one. 

On my knees. Literally. Asking, begging, pleading with God.

"O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee
Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above"

One thing never changes.

I am absolutely in love with our savior.

How do we serve a non-changing but totally supernatural GOD of the universe? How do we just love. Love unconditionally. How do we condemn people for things of today when people of 100 years ago would have condemned us for what we Christians now do and allow in our homes today? How do we confront sin in a brother instead of talking to another brother about it? How do we forgive those hard to forgive people? Better yet, how do we forgive ourselves?

Do you see what I mean? Where is that church dress, fancy music, and sermon? Buffet afterwards? I need to just feel "safe" and quit thinking!  Maybe this "cool" messed up club isn't very fun.

----------------------------------

How do we protect ourselves from the enemies lies of worthlessness? After all, he is always out to destroy us. He is always reminding us of all our wrongs. To have it his way: we would be his next reckless, Adam Lanza. He wants to get inside of us and destroy our minds, our relationships, our everything. He wants our yuckiness to spill over and infect all those close to us.

He wants to steal our gift. 

Our gift of grace. He wants us to think we are not worthy of such a gift. As though he would understand worthy. HA!

He whispers little lies like, "Oh, it's not that bad... is it?" OR "Remember what you did? God wouldn't choose someone like you." He is the king of justifying our sinful, selfish nature and then reminding us of it.  Because he wants to devour us.

He's out to steal our worth.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8NIV

 Looking for me. Looking for you. 

Sometimes he makes us feel like we are better than others. But how can that be when Jesus loves us all the same? Sometimes he makes us feel more holy because we "do" more. Or he makes us feel worthless because we just don't do enough. 

Sometimes, he simply tricks us into staying so busy-- trying to be perfect, that we don't make time for being broken.

-----------------------------------------

Lean near and let me whisper something sweet into your ear, friend. God is so in love with you. Broken, messy, wonderful, you!

And he is bigger than everything you could ever imagine. He is bigger than any storm, he is bigger than any lie of worthlessness or self righteous. He is bigger than any hurt and can heal any wound. He is bigger than politics, secular music, and processed foods.

You will never figure him out, you will never know all the answers. you will never display him-- outside of love, correctly.

Outside of love, there is no God.

 "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:8

He designed love.

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us."
John 3:16

He didn't come and rule with a strong hand, he came to die. 

A friend of mine recently said, "My way of seeing the world continually shifts. But through it all, the beauty of Jesus who sacrificed his life for the Kingdom of God compels me. His vision of a new humanity caused him to not only die for a cause, but to die for a cause when he could have killed to force his vision upon the world. "

He reminds us of it's attributes. 

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13: 4-6

Love is the only absolute when it comes to understanding the complexity, the diversity, the absolute magnificence of the one true God. 
 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55 8-9

The drunk, He loves.

The gossip, He loves.

The preacher, He loves.

Me, He loves.

You, He loves.

That, and that alone is our secret weapon.

May His love silence out the roaring lion in your life and may you feel like the treasure you are. 

May you feel His love today and always, friends. And may that love cause you to be radical, different, and outstanding, you!

Simply because you are loved. 

Related Topics:
Because sometimes the enemies lies are louder than His whispers
A Painful Memory, the story of grace.
Grace

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Eight Words That May Have Changed My Life {is that really all I have to do?}

alli and her granny playing piano years before we moved home

 It was after calling the piano teacher, yet again, to say we weren't going to make it, that my heart leaped and soon settled in to rest; all within the same moment of time. 

I thanked her for grace and told her I'm sorry, again-- explaining to her, for the one-hundredth time how I'm not always this scattered brained and I really do have my things in order every now and then--

It was then when she simply replied, "We're all in this together. We just need to lean on Him more." 

And I took a deep breath and let those little words sink deep.  

Is that really all I have to do?

We just need to lean on Him more.

 I thought, "Well, that may have just changed my life. "

What a fellowship, what a joy divine, 
leaning on the everlasting arms; 
what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, 
leaning on the everlasting arms.


Leaning, leaning, 
safe and secure from all alarms; 
leaning, leaning, 
leaning on the everlasting arms.

O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, 
leaning on the everlasting arms; 
O how bright the path grows from day to day, 
leaning on the everlasting arms.
 

What have I to dread, what have I to fear, 
leaning on the everlasting arms?  
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, 
leaning on the everlasting arms.
 
Elisha A. Hoffman, pub.1887
ref. by Anthony J. Showalter, pub.1887

I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Loves,

living the book of James-- week seven {the last week} of a simple devotion.

living the book of James
week 7
chapter 5 vs 1-19

Monday: Read James Ch 5 vs 1-19

Tuesday: Read James Ch 5 vs 1-19 again.

Let's focus on the Warning of the Rich. vs. 1-5

"Listen, you rich men! Cry about the troubles that will come to you.  Your riches are worth nothing. Your fine clothes are full of moth holes. Your gold and silver have rusted. Their rust will speak against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have saved riches for yourselves for the last days. See! The men working in your fields are crying against you because you have kept back part of their pay. Their cries have been heard by the Lord Who hears His people. You have had everything while you lived on the earth and have enjoyed its fun. You have made your hearts fat and are ready to be killed as an animal is killed... " James 5 1:5 NLT

ANYTIME my heart is turned towards the poor and oppressed, I always find myself in Matthew, listening to the words of Jesus:

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. ” 

Matthew 25: 31-46 NLT

I don't know much, but I know the words of Jesus are pretty simple and to the point. I don't think it's about how much money we have, rather what we do with the money we do have and where we find our true security.

Today, lets focus on two things.

First: Who have we helped today?

Second: Where does our security come from? Sometimes, we don't have much, sometimes we do. How are we in both situations? I don't know about you, but it sure is harder for me to surrender worry when the bank account is running low. =) Well if my joy, my security, my life is found in Him... why is that the case? *sigh* because we need Him so badly, that's why.

Wednesday and Thursday: (it's a lot to chew on) Read James 5: 7-12

These verses are full of so many different things. I'm going to talk about patience and trusting God.

James makes a reference to Job, whom I love. However, I am going to go from the standpoint of Esther for this one.

You are probably familiar with Esther-- a young lady taken from her home because the King up and decided he needed a new Queen. (are you seeing veggie tales right now? ha!) She and others were taken away from their lives, to the king's harem to wait for their future. Taken to wait and see who would be chosen as the kings favorite.

“Let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king.  Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the harem, will see that they are all given beauty treatments." Esther 2:2 NLT

Do you know how long those beauty treatments last? 12 months. Yes, ONE year. Esther was in a strange place, hiding her family heritage, awaiting the day she would be brought before the kings bed. Once she was taken before King Xerxes, he loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He loved her more than he had ever loved another. After favor with the king, she went on to save the Jewish people--her heritage by going before the king. (You really should read Esther)

I wonder what situations we are in, friends, that require maybe a week or two maybe even a month of waiting. Situations that could change the course of our lives but we are to impatient to just wait and let God's plan take it's course. Esther waited 12 months before going to the king. She had no idea if he would like her. She hadn't been promised anything from God. In fact, God is pretty absent from this whole story. Esther was just like us, living in her current circumstance, dealing with it the best she could. (yes, read it again. nice and slow)

But she dealt with it. And lives were changed.

Same goes for Job. He had no idea what God was doing, what his plan was. We know, because as the reader you see all the "behind the scenes stuff". But Job? He was just left to trust.

Job suffered. Esther, I don't think suffered much, in fact she was favored. I wonder how different it would have been if she had turned her waiting into suffering. I know I do that quite a bit. Oh, my. Patience.

Trust.  It all comes back to trust doesn't it?

Friday: Read James 5 16-20

I am going to keep this simple and to the point.

James says, "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."
I can only say it one way. We must confess our sins. 

It is a deep, dark place. The place which we hide sin. And this is what it does. It kills us. Our sinful nature will fool us into thinking those things are so bad we need to keep them to ourselves. This is a lie. To share our sins, to confess them--Is to be set free. Is to have accountability. Is to have help. Is to change.

When we confess our sins to others, we confess it to ourselves. Then, we can see the reality of our mess and deal with it. 

Oh, the daily task of dealing with our messes. So thankful for grace.

Loves,

living the book of James-- week six of a simple devotion.

living the book of James
week 6
chapter 4 vs 1-18

Monday: Read James Chapter 4 vs 1-18

Tuesday: Read James Chapter 4 vs 1-18 again

Let's focus on verses 1-3

"You want something you do not have, so you kill. You want something but cannot get it, so you fight for it. You do not get things because you do not ask for them.  Or if you do ask, you do not receive because your reasons for asking are wrong. You want these things only to please yourselves."

As we dig deeper into James, I struggle on how to "bring out the text" I mean, I don't really know what to say outside of what James says. It's pretty plain and simple, there.

I do know I think of this verse often, especially the You do not get things because you do not ask for them.   Often times, I struggle with asking for things. I think God doesn't want to give those things to me because they are either "worthless", "petty", or maybe even "worldly".

It's true. I don't necessarly know if God cares about a new TV I want or a better looking car. I'm not sure he cares If I can take a vacation, visit special places, or even have the fancy house I want. When I get into places of doubt like that-- I examine the character of God.

He is my father. 

His word says, he will give me the desires of my heart, yes. Although, are my desires good and pure desires? Or are they greedy and ill motive desires? Maybe it all comes back to the heart of the issue. 

Take my two girls for example, they are so very different. One would take a candy bar we gave her and be thankful. She would nibble on it here and there, save it well. She would hide it away and forget about it, really. Nobody would ever know she had it so she'd never have to share. She'd like it that way.  She wouldn't gobble it all down at once, and she SURE wouldn't ask for another one. She would be most thankful. However, the other daughter, she would eat it as quickly as she could and ask for another. She would never save it, it would drive her crazy having an uneaten portion of candy within her grasp--chances are, she will even ask for a soda to wash it down. BUT this daughter would share. 

Remember James says, Or if you do ask, you do not receive because your reasons for asking are wrong. You want these things only to please yourselves."

Perhaps its more about who we are, what we'll do, and how our character matches up with the character of God that determines how God gives us good gifts? I wonder which one God would have chosen to give the candy to. My saver or my sharer.

Today: Examine yourself, your motives. Pray God would reveal his character to you, showing you who he is and how you can strive to be more of his character. Many times, I think I'm doing just fine and then God brings me back to 1 Samuel.

"The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."  1 Samuel 16:7

Wednesday: Read chapter 4 again. 

Let's focus on vs. 4-10

^"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. What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy? 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.”

 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 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. 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. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor."

Something I have been convicted of strongly lately. When was the last time I was broken. When was the last time I just broke down, humbled myself, quit trying to be so strong and fell at the feet of Jesus?  ---what? He'll lift me up in honor?

Oh, the sweet, sweet ways of Jesus.

Thursday: Read Chapter 4 again.

Let's focus on vs. 11-12

"Christian brothers, do not talk against anyone or speak bad things about each other. If a person says bad things about his brother, he is speaking against him. And he will be speaking against God’s Law. If you say the Law is wrong, and do not obey it, you are saying you are better than the Law. Only God can say what is right or wrong. He made the Law. He can save or put to death. How can we say if our brother is right or wrong? "

Ahhh, there goes nice 'ol James again. Giving it to us straight. Remember week two's gossip journal? Have a problem with another brother or sister in Christ? Take it to the brother or sister. Doesn't fix it? Pour your heart out to God about it. Make it your focus until the issue is resolved. By focus I mean, don't stop praying, seeking, and humbling yourself before the King before you have a resolution to the situation. Remember David and King Solomon. Sheesh!


Friday: Last day, read it again! Come on, you can do it!

 "Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans and all such boasting is evil.

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it."

 Challenged right there along side you. 

Full Love, 

living the book of James-- week five of a simple devotion.

A special thanks to those of you asking about our little Monday James Journey. Due to the Memorial Day weekend, I opted to post on Tuesday instead. ;)

Are you ready? eek! It's all about the tongue and having true wisdom. 

Deep breath in. Deep breath out. Let's begin.

living the book of James
week 4
chapter 3:1-18

Tuesday: Read James 3:1-18 (come on, it's little-- you can do it!)

Wednesday: Read James 3:1-8

Notice in vs. 4:

...Or take ships for example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.

Is our tongue driven by our emotions or steered by our grace? Do we lash out hasty like a snake, ready to strike at any minute?

If you are like me, it depends on the day. Some days, nothing can make me upset. Other days, I just snap. Oh my goodness, I hate those days. You see, our emotions are big, they are effected by circumstances. They are like the strong winds, pushing us in all different directions-- we cannot trust emotions. Our grace however-- it's like the small rudder which must steer our "ship." It's hidden deep and capable of doing big things.

Our emotions can be steered by grace--that unexplainable gift we have been given that causes us to accept each others faults-- if we draw daily on the one who gives that gift. If we are living in the spirit, focused on the One Who Gives Life, it makes it easier to see things with new eyes. And drawing daily doesn't have to be a big deal. Remember? It's just about doing it.

Thursday: Read James 3:9-12

...With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.

Oh, My
Oh, My
Oh, My

I really don't know what to write about this. It is so simple and right there. Our options are -- well, there are no options at all, are there? He tells us right there what we do each and every day. This is what I love about James, it's not hard to figure out, it's not sugar coated, or in some sort of code. It's black and white.

...My brothers, this should not be.

Can a Christian worship on a Sunday morning, then go out to lunch and not express a smile to those serving them lunch? Can a Christ follower talk bad about people who work on Sunday -- working on the "Sabbath" -- and then go to Wal-Mart to buy groceries, being checked out by someone working on a Sunday?

I think Rob Bell sums it up best:

"Because with every action, comment, conversation, we have the choice to invite Heaven or Hell to Earth.”

Friday: Read James 3:13-18

Love, love, love, love this passage.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Could it be that wisdom is not found in what we know but rather who we are in Christ?

May we live in such a way, Jesus would be proud.

simple. yet, life changing? 

Loves,

living the book of James-- week four of a simple devotion.

living the book of James
week 4
chapter 2:14-26

Sitting here with my little Emmyn, soaking up this week in James. Journey with me? psssst, it's one of my fav's =)

We ended last week with James 2: 5-12 and are starting this week with James 2:14-26

Monday: read James 2:14-26

Tuesday: read James 2:14-26 AGAIN and then go back and read James 2:14- 15  (thru end of 15)

Question: Do we consider ourselves someone who has faith? The passage is not referring to a faith like,  “oh yes I believe in Jesus.”  We cannot just say, “yes, I believe in Jesus, I have faith in him” and never do a good deed.  He is saying that a GENUINE Faith will produce good deeds because we cannot have a true faith without good deeds.

It is like this: If you are an apple tree, what kind of fruit are you going to produce? Apples! always! There will never be an orange on your tree. IF we are someone who is captured by faith in Christ as a savior than we will automatically be someone who produces good deeds. It is like the apple tree; it cannot help but produce Apples. Like a young tree, someone young in their faith will not produce as much as a mature tree, although they are producing. We cannot help but produce good deeds, it's an overflow of the God story.

Are you saved by deeds? No, not by deeds alone. We are saved by grace and grace alone. Grace, my - oh - my that wonderful thing called grace.

What a great deed that was-- the journey to the cross.

Tomorrow, lets examine ourselves. Are we REALLY a person of faith? Let's keep tabs on all of our good deeds and keep track of all our bad deeds. Which one wins out? How often do we think of others first? Friends, this is not a time for us to say, “Oh man, this is too hard; I can’t ever be good enough.” NO!

It's not all about being good enough, it's about being good--good to others.

All  God asks of us is we try. And when we mess up or fail, just try again. Lets try to be a person who thinks of others first. Trying to be a person who is more worried about other people than ourselves. It is something we can acquire, I promise! Galatians says that we will know a Christian by their fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.) If we are striving to live a life that Loves God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength our life will produce good deeds, which IS a true faith, the kind of faith that we are saved by.

Wednesday:  Read James 2: 15-17 (thru to the end of 17)

It seems like a lot of times we just see a ‘sad situation’ and walk away without doing something. We may even go home and say to our family… "I talked with this person l today that is having a real hard time, they just kept telling me about all this bad stuff that keeps happening to them." and you continue by saying… "I felt so sorry for them." 

What if, instead of just making that the ‘story of our day’ we made it the story of their day. What if we made a change in that person’s life--all by a simple deed.

What if we went home, cleaned out our closet and took that person a lot of new clothes from our own closet? Groceries from our own pantry, A gift tucked away in a secret place for them to find, never telling them what you did?

Have you ever done something like that? Let's take a second to write down what we think of this passage. Have we ever been in this situation? How does the passage challenge us?

Thursday: Read James 2:14-24

Notice that he asks in vs 14 ‘can such faith (a faith without good deeds) save you…’ What do you think?  vs 20 says You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Then he tells the story of Abraham who was willing to sacrifice his son because God had told him to. God sent a sacrifice and Abraham did not have to do that but because of his faithfulness to honor God, his faithfulness to love God more than he even loved his son, he was called God’s friend.  Then he continues by saying… you see? A person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

Thought for tomorrow: Does God call us his friend?

Friday: Read James 2: 20-26

vs 26 says As a body without the spirit is dead so faith without deeds is dead.

This weekend, let's try to focus on being ALIVE in Christ! So excited about what he did for us, is doing for us we cannot help but make this life WONDERFUL by an overflowing of sharing love with others. Let's have fun, laugh, focus on the blessings of beauty all around us. Let's be thankful for friends to talk to, legs to walk on, clothes to wear, little cheeks to kiss, phones to talk to friends with… everything! When we learn to focus on the wonderful things it makes it a lot easier to love people through good deeds/actions/ words, etc.

It becomes our heartbeat.

Are you hurting right now? Hurting too much for this? Then friend, I pray someone is living this scripture with you, loving you like that sweet Jesus loves us.

 Loves to you, friend. 

totally lost? we started living the book of james here
week two is here
week three is here

living the book of james-- week 3 {a simple devotion}

living the book of James
week 3
chapter 2:1-12

We ended last week with James 1:26-27 and are starting this week with James 2:1-12

Monday night: read James 2:1-12  (thru to the end of 12)

Tuesday night: read James 2:1-12 AGAIN and then go back and read James 2:1-4 (thru to the end of 4)

When I originally wrote this study, it was for Jr. Highers. This is a lot easier text to teach to a bunch of public school Jr. Highers struggling to figure out who they are in the mist of several different social groups at school. It's a little harder to address with adults.

Vs 3-4 says: If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet”, you have  discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts.

You see, we picture this scenario to go like this…

A nice looking, clean, “rich” person walks into a room and we offer him a chair. THEN a poor man walks into the room, he stinks and is not dressed well. Do we offer him a chair or just ignore him? Of course we offer him the same type of chair at the same table. We would never separate him from the others… that would hurt his feelings. I mean good grief most of us are not totally mean.

As an adult, I beleive this scripture goes a little deeper within the heart here. I think it has several applications for different stages of life. For some, it is a matter of just not loving poor people outwardly. For others, it's a heart issue. And me? I don't have either one of them figured out. I simply know this. Jesus loves the poor. He loves them just as much as He loves you and I. Yes, we know He loves the poor child in the other countries we support monthly, and He loves the hard working momma in Uganda, but listen when I tell you this: He loves the man sitting on the corner begging for change. Many of us would probably argue, "How do we even know if that person is poor; he may have a mansion just around the corner." The beauty of that crazy God story? It doesn't matter what we think he has, it matters what God says our love should do, love unconditionally.

Here are a few ways you can love poor/homeless people: 

Stop and pray with them. This is one of my children's favorite ones. Especially when a person is in an area that is applicable to stopping, such as a Wal-Mart parking lot. Stop, ask their name. Ask their story. Grab their dirty hand and pray with them. When you leave, don't stop praying.

Take them home. Yes, I know it's a scary step. And as much as I want to say, It will be OK, just put them up in your guest room. That is not safe. Let's be honest, God calls us to love. There's a smart way to do that. If you choose to take in a hurting stranger, especially one you have never met, I suggest having a garage, tent, or storage building you can give them. Let them earn your trust over time if they stay. Don't give them your home, especially if you have young children. Feel uncomfortable doing this? Why not take them to the local shelter for the night? They are equipped for this situation. You can read about our Floyd HERE.

Ask them. Ask them what their need is. One man we met, his sign said "Needing cash for gas to get home." We took him to go get gas. Did he ask us for cash after filling his pump? Yup, he sure did. Did we give it to him? Nope. But we smiled real big and hugged him goodbye. I know he probably stopped and held the same sign for years, every time he needed gas. But it's not about him, is it? Another man had just been released from jail and had a free rehabilitation place to stay across the country. He only had to get there. He needed a bus ticket. His letter, addressed to him in jail, was from the place he said, stating the things he told us. At that point, we only had one choice, help him.

Ask them to go eat with you. Several times, the sign will read "Hungry, need money for food." Don't want to just fork out money? Take them to lunch. We have offered this to several people, several. Only one has accepted; his name was Willy.

 We met him on our vacation to San Antonio, TX a few years back. While walking the river walk, he asked us if we could spare a dollar. We invited him to dinner. He walked with us, several blocks to the hub of town telling us all about the city. As we passed other homeless people, he would usually share hello's --some he would warn us to move over. His shoes were way too small, and he smelled real bad but he had a smile that was worth gold. There might not have been any teeth, but there was joy. =)

When we asked him what he wanted, he said, a hamburger. "Oh, I'd love me a good hamburger", he said. Well, have you ever been to the river walk on a Friday night? Yes, it's packed with people and apparently, they all love a good burger. After waiting several minutes at one restaurant, we decided to move over to another. A fancy Mexican restaurant, they had immediate seating and hamburgers.

The staff was very rude to us and the table next to us asked to be moved. But we laughed, worked with Willy on reading our names, and talked about life. Willy's belly was full. And us? We.were.full.

Taking them to lunch too big of a step for you right now? I had a friend tell me once they buy up lots of gift cards and store them in their purse. When they see someone but don't have time to stop, they give them a small gift card. Do the people sell that for drugs or beer? Possibly. But again,

it's not our jobs to determine how they use Grace, it's our privilege to share it.

Wednesday:

Thursday: read James 2:5-12 (thru to the end of 12)

Question: what do you think about vs5?

Notice how he says “those who are poor in the eyes of the world” 

You see, we put a value on people based on what they look like or by what they own. If they don’t look a certain way, they are poor. If they don’t have a certain amount of money, they are poor.

God puts a value on people by where their faith lies. 

God says, you can have a great style, a nice house, tons of friends and money but if your faith does not dwell/reside in God, you are poor. And the people we think are poor, God considers rich.

Notice James says at the end of that verse … he promised those who love him. The poor person has to love God, obviously. BUT it is much easier for a poor person to have faith in God; not only because they don’t have money to depend on but also the little things like not typically having friends or family.  God is their source of strength in times of loneliness, heartache, and financial crisis. Again, if they love God.

Who or what do we truly depend on in times of loneliness or heartache? Our family? Our spouse? Our credit card? Our savings?

Oh friends, being alone. The desert. There is a relationship in those places we will never understand.

He says in vs 5 that He has chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and inherit the kingdom He has promised those who love him. But we say, well, I love God. Do we? We love God by loving people, not only believing in Him. We learned that a few weeks ago. We have to love all people. It is a hard thing to do, trust me, I know but God knows when we are trying. When we are trying that is being faithful to Him. It is when we just don’t even try that we are lying to ourselves in saying that we love God.

My friend Tony says it best,

Love is an action.

Friday read James 2:5-12

Yesterday we touched a little on ‘you love God by loving people’ check out vs 8. It says, if you keep the royal law (which is the law of love) found in scripture “love your neighbor as yourself”, you are doing right.  You see, friends. It all comes down to the same song, love others like you love yourself. This is everyone. Your parents, your friends, your boss, people who are real mean to you, people who are totally skanky. We are called to love them all. Sometimes we feel like it is our job to not love them or to be mean to them because they are always mean to us. Nope. Jesus says revenge is his. Our job is to love them and trust faithfully that the Lord is going to bring justice. And believe me; He does a much better job of it than we do!

We think that we have all these “rights” but think about this:

God is the shepherd of our lives. Think of a shepherd, what does he do? He takes care of his flock. The sheep have no rights; they cannot do anything for that shepherd or to that shepherd. But guess what! The shepherd is always faithful to care for the sheep’s needs. He protects them, feeds them, and dedicates his life to them FULLY.  If we are the sheep, what rights do we have, especially the right to determine who to love and not love. {my, oh, my I am right there with you!}

This weekend, let's focus on not being the judge of people’s status. Let’s try our hardest to love everyone equal. Treat everyone with equal respect.  Remember, God does not judge us at all by what our money can buy or by how our clothes look. He judges our heart and our faithfulness. We cannot be a fair judge of those things, only He can because only He knows our hearts. Therefore, we have no business judging others. I cannot tell you how happy I am knowing that only God can judge my worth because I know that I will just never measure up to everyone’s standards! 

vs 13.  ... if you have been merciful. 

 Mercy, Grace, and Peace to you! 

a few good reads on this topic.
Mercy Beyond Measure
Under the Overpass

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Live the Scriptures With Me? week two of a simple devotion

Busy weekend, friends? I'm right there with you. Grab your morning coffee and let's dig in, simply. May you be challenged and loved as you walk the scriptures this week.

I'm right there with you. 

living the book of James
Week 2
End of Ch 1

Written by James, brother of Jesus.

 

We ended last week with James 1:21-25 and are Starting this week with James 1:26-27

Monday: read James 1:26-27 (thru to vs. 27)

Tuesday: read James 1:26-27 again.

Vs 26 says… if anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

Question:

Do we consider ourselves to be religious? Now days we use that term like it is bad. For example, we might say “Well, they are just religious.” because they like a certain type of praise music in the church or maybe they like a “type of church” better than the other. That is what we have made religion to mean… what it actually means is our OUTWARD acts of being a Christian.

Someone should be able to look at us and say “wow, that person is so different” NOT because we are rude toward non-Christians or because we go around judging other peoples sin, but because we are so incredibly nice to people, forgiving, happy, and carefree of life’s worries. {aka living by the fruit oh.so.hard}

Gandhi says it best. “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

Oh, friends. What does our Christ look like?

Continuing in vs. 26: How about our tongue? Do we keep a tight rein on it?

Tomorrow: Lets focus on displaying our OUTWARD acts of being a Christian. Lets watch our tongue, think before we speak, (remember last week… quick to listen and slow to speak). Vs. 26  doesn’t just mean bad language; this means all talk. Mommas, talking bad about one friend to another friend is wrong, it is a sin. It is a sin that is so VERY EASY to fix! We have to just train our mouths to not speak mean things.

When we choose to love God more than we love talking bad about people it makes us a more beautiful person.

Remember who we are. we are a wife, a mother, a friend, a mother in law, perhaps even a grandmother. Let's work together hard now on using kind words to others and about others; trust me, it pays off. Are you sick of having friends who back stab you? Then quit being a backstabber. We only attract the type of friends we ourselves are-- or the type of friends who want to become someone like who we are--

Not because we are so good, oh we are not. But because the grace and goodness of that sweet Jesus. That crazy Jesus love.

Wednesday: Write it down! Feel like talking about someone? Mad at someone, been hurt? Start a journal. Lets write our feelings down. When we write out our thoughts, without even knowing it, we are giving all our worries and cares to God--he will take care of us. Then, it is so amazing to look back and see his goodness in each step.

Thursday: read James 1: 26-27 again

vs. 27: the religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: look after orphans and widows in their troubled times and keep yourselves from being polluted by the world.

Is our religion one that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless?  James gives us the exact definition of a religion which God accepts as pure and faultless.

do.we.know.an.orphan?

how.about.a.widow? 

not do we know of one, do we know even one?

what are our hands, our feet, our words, our lives too busy doing? 

Oh friends, mine is busy doing the laundry, are you there with me? There are always things to be done, but which are eternal?

Friday night: read James 1:26-27 again

Question:

Do we find ourselves taking better care of us rather than others?

How are we doing with keeping ourselves from being polluted by the world? 

The world says, "Oh, you deserve a break." "Take a rest." "This is too much for you." 

Jesus says,  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." no matter the context, it still says the same. He is our strength.  

This weekend, lets focus on taking better care of others rather than ourselves.  I think we will find, it is not just pleasing to God but it also makes us feel much better, as a person.

Even if we feel the person we are serving does not deserve it remember, we sure didn’t deserve what Christ did for us but he did it anyway. AND remember we are doing it because we love God. I can’t tell you how often I have to say that to myself… “This is because I love you God, because I know this person doesn’t appreciate what I am doing, but you do.”

He sees you.  

Our mission? To become a servant of all.

Becoming with you,




need to start at week one? Click HERE


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