Category: PASSION Reflections

Be Doers of the Word

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But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 
(James 1:22, ESV)

James makes clear that truly receiving the Word is not just hearing it but doing it – living it out in our daily lives.  If we think that by just hearing the Word, that we have received the Word, we have deceived ourselves.  We must be doers of the Word.

James uses the illustration in verses 23-24 of looking at ourselves in the mirror.  Most of us probably look at our face in a mirror each morning.  Maybe we arrange our hair into some semblance of order, and then we walk away, and forget about it.  That is the key issue – we forget about it.  And that is well and good when it comes to our hair, but not with Word.  We can’t just walk away and forget about it.  And so he goes on in v25:

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

We are to look into the Word.  We open our Bibles to read and meditate and study and learn it.

And then we don’t forget it.  We take it with us into the day.  We seek to apply it to our daily lives.  We remember it and do it.

And notice we are to persevere in it.  That part of the verse is between the looking and the doing, perhaps suggesting that we are to persevere in looking and persevere in doing. 

And we will be blessed.  Here is a wonderful promise.  God blesses those who hear and do what He says.  Now God is good and blesses everyone in various ways.  God is also merciful and often blesses us in spite of us – praise the Lord!

But there is blessing that comes from obedience as we escape many pitfalls that others fall into because of sin.  There is a blessing attached to living as God created us and recreated us to live in communion with Him.

So let us be doers of the Word!

God Is Good

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Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 
(James 1:17, ESV)

He is the Good Giver – Every good and perfect gift is from God.  All the good you have received is from God.  Think about all good things in your life – good relationships, provisions, life, good health, work, rest, pets, hobbies, warm weather, and so much more.  Every good thing you have is a gift from our good God.  And those good gifts are coming down – not they came down in past or will come down in future or sometimes trickles down.  No, it is a continuous coming down.  God’s goodness is always flowing down.  They have a new observation deck at Tahquamenon Falls to watch the water coming down.  And it is always coming down.  It never dries up.  In the same way, God’s good gifts are always coming down from the Good Giver.  His goodness never dries up.

He is the Good Creator – Father of lights points to the idea that God is the Creator.  He is the Father or originator of heavenly lights – the sun, moon, and stars.  And when God created them, He said that it was good (Genesis 1).  He is the Good Creator. 

He is Morally Good – Father of lights might also point to His purity.  He is the Father of lights not darkness.  “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (I John 1:5).  There is a moral purity, a moral goodness that characterizes our God.

He is the Unchanging One – God’s creation is always in flux.  The earth moves around sun, so the shadows are always changing.  But God is not like the shadows, He doesn’t change.  He wasn’t good yesterday but not today.  He was good, He is good, and He will be good.  God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.

God is the unchanging morally good Creator and Giver who continually showers us with good gifts.  Praise the Lord!

Remain Steadfast Against Temptation

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But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
(James 1:14-15, ESV)

Our own desires lead to sin which leads to death.  How can we overcome?  James gives us a number of strategies in the first 18 verses of his book: 

We must recognize our responsibility.  It is our own desires that lead to sin (13-14).  We are not victims.  There is no one to blame but us.  So we must stand up and fight.

We must recognize the terrible result.  Sin may look fun and enjoyable, but it is the path to death (v15). 

We must receive a new heart.  This is where it starts.  We need to trust in Jesus and be made new with new desires (v18).

We must remember whose we are.  We are God’s servants (v1), so we must reject any desire that opposes Him.

We must rejoice in the goal.  God is using even temptations to make us mature in Christ (v2-4), so don’t despair.

We must request help from God.  We need to pray (v5-8), turning from our sinful desires to the One who can help us overcome.

We must reset our desires.  We need to turn from what the world chases after (v9-11) and set our desires on God and what He desires.

We must remember our hope.  The crown of life is coming (v12).  Sin and temptations will one day be over forever, so press on!

We must remain steadfast against temptation.  Don’t slack off.  Use the strategies given and keep fighting temptation.

Purpose in Trials

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
(James 1:2-4, ESV)

Notice that there is a purpose in our trials.  Our trials are a testing of our faith.  Not to see if we have faith, but to test our very real faith.  The word has the idea of refining or purifying.  You put metal in a fire to melt it down and drain off impurities.  In the same way, our times in the fire are designed by God to refine and purify our faith. 

And this testing produces steadfastness or endurance.  You are more able to endure the same trial today than before because it has developed in you this steadfastness.  It is like lifting weights – you can endure more repetitions and more weight as your muscles are developed.  And you can endure more trials and harder trials as your faith is developed and strengthened.  You are gaining the ability to faithfully endure, to remain steadfast.

And this steadfastness then must have its full effect.  It must keep developing so that you might be perfect or mature – mature in this life, and perfect in the life to come.  So that one day you will be complete, lacking in nothing.

Your trials exist to help you grow in your faith and steadfastness to make you mature in Christ.  There is a purpose in your trials.

So rejoice expectantly.  Rejoice when you have trials because you know that it brings maturity.  We rejoice not in the trial but in the purpose.  We rejoice in expectation that our suffering is for our ultimate good.  Which means that we might at same time be weeping, struggling, crying out to God, and lamenting before Him.  We are not denying the hardship and all sorrow and struggle of our trials, we are just remembering the purpose.  So even as we wrestle, we can rejoice expectantly.

A Servant

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.
(James 1:1, ESV)

Notice James’ self-description: “A servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”  That is his self-description.

Now that is not how I would do it.  If I was James, I would open it this way: “James, a brother of Jesus.”  Let me just remind you of how close I am to Him.  Recall my intimate connection to Him – we are brothers, you know. 

Wouldn’t you be tempted to play the brother card? 

That is how our world operates.  We try to impress each other with our connections – I know so and so, look at me!

James, a servant of God – just a servant.  And of the Lord Jesus Christ – not my brother but my Lord!  He is the master; I am just a servant.  He is the Christ, the promised King; I am just his servant.  I am a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Is that your self-description?   Is that how you see yourself?  Would you introduce yourself that way?  Hi, I am a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As His servant then, let’s humbly serve him.  It’s not about you or me; it’s all about Him.  It’s not about what we want, but about what He wants.  It’s not about our amazing ideas, but about His truly wise plans. 

So let’s join James and humbly serve the Lord.  Serve Him in our homes.  Serve Him in our church.  Serve Him in our community.  Serve Him with our time and money.  Serve Him with our words and actions.  Serve Him even in our suffering.  Serve Him with whatever strength God gives us. 

We are servants of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.  So let’s humbly serve Him with all of our lives.

Cling to His Crucial Assurance

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
(Matthew 28:20b, ESV)

The Exciting Assurance

Jesus is with us always!  All the time.  All the days.  The whole of every day.  He is with us in the good days and the bad days and the so-so days.  He is with us in the trials and the blessings.  He is with us all the time and everywhere.  Jesus is always with us.

Which means, by the way, that Jesus is God.  No one else can be omnipresent.  No one else could be everywhere, with each of us all the time.  Jesus, fully God and fully man, is with us always.

And He is with us to the end of age, or the consummation of the age.  He is with us until He returns and brings forth the glorious new heaven and earth.  Until that exciting day we have this exciting assurance that Jesus is with us always.

The Encouraging Assurance

No matter what we face in life, Jesus is always with us.

No matter what we face as we carry out the Great Commission, the One with all authority is always with us.

We don’t have to face life alone, and we don’t do the Great Commission alone.  Jesus is always with us.

Be encouraged that Jesus is with you this week in your trials and struggles, at work, at home, and on road.

Be encouraged that Jesus is with you as you go and talk about Jesus, as you point people to Jesus, as you seek to obey Him.

He will never leave you nor forsake you.  He is always with you, always right there with you – be encouraged!

Cling to Your Hope

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”  (Acts 1:10-11, ESV)

Will comes as you saw Him go.  Our hope in the flooding that Michigan just experienced was that the water would eventually go down.  The disciples’ hope and our ultimate hope is that Jesus will come as they saw Him go – that Jesus will return.  For now, we have to deal with floods – of water and tears and trials and suffering and pain and heartache, but our hope is that Jesus will come as they saw Him go.

Longing for Him.  The disciples were gazing into heaven, looking into heaven – in amazement, for sure!  But I think also in longing already for His return.  Here was a sad goodbye.  They wouldn’t see Him again in this life.  Are you longing for His return?  Are you longing to see Jesus, your Savior who loves you so much that He died for you?  Does the thought of His return and seeing Him fill you with excitement?  Does the final prayer of the Bible: “Even so, come Lord Jesus!” flow from your heart? Are you longing for Him?

To bring the final kingdom.  When Jesus comes, our hope of the final kingdom will be realized.  As we read in Revelation 21-22, there will be a new heaven and earth.  And there will be a New Jerusalem – a city and a people, God’s people.  God will dwell with us forever.  There will be no more tears or death or pain.  He will make all things new.  It will be a place of unimaginable beauty, ablaze with glory of God.  And nothing unclean or evil or sinful will ever enter it.  The water of life will flow in it.  The tree of life will bring healing.  We will see Jesus and worship Him and reign with Him. 

In the flood of struggles and sorrows, cling to your hope – as Jesus ascended so He will come again.  Our longing to see Him will be satisfied, and we will dwell in His glorious kingdom forever.  Cling to your hope.

Invest in Your Grandchildren’s Spiritual Welfare

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

There is a great need to instruct the next generation about the Lord – to teach them about Jesus. 

You want your grandchildren to grow up and know the Lord.  You want them to repent and believe and be saved and follow Him.  And so you must invest in this.

As you have opportunity, teach the gospel in your home to your grandchildren.  Read them a Bible story.  Tell them about Jesus.  Share your testimony.  Tell them what Jesus means to you.

Point them to Jesus in the way you live, as you exhibit the Fruit of the Spirit in your life.  As you walk with hope in a world of despair.  As you walk with joy in a depressed world.  As you walk with peace in a world of anxiety.  As you walk with love in a world filled with hate.  They will notice the difference in you.  Follow the Spirit and point your grandchildren to Jesus.

And pray for them to come to Christ.  Plead with Father for their salvation.  Intercede for them before the Throne of God.

Invest in your grandchildren’s spiritual welfare.

Spring!

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

Spring is here!  Temperatures are rising.  The sun is shining. Trees are budding.  Flowers are blooming.  New life is popping out everywhere after a long, cold, lonely, weary winter.

And Jesus came to offer us our own personal Spring, to give us new life in Him.

After a weary winter of personal sin and guilt, Jesus offers us a new life with all of our sins and guilt washed away.

After a lonely winter separated from God, Jesus offers us a new life with a loving relationship with Himself.

After a cold winter of cold hearts towards Him and others, Jesus offers us a new life with warm and loving hearts towards Him and others.

After a long winter of suffering and trials, Jesus will one day offer us a new life with no more suffering, no more death, no more tears.  He will make all things new!  Spring will be eternal!

As Spring appears all around us, may we remember and rejoice in the Spring Jesus came to give us.

Follow Jesus

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

What would that look like for us to follow Jesus?

First, we must trust Him. You won’t get on a plane unless you trust the pilot, and you won’t follow Jesus unless you trust Him. Trust that He is your God and King, who died on a cross in your place to bear your sin to be your Savior. So that with your sin and guilt removed, you can go free, and you can draw near to God. Do you trust Him? That is the response that He calls you to make – trust Him as your Savior, King, and God that you might then follow Him.

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
(Matthew 16:24, ESV)

Second, we must deny ourselves. If He is our God and King, then we must give Him our allegiance and follow Him even when we don’t want to, even when we don’t feel like it. Because we are not in charge. He is. Because we are not the king. He is. And so we obey. If He is our Savior who died to pay for our sins, then we must deny ourselves when we want to sin. We must deny sinful desires. How could we continue to do those things that put Him on cross to die? We don’t follow our hearts; we follow Jesus no matter what He calls us to do, even suffer like Him. For we must deny ourselves and take up our cross, willing to suffer for Him as we follow Him.

Third, we must serve Him. We deny self that we might serve Him. Now, how do we do that today? Jesus tells us in Mathew 25. In the Parable of the Talents, the Master gives each servant some money. Two invest it and are praised. One buries it and is condemned. The point is clear: use what God has given you for Jesus. Use the money God has given you for Jesus. Use the time God has given you for Jesus. Use the talents God has given you for Jesus. In all things serve Him.

Follow Him by trusting in Him, denying yourself, and serving Him with all you have.