Ego Must Die

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." (James 4:10 NRSV)

Let that ego die! Let it die, now!

Jesus did not exalt himself on earth. He humbled himself. He was willing to even suffer death on the cross for our sakes. Why should we think that we ought to be more exalted that the one who was willing to give his life that we might live?

St. James wrote:
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." (James 4:8-10)

It is folly to attempt to exalt ourselves. "He (Jesus) sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, 'Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.'" (Mark 9:35)

In the end, all of our vain attempts to gain recognition for ourselves will fail us. It is only God who can lift us up. We will be lifted up by His own hand. Remember, too, that when Jesus was lifted up, he was lifted up on the cross. He was exalted through death.

Let that ego die so that you might live more fully in Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Wisdom

"If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you." James 1:5 NRSV

Every now and then, as I attempt to fix the things that I cannot fix, I am reminded of the serenity prayer that was written by Reinhold Niebuhr.       

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can,

And the wisdom to know the difference.

It is difficult to watch others suffer. Sometimes we can help them. Sometimes, we cannot do anything except to pray for them. Sometimes, we lack the wisdom to know the difference so we go about spinning our wheels trying to fix that which only God can fix.

Wisdom will help us to determine what we can and should change and what we must trust to God alone. When God gives us the knowledge and the wisdom of how we are to proceed, it would be very wise indeed to follow His directions. Ignoring what God has taught or told you (whether directly or through others) is definitely not wise.

May God grant us all the wisdom to listen to Him and the courage to do what He asks of us and go where He would send us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

James 4 Fights, Quarrels, Injustice

James 4 NIV
I watched the news, the unpeaceful protests in Baltimore, late into the night last night. Sadly, that is just a tiny fraction of the unrest in the world these days. It never ceases to amaze me that so many people will use the excuse that they seek justice to commit more injustice. Breaking the law and throwing rocks and bottles at cops is not going to promote anyone's agenda for the good. How can looting and setting other people's property on fire be justice in anyone's mind? Yet, there are quite a few who think that it is.

There is so much dissension in this world. St. James asks: "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." (vs 1-3)

We are taught by scripture that we are to love our neighbors and that doesn't mean just the people in the church. We are to love even our enemies. We are to care for them. To unjustly attack our neighbors or even our enemies is sin. To cause harm to them whether it be intentional or unintentional is sin. What we do or what we ask God for should not be for our benefit alone; because it might be pleasing to us; but, for the good of all people. 

"If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them." (vs 17) "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (vs 7,8)

May God help us to learn to better trust that His will is for the good of all of His children.. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

James 2:14-26 Works Follow Faith

James 2:14-26 NIV
It appears that Martin Luther had a bit of a problem with James. Given the state of the church that he belonged to, it was not unreasonable for him to worry that some might misunderstand James to say that we need faith plus works for salvation. This is not the case. The only good work that can save us is the work that Jesus completed on the cross for us. We are saved by faith in Christ alone!

However, if we truly believe that he died for our salvation, we will love him. We will love him so much that this love will overflow to us in service to others even as his love was so great he was willing to give even his life for us.  Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me." "Yes," Peter responded three times. Jesus said simply: “'Feed my lambs.' 'Take care of my sheep.' 'Feed my sheep.''' (John 21)

We are not saved by our works. But, we will care for his sheep if we truly love the one who gave himself for us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 9:28-36 Mountain Top Transfiguration

Luke 9:28-36 NIV
I've read the Holy Bible a few times now. Each reading brings more questions. One I'd like to ask about the mountain top experience of Peter, James and John is how they knew that the two men talking with Jesus were Moses and Elijah. There were no photographs in those days. Maybe, Jesus called them by name? That's just a question that runs through my mind every now and then...

Anyway, Peter, James, and John are pretty excited to see Jesus, Moses and Elijah talking together and to be there with them. They really don't know what to do. Peter wants to know if they should put up shelters for them - busy work, I guess. But, then "While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.  A voice came from the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.'" (vss 34-35)

Listen to him! Listen to the Word of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Matthew 17:1-13 - Mountain Top Experience

"After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus." (Matt 17:1-13 NIV)

How did they know? How did they know that the two talking with Jesus were Moses and Elijah? Scripture does not tell us. Maybe, it was from the content of the conversation. Maybe, their history and their traditions stirred something in them so that they just felt it and knew it within their own spirits. Maybe, the Holy Spirit moving upon them, inspired and told them. Maybe it was a little of all these things combined.

How can we know anything? We can know by the testimony of two or three witnesses. This testimony, of three, is found in our reading today: "While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!'” (Matt 17:5)

The same words spoken by the Father at Jesus' baptism were spoken at his transfiguration: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. listen to him!"

The three disciples, in fear and trembling, witness the glory of Jesus Christ, our LORD, at his transfiguration. May God prepare our hearts and minds to witness the full glory of God. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. I am going to have to break some of these chapters down into sections for daily readings. There is just too much in them to even attempt covering it all....

Job 12 - All Wise, All Knowing God

It is all in God's hands. 

Job responds to Zophar.  Job reminds Zophar that he is not all knowing and all wise.  "Doubtless you are the only people who matter, and wisdom will die with you!"  (vs. 2)  He reminds Zophar and us that all is in God's hands.  It is a reminder that God is the only all knowing - all wise - and He is in charge.  Even though we may claim to know that God has done mighty and marvelous things, that is not the same thing as trusting God.  Acknowledging that there is a god is not the same as trusting Him with our lives and indeed all that exists.

There is a difference between acknowledging that a God greater than ourselves exists and has brought the world into being and actually trusting our lives to God's hands.  Usually, my response to someone who says "I believe" is one of two things: 

     1.  What is it that you believe?  That usually stumps them.  Most often I am told what they don't believe.  Things like:  You don't have to go to a church to know God.  You can know him by just being in his creation.  Well, that is not what scripture says.  Scripture tells us that faith comes by hearing.  When was the last time a tree told you that Jesus died so that you might live?  Creation might give us a glimpse of His glory and indeed Romans 8, tells us that all of creation groans in anticipation of the glory of God to be fully revealed.  Yet, creation cannot tell you of how much God our Father loves you and is with you, for you, always.
     2.  My second response (and this usually goes out to those who I am closest to) is from James 2:19.  "Even the devils believe and tremble."  The demons know that God exists and they know enough to tremble before Him, because they do not worship Him above all things.  This response usually ends the conversation.  But, I use it, anyway, and let it in God's hands for the Spirit to do the rest. 

Just because you acknowledge that a god, higher than you exists, does not mean you have knowledge and wisdom.  The only one who is all knowing and all wise is God, our Creator and Redeemer.  Get to know Him.  Have a real relationship with Him.  Trust your life in His hands.

God's Peace - Pr. J.