365 Reflections

A quick read of James and you would being rich is one of the worst things you could be.  But that would be a misreading.  It's not riches that are the problem.  It is the people we become when we have them. Notice James 5: James 5:1–6 (ESV) Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. The rich people James speaks of have failed to stewar

James 4:17 (ESV) So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. The sins you commit are obviously wrong. The sins you omit are just as wrong according to the scriptures. It may seem harsh to us, but according to scripture, the sin of NOT doing the RIGHT thing is just as wrong as doing the wrong thing.  How often we are quick to confess what we did wrong while failing to confess what we neglected?  The Lord takes these sins just as seriously, as in Matthew 25 - all three parables picture judgment coming on those who failed to do something before the time of judgment. But why don't we take sins of omission seriously?  It is because we think about them so infrequently. James 4:17 is found after James' command to those who plan for a future apart from the guidance of the Lord.  That those who plan tomorrow to make money and trade in business need to consider the brevity of their lives.  Then, after that, he talks about knowing the righ

Christians often need a WAKE-UP CALL. James is about to give one. James 4:4 (ESV) You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. To truly understand what James means in chapter four, you have to understand the Greek idea of friendship.  One commentator said, "Hellenistic friendship “involved ‘sharing all things’ in a unity both spiritual and physical.” What were they sharing? Covetousness and out of control desires that led them to do despicable things to each other. The "brothers" of James' audience were certainly a dysfunctional group.  It gives me hope for the church of the 21st Century.  They were killing each other (and some commentators do not take that as a metaphor from the text).  Wow. Even with all their faults and even in their horrible spiritual condition, James doesn't lead them to condemnation.  Of course he

It has been said of many exuberant Evangelical Christians: "I can't hear what you're saying because your actions are speaking much louder." Faith apart from works is a major theme for James 2. James opens chapter three with a personal plea: "Don't go trying to be teachers. Most of you shouldn't be.  Because our tongues are the hardest parts of our bodies to control." Evidently James is addressing a certain condition of the church.  This "I want to be up front and important" theme of aspiring teachers who really couldn't toe the line in daily life.  We see their attitude addressed in verse 14: James 3:14 (ESV) But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. We still see this idol of importance in the church today.  People want to look significant.  They want to be in front of a crowd dispensing wisdom, they seek their value in guiding others through words of eloquenc

James 2:1 (ESV)  My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. James deals with the sins we tend to be okay with in American Christianity.  Its probably why his book resonates so well with us in this generation. Partiality.  What is the big deal?  James says it's sin and he's absolutely correct. Who gets our attention?  Who is the person we hope comes to the party?  Who's approval and appreciation are we searching for? James says, " show no partiality" .  NONE. That is hard.  We all have a few people we prefer.  We all love to rub shoulders with the important members of society.  Once I sat next to an NFL coach on an airplane ride from Tulsa to Chicago.  It made my week!  Why? If we are holding our faith in the LORD of GLORY, then no one else is that important!  We have Jesus, who can compare? Why does it matter that we aren't partial?  Because partiality contradicts the nature of our Lord's

James 1:11 (ESV) For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. This is an often neglected verse from the first chapter of James. I think it is because most Americans hope it is not true.  For we are the rich ones.  We Americans are the ones who have "pursuits" and "dreams" that require or center on the accumulation of money.   Yet, the rich man will fade away in the midst of such things. Jerry Buss died this past week.  A billionaire who owned the Lakers is gone.  He has faded away.   Tonight I watched Schindler's List.  At the end of the movie, Oskar Schindler is leaving the factory where he saved 1100 Jews from the holocaust.  He looks at his car and says, "Why did I keep this car? This car was 10 more people."  Then he looks at his pin and says, "This pin was 2 more people."  He starts to see his

Most Christians of vast denominations agree, we should walk in the spirit. Most agree we should keep in step with the Spirit. Most believe we are or can be filled with the Spirit. But how many of us believe we should pray in the Holy Spirit? Jude did: Jude 20, 21 "But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.  Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." I must always remind myself.  I am where I am today because of the infilling of the Holy Spirit.  I'm surprised at how many times I neglect this tremendous gift that yields powerful results. Praying in the Holy Spirit or tongues is a gift given for personal benefit.  The other gifts are given for other people.  This one is for you.  If you neglect it, you're the only one who suffers.  Paul said "He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself" 1 Cor. 14:4   This gift is for your perso

Jude 3 (ESV) Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. Contend.  This is a fight .  I find many Christians seeking comfort and ease on this side of heaven... I wonder what Bible they read, if any at all.  We are not prescribed the unencumbered life if we claim to have faith in Christ Jesus.  It's going to be difficult at times.  It's going to be inconvenient.  It's going to take a hard nosed attitude at our adversary. What do we fight?  We fight FOR the faith once for all delivered.  That is, we fight against deception and perversion of the Scriptures.  We fight to preserve the Gospel from those who would come in from among us and distort the message for their own purposes.  We fight against those who secretly worm their way into our fellowship with ulterior motives and cause division. The question is: Are

3 John 1:3, 4 ESV For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. This is the heart of an Elder. Thinking of their children walking in the truth brings them joy.  His Children are those he led to Christ. The true treasures of heaven. And notice, it's "no greater joy" - nothing else is better than knowing someone you led to Christ is still walking in the truth of Christ.  Not just leading someone to the truth... but KNOWING that they are STILL IN the truth years later.  That's the joy.  Why?  Because that is the sing the kingdom is moving forward and people are being changed in a world that seems desperate to cast off any hold of God. John knew many anti-Christ's had come into the world and they were deceiving many.  But to know someone was still walking in the truth brought him the highest joy because that me

2 John 10–11 (NLT) If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. 11 Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work. John knew how to draw a line in the sand.  For all the talk about how he was the "soft" disciple, the beloved disciple, and the most in touch with his feelings disciple... he knew when and how to take a strong stand for the truth. 2 John is a book many of us ignore.  That is a mistake. We need to be aware, not every person who claims to speak for God is really speaking for God.  While there are outsider skeptics who avoid church because of such people, the fact is, the church is called to take a stand against them FIRST! I've met many people who have been turned off from Church because of some kind of weird teaching or power-abusing leader.  If the church would have just done its job to expose and deny them, we'

As we move into 1 John5, John continues to defend that only in Jesus do we experience all God has for us. 1 John 5:4–5 (NLT) For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is not just our salvation.  Jesus is our deliverance.  The world is not our home.  Do not be surprised, Christ follower, when you start feeling like an alien in the very world you used to see as your home.  I find that the more you know of God and Christ and the Word, the more uncomfortable you are living in this present world.   Not that we wish to escape the world for fear of harm, in that case we would be useless and purposeless in the world.  No, the discomfort comes from knowing this world is backwards.  Up is down, left is right, in is out.  And it seems like no one notices except those found in Christ. As he says in 1 John 5:19 (NLT) We

It is so easy to gloss over this little verse in 1 John 4: 1 John 4:15 (NIV)  If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. John makes it clear as it can be.  If you acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God - THEN and ONLY THEN you are saved.  The reality?  God lives in you and you live in God.  He has made it clear in the negative sense before: 1 John 2:23 (NIV) No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. I have met many people in AA or some kind of recovery program.  They like to avoid Jesus.  And the saddest part is, they like to believe in a "higher power" to help them cope with their addiction.  It is no wonder they never get totally set free! Without Jesus you are diluting yourself in false spirituality.   Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father except by me." How many people in the church need to stop shying away from this glorious truth. How many pre

We all have people we just cannot love in our own power. John says: 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. First, love is not FROM you, love is from God. Feelings of infatuation can be from you, feelings of desire can be from you, but love, sacrificial letting my life come second to you - love, THAT is from God. Ask Him for it. Father, help me to love the unlovable in my life.  I have not power in me to love them, o

What distinguishes a child of God from everyone else? They can't be happy with sin. Oh, they will sin.  John established that fact in 1 John 1.  They will stray.  In chapter 2 he warns against losing faith and loving the world. They will not be perfect... But they cannot be comfortable with regular habits and attitudes of sin. 1 John 3:6 (ESV) No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. The English does the Greek perfect justice here.  John is not talking about random sin, but a habitual practice of a certain sin.   Why can we not continue in sin? 1 John 3:9 (ESV) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. God's seed abides in him.  It is a work of God.  He sheds sin because sin is incompatible with the life he/she is meant to live.  It is not comfortable for him/her.  It is not natural.

1 John 2:13–14 (NLT)     I am writing to you who are mature in the faith        because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.      I am writing to you who are young in the faith        because you have won your battle with the evil one .      14 I have written to you who are God’s children        because you know the Father.      I have written to you who are mature in the faith        because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.      I have written to you who are young in the faith        because you are strong.      God’s word lives in your hearts,        and y ou have won your battle with the evil one . Twice in this passage John says he's writing to those who are young in the faith... who have WON their battle with the evil one.  What a contrast to the way many believers feel about their spiritual lives.  Most walk around as if defeated and under the influence of a spiritual enemy too strong for them to overcome. Life is a serious

Since he rose from the dead and ascended, people have been trying to deny the divinity of Jesus Christ. John opens his first Epistle (1 John) with the strongest defense possible.  He was there, he saw Jesus, he knew Jesus, Jesus is God. 1 John 1:1–2 (ESV) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— Why does it matter so much that Jesus is God? First: Because if He isn't, then we are hopeless to change.  We are stuck being who we are and living as we are trying to follow the teachings of a wise sage but knowing deep down He was one of a kind. But if He is God.  And if He has all the power of God.  And if He lives in us and will be with us till the end of the age, then NOTHING is IM

Jesus is alive. What now? Make disciples. Not just 12, the Nations.... how many?  All of them. And don't just get their names on your membership roles... you're going to need to teach them to observe my commandments. This command was given to a group of runaways who saw Him alive now and were still doubting (Note verse 17). This is a BIG job.  It's not just telling people to believe in Him.  It is taking His Lordship into discipleship, teaching and training people far from God into a dynamic obedient relationship with God.  In fact, this job is down right impossible. It's why we need God's power... the Holy Spirit or bust.  We cannot do this on our own but we think we can way too often.  And it's never been meant to be done in the natural anyway.  The job was too large to begin with for us to think we could be inventive enough to make it happen. Every Christian has to ask... every Church has to decide... in who's strength are you going to operat

I've never noticed before how much shorter Matthew 28 is compared to all the other chapters in the Bible.  Of course I'm aware there were original chapter divisions in the text.  But it still amazes me that the central element of our faith - the Resurrection of our Lord - is given only 23 verses total if you take out the conspiracy of the guards and the elders that the disciples stole his body away. 23 verses.  And the book is finished. Why? I think its because the power of that reality changes everything you do.  It turns bystanders into active participants of the greatest truth ever told.  It's a whole new way of life... so why keep reading and talking about it when we have to get busy spreading it. Even when Matthew records the disciples first meeting with the Lord - and there were many others beside this one - it is a meeting with an agenda.  "I'm alive, I have the authority of heaven and earth, go tell everyone about Me." Matthew was there... h

I think there is a tendency for all of us to carry some sort of conditional belief in our hearts.  And I believe God is actively working at reducing those conditions one by one. When the brutally whipped, mocked and crucified Jesus they felt it necessary to deride him as well. The chief priest, scribes and elders came and said, Matthew 27:42 "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him." Let God do this and then I will believe in Him. For one, God is God.  He is not subject to our estimations or opinions. Two, expecting God to live up to our desires makes Him servant not Master. Three, they are the ones who demanded He be there in the first place.  Obviously they cannot make up their minds. In what ways do we all tend to have conditions for God even after coming to faith? That some see Jesus as an escape from reality.  Then reality bites and disappointment sets in. Tha

Matthew 26:45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Sleep and take your rest later on.  See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. I find it interesting that Jesus is concerned for the rest "later on" here. He's about to experience the worst suffering imaginable.  He could have been fed up with these guys to the uttermost.  Instead, He's going to the cross with their "rest" on His mind.  Spiritual, emotional, and physical rest is what Jesus came to give. I never saw this before, but the second time he found them sleeping he didn't even wake them.  Wow.  He was on the verge of utter loss and they were catching some z's.  The one who commanded that we forgive 70 times 7 lived up to His own standard and more.  While His closest associates were letting Him down, He was letting them sleep, waking them up when needed gently, lovingly.  Like a Father over his children. That's Jesus.  Never

Matthew 25:18  But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Hiding someone else's money seems ridiculous.  I can understand hiding your own money.  You are afraid of losing it.  But someone else's money just seems silly. There's a subtle lesson to learn here: This servant acted like the money was his. We forget, our money is actually God's money.  What we do with it can look foolish when we start to act like it's ours. When we spend it on what does not last. When we hoard it for our children to be far too well off. When we hide it. Money is not made to be hidden.  Money is made to be used, a tool given by God, entrusted to us until He returns.  There will be an accounting. The ones who lived like the money was their masters doubled up, they succeeded wildly!  That's the lesson of this scripture more than anything.  You can't lose when you go to work with God's resources REMEMBERING the

Matthew 24:14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. This verse sticks out like a sore thumb from the verses before it. Look at them: Matthew 24:9-13  Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.  Yikes!  Persecution, arrests, hated all over the world, falling away, hating each other, false prophets, mass deception, sin, loss of love for God. That's a pretty ugly list. And right after all this Jesus tells them... Don't worry, the Gospel will be preached to the ends of the world anyway. The Gospel is unstoppable. Jesus lists the most

Jesus saved His harshest rebukes for Pharisees.  In Matthew 23 we have a chapter full of woes aimed right at them. Matthew 23:5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, Religious pretension and presentation has no place in the heart of Jesus' kingdom.  A kingdom where the inside matters more than the outside.  A kingdom where the values of man is nothing before God.  A kingdom where "I" am not the center nor do "I" seek to be. A kingdom very much unlike the kingdoms of our world. The desire of the world has been to boast of itself.  From Babel's city to the towers of America.  To worship us.  Following the lead of Satan who desired to be first and greatest in heaven.  Instead of leading worship of God, he led a revolt and rebellion - and sells us on his agenda as often as we'll bite. To put yourself first is to follow satan. On a show tonight, a woman asked a proud yet confl

The Pharisees didn't try to trap Jesus with the question on paying taxes.  It reads like this: Matthew 22:15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him , along with the Herodians , saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.  They didn't have the guts to show up themselves.  So they sent their disciples. I never realized why until I read from N. T. Wright. The moment they produce a coin for Jesus is the moment they implicate themselves in compromise. Casear's coin had his image (a disgusting thing for a Jew) and inscription: "Son of God... High Priest"  Producing the coin shows they were using the very coinage of an evil and hated godless regime.  And in the temple no less!  No wonder these lackeys were sent in for this confrontation.  The Pharisees knew it, and the

If you are "In Christ" it should be visible . The parable of the wedding feast has a horrible beginning, a great middle, and a disturbing end.  One guest who had no business being there but for grace suddenly found himself tossed outside into the darkness. Matthew 22:11–13 (ESV) “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ He accepted the invitation.  But nothing changed.  There was no visible identification.  No joy, peace, purity, righteousness, fruit, and faithfulness.  He thought it would be fine.  He was wrong. How often we think in such simplistic terms concerning our "great salvation". Believe, pray, attend, move on.  Forgetting,

I have never really stopped to picture the event of the Triumphal Entry.  I read Philip Yancey's description of how it would have been pale in comparison to a Roman Centurion and it legion... but still, look at what happened: Someone no one knows gave their donkey and her colt to two strangers without hesitation. The people took their cloaks - a very valuable item in those days and laid them on the ground and used them for a make-shift saddle for Him.  Think about it, picture it.  Amazing. The people cried out "Hosanna to the Son of David!" The children sang all the way to the temple. The people of the city were stirred. Wow! The crowds cried, "Hosanna" which means, "Lord save us!"  A cry for help in Hebrew.  They cried to be released from the vile Roman army and  its massive legions.  They cried to be freed once again from subjugation to a God-less nation.  They cried to see the conquest of David's kingdom once again. And the first thin

Does God speak preemptively?  I'm sure He does. After all, He knows what you're thinking so He will make sure to warn you of what you need to hear before you look stupid. The timing of the parable of the vineyard workers in Chapter 20 comes right before James and John are about to really lose serious street cred with the other disciples. That parable illustrates those hired first will receive the same as those hired last.  That the kingdom is a steady stream of new workers and some benefit from the labor of others bearing the burden in the heat of the day. In other words, don't think that because you're hired first, you're going to get special treatment.  This is God's movement, not yours. After the parable, Jesus makes it clear what He come to do for the third time  in Matthew: Matthew 20:17–19 (ESV) And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And t