My Friend James: Que Sera, Sera

In 1955, Doris Day performed the song “Que Sera, Sera” in the Alfred Hitchcock film “The Man Who Knew Too Much”. It is about a woman who asks about the future (Will I be pretty? Will I be rich? What lies ahead?) and is given what always struck me a weird piece of advice. “Whatever will be, will be. The future’s not ours to see.” We live in a time where we tell our children “you can have the future you want if you are willing to work for it”. Did they really not have that concept in 1955?

As a Christian, I know the truth is that my plans may not be God’s plans, especially if I’m not submitting them to His will. I also know working toward our goals doesn’t guarantee success in this life because time and chance, as well as the actions of others can impact my life. I also know that success is more likely if I work hard toward viable, God-guided goals.

As you might expect, James has something to say about making our own plans for the future.

James 4:13-16 [NLT] 13 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." 14 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. 15 What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.

“If the Lord wants us to” is the key phrase – the key guidance that James wants to impart. This act of submitting our goals to God’s will is something we should consider on both a macro and a micro level.

You see, sweet sisters, we cannot just give our futures to God. We cannot just give our big dreams, big moves, big life events to God. We must submit each day to Him. We must submit each hour, each thought, each moment, each breath to His will and purpose for us.

So, whether the moments of our days include potty training a toddler, working on a big project at the office, painting, training for a marathon, mowing the yard, washing dishes for what seems like the millionth time or asking for that raise or promotion you deserve, we must actively submit them to the will of God. Not that He cares if you prewash the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, but He cares that you are a child of His whose thoughts turn to Him while doing a routine task, or who will take this time to sing a song of praise (even if your family prefers you do that in your head only).

And who doesn’t need to ask for protection when moving the yard or patience when potty training a toddler?

“Que sera, sera” is not our Christian mantra. Sure, we cannot know the future apart from what God reveals in His word. But He doesn’t ask us to take a “whatever” attitude about it. He asks us for faith in His purpose.

Are lives are like the morning fog: here just a little while and then gone. But they count, they are important, they are given to serve and honor the living God – if only we will submit every aspect and moment of them to His will.

If the Lord wants you to, and He does, sweet sister, His glory will be made known in your small acts of service to your family, friends and neighbors. If the Lord wants you to, and He does, those you work with or train with will notice that you have something special going on within your character, words and work because you know you belong to Him.

But that can only happen if we actively, thoughtfully, and purposefully submit each small act and big project, each day, week, month and year, each moment, each word, each breath to His will, His purpose, and His glory.

Are lives are like the morning fog: here just a little while and then gone. But they count, they are important, they are given to serve and honor the living God – if only we will submit every aspect and moment of them to His will.

Next time, we will hit on the final verse of James 4 before we begin the final chapter of the book of James. I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on this book by the brother of Jesus.

Where shall we go next? Is there a book of the Bible you’d like to explore together?

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Do Not Traduce Your Brother

I learned a new word today, while seeking to dig into and fully understand James 4:11-12. That word is “traduce”.  It means “to speak badly of or tell lies about (someone) so as to damage their reputation”.

We find it in this passage:

James 4:11-12 [NKJV] 11 Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

You see, the definition of the Greek word used in this scripture, which the KJV translates as “speak (or speaketh) evil” three times in verse 11 is “to be a traducer; to slander”.

It is a terrible thing to speak evil of your brother and sisters in Christ. We should find that obviously in contrast to Jesus’ explicit instructions in John 15:12 [NKJV] "… love one another as I have loved you.”

In case anyone doesn’t understand how to love one another, I Corinthians 13:4-7 spells out how love looks in action. Among those actionable traits of love, are many that are directly opposed to traducing one another. For example, “love does not behave rudely”. Speaking evil of others is pretty rude. Also, love “thinks no evil.” Not only show we show love by not speaking evil of others; but we must not even think it. Love “does not rejoice in iniquity” – and surely that means we would not spread actual sins, let alone make up any.

What is the danger of slandering, speaking evil of, others? James tells us that when we speak evil of others, we speak evil of the law of God. How is that? Well, James doesn’t expound on the connection, but perhaps Romans 14:4 gives us the key.  

Romans 14:4 [NKJV] Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

We are all servants of God, made for His service to do the work or works He specifically outlines for us. When step in to judge another, we are judging God’s work within that person. When we slander someone, we are doing even worse than that as we make God out to be an ineffective master.

Rather, we should understand that God is working in that brother and let His plan unfold with that servant as He wills it.

Let’s face it, we face enough condemnation and slander in this world. Peter both warns us of that and gives the cure. I Peter 2:12 [KJV] Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by [your] good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. The words “speak evil” are from the same Greek word that James used. We will be slandered and traduced by those of the world. We must have our good works and honest conversation acting as shining a lights and standing in stark contrast to that slander.

Romans 14:4 [NKJV] Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

And no wonder we face slander and accusation in the world. The god of this world, Satan, is called the “accuser of the brethren”. [Revelation 12:10]

Let’s focus on honest conversation and good works and  on showing the kind of love that doesn’t even think evil of others, let alone slander or accuse them.

Let’s wrap this up by reading James 4:11 in the New Living Translation, that gives us a plain and direct version of this verse. Don't speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God's law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.

We have a job, dear sisters, and that is to obey the law. We don’t have time to be traducing each other.

We have just a little more than one chapter to go, but several more important concepts to cover. I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Fight Club, Part 2

In our last discussion of James, we asked, “Where do fights come from?” – specifically fights and contentions within the body of Christ, according to James.  And we found the answer in James 4:1-4. Church wars come from lust – from wanting something that isn’t yours enough to fight for it. It comes from being willing to take it away from whomever currently is, or feels they are, the rightful owner of what we want. Fights among church brethren are often about power or position, and sometimes about the feeling that one has special knowledge that others must agree with, whether about one of the commandments or church doctrine or how to runs services or any tenant of Christian life.

Today, let’s discuss the cure for lust-driven wars among God’s people. The cure is two-fold. First, if we want to stop fighting among brethren, we must be humble – we must humble ourselves. The next few verses of James 4. James 4:6-10 [NIV] 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

You want favor from God? You want some particular power or influence in the body of Christ? Work at being humble. These verses tell us that we must grieve our own sins and wash our hearts with the precious blood of Jesus.

The second step toward curing wars in the church is one that should help us with becoming more humble. That step is to realize that the rightful owner of anything we want is not the person who currently has it, but rather God Himself.

James 4:12 [NIV] tells us, There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor? The power that your neighbor in the faith has, whether information or position, comes from the Just Judge whom your neighbor must answer to. If you fight over something you want, you’ll be answering to Him as well.

James may have been echoing what he’d read in the Psalms. David makes a similar point on who owns all we want and about the need to purify ourselves in order to receive the blessing or gift we desire. Psalm 24:1-5 [NIV] 1 Of David. A psalm. The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 2 for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. 3 Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. 5 They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior.

Rather than fighting or arguing, we are directed to humbly ask for what we want. We are told to ask the One who owns it all – not just things but also power, wisdom, authority, position and everything else.

James 4:12 [NIV]There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?

What is the cure for wars in the church? Humble recognition that God is the rightful owner of anything and everything, and humble seeking (and waiting for) God’s gift of what we seek.

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James. We have just one and a half chapters to go, but several more concepts to cover.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Fight Club, Part 1

In our last discussion of James, we asked, “Where does wisdom come from?” and found that we can test that wisdom’s source by asking some questions about the makeup of that wisdom.

Today, our friend, James, both asks and answers this question: “Where do fights come from?”. Today, I’ll address where they come from and the damage they do. Next week, we’ll talk about the cure.

James 4:1 [KJV] From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

The Greek word translated “fightings” can mean war and battles, or, as it is used in 2 Timothy 2:23 and Titus 3:9, it can mean quarrels, contention, or strife. The subsequent scriptures in James 4 tell us that our friend is more interested in troubles within the body of Christ, than in the Roman army taking over new territory.

James tells us that fights within the body of Christ come from lusts or desires for pleasure. We get in fights, cause strife, create drama in the body of Christ when we want something purely for ourselves and our own pleasure. Maybe it is a leadership role within the congregation. Or a desire for more authority over the church. Or to get the congregation to agree with some “new” or “more accurate” truth we want them to adopt.

These types of troubles come when we get our self esteem from power, position or praise, rather than from knowing that we are the much loved daughters of God. How does this happen to us – that we forget who we are and focus on what we have/can get instead?

James explains that in verse 4: You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

When we spend too much time immersed in and, thereby, influenced by the world around us that is all about getting and having and looking good, we can lose sight of who we really are and the primary goal of our earthly lives.

I am not going to tell you not to listen to secular music or have hobbies or read fiction or watch TV. A Christian woman can do that and still maintain a deep relationship with God. God isn’t asking for 24/7/365 prayer, Bible study and fellowship with believers. He sends us into the world, after all, to be lights there. We ought to be bringing the truth and love of God to all our secular interactions [work, sports, hobbies, etc.] to be an example of living in the world but not being of the world [John 17:14]. We cannot do that if we remain apart from it. We can’t know what is going on in the world or understand the struggle of those unbelievers we hope to influence if we aren’t out there in the world at all.

James 4:4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

What we have to do is guard our hearts and minds against buying into the schtick the world pushes on us – especially the schtick that having things will make us happy and that having power is the measure of success. The lust for things and power is what is tearing the world down and it can take us down as well.

But don’t be fooled, sweet sisters, if the only people you are around is church brethren, Satan will use this very human lust for power, influence and things to cause division in the body of Christ. Satan will use human nature pull us toward fighting to be the praise leader or pastor, or to being angry that a new believer seems to be getting more spiritual or physical blessing than you. Satan is crafty and aggressive. He will attack with these human lusts no matter where you are in your spiritual walk. He doesn’t stop or hold back. What happens is that we get stronger. We become better fighters. Our armor gets more difficult for him to penetrate.

We have to spend enough time with God, the Bible and fellow believers to be armored up against the lies of Satan and the pull of this world. [For more about the armor we should put on daily, see Ephesians 6:13-18.] That amount of time might be different for each of us. But what is sure is that we need time with the Father and His Word every day.

Sweet sisters, the fight is on, but it should be a battle with Satan and human nature, not a battle with our brethren, neighbors or coworkers. Where do things contentions, fights and battles come from? Lust.

It isn’t wrong to want good things,  or positions of service, of course. But lust, a word that means to set your heart upon, long for or covet, is something our Father was concerned enough about to address in the 10 Commandments. [See Exodus 20:17.] It is something we must guard against if we don’t want strife in our churches.

Next time, we will discuss James’ cure for lust that causes fights in the church.

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Where’d You Get That Wisdom?

Not all wisdom is created equal. James 3:17 [NLT] says, But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. We believers clearly need the wisdom that comes from above – from God.

When you read James 3:17, you may be thinking about what I’ve heard preachers call “worldly wisdom” or “the wisdom of the world”. I’ve heard many sermons about that too. Sermons with disparaging words about our educational system (especially colleges/universities), or so-called liberals and their views. I don’t think this is the kind of wisdom that our friend, James, is concerned about. After all, he was not writing to people who were concerned about university students trying to come into the congregation and tell everyone that evolution is how we came about, since evolution as a replacement for creation hadn’t come about yet. Or that people should be able to be called by the pronouns they prefer, not by the ones that the English language designated for them. That was not a “thing” back in James’ day.

Ephesians 4:15, “speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ”

I believe that James was more likely concerned with people who thought they had some special information from God – some unique doctrine or more perfect take on scripture – and who were causing strife by trying to force this on their local church.

I don’t know about you, but I have seen a lot more of that going on in our local churches than any “worldly, liberal” doctrines being brought into the congregation. I have seen preachers and teachers come up with their own take on Sabbath keeping, the Holy Days, how much of the Mosaic law we must keep (and how to keep it), parenting, women’s roles, what kind of music is appropriate for praise and worship, the order of services and other similar subjects that have fractured congregations. In fact, I don’t recall having EVER experienced anyone trying to take over a church with so-called liberal university ideas or even trying to force others to agree with them.

James outlines a tall order for the parameters of heavenly wisdom.

·         Pure

·         Peace loving

·         Gentle at all times

·         Willing to yield to others

·         Full of mercy

·         Full of good deeds

·         Without favoritism

·         Sincere

This list is the opposite of what I have sometimes seen in action when someone brings in “new truth” or a “better understanding” of the word of God into a congregation.

James’ list shows us that if we really have wisdom that is coming from God, even the purest of new truth, we will not split friends or a congregation with it. Instead, we will focus on peace, first and foremost. We will give our truth gently rather than forcing it on others. We would be willing to yield to others, even if they disagree. We would show mercy to those who “don’t get it” or see things differently. We’d focus on doing good, more than forcing new truth so that our works would speak for our love for the church, and not just our words. We would not show any favoritism to those who agree with us. In doing all this, we would show a level of sincerity for the health and education of the congregation that is often lacking from human, worldly wisdom applied to a Biblical truth.

This is also the message of Ephesians 4:11-16, where verse 15 brings us what I think is the pivotal point: speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ--

Note that the author is talking about speaking the truth, not some false doctrine or worldly concept. Even the truth – especially the truth – must be spoken in love if we want our brethren and ourselves to grow into more Christ-like believers and if we want to call others into the faith using the truth.

The wisdom from above does not look at all like forcing some truth on anyone. The Rotary Club organization has a Four-Way Test that encourages Rotarians to think before they speak { The Four-Way Test - Wikipedia}.

·         Is it the truth?

·         Is it fair to all concerned?

·         Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

·         Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Looks to me like James has an Eight-Way Test for speaking specifically to our brothers and sisters in Christ about any new truth we might be blessed to receive and share.

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Show Me

Our friend, James, is a “just do it” kind of guy. Recall that Martin Luther called it an “Epistle of straw” for it’s focus on the place that works have in our Christian lives.

So, the King James Version’s rendering of James 3:13 can be a bit misleading, especially coming on the heels of James’ fiery indictment of the tongue. James 3:13 in the KJV reads: Who [is] a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

The word translated “conversation” means: “manner of life, conduct, behavior, deportment”. James is actually saying that we should show that we have wisdom and knowledge by how we live our lives – NOT by what we say with our mouths.

I feel that the NIV gives a better translation: 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 I really like New Living Translation rendering:. If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

I am reminded of the lyrics from My Fair Lady, when Eliza Dolittle got frustrated with her suitors sweet words and inaction: “Don’t talk of stars burning above, if you’re in love, show me!”

I picture James saying, “don’t talk of honor, humility and heart, if you’ve got smarts, show them”.

Flowery words and skilled oration, talking of the Word and claiming to know this won’t cut it. We must show wisdom and understanding by using them to live an obedient and service-oriented life.

God is not going to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant, you memorized the Bible cover to cover, sitting in your home and doing nothing at all with what you learned.” Nope.

What will He say? According to Luke 19:20-26, God will have harsh judgement for those who just sit on the truth and talents God gives them. Matthew 25:31-46 also gives us dire warning about those who don’t act on what they know by doing good to those in need.

Luke 19:23 [NKJV] 23 'Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?'

Godly wisdom and knowledge must be proven by how we live our lives – by good and humble conduct, not just by talking a good game. Once again, our friend, James, tells us to “just do it”.

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: The Tongue

My friend, James, really gets on his soapbox about the tongue!

James 3:2 [NKJV] For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he [is] a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.

I appreciate the fact that he treats the discussion as though the tongue itself is a tool, an object to be tamed and controlled.

He isn’t saying it is a mind or heart problem, although certainly having a heart of love and the mind of God would surely help in our efforts to tame the tongue. He is saying the tongue is a tool to use wisely.

James 3:9-12 [NKJV] 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh [water] and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Proverbs 16:13 [NKJV] tells us, “Righteous lips [are] the delight of kings, And they love him who speaks [what is] right.”

Because the tongue is a tool, we must choose how to use it. Will we use it to praise God? Bring forth good things like encouragement and blessings for our family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, neighbors and acquaintances?

Will we even use it to pray for our enemies as we are told to do in Matthew 5:44 [NKJV], where it says, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,”

Sweet sisters, will our tongues be tools for fresh water that souls the thirsty souls of this world?

Or will we let them be just another bringer of bitterness to this world by falling into gossip and complaining and angry words?

Proverbs 16:13 [NKJV] tells us, “Righteous lips [are] the delight of kings, And they love him who speaks [what is] right.”

How much more is THE King be delighted when the lips and tongues of His daughters speak righteousness?

Our friend, James, gets pretty pointed about the tongue. He admits it can be tough to control, but we have the power of the Holy Spirit and the knowledge that it is God working in us that makes good possible.

Philippians 2:13 [NKJV] “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for [His] good pleasure.”

God, through the Holy Spirit, will help us control our tongues, not just to keep from saying what we shouldn’t, but also to ensure we say what we should – words of encouragement and truth and love.

Let’s pray to use the tool of the tongue for good, for encouragement for the glory of God and the preaching of the Gospel. If we are focused on using our tongues for that, maybe there won’t even be any time or place for it to be used for bad.

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Teachers

Before we dive into James’ strong feelings about controlling our tongues in chapter 3, verses 1-12, I’d like to pause and reflect on his advice about leadership.

James 3:1 [NKJV] My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

The Greek word means “an instructor” and is used for one who teaches concerning the things of God and the duties of man.

It is translated “Master” and used as a title for Jesus in His time of ministry [See Matthew 8:19; 9:11; 12:38 for examples]. So, being a teacher is not a negative thing. It is simply something that comes with a warning.

In a couple of places, it implies “one who is fitted to teach, or thinks himself so”.

Hebrews 5:12 [NKJV] shows us that we all ought to be progressing to the point where we are able to be teachers of others: For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need [someone] to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

In Romans 2:17-24, Paul goes into great detail about the Jewish leaders who are bad teachers because they have a “form of knowledge” [verse 20] and teach the law while being themselves breakers of the law. He ends with this indictment: For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written. [Rom 2:24 NKJV]

And therein lies the issue with being a teacher: Our examples must follow our teachings, or we blaspheme the name of God.

This is important advice to those who would be teachers, preachers, and pastors in the church today. We should not be teaching in a manner that implies that we are sinless ourselves. We must show humility. We must be willing to admit our mistakes and apologize. We must be honest with our struggles. And, most of all, we must be showing a passion for growth and change.

In that light, we should be warry of forbidding sinners from attending church or condemning a particular type of sin (one we don’t struggle with) as though it were more egregious than others. Sin is sin and all sin requires the sacrifice of Jesus. [See Romans 2:17-24 for details about this point.]

And be ready for persecution from other leaders or would-be leaders who think you are not being strict enough with your fellow brethren, especially if you are teaching love and mercy and showing great patience and compassion for sinners. Jesus was persecuted and warned that the leaders that followed His example should expect the same. Matthew 10:24 [KJV] The disciple is not above [his] master,[G1320] nor the servant above his lord.

Most important to keep in mind is the judgement that leaders will receive from God. Too often leadership positions, like preaching or teaching, are considered rewards or privileges given to those who either suck up to the higher leaders or act like a “strong man” until others cower to them. This can be women too. I’ve seen it.

Romans 2:23 [ NKJV] 23 You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?

James wants us to understand that the position of teacher/preacher comes with serious responsibilities and potential consequences if we take it lightly or use it as an opportunity to “lord it over” others by word or deed. We must be like the Perfect Lamb of God: a lover of the people. We must teach with humility and grace and ensure that whatever we teach is biblically sound.

It takes time and effort to be this type of teacher. Not many are willing to put in the work required to be that humble, loving, and knowledgeable teacher. Therefore, not many should take on the risks and responsibilities of that role.

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Mercy's Place

In James 2:13, sandwiched between the lesson about the sin of partiality and the connection between faith and works is this gem from our friend James: “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

The first sentence in this verse is reminiscent of Jesus’ words in Mattew 7:1-2 [NKJV] 1 "Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Judgement and mercy appear together is several scriptures, including Matthew 23:23 [KJV] “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”

We just read that both mercy and judgement are “weightier matters of the law”. They are both important components to be remembered.

We know that we will be judged. James 2:12 tells us to act as those who know we will be judged.

Psalm 86:5 [NKJV] 5 For You, Lord, [are] good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

But in verse 13 James tells us the mercy triumphs over judgement. How so?

Mercy wins or triumphs because the sacrifice of the perfect Lamb of God pays for all sin. Sin requires judgement, and the judgement upon all sin is death. Upon repentance, mercy is applied to that sin, negating the judgement of death.  

Then, if mercy triumphs over judgement, why do we need to act as those who know we will be judged? This question is similar to the one we find in Romans 6:14-16 [NKJV] 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin [leading] to death, or of obedience [leading] to righteousness?

Precisely because the precious blood of Jesus results in mercy triumphing over the judgement that we deserve do to sin, we seek to live a sinless life. We seek to live a sinless life not so that we can receive God’s abundant mercy [See Numbers 14:18; Psalms 86:5, 15] but because of that abundant mercy – because His mercy has already triumphed over judgement.

Just like this verse about mercy is sandwiched between discussion of the sin of partiality and a outline of how works demonstrate our faith, God’s mercy stands between the judgement we deserve due to sin and the faithful life we live due to that mercy.

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Uh, oh! Works!

Martin Luther famously called the book of James an “epistle of straw”, specifically because of its strong support of good works being required as evidence of faith. So, as we come to James 2:14-26, James, our friend and half-brother of Jesus, tells us that faith alone is not enough to keep us spiritually alive.

James 2:26 [ESV] For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Do you want your faith to be dead? Of course not. Since the Holy scriptures do not contract themselves, how do we align “faith without works is dead” with Ephesians 2:8 [ESV] “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,”

James fully explains himself by using two important examples.

1.      Brothers and sisters in need.

James 2:15-16 [ESV] 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?

God clearly expects us to do something when we have the means to do so, rather than just sending “thoughts and prayers”. Matthew 25:31-46 supports the link between doing for others and being a faith filled follower of Jesus.

2.      Abraham

James 2:21-23 [ESV] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"--and he was called a friend of God.

Abraham’s faith caused him to act on the thing God told him to do. Just like our faith should cause us to act. If you are a believer in following the great commandment to “love the Lord, your God with all your heart and with all our soul and with all your mind” and the second to “love your neighbor as yourself”, you should be led by the spirit to prove that love by doing – by serving both God and man.

Faith is the Fearless Active Intimate Traveling of Hope, from your Head to your Toes, that Ignights our Actions and Feelings to prove its presence. Faith moves mountains [Matt. 17:20]. It also moves believers.  

The scripture that many call the “great commission”: "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” [Mark 16:15 ESV] is action oriented. “Go”, He says. There is no room for just believing that the gospel needs to be preached. Our feet must be “shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” [Eph. 6:16]. Gospel preaching is an action that shows both love and obedience.

James 2:26 [ESV] For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Works do not save us. Works cannot save us. Works will not save us. We cannot “feed the hungry and visit the sick” our way into salvation. 1 Corinthians 13 shows us that good works can be done without underlying love and be of no effect on our spiritual journey. The one and only work required for our salvation was the work of Jesus Christ in being the Perfect Lamb and Savior. This work of His is what saves us.

Jesus’ faith in the Father and the Father’s plan for the salvation of mankind bled out from his hands, feet, and side.

Faith without works is dead because the faith God seeks from us is an active one. “Works” is not a dirty word. Works don’t save us. But good works pour out of the faithful children who live by faith like rivers of living water to bring hope and peace to a hurting world, and to preach an active gospel of love that leads sinners to an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father whose greatest work is to take us from lifeless dirt to eternal, spiritual life.  

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

James 2:14-26 [ESV] 14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"--and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

My Friend James: Enduring in Trials

Recall that James begins his book by saying that we should “count it all joy when we meet trials of various kinds”. Let’s all just acknowledge that finding joy in trials is a big ask. Finding joy in the death of a loved one or loss of a job or major health issue requires the help of the Holy Spirit to focus on the goal of trials, which, as James tells us, is that we become “perfect and complete”.

James circles back to trials beginning in verse 12. James 1:12 [NLT] “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

The Greek word used for “endure” here can mean “bear, suffer, persevere, not recede or flee”. That sounds more like a reasonable request for a person facing a trial = just hang in there and get through it. Don’t give up. Jesus uses the same Greek word in Matthew 10:22, where He says, “And ye shall be hated of all for My name’s sake. But he that endures to the end shall be saved.” [NKJV] He uses that same word again in Matthew 24:13, after giving the first segment of His end-time prophecy.

We read encouragement to endure from other New Testament writers as well. I Corinthians 13:7 tells us that love “endures all things”.  1 Peter 2:18 tells us it is commendable to endure wrongful grief and suffering we face because of being servants of God.

The word “endures” appears 64 times in the Bible (in the NKJV) across both the Old and New Testaments, including multiple times in the Old Testament where we are told that God’s truth (Psalm 100:5), goodness (Psalm 52:1), righteousness (Psalm 111:3), dominion (Psalm 145:13) and mercy (Psalm 106:1: 107:1) endure.

Psalm 107:1 [NKJV] Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for [He is] good! For His mercy [endures] forever.

When put I am thankful that these things of God – truth, goodness, and righteousness – ensure forever. But I am most grateful that His mercy endures. David must have felt that way too, because I counted 32 times in the book of Psalms where it says some version of “His mercy endures forever”.

It is comforting to know that His mercy endures through all that I put Him through with my sins and struggles. I am grateful that it is impossible to dry up that well of mercy no matter how often I have to humbly repent. Let’s face it, human beings have been a trial to our loving Father since the beginning when Adam and Eve chose the forbidden fruit of the tree of life and had to be expelled from the beautiful, peaceful Garden of Eden. The first time we see the word “grieved” applied to the Lord is in Genesis 6:6, where He was “grieved in His heart” that he had made man on the earth. Ouch.

Psalm 107:1 [NKJV] Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for [He is] good! For His mercy [endures] forever.

But He is there with us, through all our lives, enduring, loving, watching, helping, forgiving and so much more. While enduring trials is touch for we humans, I am grateful that our God endures with us through it all as He works with us toward our achieving that “perfect and complete” state that my friend James has promised will be the result of our trials.

How about you? What enduring part of God’s character and truth do you most appreciate when you are going through trials or just trying to live life as a new creation in the Lord?

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James – “If the Lord wills”

Dear sisters, I am skipping ahead a bit in James today, because one of my brothers passed away suddenly on November 27, just days after we celebrated Thanksgiving together.

James 4:13-15 [NKJV] 13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; 14 whereas you do not know what [will happen] tomorrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you [ought] to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."

Most poignant to me is this: “[Life] is a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away”.

Henry “Chip” Schmidt III was 61 years old. He died nine years short of the “threescore and ten” we might expect. It wasn’t enough time for his only child who is just 19. It wasn’t enough time for friends and family who will mourn him. It was not enough time for him to make all the life and spiritual changes he was working so hard to accomplish.

He was working on refurbishing an antique a chair for me. He didn’t have enough time to finish it. After his death, I picked it up unfinished and will complete the refurbishing myself. It’ll always remind me of Chip and his love of woodworking.

Romans 8:28 [ESV] reminds us that “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose”.

From my perspective, the last year had been one of great and wonderful changes for Chip and I am glad that I lived to see his success and to rejoice with him. I know he was still struggling with some life changes. But isn’t that our perpetual state as humans, especially those of us who love God and seek to walk “according to His purpose”?

Romans 8:28 [ESV] reminds us that “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose”.

It is hard to see the sudden and untimely death of a loved one as something that is according to His purpose. But we don’t know the mind of God, do we? What I do know is that Chip love God. I also know that he struggled and now that struggle is over. Those of us left behind are filled with sorrow and, for believing friends and family, also with hope for the future that we are promised.

Bottom line and what I want to leave with you today, sweet sisters, is two scriptures about the future that our Loving Father predestined for His children and this earth:

Revelation 21:4 [KJV] “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” I look forward to the day when there is no more reason to cry, especially over the death of a loved one.

Isaiah 11:9 [NKJV] “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.” I very much look forward to the day when there is no longer anyone who doesn’t know God.

Whatever steps we face along the way toward this time of peace and love, and knowledge of God, we can be comforted in the fact that the coming of this future is exactly the “according to His purpose” that all of life’s risks and challenges and rewards are pushing humanity towards.

Be blessed, sweet sisters, for we know the purpose and will of God for us all is a glorious, pain and sorrow-free world, filled with the knowledge of God’s deep, abiding love for His creation.

I’d welcome your thoughts. You can write me in the chat or email me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

– My Friend James: Rich Vs Poor

James hits the “rich versus poor” comparison and guidelines several times. He offers both instructions and warnings.

In James 1:9-11, he mentions that the lowly brother should rejoice in that he is exalted. How are the lowly exalted? I would say because God gives them sonship and a future of hope, leadership, and glory that they don’t have now and maybe can’t even hope for in this life due to the way society and governments work, or due to health issues, natural disasters, or something else outside their control.

And let’s be clear, Jesus said there would always be poor people among the people of God [See Matthew 26:11]. So, it isn’t like being called is an agreement that you’ll now overcome all factors keeping you from being rich in this life. The health and wealth gospel is not a valid way to look at God’s promises for this life. But that is a subject for another time.

The rich, says James, are to rejoice that God has humbled them. How is that? Well, for one, they have the same hope as poor people – their future is not better because they are rich now. Second, they become slaves of God and Christ, just like poor people. God does not look at them differently because they are rich in this life. A rich person does not get a pass on learning to be humble and to serve God, the church, and our fellow man. In fact, all this may be a bit tougher on those who have had great things in this life. [See Matthew 19:24]

Here is how James explains it: the rich need to understand the very temporary nature of what they have now. It’s as long-lasting as a flower. In other words, pretty short-lived compared to eternity. And just in case the rich didn’t get that point quickly, James spells it out in some detail in verse 11. James 1:11 [NKJV] “For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So, the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.”

It is true in society, and has been all throughout time, that the rich are favored over the poor. Their success is credited to their business acumen, education, intelligence, etc. The rich are more likely to be asked their opinions on all matters – not just on business or money. They get access to leaders and opportunities to influence government that isn’t available to everyday people. This is true even in the USA where we literally profess that “all men are created equal”.

[Mar 12:43-44 NKJV] 43 So He called His disciples to [Himself] and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 "for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

James cautions strongly against this worldly attitude toward the rich – this favoring of the rich over poor – being allowed to infiltrate the body of Christ, spending the first 13 verses of James 2 on that issue.

Yet, I have seen it happen. In fact, it sometimes seems that the Golden Rule has been changed to “He who has the gold makes the rules” among some Christian congregations. James very frankly points out that this is a sin – no different from adultery or murder. James 2:9 [NKJV] “but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”

Sweet sisters, we need to be careful about treating the rich differently from the poor, especially showing any partial treatment to those rich among our congregations. If you are rich, congratulations, use your riches to serve God, His people, and the world. This will be praised by our Father. Rejoice that you too are now a humble servant of God. Understand the role of God’s blessing and mercy in all the good things you have in this life. Do not leverage your wealth to gain stature in the church.

If you are poor, understand that this is not because God favors others. He loves you just as much. He offers you sonship in His Kingdom, forgiveness of sins, mercy, hope, etc. exactly as He offers it to the rich. They do not have an advantage when it comes to salvation or future rewards. Your smaller works might even be given greater reward because they are more of a sacrifice – like the widow of Mark 12:41-44.

Rich or poor, we are beloved children of God, with the same hope and future, and that is how we must look at ourselves and each other.

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Wisdom

One of the things I enjoy about the book of James is the way he frequently connects seemingly disparate thoughts.

Today, I want to talk about James1:5-8 – his teaching on wisdom. James 1:5-8 [ESV] “5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

So, after opening with encouragement to have joy in trials because it leads to steadfastness, his finishes with “that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” [James 1:4] He then picks up in verse 5 with “If any of you lack wisdom…” revealing his flow of thoughts, I believe.

James connects the two thoughts further by pointing out that trials first lead to faith (and faith to steadfastness) and that if you want wisdom, you must ask in faith. This guides me to think of trials as the way to develop enough faith to ask God for wisdom or any other thing I need.

We’ll circle back to asking in faith, but let’s first spend a moment considering that we have a god “who gives generously to all”. The KJV says, “gives to all (men) liberally”. This word translated “liberally” is also translated simply, openly, frankly and sincerely. Each one of these 5 translations creates a beautiful picture of our Father who seeks to give to us, not stingily, but liberally; not grudgingly but sincerely, not with ulterior motives but frankly; not secretly, but openly; not via some complex strategy, but simply.

Luke 11: 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!

James says that not only does God give liberally or generously, but also that He “upbraideth not” (KJV) or “without reproach” (ESV). God does not reproach or revile us when we come to Him with our requests. He is ready and willing to give generously. Think of Luke 11:11-13. Our Heavenly Father is better than a human parent at fulfilling the requests of His children.

There is a prerequisite. We must ask in faith. James 1:6-8 [ESV] “6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” To ask for something while doubting in your heart and mind that God will answer your needs willingly, liberally (v. 5) and as a loving Father (Luke 11:11-13) is to be of two minds (double minded) and inconsistent.

God does not want us to lack anything. He is ready, willing and able to give, especially when we ask for the good gift of wisdom. Ask for wisdom, sweet sisters. Ask in faith – leaning on the faith developed through out trials. Wisdom is a good gift that the Father wishes to give you.

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Joy

James 1:2 [ESV] 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds

If you don’t already know it from previous blogs, the book of James is my favorite book of the Bible. I have been working off and on for years trying to memorize it thanks to a Beth Moore Bible study on the book. So, today, I start my blog series on my friend James.

This is not going to be an exhaustive study on the book, nor a look into the background of James, servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ [James 1:1].

After a brief intro, James launches into how and why we should meet trials with joy.

James 1:2-4 [ESV] 2 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.

The apostles themselves set an example in this very thing. Acts 5:40-41 [ESV] “and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.”

Given the trial of being beaten for preaching the Gospel, they rejoiced. I am definitely not there yet.

I have rejoiced to see the end of a trial and to have survived it, but I don’t think I have ever “counted it joy” when I first met a trial along the path of life. And maybe that isn’t exactly what James is asking us to do here.

Perhaps the key to the joy of meeting a trial is in coming out on the other side with growth in faith, finding that we are more steadfast and having gotten closer to perfection and completion for the work that God is doing within us.

Acts 5 does tell us that the apostles rejoiced after the beating, when it was over. They did rejoice at going through it – at being counted worthy to suffer for Jesus. I am not saying they rejoiced because it was over, only when it was over.

Jesus set the same example. We read that He pleaded with the Father to take away the trial of beating and death on the stake. Afterwards, I’m sure the angels in heaven, the Father and Jesus rejoiced.

I am sure that the Father, Jesus and the angels also rejoice when they see each of us go through a trial and come out on the other side stronger in faith and more confident in our own steadfastness.

Like weightlifting, the more we work the greater the weight we can bear. Weightlifting creates tiny tears in the muscles we use. It is the overnight repair that builds the bulk and strength we are seeking while lifting weights.

So, too, our work to make it through trials may leave tiny tears (or maybe large ones), in our bodies, finances and lives, but the bulk up our faith and steadfastness, moving us toward the goal of perfecting God’s work in us.

So, sweet sisters, when you meet a trial, choose to count it as joy for the godly work it brings you. Even if we can only say, “when this is done I will count it as joy for the work God is doing in me and for my hope of future glory with Jesus in the Kingdom.” I don’t think brother James is asking anything more of us.

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Why Millennials (Gen Y), Gen Z and Gen Alpha may be better Christians

Let me just put it out there, I am a Boomer and I think that the generations from Millennial to Gen. A may just make better Christians than we Boomers.

 I’m sure you have heard a lot about Gen’s Y, Z and A, mostly from the Boomer generation, that isn’t good.

 People love to analyze and complain about the Gen’s Y, Z and A young people (although the top of Gen Y are approaching 40). I hear it at work and at church. Possibly, one of the most often frequent complaint I hear is that they all expect participation trophies!

Matthew 10:42 [NIV] And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.

But I say: salvation is the ULTIMATE participation trophy.

 Salvation is free, unmerited pardon. It is forgiveness that you did not earn and cannot earn. Gen’s Y, Z and A, remember when you played T-ball and everybody got a trophy just because they put the uniform on and showed up, even if they never made it to bat? Even if you struck out every time. That is exactly how salvation through Jesus works. Jesus died for you. Salvation is yours. All you have to do is show up (accept Him as Savior), suit up (get baptized) and pick up your trophy. Yes, good works should be a result of your saved life, but works are not salvation.

 Again, salvation is free, undeserved pardon. You cannot earn it no matter how hard you work and how much you serve.

 Sadly, many of us from other generations struggle with feeling “worthy.” We struggle with trying to earn salvation by works. We sometimes feel we need to “do more” so God will love us more. We should be more like Gen’s Y, Z and A, and accept our participation trophy of salvation through Jesus.

 Another complaint I here is that Gen’s Y, Z and A  think they should be rewarded for every little thing they do.

 But I say: Rewards for every little thing you do is EXACTLY what God offers. You do not have to do spectacular works or great miracles. Check out Matthew 10:42 [NIV] And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward. You read that right. You will get a reward for giving someone a cup of cold water!

 Sometimes, we in the older generations spend too much time beating ourselves up about the fact that we cannot do much – even if it is due to poor health, job loss or other financial problems, or old age. We forget that anything – ANYTHING - we do for LOVE of our fellow man and/or for love of God and/or for appreciation of all God has given will result in rewards in the Kingdom.

Gen’s Y, Z and A, you’ve got rewards coming for everything little thing you do in Jesus’ name. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.

 Another complaint I hear is that Gen’s Y, Z and A don’t want to “pay their dues” – don’t want to take the low level jobs and work their way up. They feel like they should be given real responsibility the minute they show up.

 But I say: Praise God that they do! We have enough people in the church who don’t feel they are worthy enough, smart enough, knowledgeable enough, have enough time for, or are called to preach the gospel or witness for Jesus.

 Daniel certainly did not feel that way. He and his friends were young (some say in their late teens) when they jumped right into making waves and standing out as captives in a strange land. They spoke up (yes, respectfully). There was no religious authority and no parents to tell them what to do. So they asked God and He answered.

 Gen’s Y, Z and A, I say don’t wait your turn. If all you know for sure is that Jesus died for our sins, go ahead and preach it. The church (that is the body of Christ or ecclesia – not a 401c3) needs you. People living in darkness need to know what you know, even if it is only a few things. Just make sure you do stay connected to God so you can keep growing and will then have more to share.

 Sadly, sometimes, we in the older generations let leaders convince us that we are still not ready to preach, teach or lead. We let ourselves be convinced that there are books and booklets to read and other hoops to jump through before we can be given permission to witness to our community. To the Gen’s Y, Z and A, I say, preach what you know and keep learning!

 Finally, some complain that Gen’s Y, Z and A they want to do “meaningful” work – they want to know why what they are doing matters. Some complain that you cannot convince a Gen Y, Z or A that handing out song books and straightening chairs is appropriate service for them.

 But I say: HALLELUJAH! Praise God that Gen’s Y, Z and A want to do something more than hand out song books and straighten chairs. The church needs people who are passionate about making a difference in the world. The Bible is full of examples of young people making a difference doing real, meaningful and gutsy things at all sorts of ages. Again, I encourage you to read about Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and also about Esther – they were all probably teenagers.

 We have plenty of folks who are willing to hand out song books and straighten chairs, even though they are capable of so much more. Maybe the older generations have bought into the fact that the “real work” is done by the ministry and broadcasters on the church sponsored programs.

 I believe that too many of us in the older generations have accepted that we are just supposed to pray, pay (tithes) and live good lives. We are content to do our week-day jobs without lying or stealing, and to leave the preaching to those ordained to it.

 Gen’s Y, Z and A: Do you want to preach the Gospel, feed the flock or help the poor? Figure out how you can and go for it. Don’t wait for permission. We older folks may get easily exhausted by your passion to make a difference. Try not to let us get in your way.

What we older folks can learn from Gen’s Y, Z and A: 

Ø  Salvation is yours. Get excited about and thankful for that participation trophy. It is yours for just showing up.

Ø  Great excited about rewards for everything you do – even if it is “only” making cards or praying for people. There are rewards for every little thing you do.

Ø  Share what you know now. Don’t wait to know everything.

Ø  Don’t wait your turn behind older generations (or the hierarchy of leadership) who don’t want to turn the reigns over to you or you may die waiting in line. If there isn’t a job for you, create one.

 What do you think of that? I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Part 3 - Mind the Gap - Conclusion

If you read my last two blogs, you know that I covered “Minding the Gap” from two perspectives. First, I spoke about standing in the gap for this world – that is advocating for the world with God, our loving Father. For the second “Mind the Gap” blog, I talked about watching for the potential of gaps in our own lives between who we say we are and how we live our lives.

To wrap up our focus on “Minding the Gap”, I want to talk about a Christians work toward creating a gap in this word so that the light of God can shine through.

The very first command of God in the Genesis message of creation is this: Genesis 1:3-4 [NKJV] 3 “Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that [it was] good; and God divided the light from the darkness.”  Verses 14-19 tell us that God organized the light, giving greater light to the day and lesser light to the night. Even the night would not be without lights in the heavens. The lights of the night – the moon and stars – have guided travelers throughout time – whether sailors on the oceans or the magi seeking the baby Jesus. [Matthew 2:2]

Ephesians 5:8 [KJV] For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Just like He knew the physical earth needed light, God, the Father, knows this world is in spiritual darkness and needs spiritual light. That’s where we come in.

2 Corinthians 4:6 [NKJV] “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Note that God first shines light into us through Jesus. Then He asks us to shine light into the world. But we don’t have light of our own.

When He walked this earth, Jesus was God’s lamp of light. [John 5:35] Now that He is back up in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father, that spiritual light that God commands is the light of the gospel of Jesus. 2 Corinthians 4:4 [NKJV] “whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” [Emphasis mine]

And we are the vessels of that light – the lamps – to hold and use and expose the world to that light. Matthew 5:14-16 [NKJV] 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all [who are] in the house. 16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

I enjoy watching sunrise, especially over the ocean or gulf, because then you see the brilliant light of day pushing back the dark of night and it is intensified by the reflection of that light on the water.

Again, when it comes to the light of God, we are not the light, but, like the water, we reflect the light out into the world. This is our work: reflecting light into darkness, until the Light returns to dwell with men.

Revelation 22:5 [NIV] “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”

Until then, we are His tools for spiritual light. Where do gaps come in? Well, this world is covered in clouds and darkness because the god of this world is all about skulking around in the dark. His works are done in darkness and his children are the lovers of darkness.

We don’t condemn the children of darkness, because we were there too before the light of the gospel was shed on us.

Ephesians 5:8 [KJV] For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

1 Thessalonians 5:5 [KJV] Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

Instead, we to work to bring light to them. We are to create a gap in the darkness through our works of light, such as preaching the gospel, loving others [1 John 2:9], and helping the needy. [See Matthew 25:31-46] I think that helping the needy is the best way to shine light into this dark world. We can listen to and comfort the hurting. We can provide food to the hungry. We can pray for healing for the sick. We can tell any and everyone who will listen about the love of God. Read the Gospel accounts of the works of Jesus to see how often He healed, fed and comforted as part of His ministry.

God sent Jesus to be the light. He created a huge gap in that dark world. But now He is back in heaven and it is our job to do the works that create a gap in the darkness for the light of God to shine through.

Sweet sisters, let us always remember to stand in the gap for this world – not calling down God’s wrath upon it, but seeking His mercy on behalf of this suffering world. Let us be sure there is never a gap between who we say we are or what we say be believe or who say God is, and how we speak and act. And, finally, let us do the work of opening up a gap in the world’s gloom, pain, misery and darkness by living as the reflected light of our Father – the light that brings joy and happiness for our fellow earth dwellers.

Let’s always mind the gap.

I welcome your comments and questions. I’d like to hear if you can think of any other analogies for minding the gap. You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.

Mind the Gap, Part 2

Recall that in my last blog I said, “If you have ever ridden a subway train in any country, you’ve seen the signs and heard the announcements to ‘mind the gap’ when entering and exiting the train. These warnings refer to the gap between the platform and the train, which is a trip hazard and has the potential catch a heal or stroller wheel and get you stuck for a bit.”

I spoke about standing in the gap for this world. This time I want to talk about watching for the potential of gaps in our own lives between who we say we are and how we live our lives.

In Psalm 15, David asks the question, “Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?”. And then he answers that question with notes on what kind of person can be a “tabernacle dweller”.

Let’s start by looking at the latter part of verse 4. Psalm 15:4 [NKJV] He [who] swears to his own hurt and does not change.

One who dwells with God (for that is the definition of a tabernacle dweller – a holy hill dweller) is someone who backs up her words with actions.

Wes and I watch the series “Flash”. The “Team Flash” folks do their best to be good, do good, and save others from evil. But they are always saying things like “I will keep you safe, I promise”. Quite often, circumstances conspire to make that statement a lie. It reminds me of James 5:12.

James 5:12 [NLT] But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.

James warns against swearing to something, from the standpoint of the fact that Christians need to be people who don’t need to swear to be believed. As a Christian, my reputation for honoring my commitments needs to be such that a “yes” or “no” is enough.

James also outlines another reason why we should not swear to something. James 4:13-15 [ESV] 13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"-- 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."

We need to acknowledge that, as Christians, it is God’s will that establishes the path of our lives, and not our own plans. Paul understood that God’s path or plan may not be the same as what he wanted.

1 Corinthians 4:19 [NKJV] But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.

Of course, the deadliest gap would be a gap between calling myself a Christian but living so that my words or actions show a gap between that claim and reality.

We all sin and fall short. So, Christianity isn’t never sinning, it is continual progress toward better representing Jesus on this earth and it is owning and admitting when we do trip up, showing humility and asking forgiveness – not just of God, but also anyone we have hurt or shown non-Christian behavior too (even if we didn’t hurt them).

Psalm 15:4 [NKJV] He [who] swears to his own hurt and does not change.

Psalm 15 shows us some other behaviors that either support our claims to dwell with God – to be Christian – or show a gap.

Psalm 15:1-5 [NKJV] 1 A Psalm of David. LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? 2 He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; 3 He [who] does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; 4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the LORD; He [who] swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5 He [who] does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these [things] shall never be moved.

Honoring others who fear the Lord, walking uprightly and speaking truth are just a few of the items mentioned.

Jesus repeatedly talked about loving your neighbor and loving your enemies. In Matthew 25, He also outlined behaviors of His sheep who will get to enter the Kingdom. His response to “who will dwell in Your holy hill” is that it would be those who saw the physical needs of others and did their best to fill those needs.

These are the things we should consider when minding the gap between a claim to be a Christian and the actual words, deeds and commitments we make in our lives.

I’ll present my final thoughts on the theme of “Minding the Gap” in my next blog. Until then, I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.

Mind the Gap, Part 1

If you have ever ridden a subway train in any country, you’ve seen the signs and heard the announcements to “mind the gap” when entering and exiting the train. These warnings refer to the gap between the platform and the train, which is a trip hazard and has the potential catch a heal or stroller wheel and get you stuck for a bit.

Christians have some gap-minding to do as well.

Ezekiel 22:29-30 [KJV] 29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. 30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

I believe that just as God sought someone to stand in the gap for the people of Israel during Ezekiel’s time, Christians are called to be the people who stand in the gap for the world today.

“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up a hedge, and stand in the gap before Me…”

No gap-minder showed up for Israel, so God unleashed His indignation on them (verse 31).

What about we Christians today? Are we, as the people of God, standing the gap for a world filled with oppression and robbery – world that continually vexes (annoys, frustrates) the poorest and neediest among us? Or are we failing this world that needs us so desperately to advocate for mercy, even though it is worthy of the unleashing of God’s indignation upon it?

What does it look like to stand in the gap for this world?

It looks like pouring out love for them in prayers for mercy, peace and safety, rather than seeking the time of wrath and tribulation to punish them.

Far too many Christians today would be happy to see the fulfillment of Ezekiel 22:31 [NKJV] "Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads," says the Lord GOD.”

Far too many, rather than having compassion on a world largely lost to sin, would seek to forbid sinners (at least certain types of sinners) from attending church or even refuse to bake them cakes or serve them in other ways.

Sisters, we are not called to judge this world. Luke 6:37 [NKJV] "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

We are called to show mercy. Matthew 5:7 [NKJV] “Blessed [are] the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.”

The world needs a champion to stand in the gap that sin has created. This world needs an advocate, until the day it is willing to accept the Champion and Advocate of us all – Jesus – as Savior and King.

Ezekiel indicates that had someone been found to stand in the gap, Israel would have been spared.

Sweet sisters, will you be a gap-minder for this world? Will you be a prayer warrior for mercy? Will you plead for mercy, love, peace and patience to be poured out from the Father? Or will you leave this world to “fire of God’s wrath” and destruction?

I’ll continue the theme of standing in the gap in my next blog. Until then, I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.

The Scarcity Doctrine

I recently listened to Daring Greatly, by Brene Brown. She talked about how the idea of scarcity creates a toxic environment. The idea that there is not enough - not enough jobs, social security, power, food, etc. to go around - creates a toxic environment in our country, politics and organizations. It is more than just being worried; it creates decision-making that is short-sighted and based on groundless fears.

We all know that political ads on both sides of any issue use this kind of strategy in an effort to motivate us to political action and to voting a certain way.

In Luke 11:9-13, Jesus encourages us to ask God for anything/everything, and to keep at it.

But this attitude of scarcity can affect our Christian walk too. I’ve been guilty of thinking that God has more important things on His mind that whatever is worrying me or causing me pain. Have you ever felt that God wouldn’t want to hear about your “minor” issue?

We are the children of God. 1 John 3:1 [NKJV] (first half) “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” As a parent, I cannot imagine saying to my children, “this thing that is bothering you is not important to me”, whether that thing was an issue at school or a lost sock. God is an infinitely better Parent that I could hope to be.

The most toxic of a belief in spiritual scarcity would be to allow Satan to get us to believe that God has only enough love to lavish on a specific church or belief system.

James 1:5 [NKJV] tells a different story. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Two points to consider here: (1) God gives to “all men” and (2) God give “liberally”. This scripture is talking specifically about asking for wisdom, sure, but it is supported by what Jesus Himself outlined about the giving nature of our Father God in at least two places that I want to mention.

The first is Luke 11:9-13, where Jesus encourages us to ask God for anything/everything and keep at it.

The second is Matthe 5:43-48, where Jesus talks about loving our enemies as a way to be the children of our Father who, as verse 45 tells us, “Sends rain on the just and on the unjust'“. Note that Jesus isn’t just talking about sending rain on believers who where Jews or Greeks, but on those not even bothering to worship - the unjust.

Strong’s tells us that this word translated “unjust” means the following: unjust; by extension wicked; by implication, treacherous; specially, heathen: — unjust, unrighteous.

God sends the blessing of rain to those who are flat out wicked, as well as those who might qualify themselves as just (although we know we are not, per Romans 3:23, unless we repent and are justified by Jesus’ blood).

The Father wants us to understand that He is a God of abundance. He has plenty of love to go around. His mercy is abundant. [See Numbers 14:18 and Psalm 86:15 for example.} He is able to pay attention to your stubbed toe and work stress, even while the world is facing war and famine and your family member is struggling with cancer.

The idea of spiritual scarcity is from Satan. We worship the God who sees [Gen. 16:13]. He is our Abundant God.