Tag: Religion and Spirituality

Sunday School Lesson – “No Respect of Persons” James 2:1-13

VERSE DISCOVERY: James 2:1-13 (KJV, Public Domain)

We all remember those playground days when the team captains stood in the front of the group declaring in order the people that were worthy to be on their team.  One by one they would call out the names, from the greatest to the least that would help them win the game.  Sometimes this decision was not made on ability so much as favoritism.  Some in the crowd dared not look up, afraid of the desperation showing in their eyes of not being called last again.

This playground mentality humiliated some for the benefit of others, something James would not let Christians get away with in the church. 

In light of one verse that says, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Is. 64:6a), how would we feel if God looked at our sin-stained status and judged us unworthy to receive His favor?  Let’s get into this lesson so that we may learn to appreciate all that God has done for us and that we might learn to express kindness toward one another by not yielding to the unfair preference of some while willfully neglecting others.

Favoritism is Not Allowed

James 2:1 “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.”

“Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . with respect of persons.”  Let us view our “faith” in light of what it really is.  We were no good before Christ or had any goodness of our own to speak of or rely on.  We have no righteousness of our own, Philippians 3:9.  Our world before our faith in Christ is described as “dead in trespasses and sin,” (Eph. 2:1).  We were not fit for a heavenly home.

But, “He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification,” (Rom. 4:25).  Christ is He “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on a tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed,” (1 Pet. 2:24).  Knowing what He did for us and where He brought us from, we are commanded not to use our faith as an occasion to have “respect of persons.”  One is not to use their time of assembling together to belittle some and exalt others through outward-appearing preferences of whom we count worthy or not.

James 2:2-4 “For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?”

The word “partial” speaks of prejudice.  Prejudices come in all shapes and forms.  Regardless of how it comes, it seeks to pass judgment on another based on what one sees or perceives on the outside without knowing the person, their inside story, or their situation.

In this lesson, “partial” or the prejudices spoken against revolve around the unfavorable preference for those who are rich over those who are poor.

“Goodly apparel” versus “vile raiment.”  These were the precursors James is addressing by which men “become judges of evil thoughts.”  Outward appearances became the criteria by which one determines where one is worthy to be seated.  If this is the case, then those to whom James is writing can themselves be classified as one who shows that in their way of thinking they are “then partial in yourselves.”  A wrong spirit of dividing and categorizing people based on a superficial standard dwells in them.

It is so easy, by human standards, to fall into the trap of viewing with the eyes and judging one’s status.  This is called “stereotyping,” when one thinks they know you by how you appear on the outside and places you in a certain category and determines for themselves, based on nothing else, that is where you belong.

Even the prophet Samuel fell into this dangerous mindset in searching for the next king of Israel.  Judging by the mighty men before him, one of these, all appearing to fit the outer criteria, had to be the one.  God rebuked such notions and told him, “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart,” (1 Sam. 16:7).

With such a profound biblical example of exactly what James is teaching, let us take heed to this warning found in Leviticus 19:15 which says, “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, no honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.”  Our fair and just God wants us to mimic His holy character and treat others fairly without personal preferences.

Our faith is founded in Christ, who Himself said, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment,” (Jn. 7:24).  Place seating, such as was the case that James is confronting, according to “goodly apparel” versus “vile raiment” is judging “according to appearance.”  It is sizing up people according to what they can afford to buy or do for another.

This is unjust thinking.  God wants equal opportunity Christians for God Himself shows no partiality, Romans 2:11.  His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, came and died so that the whole world, not just some specific groups whom others count worthy, might be saved, John 3:16.  When one goes against His basis of salvation and is biased in showing partiality according to what is seen on the outside of a man, they “become judges of evil thoughts.” 

Fulfill the Royal Law

James 2:5 “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”

“Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom?”  Jesus once taught, “The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment” (Luke 12:23).  Yet, these temporary things are what people strive for the most to achieve.  One can have all the treasures in the world and “is not rich toward God,” (Luke 12:21).  These persons shall never inherit His “kingdom” in that coming day.

Those whose boast is in their material wealth, those whose pride rests in all they have acquired, are lacking the most important thing to enter that kingdom: a “love” relationship with “Him.”  Revelation 3:17 shows how the accumulation of things will never satisfy that holy requirement: “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”

In other words, according to the world’s system of judging success, these individuals thought they had what it takes to enter that “kingdom.”  Yet, they were really the ones who lacked the most.  Jesus’ instructions were, “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich…” (Rev. 3:18).  Jesus is and has been proven to be the only way to enter that “kingdom” and He wants people to depend on a “love” relationship with Him, not material possessions.

Matthew 5:3 also tells us, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Those who recognize their depravity are prone to be more dependent on the grace of another, be it in the natural or spiritual.  The natural poor have nothing great to boast of, no apparent accumulation of goods and accolades to give just cause to receive favor.  The same is true for the spiritually poor.  These are usually the ones marked as being “rich in faith” because they depend on what God can do and has done for them, and not their own selves or riches.

James 2:6-7 “But ye have despised the poor.  Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?  Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?”

James drew his readers in to really examine their unjust actions.  Their inequality of treatment toward the “poor” was wrong and they did their fellow man a great disservice by despising them.  This treatment of being “despised” for their lack goes beyond just making them feel rejected; rather, through their preference for the rich they are showing hatred toward the “poor.” 

To James, this made no sense because it is the rich who are always at enmity with them.  He questions them, “Do not the rich oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?”  This, to him, was all backward thinking.

Those in power and authority often act with great contempt toward the common man and sometimes toward God also, thinking their status in life affords them special privileges above others.  They would “oppress” their fellow man and take them to court, using their wealth to gain favor not normally available to the poor.

If you will allow me to paraphrase, James said, “Not in here.  Not in the church.”  This is a place for all humanity to humbly submit in worship before the Lord and no partiality is allowed, no respect of persons.  When they come into this building, the only thing that matters is what the inner man possesses and professes, and not their outward possessions.

James 2:8-9 “If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love they neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.”

“If ye fulfill the royal law according to scripture.”  One day, a lawyer thinking to trip Jesus up on His words, asked, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” (Mt. 22:36).  Jesus took no time in answering him and immediately said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment,” (Mt. 22:37-38).

But Jesus did not stop there.  This was a prime teaching opportunity to let them know how they treat people matters.  Therefore, He went on to say, “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self” (Mt. 22:39), words James also reminds them of.

Treat people as you would want to be treated.  The Bible tells us “God is love” (1 John 4:8), therefore, those that belong to Him should operate in love also.  Love is an energy that supplies the deepest crevices of man, filling a longing that has been present since conception. Everybody wants to be loved, no matter their status in life, and the church should be a supply source of His great love.

“But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin.”  In Matthew 22, when Jesus listed these two greatest commandments He also stated, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets,” (vs. 40).  How we treat people really does matter.  Showing “respect” to one who seems more affluently endowed could cause unfair actions toward those who are not, thereby committing sin.

Think about it.  One of the greatest commandments spoken by our Lord was focused on how we treat others.  To go against that grain of the love that He lived and died for is to go against Him.  When one chooses to side with the rich (or any unjust group), they choose to partake in the characteristic of oppression that exudes from that individual.

James 2:10-11 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.  For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill.  Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.”

Sin is sin!  If one treats his fellow man wrong in any of the ways the Word of God lists, he is just as guilty as if he had committed any other sin.  Therefore, he is teaching Christians to avoid it.  Don’t do it.  Do not behave in or mimic these practices.  It is not just an unpleasant way of acting – it is a sin!

One can cross every supposed “T” and dot every “I” of the law, but if “they offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”  “All unrighteousness is sin,” exclaims 1 John 5:17.  If it goes against God’s commands, it is sin no matter how small or large we may view it.  “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee,” the psalmist said in Psalm 5:4.  God hates all sin, Psalm 11:5.

Mercy Receives Mercy

James 2:12-13 “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”

One day judgment is coming and how we treat others will be compensated, for good or bad.  If no “mercy” was shown toward one’s fellow man then don’t expect “mercy,” James taught.  In other words, he was teaching them the same way they judged whether one was worthy to sit here or there is the same way they will be judged.  “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again,” (Mt. 7:2).  All decisions have repercussions.  Measure for measure, payday is coming.  There are eternal rewards or judgments for how we treat one another.

PDF Printable Sunday School Lesson Pack (With easy to read instructions following the P.E.A.R.L. format on how to conduct each lesson with areas for adding personal notes): Sunday School Lesson – No Respect of Persons

Suggested Activities:

Blank Journal Pages: These pages, one designed for adults and one for children, can be used to bring out, remember, or write a particular part of the lesson you wish for you and/or your class to focus on.  Click>> Blank Adult and Kid’s Journal Pages to access the journal pages.

Unity Craft: Use my Outlines People Template to trace a Unity Chain of people. Print the template onto cardstock and cut it out.  Use the template as a tracing pattern on any paper you choose to make your chain of people as long as you want it to be.  Then, cut it out and decorate to represent many people from all walks of life.  Or, you can use them as shown in the Better Together Craft below.  Just decorate your people however you wish.

Better Together Craft:  Although this was originally used for an Adam and Eve lesson for husbands and wives, I think it can be used here as well, because uniting people together will demonstrate that we are better together (similar to the chain craft above, but with words).  Decorate as you wish.  Using the Better Together Craft pdf template, create this craft following the directions as a reminder of God’s great design.

Try Me on for Size Shoe Game: This is an interesting game I created. Pile everyone’s shoes in a pile in the middle of the room.  Take a blindfolded volunteer to rummage through the shoes and try to put on the first shoe they pick up.  While still blindfolded ask does it fit?  Is it too big or too small?  What can you tell about this person who wears this shoe, and so on?  Literally, they are putting themselves in another’s shoes.  Teach them this is how James wants us to relate to others.  We are to go beyond what we think we see and consider individuals a little more closely.  Then, give another student a chance to go.  When the new volunteer is blindfolded, mix the shoes up, and start again.

Word Search: No Respect of Persons Word Search  Answers: No Respect of Persons Word Search Answers

Crossword: No Respect of Persons Crossword  Answers: No Respect of Persons Crossword Answers

Word Scramble: No Respect of Persons Word Scramble  Answers: No Respect of Persons Word Scramble Answers

Draw the Scene: No Respect of Persons Draw the Scene

Memory Verse: No Respect of Persons Memory Verse

 

 

What to do with days when things just aren’t going right?

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What to do with this day when things aren’t clicking and time keeps ticking?  When things refuse to fall into the designated places you had for them?  When it feels like it’s completely squashed before it starts?  So many plans lay ahead but the weight, the feeling, and the pressure of it all leaves one with a sense of having things unaccomplished and unfulfilled.  To look on the outside, it seems that everyone else is getting on with this day and their doings, but the fight in here, right now, and the press that comes with it, it just doesn’t seem to want to work out.  All the gears for all the mechanics of this day are present, in place, and spinning, but they are just not grabbing correctly to move what we are trying to achieve successfully.

What to do with this day when there seems to be conflict and strain with one another?  When relationships don’t hug the way you want them to hug or love in a way you want to be loved?  When misunderstandings, assuming, and yes, even one’s own personal views on a matter put barriers between the spirit of fellowship and love.  When hurts cause one’s steps to move ever so fragile as if on eggshells, fearing the disappointment and disapproval of someone else?

What to do with this day when rogue feelings break away from the pack you had planned for the day and invade and try to rob you of the potential joy that lay ahead in the hours to come?  Thieves of insecurity.  Thieves of shame.  Thieves of feeling woefully torn.  These thieves come with many hideous and damaging names.  The day was brand new and fresh at the start, but that didn’t stop these unwanted parasitic nuisances from latching on and tainting it with the feelings of mess-ups, adversity, pain, and disappointments from your yesterdays.

So, what to do with these kinds of days when our plans, people, or feelings just don’t want to cooperate with the vision you had set for it?

Give it to God!  That one answer tells us how to deal with it, the proper response to it, and what to do with the rest of it.  This is not some Christian rhetoric or cliche.  It is a solid truth that we can stand on and base our faith upon.  We give it to God.

The real truth is that at any given time on any given day, we will all or have all experienced one or many of the daily upsets listed above (and sometimes even more than these).  It is all a part of life, a part that can really throw us off-kilter if we don’t process it right and deal with it in the right way.

Therefore, when everything is going absolutely bonkers, sometimes without rhyme or reason; when nothing within our power or control is working, we give it all to Him who has all power and control.  Not as a mythical genie creature whose bottle we rub to have things or people turn out how we want them to.  But, as releasing it to His majesty and sovereign will.  It’s saying, “I trust you, God.”  Whether this day turns out how I configured it or not, my plans, my people, my times, my heart, and my feelings are all in Your hands.

God is not only the Creator of all the universe and the Author of all mankind, but He is concerned about your daily needs for each individual day also.  All the areas that need filling, all the upsets that need dealing with, all the plans that need to be taken care of, and all the worries that bog us down – He’s concerned about it all.

But, as we release the day to Him we must also realize His best answer for us may be to not move everything or anything into the places where we see fit.  Sometimes, His best answer for what we are going through with this day is to let us learn from it, experience it, and still maintain trust in Him.  Regardless of how it goes forward, despite what we feel in the process, no matter who we are dealing with and how we are dealing with them – He still sees it all, knows it all, and has it all in His loving and powerful hands.

So, when days like this come, we give it to God, step back, and just trust Him for every part of it.

Here are some verses and prayers to hold in your heart when the days just aren’t going right for you:

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Father God, I acknowledge that I don’t know everything about this day, my future, or even how to properly respond to it all.  I pray for Your leading to show me the right path to walk so that my life might be pleasing in Your sight.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Father God, the end of all things may be vague to me or even remain a mystery.  Help my heart hold on to the very real fact that You knew me from the beginning and You know how my story ends; and that if I am in Your hands, then I am in Your plan.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Psalm 126:6 “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

Father God, my tears and confusion for the day, You see it all.  Help me to know that it is not all in vain.  Let my confidence be in You and Your love for me above all else, knowing that for every sadness, there will be joy.  When You restore, for every sorrow sown there will be a reaping of happiness and peace.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

“An Awesome Love Story”

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I am more in love with Jesus today, and each day that follows, than when I first started out.  Through experiences and growth in this spiritual journey, I have come to recognize the sweetness I have found in my Savior.  The more I have gone through, and the more He has brought me through, the more I appreciate Him for holding my hand every step of the way.

In human relationships, there seems to be more excitement at the beginning of this adventure called love.  We can’t wait to see what happens next or cannot wait for the next visit or phone call.  But as I have come to know my Savior over these years, my excitement in Him builds more and more.  Every day brings new revelations of how awesome His love is for me – and as one who sits back in the sun just to hear the birds sing – I sit in the splendor of His radiant presence and enjoy His love that sings over me.

His awesome love story with us is not like any other.  It is complete yet renewing every day.  As a fountain that never runs dry, it is full, yet it is constantly “pouring” into our lives (Romans 5:5, NKJV), uncontainable and overflowing, giving us more and more of Him each day.  His love is not a one-shot deal.  But it’s our covering, our reliance, our safety blanket, the cradle in which we rest in the comfort and care of the one who loves us best.

The awesomeness of His love story toward us was solidified when He was nailed to the cross.  But can I tell you, it’s so much more than that?  He didn’t stop there but chose every day of our lives to be there for us wherever we go – fully caring, fully involved, and fully in love with each of us.

Why?

Because He has a “steadfast love” for us (Psalm 86:15, ESV).  His love is faithful, present, and enduring.  It is not easily swayed or moved from where we are, no matter how ugly it may appear at times.

When people would have given up on us in those ugly moments, He still moves toward us.

Why does He do that? Because He chooses to.

In most relationships, people come to a mutual understanding of love before they move forward.  Jesus is different.  His love for us was never dependent on what we did or didn’t do (remember those He prayed for while suffering on the cross).  He never waited for us to make the first move or come to some mutual understanding of what this love would be all about.  But in the awesomeness of His love, Jesus moved forward in loving us while we were still “sinners” (Romans 5:8).

He has never waited for us to get it right or come out of those ugly shadows before we were counted worthy of His love. As a matter of fact, He showed us love before we showed signs of loving Him back.  In His passion for us, He always made the first move.  The Bible tells us, “We love him, because he first loved us,” (1 John 4:19).

So, if you are in doubt today about the awesomeness of His love story over you, no matter what voices are telling you, I am here to tell you differently.  You and me are all unequivocally loved by Jesus and there’s nothing we can do about it because He already did it all.  His love is constantly pouring into us, never giving up on us, and has already made the first move toward us.  All we can do is accept His love and sit back and bask in the awesomeness of it.  Now, that’s something to get excited about!

If you haven’t already, give Jesus your heart today and accept what He is already willing to give you.  Find a good Bible-based church and experience His awesome love story up close and personal.  He’s waiting for you.

Text Free Photo: Pixabay/pixel2013

Come

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The cares of this life can be overpowering, but Jesus says, “Come.”

Through weariness and toil, Jesus says, “Come.”

The help you seek cannot be found in another, so, “Come.”

The tears you are crying are recorded in His holy register and ready to be bottled according to His blessed promise, so, “Come.”

The weightiness of the heart finds the consolation to be lifted and revived – “Come.”

The rest your soul desperately needs will encounter the Savior when you “Come.”

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

“Come” is your invitation from the heart and mouth of the Savior to get near to Him.

For the sinner, come and find the source of your salvation.

For the saint, come and find your rest and strength.

None is exempt from the need to come and be where Jesus is. None is excluded from the need for this heavenly supply. As the fervent crowds pushed through the doorway, or as Mary planted herself at the Savior’s feet refusing to be moved for the mundane, “come” is your welcoming address to enjoy and draw strength from the Savior, He who was pushed away and rejected that you would not be an outcast, but welcomed to come near. So, “Come.”

Thank You, Father God, for You rent the veil and tore forever this blockade. You provided the way, and it has been opened wide so we can “Come.” Amen.

Text Free Photo by Mariam Antadze on Pexels.com

Remembering…

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“𝑹𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒍𝒅…” 𝑫𝒆𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒚 32:7.

As I write these articles and begin the editing process, it will sometimes require me to go through old photos to post with the article. Often, I come across times of family events, vacations, and the like and in my mind, I am allowed to momentarily relive and remember those precious moments.

Today is a good day for reflection.  It may be Monday and the beginning of the week, or it may be a Wednesday, a Friday, or a Sunday, but if we just take a moment to think about God’s goodness and where He has brought us from, oh, the impact that would have for this day!  The remembrance of His holy protection and love that has carried us this far could ignite a fire of passion inside us to do more, to be more, and to come up to where He wants us more.

The status quo goes into these given days’ business as usual.  We can enter with a refreshed spirit and a new mindset because we remember, and our past has already testified that God has been there for us.  So far, we have survived everything we have been through, and it is because of His power, His grace, and His mercy that has been directing and covering us.  No, the path hasn’t always been easy.  But we are here today because of the love of God at work in our lives and the belief that He has so much more in store for us.

Remembering and reflecting on the old days would reassure our hearts and souls that no matter what I am facing today, God is still faithful.  Looking back reminds us, that He didn’t bring us this far to leave us.  Recalling His goodness tells us, that if He did it once, He’ll do it again.  The mindset is our God is able, He has before, and He will again be there for us through it all.

Today has just started, but because of the God in our lives, we can already see a victorious end.  This day might be brand new, but it’s not new to Him.  He has our days numbered.  We are in His thoughts.  He knows all about us, and it is in Him we rest and believe for so much more.  The journey of our soul will keep pushing ahead because we believe God has held us thus far, and He will hold us through today as well.

“But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Blessings~

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A Sweet Creation

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Have you ever witnessed the taffy-making process?  It is a very interesting process to watch for sure.  After mixing sugar and other ingredients together, you are left with this massive blob of sweet goodness lying on the work table.

What can one possibly do with such a non-conformative mess?  You can stretch it and pull it until it becomes a pliable consistency to be used for the sweet creation you had in mind.  Whether by hand or through the use of a machine, eventually the blob will yield to the purpose and intended design, becoming something very useful and delicious to the one who created it.

 My friend, you and I are the sweetness of God’s Creation.  So much so, in the beginning, He said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” Genesis 1:26.  There is something genuinely sweet and uniquely beautiful in the reality that the God of all creation wanted a special creature in His “likeness.” 

Sadly, this beautiful, sweet creation has been tainted, corrupted, and susceptible to the dregs of sin this world produces.  But that doesn’t stop the story.  Thank God!

There is something more in the eyes and in the heart of the Father for this lowly being.  He still sees the possibility of all they can become and with His holy hands, He begins His own process of pulling and stretching.  And like the taffy maker, He’s watching, and working, and drawing hearts near for the end result – a sweetness we can never feel, experience, or imagine on this side of glory.

But as with the blob of candy turned treat, there must be a willingness to yield to the pulling and stretching work God wants to perform in you and through you. 

The question is, will you truly let God have His way in your life.  Oh, I know the sentiments we say, the songs we sing, and the prayers we pray – but when it’s all said and done, as uncomfortable and sometimes painful, will we yield our all I holy surrender to become those sweet creations?

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11

“There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.” Proverbs 19:21

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” Psalm 139:14, and it is truly a sweet thing.

Blessings~

Additional Reads:

“Surrender”

“Are You Willing?”

“Giving God My All”

“God’s Omniscient View”

“The Value of You”

“You Make a Difference to God”

“God Can Use Your Life”

“God’s Design”

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“Study Him!”

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“The works of the LORD are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them,” Psalm 111:2, NKJV

Why such doubt?  Why such confusion?  Have you studied Him?  Have you studied the works of our God?

Open your understanding to the truth of who He is.  Open, and expand your knowledge of our Heavenly Father.  Seek Him, and search Him out.  As the greatest treasure that is to be found, don’t stop digging till you have unearthed His glorious truths.

“His work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever,” (Psalm 111:3, NKJV).  So, dig deep, my friends, and find Him for yourself.

Look through His holy pages and see Him.  See what He has done.  See the testimonies of the lives that have walked in those written lines.  See the things He performed in them and through them.  See what He continues to do even in this day.  See, and believe.

For where the truth of this treasure is, it leaves no room for doubt and confusion.  Truth eats up the empty spaces that make room for lies.

Therefore, study Him.  Let not your appetite be quenched by the false junk and ideologies of this age.  Take your fill of God, our Father.  Learn of Him.  Explore Him, and you will not only be satisfied with that which nourishes for all eternity, but you will enter an abundant adventure of a lifetime today (John 10:10).

It’s there, in those pages of the Bible.  Seek Him.  He’s not hiding from you.  Study Him, and enrich your own life further and deeper than you could have ever imagined.

“He has made His wonderful works to be remembered . . .” Psalm 111:4, NKJV

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You are not forgotten! | An Isaiah 49:15 Devotional

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“Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;” Job 29:2

Have you ever experienced these same thoughts that Job expressed?  Have difficult times ever made you look back to times when you felt everything in your world was right?  When adversity strikes and we deal with things we do not understand, I am sure many of us like Job take our mind’s eye to those past days when trouble wasn’t knocking on our door.

The difficulty of the days he was presently in caused Job to look at those previous times as times of favor, saying, that’s when “God preserved me”.  But now, his expressions tell a different story of what his feelings are feeling.  His troubles caused him to think that just because he was going through adversity, God was not as presently with him as before.

Little did Job know, and many times we need to be reminded, that just as God was with us in the good times, so too is He with us in the troubling times.  It may look different than we are used to seeing it, and it may feel different, but just because we don’t understand and may question it, it doesn’t negate the fact that God is presently near, watching, and keeping His people.

Jesus taught, “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7). 

A bird sold is not forgotten before God, and neither was Job, and neither are you.  Our value before God is so precious and more than we could ever imagine.  The clouds that come during those dark days may try to hide that fact, but the truth of God’s Word is a fact, that no matter how we feel or how hard it may seem, God is still there for us.  Even if you are dealing with hurtful situations and even if you feel like you have been wronged, God’s loving eyes see and His precious hands are working behind the scenes, holding you, loving on you, and valuing you when others may not.

Difficult times are difficult because they are not easy.  During these times, see Him with eyes of faith.  See that He is still with you and that you have not been left in this alone (Hebrews 13:5).  Take your cares, your disappointments, your hurts, and your discouragements to God in prayer.  He is there listening.  And trust me, He does care.

Just because it hurts it does not mean He’s not feeling what you are feeling (Hebrews 4:15).  And just because we can’t figure out all this stuff, God knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), and we must trust Him with it, and with all the times in between.

God is here for you today, God is here.  Regardless of what you feel or are going through, you are not forgotten.

“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” Isaiah 49:15

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.

Instinctively His!

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As I sit here working on another writing project I glance out my window to ponder a thought.  Upon doing so, a squirrel captures my attention and I am altogether fascinated by what I see.  He is hopping in mid-air from branch to branch without what seems to be care or thought in the world.

What I mean is he doesn’t stop to measure the distance to see if he can make it, nor does he seem to contemplate the physics involved that would put a web-using superhero to shame as he sails through the air, grabbing hold of the next limb, and going again with ease of effort.

Instinctively he knows and is wired to map out the trees and venture through them without slip or fail in a matter of seconds.

Every creature of God has ingrained instincts.  We are all born with a sense of knowing.  For some those senses are geared toward survival and protection.  Some naturally know how to camouflage in order to ward off predators or to find food.  Others are excellent skill-building machines that know how to make stable houses for their families in the harshest climates.

Back to our friend the squirrel.  As he bounces through the trees with his ingrained knowing, not worrying or stressing over life, I must ask, dear child of God, are we navigating life with the same confidence?  He, the squirrel, is wired to know what to do and how to live by what’s inside of him.  What of us?

The Bible tells us, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world,” (1 John 4:4).   As we are going about life we are to know in whom we belong.  “You are of God!” the Word tells us.  Therefore, because of our holy lineage, because of how we are wired through the blood of Jesus Christ, you and me are to instinctively operate like the “greater” is in you.

When faced with the adversities of life our holy intuitiveness should kick in; faith should carry us into our spiritual survival mode and say, “Hey, wait a minute!  I am more than this!  I won’t give in!  I won’t quit!  I KNOW to whom I belong!  I KNOW He that is on the inside of me, and He is greater than anything and everything I am facing!”

Our friend the squirrel went from branch to branch without worrying because he knew what was inside of him.  Do you know Who is in you today?  If you are a child of God you have the greatest living inside of you and you have to instinctively know within yourself that you are His.  Let that knowing empower you as you swing through the trees of life today.

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“Be Hopeful!”

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“For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.  By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.” Psalm 71:5-6

Dr.  Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on despite it all.  And so today I still have a dream.”   Life goes on and dreams fade.  Aspirations and ideas that were once prevalent, now sit in a dusty corner of our sub-conscience only to be peeked at from time to time.  But, what we are learning is today, that does not have to happen.  Today we can remain hopeful.  That it’s not too late!

Hopelessness kills this world.  It’s like a ravenous disease spreading from individual to individual, house to house, community to community, city to city until everywhere we look all that is seen is what looks like people drowning in the distresses of this life.  Barely holding onto a fading thread of what could be in order to make it through another day.  There is no vigor for or in life.  It’s just a daily trudging through, each step getting harder and harder.

No wonder so many give up and are found sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else go by.  An individual can attend a thousand motivational seminars but if he walks away without true hope then nothing was accomplished.  No real help can come of it because without real hope, as Dr. King stated, “you lose the vitality that keeps life moving.”  But, when one can begin to get a glimpse of what could be, through faith, through the eyes of God, they can begin to see that there can be a greater tomorrow, or better yet, a greater day today for them.

I believe this psalmist knew the secret.  As dismal as life can be sometimes he knew that there was a reason to believe that this all would get better.  All he had to do was view the evidence of the working hand of God that was already performed in his life.  He said, “You are my hope. .  . my trust from my youth.”  The fact that we have made it this far from way back then is proof of His sovereignty over our lives.  By His strength, we have been blessed to be here today to tell of His goodness; to say, “I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb.”  So, “my praise shall be continually of thee.“

You have a reason to remain hopeful.  This is not the final chapter.  There is more to your story than this.  I don’t believe God brought you through this far to not complete what He has in store for you.  “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).  It is not over yet.  We still have hope!

You can declare, “Today will be different.  Today I make the choice to ignore all the negative stuff that’s trying to override the promises of God.  Today, I turn my back on my problems and turn my eyes to Jesus, ‘the author and finisher of our faith,’ (Heb. 12:2).  I have more important things to occupy my mind with rather than all of these trials and tribulations.  All I have to do is remember how He has kept me thus far.  Remember, how He has brought me through to see this day.  Then, I can have hope that what He did once before, He’ll do it again.”

Hope!  Stay anchored in Him, “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast,” (Heb. 6:19).  He shall not be moved.  Therefore, since He is not moved and I am in Him – I shall not be moved.  Hope!

Never stop being hopeful for with it comes possibilities.  Believe what you can’t see.  Grab hold of what you can’t touch, and hope!  If you still have a dream then there must be hope to feed it.  Who knows what you will be capable of doing unless you give yourself a chance and remain hopeful.

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.