Really there are no words needed except for those found in verse 2:17: "Faith by itself, if not accompanied by ACTion is Dead"....Real faith is always accompanied by ACTion, real faith will not have to be expressed in words, it will be seen in its ACTions...You will notice that real faith will have mercy attached to its ACTions...
Mercy Triumphs over Judgement!!!
Beauty
A Day of Delights
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Pure & Faultless
I love how this book starts out...James , "A servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ"...James was a half brother to Jesus and like Jude he did not become a believer until after the ressurection. I love how they both refer to themselves as servants whereas they could of said they were half brothers of the Lord.
What a grand chapter this is, many things stand out...I noticed the word pure is used twice...first to instruct us in verse 2 to consider it pure joy when faced with trials of different kinds. James says that the testing of faith develops perserverance. Think of it this way, just like exercise develops muscle and strength, so too does the testing of faith develop the muscles of your faith. The more your faith gets worked out, the stronger it becomes. When our physical bodies are in optimal shape we feel good, the same applies to the spiritual body. There is pure joy in perserverance. The point to be taken here is that the next time a trial comes your way face it as though it is an exercise that will build you up not tare you down...
The second place the word pure is used is in verse 27..."Religion that God our Father excepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted from the world." There is more to this than what appears literally obvious. Who are the orphans, who are the widows and who is the world? When I think of orphans and widows the word that comes to mind right away is loss. Something in their lives is missing. The orphan has no parent, the widow has no husband. When you look at this through spirit eyes you see those who do not know God as Father and those who do not know Christ as Husband, are missing out. Notice it says, "in their distress"... If one does not have God as Father and Christ as husband, they also lack the Holy Spirit who is the comfortor and most certainly without these, a life is not complete or content, there is distress. Who knows God as Father, Christ as Husband and carries the seal of the Holy Spirit, (the comfortor)? We do, so who should comfort those who have this missing? We should...This is pure and without fault...Who is the world? Any idea, philosophy, or religion that is in oppositon to this and exalts itself above Christ...
In the verses preceding verse 27 James discusses that we should not only listen to the word, but to also do what is it says...Faith in ACTion...Be obedient to the word...Remember Romans 1:5 says that obedience comes from faith... James says that, "The one who looks into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does." Real faith will give birth to obedience. See it this way, when you go to college and receive a degree for a specific line of work, at some point you have to apply what you have heard and learned, if you do not guess what, the blessing of a pay check will not come your way...You have to act on the knowledge you have received...If you apply for a job, get hired, and they train you, are you going to apply what you have been trained to do? Of course you are...you move forward and improve in your position because you have become obedient to the knowledge that you have obtained...the same principal applies in our faith...Faith should never become stagnant, your faith through obedience should keep compelling you to move forward...to ACT...ACT on what we are hearing and learning...
In conclusion; in being a servant of the Lord our faith will be tested that we may become strong. We will be expected to apply that which is learned through the hearing of his word. We will be expected to touch the world with that which is pure and without fault being careful not to let the world infect us...Through us, that which was/is pure and without fault (Jesus) will continue to touch the untouchable...
What a grand chapter this is, many things stand out...I noticed the word pure is used twice...first to instruct us in verse 2 to consider it pure joy when faced with trials of different kinds. James says that the testing of faith develops perserverance. Think of it this way, just like exercise develops muscle and strength, so too does the testing of faith develop the muscles of your faith. The more your faith gets worked out, the stronger it becomes. When our physical bodies are in optimal shape we feel good, the same applies to the spiritual body. There is pure joy in perserverance. The point to be taken here is that the next time a trial comes your way face it as though it is an exercise that will build you up not tare you down...
The second place the word pure is used is in verse 27..."Religion that God our Father excepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted from the world." There is more to this than what appears literally obvious. Who are the orphans, who are the widows and who is the world? When I think of orphans and widows the word that comes to mind right away is loss. Something in their lives is missing. The orphan has no parent, the widow has no husband. When you look at this through spirit eyes you see those who do not know God as Father and those who do not know Christ as Husband, are missing out. Notice it says, "in their distress"... If one does not have God as Father and Christ as husband, they also lack the Holy Spirit who is the comfortor and most certainly without these, a life is not complete or content, there is distress. Who knows God as Father, Christ as Husband and carries the seal of the Holy Spirit, (the comfortor)? We do, so who should comfort those who have this missing? We should...This is pure and without fault...Who is the world? Any idea, philosophy, or religion that is in oppositon to this and exalts itself above Christ...
In the verses preceding verse 27 James discusses that we should not only listen to the word, but to also do what is it says...Faith in ACTion...Be obedient to the word...Remember Romans 1:5 says that obedience comes from faith... James says that, "The one who looks into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does." Real faith will give birth to obedience. See it this way, when you go to college and receive a degree for a specific line of work, at some point you have to apply what you have heard and learned, if you do not guess what, the blessing of a pay check will not come your way...You have to act on the knowledge you have received...If you apply for a job, get hired, and they train you, are you going to apply what you have been trained to do? Of course you are...you move forward and improve in your position because you have become obedient to the knowledge that you have obtained...the same principal applies in our faith...Faith should never become stagnant, your faith through obedience should keep compelling you to move forward...to ACT...ACT on what we are hearing and learning...
In conclusion; in being a servant of the Lord our faith will be tested that we may become strong. We will be expected to apply that which is learned through the hearing of his word. We will be expected to touch the world with that which is pure and without fault being careful not to let the world infect us...Through us, that which was/is pure and without fault (Jesus) will continue to touch the untouchable...
Friday, March 26, 2010
Can I get an Amen?
I am just overflowing with joy that is like a well fed spring today...Why? Because our God is the God of miraclous activity and I love seeing and being a part of His activity...
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Mercy Mixed with Fear
Grumblers & Faultfinders
Do you know any?
Jude describes them this way: ... dreamers who pollute their own bodies...reject authority... slander celestial beings...they speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do not understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals...shepherds who feed only themselves... they follow their own way, they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage... these are those who divide you, who follow their own natural instincts and do not have the spirit. In a nut shell they have created a God/belief system that does not hold them accountable in any way shape or form to the one True God( they change the grace of God into a license for immorality).
If you encounter this type of person, remember that we are to be known by our love for each other and that we are to keep ourselves in God's LOVE...a natural instinct may be to fire right back at them, don't do it, even the Achangel Michael did not dare to hurl slanderous accusation against the devil..We walk in the spirit and we are instructed to build ourselves up in the most Holy Faith and pray in the Holy Spirit...
We are instructed in verses 22-23 to be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; and to others show mercy, mixed with fear... I see three types of people that we may encounter on our walk with the Lord: those who are doubters, those who are seeking and ready, and those who are bent on heading to the eternal jail cell...Notice that we are to show mercy to the first group, we are to snatch (which implies quickness to me) up the second group and show mercy mixed with fear to the third group. Mercy mixed with fear...You know, the thought of someone I love, spending the rest of their life in a jail cell bothers me, how about you? Think about this for a moment, if one of your loved ones was sentenced to jail because they chose to ignore the law, what kind of feelings come over you? I know that discussing this subject does not give us the warm and fuzzies and by golly friends it shouldn't... it should cause us to feel uncomfortable...I just praise God that He is LOVE and that we are grounded in His love and that He has shown mercy on us...His instruction in how to handle ourselves and others is given without fault. There is no doubt in my mind that His plan is much better than ours. You do something wrong, here in our society, you are sentenced. With God we have all done wrong, but He has provided a way to clear the charge against us and for that I am eternally greatful...
So in keeping with the words of Jude (half brother of Jesus), who by the way was a doubter who did not believe Jesus was the Christ until after the ressurection, ....Mercy, Peace and Love be yours in Abundance today and always....
Do you know any?
Jude describes them this way: ... dreamers who pollute their own bodies...reject authority... slander celestial beings...they speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do not understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals...shepherds who feed only themselves... they follow their own way, they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage... these are those who divide you, who follow their own natural instincts and do not have the spirit. In a nut shell they have created a God/belief system that does not hold them accountable in any way shape or form to the one True God( they change the grace of God into a license for immorality).
If you encounter this type of person, remember that we are to be known by our love for each other and that we are to keep ourselves in God's LOVE...a natural instinct may be to fire right back at them, don't do it, even the Achangel Michael did not dare to hurl slanderous accusation against the devil..We walk in the spirit and we are instructed to build ourselves up in the most Holy Faith and pray in the Holy Spirit...
We are instructed in verses 22-23 to be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; and to others show mercy, mixed with fear... I see three types of people that we may encounter on our walk with the Lord: those who are doubters, those who are seeking and ready, and those who are bent on heading to the eternal jail cell...Notice that we are to show mercy to the first group, we are to snatch (which implies quickness to me) up the second group and show mercy mixed with fear to the third group. Mercy mixed with fear...You know, the thought of someone I love, spending the rest of their life in a jail cell bothers me, how about you? Think about this for a moment, if one of your loved ones was sentenced to jail because they chose to ignore the law, what kind of feelings come over you? I know that discussing this subject does not give us the warm and fuzzies and by golly friends it shouldn't... it should cause us to feel uncomfortable...I just praise God that He is LOVE and that we are grounded in His love and that He has shown mercy on us...His instruction in how to handle ourselves and others is given without fault. There is no doubt in my mind that His plan is much better than ours. You do something wrong, here in our society, you are sentenced. With God we have all done wrong, but He has provided a way to clear the charge against us and for that I am eternally greatful...
So in keeping with the words of Jude (half brother of Jesus), who by the way was a doubter who did not believe Jesus was the Christ until after the ressurection, ....Mercy, Peace and Love be yours in Abundance today and always....
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Leading with a Heart of Truth
As we conclude the letters that John wrote we see that in the 3 John there is one by the name of Gaius. John through his own heart of truth encourages and commends this man for his walk with the Lord and the handling of those whom the Lord sends his way. John is overjoyed in the work that Gaius does because his walk is grounded in truth. I love this little book because it is a wonderful example of how we should be to one another. I truly believe that it is of the utmost importance to lift up, encourage and commend one another when our walk matches the talk. I have a freind who without fail gives me a biblically grounded word of encouragement everytime we communicate. When I hear it, I know that my spirit is strengthened by it.
Another part of this little book is a firm warning from John to beware of one called Diotrephes, who apparently is quite the hypocrite. It seems he states one thing but His ACTions claim something else.
Do be aware of this in your own walk, this is not judgement, this is gaurding yourself from becoming entangled in something that is not of the truth.
Finally there is a fellow by the name of Demetrius that John makes mention of, now listen to these words that John writes: "Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone- and even by the truth itself." Did you hear that? Even the truth itself speaks well of him...His actions as well as his words are grounded in truth (Jesus).
Good reputation and favor follow those who are walking in a heart of truth, can you see that?
God is love, Jesus is truth. We are to be grounded in Love and truth....
I even love how this book ends because John says to them, " I have much to write to you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink, hope to see you soon and we will talk face to face."
Wouldn't you love to know what else he said to them when they met face to face? There are some things that just reguire face to face interaction. He does not want to use ink and pen, think about it, can ink and pen adequately express what a face to face interaction can?..I love meeting with people face to face and sharing the things of God...It is funny as I am writing this, I am recalling how I had been reluctant to post my picture simply because I never want what I am doing for the Lord to be about me, I wnat people to see him not me, but recently through two different people whom I perceive to be full of wisdom told me that it is important for people to see eyes, and I thought to myself, "of course it is, they are the windows to the soul."
Have a very blessed day...
Lord, I thank you for the friends you have provided for me in my walk with you. May I be to them as they have been to me. Help us Lord, also to recognize hypocrisy, that we will not become entangled in that web. Help us to always do what is good and pleasing to you... In your name Yeshua I ask , believe and receive...
Another part of this little book is a firm warning from John to beware of one called Diotrephes, who apparently is quite the hypocrite. It seems he states one thing but His ACTions claim something else.
Do be aware of this in your own walk, this is not judgement, this is gaurding yourself from becoming entangled in something that is not of the truth.
Finally there is a fellow by the name of Demetrius that John makes mention of, now listen to these words that John writes: "Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone- and even by the truth itself." Did you hear that? Even the truth itself speaks well of him...His actions as well as his words are grounded in truth (Jesus).
Good reputation and favor follow those who are walking in a heart of truth, can you see that?
God is love, Jesus is truth. We are to be grounded in Love and truth....
I even love how this book ends because John says to them, " I have much to write to you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink, hope to see you soon and we will talk face to face."
Wouldn't you love to know what else he said to them when they met face to face? There are some things that just reguire face to face interaction. He does not want to use ink and pen, think about it, can ink and pen adequately express what a face to face interaction can?..I love meeting with people face to face and sharing the things of God...It is funny as I am writing this, I am recalling how I had been reluctant to post my picture simply because I never want what I am doing for the Lord to be about me, I wnat people to see him not me, but recently through two different people whom I perceive to be full of wisdom told me that it is important for people to see eyes, and I thought to myself, "of course it is, they are the windows to the soul."
Have a very blessed day...
Lord, I thank you for the friends you have provided for me in my walk with you. May I be to them as they have been to me. Help us Lord, also to recognize hypocrisy, that we will not become entangled in that web. Help us to always do what is good and pleasing to you... In your name Yeshua I ask , believe and receive...
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Comment Alert
It has come to my attention that some are trying to post their comments but I am not seeing them.. If you have commented I am so sorry that they are not showing up. I am trouble shooting this. I think the problem is that most are not doing the word verification so therefore the comment does not register. I have redone the format so that you will see the word verification right away. This blog has also been set up so that you do not need a google account to comment, you may choose the "anonymous" option at the bottom of the page.
It would be appreciated if you would add your name or initials at the end of your anonymous post. You may also send private comments to cprforthespirit@unexpecteddelights.com
Please be sure to enter the word verification before hitting publish Your comment. This feature is a safeguard against spam..
It would be appreciated if you would add your name or initials at the end of your anonymous post. You may also send private comments to cprforthespirit@unexpecteddelights.com
Please be sure to enter the word verification before hitting publish Your comment. This feature is a safeguard against spam..
Knowing
In conclusion of the book of 1 John, something really stood out like a neon sign to me. This phrase, "This is how we know".
The only place in the entire NIV version of the Bible that this phrase occurs is in the book of 1 John and it occurs six times in the following verses: 2:5, 2:18, 3:10, 3:16, 3:24, and 5:2.
This is how we know we are in Him...
This is how we know it is the last hour...
This is how we know who the children of God are...
This is how we know what Love is...
This is how we know that He lives in us...
This is how we know that we love the children of God...
Please take the time to look at those verses again. There are six things listed above that we should be able to know, it is spelled out for us...It does not say, " this is how we believe ,"it says "this is how we KNOW"..My whole premise in everything that I do in my own walk is based on a faith that not only believes but knows. I encourage people to go beyond knowing of God to knowing Him. There are a lot of people who know of Him but how many know Him? Know Him ...
Did you notice also that 1 John 3:16 sounds familiar and has the same numbers attached to it as in another book, the book of John. In John 3:16 it says that, God so loved the world that He Gave His only son, now here in 1 John 3:16 we see that Love is manifested through Jesus in that He laid down His life for us. The Father has loved us, the Son has loved... We are likewise to love others as He has loved us. Again, I encourage you to read the verses above again and again.... Write them down, carry them with you...There is a lot to hold on to and grasp wholeheartedly in these passages... If we are not first rooted and grounded in God's Love then all else is in vain. We are told that love is greater that faith and hope (1 Corinthian 13:13). Preceding this verse in in 1 Corinthians Paul makes this statement, "...Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." When we see His face we will know in full, but even now we know in part...
Take inventory today of what you know...Please realize that I am not talking about what others have told you, I am talking about what you know through your own personal relationship with the Lord...
Do a search today, see how many times the word love or a variation of it occurs in the Bible...
Knowing God's love is simply irresistable....
This is Love for God: to obey His commands, and His commands are not burdensome....1 John 5:3
The only place in the entire NIV version of the Bible that this phrase occurs is in the book of 1 John and it occurs six times in the following verses: 2:5, 2:18, 3:10, 3:16, 3:24, and 5:2.
This is how we know we are in Him...
This is how we know it is the last hour...
This is how we know who the children of God are...
This is how we know what Love is...
This is how we know that He lives in us...
This is how we know that we love the children of God...
Please take the time to look at those verses again. There are six things listed above that we should be able to know, it is spelled out for us...It does not say, " this is how we believe ,"it says "this is how we KNOW"..My whole premise in everything that I do in my own walk is based on a faith that not only believes but knows. I encourage people to go beyond knowing of God to knowing Him. There are a lot of people who know of Him but how many know Him? Know Him ...
Did you notice also that 1 John 3:16 sounds familiar and has the same numbers attached to it as in another book, the book of John. In John 3:16 it says that, God so loved the world that He Gave His only son, now here in 1 John 3:16 we see that Love is manifested through Jesus in that He laid down His life for us. The Father has loved us, the Son has loved... We are likewise to love others as He has loved us. Again, I encourage you to read the verses above again and again.... Write them down, carry them with you...There is a lot to hold on to and grasp wholeheartedly in these passages... If we are not first rooted and grounded in God's Love then all else is in vain. We are told that love is greater that faith and hope (1 Corinthian 13:13). Preceding this verse in in 1 Corinthians Paul makes this statement, "...Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." When we see His face we will know in full, but even now we know in part...
Take inventory today of what you know...Please realize that I am not talking about what others have told you, I am talking about what you know through your own personal relationship with the Lord...
Do a search today, see how many times the word love or a variation of it occurs in the Bible...
Knowing God's love is simply irresistable....
This is Love for God: to obey His commands, and His commands are not burdensome....1 John 5:3
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Psalm 78:1-2
"O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
About Me
- His Delighted Servant
- My faith is what moves me , it is enjoyable, irresistable, lovely and warm with a sense of mystery. Its like a summer day with a gentle breeze blowing my hair, like a butterfly emerging from a cacoon, like a flower pushing its way through the soil of the earth, like a hidden treasure waiting to be found, yes it is my faith that defines me and I am completely content regardless of what goes on around me...My life with Yeshua is like a well written novel that I can not and will not put down... My greatest desire is to be used by Him to touch hearts without religiousity, denominationalism or legalism. One heart at a time. God Bless All from Shelli