Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
1 Corinthians 10:31-33 Disciples’ Literal New Testament
In Summary, Do All For God’s Glory. Be Blameless To All And Seek Their Benefit
31 Therefore, whether you are eating or drinking or doing anything, be doing all for the glory of God. 32 Be blameless[a] both to Jews and Greeks, and to the church of God— 33 just as I also am pleasing all people as to all things, not seeking the benefit of myself, but the benefit of the many, in order that they might be saved.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
In his discussion on Christian freedom, the apostle Paul touches on some important principles for following Jesus.
While emphasizing our personal freedom in Christ, he urges that we respect where others are in their spiritual maturity.
Embedded in this discussion is the most important principle for Christian living: that in everything we do, we are to live for God’s glory.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism lays out this lasting principle using the question “What is the chief end of man?”
And it decisively succinctly answers with a timeless, bedrock declaration: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”
In these days, though we have all been created to glorify God, because of our sin and rebellion against him we live only to glorify, enjoy ourselves. And the high tyranny of self-glorification brings us no enjoyment, just unending misery.
But, praise God, when we’ve been saved by grace through faith, the Holy Spirit begins to reorient our lives, elbowing us in our ribcages, nudging, prompting, stirring us to live not for ourselves but for God. And as we grow in glorifying our Lord and Savior, we discover our true, lasting joy and purpose in God alone.
Therefore, whether we are eating or drinking, whatever we are going to be doing today—from the most mundane of daily chores to making the most weightiest of decisions—let this be your Mantra “do it all for God’s glory.”
“If then you are wise, you will show yourself rather as a reservoir than as a canal. For a canal spreads abroad water as it receives it, but a reservoir waits until it is filled before overflowing, and thus communicates, without loss to itself, its superabundant water. In the Church at the present day, we have many canals, too few reservoirs.”
Bernard of Clairvaux
What does 1 Corinthians 10-31 teach us?
Paul is specifically teaching each and every one of us that each and every moment of our day, including those moments that seem too insignificant, presents an opportunity to be glorifying God.
Our actions to glorify God are NOT confined to the grandiose. Instead, even in the teeny little “tasks” each day, like eating and drinking, we can glorify God!
What does it mean to eat and drink to the glory of God?
We should strive to do everything in our lives for the greater glory of God–and this absolutely includes eating and drinking! Eating and drinking for the glory of God involves eating wisely, drinking temperately rather than immoderately. We need to take reasonable care of our health by exercising, eating healthfully.
So, give all the honor to God, eat your meals heartily, not worrying about what others say about you – you’re eating to God’s glory, after all, not to please them. As a matter of fact, do everything that way, heartily and freely to God’s glory.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
115 Not to us, Adonai, not to us, but to your name give glory, because of your grace and truth.
2 Why should the nations ask, “Where is their God?” 3 Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. 4 Their idols are mere silver and gold, made by human hands. 5 They have mouths, but they can’t speak; they have eyes, but they can’t see; 6 they have ears, but they can’t hear; they have noses, but they can’t smell; 7 they have hands, but they can’t feel; they have feet, but they can’t walk; with their throats they can’t make a sound. 8 The people who make them will become like them, along with everyone who trusts in them.
9 Isra’el, trust in Adonai! He is their help and shield. 10 House of Aharon, trust in Adonai! He is their help and shield. 11 You who fear Adonai, trust in Adonai! He is their help and shield. 12 Adonai has kept us in mind, and he will bless. He will bless the house of Isra’el; he will bless the house of Aharon; 13 he will bless those who fear Adonai, great and small alike.
14 May Adonai increase your numbers, both yours and those of your children. 15 May you be blessed by Adonai, the maker of heaven and earth. 16 Heaven belongs to Adonai, but the earth he has given to humankind.
17 The dead can’t praise Adonai, not those who sink down into silence. 18 But we will bless Adonai from now on and forever.
Halleluyah!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
2 Now Naomi had [a]a kinsman of her husband, a [b]man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and [c]she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “May the Lord be with you.” And they said to him, “May the Lord bless you.” 5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was [d]in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 The servant [e] in charge of the reapers replied, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab. 7 And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ Thus she came and has remained from the morning until now; she has been sitting in the house for a little while.”
8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “[f]Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but stay here with my maids. 9 Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have commanded the servants not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the [g]water jars and drink from what the servants draw.” 10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 Boaz replied to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. 12 May the Lord reward your work, and your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.” 13 Then she said, “I have found favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and indeed have spoken [h]kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
How Well are we ready to Recognize God at Work?
Ruth 2:2 New American Standard Bible 1995
2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”
When you don’t have food, you search for it.
Ruth is going to glean the fields to find leftover grain, and God is also at work—not only to help her discover and find leftovers but to give a harvest of blessing.
Boaz is a distant relative to Naomi—and much more.
God is about to use an ordinary person for his extraordinary purposes again.
Through the kindness of Boaz, Ruth is allowed to glean until the harvest is finished. This journey is marked by the vast generosity and hospitality Boaz demonstrates in his work life and by the way he runs his farming business.
Today many of us will return to work after a weekend.
Whether we are running a business, work at an office, job site, factory, school, or elsewhere, we will enter into the world of others as we get back to work. How we supervise, do our work, will affect how others see the God we claim to serve.
Sadly, the praise we give God on Sunday can be blemished by our words and our actions on Monday through Friday. By the example set by Boaz, A true hero of the faith is called, summoned by our God to be faithful every day of the week.
A life of consistency of character is a sacrificial life that God can use to model and shape and mentor another person’s life and faith in God for all eternity.
God used Boaz and Ruth to eventually be the great-grandfather of King David.
And this means that Ruth—a Moabite outsider—became part of the family line of Jesus. (See Ruth 4:16-22; Matthew 1.)
Ruth 4:16-22 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Line of David Began Here
16 Then Naomi took the child [a]and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. 17 The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 Now these are the generations of Perez: to Perez [b]was born Hezron, 19 and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Amminadab, 20 and to Amminadab was born Nahshon, and to Nahshon, Salmon, 21 and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, 22 and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David.
All this took place because the author of Ruth had recognized God was at work.
Do We Recognize The Tapestry of God’s Providence?
Ruth 2:2-4 New American Standard Bible 1995
2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and [a]she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “May the Lord be with you.” And they said to him, “May the Lord bless you.”
What often appears to us to be an unworkable tangled mess of knots is just the back view of the tapestry God is busy weaving.
Naomi and Ruth had experienced their share of frayed threads in life.
They arrived in Israel widowed and penniless—a perilous position for women in a lawless society (see Judges 21:25).
In Leviticus 23:22 , the law allowed for the poor to enter the fields and pick up (glean) leftover grain as they followed the steps of the official harvesters. This law was established by God Himself and revealed His care and concern for the needy. But God’s law was not always—and not often—observed in this period.
Leviticus 23:22 New American Standard Bible 1995
22 ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, moreover, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field nor gather the gleaning of your harvest; you are to leave them for the needy and the alien. I am the Lord your God.’”
Yet when Ruth resolved to go into the fields, through Boaz’s generosity, God worked through this law to abundantly, tangibly, provide for her and Naomi.
Ruth’s seemingly mundane moment of decision became an illustration of God’s providential plan for the two women—and for all of redemptive history!
Ruth ended up gleaning on the land of Boaz, a distant relative of Naomi’s deceased husband and a man of means and high standing.
Ancient Israelites clearly understood the family to be the basic unit of society, with members of the wider extended family having obligations to support and protect relatives who were struggling like Naomi.
All of this gives us the clearest hints at God’s hand in providing generously for Ruth and Naomi, even in ways that would seem unremarkable at first glance.
In fact, as we read Ruth’s story, we notice that many of its details unfold as if by accident.
Ruth happened to decide to glean that day.
Naomi happened to encourage it.
Boaz happened to pick that time to harvest his field.
Ruth happened to pick his field.
But when we carefully and studiously look at the story as a whole, we can see all of these happenings were the timed, precise, instruments of God’s providential care in unfolding His purpose of redemption.
After all, out of Boaz and Ruth’s lineage would soon come King David and, eventually, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself—a greater provider and protector who also “came from Bethlehem.”
As God carefully and precisely wove these threads into His beautiful story of provision, Ruth and Naomi surely would have thought they looked knotted, hopelessly tangled, disconnected, cut off, and so irreparably frayed at times.
Satan often wants us to stay focused on such seemingly jumbled, discouraging circumstances, leading us to an attitude doubting God and His good provision.
We so easily and casually forget that what appears to be an unrecoverable mess is just the back view of the tapestry God is busy weaving in all our backgrounds.
One day, though, when we get the chance to see His handiwork from the front, all of those strange, dark threads will prove to be part of His glorious pattern.
Today, as your life and workdays unfold, and even unravels, do remember that “coincidences” are no such thing, that all our uncertainties and difficulties are opportunities to trust in God, and that behind all of them He is weaving out His plans to prosper His people in faith and godliness, and to bring them all home.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Dear God, may I be a witness for you in all my words and deeds. And may I realize your providence, that you weave, use events in time to affect eternity. In Jesus, Amen.
Psalm 16 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Lord the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Deliverer in Death.
16 Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You. 2 [b]I said to the Lord, “You are [c]my Lord; I have no good besides You.” 3 As for the [d]saints who are in the earth, [e]They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight. 4 The [f]sorrows of those who have [g]bartered for another god will be multiplied; I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood, Nor will I take their names upon my lips.
5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.
7 I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; Indeed, my [h]mind instructs me in the night. 8 I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. 10 For You will not abandon my soul to [i]Sheol; Nor will You [j]allow Your [k]Holy One to [l]undergo decay. 11 You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
15 Now all the tax collectors and the [a]sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
3 So He told them this parable, saying, 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the [b]open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Ninety-nine and One
Luke 15:1-2 Amplified Bible
The Lost Sheep
15 Now all the tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews] were coming near Jesus to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began muttering and complaining, saying, “This man accepts and welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
There is this famous saying among Jewish rabbis:
“Whoever saves one soul, saves the whole world.”
Its wisdom is deeper than what is called “common sense.”
It is deeper than the famous Zen saying,
“Imagine the sound of one hand clapping,” which is designed to jar a person into moving beyond the limits of reason.
Some people are “numbers people,” and their contribution to the orderly functioning of society and the body of Christ is indispensable.
But in order to understand Luke’s Gospel narrative, Jesus’ story of the shepherd who leaves a flock of 99 to go search for just one lost sheep, we must remember how God made each of us in his own image.
From the first words of Genesis to the last words of Revelation, holy scripture repeatedly emphasizes and speaks about the infinite value of one single human being because each and every single one of us humans are made in God’s image.
C. S. Lewis rightly criticized the vulgarity of those who will seek to make us feel as insignificant as the dust because the universe is so huge and we are so small.
Christian Missionaries definitely treasure this single parable because they must sometimes work many years in a stubborn land to lead one lost person to Christ.
Never allow yourself to think that you count for nothing.
Think instead upon: Christ who lived, ministered among us and died to rekindle the spark of the image of God placed within His church that makes us human.
God and all of those Unthinking Sheep of His Pasture
Luke 15:3-7 Amplified Bible
3 So He told them this parable: 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost, [searching] until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he gets home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ 7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
There is something unusual about sheep.
Unlike other animals they do not often deliberately run away.
A cat or dog who wants to be free, given a chance, will leave, just like that.
But sheep do not.
They only wander away.
They do not mean to.
This is the picture our Lord gives us of certain people who do not intend to get lost; they do not originally intend to wander or run away and waste their lives.
They do not intend to wander off into something dangerous and destructive.
But, little by little, concentrating only on the now, present, they wander away.
Eventually they wake up to realize they are lost, that life is suddenly empty, that their hearts are burdened, heavy with guilt — will not know how it happened.
They are not happy to be lost; they hate it.
They long to belong.
There are millions like this today.
Some are poor and obscure.
Some are intent on simply making a living, on feeding themselves.
Some are rich and prominent.
All over this vast globe, people are suffering from destination sickness, i.e. the sickness of those who have already arrived at their destination, who have all they want; but they sadly discover that they do not want anything they have.
Notice the shepherd’s response.
He left the ninety and nine in the wilderness and went after the one.
That pictures the activity of God, as expressed in the person of the Lord Jesus himself. He left everything to come and find us.
As Paul states it so wonderfully in the letter to the Philippians, he did not count the fact that he was equal with God a thing to be held on to, but instead emptied himself, took upon himself the form of a servant, and was found in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:6-7). He left, and he came.
Philippians 2:5-11 Amplified Bible
5 Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility], 6 who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it]; 7 but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man]. 8 After He was found in [terms of His] outward appearance as a man [for a divinely-appointed time], He humbled Himself [still further] by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus [a]every knee shall bow [in submission], of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess and openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord (sovereign God), to the glory of God the Father.
In worship services it is common to sing songs of praise and hymns to God our Savior.
In many ways, the Apostles’ Creed is like a hymn, and many songs have been composed from the words of this creed.
The Bible includes many song texts as well, and this reading from Philippians 2 includes one of them.
This text in verses 6-11 appears to be a hymn (or part of one) that was recited and sung by early Christians in the first century.
And the apostle Paul uses it to summarize a number of important teachings as he urges readers to “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”
In some ways like the Apostles’ Creed, this ancient hymn tells us who Jesus is, what he willingly sacrificed for us, and what will happen when he comes again.
Imagine yourself in a worship service 2,000 years ago, surrounded by sisters and brothers in the Lord and singing these words together.
Then reread (or even sing) this ancient hymn that has echoed down through the centuries. Reflect long and meditate much upon the deep, life-changing truths we can each celebrate only because of “Jesus, Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord.”
This hymn in Scripture, like the Apostle’s Creed, allows God’s Word to settle deep into our hearts and souls. And it calls us to humble ourselves like Jesus in all our relationships as we seek to live for God by loving and serving each other.
Finally, notice Luke emphasizes all the rejoicing over the recovery of the lost.
Luke 15:5-7 Amplified Bible
5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he gets home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ 7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
This reveals the high value that God sets his sights on all lost men and women.
They are never worthless in his sight. They are made in his image and are of unspeakable value to God. They bear his own image, marred and ruined as that image may be, and he longs to find them and reach them all, restore them all.
Do I feel the same spirit of compassion as the God who longs to reach the lost?
Am I involving myself in this greatest enterprise of God to find these people?
Matthew 28:16-20 Amplified Bible
The Great Commission
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted [that it was really He]. 18 Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”
To what degree, measure of Spirit does the Body of Christ, the Church which is supposed to go to all the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) authentically participate?
To what degree, measure of Spirit does the Body of Christ, the Church which is supposed to go to all the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) authentically value all life?
IF, and that is definitely a GOD sized IF, we ARE the authentic Body of Christ …
What of all those “99’s?”
What of all those “1’s?”
What of our 100% rejoicing for God with the same measure God rejoices for us?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
For the ninety nine and the one. Jesus, out of love, you poured out your life for us; now help us, out of love, to pour out our lives for each other. In your name, Amen.
Psalm 139 New American Standard Bible 1995
God’s Omnipresence and Omniscience.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
139 O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know [a]when I sit down and [b]when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You [c]scrutinize my [d]path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 [e]Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in [f]Sheol, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will [g]overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” 12 Even the darkness is not dark [h]to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.
13 For You formed my [i]inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for [j]I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My [k]frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.
19 O that You would slay the wicked, O God; Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. 20 For they speak [l]against You wickedly, And Your enemies [m]take Your name in vain. 21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any [n]hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
13 He who gives an answer before he hears, It is folly and shame to him.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Talking About Listening
James 1:19-24 New American Standard Bible 1995
19 [a]This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all[b]that remains of wickedness, in [c]humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his [d]natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, [e]he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
It doesn’t seem to matter how often we’re reminded that God made us with two ears and one mouth.
Some folks are just not good at listening! We talk to them, and before our story is half done, they’re responding with a better story of their own. How annoying!
When we listen too little and talk too much, we show that we think our ideas are more important than the ideas of others.
But James grabs us by the elbow, turns us aside, and warns us, “Everyone should be quick to listen, [and] slow to speak …”
We may think we’ve had a wonderful conversation with someone—until we are asked what they’ve said.
If we can’t recall, that’s probably a danger sign.
Someone else may have been a good listener, but we weren’t.
James’s letter is about applying our faith and making sure that we live out our faith in line with God’s will.
Words about being saved by grace and not by works are wonderful, but our faith, if it’s real, will come to expression in what we say and do.
Jesus teaches this in his parables.
James applies it to our need to treat people well in all our relationships.
Are we quick to become angry because we haven’t bothered to listen carefully?
If so, we’d listen better by hearing both the words and the heart of the person who is talking.
That takes both ears!
I try to listen more than I talk.
Growing up, I started that practice because I was shy.
Now, I’ve overcome my shyness and enjoy talking as well as listening.
But I still try to listen more than I talk, because I’ve learned that listening –really listening – to people is vitally important.
When I listen to people well, God’s love flows through me, and people get the message that they matter.
Listening is a valuable gift I can give people.
It’s also a valuable gift to me, because of what I learn from others when I truly listen to them.
Listening is not a passive act; it’s an active engagement of the heart and mind.
It requires intentionality, humility, a willingness to set aside our agendas, and an openness to learning.
Listening honors the inherent worth and dignity of the people speaking.
It recognizes their humanity, their experiences, and their perspective.
It’s a vital part of living the grace filled loving lives God wants us to live.
When we listen well, we cultivate connections, spread kindness, and pave the way for healing relationships.
However, in our fallen world, too many people talk more than they listen.
They “answer before listening”, as Proverbs 18:13 says.
In this tech crazed stressful world, it can be tempting to rush to judgment, to interject with our own opinions, or to allow anger to affect our interactions.
Yet, the Bible reminds us of the importance of listening, in Proverbs 18:13 and in other verses, such as James 1:19-20:
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
When we fail to listen, we not only dishonor others but also diminish ourselves, since we miss out on opportunities to grow in holiness through listening well.
So, how can we learn to listen well?
It begins by recognizing we don’t have all the answers and others have valuable insights to offer and from there, we can start to build listening skills like these:
–Being present:
When someone is speaking to us, we should give them our full attention.
That means putting away distractions like phones or laptops and maintaining eye contact to show that we are fully engaged.
Giving someone the gift of our full attention is a powerful act of love.
-Practicing empathetic listening:
It’s important to understand not only the words being spoken but also the emotions and experiences underlying them.
So, we need to pay attention to nonverbal cues in the people speaking, such as body language and tone of voice.
Those cues can often convey more than words alone.
Also, our own body language and tone of voice can affect the quality of our listening.
We can maintain an open posture and friendly tone of voice, nod occasionally to show we’re following along and avoid fidgeting.
-Practicing patience:
We should allow space for people to express themselves fully and without interruption.
Avoid the urge to jump in with our own thoughts or opinions before they have finished speaking.
Rather than planning what we’re going to say in response, focus on what messages the people who are speaking are communicating to us.
-Suspending judgment:
Instead of immediately forming opinions or mentally preparing our response while the other person is speaking, try to suspend all judgment and truly listen with an open mind.
This allows for a deeper understanding of the speaker’s perspective.
-Asking clarifying questions:
If something is unclear or we need more context, we shouldn’t hesitate to ask clarifying questions.
This demonstrates our genuine interest in understanding other people’s points of view.
Seek to learn from other people’s perspectives.
-Reflecting on what we’ve heard:
Summarize or paraphrase what we’ve heard to ensure that we’ve understood correctly.
This not only confirms our understanding but also shows respect for people’s messages.
As we carefully reflect on what we’ve learned, we may experience a wide range of emotional responses.
Even if the messages we hear are challenging, tough for us to listen to, it’s important to make sure we connect to the person and hear people accurately.
The more we ask the Holy Spirit to help us, the more we can learn to listen well, because the Spirit will help us develop the qualities that make us good listeners – qualities such as love, patience, peace, goodness, gentleness, self-control.
We need to pray for help to truly listen when people talk with us and try to listen more than we talk.
We’ll be blessed by what we learn as a listener, while also blessing others in the process!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Dear God, please give me the grace to listen well – to hear not only with my ears but also with my heart. Help me set aside my own agenda so I can fully focus on the messages other people are trying to communicate to me. Please give me the patience to listen without interruption, the empathy to understand deeply, and the love to respond with kindness and compassion. May I listen well to you, too, so I can notice your presence with me and practice discernment as you lead me. Thank you, God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
16 And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” 17 And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 Then he *said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; 19 Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man *said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be [a]complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.
23 And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” 26 And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
The kingdom of God is eternal.
It’s the ultimate reality, when everything will be good at last.
Surprisingly, though, the kingdom is also right here, right now—wherever Jesus is present in the flesh or by the Spirit.
We can see that in Matthew 19.
A rich man who comes to talk with Jesus is very interested in having eternal life—that is, life in the kingdom of God.
But does he really want that kind of life?
When Jesus tells the man, “Sell everything, give to the poor, and follow me,” the man can’t do it.
He can’t take those three steps.
It’s really hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
That’s what Jesus says.
And He means more than entering the eternal kingdom in the future.
He also means living the way of the kingdom right here, right now.
Among other things, the way of the kingdom is selfless and generous.
And the way of the kingdom includes deeply trusting in God to meet every need.
Sadly, the rich man in this story wasn’t ready to live that way.
Not here, not now.
How about us?
Are we ready to live the way of the kingdom here and now?
If not, will you want to live that way in eternity?
Jesus is emphatic: It is extremely difficult for the rich to embrace the radical call of discipleship in the Kingdom of God.
Yes! Jesus is very emphatic with the rich folk, does mean that we who are not counted among the rich will automatically have it that much easier experience?
No! but salvation does not depend on our ability, but on God’s generous grace.
The key point for us, however, is to be reminded about the dangers of wealth and possessions, reminded that discipleship requires great sacrifice from all.
They can become our god, our stumbling block, our choking point, our diversion, and our downfall if they become the things we cannot give up to follow Jesus-from our vantage point, following Jesus’ radical call is impossible.
25 When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” 26 And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Fortunately, God has provided the Holy Spirit and fellow-Christians.
We all need the guidance of the Spirit and the strength of a dedicated Christian community to yield to Jesus’ call in all areas of our lives, including using our wealth or our poverty and our abundance, lack of possessions to serve others.
A Widow’s Gift
Mark 12:41-44 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Widow’s Mite
41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting [a]money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came 0and put in two [b]small copper coins, which amount to a [c]cent. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all [d]the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their [e]surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, [f]all she had to live on.”
Who is the most generous giver today?
You’ve likely heard of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who runs the largest foundation in the world.
You may also know about the generosity of Warren Buffet, who pledged the largest stock donation ever.
Today’s major philanthropists are very rich, their names are very well known.
But when Mark writes about giving, he draws our attention to someone who is poor, nameless, and a widow.
On her way to the temple treasury she follows some wealthy and seemingly generous people.
And guess what?
Jesus says she makes the most generous donation!
He wanted his disciples to see that somehow her gift of two small copper coins amounting to about 1 cent is much more generous than the gifts of the wealthy.
We don’t have to be rich to make a generous donation for the Lord.
True giving means more than simply opening our wallet or writing a big check.
It’s about unlocking the safety deposit boxes of our hearts to God first and then fully trusting him in everything, including our financial well-being or lack of it.
Jesus expects us to be generous when serving him, and he has every right to demand that.
Just a few days after he met the widow, out of his poverty, Jesus gave up his life-his blood-the most generous and loving act of sacrificial giving in all of history.
That’s why he rejoiced about the impoverished widow’s “all I got” generosity.
We can believe he was very grateful for the surplus generosity of the rich folks.
That’s how he calls us to Kingdom Living-to be habitually generous, sacrificial.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 23 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.
A Psalm of David.
23 The Lord is my shepherd, I [a]shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside [b]quiet waters. 3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the [c]paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the [d]valley of the shadow of death, I fear no [e]evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You [f]have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. 6 [g]Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will [h]dwell in the house of the Lord [i]forever.
Our ABBA Father, we praise you for your generous gift of salvation through your Son. Give us the generous spirit of that widow as we live to pour out our gratitude to you.
Only living and Almighty God, I want to worship you with my will, my heart, my words, my hands, my feet and my possessions and my service and money. Please help me to use those incredible blessings you have poured into my life for your glory and the blessing of others. In the name of Jesus, the greatest of all gifts, I pray. Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
7 But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
For as long as I can remember, the days between Christmas and New Year’s were spent assessing, evaluating the previous year and planning all the ways I would promise myself I would do better, would improve in the following year.
I crafted a detailed mindset with goals, timelines, and rewards if I hit the target.
Rarely did I just focus on one resolution.
Instead, I filled every line on my mental calendar with a new achievement.
Then every year around the first of February, exhausted, overwhelmed, and utterly irritated, I threw my resolution in the trash and immediately penned another, this time, a more reasonable, obtainable list–except it was just as expensive, irrational, ridiculous and unrealistic to maintain as the first one.
But with all that has happened to me medically over the last year, I decided to ditch those resolutions for good and focus on a word or Scripture for the year.
Setting goals, working towards improving oneself is definitely not a bad thing.
But, we mustn’t let our identity be rooted in what we achieved ( or didn’t).
This year I decided to focus on three words, Scripture, and prayer and action.
My hope is to spend a few minutes each day to meditate and abide in Christ, using these words to prompt my quiet time – to then motivate me to action.
Feel free to use the below phrases to encourage you this year, and remember, it’s not about what we did in 2023, will do in 2024 but Whose glory we do it for.
Be it Resolved:SteadfastMeditation Upon God
Psalm 51:7-15 The Message
7-15 Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don’t look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I’ll let loose with your praise.
Every day I am bombarded with decisions that beg for my highest attention.
For the sake of my surgically repaired heart and my wife, what will I eat?
Will I be able to do daily the exercising my Cardiologist and Primary Care want?
Do I have the money to get my basement checked, my electric, or my gutters?
Considering all of the events of the past year, all of the appointments I know I will have to make and then keep, my wife’s appointments and all of her needs, will there be any real time for the both of us to schedule our husband wife time?
As I go about creating and then slaying my to-do list, I often forget to address the most critical decision of my day: will I be able to choose to live a godly life?
A part of managing the high demands of my life, my living a truly godly life is my seeking daily redemption and my daily morning renewal of my heart and mind so that I can be able to somehow spend my day, be steadfast in the Lord.
I thank God that God graciously gives His Children a heart that longs for, yearns to spend every waking moment loving Him and a spirit of steadfast obedience.
Before I go about my day, l take time to call on the name of the Lord and ask for a clean heart that flees from evil and a right spirit that glorifies God in all I do.
Lord, I pray that you will renew my heart every day, give me a steadfast spirit that aches to choose to live for you faithfully. Amen.
Be it Resolved:PleasingGod and in return, displeasing Culture
Romans 12:1-2 The Message
Place Your Life Before God
12 1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Growing up, one of my favorite restaurants had the slogan, “we aim to please.”
Yeah, I know, it’s the service industry; should not they always aim to please?
But pondering that now, I believe I have always somehow missed the point.
The restaurant was not desiring a one-and-done transaction, but providing a series of pleasurable experiences that would lead into a lasting relationship.
How often do I treat my relationship with God like a one and done transaction to be completed before moving on to the next thing?
God finds great pleasure in the continuous relationships with His Children.
I can worship and honor the Lord by simply making a habit of abiding in Him.
Lord, renew me that may I daily live in a way that is holy and pleasing to you. Amen.
Be it Resolved: Fighting against My Powerful Weaknesses and God’s Power
Ephesians 6:10-12 The Message
A Fight to the Finish
10-12 And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
During these last months of realizing I am only as strong as my heart permits me to be, if it is not strong then neither really am I, since my surgery, all my doctors, my exercise people and my wife and my friends and my Pastors have encouraged me to prepare both physically and spiritually for the rest of my life.
I am beginning to tailor my workouts at rehab and at home to focus on the muscles that helped deliver on that very well meaning, thought out advice.
However, mentally, I was anxious. I confessed to my wife, “there is just too much going on all at once and I just simply don’t have the power to do this.”
And by myself, I didn’t have the strength.
But, as a child of God, I had the power of Christ living inside of me.
My strength comes from an all healing, all loving, all-powerful Father, and He graciously gives to those who call on His name acute awareness of His presence.
Lord, as I get stronger, help me be strong in you, to rest in your mighty power. Amen
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Micah 7:7 The Message
7 But me, I’m not giving up. I’m sticking around to see what God will do. I’m waiting for God to make things right. I’m counting on God to listen to me.
Please take a few minutes today and read through your favorite Bible verses.
Is there a Word of God that speaks to you, where you are in this exact moment?
Resolve to meditate and ponder on that place, moment and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal more pieces of Scripture, phrase, prayers as you embark on a new year.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 121 The Message
121 1-2 I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
3-4 He won’t let you stumble, your Guardian God won’t fall asleep. Not on your life! Israel’s Guardian will never doze or sleep.
5-6 God’s your Guardian, right at your side to protect you— Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke.
7-8 God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
13-16 Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish plotting. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats.
17-18 Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
According to 1 Kings 3 in the Bible, In a dream, a young new King Solomon was told by God that he could ask for anything he wanted, and he would receive it.
He is given what amounts to a “blank check” signed, guaranteed 100%, by God.
Instead of asking for a long life, riches, popularity, or power, Solomon asked for wisdom – he understood that the “wisdom that comes from heaven” is the one thing we need more than anything else if we are to be what God wants us to be.
According to our reading from the third chapter of James for today, wisdom is not some intellectual pursuit or intellectual gift that makes us more intelligent.
True wisdom does not come from a high I.Q. or from high scores on high school aptitude tests or college entrance exams.
True wisdom is a gift from God, given to help us live life as God expects us to.
It is the kind of wisdom that literally effects every area of our everyday lives.
Says James,
“The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
As we eagerly or not so eagerly watch and we wait, as we anticipate and expect the world around us to either fly apart at the seams or for our Savior’s second Advent, which ever one comes first, this is the #1 wisdom each one of us needs.
Putting our faith into practice, hearing God’s Word, speaking and teaching God’s Word and doing it, begins with asking God for his wisdom (James 1:5).
James 1:5-8 The Message
5-8 If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, and ask believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.
Without praying for our “blank check” we can’t be what God wants us to be.
Wait for God.
Anticipate God
Expect God.
Listen for God.
Hear God.
Be mindful of God.
Pray for the presence of the Holy Spirit to help you experience as King Solomon had those thousands of years ago -“the wisdom that comes to us from heaven.”
Why? Because It Is God’s Wisdom Our World Needs!
James 3:13-18 Easy-to-Read Version
True Wisdom
13 Are there any among you who are really wise and understanding? Then you should show your wisdom by living right. You should do what is good with humility. A wise person does not boast. 14 If you are selfish and have bitter jealousy in your hearts, you have no reason to boast. Your boasting is a lie that hides the truth. 15 That kind of “wisdom” does not come from God. That “wisdom” comes from the world. It is not spiritual. It is from the devil. 16 Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there will be confusion and every kind of evil. 17 But the wisdom that comes from God is like this: First, it is pure. It is also peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help people who have trouble and to do good for others. This wisdom is always fair and honest. 18 People who work for peace in a peaceful way get the blessings that come from right living.
Considering our education system, listening to what is being “taught” to the children as the truth, it is incredibly easy to confuse wisdom and intelligence.
If someone allegedly has all the right answers and an encyclopedic knowledge of seemingly every subject known to man, and particularly of Bible verses, we may be prone to assume that they are wise — and they each very well could be.
But equally true is that they may well not be, for raw intellectual ability and the capacity to retain a vast number of facts don’t necessarily equate with wisdom.
In his epistle, the author James correctly links wisdom not with just knowledge alone but also with good conduct and meekness.
The one who is truly wise in God’s sight will act in a way that accords with the humility (Philippians 2:3-4), gentleness (Ephesians 4:2), joy (1 Thessalonians 5:16) that God asks of His people.
God, who needs no counselor (Romans 11:34), doesn’t need us either to impress Him with what we know or with what we want other people to believe we know.
God tells us what draws His appreciative gaze is the man or woman, girl or boy, who is “humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word” (Isaiah 66:1-2).
Isaiah 66:1-2 English Standard Version
The Humble and Contrite in Spirit
66 Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? 2 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
James has a memorable phrase for this approach to ourselves and to life:
“the meekness of wisdom.”
A genuinely wise person knows exactly how much they will never know.
They know that however much they come to know, it is only ever going to be a tiny portion, miniscule fraction, of the vastness of the knowledge that God has.
Intelligence marked by wisdom will not be polluted by our showy displays of grandiose verbosity or railroad others with “gold medal” intellectual vigor.
Instead, such a measure of wisdom will be marked by a kingly humility which will always aim to build others up with whatever we have—be that physical, or intellectual, spiritual, or emotional strength.
Wisdom echoes the prophet Isaiah, who acknowledged, “The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary” (Isaiah 50:4).
Isaiah 50:4-9 Easy-to-Read Version
God’s Servant Depends on God
4 The Lord God gave me the ability to teach, so now I teach these sad people. Every morning he wakes me and teaches me like a student. 5 The Lord God helps me learn, and I have not turned against him. I will not stop following him. 6 I will let those people beat me and pull the hair from my beard. I will not hide my face when they say bad things to me and spit at me. 7 The Lord God will help me, so the bad things they say will not hurt me. I will be strong. I know I will not be disappointed.
8 God is with me, and he is the one who shows that I am innocent. So no one can say I am guilty. If anyone wants to try to prove me wrong, they should come here, and we will have a trial. 9 But look, the Lord God helps me, so no one can prove me guilty. As for them, they will all be like worthless old clothes, eaten by moths.
The truly wise maintain a high view of God, a sober view of themselves, and a generous view of other people.
How do I know if I have a high view of God?
If I am constantly aware of just how much I depend on Him for everything.
How will I know if I have a sober view of myself?
If I admit I am aware of my own shortcomings and understand that all I have is only what I have received from God—if by my own public and private lifestyle, if I am in the habit of pointing away from myself instead of towards myself.
How do I know if I have a generous view of other people?
If I am routinely building them up instead of cutting them down.
This is the sort of wisdom from above which pleases God, which the world so desperately needs from you and me—a gentle yet strong expression of wisdom that demonstrates itself in our speech, good conduct and consistent meekness.
As we watch and we wait, just how does this not so eagerly challenge us today?
As we go about our daily affairs waiting for Christmas, waiting for the promise of a new and we pray a better year ahead, how does God’s wisdom challenge us?
As we anticipate and expect How does this, will this, challenge us tomorrow?
How will will either of us eagerly pursue living with this true wisdom today?
In the name of God, the Father, and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 24 New International Version
Psalm 24
Of David. A psalm.
1 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.[a]
5 They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob.[b][c]
7 Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty— he is the King of glory.
Lord, our God, Author of all life, Giver of every good and perfect gift, grant us our portion of your wisdom to help us understand your Word and to live by it every day. Guide us into peaceful, wise living that shows your love. In Jesus name, Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 