March 19, 2009 by admin.

Sitting in church Sunday morning I was reminded once again that the human tongue is one of the most powerful instruments in the world.  Like a bit in a horses’ mouth or a rudder on a ship, the tongue can control who you are.  As I was reminded to be quick to listen, slow to speak I started to feel convicted.  My mind raced back over the past week highlighting the number of times I had snapped at people, gossiped or complained.  I resolved to fix this right away.  Starting Monday morning I was going to control what came out of my mouth.   

But then the message turned its focus to the root problem, which is the heart.  Matthew 12 says that out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  Instantly this had me frustrated.  Not only did I have to fix my tongue again, but also figure out what was deep inside me and fix that as well.  What we think about and dwell on is in our hearts and comes out in the way we speak and represent ourselves.  A bit overwhelming.  As I started to sink downward into my own thoughts the message steadily moved forward.  It reminded me that Christ has placed NEW hearts within us! We are new creatures who are not slaves to the cycles of sin. The Bible calls us to put off the old and put on the new; to renew our mind! Not in our own strength, but through the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us!

Those words of hope stopped me in my downward spiral of guilt and self reliance.  We don’t have to sin, and God always makes a way for us to escape temptation.  He “poured out a way” so to speak.  The Holy Spirit is our source of power.   

Did you know that you are a powerful Christian, or do you believe you are weak and destined for failure?  The Bible says that you are strong in Christ and that through the Holy Spirit you can triumph.  How do you access that power?  Through prayer in the renewing of your mind.  Tell yourself daily what God tells you.  Believe you are who He says you are.  A free child of the King.

Believe everything you hear - from God’s Word to your ears.

Contributing writer: Lacey

Posted in Matthew 12, Believe, James Chapter 3, God, Faith In Motion | Print | 3148 Comments »

March 2, 2009 by admin.

There are a lot of different thoughts swirling in my head after yesterday’s message, which covered James 2:1-13. Instead of filling this post with my own thoughts, I’d like to post an excerpt from The Life of Pi by Yann Martel.

**Disclaimer: the context of this excerpt is referring to Pi’s decision to convert to Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism all at once. I do not agree with the concept that all roads lead to heaven, and neither does Jesus (see John 14:6).**

While I do not agree with the moral relativism suggested by Pi, I still see a degree of truth to the argument, especially in light of yesterday’s message about showing favoritism by choosing to exclude other denominations within the Christian faith. See if you can recognize the echoes of the apostle James within this excerpt:

“There are always those who take it upon themselves to defend God, as if the Ultimate Reality, as if the sustaining frame of existence, were something weak and helpless. These people walk by a widow deformed by leprosy begging for a few paise, walk by children dressed in rags living in the street, and they think “Business as usual.” But if they perceive a slight against God, it is a different story. Their faces go red, their chests heave mightily, they sputter angry words. The degree of their indignation is astonishing. Their resolve is frightening.”

“These people fail to realize that it is on the inside that God must be defended, not on the outside. They should direct their anger at themselves. For evil in the open is but evil from within that has been let out. The main battlefield for good is not the open ground of the public arena but the small clearing of each heart. Meanwhile, the lot of widows and homeless children is very hard, and it is to their defence, not God’s, that the self-righteous should rush.”

“As if this small-mindedness did God any good. To me, religion is about our dignity, not our depravity.”

If I may be so bold, I’m going to add to Curt’s list of self-administered tests. Ask yourself this question: “Over the last week, how many people did I discuss/debate theology and doctrine with? How many people did I offer help to, in the form of emotional comfort, prayer and petition, or material needs?” Discuss.

Posted in Yann Martel, Life of Pi, James Chapter 2 | Print | 2621 Comments »