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 »

February 16, 2009 by admin.

It is a dark and balmy night in the Saharan Desert regions of Africa. Off in the distance a wise, albeit eccentric, sage is cackling and singing some jibberish. There, in the night sky, a glowing cloud resembling his father echoes, “remember who you are. You are my son, and the one true king.”

And then, Mufasa fades away into the sky, and Simba is left alone.

Listening to the message yesterday, I couldn’t help but remember this scene from The Lion King as we read James 1:23-24, which says “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” James reveals to us that when we do not live out our faith in obedience to God, we are actively forgetting who we are.

What is our identity, through the word of truth? “That we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” God’s very best. That’s a comfort isn’t it?

James doesn’t end there. He then explains that while God thinks very highly of us, there’s a certain righteous life that he desires for us, as His sons and daughters. Here’s a short list from the verses we covered (James 1:13-27) this past Lord’s Day of characteristics that God is working to produce in us:

• Quick to listen
• Slow to speak
• Slow to get angry
• Word-doers (not just hearers only)
• Control of our tongues
• Care for orphans
• Care for widows
• Turning away from the influences in our lives that draw us toward sin. 

If we can be real for a moment, I think many of us would agree that that short list suddenly becomes very tall when we actually try to live it. As Curt pointed out, James provides us with a way to acheive this goal (verse 25): “But the man who looks intently 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.”

Instead of living a performance-based relationship with God, where you’re checking off your religious list - allow the Holy Spirit to shape you through the mirror James talks about.

Look into that mirror of God’s word, and be reminded of who Christ is - of his abundant life for you. Remember the escape routes He provides when temptations come.

Remember who you are.

Follow up question: is the fact that God has provided you with a way out of every single temptation a source of comfort and encouragement, or of guilt and discouragement? Discuss.

Posted in God, James Chapter 1, Faith In Motion | Print | 1082 Comments »