Listen More And Talk Less

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”

James 1:19-20

I was once told you were given one mouth and two ears for a reason… You should listen twice as much as you speak… Growing up with 7 siblings, arguments seem to be a daily routine within our household; whether someone was wronged, a (n) item was taken or the channel on the television was switched; it was never a matter of talking through things but rather yelling out of control until our parents stepped in and took whatever we were arguing about away from us… Being rebellious and retaliatory are natural traits of human nature… When someone has wronged us we naturally want to get them back or at the very least let them know our thoughts (most of the time these are not kind words)… If we come to the realization that the state we enter this world in produces negative things, than we will understand that as a child of God we show our maturity and growth in how we resolve issues and communicate with others… Personally speaking, my father will tell you that I was beat the most of any of my siblings and that I caused the most chaos, there was no question that if you crossed my path in a negative manner you were susceptible to my wrath; however over the years I can truly say that I have grown as a child of God because I can turn situations over to the Lord in prayer and not allow my emotions to get the best of me… 

To be able to refrain from what comes naturally is a testament to your faith and advancement in the will of God… Sin is natural; however when we make attempts to avoid sin and live a life that is pleasing to God we are displaying the characteristics that a child of God should display and we are living the life that James speaks of in our focus verses today… Self control demonstrates how far we have grown in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… James reminds us today that we must be swift to hear, but slow to speak… In other words, it’s best that you shut your mouth and open your ears… In listening you can better understand someone’s view, you can get a better realization of where they are coming from and also, in hearing you can be better prepared to answer in a many that will promote healing or understanding… If we speak more than we listen, James teaches us today that we are not walking in the will of God…The bible tells us that we are to repay no man evil for evil, but that we are to give room for God’s vengeance and let Him repay… When we try and take matters into our own hands we remove God from the situation and nothing good can come of it… We must learn that there is a difference between listening and hearing… We are called not to simply listen to words, but hear what the meaning of the words are and when we do this we can defuse situations instead of allowing them to spread like a wildfire… Today let us focus on these verses and test ourselves in the area of hearing; instead of speaking when something goes wrong… 

Today, hear what the other person has to say, digest what it is that they have said and pray that if and when you open your mouth you do so in a Godly manner and not out of vengeance… When we give place to our own vengeance James tells us that it doesn’t work the righteousness of God… Remember that Jesus was on trial and He heard all the testimonies against Him, He never said a word until a question was posed to Him… Today, let us model Jesus by living according to the will of God and walking in His precepts… It is only by the grace of God and His spirit that we have life and can live; the bible says that when we crossover from this life to the next that our bodies will change (the corruptible must put on incorruptible and the mortal must be clothed with immortality)… We have not crossed over yet, so we are still corruptible and mortal… I say this because sin still lives within us and it displays itself in the areas we allow it too... Proverbs 4:24 says, “Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.” It’s good for people to see a change in you, it means that you are leaving what comes natural and moving toward what is more spiritual…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Bore Our Iniquity

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6

There is no one upon this earth who is blameless or without flaw… The biggest step toward becoming what you were created to be is realizing that you aren’t what you were designed to be…  Isaiah says, “All we like sheep have gone astray…” A sheep is a animal that needs guidance, discipline and structure provided for them… Sheep are frequently thought of as extremely unintelligent animals who can become frightened easily, intimidated and subdued… We “being like sheep” can easily be lead astray because of the self discipline we lack and the fear of the unknown that leads us to cling to the inferiorities of the present… Sheep have to be monitored and guided because they can very easily wonder off… The same is true of the body of Christ; we need the presence of the Holy Spirit and fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ in order to keep from wondering off and becoming subject to many snares and traps… This verse taken from Isaiah tells me that since my birth I have wondered aimlessly through life, I have wondered away from the destiny God has for me and have turned away… It is because of this that “…the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all...” This is why Isaiah says in the previous verse “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he wasbruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” 

We can’t find the way through the fall of mankind and it was only through the blood of the savior that we have a guiding light which will lead us to the path that we were created to travel with a  clean slate and hope for a better tomorrow… I once read a billboard that had this recorded, “Lost??? Try GPS – God’s Plan of Salvation…” Remember when Jesus was on this earth, He told His disciples, “No greater love has a man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends…” In the midst of our crooked and perverse ways, while we were yet sinners, while we continued to disobey the will of God Christ died for us… Before we even knew how to love ourselves let alone love God, Christ had already stretched out His hands; He was already pierced for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquity… Isaiah reminds us today that no matter where you are, not matter how much success you have experienced or even how much prosperity you have seen that we all have gone astray… Through the sin of Adam all have fallen short of the Glory of God and it took the precious blood of the ultimate sacrifice to pave the way to Salvation… Make no mistake about it, your success derives from His outstretched arms, your victory comes from His blood, your deliverance came in the times that He shouted out from the cross and your Salvation was secured when He bowed His head and gave up the ghost… Paul told the church that I preach Christ crucified, your foundation was established in His death and you are alive because of it… 

In the church today so many people want to act as if yesterday didn’t exist, they want to ignore the sin of an hour or minute ago and try to portray a perfect life… Isaiah says, “…we have turned every one to his own way…”There was a time when you turned away, there have been times when you wanted to march to your own drum and do the things that pleased you… There was a day (maybe even now) that you desired to worry about “me, myself and I” and didn’t even care about how your actions could impact someone else… If we are truthful with ourselves we will understand that there is no truth in us until we receive Jesus Christ… The second thing we are taught today is that because of our sin and transgressions we have sowed seeds of adversity that sprout periodically in our lives… This second notion is why it is of the utmost importance that we do not blame God for trials and tribulations… We were made in His image, but when we transgressed the law of God we begin to sow seeds of disobedience that lead to harvest of tribulations… God has not punished us nor has He allowed the true judgment that we deserved to be rendered… We have punished ourselves and are just looking for someone else to point the finger too…The bible says that His mercies are new every morning; this is good news, because I will be the first to admit that I sin quite often and like sheep wonder away from the path…Thank God for the Ultimate Shepherd...

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Grace Is Given When Pride Is Resisted

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

1 Peter 5:5

As a child, growing up it was very challenging for me to respect my elders, especially if I felt that they were wrong or not understanding me… I can recall as if it was yesterday how often I would become upset and feel a sense of anger toward those who thought that just because of their years upon this earth respect was due to them… There is no tougher situation that I have faced in this life, than to respect and submit to someone who I didn’t or don’t think deserves it… Rolling back 3 chapters in this book and looking at verse 9 you will find these words, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” The reason why I bring this verse to the forefront of our study today is because we are a chosen generation and called a peculiar people… Understand today that you are held to a higher standard, though others may talk about people and slander their brothers or sisters we are “chosen” to extend a hand to the needy and to not give way to our own vengeance… In walking this Christian journey remember that you are a “peculiar people,” this means that you will handle situations different then the norm and you will find happiness in things the world counts as useless… 

This is the very reason why Jesus was able to call Judas “friend” even though he had come to betray Him, it’s the same reason why Jesus prayed for forgiveness on the cross and healed the soldier’s ear which had been cut off… The work we do on this earth is for the purpose of building God’s kingdom… We willingly submit knowing that there is power in submission… Christ submitted to the will of His father and received all power in heaven and on earth…  We are called to remain humble and “be subject one to another” simply because we need each other… Fellowship in the body of Christ is important, when we face trials and tribulations we surround ourselves with people who can relate, understand and more important keep our focus on God instead of the storm we are facing… You must be “clothed with humility” because it is very easy to allow the enemy to lead us astray… When we are defiant we give place to ego, we give place self-righteousness and we give place to independence… All these characteristics lead us away from the will of God which is why Peter goes on to say, “…for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble…” In the body of Christ, we are called to remain humble and one of the biggest tests of our humility is remaining modest in the face of others or adversity…

I know that we have all heard the saying “respect your elders” and this is written in God’s word that we are to do that (hold your horses for those who are ready to pounce on your children or brothers and sisters in Christ); but notice what is written after that portion of scripture. “…all of you be subject one to another,” this means that even the elder must show respect and accountability to the younger. This is often overlooked, many people will say that I do not have to do this or that because I am 50 years old, I am your senior, I have been on this earth longer than you and have had or seen my share of days (sound familiar). We become so stubborn about our feelings, and when that happens pride sets in to the point that we will hurt others instead of helping others. In order to be a child of God and walk in Hs will we must show kindness and respect to those who are half our age, or may even be separated by two or three generations. This is not a (n) easy task, and again, this is why Peter says that we are to be clothed with humility. We have to keep ourselves grounded in God’s word and desires in order to carry out this directive recorded by Peter. If you seek to be humble, God will provide the things you need to obtain that level of humbleness so that you will be respected and be able to give respect to one another!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You'll Know Them By Their Fruit

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 7:20-21

This passage taken from Matthew simply reminds us that talk is cheap. This verse declares a statement in the very beginning that by their fruits you will know them; this means that we have to be careful to observe the people we interact with and the kind of fruit they bare. So many of us get caught up in the elaborate or eloquent words that people use, but Jesus reminds us today that we must look deeper than the outward appearance… Taking this to a worldly view, we see many mega-churches today and so much corruption at the same time! How is this possible you ask, because people are following the messenger with his style a (n) swag instead of heading and seeking the word of God! So many people end up in abusive relationships or get hurt because the focus on the wrong things in a person and ignore the fruit that they bare… 

These are the things that we are being warned about today, the fact that as a child of God we must be proactive and defeating the enemy by seeking the will of God and doing this on our own and not allow others to deter us from our divine paths… Jesus says, “Not everyone that saith Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven…” This tells me that not everyone who speaks the word of God is about the word of God, not everyone that goes to church is a part of the church and that it is only by the fruit that they bare that we can know who they are… The bible says that there will be many that come in the Father’s name and they will deceive many; don’t be deceived today, observe the fruits around you, but also make sure that the fruit you bare is acceptable to the Lord! These passage next states, “but he that doeth the will of the Father which is in heaven…” 

We all have a destiny that God desires for our lives, we all have a journey mapped out with our names on them, it’s time now that we focus on the true will of God and stop giving lip service… Stop going in the church and saying all the right things, let us learn to do the right things… One saying that I believe is true is that “you can’t lead where you aren’t going…” The church of today has lost the focus of Christ being the center… We have surrounded ourselves with the wrong people, with the wrong motives and with the wrong desires (so we bare the wrong fruit)… The Israelites selected Saul as their King because of his stature, but he was rejected and failed during his reign… Let us remember today that it is no about appearance when it comes to the will of God, it’s not about what you say, it is not about how well you talk or how intelligent you are, but rather how you profess your love for Christ through your actions and you lifestyle! In short, TALK IS CHEAP!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Prayer + Faith = Saved

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

  

James 5:15

If you want to see the sick healed, pray; if you want to see the one in the midst of adversity lifted up, pray; if you want to have sins forgiven and blotted out, pray… This is not to suggest that every healing sought through prayer will always be granted (as God has a perfect plan which at times we may not understand; this passage just teaches us that the most powerful tool that we have is the ability to go directly to the Father in prayer casting all our cares upon Him knowing that He cares for us... The very next verse in this chapter says that the prayers of the righteous availeth much… Understand that when we pray, the key is not the words that you uttered, but the foundation of faith that your prayers stand on… James says the prayer of faith, when we pray in faith we leave it with God, we don’t get consumed with the outcome or results, we simply pray knowing that God has the authority and power to change and transform situations… This passage today focuses on the importance of Prayer, not in the since of closing your eyes and speaking to God, but that we must believe in what we are doing… So many of us pray every day of our lives, but we don’t feel or see God moving because we haven’t trusted in His word… 

The bible says that we are able to go “boldly before the Lord…” Through the Holy Spirit we cast all our cares upon the Lord, we don’t hold on to them and we don’t simply go to God just to vent… Let your prayers be prayers of faith; knowing, trusting, believing and focusing on the power of God! Notice that James says that the prayer of faith shall save the sick, so many aren’t being saved because we aren’t really praying… We close our eyes and lift up their names, but do we really believe God will supply all our needs as His word tells us? Do we really trust that the Lord will raise up a standard against the devil and that no weapon formed against you shall prosper? The word of God says that we are not to pray as those in the synagogues do, using elaborate words and putting on a show; God says they have already received their reward… Prayer is about humility, acknowledgement and faith… We go humbly before the Lord because He is the creator, we acknowledge that all power resides within His hands and we have faith that He can transform and exalt… God hasn’t moved because we haven’t believed that He will… How often do you pray to the Lord and then try to take care of the situation on your own? 

This probably sounds real familiar and then we wonder why the sick continue to suffer and the poor continue to perish… James tells us in the passage, that the Lord will raise up the sick (heal them) after we have prayed; if He has committed sins they will be forgiven. This is an awesome revelation that we can have a clean-slate presented unto us through our Lord and Savior by praying and believing. But notice the beginning of this passage and the rule to which these blessing will occur. The prayer of faith shall save the sick; we all have to be in prayer for one another believing that “nothing is too hard for God…” Instead of gossiping and causing harm to each other, let us learn to pray for each other so that we all may be blessed by our God. James tells us that the best weapon we have on this earth is prayer. We need to seek the Lord on behalf of our brothers and sisters. If your boss is riding you and stressing you out, PRAY; if your children have seem to lost focus in their Christian walk, PRAY; and if you feel like all hope is lost and you want to give up, PRAY and not only that, but have FAITH the size of a mustard seed and that mountain will move... This saying is indeed true and we see it in this passage; PRAYER CHANGES THINGS!!!!!!!”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Is Coming Back

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Revelation 1:7

There is one thing guaranteed in life and that is that Jesus is coming back… Paul states in his letter to the church of Philippi “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” The “secret” Paul is referring to is trusting and having faith in Christ… No matter what you face or encounter in this life, you must have the understanding that Christ will be exalted and through all things His name will be glorified… As I go through life, my hope is neither in the present nor in the conditions of this earth, but in the promise of Christ’s return to this earth… Through John’s suffering and isolation God reveals a plan and purpose behind all that we go through… We are reminded in the 22 chapter of Revelations (12^th verse) that the Lord’s coming is approaching “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”… As a Christian we are to live everyday as if it’s our last (not live it up according to the world but live knowing that pleasing Christ should be our desire knowing that tomorrow isn’t promised… 

We are called to leave no stone unturned and always go about conducting business as if we are doing it for the Lord , “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, (Colossians 3:23)”… In this passage, John informs us that“…he cometh with clouds…” There are many times the bible refers to a cloud (the essences of God) being present… When the Israelites were being lead out of Egypt, there was cloud that covered them during the day; when Jesus was Baptist a cloud appeared and a voice spoke saying “this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased”, on the mountain of transfiguration the bible says that a cloud enveloped them and God said“this is my beloved son, listen to him” and John the revelator tells us that “He will come with clouds…” Knowing that Christ will return tells me that I must stay sober, vigilant and equipped… I am reminded of the story about the ten virgins and the bridegroom ( we will examine in the coming sentences)… Some were prepared, some weren’t… Now while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, "Lord, Lord, open up for us." But he answered them and said, "Truly I say to you, I do not know you." Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour”.  

(Matthew 25) Those who aren’t prepared for this return will be saddened; however, we who believe in the Lord should be offering up our praise as He has come to take us to our eternal resting place! John says that the ones who pierced Him will see Him! John says that every eye shall see Him, those who persecuted Jesus will see Him in His glory and the earth will cry out when the trumpet indeed does sound… John is saying that those who thought they killed Jesus will see the living savior, those who put Him down will see Him reigning with all power; likewise, the ones who persecuted you will see your exaltation, they will see you lifted up and will see your breakthrough! There are many times where we feel that Satan is winning, but just know that we look to the hills or rather the clouds knowing that God will deliver, knowing that His word doesn’t come back VOID and believing that victory was assured through the blood of Jesus… This very passage embodies our victory and reward of salvation! I believe the songwriter said it best, “soon and very soon, we are going to see the king, soon and very soon, we are going to see the king. Hallelujah, Hallelujah we are going to see the king.” He goes on to say, “No more dying their, we are going to see the king!”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

It Was Christ Which Delivered You

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:13-14

It is only through the mercy of God and the grace of His son that you have been“delivered from darkness…” This passage cautions me to be thankful unto the mercy and saving power of our God… As I read these verses, this epistle informs me that there is news for the one who thinks more highly upon himself than he ought to think, this letter provides a bit of information for the one who places all his care into the hands of physical wealth or power… Paul asks a question to the church of Colossae that should be echoed to us today, “who hath delivered us from the power of darkness…?” As the songwriter said, “If it were not for the Lord who was on my said, tell me where would we be?” Make no mistake about it, you are here by the grace of God and are alive because He has afforded you the opportunity to experience His love, affection and tender mercies… It is of the utmost importance that we remember who has delivered us from darkness. Paul posed this question to the body of believers and it is very germane to today’s church as well… The bible cautions us several times that we “are not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think…” You cannot do it on your on, if you look at your life when you have tried to handle things in your on power, I am sure that you can agree with that statement knowing that nothing worked as you planned… We couldn’t save ourselves and the filth that we are wasn’t nor is it worthy of heaven… 

This is why Paul goes on to ask not only who delivered us but also who “hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son…?” To be translated in this since is to be converted, transformed or turned… God has converted us from what we were, He has transformed our way of thinking and what we truly desire and He has turned us from our path of sin…  God has delivered us from the bondage of sin and has provided us a golden opportunity to come back to Him through the sacrifice of His very own beloved son Jesus Christ! These verses shine light on the glory and majesty that defines our God… The fact that He thought enough of you to deliver you from your failures and seeks to wipe away all your flaws… The fact that it doesn’t matter how much darkness consumes you, He is willing to meet you where you are, pluck you out of your current circumstance, wash you in His love and clothe you in His protection… Understand that God delivers you from your mistakes, but He goes a step further and transforms you because He wants you to prosper as well… This is the love that He has for you, going above and beyond to take you to higher heights… You cannot reach these levels because you can’t see them and this why we must remember who makes each and every day of our lives possible…  Romans 5:19 says, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous…” 

By one man’s sins we all have sinned (Adam’s seed), but by one man’s righteousness we all have an opportunity to obtain salvation. Without Christ we are nothing, remember He told us that He is the way, the truth and the light… He told His disciples that no man come unto the father but by me… Let us never forget that Jesus is our salvation. Let us stay focused on the fact that had He not given His life, and shed His blood on Calvary, that we would not be here today. Let us walk in the light, because He is the light, and has promised that He now has gone to prepare a place for you and I to be with Him for eternity! Paul says that“redemption was through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins…” To redeem something, you must cash in, trade in, exchange or buy back! Christ cashed in His life for you, He traded in His home of glory to provide a ray of hope for your life, He exchanged His heavenly realm for an earthly vessel and through this He bought back your very soul! In knowing all that Christ has done it is important for us to stop trying to conceal wounds that Christ already healed… Jesus paid the price for our sins and not we ourselves… We didn’t have the pure sacrifice that was needed to pay the debt that we owed and if we understand that, we can understand and know that Christ has delivered us and wiped our sins away!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!