Category: Good Life Journal

Scripture:  For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God…

For since…the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

For Jews demand signs…and Greeks wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified.  (It is) a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are being called (both Jews or Greeks) Christ—the power of God and the wisdom of God.  (excerpted from 1 Cor 1:18-24)

Observation:  The Cross: the power of God.  The Cross: the wisdom of God.  Sounds like folly, looks like folly—it is anything but folly.

Analysis:  I can talk about the Cross a lot.  In fact, I do.

What I have issues with is to walk consistently with Cross knowledge predominate in my life.

The study of God (theology) has a place, but, if it doesn’t translate into change of my life then it is sort of ineffective.  At least for me, from my perspective, theological study without change in the way I walk, walking worthy of the Gospel, is empty.

Yesterday I blew my stack with my spouse, shook my finger and everything.  Not only that but nursed an “I was right” perspective for a while—just to have the whisper of God go “Not so fast, buddo: Anger of man is not righteousness.  Who are you representing anyway?  My Ways or yours?”

I have theses “outbursts” of anger often enough that my apologies can be doubted…a lot.  Even if these happen once per month (12 times a year) that is a lot.  I write this confession, not to pat myself on the back and show how spiritual I am, but to be transparent showing the things I write are first and foremost to the face in the mirror.

What does the Cross mean to me?  As Jesus died for me on the Cross, so I die for Him at the Cross; meaning, I lay my life down at the foot of the Cross.  If I want the power of God in my life, then I embrace the Cross.  It is not a trinket around the neck, or a pin on the label of a jacket.  It is more than a symbol—it is the actual Power and Wisdom of God.

The Cross (and by extension the Gospel) is imperative study so that my walk changes to walk worthy.

So, what do I do?  I would like to think there is a formula involved: confess, ask forgiveness, repent, and go further.  How does that work out with actual people involved?  Yeah, you guessed it: moment by moment, all sorts of ramifications to deal with in the wake of my outburst.

Being a disciple is not easy.

Prayer:  Father, help me to navigate this issue with my spouse and the others involved.  Be thorough in me; I want to walk more fully in Your ways.  AMEN

Scripture:

[8] My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day.

[14] But I will hope continually

and will praise you yet more and more.

[15] My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.

[22] I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.

[23] My lips will shout for joy,

when I sing praises to you;

my soul also, which you have redeemed.

[24] And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disappointed who sought to do me hurt.

Observation:

Hope, praise, and worship.. even in crisis.

When? Hope continually, praise always – all the day What? Tell of what he has done – tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day.

How? with your tongue; with the harp and lyre Why?  to glorify him; to tell of what he has done; even in crisis, in anticipation of what he will do

Application:

Praise and worship him with loud voices, with instruments, and hands lifted high! He loves when we do that and in fact will sing over us too!

The Lord your God is with you,

the Mighty Warrior who saves.

He will take great delight in you;

in his love he will no longer rebuke you,

but will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zeph 3:17, NIV)

Wow – We praise and worship him with singing and he rejoices and sings over us!

This is a beautiful reminder that we are here to glorify God. We are to glorify him now and praise him for what he has done – for us personally, for our families, for our country..  Even in our darkest hours there are things for which we can praise him. As true believers, the Holy Spirit lives within us and for that alone, we can find joy and praise him.

We are to praise him for what he has yet to do. In our triumphs and in our pain, God is with us, he is in control, and he has more in his plan for us. Hallelujah!

Prayer:

Lord I love you. Thank you for fro creating me as I am, for choosing me and for giving me hope. It brings me great joy to praise and worship you with my voce and hands lifted high. Even though I don’t deserve it you are so good to me. Thank you for using me in your plan and I pray my heart and eyes are open to feel and see what you will have me do to align with your will. In Jesus glorious name I pray, amen.

Scripture

Psalm 67:1-2 – May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all the nations.

 Observation

Here the psalmist is asking for God’s blessing and grace.  That the face of God would shine upon them.  By God’s grace and blessing on His people His all mighty power for salvation would be known to all the people on earth.

Application

The first two verses of Psalm 67 are a great prayer with a missional call to action to share the gospel amongst the nations.  Because of the grace of God in sending Jesus to pay for our sins we, who believe in Jesus, are saved.  We are saved to make God known by our love of God and neighbor, not just here but all over the world.  The love of Christ is the most powerful thing and is the hope we need to be prepared to share with an uncertain world.

Prayer

Father,

Thank you for your love grace and mercy in sending Jesus to pay for my sin so I can repent, be reconciled and have a relationship with you.  Have your face shine on me and let the power of the Holy Spirit guide me to make you known, glorifying you among the nations.

Heb 3 and Phone a Friend (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today…if you hear his voice…do not harden your heart…where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years.  Therefore, I was provoked with that generation, and said, “They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways….”

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.  But exhort (or encourage) one another EVERY DAY, as long as it is called “today”, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”  Excerpts from Heb 3:7-13

Observation: Let’s see: I have a hardening heart potential.  I can provoke God.  I can go astray because of not knowing His ways.  Beat’s me, but it looks like something I need to pay attention to…Why, it could be a thinly veiled warning…

Analysis:  Of course, it is a warning.  The writer of Hebrews is virtually whacking me between the eyes with a scriptural 2×4.  “Wake UP!!  Don’t miss this!!”

Verse 12 and 13 gets referenced a lot.  It is one of those seminal (formative and important) verses about the conduct of a disciple.  Exhort one another: Urge, press, push.  Or encourage one another (NAS): Inspire, hearten, cheer.

Depending on the version of the NT read, a person can have a different mind and action about how to fulfill this section of scripture as an action.  Give a guy an “Uncle Harry” talk, getting a backside in gear (for whatever situation), or an “Aunt Mary” hug, telling them whatever is happening will be “okay.”

The focus then becomes about what a person does for a singular and recognizable situation: Biblically and with gentleness kick them or give them a Jesus hug—all in an “appropriate” circumstance.

I am going to pull this apart even more.  The one excerpt from Verses 12-13 that doesn’t get as much attention to is the “Every Day” piece.

The insinuation, no, the PLAIN and VISIBLE direction is that Disciple-wannabes TALK to each other.  All the time.  Frequently.  So much so, that when the need comes up to address sin or a sensation of my friend starting to go down a path where they shouldn’t be going, they have a constant companion right there.

But better than pulling someone out of the dastardly clutches of sin, is the effort made to (on a daily basis) tromp up the Mount of God together, climb the Mountain of the Lord, walk the Narrow Path of righteousness—“There they go, just a walking down the Street.”

Do you think this is hard?  I do.  I fail often when the Holy Spirit puts someone on my heart to contact.

Is this necessary, I mean, making effort to contacting a brother?  While someone could read this section of Scripture and say, “That is for caring for an unbeliever”, take note: The writer of Hebrews is addressing a Local Church.  A Local Church—just like ours.

Are there “wobbly” Christians in our midst?  Of course.  Given some days, I fit that bill like the Mona Lisa.  I can be the picture of “wobbly.”

Point is we all need contact to help us remember whom we serve so that we don’t, little by little, inch by inch, yield to a little unrighteousness here and a little more there.

Make it a point to “phone a friend.”  Frequently.  Make it a disciple, then a habit.

Prayer:  Father, please increase this longing in me to do just what I am writing about.  It is so very valuable to the maturity of the Local Church.  AMEN.

Scripture: “For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.  You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let me ride over our heads; we went through the fire and through the water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.”  Psalms 66:10 ESV

Other pertinent scriptures:

Isaiah 48-10 “Behold for I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction”

Zech 13-9 “And I will put this third into the fire and refine them as on one refines silver.

1Peter 1: 6-7 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. “

Observation: The Psalmist is lamenting God’s testing the Israelites and uses the analogies of refining silver, through fire and water, snaring us into the net and laying a crushing blow… but no matter what trials God used to test the Israelites, they were eventually brought to a place of abundance.

Application: Boy does this verse hit home.  I have been through the fire more times than I can count and most of the time I have not handled it well or been thankful for what was happening.

Just like the Israelites I have lamented; I have cursed (maybe not often out loud) and I have cried.  I became despondent and depressed and yes, sometimes I literally threw a tantrum.

It is so hard when I am going through something difficult to stop and remember that I am not in control of the situation and to take the situation to the foot of the cross.

I clearly forget that God has a bigger plan for me.  He is hard at work forming me to the image of his son.  I must remember to be thankful for all things even when I am going through a trial.

Prayer:  Lord remind me that the trials you give me are necessary to draw me closer to you.  Help me to persevere through the hard times so that I may remember that everything you do is for good.  Lord keep me strong and help me remember that every good thing comes from above and that I should give my troubles to you and not lean on my own understanding.  Lord, to you I give the glory!  Amen.

Journal Ps 63-65 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.

When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions.  Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts!  We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!

By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might…

(The one) who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of the waves, the tumult of the peoples, so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs…

You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.”  (Ps 65:2-8)

Observation: Every so often the Psalmist runs out on a direction that is totally directed towards the awesomeness of the Most High.  It is a function of prayer I would do well to practice…

Analysis: What is the difference between prayer and praise?

The way that it is usually practiced, prayer is sort of quiet, sort of solemn, sort of asking or petitioning—there is this kind of mental picture of on my knees, hands out asking “please?”

Praise is almost the full opposite: Not quiet, but loud.  Solemn, but in an expressive, sometime boisterous way.  Music is a big thing in praise—the way it is usually practiced.

Sometimes I hear both prayer and praise focus on the god of the moment: Me.

It is tough to be different when I have been trained and conditioned throughout my life to consider Me the most.  I have seen and heard a gospel presented that had Me at the core of it: What does being Christian get Me? What will Jesus do for Me? I will be healed; I will be satisfied; I will find peace, etc.

No doubt that folks can extract a cost/benefit equation out of the scriptures that addresses all the “Me” stuff.  Shucks, given some time I bet I could do it—I would have to twist my mind into knots again that I had hoped were all gone.

The Psalmist isn’t going down the Me path: he is looking at God as square as he can.

“You, O Lord…You alone…You choose…You bring near…My satisfaction comes from the goodness of Your house…Your holiness…Your awesome deeds…Your strength…and, etc.”  The drift here is evident and clear.

Good, clean, biblical prayer AND praise comes from Carnegie Hall…you know…” How do you get to Carnegie Hall?  Practice, practice, practice.”

What to practice?  A little less Me and a whole bunch of Thee…

Prayer:  Sorry for the pun fun, Lord.  “Can’t help myself, I love you and nobody else…”

It is so simple: focus on You.  It is so hard at the same time.  I get wrapped up in the things of this world: family, finances, world events, sorrows, and so much more.  I want You, O God, to be center of my eyesight every day, all day and night.  Multiply AWE in me, help me, make me see You in every corner, every breath of everything.  Make praise and acknowledgement of You erupt in my mind in whatever I see.  AMEN.

Scripture: “Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard…for You, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.  You have brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water…

Yet, you have brought us out to a place of abundance!

Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he has done for my soul.”  (excerpts from Ps 66:8-16)

Observation:  The Psalmist has a way to orient thinking as to keep my head on straight.  He sure avoids “eye-candy” scriptures out of context, doesn’t he?

Analysis: Today, this is a rant of sorts.  Hopefully I will be persuasive, biblically logical, and gentle.

In an inconsistent manner, I participate in a bible blog/discussion site.  Often, it has been a bible argument site, but lately the tone has subsided quite a bit—so much that participating is not as interesting has it has been in the past.

For me, I likened it to the group that CS Lewis participated in, where over a mug of ale, they discussed various points of scripture and doctrine.  Let me be transparent: I instigated as many arguments over scripture as I tried to settle.  Kept (and keeps) me thinking and drives me to study as a result.

Yesterday, there was a single post: “Jesus will fix all things.”  On the surface, doesn’t seem like much…but the sentiment isn’t scriptural as a bald, unassociated statement.  The Gospel doesn’t present God as a sugar daddy or Santa Claus.  And my preaching the Gospel should not hint of such thing.  I do a disservice to any and all in such a misrepresentation.

Caring for souls: the firm truths are the clean truths.  “Study to show yourself approved; accurately dividing the Word of Truth” is what Paul wrote to Timothy.

Memorizing scripture is admirable and necessary.  I need it to brace up my heart and to renew my little grey cells between my ears.

Organizing these memorizations are necessary as well.  Such organizations have a description, it is called Doctrine.  Doctrine allows the ability to organize thoughts and convictions into well-defined categories.  For instance: The Gospel is a doctrine; the End Times is a doctrine.  Even Jesus is a doctrine.  It’s how we learn.

God as a sugar daddy is not represented in the Scriptures.  Merciful God is.  My declaration to Him forever will be “Thank you for what you have done for me, I do not deserve it.”  To others it will be, “Hear me and I will tell of His Gospel and what He has done for my soul…”

Prayer:  Father, such a hard post to write today.  I sound so borderline mean here.  I have tried to be succinct and brief; gentle and reasonable; persuasive.  I hope that is the case.

What joy you bring to my soul as you unfold your Word, O God.  Thank you.  AMEN.

Scripture:  For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is FROM him.

He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.  On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock—my refuge is God!

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge before us. Selah (reflective pause)

Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they (both) go up; they are together lighter than a breath.  Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

Once God has spoken; Twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.” (Ps 62:5-12a)

Observation: Sometimes the Psalmist interjects statement of praise at what could be puzzling times in a Psalm.  What should I take away from that?  How do I reconcile that “puzzle?”

Analysis: It is books like Psalms that I can tend to separate the easy “eye candy” from the tough to chew stuff.

I go: “hard; hard; oh, I understand that, sounds good, like that promise; hard; hard; huh?; hard; AMEN.

Writing in a published journal format can lend itself to that kind of action.  For instance, what is found uplifting in “Smite them, O Lord, according to your lovingkindness to Israel…”?  (Note: I just made that up)

But, if I read several lines before and several lines following, something wonderful can be found.  Sometimes is it just meditating, putting myself in the Psalmist’s place in an imaginative way that the Word of God unfolds itself.

The first line on this reference: “Soul, wait in silence for God alone; for my hope is from (originates) from only HIM.” (paraphrased)

I think that there is a common theme with David talking to his soul in Psalms.  My soul can quiver and shake just like his.  I can be disturbed in fear about the stuff going on around me.  My fortunes can rise and fall despite my attempts to steady them.  I fight, I claw, I hold grudges, and grumble and complain—all in the ways of the world.

David gets this, identifies personally with this, but he is not presumptuous about his character before God.  He is candid and transparent.  Doesn’t hide evil in his heart but lays it out there in descriptive and thorough confession.  And then eventually he says:

“But in You and You alone O God, is my strength.  Remind me in my weakness and say, no, shout, “I am Your Salvation.  Why are you in despair, O my soul—Hope in God for He is my salvation!!”

Yep, I need to remember this more…

Prayer: Lord, this is why I hammer the facts of the Gospel to myself daily.  There isn’t any pride welling up in me about this (well, not much anyway—thanks Daddy Adam) but, renewing my mind to your Word, I remember my weakness (very weak) and my intrinsic value (not much) and CELEBRATE your salvation!!  I am in my backyard practicing tossing crowns…AMEN

Scripture: “You have kept count of my tossing’s; put my tears in your bottle.  (Are they not in your book?)  Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call.

This I know: that God is for me.

In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.  What can man do to me?

I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you.  For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” Ps 56:8-13

Observation: Digging out dark emotions and printing them for all to read isn’t for the faint of heart.  The Psalmist show his trust by doing just that: Candid and Transparent.

Analysis: By imitating godly men of faith someone could infer that guys like me might be trying to pridefully say “I am just like [so and so].  Couldn’t be further from the truth today—pride has nothing to do with it.

Candid and transparent: I have a long-standing battle with depression.  It is been well over 30 years now.  I take medicine daily and still have issues from time to time.  Today is one of those times.

This passage means quite a bit to me.  My tears are collected by God and, amazingly so, saved.  No stated reason; he just does.  He keeps count of my flopping around at night when sleep is hard to come by.  Why?  Don’t know that one either.

Depression is a funny thing: It make me feel all alone.  My wife is helpless because of it—she is there, trying to do whatever she can to pull me out, however deep or shallow I have sunk.  She tries, tries hard.

Here, though, is God.  It would be stupid and shortsighted to think he has abandoned me…but there have been times where I practiced, in a very focused manner, stupidity and shortsightedness.

How then, in the manner of the Psalmist, can I be assured of God being right there, that He is for me?

It is easy to say, “the Word”: “In God, whose WORD I praise; in God I trust.”  It is harder to stand on that in the bad times when I haven’t prepared for that in the good times.

My preparation doesn’t change the Character of God: He will be there, and I can trust in that.  My preparation pertains to the confidence I should have.

I know that I am not alone in this (because the Scriptures say I am not alone), but I forget His presence, I forget His promises, His mighty and stalwart Word.  Why?  Because the storms and fierce battles I am in fills my consciousness more than He does.

How do I counter that?  Study.  Pray. Meditate.  Talk about the Gospel.  Journal…and do these things in the calm times, for when the storms are bashing me against the seawall is not the time to successfully remember “Say to my soul, I am your salvation.”

Prayer: Father, thank you for the gift of a believing wife.  Thank you for the ways in which she cares for me and that in faith unto You.  Help me in this light and momentary affliction to be drawn out of it.  Remind me and say to my soul, just like David wrote, “I am your salvation.”  AMEN

Scripture

Vs 1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.

Vs 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

Vs 7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it …

Vs 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts …

Vs 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord

Vs 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job …

Vs 12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

Vs 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently …

Observation

James is wrapping up his letter the same way he began his letter.

… a warning to the rich who have “fattened hearts” … and an encouragement to the suffering to “establish their hearts”.

With an “established heart”, I can be “patient” like the faithful who came before me.

Application

James has an interesting way of contrasting the condemned and the faithful.

Those with a “fattened heart” … the self-indulgent, weeping at the loss of luxuries.

Those with an “established heart” … patient, long suffering, and steadfast.

Also interesting, James says, “we consider those ‘blessed’ who remained steadfast”.

Do we really, though?

How often are those with luxurious lifestyles and self-indulgent living considered “blessed”?!

But James says that patient steadfastness in suffering is what is actually “blessed”.

How can this be? Because those are who will actually receive “the coming of the Lord” … like the farmer who buries his seed today, but eventually sees the true “precious fruit”.

So then, where is my faith? In the circumstances of my life around me?

We’re experiencing even now how they can change in a moment!

“Good” or “rich circumstances” will “rot” and fade away …, meanwhile “suffering” and “trials” endured with patience and faithfulness will prove fruitful.

How can I do this? By knowing I am not alone. I can look to the “Elijah’s” and the “Job’s” who were “with a nature like me”.

So, where will my focus be?

Hopefully, not rich circumstances or poor circumstances, but on faithful and patient endurance of whatever circumstances I am in.

Remain steadfast, this is where blessing comes from.

The blessing of living life with God, Himself.

Prayer

Thank you, God, for your word.

Thank you for giving me very the faith I have.

Help me exercise it fervently.

Help me live faithfully in every circumstance I find myself in, knowing you will prove fruitful.

In Jesus name,

Amen.

Journal James 3 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “The tongue is set among our members…staining the whole body…setting on fire the entire course of life…and set on fire by hell itself.

For every kind of (animal) can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind…but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil…. full of deadly poison.

With it we bless our Lord and Father;

And with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.  My brothers: these things ought not to be so… (James 3:6b-10a punctuation changed for reading effect)

Observation: From the Scriptures, out of every weapon that Man could devise, nothing has more potential to be deadly than the tongue.

Analysis: “Shall we play a game?”  “Yes, let’s play Thermonuclear War.” From the movie War Games.

And yet, as a Boomer and very aware of Nukes and weapons of mass destruction, God tells me that nothing is more deadly than the tongue.

My bet is that Nukes are for an instant, destruction by the tongue is for the duration of a lifetime and beyond.

That’s got a ring of truth to it.

My worse memories are of words; mostly things said to me that wounded me in such a way that the scars are tender even to this day.

But also, things that I have said to others that the descriptions shame and regret are too light and inadequate for what I feel inside.  I also carry those scars.

They are like deep cuts, wounds that don’t quite heal.  Ever.

I think that James might know these sensations all too well.  “A restless evil…a fire” that affects all a lifetime, started and sustained by hell.  Is it possible that he is thinking how he treated his brother before the Cross?  John 7:5 says “Not even his brothers (and in some manuscripts, sisters) believed in Him.”  What did he say about his stepbrother Jesus as a teenager or young adult that he would like to take back?

I believe that James knew there was forgiveness in the Son, but it is evident that is not the purpose of this Letter. James writes, maybe in a mocking tone, “Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?” (Ja 2:20) It appears that James’ purpose was to kick some backside into gear, put some teeth in my faith, and not just slothfully “rest” in my faith.

A good place to start is with my tongue.

Prayer: Lord God, how marvelously thorough you are in addressing how to be conformed to the image of the Son. You do not allow me to rest in theological principles but entice me, direct me, into putting theology and Biblical study to actual work—and that not to earn forgiveness or salvation but to be a witness of the Gospel from the core of my heart outward.

Thank you for regenerating me from within and releasing me from the bonds of sin.  AMEN

Scripture

Samuel 15:22 – And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

Observation

Samuel is talking to Saul after he has disobeyed the command of the Lord.  Saul and Israel defeated the Amalekites but they took sheep, oxen, calves and lambs directly against the direction of the Lord.  Saul tried to put the spoil that they took off on the Israelite people and was concerned about his own self.  Listening to God and following what He is telling us is better than not following and offering a sacrifice.

Application

This is a great word from the prophet Samuel to Saul about leadership in following the Lord.  We can still hear the word of the Lord and choose not to listen to it.  Or I can try and rationalize that I was unable to follow because it was someone else’s fault or decision that kept me from following what God wanted me to do.  When I hear and know what God is calling me to do or how I am supposed to serve, let me follow God rather than asking for forgiveness for a wrong decision or missed opportunity.

Prayer

Father,

Thank you for your love grace and mercy you have for us.  Let me listen for your direction and humbly obey to give you the glory.

Scripture: “The tongue is set among our members…staining the whole body…setting on fire the entire course of life…and set on fire by hell itself.

For every kind of (animal) can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind…but no human being can tame the tongue.  It is a restless evil…. full of deadly poison.

With it we bless our Lord and Father;

And with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.  My brothers: these things ought not to be so… (James 3:6b-10a punctuation changed for reading effect)

Observation: From the Scriptures, out of every weapon that Man could devise, nothing has more potential to be deadly than the tongue.

Analysis: “Shall we play a game?”  “Yes, let’s play Thermonuclear War.”  From the movie War Games.

And yet, as a Boomer and very aware of Nukes and weapons of mass destruction, God tells me that nothing is more deadly than the tongue.

My bet is that Nukes are for an instant, destruction by the tongue is for the duration of a lifetime and beyond.

That’s got a ring of truth to it.

My worse memories are of words; mostly things said to me that wounded me in such a way that the scars are tender even to this day.

But also, things that I have said to others that the descriptions shame and regret are too light and inadequate for what I feel inside.  I also carry those scars.

They are like deep cuts, wounds that don’t quite heal.  Ever.

I think that James might know these sensations all too well.  “A restless evil…a fire” that affects all a lifetime, started and sustained by hell.  Is it possible that he is thinking how he treated his brother before the Cross?  John 7:5 says “Not even his brothers (and in some manuscripts, sisters) believed in Him.”  What did he say about his stepbrother Jesus as a teenager or young adult that he would like to take back?

I believe that James knew there was forgiveness in the Son, but it is evident that is not the purpose of this Letter.  James writes, maybe in a mocking tone, “Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?” (Ja 2:20) It appears that James’ purpose was to kick some backside into gear, put some teeth in my faith, and not just slothfully “rest” in my faith.

A good place to start is with my tongue.

Prayer: Lord God, how marvelously thorough you are in addressing how to be conformed to the image of the Son.  You do not allow me to rest in theological principles but entice me, direct me, into putting theology and Biblical study to actual work—and that not to earn forgiveness or salvation but to be a witness of the Gospel from the core of my heart outward.

Thank you for regenerating me from within and releasing me from the bonds of sin.  AMEN

Journal James 1 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.”  Jam 1:12

Observation: James gets right to the point in his letter to the churches; fluff is not readily found.  In the 1^st chapter I can list point by point a ton of things, however, I usually skip over v12 to make sure I ask for wisdom instead.

Analysis: What would I be apt to ask for first: Wisdom or Steadfastness under trial?

Why, the answer is right there: Wisdom of course.  I do (and did).  I will bet others do as well.  No shame in that.  After all, wisdom is in v5 and steadfastness is way down in v12. Solomon says that wisdom is very cool to have.

This verse caught my eye today, though.  I am good with being blessed.  I really don’t like doing anything for a blessing, though.  I like those Sovereign God blessings way more—ones I get without doing anything.

I must wonder: What is being Steadfast?  What does that look like?  If I must ask about steadfastness, then it sort of follows I need to ask about “trials.”

Steadfast (or steadfastness): Looks like in my mind a setting of the jaw; a fiercest determination to stay in a specific place; not to be moved.  “I will not be swayed or moved.”  Steadfastness has that certain perception of personal exertion of strength.  I don’t think I am too far off the mark on how many folks think about being steadfast.

Trials: Woo boy…In the Christian community this probably equates to ordeals, hurts and pains, troubles, persecutions; and most of these are attributed to the enemy exerting his badness towards me.

It occurs to me that trials don’t have to be big and theatrical.  Trials could be little things like…practicing patience at a signal light; not being irritated when being inconvenienced; accepting being wronged for the 5^th time today; not grousing loudly when I can’t find my keys; refusing to act in kind when sharply talked to, and so many other small and harmless things.

I would like to think I could persevere victoriously if presented with the ONE BIG TRIAL to be steadfast in.  Could I persevere with 1,000 little trials daily?

Makes me think…

Prayer:  Lord, reading Exodus with my wife this AM, made me think about Israel and how you gave them 2 little trials to be faithful in: Gather the food up that you provided daily and don’t try to keep it overnight and keep the Sabbath holy.  Just 2.  It wasn’t a test for you to see how they did, it was a test for them to see how they did. Father, in the little, daily, hourly even, trials that You take me through, help me to honor You by cooperating with the Holy Spirit to pursue holiness. AMEN.