Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above....

James 1

 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above....v16-17

It is important to understand who God is and to understand the depth and breadth of his greatness.  He created the heavens and the earth and everything in between - all of its inhabitants.  He chose each us then suffered and died for us...knowing everything about us, including our brokenness.  He is of course ALL of the fruits of the Spirit - a God we not only should desire but a God we desperately need in our lives and a God we should seek daily.  All of our life comes from Him - we are need of nothing else because all good things and all things we need come from Him.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You indeed are a great God.  I know You love me.  I desperately need You in my life - I am broken.  You have saved me but I need ongoing cleansing and transformation.  I know You are not done with me.  Thank You for the many blessings You provide and for Your mercy. Please forgive me for my selfishness.  Help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me truly lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength, comfort and freedom from pain.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me understand, be obedient to and apply Your message for me today and every day.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

James 1

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. v13-15

I have held for sometime that selfish desires are symptoms of our sinful nature (in us but not from God - instead from Satan) and that when we focus on renewing our mind (Romans 12) God transforms our hearts, minds, and lives to the extent that we can recognize these symptoms when they occur and be better equipped to prevent sin from taking a serious hold in our lives...this has certainly helped me.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what a great God that You provide Your Son, Your Holy Spirit, Your Word, the church, brothers and sisters in Christ - all so that we can protect ourselves from sin and gain Your protection.  How awesome!  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not worth such protection - I continue to sin - complaining is my sin today among my many.  Forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa comfort, strength, and freedom from pain.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me put on the armor of God and defeat sin in my life and in the life of others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

James 1

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. v5-6

In my last post, I shared a website that discussed James as the "bossiest" book in the Bible based on its use of imperative verbs.  Today, I hear God talking to me about wisdom.

First, God is the only source of truth, knowledge and wisdom.  We MUST go to Him for clarity on any matter.  Yes, earthly knowledge is important, but it COMES from God (see v17) and it must be used in the name of God (see 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Timothy 4).  Second, we become more like God   (unchanging, stable, etc.) as we invite, assume, and assimilate more truth into our heart and life.  Third, I must believe and have faith in the truth You divine even if I don't like it.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, full of power, love, compassion, etc.  You are also truth, and the source of all knowledge and wisdom.  No action, no decision should be informed by any source other than You.  I know that if I ask for wisdom in Your Name, it will be given to me...I may not like but I know it is Truth.  You are a great God and I need no other God.  Thank You for the wisdom You have provided me in my life and for the many, many blessings!  I am blessed well beyond what I deserve.  I am weak - I am selfish, I complain, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength, comfort, and freedom from pain.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

James 1

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. v2-3

I read a post this morning that it is believed based on the use of imperative verbs that James is the "bossiest book in the bible".  Kinda interesting....in these two early verses of James I am reminded how I am to consider it pure joy during this current trial with Lisa where she is going through cancer treatment...not easy but when I think about it, James is saying "consider" and when you look up the definition of consider here, the implication is that we are to keep in top of mind during our trial that God is doing this for our good and His glory and that we should be honored.  We are in fact His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20).

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, everything You do is perfect - Your will, designs, plans, works, everything!  What our family is experiencing right now is according to Your plan...I know..even though it is indeed a trial.  You have seen us through trials previously and You will with this one as well.  You are great!  Thank You for Your love, protection, encouragement, etc.  I am not worth such blessings.  I am selfish, angry, lazy, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me consider this and all of my trials as pure joy.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength, comfort, and freedom from pain.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

Hebrews 13

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. v17

I know God has place leaders in my life, church leads, work leaders, etc. that are for my benefit.  Scripture elsewhere commands me to obey leadership:

• Romans 13
• 1 Timothy 6

"[I]t is of no benefit to to [me]" if I disobey leadership and there work is a burden.  

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You have placed leadership in my life for my good and You do SO much for me - I know You love me in ways that I cannot describe or imagine. Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love Jesus.  I am broken and sinful.  I need You desperately in my life.  I am selfish, stubborn, harsh, impatient, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin.  Help me turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me submit to ALL of my leaders...help me support them.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength, comfort and freedom from pain. Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.

Hebrews 13

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. v15

My Prayer: God is Holy, He IS the fruit of the Spirit - He IS the spirit through which the fruit is available, the creator of the heavens and the earth, and the one true God.  He provides, protects, heals, and does all things...for me.  What a great God Jesus is!  He knows everything about me yet He provides and saves anyway...He came for me, specifically for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and service - I am broken.  I am selfish, impatient, quick to anger, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me continually offer to You a sacrifice of praise and to openly profess Your name and Your greatness.    Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength, comfort, and freedom from pain.  Heal her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

Hebrews 13

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. v1-2

The Bible says alot about God's love and God wants us to love like He does....check out this interesting infographic here on God's love. See also John 13:


“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” v34-35

My anger, pride, selfishness, etc. gets in the way of this command.  I desperately need God's forgiveness to transform my heart and life.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed great capable of anything.  I have seen You transform my life and the lives of others.  Thank You for what You have done for me and for being my God...available when I call Your name.  What a great God You are.  Please forgive me for my sin and help me overcome my anger, selfishness, impatience, etc. and my long list of sin.  Help me turn from such sins towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do....REALLY.  Help me grow in my faith. Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength, comfort and freedom from pain.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Please help this MRI be clean.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.