James 3

James 3:10

Just another something to examine about myself as I get ready to worship God.

jb

Am I Okay With That??

I was talking with a brother in Christ today. I really enjoy talking with him, because we have a relationship to stretch each other. Today we started (like most times)with "what is wrong with..." and like always we ended up by talking about the plank in our own eye.


We spoke today about the things that are a hot topic in the nation at the moment, "right to marry," pro-life vs. pro-choice, among many others. My friend said something that took the air out of me...he said,"how can I take a stand on those things, if I am not willing to examine where I am personally numb to sin."


My gut reaction is to say, "bro, what are you doing? these people are dying in their sinfulness and they want everybody to go with them." or "Why don't you shut your big yapper!"


Yet, as I think about the statement I have to ask myself where it is I have stopped on my walk towards being a disciple of Jesus... I have to examine the things that I have allowed to be so common in my life that I am no longer outraged or even the slightest bit alarmed. Things like the television shows I watch, the things I allow my eye to linger on, the thoughts about people, the condition of my physical health, etc.


My brother brought up something that he had recently eliminated from his life because of the conflict the question had caused in his heart. He loves MMA fighting, if it was on tv he recorded it, if not he checked it out on the web. This was something that he enjoyed. Matter of fact, when the fights were on, we would text back and forth about what was going on (our way of sharing the experience). We spent time together and watched many of the fights together. My friend was convicted to put aside this form of entertainment, he was watching the female matches on tv and was "uncomfortable," which led him to ask why he accepted it if it was 2 men instead.


He did not share this with anyone except his bride, and does not force his conviction on anyone else. Yet he has taken a stand for where the line is in his own life, and where he can begin to add some sensitivity to the numbness he has allowed.
I was blown away!!!!!!
I have really been wrestling a lot recently with where I have placed the line of sin. I have placed the line at the actual physical act. I think that the Holy Spirit has been convicting me recently that it is before that. It is at the posture of the heart. I have asked myself, "when did Adam & Eve sin?" "When did the prodigal sin, what about David, Saul, Judas???" The answer that I see is when they decided in their hearts that they were going to do what they did. Jesus teaches all through the Sermon on the Mount about the "hearts desire." (lust = adultery; hate = murder...)

The new X-Box commercials show a person looking at the tv, the camera then pans around to the back of the persons head and it is filled with the exact thing that is on the television. Sometimes that is the way the heart is in this world. The more I fill my life with things of the world, the less room there is for Jesus.

I do not want to become comfortably numb any longer. I want to become sensitive to the Holy Spirit's pain when my heart sets an altar to sin. I want to love the LORD God with ALL of my heart, soul, mind and strength...

---jb

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jb

B-O-R-I-N-G

It is the word that I sometimes use about Church. You know that you sometimes think it too... church services can be so "boring."

I just want to ask us all a question...

Does sin ever get boring? If not, why?
If so, why aren't we looking for more?

jb

Church Marketing...

Listen for the buzzwords.




Ouch.

Sometimes...

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in myself, in the things that are going on around me and are happening to me.
Then something happens to change it. I think God shakes me up a little.
I have some friends that are teachers in China. Today their e-mail update said,
"Continue to lift us up and constantly mention us to Dad."

And I am undone! To read these words just really stuck my heart. Here we are living in America, enjoying our freedoms and our things, and we are griping. I read these words and I think of missionaries over the years, this is just like something that we would read from one of Paul's letters to a first century church.

These words are words that today I have honored...will you join me?

And now...

"Unless something happens to draw the citizens of our nation into a relationship with their Creator, we are in big trouble. Prayer draws upon the power of heaven to do God’s will. He has told us what His will is…reconcile men and women to Him who loves them. We steadfastly refuse to do it! While we have hidden in our buildings holding “worship services,” Satan has been winning the hearts and minds of those we have ignored. Our prayer ought to be that God’s people will finally do God’s will."

The above quote is from SIBI instructor and missionary Dwight Whitsett.

Can I get an AMEN??

Friends, brethren, we need not whine or complain about who is now elected to office. We MUST not judge someones faith on how they voted. What we must do is remember that God does not work through a nation, but people. God has not called America to be His voice in this world, He has called those who have been saved by His grace. Unfortunately, most of us are happy to just sit in the boarding area clutching our bags and boarding ticket, and neglect to share with any one else how they can receive Christ's grace.
We too often would rather just assemble and speak our "secret language" and code words to one another than focus outward to the drowning people all around us. We have people under the shadows of our buildings who are hungry and thirsty, ignorant of the only hope that will carry them over the pitfalls of this world.

What I pray for is this, that we would all remember what it was like when someone struck the match of the Gospel in our lives. What it was like to be blinded by light instead of darkness. Stop whining and moaning that the government is making life difficult for us as Christians and start glorifying Jesus with our lives when difficulties fall on us.

Let us always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that we have, not excuses for why it is so difficult to be a Christian. There are times we are called to suffer for His glory. There are times that we will be comforted. For both we PRAISE GOD!

Now, how do we go forward from here?
We must be about Jesus! First, second, third and always. We must let the Holy Spirit develop the qualities of Jesus in our lives. We do this not by badmouthing or accusing, but by speaking the truth in love, and shepherding the world by the way that we walk.

Let us now stand with Jesus, and do not fear.

jb