Don't wait until you are "ready".

1 Peter 4:11(NKJV)

If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

We are all given different gifts with which we need to serve God.  One of the dangers though is some folks recognize their gifts but never use them.  Their excuse is they want to be really good at their gift, they want to perfect it so to speak, before they deploy that gift for God.

That is a mistake in my opinion.  Couple reasons.  First, it is the epitome of relying on your own abilities instead of relying on God.   In addition notice the part that I highlighted says "if anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies,…". 

Now I think you can substitute any gift that you use, not just the gift of ministry there.  Whatever you do for God, start now and do it with the imperfect tools that you were given.  Then let God take care of the rest.  He will give you the additional tools and abilities as you need them…once He sees you using the tools he already gave you.  And more importantly you are reallying on God instead of your own abilities.  Makes it a whole lot easier to give all the credit and glory to God.  Make sense?

Honor all people? Really?

That's what Saint Peter says.

1 Peter 2:17(NKJV)

Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Really?  Even those who reject Christ and declare themselves enemies of God?  Do you think God really wants us to honor them? 

Are you willing to be tested for Jesus?

The reason I ask that question is that Scripture tells us we will be tested.

1 Peter 1:6-7(NKJV)

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 

that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 

People sometimes ask, why do bad things happen to good people?  How can a loving God allow that?

Well the above Scripture is one part of the answer.  Our faith will be tested.  Good times don't test our faith.  Our faith is only tested through tribulations.  Therefore bad things have to happen occasionally, even to good people to fulfill God's plan.  Does that make sense?

You see its really easy for people to talk the talk.  But only through testing do we find if those people are able to walk the walk.

So how do we make sure that our faith survives the test?  Build a relationship with Jesus.  That starts by asking Jesus to come into your life.  Have you done that yet?  If not why not do it right now?  Have a conversation with Jesus.  "Dear Jesus…."

Once you have accepted Jesus then start building that relationship.  Try to be in the Word on a very consistent basis.  I try for 5 days a week.  Sometimes life gets in the way but that is the goal.  Then go to God in prayer.  Prayer isn't just babbling at God.  Take time to just sit there quietly and listen for what God has to say to you.  The more you do it the more you will hear God speaking to you.

By doing these things, when you are tested, you will have a very real, close relationship with Jesus which will make it way easier to stand with Jesus in faith!!!

Maybe I'm too literal but this kind of stuff drives me nuts!

I believe that one of the reasons that we need discernment is to be able to tell folksy human beliefs from actual Scriptural principals.  Here is an example.

James 5:19-20(NKJV)

Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 

let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

OK, I get the concept but it isn't true Scripturally.  Leading people to Christ doesn't cover a multitude of sins.  It doesn't even cover 1 sin.  The only thing that covers our sins is the blood that Jesus shed on our behalf.  Scripture is very clear on that point.

Once we are saved, leading others to Christ will increase our rewards in Heaven but it does absolutely nothing to cover our sins. 

Once again, who you gonna listen to, Jesus or James?

Here is what James said about judging.  Notice his statement is an absolute.  No nuance.  Simply do not judge others period.

James 4:12(NKJV)

There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

Now compare that to what Jesus said.  Here are a couple of verses from Matthew.  I could come up with several more in the rest of the Gospel

Matthew 10:11(NKJV)

“Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 

Matthew 10:13-14(NKJV)

If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 

And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 

To decide if a "household is worthy" requires a judgment does it not?  And notice that Jesus even takes it a step further.  Jesus says that if in your judgment the household is not worthy then you should withhold your peace from that household. 

So once again when you have a direct contradiction like this, who you going to listen to, Jesus or James?

I choose Jesus!

The power of the tongue!

James chapter 3 is about the power of the tongue.  While I could nit pick some of the examples used, I do agree with the bigger point being made.  That there is great power in the tongue to both raise up or destroy.

I would like to touch on something that I don't think was covered in this chapter.  That is the power of self talk; to build up or destroy ourselves.

We are hung by the tongue, snared by the words of our mouths.  If we tell ourselves we can then we can and if we tell our selves we can't, we will be correct about that as well.  I hate to sound simplistic but it really is that simple and true.

I believe our self talk is more responsible for what we achieve in life than anything else except God's guidance.  Learn to eliminate all limiting self talk from your life.  It takes a while to become conscious of it but then it becomes second nature. 

Would Jesus agree with what His apostles wrote? Sometimes I wonder.

As I have been reading through the New Testament again I am struck by some of the contradictions between what Jesus said and what some of the disciples wrote.  In the 2nd chapter of James this struck me as a contradiction.

James 2:1-4(NKJV)

My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 

For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 

and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 

have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Yes they have shown partiality and no that doesn't mean they have become judges with evil thoughts. 

Remember the Wedding banquet analogy that Jesus used?  Here is the salient point.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22&version=NIV>

There was a guy in attendance that was poorly or not appropriately dressed and what happened to him?  He was thrown out.  And notice that Jesus didn't condemn this action when He told the parable.  So based on Jesus' parable it is apparent that sometimes it is OK, maybe even good that we make distinctions like that and there is nothing evil about it.

Let's take it a step further.  We know that we are all saved by faith so that none may boast, but that our rewards in Heaven are based on the amount of service we provide to God.  Those who are rich in service to God will be rewarded more and recognized more than those who will be poor in service to God.  We even know that there will be seats of honor in Heaven. 

Remember where the mother of James and John asked Jesus to have her sons placed on the right and left hand of God.  What did Jesus say?  "Woman, those honors are not mine to give".  Jesus acknowledged that there will be seats of honor and notice that He didn't condemn that fact that some will be shown partiality by getting seats of honor.

Is James suggesting that God is evil for rewarding and recognizing and being partial to people for outperforming others? 

Jesus or James, who you gonna listen too?