Living Stones

Living Stones
The apostle Peter writes to believers in Christ,
“As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—  you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  
For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,“The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,’”  and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” 1 Peter 2:4-8.
There are two basic points here. First believers in Christ are called “living stones” “being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood...”
Believers in Christ don’t simply go to a Church building. It is not the building that is the church it is the believers themselves that are the church.
Secondly Christ is the corner stone of the Church. However Peter notes that to many who do not believe in Jesus, Jesus is “The stone that the builders rejected.”  “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall”
For a believer in Christ Jesus is God incarnate, the Son of God, the creator of the world and everything in it.
To those who do not believe in Christ he is none of these. At best he is a good man.
The writer of Hebrews makes it clear what Christians believe saying,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
I as a Christian believe there is no middle ground with Jesus he is everything we Christians believe him to be or he is not. C. S. Lewis said of Jesus,
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
If you are reading this and are not a follower of Christ I would invite you to read the New Testament at least for yourself then make an informed decision as to who Christ is.
There is a down load called “You Version” it’s a free download and has various English bible versions. Take a look at it. Read, get the facts directly from the source. Then decide for yourself who Jesus is.
Please think about it.

Our Salvation Cost

Our Salvation Cost
The Apostle Peter writes,
“Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.  
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,  but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.  
He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.  
Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. 
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.  
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.  1 Peter 1:17-23.
If you are a true believer in Christ do you realize how costly your salvation is. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote about our salvation he called the grace that brought about our salvation “Costly Grace”. He wrote,
“Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: 'Ye were bought at a price', and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
We as believers in Christ as believers in God can never loose track of the fact that our salvation came at a great price. We can never take it for granted. We should never water it down or mix our faith with anything else be it with philosophy, politics or anything in this world. It is far too precious to do that with.
As believers in Christ were brought at a great price. One God was willing to pay. As a result we must never let God down.
Jesus speaking of himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”. John 3:16,17.
We must remember that God gave His one and only Son to save the world not to condemn the world.
To that end we must present the Gospel of Christ, the gospel of Salvation to anyone who will listen. We must do so because our God thought us important enough to send his One and Only Son.
Please think about it.

Be Holy

Be Holy
Peter the apostle wrote,
“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;  for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy. 1 Peter 1:13-16.
Here is a simple principle all Christians need to understand. As believers in Christ we are called to be holy.
The writer of Hebrews tells us,

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men 

and to be holy; 

without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

Hebrews 12:14.

Peter tells us how we can be holy. He states,
“...prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires...”
To be holy is to love God and your fellow man unconditionally. It is doing to others what you would want them to do to you.
It is following the words of Jesus who said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12
Jesus who when asked,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
It is doing what Jesus called us to do when he said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,...” Matthew 5:43,44
It is living a life that points people by our words and deeds to God.
If you claim to be a follower of Christ, are you living such a life?
Please think about it.

A New Birth. A Living Hope!

A New Birth. A Living Hope!
The apostle Peter writes to believers in Christ,
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you,  who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:3-9.
Peter gives praise to God for His great mercy. For the “new birth” and “Living Hope” God gives us through Jesus Christ. An inheritance that can never “perish, spoil or fade, kept in heaven”.
He notes that while we may have to suffer grief from time to time it is worth it.
Trials of any kind can do one of two things to our faith destroy it or strengthen it. Trials show just how strong and true our faith is.
Peter also commends his readers who have not seen or met Jesus in the flesh. He states,
“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
This is what God wants. The apostle Paul tells us,

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—

and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  

not by works, so that no one can boast.” 

Ephesians 2:8,9.

It is our faith in Christ our faith in God that saves us. The writer of Hebrews telling us,

“And without faith it is impossible to please God,

 because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists 

and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” 

Hebrews 11:6

The apostle Paul writing to the Galatians said,

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live,

 but Christ lives in me. 

The life I live in the body, 

I live by faith in the Son of God, 

who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 2:20.

The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy saying,

“Here is a trustworthy saying:

If we died with him, we will also live with him; 

if we endure, we will also reign with him.

If we disown him, he will also disown us; 

if we are faithless, he will remain faithful,

for he cannot disown himself. 

2 Timothy 11-13.

Please think about it.

To be Christian

To be Christian
Here’s some advice from James the half brother of Jesus to Christians. He writes,
“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.  
You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.  
Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 
Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” James 5:7-11.
The early Church like the church today was expecting Christ to return soon. I don’t think they had any idea of the true scope of the job ahead of the church in taking the gospel to every one in the world.
God could have chose to show Himself miraculously to everyone in the world instantly but he did not do so. Instead He asked the early church and He asks the church today to present a message of faith.
The writer of Hebrews states,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

 and certain of what we do not see.”  

Hebrews 11:1

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, 

because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists 

and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” 

Hebrews 11:6.

Asking people to believe what they cannot see can be very hard for many people. Additionally while the majority of people to whom they were taking the gospel believed in an after life and God in some way, the majority of people the gospel would be presented to had no knowledge of the Jewish scriptures.
Thus a monumental task lay ahead of that early church. A task that is still continuing to this day. A task that would see much hardship as well as success. That’s why James writes,
“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.  
You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.  
Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 
Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” James 5:7-11.
The church needed to be patient. To stand firm in what it believes. To be unified and not grumble about each other. To endure suffering. To look back at the old Testament prophets and Job who went through a great deal yet emerged victorious and received the reward of eternal life with God.
Looking at the Church in the twenty-first century it’s easy to say where is God? Why as He not returned?
It’s easy to say he doesn’t exist. Using the excuse that it has been so long since Christ walked the earth that therefor the scriptures must be mistaken.
The Scriptures are not mistaken. The old and New Testament are true and Jesus will one day return to this earth to judge both the living and the dead.
The call to Christians to keep the faith no matter what the circumstances you are in. To work as if Christ will return tomorrow. To plan as if that return is still many years in the future.
Jesus when he left this earth left the disciple and all believers in Him a job to do. Jesus said,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
If you claim to be a follower of  Jesus are you doing this?
Please think about it.

To the Rich

To the Rich
James writes,
“Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.  
Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.  
Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.  
Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.  
You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.  
You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.” James 5:1-6.
There is nothing wrong with wealth. It is what we do with our wealth that can cause a problem for us. Here James is centering out those who are wealthy and oppress the others. It’s something Jesus spoke of. Jesus told this parable,
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  
At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  
In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  
So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  
And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,  
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 
“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” Luke 16:19-31.
Those who have wealth and power are expected by God to be respectful of those who do not and to do their best to help them even if it is only in a small way. The Talmud tells this story,
“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?”  He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.”  The Talmud.
There is however one other interesting concept from Judaism that Christians should latch on to. Its called Tzedakah
The following is as good an explanation of Tzedakah. It comes from a Jewish website,
“Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word “charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of he poor and needy.
The word “tzedakah” is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due.
The Obligation of Tzedakah
Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedaka is equivalent to an idol worshipper. This is probably hyperbole, but it illustrates the importance ot tzedakah in Jewish thought....
According to Jewish law, we are requiered to give one-tenth of our income to the poor. This generally interpreted as one-tenth of our net income after payment of taxes. Those who are dependent on public assistance or living on the edge of subsistence may give less but must still give to the extent they are able; however, no person should give so much that he would become a public burden.
The obligation to perform tzedakah can be fulfilled by giving money to the poor, to health care institutions, to Synagogues or educational institutions. It can also be fulfilled by supporting your children beyond the age when you are legally required to, or supporting your parents in their old age. The obligation includes giving both to Jews and gentiles... 
Certain kinds of tzedakah are considered more meritorious than others. The Talmud describes these different levels of tzedakah, and Rambam organized them into a list. The levels of charity from the least meritorious to the most meritorious, are: 

Giving begrudgingly

Giving less than you should, bu giving cheerfully,

Giving after being asked

Giving before being asked

Giving when you do not know the recipient’s identity, but the recipient knows yours

Giving when you know and the recipient’s identity, but the recipient doesn’t know yours.

Giving when neither party knows the other’s identity.

Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant. 

As Christians the above is something we should consider. It is perfectly in line with Christian belief.
Please Think about it.

Do Good

Do Good
“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”  
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  
Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  
As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.  
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” James 4:13-17
Here are some points to ponder.
James warns Christians not to leave God out of our plans. It’s good to plan, however we should remember that we do not know what tomorrow brings. All our carefully laid plans can come tumbling down around us in a moment. All of our boasting and bragging coming to nothing.
Boasting and bragging as James says is sin. We should never boast about what we are doing or what we have done.
We must remember we only have, and we only have done what God has allowed us to have and to do. Thus we must be humble about what we do and give God the glory.
Our live as James tells us is but a mist. It is fragile and can end in a moment. We must remember to use our life to do good.
James tells us,
“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”
When I was a teenager before I gave my life to Christ, the Musical “Good by Mr. Chips” came out. It’s theme song has stayed with me all these years because the words made sense. The words are,

In the Morning of My Life

“In the morning of my life

I will look to the Sunrise

At a moment in my life 

When the world is new.

And the Question

I shall ask only God can answer.

Will I be brave and strong and true,

Will I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Will I fill the world with love my whole life through?

In the evening of my life

I will look to the sunset

At a moment in my life 

When my life is through.

And the question I shall ask only I can answer 

Was I brave and strong and true.

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?”

                                                                     Leslie Bricusse                                                                                                          From the Musical Good by Mr chips  
John Wesley the great Methodist preacher wrote,

Do all the good you can,

By any means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can.

                                                                             John Wesley.
As Christians yes we can plan for the future. However it is imperative that we always include God in those plans.
It is also imperative that we do all the good we can in this world. As the writer of Hebrews states,

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men 

and to be holy; 

without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

 Hebrews 12:14.

Please think about it.

Submit, Resist, be Humble

Submit, Resist, be Humble
James writes to followers of Jesus,
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  
Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.  
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. 
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.  
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?” James 4:7-12.
Here is something all who claim to be followers of Christ need to think about. Do you submit yourself to God? Do you resist the devil?
James tells us to “Come near to God and he will come near to you” He calls us to purify ourselves. To “grieve mourn and wail”
By this is I feel James is telling us we need to be so ashamed of our sins of the way we at times fail God,  that we cry out to God in all humility and tell Him we are truly sorry for our failings. In doing so God will lift us up. As someone has said it takes a strong person to admit their faults even to God.
As Christians we are to remember that it is not our place to slander or judge anyone. Jesus said,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1,2.
We as mere mortals do not know what is in the hearts of other people. We do not know what makes them do things. Only God knows that, that is why God and God alone has the right to judge anyone.
The believer in Christ is called to live a good and holy life acceptable to God. A life that reaches out with the gospel to those around them in word and in deed.
Jesus said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12.
Jesus also said,
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?  
It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.  
I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.  Matthew 24:45-46.
Question, do you consider yourself a good servant of Jesus? Are you doing what God wants you to do?
Please think about it.

Your Life

Your Life
Question,  Are you living life the way God would want you to live?
James the half brother of Jesus writes,
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.  
Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.  
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  
Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” James 3:13-18.
If you claim to be a follower of Christ you will desire to live a life that is acceptable to Jesus. In order to do that we must do our best to live a good life. A life of humility. We are not to harbour bitter envy and selfish ambitions or deny the truth. As James tells us this “is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.”
As James states,
“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
Wisdom however that comes from heaven as James put it
“...is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
The Apostle Paul tells us,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is 

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, 

goodness, faithfulness,  

gentleness and self-control. 

Against such things there is no law.  

Galatians 5:22,23.

  If we claim to be Christians what James and Paul are saying need to be seen in our life by those around us with out us saying a word.
Question, when people see your life, what are they seeing?
Please think about it. 

A Spark

A Spark
“Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.  
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. 
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.  
Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.  
Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.  
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” James 3:1-10.
James here is pointing out that not everyone should want to be teachers because teachers are held to a higher standard.
He notes that we all stumble. Then goes on to point out that we need to watch what we say. To keep our tongue in check. Doing so can be difficult. The sad thing about words is that they can cause people to be injured more deeply than getting physically injured.
Physical injuries heal and go away in time. Injuries caused by words can go deep into the mind and soul potentially scaring a person for life.
Likewise people are often remembered for what they say or don’t say.
One wrong word in the wrong place has brought down great men and women. The failure to say the right things at the right time have caused people to fall in the eyes of those around them.
The writer of Proverbs tells us,

“Reckless words pierce like a sword, 

but the tongue of the wise

 brings healing.” 

Proverbs 12:18

The writer also states,

“Even a fool is thought wise 

if he keeps silent, 

and discerning 

if he holds his tongue. 

Proverbs 17:28.

Be we Christians or not, what we say, can help or injure those who here them. We need to be careful what we say.
The advice of James at the beginning of his letter is advice we should take to heart. James states,

“My dear brothers, take note of this:

 Everyone should be quick to listen, 

slow to speak 

and slow to become angry,”

 James 1:19.

Please think about it.

Deeds

Deeds
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” 
James 2:14-19.
If you claim to be Christian you must do good deeds. It is part of our faith. Jesus said,
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16.
The apostle Peter writes,
“Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:11,12.
We live in deeds. People see God through the lense of our deeds.
Ben Zion Bosker wrote a delightful story that illustrates this, called “The Rose Talked Back. It reads,
“The man sweeping the synagogue paused for a moment.  He looked at the flowers lying about in disorder, ‘What waste!’  He said too himself.  Those roses had adorned the pulpit at a wedding an hour before.  Now all was over and they were waiting to be discarded.
The attendant leaning on his sweeper was lost in thought when suddenly he heard a strange sound.  One of the roses replied to him.
‘Do you call this a waste?” the flower protested, ‘What is life anyway, yours or mine, but a means of service?  My mission was to create some fragrance and beauty, and when I have fulfilled it my life has not been wasted.  And what greater privilege is there than to adorn a bride’s way to her beloved, what greater privilege than to help glorify the moment when a bride and groom seal their faith in each other by entering the covenant of marriage?’
Our little flower paused for a moment too watch the man’s face, and then continued her discourse.
‘Roses are like people.  They live in deeds, not in time.  My glory was but for a brief hour, but you should have seen the joy in the bride’s eye.  I like to believe that I had something to do with it, by creating a suitable setting for the moment of her supreme happiness.  So don’t grieve for me.  My life has been worthwhile.
Having spoken her little piece, the rose was once more silent.  The attendant, startled from his reverie and a little wiser, pushed the sweeper again and continued with his work.”
                                        Ben Zion Bokser
When people see your deeds what do they see?
Do they see love and understanding?
Do they see Christ in your life?
Or do they see something else.
Francis of Assisi said,

“The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon 

some persons will hear today” 

 Francis of Assisi

Please think about it.

Favouritism

Favouritism
James writes,
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.  
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.  
If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 
Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?  
But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?  
Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? 
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.  James 2:1-10
Do you judge a book by it’s cover? Do you judge people by the way they are dressed? I knew someone, a man who said privately believed, those on welfare are all cheats. That they need to get out there and get a job. That the poor just are not doing enough to get out of poverty. This when many poor people are holding two if not three jobs and still can’t make ends meet.
I’ve heard the same rhetoric coming from some within the church over the years. This should not be so.
Sadly though people do judge a book by its cover whether they claim to be Christian or not.
When I first came to know the Lord back in the seventies people would not go to church dressed casually. I was even criticized for having a small rip in the leg of my jeans when I was helping set up for an event. A rip that occurred while I was helping set up the event.
I knew of people who wouldn’t go to church if they didn’t have a good set of clothing. It is something that still happens today in some churches. Although I must say there is a positive trend happening telling people to come dressed as they are, casually, dressed up whatever they are comfortable with. Still however many people are afraid that they will be judged by the way they dress. Which should not be so.
Someone once said to me “more people get swindled out of more money by a man in expensive clothing that a man in rags.”
It’s a very true statement just ask anyone who’s lost money to a swindler. They will tell you he looked good, talked good, but he still took their money and ran leaving them with nothing.
Now everyone will agree that not every person in fine clothing is a swindler. Likewise not everyone in shabby clothing is a crook either. This is what James is saying.
James also makes it clear that all, irrespective of who they are, how much, or how little, they have should be treated equally in the church.
He points out that we are to keep the “royal law” to love our neighbour as ourselves and not show favouritism.
James notes “But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”
Jesus tells this parable,
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  
At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  
In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  
So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  
And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,  
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 
“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” Luke 16:19-31
The Talmud while not a Christian book dose however make an interesting point I think Christians need to consider. It states,
“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?”  Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?” The Talmud
There is no need to ask someone who claims to believes in God if they believe in him or prayed or observed the ritual.
However while God already knows the answer. I believe he wants to hear it from our own lips and for that matter for us to hear it from our own lips. To make us truly think about how we dealt with those around us.
Question: how have you dealt with those around you? Do you show favouritism?
Please think about it.