James 1:1-8

"James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

Too often our response to trials is to complain. This response does not reflect a Christian attitude. James gives sound advice on how to respond during these times.

First, trials should be faced with an attitude of joy. Trials should not be viewed as a punishment, curse or calamity. Do not be mistaken, James is not implying to be joyful for the trial, rather be joyful in or during the trial.

In addition, there is profit from trials. Trials produce patience, which can also be translated as endurance or perseverance. Through tests a Christian will learn to withstand the pressure of a trial until God removes it at His appointed time. For example, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 talks about Paul having a thorn in his flesh. Paul longed for relief, but God would not remove the thorn as Paul requested. However, God continually supplied him with grace to endure it. There is no gain in endurance without some investment in trials.

Do not misinterpret verse 4, "perfect" does not mean sinless perfection. A better translation would be mature. Thus, if perseverance goes full-term it will develop a thoroughly mature Christian.

James' argument may seem logical, but it is still difficult to see how trials can be welcomed with an attitude of joy. Verse 5 describes the assistance God gives. Only divine wisdom enables believers to be joyous and submissive in trials and God will not only provide wisdom, but will do so generously. However, God's provision has some prerequisites. First, the believer must ask in faith and not doubt. This refers to a distrust in God. God compares someone who doubts His ability or willingness to provide wisdom to a "wave of the sea". This person is "double-minded", meaning that their mind or soul is divided between God and the world. A hypocrite, who who occasionally believes in God but fails to trust Him when trials come and thus receives nothing.

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A friend recently told me about this book targeted for teenagers. It is a bit dated as it was published in 1996. It is called 'Conversations With God' where the author Neale Donald Walsch has a conversation and he responds as if he were God. If that already did not put up a red flag there is a website that provides his chapter on abortion. Here are some of the stuff you will find: (Author/god response in bold)

"I want to get back to my question. Can you tell us anything about when life as we know it starts? At what point does the soul enter the body?

The soul doesn't enter the body. The body is enveloped by the soul. Remember what I said before? The body does not house the soul. It is the other way around.

Everything is always alive. There is no such thing as "dead". There is no such state of being.

That Which Is Always Alive simply shapes itself into a new form-a new physical form. That form is charge with living energy, the energy of life, always.

Life-if you are calling life the energy that I AM-is always there. It is never not there. Life never ends, so how can there be a point when life begins?"

So I guess he thinks we are infinite like God. We have no beginning or end?

"It never begins. Life never "begins", because life never ends. You want to get into biological technicalities so that you can make up a little "rule" based on what you want to call "God's law" about how people should behave-then punish them if they do not behave that way.

What's wrong with that? That would allow us to kill doctors in the parking lots of clinic with impunity.

Yes, I understand. You have used Me, and what you have declared to be My laws, as justification for all sorts of things through the years.

Oh, come on! Why won't You just say that terminating a pregnancy is murder!

You cannot kill anyone or anything."

Well he just eliminated the 6th commandment.

"So my earthly reality is not reality at all?

Did you really think it was?"

I am convinced he copied this is from the 'Matrix'

"Everything We are doing, We are doing in concert with each other. Our reality is a co-created reality. If you terminate a pregnancy, We terminate a pregnancy. Your will is My will.

No individual aspect of Divinity has power over any other aspect of Divinity. It is not possible for one soul to affect another against its will. There are no victims and there are no villains."

"So with regard to abortion or war, buying that car or marrying that person, having sex or not having sex, "doing your duty" or not "doing your duty," there is no such thing as right and wrong, and I have no preference in the matter.

You are all in the process of defining yourselves. Every act is an act of self-definition.

If you are pleased with how you have created yourself, if it serves you, you will continue doing so in that way. If you are not, you will stop. This is called evolution."

Obviously I think this guy is way mislead and misleading many young minds.

Full Chapter

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The Great Commission is to spread the gospel for everyone to hear. What about the people that don't hear? Scripture tells us that they are without excuse.

because what may be known of God is manifest in them for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:19-20

God's attributes are so clear through creation that there is no defense in rejecting it. Paul even gives an example of Gentiles.

for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thought accusing or else excusing them. Romans 2:14-15

I have heard the argument that God will save those who have not heard. However, if this were the case why would we spread the gospel. Wouldn't it be better to keep it a secret?

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end; And there is nothing hidden from its heat. Psalm 19:1-6

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The American Humanist Association has started an ad campaign to try and reach other atheists. They plan to plaster over 200 buses in Washington D.C. with ads bearing its "godless holiday" message. The move by the American humanists comes one month after the British Humanist Association said it will run ads declaring, “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life," on London buses in January. They also said they "seek to connect with "non-theists who feel a little alone during the holidays because of its association with traditional religion."

Ads proclaiming, "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake," will appear on the outside and inside of DC Metro buses starting next Tuesday and will run throughout December. Newspaper versions of the ads ran in The New York Times and The Washington Post this week.

It seems the issue at hand is sin.

"Humanists have always understood that you don't need a god to be good," said AHA executive director Roy Speckhardt. "So that's the point we're making with this advertising campaign. Morality doesn't come from religion. It's a set of values embraced by individuals and society based on empathy, fairness, and experience."

On a brighter note, a recent poll published by NBC that found 86 percent of Americans in favor of keeping "In God We Trust" as the nation's motto and the reference to God in the Pledge of Allegiance.


Questions:

- Will this ad campaign be effeictive or backfire?

- Is all dialog about God good dialog?

- Do you think the NBC poll is accurate?

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The Republican and Democrat conventions have been on my mind for awhile. As the cameras panned through the audience I watched people screaming and crying over the candidates. Not to mention each respective party putting spin on each other's plans. Each of the candidate's campaigns and followers portray that the other will ruin the country. These thoughts inspired me to write my previous two posts about government's ineffectiveness. We all hear the promises that usually go unfulfilled.

With all of that said, I ask who can really make a difference? Should we place our hope and trust into a politician or political ideals? Absolutely not. Romans 13 says that God established those who are in authority. I enjoy talking about politics as much as anyone else and I believe Christians have a responsibility to vote according to biblical standards. However, let us not lose focus of God's sovereignty and forget that He is in control.

Romans 15:13
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

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Job 9:9 "He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades And the chambers of the south"

Job 38:31 "Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the belt of Orion?"

God reveals so much to us in creation and He reaffirms it in the Bible. Yet man feels special when we confirm it with our limited knowledge?

Job 38:4 "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding."

(Note: For the non-astronomers Orion is on the left and Pleiades is on the right)

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There has been much discussion recently about God's grace and His other attributes. While I usually focus on His lordship and sovereignty, which is because I think it is sometimes overlooked due to His overwhelming grace. I think people can get caught up in His mercy and grace and forget about Him being Almighty God and ultimately lack fear.

I think the best way to remind ourselves and come to grasp with both sides of God is to look at the foundation of Christianity. God's mercy and grace was so great that He sent Jesus to redeem us. Yet in His righteousness and justness He poured His wrath upon Jesus when He was on the cross bearing our sins.

The familiar story we've all heard so many time is the best example God illustrates for us to understand Him.

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"O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens! Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, All sheep and oxen- Even the beasts of the field, The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!"

David says so much in this psalm. What do you take from it? I see the praise of God in His sovereignty and His creation. I see David feeling insignificant or small within the creation, but realizing man was made in God's image and likeness. God gave man a huge responsibility in regards to having dominion over the earth. And most importantly, David has an overtone of Jesus Christ as Savior.

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Should Christians act a certain way in general? Certainly there are characteristics that we share, but what about in difficult times? I would like start by examining two verses.

First, 1 Thessalonians 5:18: "in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Secondly 1 Peter 4:11 "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."

I would like to point out that the verses say "in all things" not "for all things". I don't think this necessarily means that if something bad happens that we don't rejoice and thank God for something if it is bad. But rather we should still give Him glory in difficult times.

James 1:13 says "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.". However, we know God allows temptation from the book of Job.

The response of a Christian should result in trusting the Lord. Proverbs 16:20 "He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.". Though we may not understand God's plan, we know that He is our Shepard and will keep us safe: Proverbs 18:10 "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.".

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"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

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I grew up in Michigan, but for a few years lived in Virginia. One of the hardest changes I faced was finding a new church, especially when I was familiar to a formal and stoic style. My experience in Virginia was completely different. People were more friendly and by far more enthusiastic and passionate.

The southern hospitality is something I cherished and try to emulate, but I could never get use to the vibrant worship style. I think this was purely a cultural issue and do not see one better than the other. However, I think that no one will be able to be stoic or enthusiastic when they encounter God’s holiness.

Here are a few examples:

Isaiah 6:5
“So I said:
‘Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.’”

Job 42:6
“Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”

Luke 5:8
“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man O Lord!”

And we know at one point everyone will give proper reverence to God.

Philippians 2:10-11
“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

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You see it all the time, at award shows, interviews and during sporting events. People are always giving recognition to God. I am glad for this, but at the same time can’t help to wonder if this has become a cliché of standard practice.

For example, people give credit to God for their talent, but at the same time demand or hold out for an unreasonable amount of money. This seems very hypocritical to me.

Likewise, after the terrorist attacks on 9/11 people were displaying signs and stickers everywhere saying “God bless America”. Was there a revival? Where are those signs and stickers now?

Of course you have people that openly express their faith like coach Tony Dungy and coach Lovie Smith who were the coaches in last year’s super bowl. The media emphasized two African American coaches in the super bowl. However, both coaches emphasized that they were Christians. (Article).

Anytime God is recognized in a positive way is a good thing, however produce good fruit like these two Christian coaches. I am not saying that people should stop the cliché actions, but a pseudo Christian act could be considered worse.

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