Slow to anger[ James 1 v19 ]

Lastly let us consider from James 1 v 19,/slow to wrath/it is a bit funny for I had nearly completed this blog when I touched a key,and it was gone,to where I don't know,I must confess I felt angry, felt like doing something drastic to my little lap top,but I didn't,the world is full of people who are quick to get angry,with dire results,and although by Gods grace I have changed, there are times when the old Billy manifests his ugly side.People would be amazed if they knew me as God does, I am sure that applies to all of us. In Proverbs 16 v32 we read,/He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty/,Bridges in his commentary,tells how the Emperor Valentinian ,said as he lay dying, that his greatest conquests ,was the one he had over a haughty spirit/.Our wretched heart has so many inclinations to do evil,so many things, that if they are not kept in check, can destroy us. What we must do if we are to begin to overcome a hasty spirit, is to acknowledge the wrongness of it, stop making excuses,and start confessing to God any failure in any area of our lives, until we do this, there is no hope of us overcoming it.Acknowledging it, confessing it ,forsaking it,only with Gods sanctifying grace have we any hope of victory,as Bridges so rightly comments,/Christian, never forget the source of victory-Through Him that loved us [Romans 8 v37 ]
A  prayer......./Dear God ,You know us better than we know ourselves,grant us grace to change in Jesus name. Amen /

Hold your tounge [ Proverbs 19v 20 ]

Let us consider the next admonition of James 1 v19, /slow to speak/,now it  is not saying slow of speech, rather slow to speak,something like a young child who has not yet spoken. Nor are we being told not to speak,although sometimes silence is golden,there are times we will have to speak up. It is important that we consider carefully what we are going to say,speaking in a rash unthought of way,inconsidered way,can cause all sorts of problems,and can be very destructive, James deals with this in his epistle[3 v2ff].This being slow to speak is something we need to practice all the time,I was recently at a meeting where a brother who is noted for his not being able to control his speech,I longed to challenge his going on, thankfully I didn't. I believe in free speech but not in foolish,uncontroled speech.There used to be a saying, it was,/hold your tounge/,it is a very wise saying,if we practiced that more,less people would be hurt,and we would avoid ,putting our foot in it,some of us have mighty big feet.
A prayer....../ Dear God help us to be slow of speech in Jesus name Amen /

Are we listening? [ James 1 v19 ]

There is a verse in James which I believe we need to consider,I know I do,it is to be found in James 1v19,it reads/Wherefore , my beloved brethren,let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak,slow to wrath/ This is a verse we should memorise,pray over it every day asking God to help us practise these very challenging words. Now although it is aimed at men, it applies to male and female,James addresses them in a loving way,my beloved brethren,you will get further if people know you are speaking in love.His words are addressed to everyone ,so we are told, let us be swift to here,my study Bible comments,we talk too much and listen too little. If that is so, maybe we need to ask,who are we trying to impress?,it applies also to our relationship with our God,especially with God,but we need to practise it with everyone,with our children,our wives/husbands,those we come into contact with.  So here is the word for all of us today and everyday,be swift to listen.
A  prayer..... / Dear God help us to be good listener's in Jesus name Amen/

Gods answer. [ Acts 4 v12 ]

In many ways the world has become a smaller place,the world is beamed into  our living rooms,and each day we see on the news, what is happening all over the world.Often one wishes one did not see what was happening,the conflict in Syria,where countless thousands of people have died,and the awful suffering of children.A little 12year old boy lying in a hospital bed, with 40percent burns and asking the question why did they drop a bomb on us as we played?.This is the 21st century we have made so many advances, surely these things should not be happening,Jesus said there would be wars and rumours of wars, and so it is,the cross declares how desperate mans plight is. Today's paradise can quickly change into a hell on earth,peace can change into war in a moment,the threat of extinguish ion hangs over this world.Technology cannot change human nature,money and possessions cannot change human nature,education cannot change human nature, only Christ can .The world will come to an end one day when Christ returns,until that happens,nothing will change,with the exception of those who surrender their lives  to Christ, they will change,and with that change a new creation is born,we are called Christians.We look beyond the smoking rubble of this world to a new heaven and a new earth ,when the old will have passed away,with all its pain .
A  prayer.../ Dear God and Father in a world of violence,in a world of confusion,in a world of lostness,turn the needy lost souls of this world to Your answer Jesus. Amen /

Giving/investing [ Revelation 22 v 12]

The young pastor spoke a challenging message, it stressed giving,investing maybe would be a better term, it was about ,not getting anything in return. At the end he asked for anyone to make a comment, I spoke and said,my wife and I give generously but do we give sacrificially?that often when I give it is in a calculating way. It is something to think about,to pray about,and obey the Spirit's prompting,what does God want me to do?.I am thinking about money,but  I realise that  it involves more than that. What does it mean for you?I have read of many dear people,like David Brinard who witnessed to the American Indians in such a sacrificial way,of many who served God on the so called mission field at great sacrifice. F B Meyer. /Measure thy life by loss instead of gain. Not by wine drunk, but by the wine poured out/,He further wrote,/Christs people have always been a suffering people,and it is in exact proportion to their anguish that they have enriched mankind.They have saved others but not themselves/. I mentioned about investing, and not getting any thing in return,but that is only to do with the here and now,it is in eternity that Christ will reward all investment in His kingdom.[cp Matthew 25 v14ff]
A  prayer...../ Dear God help us to invest in Your kingdom in Jesus name Amen /

Weak in faith.[ Mark 9 v 23-24 ]

Thomas Brooks in his very profitable book ,/The unsearchable riches of Christ/,wrote of those who are weak in grace,that they dwell more upon what may discourage them in the ways of grace and holiness,than they do upon what may encourage them. We all fall into that habit at times ,yes it is an habit,and it is a habit that we need to break,until we do,life will fill us with dread.I know we are all different, some are quick to worry,others are not so quick . The Christian life is not  escapism,nor is it meant to be Abraham was promised a son,but the promise took a long time happening,to the point it did not appear that could happen.Abraham looked at himself an old man and Sarah an old woman,he did not give way to despair,or fear. He did not weaken in faith,no distrust caused him to doubt the promise of God,he was fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised[Romans 4 v 19ff] His heart and mind where fixed on God and His promise,and so it came to pass,if we are weak in faith,then we will, easily become discouraged,every time a problem arises,we will imagine all sorts of negative things.When Israel left Egypt ,in spite of all,they had witnessed of God's power,they continually panicked, imagining that all sorts of terrible things were going to happen.If we are like this then we must get closer to God,get to know God in a more intimate way,if we do God will honour our seeking,and I believe cause our faith to grow.
A   prayer ...../Dear God grant us the grace of strong faith in Jesus name Amen /

Upheld. [ Proverbs 16 v18]

When a child is beginning to walk it will hold on but it will also be held up by the parent,so it is with the child of God,in our walk with God,we hold on to God,but unseen to us, He is all the time holding unto us,without that we would fall flat as it where on our face. In 2 Chronicles 32v 31 we read how God left Hezekiah to himself, in order to test him, unfortunately it showed Hezekiah to be a proud person cp 2 Kings 20 v12ff ,pride is often our downfall,as it was Hezekiah's.If God left us alone what would be our response ?,if he took his hand away,I wonder what would be the result?.  The fact that God Holds us up has a two fold application, first of all it is a comfort, God continually seeks to comfort us His people,He tells us we are kept by the power of God  [ 1 Peter 1v5],in every  situation,we are kept by Gods power,upheld by our sovereign God. This is something to rejoice in,but, secondly, it is no reason to cause us to act like Hezekiah,and loosen our hold on our God,if we do we will suffer the consequences. Compare what happened to Samson, he lost his eyes,and his freedom,[Judges 16v21] let not prosperity,or success ,blind us to our dependency on our God compare Proverbs 16 v 18]
A  prayer...../ Dear God we praise You for upholding us day by to day, yet help us to hold on to You, 24/7,help us in Jesus name .Amen/