Reaching Out

I'd like to say thank you to everyone from around the world that read this blog. I would like to get to know you better. Where are you from? What challenges are you facing? What areas in your life do you need God to step in and take control? What is your testimony? We are all God's children and we need to come together as such. I'd love to hear from you. If you'd like to share your story, or just get some encouragement, please click the link below and go to the contact page. Leave your contact information and I will respond to each and every person.

Saint James Assembly of Faith

LORD, HELP!

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. . . (Isaiah 40:31).

God says, "If you wait on Me, I'll renew your strength. If you wait on Me, everything will be alright."

You may be hurting right now, but be patient. Help is on the way.

I know you've cried out, "Lord, help! I've fallen, and I can't get up."

The Holy Spirit says, "Wait. Help is on the way. Just hold on, God is coming to your aid. He's coming to deliver you and to set you free."
     God is going to bring you out and loose you from your captivity. He's going to renew your strength. If you hold on a little while longer, your change is going to come.
     Remember Samson who lost everything; he lost his hair, his strength, and his eyes. Samson lost his position, his family, his wife, and his reputation. He was reduced from a great warrior to grinding at the mill. But without a doubt, at an appointed time, Samson's strength was renewed.
     Samson's attitude was, "Lord, I'm waiting on you. If you don't help me, I'll die without ever being redeemed from the error of my ways. Lord, if you don't help me, I'll never get my honor back. God, if you don't help me, I'll never get up from where I've fallen."
     While he was waiting, Samson's strength began to return.
     The secret to renewing your strength is waiting on the Lord. God's Word says, "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. . ." (Isaiah 40:31 KJV).

Determine to wait patiently for the Lord to renew your strength.
~ T.D. Jakes ~

Consuming Fire

So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from Heaven and consume you and your fifty men." And fire came down from Heaven and consumed him and his fifty (2 Kings 1:10).

The fire of God consumed this messenger and his fifty men, then another captain with his fifty.

     We need to have the same spirit as Elijah. When tempted to align ourselves with the world, we must tell the devil, "I cannot and will not come down!" All too often people are so close to the devil that they are not intimidating his kingdom at all. But when the Kingdom of Light stands in unity, the kingdom of darkness comes down.
     God is definitely speaking to His people. The question is: Can we hear Him? The Holy Spirit is speaking right now. He is speaking words of truth and guidance. He speaks what He hears in Heaven.
     Whenever the Holy Spirit speaks, He testifies that He has been in the boardroom of Heaven. Hearing from Him causes us to lift our head. Just when satan thought he had you, to his amazement you begin to shout. He doesn't know it, but you heard a Word.

God can and will send His fire from Heaven to consume the kingdom of darkness. To those in the light of His presence, He will give peace.

~ T.D. Jakes ~ 

GOD OF PEACE

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints  (1 Corinthians 14:33).

The Corinthian church didn't have a problem with spirituality but with order. There must be a balance. We need spirit-filled churches, but we also need Word-filled churches that have the wisdom to know how to function.
     Is it any wonder that satan battles the gifts and manifestations of the Holy Spirit? He knows the gifts of the Spirit are going to cause the Church to perform signs, bringing the Gospel to our troubled, chaotic society.
     God is looking for a Church that believes He can confirm them and their ministry with gifts, signs, and wonders in the Holy Spirit. (See Hebrews 2:3-4 and Mark 16:17-18.)
     Don't be dismayed if those who see you say, "These people are fanatics!" The Holy Spirit will cause a division between truth and falsehood. When you begin to function in the gift of God for your life and the devil sees a true manifestation of the Holy Spirit, expect to be put on the devil's hit list. This is nothing more than a trick of the enemy to get you to stop.
     Many church folks have followed the path of society. We live in a fast-food world where nobody wants to wait. Even church people want a quick fix. We want power without pursuing the Power Giver. But anyone who has ever been mightily anointed of God has had to pursue God.

God will not cause you to feel confused or worried. He is the God of peace. Seek Him out for a time of refreshment together.
~ T.D. Jakes ~

THE LIGHT OF LIFE

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life' (John 8:12).

As the Church allows the Holy Spirit to work in and through us, the world will begin to see Jesus and the Kingdom of God in action. It will be a mystery to the world but a powerful reality to the Church. But it won't happen overnight. It's progressive, day by day, trial by trial, storm by storm, valley by valley, and temptation by temptation.
     When He died, darkness covered the earth. Except for the Holy Spirit, darkness would prevail. But as the Body of Christ allows the Holy Spirit to fill every fiber of our being, we become the light of the world.
     We are beacons, a lighthouse to a world of storm-tossed, beaten, battered individuals. We are to be a city set on a hill and illuminated by the Holy Spirit. Our joy, our peace, and our righteousness should shine brightly, encouraging others to find a refuge in our God. The fruit of the Spirit in our lives will act as a magnet and draw them to Jesus.
     When Jesus walked the earth, He was a preservative for this world. A thief could not die without first being preserved by His forgiveness; a widow's only son, the apple of her eye, could not reach the gates of death without Jesus stopping the funeral procession; Lazarus could not lay decomposing in a tomb without hearing a voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" (John 11:43).

Walk out of the darkness and into the Light of Life today.

~ T.D. Jakes ~

A Lack of Love Read Psalm 22:1-11

Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads saying, "Is this the one who relies on the LORD? Then let the LORD save him! If the LORD loves him so much, let the LORD rescue him!" (Ps. 22:7-8).
When someone is seriously ill, we think of it as a terrible trial. But emotional and spiritual suffering is worse. We experience emotional suffering when someone betrays or rejects us. We may feel that God has deserted us.
     This is just what happened to the writer of today's Scripture. It was bad enough coping with sickness. It was a terrible feeling that God had forsaken him. But when his so-called friends mocked him because he trusted God, it was too much. In their opinion, the only reason why people believed in God was to have someone help them when they were in trouble. So they ridiculed him and this made his suffering even harder to bear. The words and attitude of his friends showed a total lack of love.
     When you are seriously ill,some of your "Christian" friends will probably tell you that your condition is caused by a lack of faith. Jesus suffered - and He definitely didn't lack faith in His Father. Others might say that you must have done something terrible to suffer God's wrath in this way. Both wicked and good people suffer. Don't allow anyone to add spiritual suffering to your physical pain by planting seeds of doubt in your mind that your faith is not strong enough. Ignore them and hold on to Jesus through good times and bad.

I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess.
~ Corrie ten Boom ~
Saint James Assembly of Faith 

Do You Keep Your Promises? Read Psalm 22:23-31

I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship You (Ps. 22:25).

Years ago there was a politician who became known as "Piet Promises." He was given this nickname because he always promised to solve the country's problems, but never delivered. Many people are like this. It's easy enough to say that you will do something, but much more difficult to put your words into action.
     God set David, the psalmist, free from suffering and misery and David wanted to do something big to celebrate his healing. He would go to the temple and bring an offering to God to thank Him for His grace and mercy. Words alone were not enough for the Israelites. You had to praise and thank God with a gift worthy of Him; a gift that cost you something. When everybody saw David doing this, they would be satisfied that he gave God the honor and that he fulfilled the vows he made to God.
     At some time or another, all of us make promises to God. Perhaps you made a vow to love Him dearly, to serve Him devotedly, to worship Him only, to always put Him first in your life, to give up your previous sinful life. It is likely that you made these vows while you were riding the wave of enthusiasm and emotion. How successful were you in keeping your promises? It is all very well to promise God these things, but it is much better to make sure all your plans, vows and dreams lead to positive action.

Every promise God has ever made finds its fulfillment in Jesus.
~ Joni Eareckson Tada ~
Saint James Assembly of Faith 

Do you receive a sense of peace when you read the Bible? Why not do it more then?

John 15:7

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

The Word of God and the God of the Word

You cannot separate the Word of God from the God of the Word, so it’s no wonder that Jesus said if we abide in Him and His words abide in us, we can pray with expectant results (John 15:7). Jesus is even called the Word (John 1:1, 14), so you cannot read the Bible without seeing Jesus. Even as far back as Genesis 3: 15, it referred to Christ. We rob ourselves of the joy of the Word and receiving the peace of God when we avoid reading the Bible. Not only that, we are actually cleansed by the Word of God (John 15:3), as a literal washing by the Word occurs (Eph. 5:26).

The Delight of the Word

There is true delight in the Word of God (Psalm 119:16) and in meditating on it (Psalm 1:2). There is a blessing on those who delight in it (Psalm 112:1). By reading the Word of God, we can have not only peace but joy (Psalm 40:8) and keep our footing on solid ground (Psalm 37:31). The Word of God, and specifically the Gospel, contains the very power of God (Rom. 1:16). So why wouldn’t we want this power to abide in us on a regular basis? If you are into the Word daily, the Word will stay in you daily. The effect of reading the Word causes or produces real peace, and there is so much scriptural evidence to support this.

The Peace of God

The peace of God is from the God of peace. For those who have been saved, they can be at peace with God (Rom. 5:1) because they have passed from condemnation to not being under condemnation anymore (Rom. 8:1), and that should give you a great deal of peace. This peace, which comes from the reading of the Word, will keep our minds steadfast (Isaiah 26:3). It’s not the kind of peace the world offers, which is only temporary and isn’t really peace at all, but the peace of God settles troubled hearts and calms our fears (John 14:27). Everything you learn from the Word of God should increase your peace (Phil. 4:19) and should rule, or literally be the umpire of, your hearts (Col. 3:15). God’s peace guards both our minds and our hearts (Phil. 4:7), and what God guards stays protected.

A Closing Prayer

Great God in heaven, great peace have all they who abide in Your Word, so please help me to stay in Your Word daily, to see the vital nature of it in my life, and to have daily peace. In Jesus’ name, I thank You and pray.

Amen

The Source of Praise Read Psalm 22:23-31

From You comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly (Ps. 22:25 NIV).

What do you praise the Lord for and how do you do it? When someone has performed a heroic deed, or created an astonishing work of art or a magnificent woodcarving, we praise them by telling them how exceptional they are.
     Some people can't tell the difference between thanking God and praising Him. We thank Him for what He has done for us: for the fact that He gave us life; for the beauty of the world around us; for specific things He gives us, like the rain, for healing, for a safe journey; or for obtaining a job. We praise Him for who and what He is. We praise Him because He created the universe; because He rules in glory; because He is the Savior and Helper of those who look up to Him; because He empowers us through His Spirit.
     In Psalm 22, something very important comes to the fore. David is so happy that God carried him through his trials that he states that God is the one who gives him the theme for his praise: "From You comes the theme of my praise." In other words, when David praises God, it is God who gives him the gift of praise.
     God lifts him out of his own foolish and inadequate words and gives him the ideas, words and theme to praise Him. Even the praise we bring the Lord is a gift from Him. If you find it difficult to praise God, pray that He will give you this gift.

My highest purpose is to glorify God.
~ St. Augustine ~
Saint James Assembly of Faith 

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY

Tuesday, August 30

  Job 38:4-7 4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. 5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? 6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone— 7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? 

 
Read Job 38

Touched and Purified (Read Isaiah 6:1-13)

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, "See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven" (Isa. 6:6-7).

It is no secret that human beings have disappointed God since the beginning of time with their sinful weaknesses. On top of it, their sin causes a tremendous abyss between God and them. The desire to have our sins removed is an exercise that all religions share. The big question is: How should it be done and who must do it? Many people agonize about their guilt and go to extremes to get rid of it.
     Isaiah was overwhelmed by his feeling of guilt. But he would soon discover the solution. There was no profound ritual that had to be performed or fine that had to be paid, no formula or words to be chanted. The confession of his sin was as far as he could take the matter. Then God took over and forgave him. In the temple, where sensational offerings were normally sacrificed to atone for sin, no offering was required. God used one of the seraphs who simply touched his impure lips and he was purified. All Isaiah had to do was to be aware of this and accept God's act of love.
     If feelings of guilt happen to be your problem, come to Jesus and let Him touch you. You can't cleanse or forgive yourself - only Jesus Christ can do that. If you want to be healed and need to be spiritually equipped to serve Him better, surrender yourself to His purifying and healing action.

The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.
~ William Blake ~
Saint James Assembly of Faith 

Spiritual Qualifications (Read Isaiah 6:1-13)

Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven's Armies (Isa. 6:5).

Endless discussions take place in Christian circles on the qualities and qualifications necessary for people who have to take leadership positions in groups or congregations. Various systems are used to train people in providing effective spiritual guidance to Christian communities.
     Isaiah's vision and calling show us the three fundamental qualifications. First, he had a vision of God. He could say, "Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven's Armies." Direct knowledge of God in which the person involved knows without a doubt that he met with God, is decisive.
     Secondly, Isaiah saw himself exposed in all his human weakness, fallibility and sinfulness. A crucial part of spiritual leadership is realistic self-conviction and the consciousness of human weakness.
     Thirdly, Isaiah knew that he had been forgiven and accepted by God. He could go to the people with self-confidence that was not born of his own achievements and competence, but of humility that came from the knowledge that he was dependent on God's grace. He would serve, knowing that he was nothing in himself and that God was everything.
     Whoever is a servant of the Lord, or wishes to be His servant, needs this inner equipment. You must meet God face to face, and know that God has accepted you in spite of all of your weaknesses. These are the qualities every Christian believer should work on.

Don't ask for an easier life; ask to be a stronger person. Sometimes you just have to take a leap, and build your wins on the way down.
~ Kobi Yamada ~

GOD HAS GIVEN YOU THE BELT OF TRUTH. WILL YOU PUT IT ON TODAY?

Ephesians 6:14

Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.

The Invisible Battle

It’s hard enough fighting an enemy that we can see, but to fight one that’s invisible (Eph. 6:12), that’s humanly impossible, isn’t it? In Ephesians chapter six, Paul is trying to equip believers to fight a spiritual battle, but they need to armor up. They also need the supernatural help of God. God’s supernatural power is within these pieces of equipment. We are no match for Satan and his minions, so we need all the help we can get from God. The good news is that He has already provided us with all that we’ll need to turn away the enemy. One thing we will need for sure is the belt of truth.

The Belt of Truth

In Ephesians 6:14, Paul tells believers that they need to fasten on the belt of truth. Something very critical in this verse is the fact that it’s on us–we must fasten on the belt because God won’t do it for us. So what is the belt of truth? Jesus always spoke the truth (John 1:14, 8:40; Luke 4:25). Jesus Himself says that He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). The belt of truth is the Word of God, and Jesus is described as the Word (John 1:1, 14). God’s very Word is called truth, and we are sanctified by His truth (John 17:17). As long as you abide in His Word (John 15:4, 7), He will abide in You. Daily Bible reading, memorizing the Word of Truth, meditating on the Word, believing the truth of God’s Word, and, when the enemy attacks, using the truth that is found only in the Word is the most effective weapon you have or will ever need (Eph. 6:17).

Amor Up

One thing about the spiritual equipment that we’ll need to fight an invisible enemy is that we must put on the breastplate, we must fasten the belt, we must put on the shoes, we must take up the whole armor, and we must pick up the sword. Nowhere in these verses does it say that God will put these on for us. It is up to us. To think otherwise would be like expecting God to read His Word to us without our ever having to pick up a Bible. Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? God tells us through Paul to fasten on the belt of truth. The Roman soldier that didn’t fasten up his belt was surely not ready for battle and more susceptible to defeat. How will wearing the belt of truth change your daily life? It will keep the truth securely fastened in your life. It will be available to you when you need it, and all believers will need it.

A Closing Prayer

Great God, Your Word is truth, and Jesus is the Truth and the Word of God. Thank You for that powerful tool that I need to equip myself with on a daily basis, which means that I must take up the Word of God daily so that I can fasten on the belt of truth. All these things I pray in Jesus’ mighty name.

Amen

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: Thursday, August 25

Isaiah 6:3   3 And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 

Read Isaiah 6

The world will try to discredit Me. Can your faith overcome?

Matthew 22:21

Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.

Trapping or Testing Jesus

The Pharisees got together and tried to plot how they might trip up Jesus by trapping Him in a conundrum or setting Him up with a question with no easy way out (Matt. 22:15). They sent some of the disciples of the Pharisees along with the Herodians to test Jesus. These two groups had been natural enemies of one another, but since they deemed Jesus a common enemy, they put their heads together to try and trap Him (Matt. 22:16). They flattered Him by saying that they knew He was a true teacher Who truthfully taught the way of God and was no respecter of persons (Matt. 22:16), but inwardly they obviously didn’t believe that, for why else would they be trying to trap or trick Jesus? Their motivations were anything but sincere.

Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes?

The tax collectors actually came to Peter once and asked him whether Jesus paid taxes or not (Matt. 17:24), to which Peter said yes (Matt. 17:25). Then Jesus directs Peter to find a fish, which would have one shekel in it, enough to pay both of their taxes (Matt. 17:26). Indeed, Jesus did pay His taxes, contrary to what most people might believe. The Pharisee and Herodian disciples, wanting to trap Jesus, then asked Him whether or not it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar (Matt. 22:17). If Jesus said no, then they’d report Him to the Roman authorities as a rebel who unlawfully didn’t think He should pay His taxes. But if He said yes, then they’d see that He supported the Roman authorities and their right to collect taxes on the occupied Jews. This seemed like a no-win situation to Jesus, but as was His custom, He answered a question with a question of His own. He asked whose inscription was on the coin (Matt. 22:20), to which they said Caesar’s. Then Jesus told them to ”render (or pay) to Caesar the things of Caesar and to God the things of God” (Matt. 22:21). They couldn’t believe it! They were stunned and left Him, failing to do what they had set out to (Matt. 22:22).

Outwitted

The religious leaders weren’t done trying to trick Jesus because the Sadducees, who didn’t believe in the resurrection, tried to set Jesus up with an impossible situation where a man had several wives. After he died (Matt. 22:22-27), they asked whose wife she would be (Matt. 22:28). But then Jesus, knowing their intent, rebuked them for not knowing the Scriptures, which they should have known, by saying that those in heaven are neither married nor are there any given in marriage (Matt. 22:29-30). Then Jesus goes one further on them by showing that, indeed, there is a resurrection because God is the God of the living and not the dead, saying, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” quoting the Old Testament (Ex. 3:6), and also that “he is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Matt. 22:31-32). Ouch! The crowds heard Jesus’ answer. They were amazed (Matt. 22:33), and so should we. You cannot unscrew the inscrutable.

A Closing Prayer

People only want to trick me, Father, into disbelieving in You by questioning You, Your Word, or Jesus Christ. But I know You always speak the truth, and I believe You, so thank You for showing me in Your Word that You are always true and every man a liar (Rom. 3:4). In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

Impossible? Do you not remember the many miracles I have performed?

Mark 6:37

But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”

Facing the Impossible

When Jesus and the disciples came ashore and found that a huge crowd had been there waiting for them, Jesus looked at them with compassion, seeing that they were like lost sheep who had no shepherd. So He began teaching them (Mark 6:34). After He taught them for a time, it was late. The disciples looked at how vast the crowd was and wanted to send them away hungry and tired and have them find their own food to eat (Mark 6:36), but Jesus, having compassion on them, thought otherwise. Jesus looked at the disciples and told them, “You give them something to eat.” But the disciples said that they would need about 200 denarii to buy bread for such a large crowd of people (Mark 6:37). A denarii is about one day’s wages, so they knew that they didn’t have nearly enough money to buy as much bread as they would need. They were in an impossible situation.

How Many Loaves Do You Have?

Jesus, knowing full well that they didn’t have enough bread or money to feed such a crowd, asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see” (Mark 6:37). However, when they returned, they told Jesus that they had only two fish and five loaves (Mark 6:38), which was not even close to being what they needed. Why would Jesus ask them how many loaves they had? Before that, Jesus told them to “give them something to eat.” Did Jesus want to see their reaction? Did He want to test their faith to see what they would do in an impossible situation? He asked them to do something that they couldn’t possibly do. Jesus already must have known what He was going to do and wanted to see the reaction of the disciples or if they’d trust Him enough to help them do what He had asked them. Jesus may ask us to do something someday that seems impossible for us. He might ask us to do what we have no resources to do it with. He may ask you someday “how many loaves do you have?”

Something out of Nothing

God created the universe out of nothing. Everything that exists came into being because God spoke it into existence (Psalm 33:9). Since we know that God can do whatever He wills to do, no matter what things look like to us, and seeing it in our own human eyes, can we not trust Him to do what seems impossible when there are no apparent resources to do it with? God can multiply what little we have like the widow’s oil and flour that was enough for only one meal but which God used Elijah to go further than was humanly impossible (1 Kings 17:16). This is exactly what Jesus did. After they started with only five loaves and two fish, they were left with such a large amount of food that it had to be loaded into twelve baskets, so what they ended up with, even after over 5000 ate, was almost more than they could handle. God loves to show Himself mighty by doing the impossible.

A Closing Prayer

God, You are glorified in these miracles of life, and You are still multiplying loaves and fish in our lives today through Your hand. Nothing is too hard for You, so please help me to trust You and not my eyes. To You be the glory, and in Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

YOUR SITUATION MAY GET HARDER. WILL YOU HAVE STRONGER FAITH, OR GIVE UP?

Mark 5:27-28

She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”

Been in This Woman’s Shoes?

The woman who had a discharge of blood for some 12 years was desperate. She had spent all of her possessions on trying to find a solution but to no avail (Mark 5:25-26). Nothing had worked, and I am sure she tried everything she and the doctors could think of. In her present state, she would have been considered unclean and, to be a woman with a discharge, even more despicable to society since at that time women were not highly regarded at all. She must have been in poverty by then, had no family or friends, and couldn’t even worship near the temple. How much lower could someone go? She had hit rock bottom. But when we have come to an end of ourselves, it seems God is always waiting there for us, waiting for us to come to an end of ourselves. At the end of our rope, God typically ties a rope there for us. We are crushed and humbled, but it is only then that God can give us His grace (James 4:6).

Has Jesus Touched You?

This woman had heard the many reports about Jesus’ miraculous powers (Mark 5:27), so in desperation she pushed her way through the crowds (knowing it was against all that the society would have her do) and simply touched Jesus’ garment (Mark 5:28). She might have been ashamed or embarrassed to approach Him from the front to His face, or she might have been forbidden to do so. Whatever the case, she boldly sought Jesus and touched the hem of His garment. She must have had faith in order to do that and must have known that simply touching Him would help her. She probably had more faith than all of those surrounding Jesus, but isn’t that usually the case in the ministry of Jesus?

Healed by Her Faith

The moment she touched Jesus’ garment, she was healed (Mark 5:28-29). Jesus knew that power had gone out of Him and asked who it was that touched Him (Mark 5:30). The disciples sounded surprised because they said that He was surrounded by people everywhere, and He asked, “Who touched Me” (Mark 5:31)? When Jesus looked around, the woman, knowing that she was caught in the act, perhaps of doing something that society forbid, fell down before Him, trembling with fear, not sure what His reaction would be (Mark 5:33). Instead of what she feared, Jesus tenderly said, “Daughter, your faith has made you well, go in peace, and be healed of your disease” (Mark 5:34). When Jesus called her “daughter”–or some translations say “woman”–this is not a way of showing her disrespect but the tender, loving title that is ascribed to one’s own daughter as being addressed by her natural father.

A Closing Prayer

Righteous God, You alone have brought me healing. My sins had brought the death penalty upon me (Rom. 6:23), and instead of Your right to rebuke me, a sinner, You reached out and touched me and forgave me of all my sins when I trusted Your Son, Jesus Christ. It is in His name I pray.

Amen

ARE YOU FOLLOWING TRADITIONS OR GOD'S COMMANDMENTS?

Matthew 15:3

He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?

Traditions Over Commandments

We are all creatures of habit, and we love our routines. But when our traditions become more important than God’s commandments, we’ve unwittingly put our own personal traditions over God’s commands, and that’s going no place good. The Pharisees and the Scribes rebuked Jesus’ disciples for not following their own traditions about washing before eating, but that doesn’t mean the disciples didn’t wash their hands before a meal. The Pharisees and the Scribes had a tradition where they washed all the way up to their elbows before they dined, and then they wouldn’t even dry their hands with a towel. They let their hands and arms drip dry before they ate anything. They did what was not even commanded and went above and beyond what is written. By doing so, they not only judged those who didn’t do as they did, but they also expected others to do as they did. They placed their own traditions over and above what God requires, and that is never a good thing to do because it creates a self-righteous attitude. No one is righteous or declared righteous in their own sight or by their own works (Rom. 2:12-13; Gal. 3:11).

Doctrines of Men Over Commandments of God

After the Pharisees and Scribes rebuked Jesus’ disciples, He rebuked them for teaching the doctrines or traditions of man and elevating them over the commandments of God (Matt. 15:3). They made void the commandments of God in order to make their own fleshly traditions more important (Matt. 15:6). This was an affront to God. When the disciples later came to Jesus, they said, “Master didn’t you realize that you just offended the Pharisees by what you just said” (Matt. 15:12)? Jesus was never concerned with winning friends and influencing people, and He never desired popularity with the people, including the religious leaders of the day. He reminded the disciples that whatever is not planted by God will be plucked up and thrown into the fire someday (Matt. 15:13). Therefore, He said to just let them be because they are only like a blind person leading another blind person, and both are headed for the pit (Matt. 15:14). Was this a reference to the fiery pit of hell or the lake of fire (Rev. 20:12-15)? It could have been.

What’s Inside Defiles, Not What’s Outside

The religious leaders were so concerned with the exterior or outside because it gave the appearance of righteousness to those who saw them, but Jesus said that what truly defiles men and women is what comes out of the mouth because it reveals what’s in the heart (Matt. 15:17-20). Jesus is saying that it’s not what we do but our interior motives and the intents of the heart. We can look good on the outside, but if our intents are evil, then we are altogether defiled, and that’s the way God sees us because He can see our thoughts and intents.

A Closing Prayer

Great God, please help me see what my true intents and motives are, and help me by Your Spirit to not try to live for the outward appearance of righteousness but to elevate Your commandments over any traditions that I might think give a show of holiness, when in actuality, they are just filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

YOU WILL KNOW

And that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you (John 14:20).

Jesus told His disciples that the world would not understand, see, or know, but those who had the Holy Spirit would.

     What He was saying can be paraphrased: "At that day they will see me as dead, but you will know that I am still in control. When they bury Me in a tomb, some will say it's over. But you will know I spoke mysteries the world could not understand. 'Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.' When they come on that first Easter morning and find My body gone, they will say it was stolen. You will know that I have risen from the dead. My ministry will continue through the Holy Spirit.

     "At that day you will know" denotes something progressive. "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord. . ." (Hos. 6:3 KJV). "Ye shall know the truth . . " (John 8:32 KJV). ". . . When I became a man. . ." denotes something that isn't complete but is in the making (see 1 Cor. 13:11 KJV).

     Apostle Paul wrote about Kingdom revelation that staggers the mind. The truth is spoken and revealed in secret code. We must understand the code. But as it is written:

     . . . Eye hath not see, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, tea, the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 KJV).

    

    

STRENGTH FOR EVERY MOMENT

If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you (John 14:15-18).

This Scripture indicates the Kingdom of God was going through some drastic changes.

1. We find the changing of the guard. "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter" (John 14:16 KJV). Another in this passage means another one just like Jesus. He confirmed this in the very next verse: "Ye know Him [the Spirit of truth]; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:17 KJV).

2. We find an obligation on our part to receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15 KJV). As a result of our walking in obedience, Jesus said that He would pray to the Father. He in turn would send another Comforter to us.

3. Jesus said three things about the Holy Spirit in John 14:17:

• The world cannot receive Him.
• The world cannot see Him, because His ways are not their ways; He is a mystery to them.
• The world doesn't know Him.

     Why aren't more believers hearing from God? Many are not walking in obedience and do not have the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Jesus only reveals His secrets to those who are trustworthy and have intimate fellowship with Him.

MIRACLES

How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? (Hebrews 2:3-4)

     Many try to limit God, saying He has spoken in the past but has ceased to speak today. This, however, is not true. God continues to speak to us through His written Word.
     The Holy Spirit also speaks to us today. Tongues are God's message for the last days. It isn't the only way that He can speak, but it is one avenue of speech. We need faith to allow Him to speak and interpret the message through a willing vessel.
     We need to get hold of God like never before because He is speaking a vital message in these last days. He is looking for someone to deliver a timely, life-changing Word. Many times, however, it is in secret code and can only be understood by those who have the Holy Spirit.
     All the miracles of Christ declared what His followers would do in that day. Because the world did not receive Him, did not see Him, and did not know Him, they crucified the Lord of glory.
    Only John went to the cross like Jesus. Is it any wonder that he received an amazing vision known as "The Revelation of Jesus Christ"? Before receiving this vision, he was exiled to the Isle of Patmos.

NO MORE BURDENS

It shall come to pass in that day that his burdens will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil (Isaiah 10:27).

 

Timely truths from this passage:

 

1. The anointing flows from the head down (see Ps. 133:2). Jesus is the head. His anointing is flowing, but we must be in alignment (in fellowship) with Him.

2. The anointing will be “ . . like the dew of Hermon. . .” (Ps. 133:3). The Israelites knew the dew of Mt. Hermon and Mt. Zion was heavy even in dry weather.

3. The anointing will take authority over your situations: “. . . For there the Lord commanded the blessing. . .” (Ps. 133:3).

4. The anointing will take away yokes that have caused you to say and do things and go places you really didn’t desire (see Isa. 10:27).

5. The anointing will lift burdens from your shoulder (see Isa. 10:27).

6. The anointing will destroy the yoke from your neck. If you leave a yoke enabled, it can resume its previous position at any time. The anointing dismantles everything that satan had planned for your life.

 

Everything satan planned to do (his head) and all the things he wanted to do (his hands) has been destroyed by the anointing. He has been cut off and rendered helpless.

RUN WITH ENDURANCE

What encourages me when I go through the storms of life? I look in the Word of God and find that someone else has already been there and made it through. We are surrounded by witnesses:

     Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is before us (Hebrews 12:1).

     Saints have had to get to a certain place before they saw the manifestations of God.
  
     Noah endured a torrential downpour that flooded the earth for months, but he had a place that gave him access to God. On the third level of the ark a window gave him access to the heavenlies.

     Jacob struggled for years with who he was compared to who he wanted to be. His wrestling climaxed when he got to Jabbok, which means "to pour out, to empty." Jacob went alone to Jabbok, the place of struggle where he wrestled with an angel. Divinity met with humanity, and Jacob's thigh was put out of joint. Upon arriving at the place, the patriarch was Jacob ("swindler, supplanter, cheater"), but after the struggle, his name was Israel ("prince of God").  It was a place of power, as God gave him power with Himself and humankind (see Gen. 32:21-29).

     Like Jacob, you may be struggling with who you are. Some of you may be wrestling with your past. You need to know that there is a place with God of yoke-breaking anointing.

T.D. Jakes

Strength Through Faith

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

"I will pray with the understanding" means that as we pray by the unction and leadership of the Holy Spirit, we pray a prayer that will have meaning as the same Holy Spirit interprets to us the things that we have spoken.
     The Old Testament high priest knew there was only one place where he could experience a manifestation of God's glory and that was in the holy of holies. That's where God promised to show Himself and commune with His people (see Exod. 25:17-22).
     In these last days, satan and all his cohorts are waging a final onslaught against the Church. We must know God in a way in which we have never known Him before. Within some of you are miracles, unborn babies, ministries, and gifts. Many of you have callings on your life.
     Because of circumstances--perhaps something beyond your control; perhaps because of your faults, failures, or your past life--satan has told you that your baby, your gift, or your ministry must be aborted. But satan is a liar. Scripture tells us "the gifts and callings of God are without repentance" (Rom.11:29 KJV).
     You need to get to where you can see the raw, undiluted presence of God and His anointing.

PRAY AND SING!

What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding (1 Corinthians 14:15).

Sometimes we have no knowledge of how to pray because the things that we confront are bigger than we are. They are deeper than our human logic can comprehend.

That's why we need to pray within the spirit realm, which is bigger than any problem, weakness, or dilemma we face. We also need to ask God to interpret to us the things that we have spoken through the auspice of the Holy Spirit. As He reveals them to us, we will gain an understanding.

Sometimes we don't know what to say. Our heart is crushed; our spirit is overwhelmed. We know that we need a touch; we know the area that needs to be touched, but we don't always know what to say.

Have you ever been so overwhelmed, so overcome that all you can do is groan? Maybe you can only say, "Jesus, help me," or "I need You, Lord." That's when we need to change our language. We need to wait on the Holy Spirit because He knows how to pray ...and what to pray. The Holy Spirit will always pray in alignment with the will of God (see Rom. 8:27).

The anointing of the Holy Spirit doesn't always bring chills or goose bumps. It isn't always charged with emotion. The anointing, however, brings power and strength.

T.D. Jakes

LIKE A FLOOD

So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19).

Yes, there are times when the enemy invades our lives. He will come into your mind; he will come into your marriage; he will come into your ministry. He comes in like a flood and desires to devour you and anything that has been born of God in your life.

 

The Holy Spirit stands by as your ally. When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit lifts up a standard against him. He provides you with a place of defense, a place of shelter, a place of refuge, a place to hide.

 

Job’s life is a good example of this. When God praised Job’s integrity, satan pointed out:

 

Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? (Job 1:10 KJV).

 

The adversary asked permission to touch all that Job had. Satan came in like flood, destroying his sons, daughters,servants, and livestock. Not satisfied with this, satan asked permission to affect Job’s body. God set a limit, however, and said, “. . . save his life” (Job 2:6 KJV).

 

Praying in the Spirit sets up a wall of defense that satan cannot penetrate. The Spirit will lift up the wall of the blood of Jesus and say, “Satan, you can’t touch this!” 

 

Why are you looking for Me?

Luke 2:47

And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

His Astonished Parents

When Jesus’ parents left Jerusalem after the Passover feast, they didn’t realize that He was gone until after about a day’s journey. Maybe this shows just how unassuming Jesus was or that He was such a perfect child that His parents didn’t even have to give Him a thought most of the time. Either way, His parents came back to look for Him, and after three days of frantically searching, they found Him in the temple. They were obviously very upset, asking how He could have treated them so badly (Luke 2:48). Can you imagine the panic of these parents? Jesus replied as if they should have known that He would have been in the temple. Jesus wasn’t being sarcastic to His parents but making at least two points: first that His Father was God the Father and secondly that He was where His parents should have expected Him to be. Possibly, He was telling them that this was where He naturally fit in. He is God, and as God, He belongs in the temple.

The Perfect Child

Don’t think that Jesus wasn’t submissive to His parents because He was. It is written that after His parents came back for Him, He went back to Nazareth with them “and was submissive to them,” and Jesus’ mother kept all these things in the back of her mind (Luke 2:50). This account of Jesus teaching in the temple was amazing in the sense that here was Jesus, only 12 years old, mingling among the adults (Luke 2:46), including the teachers like the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and likely the Scribes. You wonder why Jesus’ parents didn’t look in the temple in the first place. And during Jesus three days in the temple, who cared for Jesus during that time? Who fed Him? Or did He simply fast during those three days?

We Are Astonished

Jesus might ask you why you were looking for Him. Was it simply a way of escaping hell? Was it to make your life better? Was it for the purpose of having a happier life, an improved marriage, or a more fulfilled experience in this world? Jesus came to die for sinners, so we should have been looking for Him to go and tell Him we are sorry for our sins, we repent, and we trust Him to save us, asking to please forgive us. Really, we didn’t choose Him, but He chose us (John 15:16) because the Spirit of God revealed Who Jesus is (Matt. 16:17), and the fact is that He loved us first before we ever loved Him (1 John 4:19). Were you really looking for Him when the Bible clearly says that none of us seek after Him (Rom. 5:11)? Really, He was looking for you. Now that is astonishing.

A Closing Prayer

Righteous God, You loved me first, even while I was a sinner and Your enemy (Rom. 5:8, 10). Please forgive me for where I fall short, and help me to serve You better where You have placed me within the Body of Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

Bible Verse of the Day

Monday, August 22

 James 2:17 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

 
Read James 2

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS YOU ARE SCARED TO ASK YOURSELF?

Second Corinthians 13:5

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Self-Examination

I believe that when we examine the Word of God, the Word of God examines us. That is to say, when we read the Bible, it reads us and gives us a good look at our own heart. The truth is that our hearts can easily deceive us, and we can’t fully know it (Jer. 17:9). When Paul writes to the Corinthian church to examine themselves, I don’t believe he is doing this to have them make sure that they are saved or not but to place their lives up against what Scripture says. We had a man once attend our church who insisted that he was not a sinner, but this is contrary to what the Bible teaches (1 John 1:9; Rom. 3:23), so I asked him about a couple of Scriptures that teach that all of us have sinned and what God’s Word says about those who claim they have no sin (1 John 1:10). The man refused to look at these verses as if he was afraid to question himself in any way, and he never came back to our church again. Am I like this? Are you?

Questions for the Self

I have often wondered just how strong my faith is. I have seen many who have endured so much in being persecuted and have thought could I go through such things and remain strong in my faith without renouncing Jesus? I just don’t know, and I’d be afraid to find out. What about you? Have you ever seen what other believers go through around the world and asked yourself if you could endure such persecution and loss? I am not so sure I could go through what they’ve gone through. God tested Israel in their wanderings in the wilderness (Ex. 16:4), and he may test us or has already tested us to see how strong our faith is. Israel was always testing God for some reason, even though He keeps every promise (Ex. 17:2). When they put God to the test, it resulted in the death of many of them, which is why Paul warns us about doing the same thing (1 Cor. 10:9).

Asking for Patience

Someone once told me to never ask God for patience because He will allow circumstances in your life where you’ll need to have a lot of patience. I had not heard that before. Is that something that you’d be afraid to ask for yourself? If you wanted more patience and we are given opportunities to exercise patience, how would that go? Would you pass that test? Would I do as Paul feared some might in 2 Corinthians 13:5 and fail the test? Paul had hoped that the church at Corinth would see that he didn’t fail the test (2 Cor. 13:6). If we are to test everything against what is true and cling to what is good (1 Thess. 5:21) and God tests our hearts (1 Thess. 2:4), would you ever be scared to ask yourself the question of whether you would fail where a lot of other Christians didn’t? Could I endure as much as the severely persecuted believers around the world do? How would I handle such intensity of pressure as being tortured and losing everything as some have had to endure?

A Closing Prayer

Father God, I still have doubts about whether I could go through what so many endure in other parts of the world. Help me to calm my doubts and fears, to put my full trust in You, to not fear anything or anyone, and to erase any doubts so that I know I am secure in You by Christ’s death. In His holy name I pray.

Amen

Where Is God's Glory? (Read Isaiah 6:1-13)

The whole earth is filled with His glory (Isa. 6:3).
At first it may seem strange to think that God is majestic, mystical and "completely different." After all, doesn't He reveal Himself in Jesus Christ? Isn't He revealing Himself all the time in the beauty of nature, and the miracle of human life that is filled with grace and empowerment through His Spirit?
     In Isaiah's vision the angels surrounding the throne sang about two things: Some called out, "Holy, holy, holy!" Others called out, "The whole earth is filled with His glory!" This response sings the praises of a God that emerges from His sanctuary - if we might put it this way - and makes very clear what, and who, and wherever He is. This is the aspect of God that we can see, know, appreciate and respond to. We may ask, "Where is God?" One answer is, "He is a hidden mystery whom we will never fully know." But another is, "He is in a rose in all its splendor and glory; in a breathtaking sunset; in the overwhelming grandeur of majestic mountains."
     You sense the glory of God and catch hold of it when you gaze in awe at His presence in nature and the work of His hands in a life totally devoted to love and service. Therefore, admire God's beauty around you - not just for a fleeting moment - absorb it and allow it to fill you with wonderment. Join in with the universal chorus that praises Him, and in which nature, humans and angels all take part.

The radiance of the divine beauty is wholly inexpressible: words cannot describe it, nor the ear grasp it.
~ Philimon ~
Saint James Assembly of Faith 

Holy! Holy! Holy! (Read Isaiah 6:1-13)

They were calling out to each other, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven's Armies!" (Isa. 6:3)
The word holy is a word that many people find difficult to accommodate. We speak of the Pope as the Holy Father. In a moment of great astonishment we sometimes say, "Holy mackerel!" We snidely refer to someone who parades his virtues as a "Holy Joe" or we say ha has a "holier than thou" attitude.
     Isaiah emphasized more than anyone else that only God is holy. He detested the corruption, sin, unrighteousness and faithlessness. When Isaiah referred to God's holiness he meant that God was "different." He rose above weakness and impurity. Habakkuk said to God, "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; You cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do You tolerate the treacherous? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?" (Hab. 1:13 NIV). It is because of His holiness that God hates sin. When Isaiah chronicled that the seraphs called out "Holy" three times, it was to emphasize and underline God's holiness.It was to bring home to those who listened to him preach that God does not tolerate the wickedness of the people.
     We see holy love in Christ, not just goodness and ordinary love, but the holy love of the Holy God. It is an exceptional kind of love that comes from God and creates love for God. This is why it is godly love instead of human warmth and kindness. Jesus calls on us to love in the holy or godly way that He loved.

True love to God must begin with a delight in His holiness, and not with a delight in any other attribute; for no other attribute is truly lovely without this.
~ Jonathan Edwards ~
Saint James Assembly of Faith 

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY

Friday, August 19

  Romans 1:17 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” 

 
Read Romans 1

What if God called you to leave your job? Would you do it and believe it’s what is best?

Luke 14:33

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Leaving Job Security

I just lived this out not long ago. I had this very strong calling to leave my job yet had no full-time job with which to replace it. I had an idea of doing something to fill in part of my income, but clearly when I turned in my notice, I didn’t have a clue as to how I was going to make it financially. To be honest, leaving my job security felt scary, but I had this overwhelming feeling that I was supposed to do this. This was the same feeling that I couldn’t resist when I was called into the ministry years ago, and it was like a fire burning within me (Jer. 20:9). Even so, I kicked and screamed in resistance against it for so long. Would you ever leave your job, which is your life’s security, if you felt convinced that God was calling you to do it?

Forsaking All for the Kingdom

Seeking God is to seek His will, and that means we seek first the King of that kingdom (Matt. 6:33). Easy to say but so very hard to do, isn’t it? Paul had it made as a Pharisee and a young man who had an unlimited future, but God had to strike him down and humble him on the Damascus Road in order to save him and call him into His work (Acts 9:2-10). For the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Paul considered everything else a loss compared to Christ’s mission for his life (Phil. 3:7). Moses, who would have been next in line as Pharaoh, gave it all up, including the passing pleasures of sin, because of God’s calling on his life (Heb. 11:24-26). Moses gave up all that he was comfortable with and left all of his security behind for the sake of God’s call. Abraham left his family, job, and every creature comfort he had to go to a place he had never even seen before but was obedient to this call of God (Gen. 12:1-3). What was Abram’s (later changed to Abraham) response? It was, “So Abram went, as the Lord told him” (Gen, 12:4).

What Is God Calling You To Do?

We all have a ministry to one degree or another, so I am not suggesting you call your employer and tell them that you’re quitting your job today because you feel that God has something in store for you. He may, but I want to make sure you seek godly counsel, that you have an overwhelming sense about it, and that you feel compelled to something very specific. I resisted my pastoral calling for a very long time, and it took people from my work and church and my friends persuading me time and again that confirmed what I felt in my heart for so long. I was resistant because I felt–and to some degree still feel today–unworthy of this calling. But maybe that’s the point. God is said to never call the qualified to something but to qualify them for something to which He’s called them. What if God called you to leave your job? Would you believe it and know that it’s best? That is something only you and God can decide. If it is for the purpose of glorifying Him, then He may well be doing just that.

A Closing Prayer

Father God, You alone know my future. Please help me to trust You in the decisions I make, and help me to have confirmation from You, Your Spirit, my Christian friends and leadership and that my motivation is for Your glory alone and not for my own. In Jesus’ precious name I pray.

Amen

Bible Verse of the Day

Thursday, August 18

  James 1:27 27  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. 

 
Read James 1

What Is God Saying to You? (Read Isaiah 1:1-10)

Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah! (Isa. 1:10 NIV).
When strange things happen to us, we sometimes say, "Somewhere in this there must be a lesson for me." Indeed, the wise find that life teaches them lessons throughout their lives. Whether they take notice of this or learn from it is quite a different matter.
     It is perhaps not strange that the ancient Hebrews thought of God as a Teacher. They even knew the Ten Commandments He gave them to obey as "The Teachings." Obeying these commandments was learning to be obedient.
     God's Son, Jesus Christ, was often referred to as Rabbi or Teacher. His ministry on earth was teaching people about the Kingdom of God. Jesus's teachings, many of them in the form of stories and parables, are some of the most unforgettable things we will ever hear or learn.
     What is God's message for you? You should make it a lifelong task to learn more and more about God. Ask yourself: What is God doing through me by means of this incident? What does the Bible say about this? How is He using these circumstances to show me a better way? You will discover so many interesting, life-changing that will magnify and deepen your faith and wisdom. Don't ever stop learning from the Great Teacher.

The teaching of Christ is more excellent than all the advice of the saints, and he who has Christ's spirit within will find in it a hidden strength.
~ Thomas a Kempis ~
Saint James Assembly of Faith 

Sometimes Things Go Wrong (Read Isaiah 1:1-10)

If the LORD of Heaven's Armies had not spared a few of us, we would have been wiped out like Sodom, destroyed like Gomorrah. (Isa. 1:9).
It is easy for people of faith to think that everything will always be all right. Except for a few problems, nothing can really go wrong in our lives, because God will not allow it. We can soothe ourselves into a state of false security with this attitude. In our modern day and age we trust scientific wonders to solve our problems. This makes us believe even more strongly that nothing can go wrong. But it can and it does.
     In the ancient world, the twin cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, were destroyed - according to the Bible, by God Himself. Isaiah believed that Jerusalem was in just as much danger, but that it was spared by the grace of God. Later on, 85% of the Israelites were sent into exile by the Assyrians. The rest were later taken captive by the Babylonians.
     Certainly, disasters do take place. Millions die in wars; just as many die of poverty-related diseases. Humankind's future is threatened by massive destruction because of climate change and global warming. International tension could easily lead to another world war.
     Pray for people in authority. Support organizations that work for peace and the upliftment of the poor. See the necessity of conserving our earth and do your part to make it a reality. Pray to God and plead that He will save us from disaster, and look forward to His kingdom to come.

God created everything out of nothing. Therefore, until man is nothing, God can make nothing out of him.
~ Martin Luther ~  
Saint James Assembly of Faith

Majestic and Almighty (Read Psalm 18:1-16)

Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of His anger. He opened the heavens and came down (Ps. 18:7, 9).There are people who say the God they believe in mustn't be a "watered-down" God. A watered-down God is a weak and timid God, and all He expects is that everyone must be friendly and understanding. This is not enough to sustain faith in the face of unbearable suffering in the world today.
     David worshiped a revered, majestic and omnipotent God. What David describes in today's Scripture could have been a volcanic eruption or a mighty thunderstorm. One thing that he was certain of was that God was there - controlling it, using it, talking to humankind through it and destroying his enemies in this way. The great truth here is that God will act in order to serve His servants.
     The same God appears in the New Testament. He is a strong, and at the same time a loving God. He performed mighty miracles and cast evil spirits out. He commanded the wind and the waves. He raised the dead. He came at Pentecost in the form of fire and wind, and forced open the tomb on Easter Sunday. He offers life and salvation to all who believe in Him. He sent His messengers to proclaim the Good News of His kingdom. His followers are so convinced of His glory and omnipotence that they are willing to die for their faith.
     Make Him your God, too. He is the true, sovereign and Almighty God.

Even in the church we seem to have lost the vision of the majesty of God.
~ John Stott ~
Saint James Assembly of Faith 

Freed from the Ropes of Death (Read Psalm 18:1-16)

Freed from the Ropes of Death  Read Psalm 18:1-6 8/18/2016    The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me ... But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry to Him reached His ears (Ps. 18:4, 6).     Many people have near-death experiences. Once they recover, they often forget how close they were to dying. People are attacked by thugs; others are involved in car accidents; sometimes health problems lead to emergency operations that bring patients close to death's door. Even natural disasters can be life-threatening. There are people who manage to survive time after time.      David, the writer of Psalm 18, knew what it meant to rub shoulders with death. But he was saved and gave God's love all the credit for his survival. He is saying, "Human existence is an uncertain affair. I survived - but only just! Without God's help I wouldn't have stood a chance. He heard my desperate cry and responded."      Of course we know about many who cried out to God for help in times of tragedy and distress, and died in spite of this. We don't know why God hears the anguished cries of some and not of others. Cry out to Him in your anxiety, and plead with Him to help you. Follow the example of the disciples in the storm on the Sea of Galilee when they thought they were going to die. Then, if you make it and get through the ordeal alive, remember to give the honor and glory to God for His amazing grace. Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark. ~ Francis Bacon ~ Saint James Assembly of Faith

Promises

Joshua 21:45

Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.

Following Through

It is so easy to make promises but often very difficult in keeping them or following through on them. Only God can make promises that never fail, and every single promise made by God is yes and amen (2 Cor. 1:20). Since God has given us these precious promises, should we not make every effort to live a holy life of obedience (2 Cor. 7:1)? What promise this week or last week did you make that you still haven’t followed through on? How can you intentionally set out to complete that promise by the end of the week? Shouldn’t our yes mean yes and our no mean no (Matt. 5:37)? I plead guilty of sometimes telling people that I will pray for them and then forget, but that’s no excuse. My word is my promise, and I’ve broken it many times. That’s why if I say I will pray for someone, my custom is to do it right there, on the spot! For me, it is sin if I say I’ll pray for someone and fail to do it (1 Sam. 12:23).

Making Oaths

Long before we even think of making a promise, a vow, or an oath, shouldn’t we stop and think about it first? James, the half-brother of Jesus, essentially said the same thing as Jesus, that we should say yes or no and not add anything else to it; otherwise, we might face the consequences when we don’t follow through (James 5:12). I would rather qualify my statement and say “I will try my best to” or “if I can, I will” and then make every effort to do what I said I would try to do. It is better to say you will try your best to do something and that if it is at all possible you will do it than to make a promise that circumstances might dictate the impossibility of keeping.

Painful Promises Kept

Some have kept their promises or vows and lived to regret making them, as in the case of the Jephtah’s promise that if Israel was successful in battle, whatever walked through his front door would be sacrificed to God (Judges 11:11, 29-33). The ends do not justify the means. Jephtah’s rash vow was foolish. What did he think would come out of his house anyway? A lamb? Did he even think it through? Apparently not because his daughter was the first one who came out, and although the Bible never clearly says that he sacrificed her life, she apparently paid some sort of price. That example should discourage us from making promises that we might not be able to keep because we don’t even know what tomorrow may bring (James 4:14). We can’t brag about or promise with certainty what will happen later in the week because we don’t know for sure (Prov. 27:1).

A Closing Prayer

Righteous God in heaven, please forgive me for the many broken promises to my family, friends, and co-workers that I have made, including failing to pray for them when they asked me to. Give me the wisdom to follow through right away on my promises and the wisdom to know when not to make them, and in Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

What is the legacy you are leaving?

Psalm 78:4

We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

Your Legacy

Of course, we won’t be around to hear about the legacy we leave behind, but what would people most remember about you? Would it be that you were a generous person? That you were a great Sunday school teacher? How about the love you showed to others? Maybe you were a beloved spouse, parent, and grandparent. What do you think would be the most prominent thing for which you would be remembered? It might even be a legacy that lives on in your children’s children because of what you taught them (Psalm 78:4). What you do today determines what you’ll be remembered for when you’re gone. Sometimes the last impression is the lasting impression.

The Eulogy

I have given several funerals for believers, and finding positive things to say about the believers who have passed from Earth to heaven is easy. One lady who was very faithful in church and in giving will be remembered for faithfulness and her generosity. Near the end of her life, she still fought the good fight of faith trying to go to church until the very end (2 Tim. 4:6-8), so that’s what I think her legacy is. Unlike few other godly women I knew, this widow loved God with as much heart, soul, strength, and mind that I believe anyone humanly could (Deut. 6:5-7). She had laid up many treasures in heaven, not only by being a generous giver (Matt. 6:20-21), but she also adopted several foster children. What she did for others Jesus sees as doing it unto Him (Matt. 25:39).

Faithful to the Word

If you have been faithful to the Word of God, that leaves a powerful legacy. I believe that one of the strengths of the believer is to never deviate from biblical truth because it’s so easy to get caught up in doctrines contrary to what the Bible teaches (1 Tim. 4:1-4). The woman I wrote about earlier will be remembered as a no-nonsense woman of God who wouldn’t put up with false teachings because she knew her Bible so well. After her own children were grown and her husband passed away, she adopted foster children and taught them the Word of God in the hopes that they would be saved someday. In the last few weeks of her life, some of these now-grown foster children came to heap up praises on her for her selfless sacrifice, but she wouldn’t hear any of it, deflecting all the praise to God. What is the legacy you believe you will leave behind? You are building a legacy right now and might not even know it.

A Closing Prayer

Oh Creator God, I thank You that through Your truth I might leave a legacy of loving You; witnessing to the lost; giving generously; giving of myself; being a loving husband, father, and grandfather, while trying to be the hands, feet, eyes, ears, mouth, and mind of Christ. For His glory and in His precious name I pray.

Amen