Reflections on James 1:21-25

Thomas Bilney, a sixteenth century English reformer, spoke of his encounter and ongoing experience of God’s Word. He described one of the early turning points like this:

I chanced upon this sentence of St. Paul (O most sweet and comfortable sentence to my soul!) in 1 Timothy 1: “It is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be embraced, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am the chief and principal.” This one sentence, through God's instruction and inward working, which I did not then perceive, did so exhilarate my heart, being before wounded with the guilt of my sins, and being almost in despair, that . . . immediately I . . . felt a marvelous comfort and quietness, in so much that “my bruised bones leaped for joy.” After this, the Scriptures began to be more pleasant to me than the honey or the honeycomb.

In order to see fully what is revealed in verses James 1:21-25 we must back up and look at verse 18. “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the Word of Truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.”

The words “brought us forth” (greek – apokyeo) is in reference to being created or produced or born.

The “first fruit among all His creatures”, the first and the best. This is the description of the “first fruit”.

1 Peter 1:23 - for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

Now, jump to verse 21.

Vs. 21 – putting aside all filthiness and all that REMAINS of wickedness.

It’s okay if you’re not okay…just don’t stay there.

Vs. 21 – “…in humility or meekness receive the word implanted…”

We need to take very seriously the command to "in meekness receive (greek – dexasthe which means to welcome) the word implanted". What is meekness? Meekness can be defined as submissive humbleness. Both are key characteristics of being like Jesus. The word also makes me think of being “teachable”. Do you have a teachable spirit?

This is why it is so important to keep this in context because verse 21 is not possible without what we saw in verse 18. We were dead. We had no place for the word of God in us. We did not desire it or love it. Jesus said of the leaders who were trying to kill him: “You seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you” (John 8:37). The word of truth was not implanted in them.

Pay attention to what is happening here though, these leader of whom Jesus spoke “knew” the Word of God…but , the Word of God “found no place in them”. It was not implanted in them.

Before we are born again, our hearts are so full of so many things that they have no room for the Word of God. It’s like when your kids do not want dinner because they snuck into the pantry and they were eating candy while you were making dinner…true story! When the real meal is ready, they have no place for it nor any desire for it.

Vs. 21 – “…is able to save your soul”

Do not underestimate the Words ability to save your soul. Please understand that the Word of God is not just a book that sits on your shelf of that you carried with you today. The Word of God literally has super natural power. The Scriptures are the inspired breath of God whispered into the hearts of men who cannot save themselves. The implanted Word is able to save your soul.

“So the word of God is “implanted” in us, and “is at work” in us, and “abides” in us, and (James 1:21 says) “saves” us. We cannot easily overstate how profoundly powerful and important the word of God is for our lives. If the word of God does not rank with your most cherished possessions, you need to do a reality check on your life. Nothing apart from God himself is more important and powerful than his word.” - John Piper

Vs. 22 – “becoming doers of the Word and not just hearers…”

This is quite simply allowing the words of God to affect your daily activities…everything you do in life can be held up to the light of the Scriptures.

Vs. 23-24 – Forgiven…but don’t forget…

For me personally, it is best for me to leave forgetting the way I use to be to God. I need His forgiveness and for Him to remember my sin no more. However, I think it's good for me to remember the way I was...It makes me more grateful for His grace and mercy and it makes me want to press harder for continued sanctification.

Vs. 25 – The Law of Liberty - this brings me so much hope because the natural results of the law is not liberty but condemnation. But, thanks be to God, that through Jesus Christ, I am not condemned.

At what point will the Word of God become the breath of God to you.

The implanted Word of God is the Gospel to which you have been called and saved. The external Word of God is what you have to live well in this life. But they are so united that they really cannot be separated. Our soul needs both. If you make the decision that you do not need the external Word of God, it is like you making a decision to stop breathing, which leads to death. Separation from the external Word will cause you to stagnate. The implanted Word is powerful, producing life and breathing and demands the life giving external Word. If the Word is implanted in you, you will not be able to hold your breath forever.

Breathe!

ZS

Incapable of good...or anything else for that matter

I have been in a constant state of mental meditation on John 15 the past three or four days. More specifically verse five, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (ESV)

On the surface I love this picture of Christ being the center point of life. The point at which everthing else in creation flows.

But then, things get very serious very quickly. The word ABIDE is the one that Jesus uses here (at least that is the English word used to convey what Jesus was saying). The Greek word here is menos, which just simply means to tarry, stay, not depart from, continually, TO LIVE IN...that is a little bit weightier, right?

Where is our passion for the word's of God? The thing that I have been begging Christ for more than anything else lately is an unquenchable desire for more of Him...and for the source of that to be from His Scriptures. This is how I am praying for you also.

And then, this..."...apart from me you can do NOTHING."

I am completely incapable of doing anything at all apart from God allowing me or giving me the ability to do so. I want my words to be words that bring hope and peace and not words that bring hurt and pain. I must abide in Him...

Please Father, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing unto you, oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

ZS

Increase Our Faith ::: Luke 17:1-10

There were a couple of different times in the Gospel where the Apostles asked Christ to increase their faith. I was reading in Luke yesterday morning before our celebration service started. In Luke 17:5, the Apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith...why would the Apostles ask for more faith? Well you need the whole context. Right before they ask for more faith Jesus drops this on them:

"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

You get it now?

Seriously, how difficult is it to forgive? And not only to forgive but to continue to forgive over and over and over and over again?

Please Jesus, I'm going to need more faith!

Christ response, faith the size of a tiny mustard see will allow you to say to the mulberry tree, get up and get in the sea.

I love the conclusion of this section in Luke 17:10, "...we are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done."

It's time we all understand that we do not need or deserve praise for doing what we are commanded to do...just simply do it.
We praise our King because He is gracious and worthy - why would He even allow us to serve him?

Precious Christ, increase our faith...
~Amen

ZS

:::Meditation on Psalm 85:::

I read this Psalm yesterday and it became a point of meditation for me.

Psalm 85
Prayer for God's Mercy upon the Nation.
For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
1O LORD, You showed favor to Your land;
You restored the captivity of Jacob.
2You forgave the iniquity of Your people;
You covered all their sin. Selah.
3You withdrew all Your fury;
You turned away from Your burning anger.
4Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your indignation toward us to cease.
5Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
6Will You not Yourself revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?
7Show us Your lovingkindness, O LORD,
And grant us Your salvation.
8I will hear what God the LORD will say;
For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones;
But let them not turn back to folly.
9Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
That glory may dwell in our land.
10Lovingkindness and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11Truth springs from the earth,
And righteousness looks down from heaven.
12Indeed, the LORD will give what is good,
And our land will yield its produce.
13Righteousness will go before Him
And will make His footsteps into a way.

A couple of things that really jump out at me in this text:
1.) The declaration of what God has done. "you showed favor...you restored...you forgave...you covered all sin...you withdrew you fury...you turned away from your burning anger"
2.) I love verse 9, salvation is near to those who fear Him and it is through those who fear Him that shows His glory throughout the land.
3.) I'm not sure I have ever read more beautiful poetry than that which is found in verse 10. Only by the grace of God.
4.) I am praying for my family, our community of faith and for myself personally that we would see the footsteps of our Gracious God as our WAY.

For The Praise of Your Glory!
ZS

:::Meditation on Psalm 26:::

We will be doing this Scripture reading Sunday morning at Gateway. I've just been kinda meditating on it today.

Psalm 26
1Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity,
And I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
2Examine me, O LORD, and try me;
Test my mind and my heart.
3For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And I have walked in Your truth.
4I do not sit with deceitful men,
Nor will I go with pretenders.
5I hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
6I shall wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go about Your altar, O LORD,
7That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving
And declare all Your wonders.
8O LORD, I love the habitation of Your house
And the place where Your glory dwells.
9Do not take my soul away along with sinners,
Nor my life with men of bloodshed,
10In whose hands is a wicked scheme,
And whose right hand is full of bribes.
11But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
Redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12My foot stands on a level place;
In the congregations I shall bless the LORD.


There is one thing that I hear my pastor say all the time and it's this truth, "Integrity is costly and it can be lost in a moment".

I love how David runs down the list of wicked things that he sees all around him every day. His response to that is to remain faithful and simply desire to be in "the place where Your glory dwells".

Holy Father, give me a heart that chases hard after you and you alone. Your name is more important than my own desires or fleeting pleasures. I pray as David did, that I shall walk in my integrity.
So that you may become more famous and that I might be forgotten.
For the praise of your glory!
Amen!


ZS

::: Zephaniah 3:17 :::

The LORD your God is in your midst,
A victorious warrior
He will exult over you with joy,
He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
Zephaniah 3:17 NASB

This is a verse that my pastor quotes quite often and has been ringing in my head. Not only the promise that God is with us or even that He's a victorious warrior, or mighty to save (depending on the translation you have). The image in my head of God leaping and shouting for joy over me quite honestly blows my mind.

I have more of a tendency to think like David in Psalm 8, "...what is man, that you are mindful of him?"

What a great comfort it is to know that God loves us exactly the way we are, not some future version of ourselves when we get all of our "stuff" together...but, that God loves you and rejoices over you exactly the way you are right now.

I'm just loving this verse today and wanted to share it with you all.

Blessings!
ZS

Suffering :: A Paradox

This has been haunting me...check this out:

1 Thessalonians 1:6
You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
2 Timothy 1:8
So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,
2 Timothy 1:12
That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
Hebrews 2:10
In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.
1 Peter 4:12
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.
1 Peter 4:13
But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
1 Peter 5:9
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

It seems that throughout the Epistles as well as the early church, we see this over-arching theme of suffering. Somehow, this suffer is intended to draw us closer to the things of God. It seems like such a paradox to the western way of thinking and "doing" church. We are all about safety and in reality staying out of harms way and not taking risk. We pray specifically for traveling mercies and straight paths that are easy.
The things that have been haunting me about this theme is..."I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering becoming like him in death" or how about this one..."all those who will live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution".
If I say I want to press into Christ and know Him more and the means to that deeper knowledge of Him is suffering, will I still be willing to ask for more of Him?
A scarey thought...
ZS

How About This For A Proverb...

So, I was just reading through the Proverbs and I came across this...It's amazing that I cannot tell you how many times I've read this before but I've apparently never really paid very close attention to it. This is a great prayer and a great challenger...and by the way, flies against everything we see around us on a daily basis.

Proverbs 30:5-9

5. "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7. "Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die:
8. Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.
9. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Jesus, help me be a man that pursues truth and not falsehood and give me each day my daily bread, then I will have all I need in you.

Amen!

ZS

Pride Kills Everything It Touches

We live in the kind of world where basketball players pound their chest when they dunk on someone, where baseball players remain in the batter's box to watch their work as the ball flies into the seat and football players choreograph celebrations for touchdowns (not to mention sacks, interceptions and even tackle someone or catching the ball). So much of what we are inundated with every single day is man boasting about how great he is and relying on his own ability or talent to answer the question of who's great...

Now, I've never dunked on anyone, so I don't know how that feels...it's been a long time since I've hit a ball over a fence...and aside from an annual flag football game we play every year again out students (which we always dominate...prideful statement) it's been a long time since I've scored a touchdown. However, I see the evidence of pride in my own life almost daily. I lean on my own strengths and abilities way to much. I find myself unwilling to lean on the mighty hand of God.

A quick keyword search on http://www.biblegateway.com/ shows 63 occurrences of the word pride. James 1:10 says, But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. I like this because the first part of the book of James starts out with, "consider it pure joy when you suffer persecution..." another concept that is foreign to our western evangelical mindset.

How about this mindset to combat what we see, 1 Peter 5:5-6 says this,
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

I find it incredibly encouraging to know that instead of relying so heavily on my own ability to be a good husband, good daddy, good son, good brother, good employee, good pastor, etc...I can rely on the strength of Almighty God.

This is why I love the words of The Apostle Paul in Galatians 6:4, where he says, May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

ZS

Join - Philippians 3:17-21

Pastor Trent finished up his series on LIFE this past Sunday. We've been taking a walk through the third chapter of Philippians and looking at the way Paul "encourage" the church at Philippi to live the life.

Going to be honest with you, this last message in this series was a beating...Paul makes it very clear that you are one of two things: You are either an enemy of the cross or you are a citizen of heaven. As we approach life with a Christian worldview we can understand that statement to a certain extent. We look at this senario as: You are either on God's side in this thing or you are against him. Maybe we even simplify things more by using "Christian terminology" and say: You are either saved or lost. That makes sense right?

Time out though...a closer look at the Scriptures and understand the importance of keeping it all in context shows us that that is not the issue here. We are not talking about lost vs. saved. Paul is writing this letter to the church. He is confronting those who have placed their hope of eternity in this Jesus. The reality of the situation is that as "believer" we can still be enemies of the cross. We can still be the cause for someone to not get the full picture of Christ in us. The things of the world have become more important to us than the things of God.

Okay then, how do we make sure that we are living life as citizens of heaven? Paul gives instruction to that. According to Scripture we can 1.) follow the example set by others who understand their citizenship (vs. 17) and 2.) Live as though Jesus could come back to get you today (vs. 20-21).

This is not to just be dismissed as another message. To me this is something that required self evaluation, or as I use to call it when I was doing student ministry, "spiritual inventory". We have to ask ourselves the tough question:

Am I living my life as an enemy of the cross or as a citizen of heaven?

Just something to think about...





(this is how I felt after this message on Sunday. PS - I'm the dog...)

ZS