datethewordtest

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  • Mirror Mirror Of The Word What Changes Should I Make?

    James 1:23 “Or if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”

    When we look into a mirror we must do more than LOOK, we must take appropriate actions based on what it shows us.  We must DO something.  One of the ways to describe the Bible is to describe it as a mirror for it reveals things we need to know about ourselves.  But just seeing what is not right is not enough.  Based on pastor James we are to DO something.   His exact words are “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”  James 1:22

    To illustrate being a doer and not just a hearer he then uses the mirror analogy of someone looking into a mirror and walking away without making any adjustments.  He conveys that seeing a mess revealed by the mirror and not addressing the mess is just not right.  

    Let me ask, are you just “looking” at God’s Word but not living it?

    Are you staying the same after seeing what Scripture says about how you should be living differently?

    Are you just “auditing” the Bible but not applying the Bible?

    Pastor James wants more than observation of the Word! He wants OBEDIENCE to the WORD!  

    Let us be clear, our study of God’s Word is INCOMPLETE without the APPLICATION of the WORD! 

    To make the most of your Bible reading, know it is serving as a mirror.  Knowing it is a mirror ask, “MIRROR MIRROR of the WORD what changes do I need to make?”

    Don’t dismiss what the “mirror of the Word” is showing you! 

    Continue Strong obeying God’s Word,
    And remember to DATE The Word

  • Choose To Love Fervently

    1 Peter 1:22 “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.”

    The “new” instruction from the Apostle Peter is to love one another FERVENTLY. While numerous verses call for us to LOVE ONE ANOTHER, the Apostle Peter writes that we are to LOVE one another FERVENTLY. Calling us to love fervently moves us to a new level of love. 

    Since we must love fervently, we must learn what it means to be FERVENT.  To be FERVENT is to show great warmth, to have the intensity of spirit and strong feelings, and to have enthusiasm. It may be described as having tremendous passion. It carries the idea of being ON FIRE! Thus, we are to be ON FIRE loving one another.  We are to be ENTHUSIASTIC about loving others!

    This word fervent is also found in how we PRAY! In James 5:16 we read, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
    The word fervent also refers to our attitude toward serving the Lord. In Romans 12:11, we read, “not lagging in diligence, fervent in SPIRIT, serving the Lord.”

    What then are you FERVENT about?  Are you fervent about SERVING the LORD?  Fervent about PRAYER?  Are you FERVENT ABOUT LOVING OTHERS?  

    In loving one another, loving another fervently, I remind you that the time a person needs love the most is when they deserve it the least. 

    Continue Strong and show fervent love to one another,
    And remember to DATE The Word

  • Totally Committed To Christ With Total Confidence To Be With Christ

    Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

    The Apostle Paul is in a Roman prison facing a very uncertain future regarding whether he will become a martyr for Christ. In his letter to the church at Philippi, he includes quite a bit of personal information as they were greatly concerned about him. He lets them know that the things happening to him that seemed bad are actually working out for good as he was able to spread the gospel, even to the level of people in Caesar’s household. 

    Getting very transparent with them he tells emphatically of his ultimate desire with his life writing in verse 20 that “according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.”  

    Paul wanted CHRIST to be MAGNIFIED. Whether he lived or died, it mattered not. It was all about magnifying Christ.  

    With his DESIRES stated, he conveys a concise mission statement saying, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”  There is no question of his FULL COMMITMENT to live for Christ and there is no question of his FULL of CONFIDENCE to be with Christ. 

    Can you make the same two statements?  Are you able to say you are fully committed to living for Christ?  Are you able to say you have full confidence that if you died it would be gain

    Asked a little differently, WHO (What) are you living for? 

    What is going to happen when you die?

    Remember you only have one life and it soon will pass.  Only what is done for Christ will last!

    Continue Strong with a full commitment to Christ and a full confidence in Christ,
    And Remember to Date the Word  

  • To Faithfully Follow You Must Forsake

    Mark 1:20 “And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.”

    In Mark 1:16 we find Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee and He sees Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Mark 1:17 reveals the life-changing invitation as Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” We see their response in verse 18 as they immediately left their nets and followed Him.  Then in verse 19, we see the search for more disciples continues “When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets And immediately He called them.”  Verse 20b is their response as “They left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.”

    They LEFT.  The call to FOLLOW comes with a call to LEAVE.  Just as Simon (Peter) and Andrew LEFT James and John LEFT their fishing business and, AND, they left their father.  While it reads quickly this was a huge decision.  To answer the call to follow meant they had to leave, yes, forsake what they had been doing and who they had been with.  To be a faithful follower of Jesus meant they had to forsake all.

    If you are to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus, then Jesus will be first.  That means first above family and friends and occupation.  It does not mean you don’t have family, friends, and occupation.  It means He is first in family, first with friends, and first with wherever you work.   To follow Jesus means He is first.  

    It appears that Zebedee released his sons as well as supported his sons in LEAVING him to follow Jesus. What an example he is to all of us.

    Continue Strong as a fully devoted follower of Jesus,
    And Remember to Date the Word  

  • Get Control Of Your Tongue And Temper

    James 1:19 “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”

    The control of our tongue and our temper are two areas of our lives that seem more difficult to control than others.  Pastor James will demand that we MAINTAIN control of both. Just as the Book of Proverbs repeatedly addressed these two areas, Pastor James will address these two areas multiple times.  

    Starting with the TONGUE, he implores us to use our EARS.  It has been said that “God gave us two ears and one mouth so we ought to listen twice as much as we speak.” James would agree with that.  Being “swift to hear” means INTENTIONAL LISTENING.  In other words, Less talking; More listening!

    Being SWIFT to hear is being THOUGHTFUL.  So many of us are SWIFT to SPEAK. Drawing from Proverbs we are reminded NOT to be QUICK TO ANSWER (SPEAK)! Proverbs 18:13 says, “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.” 

    THUS to control the tongue be swift to HEAR with the EAR! Be THOUGHTFUL!

    Then we are to be “slow to speak.”  This is a call to be CAREFUL with our words. Remember that the tongue, though small (James 3:5) can spark a huge fire bringing all kinds of destruction.  Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Are you being CAREFUL with what your little tongue says? Is your mind engaged before your mouth speaks?  

    So, be slow to TALK with your TONGUE!  Be CAREFUL!

    James now says, “Be slow to wrath.”  Like our tongue, our TEMPER can get us in so much trouble.  Recall Proverbs 14:17. It says, “A man with a quick temper acts foolishly.”  Have you ever done something stupid because of LOSING your temper?  

    The self-control of our temper is crucial.  Proverbs 25:28 gives this picture to ponder: “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.”  We must rule our reaction!  We don’t want to lose the cow over spilled milk.  Enacting self-control of our reaction means doing the opposite of what you are feeling. Instead of getting mad, show mercy.   

    Therefore, be slow to explode with your TEMPER!  Be MERCIFUL!

    Continue Strong with self-control of your tongue and temper,
    And Remember to Date the Word  

  • Our Savior’s Testimony

    Revelation 1:18 “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”

    How might you describe Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior?  Revelation 1:18 is His testimony.  He came to this world and lived among us. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” As He lived among us He served. Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” In the last part of verse 45, we see His main purpose for coming to live among us.  He was born to die.  1 John 3:5 says,  “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.”  To take away our sins He died. 

    And die is what He did. That is part of His testimony.  Let us be clear.  He died. He was dead.  Luke 23:33 says, “And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him,” 
    Luke 23:46  And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last.
    John 19:33 says, “But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.”

    He lived, and He died.  That is His testimony.  

    But that is not all of His testimony. His story continues for He arose from the dead and He is ALIVE!  Matthews 28:5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6  “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” 

    With His resurrection, He was victorious over hell and death! He has the KEYS of Hades and death.  In having the KEYS He has the authority over hell, the grave, and over death!

    How do you describe Him? He is the VICTORIOUS Savior!

    Continue Strong knowing we serve the Victorious One,
    And Remember to Date the Word  

  • The Greatest Gift Giver

    James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

    Who is the greatest gift giver you have ever known? It may be a spouse, a parent, a grandparent, or a friend. In my case, it was my mother-in-law, as she loved to give others meaningful gifts.  

    As you ponder the question of the greatest gift giver Pastor James in James 1:17 says we should pause to realize that every good gift – every perfect gift comes from our Father above.  

    Think about the gifts He has given you.  Believing that you are saved He gave to you the gift of salvation from your Heavenly Father.  Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Upon receiving such a gift there is a verse that should be daily repeated and that verse is 2 Corinthians 9:15 which says, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

    We should also recognize that He gives us wisdom.  James 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

    Now I have presented two gifts from above.  There are so many more.  Let us today recognize God’s goodness to us with grateful hearts.

    Continue Strong with a grateful heart for God’s amazing gifts, 
    And Remember to Date the Word 

  • Unashamed Of The Gospel

    Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

    In describing the apostle Paul, one has to use the phrase “UNASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL.” For a person who attacked the gospel as a believer, he became one of the greatest ANNOUNCERS and DEFENDERS of the gospel. While some were OFFENDED by the gospel and others who considered the gospel a FOOLISH fable Paul never backed down from proclaiming the life-saving message.  While there are many verses that the Apostle Paul could have for his life verse, I tend to lean toward Acts 20:24 as it conveys his full dedication to sharing the gospel.  Acts 20:24 says, “But none of these things move me; nor do I, (Paul) count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”  He was never going to be ASHAMED of the gospel! 

    We might ask why. What could cause a person to be so dedicated and passionate to the level of being willing to die for this message?  I think the rest of the verse gives some good answers.

    The Apostle Paul said he was not ashamed of the gospel because it was the POWER OF GOD to bring salvation to everyone who believes.   The word POWER comes from a Greek word that we get DYNAMITE.  The gospel is the death burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and is powerful to CHANGE a person’s life on earth and change their eternal destination.   It has the power to CLEANSE a filthy sinner of any and all sins, to cancel the penalty of sin, and the power to BREAK the BONDS of sin.   

    Furthermore, the Apostle Paul was unashamed of the gospel because of the PEOPLE it was available to as he wrote it was the power of God unto salvation to EVERYONE who believes.   EVERYONE! While the message of the gospel is exclusive, it is also inclusive, as it is for anyone and everyone.  It is exclusive in that it is the only message that when believed gets a person into heaven.  As Acts 4:12 says, “There is no other name given under heaven whereby men may be saved.”  Jesus made it abundantly clear that He was the way the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except by Him. (John 14:6)  But it is also inclusive as it is a message for anyone and everyone anywhere.  As John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son that WHOSOEVER believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  

    Continue Strong sharing unashamedly the gospel,
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Avoid Wrong Places To Avoid Wrong Practices

    Proverbs 1:15 “My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path.”

    As one reads Proverbs 1 you will quickly see an appeal to MY SON (my children) numerous times. For instance, in verse 8 we read “My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother;” In verse 10 “My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent.” And now in verse 15, “My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path;”

    These three verses offer tremendous insights on how one may avoid wrong practices and how to DO what is right. For instance, one who usually gets in trouble (unfortunately I speak with experience) has the wrong principles for living life, spending time with the wrong people in the wrong place. So, Solomon appeals to his son to”
    1. Avoid wrong principles by having the right principles v 8 
    2. Avoid wrong people v 10  by being with the right people 
    3. Avoid wrong places v 15 be at the right places      

    Remember the saying:
    Wrong principles + 
    wrong people + 
    wrong places = wrong practices. 

    On the other hand 
    Right principles + 
    right people + 
    right places = (*provides opportunity) right practices!

    So, “my son,” are you LISTENING to wisdom? Are you applying the wisdom you are acquiring? 

    If you add in verse 7 of Proverbs 1 that says “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction” allows for the decisions for right practices read:
    Right purpose + right principles + right people + right places = right practices

    Or for wrong practices to read:
    Wrong purpose + wrong principles + wrong people + wrong places = wrong practices

    Continue Strong making wise decisions about where you are, 
    And Remember to Date the Word  

  • Ministry Begins With Prayer. It Continues With Prayer!

    Acts 1:14 “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”

    The first action of the disciples after Jesus ASCENDS to heaven is to PRAY.   Let me restate that. The first action of the disciples after Jesus ASCENDS to heaven is to PRAY.   Assuming they were in the same UPPER ROOM the last night Jesus had with the disciples they may have been flooded with memories of Jesus telling them to pray.  For instance, in John 14:12 Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.  13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”  

    Now, whether they were in the same room or not, they were PRAYING. Prayer was the top priority. Before preaching, they were praying. Before making disciples, they were praying. Before serving and helping others, they were praying.

    While the disciples’ first action after the ascension was to gather together to pray, it would not be the last time. A reading of the Book of Acts finds one prayer meeting after another. Here are just a few examples to prove my point.
    Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
    Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
    Acts 6:4 “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
    Acts 6:6 “Whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
    Acts 12:5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
    Acts 13:3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.”
    Acts 14:23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

    Jesus told His disciples, and I believe He told us, that we would do greater works than He did because He went to His Father.  He then said ASK.  He said ASK WHAT YOU NEED TO DO THE GREATER WORKS!   

    The question then is ARE WE ASKING?  Are we PRAYING?  What is the priority of prayer for your life and ministry and work and service for the Lord?  Is your life being marked with “AND WHEN YOU/THEY PRAYED”….?  

    Prayer is not a waste of time.  It is the first work that allows for your work for God to work!

    Continue Strong with prayer as a priority,
    And remember to DATE The Word