July 11, 2010

James 4: 13-17 

  A Sin Of Omission  

James

Look here, you people who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year.  We will do business there and make a profit."  How do you know what will happen tomorrow?  For your life is like the morning fog - it's here a little while, then it's gone.  What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that."  Otherwise you will be boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.    

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Thoughts...

The very last line could be the sum of all the thoughts written here.  I could merely say, "It is a sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it."  I could leave it at that.  But, I won't.  It is not enough.  I'm going to tell you what the NIV has in its notes for this reference, and then I will pick it back up again.  

The NIV reads thus:  

Verse 4: 13-16  It is good to have goals, but goals will disappoint us if we leave God out of them.  There is no point in making plans as though God does not exist, because the future is in his hands.  What would you like to be doing ten years from now?  One year from now?  Tomorrow?  How will you react if God steps in and rearranges your plans?  Plan ahead, but hold your plans loosely.  Put God's desires at the center of your planning, he will never disappoint you.

4: 14  Life is short no matter how many years we live.  Don't be deceived into thinking that you have lots of remaining time to live for Christ, to enjoy your loved ones, or to do what you know you should.  Live for God today!  Then, no matter when your life ends, you will have fulfilled God's plan for you.

4: 17  We tend to think that doing wrong is sin.  But James tells us that sin is also not doing right.  (These two kinds of sin are sometimes called sins of commission and sins of ommission.)  It is a sin to lie.  It can also be a sin to know the truth and not tell it.  It is a sin to speak evil of someone, it is also a sin to avoid him or her when you know he or she needs your friendship.  We should be willing to help as the Holy Spirit guides us.  If God has directed you to do a kind act, to render a service, or to restore a relationship, do it.  You will experience a renewed and refreshed vitality to your Christina faith.   

Lots to consider here.  First, we need to build foundations under our dreams.  The foundation we all most need is Jesus Christ.  It is only after we have him as our foundation that we can have the walls of trust and the roof of fulfillment to be embraced by the completeness of love and peace.  It is true that we should have goals....dream dreams.  But we must have the foundation of Jesus to be on solid ground, holy ground, if we are going to get to heaven successfully.  A jump in thought, you say?  Ney.  If from our birth both gifted and ordained, conceived, grown, and developed by God we choose to jump ship, or get off the train, we are no longer his.  And he owes us nothing more.  But if we keep our mind and our hearts fully one with his, stay the journey, honor him with thanksgiving for our life, keep our eyes focused on what he would have us to do, put one foot in front of the other, if you will, it is then that we will know the full meaning of success....we will reach heaven.  And along the way, we will make a profit in every area of our life.  We will be loved, we will be embraced, we will be surrounded by those who love us...may even like us.  We will have what else we need besides all that to get through every day: a roof, food, water, climate control.  We may even have a lot of money in the bank....or not.  How do you measure success?  I measure it by how much I am pleasing my Savior.   

Please don't think I do not desire financial wellness, I do.  But first I desire to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God."  Phil. 3: 14  I strive for heavens gate...to be in the arms of my Lord.  Then, I pray for spiritual and earthly rewards for others.  I know that he will take care of me and tell me what path to take.  I have a key chain that reads, "Every step of the journey is the journey."  I believe that with all my heart.  For my journey is mapped out to arrive in heaven.  If you are not seeing heaven in your every day life, why not?  You are loved by the Savior.  Embraced by God.  Surrounded by Holy Spirit.  Now whether they like you right now is between you and them.  You may need to make some changes in your life, but they will love you right through it.  If you do not have the material things, pray that God will show you how to take the steps and what steps to take to insure you do have those things.  If you have an over abundance of those things, perhaps you might consider 'bleeding the lot'.  Do you really need all that you have?  Could you share some of what you have?  

God calls us to tythe...give 10% of what we have back to him.  In the world there is the principle that the world is round and it will all come back to you.  God's principles are not any different.  In fact, he tells us we will receive even more.  You may be saying, "Hey, I'm living in a boat in the middle of the ocean, what can I give?"  You can give prayers.  You can pray earnestly for everyone you know and those you don't know.  You can pray for the state of the world, and the waters around you and under the surface of the earth.   And even for the creatures in the waters that surround you.  You can pray for mighty workers to be raised up to help the cause of the Lord, as well.  No money?  Pray for others that they may receive money.  Someone once told me, "Whatever you can get through you, you can get to you."  So if you are praying for another, and God answers your prayers, he will bless you, too."  Pray for others what you need most.

"Plan your work and work your plan."  That informational statement was given me years ago from a party plan company I worked with.  It has kept me in good stead for years now.  Am I always following it?  No.  Do I sometimes forget it?  Yes.  Do I make the effort to do what I can, to do what I can?  Yes.  Are there times when life gets in the way of me trying to have one?  Of course.  It is those moments I am glad I am a mere human being.  I would not want the challenges of life that God, Jesus, or Holy Spirit have.  My little world is quite earth shattering enough some days.  I cannot even fathom what the Lord has to deal with.  But thankfully he does....for me and for others.  So plan your work and work your plan.  Make a list....of dreams.  Then make a list of how you will achieve your dreams...what steps you will need to take to make that dream come true.  Then make a list to figure out how you are going to take those steps.  You may even have to make a list to figure out how to make the list!  But I have every confidence that, if you are talking and walking with God, that all things are possible for those who keep their eyes fixed on him.  Be sure you ask him what he wants you to do first.  And then ask him to give you the answers for what to put on the lists.  What he wants you to do to get the job done.  And the most important steps in all of this is to BELIEVE in him, LISTEN to him, and then TAKE THOSE STEPS.  It will not help one iota to busy yourself with the plans, if you are not going to implement them.  Trust and obey.  There is no other way.

In reference to "For your life is like the morning fog - it's here a little while, then it's gone." I say, worry about YOUR end time.  It does not matter when THE end time is coming.  YOUR end time may come before THE end time.  Paul says to not worry about tomorrow, worry about today.  Stop worrying and start doing what you need to do NOW, so that when the Lord does come, he will find you doing what he has asked you to do and you will get beamed up mighty fast, I'm thinkin'.  That is my paraphrase of scripture.

"Remember, it is a sin to know what to do and then not do it."  I saw a movie last night that was compelling and based on a true story.  It reinforced a social and network marketing principle to share what you know and to give to help the world.  'Pay it forward.'  A marketing principle established in scripture.  We are told to "go and make disciples of all nations".  A disciple is a follower for what you believe....that shares what they know with others and so on.

I work with a company that promotes nutritional products, one of which is, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the foremost prestigious universities in the world, "revolutionizing the world of modern medicine."  Fully natural.  They have also patented Real Food Technology sm.   It is sold via social and network marketing...word of mouth.   The founder of that company established a not for profit company that is feeding undernourished and malnourished children around the world with Real Food Technology, not just filling them with incomplete nutrition, which perpetuates malnourisment. He's developed a plan that allows people to 'pay it forward', give back, if you will, to God's people.  Every time you consume what you need in nutrition purchased from this company, the company will donate a product for a malnourished child or a child in an orphanage.

Giving.  God started it.  And the little child on the film started it.  Others in the world, started it.  And we have only but to follow what is already a plan in place.  If we do not give, we will have to answer to God for the sin of ommission.  For the sin of unthankfulness.  For the sin of ingratitude.  For the sin of not helping our fellow man, woman and child along lifes way.  Someone is looking over your shoulder.  It's God.  Will you be able to look him in the eye when you get up in the morning?  When you get to heavens gate?  Will you get to heavens gate?  Will you take the steps that allow him to bless you?  It's called leaving a legacy.  Find some one in need and bless them.  Give back or pay it forward.  And thank God.  For what he is doing for you and for what you are able to do for others in his name.  And.....  

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.                       

Believe in him and be blessed.

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Let Us Pray

 Lord, hear my prayer:  'Most merciful God', Jesus, Holy Spirit, 'I confess that I have sinned against you and others in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done and what I have left undone.  I have not loved you with my whole heart.  I have not loved my neighbor as myself.  I am truly sorry and I humbly repent.'  Please forgive me.  'For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me, that I may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name.'  I want to love as you love and be as wise as you are, using discernment from you, Holy Spirit.  Help me please.  Cleanse me from anything that is not of you, and fill me to over flowing, that I might be able to fully love you and others, and worthily magnify your Holy Name.  Jesus I want you as my Lord and Savior and I need you to show me how to best love you and show you that indeed YOU are Lord of my life, not me.  I want to show myself approved.  Help me to find time to read your word more and receive the fullness of you, Holy Spirit, that I may fully enact your word and all you call me to do..  Help me to take action as you call me.  Help to not expect you to answer me rapidly, unless I manage to answer you rapidly.  Help me to live every day in the fullness of what you call me to do and how to live.   Improve me to approve me.  I have been wrong and I have been right.  Let me, and others, look to you for strength and truth.  Help me show others what you have taught me, to seek truth and love, and share that with you and others. And to do so gently with humility.  God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, 'let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me'.  Help me help you heal and bless the world, Father, and then heal and bless me, too, please.  Thank you.  You are the Lord of Heaven and Earth.  'And I long to worship you.'   Alleluia.  I love you God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit.  Thank you....very much.  Amen.                 

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More love.... 

  Benediction...Blessing

Let us hear from Paul as he prays:  

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now glory be to God!  By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.  May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages.  Amen.  Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT         

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Scroll down to read Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving...'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'.

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Definition of a Christian:  Anyone who believes in God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Regardless of church name or religious affiliation.  

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If you feel that the Church of the Holy Spirit has inspired or helped you, we'd like you to prayerfully consider tithing regulary to us or gifting us, so that we can further the work and carry out the will of the Father as proclaimed in Matthew 28:16 NLT

 to

 "Go and make disciples out of all the nations

baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:

I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

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  Our Current Cause

It is time to reach into the community and the world around you to see wherein lies the greatest need.  As you choose to focus on these areas, do so with a servant's heart.  Whether the need is for children, adults, or animals, or any cause in between that will help those in need, ask God how you can best serve his needs, what path you must take, and how long you should persevere.  Sometimes we are to be in the lives of others merely as stepping stones.  Sometimes we are to touch those lives forever.  Whatever journey you are called to take, whatever team you will be a member of, know this:  God is with you always...even til the end of time.  He loves you, is grateful for you, and will help you along life's way, especially if you are helping others along theirs, persevering with a servant's heart. 

Please accept my sincerest thanks....and God's....and may God richly bless you!   

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    One last thing....

 Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving

'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'

"Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer:  "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.  You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people.  Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly.  "The Father has given me all these things to do and say.  This is a unique Father - Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge.  No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does.  But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."

"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly.

   Matthew 11:  25-30

  The Message

And the people said,

"Amen."

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I now write most prayers in the position of ' I ' (first person) because most people are sitting at their computer alone, not in groups, and it allows those reading and praying to personalize the prayer as coming from them going to God.  Variations may appear on holidays when families may wish to use the prayer provided.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.  All rights reserved.

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