Tag: Andy Cisneros

Are you ready for the day of Christ’s return?

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 4

Poetry: Job 28

New Testament: Mark 13

After Jesus’ death and resurrection Jesus ascends into heaven in Acts 1:11. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

In Mark 13:14–37, Jesus prepared his followers for intense persecution and tribulation in the days ahead and especially during the end times. He gives them hope to endure these trials by describing his glorious return as the conquering King of the universe (verses 24–27). To keep them from despairing in dark times, the Lord wants them to live in readiness for His second coming. “However,” Jesus states, “no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!” (verses 32–33).

“Day” and “hour” are often used in Scripture as references to time in general (see Matthew 7:22; 10:19; 24:42, 44, 50; 25:13; 26:45). But in Mark 13, Jesus focuses on a specific event in the future. Because no one knows the day or the hour of His return, Jesus stresses the need to pay attention, stay awake, and be ready at a moment’s notice. Multiple times in Mark 13, Jesus calls for people to be ready, to be watching: “Be on guard! Stay alert!” (verse 33), “Watch for his return” (verses 34), “You, too, must keep watch!” (verse 35), “Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning” (verse 36), and “Watch for him!” (verse 37).

The disciples wanted to know when the end would come (see Mark 13:3–4). But Jesus told them that even he did not know (verse 33). Jesus acknowledges God as omniscient alone. Since no other mortal knows the time of Jesus’ return, Jesus, as the perfect son of God didn’t know the day or hour of his return, nor did the angels in heaven, only God the Father. It is possible that Jesus, now in his glorified state, knows the day and hour of his return. But at that moment, speaking with his disciples, the information was not at Christ’s disposal. Later, just before His ascension, Jesus would remind them, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority” (Acts 1:7). Jesus accepted his human limitations, and so must we. The thing that matters is being ready every day for his return. What is stopping you from being ready?

Believers of every age have experienced persecution, natural disasters, and earthly trials. We all have our cross to bear. We all have our issues to deal with. We know how difficult it can be to live in this world. Genuine disciples must understand that these challenges are a daily reality of life in a fallen world. Yet, believers are not without hope because, in the end, our victorious King will return for us. Romans 8:38-39“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 In the meantime, since no one knows the day or the hour, we are to watch and be ready for Him no matter what we must endure as we continue His mission of spreading the good news of God’s kingdom”. You don’t have to know the day or the hour. You just have to be ready. God has already supplied the victory through his son Jesus Christ

Many have tried to predict the day of Christ’s return, but Scripture is straightforward—no one knows the day or the hour. Jesus said to stay awake because his coming will be a surprise: “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed”. Now we might not know when Christ will return, but we should know when he has come to us and saved us. Do you remember that day? Do you remember that hour that your Lord and savior came to you? The day you accepted him? If not, I hope and pray that you search this day, this hour, to find Christ and know him completely. His day is coming soon. Are you ready?

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. Are you ready for the return of Jesus Christ?
  2. What can you do to make preparations?
  3. What should we be looking for? Why did Jesus give us these warnings?
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Are You Asking Good Questions?

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 3

Poetry: Job 27

New Testament: Mark 12

As we look into Mark 12 and prepare our hearts for resurrection Sunday the question that I wanna ask is Are you ready for the Kingdom? Have you put your heart in the right standing with God? Have you asked good questions? One of the questions that comes up that is a good question is from the book of Mark.

In Mark 12:28–34, Jesus has an interaction with a scribe who asked him what the most important commandment in the Old Testament was. Jesus responded by telling him that the most important commandments were to love God and love your neighbor (see Deuteronomy 6:4–5 and Leviticus 19:18). The scribe understood Jesus’ teaching and recognized that loving God and loving others were far more important than burnt offerings and sacrifices. When he heard his response, Jesus said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34).

One reason Jesus told the scribe, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” is that the scribe faithfully interpreted Jesus’ words regarding the most important commandment in the law. After hearing Jesus’ answer to his question, the scribe didn’t correct Jesus or even challenge Him more. He simply acknowledged that what Jesus said was right and good. When Jesus heard this response from the scribe, he knew that the man was “not far from the kingdom of God” because his heart reflected God’s.

Isn’t that what we all want. To be able to reflect God perfectly? To know God’s heart and follow in it. This was a great question the scribe asked, and it moved him towards greater understanding. Are you asking good questions?

Another key reason why Jesus said to the scribe, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” is found in the last part of the scribe’s response to Jesus. The scribe said that loving God and loving your neighbor are “more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:33). The scribe here understood that God is more concerned with whether people are loving Him and others than with how well they follow the law’s other requirements. After all, it is possible to go to church and not love God, it is possible for someone to bring a burnt offering and have hatred in his heart toward his brother. It is possible to do the right thing and still be wrong. Such a heart condition is not pleasing to God, no matter how many sacrifices one offers.

By acknowledging the importance of loving God and loving your neighbor, the scribe proved that he was “not far from the kingdom of God.” The only thing he needed to officially enter the kingdom of God was to follow Jesus. Then he would come to truly understand what it means to love God and love your neighbor, for the secret of the kingdom of God is embodied in Jesus Himself. Given the scribe’s response to Jesus, it is entirely possible that the scribe ultimately believed in Jesus after the Lord’s death and resurrection.

Today, many people talk about the importance of loving others. Some will say things like “Love is love” or “Love is all you need” to convey this message. Such beliefs and sayings show that many people understand the importance of loving others. However, until one chooses to follow Jesus—the One who performed the greatest act of love (John 15:13)—he or she will not be able to understand what it means to truly love. More importantly, our love for other people is rooted in our love for God. Jesus taught this by putting these two commands together in Mark 12:30–31.

There may be many people in this world who are “not far from the kingdom of God.” But until believers preach the gospel to them and help such people place their faith in Jesus, these individuals cannot be a part of the kingdom of God. It would be wise for you to ask this question to yourself. Have I put myself in a position to be not far from the Kingdom of God?

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. What grade would you give yourself for Loving the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength?
  2. What grade would you give yourself for Loving your neighbor as yourself?
  3. Where do you get stuck following the laws/traditions/giving the burnt offerings, but without a heart of love?
  4. What changes can you make to love God and others more and more?
  5. Ask yourself: Have I put myself in a position to be not far from the Kingdom of God? What do I need to get even closer to the Kingdom of God?
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Save Us!

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 2

Poetry: Job 26

New Testament: Mark 11

As we just celebrated the triumphal entry it got me thinking about 1 aspect of Palm Sunday. The hosannas that the people yelled out to Jesus. What does that mean?

Hosanna is a word used in some songs of praise, especially on Palm Sunday. It is of Hebrew origin: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Mark 11).

Hosanna is often thought of as a declaration of praise, similar to hallelujah, but it is actually a plea for salvation. The Hebrew root words are found in Psalm 118:25, which says, “Save us, we pray, O LORD!”. The Hebrew words yasha (“deliver, save”) and anna (“beg, beseech”) combine to form the word that, in English, is “hosanna.” Hosanna means “I beg you to save!” or “please deliver us!”

So, as Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem, the crowds were perfectly right to shout “Hosanna!” They were acknowledging Jesus as their Messiah, as shown in their address “Son of David.” Theirs was a cry for salvation and a recognition that Jesus is able to save.

When is the last time that you have yelled out to Jesus to save you? It’s an important question, and one that needs to be on our lips all the time.

There is nothing more satisfying in all the world than to be followers of a king like Jesus. Picture him riding toward Jerusalem, the rebellious city. A multitude praising him: “Hosanna, blessed, is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.” He knows the praise is shallow. In a few days it will fade away. But does he rebuke them? No. He defends them against the criticism of the Pharisees: “‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ . . . ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.'” He knew his days were numbered. He knew their cries were not completely sincere.

The praise the people gave was not because they recognized Him as their Savior from sin. They welcomed Him out of their desire for a messianic deliverer, someone who would lead them in a revolt against Rome. These are the ones who hailed Him as King with their many hosannas, recognizing Him as the Son of David who came in the name of the Lord. But when He failed their expectations, when He refused to lead them in a massive revolt against Rome, the crowds quickly turned on Him.

Within just a few days, their hosannas would change to  Crucify Him.

Those who hailed Him as a hero would soon reject and abandon Him.

The story of the triumphal entry is one of contrasts, and those contrasts contain applications to us. It is the story of the King who came as a:

servant on a donkey, not on a white horse.

not in royal robes, but on the clothes of the poor and humble.

Jesus Christ comes not to conquer by force but by love, grace, mercy, and His own sacrifice for His people.

 His is not a kingdom of armies and splendor but of lowliness and servanthood.

He doesn’t conquer nations but hearts and minds. His message is one of peace with God.

If Jesus has made a triumphal entry into our hearts, He reigns there in peace and love. As His followers, we exhibit those same qualities, and the world sees the true King living and reigning in triumph in us.

If he lives in us today, we sing Hosanna. With a true and right heart. We don’t crucify him again and again with our sin.

We cry out to save us, not we can save ourselves. What do you cry out to Jesus for? Is it sincere? Is it true? Ask God to give you a sincere heart, so that your worship to God through Jesus is a saving worship. 

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. What can you learn from the King who came on a donkey?
  2. Where else in Scripture do you find humility honored? Are you more known for your humility or pride?
  3. In what ways, at what times, have you tried saving yourself? When have you cried out for Jesus to save you?
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Purpose

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 1

Poetry: Job 25

New Testament: Mark 10

This morning I am sitting here preparing for a message at church on the Triumphal Entry. It worked out perfectly that the verses we are using for today’s devotion is from Mark chapter 10:32-34. This set of scriptures focus on Jesus telling his disciples a third time he will die and be resurrected. The disciples are becoming fearful. Because it’s clear that many in the crowd want him dead. And Jesus is moving closer and closer to more dangerous areas.

Based on information given in Matthew, Luke, and John, we know quite a bit happened between Mark chapters 9 and 10. Included in that time frame are an attempt by the Pharisees, chief priests, and temple guards to arrest Jesus (John 7:32–52), an attempt by the Jewish leadership to stone Him (John 8:58–59), yet another attempt to either stone or arrest Him (John 10:22–39), and the decision of the Sanhedrin to figure out a way to kill Him (John 11:45–54). Even Herod Antipas wants to kill Jesus, although vaguely and without much effort. (Luke 13:31). In addition, Jesus tells the Jewish leadership their father is Satan (John 8:44) and some of them counter by claiming Jesus is possessed (John 10:21).

So, it’s no surprise that Jesus’ followers would be afraid as they walk toward Jerusalem. The wording, however, leaves us confused as to who “they”—the fearful followers—are. They may be the Twelve, trailing behind Jesus as is appropriate for disciples. But they may be other disciples following the Twelve. While Jesus had warned the disciples before that He would be killed (Mark 8:31–33; 9:30–32), this is the first time he gives the location. Combining this with the threats that have been building against Jesus, all of Jesus’ followers have reason to be afraid. Jesus, however, continues his movement toward his purpose.

Jesus shows determination, not fear. The night before the crucifixion, resolve will combine with anguish (Mark 14:34–38). Many people wonder why Jesus agonizes over the crucifixion if he knows He will come through it alive and glorified. Certainly, with the knowledge that his sacrifice will be accepted by God and cover the sins of millions – that should give him the courage to walk to Jerusalem. But he knows what is coming (Mark 10:33–34). No sane person would face mocking, spitting, flogging, and death by crucifixion without dread. Even worse than the physical pain, the betrayal by his friend Judas, his friends leaving him. Jesus must watch His Father turn away, abandoning him to the sins of the world (Mark 15:33–39). Jesus knew and understood his purpose. He knew what the father needed from him. And he did not waver from that point.

Do you know your purpose? Do you know the things that God has called you to do? Has God-given you a significant calling? I’m certain he has. Does that make you scared? Are you taking the steps that God has measured out for you? Knowing that it’ll be hard. Knowing people might not understand. But being faithful to a God who loves you and wants to use you for his good purposes. Yes it’s scary but God has called you. God has given you a purpose. You can answer it one of two ways. You can be like the disciples who tried to avoid it, ignore it. Or you can be like Jesus and be obedient, even to death. God is giving you a great purpose, a great meaning and he loves you. You can be sure the God “who has begun a good work in you will be faithful to complete it”. Whatever your purpose is, whatever your job, whatever goal you might have. May you move towards it with the renewed sense of dedication to your heavenly father. I know it’s hard sometimes, but the reward of accomplishing God’s purpose in you is greater than anything you can imagine. “Well done good and faithful servant” are the words we want to hear on that day of Christ’s return. Jesus returns victorious because he was faithful when it was hard. May we be faithful as well.

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. What was Jesus’ purpose?
  2. Do you know your purpose? Do you know the things that God has called you to do?
  3. Does that make you scared? What can relieve your fear? How can you replace fear with determination?
  4. Are you taking the steps that God has measured out for you?
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Surviving a Deadly Plague of Snakes

Numbers 21:9 NIV for SGL

Old Testament: Numbers 21 & 22

Poetry: Job 17

New Testament: Mark 3

In today’s reading, the Israelites needed a spiritual “blood transfusion.” Their sinful and rebellious attitude had shown itself in impatience, complaints about hardships, ingratitude for manna, and a lack of faith in God’s leader, Moses. This faithlessness resulted in a deadly plague of snakes that were killing the people.

The Israelites repented and asked Moses to intercede for them. God’s response required them to show their repentance by a simple act of faith. Moses made a bronze serpent and lifted it up on a pole. To be healed, people had to look at the serpent. If they didn’t believe God’s words, they wouldn’t look up and would therefore die. Only through faith could they be saved.

Homeopathic medicine is the practice of curing likes with likes. The patient receives diluted doses of substances that, at full strength, cause the same symptoms the patient already has. This type of medicine is used in many parts of the world, though it remains controversial among medical experts. In this instance, God prescribed a similar remedy for Israel, treating snake bites with a replica of a snake. Going a step further, God undid the effects of the plague through an image of the curse itself.

Today’s story begins with the people grumbling … again. It was the same old story: we’re dying, we’re starving, we don’t like the miraculous food, and we’re sorry we ever left Egypt. But this incident is unique; this time, the people repented.

In past events, Moses had asked God for mercy on behalf of the Israelites, but on this occasion, his prayers were prompted by a recognition of their sin that Israel hadn’t shown before. They realized on their own why the snakes were sent, and they confessed their sin. In that way, this was a spiritual breakthrough for Israel!

If God had followed the formula we’ve seen so far, we might expect Him to demand a sacrifice of some kind, like a lamb without defect. But the Lord told Moses to put a bronze snake, a picture of judgment, on a pole for all to see. He directed the people’s eyes, not to an image of purity, but to a symbol of wrath.

For healing to take place, the people had to close the loop of repentance. They sinned, confessed, and asked for mercy. The last step was to accept God’s remedy by faith and follow His instructions.

We often picture Christ as the perfect sacrifice, and that he is. But He also took upon Himself the shame of sin and the full penalty of wrath. In His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus compared His upcoming crucifixion to the lifting up of the serpent in the desert. Let’s confess our sins, seek His mercy and turn our eyes to him, who not only gave his life but also received our punishment. Thank Him in word and in deed today.

Andy Cisneros

(Originally posted on March 3, 2020 for SeekGrowLove)

Reflection Questions

  1. What have you most recently complained about? Do you often complain? Is there a problem with complaining and grumbling? How do you think others view your complaining? How do you think God views it?
  2. What role does confession and repentance play in your relationship with God and others? How has God shown His mercy to you when you have repented? Is there anything you need to confess and repent of?
  3. After the Israelites confessed and repented what did they have to do next? What does God expect from us after confession and repentance?
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Maturity

Old Testament: Jeremiah 7 & 8

Poetry: Proverbs 7

New Testament: James 5

James has focused his entire letter on Christian maturity — both in our faithfulness to God and in our conduct toward others. It’s not enough to just call ourselves Christ followers; we must be continually striving to grow closer to Him in our behavior, our morality, and our internal attitudes. Now James concludes his letter, and he does so by talking about where we place our trust in this life. This is very much a continuation of the thoughts James shares in chapter 4:7–12: Trusting God instead of the world.

“Therefore, brothers, be patient until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near. Brothers, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door!

Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. See, we count as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

Now above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. Your “yes” must be “yes,” and your “no” must be “no,” so that you won’t fall under judgment.”

James 5:7–12

The impatience and callousness that can come from trusting in our wealth compared with the patience and strength that comes with trusting in God is the theme of chapter 5 of James. He puts this patience in the context of a farmer who has to keep a long-term view of their work, knowing that a lack of patience could result in a ruined crop. Our trust in God encourages us to be patient with Him as well as with one another.

Take people like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and Job as examples of this kind of patience and trust. Their examples testify to us that our patient faith can endure anything through the Father. These people should be role models to us, not simply icons of faith. We should look at the way they endured their trials, at the ways they overcame discouragement and outright persecution, and strive to do the same.

Then we get to the “above all” statement. This is the sum of everything James has written so far regarding our mature faith. Putting God’s word into action, showing generosity, overcoming prejudice, taming our tongues, growing in humility, and putting our trust where it belongs — all of this boils down to a very simple principle: be honest.

·       If we are honest with our perspective about suffering, we will understand that pains of this life are temporary and look to God’s greater purpose for us.

·       If we are honest with God’s word, then we will put it into practice when it tells us to change things in our lives.

·       If we are honest with the example Jesus has left us, then we will put others before self, discard prejudice, and seek mercy before judgments.

·       If we are honest with ourselves, we will be mindful of the ways we use our words and control our language even when angered or frustrated.

·       If we are honest about our place in Creation, we will be humble before God and put His will before our own.

·       If we are honest in humility, then we will place our trust in the Creator rather than the perishable things He has created.

Applying the wisdom in James takes time. God has not left you alone in this but will work this out for you if you are humble and honest. May you be blessed this week and always seek the Kingdom.

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. Honestly evaluate what you most often put your trust in. Your wealth, the world, your job, your family, your Creator? How can you display more trust in God Almighty? What would that look like?
  2. How mature is your Christian faith? What would help you grow even more mature?
  3. How would you rate yourself on each of the “If we are honest…” statements above? Which one do you think God would most like you to work on right now? What would be a great first step? Pray and tell God about the change and action steps you would like to make.
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Humbled

Old Testament: Jeremiah 5 & 6

Poetry: Proverbs 6

New Testament: James 4

Yesterday we talked about taming the tongue. We learned how hard it is to do. How do we get God’s help? Luckily for us James speaks on this in the very next chapter. The answer is…

Humble Yourself.

Humility is not something we can achieve. We might consider it American to think we could. You can do it. Be proactive. Take the first step. Grab the bull by the horns and be humble.

Make no mistake, we do have a part to play in humility. It is not only an effect but a command. In particular, two apostles tell us to humble ourselves. And both do so in similar ways.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. James 4:10

Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you. 1 Peter 5:6

So far as we can tell, James and Peter haven’t been inspired by each other on this point, but by the Old Testament. In the immediate context of instructing us to humble ourselves, both quote the Greek translation of Proverbs 3:34 (“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble,” James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).

For our purposes here, observe that both calls to self-humbling come in response to trials. James refers to quarrels and fights within the church:

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. James 4:1–2

Conflict among those claiming the name of Christ humbles the church. It serves as a test of pride, and humility. James reminds them not only that they are “sinners” and “double-minded” but he also reminds them of Proverbs 3:34. He charges the church to submit to God, resist the devil, and draw near to God (James 4:7–8). In other words, “Humble yourselves before the Lord.” The church is being humbled from within. Now, how will they respond to God’s humbling purposes in this conflict? Will they humble themselves? Will we? Can we?

Over and over again in the Bible, self-humbling is not something we initiate but something we receive, even embrace — even welcome — when God sends his humbling, however direct or indirect his means. The invitation to humble ourselves does not come in a vacuum but through our first being humbled.

Humility, like faith — and as a manifestation of faith — is not an achievement. Humility is not fundamentally a human initiative, but a proper, God-given response in us to God himself and his glory and purposes.

We don’t teach ourselves to be humble. There’s no five-step plan for becoming more humble in the next day, week, or month. Within measure, we might take certain kinds of initiatives to cultivate humility in ourselves, but the main test comes when we are confronted, unsettled in the moments when our semblances of control vanish and we’re taken off guard by life in a fallen world — and the question comes to us:

How will you respond to these humbling circumstances? Will you humble yourself?

Daily humbling ourselves under the authority of God’s word, and humbling ourselves by obeying his words, and humbling ourselves by coming desperately to him in prayer, and humbling ourselves in fasting — these all have their place in our overall response as creatures to our Creator. But first and foremost, we need to know humbling ourselves is responsive to God.

When the next humbling trial comes, will you bow up with pride, or bow down in humility? God has a particular promise for you in these moments. The God of all power will exalt the humble in his perfect timing.

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. When has trials and conflict humbled you? Do you think you needed to be humbled?
  2. Why do you think God opposes the proud? Why do you think He gives grace to, and lifts up the humble?
  3. What is your response to God? Does it include a healthy dose of humility?
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The Influence of the Tongue

Old Testament: Jeremiah 1 & 2

Poetry: Proverbs 4

New Testament: James 2

(I told Andy he was in charge this week so yes, he could have some days discussing various chapters from James that don’t line up precisely with the reading plan in order to have some two-part devotions. So, today’s devotion actually comes from James 3).

Have you ever hurt someone with your words? Of course, we all have. That inability to hold your tongue. The control of the tongue has both negative and positive aspects. It involves the ability to restrain the tongue in silence. But it also means being able to control it in gracious speech when that is required.

Sanctification in any area of our lives always expresses both sides. A putting off and a putting on. Speech and silence, appropriately expressed, are together the mark of the mature (compare with one of the clearest illustrations of this in Colossians 3:1–17). Nor is this James’s first reference to speech. He had already said that for a professing believer to fail to bridle the tongue is to be guilty of self-deception (1:22–25) and the hallmark of a person whose religion is worthless (1:26). He uses some imagery to explain just how powerful this tongue is. In James 3:3–5, James uses two illustrations. The tongue is like the bit in the mouth of a horse. This tiny appliance controls the enormous power and energy of the horse and is used to give it direction. James may well have been familiar with this picture from common experience in daily life. He had seen powerful Roman military horses and had probably heard stories of chariot races. The point, however, is the power and influence concentrated in one small object. That’s how it is with the tongue.

The tongue is also like the rudder in a boat. Large ships were not unknown in the ancient world. The ship that originally was to transport Paul across the Mediterranean en route to Rome held 276 people (Acts 27:37). We know that a large ship like the Isis could carry one thousand people. Yet such a big and heavy vessel was directed simply by a turn of the rudder!

Why does James speak this way? Of course, divine inspiration but also of both biblical knowledge and personal experience. The tongue as I’ve heard it said “carries into the world the breath that issues from the heart”.

We do not realize how powerful for evil the tongue is because we are so used to its polluting influence.

Jesus says the tongue projects the thoughts and intentions of the heart. It is from within, “out of the heart,” that the mouth speaks (compare with Matthew 12:34; 15:18–19). But like the smoker, so accustomed to the odor, the atmosphere in which they live, the person with polluted speech has little or no sense of it — no sense that they exhale bad breath every time they speak.

But with all of this said, James is forced into a confession. Nobody — Jesus excepted — has succeeded in mastering the tongue! Our only hope as we pursue the discipline of self that leads to mastery of the tongue is that we belong to Christ and that we are being made increasingly like him. But this battle for “vocal holiness” is a long-running one, and it needs to be waged incessantly, daily, hourly. Are we fighting it? So we get it. We don’t say mean things, we think about what we say. We use judgment with our words. Many people miss one important element in taming the tongue and that is adding Godly speech to our vocabulary. This is a life-changing, mind-altering, and wonderfully encouraging side.

Which we will get into tomorrow. 🙂

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. Knowing what you now know about the tongue from James 3, what warnings and instruction on the words you say and don’t say can you apply to what James has to say in James 2?
  2. Which do you find harder – silence when silence is most appropriate or gracious speech when gracious speech is most important? Think of an example of when you should have been silent – but you weren’t. And, an example of when you could have used gracious speech – but you didn’t. How could the situation or relationship have been altered by better control of your tongue? How might your tongue be used now to help mend these relationships?
  3. Are there any specific words/phrases that your speech would be better without?
  4. In what situations do you find it difficult to control your tongue? What could you do next time you are in that situation to demonstrate that you want to become more and more Christ-like?
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Producing Endurance

Old Testament: Jeremiah Intro – found below

Poetry: Proverbs 3

New Testament: James 1

(James is the only book we are reading twice, back-to-back. What can you find in a second reading of this short but wise letter?)

“Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” — James 1:2–3

The testing of your faith through trials produces endurance. What is the opposite of endurance? Well, I suppose the opposite of “endurance” is “giving up”. When faith doesn’t endure it peters out. So if you don’t want your faith to peter out then you need some trials. Because James says it is trials that “produce endurance.”

Few experiences expose who we are like the experience of suffering. When trials come, we almost cannot help but hold out our heart for all to see.

Some sufferers bow their heads and give glory to God, while others curse him. Some say, through tears, “I trust you,” while others refuse to pray. Some collapse into God’s presence, and learn to love him with a broken heart, while others turn their backs and walk away.

What makes the difference between these sufferers? Dozens of factors, of course. But one of the most significant is what we know about suffering. The apostle James, writing to Christians beaten up by trials, calls them to suffer faithfully because of what they know: “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know . . .” (James 1:2–3).

Rejoice, James says, because you know something about suffering. And what did they know? They did not know many of the specific good God was working in their trials. They did not know why these trials should be happening now. Nor did they know how long their trials would last. But they did know a simple promise, filled with power: “. . . for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:3).

Testing produces steadfastness. If these three words can sink their roots down into our souls, then we might meet our trials with the most radical response of all: joy.

If we know the promise that testing produces steadfastness, we may gain strength not only to endure our suffering, but to trace a line from our present pain to our future perseverance — and, wonder of wonders, to find ourselves counting even trials as joy (James 1:2).

Such joy will not be a simple joy. It will not be a fake smile or the motivation of a great speaker. It will instead be a complex joy, a joy mingled with tears and mixed with sorrow, all the way to the bottom (2 Corinthians 6:10). In other words, it will be an otherworldly joy, the kind that can only come from the man of sorrows himself. And being from him, it will one day return to him on the other side of our trials, “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:4).

In order to get there, we need to recognize our suffering for what it is: not ultimately a thief who steals our best years, nor a murderer who kills our greatest dreams, or a madman who wields his weapons at random. Our suffering is, rather, a servant from God, sent to make us strong and to use our word again. Steadfast.

-Andy Cisneros

Jeremiah Introduction

The book of Jeremiah was likely written by Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe, as Jeremiah dictated it.  He prophesied against the people of Judah because of their wickedness – but nobody listened to his message.  Jeremiah prophesied during the rise of the Babylonian empire and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem.  God commanded him to never marry and have children because God was going to send deadly diseases, sword, and famine.  Jeremiah ultimately was carried off to Egypt by fleeing Israelites, and likely died in Egypt.

Jeremiah didn’t have much choice in his profession, as we see in 1:4-5, “The word of the Lord came to me saying, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah is called the “weeping prophet” because we see so much about his personal life and his sorrow.  4:19 is one of many examples, “Oh, my anguish, my anguish!  I writhe in pain.  Oh, the agony of my heart!  My heart pounds within me, I cannot keep silent.  For I have heard the sound of the trumpet; I have heard the battle cry.”

Jeremiah was very straightforward, whether talking with the rebellious people of Judah, as we see in 44:23, “Because you have burned incense and have sinned against the LORD and have not obeyed him or followed his law or his decrees or his stipulations, this disaster has come upon you, as you now see.”; or when talking with God, as we see in 12:1, “You are always righteous, LORD, when I bring a case before you.  Yet I would speak with you about your justice:  Why does the way of the wicked prosper?  Why do all the faithless live at ease?”

While most of the book of Jeremiah prophesied judgment, there are still many places (like Chapter 31) where God promised that He will make a new covenant with Israel.  31:34 says, “No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, “Know the Lord”, because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest declares the Lord.  For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

As you read Jeremiah, consider the sins of Judah and the judgment God poured out on them because of their sins.  And then consider the sins of our own society…  

-Steve Mattison

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Part 2

Old Testament: Isaiah 65 & 66

Poetry: Proverbs 1 & 2

(Sorry, yesterday I missed that the month Of October we will be re-reading the book of Proverbs with one chapter every day- the 1st chapter on the 1st of Oct, the 2nd chapter on the 2nd, and so on…we will return to Psalms on Nov. 1)

New Testament: James 5

Today, we will continue with the devotion Andy started on James 4. Yesterday he wrote about considering the proper view of life. Here is today’s …

The right view of God. What is the right view of God that he teaches us to have in verse 15 of James 4? He tells us two very important things about God. One is contained in the words: “If the Lord wills, we will live.” And the other is contained in the words, “If the Lord wills, we will . . . do this or that.” How would you state the truth about God contained in each of those two sentences?

First, when he says, “If the Lord wills, we will live,” he teaches us that the duration of our lives is in the hands of God. Or: God governs how long we will live. Or: God is ultimately in control of life and death. We may not know how long our vapor-like life will linger in the air, but God knows because God decides how long we will live: “If the Lord wills we will live.” And James is saying: If this is a true view of life and God, then it should shape our mindset and shape our way of talking.

In Acts 18:21, Paul left Ephesus and said, “I will return to you again if God wills.” In 1 Corinthians 4:19 he writes, “I will come to you soon if the Lord wills.” For most of his life, he did not know if the next town might be his burial place. That was in the hands of God. And so are our lives. God will decide how long we live and when we die. James’ point is: that God means for that truth – that reality – to shape our mindset and our attitude and our words. He means for that truth to be known and spoken about. He means for it to be a part of the substance of our conversation. God means for a true view of himself to be known and believed and embraced and cherished and kept in mind and spoken of. “Instead you ought to say . . .”

Now, there is another truth about God in verse 15: When he says, “If God wills we will . . . do this or that,” he teaches us that the activities and accomplishments of our lives are in God’s hands. God governs what we accomplish. Not only are our lives in his hands, our success is in his hands. “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” “If the Lord wills . . . we will do this or that.” And if the Lord does not will, we will not do this or that. Whether we do this or that in all of our business is in the hands of God.

So what was wrong with what these people said in verse 13: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit'”? What’s wrong with that? What’s wrong is that it does not give expression to a true view of life or God. Specifically, it does not give expression to the truth that life is a vapor, and it does not give expression to the truth that God governs the length of our lives and the achievements of our lives.

Is there a deeper problem here than just the absence of true words and the presence of bad theology? Yes, there is, and James describes it in verse 16: “But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.” The root problem is arrogance or pride, and the expression of that arrogance, he says, is “boasting.” And all they said was, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” That’s all they said. And James calls it boasting and says it’s rooted in arrogance. I look very carefully to the bible as well as to my own life to see what real arrogance is. It is arrogant not to believe in the heart and confess with the lips that how long you live and what you accomplish are ultimately in the hands of God. How are you planning? With God on your mind or in your own thoughts and strength? My prayer for you is that you take a look at the plans you are making and consider God in all of them.

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. Is it important to you to do your planning (and speaking of them) as James, and God, teach here in James 4? If so, how can you work at keeping God foremost in all of your planning? How can you share that with others when you speak of your plans?
  2. How often do you remember that your life is a vapor and your life and death and activities are in God’s hands? How does keeping that in mind affect your thoughts, words and plans?
  3. How are you sometimes guilty of pride and arrogant boasting? What is the remedy?
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