Tag: sin

Searching for Cause and Effect

Job 21-25 (NLT)

The book of Job is poetry not narrative and in the English it does not necessarily read as well as it could.  Try reading this epic poem in a version of the Bible like the New Living Translation which I am quoting here, as it gives the speeches and poetry more flow. 

We don’t know who wrote the book but it is probably not Job himself.  Maybe Elihu?  Or Moses?  What about Solomon?  We don’t know if the record is exactly what the people involved said or is it the gist of their arguments?  Holy men of God wrote what God showed them to write and the scene in heaven at the beginning argues for someone who is very conversant with God and the Hebrew scriptures.  Remember that the timeframe of this book predates the Law of Moses and the OT writings, but is very complimentary with them.

In today’s chapters Job continues to proclaim his innocence, and the comforters continue to reason with him from their human logic and understanding of God.  Job does not disagree with their logic, but protests that he does not deserve God’s punishment because he has not sinned.

Job 21:1-6(NLT) Job’s Seventh Speech: A Response to Zophar
​1 Then Job spoke again:
2 “Listen closely to what I am saying.
That’s one consolation you can give me.
3 Bear with me, and let me speak.
After I have spoken, you may resume mocking me.
4 “My complaint is with God, not with people.
I have good reason to be so impatient.
5 Look at me and be stunned.
Put your hand over your mouth in shock.
6 When I think about what I am saying, I shudder.
My body trembles.

Job 21:34 34 “How can your empty clichés comfort me?
All your explanations are lies!”

Job 22:1-5(NLT) Eliphaz’s Third Response to Job
​1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 “Can a person do anything to help God?
Can even a wise person be helpful to him?
3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous?
Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect?
4 Is it because you’re so pious that he accuses you
and brings judgment against you?
5 No, it’s because of your wickedness!
There’s no limit to your sins.

Human logic demands that there is cause and effect in this life, even in our relationship with God.  We continue to try to justify our own selves by pointing out to God all the good and minimizing all the evil of our hearts.  Human nature causes us to want to earn our salvation and position because this is how we do it in the world.  Our positions and wealth, family, friends, and possessions are a result of our hard work and shrewd dealing.  Even if we are Christian we usually see it that God is the giver of all that is good, but I must deserve it because I have served Him so well. 

Job 22:26-30(NLT) “Then you will take delight in the Almighty
and look up to God.
27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you,
and you will fulfill your vows to him.
28 You will succeed in whatever you choose to do,
and light will shine on the road ahead of you.
29 If people are in trouble and you say, ‘Help them,’
God will save them.
30 Even sinners will be rescued;
they will be rescued because your hands are pure.”

Job 23:1-5(NLT)  Job’s Eighth Speech: A Response to Eliphaz
​1 Then Job spoke again:
2 “My complaint today is still a bitter one,
and I try hard not to groan aloud.
3 If only I knew where to find God,
I would go to his court.
4 I would lay out my case
and present my arguments.
5 Then I would listen to his reply
and understand what he says to me.

Job 23:10-13 (NLT) “But he knows where I am going.
And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.
11 For I have stayed on God’s paths;
I have followed his ways and not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from his commands,
but have treasured his words more than daily food.
13 But once he has made his decision, who can change his mind?
Whatever he wants to do, he does.

-Tom Siderius

Questions for Reflection:

What are the true motivations of your heart for the things that you do?

Are we trying to earn our way to the grace that God gives freely?

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The Righteousness of God

Job 11-15

Our reading today starts with Zophar’s reply to Job’s defense of his righteousness. 

Job 11:1-6(NLT) Then Zophar the Naamathite replied to Job:
2 “Shouldn’t someone answer this torrent of words?
Is a person proved innocent just by a lot of talking?
3 Should I remain silent while you babble on?
When you mock God, shouldn’t someone make you ashamed?
4 You claim, ‘My beliefs are pure,’
and ‘I am clean in the sight of God.’
5 If only God would speak;
if only he would tell you what he thinks!
6 If only he would tell you the secrets of wisdom,
for true wisdom is not a simple matter.
Listen! God is doubtless punishing you
  far less than you deserve!

Job fires right back at Zophar with a defense of his words and his position.

Job 12:1-5(NLT) Then Job spoke again:
2 “You people really know everything, don’t you?
And when you die, wisdom will die with you!
3 Well, I know a few things myself—
and you’re no better than I am.
Who doesn’t know these things you’ve been saying?
4 Yet my friends laugh at me,
for I call on God and expect an answer.
I am a just and blameless man,
yet they laugh at me.
5 People who are at ease mock those in trouble.
They give a push to people who are stumbling

Job continues to plead with the comforters and God that he has no iniquity in him for God to judge him so harshly.  As the book goes on, we see these themes repeat with the “comforters” replying.

Job 13:20-24(NLT) “O God, grant me these two things,
and then I will be able to face you.
21 Remove your heavy hand from me,
and don’t terrify me with your awesome presence.
22 Now summon me, and I will answer!
Or let me speak to you, and you reply.
23 Tell me, what have I done wrong?
Show me my rebellion and my sin.
24 Why do you turn away from me?
Why do you treat me as your enemy?

Job 15:1-6(NLT) Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 “A wise man wouldn’t answer with such empty talk!
You are nothing but a windbag.
3 The wise don’t engage in empty chatter.
What good are such words?
4 Have you no fear of God,
no reverence for him?
5 Your sins are telling your mouth what to say.
Your words are based on clever deception.
6 Your own mouth condemns you, not I.
Your own lips testify against you.

The direction that all these discourses are going is to bring us to an understanding of what is the essence of the book.  Job is without “sin” it says in Chapter 1.  Job 1:1(NLT) “There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.”  But this verse focuses on the works of man in relationship to God, not the righteousness of God and the justice that His righteousness demands from us.  We can never accomplish by our own effort or will the goodness or perfection of the righteousness of God.  We have a rebellious sin nature that needs to be paid for and atoned for.  In order to have a relationship with the just God we need to be changed from what we are.  Today we see this section of Isaiah 53 fulfilled in our lives because Christ is the way that God has made payment for our rebellious nature.  Only by being changed in Christ can we overcome the crushing defeat of our best efforts to be good.  Our lives thankfully are subject to God’s mercy and grace in all we do. 

Isaiah 53:10-12 But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him
and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
and the LORD’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
for he will bear all their sins.
12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

Praise God for the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ that has given us new life in him.  Have a great day with God today.

-Tom Siderius

Questions for reflection:

Do you understand the statement about our “bent” nature and what does that mean (hint Rom 7:17-20)?

How can we start to see God in all His grace and mercy today?

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God is Supreme

Job 6-10

The book of Job is the oldest book in the Bible after Genesis and that is why we are reading it in this particular chronological order.  Job’s time may have been contemporary with Abraham or even earlier.   The overriding theme in the book of Job is that God is supreme over all creation, and that we are subject to Him.  From man’s perspective we think we have control of the destiny and flow of our lives. We do the things that seem best to us, many times regardless of what God may say or want. 

Job 7:17-21(NLT)  “What are people, that you should make so much of us,
that you should think of us so often?
18 For you examine us every morning
and test us every moment.
19 Why won’t you leave me alone,
at least long enough for me to swallow!
20 If I have sinned, what have I done to you,
O watcher of all humanity?
Why make me your target?
Am I a burden to you?
21 Why not just forgive my sin
and take away my guilt?
For soon I will lie down in the dust and die.
When you look for me, I will be gone.”

Job is wallowing in the self-pity throughout the book that he is blameless, and God is persecuting him for no reason.  Job though does give us the clues to his troubles in chapters 1 and 3 where he says:

Job 1:5(NKJV) So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.

Job 3:25-26(NLT) What I always feared has happened to me.
What I dreaded has come true.
26 I have no peace, no quietness.
I have no rest; only trouble comes.”

After this the three “miserable” comforters come and give their discourses to Job about why he is in the straits that he finds himself.  Eliphaz speaks first and then Bildad and last is Zophar.  Each reason with Job from a viewpoint of man relating to God.  The gist of their discourses is about how Job must have had sin in his life in to be in the predicament that he finds himself.  Job continues to self-justify himself that he has no sin to confess to God.  As we read these discourses from his comforters these are the themes.

Eliphaz reasons based on human experience.

Bildad reasons based on human tradition.

Zophar reasons based on human merit.

Here is an example of Eliphaz’s speech:

Job 8:8-10 “Just ask the previous generation.
Pay attention to the experience of our ancestors.
9 For we were born but yesterday and know nothing.
Our days on earth are as fleeting as a shadow.
10 But those who came before us will teach you.
They will teach you the wisdom of old.

-Tom Siderius

Questions for reflection:

Who is the shortest man in the Bible?  Bildad the Shuhite 😊

What is the contest in our lives between God’s way and religious practice?

What fear do you harbor deep in your heart that can trip you up in your walk with God?

Download and print the whole 2025 SGL Chronological Reading Plan

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The Rightful Judge of the Universe

OLD TESTAMENT: Lamentations 4-5

POETRY: Psalm 119:121-128

NEW TESTAMENT: Revelation 9

We pick up this Friday by finishing off the final 2 chapters of the book of Lamentations—one of the most poetic cries to God in despair, pain, and anguish that is recorded in the Bible. Jeremiah has spent the previous 3 chapters weeping to God about the destruction of both Jerusalem and Judah, and the horrific circumstances it has thrown His people into. Besides the outright attack from the Babylonians, they also suffered siege and famine. Death was inescapable at every turn, from starvation and thirst to even resorting to cannibalism. Amongst all this, Jeremiah has seen it all. 

He questions why God had abandoned His people, and why they must suffer. At a certain point he recognizes it is because of the sins of the people of Jerusalem, and that God’s wrath is His own to disperse—that it is by God’s hand justice is determined.

“Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? 

Is it not from the mouth of the most high that both calamities and good things come? 

Why should the living complain when punished for their sins?” (3:37-39)

I think about times in my life where it has felt as though I have been left alone—seemingly abandoned. In these moments, my first thought may be to question why God has abandoned me, and why I have to suffer. Why can’t it always be good times? Why would God allow this suffering?

But that thought is unfounded—it forgets the very essence of God’s nature, and does not take on the perspective that Jeremiah takes. God is the one and only rightful judge of this universe. What good would a judge in a court of law be if they let every person who’s done wrong off Scott free? 

God is not the source of sin, just as light is not the source of darkness. Rather, where there is no light, there is darkness. Without God and His righteousness, we fall back into sin and into that darkness. Thankfully, because of the sacrifice He sent for us, through the death of Jesus Christ, we can now live under a new covenant of salvation! And because of this gift, we ought to recognize the power and might of our God, as Jeremiah did. In both high and low, fire and ice, joy and pain, we owe everything to God, the creator of both the mountains and the seas.

“You, Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation.” (5:19)

-Mason Kiel

Reflection Questions

  1. What suffering have you witnessed or endured that perhaps made you question what God was doing or why?
  2. What sins had Jerusalem and Judah committed? What sins do you see in your society? What sins do you see in your life?
  3. What do you gain by recognizing God as the just God of the universe?
  4. Suffering is sometimes brought about by God’s judgment on sin. Are there other explanations for some suffering?
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Just Discipline and Then Restoration

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 46-48

POETRY: Psalm 119:81-88

NEW TESTAMENT: Revelation 4

Today we remember that God is not just the God of the Jews – but the God of the world – all the nations.  And as God has watched the sins of these nations – so will He exact discipline on these nations.  Jeremiah writes what God tells him to write regarding the coming destruction that God will oversee and orchestrate against Israel’s neighbors.

Jeremiah uses vivid imagery to describe these events:

“The sword will devour till it is satisfied, till it has quenched its thirst with blood.”  (Jeremiah 46:10 NIV)

“Moab is disgraced for she is shattered.” (Jeremiah 48:20 NIV)

His descriptions show not only how scary and total the destruction will be – but also what a sad state of affairs these societies had become.  The most powerful passage that got my attention was in the message against the Philistines, “Terrified fathers run madly, without a backward glance at their helpless children.” (Jeremiah 47:3b NLT).  Where have the strong, brave protectors and defenders of their families gone?

We would do well to pay special attention to the passages that point to the reasons for this judgment.  All of these neighbors are being punished for their mistreatment of God’s chosen people, as well as for their own sins. “Since you trust in your deeds and riches, you too will be taken captive…We have heard of Moab’s pride – her overweening pride and conceit, her pride and arrogance and the haughtiness of her heart…In Moab I will put an end to those who make offerings on the high places and burn incense to their gods…Moab will be destroyed as a nation because she defied the LORD” (Jeremiah 48:7, 29, 35, 42 NIV).   How many similarities do you have to Moab, which was just one of the countries that would feel the burn of God’s discipline?  How do you treat God and His people?  Is your pride in check?  Where do you put your trust – in your job, your finances, your teachers, your doctors, yourself – or in God?  When have you defied the Lord God? Do you offer your best and first time, talents and resources to God or to selfish pursuits and false gods?

After 46 verses of judgment against Moab, the final verse of chapter 48 says, “Yet, I will restore the fortunes of Moab in days to come.”   Hope and restoration is coming – at least for those judged worthy.  Amongst all the condemnation of these chapters, Jeremiah includes a beautiful word from God for Israel as well,

“But do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant;
    do not be dismayed, Israel.
For I will bring you home again from distant lands,
    and your children will return from their exile.
Israel[f] will return to a life of peace and quiet,
    and no one will terrorize them.
28 Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant,
    for I am with you,” says the Lord.
“I will completely destroy the nations to which I have exiled you,
    but I will not completely destroy you.
I will discipline you, but with justice;
    I cannot let you go unpunished.” (Jeremiah 46: 27-28 NLT)

God sees and will not let the guilty go unpunished.  But His deepest desire is to find and reward faithfulness in His children so He can live with them in peace.  God still judges in His love today – as a wise and caring parent.  There will yet be a time of unequaled punishment for those who appeared to get away with evil with a proud heart, relying on themselves and turning their backs on God.  This is discipline with justice.  And, then, there will be restoration and peace for those faithful to God.  Which camp will you be in? Come Lord Jesus Come – may he find us faithful.

Marcia Railton

(Originally posted Aug 21, 2020 for SeekGrowLove)

Reflection Questions

  1. Just as last week we asked if you could see yourself in any of the 7 churches in Revelation, today we ask, can you see any little bit of yourself in the descriptions of the sins of Israel and her neighbors during the time of Jeremiah?
  2. As asked above, how do you treat God and His people?  Is your pride in check?  Where do you put your trust – in your job, your finances, your teachers, your doctors, yourself – or in God?  When have you defied the Lord God? Do you offer your best and first time, talents and resources to God or to selfish pursuits and false gods? What other similar questions can you create from the sins and offenses given in today’s reading?
  3. What might God’s just discipline look like? Why is it just?
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Where are you Walking?

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 7-9

POETRY: Psalm 115

NEW TESTAMENT: 1 John 1

Have you ever felt completely at home someplace? Maybe it was your family of origin, maybe it was your first home on your own, maybe it was the first home you shared with someone special, like your spouse or a close friend. I hope that you have experienced that feeling.

We want to feel at home in our relationship with God and with our Lord Jesus (and of course, with each other!). But sometimes, our brokenness, shame, and guilt get in the way of our feeling “at home” with God and others. Thankfully, the Bible tells us how to remedy this situation.

In the beginning of 1 John, John talks about this “at home” feeling using the word “fellowship.” The word for “fellowship” basically means to share together or to participate together or to have close friendship with someone. We want to feel close to God, to Christ, and to each other. Those of us in church communities want to feel this closeness especially with those we are in community with on a regular basis. Living this way brings a special sweetness to life that is unlike any other feeling.

Unfortunately, we don’t really experience this fellowship or “at home” feeling to the fullest extent possible in this life. Why? One reason is because, when we sin, our sin makes us feel distant from God.

1 John 1:6-10 (ESV)

6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Walking in darkness is having our lives saturated with sin. Christians should not live this way. Christians are called to become more and more like Jesus every single day through the power of the holy spirit. This is called “walking in the light.” Walking in the light does not mean that we will never sin again ever in this life, but rather that we will not practice sin.

So, how do we restore this fellowship with God when we do sin? Verse 9 tells us to confess our sins. One often overlooked fact about verse 9 is that it says that God does not hesitate to restore us. It says instead that God is “faithful and just.” We can trust God to forgive us and restore us because He has been faithful through the ages. And when He does so, He is acting in a just way, because Jesus has paid the penalty for sin at the cross.

Forgiveness by God is an act of justice accomplished through Jesus our Lord. 

We have a lot to be thankful for!

-Will Barlow

Reflection Questions

Have you ever experienced the “at home” feeling? What conditions made you feel safe and at peace?

    Do you have any parts of your life that are “walking in darkness”? What do you need to confess to bring them back into the light?

    What are the benefits to those around you when you are walking in the light?

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    You and God

    OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 59 & 60

    POETRY: Psalm 111

    NEW TESTAMENT: James 5:13-20

    Isaiah 59:1-2 (LEB):

    “Look! The hand of Yahweh is not too short to save,

    and his ear is not too dull to hear.

    Rather, your iniquities have been barriers

    between you and your God,

    and your sins have hidden his face from you

    so that he does not hear.”

    Isaiah 60:1-2 (LEB):

    “Arise! Shine! For your light has come,

    and the glory of Yahweh has risen on you.

    For look! Darkness shall cover the earth,

    and thick darkness the peoples,

    but Yahweh will rise on you,

    and his glory will appear over you.”

    Psalm 111:2-3 (LEB):

    “The works of Yahweh are great,

    studied by all who delight in them.

    Full of splendor and majesty is his work,

    and his righteousness endures forever.”

    James 5:16 (LEB):

    “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.”

    Isaiah 59 begins with a sobering reminder of the impact of sin on our relationship with God. God’s hand is not too short to save, and His ears are not too dull to hear, but our sins create a barrier between us and Him. Sin distorts our lives, causes separation from God, and prevents us from experiencing the fullness of His presence. The chapter highlights the pervasive effects of sin, not just on individuals but on society as a whole.

    However, Isaiah 60 offers a contrasting vision of hope and redemption. Despite the darkness that covers the earth, God’s light shines upon His people, and His glory will rise over them. The imagery of light breaking through darkness reflects the transformative power of God’s salvation. God is not only able to overcome the darkness caused by sin, but He also calls His people to rise and shine, reflecting His glory in the world. This is a message of hope for all who feel weighed down by the consequences of sin—God’s light and glory will bring redemption, healing, and restoration.

    Psalm 111 is a hymn of praise that celebrates the greatness of God’s works. The psalmist invites us to reflect on the majesty and splendor of all that God has done, from creation to His acts of salvation. His works are not only grand but are also enduring, showcasing His righteousness and faithfulness throughout history. God’s deeds are meant to be studied and remembered by all who delight in Him.

    As we consider the brokenness described in Isaiah 59 and the hope in Isaiah 60, Psalm 111 reminds us of the consistent and righteous character of God. His works reveal His power, wisdom, and love, and His righteousness endures forever. When we are faced with difficulties, confusion, or darkness, this psalm encourages us to look to God’s past works as evidence of His faithfulness and the certainty of His future redemption.

    In the final chapter of James, we are invited into a deeper understanding of the power of prayer and confession. James calls on believers to pray in every circumstance—whether in suffering, joy, sickness, or sin. Prayer is not a passive response but an active and powerful tool through which God brings healing, restoration, and strength. The passage emphasizes the effectiveness of the prayers of a righteous person, showing that God hears and acts through the prayers of His people.

    Additionally, James highlights the importance of confessing sins to one another. Confession brings healing and breaks down the barriers that sin creates between individuals and God. It fosters community, accountability, and vulnerability, allowing believers to walk in truth and experience freedom together. James reminds us that prayer is not just personal but communal—praying for one another is a vital part of the body of Christ.

    This week, let the light of Isaiah 60 inspire you to rise and shine as God’s glory fills your life. Remember the majesty of God’s works in Psalm 111, and walk in the power of prayer and confession from James 5. Embrace the healing and restoration that come from living a life of openness and faith, trusting in the God who hears, forgives, and redeems.

    -Jeff Ransom

    Reflection Questions:

    Are there any barriers of sin in your life that are keeping you from experiencing God’s presence and power? How can you bring those before God in confession?

    How can you allow God’s light and glory to shine through you, especially in areas of your life where you feel overwhelmed by darkness?

    Reflect on a time when you have seen God’s faithfulness in your life or in the lives of others. How can remembering His works give you hope today?

    How can you grow in the practice of praying for others and confessing your sins to one another? What steps can you take to foster deeper community and accountability in your relationships?

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    A Change of Heart

    OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 51 & 52

    POETRY: Psalm 107

    *NEW TESTAMENT: James 4:1-12

    In the margins on my Bible, I had the following notes for this section (presumably thoughts on a sermon or lesson I heard in the past):

    1. We cannot underestimate the seriousness of sin
    2. Jesus calls us to mourn our sins in acts of genuine repentance
    3. If our natural reaction isn’t to mourn, we should pray for God to change our hearts
    4. Our God deserves our full-hearted obedience & worship.

    #3 stuck out to me as I was reading – are there times that we don’t mourn our sin?  We try to make excuses for it, why it is ok for us to do it (and maybe not for someone else). 

    Usually, we try not to think about our own sin.  But we do need to take time to reflect on our lives so that if we do have sin, we can repent and be forgiven.

    I think in doing that, it can lead us better into #4.  If we are mourning our sin, repenting, and asking God to change our hearts, that can help mold us to what God desires which obedience comes from and further leads us into a deeper worship.

    In reading through these verses, I see how our selfishness and self-absorbedness can cause fights among one another, can lead us to seek out worldly pleasures, and to think too highly of ourselves.

    Instead, we need to humble ourselves and work on selflessness as we turn to God.  And there are some wonderful promises in this!

    “Come near to God and he will come near to you…Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (vs 8 & 10)

    I want to draw nearer to God, and He wants that too.  He isn’t looking for ways to avoid us – He is looking for us to come to Him, and He will be right there with us. 

    ~Stephanie Fletcher

    Reflection Questions

    1. Consider where in your life you have been/are friends with the world – thus making you an enemy of God. Are there times that we don’t mourn our sin? What excuses have you made for your sin?
    2. Where would you rank yourself on a selfishness meter – 10 being always selfish, 1 being always selfless? How is pride and humility related to selfishness and selflessness?
    3. What heart change might God be looking for from you? Will you pray for it?
    4. How can you work at submitting yourself to God? How can you work at resisting the devil?
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    Religion that is Worthless

    OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 38-40

    POETRY: Psalm 107

    *NEW TESTAMENT: `James 1:19-27

    Have you ever spoken without thinking and hurt someone as a result?  Maybe you have seen this object lesson before, but think of a tube of toothpaste.  It is really easy to squeeze the toothpaste out (my kids are happy to do so in excess if they make it to the counter before me).  But once it is out, it is incredibly difficult, time consuming, and messy to get that toothpaste back in.  Once you speak, you can’t take your words back.  You can apologize, but that doesn’t change the fact of what you said.

    How quickly do you become angry?  I like verse 20 which gives us a reason why we should be slow to become angry – “for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

    It is easy to get angry, to speak rudely, to interrupt others’ speech.  But these things do not help us to live the life God wants us to.  It might make us feel better for a second to have an outburst, but usually, we feel worse afterwards and it has done nothing to improve our lives.

    But how do we go about avoiding this temptation that is easy to slide into?

    “get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

    In a small group I was a part of in the spring, there was an idea that kept coming up from discussing the sermons – if you aren’t producing good fruit in your life, take a look – are you letting sin have a hold in your life?  We have to be constantly on the lookout for where sin seeps in and push it out in order that our fruit can show.

    Verse 22 – “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says[!]”  You have to act.  It is great to go to church, listen to sermons, classes, read the Bible on your own, etc.  All great things.  But if all you do is listen, it isn’t going to make a difference.  You need to actively push the sin out of your life and pursue the good.

    To circle back to the beginning of this section, here is what James writes in verse 26 “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight reign on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” 

    That is strong language!  Do you thing about your words having such an impact as to make your religion worthless if you do not control your tongue?

    Think about your speech – do you need to work on controlling what you say?  Is there speech you need to ask for forgiveness for?  Is there speech you need to forgive someone else for?  What moral filth do you need to get rid of in your life in order to be able to accept God’s word?

    Silence has value.  In the words of Thumper “if ya can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.”

    ~Stephanie Fletcher

    Reflection Questions

    1. Do you thing about your words having such an impact as to make your religion worthless if you do not control your tongue? When might you have questioned someone else’s religion because of what they said? When was the worth of your own religion decreased due to what you said?
    2. Think about your speech – do you need to work on controlling what you say?  Is there speech you need to ask for forgiveness for?  Is there speech you need to forgive someone else for? 
    3. What moral filth do you need to get rid of in your life in order to be able to accept God’s word?
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    Endurance

    OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 32-33

    POETRY: Song of Songs 6

    *NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 12

    If you’re feeling sluggish, tired of enduring the hardships that come with choosing to be faithful to the end of your race in this age, caught in sin that’s hard to get disentangled from, then think on all of those faithful chosen of God from chapter 11. They made it! They’re going to the Kingdom!

    We have to have the endurance to make it to the end to, for our own good. If that great cloud of witness doesn’t move you, consider Jesus’s faith, by which he endured the cross for you. God’s will for him involved the shedding of his blood to resist the sin of others against him and to free us from it. Has God asked you to shed blood to resist sin? That’s probably not God’s will for you, thank God, though many of his children have. I pray it never comes to that.

    What’s it going to take to finish your faith race? This writer says endurance, and it comes through discipline (he may even be referencing the letter he’s penning as part of that discipline). He is reproving the Hebrews, but discipline involves more than reproof. It involves scourging (I think the definition of scourging here is “suffering”), and it takes training.

    The Hebrews seem to have forgotten that they are heirs to the Most High; they are sons of God. If you’re a son, then you will be disciplined (if not, you’re illegitimate). God’s discipline is like that of a father to his child. It is like the training up of the child in the way he should go so that when he is old, he will not depart from it. The child who was disciplined experienced how to endure as an adult.

    The discipline was for the child’s good, though it was sorrowful in the moment. As adults, the discipline will be sorrowful in the moment, but remember, the discipline of the Lord happens because he loves his children, so welcome it. If you’re not disciplined, you’re going to hurt yourself or others with sin. You might forfeit your entrance into the kingdom.

    Discipline removes sin. It shapes us into holy people – sharing in the holiness with God (because we are transformed into people who want good for others and therefore do the will of God). It yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (it turns you into a person who is faithful to do God’s will).

    With the Lord’s leading, we can take steps to discipline ourselves to resist sin with endurance, for a whole lifetime. Here are some examples from this chapter:

    Serve those in need – strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble.

    Pursue peace with all men.

    Don’t let any root of bitterness spring up causing you trouble.

    Don’t refuse the one who is disciplining you.

    Don’t trade your birth right for food (like Esau did); God didn’t forgive that sin.

    Remember, you didn’t endure what God’s firstborn son (the children of Israel) did. They were not allowed to be where God was like you are through Jesus. Through their mediator Moses, they had to stay away from the mountain where God was. And they were terrified because if they touched the mountain, they’d die. They were terrified of hearing God’s voice, sounding like thunder and lightning.

    Instead, you’ve come to the church of the firstborn (Jesus). You have approached the throne room of God, with his angels, with your brothers and sisters who have all been made perfect by Jesus’s sacrifice, and you can do it without being terrified. You’re not going to die if you approach the throne room of God through Jesus.

    Oh, and by the way, Jesus’s sprinkled blood as our living sacrifice speaks better than Abel’s blood that cried out for vengeance. Jesus’s blood cries out for love/sacrifice for others. Our job is to follow the cries of the one who’s better, who’s blood lets us into the throne room of God now to be in his presence. God will oblige both, but he says vengeance belongs to him.

    God once shook the earth when he spoke from earth. In the end, he’ll speak from heaven, and shake both heaven and earth, so that the things that can be shaken will be removed, leaving only those things that are unshakable. What’s unshakeable is the Kingdom of God. Let’s praise God that we can be a part of that Kingdom now, showing him reverence and awe for what he’s doing. It’s a new thing, and it’s better. 

    -Juliet Taylor

    Reflection Questions

    1. Can you think of something you endured faithfully through discipline?

    2. Do you have a routine of discipline that helps you stay on track?

    3. Abel’s blood cries out for vengeance. Jesus’s blood cries out for love/sacrifice to save others. God will oblige both cries, but vengeance belongs to God, not to those under the New Covenant. Our responsibility is to love, as Jesus loved because it can change hearts and allows us in God’s presence now (in spirit as we draw near). Our job is to love even those who have hurt us. How can you love someone who has hurt you?

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