- "Tame Your Tongue" by Sean Carr - James 3:1-12
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If I were going to do a modern translation of the key passage from James 3 it would go like this: “The same Facebook account talks about God and your sex lives, about how God loves people and about what a (insert your own word) your ex is, my friends this should not happen.” I believe the point is that God expects our speech, whether through Facebook, emojis, or Pinterest, to be a reflection of the Savior we claim to serve. To claim Christ and then curse those we say we hate is an impossibility.
We know this is true because the love of Christ is completely transformational. It changes our loves, our likes, our hopes, and dreams; it gives us the ability to love the worst of human beings. They are people for whom our Savior and friend, also died.
Jesus says, “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Luke 6:45b). The goal of the Christian is to be so filled with the abundance of Christ that our mouths speak Christ, because that is what is in us.
Hymn for Today: "O to Be Like Thee" by Thomas O. Chisholm.
1. Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
2. Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.
Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
3. Oh! to be like Thee, lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
4. Oh! to be like Thee, Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing,
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
5. Oh! to be like Thee, while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love,
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
Thought for Today: Tear your heart, not your garments;
and turn to Adonai your God.
For he is merciful and compassionate,
slow to anger, rich in grace,
and willing to change his mind about disaster. (Joel 2:13)(Complete Jewish Bible).
and turn to Adonai your God.
For he is merciful and compassionate,
slow to anger, rich in grace,
and willing to change his mind about disaster. (Joel 2:13)(Complete Jewish Bible).
Please pray: That many people in Samoa will come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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Reflecting God - The Global Church of the Nazarene's Foundry Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Monday, 2 April 2018 – Embrace Holy Living
- "From Praise to Grumbling" by Sean Carr - Exodus 15:18-27
"From Praise to Grumbling" by Sean Carr - Exodus 15:18 Adonai will reign forever and ever.
19 For the horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots
and with his cavalry into the sea,
but Adonai brought the sea waters back upon them,
while the people of Isra’el walked on dry land
in the midst of the sea!”
20 Also Miryam the prophet, sister of Aharon, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines, dancing, 21 as Miryam sang to them:
“Sing to Adonai, for he is highly exalted!
The horse and its rider he threw in the sea!”
22 Moshe led Isra’el onward from the Sea of Suf. They went out into the Shur Desert; but after traveling three days in the desert, they had found no water. 23 They arrived at Marah but couldn’t drink the water there, because it was bitter. This is why they called it Marah [bitterness]. 24 The people grumbled against Moshe and asked, “What are we to drink?” 25 Moshe cried to Adonai; and Adonai showed him a certain piece of wood, which, when he threw it into the water, made the water taste good. There Adonai made laws and rules of life for them, and there he tested them. 26 He said, “If you will listen intently to the voice of Adonaiyour God, do what he considers right, pay attention to his mitzvotand observe his laws, I will not afflict you with any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians; because I am Adonai your healer.”
(A: v, S: iv) 27 They came to Eilim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and camped there by the water. (Complete Jewish Bible)
***
Freedom after generations of slavery is no match for three days of thirst. You might even say real thirst can test your faith. It would be easy to call out the Israelites’ faithlessness. All too easily they turned from rejoicing to questioning the goodness of the God they had decided to follow and the man who had led them to “bitter waters.”
The problem is how often I find too much of my own attitude reflected in their behavior. God blesses with abundance of goodness and a head-cold makes me miserable and whiney. I experience His Divine presence in prayer or worship, and then I let a negative comment about an unimportant subject steal the joy away. The Hebrews marched away from everything they knew and probably loved. Yes they were free now, but free for what?
God was training them to trust Him completely. When we feel the grumbling start in our spirit, remember God will never lead us where His provision will not care for us. Your waters may be bitter, but God can sweeten them.
Hymn for Today: "His Eye is on the Sparrow" by Civilla D. Martin.
1. Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
2. “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
3. Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
- "From Praise to Grumbling" by Sean Carr - Exodus 15:18-27
"From Praise to Grumbling" by Sean Carr - Exodus 15:18 Adonai will reign forever and ever.
19 For the horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots
and with his cavalry into the sea,
but Adonai brought the sea waters back upon them,
while the people of Isra’el walked on dry land
in the midst of the sea!”
20 Also Miryam the prophet, sister of Aharon, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines, dancing, 21 as Miryam sang to them:
“Sing to Adonai, for he is highly exalted!
The horse and its rider he threw in the sea!”
22 Moshe led Isra’el onward from the Sea of Suf. They went out into the Shur Desert; but after traveling three days in the desert, they had found no water. 23 They arrived at Marah but couldn’t drink the water there, because it was bitter. This is why they called it Marah [bitterness]. 24 The people grumbled against Moshe and asked, “What are we to drink?” 25 Moshe cried to Adonai; and Adonai showed him a certain piece of wood, which, when he threw it into the water, made the water taste good. There Adonai made laws and rules of life for them, and there he tested them. 26 He said, “If you will listen intently to the voice of Adonaiyour God, do what he considers right, pay attention to his mitzvotand observe his laws, I will not afflict you with any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians; because I am Adonai your healer.”
(A: v, S: iv) 27 They came to Eilim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and camped there by the water. (Complete Jewish Bible)
***
Freedom after generations of slavery is no match for three days of thirst. You might even say real thirst can test your faith. It would be easy to call out the Israelites’ faithlessness. All too easily they turned from rejoicing to questioning the goodness of the God they had decided to follow and the man who had led them to “bitter waters.”
The problem is how often I find too much of my own attitude reflected in their behavior. God blesses with abundance of goodness and a head-cold makes me miserable and whiney. I experience His Divine presence in prayer or worship, and then I let a negative comment about an unimportant subject steal the joy away. The Hebrews marched away from everything they knew and probably loved. Yes they were free now, but free for what?
God was training them to trust Him completely. When we feel the grumbling start in our spirit, remember God will never lead us where His provision will not care for us. Your waters may be bitter, but God can sweeten them.
Hymn for Today: "His Eye is on the Sparrow" by Civilla D. Martin.
1. Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
2. “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
3. Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Thought for Today: I will go wherever I like,
for I have sought your precepts. (Psalm 119:45)(Complete Jewish Bible).
for I have sought your precepts. (Psalm 119:45)(Complete Jewish Bible).
Please pray: For faculty and students as they prepare for Christian ministry in the Philippines.
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