Today's Worship: How to receive what we ask for in prayer.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 4:2b-3,

 

"You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

 

James observes that some of his readers do not receive what they ask for in prayer and tells them why: they ask for the motive of spending what they get from God on their "pleasures". He has already provided a previous reason why prayers go "unanswered" in 1:6-8. There he says that those lacking faith will not receive anything from God, "... when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."

 

For me, a caution against asking for things in prayer with wrong motives is a cause to examine myself. I always feel challenged with passages such as this because they strike so close to home. Are my concerns God's concerns? Is my agenda God's agenda? Or, when I as for things from God, am I simply asking God to get onto my agenda to help me pursue the things I want without regard to what his desires are, his agenda?

 

This, of course, leads me to think in terms of God's motives and his agenda. James wrote to some who didn't receive the things God has for us because they asked "with wrong motives". After some honest self-examination of my own motives, it dawns on me that life isn't all about me and I best get the focus beyond myself and onto God if I hope to have any motives that are pure enough to warrant God responding to my requests.

 

As I look to God, what do I see? What are the kinds of things that motivate God? What are his character traits that drive his agenda? James is not silent here. He tells us about God. He speaks of God as "the Lawgiver and Judge", the one able to save and destroy. He is "standing at the door!", James 4:12 ; 5:9. James tells us the Lord is coming back, "the Lord's coming is near" as a motivation to keep ourselves from grumbling against one another.

 

James tells us evil is entirely absent from God. He tempts no one with evil and, of course, he cannot be tempted by evil as well. James 1:13. As we take the Scriptures together, we discover that our very definition of evil is that which is not consistent with God himself. His character and nature is the very definition of good and that which is contrary is evil.

 

James quotes the book of Proverbs as he also tells us something very important about our relationship with God, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6.

 

We see God is a giver of good and perfect gifts, James 1:17. He gives the "crown of life" to those who love him, 1:12, and offers wisdom freely and generously, 1:5. God has chosen to give those in this life who are some of the poorest among us to be "rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised to those who love him." James 2:5.

 

One passage in James letter that I find very insightful of what can be found about God is James 3:17-18. There James speaks of the characteristics of the wisdom that God gives. The wisdom he gives is "pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." This speaks volumes to me about our wonderful God. James tells us that those who have received God's wisdom are peacemakers who "raise a harvest of righteousness" as they sow in peace.

 

A wonderful summation James provides is that as we face suffering, we need to remember that the Lord is "full of compassion and mercy", James 5:11.

 

If I am interested in God answering my prayers, I best find all I can about him to insure my motives fall into line with who God is and what drives his agenda.

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: Prophets spoke in the name of the Lord.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 5:10,

 

"Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord."

 

In his encouragement to his readers, James points to the prophets who demonstrated patience "in the face of suffering." Jeremiah, Elijah, Ezekiel certainly come to mind here as well as many of the others. As an aside, James refers to these prophets as those "who spoke in the name of the Lord." Those who have served God have often found themselves struggling with various hardships and sufferings. As opposed to the many today who misrepresent God's intentions and are fond of telling us all of the many "blessings" of the Lord we can enjoy in this life, particularly in terms of good health and prosperity, those who have truly served the Lord have often struggled with sufferings of various kinds, including deprivations. These have now become wonderful examples for us to follow as we encounter the difficulties in life as believers, and especially as we serve the Lord.

 

On a whole other thought, what captures my imagination in this verse this morning is the reality that there have been those who have spoken "in the name of the Lord." Astonishing that individuals have been tapped by God to speak on his behalf! Peter tells us, "Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:21.

 

If God has spoken, I best listen. If he has something to say, it must be important. If I fail to avail myself of whatever it is that is required of me to hear what he has to say - woe to me! There is nothing in this life that could possibly take priority over listening to what my Creator has to say to me! I can't possibly think of anything that should keep me from God's word.

 

Paul said, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17. If I really believe this life is temporary, if I really believe life for an eternity awaits us in the next, if I really believe what I do in this life holds real, lasting, eternal implications forever in the resurrection, if I really believe that it is our Creator himself who determines all these things and that he has chosen to speak to us through those who "were carried along by the Holy Spirit", nothing should keep me from an active and aggressive pursuit of the Scriptures.

 

What do you think? 

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: Good cause to be patient in suffering.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 5:11,

 

"You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."

 

The story of Job is a fascinating one. God used Job to demonstrate to Satan that there are those who embrace God and remain devoted to him for who he is and not for what God does for them. It kind of makes you wonder how God feels about so many in the church today... Anyway, God allowed Satan to take away all that God had blessed him with to demonstrate to Satan that it was so. The dialog in the account is heart-rending as Job's "friends" attempt to prove to Job that he must have sinned, he must have turned from God if he was experiencing difficulty in life. After all, if we live our lives pleasing to God he always blesses us with happy and fulfilling lives, good health and prosperity. Right?

 

Paul quotes a psalm that would baffle many in the church today if they read it. In speaking of the difficulties we may experience in this life, things such as "trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword" Paul makes the point that none of the difficulties we may experience can separate us from the wonderful love of Jesus Christ, Romans 8:35-36. Then he quotes this very interesting psalm where the Israelites ask God why they were suffering during a time when they were completely devoted to God and living for him. Psalm 44:20-22 says, "If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart? Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

 

The reality presented in this psalm, quoted by Paul and experienced by Job is what James presents to us to encourage us in perseverance in suffering. We may suffer, but nothing will separate us from the love of Jesus Christ and he will make things right in the end. James says to us of Job, "You... have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." Job was fully restored in this life. Quite likely, most of us within the church will not see wrongs righted until we arrive in the resurrection. I would point to Foxes Book of Martyrs for your consideration here. However, once we arrive in the resurrection, righted those wrongs will be!

 

As Paul tells us in Romans 8:18, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Here is the motivation in perseverance: no trouble can separate us from the love of our Lord, and he will make all things right in the end! He is, after all, a wonderful God!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: Buckle up and get ready! The Lord is enroute!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 5:7-8,

 

"Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near."

 

"The Lord's coming is near"! The second coming of Jesus Christ is just as certain as his first coming was two millenia ago. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." Hebrews 9:27-28. Jesus Christ is coming back to planet earth a second time. This time it will be for a different purpose. The first was to secure atonement of our sins by dying on the cross for us. The next visit will be to take us for his own!

 

James here tells us to sit tight because he is on his way. Some attempt to deny it, "First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, 'Where is this "coming" he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.' But they deliberately forget..." 2 Peter 3:3-5. The Lord tells us, "Behold, I am coming soon!" Revelation 22:7.

 

When he comes he will take us for all eternity to be his own. "According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. Could the anticipation of anything else be anywhere nearly as exciting as this?!

 

Each generation has witnessed what they thought might be the indications of the close proximity of the coming of the Lord. No one, of course, knows for sure the day he will come. The Lord told us, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man...Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come."  Matthew 24:36-37, 42. But, he also told us, "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door." Matthew 24:32-33. As the time approaches, we will know it.

 

Some of the things the Lord told us to watch for are: "Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." Matthew 24:5-8. He also said, "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:9-14.

 

Tumultuous times! Exciting times! Does our day fit the picture the Lord gave us? I believe it is worth considering... it certainly is worthy of every generation to consider! Just thinking of what is headed our way brings an excitement and anticipation that nothing else can match!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: God's mysterious grace.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 4:6,

 

"He [God] gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'"

 

James quotes Proverbs 3:34 here to make his point that our God is a gracious God and extends his grace toward us. What is grace? Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines it as, "unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification, a virtue coming from God, a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace."

 

In short, God's grace is the gifting he extends to us, gifts that are given unearned, or unmerited. We think in terms of the wonderful love and kindness of God as we consider the gifts he gives.

 

These gifts include life itself. At one time there was no existence of a person called Trevor Fisk, but today there is. My very existence is a gift of God's grace, the gift of life. In a very real and present sense, my continued existence, whether in this life or the next, is due to God's grace given me, a moment to moment gifting of God's grace. 

 

Out of his grace God has provided us a Savior who has made a way for us into his kingdom. He provided Jesus Christ as a sacrifice of atonement for our sins. We didn't deserve to have our sins paid for but out of God's wonderful love, mercy and kindness he has provided us Jesus Christ as, "the way and the truth and the life." John 14:6. This is the greatest expression of God's grace toward us.

 

God has provided me all I need for life and for godliness as an expression of his grace as well. I didn't do anything to earn it, but he extends it to me nonetheless. Humility is the attribute God looks for in the giving of his expressions of grace. As I think of all God could ask for to receive anything from him, I find humility to be something we can all approach God with.

 

What a mystery is this love, mercy and kindness of God as expressed in his grace toward us!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: Salvation cost something, but is had by faith alone!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 2:14,

 

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?"

 

How can faith save a person? In verses 2:14-26 James speaks of a certain kind of faith. Using the examples of the patriarch, Abraham, and the prostitute, Rahab, he demonstrates that the kind of faith that can save someone is the kind that leads to action. James concludes by saying, "faith without deeds is dead." He is not saying that doing deeds saves someone. It is his point that the kind of faith that brings salvation is the kind that leads someone to act upon that faith. This is home base for those who are tied in knots over the multitudes who fill Churches each and every Sunday and who also seem to fail to live out the lordship of Jesus Christ in their lives during the remainder of the week.

 

Again, I ask, how can faith save a person? If good deeds won't provide an acceptable atonement with God or an acceptable payment for sins, how is it that faith will bring salvation? The answer is in Jesus Christ. He is the atonement for sins. He paid the penalty for all sin. Of him Paul says, "God presented him [Jesus Christ] as a sacrifice of atonement", Romans 3:25. This is how John put it, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:10.

 

So, as our atoning sacrifice, how many sins did Jesus Christ pay for? One wonderful day, as John the Baptist saw Jesus approach him for the first time, he exclaimed, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" Clearly, John recognized that Jesus Christ had come into the world to pay the penalty for the entire cosmos. All sins for all time committed by all human beings were to be atoned for by Jesus Christ. As the apostle John puts it, "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:2. A hefty payment, a payment under assault by many today who seek to minimize our understanding of its far-reaching scope. Clearly it is God's will that all people be saved and so God has made provision for the sins of every man, woman and child for all time. Paul expresses God's will in the matter, "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3-4.

 

Jesus Christ felt the weight of the sins of the entire human race as he hung on that cross, enduring God's own wrath for it all, securing an atonement to be made available for all who will embrace him. Here is how it is said that faith brings salvation: God has decided that all who will embrace him in faith will have Jesus Christ's payment for sins credited to their account with him. In spite of contemporary theology, this is what the Scriptures refer to as God's election. In the Romans passage above, Paul goes on to say, "God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood." Romans 3:25. It is "through faith in his blood" that appropriates Jesus' sacrifice of atonement to our account with God. As Paul looks back to the patriarch Abraham, he points out that what was credited to his account with God will be credited to ours as well. First he asks, "What does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.'" Romans 4:3. About faith and Abraham, Paul later says, "Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all." Romans 4:16. Then he concludes later by saying, "The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead." Romans 4:23-24. "For us who believe"!

 

How wonderful the payment Jesus Christ made for all our sins! How wonderful we appropriate that payment through faith!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: The transcendent splendor of God Almighty brings humilty!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 4:10,

 

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."

 

In this part of James letter where he exhorts us to submit ourselves to God, James 4:7, he tells us to humble ourselves before the Lord. How do does one do that? I am certain that James meant more here than just an outward, superficial bow to the Lord, something more than what simply complies with a "religious" exercise, (as to genuflect as an example). Honestly, how is it possible to do what James asks of us in a sincere way? If we compulsively comply with what James asks of us, is it not somewhat contrived? Humility is not one of those things that can said to be authentic if it is only manifested in an outward manner. It must be a matter of the heart.

 

It seems to me what is required here is to seize upon a vision of God himself. It is when we have clarity of vision, a pristine perspective of who and what God is like are we able to humble ourselves before him in a meaningful and authentic way. As we witness God in all his glory, all his splendor, all his might, we may find the necessary motivation to bow our very hearts and souls to the Lord in true humility.

 

We have accounts of this very dynamic illustrated to us in the pages of Scripture. in Isaiah 6:1-5, "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.' At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.'"

 

While most of us will not have an "Isaiah opportunity" as related to us in his book, we do have many passages of Scripture we can avail ourselves of that provide us all we should need. Certainly the above passage in Isaiah is one. Here is another one from Revelation 4:2-6a, "At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.  Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal."

 

Here is another such example from Psalms 29, "Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, 'Glory!' The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever. The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace."

 

Where I may find myself short in humility before the Lord, I may find I have had my eyes off him as he has presented himself in the pages of Scripture. One day we will all bow in true humility before him as we shall see him just as he is. What a thought that is!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: Sins of omission.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 4:17,

 

"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

 

Sins of omission are those things God wants us to do, the things we should be doing, yet fail to do. We often think in terms of sinning as doing something God doesn't want us to do. The Israelites were told to not steal, not lie and not murder. The followers of Jesus were told not to be angry with one another and not to look at a woman lustfully. James here says we sin if we fail to do something God wants us to do.

 

When Jesus was asked what the greatest command in all of Scripture was he responded with two things that if we don't do them we sin: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Failure to follow through in these are considered to be sins of omission.

 

As an example in our day, a sin of omission occurs if we fail to actively oppose the contemporary practice of abortion. Three millenia ago Solomon wrote, "Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, 'But we knew nothing about this,' does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?" Proverbs 24:11-12. Not opposing the slaughter of innocents is a sin of omission.

 

Earlier in his letter, James refers to "the righteous life that God desires" as that which we should pursue as we make our choices in life, James 1:20. This righteous life is not simply refraining from vices common to man, but is a reflection of the matchless perfections and beauty of the Lord himself. God has predestined that those of us who have embraced him in faith to be conformed to the image of his Son, Jesus Christ. Romans 8:29. As we observe him we find that beyond not doing evil, he also performed the good. He is our example of what the "righteous life that God desires" looks like.

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: "If it is the Lord's will…"

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 4:14-15,

 

"What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'"

 

I am reminded that, although God has given us a free will to make decisions, what we find ourselves capable of doing always falls within the range or sphere of what it is that God allows. For instance, when I was a boy I used to dream of how wonderful it would be if I could fly unassisted. Unfortunately for me in this childhood desire, God designed the cosmos with a force called gravity and when he made us, it was without the capability to fly. No matter how much I wanted to fly, I found I was incapable. It simply wasn't God's will I fly.

 

Many things in life are just like that. I can think of things I may want to do, I might desire to pursue, but the reality is that all I do is bound by God's will. Some things simply are not available to me because God has not granted it. This passage reminds me that an unwise arrogance is found within me if I assert for myself things God has not granted.

 

It is God who has ultimate sovereign control of all that happens within the bounds of his creation. He is transcendent beyond the desires or plans of any among us. When I find myself purposing anything, I need to consider what James has to say here.

 

I am reminded of Paul's observation, "it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Philippians 2:13.

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: Our God is in heaven and he listens to it all!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 5:4,

 

"Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty."

 

We are fond of thinking of the wonder that God listens to our prayers. It is wonderful to know that when we go to our Creator in prayer with our heartfelt concerns, our distresses, our joys, he listens. James makes the point in his letter that when these prayers are offered in true faith and attended with motives that are in line with God's agenda (as opposed to meeting our own selfish ends), he answers them.

 

Here in this verse, however, James tells his readers that beyond responding to what he hears of the well-intentioned prayers of the faithful, he also hears the cries of those who have been mistreated in one fashion or another. James speaks of the rich who have exploited their hired help by not paying them their fair wages for work performed. God hears it. God is listening and he hears when we have wronged others or when we ourselves have been wronged.

 

James points out that those who have "fattened themselves" by taking advantage of others have only fattened themselves for the "day of slaughter." In verse 7, James tells us to be patient and wait for the Lord's second coming. If we are found to be impatient and begin to "grumble against one another" we will have to face him as our Judge!

 

Our God is in heaven and he is listening. He hears it all and one day he will right all of the wrongs. "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13. "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." 1 Corinthians 4:5. "For we know him who said, 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' and again, 'The Lord will judge his people.' It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:30-31.

 

These passages of Scripture should be alarming to us all. But, how wonderful that God recognized our poor estate and sent his Son to take our punishment for all such things! Rather than having to face the dreaded day of the Lord, Jude says, "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy... " Jude 24. How wonderful Jesus Christ will stand at my side as my advocate! Without him I would have no hope, only a dreaded gloom of judgment hanging over me! Because of him I look forward to the day I stand before God with joy - without fault, in spite of all the sin, all the poor decisions I have made in this life!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: The Judge is standing at the door!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 5:9b,

 

"The Judge is standing at the door!"

 

Here is a sobering thought... the Judge is standing at the door! James tells his readers to consider their attitude toward one another because judgment is imminent - the Judge is right at the door. Who is this judge? The Lord himself. Where we may even have legitimate grievances against other believers, we are to be patient and "stand firm" not giving into grumbling against one another.

 

James follows this comment by talking about the importance of persevering under just such difficult circumstances. He uses Job as an example. Job suffered tremendously as an innocent and unknowing participant in a point God made with the devil. Yet he remained steadfast and persevered through it. James instructs us all to follow his example.

 

Because the Judge is "standing at the door" we don't want to find ourselves in his cross hairs. Likewise, we can take comfort in knowing that whatever grievances we have with one another, the Lord will settle those things for us. Paul encourages us with, "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." 1 Corinthians 4:5.

 

When it comes to dealing with those who have wronged us Paul tells us, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14.

 

Only in the context of such a kind, merciful and forgiving Lord can such happen. Because the Lord has forgiven me, because the Lord has been merciful to me, I can be with others. As James says in 2:13b, "Mercy triumphs over judgment!"

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 5:11b,

 

"The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."

 

James makes this wonderful observation about the Lord. What if the Lord wasn't as James observes? What if the Lord was not full of compassion and mercy? What if he were simply critical and condemning? Where would that leave me?

 

After spending most of the space in his letter up to this point observing the shortcomings of believers I have to admit I come up short myself in many ways. I desperately need compassion and mercy from my Creator if I am to have any hope at all in this life and especially in the next!

 

The wonderful reality of God is that he is full of compassion and mercy. To be sure, he is a righteous, holy and just God who will right all of the wrongs one day. He says of himself in Jeremiah 9:24, "I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight." He is both our God of justice, and, importantly to me, our God of compassion and mercy. In Exodus 24:6-7 he tells Moses of himself, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin."

 

John makes a wonderful observation, "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4:16-18. Our confident assurance that we belong to God is that we find our own hearts develop after his own heart of love.

 

I am reminded of the passage in John 3:16-17, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." How I desperately rely on the compassion and mercy of my loving God!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: God's desires.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 1:19-20,

 

"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."

We all have our own preferences and desires. Some prefer meat and potatoes while others desire the more exotic. Some love football and others baseball. Preferences and desires. We are all different and so we don't all share the same desires.

 

As we are made in God's image, it is not surprising for us to hear from James that God has his own desires. Due to our fallen nature, we discover that God's desires often do not coincide with our own. He is one way and we are another, hence the need for us to grow into the likeness of Jesus Christ as Paul mentions in Romans 8:29. Often our desires are contrary to God's desires.

 

Here is where James' introduction of himself at the beginning of this letter is more than mere window-dressing. He says of himself, "James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ..." If we call Jesus Christ Lord, then we care about his desires. It may mean having to supplant our own desires, possibly spawned by our sinful nature, with his desires. Calling Jesus Christ "Lord" is not simply religious jargon, it expresses something that should be real and meaningful in our lives.

 

So, what are the desires that God has? I find this a fascinating question, because the answer tells us so much about him, what he is like, what kind of nature he has. It also reveals how well I know him. After all, if I can't articulate what those things are that the Lord desires, it may indicate I'm not that interested in him to find out - exposing no intention of bringing satisfaction to him by pursuing them. Even spouses purpose to know what their mate's desires are. One thing we do know of God's desires from James is that there is a "righteous life" he desires for us.

 

Here are a few others:

 

 In Hosea 6:6 the Lord says, "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."

 

Psalm 51:6 says, "Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place."

We read of God's desires in Isaiah 55:10-11, "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

 

In Hebrews 10:5-7 we read, "Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: 'Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, "Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, O God."'"

 

How many of the Lord's desires can you find in the Scriptures?

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: The Lord - our only judge.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 4:12,

 

"There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?"

 

Here is a passage that is cause for both a sense of freedom as well as sober reflection. The Lord is the only lawgiver and judge. It is before him and him alone we must stand and give an account of our lives.

 

There are many who would assert their expectations on the rest of us. Many who hold ecclesiastical positions within our churches, do-gooders and the like who feel a propensity to tell the rest of us how we need to be living our lives. In my case they are probably always on target. In any event, it is a relief to know that when it comes to what really matters, we have only One before whom we must give account. To be sure, he does delegate his authority to others in our lives, such as parents, the civil authorities, legitimate leadership within the church, etc. and we should be listening to them, primarily because the Lord has placed them in our lives for his purposes for us and he has told us to.

 

We read in Hebrews 4:13, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Here is the sobering part. One day all will have to give an account of themselves before the Lord. 1 Corinthians 4:5 tells us, "Judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." Also, "But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God 'will give to each person according to what he has done.' To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism." Romans 2:5-11.

 

The above verses makes clear to me that, apart from Jesus Christ being my advocate before our heavenly Father as my judge, I have no hope. Only an expectation of coming doom. However, I do have Jesus Christ at my side and he is my advocate. He paid the penalty for my sins. He died that I might have life. He bestowed his righteousness upon me that I be found acceptable before our Judge. He made a way for me to sit at his table, he has decided to share his inheritance with someone as unworthy as me!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

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Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Worship: The Lord at the center of life.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 4:13-15,

 

"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'"

 

James addresses those believers who somehow have managed to relegate God to the back burner of their lives. Without reference to the presence of God in their lives, or even the transient nature of their existence in this very temporary life, they carry on their business as though they were here on some kind of permanent basis with no view of God in sight. James brings a clear correction to this type of thinking and injects some much needed reality.

 

We are, after all, only here in this life for a relatively short time. We come into this life, live a few years, some longer than others, but none for long, and then we depart this life. As we get caught up in our affairs here, we often lose sight of the fact that all we do here is very temporary and if anything is left of our efforts, it simply gets passed on to others. We are all transient relative to this life, "a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."

 

Far from being morbid here, James is forcing a needed perspective. We are here, but only for a short time. We are here because God made it so. God has a purpose for us being here and we best be about what it is he has for us with the kind of attitude and perspective befitting that purpose.

 

"If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." Life needs to be lived with the Lord and his purposes at the center, not ancillary to our activities, let alone absent.

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com