Living in the Spirit
August 29, 2015
Scripture Reading: James 1:17-27
You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, ongoing away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.
If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.—James 1:22-27
We are manipulated by the media at every turn. The books that are published are selected primarily because of their sales potential not the quality of their content. I cannot tell you were most of our presidential candidates stand on anything but I can tell you what they said about each other or how rude or not rude they might have been to another. In a world dominated by greed finding truth is difficult.
Followers of Christ are called to a higher standard. We are to judge the quality of information by how it compares to the teachings of Jesus, and gear our responses accordingly. We are called to be doers of the word not merely hearers. And we are called to control our own speech.
Who are the orphans and widows of our world today? Who are the least of these? Are they a primary concern of each of us? How do we keep ourselves unstained by the world?
It has never been more important in our lives than now to maintain a close relationship with God. It is by having our cup filled with the good news of Jesus Christ that we can avoid being over taken by the wisdom of the world.
Prayer:
Fill my cup, Lord;
I lift it up Lord;
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole. Amen.
*Chorus from Fill My Cup, Lord by Richard Blanchard see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/ns/340
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.