Pure and faultless religion

Friday - 5/18 - Read James 1:19-27

Are you religious because you go to church? Go to Bible study? Read your Bible daily?

According to v. 27, how can you be religious?

How active is your faith in serving others by caring for their needs?

James also talks about true religion that God considers "pure and faultless" being morally pure.

The "world-system (leaving God out of the picture - cp. 2 Pet. 1:4; Tit. 2:12; Rom. 12:2; 1 Jn. 2:15-17)" wants you to conform to its image. Is that happening morally in your life?

Is Jesus the center of your morality?

Do you need to do any moral house cleaning?

Would you be willing to pray for the new "INSIDE-OUT KIDZ" ministry? Why? Because of the potential impact on the lives of boys and girls for Jesus Christ, but also so the Christians that God wants to use can apply the truths of God's Word to their lives.

Read Luke 24:13-35 for next Sunday

Avoiding worthless religion

Thursday - 5/31 - Read James 1:19-27

Do you have a quiet time with God every day? God wants to meet with you daily. He wants you to look toward Him to worship Him and listen to His voice on a daily basis.

When you do have your quiet time, are you taking the time to allow God to reflect back to you the image of yourself He wants you to see? This takes time. James says we should "look intently into the perfect law."

Would you characterize your daily time with God as a time to look "intently" into God's Word?

According to v. 25 what happens if you don't?

According to v. 25 what happens when you do?

What is your choice?

Think of how important your marriage is...your family is...your job is...your "whatever" is. Why do you think refection on God's Word is so vital for these areas of your life and so much more?

If you want to be "transformed by the renewing of your mind" why is "looking intently" into the principles of God's Word so vital.

Do you need to make some adjustments in your schedule to accomodate this process?

What is keeping you from doing so?

The Christian life boils down to making choices. That's what determines whether our religion is a vital and dynamic thing or a lifeless, powerless, "worthless" thing.

James ties keeping a tight rein on your tongue with a religion that God's gets excited about. Why do you think this is so important. cp. Mt. 12:32-35

Do you have a tight rein on your tongue?

What does the answer to the previous question say about your heart when compared to what the Lord says in Mt. 12:32-35?

A tight rein on your tongue begins where then?

Who can change your heart?

How can a person look religious on the outside to peers and friends, but deceive himself? cp. James 1:26

Read Luke 24:13-35 for next Sunday

Quick to listen

Tuesday - 5/15 - Read James 1:19-27

James 1:21 talks about the word of God being planted in our hearts. Is your heart ready to receive the seed of God's Word?

Are you "quick (Gk. - a sense of urgency) to listen" to God's Word? Is there an eagerness in your heart to listen to God's voice through His Word? Is there a hunger that just keeps gnawing away at your soul to hear God's voice?

When you do spend time listening to God's Word is your heart constantly interrupting by talking to you about what you need to do later in the day, chores you need to do, bills you need to pay, things you need to do, or are you "slow to speak?"

When you listen to the sermon on Sunday morning have you stilled your heart before God to hear what God is saying through the pastor? Do you prepare your heart before the service to be quiet before God?

When God's Word confronts your life, do you get angry with God?

Is there any unrepented moral sin that you have not confessed and forsaken in you life? Are you willing to? Has any moral failure short-circuited God's message in your life?

Are you rationalizing any moral failure in your life instead of repenting and forsaking it?

Read Luke 24:13-35 for next Sunday

the pressure of self-deception

Monday - 5/28 - Read James 1:19-27

The pressure of self-deception. There is something inside of us that causes us to think we are successfully living for Jesus Christ even while we are not applying God's principles in our lives. Do you agree with that?

What causes that pressure?

Do you find it easy to think up excuses why you shouldn't apply what God teaches you? Maybe in your marriage? Relationships? Work situation? School? Other settings?

Identify an area where you are deceiving yourself into thinking it's OK not to apply what you know to be true in Scripture.

Why are you "pulling the wool" over your own eyes by not applying this truth to your life?

What can you begin to do today to apply this truth?

Read Luke 24:13-35 for next Sunday

No blog this week.

I didn't preach last Sunday, so I'm going to take a week off from blogging for a week.

Terri and I were able to go to Karin's (our second daughter) graduation from Northwestern College. I am one proud father. She, as well as the other girls, have brought such joy to our lives. On Sunday we went to her church. She ushered and was working before the service folding bulletins. She and the others were doing their duties with an obvious joy in the Lord. I believe God is using her mightily and will continue to develop her into all that He wants her to be.

Sorry, just the ramblings of a proud dad!

Is it still Mother's Day for mom?

Friday - 5/18 - Read Proverbs 6:20-23 again.

How have you bound your mother's teachings upon your heart and fastened them around your neck?

What do you think Solomon meant when he wrote these words in Proverbs 6:21?

In verse 22 Solomon said mom's teaching will do three things. What are they? How would you apply them in your life today?

In verse 23 Solomon compares dad's commands and mom's teaching as a lamp and light. Why is is this so important?

At what point in your life do they stop being a lamp and a light?

In verse 23 Solomon talks about the "corrections of discipline." Do you remember a time when you were disciplined by your mom and hated it (maybe this morning)? What does Solomon say about the "corrections of discipline?" They are the "way to _______! (fill in the blank)" Do you believe this?

Is there a need for some tweaking in the ingredients your using right now in how you react to mom in your life (the way you're baking the cake)?

We sent you home with a cake mix to bake a cake for mom last Sunday. Did you bake it? Did you use the right ingredients? Did you clean up after you baked the cake? Let that cake remind you of the ingredients of submission, obedience, respect, honor, care and concern you need to use every day in your relationship with your mom.

Care and concern for mom

Thursday - 5/17 - Read John 19:25-27

These verses apply to all stages of our relationship with our mom. Even after she passes away there should be a care and concern in the way you remember her, but we want to focus on how we show a care and concern for her the way Jesus did as his mom stood at the foot of the cross.

We looked at Proverbs 23:22. It warns us not to "despise our mother when she is old." What are some ways we can despise her?

Do you know neglected elderly moms? It's not only sad and tragic, God takes note of this.

Do you have an elderly mom? Does she have needs and concerns she can no longer take care of?

What are you doing about them?

Do we have to wait till mom is old to do this?

Do we have to wait until we're out of the nest to do this?

What are some ways we can show care and concern for mom even when she is young and completely healthy?

We sent you home with a cake mix to bake a cake for mom last Sunday. Did you bake it? Did you use the right ingredients? Did you clean up after you baked the cake? Let that cake remind you of the ingredients of submission, obedience, respect, honor, care and concern you need to use every day in your relationship with your mom.

Yes, ma'am! No, ma'am!

Wednesday - 5/16 - Read John 2:1-11

We found out Sunday that this passage helps us understand how we are to treat mom when we are leaving the nest or already have left the nest. Things change and so do the ingredients we use in honoring mom.

"Woman!" Should you follow Jesus example of calling his mom "Woman?" Yes and no!

In the sermon on Sunday we learned that the term "woman" was a term of respect and affection in Jesus' day.

How would we say it today? It's hard to find a word that shows this respect, but several decades ago we would have said, "Yes, ma'am" or "No, ma'am!"

We must realize that just because we leave the nest doesn't mean we should leave respect and honor behind in the way we treat mom.

Have you recently left the nest or have you been gone for a while? How do you treat your mother?

Do you visit her? Call her? Communicate with her?

How are you honoring and respecting your mom though you no longer are under her roof?

How you answer these questions determine your real character as a human being.

We sent you home with a cake mix to bake a cake for mom last Sunday. Did you bake it? Did you use the right ingredients? Did you clean up after you baked the cake? Let that cake remind you of the ingredients of submission, obedience, respect, honor, care and concern you need to use every day in your relationship with your mom.

Who designed moms?

Tuesday - 5/15 - Read Luke 2:41-52

It's ironic but true that the creator, designer, sustainer of the universe was submitting and obeying a human being in Luke 2:41-52.

It's true! Jesus did create and design human life (John 1:1-3). He designed family. He designed a mom's (and dad's) relationship with children. In other words, he knew how it would work best.

When He designed family did He have our good in mind? Duh!

So, would we expect Jesus to react to his mom (and dad) in any other way but in keeping with the way He designed it to work in the first place?

What about you? Are you submitting and obeying mom? Why should you? I'm sure there are many times that you feel you could call the shots in your own life better than your mom. Right?

Why submit to mom? Why obey mom?

Do you think that God wants to direct your life?

God will use your mom (and dad) as the primary means of showing you his will for your life when you are still in the nest. It is crucial that we recognize this and follow God's plan as revealed through your parent's (mom's) direction for your life.

The next time you think you know better than your parents, perhaps these thoughts will bring you back to sanity.

We sent you home with a cake mix to bake a cake for mom last Sunday. Did you bake it? Did you use the right ingredients? Did you clean up after you baked the cake? Let that cake remind you of the ingredients of submission, obedience, respect, honor, care and concern you need to use every day in your relationship with your mom.

Did you bake the cake?

Monday - 5/14 - Read Proverbs 1:8,9; 6:20-23; 15:20; 30:17

Please read the verses above from Proverbs.

Proverbs 30:17 is a rather sobering indictment against those who would "scorn obedience" to their moms.

What do we see, from these verses, about God's view of how we should react to our mom's?

Do you think that God only had in mind one day of the year?

We compared treating mom the right way as a lifestyle with baking a cake.

Both require the right ingredients. Have you ever tried to bake something and forgot an important ingredient?

We discovered the first ingredients needed in treating mom right were submission and obedience.

Are those ingredients in your "cake" you are preparing for mom?

We talked about how these ingredients are the primary focus of children who are still "in the nest," but how could you have these ingredients in your relationship with your mother even after you leave the nest?

Jesus obeyed and submitted to his mom (Luke 2:41-52). Is this the pattern of your life?

We sent you home with a cake mix to bake a cake for mom last Sunday. Did you bake it? Did you use the right ingredients? Did you clean up after you baked the cake? Let that cake remind you of the ingredients of submission, obedience, respect, honor, care and concern you need to use every day in your relationship with your mom.

Locked rooms

Friday - 5/11 - Read Psalm 40:1-3

We talked on Sunday about how the body and blood of Jesus Christ are like keys that open up different areas of our life.

Through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, what areas of your life have been opened up and liberated by Christ?

By Jesus' shed blood, what areas of your life have been freed to become all that God wanted them to become?

You can put a key in a lock, but you must turn that key to unlock the lock.

Our faith turns the key.

You may come Sunday after Sunday to church, but could it be that you are not turning the key?

Are you turning the key by faith to unlock and free your marriage, relationships to friends and even foe?

Through the body and blood of Jesus Christ we have eternal salvation. Why not use that salvation in your life like a key to unlock those areas of your life that you are still struggling with?

A New Song

Thursday - 5/10 - Read Psalm 40:1-3

Sometimes we think that outreach is something we do for God. I guess that's true to a certain sense, but I think it's more a thing that God does through us.

Psalm 40:3 talks about God putting a song in our heart (actually "mouth"). Have you ever got a song stuck in your mind?

What happens when you get a song stuck in your mind?

Outreach is really about a song stuck in our minds. It's about our hearts rejoicing about God's salvation. We can't get it out of our minds.

If God accomplished our salvation the way Psalm 40:1,2 says He did, what is your life proclaiming?

Outreach is really something that God does through us as He puts a "new song" in our lives.

People see it! People want what we have! They want to put their faith and trust in God too!

Let's pray and ask God to put this song in our hearts and mouths every day wherever we are.

God's Ipod

Wednesday - 5/9 - Read Psalm 40:1-3

When you think of singing praises to God, what do you think of?

A certain kind of music?

Could it be that what David was referring to is more than a kind of music and more a kind of heart that is grateful and appreciative of God's deliverance, especially the deliverance of our salvation?

When was the last time you caught yourself singing a song of praise to God without even thinking about it?

Does God's salvation do that to you? Should it?

God says this song is a "new song." What would the "old song" be?

If your heart is God's Ipod, what kind of music is playing?

Take time to think how many times you are singing a "hymn of praise to our God." Does it happen often?

If not, what is your heart dwelling on?

Rock steady!!!

Tuesday - 5/8 - Read Psalm 40:1-3

"He lifted me out!" Praise God. God delivered us, He rescued us from that place of living in a "slimy pit."

When was the last time you stopped and thanked God for His rescue job on your life?

Was there any other source of deliverance? Was there anyone else who could've done what God did?

How fortunate we are to have a Rescuer like Jesus. Thank Him right now!

Notice in Psalm 40:2 the psalmist says that God not only rescued us from the mud and mire of our lost condition He also set our feet upon a rock.

Jesus is that Rock!

Can we find a more secure foundation to take our stand upon?

Do Buddhist, Muslims, Hindus, etc. have a better rock?

Do they have one that even comes close to being as rock steady as Jesus Christ?

Slimy Pit

Monday - 5/7 - Read Psalm 40:1-3

Were you saved from a life that was a "slimy pit?" Some people are saved from really "slimy" spiritual pasts. Some people are saved very young in life before things get too "slimy."

How can a person's life be described as a "slimy pit," even though they were saved at a young age before they really got involved in the things of the world?

Can you remember when you were stuck in the "mud and mire" of life? What was life like for you then?

What did Paul say about that kind of life before He found Christ? cp. Philippians 3:7-9

Do you ever feel a lure back to that old "mud and mire?"

Do you feel that lure today? Why not confess this to God.

Will you stop and think, just for a moment, about what God has accomplished through the salvation He provided for you in Christ?

Meditate for a few moments about what God has saved you from.

Places of safety

Wednesday - 5/2 - James 1:13-18

James 1:14 warns us of being "dragged away" by our own hearts to be tempted. This phrase literally refers to drawing out an animal from a place of safety to be captured. What are places of safety we have in the Christian life that our own hearts draw us away from?

Are you exposed to spiritual danger because of the deceptions of your own heart?

How critical is it for you to recover your place or places of safety?

What are you going to do today to recover them?

James 1:14 also talks about our own heart "enticing" us. It means "baiting the hook."

When fish go for the bait, what don't they know about?

Are you lured by any bait that could lead to being hooked by spiritual disaster?

What is that bait?

What is that bait concealing?