If at first you don't succeed....

….try, try again. Never, ever give up.Great mottos.
Persistence is a good character trait to cultivate, setting goals and working toward them. If we give up easily, we certainly will be defeated easily.

I’ve set a few goals in my lifetime. I am not one to reach for the stars, I’m easily satisfied. Where I am in life has come from a slow persistent pace. Life is not a sprint, it’s a marathon, we do well to set a steady pace and maintain….

I’ve enjoyed some success in business. I have success in some of my relationships… a solid marriage, children who love and respect me. And, I’ve achieved some meager spiritual success.

But there are a couple areas of life, both spiritual and physical, that are a constant battle ground. My mind and my mouth.

What is in my mind is likely to come out my mouth, and very often, it doesn’t need to be in either place. I am warned in scripture about what comes out my mouth, and I do well to rely on some help with it….I’ll am assured that I will have no success simply on my own determination.
“This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue--it's never been done.” (James 3:7-8 The Message)

My mouth needs a filter. I am convicted yet again for unleashing my tongue, and purpose that today will find me
“…fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. My tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building a life of obedience into maturity.”(2 Corinthians 10:5-6 The Message personalized by me)

It is hard to keep on keeping on. I have moments when I do give up and give in, giving too much rein to my tongue, spewing words of death when I need to filter my thoughts thru the thoughts the One Who died for all of us.

Not just me.

I purpose today for the Holy Spirit to tame my tongue. I purpose today that every word I speak will be words of life.  


　

Put under a microscope....

When stepping into the role of teacher, we open ourselves up to the possibility, and probability, of having someone be offended. And we subject ourselves to a scrutiny none of us will pass with a perfect score. Somebody will put us under a microscope.

“Don't be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you'd have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.” (James 3:1-2 The Message)

Teaching another person is a huge responsibility. In context, James was addressing a Jewish culture that valued and respected those in teaching positions of a religious nature. Spiritual life was at stake. Truth must not be compromised, but delivered in its entirety, with love and with firmness. Teaching is vital, and it is a high calling….

….but expect problems.

Expect to say the wrong thing sometimes, or say the right thing in a wrong way.
Expect to be scrutinized.
Expect fault to be found within you when you are scrutinized.

Makes you want to be a teacher huh?

I understand the context of James’ writing. I get the issues of the culture and the process of believers leaving behind the traditions and laws of Judaism. No longer was it only a Levite who could study and teach from the scrolls. Each believer was now a priest. Jesus Christ was the new high priest.

…and I understand the implications for those of us who have a call on our lives to teach in some capacity. For those of us who have children, we have assumed a role of teacher. Like it or not, intentional or not, we are teachers.

It is indeed a highly responsible work. We will certainly be held to strictest standards.


Those who want to find fault won’t need a microscope because we won’t get it all right. None of us are perfectly qualified, none of us will say and do all the right things.
Not a single one of us will refrain from saying or doing what we should not say or do. “We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.”(James 3:2 NIV)

That anyone James mentions…? Well that would be the only One Who is without fault, Jesus Himself. The rest of us strike out before we pick up a bat….

Human life would be extinct if only perfect people could bear children.

Spiritual life would starve if we insisted on only perfect people taking teaching roles.

Emotional life would be pitiable if only perfect people could minister to hurting people.

I purpose to take the first look at myself under the microscope. I purpose to place myself under the authority and control of the only One Who has no fault to see, even under close scrutiny.

And for those who would like to take a peek at that microscope…? Don’t bother…I’ll tell you up front, there’s some nasty stuff to see, but Jesus is working on it.

　

Do as I say....

I hated being told to ‘do like I said’. Then I found myself echoing those same words years later. They hated it as much as I did, I’m quite sure. (…right boys?)

It is a process, this learning obedience. In rearing children, we are somewhat able to enforce our will over theirs. We insist they do as we say. And they do to a degree but that only goes so far. Eventually they either obey out of respect and trust, or they refuse.

Ideally, they come to know that you have only their best interest in mind. The ultimate goal is for their actions to line up with the direction they are given.

Parenting is not a perfect example, but I think about the process as I read James’ teaching about the relationship between faith and action.

I ‘say’ I believe God. Then I often don’t follow thru with how I act out my life.


"So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is dead.” (James 2:17 GNB)
Thank You Lord, for your grace that fills in the gaps, yet I am convicted to search my heart to identify any area of dead faith.

A young man I know recently repeated the phrase ‘Preach the gospel, if necessary, use words.’ It is not doctrinally correct in that we must use words, we must communicate the message of Jesus Christ. But when we just tell it and leave them with a ‘do as I say’….only to live in a way that doesn’t line up with what we say…

Well, imagine how your children respond to that kind of parenting.

That’s the way people will respond to the message of the cross, preached from a person with a dead faith.

I truly believe that we act out of what we really believe in our hearts. Lord God forgive my unbelief. I purpose for my conduct and thoughts to line up with what I say I believe. Forgive me and raise me up to get up and go on….doing as You say, simply because You are God.

Dress to impress....

I went thru a training once about presenting the right image. We were encouraged to buy that one pair of really great pumps, a tailored blazer that would multipurpose, and great fitting slacks in a neutral color… ( black, of course).

Dressing to impress would guarantee better response and higher income.

At another training, I remember being instructed to look outstanding, but NOT stand out.

Pitiful as it is, those strategies bring return in the marketplace when carried out correctly. If you look good, but not too good, your chances of success are great.

I’m in the business of image. I offer services that change what people see reflected in the mirror. I’m apt to offer fashion tips and trends. The old slogan comes to mind once again, ‘If your hair is not becoming to you, you should be coming to me’.

How we look matters. And it should. Yet again, it can get out of balance so easily. Worse still, how other people look matters to us. And maybe that shouldn’t…..certainly it should not change our behavior toward them.
“…believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.” (James 2:1 NIV)

I’ve recently witnessed a reward of fleshing this out. After years of being in a position to show a great deal of favoritism, many words of appreciation and honor have been spoken.

Some of those words were spoken by those ‘..
wearing a gold ring and fine clothes’ (vs.2), but a great deal of the affirmations came from those who don’t look like they mattered so much according to our culture standards.

They matter to God, and they mattered to my man.

For those who took time to voice the affirmations, thank you for the pleasure you brought me as he received that gift or words, whether spoken or written.

God views us all equally, no matter the fine fitting suit, the killer shoes, or the great hair. Regardless of the battered old jalopy we drive, or the newest luxury vehicle, His mercy is available, and His perfect law the same.

We do not have to compete for His love and protection, they are extended to all of us

　

I purpose to imitate my Father in showing no favoritism, especially favoring on appearances.

No pain, no gain....

I just read the remarks from someone after a first session with a personal trainer. He was sharing the woes of muscle failure.

I identify. Not so much with the weight training at the gym, ( I’d surely fail there too though…), but I identify quickly with spiritual muscle failure. Thankfully not as easily as once was true.

I don’t really like building muscle. It is not fun, takes persistent resistance. You have to increase the load, increase the repetition…sweat, ache… ugh. But I would like the results, were I to commit myself to it.

　

I dread what the living Word of God will speak to me each time I come to the book of James. Every time I read it, it is hard. There are a lot of things that put another weight on the bar, stretching me, convicting me, challenging me to grow muscle. And as I said, I’m not fond of building muscle. Certainly not fond of the work involved.

But I do like the results of the work, once He has completed it in me. So, I begin in chapter 1.
“My brothers and sisters, you will have many kinds of trouble…But this gives you a reason to be very happy.
You know that when your faith is tested, you learn to be patient in suffering. If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be.
Do any of you need wisdom?
Ask God for it. He is generous and enjoys giving to everyone. So he will give you wisdom. But when you ask God, you must believe. Don't doubt him.”(James 1:2-6 ERV)

No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Trouble comes. Often.

I still am not able to be happy about it, but praise God I do see trouble as an opportunity to re-present Jesus Christ and His power.

I purpose to live in His grace, depend on His empowering, and focus on His joy, anticipating the end result.

I do need wisdom, and purpose myself to not seek it from any worldly source, but instead to ask my Father for His wisdom.

……and enough of my own to use His.

We are not alone....

Remember the eerie space movies, where aliens come to inhabit earth? It was creepy to think that maybe ‘we are not alone’.

But it’s not creepy at all, in fact it is the most comforting thing I know….I am not alone.

I must admit, I was not at all comfortable with that thought at one time. The Presence of God so very present all the time was frightening. And I’ve never seen or heard Him….imagine the response of those Who experienced the God of Mt. Sinai, saw the fire, saw the cloud, witnessed the miraculous delivery from Pharoah’s army.

“I have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded..”(Hebrews 12:18-20NIV personalized by me)
“I have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant..”(Hebrews 12:23-24 NIV Personalized by me)


I am not alone. I am visited and indwelled by the Holy Spirit of God. He is both fierce and gentle. Wrathful and loving. “…for our "God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12L29 NIV)

There is sweet intimacy and deep respect. He lavishes His love, grace, and mercy, but at the same time metes out judgment. He is a consuming fire that engulfs every part of who I am, and a fire that burns away at any thing that is not good and right, removing what is not fruitful and eliminating what distracts me from what is for my ultimate good and His glory.

I remember fearfully singing, “There’s an all-seeing Eye watching you.”

What comfort it is to me now to know that not one thing escapes His notice. He is indeed watching, I need not beg or explain. He is already there.

"So I say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" (Hebrews 13:6 NIV personalized by me)