others verses self

It is a great joy to write in this blog. Because God's Spirit is teaching us His Word and wants us to grow and live by it. The recent overall theme that I have been led to was to loving others. I have been reading few books that speak about a lifestyle that focuses on others, rather on ourselves.

So for this message, I would like to start with this beautiful scripture that comes from Romans 2:6-10

"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."
 

As you see, there are two groups: one that does good to others and the other is self-seeking. WOW!!! I liked that it mentions about Jews and Gentiles, because so-called titles do not matter so much. For us, those who became Christians, the choice between two groups is still there. Are you going to be doers of good, like loving and serving others or we will continue with a wordly attitude of being self-seekers?

As I mentioned before, several books that I came across are "The dangerous act of loving your neighbor" by Mark Labberton, "The Externally Focused Life" by Rich Rusaw and Eric Swanson, and "101 ways to reach your community" by Steve Sjogren. These books point and teach us to the lifestyle of serving, loving, meeting the needs of others. In other words, they explain practically to us, "LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR" or "LOVE ONE ANOTHER".

reflection on James

  I've read two chapters of the book of James. If to summarize the overall theme, it would be PRACTICE AND DO!!!!! James encourages the believers to mature, by being doers of God's word, His commands.

"the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may become mature and complete..." (James 1:3-4).
     Perseverence here seems to me something that takes time and effort. The doing part of our faith requires perseverance.

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it- he will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:22-25)
      We decieve ourselves if only aquire the mental knowledge of God's word. The Word has power to change us, but unless we practice that truth, we will not be changed. Are we willing to be doers of God's words? There is an underlined notion that doing is not one day event, it is something that becomes habitual, becomes part of our lives on daily basis. I mean it is good to start with small, but  keep at it.

"faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:17) He says it later again, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead" (James 2:26)
Faith without dead is not just unattractive, it is not alive!

"Faith without deeds is useless" (James 2:20)
Not productive

"You see that his (Abraham) faith and his actions were working together and his faith was made complete by what he did." (James 2:22)
We become complete and mature by what we practice!!!!