Quit Boasting, Give Glory To God

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.” [14] 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. [15] Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” [16] As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. [17] If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. (James 4:13-17)

As much as planning for the future is necessary, we should not be overly confident about what the future may bring.

It may seemed like a pessimistic statement to make, but it is indeed sobering for me to know that my life and future is in the hands of God. Therefore I think God is trying to tell us not to rely too much on our future plans and lose our sight of Him.

I often caught myself thinking that I should complete my work or do "more important" tasks first because I can seek God or reach out to the people around me when I am "in a better position" or when I am "done with my work/studies".

The scripture in a way asks me, "what makes you so confident that you will be around after today?" or "what if the person you intend to reach out to is no longer around tomorrow?"

As it is, procrastinating our Kingdom business, or in another words "do not do the good that we ought to do", sins.

If I'm left with a month to live, how would it have been different in the way I lead my life? How would you have led yours?

I would not know when I would be called back by God. So I need to live my life doing the good I ought to do, glorifying God.

Amen.

Show Mercy...

“[11] Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. [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?" (James 4:11-12)

As I grow older in faith, I realized that this punitive nature or wanting to see something done for the wrongs or shortcomings that others have made. (I wonder if this is the nature of a police officer)

As I read in the Bible, it tells me not to judge anyone because the judgment seat is not mine to sit. Considering it deeper, it seemed to be telling me to know my place. I am a sinner after all.

Indeed, if God have given me judgment instead of love and mercy, I would have already been condemned to eternity.

Therefore, I think it is a good reminder that I ought to show love, grace and tolerance towards the people around.

Amen.

Moving Nearer to God

“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." (James 4:8-10)

Sometimes I just feel that it is so difficult to be close to God. Having unconfessed sins in my life really made me feel so distant from God.

The Bible tells us to wash our hands and purify our hearts; that is to stop doing acts that are sinful and to confess our sins.

Just like the heart of the tax collector in Luke 18, God wants us to have a humble heart instead of a self-righteous attitude.

Let us always be reminded that salvation is a gift which we never deserved. May we continue to share the Word of God around so that more people may also come to know God.

Amen.

Submission to God

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

I know that I should submit to the Lord our God in that I do. But sometimes the sinful nature in me just wants to fight that character.

God wants us to resist any temptations, so that we may be righteous in His sight.

Let us be proactive in resisting the devil by having a close relationship with one another, and with God.

Amen.

Being a Friend to God

“[4] You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. [5] Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us ? [6] But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (James 4:4-6)

As a disciple, we need to go into the world to help more people know God. That is a mission, a commandment which God has given us. I am reminded that my work is to draw people to God, instead of being drawn to the world.

I thought of the many times that I was being enticed and drawn into the world instead of drawing my friends to God. I really thank God for His grace that never fail to forgive me of my daily sins even though I don't put Him first in my life.

It also reminds me to continue to be humble, knowing that I am just living in God's grace.

Amen.

Give Our Desires to God

“[1] What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? [2] You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. [3] When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:1-3)

Worldly ambitions can be very destructive to our lives and relationship. We have been through office politics, got caught between power struggles and seen or heard of terrible incidents which caused friends to turn from each other.

The things that God want us to go after is very different from the world. Instead of chasing after the wealth and possessions in the world, God want us to seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness. Instead of loving ourselves, God want us to put others' interest before ours.

I asked myself, “what do I lack, that God has not already provided?” I think God has given all that I ever needed in my life. Other things are just “wants” and do not help me in glorifying God. Desire is a bottomless put which will make us want more and more.

So instead of desiring the world, which could never ever satisfy us, why not turn our desire to God and have Him satisfy us.

Let us be God focused, that all our needs could be met, and all the glory could be given to Him.

Amen.

Heavenly Wisdoms

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. [18] Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:17-18)

As I am reading these verses, I reflected if I am leading my life with wisdom that comes from God. In terms of pure, I could possibly lead a purer life, in terms of thoughts and deeds.

There are definitely more that I could do in terms of peace-loving, considerate, submissive, merciful, good fruit, impartial and sincere. I think these words appear in the Bible to guide us towards a God glorifying life.

Truth is, this is also how we can build closer relationships with one another if we apply these principles actively.

Amen.