Wednesday – August 3rd – James 5:5-6 -----
5:5) You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.
6) You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.
The Daily Walk Bible inspirational thought for today:
UNLESS THE HEART IS FULL, EVEN A RICH PERSON IS POOR.*
Wow to Wednesday! Already we are at mid-week and another hot spell here in the shadow of the SunRise steeple. Our inspirational thought is another that should set us to thinking. Our society, and almost every society before us, puts an extremely high value on riches and possessions. While we tend to downplay our own desire for the Daddy Warbucks level of riches, we all desire to have and possess enough that we able to do and go where we want with few concerns. First, let me say the Bible does not admonish those who have wealth, but it warns against those whose pursuit of riches becomes primary and obsessive. Proper priority is to seek a strong relationship with God, and then God will add as He discerns our ability to bless others like we have been blessed. I am okay that God is not comfortable for me to have tens-of-millions of dollars at my disposal – and I am not too comfortable with the thought myself. I would rather my heart be full of Jesus and have peace that passes human understanding.
In our pick verses today, James concludes his teaching on striving for fair thought and proper treatment of others when becoming a follower of Jesus. In these two verses James pulls no punches in his direct indictment of those whom he has personally experienced not treating others fairly. Interestingly our reading from James and our Daily Walk Bible reading from Jeremiah both address the improper treatment of others and the selfish use of position and power to gain even more in our lives. Although they are both addressing societal woes, some six hundred years apart, the reality is that human nature is never changing. In his first century letter James contrasts the human pursuit to become rich and famous with the plight of those on whose back this may have been accomplished. In both ancient Israel and first century Christianity there existed no legal defense for those mistreated by their masters and/or employers. When the law falls short in the fair treatment of others, we as Christians should have in us the mind that was in Jesus. That principle applies to now as well as to back then.
Blessings
Pastor Jim
Thursday – August 4th – James 5:7-8
*Tyndale. The Daily Walk Bible NLT (Kindle Location 41085). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
5:5) You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.
6) You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.
The Daily Walk Bible inspirational thought for today:
UNLESS THE HEART IS FULL, EVEN A RICH PERSON IS POOR.*
Wow to Wednesday! Already we are at mid-week and another hot spell here in the shadow of the SunRise steeple. Our inspirational thought is another that should set us to thinking. Our society, and almost every society before us, puts an extremely high value on riches and possessions. While we tend to downplay our own desire for the Daddy Warbucks level of riches, we all desire to have and possess enough that we able to do and go where we want with few concerns. First, let me say the Bible does not admonish those who have wealth, but it warns against those whose pursuit of riches becomes primary and obsessive. Proper priority is to seek a strong relationship with God, and then God will add as He discerns our ability to bless others like we have been blessed. I am okay that God is not comfortable for me to have tens-of-millions of dollars at my disposal – and I am not too comfortable with the thought myself. I would rather my heart be full of Jesus and have peace that passes human understanding.
In our pick verses today, James concludes his teaching on striving for fair thought and proper treatment of others when becoming a follower of Jesus. In these two verses James pulls no punches in his direct indictment of those whom he has personally experienced not treating others fairly. Interestingly our reading from James and our Daily Walk Bible reading from Jeremiah both address the improper treatment of others and the selfish use of position and power to gain even more in our lives. Although they are both addressing societal woes, some six hundred years apart, the reality is that human nature is never changing. In his first century letter James contrasts the human pursuit to become rich and famous with the plight of those on whose back this may have been accomplished. In both ancient Israel and first century Christianity there existed no legal defense for those mistreated by their masters and/or employers. When the law falls short in the fair treatment of others, we as Christians should have in us the mind that was in Jesus. That principle applies to now as well as to back then.
Blessings
Pastor Jim
Thursday – August 4th – James 5:7-8
*Tyndale. The Daily Walk Bible NLT (Kindle Location 41085). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
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