18 Nov 2007

18 Nov - Ezekiel 37-38; James 1:19-2:17; Psalm 117; Proverbs 28:1

James talked about faith and work. I remembered the story about the thief handing besides Jesus asking Jesus to remember him. And Jesus said that today he will be with him in paradise. There was nothing he can do as he was hang on the cross. It was therefore his faith and his faith alone that brought salvation. There was no works he can do to gain salvation. So what works?

1:22 be doers of the word.
The first piece of actions is our speech. 1:19 be slow to speak and slow to anger and 1:21 compares these ill actions as filthiness and rampant wickedness. Watch them closely.

The second piece of actions is our actions - how we view others and how we show partiality.

God knows that we cannot be completely and without any wrong doings by obeying the laws. For by one wrong actions we became a transgressor of the law (2:11). Therefore we need mercy. Jesus is God mercy for us.

So by our believe in Jesus, is in the same way the thief have faith in Jesus, we have salvation. It is the mercy of God that we need not to go through judgement. Therefore in the same way do not judge. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy (2:13).

How then to show mercy? - be a doers of the words. 2:1 show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord and 1:26 bridle your tongue.

The tongue has great influence, our failur to control it results in speech not desire to be spoken and our anger as a consequences of both speech and actions caused us to fall into transgressor of the law.

Remember me, Lord. I pray for peace in my household. I pray that you may release peace and remove anger, judgement from my household. I pray for mercy to be shown to my father that he may know you as his saviour.

I pray for myself, that since you have shown mercy by simple putting faith in you, now let me in return be the doers of your words, so that others may also expericence this mercy. Let me be slow to speak, slow to anger and show no partiality nor judgement of others. Let my actions display your mercy for in 2:13 - Mercy truimphs over judgement. Least that I may bring someone to you and not to stop them from knowing you. Amen.