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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 (James 3:17). She threw a fruit I couldn't dodge; I giggled at the blow. I picked one up and tossed it back; The fight began to flow. He stood by, watching, wondering; And I just couldn't resist. Before he knew...
Keep ReadingYou can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor. James 3:18 (MSG) It's hard work to learn to tame the tongue, and in turn treat others with respect. It's something we've spoken with our children about at length, and a frequ...
Keep Reading"Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." (James 3:5) "We all stumble in many ways" (3:1). James' pronouncement (understatement?) is just as true now as it was centuries ago. These past months of isolation, loneliness, frustration, and fear have provided plentiful opportunities, even for Christians who should be modeling a life of humility, to go wro...
Keep ReadingJames 3:1-18 Ever said anything you regret saying? Ever spoken too soon? Ever failed to speak up when you knew you should have? Ever had someone say something to you that broke your heart, your spirit? Ever said something like that to someone else? "Sticks and stones may break my bones Loose lips sink ships Me and my big mouth!" Welcome to James 3. This chapter is our ...
Keep Reading"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night" (Joshua 1:8). Have you ever tried to pry a bone away from a dog? Watch outyou might get snapped at, or nipped! This is a picture of what it means to meditate on Scripture. Not the snapping or nipping partthe gnawing. One of the Hebrew words which our Bibles translate as meditate is ve...
Keep Reading"Get ready to cross the Jordan River." (Joshua 1:2) Treading water gets tiring. Getting to that distant shore seems impossible, so I keep treading water, momentarily safe. My efforts get me nowhere but exhausted; I can't keep doing this. What's the other alternative, drowning? It's terrifying to stop treading water, scary to start moving forward. I can't reach the shore, ...
Keep ReadingRemember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: "The Lord your God is giving you rest and has granted you this land (Joshua 1:13). You are to help your brothers until the Lord gives them rest (Joshua 1:14b). Please pause here and picture a sleeping baby. Did you smile? They are so sweet when they're sleeping, aren't they? Yet their way to dreamland ofte...
Keep ReadingAfter the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua, "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River " (Joshua 1:1-2). What got you here may not be all you need to get you there. As the book of Joshua opens, the people of Israel are at a significant "restart" moment. Forty years of wilderness wander...
Keep ReadingHave I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 Once upon a time in a land far away I was a teacher. In college I took an education course specifically geared toward instructing new teachers how to create effective lesson plans. It was tedious work, but all th...
Keep ReadingJeremiah 2 Has it ever happened to you that a good friend "got in your face" about some aspect of your conduct and, much as you may not have liked the experience, you had to (eventually) agree that your friend was on to something? Welcome to Jeremiah 2. Here the "friend" is the Lord God Almighty, and the faces being gotten into belong to the people of Israel. It's a tou...
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