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Christian Devotional – November 3, 2015
Read James chapter 3 VERSE: James 3:6–The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. TRUTH: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never harm me.” This may be the saying that children say, but nothing is further from the truth. The words that we say and the words that others say to us go a long way in shaping who we are and who we will be come. Do we speak words of life and encouragement to…
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Christian Devotional – November 2, 2015
Read James chapter 3 VERSE: James 3:5–Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. TRUTH: The words we say are so important and so impactful. We can build up people and we can tear them down very quickly with just a word. As we are going through our day, what type of fire are we starting with our tongues. Do we start a forest fire of positive words and encouragement and truth with grace? Or, do we start a destructive fire of anger and negativity? RESPONSE: Father, keep my tongue…
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Christian Devotional – November 1, 2015
Read James chapter 3 VERSE: James 3:3-4–When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. TRUTH: James is giving examples of how influential something very small can be in our lives. The tongue is very small and yet it can be devastating in it’s power and destruction if we allow or tongue to say things that are hurtful and mean. Are we in control of what we say and…
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Christian Devotional – October 31, 2015
Read James chapter 3 VERSE: James 3:2–We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. TRUTH: First, we have to realize that we all stumble. None of us are perfect and we need to understand that to be the case. Second, we can also realize that the main culprit of the sin in our lives stem from what we say. If we could only keep control of what we say, then we would be perfect and able to keep everything in check. Unfortunately, none of us are able to keep tight enough control…
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Christian Devotional – October 30, 2015
Read James chapter 3 VERSE: James 3:1–Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. TRUTH: I’ve seen people who just want to teach or lead or instruct others because of the glory that it will bring themselves. They see it as a position of power and control. Yet, James here is reminding people that with more authority and more responsibility comes more accountability. The people who are in those positions will be held accountable for what they are teaching and how they are teaching. We must be very careful that if we are teaching others, in…
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Christian Devotional – October 29, 2015
Read James chapter 2 VERSE: James 2:26–As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. TRUTH: Are we dead? As we examine our life and the motives for what we do, are we living out our faith or not? We can see that the Bible clearly states that if we say we have faith, but we don’t have deeds, then our faith is dead. Are we acting out a living, breathing, saving faith today? RESPONSE: Father, I pray that You will help me to see all that I need to be doing as a way to live out my faith. I pray that You will…
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Christian Devotional – October 28, 2015
Read James chapter 2 VERSE: James 2:25–In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction. TRUTH: James gives yet another example, but this one is much different that the previous example of Abraham. Rahab wasn’t good. She wasn’t a person who had been seeing God her whole life like Abraham, yet even she is listed as displaying her faith through her actions. It doesn’t matter what our past is. When we come to God and by faith accept His free gift of eternal life, He changes us. We…
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Christian Devotional – October 27, 2015
Read James chapter 2 VERSE: James 2:24–You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not be faith alone. TRUTH: As James concludes his example of how faith and actions go together, he wants people to realize that they must be focused on their actions as the living out of their faith. We are a combination of both. Our actions reflect our thoughts and beliefs and our beliefs are reflected by our actions. They should both go together and mirror each other. Are we being consistent in how we live out our life? God sees both our actions and our belief; is He pleased with what…
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Christian Devotional – October 25, 2015
Read James chapter 2 VERSE James 221-22–Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together and his faith was made complete by what he did. TRUTH: James is now giving his example of how faith and action go together. Everyone would have known the story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice Isaac on the altar and how God intervened and provided for him. We can see how God works and moves. We have faith in God and as we act out that faith, we realize that God is…
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Christian Devotional – October 24, 2015
Read James chapter 2 VERSE: James 2:20–You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? TRUTH: James has been talking about how faith and actions go hand in hand and now he is continuing his argument against those people who claim that faith by itself is all a person needs. James knows that if a person has true faith then they will be acting out their faith. As a result faith that doesn’t result in actions is not true faith. He will continue his argument in tomorrow’s verse, but we need to know that if we believe that just having faith by itself is all there…