NCL Blog – Letters from the Beloved – Deceptions Past, Present and Future, Part 2

Last week, we discovered that there is no such person as “THE” Antichrist in 1 John 2:18-19, and that anyone can be actually be antichrist in behavior. We don’t want to do anything to earn the title of antichrist.

This week we are going to look at a different lesson nestled into verse 19.  

1 John 2:19 [NKJV] 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but [they went out] that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

John tells us that antichrists do eventually leave the body of believers and their leaving is proof that they were never really part of the body anyway.

I do get sad when people leave our fellowship. Sometimes they simply move and I know I will miss visiting with them at potlucks.

But if someone leaves because they have been acting “against God” with false doctrines or self-made regulations that add to the loving, righteous law of God but their pet beliefs have not gained traction, they John tells us they were never really part of the body.

When someone tries to add to the law of God or promote some unique interpretation of scripture, we should gently correct them and encourage them to study further. However, if they persist in promoting erroneous interpretations or false doctrines, we have a responsibility to show them that this behavior is not allowed in our congregations.

1 John 2:19 [NKJV] 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but [they went out] that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

To be clear, these brethren do not necessarily have to change their beliefs. If a brother or sister believes, for example, that they should not eat out on the Sabbath, then that believer and those of their household should not eat out.

As Romans 14:23 [NKJV] says, But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because [he does] not [eat] from faith; for whatever [is] not from faith is sin.

Our brothers and sisters should avoid what they truly believe to be sin. But they should not feel the need to convert everyone to that belief. I have seen more than one church split over opposing opinions about eating out on the Sabbath. I’ve known brethren who left a group because the church would not accept this personally held belief as a doctrine.

That is sad because we will miss them.

If they find a new congregation that feels the same about eating out on the Sabbath or incorporates their belief into the congregation’s core values, then there is no real harm done. And we can rejoice that they’ve found a new church home.

All too often, however, these brethren leave to begin just having church in their own homes – a family setting themselves apart from fellow believers. That is not good. We need each other.

Proverbs 27:17 [NKJV] 17 [As] iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

Far worse, would be leaving the faith altogether because they did not get their way in promoting an opinion or personal belief as a doctrine.

To be clear, differing opinions or personal interpretations can abide in one congregation, as long as neither side is sewing discord with promoting their belief. However, if one is promoting a false doctrine, say they decided the Sabbath had been done away with, that person must be lovingly taught the truth and, hopefully, brought around by more seasoned and knowledgeable brethren.

Sometimes when people leave our congregations it is because they were not of us. If he/she leaves and finds a new church home in another congregation we can be glad they’ve found a home where they are comfortable. If that brother or sister leaves the body of Christ entirely, we may need to realize that he/she was not called in this age – is not currently one of us.

However, in all cases, we must pray for those who have left, no matter the reason.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Deceptions Past, Present and Future, Part 1

In my Bible, the next section of 1 John is titled “Deceptions of the Last Hour” and includes verses 18-23. There is so much here to unpack that it’s going to take me more than one blog to cover it.

1 John 2:18-19 [ESV] 18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

Before we consider the message of these two verses, I think it is important to note that John refers to antichrist, not THE antichrist as the New King James has it (and a few other translations). The implication that a “the” exists – that is a specific, single, greater of note than the other “many antichrists” person on entity exists – clouds John’s message, in my opinion.

“Antichrist” means “against God”.

Before our calling we were “against God” and, I think, we would be even now, as believers, if we commit any sin willfully.

Unfortunately, there have been times when I have experienced Church doctrines that are “against God”. How can that be? Well, like the Pharisees and Sadducees of the New Testament times, church leaders - preachers, teachers and administration, but also those that have been given (or have taken) places of authority because they are rich – can bring in opinion or false doctrine that is not underpinned and solidly supported by the Bible and the Holy Spirit’s guidance or vetted by elder, experienced believers.

These same folk, men and women alike, can add burdens to the congregation’s walk with Christ that are unnecessary and push people away from walking in love and freedom. Read Matthew 23:4 and compare it to Isaiah 58:6.

Sadly, I have also seen members and ministers use tactics in trying to bring in new members to the faith that are ultimately “against God” in that they present a false idea of what is needed for baptism or because they focus on threatening the sinner with hell or penalties in this life or other fear tactics.

Again, these tactics tend to push people away from God in that they present Him as cruel, angry and threatening, rather than as a loving Father who seeks to draw us toward Him, to bless us and show us how much better life can be.

God has standards. He gave us the 10 Commandments to show us the things that should and should not be a part of our lives. When Jesus came to earth to dwell among us, He modeled the 10 Commandments perfectly and showed time and again (by words and actions) that the 10 Commandments are spiritual, of the heart, and firmly founded on love of God and fellow man. Read Matthew 5:17-48 and Matthew 22:34-40.

Finally, I have seen that when these self-appointed leaders of the brethren don’t get what they want – when a loving pastor or congregation says, “let me show you a better way” or “let us help you understand the love and law of God more perfecting”, finding that they will not get their way, they leave either for a new congregation to try these pet doctrine on or to create congregation that will follow them. Worst, they may give up and go back into the world because the image of God that they created just isn’t working for them the way they hoped.

To be clear, any time we sin we are anti-Christ. When we repent and are forgiven, we are no longer anti-Christ because of our sins.

However, John, the beloved, was right to warn the church of God about those who will step in “against God” with false doctrines or self-made regulations that add to the loving, righteous law of God.

1 John 2:18-19 [ESV] 18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour

Sweet sisters, watch out for those who do this – no matter what “authority” they bring (or think they bring) to the argument for their “against Christ” doctrines.

Be like the people of Berea. Who, “were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” [Acts 17:11] Lean on the Bible and the Holy Spirit, plus seasoned, humble brethren, to help you spot the people and the doctrines that are actually “against Christ” so that you will not get fooled or trapped into being anti-Christ yourself.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Who You Love

The world will tell you “Love is Love”, but John, the beloved, warns us about what you love.

1 John 2:15-17 [NLT] 15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

Loving this world and the things it offers is a “no go” for Christians. Loving the things of this world in not true love. First, let’s acknowledge that John is not contradicting Jesus, the other apostles, or himself. We are told to love the PEOPLE of this world (including enemies). John is telling us not to love what the world offers. Why?

1.      It results in only wanting more – more pleasure, more things. The love of the world is not a love that is ever content or complete. It will have us always wanting and striving for more.

God tells us to learn to be content with the blessings we have in life. 1 Timothy 6:8 [NLT] 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. [See also Philippians 4:11 and Luke 3;14 for further examples.]

Proverbs 27:20 [NLT] 20 Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied. If we are led by human desires, we will not learn to be satisfied with or to focus on appreciating what we do have.

2.      It results in pride at what we do, have or achieve.

Proud and pride show up 98 times in the Bible. A quick scan showed me that none of them speak of pride or being proud as a good thing for us. 

Proverbs 11:2 [NKJV] 2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble [is] wisdom. Mark 7:21-23, Jesus lists pride as one of the things that come out of man and defile a man. [See also Proverbs 16:5; 2 Timothy 3:2 and Romans 1:30 for just a few examples.]

When we focus on pride in what we have, get, can do or achieve, we miss out on the peace that appreciation for God’s blessings offers us. We lose all the good that comes from understanding that life’s blessings are for sharing. We can lose out on grace.

James 4:6 [NKJV] 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

3.      All these things the world offers do not last.

Matthew 6:19-20 [NKJV] 19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

If you have a retirement plan/401K that is dependent on the Stock Market, you have likely experienced how things you work hard for and do your best with get destroyed by decisions you had no part in making. We have all seen natural disasters wipe out a home and all its contents. Maybe you or a loved one have experienced that.

But, of course, the greatest loss is after we die. Then all we have acquired goes to our heirs or the government or the next in line at work or into decay. We cannot take any of our money, success, power, or possessions into the Kingdom.

Matthew 6:20 [NKJV] "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Sweet sisters, we must love those in the world, even our enemies. We can love things about this world, like sunsets and the taste of a vanilla latte and art created by talented people. However, when we love things and power, success and glory, we find that this love has no positive benefits for us, as it results only in wanting more, human pride, and eventual loss of all that we acquired.

Thank you, beloved John, for this important message.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – This Letter is for You, Listen Up

1 John 2:12-14 [NKJV] 12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. 13 I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him [who is] from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him [who is] from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.

This passage always seemed odd to me. Why go back and forth in 3 verses between “little children”, “young men” and “fathers”? Why didn’t John just give the full instruction to “little children”, and then to the “young men” and finally to the “fathers”? And why sometimes say “I write” and other times “I have written”?

Well, Strong’s concordance answers the latter question. I’m not sure why the translators went back and form between “write” and “have written”, but John used the same Greek word every time. It is a word that can reference the lettering style of the writing or the contents of the writing. So, there seems to be no mystery in John’s choice of words.

Little children = literally a little child or the kindly address of disciples by a teacher

Young men = youth under forty, or a young attendant or servant

Fathers = literally: nourisher, protector, upholder and is also use for male ancestor

To “little children” he reminds them that they are forgiven and have known the Father. This “have known” could mean “have knowledge of”, which seems like the appropriate use of the word, given the John addresses this group as his young disciples.

When we start out in the faith, getting to know the Father is one of the greatest first steps in our path to Christian growth. If we don’t seek to know Him, we cannot grow in faith or learn to walk in His ways. Even before that, understanding that we are forgiven draws us to the Father, to Jesus and to Baptism.

To “young men” he writes, “because you have overcome the wicked one”, and then “Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.” As we grow in faith and obedience, we seek to grow in grace and in knowledge [2 Peter 3:18] of Jesus. Thereby, we become stronger in our faith and overcome the hold of the wicked one on our lives. We sin less and no longer fall for his devices.

To the “fathers” John writes, “Because you have known Him who is from the beginning”. This, then, should be the result from moving beyond a spiritual child and spiritual youth to being a “father” or “elder” in the faith – that we have come to know the Father, who has always existed.

John seems to be saying that regardless of the stage of my Christian walk that I find myself to be in – or that I feel myself to be in – his letter, his message is for me.

“Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.”

In addition, the terms John uses for each stage seem to show affection and respect for those in that stage. In other words, there is no condemnation for being new to the faith or being in a growth stage or having been in the faith long enough to feel I am a spiritual elder. He writes to all to instruct and encourage continued growth.

The reason John’s style of repetition isn’t clear. It could be a writer’s style, emphasizing something that I cannot figure out because I don’t know Greek. I don’t find anything in commentaries to fully explain it, except to say that John is emphasizing what he is saying within this letter, not what he has written in the past (his epistle).

So, I envision it something like this: whether you are a babe in Christ, someone who is working on your growth, or an elder in the faith, I am writing to you, referring both to what he has already said in this letter and what he is about to say. It seems to be a call to “listen up” and a way to emphasize that this message is for me, no matter where I am in my walk with Christ.

John has so much to say in this letter – so much instruction and guidance that this is a good time to take note and to be reminded of its application to everyone in any phase of Christian growth.

Let’s keep that in mind as we continue to study the book of 1 John.

Sweet sisters, John the Beloved wants you to know that his message is for you.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – One degree from Jesus, Part 2

Last week, I wrote about how we know that we are “one degree” from Jesus, as part of exploring this segment of 1 John: 1 John 2:3-6 [NKJV] 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

This week, I’d like us to consider how others know that we are one degree from Jesus.

When I am one degree from Jesus, others whom I work with, live with and come into contact with should enjoy the benefits of being only two degrees from Jesus (e.g., “I know someone who knows Jesus very well.”)

How will they know? We head to John’s Gospel book for the answer.

John 13:34-35 [NKJV] 34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Yep. Love. That’s the key. So, key, in fact, that in the last hours before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus repeatedly gave His disciples this message of loving one another.

John 15:12, 17 [NKJV] 12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ... 17 "These things I command you, that you love one another.”

Between these two verses, Jesus outlines that they is no greater love than laying down your life for others (as He was about to do), tells His disciples they are no longer servants but now are friends, and points out that they are chosen by God to bear fruit. These things would be the evidence of that love.

1 John 2:3-6 [NKJV] 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

It was important to Jesus at the end that He remind them of being called to love. But He spoke about love throughout the His earthly ministry. In my last blog I reminded us that all the law and the prophets are based on loving God and loving our fellow man.  [Matthew 22:36-40]

Jesus also gave us an idea on how we will be judged regarding love = not that we loved, but how we showed evidence of that love. We find it in Matthew 25:31-46. Love pours itself out of us in acts of service to others: visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, etc.

When we do these acts of service and kindness to others, they will know that they are two degrees from Jesus. When people see us doing those things, they will know that I am one degree from Jesus. They will see us loving as Jesus loved – Jesus who healed the sick and feed the hungry Himself.

Did you notice in John 13 and John 15 quoted above that Jesus said, “as I have loved you.” Natural, human love will not be enough. We must have Christ-like love for others in order for them to see that we are so close to Him. We must imitate His way of forgiving even those who hate and harm us, if others are to understand how close we are to Him.

Our Christ-like love will convince others that we really know Jesus. Love put into actions – to acts of service and acts of forgiveness – will be the evidence that you and I are one degree from Jesus.

Yes, love is keeping the law, because all the law and the prophets hang on love. [Matthew 22:36-40] But keeping the law is not what will convince others, nor is it listed in how Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats on judgement day. [Matthew 25:31-46] Christ-like love is found in the doing of good things toward others.

Let’s all go out and do some love today. Not so that we can say, “I am one degree from Jesus”, but so others can see it for themselves. Do it so that others, through our acts of love can say, “I was just two degrees from Jesus today.”

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – One degree from Jesus, Part 1.

Have you ever played the game (or seen it played) called “Six degrees of Kevin Bacon”? It’s where you try to link any other actor to Kevin Bacon in 6 steps or less. Well, recently I found myself to be just three “degrees” from the former President, Donald Trump. Why? Because I have met and been in the NYC offices of a couple of employees of the former president’s good friend, David Pecker, who was the CEO of American Media. Pecker is so close to the former president that his offices were raided as part of an investigation into alleged wrongdoing by Trump. Yep. Kind of crazy.

Matthew 5:48 [NKJV] "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

But that association means nothing to me. It’s just an interesting fact. What is more important is to be “one degree from God” by being someone who knows both the Father and the Son. I am not out to prove anything by being two degrees from Trump. But I have everything to prove by being a real connection to God and Christ.

John, the beloved, talks about this in 1 John 2:3-6 [NKJV] 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Who is the “He” in this passage? Is it God the Father or Jesus? I believe John is speaking of Jesus because of the last sentence “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” Jesus walked this earth and set an example for us as to how we should live/walk on this earth.

So, how do we know that we “know” Him? Verse 4 tells us that it is by keeping His commandments. First, let me say that here is no degree of separation between the Father’s commandments and those Jesus. I don’t want anyone to get the impression that Jesus had different commandments than the Father. When people try to separate them, they forget that Jesus was the one who spoke the 10 Commandments to Moses and wrote them with His own finger onto the tablets of stone. Jesus spoke the statutes and the laws to Moses as well.

So, following the commandments of Jesus is following all the commandments He outlined. In Matthew 19, we read that someone asked Jesus what to do to have eternal life. Jesus’ response was, “But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” And of course, that was not the end of the discussion. I’m not sure if this guy was looking for an out, a lesser list of some sort, or really was unclear, but next we read this: Matthew 19:18-19 [NKJV] 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 19 'Honor your father and [your] mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " Jesus lists a few of the 10 Commandments from Exodus 20 and then adds “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Clearly, He is enhancing the 10 Commandments. And this is not the only place where Jesus shows His followers, then and now, that more is required of us than just not doing sinful things.  This is not the only place where Jesus shows us that we must not limit ourselves to the strict letter of the law if we want to “walk as He walked”.

We find this exchange in Matthew 22:36-40 [NKJV] 36 "Teacher, which [is] the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 "This is [the] first and great commandment. 39 "And [the] second [is] like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Love is not a lesser keeping of the law. Rather, it is a deeper and greater commitment to the law. This is the message of Matthew 5, beginning in verse 17, where Jesus says, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

The definition of this Greek word, which is translated “fulfill”, is “to make replete, i.e. (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow)”. And our Saviors next words show that His intent in to make the law replete (filled or well-supplied) by taking it from a law that could be observed in the letter and teaching us that God wants so much more than just refraining from acts of sin.

The scribes and the Pharisees prided themselves on keeping the letter of the law, but Jesus says, in Matthew 5:20 that we must do better than that.  Matthew 5:20 [NKJV] "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.”

How do we exceed the scribes and Pharisees in obeying the law of God? By internalizing it. Do just refrain from murder – don’t call names, don’t let anger separate you and a brother, and don’t let conflict get in your way. [Matthew 5:21-26] Don’t just refrain from committing adultery – control your mind and thoughts so focused on your mate and not others to the point where you are willing to cut off anyone or anything that pulls you astray. [Matthew 5:27-30] Don’t rely on swearing on sacred things to prove you are truthful – instead let your word be so reliable that you don’t need to swear at all. [Matthew 5:33-37] Don’t take even just revenge, rather give generously and love your enemies. [Matthew 5:38-47]

According to Jesus, our goal should not be strictly seeking to obey the law, but rather living a life that is just like our perfect Law Giver. Matthew 5:48 [NKJV] "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” This is how Jesus walked and how He taught us to walk – in perfect alignment with our perfect Father.

How do YOU know that you are only one degree from the Father and Jesus? You know it by the fact that you walk as He walked, keeping not only the letter, but also the heart and soul of the law – that is, loving God above all and every human as much as yourself.

It’s a tall order, sweet sisters. But it is so much more important to ensure that we live one degree from Jesus than it is to know any leader or celebrity in this life. So, each day we rise and do our best, with the help of the Holy Spirit to walk as He walked.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Do Process of the Law

Do you like court-based shows, like “Judge Judy” or “Hot Bench”? Or police shows like “Cops” or “Live PD”? Or maybe you like fictional shows that are a big part of TV. For example: Law & Order, which has been around for years. If you watch any of these shows you know that when you break the law there is a process that includes accusation and arrest and judgement for the crime in a fair court with legal representation to plead your case. You also know that the court date may end in penalty of some sort – jail time or a fine or both.

God’s process for sinners is not so different.

Psalm 35:24 [KJV] Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

After concluding chapter one of his letter by reminding us that we are all sinners, the beloved disciple opens chapter two on a similar theme.

1 John 2:1-2 [NLT] 1 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins--and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

John states that he is writing so we don’t sin. But quickly follow that statement with the remedy if we do sin. And we know we do sin because he just told us in chapter 1 that we all sin.  

Step one: We sin by breaking God’s law.

[1Jo 3:4 KJV] 4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Step two: We are accused of sin by the Accuser of God’s people: Satan.

Revelation 12:10 [KJV] And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Step three: We are brought in for judgement. A quick search showed me more than 50 scriptures the reference the Father God as Judge in some way, including this one where King David asks God to judge him:

Psalm 35:24 [KJV] Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

Step four: John tells us in 1 John 2: 1-2, that we do not appear before the Just Judge alone. He tells us we have an “advocate” who “pleads our case”. This is precisely what the Greek word used here means - "one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant; an advocate".

Jesus stands with us before the Father, the Just Judge, and pleads our case for us. What might He say? Well, John indicates that Jesus reiterates that He has already paid the penalty for our sins.

While the outcome of any trial-based TV show might be up in the air until the judge rules on the case, we have no such worry or suspense in our own trials and judgement for sin. Remember, John the beloved, tackled the guaranteed outcome of any trial before the Just Judge: 1 John 1:9 [KJV] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We have a Just Judge and a strong Advocate. We deserve death, but our Advocate is faithful and so is our Judge. Pardon is guaranteed.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Everyone is a Sinner

1 John 1:8-10 [NKJV] 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

This passage in 1 John reminds me of the Oprah Winfrey show. But, instead of saying “You get a car! And you get a car! And you get a car!”, John tells us “You are a sinner! And you are a sinner! And you are a sinner! Everyone is a sinner!”

In fact, he tells me that if I say I have not sinned, then I am a liar. And we all know that lying, even if it is bearing false witness about not being a sinner, is a sin. So, I’m guilty anyway.

Psalm 103:12 [NKJV] 12 As far as the east is from the west, [So] far has He removed our transgressions from us.

But don’t miss out on the important point that comes after acknowledging that we all sin. That important point is that, if we confess our sin instead of covering it up or denying it, God WILL forgive us and cleanse us from that sin. Acknowledging our sins, being willing to admit them, is the prerequisite to that promised forgiveness. This realization, that forgiveness and cleansing is a given, should make us more willing to confess our sins to God. Also, we should remember that God already knows them. So, we might as well fess up.

Psalm 103:2-3 tells us, [NKJV] 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,

Forgiveness is one of the great benefits of trusting in and obeying our God. He doesn’t just forgive, He removes the sin from us.

He is merciful toward we sinners. Psalm 103:11 [NKJV] 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, [So] great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;

And He doesn’t just remove sin a little bit. He takes it far away. Psalm 103:12 [NKJV] 12 As far as the east is from the west, [So] far has He removed our transgressions from us. That’s as far away as you can get!

Why does He do this? Psalm 103:13 [ESV] As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. He does it because He has compassion on us or, as the King James version says, He pities us.

We cannot fool ourselves, sweet sisters, we are sinners, and we need to confess our sins to God our Father. We don’t need to be afraid to do that because:

1.      He already knows about our sins.

2.      He will faithfully forgive those sins if we confess them.

So, sweet sisters, take some time today to confess your sins to God. Forgiveness is promised. Our God is faithful to forgive.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Tongues of Fire

I’m taking a break from the book of 1 John this week to write about the day of Pentecost. This is one of the most important dates in the history of Christianity, in fact in the history of the interactions between God and humans.

You see, there was something humanity, even the obedient, had been missing – a piece that kept us from connecting with God in a deep and life-changing way. And that something was the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

But on the first day of Pentecost after Jesus’ death and resurrection, everything changed.

Acts 2:1-4 [NLT] 1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

There was no mistaking the coming of the Holy Spirit. There was a roaring of wind and the falling of what looked like tongues of fire, and then everyone – EVERYONE – was able to speak in a foreign language. Talk about a “shock and awe” campaign. Does God know how to announce things or what?!

The difference in the believers that day was immediate and dramatic!

I don’t know about you, but on the day I was baptized and then had hands laid on me to receive the Holy Spirit, no such drama ensued. No tongues of fire. No rushing mighty wind. No sudden linguistic ability.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe the Holy Spirit entered me that day and remains in me to this day. But English is still my only language. And, please, if something this dramatic happened to you, drop me a note about it in the comments. It would be an amazing testimony.

No, there was not dramatic evidence of the Holy Spirit that day, but it has made itself known in many ways since then, creating change in who I am, how I talk and my ability to forgive; helping me grow in knowledge of the Bible and in relationship with God and Jesus. The Spirit has helped me weather some rough patches, as we can see that it did with the early New Testament believers.

It helped Stephen deliver a strong sermon and then forgive those who stoned him for it. [Acts 6:55-60] It gave Ananias the courage to speak to and anoint Saul, the killer of Christians. [Acts 9:17] It gave the apostles the courage to go right back to preaching Jesus after being jailed for it and then to go right back out again after they were re-arrested and beaten for it. [Acts 5:17-42]

Acts 2:1-2 [NLT] 1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.

You see, more important then the fact that tongues of fire fell upon then, is the fact that thereafter their tongues showed that they were on fire for Jesus and the Gospel message. They, thereafter, had tongues of fire themselves!

And that is one of the great works of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It may not come to us in a show of power, but it will live in us and give us the ability to live “on fire” for the Word of God and the Kingdom of God. By its indwelling we will have the courage to live in power, to speak in power, to endure in power, to forgive in power and to love in power as on one on fire for the Kingdom can do.

Sweet sisters, the Holy Spirit may enter us silently as a lamb, but it should roar out of us with wind and fire and power! I pray the Holy Spirit will be stirred up to do just that in you this day of Pentecost 2023.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Walking on Sunshine

The song titled Walking on Shine (Kartina and the Waves, 1985) is one of my all-time favorites. It never ceases to lift my mood and make me smile. “I’m walking on sunshine. And don’t it feel good!”

John asks us to walk on sunshine…well, something similar.

He tells us that we Christians must walk in the Light. 1 John 1:7 [NKJV] But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

This is another theme that John used in his Gospel and brings forward into his letters. In the opening of the Gospel according to John, he writes that Jesus was life and light. John 1:4-5 [NKJV] 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Matthew also records that we are to be the light of the world. [Matthew 5:14] We are to shine into the darkness of this world. [Matthew 5:16]. We do this for the same reason that Jesus did it – so that our lives glorify God the Father. Luke tells us not to hide the light that we walk in, but to put it on full display. [Luke 8:16]

The Gospel according to John has the most references to Jesus being the light and to our need to be a light as well. He records several times where Jesus said He is THE light.

John 8:12[ NKJV] Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." In John 9:5 [NKJV] Jesu says, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." And that we should abide in His light. John 12:35-36 [NKJV] 35 Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. 36 "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them. John 12:46 [NKJV] "I have come [as] a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.”

So, in 1 John 1:5-7 [NKJV], the apostle whom Jesus loved tells us that he is just passing on the message he heard from Jesus, 5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

God is light with no darkness in Him at all. Anyone walking in darkness has no fellowship with the Father. Jesus is light that came into the world. The Father sent Him into the world to bring God’s light to the world and we are to walk in His light. And if we walk in the light we walk in fellowship of those who have been cleansed from sin.

In John 9:5 [NKJV] Jesu says, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

The books of Acts, Romans, 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, James, 1 Peter and Revelation each have one or more scriptures that talk about the light of God or about we believers walking in the light or about how we are to shine the light of God into the world.

You see, we don’t have light in us, as God does, as Jesus does. They are like the sun. Light shines from within them. But we are like the moon. Our light is a reflection of their light – light that we absorb by walking in their light.

We are to be like Moses, who, after spending time in God’s presence, shone with the light he had absorbed by being with God. [See Exodus 34]

But, unlike Moses, we are not to put a veil over our light. Matthew 5:14-16 [NKJV] 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all [who are] in the house. 16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

I’d much rather walk in His light than in the darkness of this world, where sin hides, waiting to trip us up. Wouldn’t you?

We are called to walk in His shining light, absorb it and then reflect it out into the world. Walking in the sunshine of God. “And don’t it feel good?!”

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Crammed with Joy

One thing I appreciate about a writer or speaker is when he/she explains the purpose of what they are about to impart. It prepares me to receive their message, understand it’s and be ready to put it to use in my life. John, the beloved, does just that in his first letter.

1 John 1:4 [KJV] And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

It is great that his purpose is to give us joy. But the more interesting part to me is to understand this word “full”. What is John really saying about the joy he wants us to have because of this letter?

Full is the Greek word pleroo. One definition is literally “to cram a net”. John isn’t just saying, “I want you to have a lot of joy.” His words call to mind two miraculous incidents in John’s experiences as a disciple of Jesus. The first found in Luke 5:5-9 at the start of Jesus’ ministry, when He first called John, James, and Peter to discipleship. The second in John 21:6-11, when Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection, when they had gone back to fishing.

In both cases, they had been fishing all night, but their nets had repeatedly come up empty despite all their efforts. However, at the command of Jesus they cast out their nets again and brought up a catch that filled their nets to the breaking point.

This is the fullness of joy that John is writing to give us. John wants to help us have so much joy that we are about to burst with it! That kind of joy would be infectious to others. Joy that spills out of, overflows our own life nets, will spread joy out into the world, beginning with those nearest to us.

This word can also mean “finish, accomplish, complete”.

This same word is used throughout the Gospels when they speak of events in the earthly ministry of Jesus as fulfilling the prophesies of the Old Testament about Him. [Just a few examples from the Gospel of John: John 12:36; 13:18; 15:25; 17:12; 19:12. Also see Matthew 1:22; 4:14; 13:35; 26:56 and many, many more.]

1 John 1:4 [KJV] And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

Maybe John meant that this joy should complete us – that we are incomplete as Christians without full joy. That sounds right to me. We can get so caught up in the struggles of life, especially the things that are going wrong, our personal trials or the sin that trips us up, the pain and suffering in the world in general or in the lives of those we love. But God wants us to have joy anyway. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, after all [See Galatians 5:22].

Perhaps John meant to signify both of these thoughts about joy. Could he mean that he wants us to be so crammed full of joy that it works to complete, finish, accomplish our purpose in this life? It seems clear that we are to have joy as obedient children of God. We have answered His call to worship. He doesn’t want this life to be pure slog, sorry and pain. Even if it is rough, like that of the early New Testament Christians, the words we are about to read in this letter from John the Beloved were written so that we can have the kind of crammed full joy that completes us.

I’m looking forward to studying what John has to say that he intended to accomplish joy in us. Aren’t you, sweet sister?

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – The Word

1 John 1:1-3 [ESV] 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us-- 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

 So begins the first letter of John to the churches. Does it sound familiar to you? That’s because this passage harkens back to the first chapter of the Gospel of John, especially John 1:14 [ESV] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 Before John teaches or explains anything else, he wants us to know that Jesus was God, was with the Father, and came down to earth in human form. John touched Him, ate with Him, preached with Him, preached about Him, and beheld not only His work and glory, but also His suffering and death. “We have heard”, “we have seen” and now “we testify” and “we proclaim”.

 This is our work too, sweet sisters. We do not have the opportunity to touch, walk with, eat with and work with God in the flesh in the same way that John did. We were born too many generations after that.

 However, we see His works/working in our lives and in the lives of others. Whether it’s complete healing or patience and love that grows through the suffering; a marriage saved, or believers strengthened through it’s failure; a last-minute rescue from disaster of some sort or a faithful death, we see the Lamb of God when we see His work in our lives and the lives of our fellow children in the faith. We touch the Lamb of God when we touch His followers. We serve the Savior when we serve those He saved.

John 1:14 [ESV] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 Jesus is still “made manifest” in this world through our faithful lives and the examples we set at work, in our communities and in our homes. And, in fact, we cannot be successful at preaching about Him – about God’s plan, about Jesus’ sacrifice, about the laws and Holy Days – until others first see Jesus made manifest in how we think, talk and act. I do not believe we can be effective going at it the other way around.

 Why do we do this? Why do we strive to live our lives to prove that Jesus is, was and will be a living, real, life-changing Savior, Elder Brother, High Priest and future King? We do it so that others too might have the fellowship with us in the family of God.

 Thank God that John is inspired to start here, with his testimony of seeing, hearing, and touching the person of the Devine – Jesus in the flesh – to remind us of our own purpose in living out a life that testifies of Him and our relationship with Him.

 I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Letters From the Beloved - Who Was John?

I am excited to begin this blog series based on the three letters of John the Apostle that bear his name (e.g., 1 John, 2 John and 3 John).

 First, let’s dive into this man, John. Who was he? What kind of person was he?

 When we think about John, we likely think about love. He calls himself, the “disciple whom Jesus loved” at least 4 times in his gospel [John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20]. It is important to note, as I recently heard speaker Beth Moore say in a podcast, that no one else calls John that.

He was at Jesus feet during the crucifixion, when none of the other disciples were anywhere to be found

 Today, before we dive into his letters, I want us to think about the John that Jesus called and loved. The John before the Holy Spirit. The John who Jesus gave a nickname other than “disciple whom Jesus loved”. We don’t want to be tempted to think of him only as an old man, confined to an island prison, writing the book of Revelation. John was a bold, maybe even brazen, young man when Jesus called him and his brother, James, away from their father’s fishing business to become “fishers of men”. [Matthew 4:21-22]

 1.      John was aggressive, assertive:

a.      Jesus surnamed James and John “sons of thunder”. [Mark 3:17]

b.      He and his brother, James, offered to “command fire to come down from heaven and consume” the Samaritans who would not receive Jesus, “just as Elijah did”. [Luke 9:52-56]

2.      He was a bit self-important. He and James asked Jesus if He would designate them to sit “one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory”. One has to wonder if the brothers would have bickered over who got to sit on the more prestigious right hand had Jesus agreed to this request.

3.      He was bold and brave:

a.      He boldly went into the place where Jesus was being (falsely) tried and convicted, even though the high priest knew him. There is no indication that he denied Christ, but we don’t know why – maybe because no one accused him. [John 18:16]

b.      He was at Jesus feet during the crucifixion, when none of the other disciples were anywhere to be found. [John 19:26]

4.      He was responsible. Otherwise, Jesus would not have placed His mother, Mary, into John’s care. This is especially significant since Jesus had brothers who should have taken on that duty. [John 19:26-27]

5.      He was in Jesus’ inner circle. Although Jesus was with all 12 disciples every day, there were times when He singled out Peter, James and John for special situations, including for the healing of a little girl thought to be dead [See Mark 5:35-41], for His transfiguration [See Mark 9:2], and on the night before His crucifixion [See Mark 14:33].

 That’s our John, the beloved. Next week we will begin diving into the teachings and admonitions important to John in the three short letters to the churches that have been preserved for us as part of the New Testament cannon.

 Are you excited? I am! Can’t wait to share the teaching of this complex and disciple.

 I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Transformer

When you see the word “transformer” do you think of those toys that turn from a car or truck to a robot and back, or maybe the movies and cartoons about them? My grandsons are very much into transformers – just like their father was at one time.  

 The work of God is the work of transformation. In this life, He takes what we are and transforms us into what we were created to be = His own children.

 His work begins with transforming how we think and act in this life, as outlined in Romans 12:2 [ESV] Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. He bends and shapes are hearts and minds, our words and work through His Holy Spirit till our hearts, minds, words and works are in His image.

 His work ends with a total transformation into something else entirely – something completely new and different from what we are now. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 [NKJV] 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality.

 The word translated “change” in both verse 51 and 52 means “to change, to exchange one thing for another, to transform”. We will cast off mortal and put on immortality – no longer to look in His image but to actually be made into His image.

 But there is another kind of transformer that we should be thinking about. An electrical transformer is a  device that “transfers electric energy from one alternating-current circuit to one or more other circuits, either increasing (stepping up) or reducing (stepping down) the voltage.”

 Romans 12:2 [ESV] Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,

 We are meant to be conduits for God’s love, His grace, His Word and the Gospel message, transferring them into the world around us by speaking of them and, even more importantly, living them out. The love of God and the knowledge of God that we receive are not ours to hold onto.

 This is what Jesus told His disciples to do. Matthew 10:7-8 [NKJV] 7 "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”

 The Holy Spirit is a spirit of power, not of weakness or fear. [See 2 Timothy 1:7] It is the power to change, not only us, but also through us to change the world.

 Unless, that is, you or I elect to be the type of transformer that reduces the voltage of the Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 says, “Do not quench the Spirit.”  And Jesus warned against hiding that light of God under a basket or bed. [See Mark 4:21]

 We should also be a conduit for the Holy Spirit, passing along the high-voltage connection to God into words and deeds that transfer the love of God from within us out into the world around us. If we do, we will have the power to change this world – to light it up with love and hope and good. We are meant to be His transformers.

 Go out and charge up the world by being a transformer of the Holy Spirit.

 I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

P.S. I am working on a series focused on the three letters of John the Apostle (1, 2, 3 John) and comparing them to his telling of his time with Jesus in the Gospel of John.  Hope to start sharing that with you soon.

Falling on the Stone

Speaking of Himself in Matthew 21:44 [NKJV] Jesus says, "And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."

In the prophesy of Daniel 2, we see that ultimately there is a stone that falls from heaven and crushes the kingdoms of this work. Daniel provides and explanation in verses 44-45 of Daniel 2 [NKJV] 44 "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 "Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold--the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."

The dream tells us that the Kingdom of God will be brought to earth by Jesus, who is the Stone that the builders rejected, but whom God has made the cornerstone of His Kingdom [Luke 20:17].

He is the stone that crushes those it falls upon.

But what about those who fall on the Stone and are broken? Who are they?

You can find several scriptures about women who were broken before God, weeping, and crying out before the alter or in the wilderness in the Old Testament. For example: Hagar in Genesis 21:16 and Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:7.

In the New Testament, we have examples of even more women, already broken by hurt, pain, sin or fear, falling at the feet of Jesus. See Mark 7:25; John 11:2, 32; 12:3.

The walls we put up against pain, doubt, fear, trial and trouble must be broken down to let the love, light and healing of Jesus into our hearts, minds and lives. To us, it is sin that causes us to break when we fall on Him, because His sacrifice was made to separate us from that sin. Sin can no longer inhabit the same space as Jesus, as it did when He was crucified for us. When He said, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”, it was at the moment and only that moment that sin inhabited the same space as Jesus. [Matthew 27:46] For eternity before that moment and for all eternity after that moment, this could not be.

Now, for us, His love breaks down who we were and puts us back together as who we are meant to be in Him. We fall on Him because we are broken by sin, and He lifts us up. We are broken by sin and He puts us back together, better than before.

The people who do not recognize their need for a Savior – who don’t see their own brokenness and voluntarily fall before Him – will be made to fall before the Cornerstone, the Rock of Israel to be broken down and rebuilt in His image in the furture. Much better to voluntarily break ourselves upon Him now.

Matthew 21:44 [NKJV] Jesus says, "And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."

But God and Jesus are our Rocks in so many other ways. Here are just a few examples:

·        The Rock of Salvation – 2 Samuel 22:47; Psalm 89:26

·        Rock of Refuge – Psalm 31:2; 94:22

·        Rock of Strength – Psalm 62:7

Jesus is not a Rock of offense to those who voluntarily seek Him. He has no need to be a crushing Rock or breaking Rock for those who understand their brokenness and seek wholeness in Him. For us, He is the Rock that protects us, gives us strength and is a place of refuge for the already broken to find rest.

Sweet sisters, when sin breaks you, or when you feel broken down by trials, fall before the Rock and He will put you back together again.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

P.S. I am working on a series focused on the three letters of John the Apostle (1, 2, 3 John) and comparing them to his telling of his time with Jesus in the Gospel of John.  Hope to start sharing that with you soon.

My Friend James: Restoration

Do you enjoy watching HGTV? I do. One of the shows I like is called “Good Bones”, where a mother/daughter team may take a house down to its studs in order to restore it to beauty and give it new life as a home for a new family.

This is the work that God does in us. He strips away everything that is carnal – takes us down to the most basic thing we are – and then builds us back up with His will/purpose, love and character into something more beautiful than what we were before.

In fact, He promises us completely new bodies. [1 Corinthians 15:42-45]

Romans 5:8 [KJV] But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

But His greatest work, in my opinion, is restoring us to relationship with Him. This relationship was broken in the Garden of Eden. But it is also broken every time we sin.

When we sin, we move away from God. I want to be clear that He doesn’t move away from us. God cannot exist with sin. However, the reason He does not have to move away from us the way He turned from Jesus when He fully took on our sins, is because Jesus became sin for us. [See Matthew 27:46 and 2 Corinthians 5:21] Jesus’ sacrifice as the perfect Lamb, who takes away the sin of the world [John 1:29], allows us to be in relationship with God, even though we sin.

That is, we may approach Him again. Sin requires restoration, our moving back toward the Father, through repentance and asking forgiveness so that the blood of Jesus may cover that too. We can make that approach toward restoration because of Jesus.

Our friend James tells us that we too can do that work of restoration for others.

James 5:19-20 [ESV] 19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

So, when we see a brother or sister in Christ wandering away from the truth, from relationship with God, and reach out to bring him or her back into fellowship, we are doing the work of Jesus, whose purpose in coming to live in human form was to restore us to relationship with God.

We cannot afford to be okay with letting brothers and sisters go. The work of restoration is the work of Jesus and we are to imitate Him in this.

Prayer is an important component of this work. However, I believe James is saying we need to be at least open to – maybe actually motivated to – working with the wandering brother to let him/her know that they are wanted back at church and that God wants the relationship back too.

People sometimes thing God stops loving them when they sin. Not true. Romans 5:8 [KJV] tells us, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God is not less faithful in forgiveness than He asks us to be. We can count on forgiveness at least 70x7 times we commit a sin, because that is what Jesus asked of us. [See Matthew 18:22] And, of course, I’m joking about that. Just as Jesus’ guidance was meant to indicated that we should always forgive a repentant brother, so we can count on God to always forgive us when we repent, even if we surpass 70x7.

So, look around you, sweet sisters, and see if there are family members, friends or brothers/sisters in Christ who could use some HGTV-like restoration and commit yourselves to the effort of prayerfully and actively working to restore him/her to relationship with God [not necessarily your congregation].

I guarantee that God wants him/her back. Scripture says so.

And the parting shot from our friend James is encouragement to do just that.

That’s it, ladies. We conclude James with his call to participate in the work of God by helping to restore a brother or sister to fellowship.

Check back next week to see where we will go together next. Sending my love out to all of you. I hope you have enjoyed this series about our friend James, the brother of Jesus.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org or leave a message in the chat.

My Friend James: Sing Praises

A great deal of the remaining verses of James 5 have to do with faithful prayer, especially for the sick. We’ll get to that next week. Today, I want to focus on this little admonition in James 5:13.

James 5:13 [NLT] Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.

We do pray for the sick – a lot. Like me, you probably get prayer requests via email, from announcements at church, off posts on Facebook, and directly from friends and family. Maybe, like me, you have a prayer group that texts each other asking for prayer. You may even have special prayer time at church, where you give prayers for those suffering all types of trials.

Since James devotes six verses in James 5 to praying for the sick, we know it is important. But, equally important is the latter part of verse 13: “Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.”

James was not just offering a cool suggestion. We are told that praising God is a sacrifice we should participate in regularly. Hebrews 13:15 [NKJV] Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of [our] lips, giving thanks to His name.

Why? Because Hebrews 13:15 starts with “therefore” we know that the verses ahead of this give us the “why?” we are seeking.

Hebrews 13:10-14 [NLT] talks about Jesus being our better sacrifice and having been sacrificed outside the camp. It says we should go outside the camp to meet Him and then, verse 14, tells us, “For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.”

We should offer the sacrifice of praise because (1) Jesus is our sacrifice for sin and (2) This world is not our home. Many praise songs do offer gratitude for the sacrifice that Jesus made for us and tell of our joy in knowing that there is a better world coming, where there are none of the wars, pain, evil and suffering we must endure in this life.

But praise time is not just for church services. Hebrews tells us to offer “a continual sacrifice of praise to God”. [NLT] Great times for praise are when you garden or take a walk, clean house or drive to work, or any time you see the beauty of nature, or feel appreciative for a new day.

And may I suggest that you put your heart into it? I am often on stage at church, playing some percussion instrument during the song service and I am appalled at the demeanor and facial expressions of those in the congregation. Many of them look more like they are angry, or just ate a lemon, rather than being in the act of praising God. I realize that not all congregational songs are truly praise songs. A few are laments. But I am talking about the ones that no one can dispute as being intended for praise.

Hebrews 13:15 [NKJV] Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of [our] lips, giving thanks to His name.

And even if your church only uses traditional songs (no praise music), those songs and our signing are meant to declare the glory of God, to praise Him and to connect us to one another.

If a church frowns on lifting up hands or repetition in praise songs, we typically respect that and don’t push the envelope. Don’t we? But how you sing and praise at home is exclusively between you and God. Nobody else’s business.

As someone who loves to sing but can’t “carry a tune in a bucket”, I do a lot of lip-synching at church when I am in a crowd. Not always, but often. I usually am either playing congas or have a tambourine or shaker in my hands, so lifting up my hands in worship isn’t an option, even if my church approved it.

However, in my car, in my home, in my garden and on long walks, I crank up the tunes and belt out the praise songs that I love, lifting up my hands (See Psalm 63:4) and even dancing when I feel moved to do so. David danced before God enthusiastically (See 2 Samuel 6:14), so I feel I am on solid ground with this.

I am partial to music by Tribl and Upper Room, which I follow on YouTube. If you look them up, I must warn you that there is repetition, lifting of hands, emotional displays and even dancing in some videos. If that is not your thing, I understand.  I also have a Christian playlist on my phone by Casting Crowns, Amy Grant, Matthew West and others.

What are your favorites songs or groups? Please share in the comments here on via Facebook or LinkedIn.

Whatever music moves you, from traditional hymns to modern praise, our friend, James is clear: If you are happy, you should sing!

Thank you for continuing to join me in the study of the book written by my friend James. As we wrap this up, please let me know where you think we should go next.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org or leave a message in the chat.

My Friend James: AI Did Not Write This Blog

Believe me, I am not anti-AI or anti-technology. In fact, I appreciate the cost reductions that AI use can offer to the struggling publishing industry. My son even used ChatGPT to write some cute stories about my grandsons.

However, I have been reading, with growing concern, about news and information sources increasingly using AI to write news reports. That’s fine if they use it, as one expert I read suggested, in the same way you would an intern – that is, allowing the AI or intern to write a first draft, which a seasoned professional. But for a lot of social media outlets, we now have irresponsible and morally questionable “reporters” posting deliberately fake news, information, photos and videos using advanced AI.

I’ve seen some realistic looking AI-generated photos of President Biden and former President Trump laughing as they play golf together. The person posting the fake photos let everyone know they were created by AI. But we can’t count on that from everyone.

Let’s face it, though, mankind has always had a questionable, shaky relationship with the truth. We just have better tools in modern times.

Our friend, James points that out. James 5:12 [NKJV] But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and [your] "No," "No," lest you fall into judgment.

He was just quoting his big brother, Jesus. We find the Lord saying almost the exact same thing in Matthew 5:33-37.

We can even look to the Old Testament to guide us on how important it is to God that His people are truthful.

Psalm 15:1-2 [NKJV] 1 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? 2 He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart;

If we are going to be women who unerringly speak the truth, we must have a heart for the truth. Once we have proven that to be true, we can be assured that our “yes’” or “no’s” will be accepted by others.

Psalm 40:4 [NKJV] Blessed [is] that man who makes the LORD his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Those with a heart for truth, are careful to keep from being associated with those for whom the truth is flexible. Whether that is a news source, a social media post or a religious organization.

Psalm 101:7 [NKJV] He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence.

If we want to live in the presence of God, we cannot be liars. That includes carelessly reposting things we cannot confirm to be the truth or even hedging the truth to make myself look better in a bad situation.

As a Christian woman, I’d bet you would not out-and-out lie, but it takes more than just not lying to become a person whose “yes” or “no” is easily accepted. It takes being someone whose word is their bond, as Psalm 15:4, speaking of who may dwell in God’s presence, says, “…who keeps an oath even when it hurst, and does not change their mind.” [NIV]

The Bible is clear that we must become the type of Christian who can be counted on to speak the truth, whose word is her bond, and who esteems only those who do the same.

Psalm 15:1-2 [NKJV] 1 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? 2 He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart;

It fun to use AI to create stories and pictures, and I believe it will be a helpful tool to writers and illustrators. But we know the “father of lies” [John 8:44] doesn’t need artificial intelligence to do his lying. That is why we must become women of the “yes” and “no” that can be counted on in every situation.

Thank you for continuing to join me in the study of the book written by my friend James. As we wrap this up, please let me know where you think we should go next.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org or leave a message in the chat.

My Friend James: Heavy Sigh

James 5:9 [KJV] Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. It seems like “grudge” is being used as a verb here. Does it mean “don’t hold a grudge” against each other? The New King James says, “do not grumble”. Which seems to me to say something entirely different.

The Greek word used here means “to sigh, to groan”. We sign or groan when we get frustrated or impatient with something, don’t we? So, I wonder, is James saying that we should not allow our brothers and sisters in Christ to frustrate us to the point of sighing or groaning about it?

The writer of Hebrews uses the same word here: Hebrews 13:17 [KJV] Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you.

So, while Hebrews tells us not to cause those who rule over us any grief (same Greek word as is translated “grudge” or “grumble” in James 5), James tells us not to be grieved by our brethren.

James 5:9 [CSB] 9 Brothers and sisters, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door!

It would seem that our friend James is really counseling us to be patient with one another and also not to be the kind of person that causes grief to others. That’s fair.

Interestingly, the Bible also offers us acceptable “groaning” as Christians.

Romans 8:22-23 [NKJV] 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only [that], but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

The people of God, along with the world He created, groan for the Kingdom and to exchange these mortal bodies for the immortal ones we are promised.

2 Corinthians 5:4-5 [NLT] 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.

So, if the condition of this world – the mess we have made of the planet itself, the oppression we see or hear about, the dysfunctional nature of so many human institutions or personal health issues due to the limitations of a mortal body – cause you to give out a heavy sigh or even a groan, that is no less than God would expect. It should lead us to pray “Thy Kingdome come” with earnestness and fervor.

But if your fellow brethren, who struggle as you do, cause you to give out impatient sighs and groanings, please be sure to cut them a break as they are likely dealing with the messes of their lives and this world just like you.

And try not to be the kind of person who causes others to groan, especially to your fellow brethren, even though they, like you, should be working on patience and understanding with one another.  We all may seem slow to change when others look at us and our spiritual progress, but we need to remember that God is working in each one at His own pace and ours.

We are so close to the end of our time in the book of James. Where shall we go next? Is there a book of the Bible you’d like to explore together? I am considering the book of Matthew or the messages of John (not just his gospel but also 1, 2 and 3 John).

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Farmer Patience

In James 5:7-8, our friend, James, circles back to a theme from chapter 1, verses 2-4, where he says, 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have [its] perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

In chapter 5, after giving the “what for” to the rich over how they treat their workers, we find James offering this counsel: James 5:7-8 [NKJV] 7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See [how] the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

James bids us to be patient. Like a farmer.

If you have ever had a garden, you know that there is a significant amount of time between the seed going into the ground and your opportunity to put tomatoes from your garden onto your hamburger or into your homemade salsa.

Recently, in getting seeds and plants for our church community garden, I noticed that some seed packets said, “45 days from planting to harvest” or “90 days from planting to harvest”. Not fast by modern standards of 2-day shipping or Door Dash delivery in 20 minutes. But at least you know what to expect.

God doesn’t give us that. James says, “the Lord is at hand”. But we are told we don’t know and can’t know the day nor the hour He is coming. We just have to wait patiently.

We don’t get an expiration date on our lives. We must work until that time comes – doing the things God asks us to do.

We don’t know when God will answer our prayers – prayers about oppression or work drama or anything else. We must wait patiently and remain faithful until the answer comes.

Perhaps James was thinking of these words of his brother, Jesus: Mark 4:30-32 [NKJV] 30 Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31 "[It is] like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 "but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."

The Kingdom itself is sewn in small seeds planted in the garden of our community, our jobs, our children’s minds.

James 5:7-8 [NKJV] 7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See [how] the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.

We must be patient. Not just patient, but patient like a farmer, knowing that there is something going on, actually there is a LOT going, on under the surface while he waits. The farmer doesn’t dig up the soil to see what is going on under there. He knows that things are happening. He trusts the process. And while he waits he waters and weeds and fertilizes.

We too must actively wait. We too must be doing our part while we wait.

We are in the final chapter of the book of James. I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on this book by the brother of Jesus for just a few more messages.

Where shall we go next? Is there a book of the Bible you’d like to explore together?

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org