The Right Community

James 4:1-3, 7-10. NRSV

“Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.  . . . Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

We are in community. It depends on the community we are in that will affect us. Verse one through 1-3 shows community with the world. 7-10 shows community with God. Which one? In 7-10 are imperatives- commands on what we are to do. Let’s hold to community with God. Blessings! 

Watch Him

Hebrews 11:1&6 NRSV

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. . . . And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Go back and read the whole faith narrative. It builds and builds and builds. We understand what faith is, “It is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Then we have examples of those who had great faith. But in the middle of it all a bottom line, a conclusion, and then on more to those who had faith. “And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” 

That’s faith. We don’t need great faith- but faith in God.  is indeed great faith. We know what he can do, we trust what he does, what he will do. He has our best interests at hand . . .in his heart. When we are sure of that, we can rest in that. Hold on to your faith in God. You see, many times we place faith in mankind and mankInd will let us down. And we transfer that hurt that disillusionment to God. Oh but when we reverse the process. When we place our faith in God-we can’t lose. We are not disappointed. Faith in God does not disappoint. My my my. Watch what God is doing in your life. And thank him for what you see, and for what you don’t see. He has moved mountains on your behalf. He is still the One. 

Congratulations Adam, on your graduation today! 

Congratulations Marq on no more boards.

Blessings of hope for each of us as we watch what God is doing. enough for now.