Let him show it

Let him show it
Question,  Are you living life the way God would want you to live?
James the half brother of Jesus writes,
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.  
Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.  
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 
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.  
Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” James 3:13-18.
If you claim to be a follower of Christ you will desire to live a life that is acceptable to Jesus. In order to do that we must do our best to live a good life. A life of humility. We are not to harbour bitter envy and selfish ambitions or deny the truth. As James tells us this “is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.”
As James states,
“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
Wisdom however that comes from heaven as James put it
“...is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
The Apostle Paul tells us,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is 

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, 

goodness, faithfulness,  

gentleness and self-control. 

Against such things there is no law.  

                                          Galatians 5:22,23.

 If we claim to be Christians what James and Paul are saying need to be seen in our life by those around us with out us saying a word.
The apostle Peter writes,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
Dear friends,
I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:9-12.
Question, when people see your life, what are they seeing?
Please think about it. 

Because

Because

Because...

“...He (God) first loved us.”

       1 John 4:19

I will...love God

Because...

“...God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, t

hat whoever believes in Him should not perish 

but have everlasting life.”  

John 3:16

I will...have faith in Christ, faith in God

Because...

Jesus when asked, 

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 

   Jesus replied: 

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  

                This is the first and greatest commandment.  

             And the second is like it: 

        ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  

      All the Law and the Prophets 

hang on these two commandments.” 

       Matthew 22:36-40

I will...love my God and my neighbour.

Because...

Jesus said,“You have heard that it was said, 

‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  

But I tell you: Love your enemies 

and pray for those who persecute you,” 

Matthew 5:43,44

I will...love my enemies and pray for my persecutors.

Because...

“Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It is not rude, 

it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

   Love never fails....

     And now these three remain: 

faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest  of these is love.”  

1Corinthians 13:4-8a,13

I will...I will love unconditionally.

Will you do the same?

Please think about it.

Advice to Christians

Advice to Christians
The Apostle Peter writing to believers in Christ gave this advice,
“To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed:  
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.  
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.  
To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” 1Peter 5:1-11
Peter makes several important points here. First to the older men in the Church he states,
“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
The older presumably better educated in the word of God and the knowledge of Christ are to be shepherds. To serve as overseers.
Overseers are there to see that those under them are correctly following the word of God not going astray. They must do this by example not by lording over people and trying to force them to do what is right.
They must also do it because they want to do it, not for money. Peter says they should “not be greedy for money” “but rather eager to serve”. 
To the younger men he states,
“Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
Young men can be very eager to serve the Lord. As some one has said some young Christians “want to serve God and they want to server now! without waiting to learn about the ways of God and Christ.”
Young men need to humble themselves, Pray, study the scriptures and learn all they can about the ways of God and the teachings of Jesus. Then wait on the Lord and in due time God will lift them up.”
Young men need to go to those who are older than themselves for council and teaching. Then when they are ready use their youth in the service of God.
We are called to cast or anxieties on Jesus. To be self-controlled and alert. To resist the devil and stand firm in the faith. No matter the circumstances we are in.
Thus the questions are;
If you are older and in a position of trust within the Church are you leading others by your example? Are you correctly teaching the word of God to those entrusted to you?
If you are younger, are you humbling yourself before God and learning from those who are older in the Lord?
And no matter who you are, are you correctly teaching the word of God?
Please think about it.