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Reader: “It is sin to know what you ought to do” Response: “and then not do it.” Scripture: James 4:11-17>Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? >Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil. >Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. Reader: “The word of the Lord.” Response: “Thanks be to God.”
Anonymous
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Some thoughts: In many ways the book of James is the “Proverbs” of the New Testament. It also harkens to the Sermon on the Mount: “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Then there is the reminder of the “beam in the eye” reference. Paul likewise in Romans addresses the “judging a brother” concern. Notice speaking evil is associated with judging and violating God’s law. To what law is James referring? It’s the law of loving your neighbor as yourself. We certainly make judgments all the time. Discernment is vitally important, but delighting in criticizing another crosses the boundary. James seems to know how humans enjoy finding faults in others. Then there is this wonderful line, “Your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.” James knows us too well! God alone is the Judge. The past portion of our reading is a warning about being too self-confident about today and tomorrow. The future is always uncertain from our perspective but never from God’s. All our days are numbered before there was even one of them (Ps.139:16). All of us have had something happen in our lives that was unexpected. We had our plans and then instantly everything changed. James has introduced this measuring phrase, “If the Lord wants us to . . .” or in our words “Lord willing.” Rather than walking around “Lord willing” everything, James is reminding us of the significance of not forgetting about God as we make all our plans and decisions for the future. It is the Lord who has authority over our lives. James’ final short word is powerful. Knowing what we ought to do and not doing it is sin. The converse is true as well: knowing what we ought not do and doing it is sin. Sometimes our problem is we don’t know whether or not we should do or not do. In such cases, it seems wisdom would say wait until you know for certain so you are acting in faith and confidence. Wise words from James as we begin another year!
Kanae !!hQ/1tweJCN+
>>11889581 I want to SMOOCH that anime guy
On the LIPS! :3
Anonymous
Music: “We Three Kings of Orient Are” Robert Shaw Chorale a wonderful setting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1ZOGTPsxng Bonus: “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” Casting Crowns
The message to our world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7670CXvPX0 Anonymous
>>11889586 Hi, Kanae! How are you today?
Anonymous
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Prayer: Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking, lighten our darkness, we beseech Thee, and by Thy great mercy defend us; for the love of Thine only Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. ―BCP
Kanae !!hQ/1tweJCN+
>>11889592 Hi cutie! I'm okay, thank you. How are you?
Anonymous
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>>11889587 This isn't from Daniel Sharp's devotional, but I wanted to add to the music selection today.
"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," a capella, original 1872 tune
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK7-qA8QJMY Anonymous
>>11889598 Doing well. Going to work in a couple of hours. Also have some graduate school stuff to do today.
How can I be praying for you?
Kanae !!hQ/1tweJCN+
>>11889602 I don't know
Would you like to eat vegan burgers with me?
Anonymous
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>>11889610 Haha, I'd like to, but I'd have to cross the pond first, which I won't be able to do anytime soon.
Anonymous
Anonymous
>>11889620 Who would do the beheading?
Anonymous
>>11889642 me, obviously, are you dumb? mentally retarded maybe?
Anonymous
Anonymous
>>11889645 This is 4chan, so it's easy to talk big here.
I sincerely ask you, could you really bring yourself to kill another human being? Shitposting aside.
Anonymous
>>11889668 yes, without a blink of an eye,
Anonymous
>>11889678 Suppose Jesus is Lord and you had to answer to him someday for your life. What would you say to him?
Anonymous
Anonymous
>>11889710 I see.
The reason I ask is because it has happened before.
You may be familiar with the Apostle Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament. He used to arrest and kill Christians himself because to him they were "infidels."
>But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him. He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” >He said, “Who are you, Lord?” >The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.” >The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one. Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank. Anonymous
>>11889710 >>11889722 Dubs confirm the word of the Lord
>Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” >He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.” >The Lord said to him, “Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying, and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.” >But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem. Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” >But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” >Ananias departed and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized. He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus. Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God. All who heard him were amazed, and said, “Isn’t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!” Anonymous
Anonymous
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>>11889710 >>11889725 >But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ. When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket. When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. He was with them entering into Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him. When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus. So the assemblies throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace, and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Saul/Paul, who was as zealous as killing infidels as yourself, was transformed into the most erudite evangelist for the Gospel. Does that give you any pause?
Anonymous
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>>11889727 Say, that's pretty good.
Anonymous
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>>11889722 all abrahamatics are cucks
Anonymous
do christfags realize how stupid bible verses look to anyone outside their cult
Anonymous
Anonymous
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There will never be a world where you speak to me like this. -The thunder and the lightening
Anonymous
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Hey, if there's anyone in this thread who's even remotely curious about Jesus, this is a good place to start. If you decide you're not interested, you can just delete it. But if you are, it's the beginning of the greatest journey you can take.
https://members.ptl.org/ GOJ/797373