James 4 (AD 48) Some Christians claim that their decision-making, attitudes and opinions are always correct and always good because they have the Holy Spirit living in them. God – via James – disagrees. Other Christians become despondent when they feel a weight of ungodly desires and attitudes. They imagine that if they were better, … More Day 175: Desires that Battle Within
James 3 (AD 48) James 2: you claim to be a Christian? Show it by what you do. James 3: you claim to be a Christian? Show it by what you don’t do. Speaking your mind used to be frowned upon. Nowadays, at least in western societies, saying what you think – no matter how … More Day 174: You’re a Christian? Show it.
James 2:14-26 (AD 48) Martin Luther, for many the figurehead of the Reformation, was not the biggest fan of this letter, and today’s passage is a key reason why. Luther said, “The epistle of James gives us much trouble, for the Papists embrace it alone and leave out all the rest…Accordingly, if they will not … More Day 173: Faith alone, not faith that is alone
James 2:1-13 (AD 48) Have you ever been a victim of favouritism? It’s hard to imagine that everyone hasn’t, at some point, been on the receiving end. But it’s equally hard to imagine that we haven’t all at some point been the perpetrators of it. James wrote to a poor Christian community. Society was more … More Day 172: Favouritism
James 1:1-18, part 2 (AD 48) “I don’t know what to do!” “I’m looking for a sign.” “I wish God would just tell me which way to go.” “I’m trying to find God’s will for me in this situation.” “I’m trying to find the path God wants me to walk on.” It’s a common wish, … More Day 171: How to Get Guidance
James 1:1-18, part 1 (AD 48) I recently had an exquisitely painful experience with far too much scalpel and far too little (actually zero) anaesthetic. There was no joy for me in that tribulation. And yet. As much pain as I was in, I knew that the cuts being made would save me from much … More Day 170: Joy in Trials
Acts 14 (AD 48) – Part 2 I keep re-reading how Paul and Barnabas responded to the slander and opposition in Iconium – what a witness for how to serve God: “…the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable … More Day 169: Preaching, Fleeing, Pastoring
Acts 14 (AD 48) – Part 1 Verses 11-12: “When the crowd saw what Paul had done [healed a lame man], they shouted…’The gods have come down to us in human form!…the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.” Verse 21: “They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples.” … More Day 168: People Win Converts & God Converts
Acts 13:13-52 (AD 48) This was a very conciliatory way of preaching to the Jews, despite the fact Paul was expelled from the entire region because of it. There was no notion in his message the whole nation was responsible for the murder of Jesus. References to prophets without pointing out a lot of them … More Day 167: Paul: Missionary to the Jews…and then not so much
Acts 12:25-13:12 (AD 44) No, sorry, you and I must not declare someone “a child of the devil” if they oppose our Christian work. And can’t strike people dumb just because they start doing Satan’s work in front of us. Paul saw the risen Christ and was directly called by God to be an apostle … More Day 166: Write Some of the Bible, THEN Curse Me Out as Satan’s Child
Paul T Reynolds 