How often have we wanted some bit of direction, wisdom or insight from God? But since we don’t see a blazing angel come directly down from the sky with a fiery scroll in his hand we don’t think God hears or responds to us. There’s a scene in a Jim Carrey movie called Bruce Almighty … Continue reading Ordinary means for extraordinary measures
Author: Matthew Ruttan
Not TO us but FOR us
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). I once heard someone speak dismissively about the 10 Commandments. They thought they were just a bunch of random rules. It got me thinking about how the wisdom and commands of God are not something he does TO … Continue reading Not TO us but FOR us
The prayer of a righteous person
James offers a bold word: “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16 ESV). Wow. Let’s unpack that a bit. First, what does it mean to be “righteous”? In the New Testament, that word can have different nuances based on the context. Here it most likely refers to … Continue reading The prayer of a righteous person
Looking like the one we believe in
Children often look like their parents. Sometimes you see a child and the resemblance is so strong that the parent doesn’t even need to be there and you say, ‘I know who your dad is,’ or ‘I know who your mom is’! When God looks upon us he sees what we look like on the … Continue reading Looking like the one we believe in
Not an accessory
Today I’d like to share a word with my fellow followers of Jesus. This is for the spiritually mature, and for the spiritually immature; for those who have been walking the road for a long time, and for those who are new to the path; for those who are usually confident, and for those who … Continue reading Not an accessory
Directing your happiness
In the Bible, James is so wise. He gives insight about how to respond to a variety of different situations. Here’s an example. In James 5:13 he writes: “Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.” Simple. Straightforward. But what difference does it make? Earlier he has said that “Every good and perfect gift is … Continue reading Directing your happiness
Sinicism
Sinicism. You’re right. It’s actually spelled with a C. Cynicism. But lately I’ve been thinking that an overly cynical view of the world is sin—hence, sin-icism. Let me explain. When it comes to plain old cynicism, I get it. There is a lot we could be cynical about. I mean, a lot. Have you watched … Continue reading Sinicism
Look to the example of others
We’ve been talking about perseverance. In the Bible, James gave some very down-to-earth counsel to those enduring hardship: “Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered” (James 5:10-11). … Continue reading Look to the example of others
Soul cleats
In James 5:8 we read: “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” Let’s zero-in on the phrase “stand firm.” The oldest manuscripts we have of this passage are in Greek. “Stand firm” is an imperative verb. In other words, it’s a command that James expects to be followed. But … Continue reading Soul cleats
Patience follows hope
It’s good to be patient. My Louw-Nida Greek dictionary defines patience like this: “a state of emotional calm in the face of provocation or misfortune and without complaint or irritation.” In James 5:7-8, we learn WHY we can be patient. As his readers face hardship, he says this: “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until … Continue reading Patience follows hope
