NOVEMBER 19, 2018

“To live by grace means to acknowledge my whole life story, the light side and the dark. In admitting my shadow side I learn who I am and what God's grace means.” 
― Brennan Manning

EZEKIEL 20-21

 22But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. (20:22) 

JAMES 1

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^a whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

9Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

12Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

JOURNAL 

Honestly it is frustrating reading through Ezekiel and actually a lot of the old testament. Especially the stories of the Israelites rebelling against God and then being punished for that rebellion. Over and over and over again. 

It is not so much their behavior but rather their heart. It is their ungratefulness, lack of reverence, lack of relationship etc. They don't trust nor do they really seem to care about anything other than immediate gratification, right here right now. It is frustrating because it if I'm honest...it exposes my own rebellion, my own sin. This exposure is necessary though to reveal and remind me that I need God and need him every moment of every day.

Juxtaposing that with James affirms that God does command his followers to live in the moment..but to live in the moment in obedience to him and his word. This, to me, is one of the reasons James is filled with verses about doing and putting into practice the aspects of faith. It is the here and now that affirms the crux of faith...It doesn't matter whether rich or poor, sick or healthy, success or failure...what will matter is the heart, which in the end is ALL that really matters. Yet because of that every moment is not to be wasted or dismissed, it is an opportunity to seek God and reflect his light to this world. 

Thank you Father for the gift of another day, help me to live it and maximize it in obedience to you..............

 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

JAMES 1:17-18