Unstained by The World

Aug7

You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
James 4:4 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.4.4.NASB1995

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:15 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/1jn.2.15.NASB1995

because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 8:7-8 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/rom.8.7-8.NASB1995

🌹Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: . . . to keep oneself unstained by the world.
James 1:27 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.1.27.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

What’s Your Motive?

Aug6

. . . You do not have because you do not ask.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives (wickedly), so that you may spend it on (in) your pleasures.
James 4:2c-3 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.4.2-3.NASB1995

We sometimes, often, ask for treasures, earthly treasures, that reveal where our heart is. Let us remember that what we  treasure most is where our hearts abide. (Matthew 6:21) God blesses the gifts He gives.

He blesses our obedience.

and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
1 John 3:22 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/1jn.3.22.NASB1995

🌹“He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”.
James 4:5b NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.4.5.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Reflections of a Murderer

Aug5

What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. . .
James 4:1-2 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.4.1-2.NASB1995

Selfish desires are at the root of many a conflict. We need to acknowledge these desires, confess them to the Lord, and then repent before we are found guilty of murder.

“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
Matthew 5:21-22 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.5.21-22.NASB1995

Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
1 John 3:15 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/1jn.3.15.NASB1995

The Lord Jesus abides in the person of faith. There is no room for division among the people of faith since Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith. It is He who disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. There is no quarrel or conflict with a brother or sister in Christ worth standing guilty before our Lord God.
Hebrews 12:2 NASB1995¹
Hebrews 12:10 NASB1995²

🌹We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
1 John 3:16 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/1jn.3.16.NASB1995

Experiencing quarrels or conflicts with a fellow believer? Take them to the throne of grace in prayer and let God handle it. He can change your heart and theirs as well.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

¹https://bible.com/bible/100/heb.12.2.NASB1995
²https://bible.com/bible/100/heb.12.10.NASB1995

Earthly Wisdom

Aug4

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural (unspiritual), demonic.
James 3:14-15 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.14-15.NASB1995

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,
1 Timothy 4:1 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/1ti.4.1.NASB1995

In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts. These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.
Jude 1:18b-19 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jud.1.18-19.NASB1995

God will render to each person according to his deeds: to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
Romans 2:6,8 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/rom.2.6-8.NASB1995

Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;
the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;
1 Corinthians 2:6, 8 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/1co.2.6-8.NASB1995

🌹For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
James 3:16 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.16.NASB1995

Reminder: the attributes of godly wisdom from above are . . .
first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
James 3:17 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.17.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Thanks & Praise

Aug1

Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.
1 Chronicles 29:13 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/1ch.29.13.NASB1995

When was the last time you thanked God? Praised His name? On Sunday? Or is it an everyday occurrence?

What a wonderful gift to give to our Lord, to acknowledge His blessings as they happen with thankfulness and praise. I have found that the more I thank God the more I see things to be thankful for and that is worth praising Him.

🌹Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
Hebrews 13:15 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/heb.13.15.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Attributes of Wisdom

Jul31

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
James 3:17 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.17.NASB1995

These attributes of wisdom sound vaguely familiar to the fruit of the Spirit, don’t they? Another affirmation that wisdom is from God through His Holy Spirit living in us.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/gal.5.22-23.NASB1995

🌹And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
James 3:18 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.18.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

The Gentleness of Wisdom

Jul30

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
James 3:13 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.13.NASB1995

Gentleness of wisdom is humbleness in serving, teaching, mentoring, living – in all we do. We are not to boast of the wisdom we have because wisdom is from God Himself.

For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:6 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/pro.2.6.NASB1995

🌹But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
James 1:5 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.1.5.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon https://indasharonjesus.org

Fruit Bearing Heart

Jul29

Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?
Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.
James 3:11-12 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.11-12.NASB1995

The mouth reveals what’s in the heart,
for the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. Jesus said, “I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Jesus said you will know others by the fruit they bear. Every good tree will bear good fruit, but a bad tree will bear bad fruit. We bear the fruit of what resides in us.
Matthew 12:34b, 36-37/Matthew 7:16-18, NASB1995 (Paraphrase)

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
John 15:4 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.15.4.NASB1995

Who resides in you? Jesus our “I”?

🌹Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
John 15:2 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.15.2.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Parable of The Sower

Jul28

Matthew 13:3-9; Mark 4:3-9; Luke 8:5-8

The parable of the sower must be a very important story for it to be recorded three times in the Bible.

I had the privilege last week to share from the book of Matthew this parable with 35 children ages 9-12. At the end of the week they were asked, “Which heart are you?”.

Verses 3-4: The hard heart. Hears but doesn’t listen so as to apply it to the heart.

Verses 5-6: The stony or rocky heart. Receives the word with great joy but no roots in the word of God are grown so it dies.

Verse 7: The heart of thorns. This heart hears but selfish desires and fears choke out the word.

These three hearts bear no fruit for the kingdom of God.

Verse 8: The healthy heart of good soil hears, understands, and does good works, bearing fruit for God’s kingdom.

God makes our heart good so we understand His word and produce fruit. The fruit begins in us by the Spirit of God. We understand and grow spiritually by His word. We obey God’s word. We tell others about Jesus. We are a caring, loving person.

A heart that desires to know Jesus more and more everyday will grow in knowledge of His word and follow Him in obedience to His word.

Which soil are you?

🌹He who has ears, let him hear (listen).”
Matthew 13:9 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.13.9.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

The Best Friend Ever,  Pt. 4

Jul25

For the Lord your God is a  compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them. — Deuteronomy 4:31

The best friend ever is compassionate. Compassionate means showing mercy and being sympathetic. How wonderful to have a friend who can sympathize with you. Jesus lived on earth as a man so He could relate to human experiences. What an awesome God who was willing to leave His throne to come to earth so He could relate to us. He is all about relationships, especially with us.

He is a friend we can share any part of our life with and He understands. Anything! What a blessing. And when we share our faults and failures He has mercy on us. He is not a friend who takes your confidential information and uses it to destroy you. He will not fail you. Could we ask for a better friend?

Jesus is our compassionate friend. Come to Him for the best friend you’ll ever have. He is waiting to have a relationship with you, to help you be the best you can be, a new person beyond your imagination. Seek my Friend. He is worth it.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Repost from February 3, 2014