Here is a free download from my main website. This booklet contains a collection of short reflections from the book of James in the New Testament. The reflections have grown out my morning devotions and meditations on Scripture. There are 14 in total.
Over the last year or so I have prayed the Jesus prayer a lot, especially on my prayer beads. The Jesus prayer says, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”.
The Jesus Prayer is founded in biblical passages and popularized by the Desert Fathers in the 4th and 5th centuries.
Key scriptural influences include…
The prayer also reflects the biblical call to “pray without ceasing” that is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
I tend to pray the words very slowly and deliberately. I breathe in and silently pray “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God”. Then I breathe out and say, “Have mercy on me, a sinner”.
For me it becomes a prayerful meditation.
“So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.” Romans 8:6-8
When I was in high school we had a class that taught the basics of car mechanics. In it we learned that a car had three main areas. The engine, the gear box and the diff.
The engine powered the car, the gear box connected the power of the engine to the diff, and this made the car go. We learned that you could start the engine and rev the motor, but unless you put the car in gear, it would not go.
For us as Jesus followers, the mind is like the spiritual gear box of our lives.
Our mind engages whether you to do the things of the Spirit or the things of the flesh. Just as we put our cars in D for drive to go forward, we need to put our mental gear box in S for Spirit.
We need to set our minds right and allow the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us in all situations. We need to choose the things of the Spirit over the things of the flesh.
Our actions, or the things we do, follow choices. Let us choose to put our spiritual gear box on S and choose the things of the Spirit today.
God Bless,
Dave
In a number of places in the Book of John, Jesus tells His disciples about things that show the world they are His followers.
In today’s post I want to share three.
1. Your love for one another
John 13:35 – Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.”
2. You produce much fruit
John 15:8 – When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples. This brings great glory to My Father.
3. Remain faithful to My teachings
John 8:31 – Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings.
These three things show us what it takes to be considered a true disciple of Christ in His eyes. This is a good reminder for us and something to aim for.
As Christians we all sin. No matter how hard we try to live right we all stumble at times. We are all human and we live in a world that is harassed by sin.
However there are four things that help me when I sin. I have shared these in my sermons over the last few weeks and I thought I would share them here.
1. God looked for man when he sinned in the Garden of Eden – Genesis 3:8 tells us God called out to man to find him. Even after the first sin, God pursued Adam.
2. Jesus died for our sins – Romans 5:8 says that Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. He paid the price for our sin.
3. God gave us a way to get right with Him – 1 John 1:9 tells us that God provided confession as a way to get right with Him when we fall short.
4. We have an Advocate in heaven – 1 John 2:1 reminds us that when we sin Jesus pleads our case before the Father in Heaven.
These things help me to remember that God is on my side. He knows I will fall short at times and He has provided ways for us to be right with Him.
It started after the first sin with Adam and Even, it continued with Jesus death on the cross and when we confess it continues with our Advocate in heaven pleading on our behalf.
These four things give me comfort knowing that when I sin forgiveness and restoration is just a prayer of confession away.
God Bless,
Dave
PASSIONAustralia.blog 