Being real

 Psalm 145:1–21 (ESV):  

1  I will extol you, my God and King, 

and bless your name forever and ever. 

 2  Every day I will bless you 

and praise your name forever and ever. 

 3  Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, 

and his greatness is unsearchable. 

 4  One generation shall commend your works to another, 

and shall declare your mighty acts. 

 5  On the glorious splendour of your majesty, 

and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. 

 6  They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, 

and I will declare your greatness. 

 7  They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness 

and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 

 8  The Lord is gracious and merciful, 

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 

 9  The Lord is good to all, 

and his mercy is over all that he has made. 

 10  All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, 

and all your saints shall bless you! 

 11  They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom 

and tell of your power, 

 12  to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, 

and the glorious splendour of your kingdom. 

 13  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, 

and your dominion endures throughout all generations. 

  [The Lord is faithful in all his words 

and kind in all his works.] 

 14  The Lord upholds all who are falling 

and raises up all who are bowed down. 

 15  The eyes of all look to you, 

and you give them their food in due season. 

 16  You open your hand; 

you satisfy the desire of every living thing. 

 17  The Lord is righteous in all his ways 

and kind in all his works. 

 18  The Lord is near to all who call on him, 

to all who call on him in truth. 

 19  He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; 

he also hears their cry and saves them. 

 20  The Lord preserves all who love him, 

but all the wicked he will destroy. 

 21  My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, 

and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. 

This psalm tells us that God; is your King, He is great, deserves praise, He is unsearchable, has done great things, He is known from generation to generation for His great deeds. He is glorious and splendid, righteous, gracious and merciful, He is slow to anger and His love is enduring and never-ending. What a Father in Heaven we have! Verse 10 then simply states, ‘All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you’. Everything God has made and done somehow thanks God for His goodness, Jesus declares that 'the very stones would cry out' If his disciples did not rejoice in and praise God (Luke 19:40), isn't that an interesting thought. I wonder what the praise of rocks would be like, or the worship of trees and the songs of the weather. If God's people do not glorify God, then all of God's works will praise Him somehow. So, are you giving thanks to God and blessing Him, or are you leaving it to the stones? 

I know life gets you down at times, and you may struggle to see the positive, but God hasn’t changed. He is still King, He is is still glorious, mighty, merciful, gracious and never-ending in His love for you. You have a duty as His child to show your gratitude, and to, ‘make known to the children of man’ His mighty deeds. Are you? What do others see and hear about God in your life? If you are busy moaning about how tough life is, what are they going to think about God? You can change the way you speak about such times through being grateful that God is sustaining you, and that you have an everlasting hope because of Jesus. Consider what you are sharing with others, it is great to be real about what is going on for you, but what is your overarching story? Is it that God is in control, glorious and powerful, or is it something else? Also, how honest are you with people about your life? Do you really share about what is going on for you, the highs and lows? People need to see that you experience both otherwise they will think a life with God is unreal and unachievable for them. When life is hard, through living your life transparently amongst others you can show that ‘The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down’. If you pretend all is well all of the time, what are they going to think about you and about God? 

You have a duty to demonstrate God's love and power in your life to others - to believers and not-yet-believers. That means being real about the struggles you face and the joys, demonstrating that you have One you are hoping in who is dependable, loving, generous and trustworthy. It is then that others will see the beautiful reality that God is real, relevant and interested in the lives of everyday people. When you lack resources, but are sustained, are you sharing that with others so that they see that God is the one that opens His hands to you and satisfies you? When you get brilliant news, do you share that with others letting them know that God is the source of that blessing? Your life and the way you talk about it should inspire people to believe in Him as you do, to trust Him and make Him their Lord and saviour as you have. So, what do people see of God from the way you live, and the way you talk about your faith in Him? 

Fighting for truth

 Psalm 120:1–7 (ESV):  

1  In my distress I called to the Lord, 

and he answered me. 

 2  Deliver me, O Lord, 

from lying lips, 

from a deceitful tongue. 

 3  What shall be given to you, 

and what more shall be done to you, 

you deceitful tongue? 

 4  A warrior’s sharp arrows, 

with glowing coals of the broom tree! 

 5  Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, 

that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! 

 6  Too long have I had my dwelling 

among those who hate peace. 

 7  I am for peace, 

but when I speak, they are for war! 

When you encounter times of distress it is easy to become overwhelmed and think that the whole world is against you. It can seem that everywhere you turn there are enemies and deceit. When you’re in such a time of hardship, everything can seem difficult, and it can feel like you are on your own. It is easy to focus on the pain, discomfort and difficulty and not see anything else. You feel as if you are surrounded by; ‘lying lips’, ‘sharp arrows’, ‘glowing coals’, and ‘those who hate peace’, they are everywhere you look! When your attention is captured by negativity and hardship that can be all you see. Then it is easy to be overwhelmed, anxious and angry. When these emotions swamp you, the fight can seem futile. This is especially so when it feels like you are the only one standing up for what is right. A bearer of truth and peace encircled by lies, chaos and violence. It is exhausting continuing to attempt to bring peace and restoration when, ‘i speak, they are for war’. Every time you open your mouth to bring some kind of resolution, you are shot down by sharp arrows and glowing coals, a battle erupts and you can wonder; is it worth the fight? What is the point, i am not making a difference? 

When you feel like that, go back to the start of the psalm, ‘in my distress i called to the Lord, and he answered me’. Think about that. You are not fighting alone, no matter how it feels. When you stand up for righteousness, for the things God cares about, when you stand on truth and desire peace, you have God on your side! So the best thing to consider is not the difficulty, but what does God want you to do in this situation? Whatever He tells you, do it. You are one of His children, living amongst a people who do not acknowledge Him, so it will be tough at times. You will have to stand up and stand out from the crowd by displaying God's kingdom values, like not lying, or trying to enforce your views through terror. You belong to a different kingdom, so ask for God's strength to help you show it, and remind yourself that God sees, cares for, and is with you (v1). What greater power and influence can you have than knowing God is present and answering you?

Take time to think about previous battles, whether they are yours, someone else's, or biblical accounts - what happened then?! I am sure that you will see that the people of God were oppressed, battling, finding life difficult, until God answered in a tangible way. He stepped in, rescued, and sorted it out. Therefore, keep living life obedient to God. Don’t be swayed or misdirected by others, keep being the truth teller and the peace bringer, keep standing for what you know is right, and keep asking God to intervene. The Lord Your God will prevail in the battles you face. For what are lying lips, glowing coals, sharp arrows, deceitful tongues or war bringers in front of Almighty God?! 

Forgiveness that never runs out

 Psalm 85:1–13 (ESV):  

1  Lord, you were favourable to your land; 

you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 

 2  You forgave the iniquity of your people; 

you covered all their sin. Selah 

 3  You withdrew all your wrath; 

you turned from your hot anger. 

 4  Restore us again, O God of our salvation, 

and put away your indignation toward us! 

 5  Will you be angry with us forever? 

Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 

 6  Will you not revive us again, 

that your people may rejoice in you? 

 7  Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, 

and grant us your salvation. 

 8  Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, 

for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; 

but let them not turn back to folly. 

 9  Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, 

that glory may dwell in our land. 

 10  Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; 

righteousness and peace kiss each other. 

 11  Faithfulness springs up from the ground, 

and righteousness looks down from the sky. 

 12  Yes, the Lord will give what is good, 

and our land will yield its increase. 

 13  Righteousness will go before him 

and make his footsteps a way. 

God not only provides one off salvation, but also offers forgivness and restoration to those who are His people but have gone astray, been disobedient and sinned. The sons of Korah recognise that God forgives completely. All sin is covered by Him, He leaves none left. Yet, our memories and behaviours do not always reflect this. We can still walk around as sinful people, or wearing the shame of a sinful past. Neither of these are necessary for this is known of God, ‘You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin.’

However, it takes time for you and I to walk free from some things. There are some wrongdoings or habits in our lives which we know God would want us to be rid of, but we have to put in some personal, painful effort to overcome them. It can hurt and be hard work to strive for freedom from sin. I am sure that this is why the psalmists say, ‘Let me hear what God the Lord will speak’. To overcome sin, wrongdoing and bad habits we all need encouragement, comfort, support and strength. Listening to God gives you that. I imagine this phrase was said pleading or in desperation, ‘Let me hear what God the Lord will speak’! When the desires of the flesh seem powerful and the voices of others tempting, ‘Let me hear what God the Lord will speak’! It is easy to hear what we want, what others say and to feel the cravings of the body, they can be consuming. So it is of great importance at those times to seek God’s voice by exercising discipline and taking time to hear Him. You may hear God speak through; recalling scripture, or reading it, praying, worshipping, speaking with a fellow believer or by being still. Just ensure that you position yourself so that you hear God’s voice during the difficulty. 

When you know you need to walk free from something you need God’s support. It takes a lot of strength to break habits, addictions and sin. Yet you are not on your own in this strive for freedom. God wants to to speak to you and encourage you plus He has restored and forgiven you already and He will revive you again. So approach Him about what is going on, ask for His forgiveness and for His strength. Let God speak to you, ‘for he will speak peace to his people’. In the midst of trial and temptation, how much do you need that peace?! The Holy Spirit can provide what you need, you just need to ask God to help you. You cannot break free of these things effectively in your own strength. It is a physical and a spiritual battle so you need God to help you. His is for salvation and restoration and He promises that, ’the Lord will give what is good’. Even if you keep failing in the endeavour for freedom, you can continue to ask God for forgiveness and freedom for He wants good for you, so keep persevering. God’s forgiveness and goodness never run out, even though it might seem like a long, painful journey to freedom. The battle may be long, but how long is it in comparison to God’s salvation and steadfast love that last for eternity?! 

Repentance and forgiveness are free and everlasting, keep reminding yourself of that. The great and marvellous truth is that God, ‘forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. You withdrew all your wrath’. ALL sin, ALL wrath is covered by the blood of Jesus. Past, present, future and repetitive sin are dealt with by the sacrifice of Jesus. You are not good enough or strong enough to get through these things alone, but God is. So trust Him to equip you in overcoming habits, addiction and sin. Let God speak His peace to you, and allow yourself to accept His forgiveness and restoration.

As this psalm acknowledges, God has dealt with sin once and for all, forever. I know that we all get caught in sin, addictions and unhelpful and unholy habits. This is an age old problem, the Israelites in the Old Testament recognised it, and Paul puts it so well in the New Testament, ‘I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 1 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.’ (Romans 7:19-19) Paul goes onto say that with our minds we can know the law of God and desire to follow it, but our bodies have sinful desires that we are battling against. He cries out, ‘Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!’ It is a real battle within yourself that you need to keep on fighting. People throughout time have had the same difficulties. So instead of concerning yourself with your wretchedness, think about Jesus, the peace and goodness of God, and imagine the glory and the relief when one day this battle is ended as you’ve become free! Paul’s advice is, ‘to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace’ (Romans 8:6). This is not to say you should deny or ignore the fact that what you are doing is wrong - of course you should, you should repent and thank God for forgiveness and the strength to continue the battle. What Paul is saying though, is that you should spend less time worrying or ashamed about what you are doing wrong, and spend more time thinking about God - set your mind right. Think about what the Spirit of God has already changed within you, read the Word to see what else He can do. Put yourself in situations where you can, ‘hear what God the Lord will speak’ for ‘surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him’. Therefore when facing a stronghold in your life, grow in your understanding of the greatness of God, spend more time thinking about Him and His greatness than you do about the hardship. Pay attention to and focus on the goodness and grace of God, ‘set your mind’. You get to choose what you think about, so are you consumed with thoughts about sin, or thoughts about the enormity, love, grace, joy and forgiveness of God? 

Careless talk costs lives

 Psalm 52:1–9 (ESV):  

1  Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? 

The steadfast love of God endures all the day. 

2  Your tongue plots destruction, 

like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit. 

3  You love evil more than good, 

and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah 

4  You love all words that devour, 

O deceitful tongue. 

5  But God will break you down forever; 

he will snatch and tear you from your tent; 

he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah 

6  The righteous shall see and fear, 

and shall laugh at him, saying, 

7  “See the man who would not make 

God his refuge, 

but trusted in the abundance of his riches 

and sought refuge in his own destruction!” 

8  But I am like a green olive tree 

in the house of God. 

I trust in the steadfast love of God 

forever and ever. 

9  I will thank you forever, 

because you have done it. 

I will wait for your name, for it is good, 

in the presence of the godly. 

Do you feel sorry for the man that is spoken of as a devouring tongue? 

It is not a pleasant metaphor - to be compared to a tongue, particularly one which is deceitful, lying and destructive. Throughout scripture we are warned about the power and difficulty of taming the tongue. You can get caught up with ideas and words and end up saying things you do not mean, creating trouble you never intended when you do not take words seriously, or are negligent in controlling what you say. Words have power (see Proverbs 18:21). I am sure that you have been both inspired and hurt by others’ words. I am also sure that you also have inspired and hurt others in the way you have spoken. 

This psalm serves as a great reminder of the power of words and that you and I can get carried away by them. They can form your life and that of others. Words have power to build or destroy, they can effect a reputation and impact relationships. Words have power, therefore be careful how you use them. 

Doeg, the person referred to as the ‘tongue’ was not wise in how he handled the information and words that he had. Maybe he did not consider the full ramification of the words he spoke as he told Saul about David’s whereabouts and the help David and his men had received. Through sharing this information Doeg caused the deaths of many - he murdered the priest Ahimelech then slaughtered his family, 85 priests and the entire city where they lived. The situation snowballed because Doeg was not considered in what he said or to whom he said it. As a result of sharing information with Saul Doeg became a mass murderer, and now has a reputation of being a deceitful, lying, destructive tongue. 

We do not know what the man was like before. He may have been a faithful, valiant warrior, a strong father and a loving friend, but all we know is of who he became because of what he communicated in this situation. We see a the murderous, deceitful, selfish man. There is nothing good that we see in Doeg's reputation due to what he said and then what he did. From his report to Saul his life descended into further destruction. I wonder if he considered the ramifications of sharing the news of David' whereabouts. 

Do not let your life become a result of the effects of the unwise things you say. It is easy to get excited when speaking and get carried away by what you say until you say too much or something hurtful. Words can cause destruction and chaos, but can equally bring comfort and joy.  It is your responsibility how you use them and with what intent, as once spoken the words cannot be erased from those who hear them. You can bring about a clever little quip, a little exaggeration, hoping for a laugh or to impress, but where does that end up? How about promising with good intention, but not delivering? Even trying to relate to someone can end up with over sharing information and can be damaging. Maybe for Doeg it started because he wanted to impress Saul or get noticed amongst the many soldiers, advisers and leaders that surrounded the king, and so with no other thought than ambition told him this news. Yet much pain, suffering and death ensued from Doeg’s report. 

During the Second World War there was a campaign that warned, ‘careless talk costs lives’, we can see from this account of Doeg how true that is. Words are powerful, they can build up or destroy, they can breathe life into situations or death, so be mindful how you use them. Be considered in how you speak and what you say. Do not be carefree and careless; your reputation and the wellbeing of others depends upon the words of your mouth. 

David, on the other hand, considers the way he communicates. In this psalm he is not ranting to his friends, or anyone else, but he is bringing his thoughts to God. He knows the power of waiting on God and depending on Him to make right the situation. He sees the sin and deceit, but he does not desire to have an argument or battle with Doeg. He is assured that God has seen what has occurred and is equally assured that, in time, God will deal with it. David is content to wait for the actions of God rather than pursue his own vengeance. David reminds himself that the sinful who purposefully act against God and speak against His people are not going to reign in life for long. One day, and not too far off, their plans will cease to succeed as God has a plan for His glory to be displayed. Those, like Doeg, who,‘would not make God his refuge’ and who ‘sought refuge in destruction’ will end up being broken, uprooted, and a source of laughter rather than fear. One day this power, respect and authority will be destroyed as they have no protection other than the destruction they have caused. Whereas those who continue to honour, obey and love God can ‘trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever’. God’s love, character, goodness and longevity will never run out, it is available all day, every day, so rest and remain secure in that knowledge. In time, David was vindicated, he became king and ruled the nation of Israel well. This situation with Doeg just became a small part of the story of his life before that. I imagine that when David looked back at his life this instance was not one that featured largely in his memory. The same is true for you. The pain of today will not last for long. When people speak against you, their power and influence may last for a time but it cannot effect your identity or the promises of God in your life. Instead of holding concern for those things, bring them to God and allow Him to deal with it, and carry on living the life God has given you. One day, those who speak destruction over you will themselves be destroyed. Instead, you need to, 'trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever'.

What do you use your words for?

 Psalm 12:1–8 (ESV): 

1  Save, O Lord, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man. 

2  Everyone utters lies to his neighbour; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. 

3  May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, 

4  those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us"

5  “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.” 

6  The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. 

7  You, O Lord, will keep them; 

you will guard us from this generation forever. 

8  On every side the wicked prowl, 

as vileness is exalted among the children of man. 

What do you use your words for? 

Here the psalmist tells us, ‘everyone utters lies’, people have, ‘flattering lips’ and ‘a double heart’. Does this in any way describe you? No-one would like to categorise themselves like this, but if you are honest with yourself; do you lie, use flattery or say things you do not mean? Even if you think it is not important and maybe you only do these things in certain situations or with certain people this is still not what is considered, ‘godly’ or ‘faithful’ behaviour. 

Can you sense the author's frustration with people who behave in this way? David, who wrote this psalm, feels surrounded by people who do not display integrity in how they communicate, and he hates it. He states, ‘the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished’. When you are amongst people who lie, boast, flatter and say what they don't mean it is difficult to trust them. It is hard to make friends or get things done when those around you are not genuine. Hence David's frustration. Those who speak the truth and do not try to ingratiate themselves or elevate themselves through their communications are hard to find, but invaluable. You can trust people that are genuine, you can build with them as they will do what they say and say what they do, no more no less. Are you someone like that? and do you endeavour to invite people into your life who are like that? Or would you rather surround yourself with people who say whatever they think you want to hear rather than the truth? Sometimes the truth is hard to hear and so it is easier to have those that will just agree with you, but it won's ultimately do you any good and you could well end up feeling like David does and ask yourself "where have all the good people gone?"!

Do you appreciate and take guidance from people that you know are real, natural, honest and fair?Are you someone like that - speaking the truth without embellishment, flattery or hypocrisy? When you communicate with others do you realise that you demonstrate something of who you are and who God is to you? The Bible tells us the mouth is the overflow of the heart - so what do you display as you speak?

The Bible has lots of warnings and advice about how we communicate, in fact it is quite clear that there is an inherent problem with how we use speech. We are told that the tongue is easily used but difficult to tame. Therefore lies, flattery and contradictory words can spill out causing wickedness and harm. The Bible is full of instruction about how you and I speak, not just in this psalm. Do you take notice of it? 

The way you use words is important. Words have power. This is implied in verse 4 and the writer of Proverbs agrees, ‘The tongue has the power of life and death.’ (18:21). So what are you doing with the powerful instrument you have in your body? In Psalm 12 the words that are spoken are for selfish gain - lies, flattery and hypocrisy used to gain; influence, power, strength and opportunity. What are you using the power that you have within you to achieve? Are your words bringing life or death, and what do you want them to do? 

You have responsibility in what you say, and also the way in which you receive the words spoken to you. Times have not really changed since this psalm was written. People are still lying, unfaithful, hypocritical, boastful and flattering. There are some who are not - look out for them and get to know them. It is hard to know who to follow and who to trust. Yet there is One that you can always depend on, whose words, 'are pure words’. The words of God are the words you can always, absolutely, 100% trust. God will speak truth and life to you and over you - are you listening to Him? Do you allow God's words to influence your life and do you allow God to influence the way you speak? God knows words have power - He made the universe with them! Since creation God has given mankind some of His influence and power - what are you doing with it? 

God wants to help you to be a faithful steward, and this includes being godly and faithful in how you speak. Do you take notice of what God is trying to teach you? Are you aware of the power of your words? Your words can bring life and can destroy, they can build up and tear down - what are you using your words for?

Yes and No

If you are a determined disciple of Jesus, then the letter of James is helpful as it is very clear about how you should be living and speaking. In the verse we are considering today James continues his guidance on how you should speak;

my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. 

James 5:12 (ESV)

When James writes, ‘do not swear, either by heaven or earth', he is not referring to what we, today, usually consider ‘swearing’ - saying offensive words - I think James would take for granted that we should not be saying those types of things. Instead James here is teaching us about the integrity of our speech. 

James is instructing you to simply mean what you say. No more, no less. Do not confound people with language or give mixed messages, just be honest when you communicate. Make an effort to clearly get your message across and consider what you are agreeing to and what you are not. Do not give emotive in the moment responses, but be realistic about you can and will do. In so doing people will recognise that you are being honest in your communication and will learn to trust you. 

If you boast, show off, exaggerate or underplay things people will realise and will not be able to put much weight onto what you say because they are not sure how true it is. The same is true if you make promises or agreements to do something, and then fail to do it. Maybe you forget, get too busy, have no intention of doing something even though it seemed a good idea at the time, or what you said seemed to be what the person wanted to hear. Regardless of the reason, when you agree to do something you let people down when you don't do it. Then they will be less likely to rely and depend upon you in the future because they will feel that they cannot trust your words. If you know you are someone who lets people down by not measuring up to your words, James is instructing you to consider what you are saying yes and no to. 

It is important for you to realise that how you communicate can form people’s ideas of your character. People can discover if you are a person of integrity or not by how you communicate and what you are saying yes and no to. I wonder how you come across. What are you communicating about who you are in how you speak? 

When you carefully consider your ‘yes’ and ‘no’ you demonstrate trustworthiness and integrity. Don’t flit about, changing your mind all the time, or let people down because you have good intentions but poor organisation. If you know that’s you today, then do something about it. Learn to carefully consider your responses and be realistic about your capacity, availability, and your understanding. Get a diary if you need to, set a reminder, remember the busy-ness of your everyday life. Then you will be able to encourage and support others simply by honestly responding ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to what you can and will do. As a result you will grow in trustworthiness and integrity. 

It is a simple concept, just saying ‘yes’ and ‘no’, it is simple. Imagine if you were able to be open and honest in your communication, no bragging, exaggeration, emotive agreements, considering what you can commit to. Wouldn't that make life a bit easier? You wouldn't have to clarify or check up on things, you won't need to apologise for forgetting again, or not doing something again. How would that be for you and for the others you are in relationship with? Many people struggle with saying 'no' to things, but isn't it better to do that at first rather than letting people down?

It is important to consider your words because others’ will judge your character based on their experience of communication with you. If you profess to be someone who loves Jesus and follows God, what are you showing them about Him in how you communicate? 

Submit, resist, get close

Through this letter, James seems to be quite good at telling people off doesn’t he?! He has a lot to say about how we can get living a life of faith wrong. He shows that how we behave, speak, conduct ourselves and use our intelligence matters. It matters to God, so it should matter to you. In this letter James has been instructing and explaining how to be wholeheartedly devoted to the faith you have because he wants you to take following God seriously. He has been pointing out several issues to help you really consider what your life is about and what you are living for. Are you living for God, the world or yourself? 

If you want to follow God other things need to give way and you need to assess the way you are living and speaking if  you want to grow as a disciple and become wise. Have you been taking onboard James’s instructions? And as you consider your life, are you honouring God with it all or not at all?

Living a life honouring God means considering; your speech, how you treat others, how you suffer, being fair, considerate, putting into practice acts of faith, gaining wisdom, being quiet, avoiding arguments and getting out of sin -  it is a lot, and it sounds like hard work. How can you really get there?

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. 

James 4:7–8 (ESV)

They key to gaining ground in your life with the things that James has been pinpointing, and that you know are growth points for you, is this; 'Submit yourselves therefore to God.' If you really want to overcome and grow as a follower of Jesus, then you have no choice but to submit. Submitting to God means putting yourself under His authority, allowing God to have the say over every area of your life. Letting Him choose how you live, speak and behave, in the big things as well as the small ones. The faith you have in God should be evidenced by how you submit to Him. As a follower of God you cannot just keep doing whatever you want. What you do, say, watch, listen to, attend, even what you eat and drink, where you work, rest and relax - all of this should be submitted to God, is it? You will be tempted to just keep hold of and in control of the things you want because you like them, you want them, you feel they are ok, but is the hold those things have on you ok? What may be ok for someone else to have or do may not be ok for you because you know it causes you an unease or anger if those things could be taken away. Those things need to be submitted to God because it will give you freedom. It is part of resisting the devil. The enemy wants you to be stuck and restricted in your faith and to doubt how much you really love God and want to follow Him. The devil loves half-hearted, non-commital christianity.

James doesn't want you to fall for the enemies schemes of complacency. The word of God says, 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you'! Once you have decided to submit to God and do what He wants rather than your own way, you will be able to say no to what you know you need to, and once you have stood firm and resisted, the enemy will run away - that’s a promise! Just as you run away from sin and temptation, even those little things that you could persuade yourself don't matter, as you run away from those, the enemy will scarper! Why? because you are positioning yourself more into God's presence. You are choosing to get close to God, and the devil cannot go there.

'Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.' If you choose to submit to God, turn away from the devil and invest in your relationship with God, then God will get close to you. God is waiting. He is waiting for His invite into your life. He is waiting for you to give up the old, to break free from what is hindering you, to give up on sin. He is waiting to get in close to you and your life so that you can know His love, compassion, mercy and friendship in greater measure.

So today we have seen that there are two promises in today’s verse; resist the devil and he will flee, and get close to God and He will come close to you. Do you want to see the enemy running from you and know the presence of God more in your life? Both of these promises stem from the command to submit to God - that’s how you get that relationship with God on a new level, that’s how you overcome sin, that’s how you can grow as a disciple and in wisdom. So what are you going to choose to live for from today? What are you choosing to submit to? 

Are you religious?

Throughout his letter, James is calling you and I to account for the faith we profess. He carries on inviting us to look at ourselves honestly to assess where we are with following God. It is great when brothers and sisters challenge us in our faith, if we allow them to without taking offence. Then we can grow and develop into good, obedient disciples. How are you at taking instruction from others?

The next couple of verses are aimed at the 'religious' people. We sometimes have negative, pre-conceived ideas about the type of people this entails, but really, if you are someone that says or thinks that they are a christian, one that follows God, then this means you. Do not automatically discount yourself from this category of being a religious person as James is speaking to those of faith, not those outside of it. So even if you think you have it all together, are you ready to see if you really have, and if you are being obedient to God's call on your life?

*26*If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. *27*Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. 

James 1:26–27

• ‘Bridle the tongue’
• ‘Visit orphans and widows in their affliction’
• ‘Keep oneself unstained from the world’

Are you doing these things? 

‘Bridle the tongue’ - Are you carefully considering your communication? If not, James is quite clear that you are deceiving yourself and that the faith you have is worthless! That's pretty harsh! Yet, do you not think this makes sense? If a person says they are a follower of God, but they are not mindful of how they communicate, in fact they speak like most other people, isn't there something wrong with that? If you trust and believe in Jesus, then that faith should effect every area of your life, including how you talk. No unwholesome speech should come from you. In fact, you should try your best to think before you speak, so that your communication is clear, kind and useful for building up others. Do you make an effort with how you communicate? Is your tongue bridled? If so then you are displaying the faith you have by doing so. Your faith is useful and you are living with integrity.

'Visit orphans and widows in their affliction’ - Do you care for others? Are you serving others who have nothing, or very little? Do you even know of others who society shuns or overlooks? Are you bothered by poverty? Here James calls for your faith to be faith in action. 'undefiled' faith is giving to those and loving those from whom you will get little or nothing back from. Who are those people in your community that you can step in to help and how can you interact with and help them? Can you sit and chat for a while with someone who is lonely and left out? Can you provide a meal for someone who cannot afford to eat and pay the rent? Could you look after someone's children so they can do something else? Pure faith requires you to put what you believe into action, and that will look inconvenient and maybe even messy. Are you doing it? Are you displaying 'pure and undefiled' faith?

‘Keep oneself unstained from the world’ - Are you living a life undistinguishable from those around you? Do you stand out in the crowd or blend in? Do people notice when you are around non-believers that there is something significantly about you? If not, why not? If you are a believer in God, and you trust in Jesus for your salvation, then you have been given a life unlike anyone else. Do people know and see how your character, decisions and lifestyle are different to theirs? Or are you getting mixed up and messy with the things that the world offers? How are your relationships? Do you manage the desires of your heart? Do you live a life honouring Jesus or a life fitting in with those around you? You cannot do both. If you try to please the world, you are displeasing Jesus and you are becoming 'stained'. Jesus saved you from that not for that. He died to the world so that you could be free from the influences of it, is that how you are living?

As a 'religious' person, how are you doing? Is your character developing along these lines? If you are a believer in God and a follower of Jesus, your faith should be living and active and noticeable, in a good way. The expectation is that you are growing and developing in your walk with God. Is the life and death of Jesus really changing you? 

Are you becoming more concerned with your communication, with those who are on the fringes of society and your own struggle with sin? 

James is showing you here that faith is not just inside of you, a notion or an understanding in your head or heart. It is to be lived out and demonstrated to the world around you through how you interact with others and how you keep yourself away from certain things. In reality, if you are a believer, other people should be able to see it from these things. Your behaviour, character and communication speak more about what you are really living for than the words you say. What are you showing others about what you believe through how you act? What can you do today to grow and become more of a person after God's heart? Do you need to consider your communication, take care of others or keep yourself away from worldly influences? James is helping you learn how to be an obedient disciple, demonstrating the love and power of Jesus, are you going to take up the challenge?

The art of conversation

 *19*Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; *20*for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. *21*Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 

James 1:19–21.

This is hard isn’t it?! Quickly hearing, being slow to speak and slow to become angry? Who, reading this is slow to speak and slow to become angry? 

It is very easy to become annoyed and offended, or to feel you have to defend yourself in a conversation, or even that you can predict what someone is going to say and so you try to hurry up their communication. It is not so easy to patiently listen. This means concentrating on what is being said without interruption and then considering a response before giving one. This is hard work and not natural for most of us, so we need to train ourselves to do it well as it is important. Not just because James says so, but think about the last time you felt that someone wasn't listening to what you were saying. Maybe they were distracted, trying to speed you up or interrupting what you were saying - how did that feel for you? Annoying, upsetting, frustrating? You probably felt that the person you were attempting to communicate with didn't have time for you, wasn't bothered and you could have felt unvalued. That is how I would feel in that situation. Thats probably how most of us feel, do you want others to feel like that when they are speaking to you? Now, consider a time when you really felt heard. It is likely that you felt valued, loved, grateful, understood, happy, content and relieved. Don't you want people to feel like that when they speak to you?

Not only is considering your conversational techniques important to how you show care to people, but it also matters to God. You and I need to get to grips with our responses because lack of control over our speech, ‘does not produce the righteousness of God’. Careless, thoughtless, unconsidered speech does not show that you are a follower of God. Simple truth. Getting angry quickly, not listening and speaking without consideration do not show that you are endeavouring to put Jesus first in your life. Listening carefully, speaking considerately and behaving patiently do.

No wonder James goes onto say in verse 21, ‘put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness’ because being impatient in conversation can lead to speaking and acting in anger. This then shows the filth and wickedness that is in you, not the righteousness that Jesus has won for you. I have heard, as you probably have, people say, ‘I couldn’t help it’ and ‘they wound me up’, do you ever make these comments or have these thoughts? If so, who does it show is really in control of your life? Are you responsible for your own thoughts, words and actions or are other people? God did not build you to be a puppet or wind up toy that comes into action because of outside influences. God created you in His image. 

The best way to consider how God would respond is to look at how Jesus handled conversations. There are many times when people tried to catch him out with words, but because he really listened to the heart of the matter he was able to give clever, considered responses as and when they needed. Jesus never reacted how expected, he could confidently respond because he took time to consider what was being communicated, and what his responsibility was in how he responded. Jesus honoured His Father by doing so and displayed his own righteousness. You have a responsibility to manage your communications, by doing so you too can honour your Father in heaven and display, 'the righteousness of God'.

an excellent spirit

As we consider Daniel’s life, we can see that he had times when he was valued and revered, and times when he was forgotten and overlooked. We first met Daniel when he was a young teenage exile thrust into leadership in the Babylonian empire. Over time he was promoted and trusted with solving king Nebuchadnezzar’s problems, Daniel also had responsibility in the kingdom. Then, years later, during Belshazzar’s reign, Daniel is unknown. Daniel went from a position of prominence to oblivion. The influence and responsibility he once had disappeared, and the Belshazzar does not even know who Daniel is. He is only informed about Daniel in his last hours on earth, yet Daniel is still introduced to him as someone of excellent character and capability, and proves his God-given ability to continue to solve dilemma, he has not changed. Next comes Darius, (the conqueror of Babylon), and we find out in the following verses his impression of Daniel; 

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; *2*and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. *3*Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

Daniel 6:1–6:3.

Darius again discovers the 'excellent spirit' that is in Daniel that Belshazzar was ignorant of, and Darius commends and elevates Daniel's position once again. From prominence in his youth, to a substantial time of oblivion from public servitude, to again a period of recognition and responsibility when he is approaching 90 years old! 

Yet, Daniel’s character and faith had not changed. He is a man of God from chapter 1 throughout his life, even during the overlooked years he remains faithful to God, as when he is introduced to Belshazzar, it is as a man with ‘an excellent spirit, knowledge and understanding’, so clearly his reputation and character had not changed, just the position that he was given by men had. 

We see from this account of Daniel’s life that wherever Daniel was, and whatever job role he had, he was still a man who had ‘an excellent spirit’. Is that how you are known wherever you are, whatever you are doing?

How we behave, how we regard God should not change even when situations in life do. God does not change, but man's opinion and esteem of us can, just like it did with Daniel. Some people will appreciate the God-given abilities we have, others will reject and hate it.

Daniel stood out because he was a follower of God. No matter where he was or what he was doing, he was faithful and committed to serving God from his youth through to old age. This made him different in how he handled himself and other people. It was something outstanding and undefinable to the rest of the world, so some accepted it and others rejected it. Nebuchadnezzar did not understand it, but he made use of the wisdom and insight of Daniel, Belshazzar rejected and ignored it, and Darius put to work the ‘excellent spirit’ within him. It is the same for you. People will either accept you for who you are, or they will reject you. If you are living a God-fueled life, do not be surprised by it, but remain faithful. Jesus tells us we will be rejected by some on account of our faith (Luke 10:16 ‘the one who rejects you rejects me’). It is not really us that is accepted or rejected, but the one whom we accept as the Living God. Daniel experienced it, and if you are serious about your faith you will experience it too. When we live our lives for God, it is acceptable to some and repugnant to others. It is the Jesus in you that they are accepting or rejecting. So do not despair if you are being overlooked or rejected. Take comfort in the fact that this happens for the glory of God, because you are displaying Jesus to people and not everyone can handle it, and take inspiration from the life of Daniel also lived unnoticed and unappreciated - but he did not fail to continue following God, to continue to be the man of ‘excellent spirit’ that he was. 

The truth is that when we live for God, we cease to live for mankind, or even for ourselves. When we truly have ‘an excellent spirit’, it does not matter which opportunities come or go, we will still have our character, and our God. We take that wherever we are and whatever we do, are you a person of excellent spirit?

Prepare to speak and hear the truth

  After Daniel clearly spoke about who God is, and showed that the Most High is the one who gives knowledge and insight, he then reveals what the king wants to know, he reads and then explains the writing on the wall;

‘the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honoured.

*24*“Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. *25*And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. *26*This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; *27*Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; *28*Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” 

*29*Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 

*30*That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. *31* And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.’

Daniel 5:23–31.

Daniel, having preceded the revelation with a revelation of God's presence in his life and that of the king's family, tells Belshazzar that he has limited time left, that God has found him lacking, and that the kingdom he should have been caring for is going to be torn apart. Do you think that this is really what the king wanted to know?! These things are probably the worst news a king could get; He is going to die soon, his kingdom too is going to suffer and God is not pleased with him. However, Belshazzar does not get into a rage, he does not order for Daniel to be punished and killed, instead he gives Daniel the honours that he promised! Even though he has just been told that everything he has worked for is going to be ripped apart, and cease to be. So Belshazzar must have seen the validity in what Daniel shared, otherwise why would he have treated him so kindly? Maybe even the horrendous truth is better than the terrible unknown. 

The truth may be hard to hear and to tell, but it will do us good if we take it onboard. 

When someone comes to you for advice, or when you need it - do you seek the truth or placation and comfort from wherever you can get it? Or do you pray and ask God for revelation, for truth? 

If you really want solutions to the difficulties you are facing, if you really want to help your friends in times of trouble - then surely you owe ourselves and them the truth. No matter how painful and hard it is. Jesus tells us in the New Testament, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free'(John 8:31-31). What a marvellous promise! The truth does not bind or terrify, but it sets us all free - no matter how hard it may be to hear or tell, it is necessary for freedom. Maybe that is why Daniel was able to be honoured - because he was a man of God and a man of truth, telling a desperate king the honest truth, and Belshazzar could rest from his worry, because now he knew. I know that i prefer to know rather than be surrounded by unanswered questions and confusion, there's something about truth that puts us at ease. It gives us freedom.

When sharing the truth though, it is not acceptable to be harsh - either with ourselves or others. Daniel is great at framing the truth he needs to reveal. He prepares the king by explaining God’s interest, forbearance and existence before he interprets what the king says he wants to know. It is like he prepares a prologue for what he is about to reveal. This ensures his hearers that Daniel is relying on God for insight, and gives some background to God's previous work that may yet remain unseen. He gives an intro to the truth. 

Like Daniel, when we have a message from God to share with someone we should be clear to the person where our information is coming from. Prepare them to hear the truth that it is from God, tell them that you have prayed and that you believe God has spoken. Demonstrate the history of your understanding, and their experience of God (even if they do not see it, like Belshazzar), show that God has always cared about them and wants to speak into their lives now to help them. I think that most of us should probably spend more time considering how we reveal God's truth to people, rather than just going straight into it. Give consideration to your words, prepare a prologue through prayer. Sometimes the truth is hard to hear and share. Daniel understood that and prepared his audience to hear the cold, hard truth by displaying who has given the message, and how God has been active already, so that the hearers have time to contemplate the God whom this message is coming from before they receive the message. If you think about it, it is how medical practitioners deal with patients - they remind them of the tests, results and then the diagnosis and implications. It is not always the best news to hear, but there's a relief in the truth because it sets us free.

It doesn’t matter if you have something from God that will be encouraging, or an admonition like Daniel, but making it clear where your insight is coming from is key - otherwise however will they know that there is a God who cares for them? The truth can set people free, are you ready to share it with others? Next time God reveals something to you for someone, take time to construct your thoughts and frame the truth so that people can see the God of love, hope and freedom behind the truth.

What is God telling you today?

What is God telling you today?
Are you positioning yourself to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying?

*7*Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
*8* do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness’

Hebrews 3:7–8.

Are you hearing God speak to you? If not, why not?
Are you positioning yourself to listen?

With children, we instruct them to; to stop, look and be still to show they are listening, do you do the same to listen to God?

When you pray do you give time for God to answer, or are you already onto the next topic? Do you rest a while when you’re reading the Bible to see what the verses mean to you? Do you have christian friends that speak into your life? Do you listen to preaching? These are all ways God can speak to you, and there are more, so are you allowing yourself to hear the words of God? And are you taking what He says seriously?

When you do hear His voice, ‘do not harden your hearts’ - Obey the word, follow the teaching, take onboard what you know God is saying, let it influence your life. The warning at the end of these few verses in Hebrews, is that those who rebel, ‘shall not enter my rest.’ (V11) You don’t want to be one of those, surely?!

God is speaking to you, but it is easy to miss it if you are not listening. Today, why not position yourself to listen, you may be surprised what He says to you, or what He gives you in return.

What is God telling you today?