What to Do? What to Do?

Posted on November 13, 2015 by America's Keswick in Freedom Fighters

What To Do, What To Do?

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good  Conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.” James 3:13

Decisions, the path that leads to a destination of our own doing. A place that was mapped out in the working of our mind. It’s as if the moment we choose an action we put into play a series of events that has an effect on not only us but those around us.

Show me a man who has a disciplined life of surrendering his will to God along with a healthy consumption of God’s word and I’ll show you someone who makes good choices. James seems to be telling us to put our money where our mouth is, don’t just say you’re wise, but show me. The funny thing about those people who lead a life of solid decision making is that they never need to boast about their spirituality or they’re resume of Bible knowledge, it’s evident by their actions.

In chapter 3, James gives us a list of the things we can us to begin to lead a life of applied biblical knowledge. He starts off by warning us of the one member of the body that has a major role in the direction we travel, the tongue, that rudder that is able to plot our course. He says it’s like a spark that sets a blaze a whole forest. Yet so many of us try to tame it by watching what we say or just by keeping our mouth shut. Although that will last for a while if we don’t take heed to the rest of the chapter we are only masking the real problem, the heart.

Matthew records the words of Jesus in the 12^th chapter verse 34 as saying to the Pharisees, “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”. So James becomes a letter that informs us of a need, he tries to advocate the usefulness of scripture and the power that it has to change us. I think James is uncovering the differences between the wisdom of this world compared to the wisdom from above. He wants us to see that if we want to make godly decisions that there’s a way to take a self-inventory and make the adjustments by seeking the ways of God.

He finishes the thoughts by giving us a check list that we can filter thru our minds to see if it lines up with the intent of our hearts, he says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace”.

Try lining up your next decision thru this verse, if there are areas that don’t line up with our actions and we want to make godly decisions in the future refer back to chapter 1, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him”, but be ready to count the cost because if you’re like me there’s going to be a house cleaning of selfish ambitions first, Amen! – Rob Russomano is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and loves Jesus. He serves full-time at America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 7-9; Luke 1:21-38

Think About This: “If my friend could see into the depths of his own heart (and like me, occasionally he can), he would discover a desire for nearness to Christ that’s actually stronger than his desire for either becoming a better person or enjoying a better life. And he’s invited to come, just as he is, to walk through the thick door that now remains open into the literal presence of God. His broken heart is now free to do what he most wants to do: to rest, to relax in an acceptance he did not earn and cannot lose, to plead a guaranteed mercy, and to collapse into extravagant grace. And as he does so, his heart will stir with a passion to please the One who pulled him out from under the crushing Law of Linearity.  He’ll now be free to live better, not to make his life run more smoothly, not to arrange for additional blessings, but centrally to please the One who set him free from pressure.” – Larry Crabb

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31