Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor;
Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.
Matthew 25:34–36 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in…
We must stand for what is right and just. As believers the power of Holy Spirit empowers us. We ask for His divine guidance and protection in these troubling times we live in.
James 1:22-27 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
God help America. Carla
Believers who hear the Word of God (verse 19) must receive it with a teachable spirit (verse 21), applying it to their daily lives. To hear and not obey is to be deceived.
The perfect law of liberty is the law of love. Loving God and loving one’s neighbor sums up the Law (Matthew 26:36–40). But it is Christ’s love (Ephesians 3:17–19) which frees us from our sins to truly love others (John 8:36–38; Galatians 5:13).
Orphans and widows were among the most unprotected and needy classes in ancient societies (Ezekiel 22:7). Pure religion does not merely give material goods for the relief of the distressed, it also oversees their care (Acts 6:1–7; 1 Tim. 5:3–16). The NKJV Study Bible
By looking in a mirror, one can gain an accurate self-appraisal and identify areas that need attention. James uses this analogy to illustrate that those who hear the message without acting on it are like those who, after observing themselves, leave and forget what they look like. Although James may be referring to the law of Moses (Psalm 19:7; 119:32, 45–46, 96), he more likely refers to the law of Moses as now perceived through Jesus’ interpretation and supplementation (Matthew 5:17). Here, “law” is equivalent to “the word” in James 1:18, 21, 22. Faithlife Study Bible
Romans 2:13 for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;
Job 31:16–18
“If I have kept the poor from their desire,
Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
Or eaten my morsel by myself,
So that the fatherless could not eat of it…
Matthew 25:34–36 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in…
James 2:12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty
Whenever I see violence in the news, it’s as if my heart, literally, stops. And I know that religious platitudes don’t work for me anymore.
And here’s my confession from earlier this week; If I give in to the mental exhaustion (of being overwhelmed), I begin to believe (and internalize) that empathy can be overwhelmed, compassion—and being a witness—can seem helpless, suffering can be too much to comprehend, and the level of public quarrel too much to absorb. Bottom line: I forget that the kiss still works. For every single one of us.
“Only on the surface do we experience differences. Beneath what seems to separate us as human beings are comparable hopes and numerous opportunities to enrich and encourage all. What a changed world it would be if the hum of humanity became loud enough to drown out the deafening roar of what separates and divides us.” Joyce Rupp, from her book on walking the Camino, “Walk in a Relaxed Manner”.
And shoutout to everyone who is still trying to be an openhearted, kind, compassionate person (yes, reclaiming areas of peace), even while having to process and carry a lot of heavy things.
As a wise person once said, “It’s not what you carry, it’s the way you carry them.” Onward together. Sabbath Moments
John 14:6 (ESV) "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. '"
Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Like uncertainty sometimes fills our minds, it filled the disciples' too. In John 13:31-33, Jesus told them the time had come for Him to enter into glory, so He'd be with them on earth only a little longer. He said they could not yet come where He was going, which left them confused and troubled. Still, Jesus gave words of comfort: "You know the way ..." (John 14:4).
Even though Jesus had already predicted His death, resurrection, and ascension back to heaven (Matthew 16:21; Matthew 20:18-19; Luke 22:69), the disciples didn't grasp that Jesus would go back to His Father through the way of the cross. They seemed to think Jesus would simply show them the way to God or teach what was true about Him. But Jesus is the way. He is the truth. And He is the life.
This makes John 14:6 one of the most fundamental and important verses in the Bible. It's also one of the most controversial. It forces us to consider: Can we really know the way to God? The very idea of a "way to God" reminds us that we're actually lost on our own, separated from Him by some kind of distance, detour, or obstacle.
Scripture tells us that obstacle is sin (Isaiah 59:2). But through Jesus' death and resurrection, He alone offers forgiveness for our sins and provides access to God. In fact, Bible scholars point out that John 14:6 uses a definite article to describe Jesus as "the way, and thetruth, and the life" (emphases added). It's impossible to conclude that Jesus is just one way or a truth among many.
He's the way. Jesus is the only path to salvation, the "one mediator" between sinful humanity and a holy God (1 Timothy 2:5).
He's the truth. Jesus is the Word made flesh, "the only Son from the Father" (John 1:14), the full revelation of God.
He's the life. Jesus is the "one source" of eternal life for all who trust in Him (Hebrews 2:11).
Jesus alone can claim, "No one comes to the Father except through me"(John 14:6). Because Jesus chose the way of the cross, we can trust that He is our way to God. What certainty is ours when we place our faith in the Savior! First5
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