James 1:12-18 God tempts no one…evil does.

 Psalm 7:14

Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity;

Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.

God is merciful and forgiving. He is always willing to step into our lives with His wisdom and guidance but we need to invite Him into the situation. We need to view others by the same lens that He does, in love, but never confusing evil with good. We will know others by the fruit of Holy Spirit in their words and in their deeds. Satan can entice humans to sin but God does not. We choose life not death.  Money is at the root of all evil. Carla

James 1:12-18

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. (NKJV)

Blessed is the person who endures testing. In this context, “blessed” describes an attitude of determined courage that is unaffected by external circumstances.

James cautions Christians against interpreting temptations of their sinful desires as a test from God. As James makes clear in the following verses, humans alone are responsible for choosing to sin. 

The Greek word deleazō for entices describes drawing in an unsuspecting victim with an attractive bait or lure. James uses the analogy of human conception and birth to describe sin. Desire is conceived when a person yields to temptation, which results in the “birth” of sin. As sin matures, this ultimately leads to God’s judgment of death. Faithlife Study Bible

The believer who endures trials demonstrates that he or she loves Jesus and therefore will receive the crown of life at the judgment seat of Christ. The focus of the chapter turns from trials (verses 2–12) to temptation (verses 13–18). Enticement to sin does not come from God. God will never deliberately lead a person to commit sin because that would not only go against His nature, but it would be opposed to His purpose of molding His creation into His holy image. Drawn away and enticed express the intensity with which desire lures an individual until he or she is tragically entrapped. Sin does not force itself on the unwilling, but is chosen because of its attractions. Conceived suggests the image of a person’s will bending toward and finally seizing evil. This same idea is vividly illustrated by the tragic path of an addict: A habit once acquired completely controls that person eventually. Full-grown suggests bringing a goal to completion. The idea here is that sin has reached its maturity and has possessed the very character of the individual. The NKJV Study Bible

Money brings freedom Is the world view. The desire for money can be enslaving and lead to destruction; only Christ brings true freedom (1 Timothy 6:7–10).

James 2:5

Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 

1 Corinthians 9:25

And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 

Job 15:35

They conceive trouble and bring forth futility;

Their womb prepares deceit.”

Isaiah 59:4

No one calls for justice,

Nor does any plead for truth.

They trust in empty words and speak lies;

They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.

Empathy matters.

Compassion matters.

And community backbone matters.

Human history is a history not only of cruelty, Howard Zinn reminds us, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places and there are so many where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.

Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place. Sabbath Moments

Isaiah 41:10-11 God strengthens and sustains us!

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

God cares for us…all of us. Those who call upon His name, the very Word of God made flesh, allow Him access to their lives. In faith we unleash the amazing grace that allows Holy Spirit to guide and direct us into the love of the Father that exceeds all of our expectations. In faith there is justice, forgiveness and it is not in our goodness but in the righteousness of Jesus that we are safe and protected. Never question His power to do what we cannot. You will know those that place their faith in Him alone by the fruit of Holy Spirit that is evident in their lives, not in their words., but in their actions. Love will govern all we do in the peace that only God can give us. He takes out the hardened heart that wants to marginalize others  and replaces it with His heart of compassion and love. God’s love  brought  Jesus to this earth, not to condemn the world, but that through Him it could be saved. Carla

Isaiah 41:10-11

Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

11“Behold, all those who were incensed against you

Shall be ashamed and disgraced;

They shall be as nothing,

And those who strive with you shall perish. (NKJV)

The Lord’s command to the Israelites to fear not contrasts with the fright of pagans in verses 5, 6. God had bared His right hand at the first Exodus in order to destroy the power of Pharaoh (Exodus 15:6): the phrase indicates His sovereignty and strength over all who oppose Him (40:10). The people of God are given renewed assurance that their formidable enemies will be brought to nothing (40:17, 23). The NKJV Study Bible.

God Himself now offers comfort and reassurance, similar to that proclaimed in Isaiah 40:31.

The right hand of is symbolic of His power and authority.

Being at the right hand of a leader symbolized the power and authority of that leader. The New Testament depicts the disciples James and John asking for the honor of being at Jesus’ right and left hand in His glory (Mark 10:37–40). Placing Jesus at the right hand of God is another frequent way the New Testament asserts His unique authority.

They have nothing to fear from human power—it is nothing compared to divine power.  Faithlife Study Bible

Isaiah 41:13–14

For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand,

Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.

“Fear not, you worm Jacob,

You men of Israel! I will help you,” says the LORD

And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 45:24

He shall say,

‘Surely in the LORD I have righteousness and strength.

To Him men shall come,

And all shall be ashamed

Who  are incensed against Him.

Isaiah 43:5

Fear not, for I am with you;

I will bring your descendants from the east,

And gather you from the west;

Exodus 23:22

But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

Empathy matters

In a world where power, and dominance, hold sway, where the vulnerable and disadvantaged, and soft-hearted, are denigrated, and vilified, there are some days while reading the stories, I need to stop, let the tears fall, and pick up the pieces of my heart.

It all revisited, after seeing the Ramaswamy ad which weaponized a story about abused children.

From the time I was a young boy, the meanness and cruelty of bullies pained (and distressed) me. At my core. I still have memories, watching bullies demean, and “beat up”, the “unmanly” boys in our school.

And as a boy, watching bullies demean, and “beat up” the vulnerable—other boys, who were my friends—I would regretfully, turn a blind eye. I can’t, and will not, do that anymore.

Here’s the deal:
Empathy matters.
Compassion matters.
And community backbone matters.

And I can hear my hero’s voice.
“We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility,” Mr. Rogers tells us. “It's easy to say, ‘It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes… When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

This does my heart good. To be rejuvenated by the ripples from people and places where joy and kindness and empathy and small gestures of grace spill. “The Grace we seek but have forgotten.” 

There is power here, to remind us that our heart still absorbs and spills goodness. So necessary in a world that feels more and more cynical.

“Be soft,” Kurt Vonnegut invites us. “Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.” 

Sabbath Moments

1 Thessalonians 5:14-14 We must abstain from evil!

 1Thessalonians 5:21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 

1 Peter 3:9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

What part of the New Testament does this present administration not understand. God is faithful, good and merciful but He cannot condone sin. It would be better for a person who molest a child that a millstone be tied around their neck and thrown into the sea. An exaggerated statement meant to show the evil that is inherent but Jesus condemned those who do such a thing and we should condemn those who us it for evil. We cannot call evil good. Carla

1 Thessalonians 5:14-14

14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. (NKJV)

The Thessalonians had to face the fact that some of them were not living as Christians should, but were unruly. They needed to be warned about their behavior.. For a Christian to try to get revenge is a denial of basic Christian love. The NKJV Study Bible

The Thessalonians may have been tempted to retaliate against those who persecuted them. Paul advises them against this (Matthew 5:39–40; Romans 12:19). Believers must extend to others (believers and unbelievers) the same goodness the Lord has shown them. Faithlife Study Bible

Galatians 6:10

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Romans 12:17

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 

2 Thessalonians 3:6–7

But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 

Kobi Yamada, "Everyone shines and needs to be seen. Everyone wants to know that they matter, that there is a place for them, that they are needed. Sure, some may hide their brilliance, but the light is in there, always flickering, and it is a beautiful thing when we can reflect it back to them."

And this is gratifying; in a review of Kobiâ’s book,it  is designed for five-to-eight-year-old readers, but of course the reminder to fill our lives with attentive wonder has no age limits.

Can I get an Amen? This little light of mine

In a world that feels upside down, I am so grateful for all the ways of  grace that our hearts are still nurtured, and nourished. Through friendship. Kind gestures. Places of sanctuary and healing. Acts of empathy and gentleness. Affirmations of dignity, inclusion, and the power of grace. Sabbath Moments

Whoever does evil to a little child it is better to have a millstone around his neck and be cast into the sea

 https://youtube.com/shorts/6w3TDjAxj80?si=J4PPIPrFwhKBb3af

Ruth 4:8-22 God takes the very things meant to destroy us and gives us beauty out of our ashes.

Matthew 1:1–7 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers…

The Lord takes away the tears and sorrows of our life and turns them for our good and the good of the Body of Christ.  He turns ashes into beauty. Nothing is impossible with God…nothing.  Out of the loss of Naomi and Ruth came Obed and  eventually David and from this family line came Jesus, the Son of God. God has elevated women to bring life into His world. Through Mary and the power of Holy Spirit, life, eternal and whole, was born into the world. God cares for you. Carla

Ruth 4:8-22

8 Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal. 9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.”

11 And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lord will give you from this young woman.” 

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! 15 And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. 17 Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18 Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; 19 Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; 20 Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; 21 Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; 22 Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David. (NKJV)

The removal of a sandal was part of a legal transaction in ancient Israel. It would parallel the modern custom of concluding a transaction by signing a document or handing over a set of keys. By handing over his shoe, the close relative was symbolically handing over his right to walk on the land that was being sold.

The witnesses at the gate played a significant role in validating the transaction. Chilion and Mahlon, Elimelech’s sons would have been. the heirs of their father’s land. The land was bought from Elimelech’s widow, Naomi.

In addition to redeeming the land, Boaz also redeemed Ruth by taking her as his wife. In contrast to the land, Ruth was not bought. She did not require a purchase price nor was Boaz required to redeem her. He willingly chose to be her redeemer. Boaz was a blood relative of Elimelech, and he was financially able to take on the responsibilities of redemption. The people and the elders affirmed the legal proceeding with their response, we are witnesses. Then the crowd gave Ruth a remarkable blessing by asking that the Lord make her like Rachel and Leah, Israel’s founding mothers (Genesis 35:23–26). Even though Ruth was a Moabite, she was fully and eagerly accepted by the Israelites. The Law of Moses demanded the exclusion of the Moabites from the congregation of Israel for ten generations (1:22). In this exceptional case we see a beautiful example of the spirit of the Law being maintained. Ruth loyally loved Naomi by leaving her homeland and serving her mother-in-law even in the worst of circumstances. In turn, God rewarded Ruth by extending His loyal love to her. He gave this foreigner a godly husband, accepted her as one of His people, and gave her a child who would be an ancestor of King David and ultimately of Jesus (verses 13, 22).

The Book of Ruth is replete with allusions to the Pentateuch. Here the name of Tamar refers to another story about the spirit of the Law (Genesis 38). Certainly Tamar’s behavior would not normally be commended. Yet she was desperate because her husband’s brothers would not fulfill their responsibility to her, and in the end Judah praised her as more righteous than himself (Genesis 38:26). Even in Tamar’s deplorable situation, God mercifully blessed her with a son, and this son Perez was an ancestor to King David (verse 18). Like Ruth, Rahab was a Gentile woman. Yet God extended His loyal love to Rahab because of her faith in Him and included her in the messianic line.

Children are a gift from God. He fashions every person in the womb of the mother (Psalm 139:13).

The women praised God for His provision for Naomi. They offered a blessing for the child, asking that his fame be extended throughout Israel and that he would comfort Naomi and nourish her in her old age. Naomi’s emptiness had been replaced with fullness through the birth of this boy.

The theme of Naomi’s fullness continues to dominate as the neighbor women declared that a child was born to Naomi. His name was Obed, signifying “One Who Serves.” The author at last reveals how Ruth, a Moabite woman, had become part of the royal Davidic line.

The story concludes with David’s genealogy, beginning with Perez, the son of Judah and Tamar. This genealogy could have been added to the book long after the original writing was complete, but more probably the book as a whole was composed at a later date than the events described. The genealogy of David is not really an appendix, but an essential element demonstrating the author’s purpose—and the purpose of the Lord in the building of the family line of King David and the Messiah. The story of Boaz’s redemption of a foreign woman points to Jesus’ great redemption of all those who believe in Him. The NKJV Study Bible

Genesis 38:1–30

It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her…

Genesis 29:25–35:19

So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?”And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn…

Deuteronomy 25:9

then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who will not build up his brother’s house.’ 

Luke 1:57–59

Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her…

I received this great story from Brian, a Sabbath Moment reader…When I was serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in a small village in Thailand back in the 60s, I learned that when I visited with others in their homes, I was there to be there, and not to talk much. We would sit together and just enjoy each other’s presence. After what seemed like a long time, I would get up to leave, and they would thank me for being there. I was uncomfortable since I was a novice Thai learner until my Headmaster explained to me that just being together was the most meaningful conversation.

So. I have an idea. This week...

Be open to the gift of conversation. Even if that conversation is presence without words.

Be open to the spirit of consolation.

Be wholehearted.

This week taught me that we all need to have our spirits—and our hearts—replenished.  Sabbath Moments