Show Us “The Good” in the GOP!

Boasting About Tomorrow

As it is you boast in your in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” James 4: 16,17 NIV

Warning to Rich Oppressors

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you. James 5:1-6 NIV

I keep hearing about how “good” people are who have failed to uphold their oaths of office in Congress and in White House.

If these are so good, show us the good they have done that benefits all people:

Jeff Sessions

Steven King

Bob Corker

Orrin Hatch

Paul Ryan

Mitch Connell

Tom Cotton

Darrell Issa

Any of the Republicans who claim to be Christians who have promoted bigotry and divisiveness during the years President Obama was in office and yet now, they want everyone to lick trump’s boots–show us the good they have done.

Most–if not all–are complicit in the Russian meddling with the 2016 Election and all will be exposed soon. Their hands are dirty with money laundering and promising favors and playing footsy with Putin. These so-called upright Christians who do more to harm the poor and the needy than they do to fend the rights of the poor and the needy.

Most–if not all–are only in politics for what they get out of it–access to world leaders and big business so they can make money by caving to lobbyists. And when they make money, they forget how to keep their oaths.

Most–if not all–have failed the United States miserably when they allowed trump to be their nominee. They knew he’d never “pivot” because he has no desire to pivot. Any time a person thinks they are better and far more superior to others–they see no need to change and they don’t. He showed us the first time around that he was a misogynist, bigot, and racist. He showed us he didn’t care about poor folks or black folks or any people of color by how he treated them.

Remember him having the homeless veteran arrested because having him on the corner brought down the value of his “tower?”

Remember how he chose to keep black people from renting any of his apartments?

Remember all the hateful things he said about Mexicans and Muslims?

Remember all the hateful lies he promoted about Hillary Clinton?

Remember how he used his foundation as a personal ATM for purchasing paintings, sculptures, and other paraphernalia that had nothing to do with the purpose of his foundation?

Remember him saying that he’s rich because he never uses his own money to do things?

Remember how he bragged at one point in his life about his only war was about fighting STDs?

Remember his hateful remarks to a war hero, after he obtained deferments for questionable reasons?

Remember how he is the only person who has proclaimed his wealth and fame?

Remember all those things he did during the campaign and now after being installed in the WH (the dump he said)?

If he is such a good person and those who keep making excuses for him are such good people, why is there such turmoil in the land? Why are hate groups thanking him for not calling them out? Why is Russia probe so unnerving to him?

If he is such a gifted communicator–why is that every time he speaks–everyone has to rush to explain what he “meant” because he didn’t say what he meant.

Why is it that after being in office for eight months, he is still only talking to his base which includes the hate groups and ignores the rest of America?

Why is he more concerned with spending money on an investigation that has proven no guilt on the part of Hillary about her emails?

Why is he attempting to help defraud every state’s voting practices with his “Voter Fraud Commission” that is more about suppressing votes that discovering any election fraud?

Why is it that he’s campaigning for 2020 and using the donated funds to pay for his son’s attorney?

Why is it that he thinks we are all stupid and he’s the only intelligent being on the planet?

Why is it that every surrogate who speaks on his behalf lies and lies knowingly, and yet they claim to be Christians? Is it that they have not read with understanding the Bible?

Why is it that he wants to cut funding for services for the poor and yet taxpayers are covering the costs of his children’s security, his, and all of his trips which are bringing in the bucks for his businesses?

Why is that the same lawmakers who claim to be “conservative” won’t challenge trump’s trips and not pay for them or for his children’s business trips?

Why? Why? Why? The more I write, the more questions surface and I know I’ll never get the truth out of the “good people” in Congress or the WH for truth is not known to them. Ask Kellyanne Conway who invented alternative facts for this administration’s alternative universe and wants reporters to be “forced to say something favorable” about trump. Really? When there is very little if anything favorable to say about him, why would she want reporters to lie? Oh–she wants them to be like her.

So, if there’s “any good” in any of the aforementioned and some not named specifically, but are GOP–let all of us know about the good they do because we certainly don’t see it manifest itself in their legislating laws.

They have allowed their greed and need for power and status to overrule common dignity and love for all and until they recognize it, confess and repent of it, we shall remain the laughingstock of the world and no one will consider us a leader of anything but foolishness.

With the next election, we can change that–and make sure that honor and integrity once again dwell in the White House and wisdom reigns for the benefit of all Everyday Americans. I won’t need anyone spinning lies for me because Truth and I have a pretty good relationship and as a clear communicator–I know how to say what I mean and mean what I say–without additional explanation from others.

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How We Know God’s Choices!

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?  Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong? If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? James 1:1-10, 14 NIV

The role of any educator is to create an environment in which they expect those they are instructing to think–developing critical thinking skills and the best way to conduct that exercise is by asking questions of the questions until a logical conclusion is reached.

I would suggest–for the sake of clarity–that the entire letter be read to really understand the totality of what James is saying and remember–he is writing to the church leaders.

As a foundation to frame what’s being said about how God chooses, I reference the first king the Children of Israel chose for themselves.

Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel: “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.” When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.” I Samuel 9:15-17 NIV

Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”  So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah. Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. I Samuel 16:10-14 NIV

What do we see in how God chose Saul to be king?  He had a heart for God before He was chosen.

What do we see in how God chose David? He was a man after God’s own heart–not flawless, but quick to repent.

When the Spirit of God is no longer on a person’s life, how do we know?

If a person has never demonstrated having a heart for God and understanding of His Word, would God choose them to govern a nation?

Why do we see through God’s Word that every person God uses, is willing to be used by God?

What happens on a broader level to people when God is pleased with what we do?

Does God hold us accountable for what people do or for what we as individuals do?

What is blasphemy and how do we commit blasphemy against God? When we say something is of God when it is actually the spirit of the devil influencing what we say or do, who are we really honoring?

In the beginning, God created all that was ever created and without Him, nothing was created and He did it without any input from us. Why is that? He is a sovereign God, totally self-existent without need of people to do anything, yet He uses who is willing to be used–those who have a desire to serve Him.

Now, since God is sovereign–existing by His own will and dependent upon no one–can any mere mortal oppose Him or interfere with His plans? If they can, they become more powerful than God and since I know that no mere mortal is a god, I would say anything thinking along these lines is foolish.

Is not God all-knowing–omnipotent and omnipresent and omniscient? Does He not see all there is to see and hear all there is to hear?

Since He came down from heaven, lived among men in the person of Jesus Christ, protested the religious leaders and taught the Truth, betrayed by Judas, crucified, died, and rose again and after returning to heaven, sent His Spirit back to dwell within those who received Him, why do we need “mere mortals” telling us anything God says?

Since God knows more than we do and since He is God and does not change, I can only conclude that His method of choosing people to govern nations, has not changed. He also does not force us to obey Him, but allows our choices in order to get our attention.

People have chosen to elect a person who does not know God, has not demonstrated any knowledge of God in his actions or speaking, and yet the religious leaders are claiming Our Sovereign God–the God who existed before any of us–by His own will–could not find any person who knows Him and has a desire to serve so He chose--a bottom-feeder who has no respect for anyone other than himself, has demonstrated multiple personality disorders with his misogynistic, narcissistic, megalomaniac, racist and bigoted behavior and has done nothing but promote fear and hate. You mean–Our Sovereign God had no one else but this person He to choose? If that’s true, what does that say about the rest of us?

In order to believe that lie–a person would have to be totally void of any type of relationship with God or understanding of His Word. Where is the love for others? Where is the sense of unity espoused in God’s Word? Where is the wisdom of God operating in this situation?

I have drawn my own conclusions about the matter and they do not concur with the Evangelical leadership who have lied to their congregations in order to control people. I am praying the veil will soon be lifted and they will repent of misleading God’s people into the chaos we are about to experience. May God have mercy upon their souls!

 

Don’t Just Listen–Do!

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:19-22 NIV)

We know from reading The Word that faith comes by hearing and hearing by The Word of God–says, Paul to us. Now, James tells us, don’t just listen to The Word, do it! If our faith in God is going to be sustained, then we must do what we hear and read from The Word–and not just people.

The Messengers of God are worth hearing when they are speaking God’s message. When they veer off into their own imaginations and opinions that are based on nothing–especially not The Word–no one is obligated to hear or do what they say, yet so many people do.

I’m thinking particularly about a pastor–somewhere–who poured bleach over the heads of his congregants to “wash them clean” because of erroneous understanding of The Word. The Word tells us that the blood Jesus shed on the cross is what washes us clean–not bleach or anything else we attempt to do. The psalmist mentions being washed by The Word–not the literal word–but as representing what Jesus would accomplish since He is The Word.

Getting back to hearing and not doing–many people claim to listen to their pastor on a Sunday morning and praise their messages, but when asked what they said–they develop amnesia. “I don’t know, but it sure was good.” Apparently, they were not the good ground into which The Word was supposed to be sown.

Then there are those who wouldn’t miss church for the world–uh uh–no siree, they’re not missing church. They are there every time the doors open and listen intently to every word heard, but then their lives don’t demonstrate what they heard (unless they heard a message that opposes God’s Word). From their actions, one can tell, they didn’t hear about loving one’s neighbor as themselves because the minute they got into the parking lot, they started cussing out everyone in their way. They get home and talk about everyone who attended church–they talk about the pastor and his wife; they talk about the noisy children; they talk about the ushers who are too slow; they talk about the soloist and how they could see better than they did; they talk about the choir director who, “couldn’t direct traffic.” They talk about everyone and since they “saw” so much going on, how on earth did they hear any Word?

We can hear without listening and when we pretend to listen the only person we fool is us. God is not mocked. He knows our hearts and He knows when we’re pretending to pay attention and so does everyone else when we are not doing The Word.

We “do The Word” when we obey The Word and people know we have either read with understanding or at listened to God’s messengers because they see it in our conduct. We who “do” The Word don’t live in opposition to The Word, but strive to obey God in all things and that obedience starts with knowing how to love others and God.

Today would be a good day to start–not just listening, but in doing The Word–loving all we meet and greet and making the devil cringe because we even woke up–with desire in our hearts to please God!

Why Faith In God? Part 6

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?” In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2:14,17,18, 26 NIV)

If we claim to have faith, but never do anything with it. what is the point of the proclamation?

I have presented my perspective on this subject previously, but it warrants a second look.

For the person who says, “I will lose 50 pounds this year” and never changes their dietary habits or physical exercise, how are they going to lose weight? They won’t and then they’ll complain about being overweight.

The same is true for the person who excitedly says they’re going to get a promotion on their job, but they never do anything beyond their current job requirements–they take no initiative to do anything, and sit twiddling their thumbs when they have finished doing their work.

How about the person who is confident of even getting a job because of their faith and prayer life, but they never apply for a job?

We can proclaim a lot of things, but until we actually “do” something, we bind God’s hands to move us forward. Not too long ago, a person on Twitter (Bart) became upset with me and my faith in thanking God for the 1 + million plus readers that I asked for over a year ago. Those who follow me on Twitter know that I promote my books daily, I am constantly writing and uploading books as I am inspired. I have written various genres ranging from Christian Living, Christian Romance, Fantasy for kids, Contemporary Fiction, Informational texts, poetry, and a murder/mystery. Why? I have faith in God–writing is one of the gifts He has given me (teaching is the other) and I am wearing it out–to His glory, to inspire, inform, and entertain in a Godly manner.

And it is because I believe that He will do what He said He would do–I keep writing and keep thanking Him for the 1 + million plus readers. He is speaking to the hearts of people and they are reading my books. Now, when I’ll actually see the 1 + million readers is on Him, not me. But I know, I it will happen–on His timeline, not mine. Thank You, Lord for hearing and answering prayer and making a way for all Your promises to be fulfilled. Hallelujah!

So, if it takes writing another fifty books before the 1 + million plus readers are reading my books, then I guess I’m going to be pretty busy for the next five years or more to accomplish the goal that is set before me. I am doing, what I have faith to believe is going to happen. That’s the only way, things happen. Our actions must match our faith and when it does, God honors our faith–for we know, without faith, we cannot please Him.

Part 7 tomorrow!

Let’s Keep It Simple!

“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.” (Acts 15:19,20 NIV)

All over the land, especially in America, church leaders are shaking their heads, trying to understand why their buildings are not filled to overflowing (depending upon the size of the building). The biggest problem for most churches is this: the leadership and the people would rather beat people up about The Word, than Teach them The Word.

A number of people visit a church and find some interesting reason to listen to a sermon, but before the service is over, they are assailed with the “rules” and are humiliated because they don’t understand the rules. How can they know “the rules” of anything before they have been taught? And why must people make the rules so rigid that no one wants to adhere to them?

There is a better way to win lost souls and James provides us with the perfect method in this verse of scripture. Let’s encourage them to live a sin-free life, not worshiping idols, and teach them how to receive God’s best in their lives. Let’s keep it simple and draw others into the love of Jesus Christ–pointing the way by what we do–not what we say.

To be honest–those who profess to know Christ, but yet don’t know how to live the life they profess before others–keep more people out of churches than they draw into the churches. When we do not live what we say, we are hypocrites and Jesus has warned us that we’ll get to end and hear, “depart from me you workers of iniquity–I never knew you.” What a heartrending statement to hear! This demonstrates the difference from those who “think” they are living according to The Word and those who “know” they are living according to The Word.

Let’s make evangelizing simple–live it, promote it, teach it, and glorify God in all you do! Let your light so shine, filled with His glory, that others will seek you out, wanting to know–why and how you can smile, and never be discouraged on this journey called–life!

Divided Loyalties!

“But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.” (James 1:6-8 NLT)

When we ask Him for what? Wisdom and anything else we need, when we ask in faith, we shall have it. But we cannot waver in our faith that He will do it because if we do–we allow doubt to enter and undermine faith and doubt will negate the faith to which God responds. James, in his letter, is simply reiterating what Jesus told the disciples about prayer. He told them when we ask in faith–doubting nothing–whatever we ask for, we shall have it.

For those who criticize others for having faith in what they do not see–get over it. When we speak–in faith–those things we are believing God for–we are going to see them in His timing as long as we do not allow the “world’s way of thinking” to interfere with our faith. When we try to have faith in God and then allow the “world” to influence how we think--we have divided our loyalties and God says–we can expect “nothing” from Him.

Is this why you have not received what you have been asking for? Is your loyalty divided between God and the world?

God says, “Ask and it will be given” when we ask in faith. The world says, “Why are you expecting anything from someone invisible?”

One of the reasons why the world does not understand “our faith” is because we do not understand and exercise our faith in the manner that God tells us. Faith in Him does not waver–no matter what–whether what we ask for comes immediately or is delayed–the faith for those things we ask–remains in Him!  But the moment we start listening to others who influence doubt–we might as well stop thinking that God will do anything because He will not respond to doubt!

Whatever it is we are expecting from God–salvation for loved ones–no matter how “they” act–keep believing; financial security–no matter what our bank account says–keep believing; peace in the world–no matter how violent people get under the influence of the enemy–keep believing; for love to overflow in the hearts of all–no matter how much hatred you see–keep believing. If we ever stop having faith in God–we will never see those things for which we ask. Faith that–remains immovable in the face of adversity–can overcome anything and move mountains as long as doubt–never creeps into the situation or our minds to deter us.

Our loyalties belong to God and our faith should be in Him and Him alone–to guide us in all we must do to see faith for what we ask, manifest itself!

Prized Possessions!

“He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.” (James 1:18 NLT)

Ever had a prized possession–that one thing that mattered more to you than anything else–one that you  would die for?

When I was a teenager, I had been given four silver dollars that I kept in a little plastic church bank, on a shelf in my tiny little bedroom. Since we were certainly far from wealthy, these silver dollars gave me “bargaining” power with my mother from time-to-time and they were my prized possessions. One day, when I came home from school, there were gone. I searched the whole house–looked under beds, rugs, everywhere. and could not find them. Exhausted from my search and saddened by my loss, I sat on my bed crying. My grandmother, who was visiting with us asked me why I was crying and when I told her, she very calmly said, she had taken them because she needed some money. I was livid, but because I been raised to respect my elders, there was nothing I could do or say. When my mother came home from work, she offered to replace them, but I didn’t want any more. I did not want to have anything that someone else could take from me so callously.

I lost my silver dollars and any respect I had for my grandmother, my bargaining power with my mother, and my trust of adults. My prized possession was gone, but I had learned a valuable lesson about people.

I’m sure other people have prized some possession over things and know what I’m talking about if it was lost.

Now, imagine how God feels about us–His prized possessions–and how He would feel if we were lost to Him.

He had already thought about it–the possibility of our being lost–and decided to come down from Heaven to make sure we would have access to Him for all eternity. After all–we are His prized possessions and He was willing to die for us–to keep us from being lost.

Considering how He feels about us–His love for us–should be our prized possessions–something we cherish and never want to lose.

We know we are His prized possessions, but is He ours?

He has done far too much for us and we should love Him simply because He is–Love–and His love and mercy endure forever. Make His love a prized possession, one you would do anything to keep and never feel that you can lose it.

Enticed by Sin!

“My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them” (Proverbs 1:10 NIV).

Although Solomon is addressing his son, the advice is relevant to all–men and women.

“If those who are living in sin, doing all those things that God has said is sin, try to entice you to do likewise, don’t do it.”

Sinful–full of sin–those who see no wrong in doing anything and everything the flesh dictates–“just doing it”–lying, stealing, abusing and molesting children, cheating on wives and husbands, fornication (all sexual sin), favoritism, blasphemy, turning God’s Truth into lies to suit their behavior and encouraging others to do what they do–sin.

How do we avoid being enticed to engage in sin?  We stay away from those who commit sin and encourage others to do so. We study God’s Word. We work on developing and maintaining a right relationship with God. We focus on hearing and obeying God. This is how we avoid being enticed by those who would lead us into behaviors that would not please God.

When we understand the consequences of our actions and that our actions lead to negative consequences, we should not want to participate. However, when we are interested in doing those things that appease flesh, we are easily led astray.

Unfortunately, the temptation to please self and flesh often overrule common sense--the wisdom needed to know that temporary gratification will not lead to lasting happiness. James reminds us that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God for wisdom and He will give it without making us feel foolish. When we operate in the wisdom of God, we make good decisions and can look forward to the positive outcomes that will result in lasting happiness.

Having respect for our bodies–the temple where Holy Spirit dwells (if we are filled with the Spirit of God), means that we avoid behaviors that will destroy the body. Much of the illness and disease we suffer is due to behaviors that are contrary to keeping our bodies healthy, including our eating habits, lack of exercise, smoking, drugs, unprotected sex, etc. Respecting God’s Word in all things will keep us mindful of living healthy lives, keeping our temples undefiled, and focused on pleasing God.

Lord Jesus, help us to recognize who people are by their conduct and steer clear of any who would entice us to sin against You!

Submission Is A Good Thing!

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

So many people tend to think that the word “submit” is a bad word; especially as it pertains to women “submitting” to their husbands. One of the reasons for this disdain of the word is the fact that many have mis-taught the context of the word in the Bible. For clarity’s sake, the definition for submit–deferring to another’s opinion or authority makes it clear that submission is a good thing.

We must learn to accept the fact that none of us know everything and recognize that when we don’t know; it is not a judgment against self to defer to the opinions or authority of someone who does know. Not recognizing the authority of another is not only stupid, but could have detrimental results–depending upon the situation.

James tells us to submit to God–yield, defer to God’s authority. Resist–turn away from, run in the opposite direction, close ears to, anything the devil has to say and when we actively resist the devil, he will flee from us.

The best way to do this is to make sure understanding of The Word has been a priority in life. When we see the attempts the devil makes to cause us to believe anything God did not say; we simply speak The Word against what the enemy has said and do it as often as needed. The devil will get tired of hearing The Word and eventually leave a person alone–for a season. He will return, but if The Word is buried deep in our hearts, whenever he returns, we’ll be ready.

God knows more than we shall ever know! Fact–not opinion–and we know because we have not created a universe and He has. Therefore, we should acknowledge His authority and defer to His authority so we can defeat the enemy at every turn. Submission to God–is a good thing–it guarantees us victory over the enemy!

 

[tags element not working this morning on WordPress]

#God   #James   #Victory    #devil     #Mary M. Hall-Rayford

Wind Tossed!

“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6,7).

Watching the waves of the sea roil, without consideration for anything in its path can be terrifying and yet it can also be spell-binding. The wind–the mass of air that no one see–can be an awesome wonder to watch. I’ve watched the wind–a tornado–tear the roof off of an apartment building right behind the one I was in. I’ve watched the damage of the wind–from a hurricane–turn lives upside down. I can only imagine how absolutely petrified people might become when watching a tsunami, fueled by angry winds destroy their livelihoods, homes, and lives. The wind–a force by which no one can control or see–has the power to change lives. 

Now, think about that power and how James compares doubt to that power. When doubt moves us from faith, we give doubt the power to change our lives and keep us from receiving that for which we have asked of God. In the beginning of this chapter, James is talking about asking God for wisdom, but he references something the Jesus said when He was teaching His disciples about prayer. “Whatever we say and don’t doubt, we can have (paraphrase). “When we pray, we believe we receive and we shall have it,” (Mark 11:22,23). Jesus shows us how powerful faith can be, but James demonstrates how powerful doubt can be with the illustration of the wind and waves.

The question we must ask ourselves is, are we wind-tossed or are we standing in faith, believing we can have what we ask of God? Perhaps, the answer lies in whether or not we can honestly say we have asked and received or we have asked and doubted (if only for a nanosecond) and not received. Therefore, “since faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen” we have two powerful forces working in our lives that no can visibly see–faith and doubt. If we stand firm on our faith in God, we shall see the “stuff” which is the evidence of God’s working on our behalf, even though we didn’t see how He did it. And like the wind (we see the results of wind’s movement, not wind itself) so too shall we see the results of faith or doubt in our lives.

Whatever it is we need right now–we can ask of God, in the name of Jesus, stand firmly in faith that we will receive it and we shall have it. If we need healing–we ask and receive; if we need a financial blessing–we ask and receive; if we need direction–we ask and receive; if we need wisdom (the first request)–we ask and receive.  We shall have whatever we ask for when we do not allow doubt to deter (move) our faith! Glory to God for favor and faith to accomplish all He has planned for us! Hallelujah!