When I don't act...

I have found this verse to be a little troubling at times: "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them." (James 4:17)

Wow, do you see what I mean?
James is saying that if I KNOW what good I need to do, and I don't DO IT, then I am a sinner. 
So, it is not just when I make mistakes that I sin, but also when I fail to do good. This is indeed challenging for us because we all consider ourselves 'good' people and we try to follow God's commands. However, if we fail to act when the Spirit prompts us, then we are also guilty of sin. 


Edmund Burke - "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing."

"In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, is evil." (Message)

Whew, that is enough of a challenge for me today. What are your thinking today?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Good?

What do you make of the word 'good?'

"The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for him, to those who seek for him. ²⁶ It is good both to hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." - Lamentations 3:25-26

I find that it is actually quite hard to define 'good' in simple terms. Of course we can use many synonyms to help us understand it a little better ... great, favourable, satisfying, positive, superb, etc.

The reason I ask this question about 'good' is because Jeremiah uses it a number of times in this collection of verses - if you read through Lamentations 3:25-27, you will see him use it three/four times. Perhaps this is just another case of our English language falling short of the original text, but the repeated use of 'good 'certainly gets our attention.

Anyway, whatever word we prefer, I still believe that the message for us today is the same - It is to our 'benefit' to wait patiently for the Lord. We need to believe that God has our best interests at heart and that all things will work out for the best for us.

What do you think?

Psalm 71:16 - I walk in the strength of the Lord God. I tell everyone that you alone are just and good.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Do all you can

Here is a deep saying that is well worth chewing on for today. I encourage you to read it through a number of times and then to use it as a basis for your prayers.

“Do all the good you can, 
by all the means you can, 

in all the ways you can,

in all the places you can, 

at all the times you can, 

to all the people you can 

and as long as you can.” – John Wesley

Ask God to direct your steps today and I challenge you to put these words into practise.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Don't despair

In a world where evil seems to prosper and godliness seems to be squashed and scoffed at, we need not despair. The Bible has kept track of situations like this, for generations and generations. In the end, the wisdom of Solomon reminds us:

"There is no wisdom,
no insight,
no plan,
that can succeed against the Lord." - Proverbs 21:30

If we live our lives according to the commands and guidelines of God, then we will ultimately be on the winning team. Don't despair when evil seems to prosper - it won't last forever.

Be blessed today.

Living in Grace
D3LM3