One of my favorite books of the Bible is James. There are a number of key phrases that come from the 5 chapters of this book I've found myself quoting from time to time. One verse....that never made it worthy of my black felt tip underliner is James 3:18, I'll through in 17 for context.
17 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. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
For some reason, 18 really has me baffled.......rereading and rereading it. I think I've read through all of James five times now since the beginning of May. I've probably read 3:18 50x. So, I'm asking for help out there in understanding this verse. Is it as simple as the "righteous" work we do is to be done in a peaceful loving way? If that's the case, then I know of a lot of people speaking loudly and pushing righteousness that must be a false form of righteousness because it isn't being done by "those who make peace".
Does that make sense? If the Bible is true, then righteousness cannot be delivered by those doing so in a non-peaceful manner.
The short of it is.......I'm baffled......what is God trying to get through my thick skull?
Ode to a Truck
Wednesday, I took my travel companion on its last trip, from which it didn't come home with me. I took it for a drive the day before, to...
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A way out in the country, down a secluded gravel road lies a small cemetery perched on a knoll, around which the road makes four severe turn... -
So, I've passed through this tiny little Pulaski County town between San Pierre and Medaryville often enough that it's quite amaz...
2 comments:
I'm pretty sure you're the kind of guy to know this already - but -
Pray. It's ok to let God know you just don't understand it and to reveal it to you.
One night, I was searching and searching for a verse. COULD NOT find it for anything. I prayed over it and I was one page away. God is so awesome. Thanks for being so open with your faith on your blog.
I had to give something up to him that I wanted really badly. Something that I was never going to solve on my own and had no power over it. I just asked lots of people to help me give it to God and pray over it with me. I got the shift that was best for me! Woo hoo!
If I hadn't given it to God, all I would've accomplished is stressing myself out and feeling self-pity and woe is me.
Rookie,
I like to think that I can joke and have a good time with God...so my prayers on this verse usually take on this flavor:
oh yeah, that verse again God? WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME? I'll start sowing as you start revealing!
God's awesome...He keeps proving that over and over to us...my sense is that there is something life changing in this verse and the revelation is going to come at just the right time.....and it may be for me, or it may be for someone else....God just wants to make sure I know it in advance.
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