inspiring women with the Gospel

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Orphans and Widows - Still a Command to Help

God changes and sanctifies us with the purpose of being used for his glory in the lives of others. 

I believe that it is no mistake that the first chapter of James starts with encouragement to see joy in the way God tests our faith through hardships and then ends the chapter with a call to action. In fact, you will see as you continue to follow this series on James that he spends the rest of this book telling us not to just hear the words of God, but do what the words tell us to do! 

James 1:2-4 says:

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” 

James chapter 1 ends like this -

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:27

Orphans and Widows in Affliction…

There are so many people in our world that are suffering. *

It is estimated that more than 140 million children worldwide, ranging from infants to teenagers, have lost one or both of their parents. Nearly 13 million orphans — who have lost both parents — are now living in orphanages or on the streets. These children lack the care and attention required for healthy development, resulting in a greater risk for disease, malnutrition, and even death.

According to the U.S. State Department, 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year, of which 80% are female and half are children. The average age a teen enters the sex trade in the U.S. is 12 to 14-year-old. Many victims are runaway girls who were sexually abused as children.

In the United States, the 2010 Census recorded the greatest number and proportion of people age 65 and older in all of decennial census history: 40.3 million, or 13% of the total population. The fastest growing segment of American’s population consists of those 85 and up. In 2010, there were 5.8 million people aged 85 or older. By 2050, it is projected that there will be 19 million people aged 85 or older.

Single motherhood has grown so common in America that demographers now believe half of all children will live with a single mom at some point before the age of 18.

Let’s Do Something…

We have already seen how God uses trials to change us. Trials test our faith and draw us to our knees and to his word for understanding. He causes us to know him more deeply as we see that he is the only one worth relying on in that hardship.

When we are lacking nothing because we understand the kind of deep love God has for us in Jesus, we should desire to do something to help others also know that love.

One of the greatest joys we have as Christians is the privilege of walking through trials with others. Because of the things Jesus has carried us through we can share that same hope with those that feel hopeless. 

“To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:26-27

Is Christ (the hope of glory) in you? 

Do you understand the grace that God has given you in Jesus? 

Who can you share the hope of Christ with today?

Not sure where to start?

First, look with new eyes all around you. Has God placed in your life a single mom or an elderly neighbor? What are the ministry affiliates already within your church community? What organizations (both Christian and secular) are in your city that you can join, pray for and support? 

Here are some ideas to get you started.

Hope For Love

Show Hope

The Daughter Project

The Eden Alternative

Area Agencies on Aging, also here 

United Way

Do Something

See You In The Round! Erin

Statistic Sources: *7 Statistics about Orphans and Adoption *11 Facts about Human Trafficking *Agency on Aging Data *Washington Post article on Single Mothers in America

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5 Ways to Get The Most Out of Sunday's Sermon

James 1:22-25 22 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 who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

For hundreds of years, the Church has gathered as one Body around the world on Sunday mornings to worship our Savior. Whether Christ-followers enter a cathedral with high, ornate ceilings, or sneak an underground room, they know that God is present and community is a gift.

So why is it that so many of us scramble into the service late, stressed, and aggravated? Why is it that the second the service is finished, we jump back into daily life, forgetting about the past hour of being in the presence of God?

"For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like."  -James 1:23-24

But what if we didn’t allow the Word of God go in one ear and out the other? What if we were transformed by the Word, “being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts” (James 1:25)?  

5 ways to get the most out of the Sunday Sermon:

Prepare your heart before church.

Set your alarm earlier than you have to get up.  Allow yourself  to press snooze. Try to make waking up as peaceful as you can. TIP: If you have kids who are old enough, set an alarm for them as well. Tell them that if they get up before the alarm goes off, they may play quietly in their room, or even begin to get ready.

Play worship music as you are getting ready. 

But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. Psalm 59:16

Get to church on time… peacefully. The easiest way to be zapped out of the mood to worship our Creator is to be stressed to the max on the way in the door. This can happen by being late, or even by being on time, but angry at the slow people in the family. 

Married? You know that one of you tends to be the late one. Be kind to each other.

Have kids? Parents, it’s your responsibility to lovingly prepare your family to leave the house. 

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord! Psalm 122:1

Focus.

Be all there. Turn off the cell phone. Wait to write your shopping list. Remind yourself that this is a holy (set-apart) time. Do not sink into the routine of singing, shaking hands, singing, listening, communion, singing.

Take Notes.

Grab a notebook and a Bible and follow along. Take notes about new things that you are learning, Scripture references used, and main points of the sermon. Also, jot down any reflective questions that could be helpful to you later.

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

Make a plan.

In the American church, there is usually time after the sermon for reflection and prayer. Write action steps or reflections of what God is revealing in your heart. 

Monday Replay.

As you begin your week, spend some time reviewing the previous day’s sermon. If your church records and posts the sermon online, go back and relisten to it. Review the passage and your notes. Look up cross-references. Check out your action steps you wrote. 

Spend time in prayer, walking through the main points of the sermon. See God’s goodness. Repent of sin.  Acknowledge Christ’s forgiveness through His sacrifice on the cross. 

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us… Ephesians 1:7-8a

You might be thinking of the million reasons why the steps above will not work for your situation (I am specifically referring to point #1).  However, it’s worth a try and if at first you don’t succeed, you always have next week.

"Christians in America have become experts at conviction—and failures at action."  -- Francis Chan

James shows us the importance of hearing the Word, yes, but doing something with it as well. May God continue to work in our hearts to be doers who act and not hearers who forget.

See You In The Round! Ashley

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I'm Not Listening!

The topic of listening is a big one in our house lately. My oldest is almost three, and most of the discipline she receives is for not listening. Mommy and Daddy have one idea for what she should be doing, but she has her own ideas. Sometimes she can’t physically hear what we’re saying because she’s talking so loudly, demanding her own way.

Sometimes I wonder if I am so different from her when it comes to listening to my Heavenly Father.

James chapter 1 teaches about hearing and doing the word. As my daughter knows, listening isn’t just about hearing what is said, it’s about obeying those words. She might literally hear me, but when I ask her to listen to me, I mean I want her to demonstrate that she has heard me by doing what I ask.

James begins his passage about hearing and doing by describing two different attitudes that relate to how well we are able to listen to and obey God’s words:

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” –James 1:19–21

The attitude he promotes is meekness, the antithesis of which is arrogance. An arrogant attitude is the opposite of verse 19—it is one that is slow to hear, quick to speak, quick to anger. Arrogance says “I don’t need to hear what you have to say because I know better.” This attitude is our default setting. It is the attitude of our flesh, which is opposed to God and wants to set us up as our own gods. 

“For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” –Galatians 5:17

If we want to be doers of the Word, James teaches that we need to reject this fleshly arrogance and “receive with meekness the implanted word”. By rejecting our fleshly, default attitude and choosing to walk in the Spirit, we open ourselves up to hearing and receiving from God.

True listening requires humility. It requires that I set aside my attitude that I already have the answers and put myself in a position of receptivity to what God has to say to me. 

What attitudes hinder you from hearing God? How can you set aside those attitudes and “receive with meekness” what He is saying to you today?

See You In The Round! Erin D.

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James: Not Only Behavior Modificiation

James 1:19-27 ESV

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 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.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Happy Monday from Live In The Round! This week, we pick up in our study on the book of James.  Verses 19-27 are simply written, but have huge implications for followers of Christ. 

As we read this week, the challenge is to hold our hearts up to the light of Scripture and expose the sinful areas that do not reflect Christ. The goal isn't to just switch our behaviors, but rather repent for considering ourselves godly, yet not reflecting Christ in our hearts and lives.

Themes this week include:

Anger: Do we recognize 'quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry' is a command, not a suggestion?

Hearing and Doing: How does the Word of God change our hearts?

A Call to Action: How knowing the Bible means change.

So follow along with us this week. Drop us a line on Facebook with comments and questions. We would love to hear from you!

See You In The Round! LITR

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The Not So Pretty Side of Anger

James 1:19-20 “My brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

Anger. It has many faces. It may present as violent or passive. It may be directed inward or outward. We may or may not be aware of the influence of anger in our daily lives. But we’ve all experienced it. 

And we’ve all expressed it.

Why are we angry? Because we don’t have something we want. Or we do have something we don’t want! 

Anger can be a help or a hindrance to a righteous life. “Good anger” can help by motivating us to change something or to stand up for another.

But it can be a hindrance when we hold our anger against another, and use our anger to manipulate others.

Jesus Himself experienced anger…the good kind; the kind that brings about Godly character…His was a righteous anger, seeking to bring others into a right relationship with God and neighbor.

Until I read this passage again recently, the truth of it had never really dawned on me….

“…for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires”. James 1:20b

Wow. When we really think about it, what is our anger meant to accomplish? Control over situations or people? How useless!

How much better would it be if we realized that what we really want for ourselves and for others is “the righteous life that God desires”.

As a spouse, a parent, an employee, a friend, a believer…am I letting anger be the hallmark characteristic of my life? I hope not!

But what can I do if I suspect that anger plays a bigger role in my life than it ought?

I ask God to identify it in me, and confess it as sin.

Since anger can be difficult to identify in ourselves, maybe we can also ask ourselves if we are acting in the opposite way of James’ teaching…are we slow to hear and quick to speak? (Gilbert, Greg, “James A 12 Week Study”, pg. 29)

Being slow to hear and quick to speak can get us in a whole lot of trouble! These are the characteristics of an immature believer, and if we are serious about living a life of Christian faith, we must be willing to adjust these behaviors.

Let us be wise and truthful about our habits, and rely on the power of God to help us to be mature believers who bless others with our words.

1 John 1:9 instructs us that “…If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. 

Trust in the God who promises to forgive and cleanse us, and be a partner with Him in bringing His Kingdom to this earth…a place where “the righteous life that God desires” is brought about in everyone, and where “righteousness and peace kiss each other” (Psalm 85:10).

Amen, let it be so.

Confessing in the Round, Toni

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Security in Christ

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Security.

People, all people, long for security. Vicissitudes come in all variety of shapes and sizes, throwing all variety of people to their knees.  With things around us constantly moving and changing, and not always in a pleasant or expected direction, we need something to hold onto. It is a real, legitimate need that we have. 

Security gives us hope, gives us something we trust. It must come from something that is unmoving, unchanging; otherwise, it is not really secure, right? And yet, we frequently reach out and grasp at moving, changing things to provide that security.

Some people look to love and relationships to provide security. When others respond to us, trust us, seek our presence, look up to us, rely on us, this makes us feel safe. Whether in friendships or romantic relationships, it is easy to begin to lean on this sense of closeness as a safety. 

Some will look to money and possessions. Our society places a huge emphasis on finding a stable job with a high salary, in order to provide for our needs and cushion everywhere else. Actually, what is “cushion” and what is “need” is perceived differently by just about everyone. One thing remains consistent, having more seems safer. 

Some will look to intelligence, accomplishments, experience to provide security. The things that we know, the things that we have done, surely they speak to our competence to handle what is to come, right? Surely we have an adequate understanding. Surely we cannot be thrown. 

To a degree, these things do provide safety and support. It is good to have close relationships, good to have some money set aside, good to have experience that helps us make decisions. But, can these things operate as our ultimate security providers? No.

We can seek security in any number of things; but if those things are not God, they are not ultimately stable. They cannot support the full weight of our need for security. In fact, relying on them for such breeds a sense of anxiety because we have to do maintenance work on these things that provide our “security” so that they don’t collapse; and even still, it is often out of our control. 

Jobs can be lost, accidents can drain our bank accounts, relationships can fail, and just when we think we know and have seen it all, something comes in and renders all of our experience useless. We are unprepared, as it turns out. 

The need for security is real; but more importantly, the need for real security is real.

Here is the good news. James 1:17 tells us something significant: there is no changing in God. He is who He is, and He remains true to His character. There is no maintenance work needed from us to keep God the same; He does this on His own. This removes all anxiety, because we can rest on Him as a safe and secure foundation. 

And He intends for us to use Him as such. He designed us to do this, to sense this need for safety and to find it filled in Him. 

He is available, and He is safe to be our ultimate security. 

See You In The Round! Kristen

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Fighting Lies with the Truth

I have always loved James 1:17:

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

God is the giver of every good and perfect gift. What a beautiful thought!   It is interesting to think about in the context of the rest of the passage in which it sits, however. (Read James 1:12-18). What does God’s giving nature have to do with trials? Or with temptation?   I think a key connection is in verse 16, and it’s easy to miss. “Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.”   When I am in the middle of some difficulty (a relational conflict, a financial stress, a health crisis, etc.), I am more vulnerable to temptation. When I feel hurt, I am tempted to nurse grudges and bitterness. When I am at the end of my resources, financial or physical, I am tempted to rely on myself or others instead of God.

And maybe a common thread in all of these possible temptations is the deception that comes. When I am “lured and enticed by [my] own desire” (vs 14), I am deceived about who God is. In those moments when the devil is dangling the fruit in front of me, it comes with inherent lies about God’s character:

“He isn’t a good God.” “He doesn’t love you.” “He’s not going to take care of you.” “You’re on your own, so you’d better get to work taking care of this problem yourself.” “God has forgotten you.”   Sound familiar? These lies are at the core of every decision we make to turn from God and embrace sin. Every time we give in to temptation. And those temptations come hot and heavy in the midst of trials. I believe this is why James brings up temptation in the middle of a passage about enduring trials.   In this context, how sweet and beautiful are verses 16–18! Don’t be deceived, dear ones, James says! God IS good. Everything that is good and perfect and lovely is from Him. This truth is a powerful antidote to the lies of the enemy when we are suffering.   In light of this, I’d like to suggest that thanksgiving and praise are a powerful weapon when we find ourselves in the middle of this battle against temptation. When Satan is whispering these lies in your ear, when you feel his hot breath on your neck and your circumstances feel so bleak that this temptation in front of you (to despair, to wallow in hate, to choose selfishness) feels like your only option—speak verses 16 and 17 out loud.

Sing a song of praise to the God who has rescued you. The God who showers you with good things. He is the Father of lights, and the one lying to you is the prince of darkness. As you move toward the truth, you are turning on the lights and the scales of deception will begin to fall away. The lure of temptation will lose its power, and you will find yourself strengthened to continue persevering in your trial.   God loves us so much, dear ones. Let us not be deceived.

See You In The Round! Erin D.

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Did The Devil Make Me Do It?

I once had a horrifying dream about a lion prowling around my neighborhood, crashing through people’s doors and dragging them out into the street.  Fun times! Needless to say, I didn’t sleep anymore that night. But it reminded me all too vividly of a verse in the Bible:

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Now we’re going to talk about a topic no one likes. Sin. Because Satan doesn’t have the power to devour us unless we let him. And the way we let him is by giving into temptation and allowing sin to ruin us. So is it right to say ‘The Devil made me do it?’ NO!

James 1:13-15 puts it this way: 

“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

So if it isn’t Satan or God causing us to sin, what does? 

We learned from Tracy's chat with a weightlifter that God sends trials to produce steadfastness in us. However, when our own desires for control, comfort, safety, recognition meet an opportunity and are not held back, it leads us into sin.

Sometimes I wonder how seemingly godly Christians can sometimes commit heinous sins. But the truth is we are all capable. The reason is our flesh. Instead of taking our thoughts or desires captive and conforming it to God’s will, we entertain those thoughts and let them grow into sin. 

"Christian, beware of thinking lightly of sin. Take heed in case you fall little by little."  -- Charles Spurgeon

So when we let down our guard and allow ungodly desires to be cultivated, we are choosing sin. But, all is not lost. 

Galatians talks a lot about the flesh and the Spirit, which are at war within us. I picture the Loony Toons guardian angel and devil on each shoulder. Instead we have our old sinful flesh and our new heart with the Holy Spirit indwelling (Galatians 5:17).

But these are not equal forces. The Spirit within us has a lethal weapon; the Word of God!

This is how Jesus was able to be tempted but didn’t sin in the desert for 40 days. He used Scripture to fight the temptation and kept himself from being lured by His flesh (hunger and exhaustion) (do we have a post about this?). He even warned his disciples in the garden of Gethsemane the night of His arrest.

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41

As my goofball husband says, our greatest enemy is “the unholy trinity of me, myself and I”. It is the old part of us that we won’t be released from until we meet Jesus face to face. But we CAN be increasingly more like Jesus. The key to how is in Romans.

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace… Romans 8:6

Death or peace. We have the choice. The remedy for winning the battle of the flesh is to renew our minds as often as necessary (pray without ceasing??!). Read His word. Meditate on His word. Memorize. Sing it. Write it down. Whatever it takes to overcome sin!

See You In The Round! Jenn

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A Lutheran's Guide to the Law and Grace

Things have two sides.

A coin has heads and tails; the best soft ­serve cone has both chocolate and vanilla; a set 24 hours has both night and day. They work in tandem to create one thing, and were one side to be taken away, the lopsidedness of what's left would fail to fulfill the goal of the original thing.

So it is with the Law and the Gospel. Both knowledge of the order and the salvation are needed for anything in the Bible to hold true. A sick person needs to know they can go to a doctor to get better rather than languishing in pain.

James 1:12-­18 struck me as being a balance of such: there is sin, and there is hope for the sin. If there were only Law, there would be only despair and death. If there were only Gospel, we'd be skipping along merrily to our deaths, thinking everything was okay.

Being a lifelong Lutheran, this brings me back to my two years of confirmation classes. According to the introduction to the Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism, questions 7 and 8 describe what God does in each.

For the Law in question 7, he “commands good works of thought, word, and deed and condemns and punishes sin.” Romans 3:20 stands out as a supporting verse here:

“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”

This knowledge of sin is essential! We're sinners in need of a Savior.

Question 8 in the Explanation says, “In the Gospel, the good news of our salvation in Jesus Christ, God gives forgiveness, faith, life, and the power to please Him with good works.”

This is not saying good works is what he wants; rather, works come about as a result of our faith in him (James 2:14-­17) and this faith is a gift of the Spirit (Ephesians 2:8).

This underlies everything in our faith, really; the mirror of the Law shows us we are in desperate need of God's saving grace in the Gospel. And you can't have one without the other.

I don't want to delve into the difficulties in distinction between Law and Gospel (it's tougher than you think!). But I do like this paragraph from a Lutheran Witness article on C. F. W. Walther and discerning between Law and Gospel, because I think it underscores what James is saying in 1:12­-18:

While the Law of God promises life to those who keep it and threatens punishment to all who break it, it is powerless to make a person righteous in the sight of God. It is only the Gospel that declares sinners to be righteous, not on account of their morality or good intentions but solely because of the work of Jesus Christ who has fulfilled the Law, suffered under its condemnation in our place and was raised from the dead as our Brother.

James starts verse 12 with talking about a crown of life to the faithful, then gets into temptation and being tempted, then sin and death. Not fun stuff to read! That's the Law. But I see verse 16 as kind of a, “Phew!” --

“But do not be deceived, my beloved brothers[!]” he says. There is hope!

Verses 17 and 18 and their talk of gifts and life and light and truth balance out the grimness of the ultimate result of sin. Phew!

Would you join me in reading and meditating on Romans 8 today?

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

See You In The Round! Christina

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Steadfast under the Weight

James 1:3-4 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

When I have thought about the word steadfast, I have thought about someone who is loyal to the faith. It would take a lot to move this person if they could ever be moved.

In the study of James by Greg Gilbert, he states that the word “steadfastness” literally means ‘to remain under.’ He likens this to a person who holds up a heavy weight and stays there under the weight for a long period of time.

I recently started exercising with weights, and one of the things I don’t like when following the exercise video is when the instructor tells me to lift the weight and hold it there! I’m only lifting 10 pounds, but my muscles feel fatigued after all the reps that I have just performed, and now I’m supposed to hold the weight!

Since I’m new to this weightlifting thing, I decided to ask a friend, Chris Culler, who competes as a Bodybuilder about what happens when he remains under the weight.

Some of my questions were for him to convince me that it is important for me to stick with my workouts. Haha! I’m going to write this post as I would if I were interviewing a famous person in a magazine!

Me:  Why would you hold a weight up for a long period of time? Chris:  In order to build muscle, it has to remain under tension.

Me:  What is the benefit?  Chris:  The benefit for holding/lifting a weight for a long period of time is to build muscle and ultimately make the body healthier and stronger.

Me:  How do you feel as you are holding the weight?  Chris:  The weight training leads to intense pain in the muscles, but over time it pays off.

Me:  What are you thinking?  Chris:  As I train, I'm in what athletes refer to as "the zone". I'm not focused on talking or showing off, I'm simply focused on fatiguing the muscle.

Me:  How do you keep yourself motivated to keep the weight up? Chris:  My motivation comes from an ultimate goal I have in mind... Once the weight is up, there is no stopping until the job is done.

As a Christians, we have trials that will grow us. We may feel fatigued under the tension, but ultimately, through our constant training of our faith that comes from reading our Bible, studying it, praying, and going to a Gospel preaching church, we will become steadfast to Christ.

One of the things Chris ended with was that he often compares the Christian walk to bodybuilding. He added, “As a Christian the ultimate goal is about what we will look like at the end of our walk, sanctification to glorification. Bodybuilding is not about what you look like today, but what you look like tomorrow.”

See You In The Round! Tracy

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Understanding the Bad Things

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

We all experience trial. James would not say “when you meet trials” if it was something only some people have to go through. The other important point about trials to catch here is that they are “of various kinds.”  This tells me that we all face different hardships, but that does not elevate the severity of one person’s hardship over another’s. James tells us to “count it all joy” when we meet any trial. He does not limit our ability to see the joy in just some of our trials.

As I was meditating on this verse in light of my life, my mind zoomed through the things I would call trials. I have suffered from the loss of financial security, been deeply betrayed, mourned the loss of a baby through miscarriage, watched our newborn son struggle to breathe on a ventilator, cried out to God to save the life of our daughter after a horrible accident and struggled with those I love in their difficult relationships, addictions and the lack of desire to live.  

When I put the weight of all of these things in one run-on sentence it can seem pretty depressing and at times it certainly has been. It is not a simple thing to see a greater joy in our trials. And not everyone’s faith matures in steadfastness as a result of trial. That is why studying the rest of these verses matters so much. 

There is something called “root cause analysis.” It is a tool that uses a series of “why?” questions (much like my 3 year old) to determine the cause-and-effect relationship of a problem, leading to its solution. 

In this case, we are not getting to the root of a problem, but rather seeking to understand how a problem can be rooted in joy… glass half full, right? Let’s try it!

James: “Count it all joy, Erin, when you meet trials of various kinds.” Erin: “Why count it joy?” James: “Because, Erin, trials test your faith.” Erin: “Why does that matter?” James: “Because, Erin, testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” Erin: “Why do I need steadfastness?” James: “Because, Erin, when steadfastness takes its full effect you will be perfect and complete, lacking nothing!”

(Try inserting your name where I put mine. This is written to all of us and it helps to make the truth of these verses more real to our individual lives.)

testing of your faith… 

I believe nothing tests our faith the way that trial does. You don’t really know if you are submitting to God’s authority over your whole life until it gets hard to do. Often our response to trial attempts to acknowledge God’s sovereignty, but with a big side of selfishness… “Why God are you doing this to me?” This is why steadfastness matters.  

steadfastness…

Steadfastness (also “perseverance” or “to remain under”) is walking in faith that God is at work in your trial despite the difficulty. I heard it compared to a person lifting up heavy weights. The result of the hard work in lifting weights over the course of time is strength. In the same regard, as we persevere through trials God matures our perspective and our spiritual strength increases. 

lacking in nothing...

I have a friend that has suffered more trial than anyone I know. Even so, when I think of someone that speaks most boldly about their love for the Lord and has the most vibrant faith life, I see her face. She has lost much in the world, but would certainly say she lacks nothing. 

Each time I have faced a new trial my perspective is more clear and I know from past struggles that Jesus is the answer every time. It is because of our trials, my friend and I have real joy in an active, relational faith.

We can spend much time fearing worldly circumstances, but I know for myself that it is because I have a joy displacement. I am treasuring something in the world more than I am the creator of that blessing. 

I want to end with another time in scripture that the word joy is used in describing trial. In Hebrews it says that Jesus endured the cross because of the joy that was set before him (his eternal relationship with us). 

let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1b-2, emphasis mine

I cannot even begin to imagine having his perspective of future joy as Jesus willingly endured that kind of physical and emotional pain and suffering for undeserving people. For me and for you. When we understand that kind of love God has for us, it is then that we lack nothing.

See You In The Round! Erin

[live-in-the-round]

Invitation to the Pity Party

I can remember the first time I took the SAT.  Early in the morning barely awake, so nervous I felt like I was going to puke.  Here I am ten years later and I can vividly remember it, but I can also look back with the perspective that that test didn't determine the outcome of my life.  Ultimately, it didn't matter.  It definitely felt like it mattered and that the world was going to end if I didn't do well.  

How often do we feel that way through life's little tests?  And what about those tests that do matter?  What do we do when our faith is shaken to its core?  Your child is diagnosed with cancer, your marriage is falling apart, your boss asks you to lie on paperwork, etc.  Not only has life given you lemons, it has pelted you with them.  

So what do we do?  According to Scripture, we rejoice. 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4 ESV

I don't know about you, but when I'm facing a tough situation, this is not my first reaction.  My first reaction is to throw myself a pity party and feel sorry for myself.  Woe is me.  This is our natural, sinful, human reaction.  Scripture calls us to something higher than that, we are to meet trials with joy.  

But why?  What is there to be happy about when life drags you down?  According to James, we come out of faith tests with steadfastness.  Unwavering commitment, our faith is strengthened. 

Paul takes it a step further in Romans 5.     

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5 ESV

When we suffer, when we are tested, the ultimate end result is hope.  A hope that does not disappoint.  We have a choice when we are suffering, we can turn inward and throw that pity party or we can turn upward.  

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 ESV

We can look to Jesus.  Or as the NIV says, "fix your eyes on Jesus."   Financial problems?  Fix your eyes on Jesus.   Relational issues?  Fix your eyes on Jesus. Temptations?  Fix your eyes on Jesus.  

We can go through Hell and back and come out strengthened because Jesus did it first.  

In tests and trials, look upward, not inward.  Jesus is our hope and Jesus will never disappoint us.

See You In The Round, Abby

[live-in-the-round]

The Christian's Doubt

Have you ever questioned whether your faith is real? If you are truly one of God’s children?

Sometimes it hits me when I hear an amazing testimony of how God saved someone. Or when I literally forgot to pray for an entire week. Or when I open God’s word and feel like I’m reading Chinese (which I can’t, just so you know). Or when I mess up big, and feel the weight of the consequences of my sin.

Doubt.

It creeps in when we least expect it. If unchecked, or even worse...fed, it can wreak havoc in our lives.

But if you’ve ever come through a season of doubt to the other side, you’ll understand the value of examining your faith. It makes it stronger. Like, hyped up on steroids, stronger. Why? Because the very fact that you are momentarily doubting your salvation means you are processing what salvation actually is! Unbelievers don’t wrestle with whether they are saved or not. They either know they are not, or don’t care enough to figure out one way or the other. 

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 2 Cor 13:5

But, what about those of us who feel like we’re a crappy Christian? What if that means we’re the ones of whom Jesus said:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:21-23

This verse used to scare me, but not anymore. The thing about these ‘workers of lawlessness’ is they did not believe Jesus was God. Just the next great teacher to follow. He was a stepping stool to their own glory. 

So, how can we know for certain we are a child of God? He does it for us by sending trials. Oh joy!

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

I love this because it appears we don’t have to do much of anything but be tested. We don’t have to be steadfast. The testing produces it in us! The command in this verse is not to be steadfast. No, it’s to count your trials as joy!

Sounds easy...right? Or not. 

But think back to all those times doubt has crept into your mind over your salvation. For me, the doubt was never about God’s ability. It was always focused on mine. It comes when I feel imperfect and incomplete, lacking SO MANY things. But James says the testing of my faith will actually produce those things in me. It’s not up to me to be those things on my own. It’s God’s sanctifying work in me that makes it all happen. 

So my only role in all of it is to have a proper perspective of trials as they come.

God sends trials to His children (so I am one) .

He uses the trials to produce in me things I am lacking in (I don’t have to have all my stuff in a pile).

He is perfecting me in his own timing, since I have no control over when these trials come (so I can quit striving to be better, do more, look perfect).

It frees us. Trials come. It’s a given in this life. But, instead of just having to endure trials and suffer through, hoping the next one is a long way off, we can rejoice in them! Trials make us more like Christ, who is the author and perfecter of our faith.

And what’s better than becoming more like our beautiful Savior? Nothing.

See You In The Round! Jenn

[live-in-the-round]

The Christian's Primary Goal

James 1:1–4 “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,  To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Have you ever stayed with someone as a house guest? Or done any extended traveling? After a short or long time away from home, there’s nothing quite like sleeping in your own bed again. I enjoy getting away and seeing new places, but at heart I am a homebody, and love the feeling of unpacking my suitcase and putting it back in the closet. There truly is no place like home.

James begins his letter with a challenging exhortation to “count it all joy” when we face various trials. I recently have been considering the connection between this exhortation and his address in verse 1 to “the twelve tribes in the Dispersion”.

Certainly the displaced Jewish people felt their status as nomads and strangers, but since James is writing to a mixed (Jewish and non-Jewish) audience, we can take his address as a reminder of our own status. Peter calls us “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11). Both of these authors remind their audiences that they are far from home, comfy beds and familiar walls nowhere in sight.

Do I think of myself this way? And what effect does my answer have on my response to trials and suffering?

If I’m honest, while I know intellectually that heaven is my true home and this world is more like a temporary hotel room, I often live as though this is a place to unpack my bags, sprawl out, and begin decorating the walls and buying curtains. I often live as though my primary goal is to be as comfortable as possible.

This being the case, I can feel quite inconvenienced when trouble comes. Inconvenienced at best, distraught at worst. Difficult circumstances disrupt my peace, and they are therefore to be avoided at all cost (and loudly protested when they can’t be avoided). 

So the thought of counting it “all joy” when I am faced with trials is kind of a foreign concept to me. But James’s reasoning is sound. He’s not putting forth an argument for masochism (“Pain is good! Enjoy suffering!”); he is instead identifying the many ways we can profit from trials—

our faith is tested, producing steadfastness, which leads to a completeness, a wholeness, and a lack of nothing.

Sounds pretty great! And really, it makes sense only if I am committed to the reality that I am not at home here. My bags are not stowed away empty in my closet; they are full and open on the borrowed bed, and I am just passing through until I get back to my real home. 

I’ve experienced some very interesting things while traveling. A cockroach once traveled up a shower drain and greeted the bottom of my foot, much to my surprise (and horror). It’s funny the things you can roll with when you’re aware that the situation you’re in is temporary.

The word translated “steadfastness” in verses 3 and 4 is one that paints a picture of bearing oneself up under a weight. In a way, trials are like spiritual weight training. God doesn’t desire to crush us, but to strengthen us. To teach us to trust in Him and not in our comfort or our good circumstances (which are so transient and subject to change). 

I really love 2nd Corinthians 4:16–18:

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

I love the picture of “an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison”. Let us keep eternity at the forefront of our minds, and we may be surprised the types of weight we can bear up underneath. And one day, we will truly be home. And it will be so good.

See You In The Round! Erin D.

[live-in-the-round]

Fighting Religion

Hypocrites.

I think we’ve all been in the place where we felt someone was being a hypocrite.  Not to mention when we realize on our own that it is us that has been the hypocrite!

One day I told my daughter she couldn’t just eat candy for dinner.  Instead Mama fed them a healthy meal, washed them up and got them to bed- only to eat ice cream for my own dinner when the children were sleeping!  

This may be a silly example of hypocritical actions but when James wrote this letter, it was only a few years after the church had been born.  He wrote it to address the issues of the Christians who were saying they were Christians, yet were living their lives like they weren’t committed to the faith.  

I sometimes wonder without the short letter of James, would the church have turned too far one way or another in its teachings and gotten off track of the purposeful teachings that Jesus came to bear witness to?

Many Christians find the book of James, although short, to be quite challenging.  James sets an appeal to us for authenticity in our faith walk.  It is through the truths of Jesus words that this book is backed up in authentication of the instructions of the scriptures. 

As we work through the book of James together, I want us to keep an open mind to hear the plea of James to us for an authentic religion instead of the so easily to fall into hypocritical religion trap of this world.

God, I come before You to place my faith walk, religious ways and my heart on the line as I seek authenticity in Your word.   Help me to explore what it takes for a genuine relationship with You. Lord, consistently work on my ever-learning heart. Amen.

See You In The Round! Kim

[live-in-the-round]

More Grace Necessary

Remember this post I wrote two years ago when I said I was going to wake up early to spend time with God?  Yeah…

Summer hit, I got lazy. Then the school year started up. Then my  husband started a new business, my photography business got slammed, the kids were sick, the dog ate my homework…

I neglected to start my day in God’s word. Instead, I awoke to the sound of kids. And the tyranny of the urgent that comes along with running a house full of boys.

I’ve recently deduced that the reason I keep failing at this OH SO IMPORTANT discipline is tied to one thing.

Accountability.

Last week, Ashley shared about being in community with women who desire to grow in their faith.  It made me cry.  

One, because community is just awesome and beautiful and a rare jewel, and God has so graciously blessed me with it (I’m the pirate in the bottom left...what a fun night!!!).

Two, because I suddenly realized what a blessing accountability is. 

See, two months ago, one of my friends from women’s group asked if anyone would be interested in a group text at 5:30am. She was struggling to make morning time with God stick in her routine and wanted someone to text as a way of being accountable. It struck a chord. Despite my sleep-loving flesh, I agreed to join in.

Since then, I’ve gotten up. I’ve prayed. I’ve studied. I’ve worshiped. I’ve set my to do list for the day. I have yet to exercise, but progress, people!  And I haven’t quit. I’ve hit the snooze, or conveniently forgot to set my alarm. And there are days that the other women have slept in as well. You know, with 15 kids between the 4 of us, there’s bound to be sick days and sleepless nights. And that’s if the husband isn’t snoring you out of bed. 

But that’s the beautiful thing about community. We aren’t judging each other for our failures. We’re cheering each other on! Despite our setbacks, we’ve all experienced our faith being bolstered. Out of our obedience, we’re seeing God move, transform, perfect, fine-tune.  Through our fumbled attempts, we’ve experienced grace in a new way! 

“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

Instead of guilt over sleeping in, I receive grace and prayers from my sisters in Christ who are in the trenches right along with me. Instead of judgement from God, I receive grace for my day even though I didn’t start it with Him. And grace for a new morning to try again. Instead of my pride being hurt that I didn’t manage something that seems so simple, I’m filled with hope and Godly humility.

God yearns to stir our spirit into closer communion with Him. Giving Him the firstfruits of my day has been such a blessing in cultivating that relationship. The most beautiful thing is there is no judgement. But only more grace. And that grace brings freedom from legalism. Freedom from condemnation. Freedom from pride. We can’t do it on our own. We weren’t created to!

Here at Live In The Round, we will soon begin a study through the book of James. If you feel like you need more grace, more accountability, more humility, would you join us? I promise God will use your obedience in studying His word (no matter what time of day) to produce more steadfastness in your faith. Subscribe to our blog so you don’t miss out! And we’ll be on Facebook each day at 6am on the LITR page with a post you can interact with :)

See You In The Round! Jenn

[live-in-the-round]

Pirates, Murder, and Fellowship

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Sitting around a long handmade wooden table was a motley crew if I had ever seen one myself. 

A ‘governor's daughter,’ ‘priest,’ ,’Voo Doo queen’, and other hysterical characters with elaborately developed backstories and beautifully creative costumes all came together to discover the identity of the murderer of their beloved ship captain.

This was how I spent my Saturday night.

Just days before, this very same crew sat around another table - at Panera. The wardrobe was less conspicuous. The (fake) swords were still in children’s dress-up clothes boxes. 

Yet, each, with their own backstory, engaged in sharing their hearts, troubles, and questions as we wrestled through the book of James. 

The conversation was deep, with vulnerable prayers and real encouragement.

Although many of the relationships are relatively young, just sitting at the table, one can nearly see the threads that God is using to knit each of us together into a real community. The woman who disciples younger believers without looking for commendation, the woman who opens her home to strangers to share the love of Christ, the woman who still feels like a baby Christian even after all these years, the woman who is desperately waiting for God’s call to send her on the mission field....

1 Corinthians 12:12 in the flesh:

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

As we sat around the ‘pirate table’, accusing each other of murder, I couldn’t help but sit back and be thankful. These beautiful women have been such an encouragement to me in ways I cannot express.

What does community look like in your context? It’s easy to overlook our need for each other if we’re not careful. If you are not currently active in a women’s group, I encourage you to step out and give it a try, regardless of how cheesy or difficult it may feel. Believe me, it’s worth it.

See You In The Round, Ashley

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