Where is Your Heart?

Read Luke 12:32-34: In verse 34 Jesus says: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." In the coming week let us ask ourselves: Where is my heart? What do I treasure most in life? Where does my relationship with God come on my list of priorities? How will I respond to Jesus' call in these verses? Is Jesus calling me to change something in my life, right here, right now?

Pray Always

Read James 5:13-20: I see this scripture as a challenge to make God an integral part of our daily lives. James calls us to take everything to God in prayer. A joy? Give thanks. A sorrow? Ask for comfort. A problem? Ask for guidance. God is not only the Creator of the Universe who sent Jesus Christ to save us, God is our intimate conversation partner through all the events of day to day living. Try it out for a week and see what a difference regular prayer can make.

Christian Living: Needs vs. Wants

Read James 3:13-4:10: What causes fights and quarrels among us? James is absolutely right: it usually comes from what the Bible calls "coveting": wanting what someone else has to the extent of wishing [and sometimes doing] them ill. James says that if we set our priorities right, if we first want a relationship with God in Jesus Christ, if faith is the first priority for all of us, there will be far less quarreling and fighting, envy and hatred, disorder and evil in our lives and in the life of the world. Do you believe this? Try an experiment this week: Figure out what your priorities are. The way to do this is to pay attention to what you spend most of your time, talent and treasure on. Once you've discovered your priorities, ask yourself: are these the priorities I really want? Or have I just accidentally stumbled into them? The good news is: there's always time to change our priorities.

Talk is Cheap

Read James 3:1-12. This is only one of many verses in which the Bible warns us of the dangers of gossip and other forms of "cheap talk." Why are we so ready to speak ill of others that the Bible has to remind us over and over not to do it? How can we remember to tame our tongues? Here is one idea: We can THINK:
"T - is it true?
H - is it helpful?
I - is it inspiring?
N - is it necessary?
K - is it kind?
If what I am about to say does not pass those tests, I will keep my mouth shut!"
-- Alan Redpath