Who do you consider to be particularly wise? Maybe it’s a trusted friend.  Perhaps a grandparent that offered tidbits of wisdom over the years.  Maybe a trusted counselor or pastor.  Perhaps it is someone who has shown the ability to help in the midst of difficult situations.  I think we often have the tendency to equate wisdom with the ability to pass along knowledge to others.  James offers us a different take on what true wisdom looks like.  He equates wisdom with how we live and act.  Let’s look at his take on wisdom together this morning. 

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

When I read these words from James I tend to think about the many arguments and disagreements that I see in the world today.  I think James would say that the wise person is somehow able to stay above the fray.  Avoiding these quarrels and disagreements about who is right and who is wrong.  The wise person doesn’t need to be right or win the argument or convince others of their way.  I love James’ definition of what it means to have Godly wisdom – pure, peace loving, submissive, considerate, impartial, and sincere. Full of mercy and good fruit.  Too often today I see “wisdom” that is angry, pushy, demanding of its own way, and contentious.  I pray that God might grant me and all of us Godly wisdom.  Wisdom that wouldn’t convince others of our way but that would make others simply want to be with us and like us. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever said something and immediately regretted it?  Maybe it was the heat of the moment or perhaps you just were not at your best.  The thing is sometimes our words can cause far more damage than we ever intend.  I can still remember the sting of unkind words said to me all the way back to elementary school.  By the same token our words can be a powerful tool to pour into others and build them up.  Let’s look at James words about how we use our words in James 3 together today.

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

For me when it comes to sports sometimes I am not at my best.  I am a hyper competitive person and there are times in my life when that has gotten the best of me and I have regretted my words.  Over the years I have worked hard to be better in that area particularly as I have gone from player to coach.  The competitive edge is still there but I know how important it is to build your players up with words and encourage them.  That is why yesterday meant so much to me.  Out of the blue an Advent student whom I coached last year came up and thanked me for something I said to him last year during basketball season.  He said, “Coach PD I know that I am not very good at basketball, but when you told me how important I was to the team because of the way I hustle in practice it stuck with me and I’m still not very good but I love basketball now and practice all the time.”  I told him how much his words meant to me and I immediately thought of this passage.  There are any number of negative things that I thought and could have said about this players basketball skills, but because I said something positive this student held on to that almost a full year later.  Our words have incredible power.  May we seek to use our words to build others up today and every day. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever met someone who was all talk and no action?  This is particularly troubling when it comes to our faith life.  When you see someone who talks about faith but doesn’t seem to live it out it can be a big turn off.  Our actions don’t earn us anything when it comes to our relationship with God but they certainly are evidence that it exists.  James talks about this a lot.  Let’s look at his words in chapter 2. 

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 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. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

Thinking or knowing that something is true and living its out are two distinct things.  James knows that we are truly only saved by grace and not by any works that we can do.  He simply is saying that real faith or real love results in action.  What if you said over and over how much you loved your spouse but never lived out that love?  How would that relationship be?  While how we live does not change our status or relationship with God. James is telling us that our relationship with God should be evidenced by how we live.  Jesus showed us how to live as we follow Him.  He lived a life of love and calls us to do the very same.  I pray that through His strength we might all live the kind of life that would be filled with sharing His great love with others.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Yesterday afternoon I got a random call from an old friend.  He said that he has a practice of reaching out to old friend very so often to catch up.  After joking with him about how far I must have been down the list that it took 25 years for him to call me we truly enjoyed catching up.  We joked about his old nick name, Mr. Follow Through.  He was known as a great guy who said he would do things but rarely followed through.  He told me that he continued to work on this area of his life and was truly helped by memorizing a few verses from James 1.  Let’s look at this passage together today. 

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.

James uses a little tongue in cheek reference to motivate us to obedience and it helped my friend as well.  The person who listens but doesn’t follow through and do is like the person who looks at themselves and forgets what they look like.  Obviously we would never do that so why do we sometimes listen and not follow through.  Maybe we do truly forget.  Perhaps we get distracted by something else.  Maybe we deliberately do not because we do not want to.  Whatever the reason it is about priority.  We do not forget our face because we are important to our self.  If obeying God and following through is important we will not forget, or get distracted, or do something else.  That is what my friend learned and he told me that he began prioritizing the things he said he would do.  He said that he has made it a goal to gain a new nick name, Mr. Dependable.  I thanked him for sharing and told him I was going to make him famous and write about him tomorrow.  May we all strive to become Mr/Mrs Dependable when it comes to following God’s Word. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Hello Advent Family,

Last night I got a really nice phone call from an old volunteer that worked in ministry with me.  It was nice to catch up and here from them.  I was truly touched when he began sharing that I had impacted his life for the positive as we worked in ministry together.  I was waiting to hear what I told or taught him that was so impactful and he threw me a curveball.  He said that he didn’t really pay too much attention when I did my training and equipping sessions.  He also said that he couldn’t remember too much of what happened when I met with him one on one.  I’ll confess that I was temporarily pretty bummed to hear this.  He went on to say that what he learned from me and how he was ministered to is by simply watching me live out my faith.  It got me thinking about how this is so true.  How we live is every bit and probably even more important than what we teach.  Let’s look at Paul’s words about this found in I Corinthians.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Paul offers much in the way of teaching but then he says to follow his example as he follows Christ.  Others are always watching hoe we live out our faith.  Followers of Jesus and those who are not both are looking to see what our lives are actually like.  Do we love like Jesus called us to?  How do we talk to others?  Even in raising our children our example is every bit as important as our words.  I pray that God would give us all the strength to represent Him well because we do represent Him whether we want to or not.

In HIs Grip,
Pastor Dave

This week on Sunday we will be looking at Jesus’ statement – I am the Good Shepherd.   I have been looking throughout the Bible at different references to sheep and shepherds.  They are found throughout Scripture.  One that has been sticking with me is the passage found in Isaiah 53.  Let’s look at it together.

Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.

It is in the nature of sheep to wander off.  We all have a tendency to wander off and go our own way.  Jesus our Good Shepherd lays down His life for us in the midst of our wandering because that’s what it takes to bring us home.  Many of us may struggle to relate to the illustration of sheep and shepherd because it is not as familiar as it would have been to those in the time of Jesus.  Think of what lengths you might go to save your child if they wandered off.  You would search and hunt and ask others to help and do anything in your power to recover your child.  Even risking your own wellbeing to recover them.  That is what Jesus does for us we go our own way and wander off.  Thanks be to Jesus for His incredible love for us His children and his wandering sheep.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

Have you ever felt like an outsider?  Maybe you were at a place or around a group of people where you didn’t speak the language or understand the culture.  Yesterday I felt like an outsider as I was at the doctor’s office.  I had a procedure done and after I was stitched up the nurse was bandaging me when another nurse walked in she looked at the bandage and had a shocked expression and then they began speaking animatedly to each other in creole.  The combination of the facial expression and the tone of their conversation made me feel like an outsider particularly since they were arguing about something on my body.  Eventually I asked what are you two talking about?  They explained that the one nurse had never seen a “pressure bandage” done the way the other nurse was doing on me.  I was happy to be an experiment and went on my way feeling at least more included.  Paul talks about us being included in the people of God because of the work of Jesus.  Let’s look at that together today.

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

We were outsiders because of our sin.  Jesus has brought us together with God because of His work on the cross.  We are not foreigners or strangers or outsiders.  Jesus has made us sons and daughters of the King.  We have gone from being an outsider to having the very spirit of God dwell within us.  Thanks be to Jesus for this incredible truth.  The next time you are feeling like an outsider, remember that you are an insider with Jesus and rejoice in that truth.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Last night I got to watch my niece play high school volleyball for the first time.  It made me feel old but it also brought back a flood of memories.  Years of coaching high school and college volleyball and even playing a little bit have many memories that come with that.  I began thinking about how important it is to remember.  Particularly when it comes to our faith life it is important to remember the goodness of God in our lives.  Let’s look at some of David’s words found in the Psalms as he remembers God’s faithfulness.  

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary
    and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,
    my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.

I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.

Because you are my help,
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I cling to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

In the good times and the bad it is important to remember.  Remember God’s work in your life.  Remember how He has walked with you every single step of your journey.  Remember the times He has held you up and the times He has celebrated with you.  As David remembers his response is that he clings to God.  The more we remember God’s faithfulness the more we long to be with Him.  Today take some time to remember and thank God for his faithfulness in your life!

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

We are currently in the heart of hurricane season.  People respond very differently to hurricanes I have noticed.  Some particularly, long time Floridians tend to not worry too much until the hurricane gets pretty close.  Others start buying up water and canned goods when one forms off the coast of Africa.  The reality is that hurricanes are strong and powerful and certainly can cause a lot of damage.  The storms that pop up in life can be the very same way.  The good news is that we serve a God who can calm the storms that life throws at us.  Let’s look together today at Mark 4. 

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

While in this instance Jesus is calming an actual weather related storm, He regularly calms storms in our life as well.  Just like he was with the disciples He is always with us as well.  We can call out to Him when life’s waves and winds feel like too much.  Sometimes He calms them down and other times He is simply with us to comfort us as we ride out the storm.  No matter what you are facing today Jesus is with you.  Hold on to that truth and you can ride out whatever storm you are facing.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

My morning routine involves arriving at the office and sitting down to immediately write this devotional.  I usually have a plan for what I will be writing but sometimes I need to sit and read some Scripture and pray before I can get going.  This morning I came in with a plan and turned on some worship music and a song I had never heard came on.  I recognized the words from Psalm 103 and began singing along the best I could.  The words really hit me so I thought I’d share this passage instead.  Let’s look at it together today. 

Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—

who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord works righteousness
    and justice for all the oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses,
    his deeds to the people of Israel:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.

We were created to praise God.  We were made to be worshipers of Him.  When I think of praising the Lord with my soul, I picture pouring out everything I have for God.  I think sometimes we are all guilty of only giving God some and not all.  I sang a song I didn’t know and it hit me that I was holding back because of a lack of familiarity with the tune.  Thinking of the words of praising the Lord with my soul I realized that God doesn’t care if I get a word wrong or if my voice is out of tune or even how loud I sing.  God simply wants ALL of my praise.  Today, in the car, in your shower, in your living room, or wherever you are give God ALL of your praise.  He alone is worthy of it.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave