Read: James 3:3-12

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths. (Eph. 4:29 NIV)

Have you ever gossiped? I know I have. It’s easy to tell a friend a juicy detail that begins small and can grow out of control. James says “the tongue is a fire” that can corrupt a whole person and set the course of one’s life ablaze with destruction (James 3:6). James mentions many sins of the tongue such as slander, boasting, and quarreling. Speech that flows out of our mouths as praise to God one moment can mutate into gossip about someone the next. That’s how quickly our tongues can get us into trouble.

In contrast, the Holy Spirit’s power is like fresh water, which can extinguish those sparks of sinful speech before they turn our lives into raging forest fires. We need to submit to God to control these sins of the tongue. We can ask the Holy Spirit for his strength. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,” James says, and the Lord will purify your heart (James 4:7-8).

Jesus said that “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Luke 6:45 NIV). A leader recently asked people to imagine if what you say in private were read aloud by Jesus in front of Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Tongue Control →

Read: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

Our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father . . . loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace. (v. 16)

Recently I kept a vigil as a hospice volunteer. The dying man hadn’t shown any signs of consciousness the entire night. Under his right hand he clasped his black leather Holy Bible. I found the tightness of his grip intriguing. It made me think of how we should hold firmly to the word of the Lord.

As I sat by this man’s side, I imagined the invisible flow of the Holy Spirit going up through his arm, into his chest spreading throughout his entire being. The eternal comfort of the Word of God and the hope of heaven can be ours even during the process of dying. God chose us, and cleanses us by our belief in the truth. We can obtain glory in heaven through his wonderful grace. How we need to stand firm and hold to what Scripture has taught us.

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Eternal Comfort →

May 2, 2016

Read: Joshua 1:5-9

Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (v. 9 NIV)

Does fear constrain you from what the Lord calls you to do? It’s not easy to follow God when we feel pressures on all sides. We all have fears that seem to loom so large—fears for our children, work pressures, and violence in the world.

In this passage, the Lord affirmed to Joshua that he would be with him to lead the Israelites and help him overcome his fears. He would be facing armies, fierce opposition, and treacherous territory without his trusted mentor, Moses. Now it was his responsibility to lead the people. Several times the Lord commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous, gracious encouragements to trust God. The Lord also told him to meditate on Scripture day and night and to obey its instruction so he would have good success wherever he went (v. 7).

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Be Strong and Courageous →

Read: James 3:9-12

With [the tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. (v. 9)

As human beings we are created in God’s image, and God pronounced that “very good” (Gen. 1:31). Yet we are bombarded with pictures—through television, magazines, and online—that depict an unattainable standard of physical beauty. The average female fashion model is a size 2, but the average American woman is a size 14. The media depicts the ideal male body as extremely muscular, with chiseled abs, zero body fat, and a full head of hair. Many Americans see thousands of advertisements every day that insist we fight aging, lose weight, and appear perfect. Unfortunately, what we see in the mirror cannot match what the media insists we should look like.

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Careless Words (Part 2) →

Read: James 3:1-8

But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (v. 8)

Our words have power. We don’t realize how much power our words have. James did. He warns his readers continuously to guard their tongues; to be mindful of what they say. And in today’s passage, he says that our tongue is “a small member, yet it boasts” (v. 5); it “is a fire, a world of unrighteousness . . . set on fire by hell” (v. 6), and “a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (v. 8). Whoa. That’s serious!

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Careless Words (Part 1) →

Read: James 2:14-19

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (v. 17)

Jim, a police officer in Kentucky, was called out to a local grocery store with a report of a shoplifting in progress. He arrived just in time to watch the suspect walk out the door. The suspect was a young man, about 19 years old, and Jim was surprised to see that he was pushing a baby in a stroller. Jim rolled up next to the young man and ordered him to stop. The young man stopped, sat down on the curb—and burst into tears.

After Jim interviewed the store manager, he determined that the only things the young man was accused of stealing were a package of diapers and a can of baby formula. After speaking with the young suspect himself, Jim learned that he was a single father, and although he was working, he didn’t have the money that week to feed his six-month-old daughter.

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Stop, in the Name of the Law →

Read: James 2:8-13

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. (v. 12)

Kari was shocked when her 27-year-old daughter called her on a Monday last October, and told her that her wedding, scheduled for Saturday, was cancelled. The groom-to-be had called it off. Even though she was heartbroken for her daughter, Kari needed to decide what to do about the reception, which had already been paid for. She quickly made some phone calls, and sent out new invitations—to Sacramento’s homeless shelters. By 7:00 on Saturday evening, more than 90 people—homeless families, single people, grandparents, and children—filled the reception hall and feasted on salmon, steak, and luscious desserts. Among them Rashad and his wife, Erika, came with their five children. Rashad was grateful, saying “When you’ve been going through a hard time, this . . . this is really a blessing.” Erika agreed. “To lose out on something so important to yourself and then give it to someone else is really, really kind.”

Kari and her family truly loved their neighbors as themselves. According to James, this is the royal law that offers freedom—freedom to show mercy, and freedom from judgement. Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matt. 5:7). And, “for with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you” (Matt. 7:2). Show mercy then, because mercy triumphs over judgment!

Prayer:

Lord, teach us to love with mercy and without judgment.

Author: Susan Hetrick

https://woh.org/

Read: James 2:1-7

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. (v. 1)

Mahatma Gandhi was a wise man, who led India in the independence movement against British rule and developed nonviolent civil disobedience. He was extremely well-educated, and a voracious reader. He was curious about Jesus, and read the Gospels in order to learn more about him. Gandhi often quoted from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. However, he later told how he once tried to enter a Christian church to worship, and the ushers refused to let him through the door, rudely suggesting that Gandhi should “leave or be thrown down the steps.” Gandhi famously said, “Oh, I don’t reject Christ. I love Christ. It’s just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

James makes it very clear in this passage that we often judge or discriminate without even thinking about it! You may not think that you favor the rich, but ask yourself: did you look down on that woman at the store when you noticed she was using food stamps? You passed a homeless man on your way to work recently; did you invite him to church, or offer him a meal? Did you know that some 1.2 billion people worldwide live on less than $1.25 a day (World Bank Web site)?

Jesus said that we will always have the poor among us (John 12:8), and he also said we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. James is just reminding us what that should look like.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, help me to love others without favoritism.

Author: Susan Hetrick

https://woh.org/

Read: James 1:22-27

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (v. 22)

Early in the 20th century, evangelist Billy Sunday said, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you an automobile.” In other words, saying so doesn’t make it so. James says the same. People can listen to sermons or Christian music all day long, and memorize the entire Bible; but until the Word of God gets into their hearts and changes them, they are kidding themselves. Just hearing God’s Word isn’t enough—we must act on it!

James spells out specific ways to act on the Word of God. He insists that believers must watch what they say! Talking just to hear your own voice is foolishness. Our words should have substance and truth in them. We must choose our words carefully and use them wisely, remembering that words spoken in a fit of anger can do a lot of damage, and even render our faith “worthless.”

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Just Do It! →

Read: James 1:16-21

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. (v. 19)

When I was about seven, my entire extended family was gathered for a holiday dinner. Parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were talking all at once, and the noise at the dinner table was deafening. I looked at my grandfather, leaning back in his chair. He hadn’t said a word all day. I remarked, “Grampa, you’re so quiet! Why aren’t you talking?” He replied, “I’m listening. You learn more this way.”

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Just Hush! →

Read: James 1:1-8

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (v. 5)

For the next two weeks, we will dig deep into the letter written by James, who introduces himself as “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” James was a leader in the early church, and his letter was written as an encouragement to believers who were scattered around the Roman Empire. Even by today’s standards, it is a wise and practical letter. James often sounds like the writers of Old Testament Wisdom literature (Proverbs, Psalms, Ecclesiastes). James also sounds a lot like Jesus (see Matt. 7:7-11), probably because Jesus was his older half-brother. For pastoral wisdom about living the Christian life, you can’t beat James.

Today what passes for “wisdom” seems to be gathered and dispersed online. There’s a podcast or blog for everything now—from how someone overcame severe physical disabilities and climbed Mount Everest, to why dogs can understand quantum physics better than humans. And while the internet may have content worth sharing, I am not sure it all counts as true wisdom.

Wisdom is usually gained from experience, which is why older people are considered wiser than younger people. Yet James says that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God and God will give it to us! The key here is asking God, and trusting that God will answer. Just the act of asking is wisdom in itself!

Prayer:

Lord, grant us the wisdom to seek all of the answers in you.

Author: Susan Hetrick

https://woh.org/

Read: Mark 16:1-8

But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him. (v. 7)

We don’t often think about biblical geography. But everything happened someplace and often the locations were significant. Or sometimes they were confusing. For instance, we know the angel told everyone to go meet Jesus in Galilee, but has that ever struck you as odd? After all, everyone was in Jerusalem at the time (the risen Jesus too). So why couldn’t they all encounter Jesus there? Galilee was 80 miles away as the crow flies and maybe 100 miles by road. Although today you could hop in a car and drive that distance in an hour or two, back then it took much, much longer. So why the journey?

Maybe because quiet, out-of-the-way Galilee fit Jesus better than glitzy, big-city Jerusalem. Maybe because even after being raised from the dead, Jesus still wanted to reach out to people in quiet, humble love. Had Jesus stayed in Jerusalem, maybe the disciples would have wanted to parade him in front of Pontius Pilate as a slam dunk way to say, “Thought you could kill Jesus, eh? Well, ta-da! Here he is again!”

But that was not Jesus’ way—not then, not now. He wants us to bear witness to him in humility, conviction, and with the power of the Holy Spirit. It is good to go see Jesus in Galilee—it’s exactly where you’d expect to find him even yet today.

Prayer:

Help us, O God, to witness to the resurrection in all of this world’s Galilees that all may truly see your Easter power.

Author: Scott Hoezee

https://woh.org/

Read: Mark 14:1-11

And he sought an opportunity to betray him. (v. 11)

“Why did Jesus choose Judas as a disciple if he knew Judas would betray him?” That was the question a man asked me one evening as I sat by a campfire while on vacation. So I broke out of vacation mode long enough to engage some theology, to suggest that it’s possible Jesus did not necessarily know right away that Judas would turn on him. The man who asked the question didn’t care for that answer—he wanted an omniscient Jesus, not a human Jesus who learned as he went on in life like normal human beings do.

In any event, what was up with Judas? What made Judas turn? Was it just being unhappy that Jesus commended the extravagant “waste” of money when this woman poured perfume onto Jesus’ head? Did even Judas know why he did it? Was his kiss of betrayal itself a mark of how confused Judas was? Even when betraying Jesus, Judas still gave him a sign of love.

Mark does not tell us this but the other Gospels indicate Judas killed himself in regret over what he had done. Was that merely remorse, or was there some repentance mixed in? And if Judas repented, could Jesus have forgiven him, the way he did Peter? We don’t know, but I would like to think so. That’s just the kind of thing you’d expect Jesus to do.

Prayer:

Forgive us when we too, Lord, betray and deny you.

Author: Scott Hoezee

https://woh.org/

Read: Mark 11:1-19

As it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. (v. 11)

Palm Sunday was celebrated a few weeks ago. But in Mark’s telling of that event, Jesus did not stay in Jerusalem after he rode the donkey to shouts of “Hosanna!” He left. And when he came back the next day, it was very different. If the first entry seemed “triumphal,” the second entry was angry, and it upset a whole lot of folks!

Jesus tore into the temple and began shaking up everything. He saw how little room there was left for outsiders to come for prayer. He saw how people who lived pretty rotten lives would come to the temple and pretend as though just being there meant they were still in good with God. So he cleared space for all people to pray and condemned those who treated the temple like a hideout for robbers.

The first entry was about what people wanted to see: an earthly king who would do nice things for them. The second entry was about Jesus’ true mission: to seek the lost and lonely, to bring all people to God, to provide forgiveness through his shed blood. It is fine to get caught up in the palm-waving excitement of Palm Sunday but for that celebration to have any meaning, we have to reenter the city with Jesus the next day, too, and understand the depths of what he really came to do.

Prayer:

Help us to follow you, O Christ, not just when it’s convenient but when you confront us with the truth.

Author: Scott Hoezee

https://woh.org/

Read: Mark 10:32-35

And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” (v. 37)

It is an unhappy pattern in Mark: Jesus predicts his death, and the disciples respond by grasping for power. Again and again Jesus said his way went down a sacrificial path. But the disciples could not get rid of their dreams of earthly splendor. They believed Jesus would knock off Caesar and take over the government of a new Israel, and when that happened, they wanted top-ranking cabinet posts. The disciples even argued about this from time to time, each vying for the top positions of power.

It is easy 2,000 years later to be critical of the disciples. Why couldn’t they just listen to Jesus? Why did they keep trying to lead Jesus where they wanted him to go instead of following where Jesus was already leading? We would never do that. Would we?

Well . . . the history of the church is not real encouraging on this point. Altogether too many church leaders, past and present, have angled for political power. We wish the church had more clout, more leverage, more influence in Washington or other capitals of power. Individually we sometimes wish that we, too, had more sway over how things go in society. Of course, it’s not wrong to want to influence the world for Jesus. But like the first disciples, we need to do this in sacrificial ways, just like the Master whom we, too, are still supposed to be following, not leading.

Prayer:

Make us humble servants of your gospel, O God.

Author: Scott Hoezee

https://woh.org/

Read: Mark 4:1-12

For those outside everything is in parables, so that “they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand.” (vv. 11-12)

Those of us who teach preaching to seminary students cannot emphasize enough how vital it is to be clear. Preachers must be clear communicators. So why is it that in his parables Jesus seems intent on (to use a phrase from professor of preaching Tom Long) pumping fog into the sanctuary? When the disciples hear a parable that neither they nor anyone else really understood, Jesus tells them not to worry because confusing people was his goal. He quotes Isaiah to say that he speaks in parables so that folks won’t understand. Huh? You want people to be befuddled, Jesus? What can account for this?

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Fog →