Tag: True Wisdom Comes from God

After Pentecost | Monday 31 Jul 2023: Psalm 65:8-13; Genesis 30:25-36; James 3:13-18 ~ Live honorably and do good with humility.

After Pentecost | Monday 31 Jul 2023

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

Almighty and everlasting God,
you are always more ready to hear than we to pray,
and to give more than we either desire or deserve:
Pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy,
forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid,
and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask,
except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

If you are wise and understand God’s ways,
prove it by living an honorable life,
doing good works with the humility
that comes from wisdom.
(James 3:13)

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From Psalms: Psalm 65:11 – You Crown The Year – Hillsong Worship | Light of the World

https://youtu.be/TmGGXg6VdKM?rel=0
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OT Reading: Genesis 30:25-36 (NLT)

Jacob’s Wealth Increases

30:25 Soon after Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Please release me so I can go home to my own country. Let me take my wives and children, for I have earned them by serving you, and let me be on my way. You certainly know how hard I have worked for you.”

“Please listen to me,” Laban replied. “I have become wealthy, for the Lord has blessed me because of you. Tell me how much I owe you. Whatever it is, I’ll pay it.”

Jacob replied, “You know how hard I’ve worked for you, and how your flocks and herds have grown under my care. You had little indeed before I came, but your wealth has increased enormously. The Lord has blessed you through everything I’ve done. But now, what about me? When can I start providing for my own family?”

“What wages do you want?” Laban asked again.

Jacob replied, “Don’t give me anything. Just do this one thing, and I’ll continue to tend and watch over your flocks. Let me inspect your flocks today and remove all the sheep and goats that are speckled or spotted, along with all the black sheep. Give these to me as my wages. In the future, when you check on the animals you have given me as my wages, you’ll see that I have been honest. If you find in my flock any goats without speckles or spots, or any sheep that are not black, you will know that I have stolen them from you.”

“All right,” Laban replied. “It will be as you say.” But that very day Laban went out and removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted or had white patches, and all the black sheep. He placed them in the care of his own sons, who took them a three-days’ journey from where Jacob was. Meanwhile, Jacob stayed and cared for the rest of Laban’s flock.

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Perfect Wisdom of Our God – Keith & Kristyn Getty

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NT Reading: James 3:13-18 (NLT)

True Wisdom Comes from God

3:13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

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For The Honor – Elevation Worship | MaDieuVit

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

William Temple

+ Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

Be our strength, Lord,
when times are hard,
and our confidence
that today’s troubles
will pass, and together
we shall journey
through this present
darkness, grown wiser
by the experience
and with a deeper faith.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

After Epiphany | Friday – 03 Feb 2023: Psalm 112:1-9; Isaiah 29:1-12; James 3:13-18 ~ God’s wisdom produces honorable lives.

After Epiphany | Friday – 03 Feb 2023

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

O God, you know that
we are set in the midst of many grave dangers,
and because of the frailty of our nature
we cannot always stand upright:
Grant that your strength and protection
may support us in all dangers
and carry us through every temptation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

If you are wise and understand God’s ways,
prove it by living an honorable life,
doing good works with the humility
that comes from wisdom.
(James 3:13)

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From Psalms: Psalm 112 – The Just Man is a Light | JesComTV

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OT Reading: Isaiah 29:1-12 (NLT)

A Message about Jerusalem

29:1 “What sorrow awaits Ariel, the City of David.
Year after year you celebrate your feasts.
Yet I will bring disaster upon you,
and there will be much weeping and sorrow.
For Jerusalem will become what her name Ariel means—
an altar covered with blood.
I will be your enemy,
surrounding Jerusalem and attacking its walls.
I will build siege towers
and destroy it.
Then deep from the earth you will speak;
from low in the dust your words will come.
Your voice will whisper from the ground
like a ghost conjured up from the grave.

“But suddenly, your ruthless enemies will be crushed
like the finest of dust.
Your many attackers will be driven away
like chaff before the wind.
Suddenly, in an instant,
I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will act for you
with thunder and earthquake and great noise,
with whirlwind and storm and consuming fire.
All the nations fighting against Jerusalem
will vanish like a dream!
Those who are attacking her walls
will vanish like a vision in the night.
A hungry person dreams of eating
but wakes up still hungry.
A thirsty person dreams of drinking
but is still faint from thirst when morning comes.
So it will be with your enemies,
with those who attack Mount Zion.”

Are you amazed and incredulous?
Don’t you believe it?
Then go ahead and be blind.
You are stupid, but not from wine!
You stagger, but not from liquor!
For the Lord has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep.
He has closed the eyes of your prophets and visionaries.

All the future events in this vision are like a sealed book to them. When you give it to those who can read, they will say, “We can’t read it because it is sealed.” When you give it to those who cannot read, they will say, “We don’t know how to read.”

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Is He Worthy |  Chris Tomlin

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NT Reading: James 3:13-18 (NLT)

True Wisdom Comes from God

3:13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

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The Perfect Wisdom of Our God – Stuart Townend

tranceseraph

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ O God, without whose beauty and goodness our souls are unfed, without whose truth our reason withers: Consecrate our lives to your will, giving us such purity of heart, such depth of faith, and such steadfastness of purpose, that in time we may come to think your own thoughts after you; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

William Temple

+ Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

Be the Life I live
Be the Love I give

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Tuesday Morning: 02 Jul 2019 – James 3:1-18 ~ Faith speaks words of blessing, wisdom and peace.

Tuesday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening (A Collect for Peace – Tuesday)

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – James 3:1-18 (NLT)

Controlling the Tongue

Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.

But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.

People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.

True Wisdom Comes from God

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
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Morning Reflection:

Faith speaks words of blessing, wisdom and peace.

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. – James 3:17

A living faith produces good works and it also produces good words. How? By controlling what we say. Words matter – what we say to others reflects on our faith as much as what we do for others. Words can bless or curse.

Why the warning?

+ The tongue has as much destructive power as a spark in a forest. It is petite but powerful.
+ The tongue is the gate through which evil influences can spread like fire to inflame all the areas of life that we touch.
+ Apart from the Holy Spirit’s help no human being has ever been able to subdue his or her own tongue.

By way of contrast, a living faith speaks words of blessing, wisdom and peace.

+ Blessing:  words of God’s favor and protection; words of encouragement and approval; words that strengthen and build up.
+ Wisdom:  words that view life from God’s perspective and understanding; words that are gentle and gracious, spoken with humility and kindness.
+ Peace:  words that are open to reason, full of mercy, considerate of others, sympathetic to the needy, willing to yield to reasonable requests.

 Questions for consideration:

  • Can you think of a time when you were wounded by hurtful words? Please explain.
  • Can you think of a time when you spoke hurtful words to someone? Please explain.
  • Can you think of someone who needs a word of blessing from you? What would you say to them?  Please explain.
  • Can you think of someone who needs a word of wisdom from you? What would you say to them? Please explain.
  • Can you think of someone who needs you to be a peacemaker? What would that involve? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:

Prayer of Blessing:

May the Lord bless you and protect you, and may he show you his mercy and loving-kindness. May the Lord be good to you and give you his peace through his Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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“Christ Be All Around Me” – Leeland

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen