Sunday review: November 29—December 4

Sure, you’re busy with many important activities, but how do your actions reflect the beliefs you proclaim as you worship today? This week’s posts challenge us to get on with God’s work because we have faith in him. Take a few minutes from your busyness to reread and share some of these posts.

November 29
Planning isn’t bad, but if we make plans and don’t stop to ask if our plans align with God’s plans, then we have reverted back to following self and choosing to be the captain of our own life instead of choosing to surrender control and following Jesus as Lord of our lives.
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November 30
So today go ahead and acknowledge all your deficits. Go ahead and consider the size of the wall or mountain in your way. But then remember not to despise the small things and determine to hold onto the Word of the Lord. It was true for Zerubbabel and it’s true for you as well: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”
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December 1
James wrote that we are not asked, called, or directed simply to read or hear Scripture but to do what the Holy Spirit stirs in us through the Word. We are called to put these nudges into action. If we do, we are blessed and will be a blessing to future generations. If we don’t, according to James we have a worthless religion. And that’s just for starters. When James wrote the second chapter of his little book he said our faith without actions is simply dead.
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December 2
After spending several verses in the first two chapters reminding Christ-followers to listen to God’s Word and to act on what they hear, James gets to the prevention and protection he describes in chapter 4. He tells us that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humility will bring us to our knees where we can submit to God, resist the enemy, draw near to God, and have our hearts, hands, and minds purified. I think when we do that we also address our stubborn shoulders, which brings a very different response to following Jesus.
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December 3
As followers of Jesus we are called to live in community. Scripture never tells us just to do our own thing or live as if we have our own island to manage. This means as kingdom people we will become partners with each other regularly as we participate in the renewal and restoration projects that God daily calls us to tackle. This is why Paul wrote about the importance of being equally yoked in our partnerships. If our partners in life, business, marriage, or anywhere don’t share our kingdom mission, then we have problems. Weighty ones.
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December 4
“Sometimes you need to step into the chaos,” he said. “If you’re called to significant service, you can’t let the difficulty of your surroundings keep you from answering yes. Too often we retreat to comfort.”
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Photo by mauro mora on Unsplash

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