21 Days of Prayer & Fasting – Day 9

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Dr. Logan's Blog

October 16, 2012 – Day 9

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 what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? [1]

The writer of Hebrews tells us about faith, “It is the substance, [title deed or legal document], of things hoped for and the assurance of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). There were many great people of faith and all of them lived according to their faith and died without seeing the fulfillment of it. James attacks the notion that a person can have one without the other. If a person has faith then that faith does something because without deeds a person’s faith is useless.

Every act of faith requires an action. James gives us the example of Abraham traveling out into the wilderness to sacrifice his son. This was the son that he had received as the first installment of the promise he had from God to be built into a mighty nation and yet his faith led him to prepare himself to sacrifice him. What about while Abraham waited on Isaac to be born? I know that both he and Sarah initially doubted because of their advanced years, but having received the assurance of their promise Isaac could only be born if Abraham had gone into Sarah.

Our Bible tells us that the promises of God are “yea” and “amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20), but a promise is nothing without action on our part. One cannot received the hoped for promise of a job without applying for positions. One cannot receive the hoped for promise of a spouse without preparing to receive them. One cannot expect to enjoy the benefits of life in Christ without walking in obedience to His Word. Faith apart from deeds, works, is useless; it is dead.

What does your faith require of you today? What do you need to do to walk in obedience to what God has called you? Your faith is powerful and will accomplish great and mighty things, and please God, but you have to put it into action. Step out on your faith today and watch God move for you.

O God, our faith is so often very small. We find ourselves stuck in the mindset of human accomplishment. We believe the lies of the enemy of our souls and doubt the efficacy of our prayers and Your ability to move in our situations. We say we have faith but our lack of action betrays us. We read, hear, and study Your Word, but do nothing with it. Forgive our lack of faith and unwillingness to step out on it. Enable us to be doers of Your Word today and not mere listeners. Open opportunities for us to operate in our faith so that those who do not believe may know that You are God and that Your Word is true. We surrender ourselves this day to Your will in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Jas 2:18–21.

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21 Days of Prayer & Fasting – Day 8

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Faith and Deeds

14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. [1]

This particular passage is probably the most recognizable from the book of James. Most Christians, whether they are familiar with their Bibles or not, would be acquainted with these verses, especially “faith without works is dead (KJV).” This is also part of the book of James that addressed controversy in the church over works righteousness. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8, 9). Some believers took Paul’s words to mean that it was not necessary to their salvation that they actually do something for someone else. To James this is completely nonsensical.

If we ascribe to the law of love, how can we allow our faith to be sedentary? One of the problems I see with the church today is that far too many believers want the benefits of a relationship with Jesus but do not want to exert the effort it takes to cultivate it. We are called to put our faith into practice. The danger at the other extreme, of course, is that some will believe that all they have to do is good deeds to inherit eternal life. It does not work either way. It is one’s faith that they have received from God by His grace that motivates them to perform good deeds, but good deeds cannot and does not lead to faith. It may sound callous and insensitive, but hell will be populated by people who did marvelous deeds while living but who had no faith.

If we combine these verses with the preceding verses that speak to the Royal Law of Love, then we should be able to see that our focus on our own goals and objectives without looking to the interests of others is incompatible with our walk of faith. Today let us open our eyes to see those around us who are hurting or in need. What can we do to give them hope, bring them peace, or feed and clothe them because our faith apart from works or deeds is lifeless and dead.

Dear Lord, forgive us of settling for a lifeless faith. Help us to be more like You in all we say and do. Keep us from using our busy lives as excuses for looking through and around those who are in need. Give us the capacity to point people to where they can find help if we cannot provide it ourselves. Enable us to be caring and compassionate even as You have been and continue to be with us. Help us to show forth Your love and concern for the least of these among us, or just to a hurting brother or sister. Today, when we ask someone how they are, let us be earnest enough to care enough to take time to truly listen and pray for that person. Thank You for hearing our prayer. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Jas 2:14–17.

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21 Days of Prayer & Fasting – Day 7

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Dr. Logan's Blog

October 14, 2012 – Day 7

8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! [1]

In the preceding verses James argues that showing favoritism toward the wealthy is wrong for two principle reasons. First, “it contradicts God’s regard for the poor,” and second, “it makes no sense.” He now adds a third and more important reason; it violates God’s law of love. Quoting Leviticus 19:18, James challenges his readers’ attitude toward God’s law and in the process demonstrates that possession of skewed ideas toward sin is not new. Just as it is far too easy today to create hierarchies of sin it was also easy in James’ day. We think we are without sin because we do not participate in or commit certain sins. We feel good about ourselves because we are not guilty of the immorality that characterizes our society today, but sin is sin. If we are guilty of any sin we are just as guilty as the next person.

James makes his argument using the issue of his day in the church, showing favoritism of the wealthy over the poor. One was proud to boast of their holiness and righteousness because they were not adulterers and murderers, but still discriminated against the poor. In addressing the issue James alludes to the teaching of Jesus. Matthew records that an expert in the law came to Jesus asking what was the greatest commandment. Instead of listing the Ten Commandments, Jesus said that two things summarized the whole law: “love the Lord your God” and “your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:36-39). These two commandments are connected. If one loves God they must love their neighbor. One can only love their neighbor if they love God. Therefore, showing favoritism violates that law of love.

Loving our neighbor keeps us from showing favoritism, discrimination and prejudice, but it does not equal acceptance of behavior that grieves the spirit of God. We should be careful that we do not allow a permissive society to pervert the clear meaning of scripture. We condemn that which violates the law of God but we still demonstrate to the world that which distinguishes us from all others: the love of God.

Dear Father, it is so easy for us to judge without showing mercy. We are guilty of showing partiality in how we relate one to another. Forgive our misplaced pride. Forgive us of looking down on those we consider lower. Help us today to love as You love us. Remind of us of the mercy You extend to us daily. Remind us of our sin that cries out for justice but that You have forgiven by showing us mercy. Thank you for the opportunity to show an unbelieving world who You are in how we love one another. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Jas 2:8–13.

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21 Days of Prayer & Fasting – Day 6

Posted on October 13, 2012 by Dr. Logan's Blog

October 13, 2012 – Day 6

2  My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? [1]

It is in our nature to show favoritism. To show favoritism means literally to ‘receive face.’ It means to make judgments about people based on their appearance. In this passage a person dressed well and one dressed poorly are compared and contrasted. The person dressed well is received and treated better than the person who is dressed poorly. Many commentators are drawn to the idea that James may be referring to some type of legal proceeding and that judgment is rendered not according to the merits of the case but according to how each is dressed.

One of my favorite episodes of Law and Order: SVU takes on this theme. A judge is suspected of rendering his verdicts according to the defendant’s appearances. Those who were better off were given every consideration of the court and generally presumed to be innocent, while those who were poor and had a lower standard of living were presumed guilty. Of course, the folly of his justice comes to a head when one of the better off defendants repeats their crime. Though it was just a television show, art is often truer to life than we like to admit.

God has a special place for the poor and does not allow for discrimination based upon one’s station or condition in life. We are not to make decisions about people based upon their external appearance, the color of their skin, the way they are dressed, or their appearance. God looks upon the heart of a person and not their external appearance. It is far too easy to make very young man with sagging pants and dreads or long hair a thug, or every woman with form fitting clothes that are also too short and show too much cleavage a loose woman. The way people look may assault our sensibilities because they do not meet our standard but we are too look at them in the same manner God does.

Dear Lord, we are guilty of showing favoritism. We do it without thinking, automatically ascribing guilt or innocence, and developing attitudes toward Your people based on their outward appearance. We humbly confess of prejudices. Help us today to see people the way You see them. Enable us to see beyond their appearances and to judge them with fairness and justice. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Jas 2:1–7.

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21 Days of Prayer & Fasting – Day 1

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Reflections on the Book of James

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. [1]

While is difficult to determine who authored this book, credit is given to James the Just. All we know about him is that he is someone with whom the early church would have been well acquainted and that he is a “servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”       His first words are meant to be a source of encouragement, but seem to be a bit of an oxymoron. “Consider it pure joy (or count it all joy), my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds?” Anyone who has ever had to face a trial would not consider it any kind of joy except for the knowledge that our suffering has a purpose: it tests our faith and develops perseverance. Perseverance “is the capacity to hold out or bear up in the face of difficulty.” It is that ability to hold out, to bear up to stand fast not giving up or giving in that builds complete maturity.

However, most believers do not have the wisdom to understand the seasons of their suffering or know how to handle suffering. For those individuals, James counsels asking God for wisdom. That wisdom, based on the Word of God and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, leads us to understand that there is a purpose for what we go through. Understanding that purpose won’t make us happy, but it will give us joy knowing that it is producing in us perseverance, patience, endurance, fortitude, steadfastness that in turn leads us to maturity or perfection.

Let us pray today for the capacity to count our trials as joy. Let us pray and ask God to turn our tears into rejoicing and our sadness in dancing again. Let us pray for a change in attitude toward the changing seasons of our lives. Let us ask God to make us ready for the seasons that are yet to come.

Dear Lord, forgive us today for focusing on our trials and seeing them as a curse. Help us to count it all joy knowing that you have the capacity to bring good out of every test and trial. Change our hearts so that they would not be filled with anger and bitterness and help us to wait for our change to come. We trust you today to do a powerful work in our lives and in our circumstances. So fill us with Your love and great expectation of the marvelous things that are yet to come, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Jas 1:1–5.

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21 Days of Prayer & Fasting – Day 2

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Dr. Logan's Blog

October 9, 2012 – Day 2

6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. 9 The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10 But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. [1]

The one place where faith is absolutely necessary is in our prayer life. So many believers tend to pray tentative prayers leaving themselves a way of explaining why they did not receive that for which they prayed. But “God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should go back on His word” (Number 23:19). The promises of God are rife with assurances of answered prayer. James echoes those promises with the further caveat that the one who doubts instead of believing is an unstable person who should not expect anything from God.

What should one do when they pray? David Chou, in his book entitled, ‘The Fourth Dimension,’ gives four basic steps to answered prayer. One must have a clear-cut goal and objective, have a burning desire for it, the assurance of receiving it, and then they must speak it. Our prayer must be targeted and specific and our attitudes must be the same. Nothing should be able to dissuade us from the assurance of answered prayer regardless of how long it takes for us to receive the thing for which we prayed. Every person listed in the Hall of Fame of Faith contained in the book of Hebrews died before they received the fulfillment of their promise and yet they believed. What is your clear-cut goal? Do you have a burning desire for it? Do you have the assurance that you will receive it? Are you speaking it?

There are two additional verses in this passage we should not overlook. They speak to the type of attitude one should have as they come to God. Not only does our doubt pose obstacles to answered prayer, but the manner in which we come before Him does as well. Let me encourage you today to move beyond a fast food mentality toward prayer that seeks for instant gratification and instead trust God with a humble heart to perform His Word.

Dear God, we are guilty of placing demands on you and then being angry and disappointed with you when things have not gone our way. Forgive us of our duplicity and instead lead us into a stable faith where we are able to trust you for everything. Take away our prideful haughty spirits and make us humble. Enable us to stand fast as we wait for the circumstances of our lives to change. Keep us from growing weary and taking matters into our own hands but instead cause us to be joyful knowing that You hear and answer prayer. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Jas 1:6–10.

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21 Days of Prayer & Fasting – Day 3

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Dr. Logan's Blog

October 11, 2012 – Day 3

19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life 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. [1]

Do you know how often I realize that I’m not really listening? I have become a master at tuning people out particularly if I have no real interest in what they are saying. Now, of course, that is just plain rude but worse, it causes me to not hear what I need to hear in order to make the correct and appropriate response to what is being said. Gratefully I am not generally one to flash hot, but many are. I have discovered over the many years that have now been a pastor that many of the disputes in the church and between couples could have been avoided and even alleviated simply if people had been able to actually hear what the other said and understand it.

There is a difference between anger and righteous indignation. There is a time to show some balanced indignation, anger that dos not lead to sin, like Jesus demonstrated in the temple as He turned over the tables and chased out the moneychangers. Raw anger is far different and generally is irrational and out of proportion to the offence. James says very emphatically that such anger “does not bring about the righteous life God desires.”

If you are one that constantly hears people asking why you are so angry all the time then perhaps you have an anger problem. If you are one that finds yourself consistently offended by the smallest things, then you probably have an anger problem. James does suggest a remedy, however. “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.” Some may find this counsel shallow and ineffective but James does not delineate how exactly to get rid of the moral filth. There are reasons for your anger. There are situations and circumstances you have experienced in your life, perhaps very early on, that still impact you in a negative counter-productive way. Don’t run away from it. It will follow you. Get a handle on what lies behind your anger and then submit it all to the Lord. Get in the word and submit to it entirely because it is the only thing that can save you. Be doers of the word and not hearers only!

Dear Lord, we humbly submit all of our anger to You and place it at Your feet. You know what lies behind our anger. We surrender all the moral filth we have been carrying and hiding, hoping no one would see where we have been and what we have been through. Break the silence in our lives and help us to own what angers us so that we can be whole. We confess that we are not good listeners, that we talk more than we listen. Help us today to exercise some shut mouth grace. Then give us a passion for Your Word, to read it, hear it, study it, memorize it, and meditate upon it. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Jas 1:19–22.

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21 Days of Prayer & Fasting – Day 4

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Dr. Logan's Blog

19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life 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. [1]

Do you know how often I realize that I’m not really listening? I have become a master at tuning people out particularly if I have no real interest in what they are saying. Now, of course, that is just plain rude but worse, it causes me to not hear what I need to hear in order to make the correct and appropriate response to what is being said. Gratefully I am not generally one to flash hot, but many are. I have discovered over the many years that have now been a pastor that many of the disputes in the church and between couples could have been avoided and even alleviated simply if people had been able to actually hear what the other said and understand it.

There is a difference between anger and righteous indignation. There is a time to show some balanced indignation, anger that dos not lead to sin, like Jesus demonstrated in the temple as He turned over the tables and chased out the moneychangers. Raw anger is far different and generally is irrational and out of proportion to the offence. James says very emphatically that such anger “does not bring about the righteous life God desires.”

If you are one that constantly hears people asking why you are so angry all the time then perhaps you have an anger problem. If you are one that finds yourself consistently offended by the smallest things, then you probably have an anger problem. James does suggest a remedy, however. “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.” Some may find this counsel shallow and ineffective but James does not delineate how exactly to get rid of the moral filth. There are reasons for your anger. There are situations and circumstances you have experienced in your life, perhaps very early on, that still impact you in a negative counter-productive way. Don’t run away from it. It will follow you. Get a handle on what lies behind your anger and then submit it all to the Lord. Get in the word and submit to it entirely because it is the only thing that can save you. Be doers of the word and not hearers only!

Dear Lord, we humbly submit all of our anger to You and place it at Your feet. You know what lies behind our anger. We surrender all the moral filth we have been carrying and hiding, hoping no one would see where we have been and what we have been through. Break the silence in our lives and help us to own what angers us so that we can be whole. We confess that we are not good listeners, that we talk more than we listen. Help us today to exercise some shut mouth grace. Then give us a passion for Your Word, to read it, hear it, study it, memorize it, and meditate upon it. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Jas 1:19–22.

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21 Days of Prayer & Fasting – Day 5

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Dr. Logan's Blog

23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man 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 the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his 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. [1]

Building on his previous statement, James equates hearing but not doing with amnesia. The Word of God is a gift to the Church. It brings salvation and life to all who read and do it. In short, the Word works, but only if those who read and hear it work it. They, then are the ones who are blessed.

A concept that has been lost in the Church today is that of wickedness. Many good biblical words are not used any more because their original meaning has been distorted. When we think of wickedness today we invoke images of Ted Bundy, terrorists, and the most heinous of criminals. But wickedness in the Bible, whether in the Hebrew or the Greek, has a different connotation. Hebrew teaches functionality, while Greek teaches form. Any time a person destroys the functionality and form of what God has designed, created and intended they are referred to as wicked. The Word of God tells us God’s design as it relates to function and form. When we read it or hear it and then proceed to ignore it or disregard it we willfully destroy its form and function and circumvent its design. James gives us a quick example of that form and function, upon which he will elucidate later, referring to the tongue. It was designed to have a particular form and function, but we regularly destroy that form and function when we are unable or unwilling to keep a tight reign on our tongues, and in so doing we render our religion, our faith, worthless.

The only way to keep oneself unpolluted from the world is to walk and live according to the form and function God designed. To do any less is to be guilty of having a worthless religion, or worse yet, to be wicked.

 Lord Jesus, we are guilty of destroying Your grand design for our lives. We have willfully stepped outside of the form and function You designed. We have served our own desires and pursued our own purposes. We have disregarded Your Word and have sought to master our own fate. Forgive our wickedness. Forgive our spiritual amnesia. Forgive our refusal to submit to the form and function for which You have designed us. Restore to us zeal to read, hear, study, memorize and meditate in and upon Your Word. Enable us to then take Your Word and put it into operation in every area of our lives. We boldly apply Your Word this day to our families, our own lives, our jobs and Your Church in Jesus’ name. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Jas 1:23–27.

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