Discipline in most areas of my life right now are at a minimum, even when it comes to walking with the Lord. I boast a good game, however, when reading in James this morning I outright tripped on these words:
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." James 1:26
Ouch.
Thankfully, I am not without hope that I am able to accomplish this difficult task, bridling my tongue, as King James put it, because "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13
Check out verse 27 too.
"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."
What do I do for orphans and widows?
How about not being polluted by the world? Do I stink like garbage? (that's a vivid thought now isn't it!)
So many great words in the bible to really make me think. Compel me to change. Warn me to not deceive myself. Urge me to run to the One who can help me with all of these seemingly impossible tasks.
I love what Beth Moore says in one of her studies on these verses: "So, how on earth do we serve in it [the world] without smelling like it? With serious discipline and determination, that's how. With courage and deep conviction. With a large dose of the Holy Ghost. You don't live this kind of life accidentally. You make up your mind who you want to be and daily die to the rest. You surrender yourself to living in the tension where you'll always be stretched and often be broken. Religion pure and undefiled is grit without the grime. You accept that far easier ways to live exist, but you were born for nothing less. And when we sniff ourselves and smell the world, we run to the One who can wash us."
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!
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