Whittle

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

Could it be that we spend our journey with God trusting His whittling more and more until we delight in it... What does it mean to be fully formed in Him?

Maybe one right answer is to realize the "a" Hope and "a" future He has consist of many plans, but only one hope and one future, HIM!

He is my HOPE! He is my FUTURE!

James 3:18,

Camelot

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:4-5 NLT)

The Word, Jesus gave life to everything that was created...

The WORD gives LIFE to everything recreated. 

James 3:18

Camelot

He's AllI Need

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT)

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14 NLT)

Is there anything that can not be answered in abundance by the LOVE OF GOD, GRACE OF CHRIST, and FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIIRIT.

JESUS, YOU ARE ALL I NEED!

James 3:18,

Camelot

That's not the Way

I have been reading the book of James for a few days. I love to read this straightforward book of the Bible in different versions, it helps me...
Here are two versions of James 3:13-18. Verse 18 I have had as my tag this year, God is leading me on in simple and profound ways.
 

New Living Translation

True Wisdom Comes from God

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. ¹⁴ But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. ¹⁵ For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. ¹⁶ For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

The Message

Live Well, Live Wisely

^13-16 Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats.

^17-18 Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.


A Few Thoughts

Our generation is busy. But doing what in what way? Technology really helps us out in taking the load of caring for ourselves and our family off of our backs with dishwashers, laundry detergent and other household and garden care. We now have all kinds of time to do...

Honestly, think about the things you do, what you have to do, what you get paid to do, and what you volunteer to do. Now weed out all the things good and bad that you do out of jealousy and/or selfish ambition. Yes it counts if is ambition for your kids. If your drive did not include these motives, would your life be so full. 

The hours at work... would they be so long if you were just providing for your family or doing what you were hired to do.
The practices for sports... would they still trample family and faith time, if you played only for the love of the game.
The networking or fellowship with people... would it be so spread thin if giving love in the relationship were the ONLY goal.
There are other perspectives to even these activities that swing the pendulum the other way, but you get the idea.

Our God, the Lover of our Soul, The Way, The Truth, and The Life came to show us a more excellent way. 

Are we adhering to His Way or ours?

Are we living by His Wisdom or ours?

Are we living His Life or ours?

There is only ONE WAY!

James 3:18,
Camelot

Face Forming Thoughts

Here is a quote I read recently:

“The fingers of your thoughts are molding your face ceaselessly” ~Charles Reznikoff

One day I will see Jesus face to face. Yet I believe now that just like the parable in Matthew 25 about the sheep and goats tells us that Jesus is somehow found or represented in the least of these, we can in some ways see Jesus face to face now.

Prevenient Grace tells me that God is at work in everyone drawing them to Himself. I want to see that, to recognize it, to discover it. In light of the quote above, I wonder if the reason I do not see it more is not because it is not true in their lives, in their face, but rather my face is not molding right.

How seriously do I take this instruction from the Word of God...

Philippians 4:8 (NIV) "⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

 Lord, may I see your grace at work in others, but first may I welcome and allow your grace to have sway in me.

James, 3:18, 
Camelot 

Does Your Anchor Hold? How Do You Know?

God did this so that we would be encouraged. God cannot lie when he takes an oath or makes a promise. These two things can never be changed. Those of us who have taken refuge in him hold on to the confidence we have been given. We have this confidence as a sure and strong anchor for our lives. This confidence goes into the ⌊holy⌋ place behind the curtain where Jesus went before us on our behalf. He has become the chief priest forever in the way Melchizedek was a priest. (Hebrews 6:18-20 GW)

My dad used to sing a song you have probably heard..."The Anchor Holds"

Calm seas allow for anchors to feel secure in a lot of places...

It is the storms, the struggles, the valleys that test our foundations, our life, our identities, our little gods.

Only in the midst of the storm can you truly understand why Jesus is the only anchor that holds. He is our Firm Foundation!

James 3:18,

Camelot