disciplinesforkeeemmbo

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

10.24.18

Scripture 

Ruth 1:6-14 

6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she and heard in the fields of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daugthers; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 

Observation & Application 

Naomi is trying to convince her daughter in laws to go back to their home town. The relationship between the three had become very strong, while all their husbands were alive. During this time God had blessed the land of Israel to have food again, so the famine was ceasing. When it talked about kissing the daughter in laws, that was a great sign of what she has to offer since Naomi had no gold or silver to give them. Orpah was easily persuaded to go back to her gods. 

We are to learn from our past sins to not sin anymore. We need to continue to have a better relationship with God and to pursue his will and not our own. 

Prayer 

Pray that I trust in God for wisdom and not seeking after my own desires. I pray that I will not chase after things that I desire but the things that are for God’s kingdom and to not fall back into the same sin over and over again. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

10.23.18

Scripture

Ruth 1:1-5 

1 In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. 3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, 5 and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. 

Observation & Application 

Famine was happening so Elimelech took his family and went to the country of Moab. Naomi was his wife. The sons each took a wife in Moab, one Orpah and the other Ruth. Then the sons died and only the wives and the mother remained. From the commentary: the two sons married strange wives, their lives were shortened because they transgressed the law in marrying them. 

We may try to out-run death, but we cannot. We cannot prosper when we go out of the way of our duty. Who shall be our comfort, just as Naomi, who is she going to take comfort in? 

Prayer 

Pray that I have trust in God through my health condition that it may be scary to go through many antibiotics, or through consultation with a doctor for a procedure that I trust in His works and not mine or the work of man. I pray also that through this interview that I praise God for the answer I get from the interview no matter what their answer may be. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

10.15.18

Scripture 

James 5:19-20 

19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. 

Observations & Application 

This passage talks about saving others from wandering from the truth of the gospel. Talking about those who were in the the word and professing Christ as their savior and decide to leave their faith, but then someone who is strong in their faith reminds them about Christ and how their soul is saved from death and multiple sins. 

We are to watch over and be spiritual encouragements to those in the church, especially to those who have fallen away from Christ and those who do not profess that Christ is their savior. We are to keep each other accountable and fight to be against the world and not Christ and God. 

Prayer 

Pray that I will be an encouragement and light to those around me and my family and that I will be daily meditating in the truth of the word so that I can be used for God’s will to help others who may not see the truth and light of God’s words through the bible. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

09.24.18

Scripture 

James 5:13-18

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. 

Observation & Application 

repeated words: let him, pray. v13-14 readers are asked if anyone is suffering, cheerful or sick and end results were to pray or sing praise. v15-16 Assurance of prayer. v17-18 Elijah prayed that the earth would not receive rain and then prayed again for the earth to receive rain, then the earth bore its fruit. 

We need to pray to God and give Him praise through everything we do, whether it be suffering, joyful occasions, or sick. We need to pray to God to help with our faith to save us from our sins. We cannot clean ourselves from sin only God can. Elijah is a great example on how fervently we are to pray to God. 

Prayer 

Pray that when I pray, it’s not just repeated words to be over with the prayer, but that they are very meaningful and that they are for God’s will and not my own. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

9.18.18

James 5:12 

12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation 

Observation & Application 

repeated words: but, yes, no, and or. We are not to swear by heaven or by earth. Our answers should be yes or no so that we will not be judged by God. Cross reference Matthew 5:33-37, no swearing falsely, and do not take an oath by your head because you cannot make your hair black or white. 

If we were to swear, we are saying that what we swear by is what we can do on our own. We cannot do anything on our own and God will judge us for those things we swear by. When we swear it is making an oath and if we are to really understand what oath means, a solemn promise, then we have to keep that promise and we will naturally break that promise/oath. 

Prayer 

Pray that I will be mindful in my thoughts and actions. Pray that I turn to the bible for God’s wisdom and not my own for all things I do, in my daily life. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

9.10.18

James 5:7-11

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. 

Observation & Application 

Repeated words: patient, brothers, coming, judge, the coming of the Lord, & steadfast. We are called to be patient until the coming of the Lord. Example is the farmer waits for the fruit of the earth. Establish our hearts for the coming of the Lord. Do not grumble against one another, so you may not be judged, as the judge is standing at the door. Use the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord to be our example of suffering and patience. Consider those who remained steadfast. Job is an example of steadfastness and where you see the purpose of the Lord and how He is compassionate and merciful. 

We are to have patience for the coming of the Lord. Our hearts should be set on Him. We are not to fight with one another but to be loving so that when we are judged, that is what He will see and not us fighting each other. We are to learn from the prophets before us the steadfastness they had for God. We will see that God has a purpose, and how He is compassionate and merciful. The things God does for us have reasons and they show his mercy and compassion. 

Prayer 

Pray that I have patience in this new transition of my life. Looking for a new job, looking for a house and how we can be better at showing others God’s love through our marriage. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

8.21.18

Scripture 

James 5:1-6

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. 

Observation & Application 

This is a warning to those who are rich in the world. Those who are rich will see that their riches and garments will rot and die, and the corrosion will be against the rich and will eat the flesh like fire. The rich, which could be you, laid up treasures in the last days. The laborers of the rich will cry out against you to God, and their cries will reach God. You lived a life of luxury on earth and self-indulgence and after all that you condemned and murdered the righteous person. Christ does not resist you. 

Do not put your trust in earthly valuables since they will all corrode and disappear. Do not be attached to the earth and do things for God and not for yourself. Your sins put Christ on the cross and yet He still wants to forgive you for your sins. Do not think that He is a magical genie where you can’t repent your sins to man but you can repent to God.  

Prayer 

Pray that I fear God more so than man and not to trust in the things in this world. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

08.20.18

Scripture 

James 4:13-17

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”-  14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. 

Observation & Application 

Repeated words: tomorrow, you, & boast. Talks about those who are boasting about today or tomorrow in certain towns to make a profit. Yet these people do not know what tomorrow will bring and that they are just a little spec of dust in this long timeline and will vanish. Instead we need to ask for what is God’s will and we will live, those who boast in arrogance the boasting is evil. Whoever knows what the right thing to do and fails, they are sinning. 

Do not boast in worldly things especially for what tomorrow brings as we do not know only God knows what is to come. We must not be arrogant and ignore God’s will. 

Prayer 

Pray that I will trust in God and do His work and not my own. Pray that I will not boast in what I have that is worldly but things that God has given us. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

08.08.18

Scripture 

James 4:11-12 

11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? 

Observation & Application 

Repeated word: speaks, one, brother, judge, evil, law, against & but. Do not speak against our brothers, meaning we should not slander or spread rumors about those we know. Those who speak about others judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. God is the only lawgiver and judge, He can save & destroy. Who are you to judge your neighbor 

Be loving to those around us and not to say anything mean or harmful about others. If we are to say anything about others, we are calling ourselves judges but we cannot do that because only God can be the judge. Take a step back and really think and remember that you are not the judge but to be a doer of the law. 

Prayer 

Pray that I will be kind and loving to those around me, even those who are so difficult to love or have something against you. For God is the only one who can judge us and we do not go against the word of God. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

07.30.18

Scripture 

James 4:6-10

6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. 

Observation & Application 

Repeated words: grace, God, near, gives, humble, yourselves, draw, & you. We are to draw near to God and God will draw near to you. We need to purify our hearts, we cannot love both God and the world. We are to mourn and be gloomy for this world, we are not to enjoy it. We are to humble ourselves before God and he will exalt us. 

God despises the world, so we are to also despise it as well. When we draw near to God, God will be there for us. Do not love this world. I cannot love the world and God. No matter what I do on this earth, I need to stay humble and that nothing I do will save me only God and Christ can. 

Prayer

Pray that I will turn to God when I am tempted to sin. Pray that I will not love the things of this earth but only Christ and God. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

07.24.18

Scripture 

James 4:1-5

1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people. Do you not know friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us“? 

Observation & Application 

Repeated words: what, quarrels, causes, fight, you, ask, have, not, God, & world. The war that starts our quarrels and fights is our passions are against us. When we do not have something we murder for it. When we try to obtain but can’t we fight. We do not have anything because we do not ask, but when we ask we cannot receive because we ask for our passions not for God. Friendship with the world is enmity (hostile) towards God. Those with the world are enemies of God. God yearns jealously over the spirit in us 

We cannot let our passions rule over us. I need to see that my passions do not lead me in my walk and over the things that I do. I am to ask not through my passions but for God’s passions. I am not to love this world but to love God, love God who hates sin. 

Prayer 

Pray that I will not lean on my own understandings and passions but on God’s and that I will not love this world. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

7.18.18

Scripture 

James 3:13-18

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 

Observation & Application 

Repeated words: Wisdom, you, jealousy, selfish ambition, above, & peace. Show your good conduct through the the works in the meekness of wisdom. If there is any jealousy in our hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Jealousy wisdom does not come from heaven, it is from the world, and is unspiritual. Jealousy brings disorder and vile practice. God’s wisdom from heaven is FIRST pure THEN peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits impartial and sincere. 

I must be diligent in not have jealous tendencies. Jealousy is evil and selfish and makes soeone forget good practices. I need to pray for God’s strength to give me wisdom and good conduct because wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits. 

Prayer

Pray that I will look over my heart and ask God for guidance for myself to not fall into temptation and sin and to not lean on my own wisdom but to lean on God’s. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

7.17.18

Scripture 

James 3:6-12

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. 

Observation & Application 

Repeated words: tongue, tamed, fire, bless, & curse. Tongue is a fire, world of unrighteousness. Staining the whole body, setting on fire entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. Other creatures can be tamed, but no human can tame the tongue. Tongue is restless and full of deadly poison. We bless God with our tongues, and we curse people who are made in God’s likeliness. That is not to be so. We are not to curse others and bless God. A spring cannot produce both fresh and salt water nor can a fig tree bear olives or a grapevine produce figs. 

We are to watch and tame our tongues. We cannot praise God and say hateful things to other people. Other people were created in God’s likeliness. We are to tame our tongues to bless God and God’s people. We must not let the evilness of our tongues win and run our lives. 

Prayer 

Pray that I will watch what I say so that it does not say anything evil but to bless others just as I have been praising God with the same tongue. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

7.12.18

Scripture 

James 3:1-5 

1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! 

Observation & Application 

Repeated words: you, stumble, and small. Not everyone should be a teacher since they will be judged with greater strictness. Those who are do not stumble in what he says, is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body, but we all stumble in many ways. Horses are guided by bits, ship is guided by a rudder, and our tongues are small and yet it boasts about great things. 

We should not all strive to be teachers of the word, for some people they have a special calling and that they will have stricter judgment on them. We must watch what our tongues say because even the smallest tool can affect the whole body. 

Prayer

Pray that I will look to God’s leadership and not my own. Since not everyone should be striving to be a teacher, but really to strive to be more Christ like. Also to pray that I hold my tongue because it is a great tool that can easily steer my whole entire body. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

7.10.18

Scripture

James 2:21-26

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”- and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. 

Observation & Application

Repeated words: works, justified, faith, God, apart, and dead. Faith without works is dead and works without faith is also dead. Faith is to work alongside work. v24 a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Comparison of the body apart from the spirit is dead and that faith apart from the gospel is also dead. I cannot have just faith by itself, we need to follow with whatever God has planned for us, even when we think it would not be helpful. 

Prayer 

Pray that I will continue to have faith with works and not faith by works. Works is not to define our lives, but really to show how we can praise Him and no one else. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

06.26.18

James 2:18-20

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe- and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 

Observations & Application 

Repeated words: Faith, works, and you. v18 tells us that someone will compare having faith and having works, faith apart from works and faith by works. v19 God is one, and demons believe that. v20 faith apart from works is useless. Previous verses talks already about having faith without works is dead. 

Faith and works must be together or otherwise they are both useless. We cannot just keep saying I have faith but do our own desires, that is why God has works for us, that we do through our faith. 

Prayer

Pray that the work I do is through faith and that my faith is worked out through my works. I pray that everything I do is for God and not my own selfish desires. I need to lean on His will and not my own. 

[disciplinesforkeeemmbo]

06.19.18

Scripture

James 2:14-17

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 

Observation & Application 

Repeated words: faith and works. can faith alone save someone? It is no good to have only faith alone. Work is needed. Faith without works is dead. In vs 15 a metaphor was used, saying that if you tell someone who is poor and lacking food, to be warm and filled, but not give them things they need, what good is that? 

We cannot just say that I believe in Christ and God. We need to be able to do the works that God has called us to do through faith. 

Prayer 

Pray that I not only use faith as a way to be saved, but have to follow God’s word and have faith. Faith and works need to be put together in my daily life.