James 4:1-3: “1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you doContinue reading “Problems and Cures, Part 3”
Author Archives: scottmaxon
MWM: A Model Legalist
Growing up in Nebraska, you don’t have a choice about your favorite college football team. GO BIG RED! You are born a fan. I’ve heard it is rare for anyone to ever live in Nebraska (even if you aren’t born there) without their blood changing to Husker red. The Huskers genuinely have the greatest fansContinue reading “MWM: A Model Legalist”
Problems and Cures, Part 2
James 4:1-3: “1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you doContinue reading “Problems and Cures, Part 2”
MWM: Legalists Compare
Legalists love to compare with others. Legalists are not only confident their works are going to earn them favor with God; they believe other people should be impressed with them. These types of legalists love to perform! Paul confronted legalists and said, “Look here, if anybody could be confident and boast about their work forContinue reading “MWM: Legalists Compare”
MWM: Legalists destroy Faith
Legalists make faith too complicated. They create a checklist that includes the essential of the faith: belief in Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross for sinners. But, they also include other requirements for salvation: baptism, speaking in tongues, correct political voting record, suit and tie for men, dresses for women, no tattoos, no hatsContinue reading “MWM: Legalists destroy Faith”
Problems and Cures, Part 1
James 4:1-3: “1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you doContinue reading “Problems and Cures, Part 1”
MWM: Beginning of Legalism
I am a legalist. I like to add to God’s commands because it enables me to say with pride, “Look at what I did! Aren’t I special?” Eve, humanity’s first mother, was also the first legalist when she added to God’s command not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good andContinue reading “MWM: Beginning of Legalism”
MWM: Repeat Yourself
As a parent, you sometimes get tired of telling your kids something over and over again. “Pick up your shoes.” “Eat your dinner.” “It’s time for bed.” “Don’t eat glue.” I’m sure you have similar experiences at your house. In Paul’s letter of joy, he never gets tired of encouraging people to rejoice in theContinue reading “MWM: Repeat Yourself”
A Tale of Two Wisdoms
James 3:13-18: “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down fromContinue reading “A Tale of Two Wisdoms”
MWM: Last Full Measure
Other than the military and first responders, do any of you have a job for which you would be willing to die? What about people? Do you have anybody in your life for whom you’d risk it all? A “martyr” is someone who sacrifices something of great value and especially life itself for the sakeContinue reading “MWM: Last Full Measure”
