Morningside Devotionals

What did James know that will help us There are substantial debates going on in the world - and in fact heated fights, beyond even arguments, over the fact of bias, over prejudice, over someone feeling they have been mistreated.  So isn't it appropriate, and outrageously so, that these thousands of years ago the one who lived with the one who created it all, would write about it?   1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old 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 and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the...

What did James know that will help us Ever been standing in a line, waiting to go into an event, suddenly there is a bustle in the crowd, a limousine pulls up, someone you don't necessarily recognize steps out, before they do, the bodyguards precede them, opening the door to the limo.  And they are escorted to the door and then go inside, while you're standing there?  That's not to hard to take, because you're going to get in, right? But if adjust the circumstances just a bit, from an event, to something perhaps, slightly more important, say, an organ; and suddenly the idea or concept of deference to the wealthy, takes on a whole 'nother level of sting, don't it.  Now imagine that you're the wealthy person.  Flip the mirror a bit and you begin to see that something is askance, and it may not be you. Let's spend only a moment or two on the subject of making a Greek text from a couple thousand years ago mean what it meant, and should mean and like...