Laura J. Davis's Blog, page 8

What Psalm 23 Can Teach Us

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
​thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

The twenty-third psalm is probably the most well-known of all the psalms. It is memorized and said during times of fear, despair and grief. Like the Lord's Prayer, the twenty-third psalm was something I learned when I was very young. And also, like the Lord's Prayer, it was something that was recited at almost every funeral I attended....

Be Still

Today's meditation or devotional is a poem I wrote some years ago during a time when I was purposely quiet before the Lord. Rather than coming to Him with all my worries and prayer requests, I deliberately sat still and just listened - waiting for Him to speak.  This poem is the result of that time of quiet reflection. Be Still If I close my eyes and remain perfectly still
 will I be able to shut out the noise of the day?
The barking dog across the street?
My neighbour's children yelli...

How to be Salt & Light in a Dark World

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor,
how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket,
but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:13-16,.../>Lethidden. Nor

Why the Four Woes of Jesus Matter

In my last post I talked about the Eight Blessings Jesus Gives Us. Today I want to talk about the "woes," Jesus added to those blessings when he gave his famous Sermon on the Mount.

You don't usually hear about these woes because many of us rely on Matthew 5:1-11 for the list of the blessings (or beatitudes). But in Luke 6:24-26 Jesus followed with four woes (or condemnations) that are the reason many people do not not experience God's blessings today.     The Rich

But woe to you who ar...

Eight Blessings Jesus Gives Us

The following is updated from a previous post.

In Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-11) he gives us eight definitions of those who are blessed and the outcomes of those blessings. Who are the recipients of these blessings? The Poor in Spirit

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3, NKJV

The International Standard Version translates “poor in spirit” as “destitute in spirit.” G...

Persevering in our Faith

Photo Credit: Gustavo Frazao Read James 5:1-12 In this final chapter of James, he seems to be touching on all manner of miscellaneous subjects. From the responsibilities of Christians who are wealthy, to persevere in our faith, to the sick, and bringing back those who have strayed from the truth. He begins by addressing the rich. Jesus once said it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Luke 18:25). Does this mean...

Faith That Works Against Worldliness

Continuing with our study of James, there is a theme James is striving to get across to his early readers – pride and selfishness have no place in the hearts of those who serve the Lord. Instead of wrestling with God in prayer, these believers seem to be wrestling with each other and the positions of prestige and power the world offers. James suggests they love the world and what it provides more than they love God. In this chapter, he touches on four main subjects – pride, humility, ju...

Should You be Teaching God's Word?

Photo Credit: Ben White Christianpics.co James begins this third chapter warning that not everyone should be teachers of the Word of God as they are held to a higher standard and accountable to God for what they teach. I have always been of the opinion (because I was taught this) that this chapter of James was speaking about foul language in general. And while foul language should not be part of the Christian’s vocabulary since we are ambassadors for Christ, I now believe James was talki...

Why Faith Without Works is Dead

Are we justified by faith alone? According to the Apostle James, we are not. But according to the Apostle Paul, we are. Who is right? What did Jesus teach? Many Christians believe that they have to work their way to heaven. In other words, the better they do, the higher their chances are of getting through the “Pearly Gates.” Others believe faith is enough and as long as they believe in Jesus as their Saviour that is all that matters. It would seem those in the early church had the same...

Are You Playing Favourites?

In James chapter one, we learned why, as Christians, we are still tempted to sin and how to keep ourselves from that temptation. In James chapter two the Apostle goes a little further in expressing how, as Christians, we can set ourselves apart from the world. Once again, keep in mind that James is talking to first century Christian Jews. So he is addressing first century problems that might seem strange to us but were a regular occurrence back then.
The cultural norms of the first ce...