...But God

James 1: 25

Creators & Guests

Host
Chad McBeam
Business Leader, Foster Advocate and Fighter of Human Trafficking, Chad enjoys hosting this podcast channel as a way to spread and highlight the great examples of those who live out their faith daily. He can also be seen on occasion on your TV or Film Screen or be heard narrating one of your books as his love of acting has stuck with him since his childhood.
Writer
Aaron Marcarelli
After getting his under-graduate degree from Cal State University San Bernardino where he played college baseball and received all American honors. he was a graduate assistant baseball coach at both Trevecca Nazarene College in Nashville, Tennessee, and at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington.  He received his master’s degree in Teaching from Whitworth, with plans to someday be a head baseball coach at a university.  However, God had other plans.  Aaron started teaching English and History and coaching baseball and other sports at the high school level and found out how much he loves high school kids, and he has been doing that for the past 27 years.     Personally, heI has been married to his wife Sharon for 32 years, they have one daughter, Amanda Parrish, who has been married to Austin Parrish for 2 years. Aaron also has two grandsons Travis age 2 ½ and Aden who is 13 months and are blessed to have another on the way due in May. Aaron loves reading, golfing, and spending time with his wife and grandkids.
Designer
Linda Cowen
Linda Cowen of San Antonio Christian School is our gracious and talented art designer for the But God, weekday morning devotional series.

What is ...But God?

A weekday morning devotional series written by Aaron Marcarelli and hosted by Chad McBeam

“But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does.”
James 1:25 NASB2020

Once again James extends the words of Jesus, when Jesus said; “Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished! Therefore, whoever nullifies one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. “For I say to you that unless your righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:17-20 NASB2020
Jesus is pretty clear. We don’t need to interpret what He is saying. This is not a metaphor or a parable. James is reiterating what Jesus said in His first few words of the sermon on the Mount. If we follow the law as Jesus commanded we have freedom in it. We are not bound by it. Following Jesus is following the law. Because we have the Holy Spirit in us we have the law in us! Therefore if we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to do what is right, what is noble, what is just, which is His perfect and pleasing will, then we will have the “righteousness that far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees,” which gives us the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven!
Too often we make following Jesus more complicated than it is. Seek Him and the power of His Holy Spirit and following Jesus the way He wants us to, will become like walking or breathing.
Lord we praise and thank you for leaving us the power of your Holy Spirit. Help us to grow in our faith and walk in the truth of your Holy Word so that the Holy Spirit that is in us will be a light and a witness to others. Help us to be mindful of our sinful self so that your beauty and your love comes out of u and not my selfish, sinful self. Help us to love you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength! Help us to love our neighbor as I we love our self. So that your name is always glorified. We pray all this in Jesus Name Amen…
Shalom, Shalom Blessings! Press In and Press On!