Faith & Works Continued: James 2: 20 - 26 (P13)

As we continue listening to James write about faith and works ...

 James 2: 20 - 26.

Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren? Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works.  Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God.  You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.  Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road?  For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead. 

James seems to have a hard time understanding why this question of faith and works is difficult.  It seems to be a "duh" question in his mind.  Hence he calls his readers "senseless".  Other translations use "foolish fellow" or "foolish man".  Barclay translates it: "you empty creature".  James certainly does not mince words does he?  Then he sends his Jewish readers back into their own heritage.

Abraham?  Yes, he believed ... and that belief led to action.  (Genesis 22)
Rahab?  Yes, she believed ... and that belief led to action.  (Joshua 2)

Faith that is truly life saving faith, faith that moves us beyond the kind of head-knowledge that even the demons possess ... DOES SOMETHING!  It has hands and feet.  It determines behaviors.  It determines choices.

How you treat the people in your office is determined by your faith.  Notice, how your "treat" ... that's behavioral, that's action, that's works.

How you train your children, how you interact with your spouse is determined by your faith.  Notice, how your "train", how you "interact" ... that's behavioral, that's action, that's works.

How you do is response to a need brought to your attention is determined by your faith.  Notice, what you "do" ... that's behavioral, that's action, that's works.

Go into any court of law and listen to testimony.  A word is taken when it is accompanied by evidence.  The evidence gives credibility to the testimony.  It's the same here.  You believe?  Great - show me the evidence.

While we so often exist in an either/or world,  I submit to you that James is saying both/and.  Rather than making a choice whether you are a "faith" person or a "works" person, we are to be "both" persons.  These two things are inseparable.

Are you familiar with the art work of M. C. Escher?  He was a Dutch graphic artist (1898 - 1972) who is best known for his mathematically inspired designs reflecting infinity, tessellations and seemingly impossible constructions.  One of my favorite Escher drawings is "Parade of Ants".  It was inspired by German mathematician, August Mobius, and his work with symmetry.  Mobius found that a half-twisted strip has 2 surfaces but only one side.  As you look at this drawing, determine which side is top and which is bottom.  Select one ant and follow its path.  Where does it cross over the edge to get to the other side?  Hmmm ... could it be that faith and works function like a mobius strip?  Two surfaces but only one side?

May our faith be visible this week.  May it be the driving force behind our decisions and our behaviors.  Then no one will be able to say of us:  You have faith?  What good is it?

Lord, today help each of us walk out our faith.  I pray that each of us will have opportunities to make it visible to those around us - not because we talk about it - but because we live it.  We long for our faith to be alive, vital, fresh - as alive as Your Spirit in us.    

Faith & Works: James 2: 14 - 19 (P12)

James 2: 14 - 19

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works?  Can faith save you?  If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?  So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.  But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works."  Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.  You believe that God is one; you do well.  Even the demons believe - and shudder.

Coins have two sides - heads and tails.  The heads side matters.  The tails side matters.  A coin that is only one-sided, all heads or all tails, is useless ... worse, it's counterfeit.  You cannot pay for things with it ... you cannot make choices through it ... it serves no purpose.  What good is it? 

Faith has two sides - intellect and behavior.  Intellectual knowledge matters.  You must know what you know.  Behavioral practice matters.  You must do what you know.  A 'faith' that is only one-sided, all intellect or all 'doings', is useless ... worse, it's an illusion.  It serves no purpose.  What good is it? 

Do James' words in this passage disagree with the teachings of the apostle Paul?  Paul preached and wrote about our being saved by faith, not by our works.  Is James picking a fight with Paul over theology.  No.  Careful reading shows  they agree with each other.  Listen to Paul in Ephesians 2: 8 - 10:

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

You see, when we "believe", we "walk" in that belief.  We live it out.  It changes the way we approach our lives - our day.  It changes our behavior patterns.  At the end of every one of the letters from the apostle Paul, he wrote about the practical ramifications of our faith - the way that faith 'works itself out' in life.  And that's the "good of it". 

In one of Beth Moore's lessons on James, she said:  "If you don't live it - you don't believe it.  You may talk it - but you don't believe it." 

So my question for us today ... do you believe it?  If so, it will be seen.  Jesus said you will know a tree by its fruit.  (Matthew 12:33).  

You are saved by grace through faith.  Now ... work that salvation out in your life.   We don't want anyone to say of our faith, "What good is it?" 

Lord, may our faith show itself useful today.  We believe ...

Favoritism continued : James 2: 8 - 13 (P11)

James 2: 8 - 13


You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.  For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.  For the one who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not "murder."  Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.  So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.  For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy;  mercy triumphs over judgment.

James continued his instruction about exercising partiality toward a certain group of people (specifically in his example, the rich).  I see two possible reasons why he kept talking about it.

First, perhaps he anticipated someone's response as, "But, James, we are supposed to welcome people into our assemblies.  After all, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves.  Don't you remember what Jesus said -  'And the second [command] is like it:  Love your neighbor as yourself.?'"  (Matthew 22:39)
I think James is countering that response. He seems to be saying that if you were really following Jesus' instructions about that, you would not be picking and choosing whom to 'welcome'.  Their behavior was honoring the wealth, not the person - loving the money, not the individual.  And that completely violates Christ's words to us.

Or, another possibility, perhaps James is striving to emphasize the critical importance of this whole issue.  After all, our humanity has a tendency to shrug this off a bit.  Is it really so bad?  What's the big deal?  You like some people better than others, right?  Therefore, James slams home the point about being a "lawbreaker".  He wants no one to miss his point:  practicing preferential treatment within the family of God is sin, period.

William Barclay writes about the Jewish tendency to regard the law as a "series of detached commandments.  To keep one was to gain credit; to break one was to incur debt.  People could add up the ones they kept and subtract the ones they broke and so emerge with a credit or a debit balance."  (The Daily Study Bible: James)  Remember James is writing to Jewish believers.  So he must confront that tendency.  No!  We are not keeping a balance sheet.  If you break part of the law of God ... you sin.  You ARE a sinner.  And the only hope for you (and me) is MERCY!  We need it - desperately - a matter of life and death.

When someone has hurt you or hurt someone you love, have you ever found yourself thinking, "I hope they get what they deserve one day."  Or "Lord, repay them for this harm they have done with what they deserve."  Do you really want to go into a "get what you deserve" world?  If you do, YOU have to be in it as well.  You have to be willing to 'get what you deserve'.  I am perfectly clear about one thing - I don't want what I deserve!  I want mercy.  And God is clear:

Matthew 5:7  Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.


Matthew 6: 14 - 15  For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.


Matthew 7: 1 - 2  Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.


Read again the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant in Matthew 18: 21 - 35 and let your eyes rest on the conclusion of Jesus' story:  "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

The conclusion of the matter:

Don't practice preferential treatment within your faith family.

If you do, it is sin.

You want mercy for yourself ?

Then give it to others!  

Make no mistake ... Mercy will Triumph!

Lord, give us eyes to see where we are being preferential.  Show us our blind spots in regard to prejudice.  As You have forgiven me for so much more than I can even count, I desire to extend forgiveness and mercy to those around me.  So today, I choose to extend mercy to ____________.  Help me do it in practical ways.  

Favoritism - James 2: 1 - 7 (P10)

James 2: 1 - 7


My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?  For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Have a seat here, please," while to the one who is poor you say, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?  Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?  But you have dishonored the poor.  Is it not the rich who oppress you?  Is it not they who drag you into court?  Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

The language used in "The Message" translation by Eugene Peterson brings the scenario directly into our culture.  He translates, "Don't let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith.  If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, ...  Listen, dear friends.  Isn't it clear by now that God operates quite differently?"

In James 1:17, James has just said that true religion includes our desire to keep ourselves unstained by the world.  There is nothing more 'worldly' than preferential treatment of those we think are important - those we think would be advantageous to know.  It was even happening "at church" in James' day!  Appalling, no?  Ever happen in your place?  Ever happen in your heart?

It is NOT God's way.  And this did not just come about in the New Testament.  Listen ...

Leviticus 19:15 - Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

Deuteronomy 10:17 - For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

Paul summarizes it succinctly in Romans 2:11 - For God does not show favoritism.  Period.

So ... we know our bend toward showing favoritism is not from God.  Therefore, where must it come from?  I need to enter into some confession about now, what about you?  Don't miss that James goes so far as to say that when we exercise this vice, we become judges with evil thoughts.  That's serious.

How we do struggle with passing judgment on external things.  James specifically calls economics to the spotlight in this passage ... but I can think of other ways we discriminate against people as well.  There is intellect.  There is dress.  There is body piercings and tattoos.  There is the way people talk.  There is color.  There is the part of the country or part of the world from which they come.  There is the way they parent children.  There is their political views and opinions.  And on and on ... we make assumptions, pass judgment, and bring division.

Charles Swindoll wrote:  "God, our wise and creative Maker, has been pleased to make everyone different and no one perfect.  The sooner we appreciate and accept that fact, the deeper we will appreciate and accept one another, just as our Designer planned us."

Never forget ... Jesus took people (including you and me) right where they were, just as they were ... and invited them to walk with Him.  Can we do less?    James says, No.  Jesus is our model.  

Lord, thank you for accepting us when we were messy and dirty and poor and wretched and blind and deaf.  Thank you for not requiring us to clean up or measure up before you wrapped your arms around us and welcomed us.  May Your Spirit in us give us the will and the power to extend that grace to EVERY person we encounter - especially to those who walk into our midst.  And we well know that the power to do so comes from You ... therefore the glory belongs to You.  Open our eyes ...

Religion: James 1: 26 - 27 (P9)

James 1: 26 - 27
If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.  Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:  to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Religion.  What words come into your mind when you hear this word?  Your family of origin and your training, your experiences - both past and present, your geography ... all this effects your emotional response to the word, 'religion'.  What images come into your mind?  Ceremony?  Elaborate buildings?  Rituals?  Tradition?  Hierarchy?   Denominations?  Casual or formal?  Relevant or irrelevant?  World religions?  We could go on and on with our reactions to this rather volatile word.

The Greek word James used is threskeia.  Its meaning, according to James Strong, is:

  

1 religious worship. 1a esp. external, that which consists of ceremonies. 1a1 religious discipline, religion.

Don't miss that the word 'worship' is included in the Greek definition of this word.  James does not condemn religion or religious practice.  He wants to clean it up!  He wants his readers to understand how God defines the term.  He knew how prone we humans are to substituting ceremony and ritual for heart and behavior.  Remember, he was a Jew and well acquainted with Jewish 'worship'.  Remember, he had heard his brother condemn the Pharisees who had cut the heart out of God's law and out of their faith walk.  He also had all the Jewish prophets from which to pull.  He knew God's heart from things such as ...

Zechariah 7:8 - 10  "The word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.'"  

Micah 6:8  "He has told you , O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

I think James also knew the way God was described in Psalm 68:5 ... "Father of orphans and protector of widows, is God in His holy habitation."

William Barclay said:  

All through history, people have tried to make ritual and liturgy a substitute for sacrifice and service.  They have made religion splendid within the church at the expense of neglecting it outside the church.  This is by no means to say that it is wrong to seek to offer the noblest and the most splendid worship within God's house, but it is to say that all such worship is empty and idle unless it sends people out to love God by loving one another and to walk more purely in the tempting ways of the world.

So, my friend, how is your religious life?  Don't let it be a worthless activity.  Don't do it just so you can feel good.  Make it real, and relevant, and Godly, and meaningful.  Make it pure.  Remember, we don't really "go to" worship ... we "live" worship.  Being religious in the eyes of God means much more than going to church.  I want my religion to reflect the heart of God.  

Are you going to "worship" this week?  Think about how ... 

Lord and Father ... increase our wisdom in understanding Your heart in these matters.  We desperately do not want our religion to be worthless.  Show us this week how to make it real ... show us just whom You would have us serve.  Show us exactly where we are allowing the impurity of the world to pollute our own souls.  You are worthy of our worship ... and we long to give it!  

I am not purposely avoiding James' comment about our tongues ... wish we could ... but we can't.  He goes into much more detail in Chapter 3 ... so we will save comments about our tongues until we reach that point.  

Doers: James 1: 22 - 25 (P8)

James 1: 22 - 25

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.  For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like.  But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act - they will be blessed in their doing.

Again James is concerned about our bend toward self-deception. 

If he were painting the scene for us western believers in the United States, 2012 ... I think it would look something like this:

Meet Alice (if your name is Alice, rename this gal!)  She goes to church assembly almost every Sunday - and she loves a good sermon.  She wants her preacher to be strong, yet funny ... intelligent, yet down-to-earth ... Bible-centered, yet culturally up to date and relevant.  She wants him to think just like her and communicate their shared thoughts powerfully.  At the Sunday lunch table she discusses the quality of the sermon they just heard - evaluates it.  She may even carry her Bible to church and go to Sunday School.  She marks her Bible ... with different colors!  Then during the week she goes to a Bible study ... and does her lessons through the week.  BUT ALL OF THAT STUDY DOES NOT CHANGE ONE THING IN HER LIFE! 

She remains completely self -focused.  She rages when things don't go her way.  She's thinking about cheating on her husband ... after all, he's just not meeting her needs anymore and this guy in the neighborhood thinks she is something else!  She needs that.  She drinks a little too much - but just a little.  She shops a little too much - but just a little.  I mean, everybody has credit card debt, no?  And on and on we could go ... but let's stop.  You can see her.  Have you ever been her?  Are you still her? 

James wants us to be very clear on this point ... if your Bible study does not make any difference in the way you think and the way you live, your choices, your lifestyle ... it is useless ... you are wasting your time. 

He then paints a comical picture for us.  Let's keep creating Alice ... she has just eaten a piece of chocolate cake with warm, fudge, drippy icing and has gotten a rather large smudge of chocolate across her cheek.  Assume that she looks at herself in the mirror, sees the chocolate, does nothing to clean it off, walks out of the bathroom and forgets about it.  She is later totally shocked when someone mentions the chocolate on her face.  How dare you!?  Me?! 

Poor Alice ... she doesn't understand that faith is to transform us into the likeness of our Lord.  It is not to give us membership in a club ... or a school ... or an activity center.  It is to transform us. 

So ... for you and I ... let's commit to looking "intently" into God's perfect law, that law of liberty that can free us from all kinds of bondage ... and then respond ... with doing.  We will be blessed.

Lord, as I look at myself in the mirror of Your word, I really do want to see clearly.  I really don't want to forget what You show me.  I really do want to do what You are challenging me to do.  And since I just have today for sure ... today I will do it.  Help me persevere all day long!

Listen! James 1: 19 - 21 (P7)

James 1: 19 - 21
You must understand this, my beloved:  let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's righteousness.  Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

Four messages in these few words:

1. listen more and better
2. quit talking so much
3. calm down
4. clean up

Eugene Peterson, in his translation, The Message, says it this way:

Post this at all the intersections, dear friends:  Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear.  God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger.  So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage.  In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

So getting very practical ... girls, we talk too much!  To be fair, some men do to.  When we are constantly talking ... we cannot be listening.  And if we are not listening ... we cannot understand and help another.  

Again, getting practical ... our anger is very seldom, perhaps never, righteous.  You hear people talk about having "righteous indignation" ... but I don't think I have ever seen it.  Only God is righteous ... only His anger is truly righteous.  Mine is always tainted with sin and ego and self-pity.  

So what are we to do with these verses from James?  They actually point us to some very practical steps toward maturity for us.  If you are a poor listener ... get some training.  Listening is a skill.  That means it is something that can be learned and practiced.  Quit making excuses for being a poor listener.  If you talk too much, be aware.  The awareness will help you catch yourself.  Particularly be aware of the content of your speaking.  Gossip is never OK.  Hurtful words are never OK.  Ridicule is never OK.  If you are hot-tempered, recognize it and quit making excuses for it.  You may want to pursue 3rd party counseling to learn some anger management tools.  Or do some reading.  I particularly found Harriet Lerner's book, "The Dance of Anger" helpful.  

And lastly, rid yourselves of the weeds that keep the word of God from growing in you.  God has planted His word in you as a believer.  Is it not flourishing in your life?  Then you have some weeding to do!  Different translations reflect different nuances of the thought:

• New Revised Standard: all sordidness and rank wickedness
• NIV: moral filth and evil
• Message:  spoiled virtue and cancerous evil
• New Living:  filth and evil

We live in a culture where filth and evil is rampant.  We see it, hear it, read it, watch it, and almost by osmosis participate in it.  In your particular life, do you see what "sordidness" needs to be weeded out?  Are you willing to begin the hard work to rid yourself?  And as you work, as you grow, as you mature ... James warns us against getting cocky.  God's word will grow in us as the soil of our hearts is prepped and weeded ... but it only grows in a meek environment.  There is absolutely no room, at all, for self-righteousness.  Even the term is an oxymoron.  There is NO righteousness in our - SELF.  The reality that the God of the universe allows His very word to grow in our spirits leaves us humble before Him.  

Lord, thank You for these rapid-fire reminders of truth that I need for my life here and now.  I will work on ________ this week.  Give me the strength and the will to do it.  Help me not forget as soon as I close this page.  I really do want to "grow up" in You!  

Gifts: James 1: 17 - 18 (P6)

James 1: 17 - 18
Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.  In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

In the previous verses (1: 12 - 16) James has talked about temptation ... and the fact that temptations never originate in the heart of God.  Now he shifts the thought to what does originate from the heart of God ... good gifts.  These two verses are all about gifts and giving.  James wanted us to be well aware of the fact that all good gifts come from God.  In fact, the whole idea of being generous is born in the heart of God.  Remember John 3:16 .. "For God so loved the world that He gave ..." 

James makes 2 points.  One, when you and I give ... the ability, the desire, the act ... it all comes from God.  When you give to your children ... or to your spouse ... or to a friend ... or to a person in need ... the very act comes from God.  It is His heart that is being played out.  You are merely the vessel, the hands.  What a privilege!

Second, every good gift that comes to you and I, comes from God.  It may have physically appeared through the hands of another person, or through an event or circumstance.  But the gift originated in the heart of God. 

In Beth Moore's study on James, "Mercy Triumphs", she suggests an activity that I have found very encouraging.  I want to commend the activity to you today.    Here is Beth's suggestion: 

Divide your age by 4.  That divides your life into quarters.  Take a piece of paper, and begin to list the good things that were a part of your life in each quarter.  Leave out the struggle places right now.  Just focus on the good, the noble, the beautiful.  Each quarter certainly contains a host of things that were hard and presented you with struggle ... but leave that consideration for another day.  Today, focus on the good.  I found, as I did that activity, that my life reflects the goodness of God in powerful ways.  I am able to see His hand as He molded and trained, as He loved and nurtured me through each period of time.   I found my own heart of gratitude swelling to almost the bursting point! 

Reflecting on the good gifts of God in your life is more than a pleasant activity.  It is also a powerful tool to keep our hearts from following some of the "deformed desires" that plague us.

Think back on the story about King David and Bathsheba.  If you are familiar with Bible study, this will be a familiar tale.  If you are not, check it out in 2 Samuel 11 - 12.  But for our thoughts today, I want to remind you of the prophet Nathan's words to David when he confronted the king with his sin ... and the fact that the sin was not hidden from God.  Listen to Nathan in 2 Samuel 12: 7 - 8:

"Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel:  I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more."

Had David forgotten the good gifts from his God?  Had he begun to focus on what he did not have - what he wished he had?

I suggest to you that one way to wage war with the "desires" that lead to sin is to spend more time on the good hand of your God in your life.  The good gifts that He continually showers upon you.  Why does He do it?  Because it is His nature ... He gives ...

Lord, I want to be more like You today.  I want to be generous ... with the people around me and with my time and energy.  Let me be Your hands in some one's life today.  I will count it as another one of the myriad of gifts that You bestow.  And I thank You ... my Father of lights!

Temptation: James 1: 12 - 16 (P5)

James 1: 12 - 16
Blessed is anyone who endures temptation.  Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.  No one, when tempted, should say, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.  But one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it; then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.  Do not be deceived, my beloved.

Desire ... not a bad word in and of itself.  We are people with desires and longings.  The Greek word is epithymia.  And simply means an intense desire, a craving.  Jesus uses the same word when He speaks about "desiring" to eat the Passover with His disciples before going to the cross.  (Luke 22:15)  That's the positive use of the word.  As believers we "desire" to be transformed into the likeness of our Lord.  We "desire" to be part of the people of God.  And such "desires" are noble and good.  In fact, such "desires" are holy.

But not all cravings are good - as you and I well know.  That's the side that James addresses in these verses.  The context of the passage determines the positive or negative definition.

Dr. K. A. Richardson, in the New American Commentary, defines the negative side of epithymia as  deformed desire.  Deformed - twisted, distorted, disfigured.  Do you have any 'desires' that would fall into that category?   James indicates that deformed desire is a universal problem.

Do you remember the comedian, Flip Wilson?  He was a comedian in the 70s that is immortalized by the phrase "The devil made me do it!"  It was funny ... he was funny.  The problem comes when we take that idea to heart and absolve ourselves from responsibility for our behaviors and actions.  After all, the devil made us do it ... we had no control ... not our fault. 

James enters that arena and says that we deceive ourselves with such foolishness.  Temptations to do ungodly things, to behave in ungodly ways, may very well be sent to us by the evil one - he may plant the seed.  God does not!  God's 'desire' is for our holiness - our union with Him.  The evil one may plant the seed,  but that evil one cannot MAKE you do anything.  WE FEED THE DEFORMED DESIRE!  We dwell on it ... fantasize about it ... focus on it.  And what happen?  As we focus our mind and heart on the deformed desire, we give it birth.  The behavior follows.  The sin is done.

Now, two choices arise.  We can either, confess it to our Lord- claim the responsibility - repent and turn - do the hard work to break addictions - restore right relationship with God, 

Or

We can continue to feed the deformity.  Grow it.  Blame others.  Be the 'victim'.

Make not mistake ... sin gives birth to death.  James 1:15.  Paul told us the exact same thing in Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Our lesson? 

• recognize the deformed desires in your own heart
• claim the responsibility
• take it to the Lord
• endure under it ... never quit the battle
• then accept His cleansing work ... and LIVE ... both now and forever.

Lord, open my eyes today to any deformity in my own heart and mind.  Let me see it ... no more excuses ... no more rationalizations ... and hold me steady and firm.  Go before me in the battle.  You are my strength, my wisdom, my very life. 

Perspective: James 1: 9 - 11 (P4)

James 1: 9 - 11
Let the believer who is lowly boast in being raised up, and the rich in being brought low, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field.  For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the field; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes.  It is the same way with the rich; in the midst of a busy life, they will wither away.

James interjects two great truths at this point in his letter.

1. The poor need not be ashamed
2. The rich need not be so cocky

Our world is a vicious system of unfairness.  Some have nothing, not even necessities for life.  Some have so little and can barely feed themselves, much less their families.  Some have 'enough' (figure out the definition for that!).  Some have such incredible excess.  It was so in James' Israel ... and it is so today.  

Our humanity wants to blame the poor for their poverty and denigrate them as less than others.  Our humanity wants to exalt the rich as if they are more important than others.  James refutes both tendencies.  

His message to the poor:  Are you poor in the things of this world?  Never forget that in God's eyes, you, in Him, are exalted.  You are His child.  You are rich in the kingdom of God.  

His message to the rich:  Are you rich in the things of this world?  So what?  You will die just like poor people do.  Your great riches do not make you more important to God.  So get off your high horse.  The only riches that matter are in Him.  They are the only things that are permanent.

Mary, even as a young woman, understood James' admonition to the poor, the lowly.  She sang,

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. ... He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.  He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.  

Luke 1: 46 - 48, 52 - 53

Jesus reminded people of how dangerous riches can be ... how they can make you have an inflated sense of your own importance.  He said,

I tell you the truth, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

Matthew 19:24

I took a trip to Israel in March, 2012.  As we left the Old City of Jerusalem, we left through this small door. The main gates were closed.  I turned and snapped a quick picture of it because I could hear the words of Jesus in my head.  The small door is used when the main gates are not opened.  This small door is called "the eye of the needle".  Can you picture what Jesus said?  His hearers would immediately know the reference.  It is not as absurd as we might first imagine as our minds go to sewing needles.  A camel would have a MOST difficult time fitting through this small door. 


So what is the message for you and I?  Quit using worldly standards to evaluate other people or yourself.  The ground at the foot of the cross is level.  Don't forget ...

Lord, help me today see people with your eyes.  When I experience physical need, let me see that as such a temporary condition.  Guard my heart from self-pity.  When I am blessed with more than I need, give me a heart to share it, not hoard it.  Guard my heart from self-pride.  I boast only in You ... 

Asking: James 1: 5 - 8 (P3)

James 1: 5 - 8

If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.  But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

James has just finished a couple of sentences about enduring trials (vs. 2 - 4) ... then he shifts to this bold statement about wisdom.  Handling trials requires wisdom, no?  We can't understand the 'why it's happening' or the 'how we will manage' or the 'what we can do.'  So, in true James fashion, he gave instruction on what to do.  Ask God.

Have you ever wondered why we have to ask?  I mean, God knows all things.  He knows what we need, what  we desire, where we are struggling, etc.  Why do we have to ask?  Consider some possible reasons with me:

• the verbal acknowledgment helps clarify things in my mind, not God's, so the asking is for my benefit
• the asking guards my heart from the ugly sense of entitlement that we humans struggle with
• God desires communication and closeness and intimacy with us ... what better way than talking about our hearts' desires, our needs

Where do you need wisdom from God today?  What circumstances are causing you grief or confusion in your life right now?  Make a list ... write the things down ... then take them to God.  Do you think God is a stingy Father?  Do you think He is not concerned with what concerns you?  Where do you need wisdom?   

James also stipulates the attitude of our asking.  Do it in faith.  Don't do it to test God.  Don't do it doubting that God cares about you and your life.  Don't do it doubting God's ability to do.  TALK to Him!  Do it in faith.  

Wisdom matters.  Wisdom to handle the trials in your life matters.  Not the wisdom from the world ... but the wisdom from God.  

"He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God."  1 Corinthians 1:30  (NRSV)

"God, with your very own hands you formed me.  Now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you."  Psalm 119:73 (The Message)

And from Micel Quoist, the French priest & writer ... "Accumulated knowledge does not make a wise man.  Knowledgeable people are found everywhere, but we are cruelly short of wise people."  

Let's join the ranks of the wise ... to do so will require something of us.  Ask God ... in faith.

Lord, I hungrily desire your wisdom in this circumstance: ___________  Give me Your mind about it.  Give me Your heart about it.  Grant me Your eyes to see through it.  And may I honor You as I carry it.  

Trials: James 1: 1 - 4 (P2)

About our study:
1.  I will be writing the text in each post for this study - and will be using the New Revised Standard Version.  Feel free to keep your own favorite version open as you read.
2.  The (P1) in the Title line refers to Post #1.  (P2) to Post #2, etc.
3.  We will only cover a few verses in each post.  James packs so much punch in so few words ... to go any faster, I fear, would loose much of his content and purpose.
4.  That slow pace will allow time for reflection.  Plan to use the verses for meditation through the couple of days until we move into the next few verses.  See where you can apply them.  Watch for opportunities and examples of them in your own life.
5.  Cover us in prayer ...

So, let's begin this "call to action"!

James 1: 1 - 4  

"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:  Greetings.
My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing."

Really, James?  Joy?  James does not try to convince us to celebrate the trials that often broadside us through life.  He does tell us why we can reflect on them with a joyful mindset rather than a depressed or self-pity mindset.  There seem to be two reasons ... before we look at the reasons, call to your mind any trial(s) through which you are currently having to navigate.  These are things that you did not plan, they are not consequences for some bad decision on your part ... you fell into them.  They are part of our exposed humanity.  Got something in mind?

First, James told us that they are a test of our faith.  When I taught Algebra and Geometry, I administered tests periodically.  My students did not want them.  I did not want the hours of grading them.  But they were important.  Why?  Tests provided 2 vital pieces of information.  They allowed me to know where my student's knowledge was.  Where was he/she strong, where weak.  But they also allowed the student to know where he/she was strong and weak.  That was critical information if the development of their knowledge and skill mattered.  Is your faith journey so very different?  You need to know where you are strong and where you are weak.  You need to recognize where you are depending on God and where you are depending on yourself.  You need to be aware of how your faith holds up when circumstances become messy and painful.  Aahhh ... so enter, trials.  They test our faith.

How many of you look back into a past trial and are amazed that you stood it?  Not only did it not bury you, but it strengthened you?  Celebrate.  Or have you looked back into a past trial and seen failure on your part?  Seen self-reliance that could not stand rather than God-reliance that always stands?  That, too, is precious information.  Consider it nothing but joy ...

Second, James told us that the testing produces endurance and endurance matures us.  When I was a girl, you could insult someone highly by calling them a "baby".  Then in teen years, the insult was, "She is so immature" said with a sigh of pity.  Even in our current, youth-obsessed culture, maturity is something to be envied and desired.  Maturity matters.  Maturity is beautiful.  Maturity has stopped judging.  Maturity can evaluate what is important and what isn't.  James said that the endurance we develop as we face trials leads to maturity.  So ... consider it nothing but joy.

Think again about the trials that came to your mind when we began today ... do you need to view them differently?  Do you need to start seeing them through God-eyes?  Let them do their work.

Lord, we ask today for eyes to re-frame our trials in our own minds.  Let us take the words from James and work to put them into practice this week.  Because of Your Spirit within us, we can stand up under the "test".  Mature us ... and may it be to Your glory ...