LIBERTY

"So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty" (James 2:12).

 

In this verse, the words, "speak" and "act" are imperatives--they are commands.  We MUST speak and act (i.e. treat others) in the same way that God is treating us--not by judging and condemning, but rather by releasing and freeing.  In Christ, we are no longer under the law that condemns, but rather we are under the law that frees--the law of liberty.  If we are released from the penalty of sin and offence--then we must also release others from the penalty of their sins and offences against us.  God has given us His ministry to the world of, "not holding their sins against them" (2 Cor. 5:19).

 

Today, who are you keeping imprisoned?  Who are you bitter towards?  Why not release them today even as the Father has released you?  "Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty" (James 2:12).  When you forgive someone for an offense, you are letting someone up--yourself!

LOVE

"For He who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not commit murder.'  Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law" (James 2:11).

 

James is making the point that partiality (to make a judgement of someone based on appearance) is a serious sin.  You may need to read the first ten verses of James 2 again to remind yourself of the context of this verse.  The Lawgiver (God) has both said "Do not commit adultery" and "Do not murder".  By the way, there are eight others that are listed in Exodus 20 that James could have used to make his point as well.  What do murder and adultery have in common?  They are both violations of the rules of living that God has given to us for our benefit.  To do either (or any of the other eight) is to put yourself on the wrong side of God's fence and to make yourself a trespasser.  The law of the kingdom is to love each other (James 2:8).  Neither murder nor adultery is an expression of love.  Rather these are expressions of self-interest.  To make a judgement of someone's value based on appearance is also not an expression of love but rather an expression of self-interest.  It is tresspassing.

 

Today, let us attempt to live by the rule of the kingdom--love.  As you make decisions today (and judgements)--see if you can saturate them in true godly love.

JUDGING

"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all" (James 2:10).

 

The futility of trying to establish our own righteousness is stated in this verse.  You can live perfectly and yet make one small mistake--and to God it's as if you broke every one of the ten commandments.  This is, of course, in the context of committing the sin of partiality--making value judgements based on appearances.  So, what it means is, you can be a saint by all practical appearances, and yet if you prejudge people, you have become the same as the greatest sinner among us.  This is meant to emphasize the severity of partiality.  In other words, "don't do it!"

 

Today, let us both trust Jesus for our own righteousness . . . and trust Him as well for each others.

TRESPASSING

"But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors" (James 2:9).

 

"Partiality" carries the idea of giving preference based on appearance.  It is to base one's value on what is on the surface--face value.  James says that to do that is sin.  Partiality is in opposition to the way that God operates and the way that he sees us.  The word, "convicted" is a legal term that implies a conviction with overwhelming evidence.  Note that the conviction is that of being a transgressor--literally a boundary jumper--a trespasser.  When we make judgements based on appearance, it indicates how very far we are from the heart of God--we're trespassing (walking in a place where we do not have the right to walk).

 

Today, let us look past appearances and take the time to get to know hearts.

LOVE

"If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well" (James 2:8).

 

The "royal law" is the law of the Kingdom of God.  The royal law is very simple: LOVE!!!!  The word, 'love", here is the Greek word, "agape".  It is the highest form of love--a sacrificing Godly love.  Who are you sacrificing for?  Those that you sacrifice for are the people that you truly love!  Those that merely benefit you are not the objects of your love--they are merely the objects of your comfort--very different.  Love is not a feeling--it is an action--a sacrifice!

 

Who will you love today?

WORSHIP

"Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?" (James 2:7)

 

James says that it is the rich (those who have no needs) that blaspheme (slander) the name of Jesus.  Most of us can relate.  In those times that we have no needs--we tend to wander away from the God of our salvation.  But take away our job, our health, our family, or our emotional stability, and we come sprinting back to Jesus.  You see, you don't have to say a word to blaspheme Jesus--you need only ignore Him.  And ignore Him we do, when we think that all is well and that we have no needs.  The opposite of slander is praise.  One way to insure that we're not slandering God is to saturate our conversations with words of worship.

 

Today, let us worship God whether we have a little or a lot.  Find a way to publically express your love for Jesus.

FRIENDS

"But you have dishonored the poor man.  Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?" (James 2:6).

 

James is reminding the church of a reality in his day--that it is the rich and influential who oppress them the most.  It makes no sense to try to gain favor with the rich and as a consequence dishonor the poor.  Relationships are messy.  It is possible, in an attempt to gain influence with someone whom you believe can help you, to leave behind those who have already helped you--to dishonor the poor man.  There is certainly nothing wrong with befriending the rich--building new relationships.  Just make sure that you're not dishonoring the poor in the process--leaving behind your old friends.

 

Today, reach into your past and bless someone who has blessed you!

POOR

"Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?" (James 2:5).

 

The problem that we face when we make judgements based on appearance is that we completely miss the heart of God.  So often, our values are in conflict with God's values.  Our ways are not His ways!  We see a rich person come into our group and we begin to think about how they can benefit us.  Of course, God doesn't need anything and so He doesn't think like that.  James declares that it is the poor of the world that God has picked to be rich in the realm of faith. Jesus said a similar thing in Matthew 5:3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven".  God's Kingdom is inherited by the poor.  The poor are the faith-filled ones.  The poor are the true citizens of the Kingdom.  The poor are the true lovers of God.

 

Look to bless the poor today and you just might find the poor blessing you!

DISTINCTIONS

"Have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?" (James 2:4).

 

"Distinctions" here means "differences" or "divisions".  The idea is that the church is noting their differences (i.e. rich vs poor).  These differences are distinctions that God himself does not make and thus they are futile.  At Grace River, we have learned to read "good" as "beneficial" and "evil" as "detrimental".  In this verse, then, we find that difference-finding or judging based on externals is detrimental.  It is the result of faulty reasoning.  We are not capable on our own of determining a person's present and future value especially by simply looking at externals like the way that they are dressed.  God judges the heart!

 

Today, let's continue to practice looking past what we see to find what God sees.

APPEARANCE

"and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, 'You sit here in a good place,' and you say to the poor man, 'You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,'" (James 2:3).

 

We make big mistakes when we make judgements based on appearance.  We are not able to discern the full potential of people and thus it is foolish to make judgements based on looks.  We don't know if people potentially are going to do us harm or do us good.  I am always excited to see new people come through the doors of Grace River.  I can only imagine the value that their gifts and their friendship will bring into our church.  Let's learn to see everyone that God brings to us as a gift and let's treat them as such.

 

Today, let's look past appearance and discover the amazing people that God is bringing into our lives.

VALUE

"For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes" (James 2:2)

 

James is setting up a situation where the church might show personal favoritism (receiving the face).  Two men show up for worship--a rich man and a poor man.  Which man receives the better welcome?  I once served on staff with a pastor who encouraged the evangelistic pursuit of the rich over the poor. Though he would never admit this, it was clear to me (a young youth pastor) that he believed practically that the rich were of more value to the church than were the poor.  What we do says more about what we believe than what we say.

 

Today, you will likely encounter both the rich and the poor.  How will you value them?

JUDGING

"My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism" (James 2:1)

 

"Personal favoritism" in the Greek could be translated literally, "to receive one's face".  In other words, it is to take something at face value.  It is to look at someone's face--someone's appearance, and to make a judgement based upon what you see.  James tells us that faith in Jesus does not allow us to just "receive one's face".  We are not to judge based on what we see (the external) but rather we are to judge based upon faith in what God is doing (the present internal work and the future potential fruit).  "For there is no partiality (face-receiving) with God" (Romans 2:11).

 

Today, let me encourage us all to resist the easy way of judging appearances, and rather, to prayerfully consider the value of all that God may be up to in someone's life.

RELIGION

"Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world" (James 1:27).

 

James told us in verse 26, that a person who talks too much with an unbridled tongue is not religious (spiritual).  In verse 27, he tells us what God is really looking for in religious activity.  The religious acts that God considers to be pure is to visit (implies helping and caring) orphans and widows.  In James' day, widows and orphans were the most vulnerable of all people--they had no way to provide for themselves.  They shared a common loneliness and a common place in a society that prevented them from making a livable wage.  The truly spiritual person's heart is moved to action by those who are suffering helplessly.

 

A second measure of spirituality is also included in verse 27--keeping oneself from the influence of the world's values.

 

So today, let us adopt two agendas: #1--accomplishing God's agenda in the world by caring for the broken and the helpless; and #2--accomplishing God's agenda in the world by guarding our hearts from all that the world would have us become.

LISTENING

"If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless" (James 1:26).

 

If we talk more than we listen, then it's a sure sign that we are deceiving ourselves.  James says that those of us who think we are religious (spiritual) can actually disprove our religion by talking too much.  James has been addressing listening vs speaking since verse 19. This is the eighth day in a row that we've addressed the importance of hearing vs speaking.  I'm thinking that it must be important!  James uses the imagery today of riding a horse.  Our tongues, he says, should be bridled--controlled.  Please understand it's not the horse who controls the bridle--it's the rider.  In our case, God is the one who should be bridling our tongue--directing the direction of our words--or pulling back strongly and shouting "Whoa!"  Bottomline: if you think that you are spiritual, and yet you talk more than you listen, then you are fooling yourself--God isn't really in control of your tongue--or anything else for that matter.  By the way, "worthless" in the Greek means "vain, empty, useless, and dead".

 

Today, practice listening more than you speak.  Start by letting God have the bigger part of your prayer-time.  Listen to Him...and then listen to everyone else that he brings your way today.

BLESSED

"But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetul hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does" (James 1:25).

I love these kinds of verses!  We have a promise today!  "This man will be blessed in what he does"!  How would you like to be blessed in everything that you do today?  Sign me up--I'm ready!  There is a condition, however.  Back up one phrase from the blessing and we see that the one who will be blessed is characterized by being "an effectual doer" not "a forgetful hearer".  "Effectual doing" is effective activity--in other words, doing the things that work--the things that God is already doing around you.  "Effectual doing" is working at the things that God has already determined to bless--the very things that he is revealing to you.  There is one more thing that is revealed in today's verse in regards to having everything you do blessed by God.  We must look "intently" or very carefully at the "perfect law" (the Bible), which James further describes as "the law of liberty".  God has already set you up to succeed today and He is giving you strong hints about what to do and how to do it.  You need only take a long enough pause to listen carefully to what he is revealing in His Word--the very Word that frees you today.

Crack open your Bible today, read a paragraph or two, and affirm what it says to you and about you.  Then, walk forward in blessing!

STUDY

" . . . for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was" (James 1:24).

 

"Looked" means to study.  It means to look really close into the mirror and to examine all of the imperfections that one might see.  It would, of course, be futile to do so unless one intended to do something about the imperfections.

 

Maybe today, we can read the Bible in this way--ask yourself this question--"What about me needs improving?"  Then, open your Bible and read a paragraph or two.  Find a promise, a revelation, a correction, or an affirmation.  Partner with God to work on it today.

SEEING

"For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror . . ." (James 1:23).

 

James now illustrates the futility of hearing without doing by pointing out the absurdity of looking in a mirror and then not correcting the faults that one might see.  The whole point of looking in the mirror is so that we can see how we look--and then make changes if they are needed.  I like to take a nap on Sunday afternoon.  I am very careful after my nap to go and look in the mirror to see if my hair is sticking up.  You see, I have a cow lick that sticks straight up--especially after a nap.  Over time my cow lick has been replaced by a bald spot and so it's not as bad as it once was.  Nevertheless, I still look in the mirror to make sure that my hair isn't sticking up.

 

Let the Bible be your mirror today.  Read a paragraph and then respond as needed.  Don't read and ignore--rather read and improve!

DOING

"But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves" (James 1:22).

 

There is a big difference between hearing truth when someone shares it and actually doing something about it.  We are all capable of deceiving ourselves and ignoring the truth (especially if it contradicts what we want).  Of course, the greatest truth that any of us will ever hear comes through the Holy Spirit as we read the the Bible.  My habit is to look for one of four things every time that I read the scriptures: 1. Is there a promise?  2. Is there a revelation about who God is or what He does? 3. Is there something that I need to start doing?  4. Is there something that I need to stop doing?  I'm in the habit of reading one paragraph at a time, searching all the time, for some word or some insight that the Father might want to share with me.  It's deeply personal for me and I always expect that God has something to say about my day.  I have a journal where I write down the verses that God illuminates for me and I write down a few sentences about what I sense He is saying and how I will respond obediently.

 

Today, listen for words of promise, words of direction, correction, or revelation.  Hear them!  Adjust to them!  God is speaking--will you listen?

RECEIVING

"Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21).

 

Whenever you see a "therefore", find out what it's there for!  In this case, "therefore" points back to the two previous verses. Because we are to be quick to hear and slow to speak and slow to get angry; and because our anger rarely lines up with God's perfect purposes; we are to do verse 21.

 

"Putting aside all filthiness" literally means in the Greek, "take off your dirty clothes".  "All that remains of wickedness" carries the idea of an overabundance--an excess of evil (detrimental characteristics and behavior).  So, while listening rather than speaking and hearing (and being impacted by it) rather than getting angry, since our anger doesn't line up with God's activity in our lives--we choose to take off our dirty clothes (our excess negative attitudes, behaviors, and justifications).  And when we take something off--we need to replace it with something better.  We take off our dirty clothes and we humbly receive the good gift given to us through the word grafted into our lives.  James says that to receive the word will eternally save our life!

 

Here's the bottom line.  When someone offends you today (when--not if...lol), rather than getting upset and getting defensive and getting angry--take a step back.  Receive whatever portion of the message may be true--you can reject the rest.  It takes humility to say, "I can see that you are spot on and I want to thank you for pointing it out to me so that I can work on improving".  When you do this, you are humbly receiving the word.  You are taking off your dirty clothes (and your detrimental attitudes, etc.) and you are allowing yourself to be saved--to be rescued. 

 

So today, don't get mad!  Rather . . . Listen . . . Learn . . . and . . . Live!

ANGER

"For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God" (James 1:20).

 

Remember from yesterday that James equated anger with speaking when we should be listening.  If you ever argue (maybe I should put "when you argue") then you know what James is talking about.  The nature of an argument is to speak loudly over the other person rather than listening to them.  You want to win! (and of course you always lose).  In an argument, God's righteousness is not accomplished and no one is being heard.  "Righteousness of God" here should be understood as right living or doing the right thing as God defines "right".  There is such a thing as "righteous anger".  Jesus displayed it when he cleared the temple.  Here's the thing though--most of us rarely experience that kind of anger.  Ours is usually filled with a selfish defense of our rights.  Here's how you can check yourself when you are starting to get angry.  Evaluate your anger in the context of the Spirit's fruits: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  If your anger displays these virtues--go for it!  Otherwise, "be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger" (James 1:19).

 

Today, practice letting God be in control of your emotions. If you are wronged--just tell your Daddy--He will take care of it.

LISTEN

"This you know, my beloved brethren.  But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger" (James 1:19).

 

It's been said, "God gave us two ears and one mouth, so we can hear twice as much as we say".  I have had to learn the art of listening.  In the past, I've been slow to listen and quick to speak...lol.  I did it so often that I had a reputation for not really listening when people were speaking to me--now that's embarrassing!  It's something that I am still working on.  Let me share with you a truth that I've learned about listening vs speaking.  It has everything to do with love.  As I've learned to be present in a room and as I've learned to value people--as I've learned how to love, it's become much easier to listen.  To listen is to love someone--to value their words, their thoughts, and their perspective.  It's worthy of note that James, in our verse today, seems to be equating anger with speaking and that he is setting both of these in opposition to the desired virtue of hearing.

 

Today, practice hearing.  Value others words, and resist the urge to add your own.  Like Job's friends did for seven days--just listen!

GIFTS

"In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures" (James 1:18). 

• "In the exercise of His will" - God thought about it and then made a perfect decision. He decided what He wanted to do!
• "He brought us forth" - God's decision was that you would be born into this world on the day that you were born in the place where you were born.  A literal translation would be, "God gave birth to you".
•  "by the word of truth" - God gave birth to you (brought you into existance) through the Word of Truth (Jesus - see John 1:1-3).
•  "so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures" - The firstfruits (the tithe) belongs to God.  You and I are a tithe belonging to God.

 You are not an accident and you are certainly not a mistake.  You are a well-thought-out creation of God.  You were born on purpose as an act of God's will and God has a purpose for the rest of your life.

James 1:17 says that "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above..."  You are literally a gift of God to the world--a good and perfect gift.

 

Today, you will encounter someone who needs the gift of God.  They will need you--your presence, your gifts, and your love.  God is sending you today as their miracle!  GO!

ASKING

"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow" (James 1:17).

 

There is never a need for us to chase a lure or to desire fake food.  EVERY good (beneficial) thing that can be given is given by God alone.  What we desire in our inner being--what we often cannot fully describe--is given by the Father.  It is a perfect gift--a complete gift--lacking nothing.  It is fully satisfying!  God is the Father of the heavenly lights (sun, moon, and stars), and His light is never darkened or shadowed.  Just as His light is never eclipsed--so His gifts are never delayed or held back.  Everyday is Christmas! 

 

Spurgeon said, “Whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the Kingdom. If you may have everything by asking in His Name, and nothing without asking, I beg you to see how absolutely vital prayer is.”

 

Give it a try today.  Just as surely as the sun is shining (whether you can see it or not), the gifts of God are being released to your prayer.  If you need a little more encouragement, check out what Jesus says in Matthew 7:7-11.

DECEIT

"Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren" (James 1:16).

 

"Deceived" is the idea of being led astray.  It's giving in to the hunger that makes the fishing lure look really tasty to the fish.  It's fake food--don't fall for it!

 

"Beloved brethren" is a term of endearment.  It's like saying sweetheart or baby--it expresses love.  I often give terms of endearment to my close friends--perhaps it's just a twist on their name--but it's a special term just for them.  It communicates (at least that's what I intend) love and care.  James is expressing his motivation of love for his friends when he tells them not to be deceived.

 

My translation of the verse would be, "You must not allow yourselves to be led astray!--I love you too much, my dear friends"

 

Now here is something that I have found to be true: I don't mind receiving correction and instruction from those that I know love me.  However, I usually dismiss the advice of those who are not investing in my life.  Perhaps that is why Ephesians 4:15 tells us that we should be, "speaking the truth in love".  As humans we may not be capable of hearing the truth about ourselves--except in the language of love.

 

Today, you will likely need to point out the truth to someone.  You may need to tell them that they are chasing a deadly lure.  Invest in them--love them--and they just might hear you.

DESIRE

"Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death" (James 1:15).

 

I don't remember exactly how he says it, but I have a friend that has taught me to ask something like, "What is the logical conclusion of the matter?", whenever I am tempted to sin.  In other words, what is likely to happen?  I tend to make a better decision if I act as if the worst scenario will happen (and the truth is--it might).

 

James 1:15 lays out for us the logical progression of sin.  It only takes a very small amount of lust (desire) to become pregnant.  Then the thought (lust, desire) grows within you until it is actually born (i.e. you act on it).  The sin itself, then becomes full grown as you feed it and exercise it.  Eventually, it dies--and you die with it.  "The wages (logical conclusion) of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).

 

The best time to deal with sin is early, when it is still just a desire.  It's not a matter of focusing on the desire--whatever it is--it's a matter of focusing on God--the one who can satisfy every desire.  If you are full, then you aren't hungry.  You don't avoid sin by starving your desires or by pretending that they don't exist.  You avoid sin by allowing your desires to be met by the only one who can truly satisfy them--Jesus.

 

Today, as you become aware of unmet desires, speak them out loud to your Father in Heaven.  Tell Him how hungry you are.  Allow God to feed you.

TEMPTED

"But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust" (James 1:14).

 

God says through James that He is not the one tempting us.  Rather we are tempted by our own lusts--our own desires. 

 

"Carried away" means to be lured away.  The really rotten thing about a fishing lure is that it looks great to a fish--it's the most delicious looking little thing that the fish has seen all day--and yet it's deadly to him.  It looks delicious and so he turns to follow it.  The fish is being lured away and is now in great danger of being caught.  The lure looks great, but if the fish bites--then he is headed for somebody's dinner table.

 

"Enticed" is a different word that carries a similar meaning.  It means, "to catch with bait".  A good fisherman knows what kind of bait to put on the hook--he knows what the fish is hungry for.  If a fish is not hungry, then it doesn't matter what kind of bait you put on the hook--he will not be caught because he isn't going to bite anything--he's not hungry.

 

You and I are tempted by our own appetites--our own desires.  If we pursue them, in opposition to God's wisdom, then we are being lured away--we are being enticed and baited.  It won't end well.  The problem is that we are hungry and consequently we are more than willing to chase fake food.  The better course would be to fill yourself at God's endless buffet.  Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again" (John 6:35, NLT).  The only thing that will satisfy our cravings is Jesus!  If you don't fill up on Jesus--then you will be hungry all day--and the odds are that you will foolishly chase a lure.

 

Today, let me encourage you to do three things:  #1--Read a paragraph from the Bible. Reread it over and over again several times.  You're looking for a promise, a correction, a direction, or a revelation of who God is.  #2--Invite Jesus to feed you with Himself throughout the day when you get hungry.  #3--Share your lunch with someone who may be hungry--you just might save their life.

ESCAPE

"Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone" (James 1:13).

 

God is not a tempter.  My friends, God is for you!  He does not want you to fall to temptation and in fact, He is making a way of escape for every temptation.  Heaven is fighting for you today!  James is going to be telling us where temptation comes from but he wants us to understand right up front that temptation in no way comes from God!  God is not dangling sin in front of you.  God is more like the lighted exit sign in a dark theatre--pointing the way out!

 

There are many of us at Grace River who have struggled with a great many things.  Some of us have found help through a Christ-centered 12-step program called Celebrate Recovery.  I would be thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with any of you and share about Celebrate Recovery, to let you know about counseling resources that we have at Grace River, or to just hear your story (I'll tell you mine too).  "Grace River is a safe place where anyone can come as they are and find hope and healing for their hurts, habits, and hangups."

 

No, God is not tempting you...but He is providing a way of escape.  Email or call me if you want to talk.  Why not do it today?

APPROVED

"Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him" (James 1:12).

 

There are four words in this verse that need a little bit of amplification: "Blessed" is often translated as "happy".  This is, however, much deeper than just happy--it's a deep fulfillment.  The next word is "persevere".  It means to endure with hope.  It is to put up with hardship believing that a better day is coming.  The third word is "approved" and it means to be found genuine through testing. The purity of gold is often tested by exposing it to sulphuric acid.  If it's pure--it remains.  If the gold is mixed with other metals then there will be a reaction.  If it doesn't react--then it is approved as pure gold.  The final word 'crown" is simply the prize that is given to an athlete following a contest.  For us, it's a trophy or a medal--the declaration of 1st place.

 

Now read the verse again with the fuller understanding of these words.  Here's how I would do it:  "Deeply blessed and fulfilled is the person who has gone through hell believing that heaven was just around the corner. Their ability to suffer without the expected reaction of complaint, anger or bitterness, means that they really have been transformed by Jesus.  They will receive the trophy--the ability to really live--which Jesus has promised to those who keep on loving Him."  Here's a simpler shot at it: "Those who really live have found fulfillment in Jesus--even with all of their problems".

 

Today, when you face the mountain of some kind of problem--start climbing--the view is beautiful from the top!

COMFORT

"For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away" (James 1:11).

 

This is simple enough: in the same way that the hot wind will quickly wither a flower on a hot summer day, so will our pursuit of pleasure quickly end.  We strive for a pain-free life and our culture tells us that a better job, a better family, a better house, that more riches will provide a pain-free life for us.  Not so, my friends!  Pain-free is for the next world--not this one.  Jesus said, "In this life you will have trouble" (John 16:33).  No, it's not about pain-free--it's about allowing the pain to chase you into the nurturing arms of your Father in Heaven.  He is here and He is waiting to hold you and to comfort you. 

 

Today, at the first sign of trouble--run home to your daddy!

PRIORITY

" . . . and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away" (James 1:10).

 

In the same way that the poor person is to brag about his problems--knowing that they are growing him spiritually, the rich person is to brag about his coming demise.  This world and it's wealth will pass away not unlike a small flower in a field of grass.  James is just trying to get us to understand what matters--things that last forever--eternal things and spiritual things.  There is a lot of snow out there today but it won't last.  Today the snow closes school, but in just a few days--it will disappear, and we will get back to normal.  In the same way, "stuff" will not last.  You will last--but your stuff will not. 

 

So, spend today working on the spiritual eternal you--not collecting more stuff.

GLORY

"But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position" (James 1:9).

The mystery of the scriptures is that they are full of seemingly impossible maxims.  James says, "The humble brother should brag in his exalted situation".  WHAT?  In our way of looking at things, the humble--meaning: the broken, afflicted, failing, and poor--have absolutely nothing to brag about (glory in).  In fact, "the brother of humble circumstances" wants to change his circumstances just as quickly as possible.  So how do we understand what James is saying?  Here it is: your earthly struggles and problems are working to uniquely accomplish your spiritual health and happiness.  Consequently, the greater your pain, the greater your glory!  So, the broken and abused Christian should brag about how awesome they are becoming in the Kingdom of God.  Jesus says it this way, "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you" (Matthew 5:3-4, The Message).

So today, keep in mind that your problems are simply at work to stretch your potential.  Each crisis is working to make you look more like Christ.  Go with it!

STABILITY

" . . . being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways" (James 1:8).

 

Double-minded living results in instability!  What exactly does it mean to be double-minded?  We are double-minded when we are attempting to go in two directions at once--God's way and our way!  "To the one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).  God will not bless our mess...lol.  If things feel a bit unstable, perhaps it time to get some clarification from the Father in terms of what He is accomplishing.  Abandon your plans--and join His!

 

Today (and everyday), take ten to fifteen minutes and read a paragraph out of the Bible.  Think about what it says.  Is there a command for you to obey?  Is there a promise for you to claim?  Is there a revealing of who God is and what He is about?  Stability comes by obeying God alone!  Give it a try...

NOTHING

"For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord" (James 1:7).

There are plenty of verses in the Bible that I don't personally like--this is one of them.  I don't like it because it is a clear warning shot fired across the bow of my life's ship.  Who is that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord?  The answer to the question is found in the two verses preceding, v5-6.  I would summarize it as, "You and I should not expect to receive anything from God when we're lacking wisdom and direction.  Further, we should not expect to receive anything form God when we finally ask Him for help but we're not really ready to do what He says.  The word, "expect" in James 1:7 carries the idea of a conceited assumption.  It's almost like we believe that God owes it to us.  The word, "anything", means "anything"...and "everything".  The bottom line?  Don't arrogantly assume that God is going to rescue you when you have ignored his suggestions (more like commands).

Let me encourage you today to make sure that you are getting God's perspective as you are making decisions.  His way is the best way--truthfully, the only way!

DOUBTING

"But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind" (James 1:6).

 

If you are going through a difficult time, it would be wise to stop and ask God what He is accomplishing in your life.  It would be wise, before you make any decisions, to find out which way He thinks that you should go.  But when you ask Him, do your best to trust that His guidance is correct.  Try not to second-guess the Almighty--It usually doesn't go well.  The word, "doubt" in James 1:6 literally means, "divided"--to be drawn in more than one direction.  Look at this way, you're asking God what to do, while at the same time you're thinking about what you are going to do just in case you don't like God's idea.  You are doubting--or as James says in our verse today--you're drifting all over the place--being blown around by your circumstances.

 

Today, remind yourself often that God loves you and that He can be trusted to guide your life.  Get in the Word today and seek to know His will.  Find a promise, or a command, or a truth about who God is.  Before, He even tells you what to do, determine that you will do it--no matter what!

WISDOM

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).

 

When you are in the middle of a trial--You really need God's perspective.  Wisdom is defined very simply as, "knowing what God knows--seeing through His eyes".  If you can understand God's perspective on your difficulty, then you are more than halfway there.  My translation of James 1:5, "If you don't know what God is doing--then ask Him!"  The Greek implies, "You must ask Him!"  The promise is that God will give His wisdom "generously" or freely, unconditionally, liberally.  Who will He give it to?  He Gives his perspective on things graciously to anyone who takes the time to ask.  "Without reproach" means that God doesn't judge you or rebuke you for asking.  He really does want you to know what He is doing in your life.  He wants you to see it from His perspective.  He wants you to understand the meaning that is found in what often appears to be madness.

 

Today, pray this prayer as often as you remember it: "Reveal to me what you are doing in my life today".  When a problem comes, "Reveal to me what you are doing in my life through this".  When a blessing comes, "Reveal to me what you are accomplishing".  You and God are going to have a great time together today....hurry up!  He's waiting!

ENDURANCE

"And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:4).

 

In the Greek, the first part of this verse is declared loudly like a command, "Endurance must have it's perfecting work!"  In other words, it is essential that we allow endurance, which is the fruit of testing, to accomplish it's purpose in our lives.  It must happen!  Endurance perfects us--it completes us!  It fills in our defects and makes us whole.  God allows trials and tests to attack us so that we will increase in endurance and thus grow healthier (stronger).

 

Though I don't do it now, I used to run quite a bit.  My goal in running was to get healthier and maintain a stronger physical condition.  I don't mind telling you that I don't like to run--I never have.  I don't run for pleasure--I run for conditioning.  For me, it's hard work as I, day after day, attempt to run farther and to run faster.  I have to resist the urge to quit.  I have to push through the pain.  I have to constantly remind myself of the benefit that I am gaining.  The more I run consistently, the more endurance that I gain, and the stronger that I become. 

 

I like to think that when problems and difficulties enter my life, that it's God saying, "Come on, Dave, let's go for a run". 

 

What are you enduring today?  Let me encourage you to focus on the benefit of your endurance today.  How is God growing you through your situation?  Keep going--the finish line is just ahead.

ENDURANCE

"Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance" (James 1:3).

 

"Endurance" is the ability to run farther, to put up with more, and to remain standing when others are falling around us.  We need endurance and the way that we get it is through trials.

 

Today, when something goes wrong, try to remember that God will use it to make you stronger, to make you healthier, and to make you look more like Jesus.

TRIALS

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials" (James 1:2).

 

Nobody likes trials.  Not one person that I know enjoys going through a difficult time.  Rather than enjoying them, we avoid them!  And yet, the Bible says, "consider it all joy".  The idea is to quite literally enjoy our trials with expressions of joy--laughter, smiles, giggles, etc.  This can only honestly happen if we understand what God is doing through our trials (see verses 3-4).  We will get to that in the next few days but for now let's just accept the fact that we will have trials and that God says that we should joyfully appreciate them.

 

Let me unpack two words for you that are in today's verse:  "encounter" and "various".

 

"Encounter" is the Greek word "peripipto" and literally means, "to fall into".  In Luke 10:30, Jesus says that a man "fell among" (peripipto) thieves.  He was attacked and robbed.  Understand that trials come and attack you and if you let them, then they will rob you of your joy.  That is the experience that most of us have.  God says, however, that it doesn't have to be that way--a proper God-perspective of trials can produce joy!

 

"Various" is the Greek word "poikilos" and it means "many-colored".  In addition to describing trials, the Bible uses poikilos in four other ways: 1--"poikilos" diseases, 2--"poikilos" lusts, 3--"poikilos" miracles, and 4--"poikilos" grace.  I find that really interesting.  Perhaps we need "many-colored" miracles for our "many-colored" diseases? And "many-colored" grace for "many-colored" lusts?

 

Today, when you are attacked by your multiple trials, invite the Holy Spirit to give you a proper God-perspective of them.  Allow the Father to enroll you in the School of Joy!

5-Fold Response to Crisis

1. Weep and Wail--Esther 4:1. Crying out is a natural response to severe crisis. It's amazing that so much of what God calls us to do comes quite naturally.

 

2. Take Courage and Overcome Fear--Esther 4:7-13. Queen Esther could easily see the reasons not to act--fear. Mordecai would give her the reasons to act--love.

 

3. Have Faith that Deliverance will Come--Esther 4:14. "Relief and deliverance will arise..." (v14). Now that's faith!

 

4. Understand God's Perspective (Wisdom)--Esther 4:14. "And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" (v14). Can you see your place in God's plan? Understanding God's perspective of your place under the Sun is wisdom.

 

5. Pray and Fast--Esther 4:16. Anxiety naturally causes the loss of appetite. Match that up with desperate expressions of need to God and you've got a powerful combination.

LOYALTY

"On this day, with Mordecai sitting at the King's Gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had it in for the king and were making plans to kill King Xerxes. But Mordecai learned of the plot and told Queen Esther, who then told King Xwerxes, giving credit to Mordecai. When the thing was investigated and confirmed as true, the two men wre hanged on a gallows. This was all written down in a logbook kept for the king's use" (Esther 2:21-23, The Message).

 

Mordecai overheard an assination plot being planned against the king and reported it to Queen Esther. It perhaps seems routine and might be simply the right thing to do. This event, however, would have an amazing impact on Mordecai's future. This single act of loyalty to the king would prepare the way for Mordecai to become second in charge in all of the kingdom. God blesses loyalty. "He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness and honor" (Proverbs 21:21, NASB).

 

Perhaps today, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate loyalty. Look for it...

THE MAKING OF ROYALTY

Step 1: Start Where You Are--Read Esther 2:5-7. Esther was an orphaned exile living in a strange land as a ethnic minority. She had nothing going for her except her relative Mordecai and a great big God. What are you beginning today with?

 

Step 2: Look For an Opening--Read Esther 1:16-22. God was making a space for Esther to fill. It was bigger than her wildest dreams! God is making a space for you as well. Can you dream it?

 

Step 3: Meet the Qualifications--Read Esther 2:2-3. The king was looking for "beautiful young virgins"--so is our King, Jesus. You become one by surrendering and entrusting your life to Jesus. He make us all brand new--beautiful, young, and pure! Check out 2 Cor. 5:17 and then invite Jesus to recreate you today.

 

Step 4: Find Favor--Read Esther 2:8-10. Your destiny includes people that God will bring into your life in order to show you favor. These people will share with you the resources that you need to succeed. They will share wisdom, resources, and love. Begin to identify who some of these people might be.

 

Step 5: Prepare--Read Esther 2:12-15. It took more than a year of preparation for Esther to be ready to see the king. In the same way, God is patiently preparing you for the work ahead of you. Don't get in a hurry. Every day brings needed experiences that produce necessary growth for your future.

 

Step 6: Wear Your Crown--Esther 2:17. The day will come when the King will place a crown upon your head. Look forward to it--it is coming!

SLAVE

"James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings" (James 1:1).

 

A "bond-servant" is a slave. the word (Greek: doulos) literally means, "to bend". Originally it was the lowest term in the scale of servitude. The idea is to give oneself up to the will of another. It's the most common word for "servant" used in the Bible.

 

Let me point out that one of the attitudes that God would have us adopt is the attitude of a doulos--a slave. God already has a great day planned for each of us and the key to enjoying it will be to allow God to be God and to simply join Him in His work.

 

Let me suggest that you repeat this to yourself and then attempt to accomplish it: "I am the slave of God and I will adjust my life to His agenda today".

TURNING

"Let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins" (James 5:20).

 

This is our job: turning sinners from the error of their ways, saving souls from death, and covering sins. These are all the same thing and it's the great purpose of our restored lives. May heaven be populated with those that we've influenced--with those that we've shared the gracious good news of Jesus.

 

Someone that you will encounter today needs to know that Jesus loves them. If you watch--it will be obvious. When you see them--tell them!

DRIFTING

"My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back . . . ." (James 5:19).

 

The word "stray" in this verse is used in other places speak of the movement of the planets. Here, it can mean, a sort-of spiritual drifting. It happens when we begin to gradually move away from the presence of God. We start making decisions that move us away from the activity of God rather than towards it. Perhaps, we skip coming to worship for some reason--and then it's a few times--and then we don't go at all. We're drifting. The truth, mentioned here, is not some philosophical idea--The truth is a person--Jesus. He said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6). So, when we drift from Jesus, we have also drifted from the best course for our life (the way), and we are consequently drifting away from truth and towards deceit and denial and ultimately death (not life). Drifting is deadly!

 

Jesus tells us to go after the drifting ones (Matthew 18:12-14). With that in mind, Are you drifting? I have the name of each of our Grace River families on a sticky located on the wall of my office. Yesterday, twenty-three of our families were missing. Drifting perhaps?

 

Today, if you are drifting--please start swimming back to the boat--we miss you. For the rest of us, let's pick up the phone or write an email and see if we can come alongside some of our missing sheep brothers and sisters. Who have you missed? Give them a call and let them know that we are not the same without them.

RAIN

"Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit" (James 5:18).

 

Ahh...the prayer of blessing! There had been no sign of rain for 3 1/2 years. The land was desperately dry, crops had failed, thirst was everywhere. Elijah prayed and everything changed.

 

Today, like Elijah did, let's pray for rain! Pray for the rain of fulfilling jobs, the rain of cures for stubborn illnesses, the rain of relational healing, the rain of spiritual gifting, the rain of love, joy, and peace, and whatever other rain of blessing seems appropriate to you.

PRAYER

"Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months" (James 5:17)

 

As proof that the prayers of a righteous man can accomplish much, James points us to Elijah. He was a human being--just like you and me. In response to Elijah's prayer, no rain feel on the earth for 3 1/2 years. This sounds like a challenge to me. If Elijah was just like me and he could get an outrageous answer to prayer, why can't I?

 

Today, let me challenge you to make a list of some things that you really need God to do for you. Pick one or two and "pray earnestly". Keep it up all day--all the time looking for God's answer.

CONFESSION

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much" (James 5:16).

 

Why should we confess our sins to each other? We confess our faults because James links confession and healing together in this passage (v15-16). Confession plus prayer equals healing. A righteous person's prayer accomplishes much. The righteousness of Christ is imputed upon us when we abandon our own futile attempts at self-rightousness. It is Christ's righteousness that heals and His righteousness is available to whomever confesses their need for it.

 

Today, let me suggest that you do something really scary. Find a trusted Christian friend and confess your faults to them. Tell them about your mistakes, your failures, and your issues. It was mentioned last evening in our men's Bible study that it is a lot harder to confess to a human than it is to confess to God. Why? Because humans may judge us--God never does! Today, find a trusted friend--risk by confessing--and then receive forgiveness and the empowerment of Christ's righteousness!

HEALING

"...and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him" (James 5:15).

 

What kind of prayer heals? Prayer that is offered in faith heals the sick. "Faith is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see" (Hebrews 11:1, NLT). To pray in faith is to ask God to do something, believing (more than doubting), that it really is going to happen. God loves these kinds of prayers--they please Him (Hebrews 11:6).

 

There is no doubt that today you will encounter someone who is sick. It may be a headache...or something more serious. Would you be willing to put yourself out there and pray a bold and loving prayer for healing? These kinds of prayers take practice. To the best of your faith (and God's ability)--confidently ask and believe that God will heal the person you are praying for. Keep trying and keep practicing...all day long. If you are willing, then God will bring some very special people your way today.

HEALING

"Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord" (James 5:14).

 

In the same way that one might naturally sing when they are happy or pray when they are struggling, the sick should call for the elders of the church. The word "elder" simply means "older ones". Elders might be the oldest ones in terms of age or they might just be the ones that have been around the church the longest. Perhaps they are the ones who have been Christians the longest. Regardless of how they became older, they are clearly the ones that have the most experience. These "experienced" ones are who you should call when you are sick. Now lets say that you are at work and one of your coworkers has a severe headache. Should you pray for them? Of course! You are the elder in this case. In fact, if anyone ever asks you to pray for them--they have asked you to take the role of elder in their life. Pray!

 

The oil is a biblical symbol of healing--no magical properties--just a good symbol. However, if you're going to pray for healing, you might as well use the biblical symbol and anoint the person you are praying for with oil, if you can. Do this in the name of the Lord--because it is Jesus who heals. Now if you are wanting to pray for someone and you don't have any oil handy--pray anyway!

 

Today, look for invitations to join Jesus in His ministry of healing. Boldly approach the sick and ask if you can pray for them. If nothing happens, they are no worse off. If healing happens, then God is glorified! Step out in faith and give it a try today!

REAL

"Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises" (James 5:13).

 

A very literal translation of this verse would be: "Any among you suffering trouble? He must continually pray! Feeling good? He must sing!" These are two rather obvious responses to our circumstances. When we're in big trouble, it's the most natural thing in the world to pray. And When we're feeling great, it's hard not to sing . . . or whistle . . . or hum as we live our day. It just comes naturally.

 

And so, how are you feeling today? Hurting? Then pray! Happy? Then sing! You don't have to pretend that you are in a different place than you really are. Just be you today--whether you pray--or whether you sing.

TRUTH

"But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment" (James 5:12).

 

Philo said, "The more emphasis one puts on swearing, the more the swearer shows that there is some suspicion of his not being trustworthy". If we have to accentuate our words in order to emphasize that we are telling the truth--then it may indicate that we have a problem telling the truth.

 

Today, practice telling the truth:

• Do what you say when you say you will do it!
• Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!
• Resist the urge to embellish or exaggerate!
• Be careful not to minimize or leave out important information!
• Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)!

PATIENCE

"As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord" (James 5:10).


The prophets of old suffered hardship and demonstrated patience.  Our new message series, "10 Who Overcame", is based on this idea.  We sometimes look back on the heroes of the faith as if they weren't human.  We forget that they sinned, that they struggled, and that they suffered just like we do.  It's encouraging to read their stories and to see how they overcame.  A pretty good list of biblical heroes is found in Hebrews 11.


Today, imagine that the Bible is still being written and that you are one of the characters that is being written about.  Try writing down the details of your day--the good and the bad.  At the end of the day--determine what the message of God is in your life today.  What could others learn about God from your day?

COMPLAIN

"Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door" (James 5:9).

 

There's not much that I can do to further explain this verse. "Don't complain about each other". It's pretty simple. The reason given is to avoid judgement. Don't complain about each other because you don't want to be judged.

 

Today, let me challenge you to watch your words. Keep them positive and encouraging. Avoid the temptation to complain.

PATIENCE

"You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near" (James 5:8).

 

To strengthen your heart is to stabalize it. It is to fall back upon what you know to be undeniably true. What promises has God made to you? Remember them...rehearse them...trust them. Difficult times will always come. Use them as an opportunity to strengthen your heart.

 

We should also remind ourselves today that patience is a fruit of the Spirit--a gift from God (Gal. 5:22-23). Jesus promises that our Father will give the Holy Spirit to us if we will only ask.

 

Today, invite God's Holy Spirit to fill you--to saturate you through and through. Find a promise from God and stand on it.

PATIENCE

"Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains" (James 5:7).

 

Almost all of us are going through some tough times these days--financially, relationally, physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. You may want to quit but the message for us today is, "be patient"--Jesus is coming! Be patient (like a farmer) because the crops are coming. The rain is coming and the harvest is coming. Your deliverance is coming. Lord Jesus is coming with all that He is and all that He does!

 

The word "patient" carries the idea of having an attitude that can endure delay, can bear suffering, and never gives up. Your suffering is for a season--and then it will lift. Be patient!

 

Today, should feel your heart giving up or despairing--close your eyes and remind yourself that Jesus is even now on His way to rescue you. He is coming!

MURDER

"You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you" (James 5:6).

 

Who is the "righteous" man? In one sense--there are none who are righteous (Rom 3:10). In another sense--all who are in Christ are righteous (2 Cor. 5:21). I would suggest to you that none of us are very good at spotting true godly righteousness and therefore none of us stand in place where we can afford to condemn anyone. And though we would never literally kill someone--we can easily do it with our words--our gossip.

 

So, today, let us all make every attempt to build up each other in love--and avoid the temptation to tear down with our words.

ENOUGH

"You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter" (James 5:5).

 

I suppose that one of the sins that must grieve the heart of God the most is for a Christian to live in luxury while the world starves. The scriptures are packed with teaching directed towards sacrificing that others might have enough. I know that at my house, even when we say that we're out of food, we still have plenty.

 

Each week at Grace River, we have a basket available in which to donate food items for the food bank. We are currently resourcing the Windsor Food Bank. Take a moment today and grab a few cans of food that have been in your cabinet for awhile. Bring them to church with you on Sunday and put them in the basket. May we get in the habit of bringing something to donate every week.

DEBT

"Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth" (James 5:4).

 

Just one question: Do you owe anyone anything? Employees? Service Providers? Creditors? God would have you and I make good on all of our debts especially to those who maybe suffering hardship as a result of our withholding what is rightfully owed. Maybe you haven't paid because you can't pay or for some other legitimate reason.

 

Pray about it today, and if nothing else, at least communicate with those you owe. Make a plan to begin setting things in order.

TREASURE

"Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. it is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!" (James 5:4).

 

This is not a very "happy" verse. It's a loud warning against "storing up" treasure while at the same time ignoring the needs of people that God has placed around us. The gold and silver "witness against you". and "consume your flesh like fire". God is the one who gives us our resources and He is the one who knows best how to invest those resources. He has promised to provide for us as we graciously share what He has given to us. We are blessed in order to be a blessing!

 

Jesus says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21). Invest in heaven! Your investments reveal your priorities. What are you investing your resources in? Heaven? or Earth?

 

If God gave you a million dollars, would you be willing to invest $100,000 in God's kingdom while keeping the rest? Would you make that deal? Or what if God gave you $100,000, would you be willing to invest $10,000 in the kingdom while keeping the rest? Here is the real test: Are you willing to invest a tenth of what God gives you this week (whatever it is) in God's kingdom while keeping the rest? If so, then Jesus will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things" (Matthew 25:21, 23). God will not trust you with a lot, if He can't trust you with a little!

 

Today, determine to invest 10% of everything that God brings your way into His kingdom. Read Malachi 3:8-12 and put it to the test.

RICHES

"Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten" (James 5:2).

 

Do you ever feel like your money is disappearing faster than you can earn it? Our culture values wealth, in part because wealth provides a perceived sense of security and well-being. All of us would prefer to have a lot of money at our disposal as opposed to living in financial need. We believe that wealth equals security. God, on the other hand, insists that He alone is our security and that if we put our trust in stuff--then we will end up miserable. James says that misery is coming upon the rich (see 5:1) because their riches have rotted. We live in a day when we see the reality of financial futility. The stock market in a single day can destroy one's life-savings (or perhaps a car repair). The alternative to trusting in your stuff is to trust God with your stuff--to invest in God's kingdom with your resources and to trust that God will provide for your needs. He has promised to open up the windows of heaven and to pour out blessings upon you in response to your kingdom investments (Malachi 3:8-12).

 

What will you invest in this week? Will you commit to give God a tenth of all that He gives you? Tina and I have found that our money goes farther and lasts longer when we are faithful to give God his share first. By the way, you don't have to wait until Sunday to give. The very moment that you get paid or that you receive resources, you can immediately go online and invest in the kingdom of God through Grace River or some other ministry that you care about. Give it a try today.

MISERY

"Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you" (James 5:1).

 

If you are rich--then misery is coming! Why? Because wealth can never provide true happiness. And even if it does provide some sense of stability--it is easily lost, which of course results in misery. So, if you don't have any money--rejoice and be glad! lol--I know, that's hard to do! The point of the verse is that if you put your trust in your resources--finances, possessions, stuff, etc.--then you are headed for big trouble. You are choosing money as the god of your life and thus you are rejecting the true God. Trust me on this, God loves you too much to let you get away with it. Misery is coming...

 

Today, look for an opportunity to value God as more important than your stuff. Maybe you can do that by sacrificially helping someone or by giving a treasure away. Perhaps it is as simple as buying someone's coffee or leaving an extra-large tip. I'm sure that God will think of something...

PRIORITY

"Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).

Our verse today declares that It is sin to know the right thing to do and then not to do it! So, what exactly is the right thing? Simply put, "the right thing" is always whatever the will of God is. "The right thing" is revealed by the Holy Spirit through Scripture, through circumstances, through the church, and through prayer. You will always KNOW what "the right thing" is, when you need to do it. "The right thing" is whatever God is doing at the moment. By the way, God will often interupt something that you are doing, that you think is important, in order to invite you to join Him in His work. You will have to decide what you want to do--"the right thing" or something else.

Today, invite God to show you "the right thing". Then look for it--and join God in doing it!

BOASTING

"But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil" (James 4:16).

 

The word "arrogance" in today's verse carries the idea of empty and bragging talk. It is trusting in your own power and resources. It is trusting in the stability of this world and it's systems. This kind of misguided trust is declared to be evil--or detrimental. It is detrimental because neither you nor the world can be trusted--only God has the power necessary to guarantee any certain outcome. Trust in anyone or anything else, other than God, is futile.

 

"Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). Do not trust the world!

 

Today, practice trusting God! What plans are failing? What people are failing? Though everything you believe to be secure may fail--boldly declare "The Lord will not fail me"! Boast in the Lord today!

PLANNING

"Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that'" (James 4:15).

When I was boy, I remember the older saints would often include, "Lord willing", whenever they made a statement concerning the future. You may have heard, "Lord willing and the creeks don't rise". We don't use, "Lord willing", much anymore. "Lord willing" is not a fatalistic statement accompanied by the throwing of our hands up in the air as if we had no ability to influence our future. We do have choices to make that influence our future. "Lord willing" is a faith-filled declaration that in spite of our works (and best intentions)--we don't control the future. It's ultimately out of our hands. There is a God and you're not Him! "We can make our plans but it is the Lord who determines our steps" (Proverbs 16:9). Truth is, "Lord willing" takes some of the pressure off. Not everything depends on you getting it right. Not everything fails if you fall.

Today, see if you can work "Lord willing" into your vocabulary. If nothing else, it will remind you of who is really in charge.

LIFE

"Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away" (James 4:14).

Here's the problem with worrying about tomorrow--you don't know what is actually going to happen tomorrow--or even if you will have a tomorrow. Life is brief, it's fragile, and life is filled with the unexpected. You don't know...so, enjoy today without wasting time worrying about tomorrow. I like that song that says, "Live like you are dying". Life is precious and this moment may be your last moment on planet Earth--so enjoy it.

Repeat outloud after me: "I...(your name)...will...enjoy...every...moment...of...this...day...because...it...is...a...gift...from...God"

PRESUMPTION

"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit'" (James 4:13).

Presumption is arrogance--empty of power and full of bragging. Presumption is to trust in our own power and resources. It is to trust in the stability of this world's systems. It leaves God out of the equation and states a certain outcome when in fact none can be assured. Jerry Bridges says that, "Faith in Christ and a reliance on ourselves are mutually exclusive". Your plans, without certain knowledge of God's will, are futile--empty and meaningless.

Allow me to suggest instead, "Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time..." Give it a try today.

JUDGEMENT

"There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?" (James 4:12).

The only one who is able to correctly judge is the very one who wrote the law that judgement is based upon. The rest of us get it wrong. We don't completely understand the Spirit of the law and consequently we often miss the point--emphasizing aspects of the law in a way that God does not. Our biases enter in and we tend to judge harshly sins that we don't have and ignore sins that we do have. Hence, the church often condemns alcoholics and homosexuals and excuses the greedy and the gluttons. In addition to being the lawgiver, the judge also needs to possess the ability to save and to destroy. In other words, the judge can do something about violations of the law, rather than just pointing them out. The judge can save law-breakers or the judge can destroy them. Only God can do this! Only God can give life and only God can take life! Only God gives the law and therefore, only God can judge our obedience to the law. Paul even says in 1 Corinthians 4:3-4, "I don't care if you or anyone else judges me. I don't even judge myself. I am only judged by the Lord!"

Let me suggest that today be a judgement-free day--a day when we let people up when they make mistakes or when they offend us. Just let it go.

SLANDER

"Do not speak against one another, brethren.  He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it" (James 4:11).

To criticize someone is to make a value judgement concerning them and to set yourself up as their judge.  The problem with that is that you are not their judge--only God is!  To judge is to set yourself above the one you are judging and is to demonstrate that you think that you know better than God.  Criticism (judging) devalues the object of your criticism and thus sets you in opposition to God (who values everyone) and in opposition to the law (which also values humanity).  Our God-given task is not to evaluate others obedience to God, but rather to focus solely on obeying the law of God ourselves.  

The Greek word for "devil" is "diabalos" and literally means "slanderer".  You don't want to join the devil in his work.  Rather, resist him and he will run away (James 4:7).  The work of God is quite different from the devil's.  "God has given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

T

oday, try avoiding criticism and try embracing reconciliation--not holding peoples faults against them.  To succeed you will have to turn off the auto-pilot and become conscious of your thoughts and actions.  Periodically today, stop what you are doing, and prayerfully allow the Spirit to evaluate your thoughts, your words, and your actions.

HUMILIATE

"Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you" (James 4:10).

Find a way to lower yourself and God will find a way to lift you up!  It's interesting to me that God doesn't say in this verse that He will humble us.  Instead, He says, "Humble yourselves".  Actually, I'm pretty good at that--assuming that humble is the same as humiliate.  Humble means to lower yourself--to get low, and so I think I'm on the right track with this.  Our tendency is to spend an enormous amount of energy attempting to exalt ourselves.  Can you say, "FUTILE"?  Only God exalts.  However, we can "lower" pretty good.  This sounds like grace to me.  Break it and God will fix it.  Fail and God will cause success.  Weak becomes strong.  Death becomes life.  Humiliation becomes exaltation.

So, if you mess up today and end up embarrassing yourself--maybe it's not so bad.  You're just practicing James 4:10.

FEELINGS

"Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom" (James 4:9).

What do you usually do when you feel bad?  I know what I do--I take some medicine or I try to find some diversion until I start to feel better.  I do something else to keep from feeling my pain, my despair, my sadness, or whatever it is--I get busy.  My counselor calls these band-aids "maladaptive coping mechanisms".  

But God says, "Feel your pain".  To get right down to it, The phrase, "Be miserable", in the text literally means, "Feel your hardship".  God wants us to feel it--and to express it--to openly mourn and to weep out-loud.  I've spent most of my life not feeling feelings.  They just weren't safe.  I learned as a little boy that it was easier just not to feel than it was to feel bad.  Of course, if I don't feel--then I can't feel good or bad.  I'm dead inside.  Through much counseling, through much Spirit-led soul-searching, and by working through the 12-steps of Celebrate Recovery, I have seen my feelings restored.  I cry a lot now--after all, I've got years to make up for.  There are no "bad" feelings and there are no "good" feelings.  There are just feelings--and they are all beneficial.  I don't have to fake laughter.  I don't have to fake joy.  I can feel...and I can live...and so can you.

Today, try to become aware of your feelings throughout the day (good, bad, and otherwise).  Feel them and express them to those you trust.  Don't fake it!  Rather, experience God through it.

INTIMACY

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded" (James 4:8).

This verse contains three imperatives (commands): #1--Draw near to God, #2--Wash your hands, and #3--Wash your heart.

The promise is that if you move closer to God--that He will also move closer to you.  As you submit to His purposes (vs your own) and humble yourself before His authority (vs your own), you will discover that you are coming into His presence more intimately than you ever imagined possible.  This is what you were made for--an intimate relationship with God.

In the presence of God you will recognize your own short-comings from His perspective.  You will affirm your sinner status and you will want to do something about it.  The command is to wash your hands.  In Celebrate Recovery, we are taught to take a fearless moral inventory that involves making a list of those that we have harmed and those that have harmed us.  This is a confession to God and a confession to ourselves of offenses that we have committed and those that have been committed against us.  It is washing our hands.

The third command in James 4:8 is to purify your heart.  It needs to be washed because it is double-minded vs single-minded or Christ-minded.  In my experience, the act of making a moral inventory and then having the courage to share it with a trusted friend is what heals my double-minded heart.  This is painful and yet safe because God is a God of grace--He gives a greater grace (James 4:6).

Today, let me suggest that you draw near to God by humbling yourself.  As you live today, keep a piece of paper handy--make a list of offenses--both by you and against you.  Confess them as quickly as you become aware of them to the God of grace.  Trust me, if you will, then you will find an amazing intimacy with the Father today.  He will draw near to you!

SLANDER

"Submit therefore to God.  Resist he devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

I was told a long time ago that when you see a "therefore", you need to discover what the "therefore" is there for.  In this case, it points back to the previous verse (James 4:6), where we are reminded that God gives a greater grace, that He is opposed to the proud, and that he gives grace to the humble.

Because he is opposed to the proud and because he gives a greater grace (mega grace) to the humble--Humble yourself before God (submit to Him).  Allow God to have His way in your life without all of the kicking and screaming.  As they say, "Let go and let God".

Also, because of God's great grace, we should resist (literally in the Greek--"oppose") the devil and he will go away.  Now remember this is in the context of God's great grace.  The word "devil" literally in the Greek means "slanderer".  Listen...God loves you.  God forgives you.  God cleans you up.  God accepts you.  God exercises mega grace on your behalf.  Therefore, when you are slandered by someone, something, or even your own guilty conscience--oppose it!  Resist it!  

Let me also add that we need to be careful not to let the devil use our words to slander others.  Resist!  

Without question, today, you will have the opportunity to practice grace.  You will likely be slandered at some point and you will likely be tempted to slander.  Remember, God is opposed to the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.  Resist the devil and he will flee.  Go grace someone today (maybe start with yourself).