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James 1:1-3:18<\/strong><\/span> Whoo-hoo!\u00a0 Today we begin the book of James!<\/span> ~ James ~<\/strong> Today in James chapter 1 verses 2 \u2013 4 we read: \u201cConsider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.\u201d<\/em> Are you facing a trial of some kind in your life today? Do you see the wisdom in considering this trial pure joy? Do you think it is possible that this trial will develop perseverance in your life? Maturity? Completeness? Will you persevere in this trial? Will you persevere with pure joy?<\/span> I like verse 17 today \u2013 \u201cWhatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven\u2019s lights.\u00a0 Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Think about this for a bit \u2013 God is a God of no shadows.\u00a0 Pure light.\u00a0 Unchanging.\u00a0 No shadows.\u00a0 I like that thought of no shadows a lot\u2026\u00a0 Of course, this means we can\u2019t hide out in God\u2019s shadows either!\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 Praise God for his unchanging, un-shadowed & pure Light!<\/span> And verse 18 is an awesome closing to the James readings today \u2013 \u201cIn his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Congratulations to you for diving into God\u2019s true Word today \u2013 the Bible!\u00a0 Please continue to accept the gift of God\u2019s true word by reading the Bible each day\u2026.\u00a0 this will bless and change your life immensely.\u00a0 \u00a0Do you realize that you are God\u2019s choice possession?\u00a0 Do you realize that you are a child of God?<\/span> James\u2019 verses today again are all so powerful\u2026\u00a0 I am enjoying this book immensely.\u00a0 Chapter 1 <\/span>Verse 27 is a great reminder to care for the poor amongst us \u2013 \u201cPure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Are you caring for those in their time of trouble?\u00a0 Are you refusing to let the world corrupt us?\u00a0 Do you care for orphans and widows?<\/span><\/p>\n James chapter 2 verse 17 is a famous one \u2013 \u201cSo you see, it isn\u2019t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn\u2019t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all\u2013it is dead and useless.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Or, paraphrased, faith without works is dead.\u00a0 It\u2019s important of course to remember that works alone do not save us \u2013 only faith does through the grace of God.\u00a0 But, works naturally come through that saving faith.\u00a0 They are a natural by-product and demonstrate that we have a true and living faith.<\/span><\/p>\n James chapter 2 today continues in the strong words about good deeds accompanying a living faith.\u00a0 James\u2019 arguments are summed up in verse 26: \u201cJust as the body is dead without a spirit, so also faith is dead without good deeds.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Another very interesting verse in this chapter that always jumps out at me is verse 19 \u2013 \u201cDo you still think it\u2019s enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror!\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>I had someone once tell me that they believed in God \u2013 but that they realized that so do the demons.\u00a0 The difference of course is that the demons are not indwelled by the Holy Spirit, as are those who have faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior.\u00a0 Still, a bit of a scary verse to think about, no?\u00a0 Not necessarily for our own lives, perhaps, but maybe for others we know.\u00a0 Let us pray that we and others we know not only know God, but know Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit!<\/span><\/p>\n James 3 verses 9 and 10 are powerful reminders on the danger of what can come out of our mouths: \u201cSometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 How true is this\u2026\u00a0 Reminds me of the old saying of being \u201ctwo-faced\u201d.\u00a0 \u00a0Or maybe having a forked-tongue?\u00a0 The key here to how we can control the tongue I believe is answered in verse 13 \u2013 \u201cIf you are wise and understand God\u2019s ways, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth. And if you don\u2019t brag about the good you do, then you will be truly wise!\u201d <\/em>\u00a0 If we can focus on wisdom and what\u2019s going on inside our hearts and minds, we won\u2019t have to worry about what comes out of the mouth!<\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video:<\/strong>\u00a0 Today\u2019s readings in James reminded me of the fantastic song \u201cBlessed Be Your Name\u201d by Matt Redman!<\/span><\/p>\n
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Author<\/span>: James
Place<\/span>: Uncertain
Date<\/span>: A.D. 45-49
Content<\/span>: The book of James was written to Jewish Christians in order to provide them with some practical instructions in the Christian life. It contains many short proverbial sayings and reflects in a remarkable way the teachings of Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount. The problems addressed show the kind of difficulties that were troubling the church. We read of pride, discrimination, greed, lust, hypocrisy, worldliness, and backbiting. James writes to correct these evils by showing that faith without works is dead; that is, mere profession of faith is not enough. True faith will issue forth in a good life as surely as a good tree bears good fruit and not thistles.
Theme<\/span>: James stresses the need for Christian living both to show the reality of one\u2019s inner faith and to show the world that the Gospel does in fact change lives. If a person says he is a Christian but is no different than when he was an unbeliever, what benefit has there been either for him or for the needy world? But in fact the Gospel does change lives and if we will commit ourselves to Jesus, we will find that from our living faith will flow living deeds of love and kindness. (Above commentary is from Tyndale Publishers \u201cThe One Year Bible Companion\u201d pp. 31-32) <\/em>A great overview of the book of James and the other \u201cNon-Pauline Epistles\u201d by J. Hampton Keathley is <\/span>at this link<\/span>. (scroll down just below his commentary on Hebrews to get to his commentary on James)<\/span>