Warning to the Rich
One verse that jumps out to me in this chapter was James 5:5 which serves as a calling out of the rich who were focused more on their wealth than anything else. This warning is a prophecy of what will happen to their wealth and also them oppressing the poor. The oppression of the poor is not a 2016 problem but one that existed during/after/before the times of Jesus. The rich are in a powerful position to even the playing fields, but they do not. God will have the final say.
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Draw Near to God
No matter how strong of a believer you are, we all need reminders. These reminders come in various ways from different sources and are solidified by other reminders. We are reminded to draw near to God and know that He will draw near to us (James 4:8). We cannot be double minded and me must purify our hearts and minds. We do this by drawing near to God. Also, we need to resist the devil (James 4:7) and not make friends with the world as in James 4:4 (live according to what the world says is okay).
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Tame the Tongue
James 3:5 compares the tongue to a ship's rudder or the bit places in a horse's mouth. Those items are used to control a ship and a large land animal. Our tongues also guide us and should be used with caution. Verses 7-8 tell us that every beast can be tamed, but no one can tame the tongue. We use our tongue on a contradictory basis to bless God and curse others made in the likeness of God (James 3:9). These things should not happen as they do not exemplify what it is to be a Christ follower.
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Faith Without Works
James 2:19-20 exposes the view points of those who claim to be Christians/Christ Followers, but they lack evidence to prove their status. Just because you known that Jesus is God in the flesh doesn't make you more of a believer than others nor does it solidify your belief either. Even the demons know that Jesus is Lord (James 2:19). Once you know Jesus is Lord then how does that play into your life? What do you do with that? Sit on it? Tell others? Serve others because you are a good person or because you serve the Lord and serve others? basically,m just because you have faith, if you do nothing with it, then what is the point (James 2:20).
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Do What It Says
James 1:22 jumps out to me as it reminds me of how may people see Scripture. They can read it and even understand it, but do not follow through with it. In verses 23-24 it says that anyone who is not a doer of the Word after having heard it is like someone who forgets what they look like as soon as they look away from a mirror. So, why hear and understand the Word of God and and then not do what it says? Do you disagree? Did you forget? You have heard it and you understand it. There are resources to seek further understanding. There are no excuses.
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What Do I Get?
There are conversations I have had with people regarding their life situations and the Christ-like, God honoring response to an issue rather than the typically unfiltered human reaction. The question that usually comes from a conversation like that is "But why would I do that?" Basically, they are having an issue with not being encouraged to just respond the way that they are accustomed. They don't see the benefit in responding in a way that honors God or shows that they are a disciple/follower of Christ. I will say this, if you are a Christ follower then your focus should not be on "why be loving" but on "how can I be loving?"
Ask yourself "how do I serve the Kingdom of God (in terms of serving those who are poor and less fortunate). If you do not, can you? Of course you can. Maybe you truly cannot afford to buy the homeless food, but one thing people need is time. Would you ever spare some time? Can you spend some time once a month with the homeless in a shelter or some sort of function? You can. Maybe not the homeless, what about the elderly? Kids? The sick? The poor? There are all types of people who could use financial help or just some time. What can you do? Something. If you need some encouragement, read Proverbs 21:13 and know that when you hear that the poor need help and you answer it benefits you. But do it out of love, not obligation.
What about the problems we have with people? There are ways to respond and ways to not respond. First, think about James 1:19 and remember to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. We might think "But they said 'x-y-z'. I cant let them get away with that. My response is, look at how Jesus responded to the Pharisees. Read through the gospels and examine the responses Jesus had. When he "lost his cool" it was because people were being cheated in the church which was also being used for non church/God things. When it comes to people we have to remember to look at the perspective of not just what is best for us personally, but what benefits others and honors God. In Philippians 2:4 we read "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." In verse 3 Paul writes "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." So when you question "what's in it for me", rethink that and turn it into "how can I honor God?"
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Forgiveness, Grace, and Prayer
Wednesday's message was on turning worry into prayer. As stated previously, we worry about many things and try to figure out problems in our lives. There is nothing wrong with problem solving, but we have to remember to go to God too, first even, as we ask for guidance. But, what about that person who hurt you the most? That person who broke your heart. That person who did something so devastating that it occupies your thinking more often than it should. I ask you this, did you forgive them? You may say "They don't deserve forgiveness." That is not a thought of Christ, He would not say no one deserves forgiveness or grace. No one is saying you cannot feel hurt, but free yourself by graciously offering forgiveness knowing that God forgave you for your sins and that we are to forgive others their sins too (Matthew 6:14-15), whether they are sorry or not.
Have you ever heard that not forgiving is like drinking poison in hops to kill the other person? We are all imperfect. We have all done things that have done damage to others, ourselves and our relationship with God. That feeling of regret is needed in order to seek reconciliation of a relationship and to repent and not sin in that way again. Paul teaches us in Ephesians 4:32 that we should be kind to one another. He teaches that we should tenderhearted. He also says that we should forgive others as God in Christ forgave us. God forgave you and you never asked. God still forgave you. Your friends stole from you, broke your heart, and ruined the friendship. You have to forgive them. God commands it in Matthew 18:21-22. There was no limit to forgiveness, but continued forgiveness which give the allowance of grace.
One way that I heard Pastor Rick Warren say is a good way to learn to forgive is to pray for people. Yes, pray to God for Him to work in that person. It is VERY difficult to be mad at someone when you are praying for God to use them. In 2008 I was having an issue with a couple of people, two different situations. The relationships had faltered or were getting worse. My heart grew bitter and angry. I began praying for each of them. Initially, the prayers were quick. I made sure to do it during times I was not distracted. Eventually the prayers grew in length and strength. I also felt a change in myself where that bitterness was not there anymore. I was following what is found in James 5:16. We are not not only confess our sins to our brethren in Christ (I was doing that), but also pray for them so that we can be healed. Hanging on to bitterness breaks us and we need to heal from that. If you want to heal, forgive someone. Pray for them, consistently. When you start to get bitter at them, pray for them again. Know that Satan attacks all of us. Don't let Satan win.
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Why We Need God Time
Life is busy. There is so much to do everyday. You have to get to school
or wake up the kids and take them to school before work. One your day
gets started it is so hard to get refocused and spend time with God or even think about what God wants from you since you have been in 5th gear since you woke up. We need God time. It helps keep us focused on what God wants from us which should be (if you are a Christ follower) your number 1 priority.
Try this for a week: make time with God, first. Right when you wake up take 5 minutes to pray and read some scripture. or read the scripture and pray while you are showering. Make that happen. Devotionals
can be good, but if you go to those over reading the scripture as a
whole, the author of that devotional can become your new god, so to
speak. God's word provides direction as we see in James 1:5 that tells us to ask God for wisdom as He gives it to us generously. Go directly to God, not some other source like tarot cards and palm reading. That is not of God. Mediums are not of God. Seek God's direction.
We should seek God's peace in our lives. We need reminders that God wants our lives to be peaceful and that there is peace in Him. We don't need external things and drugs for God's peace. It is free and no one can charge you a dime for it. Look at Psalm 85:8 that tells us that David was seeking to heard what God would say knowing that God will speak peace to His people and not lead them into folly.
We also need understanding. We can try and function on our own and seek what we think is the best way, but since we didn't talk to God, how good can that way really be? We can look at Proverbs 21:2 and see the same thing said there that people think they know which way is right but God looks at the heart. God knows why we do what we do. We just need to seek His way so we know what to do and when to do it.
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God's Direction is Best for Our Lives
As mush as we think that God's way for our lives is best for us, do we act accordingly? In other words, are you following God's direction in all parts of life, or just certain areas? Maybe you don't steal money, but you don't tithe for the church. Maybe you don't fight people, but you hang on to bitterness with a strong grip. Maybe you go to church all the time, but once you leave your life does not bear any fruit.
The path we walk in life can be directed by our own ways. Our Own ways of thinking direct what we do, but it should be God's. We know Jesus served many and did not only do it on or around holidays, yet we often only serve people on Thanksgiving and Christmas. We are so often focused on ourselves and what we need to do and what are priorities to us than what is a priority to God. In Proverbs 16:25 we read "there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." The way we choose can be disconnected from God which is a spiritual death. Self medicating (drugs and alcohol) for personal problems can lead to physical death.
When we need that direction, where do we go? Where do we turn? We turn to God. We turn to God's word. We don't justify our ways became they are natural or normal for us. That is an excuse to simply say "I want to do it my way." Look at James 1:5 and see that when we lack wisdom we should seek God's wisdom. We don't turn to tarot cards, we turn to God. The Bible is for use for us with no charge. We don't turn to the random person who is not Christ led. We don't turn to new age spirituality. We turn to Jesus and seek his will for us.
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In Need of Jesus
Jesus had fed 5,000. That was a miracle. People saw that happen. People saw that it was Jesus. Jesus walked on water. That too was a miracle and an example of how when we keep our eyes on Jesus, amazing things can happen. But, even after Jesus provided miracles and examples of great faith, people wanted more. They desired more. They desired more of what they wanted than what they needed. They had their fill (verse 12) but still sought Jesus for more of their wants and not their needs.
Jesus traveled from the Sea of Galilee to Capernum by walking on water for a bit and then riding in a boat with the disciples the rest of the way. The crowd that had been on the other side of the sea saw Jesus the next day and wondered how he got from one side to another when they never saw him get on a boat. This is when Jesus calls out their infatuation with his travels. In John 6:26 he says to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves." He knows that they aren't concerned with Jesus in this moment outside of what they want, not anything else.
In verse 27, Jesus really straightens their focus on what is the most important. He tells them to focus on the food that brings eternal life, not the food that perishes. Didn't he say something like that to the Samaritan woman at the well?
In verse 35 Jesus refers to himself as the bread of life. He says that whoever comes to him will not hunger and will not thirst (this unifies what he said to the Samaritan woman and in this chapter). He does not mean physically hunger and thirst, but spiritual hunger and thirst. Jesus wants us to come to him. Not just when we need something. Not just in an emergency, but before that. Jesus is not a genie. To follow him takes effort and a humble spirit (James 4:6) that is ready to leave the old life and begin anew in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
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