James 3:5a

 James 3:3-5a. Oh the tongue. We could probably just linger here for days. (But we won't!😅) Our tongues get us in a world of trouble. As this passage says they are very powerful little muscles. With the bit in a horse you can control which way it goes, a rudder on a massive ship can make it turn from one way to the next. 

This little kindle is capable of setting ablaze a forest fire. So what are we to do? The bible is full of instruction on this. We will look at some key passages today!

Colossians 4:6  

Ephesians 4:29

Proverbs 10:19

Proverbs 21:23

Really, all of Proverbs. But these are good verses to commit to heart and practice. We can do so much harm or we can do so much good with what comes out of our mouth. In my study Bible one of the questions on this passage bares sharing...if you were to take stock on the last week of what came out of your mouth, what would it tell about the condition of your heart? Do you words build up or tear down? We constantly strive to teach our children to demonstrate kindness, beginning at home. If you cannot encourage your own siblings or demonstrate goodness at home; how on earth will we be able to do it in a world of brokenness.

Proverbs 31:26 says, "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction in on her tongue." May we exhibit this b being filled with the Word. When we saturate ourselves in God's truth; it will be our overflow. 

James 3:1-2

 James 3 is a big reason that I chose this book to study right now. I feel convicted, and rightly so every single time I read through it. Although short it packs quite the punch. I would encourage all of us as we read through to seriously consider our thoughts, actions, attitudes, hearts and intentions during a season of high turmoil and conflict around us.

Our world is broken right now. Scared, angry, lost, hurting, spiraling out of control. I read an article 1:4 people in the 18-29 yr old bracket seriously considered suicide in the month of June. That means 1 out of every 4 millennials feels no reason to live. In an era where we have literally everything at our finger tips; people are empty, sad, broken and hopeless. 

We have hope, we have Christ! He is our joy and our strength. But if we are not careful- we will damn the very people we are meant to offer hope too. Is our commitment to social movements, reforms or platforms greater than our commitment to Christ? Are people more aware of our conspiracy theories and political alignments than they are on Whom we call Savior?

We can change that! But we must start by changing our hearts and attitudes and devoting them to Christ. We will see as we go through chapter 3 the destructive nature of the tongue, this 100% to the destructive nature of our tongue via our typing. 

We will start on verse 1-2 however. James urges us that not many of us should be teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. Not judgement to hell but if you are teaching more is expected out of you. We live in a generation where no one is content being a student because social media has given us all a platform. So, with that being said, if you are using that platform to teach, in any way; make sure you are walking in a way worthy of the calling of Christ. We see Paul again and again urge us to walk worthy of our calling. This is much moreso, if you teach. Do not take the responsibility lightly. Whether Sunday school, women's Bible Study, your children, or youth; if you chose to teach you accept the weight of it. Bear it well, by first and foremost having your identity and hope and knowledge and wisdom and power rooted and grounded in Christ Jesus. Set your standard as Christ; not the Christian celebrities nor the Christians at Church. We will all stand before the Lord one day, by ourselves. Yet God, in His mercy has given us His spoken Word to teach and admonish us in the things we need to know to grow in and exemplify His likeness and His glory!

James 3:2 reads in many things we all offend. All of us. We continue to sin daily. We must be humble and realize that the only perfect man is Christ. And we sin daily via our mouth. Especially for women, even believers, it has been demonstrated rather than to allow the fragrance of the gospel that being crass, semi-shocking, sexualized and rude are good things. None of these fit into the fruits of the spirit; being love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and...self control.  We have been so easily swayed by a very vulgar culture that we think there is a "Christian," version to the vulgarity and it is being demonstrated daily. May we humble ourselves before the Lord Jesus Christ and become a voice of kindness, goodness and gentleness is a heart broken society. May we offer Christ by walking worthy of our calling. <3

James 2:20-26

 This can be a very weighty passage that leads to quite the differing of opinion in the church. Some have used this passage to say that faith is 1 part salvation 1 part works. That in order to keep your faith you must have works.

 After reading many different commentaries and hearing different sermons, I will try and make this simple and brief. The biggest thing learned was that James and Paul are using the the word justified very differently. Focusing on James, he is using it with the meaning of "to demonstrate," therefore, he is not trying to convince the Christian that their faith is justified by their works, because our faith is justified through Christ alone. He is saying our faith is demonstrated by our works. Faith, without works, would be no faith at all.

This is clearly in line with scripture. Saving faith produces fruit. James is teaching the reader that if you have a profession of faith your life out pours works. It is a reaction and a portion of our sanctification. Even if the faith is demonstrated small at first; growing as we grow in Christ. 

I thoroughly enjoy that James uses Abraham and Rehab as his two examples. A former idolater, called by the Lord becoming a father to a nation; and a gentile prostitute who ends up being in the lineage of Christ. Abraham trusted in the Lord! Rehab trusted in the Lord! While although very different in life and sex and upbringing to both was accounted to them their righteousness through faith and is clearly visible through their works! They demonstrated their faith being genuine. We can actually read again of these two! It is not the only place Abraham and Rehab are mentioned for their trust and faith in the Lord. Hebrews 11 features them in their list as well, a passage sometimes coined ,"Hall of Faith," persons who demonstrated their faith in God, even if they perished before the promise was fully revealed. We are taught in Hebrews 11, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

Faith- the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. By faith, and through faith, may we demonstrate our love of Jesus Christ and the saving truth and keeping truth of genuine Salvation to all we come in contact with!

Worship: Oh Love That Will Not Me Go

James 2:19

 James 2:19 ...even the demons believe, and shudder. 

Oddly, this is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. I know, I know, that seems very odd. But I will take the course of this entry to hopefully explain why.

It can be so easy to get caught up into dead faith. To fall trap to the fact that you can say you believe in God, but then the rest of your day, week, lifetime carries on with little regard to that truth. We can profess with our mouth one thing, yet within our days live out another.

James is teaching us in this chapter, which is a hard and convicting one; that our lives should be a reflection of our proclamation of Christ, lest it be simply a puff of hot air out of our mouths.

Even the demons believe, and shudder. Even demons believe in God. They do not deny Him, they rage against Him, yet even in their war, I fear they have more reverance in a way towards the Almighty. Why do I think this? Because they acknowledge who God is, ask of His permission and then act on His authority. 

Read Matthew 8:24-34/Luke 8:26-37. When Jesus approached the demonic man the demons call out to Him Son of Man! They have immediate fear when approached by the Lord and beg Him to send them out. Then they go exactly where He tells them too. There was no fight, no "but God I don't want to," they went. They saw the Christ standing before them; acknowledged who he was, and then followed. We must be reminded... these are demons. Not believers. 

Again we see in Luke 22:31-32 Jesus say to Peter, Satan has asked. In Job the same thing, Satan asks God. This is a pattern of demonic activity. Yet, it can so much not be the habitual pattern of a person who proclaims faith in Christ! 

Do we ask the Lord prior to decisions or do we ask blessings on things we already have started or set out minds to? Do we come before the throne of God not just seeking His will but ready to obey it when He gives a command? An easy measure- His Word is His command. Are we following what He says?/ Are we known by our love for one another? Do we demonstrate fruit according to His purposes, His will, His generosity? Do we even care? Or do we have such a detachment from our Bibles that we approach the Word, read the Word and do not shudder?

This is why I love this passage. It is a stark reminder of my approach, regard and at times apathy or detachment to the Savior whom I love. When I sit to read, and I coming ready to receive the truths, regardless of what they teach? Am I ready to lay aside my selfish ambition or sinful ways in light of what I am being taught as good? Do demons demonstrate more awe of Christ than I do?

May our beliefs and profession of Christ, be more than empty words. May it never be said of us, you say you believe in Jesus, great, even the demons believe...and tremble.

Let us therefore, be known by our faith by the outpouring of our genuine love and demonstration of God's Word and truth. 

James 2:18

 Over the course of the next few days we will get through verses 18-20. There is a lot to consider. Going into verse 18 today we will examine some teachings from Christ in reflection to this. We should look to our own salvation and consider the depth of it by the fruit we bear. Shallow conversion can be costly and deadly. 

"But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by works."

It needs to be reminded, restated and remembered this is 100% not saying that salvation is earned by merit or that through our works we 'keep' our salvation. When we come to Christ we have nothing to offer, we are dead in our trespasses, and it is Christ alone who gives us salvation and keeps us till the end. If we could lose our salvation, we would. We are sinners. 

Our works do not prove our salvation in the way that we must do good deeds to prove that we love Christ, its more to the fact that because we love Christ we desire to do good deeds. Our works are a byproduct of our faith. The result of loving our Savior.

In John MacArthur's commentary on James, he writes:

    We might say that it costs us nothing to become a Christian but everything to live fully as one. We will bear fruit and should bear much fruit. Nothing we possess could merit the least part of salvation; but once we are saved, everything we have belongs to the Lord. That, or course, is what lordship means, and it was Jesus' point in the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price. "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field," He said, "which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he has and bought it" (Matthew 13:44-46).

Do you have that saving faith in Christ? Where, having encountered the goodness of Salvation have sold all that you had and bought the field? Or do you flirt with a causal encounter with Jesus, saying you believe but living at if you don't? By your fruit you will be known.

Jesus says, I am the vine and you are the branches; he who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing...By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:5,8)

Is your faith evident by your works? What or who do you represent on a day to day basis? Again, our deeds can never earn our salvation- but they can clearly demonstrate to all that Christ is our King.

Worship for today: Yet not I

James 2:14-17

James 2:14-17

Today's passage is challenging, convicting and can even in its simplicity be tricky. So bear with me. 

V14 James is asking not if the faith without works can save a man, but if a hollow empty proclamation of faith can save a soul. For over century now, even since I would dare think the Second Great Revival a movement came about where you could just proclaim your faith. That you could say a pray, or repeat a prayer or check a box on a note card and mail it in; and you would be saved. Or that there is a certain order of words that must be made to receive your salvation. This is so dangerous. It is not in the Bible and has given false hope to millions who make an emotional plea and then go about their lives the next day, staking Christianity on account of a false pretense. Do not hear me wrong, there are thousands upon thousands of sincere believers who have sat and prayed; but the prayer itself is not the means of salvation. Christ is. Romans 10:9-10 says if you confess with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised Christ from the dead you will be saved. We are saved not by our own merit. Salvation does not occur if you get a word order just right... that is terrifyingly confused with an incantation. Salvation is not a spell. Prayer is not a summoning of "special powers by saying a certain phrase," Salvation is freely given to all who repent, or confess and believe. It is a gift of God! Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches us this!

James, millennia prior, what already encountering empty professions. Those who would claim Christianity and then as we read through the passage, be dead in their faith. It would come out as dead in their works. There was no love of Christ in their hearts thus no live of Christ could abound. 

It is a good thing the example he chose, one who walks by a person in need, says I will pray for you, and does not a thing. They carry about their day. Oh how we can be guilty of this. How many times do people have physical, emotional or spiritual needs; and we say "I will pray for you," as a cop out so that we don't have to be bothered. AND THEN NOT EVEN PRAY. We should not use these words lightly. To pray for someone, you are saying I love the Lord and I love you; and I will bring your need to my Father and pray His will be done in your life. Do you realize there are persons you encounter, that you say you will pray for, that you might be the only person praying for them in that day over that need. That is a great responsibility! Do not take it lightly. Prayer is not something we do because we are Christian, prayer is something we do because we trust the Lord, love the Lord and know there is no greater thing we can do then go before the Father on their behalf. 

We can also meet them where they are at. What good is it, if you neighbor has a house fire, and you say I will pray for you, go in your home and shut the door. We are called to be the extension of Christ through our hands and feet. If you see a person in need, help. We learned in chapter one that it is a good thing to care for and love the widows and orphans. We can all do this. We should be known by our love for one another and our love for others. Every time you offer help and hope to a neighbor or stranger or need, you are able to put your faith into works.

James is not saying that works prove you are saved. Nothing outside of the blood of Jesus Christ saves you. But he is saying- in verse 17, faith without works is dead. Does your walk match your talk? Or are you a Christian in name only. 

Jesus teaches in Matthew 25:35-40 this very thing. 

Friend, may we love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and may that love radiate out as actions, kindness and service to those around us. 

James 2:8-13

 James 2:8-13

Good morning

As I read through the passage and read through the commentaries, the reminder came with this scripture. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

We have all fallen short, none has kept the law perfectly and are all in desperate need of a Savior. Even our thoughts condemn us. "If you really fulfill the royal law according to Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors."

Whoever keeps the law but fails at one point of it has broken the whole law (paraphrased). What does this mean? Evangelist Ray Comfort does an excellent job explaining this. In this small YouTube clip you can see by our own admission all of us have broken 1 or more of the laws of God thus condemning us to the wrath of God. Ray Comfort

We all fail in this. James is reminding us that we all fall short of the glory of God, and are in desperate need of a Savior. 

It is such a simple reminder. We need Jesus, but Jesus is enough! He became sin who knew no sin. Jesus paid a debt we could never; and through His blood we are forgiven! It is that simple, yet that miraculous.

Today, may we fight against partiality. May we examine our hearts and our minds and our motives, may we flee to Jesus!