Pause for thought

Quarrels and fights are the norm in the world, and sadly its often much the same with believers in the church! the reason is worldliness, this takes root when a christian shares the same values and desires for pleasure, possession’s or status, even unloving quarrels about doctrine can reveal a worldly spirit at work 4:1-2.

A worldly christian acts first and prays later, or prays a “bless me” prayer that stems from worldly motives pleasing oneself rather than Holy God 2:3.

James wrote to remind us that our actions speak louder than our words if we want to please God who jealously longs for us to be faithful 4:5 . We will stop any behaviour that is inconsistent with the gospel of Christ that saves us 2:12. Our aim must always be to maintain our fellowship with God. We each have Gods promise that God is always ready to draw near to those who truly desire Him 4:8.

I found the following by Dr David Jeremiah very helpful its very much in the same context.

Jesus said. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15. The forgiveness that Jesus spoke of is not eternal forgiveness for salvation. That forgiveness only comes through faith in Christ, not through anything we do to earn it. Rather, the forgiveness Jesus spoke of is that which maintains fellowship with God. David Jeremiah.

Memory verse

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 N.L.T.

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Our Tongue has the power to direct, destroy, or delight not only our own lives but the lives of others also. To quote from the margin of the N.L.T. Before you speak, ask, Is what I want to say true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? 3:6

James compares the damage done by an uncontrolled tongue to a wild fire that can ruin and turn the course of our lives. Where we read that it is set on fire by hell this suggests to me the influence of demonic spirits 3:6-8

Men can tame animals and steer ships but not tame the tongue, but that is without Christ’s help! James is not suggesting that tongue control is a lost battle, indeed he writes the perfect man or “mature” who are able to control their tongues can also control themselves in every way 3:2.

A Verse to remember

We all make mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. James 3:2 N.L.B.

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“There must be an outflow for there to be an inflow”

Good deeds spring from true salvation, not to be confused with the false idea that salvation can be obtained by doing good works. Nor do good works combined with an intellectual belief in God produce salvation. While Salvation is through faith in Christ alone, true faith will always result in a changed life and in good deeds 2:18

“Where the River flows there is abundance for it floweth from the sanctuary. Jesus is the Life and He’s the River and He’s the One who by His Spirit flows through me” When The Holy Spirit comes and takes up residence in our hearts. He does not wish to remain passive in us but to cause us to flow with loving works of service bringing glory to Jesus.

memory verse

Just as the body is dead without a spirit, so also faith is dead without good deeds. James 2:26 N.L.T.

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James condemns favouritism or preferring people of position as incompatible with the Gospel of grace. We need to beware lest the cult of celebrity or performance based religion takes root in our churches 2:1.

John Newton said ” Let us not measure men, much less ourselves by gifts or services. One grain of grace is worth an abundance of gifts.

The grace of God is extended to the “whosoever will may come” Our Lord made no distinction whatsoever nor must we. Nor must we show any favouritism to any christian based upon wealth, class or spiritual gift. If we give special attention to another because of their riches we sin, we are to ” love our neighbour as ourselves 2:9

We are not to judge a book by its cover, Jesus knows those who are His Jesus made no distinction when he saved us, if we judge others by outward appearance it shows we are being guided by wrong motives 2:4

memory verse

How can you claim that you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favour some people more than others? James 2:1 N.L.T.

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We are having a break for a few days so the next blog will not be until June 25.

James writes that if we are to avoid self deception we must not allow the wisdom of this age to influence what we believe. Its a good thing to regularly ask God if you are being influenced by things other than the Word, if you are then apply 1john 1:9

Everything that has been created is subject to change, but faith rests securely on the promises of God who’s nature is unchanging. He alone is good this is why we can count on God to do what is good for us every time whatever we face! God delights to give good gifts to His children 1:17

The best way to memorise what Gods says in the Bible is to do it! 1:22-25

Genuine faith will always express itself in love 1:27

Memory verse

But if you keep lookIng steadily into God’s perfect Law- the Law that sets you free- and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it James 1:25.

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Written about A.D.50 James is one of the earliest New Testament books. James was the half brother of Jesus and was an unbeliever until after the resurrection. This book is full of practical teaching, James wants believers not only to hear the truth but to put it into action 1:25,27.

Pause for thought

James says ”when” not ”if” you face trials of various kinds, giving the lie to those who like to give the impression that the christian life is always a bed of roses! We must never blame God for trials but we can be sure God will use the ” good the bad and the ugly” of life to our advantage if we let Him ( that is with Gods help we can to see our situation the way God see’s it 1:2-4.

Every kind of trial means that nothing is excluded and every test that a christian is called to face is included 1:2

James is not suggesting its wrong to be sad or that we should pretend to rejoice when we face the pain of trial. However we can learn to count it all joy by viewing trials as a means of spiritual growth. Trials of life are part of the ”all things” that work together for our good Romans 8:28

memory verse

God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. James 1:12 N.L.T.

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Pause for thought

Christians must love all other christians genuinely not only offering hospitality to those that we know but to strangers also 13:1. True christian love will not forget those in prison for their faith, we can empathise as we pray or maybe we can send a letter of encouragement letting them know they are not forgotten. We are all part of the body of Christ for if one suffers we all should feel the pain 13:2, Acts 9:4, Mathew 25:31-40.

Everything about us is changing, but in the midst of this changing world we have a saviour who will never change. Every christian generation faces the challenge of novel strange ideas that attempt to draw people away from the truth of the gospel of grace. Through the Cross Jesus has made all the ways men have tried to make them selves right with God in the past obsolete. Any ”new teaching” that tries to update Jesus Christ is heretical don’t even go there! 13:8-9 see also Hebrews 1:2 .

For the Jewish believers in Christ the fact that they had left Judaism to follow Jesus meant certain persecution, they knew what it meant to suffer with Jesus outside the city. Let us keep our focus on Jesus who is the same yesterday today and forever we might have to bear some disgrace but hey! this world is only temporary the best is yet to come 13:13

Memory verse

Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday today and forever Hebrews 13:8 N.L.T.

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Make no mistake every Christian is a role model to other Christians. Therefore its important that we mark out a strait path for ourselves so those who follow even though weak like us will not slip but become stronger in Jesus 12: 12-13.

Esau deliberately turned away from God when he sold his birthright, a root of bitterness sprang up and destroyed his life. We must make sure that we don’t miss out on the grace of God. We must not relegate grace simply to the gift of salvation, we need grace everyday, without grace we are unable to be what God has called us to be. If we think we can deal with the sins of the flesh in our own way we are in danger of turning away from God, this is when a root of bitterness starts to grow. A root of bitterness effects not only ourselves but others also, if we hold onto things that God has already dealt with, or don’t forgive others as God has forgiven us a bitter root will not only engulf us but destroy fellowship with others and be in danger of grieving the Holy Spirit also 12:13-14, Ephesians 4:30.u

The good news is that unlike Esau we are Gods children through our faith in Jesus, if we turn to Him he will forgive us and deal with the bitter root for good 1 John 1: 9.

Everything will be shaken! only the eternal things that God has made will stand. This is why the, heroes of faith we read about in chapter 11 were each looking beyond this life to an eternal home. A child of God can be shaken but will stand because God will make him stand, because their name is registered in heaven 12:22-24, 27.

A verse to remember

Mark out a strait path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong. Hebrews 12:13

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The cloud of witnesses the heroes of faith are not watching us from heaven, It is their faithful lives that witness to us 12:1.

Every one of us can carry unnecessary baggage (weights) often without any awareness, its a good thing to ask the Holy Spirit to show us, then with His help we can learn to lay them aside 12:1.

While we look at the heroes of faith and what they achieved we must fix our eyes on Jesus no one has suffered as He did for each and every one of us. When hanging on the Cross He endured it all because of the joy that He knew would be His afterward. I believe every Christian will share in Christs joy at His return 12:2 see also Galatians 6:9 and Mathew 25:21

When we face hardships or feelings of discouragement never loose sight of the bigger picture, Jesus didn’t 12:2.

God is never responsible for the difficult circumstances that sometime happen but He will often use these to accomplish His purposes in our lives 12:5-11 see also Romans 8:28

God disciplines those He loves and those He loves He corrects, this is further proof that we are His Children. We should never run from but accept and even embrace God’s correction for it will make our lives more fruitful in every way 12:11

A verse to remember

He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy He knew would be His afterward. Hebrews 12:2 N.L.T.

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