James chapter 4 God is Able

Each of us is made up of body (flesh), mind (thought and intellect), and spirit (heart and inner core).   These three parts of our being come into conflict many times.  Inner battles arise as our flesh desires worldly pleasures and our re-born spirit desires to be obedient to God.  As we mature in Christ, the Holy Spirit within us empowers our inner spirit to become stronger. Ephesians 3:20 tells us that, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think”.  He helps us to turn away from sin, double mindedness, gloom, and pride.  He enables us to turn to truth, kindness, love, peace, and joy.  James 4:7 tells us that we must submit to God and His will.  The Holy Spirit will empower us to resist our fleshly desires and the devil.  The Lord will quiet our internal war and strife.  The devil and evil desires will flee from us.  We must seek God’s Will, obey His Commandments, and be humble.  When we are seeking God’s Will before we pray, God shows us how we should pray.  He knows our motives.  He hears our prayers.  When our prayers ask that God be Glorified in the answer, we are not praying with selfish or self serving motives.  He answers our prayers when His will aligns with our needs and requests.  God is sovereign.  Christ is able.  His Grace is sufficient.  God is greater than all of our needs.  He is greater than all of our doubts.  I believe and trust God to direct me and give me strength in times of weakness, need, doubts, and trials.  I pray continuously.  I lift up prayers of praise and thanksgiving to my Lord and Savior in times of trial and in times of peace and joy.  God honors the praise of His people.  When I honor Him, He honors me.  He has been so very faithful in my life.  I remember His faithfulness.  These memories strengthen my faith for everything and everyone I am praying for today!          

James chapter 3 Wisdom

The Book of James has been called the New Testament Proverbs.  James gives us God’s words and instructions on how to live wisely.  In chapter 1 we are told to have faith, not be double minded, and not doubt.  We are to be humble, not proud.  We are to have the joy of the Lord even when we are in the midst of trials. There are reasons for trials in our lives.  In the midst of trials God teaches us endurance and patience and He strengthens our faith.  When God’s Spirit enters our spirit, He gives us His internal strength to resist sin and resist temptations from many sources.  We are specifically told that temptation is not from God.  God gives us perfect gifts. We are blessed by God to be a blessing.  As God gives to us we are to give, do good, and pass on the blessings to others.  Our faith has to be active.  As our actions are observed, the Holy Spirit’s fruit can be seen in our good works and become characteristic of who we are as a person.  God will be glorified in our lives.

The wise words in chapter 2 of James tell me to treat others equally and to love others in the same way that God loves me.  I am also told to love myself.  We are not to be unrealistic and think we are perfect or righteous in and of ourselves.  We have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.  God’s judgment, mercy, and forgiveness are for all.  He teaches us to have mercy and forgiveness for others and for ourselves.  Our faith, demonstrated by our actions, should be visible.  Believers are righteous because Father God sees each believer through the filter of Jesus Christ.  When we receive Christ, He becomes our righteousness.  When we act out our faith, our good works and our right attitude are used in the lives of others.  Christ is seen in us and God is Glorified.

God instills wisdom into the believer.  The wiser we become and the more spiritual understanding we are given, the greater is our responsibility to use our knowledge and understanding wisely.  We must know how to control our tongue, our words, and our actions.  The tongue is like a fire able to spit sparks of burning hurt into someone’s life.  A horse has a bit and a boat has a rudder to be used to help give them direction.  We must learn to bridle, steer, and control the words which come out of our mouths.  God warns that we are not to be double minded by using our words to praise him and then using the same mouth and tongue to curse our neighbor.  The fruit of our righteousness in Christ will be seen as it is manifested in our lives and in our character.     

James chapter 2 In God's Love for Me and My Love for Him, I Want to be Called a Friend of God

We are to love our neighbor.  We ask, “Who is our neighbor?”  Everyone is our neighbor.  We are not to choose which children of God we want to love and who we do not want to love dependent on their status or outward appearance.  God is love.  He loves us.   We love and care for others in obedience to God.   We are not to see a need and tell the person in need, “I will pray for you”.  James tells us that God wants us to do what we can to help that person.  Never tell someone you will pray for them and neglect to do so.  We read in James 5:16 that God honors our fervent prayers. In faith, we believe with our hearts, not just our heads.  God’s love and our faith are demonstrated by what we say and what we do.  Only God’s love is perfect.  Others must see His perfect love in our actions and in our words.  The more we love and listen to the Savior, the closer we walk with Him.  He becomes our friend.  Abraham was a friend of God because of His believing, righteous actions.

Now is the day of Salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).  Everyone who has heard the Word will make an eternal choice to believe or not to believe.

Believing Christians will come before God to be judged and awarded by how we have lived out our faith while on earth.  The Lord knows how we love, what we say, how we treat our neighbors, how we care for others, and what we do as witnesses and doers for Him and His Kingdom. 

Jesus is my friend.  I am alive in Christ.  His Spirit is in me.  My faith is alive.

Lord, use my faith, actions, and words to your Glory each day while I live on earth walking with you.  Thank you for being my Lord and my friend.  Amen

James chapter 1, Believe and "Do" the Word

Pain and problems test our faith and belief systems.  God uses trials to perfect us.  It is during these times that we prioritize our lives.  We are more able to differentiate things of importance from the trivia we all tend to get caught up in.  As we question the situation we are in we become more open to what God wants to teach us.  God is more able to convict our open and hurting hearts because now we are listening and searching for answers.  He can teach us, touch us, and heal our minds, bodies, and spirits.  He wants to make us whole.  He gives us wisdom and spiritual understanding.  We become more aware of God’s love and goodness.  Knowing God’s love in all situations; in sickness and in health, causes us to trust Him and His Word and His promises.  We feel His love, His  goodness, and His healing.  We do not doubt.  Faith is a gift. Faith is an action word.  God is growing our faith from little faith to great faith as we walk the journey with Him through our trials.

We are not to put our trust in riches and things of this world because they are fleeting and temporary.  When we receive God’s Spiritual gift of faith and His Crown of Glory, it is forever.  The world tempts us into sin and death.  God does not tempt.  Good and perfect gifts are from God, not of this world.  We, as believers, are of the Word, not of the world.  We know we are created by God.  We are His first fruits.  When we know this we want to honor God.  The Holy Spirit empowers us to be slow to anger and to lay aside sinful behavior.

We are not saved by our own works but once we are saved God does have work for us to do.  We are saved by Grace and Grace alone.  In James we are told to be doers of the Word.  God has a plan and purpose for each of us.  He has given each of us talents to be used, not wasted.  Believers are to be used of God for His Glory.  Religion without faith and without actions is dead.  We are in the world but not of the world.  We should act differently.    Our life and actions should reflect our beliefs.  Others should recognize that we are Christians by our love, actions, and works.  We are to be doers, not just hearers of the Word.