Sing To the Lord

“I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.” (Psalm 13:6)

Look at the sad, mournful face on many singers as they sing about a love gone wrong, unfaithfulness, broken heartedness and being mistreated. One song of years ago included it all: a jilted lover, a railroad, an eighteen-wheeler, mama, daddy’s drunkenness, children gone bad, being broke and living in a shack on a mountain. It should have gotten an award for sadness.

Most of the citizens of the United States are physically rich compared to the citizens of Palestine in the days of Jesus.

Christians have riches far beyond bank accounts, houses, land holdings, automobiles, oil wells and other physical riches. The Psalmist had the attitude we believers should have. God has so bountifully blessed us we should praise Him in song constantly.

God’s Name is Great around the World

“For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles… for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 1:11)

 

We teach children early in life that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

 

There are Christian missionaries around the world, from where the sun rises every morning to where it sets every evening. With the pilgrims, pioneers and settlers came missionaries to this continent declaring Jehovah God, His Son, Jesus and His great sacrificial love for mankind. In many nations, including our homeland, people gave their hearts and lives to Jesus and became His disciples.

 

Churches around the world, made up of baptized believers in Jesus Christ, are worshipping and praising God and living lives according to His word and His way. His name truly is great among the Gentiles and heathen peoples just as God said it would be.

 

How is His name with you? Is His name honored and revered by you and your family?

Straying Sheep

“Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20)

 

We Christians are referred to as “sheep” in the Bible and by Jesus Himself. Natural sheep have a tendency to stray from the shepherd and from the rest of the sheep. So it is with Christians. A straying natural sheep is subject to predators, such as wolves, lions, bears and the like. Such an encounter would be sure death for the four-legged variety of sheep.

 

In the parable of the Lost Sheep, our Lord tells us the importance of the Shepherd going after the lost, straying sheep. James tells us that a wayward Christian is as helpless to defend himself as the four-legged variety of sheep. We know that the devil as a roaring lion goes about seeking whom he may devour. (I Peter 5:8)

 

You and I cannot convert a lost sinner from his lostness and give him eternal life, but we can convert a straying Christian from his wayward path. That is part of the duty and responsibility of a church. The Lord will bless you as you go about that task.

Elijah: Man of Prayer

“Elias (Elijah) was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth fruit.” (James 5:17-18)

One may find these two miraculous answers to prayer in I Kings chapters 17 and 18. That Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are is evidenced when we see him running for his life as he flees from Jezebel, the wicked wife of Ahab, king of Israel. 

God invites us to come to Him in prayer, even though we have fears, failures and faults. The only perfect, sinless person who ever approached God in prayer was Jesus, God’s beloved Son.

Don’t wait until you are perfect and sinless to pray. If you wait for that you will never pray. Go before Him now, with all your mistakes, sins, faults and blemishes. He wants to hear from you and you need to hear from Him.

Confess Your Faults to One Another

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16)

My mother-in-law told me that when she was a little girl she went with her mother to a revival meeting in a country church. The preacher was preaching the Word but during the first week not a move of any kind was made. Then one night, in the middle of the preacher’s sermon, two elderly ladies from separate sides of the sanctuary stood up and looked at one another across the room. Each began to weep as they practically ran to the altar and embraced.

Each of the ladies began to beg the other’s forgiveness as they each confessed to the congregation something that happened many years before. One of the ladies owned a cow that strayed into the other lady’s alfalfa field. As a result, bitter words were exchanged. Neither would forgive the other. Their families divided and would not speak to the other family. But that night, when they confessed to each other and each confessed to the church, revival broke out and souls were saved.

The revival continued for many more days, sweeping through the community. That’s the kind of thing that God can bless when people confess to one another and forgive one another.

The Prayer of Faith

“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins they shall be forgiven him. (James 5:15)

Some sick people are ill because of their sin (Mark 2:5). Others are sick or afflicted despite their goodness (John 11:1-3; Job 2:7-8). We must not assume that anyone who is sick brought it on themselves because of their or someone else’s sin (John 9:1-3).

When we or someone else is sick we are to pray and trust God for the results that come. Paul had a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan which buffeted him. He prayed three times that it might depart from him. He was not healed. But, God answered him saying, “My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

(II Corinthians 12:7-9)

Notice the emphatic “shall,” used three times in James 5:15: “The prayer of faith “shall” deliver the sick. The Lord “shall” raise him up. And if he has committed sins, they “shall” be forgiven him. You and I are to do the praying and leave the answering up to Him. 

Are You Sick?

“Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord…” (James 5:14)

Notice where these sick are located and who they are. They are “among you.” They are part of the body of believers. Notice second who is to take the initiative in calling for help: the sick person. Notice also, who the sick are to call: the elders of the church, not professional faith healers.

The elders are to pray over the sick and anoint with oil. It does not say what kind of oil is to be used or whether it is ceremonial or medicinal. Olive oil has long been used as medicine. Many of us grew up in the country with an old fashioned doctor who made house calls. We remember taking “castor oil” and washing it down with orange juice. Most of my generation has used “kerosene” or “coal-oil” on wounds and sores.

This verse is a picture of calling on God in prayer and using the best medicine or surgery available. I remember making a visit early one morning to a little boy in the hospital surgical wing. He was to have a tonsillectomy. As I visited the boy and his dad, just as I was about to pray, his surgeon came in to explain some of the procedure. As he was leaving the boy’s bedside the doctor said, “Let’s pray together.” He then prayed. I have long appreciated that physician and physicians like him.

There is not some magical formula we use with the sick. We are to ask God’s help and use the best medicine science has to offer.

Praying and Singing

“Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms.  (James 5:13)

The word affliction means to suffer hardship. It is having bills to pay and insufficient funds to pay them. It is having harsh, untrue things said about you as they did to Jesus. There are many kinds of afflictions and Christian people are not exempt from them. Even Paul the apostle had his thorn in the flesh.

In our afflictions we are invited to talk with God. In their midnight affliction in the Philippian jail Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God. (Acts 16:25)

But there are times when there is no affliction present and all is well. We have a spring in our step, all the bills are paid and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. Let us sing psalms, songs of praise. The Bible says to, “…speak to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…” (Ephesians 5:19)

Do What You Say You Will Do

“But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” (James 5:12)

I don’t remember where I first heard the words, “A man’s word is his bond.” Neither do I remember the first person who spoke those words in my hearing.

Those words may have originated with Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:34-37 where He said, “Swear not at all… but let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay…”

We should not find it necessary to lace our conversation with curse words and swear words in an attempt to make ourselves more believable. Let your speech come from the depths of a pure heart. Do what you say you will do.

The Patience of Job

“Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”  (James 5:11)

The Bible says of Job that he was perfect and upright, one that feared God, and shunned evil. He had seven sons and three daughters for whom he prayed continually. In wealth, he was the greatest of all the men of the east. (Job 1:1-3)

The story of Job continues with a contest between Satan and God over the motivation for Job’s goodness. Satan said that if God withdrew His blessings from Job that he would curse God to His face.

As you read the story of Job you discover that he lost his wealth, his family and his health. Even his wife encouraged him to, “curse God and die.” Job endured.  In the end Job is restored.

James concludes his reference to Job by saying the Lord is full of pity and of tender mercy. The lesson for us from James is if you are going through a trial, a heartache or loss take a lesson from Job and patiently endure.

Suffering Servants

“Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.” (James 5:10)

Many of the Old Testament prophets suffered physical abuse and death at the hands of those whom they were attempting to bring back to the righteous path and save from death or captivity.

John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets. As a result of his telling Herod that it was not lawful for him to have his brother’s wife, John was cast into prison and then beheaded.

Many Godly pastors today around the world and here at home are suffering at the hands of churches and those outside the church because the messenger’s message is not pleasing to everyone.

James is telling these suffering Christians to whom he is addressing this epistle to be like the prophets: faithful, courageous and patient as they face and endure suffering for Jesus.

Take courage, Christian servant. Endure afflictions. Be a faithful servant of the Lord.

The Only Judge Who is always Right

“Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.” (James 5:9)

How very sad when a church, a body of believers, who are proclaimed followers of Christ, His disciples, sinners whose sins have been forgiven by the blood of the very Son of God; yes, how sad when there is back-biting, gossip and ill will from one person toward another in a local church.

James warns here in our text that the one grudging, or complaining against another is in danger of being condemned by the Judge who is standing before the door. The patriarch, Abraham, asked, “Shall not the Judged of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25) The implied correct answer is, “Yes.”  The Judge of all the earth will not judge by “hear-say” or “he said,” or “she said.” That “always correct Judge” is very near, even at the door.

If we would take our own sins to the Son of God, confess them and leave them there and pray for the other person and ask the Lord to forgive his/her sins as the lord has forgiven you, both would be much better off.

Waiting Patiently for the Return of Christ

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” (James 5:7-8)

For nearly two-thousand years Christians have been looking and longing for the second coming of Jesus. We have anxiously awaited the “dead in Christ rising first,” at the resurrection of the dead in Christ, and also the rapture of the church when living Christians will be “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18)

James addresses the persecuted Christians and tells them to be patient as they wait for the Savior’s return. We are to be as the farmer who has planted his soy-bean seeds following a successful harvest of wheat. The farmer knows his fields with their seed need the proper rains at the proper time for a good crop. So the farmer waits. He does not disk up his fields if he fails to see soy-bean plants grown to maturity the next day after the seeds are planted.

James knows that at the return of Christ wrongs will be made right and so he encourages all his readers, including you and me, to wait patiently for the Lord’s return.

The Wicked Hands that Crucified Jesus

“Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and He doth not resist you.” (James 5:5-6)

 

James describes the wealthy, heartless rich whose lifestyles exhibited no Christian character at all. Wantonness is unbridled lust and pleasure. They had nourished their wicked hearts. That seems to be a description of the soldiers on the battlefield stripping the dead enemy soldiers of all their goods. The soldiers gambled at the foot of the cross for the garments of Jesus as He was dying.

 

Wicked men demonstrated their wickedness at the cross of Calvary. Peter spoke on the day of Pentecost to the Jewish leaders about Jesus and said, “Ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.” (Acts 2:23) They had killed the Just One. He who could have called twelve legions of angels to come to His aid did not resist them.

 

In His wondrous love for us He yielded His life to cruel men that He might pay our sin debt.

“The Laborer is Worthy of His Hire” (Jesus)

“Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth (Lord of hosts)."  (James 5:4)

 

The work mentioned by James was manual labor in the heat of summer. It was hard, hot work. It was from sun up until sun down.  The employers were apparently getting rich from holding back the honest wages of the workers. The Lord of sabaoth or Lord of hosts was the Lord over the armies of heaven. At God’s command the armies of heaven could bring swift retribution to those dishonest employers.

 

The Law of Moses forbad keeping one’s pay beyond the pay period agreed upon. “At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.” (Deuteronomy 24:15)

 

An old saying is, “Give a honest day’s labor for a honest day’s wages.”

Corrupt Riches and Moth-eaten Garments

“Go to now (or come now), ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.” (James 5:1-3)

 

Someone asked John D. Rockefeller, “How much money do you need to be happy and satisfied?” His reply was, “Just a little more.” That response is far from the teaching of scripture which says, “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” (I Timothy 6:8)

 

Howard Hughes was at one time one of the wealthiest men of this nation. Because of his paranoia over his health he assumed the role of a hermit living in seclusion for many years. It has been said that he may as well have had a sack full of last week’s newspapers as to have had all that wealth for all the good it did him.

 

Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

Knowing to do Good

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

 (James 4:17)

 

I hasten to say that this verse is not excusing someone who sins through ignorance. Chapters four and five of the book of Leviticus address the subject of sinning through ignorance. Whether it is the sin of the individual, or the Old Testament priest, or the ruler of the people, the person or persons were accountable and an offering of an innocent animal, a lamb, goat, ram, bullock or other had to be made.

 

Our sins of ignorance or our sins of full knowledge require the shedding of blood. The Bible says, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission.” (Hebrews 9:22) For our sins to be forgiven the shedding of the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God was required.

 

When we know to do good or right, to assemble with our church, to tithe, to love our neighbor, to forgive, and to love God but not to do so, we sin. Since 4:13 we have been looking at the sin of presumption. The height of presumption is to know to do good and not to do it.

If the Lord Will

“For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.” (James 4:15-16)

 

When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane just before the agony of the cross, He said, “Oh, my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:39)  Jesus was totally given to the Father’s will. The Bible calls on us through our text to seek the Father’s will in all things.

 

James’ original readers were given to boasting and rejoicing in their plans. The Bible says that such boasting is evil.

 

Unless we have sought God’s will in our planning, let us not presume upon Him that He will bless our plans.

The Brevity of Life

“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” (James 4:14)

The context of this verse is dealing with the sin of presumption, of presuming that all good things will continue to be as they are today. James calls us back to reality telling us that we don’t know what tomorrow will bring.

Life at its best and longest is brief. It is like the vapor or fog that covers the landscape on many summer mornings. We drive to work slowly, with fog lights on, moving cautiously. By mid-morning the sun is shining brightly and the fog or vapor is gone. Life is brief, like that early morning fog.

Isaiah the prophet told King Hezekiah of Judah to, “set thy house in order, for thou shall die and not live.” (II Kings 20:1)  God speaks to you and me from that verse.

Unless the Lord returns soon you and I will join the ranks of those who have died. Is your spiritual house in order? Have you taken Jesus Christ to be your Savior and Lord?

The Sin of Presumption

“Go to now (or come now), ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain.” (James 4:13)

James now focuses our attention on the sin of presumption, of presuming and leaving God out of our plans.

We often presume concerning time. But no one knows what will be on tomorrow or if we shall have a tomorrow. The Bible says, “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” (Proverbs 27:1)

The sin of presumption includes our mobility, the ability to move about. “We will go…” they said. Numerous times I have been called to the hospital to pray with a patient who was one day active and energetic, but a stroke had put him on a bed. Medical staff surrounded him and waited on him. He could do nothing for himself.

We presume concerning our durability. “…and continue there a year.” We are told in the next verse that we don’t know what shall be on tomorrow, much less a year from now.

Folks presume they will have success.  “…and buy and sell and get gain.” But the Bible says that, “Riches make themselves wings, and fly away.” (Proverbs 23:5)

It is not wrong to make plans. It is wrong to make plans and leave God out of those plans.

It Takes a Perfect Person to be a Perfect Judge

“There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? (James 4: 12)

There is only one perfect person. That perfect person is neither you nor me. He is the one lawgiver. He is able to save or destroy. That one lawgiver is Christ Jesus, the perfect Son of God. He alone has the ability and right to judge.

I read somewhere, “There is so much good in the worst of us and so much bad in the best of us that it hardly behooves any of us to say anything bad about the rest of us.”

You and I have not been appointed of God to judge, ridicule, belittle and spread bad words about our fellow human beings. Jesus said that, “every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36)

Don’t Say Bad about Your Brother

“Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law; but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.” (James 4:11)

As was observed earlier in these comments on James, every chapter in this epistle has something to say about the tongue, gossip or words of our mouths.

How could these scattered, persecuted Christians be involved in such a sin as described in our text? The answer is, that it is part of human nature. One has only to see how the Israelites spoke against their leader, Moses, when he had brought them out of Egyptian slavery and bondage and through the waters of the Red Sea.

Not only does the abrasive critic of his brother speak evil of his brother, he speaks evil of the law and becomes a judge of the law. This gossip becomes the arresting officer, the prosecuting attorney, the jury, the judge and the executioner.

My mother-in-law often said, “If you can’t say something good about someone just don’t say anything.”

The Way Up is Down

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.” (James 4:10)

 

In the classic verse on the prescription for revival in II Chronicles 7:14 the first order for God’s people is to humble themselves.

 

A singer had this pride filled song out a few years ago, “Oh, Lord, it’s hard to be humble, when you’re perfect in every way…”

 

The Bible says concerning Jesus, “And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:8)

 

I read somewhere that, “The way up is down,” meaning that we need to go down in humility before the Lord can lift us up in blessing.

 

Time to Get Serious With God

“Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.” (James 4:9)

While there are those who think Christians are never to smile, laugh or enjoy life, there are others who believe Christianity is all fun and games. Many churches today are majoring on the entertainment factor. They never take their faith seriously.

King David came before God with a broken and a contrite heart over his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband. He knew his life was out of the will of God. It was time to get serious with God. (Psalm 51)

The Jews wept when they remembered that their sins and rebellion toward God had resulted in their captivity to the Babylonians. They hung their harps on the willows and could not sing the songs of Zion. Their music had been silenced. (Psalm 137:1-6)

We need to be serious about our commitment to the Lord, about our repentance, about the death of God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ for our sins. And yes, we should rejoice over His resurrection and the fact that we are saved, our sins are forgiven and we are going to heaven. But, if you are living outside the will of God as recorded in the Bible, you need to heed James’ counsel found in our text.

You Cannot Serve Two Masters

“Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:8)

The old song, “He Lifted Me,” says, “He sought me long before I heard, before my sinful heart was stirred; but when I took Him at His word, through grace He lifted me…”

When we Christians drift away from God and the Holy Spirit stirs us to “Draw near to God,” you can be sure God has already drawn near to you.

Our hands become filthy with sin and need to be cleansed. Pilate attempted to absolve himself of any guilt over the crucifixion and death of Jesus by washing his hands in water. The only way his hands or our hands can be cleansed of sin is by cleansing our hearts through confession of our sins.

A double minded person is unstable in all his ways as James tells us in 1:8. Elijah the prophet asked the question, “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him.” (I Kings 18:21) Jesus made the statement, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” (Matthew 12:30)

More than Conquerors

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.” (James 4:7-8a)

I have heard the last half of verse seven quoted by itself with instruction to the listener to just stand firm against the devil and you will be victorious. The problem with taking that portion of verse seven without that which comes before and that which comes after, one is left to fight the devil in one’s own strength.

Michael the archangel was contending with the devil over the body of Moses. Knowing he was no match for the devil, Michael turned the fight over to the Lord. (Jude 1:9) If Michael the chief angel was no match against the devil then certainly you and I have no business getting into the ring with him.

We must first submit ourselves to God as verse seven instructs. We must also draw near to God and He will draw near to us. Too many folks have gotten into the ring with the devil and without Jesus in their corner they have thrown in the towel in defeat.

The Bible tells us that we are more than conquerors through Jesus. (Romans 8:37)

Sinners Need Salvation by the Grace of God

“But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

Man is a sinner by nature. Only by the grace of God can any person be saved. But someone says, “But, you have no idea how sinful I am or how wicked I have been.” But God reminds us, “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound…” (Romans 5:20)

On the other hand there are those who say they are not bad enough to need the grace of God. In their pride they see no need of salvation, the sufferings of Christ on the cross or His precious blood being shed. “I’m a pretty good fellow,” they say.

But our text says that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. In the Proverbs there are seven things that are an abomination to God. At the top of the list is, “A proud look.” (Prov. 6:16-17)

You are invited to come humbly before God and receive His grace. You will never be sorry you did.

Sin is a Disgrace to Any People

“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34)

On this July 4^th let us celebrate our independence from any world power that might seek to enslave us or entangle us in a web of ungodly masters.

We must be reminded that even though God loves us, He is not draped in red, white and blue. Our God is not a permissive old gray haired grandfather, whose grandchildren can do no wrong.

Our text says that righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace. As we celebrate our independence let us remind ourselves that we cannot be independent from God and survive.

I pray that God will not one day say to America or about America as He said through Hosea the prophet of Israel, “Oh Israel, thou has destroyed thyself.” (Hosea 13:9) They sinned, did not repent, and turned their backs on God until God allowed the Assyrians to take them into captivity.

This nation can destroy itself through sinful deeds and neglect of God without a gun being aimed in our direction or a shot ever being fired.

Our God is a Jealous God

“Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us listeth to envy?” (James 4:5)

The Holy Spirit dwelling in the believer keeps guard over us. The Bible says that our God is a jealous God. He will not sit around and do nothing and act indifferently when the world is trying to entice us away from Him. A great reminder of this truth is found in Galatians 5:17, “For the flesh listeth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other…”

A man who loves his wife does not act as though he doesn’t care if another man is showing his wife attention in an attempt to win her affections. There is such a thing as Godly jealousy.

Our Savior paid a tremendous price to save us and to give us a mansion in heaven. Satan makes every effort to spoil God’s plans for us and to wreck our lives.

To Whom Will You Be a Friend?

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

I once saw a man riding two horses while he stood on their backs. One foot was on one horse and the other foot was on the other horse. For him to do that both horses had to be going in the same direction. Some people think they can ride the horse called “Moral Purity” and at the same time ride the horse called “Immoral Licentiousness.” It is impossible because those two horses are going in opposite directions.

The Bible reminds us that friendship with the world is enmity with God. The “world” here is the world system, worldly pleasures, the world’s ways and the world’s attitude to God and the Bible.

I wonder if these scattered, persecuted Christians may have been tempted by the devil to feel sorry for themselves as he pointed to the crowd of unbelievers and their sinful lifestyles and perhaps said, “Look how they enjoy life and you gave up everything to serve God and now look at you. You should live it up. Eat, drink and be merry.” Satan is capable of such temptations. He tempts us in our weakest times.

Be wary of Satan’s schemes and temptations and remember that you cannot be a friend of the world and a friend of God at the same time.

Prayer: Communing with God

“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not because ye ask not. Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” (James 4:2-3)

Conflict in churches can be over the least important things: the color of the carpet, whether the toilet tissue is to roll over the top or under the roll, where the piano and organ should be located.

Even when we pray, if we pray at all, we too often throw up something toward heaven to satisfy our own lusts or selfish interests.

Prayer is not asking God for what we want; it is asking Him for what He wants. He is concerned with our needs and many times He not only gives us our needs but He gives us our wants as well. What a high and holy privilege to be able to commune with the creator and sovereign ruler of the universe.