Tag Archives: James

James 5

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James 5 describes the benefits of patience, and uses the example of Job’s steadfastness to demonstrate the point. Just like a farmer has to wait for his crop to grow, relying on God for rain at the appropriate time, so we have to wait for our salvation, relying on God to provide for our needs. While we are patiently waiting, James tells us not to grumble against each other. Just as Job refused to curse God for the circumstances he endured, so we need to endure suffering, knowing that God is “compassionate and merciful”.

James also describes the benefits of prayer, using the example of Elijah. The prayers that James mention are all focused on others, the sick, the suffering, and the sins of others. James concludes with the wonderful reminder that “whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

While we are patiently waiting for the Lord’s return, our focus should be on helping each other remain faithful, and not giving up on people when they are lost.

James 3-4

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James 3-4 continues the overall theme of practical advice for living a faithful life, and especially how we interact with each other. He lists the dangers of the tongue, boasting of great things, “setting on fire the entire course of life … no human being can tame the tongue”.

We also find the wisdom from above contrasted with earthly wisdom. “Jealousy and selfish ambition” is the outcome of natural wisdom, “but the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere”.

The focus on earthly wisdom had caused “quarrels and … fights among” the ecclesia, so James offers advice on this issue too.  “Submit yourselves therefore to God… Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you”. 

In all of these ideas, James is setting our focus on God rather than ourselves. This is a challenge for all of us, but let’s follow James’ advice to “humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you”.

Ecclesiastes 5

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Ecclesiastes 5 offers some advice on the importance of listening. “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools”. James quotes this in James 1v19, “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger”.

Amongst all the advice we’re given, listening carefully doesn’t feature prominently, but the way we listen is a good indicator of our relationship. With someone we barely know, listening is very superficial, their words soon forgotten. But we pay careful attention to the words of someone we know well or want to know better. The same applies to our relationship with God – listening carefully is an important aspect.

Jesus used the phrase “he who has ears to hear, let him hear”. A bit of hyperbole, since we all have ears, but attentive listening can easily be neglected in today’s busy world.  Unlike Israel, who “with their ears they can barely hear”, we have the chance to really hear and understand, “blessed are… your ears, for they hear”. So let’s take the time to “draw near to listen”, both to the needs of each other, and also the “wisdom from above”.

Mark 11

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In Mark 11, Jesus curses a fruitless fig tree. The next day Peter comments on the fig tree, noticing that it was now withered. Jesus turns this into a lesson on faith and forgiveness, seemingly unrelated concepts to a withered fig tree. It seems strange that Jesus would use the holy spirit on this fruitless fig tree, but it provided a valuable lesson.

Our salvation seems an impossible task, like a mountain being cast into the sea or a tree withering in a day. Jesus had earlier stated that with God nothing is impossible. It is up to us to believe with all our heart, but that belief must be seen in our actions. In this example, Jesus points out the need for genuine, heartfelt prayer, and also the need to forgive others.

Perhaps James is alluding to some of these ideas when he writes in James 5, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working”. Prayer is such an amazing and comforting idea, that our prayers can have a positive influence on others.

Job 11, Micah 7, James 3-4

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Micah is in despair, “the godly has perished from the earth…the great man utters the evil desire of his soul“. Yet in the midst of this Micah stands firm in his faith. “As for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.”  No matter what difficulties of life arise, this must also be our attitude.  Our reliance on God can help us through the falls and darkness of this life.

Zophar encourages Job in much the same way. “If you prepare your heart, you will stretch out your hands towards him… you will be secure and will not fear…you will lie down, and none will make you afraid.“

So let us take the advice of James. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you… humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

 

John 11

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The story of Lazarus is both confronting and inspirational. Although it caused Jesus intense grief, he delays the healing of Lazarus in order to instead raise him from the dead.  Having complete trust in God to protect him and his disciples from harm, Jesus returns to Judea where the Jews had previously sought to stone him, and discovers that Lazarus had already been dead for 4 days.

Both Mary and Martha struggled to understand why Jesus hadn’t returned in time to heal Lazarus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”  Jesus consoled Martha with the words “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die“.

These words describe our hope also. Let us likewise live in Jesus, demonstrating our belief to those around us, confident that we too can receive the crown of life promised to those who love God, “for He who promised is faithful“.

Ezekiel 20, Luke 17

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The elders of Israel come to Ezekiel, to enquire of God through him. But God says He would not be inquired of by the elders. They had rejected God time and time again, and God lists 6 times that the nation rebelled against Him.  This seems like an overly negative response, but it’s important to realise how constant Israel was in their rejection, and yet God still offers hope. “You shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your fathers”.

This section of Ezekiel should inspire us to reflect on our own lives, to “look intently at our natural face in a mirror”, and do something about what we see. Our God is merciful, but He requires action from us, to seek Him out and develop His character.

Jesus demonstrates God’s mercy in healing the 10 lepers, who pleaded “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us”. They were healed on their way to the priests, following Jesus’ instructions. Let us similarly seek God’s mercy, and let it affect our lives.

Jeremiah 51, 1 Corinthians 11

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1 Corinthians 11. We hear it quoted nearly every Sunday. “Be imitators of Paul, as he is of Christ“, and “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”  The idea of examining ourselves is critical to living a life acceptable to God.  We need to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only“, not ignoring the natural face we see in the mirror but changing it to reflect God’s character. Paul also stresses the importance of unity, and that Christ is our head.

The lack of self examination is the reason Israel struggled so much to serve God, focused instead on being like the nations around them instead of looking inwards, to the tabernacle and the glory of God it represented. Yet God through Jeremiah still says “For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the Lord of hosts.”  There is always hope. The one “who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens” has power to both bring judgement on nations such as Babylon, but also power to forgive those that turn to Him.

Jeremiah 42

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In Jeremiah 42, the remnant of Israelites still in the land come to Jeremiah, intreat him to pray to God on their behalf for guidance.  So Jeremiah prays to God, but doesn’t receive a response for 10 whole days. A good reminder that God rarely answers prayers straight away, that we need to have faith and patience that God has heard us and will answer our prayer in the way that is best for us.

The response from God is a great indication of God’s mercy. “If you remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down…Do not fear the king of Babylon…for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand. I will grant you mercy”. Although these were not the faithful Israelites taken into captivity to be preserved, God still has mercy on them when they turn to Him. The same is true for us. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”

Matthew 7

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Jesus describes the importance of introspective examination. It’s much easier to see faults in others than faults in our own life, but it is critical that we look intently at our natural face in the mirror, and not deceive ourselves by forgetting what our reflection really looks like.

Jesus also continues with the theme of seeking for the kingdom of God.  “Seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  Producing good fruit, providing for the needs of others, and not seeking our own glory are all part of seeking the kingdom of God.

Let’s be like that wise man who built his house on a sure foundation, and demonstrate in our lives the principles Jesus taught.