Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
What did you get for Christmas this year? Did you enjoy receiving a gift? Was it a good gift? Was it perfect? Does it need batteries? Does it break? Does it wear out? Did you have to return it?
Continue reading “The Perfect Gift – James 1: 17”
…but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Inside each of us is a monster. In this passage, James gives the monster a name. He calls it, Desire. This particular monster has a twin, whose name is Desire, too. This other desire is good. The Good Desire longs to be with Jesus and do his will. The Bad Desire… Well, Bad Desire is one that leads us away from God’s will.
The monster named Desire is hard to recognize because it is so adept at changing size and shape. Look around inside your head and your heart. Are you burning with desire? Is there something you want more than anything else? Is it a good desire or a bad desire? When we are content, Desire shrinks down into the shadows. Desire hides, but it never leaves.
Continue reading “A Monster Named Desire – James 1: 14-15”
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone…
Let us be clear on this point: Tempting and testing are two different things.
Testing is a processed used to measure or strengthen. (e.g. – I took a test to see if I qualified for a job I wanted. See James 1: 12)
Tempting is an attempt to entice a person to do what they know is wrong. (e.g. – A coworker tried to tell me it is okay to steal supplies from work.)
God is okay with testing people. Testing has a wide range of uses in the Bible. God is not okay with people doing what they know is wrong.
James is clear on this point and we need to be, too.
Continue reading “Tempting or Testing? – James 1: 13”
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Why do we receive the crown of life? Is it something that we earn? Is it something that we can earn?
James’ letter stands out as unique in the New Testament. James presents a “no-nonsense” approach to believing in Jesus. But remember, James himself is unique.
No other New Testament writer grew up with Jesus in the same family. No other writer knew Jesus as a child. No other writer gave Jesus such a hard time when he was alive – before his resurrection. James carries a special perspective on Jesus and a special kind of guilt for his past behavior.
Continue reading “Trials – James 1: 12”
But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
James’ letter is a lot like Santa’s List. Most of us have heard about Santa Clause, and how, like God, he knows if we have been “naughty” or “nice.” The modern legend of Santa goes back to a real-life believer in God, a man whom we know as Saint Nicholas.
Like St. Nick, James is concerned about how people behave toward each other and whether or not having material possessions is clouding their judgment. Why would this be a problem for the early church?
Continue reading “Santa’s List – James 1: 10-11”
Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.
James presents us with an interesting challenge here: What is the difference between “circumstances” and “position?”
The term “circumstance” generally refers to something both external and material. Oftentimes it refers to a person’s financial situation. People without money are in “poor circumstances.” But James recognizes that being poor in material things has little to nothing to do with one’s “position” in life.
Why?
Does James have some special insight here? I think he does.
Continue reading “Position – James 1: 9”
That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
I should have included this verse with yesterday’s post. Still, there may be something here for us. Let’s take a look…
James has opened his letter talking about “trials of many kinds” and how from a godly perspective they should be considered “pure joy.” He then writes that he wants believers to be “mature and complete, not lacking in anything.” Immediately he focuses on wisdom. We don’t know why, but James thinks it is important. All we have to do to get godly wisdom is to ask. The caveat is that we need to believe when we ask, Then James contrasts belief with doubts. He says the doubter is like a “wave on the sea.”
In today’s verse, he talks about people who should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
Who are these people? Who asks something from the Lord but does not believe?
Continue reading “Double-Minded – James 1: 7-8”It turns out that today’s “Wisdom Wednesday” post is found in the next installment of James…
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Finding Wisdom
What good is wisdom? What does it buy you? How is a person with this thing called “wisdom” any better off than the next one who has none? What is wisdom anyway?
Continue reading “Wisdom Wednesday – James 1: 5”
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
I was reading Ecclesiastes yesterday. Chapter 1 begins, “‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher…” “Everything is meaningless.” I pondered this attitude of Solomon’s wondering what it means. As I thought about it, I realized that compared to being in the presence of God, everything in this life actually is meaningless.
God’s values are not man’s values. We saw this in the words and actions of Jesus as we studied John’s gospel. Jesus is not from around here, a fact made evident by his the way he talked and what he did.
I believe the Bible is consistent on this point. It seems so in this passage from James. He wants us to be “mature and complete, not lacking anything.” It is up to us, his readers, to decipher what “thing” he is talking about!
Continue reading “The Eternal Perspective – James 1: 4”
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…
Imagine that you want to get people together to form a camera club, or a hunting party, or a hotrod association. You find a place to meet, and you kick in a few bucks to cover the cost of name tags and the like. Then you go out and start the work of getting people to join. I may be going out on a limb here, but I’d bet that the main reason people should join the new group is not, “Hey, if you join our club you get to face trials!”
Being a Christian isn’t always “fun.” Sure, we have a reason to fellowship with other believers. We enjoy going to church. There are always those wonderful potlucks where the food is amazing and unending. But there are also Christians who are alone, hungry and persecuted.
James counsels us to think of trials as joy. Is he nuts? Who in their right mind equates trials as joy?
Continue reading “Joy – James 1: 2”