Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.
What do you think of when you hear the word “slander?” Does it jump out at you as a bad thing? Do you know anyone who has ever been slandered? Have you ever been slandered?
Slander is a difficult word in English. If it is used at all it is either used in its legal sense which is very formal, or in a very casual sense that carries very little weight.
Continue reading “James 4: 11a – Slander”
Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
What kind of person are you? Are you extremely sensitive to the people around you? Are you sent into spasms of guilt simply because someone gives you a stern look? Or, are you one of those people who need to be whacked upside the head with a 2×4 so someone can get your attention? Whatever your personality type, God has some scripture written just for you.
As I look back over James’ letter, his passion for serving God correctly is clear. His understanding of God is acute and sharply honed. His method of sharing that understanding is somewhat akin to a Marine Corps Drill Sergeant barking orders at recruits.
Some people take offense at the bluntness of James’ approach. Yet everything he says is completely in line with the rest of God’s Word. The only difference is how he says it.
Continue reading “James 4: 9-10 — Preflight Checklist”
Come near to God and he will come near to you.
I’ve always thought this statement to be a little bit odd. But then, I don’t think I have always thought about God the right way. If God is a stationary object, it makes sense (in a worldly sort of way) that if I get nearer to Him, He will be closer to me. But that is not what James says.
God doesn’t just wait for us to come to Him. He wants to be united with us. So he is very willing to come to us. Like the father in the parable of The Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32) when God sees us coming home he comes out to meet us.
Continue reading “James 4: 8a — Closeness”
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Do you believe in the devil? As a kid, I remember being told “ghost stories.” Some of them were pretty scary! Some were scary and funny at the same time. All of them challenged my thinking about ghosts.
It was very common for little kids to challenge each other by saying, “You don’t believe in ghosts, do you?” It was always said in a taunting way that mocked the idea of ghosts. Many a time I agreed that I didn’t really believe in ghosts. The problem was when I was in church they were always talking about this being called the “Holy Ghost.” Everyone at church seemed to believe that the Holy Ghost was real, but … well … what was a ghost, anyway?
Continue reading “James 4: 7b — Running Scared”
That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”
This scripture passage is a bit of a puzzle. James writes, “That is why…”
What is why?
What did I miss??
James was talking about fights and quarrels. About not receiving what we ask for, about having the wrong motives. He talks about being an enemy of God and adulterous. Then he writes, “That is why scripture says God opposes the proud…”
Why?
Why does God oppose the proud?
Like so many words in our language, “proud” has more than one meaning. The common usage is to feel pleased with what one has done. A blogging example might be, “I feel proud of the post I wrote yesterday.” The other definition has to do with having a high opinion of one’s self. This kind of pride leads to arrogance and an unwillingness to listen to others. It is this second kind of pride that God opposes.
The prideful person does not accept correction. They do not see a need for help. They do not think they need God. When it comes to God’s gift of grace, they reject it.
The humble person sees themselves for what they are. They know they need help. When God offers them grace, they accept it gratefully. (I wanted to say ‘gracefully.’ 🙂 )
If God opposes the proud, it is because the proud oppose God. James lists our shortcomings and points out our need for God. The humble recognize the truth in James’ words and are thankful for God’s grace.
Application: Take a personal inventory: What kind of pride do you see in your life? The pride of self-importance, or the pride of service rendered to God?
Food for Thought: How does God oppose the proud and favor the humble?
Please click ‘’Continue Reading” for comments.
Continue reading “John 4: 6b – Pride”
But he gives us more grace.
In my post a few days ago called, “Troubleshooter,” we noted the pattern that James follows in his writing: Problem – Analysis – Solution. The problem James sees is that God’s people are fighting and quarreling. They are adulterous people. They ask things of God and do not receive anything.
Why are people like this?
James’ analysis is that our desires battle within us. We covet things we cannot have. We fight and kill. We have the wrong motives. We are, in fact, enemies of God.
Continue reading “James 4: 6a — Grace”
Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?
Sometimes when I talk people look at me like I am speaking a foreign language. My wife will testify to the fact that sometimes my words just don’t make sense. They do to me, in my head, but they only “count” if they make sense to the person I am talking to.
As a writer, I have a kind of paper mirror that is always in front of my face. I don’t always look at it, but it is always there. My words, once written, stop moving around. Given a little time, they start to take on a life of their own. Later, when I look at them again, I see them as others do. Sometimes they make sense. Sometimes they don’t.
Continue reading “James 4:5 – Paper Mirror”
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
James is rather blunt here. Sometimes when people are blunt, they stray into generalizations that are hurtful because they are not true. Is James’ statement entirely true?
Unfortunately, yes.
Jesus, James’ half-brother, makes the same point over and over again. In one example he says:
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.”
(Matthew 5: 21-22a)
That is a very black and white statement. I have to confess I have been angry with a brother once or twice. (That may be a bit of an understatement.) Technically that means I am subject to judgment.
We are faced with the same choice every minute of every day: God or not God. If we choose God, we choose to put him above all else. We love him with all our heart, our soul and our mind. If we are not doing that, then we are choosing what James refers to as “the world.”
Continue reading “James 4: 4 — Enemy of God”
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.
I am beginning to see James in a new light. His mind is highly analytical. His entire letter is structured around this pattern repeated over and over again:
Problem – Analysis – Solution
What is the problem here? There are fights and quarrels among believers!
James provides his analysis: Fights and quarrels are outer reflections of the desires that battle inside you!
Continue reading “James 4: 1-2a – Troubleshooter”
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
Did you know there are two kinds of wisdom? I hadn’t thought about this before. James takes the word “wisdom” and turns it on its head in this passage.
The first kind of wisdom is the kind I always think about when I read Proverbs. Who is “wise and understanding?” If we answer, “I am!”, how do we know? What little voice tells us that we are wise and understanding? How do we know what kind of “wise” we are?
Continue reading “James 3: 13-15 – Wise Guys”