A Letter From James, Part 3

Reblogged from
Grace thru Faith
This entry is part 3 of 3 in the series A Letter From James 

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

In part 3 we continue reviewing the instructions James gave to the early church on how to properly live the Christian life. Remember, this letter might have been the first written teaching the Church ever received, predating the Gospels and Paul’s letters, with the possible exception of his letter to the Galatians. This time we’ll cover chapter 3. Let’s begin.

Taming the Tongue

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check (James 3:1-2).

None of us is perfect. We all say and do things we later discover to have been in error. For most, this is a simple matter of correcting themselves. But for teachers, any error on our part goes straight into the minds of our listeners and may influence their understanding of God’s word for the rest of their life. Those who feel they’ve been called to teach need to have the ability to speak clearly and concisely, relaying only what God has conveyed to them. We also need to be aware that He’s listening and will hold us accountable for our teaching. It’s not enough for us to fall back on Paul’s admonition to our listeners that they check the Scriptures for themselves to see if we’re speaking the truth (Acts 17:11). 
We will also be required to justify everything we’ve said.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell (James 3:3-6).

Paul took up this same thought in his letters. He cautioned us to rid ourselves of all anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from our lips (Colossians 3:8). Our conversations should not be laced with obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place for believers, but rather with thanksgiving for all we’ve been given (Ephes. 5:4).

He warned us not to let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths but only what is helpful for building others up that it may benefit those who listen. Doing otherwise grieves the Holy Spirit who is sealed within us until the day of redemption (Ephes. 4:29-30).
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water (James 3:7-12).

Jesus said the words that come out of our mouth originate in our heart and these are the things that defile us (Matt. 15:18). Since what we say is a reflection of what’s in our heart, and since the heart of natural man is incurably wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), then the only way we can change what comes out of our mouth is to change what we bring into our heart. For that reason, I believe listening to what comes out of our own mouth can provide the clearest sign that we are truly a believer under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Remember, James cautioned us to be doers of the word and not hearers only (James 1:22). Let’s be sure that what comes our of our mouth is consistent with what’s in our heart.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

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. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice (James 3:13-16).
Let’s remember that James was not referring to keeping the Law when he spoke of a good life filled with deeds (works) done in humility. The Pharisees showed that keeping the Law did not result in humility, but in arrogance and pride. They looked down on the less fortunate and criticized Jesus for associating with them (Matt. 9:10-11). They believed that if the poor simply lived according to pharisaical standards they would be blessed accordingly. Therefore they had no excuse for their misery and deserved neither compassion nor help.

It’s natural for humans to be self centered and envious of what we perceive to be the success of others. It’s part of our sin nature. James said these attitudes are unspiritual and demonic. They promote envy instead of humility and selfishness instead of generosity, and are behind all of man’s evil practices.
Only believers realize that before coming to the Lord we really had nothing of value to Him and yet He gave us everything just because we asked. This is what promotes the desire in our heart to share what we have with others. Our kindness and generosity toward others shows the humility that comes from knowing we didn’t deserve to be saved, and is a demonstration of our overflowing gratitude for the free gift we’ve received.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness (James 3:17-18).
The wisdom that comes from heaven is not encumbered by ulterior motives and hidden agendas. Paul said the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:23).

In Closing

No mere intellectual assent that God exists or even that Jesus came to teach us how to live a life pleasing to God can produce the changes in a person’s attitude that both James and Paul are talking about here.
To become the kind of person they describe, we have to put off our old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires and be made new in the attitudes of our minds (Ephes. 4:22-23).

This is the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit, who is sealed within every born again believer. Only He can produce the kind of change in us that allows us to put aside our self centeredness and walk in humility, performing good deeds at every opportunity.
You may be surprised to learn that the origin of this thought is the Old Testament. In a remarkable example that this is what God has always wanted from his people, He had the prophet Micah tell us,
He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).

Live a life pleasing to the Lord and delight in helping those in need, all in a spirit of humility, out of gratitude for what you’ve been given. More next time. 07-04-15

My level of disgust is severely eroding my tolerance for news these days

Reblogged from servehiminthewaiting.com   By STLloyd March 27, 2015 

 America sin Sodomy

I can hardly bring myself to address some of the pure unadulterated B.S. that is the behavior of our elected officials, broadcasters, and even some Christian bloggers these days.  Does anyone have standards anymore?  I have been doing this blog for three years, and sometimes there simply are no words to address the goings-on.  I’ve unsubscribed to so many “sources” in the past year, it’s not even funny!

Why would a “Christian” blog do an article about the lasciviousness of Nicki Minaj, complete with an x-rated photo of her G-string clad posterior?  This is pornography.  Why perpetuate it?  I understand that sometimes a person can re-blog something and not be aware that a photo will show, or post a video that they may have been momentarily distracted or interrupted and miss some brief segment that had they seen it, they would have refrained from posting.  But come on!

And the speculation, the intrigue, the absolute ignorance of scripture!
Is it me, or does it seem like the entire world has lost its ever-lovin’ mind?  Our President is a criminal, our markets are rigged, our military is being systematically emasculated, and I say that without apology to the female soldiers, because a real woman gets it.  Scientists are trying to open portals to parallel dimensions.

Look, I don’t know if Ted Cruz (or the platform he purports to represent and deliver)  stands a chance, but I do know this, anyone who is holding out hope, who has some  pie in the sky conviction that “of course things are going to turn around”, you need to understand something.  If there is a turnaround, it will be only because somewhere someone was wiling to face the hideous truth about how grossly rebellious this nation has become, and they got on their face and they begged God on the basis of His Mercy alone, to forgive the sins of this nation and to give it one more chance.  And if God grants that mercy, it will be for the sake of the salvation offered in Christ Jesus, because He paid for the sins of this world and it is Gods desire that all would come to salvation, though He knows all will not do so.

There is a whole lot of damage that is going to need to be addressed.  The utter destabilization of the Middle East is a fact and America is not the center of this world.  If someone doesn’t find some testicular fortitude and rein in the madman in the White House before he utterly destroys this nation’s alliance with Israel, this nation is in for a world of hurt. God’s time-table revolves around Israel. What will be will be, just as it has already been written in scripture, but there is still about a flea’s eyelash worth of room for America’s ultimate legacy to be salvaged.  God judges people, and He judges nations.

I know that there are people who have been on their face before the Lord.  I’m not talking about the ones who imagine themselves as “taking dominion”, WE LOST THAT IN THE FALL.  Don’t tell me you are praying for this nation if you are going to pray in ignorance.  And don’t tell me that I’m too wrapped up in the “negative”  Listen, Jesus gave us a model prayer.

Our Father, if you aren’t saved, stop right there.  You father is the devil.

Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Hallowed. Do we even know what that word means any more?
His name is Holy because HE is Holy.

Sodomy is a sin, there is no such thing as gay marriage, marriage is a holy sacrament, a covenant that was created by God, and two men do not qualify, nor do two women, and if anyone has an issue with that, take it up with GOD.  Because you can be sure He is going to take it up with you, and you can hunt me down, and you can torment those who stand on the truth, but you are only storing up wrath against yourself which God will address in His good time. To put it in the inane language of the current day, yes, Sin really is a “thing”.
It’s not some passé societally-dictated device.

And hell is a real place.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but it seems to me like we need to just take up our positions and get on with this thing.  This “tolerance” garbage is getting really old.  If you think God is love and that’s all He is, you are in for a very rude awakening.  If you think that a Christian owes it to the rest of the world to shut up and sit down and roll over, you are utterly mistaken about what it means to be a Christian.

Love that is not founded in truth is not love at all.  It is mere flattery.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
What a glorious day that’s going to be!

Avi Lipkin commentary on Israel elections

The sin problem and the Schism

Reblogged from Serve Him in the Waiting

By STLloyd December 5, 2014 Ferguson Police Brutality racism salvation
 
In my post “Conversations that need to be had“, I talked about the fact that Benjamin Watson had got it right when he said the issue in Ferguson is not a race problem but a sin problem.  There was a reader/commenter who expressed his resentment of any insinuation that as a black man anyone could tell him to act a certain way in order to ensure his safety from being targeted by police.  Granted I mentioned and linked-to two other videos wherein black men expressed opinions that blacks need to stop blaming whites, and start taking a look at themselves and behaving better, but those were not the point of my post, yet they were the only message the Christian black male commenter seemed to hear. 
Ok.  I get that this is a volatile issue and that as a white female I can’t possibly know what that feels like.  He quoted someone who had said “you have the complexion that ensures protection”.

I want to be clear, and I realize that my mind is often going in so many directions at once, and write in such a stream-of-consciousness way, that I sometimes don’t do a good job of making my point.  And of course, I write as if to those who have been with this blog all along and know a little about me, that I do care.  As I responded to his comment, I think that everything that happened in Ferguson is a tragedy.  It is a tragedy that a young black man is dead.  It is also a tragedy that a police officer who never had to fire his weapon in the line of duty before, did so and is going to live with that knowledge the rest of his life.  It is a compound tragedy that so many black business owners now have had their livelihood wiped out, and that those who participated in this travesty have made those of the Ferguson community look bad.  Especially when a lot of the looters were not locals, and there were provocateurs fanning the flames.

This writer was a nurse.  I worked in hospice.  I am no stranger to death and the signs of impending death.  America as a Constitutional Republic, is on her deathbed.  Obama and others have over-played their hand with the race card this time around.  Many more Americans are still waking up.  But those who would rather not take personal responsibility, will always eagerly and readily project that blame onto someone else.  The politicians know this, and they use it to their advantage.  With a media that is complicit, the narrative gets broadcast and incessantly reinforced.

I don’t hate black people.  There is one race.  The human race.  There are different ethnicities in each of our heritages, but we are all just people.  We all have a sinful nature, though, and that is what is at the root of all of it.

Police brutality is also a major issue.  But all of the evidence presented to the Grand Jury in Brown’s case says he was a real and immediate threat to Officer Wilson.  l of the black individuals think that this brutality is aimed only at blacks,  I can tell you that it isn’t.  It seems pretty equal-opportunity, actually.  In a world where “right and wrong” have purposely been made fuzzy and vague, I would imagine a police officer, who is supposed to enforce the law, might have a pretty high level of frustration.  The law used to mean something, and as an officer of the law, the authority of the law was behind them in their job.  These days, though, they can risk their lives to get a real bad guy off the street, only to see him released with little or no repercussions whatsoever.

Sometimes people get mad and do foolish things, and sometimes people do really stupid and foolish things because they are already angry.  I don’t doubt there are a lot of angry cops out there.  The really angry and bitter ones who see criminals get away with murder, sometimes decide, “why not me?”

I don’t doubt that a lot of the folks who took to the streets of Ferguson were angry.  But I don’t think it was about Brown.  Kind of like the “Occupy” movement.  What were the protesters protesting?  Anything and Everything, each his own thing.  Mad, and determined a whole lot of some bodies are going to know about it!

The political manipulators know this about an angry person.  They are so easily manipulated because they don’t care to exercise self-control or restraint.  They are “bloodthirsty” for chaos, mayhem, destruction, and actual blood.

That is demonic.  Demons know this about an angry person too.  And will use it.
This blog doesn’t focus only on America, and yet lately, with all that is going on, you’d think that was the focus.  I guess that is because America has always been a sort of  “world hero”, and no one enjoys watching a hero fall.  Cosby is like America’s Dad in a symbolic way, and it’s almost like watching a ritual sacrifice. Who can anyone look up to anymore?
God deals with people and He deals with nations.

If you are looking for answers and truth, to make sense of all that is happening in this world, you won’t find it in elected officials.  If you are looking for true justice, you won’t find it in courts.  If you are troubled by the direction things are going in this nation, it won’t be fixed via politics or activism, or protests.  If we could get every person in America to hold hands and come together, we still could not achieve the peace we seek.  Because of sin.
Sin is an unpopular word.  It has fallen way out of favor.  But you know what, in a world where we so value “expression” and so “struggle” to achieve it, the fact is, we can’t express anything if we don’t have some universality to the meanings of words.  We can’t have peace if we don’t have laws that say and mean exactly what they say and mean.  It’s like the Tower of Babel all over again.  Don’t you see it?

We have thrown off all restraint and denied all absolutes, and now the very building blocks of communication, civility, and an orderly society are no more.  We are tearing them down brick by brick.  We are throwing away with both hands, all the blessings God has so graciously given America.  I say we, because all of us are guilty to one degree or another,  if only in taking it all for granted.

But what is happening is not just happening to America.  There is something much bigger going on, across the entire globe. This is going somewhere.  And the one place to figure out where this world is headed, is in the Bible. Yes, that old book.  Some say it is outdated.  But those who read it know better. The explanation is all there.  People don’t reject the Bible because it is irrelevant or because it contradicts itself.  They reject it because it contradicts their behaviors and their evil hearts.  They don’t like what it says.  But no matter.  That doesn’t make it any less true.

People caught up in the welfare state, are stuck there because they choose to believe lies.  The Bible says those who love not the truth will be given over to delusion.  When you look around doesn’t it seem like a lot of people are delusional?  Starting with the man in the Oval office and the other heads of state, and right on down.

There is a split that has always existed.  Jesus said you are either reconciled to God by His blood (if you are willing) and adopted as a son into God’s family or you are “of your father the devil”.  Hal Lindsey talks about a split in his report today.  It is a split in the church, but this church he refers to is the biblical “Harlot” of Revelation.  It is the church of those who practice a form of godliness and yet deny the power thereof (of God Himself, who is able not only to kill the body but cast the soul into hell).  The world’s religions are very much in the front pages of the news these days, have you noticed?  Islam, the Pope, Jews, Satan-worshipers, Christians being tortured and killed in many places, and harassed by atheists, the gays, government officials.  Seems like in the last 20 years the few holdouts who didn’t want anything to do with spiritual things, suddenly took interest in spirituality, and started a trend (with Oprah leading the way) of cafeteria-style religion.

When you mix red and blue, you get purple. When you mix red and blue, and yellow and green and pink and brown and orange and purple, you get a murky, muddy black mess, no “color” at all.  Nothing is distinct after that.  This “universal religion” will be a mixture.  It will mix complementary beliefs, and then embrace opposing ones.  Ecumenical.
Followers of Christ know to come out of her, this harlot church.   She is doomed. She will unite the world and facilitate the rise of a world leader, who will then destroy her.  America has more churches than any other nation.  The harlot is alive and flourishing in most of them.

The wars that are “in the making” will change some dynamics.  Many of the radical Muslims will die.  Peaceful Muslims will then have no reason to fear and will go ahead in the quest to unite with other religions.

All throughout the Bible God speaks of chosen out a people, both from the Jews, and out of every kindred, tribe and nation.  Some day, true justice will be served. But when we face our Creator, we will not be there to lodge our case against others.  We will be there to be judged ourselves. On that day it will not matter how good a person you feel you are.  Because He will be the judge.   There is one defense, and one only.   The blood of infinitely sinless Jesus, shed for infinitely sinful sinners. Has that ransom been paid on you behalf by Jesus?  
Have you asked Him to save you from hell?

Call upon Him while there is still time.  Sudden destruction is going to befall this world soon. Everyone knows it.   As the lines are drawn, are you trying to figure out how to “weather it”?  Your only safety is in Jesus. He is the bridge that closes the gap between you and your Maker that is a great chasm, not just a schism.  When God withdraws His grace, and pours out His wrath, only those hidden in Christ will escape it. Lets quit pretending it is just a matter of my truth vs. your truth.  Lets stop pretending that just because we don’t like the truth sometimes, that actually nullifies it. 

Most blacks are killed by blacks.  Well guess what?  Most whites are killed by whites.    Most Muslims are killed by Muslims.  Murder is sin.  Along with lying, stealing, and adultery. The gays didn’t destroy marriage, heterosexual self-professing Christians did.   If we are going to talk about a slippery slope, then let’s go all the way back.  God gave His law to the Jews and to the Christians. Where we fail to uphold it, the unbelievers can hardly be held to account.  He gave the gospel to a small group of Jews who He chose to be the first Christians,  revealing Himself as Messiah, and extending His grace to all people. We live in that age of grace now, but it is coming quickly to an end.

The Seasons in the Life of a Christian- Brokenness - Grinding the grains - Chapter IV and Conclusion

 

Written and posted by Jean-Louis Mondon. http://thelightseed.blogspot.com (To read the preceding and following chapters, click on the right lateral bar on the numbered chapters under the title "The Seasons in the Life of a Christian" - Brokenness.)

 IV. GRINDING (Lord, It hurts)
Up until now, we had individual grains of wheat from individual stalks that require still a further process before there can be any bread making as such. Verse 28 of Isaiah 28 tells us that: “grain must be ground to make bread”. It is impossible to make bread that stays in one piece with individual kernels. The gluten, sticky substance that holds the loaf together is inherent to the wheat, but the individual grains of wheat have to be ground in order to provide the right consistency and the (glue-like), binding quality that causes the bread to hold together. The flour, ground product, still has everything that was contained in the individual separate grains of wheat, now unrecognizable as kernels because of the transformation process into a workable substance. In the same way, the loaf of bread baked from the flour contains every grain of wheat (minus the chaff) that has been submitted to the processes of grinding, mixing, kneading, rising and finally baking.

I believe this binding substance, the gluten, illustrates very well the passage in Colossians 3: 12-15 that reads: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
 

Another insight from Oswald Chambers is that “Personality is the characteristic of the spiritual man as individuality is the characteristic of the natural man. Our Lord can never be defined in terms of individuality and independence, but only in terms of personality. “I and my Father are one”. Personality merges and you only reach your identity when you are merged with another person”. (See Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest. Dec. 12th. On Personality).
 

 Paul in I Corinthians 10:16 speaks of the loaf of bread as a symbol for the body of Christ that was broken for us, but also of the Church, His body on earth in these terms, “the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread”.

As Christians we are called to deny ourselves, pick up our cross daily and follow our Lord Jesus and be the servant of all. As out of His great love for us, He laid down His life we, in turn lay our lives down as an expression of love for the benefit of the body of Christ, so that individually and corporately, we will reflect the life and the glory of Christ for the praise of the Father. 

In all four examples of breaking, plowing the ground, threshing the wheat and grinding the flour, the farmer doing the breaking is using the help of an implement like the sharp edge of the plowshare, or an instrument such as a rod or a grinding wheel. In like manner God, will allow into our lives a specific tool of His own choosing, a particular circumstance or person fit for the job.

When it happens we have a tendency to look at the instrument and not beyond at our Master-Teacher who is using the instrument for our benefit. Are we able to say at this point, “ not my will, but thine be done”?

This is what Peter says about fiery trials¹² Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³ But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴ If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory,^[e] which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.^{[f] 15} But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or even as a mischief maker. ¹⁶ Yet if any of you suffers as a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace, but glorify God because you bear this name.   Check alsoin I Peter 1:7; I Peter 2:21; and what James says in James 1:2 about trials and testing as they relate to faith, perseverance and maturity.

V. CONCLUSION

Acceptance, willingness and obedience

What is most important is the spirit with which we receive the trials the Lord gives us, and our reaction to the suffering they bring. Let us have the same attitude as David who said in Psalm 16:5,6 “The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage”.

We want to live in the blessed presence of our Lord, don’t we? David poses a pertinent question when he asks in Psalm 15: “LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? (v.1), He who keeps his oath even when it hurts”(v.4b).

We, as disciples, have promised to follow Jesus no matter what happens, no matter where He takes us. Well, in John 12:26 Jesus says: “Whoever serves me must follow me and wherever I am, my servant will be also”.

Is our Lord grieving over the condition of His church and that of the lost people in the world He so dearly loves and died for? If so, we will be grieving with Him and be moved to obedient action directed by the Holy Spirit.

However, my brothers and sisters rejoice, for He also said to His disciples: “I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve but your grief will turn to joy”. And then, we can say like David:

“You turned my wailing into dancing, you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever”. (Psalm 30:11,12).

 Remember also that Psalm 126: 3 declares:
“The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him” . Amen

“All this also comes from the LORD Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom”. (Isaiah 28:29).

Brother Jean-Louis. Thanksgiving day 1998.

Revised and corrected June 2007.
Revised and Illustrated January 2013

Related  essay:Tempering our weapons