WISDOM AND GENTLENESS

Who among you is wise and understanding?  Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.  James 3:13

            Perhaps you’ve noticed that I speak often of a know-it-all.  I know that I do that.  Having come from a background of legalism, and having been wounded in an atmosphere of spiritual arrogance, I am sensitive to this subject.  Great scholars can lack the humility born of experiencing Christ and the grace He offers for sin.

A pastor whom I admire just returned from a mission’s trip to Africa and he made a comment this week.  “Never trust a leader without a limp.”  That’s it, isn’t it?  There are those who think they become great through the intellectual pursuit of a Master of Divinity degree.  That is not true.  Greatness starts with self-awareness and the familiarity with one’s own brokenness.  When I know the pathology of my own wounds and have explored them in the company of the Holy Spirit, I cannot be anything but humble. Continue reading “Wisdom and Gentleness” →

UNCHANGING GOODNESS

Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, nor shadow of turning.  James 1:17

            God’s character is good and His goodness is always present.  When James speaks of ‘variation and shadow of turning’, he is using a phrase in astronomy called parallax, when the earth rotates on its axis every 24 hours.  When it does, we experience the shifting of light upon the earth.  The sun is obscured by clouds, by seasons, and the nighttime comes to one part of the world while another region enjoys the daylight.  One part of the earth will know nighttime and shadows.

But God never shifts and changes.  He is everywhere at once and we can depend on His goodness being accessible.  So, why does God seem more near at certain times, more distant at others?  The older I get, I understand that it has to do entirely with me.  My flesh causes the illusion of His distance.  My body suffers mortality; illness, depression, fatigue and stress.  Each brings a veil of shadows.  With the obstruction of His view, I can fall into disbelief.  “Where have you gone, Lord?  Don’t you hear?  Don’t you see?  Don’t you care?”  Continue reading “Unchanging Goodness” →

A THREAD TO A ROPE

Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.  James 1:15

            A well-loved rabbi is usually known for his stories, for his wisdom, as evidenced by this metaphor he often used to teach today’s scripture.

            He would tell you that when we listen to the seductive voices of our own souls, we perceive sin as the thread of a spider’s web.  We believe that if we give in, the consequences won’t be that serious.  After all, a thread is thin and easily broken.  In reality, when sin is acted upon, the spider’s thread mutates into a thick braided rope.  The illusion of the thread though ~ trips us up every time.

            I need to believe God about lust giving way to sin, and then sin bringing about death. God hates sin, not only because He is holy, but also because of what it does to His children.   Continue reading “A Thread To A Rope” →

EQUIPPED, NOT INADEQUATE

But let the brother of humble circumstances glory in his high position.  James 1:9

            Are you plagued with nagging self-doubt?  You review your humble beginnings, your lack of experience, and/or your failures and before long, you lose your nerve for the calling of God on your life.  Add to that the fact that any holy calling is God-sized, not human-sized, and you have the makings of a private panic attack.  No wonder you often slip into what others expect of you.  Their model serves as a make-shift womb.  Few ever push their way out into the world to discover what God has dreamed for them.

            James speaks of how we are to perceive ourselves if, by worldly perception, we are void of impressive credentials.  When we are little, we are big in Christ.  When weak, powerful in God’s might.  When foolish, wise in the Spirit.

            What if we believe we are disqualified by past failures?  Continue reading “Equipped, Not Inadequate” →

THE NATURE OF INSTABILITY

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.  James 1:8

            To be double minded is to be unable to hold a fixed belief.  It is to have one part of me acknowledge the truth but another part believe the opposite.  I just can’t make up my mind.  The extent of the battle determines how stable or unstable I am.

           If our relationships are superficial, which describes most of our relationships in the church, most around us never know what’s really going on inside.  We are judged by our cover as we paste on a Christian smile and espouse all the biblically correct axioms.  Oh, it is a lonely war we face.  Continue reading “The Nature of Instability” →

LET’S TALK ABOUT ASKING IN FAITH, NOT DOUBTING!

But let him ask (for wisdom) in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  James 1:6

            Few scriptures have been more abused, more misunderstood, than this one.  Here’s how it is misused.  I find something I want, could even be something God has done for someone else, and I conjure up enough belief to assume He will do it for me.  When nothing happens, I give myself a pep talk and slap my own hands for wavering.  Then I choose to believe again.  If I surround myself with people who also misunderstand this principle, they will join me in my faith chorus.  “Just have more faith.” Continue reading “Let’s Talk About Asking In Faith, Not Doubting!” →

FULLY PERSUADED

Let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  James 1:4

            The oldest manuscripts read, “perfect and fully assured, fully persuaded.”   If I am fully persuaded, nothing will stand in my way.  I will have no doubt about who Jesus is, what God is like, and how He feels about me.  Because of that, I will feel no reservation when I choose to give Him every part of myself and every facet of my life.  I will believe that no sacrifice is too great, no casualty in the war against the anti-kingdom too costly.  I will have eyes for my Master, my Bridegroom, and I will dream of the day when He comes back.  Until then, I will work with Him to enforce Calvary’s victory and do all I can to advance the kingdom He rules so righteously.

            Endurance hasn’t always been my goal.  I was a quitter in my early life and, believe me, I hate to admit.  I remember taking a rugged survivor course in my teens.  After three weeks of ‘roughing it’ in the outdoors, we had to embark on a seven-day, 70 mile canoe trip.  We also climbed the highest peak in NY State and roughly 1,000 feet from the summit, we were given the choice to climb the last bit or sit it out in a cabin and wait for everyone else to return.  (A 3 hour wait.)  I sat it out.  Reaching the top wasn’t important to me at all.  Continue reading “Fully Persuaded” →

BY-PRODUCT OF TESTING

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  James 1:2-3

            Testing brings endurance, according to James.  How?

            1.) The nature of a test is to face a challenge that takes me beyond my proficiency level.  I must stretch to achieve it.  It will appear too hard at first glance and require that I find some new muscles.  God knows me well enough to know how to present a test that is perfectly shaped for my area of weakness.  Continue reading “By-product of Testing” →

TRUTH IS HUMBLING

James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.  James 1:1

            James was the half-brother of Jesus.  He grew up in the same household yet failed to recognize his brother’s divine nature.  Family ties and sibling issues obscured his vision.  Often, what is right under our noses is lost to us and so it was with James.  I’m sure that as he grew older, he was haunted by a certain conversation he had with his brother, Jesus.  “If you want to be known publicly,” James had said, “then go to Jerusalem to the Feast of Booths.  Do your works there so that your notoriety grows.”  The undertone of slick marketing was not lost on the Son of God.  What James really said was, “If you think you’re divine, Jesus, and claim to have a ministry, then this is how you should perform.”  

            It wasn’t until after Jesus death and resurrection that James’ spiritual eyes were opened.  It must have been humbling for him to realize how blind he had been. Continue reading “Truth Is Humbling” →

PRAYER FOR THE TESTING OF MY OWN HEART

And a sword will pierce even your own soul – to the end that thoughts from many will be revealed.  Luke 2:35

Spoken by Simeon to Mary

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Lord, how You favored Simeon.  He was one of few who were told supernaturally that You would be born in their lifetime.  He saw You come to the temple when You were circumcized and he recognized You instantly.  He prophesied boldly to Your mother about your future.  He said that Your life, and death, would pierce her own soul and that Your life would also test the thoughts of people.  What a strange prophesy but Lord, I’ve lived long enough to know what Simeon meant.

Your mother did agonize and a sword did pierce her heart when You, her innocent Son, were nailed to a cross.  How did she bear it?  It was only because Your Father told her that You were the Savior.

But she also stumbled over You as Your presence tested and revealed her thoughts.  Your holiness, even as a toddler, exposed her sinful heart.  This was predicted.  Your Word said, “And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel.”  Is. 8:14  In a weak moment, she presumed upon Your miracle working power at the wedding feast, and later, she called You crazy along with the rest of Your family in Your hometown.  To call You her Son was one thing.  To repent and have to call You her Savior was quite another.

Before I can stand with You today, I must stumble over You.  Your holiness is too bright for my eyes.  My sin is too dark for Yours.  You ways are too hard.  Sinning is too easy.  Your humility is too much to absorb.  My pride is often too great to admit. When the sword of Your Word pierces my heart, my thoughts are an open book.  I am in relationship with You, just like Mary.  My heart is known to You, just as Mary’s heart was.  I stumble, just as Mary did.  Thank you for praying for me, Jesus, so that my faith does not fail.  Like Peter, and like Mary, I am often sifted like wheat and I need You.  Amen