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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 20, 2019 23:05:40 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 2:23, 20 July 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2019 Saturday, 20 July 2019 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. James 2:23 James now goes to Scripture to support his claim concerning Abraham that “faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect.” He says, “And the Scripture was fulfilled.” The word “fulfilled” is argued by some to mean “confirm” or something akin to that. But the meaning is properly “fulfilled,” and it is rightly translated that way. With this understood, he then cites a verse from Genesis 15:6. There it says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Again, it must be remembered that Genesis 15:6 occurred many years before the offering of Isaac in Genesis 22. How could Scripture be “fulfilled” in the sense of justification when he was already declared righteous, as Paul clearly shows in Romans 4 & Galatians 3? But this is the common interpretation of the citing of this verse by James. However, there is no need to use the words “accounted to him for righteousness” as the fulfillment of the Scripture. Rather, Genesis 15:4 says, “And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.’” The Lord told Abraham that his servant, Eliezer of Damascus, would not be his heir. Rather, it would be a child who issued directly from Abraham’s body. And yet, in sacrificing Isaac on the altar, how could he be the promised heir? But Abraham followed through, in faith, with the sacrifice. He was only stopped by the call of God, and thus the Scripture – concerning a son from his own body being the heir – was fulfilled. Whether Isaac was actually sacrificed, which proved to be not necessary, or whether the Lord stopped the sacrifice at the last minute, Abraham was certain that Isaac would be the heir. How can this be? It is explained by the author of Hebrews – “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” Hebrews 11:17-19 Despite Abraham’s attempt to follow through with the act, Abraham understood that Issac was, and would remain, the son of promise. Thus, “the Scripture was fulfilled” is not speaking of the words, “and it was accounted to him for righteousness,” but of the words, “Abraham believed God.” This declaration of righteousness is what the belief signified. Abraham believed God in Genesis 15, and his faith in what he was told then did not waiver in Genesis 22. The entire account comes back to one word – FAITH. And because of Abraham’s faith, James finishes the thought with, “And he was called the friend of God.” What is it that pleases God? It is faith. Abraham had faith and he demonstrated his faith in action. However, there may be those who are not able to demonstrate faith in action due to some limitation. This does not negate their faith. God looks on the heart and motives behind any action. Some actions are accomplished, but not in faith. Some have faith, but there are no actions to support it. Either way, faith is what is being referred to in regards to justification. Concerning the notion of Abraham being called the friend of God, two notable verses confirm this – “Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?” 2 Chronicles 20:7 “But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend.” Isaiah 41:8 Life application: It is important to remember that Abraham’s declaration of righteousness was seven chapters and many long years before the account of the sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22. Therefore, the crediting of righteousness can have nothing to do with what Abraham did at Mount Moriah. Abraham simply looked up at the stars, believed God’s promise, and it was credited as righteousness to him. Was the deed then something that “naturally stems” from saving faith? Was it something that “added to” his righteousness? Or was it a deed of faith because Abraham was a man of faith – already declared righteous because of his faith? Clearly, it was the last: a deed of faith. You should know and understand that if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, and yet you are facing a trial or hardship, God has ordained it for you according to His great wisdom and for your benefit. Be at peace that, whatever you are facing, He is there with you. This is certain because of what Jesus did on your behalf. Lord God, we often face difficulties and trials that we wish we didn’t have to face, but we know Your promises to us stand, and that all things are working together for our good because of Your love for us in Christ Jesus. Give us the strength to face every test and every trial just as you did for Abraham, our great father of faith. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 22, 2019 0:07:48 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 2:24, 21 July 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2019 Sunday, 21 July 2019 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.James 2:24 James 2:24 is one of the most debated verses in the book of James, and even in the New Testament. It is in the indicative mood, and is likely a question, rather than a statement of fact. Thus, the Douay-Rheims Bible says – “Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only?” Further, the word “only,” is in the emphatic position. In essence, James asks it with a stress. He is arguing that someone who has faith only and is unwilling to exercise that faith, is missing a key element of the process of justification. As questioned before concerning works that justify, “What works?” Is there a set standard of works which defines justification? How is a person justified before God? Concerning justification, Paul states, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28). Deeds of the law, meaning the law of Moses (or certainly whatever other law exists at the time, because the Law of Moses did not exist at the time of Abraham) cannot justify. Man is justified apart from deeds of the law. Rather, our faith alone in what Jesus has done justifies us, apart from the law. However, what James has written seems, on the surface, to conflict with Paul’s idea of “faith alone” for justification. Either there is a contradiction or James is speaking on an entirely different level concerning the same matter. Paul is very clear in what he means and repeats his stand of faith alone elsewhere. He makes the same exact claim four more times his epistles: Romans 5:1, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 3:11, and Galatians 3:24. These verses and their surrounding thoughts clearly point to justification (being declared righteous) by faith alone. In addition to this, his letters allude to this concept many other times. Biblical commentaries will state that good works stem necessarily from salvation because of “true faith.” In other words, if you have true faith, you will naturally do “good works.” Therefore, the claim is that James is referring to good works as the “fruit” of justification or “proof of faith.” In fact, many people judge another’s salvation based on the works they do; the claim is that if there are no works, there is no saving faith. This is shallow at best and fails to recognize two things: 1) That non-Christians – all over the world – are actively doing “good works.” Many times these are equal to or better than those of saved Christians. Even self-proclaimed “atheists” go out and do good stuff for other people. Such works simply cannot be what justifies us or “proves” our justification, in any way, shape, or form. If they do, then non-believers have a right to look down on Christians who don’t do what they do and at the same level of output. 2) This doesn’t align at all with what James is saying. James is saying that a person is “justified by works,” not that justification is somehow proved by what he does. Good works as a demonstration of salvation may appear to be the biblical admonition, but it is not always the biblical norm. The entire book of 1 Corinthians is written to already-saved believers. Paul never questions their salvation – even in the midst of gross immorality that was worse than the pagans. They are the most disorganized, haphazard bunch of people one can imagine. Good works are certainly lacking in the lives of these saved people… and yet they are saved – hence justified. If one pursues works as evidence of true saving faith to its logical conclusion, then no known amount of good works could ever be enough to justify a person or prove that justification. In essence, one would be in a never-ending cycle of fret as to whether he has “appeased” God enough to prove his faith. This is the dilemma that Martin Luther was caught in. Roman Catholicism completely controlled its adherents in this respect, of which he was one. In essence, he was in complete bondage to the strict edicts and demands of the Roman Catholic Church. The extra-biblical teachings of depraved men grow abundantly in such an environment – indulgences, purgatory, prayers to the saints, adoration of Mary, legalism of all types, etc. are all the natural result of leaving behind the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus which says we are justified by faith alone. The RCC, in its official canons from the Council of Trent (which are in full effect today), goes beyond Scripture and actually implicitly declares the Apostle Paul anathema. This is because what is being stated in them is 100% contrary to what he wrote. Additionally, canon 23 directly contradicts Jesus’ words and therefore, by default, proclaims Jesus anathema (oops): Canon 9 “If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema.” Canon 10 “If any one shall say that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in the divine mercy pardoning sins for Christ's sake, or that it is that confidence alone by which we are justified ... let him be accursed” Canon 14 “If any one saith, that man is truly absolved from his sins and justified, because that he assuredly believed himself absolved and justified; or, that no one is truly justified but he who believes himself justified; and that, by this faith alone, absolution and justification are effected; let him be anathema.” Canon 23 “lf any one saith, that a man once justified can sin no more, nor lose grace, and that therefore he that falls and sins was never truly justified; or, on the other hand, that he is able, during his whole life, to avoid all sins, even those that are venial,- except by a special privilege from God, as the Church holds in regard of the Blessed Virgin; let him be anathema.” (Underlining added by me.) Canon 24 “If any one saith, that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof; let him be anathema.” Canon 30 “If any one saith, that, after the grace of Justification has been received, to every penitent sinner the guilt is remitted, and the debt of eternal punishment is blotted out in such wise, that there remains not any debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world, or in the next in Purgatory, before the entrance to the kingdom of heaven can be opened (to him); let him be anathema.” Canon 33 “If any one saith, that, by the Catholic doctrine touching Justification, by this holy Synod inset forth in this present decree, the glory of God, or the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ are in any way derogated from, and not rather that the truth of our faith, and the glory in fine of God and of Jesus Christ are rendered (more) illustrious; let him be anathema.” This council declares that if anyone disagrees with it, rather than the teachings of Scripture, they are damned. If these official canons were true, then the message of eternal life through the work of Jesus Christ (by faith alone) would be false. Further, salvation would be entirely up to the determination of the RCC. Thanks be to God, however, that the truth of the gospel is that we are saved, justified, sanctified, and glorified by Jesus’ work alone. However, this still doesn’t resolve the apparent conflict between Romans 3:28 and James 2:24. Our arbitrary works cannot resolve the dilemma between what Paul said and what James said, and so the answer must not lie within us at all. Rather the good works which justify us according to James must be as Jesus declared. “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’” John 6:29 This is because – “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.” John 12:44 Our faith in Jesus is the “work” that God requires. We believe in (have faith in) Jesus’ earthly ministry and are justified as Paul says in Romans. Our justification in what we do then (according to James) must be our reliance on Jesus’ works – His continued work on our behalf as the Mediator between God and man and the future promises which we wait patiently for. This is exactly what was seen in Abraham. He believed that his son, Isaac, would be the son of promise even though he was about to sacrifice him. If this isn't the case, then we remain in a never-ending cycle of wondering if our “works” are justifying us – even though Paul says we are already justified. By necessity, it must all come back to Christ. This is even confirmed by James – But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? James 2:20-22 Paul states in Romans 4 that Abraham was justified (declared righteous) by faith, and then he cites Genesis 15. But James cites Genesis 22 (seven chapters and many years after the declaration of righteousness made in Genesis 15). The Genesis 22 account (which James refers to) is explained in Hebrews 11:17-19 – “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” Do you see? Abraham’s faith (By faith Abraham…) was made complete in what he did, as it was motivated by further faith in God. This was the very work that James is citing. The deed is the faith in God’s provision to bring Isaac back from the dead. It is not the sacrificing of Isaac, but the trust in God that is being spoken of in the words, “By faith Abraham.” From first to last, our declaration of justification is from and of Jesus Christ – what He did on our behalf. Our works of justification are faith in Him and the works He is accomplishing and will accomplish on our behalf. Again – “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” John 6:29 One argument against this could be that James, in most of chapter 2, is talking about actual, demonstrable deeds leading to righteousness. As an example – “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 2:14-17 Counterargument – James gives a tangible example of food and clothing, but then turns to say, “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” However, no action is specified. We’ve already determined that the action required for justification is faith. Our faith justifies us through and through. In the coming verse, James will cite another example of works justifying a person. Will that example align with what is presented here? We shall see when we get to it. For now, Romans 4 debunks any thought of boasting before God based on deeds. Take time to read the entire passage again to understand what it is saying. Understand that it fully supports what is presented here. Life application: To say that justification leads naturally to good works and that they, therefore, prove salvation discounts the biblical example (which is cited in this note) and it also leads to a never-ending cycle of wondering which works count and which don't. Rather, all good things come from Christ, belong to Christ, and are by necessity a result of what He alone has done, is doing, or will do for us. Have faith in Him and His salvation and you are secure in that…in that alone. Concerning the gospel of Christ, Paul says – “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” Romans 1:17 “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”Romans 8:30 Have faith in Jesus Christ – what He did for you, what He is doing for you, and what He has promised to you. Your works of faith are a demonstration of your faith. Lord God, the Bible says that Christ Jesus has done everything necessary for us to be saved, and that our faith alone is sufficient to reconcile us to You. Help us not to fall back onto a law which could never save, but to trust in the One who fulfilled that law for us. And then, Lord, help us to have faith that this is so, and that the promises He has made are sure and reliable. With this, You will certainly be pleased. Thank You for Jesus – the One who has saved us! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 22, 2019 23:11:38 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 2:25, 22 July 2019www.wonderful1.com· Monday, July 22, 2019 Monday, 22 July 2019
Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent themout another way?James 2:25
James now proceeds to his final example of being justified by works. Here, he uses the harlot Rahab as an example. Unlike Abraham, who is discussed in detail by Paul concerning being justified by faith alone, there is very little mention of Rahab in Scripture, and she is only mentioned three times in the New Testament.
The first of these three times is in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1. Her name is simply mentioned along with other names in the list. She is then mentioned in Hebrews 11 in a single verse. And now she is mentioned in this one verse by James. In the Old Testament, it tells of what she did in Joshua 2, and the results of that for her in Joshua 6. On a cursory reading, everything about what she did in Joshua 2 appears to be an active work on her part.
Because of this, James says, “was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works.” This is James’ position, and it is recorded in Scripture. It must be true. As noted, the account of Joshua 2 tells what she did, and the account in Joshua 6 shows the result – the saving of her family and herself. James then explicitly cites the work that she did. It was “when she received the messengers and sent them out another way.”
Here, like in the evaluation of the previous verse, someone might now argue that James is referring to actual, demonstrable deeds leading to righteousness. The idea (as the RCC would claim) is that Rahab has participated in her justification through her deeds. This is good news for people like Bill Gates who do lots of things to be considered philanthropic and caring. Maybe there is hope for him because of all he has done!
No. It doesn’t work that way. A man is justified by faith alone – apart from deeds of the law. This is what Paul speaks of, and it is actually – once again – supported by Hebrews 11 – “By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.” Hebrews 11:31
Hebrews 11, which is prior to the book of James for a reason in Scripture, cites the exact same deed that James now cites. And it says Rahab’s deed was a deed of faith. It was not separate from, but because of, her faith. Her faith saved her and it was expressed in her deed. In other words, a deed, not done in faith, is of no value in this equation. Bill Gates cannot use James 2 to say he stands justified before God, and the RCC cannot say that a person’s arbitrary deeds increase their justification before God. It is by faith, and by faith alone, that one is justified before God. The deeds of faith are what James is referring to.
When someone says, “Good deeds are the fruit of faith,” the question to then be asked is, “What deeds?” Unless the answer is, “Deeds of faith,” then they have missed the mark of what Scripture is referring to. And, the only One who can determine if a deed is of faith is God who reads the hearts and minds. Arbitrary standards of what constitutes “good deeds” are to be rejected. A person’s faith belongs to that person alone.
Life application: “By faith,” Rahab was saved. The faith justifies. The deed is merely an attachment to the faith. Many attempt to climb high mountains, but the lack of motivation to reach the summit will often outweigh the physical ability to do so; some will turn back without accomplishing their task. In contrast, those who truly desire to reach the summit can do so – even if they have far less physical strength than those who couldn’t make it. Those with faith that they can do it will be those who prevail.
We often quit a task because we don’t have faith in a positive outcome. Those who do, even with fewer resources, will continue on and be successful. The outcome is attainable, but the faith is vital.
In Matthew 17, Jesus’ disciples couldn’t heal a boy with a demon. Jesus rebuked them by saying, “O faithless and perverse generation...” (Matthew 17:17). Later when they asked Him why they couldn’t drive out the demon, He responded – “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.’” Matthew 17:20, 21
The outcome then was possible, but they lacked the proper faith to bring it about. Rahab had saving faith in the God of Israel. Her words indicate this – “And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.” Joshua 2:11
Rahab understood the omnipotence of the LORD and put her trust in it. Today, if you are facing a difficult situation, remember that God is in complete control. Have faith that what He has planned is sufficient to accomplish the task according to His will and for your best interests.
Lord, if Rahab the harlot can demonstrate such immense faith despite the situation she faced, surely we can too. Be with us and strengthen our faith that we might stand in the times of testing and trial. Give us faith that can move mountains and the certainty that what we need to accomplish will occur if it is in accord with Your sovereign will. To Your glory and in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 24, 2019 0:09:05 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 2:26, 23 July 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, JULY 23, 2019·5 MINUTES Tuesday, 23 July 2019 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.James 2:26 James closes out Chapter 2 with a clear and concise simile which sums up his thoughts on faith and works. He begins with, “For the body without the spirit is dead.” It is an obvious statement. When the spirit of a man departs, the body dies. This is seen throughout Scripture, including the most poignant example found in human history – “So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” John 19:30 Jesus literally and truly died when His spirit left Him. His body could no longer perform the functions of a living being. This is true with all who die. Understanding that, and using a word translated as “as” for the comparison, James then says, “so faith without works is dead also.” Faith by itself serves no one. But when faith is moved into action, as when a spirit moves a body, so faith is alive. As throughout several verses already, the question comes down to “what works?” As this commentary is being evaluated, fingers are typing on a keyboard. It takes faith that the keyboard will transmit the signal to the computer. As the keyboard is battery-operated, it takes faith that the battery has sufficient energy in it to continue the commentary. Though we don’t think of this, it is always true concerning such things. Faith is defined in Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The answer to the question of “What works?” is “Anything that carries the substance of the things hoped for into action.” There is not an arbitrary set of rules or standards invented by man which say, “He is doing works that demonstrate saving faith,” or “He cannot be saved because his works are not evident.” The only one who can do the works in faith is the individual with the faith. And the only One who can truly evaluate the works as to whether they are of faith or not is God. Is lying in a bed, completely paralyzed, and yet praying to God for others a deed of faith? Yes, of course it is. If the person is praying to God for others, it is because he has faith that his prayers are heard by God. However, if that person is praying to the god of Islam, it is misdirected faith, and thus wasted faith. One must have properly directed faith in order for it to be accepted by God. All prayers are to go through God’s Mediator, Jesus Christ. When this is done by the poor paralytic, his prayers of faith are credited to him as works of faith. This is exactly why Paul says that one must confess Jesus as Lord – “...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9, 10 It is unreasonable to expect that a person who claims to have faith would be unwilling to do the one thing that all people can do – in faith – to be saved. Even a mute person can confess with his mouth. The sound may not be audible, but it is a confession nonetheless. Any deed done in faith (meaning in faith in relation to Jesus Christ) is a work of faith as spoken of by James in this chapter. Any deed not done in faith is not. It is that simple. Life application: Concerning faith and works as spoken of by James, thet wo are inseparable. It all points back to the work of Jesus Christ – in the life of the unbeliever and in the life of the believer. If you have acknowledged Jesus Christ as Lord, then your deeds of faith are to continue. Trust Him, and have faith that your life is being directed by Him to a good end for you. Any actual workings of deeds are to be done in faith that they are a part of His great plan in your life – just as Abraham offering up Isaac was; just as Rahab’s faith in the God of Israel was; and just as was the case in every faithful figure mentioned (or remaining unmentioned but remembered) in Hebrews 11. Heroes of the faith are those who live intimately connected to the Spirit of God and who exercise faith in all they do. Are you a hero of the faith? Do you honestly trust that the immense trial you are facing is for a good end and a glorious purpose? What about the annoying things that happen throughout the day? Have you come to the realization that even these are molding you for your good and for His glory? Walk in His Spirit, trusting that what transpires is just as it should be, O child of the Living God. Thank You Lord that all things – good and difficult – are being used to conform us to Your glorious image and to refine us both in this life and for the life to come. We will trust you, by faith, in everything that occurs – that You will be glorified through our lives. In Jesus name! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 25, 2019 0:30:13 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:1, 24 July 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 2019·4 MINUTES Wednesday, 24 July 2019 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.James 3:1 James now begins Chapter 3 by once again addressing fellow believers with the words, “My brethren.” He is concerned about the quality of understanding matters of doctrine within the fellowship, and so he says to them, “let not many of you become teachers.” The word he uses signifies one competent in instruction. In this case, he is referring to a knowledge of Scripture and its right application, meaning proper theology. This is obvious because he is writing to an assembly of believers who are gathered as a synagogue (verse 2:2), meaning a group which has come together for this purpose. His words indicate that a few who are qualified and knowledgeable in the word are far more preferable than having many teach but who are unqualified. Indeed, there are many valid reasons for this, but James then goes on to give one main reason for the directive by saying, “knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” Using the first person plural, James is including himself in being a teacher, and the consequences of this if his duties are not properly handled. As a teacher of the word, he has a concern even for his own state as a teacher. It shows a care and a concern that his doctrine and instruction is more important to him than merely holding the position. The results of not having this care and concern for doctrine will lead to an unfavorable judgment. The KJV unfortunately and incorrectly translates this word as “condemnation” rather than “judgment.” As James is writing to believers (my brethren), and as this means that they are in Christ and are saved, there is a truth revealed elsewhere in Scripture concerning this matter – as is notedby Paul in Romans 8:1, 1 Corinthians 11:32, and elsewhere – which is that believers have gone from condemnation to salvation. Ours is a judgment not for condemnation, but for rewards and loss. James’ point is that a teacher who is unqualified will not be excused because of his lack of knowledge, but will rather be held to a higher standard because of the position he has assumed. Instead of rewards for accepting the challenge, there will be loss for failing to bring honor to the position, sound instruction to those who listen, and glory to God through the instruction. Life application: Having a proper understanding of the Bible before teaching ought to be the norm, but it is more often than not the exception. Very few ministers, pastors, and teachers have actually read through the Bible even once. Bible teachers will often use non-biblical texts for Bible study, something which defeats the purpose of the study. Rather than the word itself, teachers are known to refer to A Purpose Driven Life, the Left Behind series, or one of a number of other non-biblical texts as if they were authoritative for successful living, or for an understanding of points of doctrine, such as end-times events. If you want bad doctrine, just click on the internet and type in “Bible Study.” There are millions of sites containing such bad information that it simply isn’t possible to discern what is right and what is wrong without already knowing what the Bible actually says. Is it ok to drink alcohol? Only one answer is correct – Yes or No. But without having personally studied the issue, how can you know which is true? What should be the truth about Christian giving – tithing or something else? What does the Bible really teach about tithing anyway? The list is long of such lesser issues which can lead people down faulty paths, and which will inevitably set our lives on unhappy courses. How much worse then with the greater issues such as justification, sanctification, proper conduct within the church, and etc. Consider other major doctrines such as the Trinity, the virgin birth, the resurrection, etc. If you have gotten those wrong, your salvation very well may be in question. And yet there are millions of people who either deny these fundamental truths, or don’t know where they stand on the issue. If the masses who aren’t teachers are in trouble, then how much more will be the teachers of such heresies. Misdirected faith is wasted faith. Make sure you read your Bible and know the truth – eternity awaits. Lord God, may You be our guide and our teacher through the word You have given. When we attend a Bible study or read a commentary, may You open our eyes to the truth of what is being taught. Give us proper biblical discernment as a gift to us so that we might not sin against You. This we ask in the beautiful name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 26, 2019 0:17:41 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:2, 25 July 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019·4 MINUTES Thursday, 25 July 2019 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he isa perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.James 3:2 James just spoke of the need for people to not be hasty in becoming teachers, “knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” Now, to support that notion, he says, “For we all stumble in many things.” It is a universal statement, inclusive of himself, that people are prone to error. The word translated as “stumble” is the same word used in verse 2:10 where he noted – “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” His point is that all are guilty of breaking the law. It is something confirmed by Paul in the book of Romans – “...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 Next, to further define what he means by “stumble,” he says, “If anyone does not stumble in word.” The idea here is that everyone is prone to stumble, and thus people who desire to be teachers need to be properly trained in teaching. However, there are those whose point of stumbling is in their words. Such cannot keep watch over their tongues. This is a great error because the tongue is the very means by which the teaching is communicated. Therefore, if the person’s words are not circumspect, there will be a negative impression brought upon the very word which is being taught. And yet, it is the word which is intended to bring life, restoration with God, and a proper walk before Him. A man who can guard his tongue is needed. In this, James says, “he is a perfect man.” The word translated as “perfect” gives the sense of full maturity, being brought to the end of the development process so that there is a perfection of his verbal conduct. There will be no stumbling because he has trained himself in the word. It is reflective of what is said in Psalm 39:1 – “I said, ‘I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me.’” Finally, James describes such a perfect man by saying that he is “able also to bridle the whole body.” How can that be? The tongue is so small, and it is normally kept out of sight. And yet James says that in keeping the tongue in check, the whole body is bridled! The word he uses is one only found here and in James 1:26, chalinagógeó, and it signifies “to curb,” “restrain,” or even “to bridle.” One puts a bridle in the horse of a mouth, and the horse can then be moved wherever the rider determines. This is the idea that James gives here. To bridle the tongue will keep the whole body moving in the desired path. James will continue with his thoughts on the tongue in the verses ahead, warning all that the tongue must be properly restrained, or severe consequences will result. Life application: Living a faultless life is a hard challenge and, as James indicates, we all stumble in many ways. There are certain sects and cults which claim that we can have total victory over sin even in this life. But 1 John 1:10 dispels that notion – “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” We cannot claim that we were or are yet free from sin. To make such a claim is to call the inspiration of Scripture into question. However, we can strive to be faultless in the use of our tongue. And this, in turn, will allow us to keep the rest of our actions in check as well. Because of the large amount of effort James will dedicate to the subject of keeping watch over our tongues, we will demonstrate wisdom to take heed to his admonitions. In addition to James, the book of Proverbs deals with the subject of exercising care in the use of our mouths. Let us make a concerted effort to use our mouths for praise and not cursing, adoration and not contempt, uplifting and not tearing down. If we do this, not only will those we address be blessed, but we will as well. Negativity in life stores up in our souls and makes us bitter. So let us attempt to focus on the good aspects of others – to the extent possible, depending on the person. If there is nothing redeeming in the person, then don’t say anything at all. Why lower yourself to the level of a debased person? All things to the glory of the Lord! So let us watch our tongues closely. Heavenly Father, we surely and openly admit to our inability to control our tongues in all situations. Therefore, we ask a heaping dose of restraint in this matter. Refresh us and give us the ability to overcome the use of inappropriate words. We ask this that You will be glorified in our lives and in the eyes of those around us. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 27, 2019 14:10:13 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:3, 26 July 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019·3 MINUTES Friday, 26 July 2019 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. James 3:3 James just spoke of not stumbling with our tongues, which leads to being able to bridle the whole body. He now will give a few examples which convey this same type of idea. The first is in line with what he just said, that of bridling a horse. In this, he exclaims, “Indeed.” Some manuscripts (and thus some translations) exclude the word and replace it with a less exciting “but if.” However, assuming “indeed” belongs to the original, James excitedly pens the thought, knowing that it is a beautiful metaphor to convey his intent. As he continues, he says, “we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us.” The word “horses” is in the emphatic position showing the greatness of the beast. It is large, swift, powerful, and it is most difficult to restrain. So majestic and filled with strength and bravado is the horse that the Lord joyfully called out its noble characteristics to Job – “Have you given the horse strength? Have you clothed his neck with thunder? 20 Can you frighten him like a locust? His majestic snorting strikes terror. 21 He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; He gallops into the clash of arms. 22 He mocks at fear, and is not frightened; Nor does he turn back from the sword. 23 The quiver rattles against him, The glittering spear and javelin. 24 He devours the distance with fierceness and rage; Nor does he come to a halt because the trumpet has sounded. 25 At the blast of the trumpet he says, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle from afar, The thunder of captains and shouting.” Job 39:19-25 James places the horse in the emphatic position for this reason, but then notes that a mere bit in the mouth can bring these splendid creatures into submission so “that they may obey us.” A teeny little thing can subdue these marvelous beasts, and in this state “we turn their whole body.” The obedience of the whole body is brought about by one small item which is contained within the mouth. As this is so, then the obvious connection to our tongue is made. If we can restrain it, then the whole body can be restrained by that action. Life application: Watching our mouth is an important aspect of our lives in any situation, but as a teacher it is even more so. Parents who don’t watch their tongues around their children are going to have children with evil mouths. Teachers who flippantly talk about misguided subjects will only produce misguided students. And Bible teachers and pastors who make faulty analyses of biblical passages are going to produce students and congregations with faulty doctrine. If you don’t think this is so, just examine your thoughts on any touchy subject from a biblical perspective. Either it is acceptable or it is not acceptable, but what you were trained is what you believe, regardless of what the truth really is. Now, go do a study directly from the word and check it out for yourself – without presupposing the outcome. Continue this pattern with every doctrine you have learned. Don’t blindly accept what you are taught. Your teacher is more responsible, but you still bear responsibility in the matter. Glorious heavenly Father – we can see that just as a large horse is moved about by a small bit in its mouth, so is the tongue in our Bible teachers’ mouths. Their tongues may not be fitted perfectly and their doctrine may be lacking. Help us to check out what we are taught. Please keep our doctrine pure by opening our eyes to what is correct. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 27, 2019 14:12:15 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:4, 27 July 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SATURDAY, JULY 27, 2019·5 MINUTES Saturday, 27 July 2019 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.James 3:4 James just wrote about the majestic horse which can be brought into submission by a mere bit in its mouth. He now turns to a nautical theme, that of the ship. He says, “Look also at ships.” One can read the excitement in his words as he considers this, and as he places an emphasis (in the Greek) upon the first clause. It may be better translated as “Behold!” Whether James had seen larger ships along the Mediterranean Sea, or only smaller vessels on the Sea of Galilee, it hardly matters when considering the example he will give, which is that “although they are so large and driven by fierce winds.” Even if James had only seen the smaller vessels at the Sea of Galilee, they would still be big enough to carry men and fishing equipment or passengers. And he would still have known of the amazingly fierce winds which would rush down through the Arbel Pass from the Mediterranean and then over the sea itself. The shallow nature of the sea, combined with these rushing winds, would cause waves to increase to great size. As the winds whipped around, there would be chaos in the waters. It is reminiscent of what is recorded in Luke 8:22-24 – “Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.’ And they launched out. 23 But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. 24 And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’” James may have even taken a trip to the Mediterranean and seen the larger ships which conducted trading throughout the Middle East. In Acts, one that Paul traveled on carried 276 people. But even if James didn’t actually see such a ship, the Hebrew Scriptures refer to them on several occasions, such as in the book of Jonah, or as referred to in these words from the psalms – “Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters, 24 They see the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep. 25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. 26 They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. 29 He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. 30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven.” Psalm 107:23-30 James, like Jonah and the psalms, speaks of the fierce winds which can toss a ship about. And yet, the ship is not left without its own means of harnessing and then directing even such winds. As he says, “they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.” Unless the winds are completely unmanageable, the ship is able to capture them in its sails, and then the boat – this massive home upon the seas – is directed by a rudder which is insignificant in comparison to the size of the ship. But despite its diminutive size, the pilot can choose his course and pursue it by turning this small device. Here, in these words, James is comparing a ship to an individual. The winds are those things which impel us from within our minds, tossing us back and forth, and which need to be properly directed. And the rudder is compared to the tongue. Whichever way the tongue moves will impel the man in that direction – be it good or ill. Life application: Imagine the massive size of modern ships – larger than football fields and able to carry loads of cargo more immense than most of us can actually imagine. And yet they can be steered by a rudder at the back of the ship which is minuscule in comparison to the size of the ship with its load. Add in strong winds which push against the gigantic sides of the ships and the waves which beat down the length of them, and it is astonishing that they can keep a true course all the way to their remote destinations. Now think on the even more immense direction of souls steered by a wayward preacher or leader. In 2 Peter 1:21, it says – “...for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” The words of prophecy which Peter refers to have come to be known as the Holy Bible. They were divinely inspired by God. In fact, this verse indicates that these men were “moved by the Holy Spirit,” even as a ship is carried along by the wind. Imagine now – even though these words were directed as if by a great wind moving the men as they received the words of God, it takes just a small rudder to distort it for one’s own evil purposes. An effective distortion of God’s intent will direct the course of the lives of those who believe it – even onto the rocky shores of destruction. However, there is a lighthouse to direct us on the foaming seas; it is God’s Holy Spirit. How important then is it to check what we have been taught and ask for illumination of the word by God so that we don’t end in the depths of the ocean of deceitful instruction, tossed about by every wind of doctrine, or even cast upon the rocks of destruction. Heavenly Father, as your word unfolds before us, it gives us light and understanding – even to the most simple of us. Help us to yearn for Your word, desiring it as we do the very water we need on a hot and dry day. Have mercy upon us, because we love Your name and because we desire to be true to You. And so, as we walk along life’s path, may Your word be our guide so that sin will not prevail among us. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 29, 2019 0:47:39 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:5, 28 July 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2019·4 MINUTES Sunday, 28 July 2019 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!James 3:5 James continues in this verse with the notion of something small which can affect something much larger. First, he revisits the issue of the tongue by saying, “Even so the tongue is a little member.” The average tongue of a human is a couple of ounces. It is almost always hidden out of sight, and apart from sticking it out to demean someone else, or for a less-than-classy addition to a selfie, it seems more geared toward regulating things going on inside of the body. And yet, it is the tongue which “boasts of great things.” We may not often think about the tongue as one of the main parts of the speech-making process, but it is. In fact, without a tongue, speech would be reduced to grunts and moans. But when the tongue operates properly, it is the very means of getting the words in our heads to be understood by those around us. Here, James shows that this teeny part of the body is that which makes great boasts. From there, he hints at how damaging this is by equating it to something that can be hugely destructive by saying, “See how great a forest a little fire kindles!” This is a universally understood precept. Wherever fire is known, its destructive effects are also understood. A single spark can light a fire for cooking, or it can increase in size to bring down an entire forest. It is how the fire is contained that its usefulness or out-of-control nature is seen. Likewise, the tongue can be contained, or it can be left unrestrained. The effects of each is also understood. James will continue with this analogy in the coming verse. Life application: The tongue which, although small in comparison to the rest of the body, can be a force of destruction for so much more than its size would intimate – The tongue is from where our boasting proceeds. The tongue is from where our cursing proceeds. The tongue is from where our blessings proceed. The tongue is from where our instruction for others proceeds. The tongue is from where the proclamation for our salvation proceeds. As Paul says – “...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9 Our tongue is a force for both good and evil depending on how it is used. When it is used improperly, it – just like a small spark in the forest – can cause immense destruction. Think on the misspoken words in political history which have cost millions of lives. Likewise, think of the words which issue from the mouths of false prophets which have led to the eternal condemnation of souls around the world and throughout history. If humanity were a forest and a false teacher were a spark, the recipients of his fiery message would be compared to dry tinder which is so easily consumed. This is why it is so very important to replenish oneself from the well of Living Water which gives life and protection from this inferno. Read your Bible, study your Bible, and know your Bible better than you know yourself. In doing this, the Water of Life will guard your limbs, your trunk, and your roots from the wiles of the evil one. Lord God, may we each be like the man the Bible speaks of who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, who does not stand in the way of sinners, and who does not sit in the seat of mockers. Instead, may our delight be in Your law, and may we meditate on it day and night. In this, we will be like trees planted by streams of water. Our fruit will yield in its season, and our leaves shall not wither. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 30, 2019 0:24:22 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:6, 29 July 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·MONDAY, JULY 29, 2019·6 MINUTES Monday, 29 July 2019 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.James 3:6 For this verse, James pulled out his Greek lexicon and used several words which are rarely found, or only found here. He just said in the previous verse, “See how great a forest a little fire kindles!” Now, building upon that thought, he says, “And the tongue is a fire.” He has made a direct comparison of a fire, which is small and yet it can burn down a whole forest, to the tongue which is small. It implies that the tongue can also do an immense amount of damage. He will further explain this. Before doing so, he says that the fire, which the tongue is, can be equated to “a world of iniquity.” The word for “world” is a common one, kosmos. It generally signifies an orderly arrangement, which the physical world certainly is. In this, he is saying that the tongue “is an organism containing within itself all evil essence, which from it permeates the entire man” (Vincent’s Word Studies). It is an orderly arrangement of that which is contrary to God’s righteousness and His righteous judgments. Understanding this now, James continues with, “The tongue is so set among our members.” The word translated as “is so set” is not uncommon, but it is more than a simple “is.” It signifies to “set in order,” or “appoint.” One can think of the tongue being put in charge, or having authority. With this setting of authority within our members, James then says “that it defiles the whole body.” Here is another new word in Scripture, spiloó. It signifies to stain, spot, or soil. One can see the root of our modern-day word “spill” in it. When one spills something, it can stain something else. This word will only be seen again in Jude 1:23. The tongue, like the little fire of the previous verse, goes forth and puts a stain upon the whole body. As the verb is a present participle, it literally reads, “defiling the whole body.” It is active and it spreads like a cancer to every member. Once this happens, James says that it “sets on fire the course of nature.” Here, James uses two new words. The first is phlogizó. It is a verb used twice here in James 3:6, and nowhere else. It means “to cause to blaze.” It is also a present participle, and so it more literally reads, “setting on fire.” The tongue actively is setting on fire “the course of nature.” Here is the second new word, and it is found only here in the Bible, trochos. It signifies a wheel. It is that which moves on a circular track and thus it speaks of a circuit representing the “moral axis” on which our lives turn. Along with this, James ties the word “wheel” in with the word genesis, signifying one’s birth or lineage. Because of the unusual nature of the words, translations vary widely – the whole course of one's life (NIV) your whole life (NLT) the course of nature (BLB) the entire course of our existence (GNT) the course of human existence (NET Bible) the successions of generations (Aramaic) the wheel of nature (ASV) the wheel of our nativity (Douay-Rheims) the whole round of our lives (WNT) Probably, the Douay-Rheims gets the closest to what James had on his mind. We are born into the world and, from that point on, our life turns on an axis like a wheel. This “wheel of nativity” is set on fire by our very small tongue. For example, the baby who was born in an obscure area of Upper Austria turned into a raging monster who exterminated countless lives in a war which spanned the earth. Upon his death, nothing is remembered of his supposedly innocent birth. Rather, his tongue brought him to a state of infamy as it brought destruction and ruin. He is but one example of every human who has come into existence, with but one exception. Our tongues can be an uncontrollable fire from the moment we are born until the last breath we take. James is warning us of this and calling us to pay heed. The “wheel of nativity” is a vivid description of the state of human life. James finishes with the thought that this small and yet terribly powerful part of the body “is set on fire by hell.” Here he uses the same word as before for “set on fire,” and it is again a present participle. Hell itself is setting the tongue on fire, causing it to blaze like an inferno. But the word translated as hell is the word Geenna, or as the Hebrew calls it, Gehenna. The word comes from two Hebrew words, gay (pronounced gah-ee) & Hinnom. Thus, it is the Valley of Hinnom, a valley west and south of Jerusalem where the trash of the city was burned, including the bodies of the slain. It was a place of putrefaction and burning heat. Thus it is symbolic of the final place of punishment for the ungodly. The tongue receives its power to defile from hell, and it leads those who use it for this purpose directly to the place from where its power was derived. The wheel of nativity for some goes from the control of the devil back to the place where the devil and all ungodly will be forever banished to. Life application: When a person is corrupted, everything he or she comes into contact with is also affected by that corruption. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormons, rejected the words of Paul in Galatians 1:6-8 and proclaimed “another gospel.” In this, he has deceived millions of people in successive generations by his false teachings. Paul quite clearly calls any gospel other than the one he proclaims, “anathema,” or worthy of eternal condemnation. Adolph Hitler invoked the name of “Jehovah” when railing against the Jewish people. His evil words led to the destruction of many millions of Jews, Christians, and other “undesirable” people in the lands he controlled. His words came not from God, but from hell itself. His tongue received the instruction of the devil and repeated it to the destruction of not only the lives of those he fought against, but the lives of his own people. Germany was laid waste by one small tongue – a spark in an immense forest. These examples only touch on the evil found in the history of mankind. Today we face evil in the form of Islam and the Islamic imams who speak of, and participate in, the destruction of western society. Israel is to be “wiped off the map” according to these lunatics. Their words stir up billions of Muslims and are leading us down the path to Armageddon. Such large examples tend to make us overlook our own destructive tongues though. Let us, even in our small circles of life, conduct our tongues in reverence of God, in building up our friends, and in the tender care of our children. May our own tongues be especially careful to always be salted from heaven and not spiced with the fires of hell. Lord God, our tongues have not always been a tool for blessing – You know this all too well. Please help us to control them so that they will be used for goodness rather than evil, for blessing rather than cursing, for godly counsel rather than wickedness. Hear our petition and our prayer – made in the powerful name of Jesus. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 30, 2019 23:14:55 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:7, 30 July 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, JULY 30, 2019·3 MINUTES Tuesday, 30 July 2019 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.James 3:7 James now takes the example of an unrestrained tongue, and he contrasts it to the beasts of the earth, some of which are incredibly wild, some ferocious, some plainly stupid, some bearing various types of intelligence, and so on. He begins with, “For every kind.” This should read, “For every nature.” He is not comparing individual men with particular beasts. Instead, he is referring to a general relation between man’s nature and the nature of various creatures. And, as noted, this is not the same in all creatures. Understanding this, he lists various categories for us to consider. The first is of beasts and birds (it is plural in the Greek). The word translated as “beast” is one which is not one used of sacrifices. Those are generally herding animals which have been tamed since the earliest recorded pages of Scripture. Rather, this is a general term for wild animals that would otherwise seem untameable. We could think of a raccoon or a wild hog maybe. The word for “bird” signifies any flying animal in general. Simply because they do not naturally exist in the land of Israel, we could think of a macaw or a toucan. James continues with reptiles and sea things (again, the Greek is plural). The word for “reptile” signifies a creeping creature, quite often a serpent. For the sake of rarity, one could think of the monitor lizard. The word for those things in the sea is found only here in Scripture, enalios. The prefix enmeans in, and hals signifies the sea. Thus, it is anything in the sea. Maybe a sea otter or a porpoise would suffice for our examples. James says that, of these various categories, each “is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.” The word translated as “tamed” signifies being subdued, but that state involves obedience and restraint. Humans have exercised dominion over the beasts of the earth in this manner. Some of these are massive in size, some have claws and teeth which are very dangerous, others may have quills that can shoot at man or have poisons which can kill immediately. And yet, they have been subdued by man. How unlike the description of the tongue of the previous verse. James will continue with this line of thought in the verses ahead. Life application: Though we can tame all kinds of animals, we find it hard to tame our own tongues. What an indictment! Unreasoning animals are better students than we are in some respects. Let us make a concerted effort to speak words which are soothing and healing, rather than of evil and poison. In the end, when we speak flippantly of others, we degrade ourselves as well. Lord God, just as we need help controlling our tongues against that which is vile, so we pray that You will help us to actively use them for that which is wholesome and edifying. May our tongues not be tools of destruction, but rather implements of blessing and love. Be with us in this challenge to improve our words so that we will increase our praises of others and our blessings in Your name. Thank You for hearing our prayer. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 1, 2019 0:48:59 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:8, 31 July 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2019·3 MINUTES Wednesday, 31 July 2019 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8 In the previous verse, James spoke of the taming of “every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea.” Man has subdued life on the earth so much so that he has massive elephants standing on balls in the circus, and killer whales bouncing balls off their noses in large aquariums. Other than the Loch Ness monster, which still remains rather elusive, almost every imaginable animal, bird, or sea-creature is found in some type of zoo or aquarium. These things have been tamed, or subdued. And yet, as James continues, he says that “no man can tame the tongue.” The expression he uses is very strong in the Greek, “no one of men.” He is stating that nobody has been fully able to restrain the tongue. We have had 6000 years of human history, and yet the tongue remains unbridled and it freely wags about, causing harm to self and pain to others. As he then writes, “It is an unruly evil.” The word translated as “unruly” was introduced in James 1:8 when referring to the man who is “unstable” in all his ways. This is its last use in Scripture. The word signifies that which is unstable or unsettled, but even those words fall short. Unruly is better. It is an almost anarchic display. The tongue casts off the rule of the mind and follows its own destructive course. This is truly evident when seeing someone shout out something totally outside of their normal character. It is as if the words sprang from hell, the source of chaos itself. What issues forth is simply uncontrolled evil, and it is “full of deadly poison.” Here, James uses a word found elsewhere in classical Greek and in the Apocrypha, but which is found only here in Scripture. It signifies “death-bearing,” or “death-bringing.” In other words, the poison that is contained in the tongue can, and often does, lead to death. James’ words are true, both as recorded in Scripture and as has been evidenced to throughout history. A simple misuse of the tongue has landed people on the gallows or before a firing squad. In 2 Samuel 1, an Amalekite came to David and boasted that he had killed Saul, king of Israel. His words were a lie, but he made the claim in order to ingratiate himself to David. Thinking his tongue had brought him honor, he found out that it was the bringer of death to him – “So David said to him, ‘How was it you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?’ 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, ‘Go near, and execute him!’ And he struck him so that he died. 16 So David said to him, ‘Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’” 2 Samuel 1:14-16 Life application: Watch your tongue. Lord God, our tongues sure can get us into a bad patch. When we engage our mouths before engaging our brains, it can lead us into a world of hurt – both for ourselves and for those around us. Help us to stop… and then to think. Only after this, then should we open our mouths and speak. Be with us in this, O God. The tongue is an unruly evil. Help us to keep it in check – to Your glory. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 1, 2019 23:56:37 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:9, 1 August 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019·3 MINUTES Thursday, 1 August 2019 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. James 3:9 James, having just spoken about man’s inability to tame the tongue, goes on to write, “With it we bless our God and Father.” Some manuscripts say, “Lord and Father.” If the rendering is “Lord,” there is already a precedent for calling Him “Father” in Isaiah 9:6. If “God” is correct, it is speaking of God as Father, not God the Father. Whichever is correct, the intent of the words is obvious. We praise our Creator with our tongues. This is the purpose of man. It is to glorify God with every fiber of our substance, including with our tongues. He is worthy of it, and it is right and fitting that we do so. And yet, at the same time, James continues with, “and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.” Rather than “who,” the translation would be better stated as, “which have been made in the similitude of God.” It is not that some men have been so made and others have not. Even the most fallen and depraved men bear God’s image. As this is so, James is calling out the logical contradiction which arises in blessing God and then in cursing those made in His image. The scholar Bengel notes that even though Absalom fell from his father’s favor, he remained the king’s son. That never changed. The same is true with man. Though we have fallen from God’s favor, the image of God in man has not been erased. Therefore, we should not curse man and presume to turn around and bless God. Instead, we should bless. It is a hard thing to do at times, but it is what James logically calls for. And which he will continue to confirm in the next verse. Life application: James’ thought goes back to the first page of the Bible – “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27 The very next words in the Genesis account are, “Then God blessed them…” Man is God’s image-bearer and has been blessed by God; therefore, we show disrespect to God when we curse others, whom He has blessed. Any curses on man are at God’s prerogative – violations of His law, for example. But for us to flippantly curse our leaders because we disagree with them, our supervisors because they are overbearing, our neighbors because we are tired of them, or any others for whatever reason, we only bring discredit upon ourselves. Instead of curses, let us shower our enemies with blessing. This is what Jesus expects of us in Luke 6:28 and is what Paul repeats in Romans 12:14. Bless, and do not curse. Lord God, in Your word, a tough challenge has been placed before us. We are asked to bless others because they bear Your image. Even if our mouths don’t curse others, our hearts often do. And sometimes it wells up and comes out of our mouths. Give our hearts a hefty cleansing and take away the evil thoughts they produce towards others. May our mouths reflect pure hearts, and may we shower others with blessings. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 2, 2019 23:29:05 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:10, 2 August 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 2019·4 MINUTES Friday, 2 August 2019 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. James 3:10 The previous thought from James is that with our mouths we both bless our God and Father, and with it we also curse men who were created in God’s image. Now he shows how inappropriate that is by saying that “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.” Here, he gives a general repeat of what he has just said in order to show that these things do, in fact, occur. We do bless God while at the same time we do curse men made in His image. It is no longer an abstract example of what might be, but a concrete statement of what happens. However, though this is the case, he continues with, “My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” The verb translated as “to be” is in a form which signifies something like, “these things should not come to pass in this way.” This is what is known as a litotes, which is an ironic understatement where something spoken as a negative is making an affirmative statement. If someone says, “You won’t be sorry,” he actually means, “You will be happy about the result.” This is what James is doing. In saying that such things should not come about, he is indicating that they do come about, and that it is inappropriate that such things occur. Charles Ellicott notes the following concerning the term, “ought not” – “The Greek equivalent for this is only found here in the New Testament, and seems strangely weak when we reflect on the usual vehemence of the writer. Was he sadly conscious of the failure beforehand of his protest? At least, there seems no trace of satire in the sorrowful cadence of his lines, ‘Out of the same mouth!’” In other words, though this matter is spoken against, it is almost a given that it does occur and will continue to occur. It seems to be a sad resignation that man finds himself unable to curb his tongue. Even James, then, must have felt the conviction of the offense as he wrote. Life application: One of the many contradictions of our lives is set before us here by James. We bless one person, of whom we are favorably disposed toward, and we then turn around to tear down another person we dislike. We praise God with our lips on Sunday morning and then speak words which diminish His glorious name on Monday. All are guilty of this to some extent. But suppose we don’t directly speak the Lord’s name in a profane way – do we still allow ourselves to watch movies that do? It’s hard to see a movie today that has a PG rating or higher that doesn’t contain profanity of some sort and most of them include the use of the name of Jesus or God in a profane way. Although we’re not actively cursing in this way, we are passively receiving this when we watch. Each of us needs to evaluate this and come to a decision about what we will and won’t allow into our lives. We should then to stick to it as best as we can. These are only some examples of the myriad of them that we demonstrate each day, but they do indicate what our walk with the Lord is like to others. When they see us using demeaning words towards others, they know the state of our heart. When we allow our lips to diminish the name of the Lord, we condone such talk in their lives as well. We should make every effort to carefully use our tongues towards others and allow them to only speak praises, not smears; blessings, not curses. When we fail, as we certainly will, let us remember to acknowledge our fault and do our best to go forward with the determination to not continue down that path. O Lord, our tongues are not always free from words that are impure or which diminish Your glory in the eyes of others. We fail to bless and instead we curse. We fail to praise and instead we smear. No matter what others do, give us the strength to prevail over this error which so easily arises in our daily lives. We love You, and want that love to be apparent to all through the words of our mouths and through our daily lives. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 4, 2019 1:02:01 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:11, 3 August 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2019·4 MINUTES Saturday, 3 August 2019 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?James 3:11 James now turns to a rhetorical question. In the Greek, the question begins with an interrogative particle which implies that a negative response is expected. To get a further sense of the language, he uses a definite article before “spring.” He says, “the spring.” This is given to emphatically generalize the question. Next, the word translated as “send forth” is bruó. It means to gush forth. This is an active spring that is sending forth water in a voluminous amount, and which does not fail. One can think of the words of Isaiah – “The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” Isaiah 58:11 Next, the word translated as “fresh” is glukus. It is a new word to Scripture which will be seen four times, twice here in James 3, and twice in Revelation when referring to honey. It means “sweet.” It is where our modern word “glucose” comes from. And also, the word translated as “bitter” is pikros. It is another new word which will be seen only here and in verse 3:14. It signifies that which is acrid. Finally, the word translated as “opening” is opé. This is the second and last use in Scripture. It is where our modern word “open” is derived from. It is a hole or a crevice. So, more literally, James asks, “Does the spring gush forth sweet and acrid from the same opening?” The expected answer is, “Obviously not!” Nothing like this is found in nature, and nothing like this should then be found in man. Here, we have the spring which symbolizes the heart of man, and the opening looks to the mouth of man. A heart that is bitter will put forth bitter, and a heart that is sweet will put forth sweet. But there is confusion in man and we tend to put forth both. It thus confuses that which is found in the natural realm, and we therefore become our own self-contradiction. It is something we need to work on, and it is something that we need to correct. Life application: There is a problem with the water which flows forth from a crevice. Normally, one cannot tell just by looking at it if it is good or not. Sometimes even a taste can miss harmful impurities. If one goes to Yellowstone National Park, he can see crystal clear water coming from the earth, but it can’t be consumed. Likewise, if you look at water from a tap in the Philippines which looks clear and fresh, you might assume it is good. In this, you are likely to have bad stomach problems because of the bacteria living in it. So it is with our mouths. Good speech comes from a good heart and bad speech comes from a bad heart. How can we, saying we have a right heart with God, utter forth profanities and curses? The two are incompatible. Likewise, preachers may have a message which sounds good, but if it is tainted with bad doctrine his followers will end up in destruction. The message may come from the heart, but it is often hard to tell from mere appearances. Take time to reflect on both the message and the messenger – and then compare them against the only proper standard – the Holy Bible. Don’t trust any message, messenger, or combination without verifying it with God’s word. Take time to read these two accounts today. They tell of tainted water that was purified by the Lord – Exodus 15:22-25 2 Kings 2:19-22 Now think on one more source of Water – the Living Water of Jesus Christ. This gives everlasting life to wells full of impurities, and it cleanses them so that they will never be tainted again. How great is our Lord! Have faith and trust that He can purify your hearts and lips today. O Lord, we were corrupted wells which put forth bad waters. But, you purified us at the source and have healed us. Help us to now put forth only that which is pure and wholesome. We stand in awe of the work You have done, and are doing, in our lives. Continue to cleanse us daily so that we may be springs of purity, flowing out into a world which needs healing. May Your Spirit overflow from us and lead others to the salvation found in You. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 5, 2019 0:10:16 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:12, 4 August 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2019·3 MINUTES Sunday, 4 August 2019 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.James 3:12 James continues with more rhetorical questions, again demanding negative answers. He questions, “Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives”? This takes the student of the Bible back to the first page of Scripture – “Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth’; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind.” Genesis 1:11, 12 The answer to the question is, “No, such cannot occur.” The reason for the answer is that God has ordained it this way. He has made each fruit tree according to its kind, and it bears fruit which is according to its kind. The fruit contains a seed which corresponds to the fruit, and that seed will bear a new tree, according to its kind. And to ensure that the reader continues to think on these lines, James continues with, “or a grapevine bear figs?” Again, the answer is, “No.” The reason for asking the same type of question as before is the same reason we do this today. In asking a second question concerning the same matter, it asks us to continue with the process in our own minds for all such occurrences as they come to mind. “Can a coconut tree bear durian fruit?” “Can an orange tree bear bananas?” By asking twice, we are encouraged to think the matter through to its logical and complete conclusion. Knowing that this is the case, James then goes back to answer the question of the previous verse. He had asked, “Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?” His answer is, “Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.” In these words, he includes one which is only found here in Scripture, halukos. It signifies “salty.” A spring cannot issue forth salty and fresh. As this is so, and as the words are intended to be tied into what issues from the mouth of man, James shows the illogical and inconsistent thought of blessing and cursing issuing forth from the same mouth. Life application: Considering the early Genesis account in relation to the coming of Jesus, it gives us an insight into the mystery of Christ. He was born of the Holy Spirit and of Mary. Therefore, He is the unique God/Man – fully God through the Holy Spirit and fully Man through Mary. Therefore, He alone is qualified to change our nature from corruption to life – from a bitter salt spring to one which issues forth fresh water. By nature, we are at enmity with God and we cannot produce anything pleasing to Him. Sin separates us from Him. But by accepting Christ, our very nature is changed and we can now be pleasing to Him – not because of anything inherent in us, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. If you have not yet accepted Christ, no matter how you feel about your good deeds, your separation from God makes them futile. Put your trust in the Lord and He will change you to a spring of fresh water. Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of the Water of Life – the renewing of our souls through the power of the Holy Spirit. We ask that you fill us daily with Your goodness so that we will be continual springs of fresh water to those around us. Thank You for Jesus, thank you for Your Spirit, and thank You for Your great love. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 6, 2019 0:17:11 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:13, 5 August 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 2019·4 MINUTES Monday, 5 August 2019 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. James 3:13 James has been speaking of the tongue, and in particular that of it issuing forth both blessings and curses. He shows that this is contradictory and illogical. Now, he turns that into a question. “Who is wise and understanding among you?” It is James’ way of stimulating thought, “If it is contradictory and illogical to issue forth blessings to God and yet also curse men created in God’s image, then who will learn from my words now? It is the one who is wise and understanding.” The words are well translated. The first one is sophos. It is a primary word which indicates being learned, skilled, clever, and so on. The second word, epistémón, is found only here. As sophos is a general wisdom, epistémónis a more precise knowledge of something. It signifies being skillful or experienced. Between the two, one might think of a person who can fix lots of things – a jack of all trades. He is wise. And yet, he is also especially good at repairing intricate mechanical things. He has understanding. This is who James is directing his words to. If there is such a person, “Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.” Obviously, James is speaking of moral wisdom and understanding. And more especially, he is still referring to those who would purpose to be teachers (see James 3:1). He then shows that by demonstrating good conduct he is wise. And that by having his works done in the meekness of wisdom, he is showing understanding. The word “wisdom” in here is sophia. It signifies insight, intelligence, etc. It is the root of our words “sophistication” and “philosophy.” It is one who takes the wisdom and uses it properly, as an art form. The intent is that a person who is wise and understanding will go through his life (signified by the word “works”) being careful to display good conduct, and this walk is to be in meekness (humility) which requires wisdom. In other words, it is almost a form of art to turn his wisdom to proper living and proper instruction. Life application: The Psalmist of old reflects in his words the same concept of wisdom as James does – “Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.” Psalm 107:43 This is the final verse of a psalm which speaks of the greatness of God and his marvelous deeds done among the sons of men – both directly and through creation. For the person James addresses, the good conduct of his works which are done in the meekness of wisdom are those that acknowledge and consider the great love of the Lord. If we can keep what we are doing in that perspective, then our deeds will truly be deeds of righteousness. This is because they show both wisdom and understanding about the nature of God which leads to an obedient life in Him. By the very nature of loving the Lord, and considering His continual and undying love for us, we can then respond to others in faith and in good deeds toward them. Ultimately, what benefit is it to do deeds of goodness for others without considering God? In the end, they are shallow and meaningless. A philanthropist, for example, can give billions of dollars for AIDS funding, but without faith in God and considering His hand in our existence, the gesture has only temporary benefit. Only the body, which perishes, is relieved. But the soul of the sinner isn’t changed at all. In fact, its allegiance has actually been directed further away from God. By giving credit to the philanthropist, or those who worked in the process, the Lord is denied the credit He is due. However, if the person did these things in the name of the Lord, then He would be rightly considered as the true Donor of the goodness. When using our tongue in speaking the deeds we have accomplished, remember to humbly acknowledge and consider the Lord’s hand in the process, deferring the credit to Him. Lord Jesus, it is hard to accomplish our deeds and not want credit for them. But Lord, give us the ability to pass the honor on to You. May You alone be acknowledged for the works accomplished in the course of human events, even the small portion of them that we add to that stream of events. Yes Lord, may all of the glory rightly be lifted to You. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 7, 2019 1:17:54 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:14, 6 August 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2019·3 MINUTES Tuesday, 6 August 2019 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. James 3:14 James, still addressing teachers, has just said that the wise among them should “show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.” Now, he shows a state which is contrary to that by saying, “But if you have bitter envy.” The word translated as “envy” is one which can have a positive or a negative connotation, zelos. It is where the word zealous is derived from. Attaching the word “bitter” to this shows that it is a negative zeal. Instead of good conduct, there is bitter envy. Along with that, he says, “and self-seeking in your hearts.” The word translated as “self-seeking” signifies seeking followers by the means of gifts. Thus, it is one who is self-seeking or who looks to divide into factions. This then is in contrast to the meekness of wisdom mentioned in the previous verse. James says that if someone has such attitudes in his heart, he shouldn’t “boast.” This is exactly the type of spirit which disqualifies a person to teach. Rather than boasting, he should get a shovel and learn to dig ditches. Such a person is unqualified for the more perfect duties of teaching the word of God. James then finishes with the thought that such a person should not “lie against the truth.” His words in this verse will be explained in the next verses. In understanding what they say, it is seen that “the truth” here isn’t just a simple statement concerning general truth. Rather, it is speaking of the truth of God in Christ. That will be made perfectly evident. Therefore, this person’s “lie against the truth,” is a lie against Christ Jesus – who is the embodiment of truth. It is He who is revealed in Scripture, and this person James speaks of is such a self-seeking teacher who is ultimately lying against. He is engaged in a war to divide the body for self-interest. As the church is the body of Christ (Colossians 1:18), this person will be held accountable for his unholy attempt to draw souls away from what belongs to Christ. Life application: If we are truly humble in our hearts, then what we do will naturally be for the benefit of others and there won’t be any envy or ambitious intent which satisfies the selfish soul. As Eliphaz the Temanite says in the book of Job – “For wrath kills a foolish man, And envy slays a simple one.” Job 5:2 When we are self-seeking, several things occur all in the same action: 1) We dishonor God by attempting to draw recognition, power, and glory to ourselves rather than directing our efforts towards glorifying Him. 2) We dishonor our neighbor who we are trying to subjugate to our own faction, rather than directing him towards the truth of God in Christ. In this, we are not loving our neighbor as ourselves. Rather, we are attempting to rule our neighbor for ourselves. As James said in Chapter 2, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well” (verse 8). Paul, likewise acknowledges this in Romans 13:10 with, “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” James’ words show that if we act contrary to this, we should neither deny it nor boast about it. What is needed is a heart change and a new attitude. If you are suffering from envy or selfish ambition, you need to lay it before the Lord and seek instead to glorify Him. Lord Jesus, help us to be satisfied with the life and blessings we have received. Take away our envious eyes and our selfish hearts and replace them with loving hands which build bridges, caring words which edify others, and gentle, thankful spirits which bring honor to You. This we pray that You will be glorified. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 7, 2019 23:49:06 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:15, 7 August 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019·4 MINUTES Wednesday, 7 August 2019 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. James 3:15 The previous verse spoke of having bitter envy and self-seeking in one’s heart. James now states that those things are opposed to that which is heavenly or godly. Rather, the opposite is true. He says, “This wisdom does not descend from above.” The translation surely fails to convey the intended meaning. By saying “This wisdom,” it is implying that it is a type of wisdom, when it is, in fact, just the opposite. Rather, there is an article before “wisdom” and the Greek appears to more correctly read, “That is not the wisdom which comes down from above” (Weymouth NT). One way to retain the truth while maintaining the same basic structure of the NKJV would be to emphasize the word “wisdom” as the NIV does. They say, “Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven.”Thus it sets it apart as actually not being a type of wisdom. Either way, there is a need to show that calling such an attitude “wisdom” is actually profaning the idea of the true wisdom which comes from God. What James referred to in the previous verse does not come from above, but it rather is “earthly.” The idea here is that which is temporary and fading. That which is heavenly is eternal and will never change. When one looks to the earthly, he will grasp onto that which can benefit him “right now.” There is nothing truly long-term because this life is short and uncertain. Therefore, that which is earthly is naturally self-seeking. He next says that it is “sensual.” This means that what is conveyed finds its source in what will fill the unspiritual, carnal desires of man rather than that which is logical and/or spiritual. It comes about from one’s inappropriate passions rather than a proper attitude concerning what is godly. James then finishes with the thought that it is “demonic.” It is an adjective found only here in Scripture. It signifies that which resembles a demon or which is influenced by a demon. As Albert Barnes notes, “There may be indeed talent in it, but there is the intermingling of malignant passions, and it leads to contentions, strifes, divisions, and ‘every evil work.’” One can see the three divisions of body, soul, and spirit here. The “spirit,” is not so much a separate entity, but it is the connection of the body and soul to God, or a lack of such a connection. If one is rightly connected to God, there will be no influence of the devil or demons. When he is not, there can be attacks upon the person, even a saved person. Life application: Really think on those you look to for spiritual guidance. What are their motivations? You can’t always tell, and most people would not intentionally follow a deceiver. But it is right to evaluate each person carefully. Do you perceive them as pure and selfless? Would they be willing to stand in the same position if the money stopped flowing in or if there was no notoriety? We need to be extremely careful about who we follow and why. Good looks fade, bad financial decisions bring about disaster, and political winds change. Preaching the gospel may go from something desirous and lucrative to something punishable by law. Those who stood in the pulpit because of selfish ambition will certainly fall away under conditions like these. Likewise, envy can also motivate our clergy’s decisions. If one perceives others in higher positions, nicer locations, or closely aligned with political leaders, he may engage in unspiritual talk about them. James says this attitude certainly doesn’t come from heaven, but from a love of the world. Those who are in spiritual positions may be motivated from an unspiritual source. Instead of being inspired by a love of God, their hearts may be motivated by the lure of the devil. Stand back and evaluate those you follow from time to time and make sure their guidance is biblical and godly and that the source of their motivation hasn’t been corrupted by money or fame. If you see them taking a bad turn, talk to them about it. Everyone needs accountability and no one is above temptation. Heavenly Father, today we take the time to pray for the men who are our pastors, preachers, and teachers of the word. We pray that those we turn to for spiritual guidance will be godly men. Keep them from the wiles of the devil, from envy of others, and from selfish deceit. Fill them with Your wisdom and pure hearts for the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 10, 2019 1:01:47 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:16, 9 August 2019www.wonderful1.com·Friday, August 9, 2019·3 minutes Apologies for yesterday. I had no internet. Friday, 9 August 2019
For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. James 3:16 James now ties verses 14 and 15 together in thought – 14 – But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 – This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 – For where envy and self-seeking (14) exist, confusion(connected to the false wisdom of verse 15a) and every evil thing(15b) are there.
The thoughts are all drawn together in a masterful explanation of the matter. If there is envy and self-seeking, there cannot be order and harmony. Rather only confusion will result. The word translated as “confusion” is one that speaks almost of anarchy. There is a breakdown of the moral sphere, and the result is disorder and a situation where anything is up for grabs.
In addition to this “every evil thing” will be there. The word translated as “evil” gives the sense of that which is vile. The breakdown of morality will inevitably lead to an unholy state, and actions which are completely opposed to that which is pure, moral, and upright.
Looking at the actions of those on the left in political matters forms an exceptionally good picture of what James has in mind. They deny that life in the womb is actually human life, and they vilify those who accept God’s norms of male and female as binding. On and on they continue down avenues of depravity, and it all began with envy and a self-seeking attitude.
James will contrast such things in the coming verses.
Life application: James has pretty much summed up the entire case for evil in the world – from the fall of man down to current times. It was envy of man’s favorable position as God’s image-bearer, and also selfish ambition that he could usurp God’s authority, which prompted the devil to bring about his rebellion. Likewise, Adam was tempted with prideful, selfish ambition and he was enticed to sin – “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4, 5
Since that time, man has been enticed into every evil practice through envy and/or selfish ambition. We now live in a relativistic world where ultimate truth is considered a myth and “all paths lead to God.” But this thought process stems directly from selfish ambition as well.
Rather than believing in man as having been created in God’s image, we follow a god created in man’s imagination. We do this because we ourselves want to be the ruler of our own fate and thus we become our own “god.” This only produces more disorder, which in turn produces more evil practices. Eventually, this can only lead to further chaos and discord.
This is where the world is heading, and the results are recorded in the book of Revelation – judgment on an unrepentant world. God has shown us His path to reconciliation; His one path. Outside of Jesus, there is only death and destruction, but in Him there is forgiveness and reconciliation. In Him alone are light, order, and every good thing.
Lord God, help us to be wise and discerning in our thoughts. Take away the darkness of envy and selfish ambition and replace it with the light of contentment and peace that is found in Jesus our Lord. This we pray so that others may come to understand the truth of Your gospel through us. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 10, 2019 23:55:57 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:17, 1 0 August 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2019·6 MINUTES Saturday, 10 August 2019 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. James 3:17 The previous verse spoke of confusion and every evil thing being present when one is envious and/or self-seeking. James now contrasts that with true wisdom. He says, “But the wisdom that is from above.” This then is heavenly wisdom, it is that which comes from God, and it is that which the follower of Christ is to apply to his life. The first of such attributes is that it is “pure.” The word is hagnos. It signifies that which is free from ceremonial defilement. In the sacrificial system of Israel, all animals presented to the Lord were to be without blemish. Such animals looked forward in a physical reality to the spiritually pure Messiah to come. Christ came, born without sin, and He was perfectly pure and without any defilement. Thus, when He was presented to Israel, John the Baptist proclaimed in John 1:29, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Next, the wisdom from above is “peaceable.” It is a word which results from knowing the Lord’s will and then obeying it. It is reflective of Christ Jesus who said, “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me” (John 5:30). Christ Jesus both knew the will of His Father, and He was obedient to that will. This then is our model to emulate. James then adds that such wisdom is “gentle.” It gives the sense of being equitable. It is gentle as in being truly fair and following the spirit of the law because it notes what is really at stake. One can see this time and again in Christ who looked beyond the words themselves to an understanding of why the words were given, because He gave them. For example, He said in Mark 2:27, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” Further in Matthew 12, He said, “But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” James next adds to his list, “willing to yield.” It is a single word in the Greek which is found only here in the Bible. It signifies an attitude which is easy to come to terms with due to already being willing. One might say, “reasonable.” This does not mean, however, that it is a willingness to do something wrong in order to appease. Rather, it is always willing to yield in order to continue that which is right. A great example of this is found in Paul – “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.”1 Corinthians 9:19-23 James continues with, “full of mercy.” One needs look no further than the example of the woman caught in adultery in John 8 to see this quality on display. It was Jesus, the Incarnate Lord, who gave the law. And yet, when asked how the matter should be handled, He chose to have the people around him evaluate themselves first. After they did, and realizing that they too were all guilty, we read – “And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, ‘Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?’ 11 She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.’” John 8:10, 11 James moves next to “without partiality.” This is an extremely rare word. It is found only here in the Bible, and it is also rare even in classical Greek. It signifies “indistinguishable.” There is nothing uncertain or ambiguous involved. This is seen in the Lord when he would call out the fault of leaders while highlighting the right conduct of the common people. This was not showing favoritism of one category over the other, but he was bringing the state of both to a point where the leaders could see that they were, in fact, no better than those they judged unfairly – whether they acknowledged it or not. This was called for, explicitly, in the Law of Moses – “You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.” Deuteronomy 1:17 James finishes his list with “without hypocrisy.”The Greek word gives us a taste of the root of our modern word hypocrisy – anupokritos. It signifies that which is sincere and genuine. There is no hidden agenda behind the actions of the individual. The exact opposite is found in those who challenged Christ Jesus. In Luke 20:20, it says – “So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.” They pretended to be righteous in order to trap the Lord. On the contrary, Christ was always perfectly straightforward in all of His dealings with them, and with all people. James asks us to act in a like manner in this, and in all of the other characteristics he has noted. Life application: In a short roundup of these words, we should seek the glory of God first and foremost. We should demonstrate the peace-loving attitude wisdom cries out for; our motives are pure. We should always demonstrate humility and a willingness to submit to those around us? By doing so, we show consideration for their station. This will, in turn, lead to peace in us. Further, are we withholding our hand from bringing judgment on others even when they deserve it? God has been infinitely merciful to us and we need to act likewise to the greatest extent possible. Also, in Galatians 5, Paul says the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Are these qualities evident in our lives? James would also have us to consider if we cover our eyes to status, color, wealth, etc. in other people when we make decisions? Christ did. He forgave men of every tribe, nation, and tongue. Let us demonstrate impartiality in all of our dealings with others. And in this, rather than selfish ambition, we should always demonstrate an attitude of complete sincerity when dealing with others. In the end, only God knows the truth of your sincerity, so make sure it is sincere even to the very core of your existence and He will reward you. Yes Lord, fill us with the fruits of Your Spirit so that we may demonstrate the wisdom that comes from heaven. Take away our envy and selfish ambition and replace those things with the goodness that can only come from You. This we pray in the exalted and glorious name of Jesus! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 11, 2019 20:13:16 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 3:18, 11 August 2019www.wonderful1.com·Sunday, August 11, 2019·4 minutes Sunday, 11 August 2019
Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:18
In the previous verse, James described “the wisdom that is from above.” In his list, he said that it is “full of mercy and good fruits.” Now he takes that concept to discuss one of those fruits, beginning with, “Now the fruit of righteousness.” This is a term found first in the book of Proverbs. There Solomon says – “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30 It is seen again in Amos – “Do horses run on rocks? Does one plow there with oxen? Yet you have turned justice into gall, And the fruit of righteousness into wormwood.” Amos 6:12
The term is found elsewhere in the Old Testament in various forms, and it is found several more times in various forms in the New Testament. Paul speaks of it in Philippians 1:11 – “...being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” James is taking these examples from the body of literature he was aware of (meaning the Old Testament), and he is using them to express in his own way the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount. There Jesus said – “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
Jesus speaks of those who make peace, and the result of that. This continues with his words which explain that the fruit of righteousness “is sown in peace by those who make peace.” One must sow in order to have something come up from the soil. When one plants in peace (contrasted to the “envy and self-seeking” of verse 3:15), the fruit of righteousness will spring forth.
The sense of James’ words is that there is a plant (or tree) called “Righteousness.” That is what will spring forth when planted by those who make peace. When peace is made, the sowing of Righteousness is done in peace, and the result of that process issues forth Righteousness. This is the heavenly wisdom which arises and it is revealed in the many traits mentioned in verse 3:17.
Life application: Just as a sower needs good soil and the right conditions for his grain to be plentiful, James says that we will produce a harvest of righteousness when we sow in peace. Sowing seed in an environment of envy and self-seeking leads to chaos and complete dissatisfaction in our lives.
But if we turn our attitude towards peace and contentment instead, what will spring forth is a righteous life which is honoring to God. The amazing thing about this is that so many people hear this type of admonition week after week in sermons and then walk out of the church with their ears still closed to the very message that can actually bring about the joy they are missing in their lives.
Jesus didn’t speak his words for “somebody else,” and James isn’t relaying this message for “another time and place.” These things pertain to our lives, right here and right now. The world we live in is materialistically centered, and our priorities get completely out of whack with envy as new innovations come out almost daily. Our eyes are never satisfied with what we have and there is simply no peace in our lives.
But if we can just set aside these motivations and seek after peace and contentment, there we will find the better harvest James speaks about. We are only given one chance to get this life right, so look to the wisdom James relates – your harvest will be wonderful.
Glorious God – turn us into peacemakers who bear good fruit in this life. May we not spend our time rushing after worldly possessions and chasing after the latest things. It is time for us to direct our eyes, our hearts, and our souls to raising a harvest of righteousness which will be to Your glory and for our eternal happiness. Hear our prayer, O God. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 13, 2019 0:11:18 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 4:1, 12 August 2019www.wonderful1.com·Monday, August 12, 2019·4 minutes Monday, 12 August 2019
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?James 4:1
James has been contrasting that which is heavenly wisdom from that which is earthly and reflects no true wisdom at all. He has shown what the results of the two are as well. He now asks, “Where do wars and fights come from among you?”
Is he referring to actual wars and fights among the Jewish believers? Or, does this extend to all of the Jewish people as a collective whole? Or, is this a general statement concerning the cause of such things in humanity? The answer is probably the latter. Humans are humans, regardless of race, culture, nationality, etc.
Further, the word translated as “wars” is one which speaks of actual battles. It can be used figuratively as well, but it is speaking in a broad term about the impetus behind such a war. The word translated as “fights” governs a whole sphere of words, and so it signifies strife, contention, quarreling, and so on.
The two words are given to include the whole round of such violent interactions between people. James is asking his audience where these things arise from. His answer is, “Do they not come from your desires for pleasure?” Here, the word translated as “pleasure” is hédoné. One can see the source of our modern word “hedonistic.” This is speaking of sensuous pleasure, and that pleasure which is looked to as an end in itself. It is not a godly pleasure, but one which is opposed to godliness.
Such desires well up in man and they cause all kinds of vile urges and motivations which can easily lead to wars and fights. As James says, it is these which “war in your members.” The verb here is a present participle. The war is ongoing and active. The word goes beyond just the act of fighting, but in everything that is involved in serving in the military. It is the service of a soldier which is warring inside of us because of our desires for pleasure.
Even Plato understood this precept. In Phaedo 66c, he says, “The body and its desires are the only cause of wars and factions and battles; for all wars arise for the sake of gaining money, and we are compelled to gain money.” It may even be that James was aware of Plato’s words and used the idea in his epistle. Paul cited Greek philosophers on several occasions. These are universally understood precepts because they come directly from the state of humanity.
James will continue with this line of thought, and he will also speak of the cure for it in his words ahead.
Life application: Think about it, if we didn’t have pride we wouldn’t care if we were offended and the fight would never get started. If we didn’t want things we didn’t have, we wouldn’t envy others and steal, kill, or lie to get them.
Admittedly, desire can also be used as a force for good; innovation comes from a desire for these things as well, but it is being channeled properly rather than improperly. Motivation causes us to work within our means for a good purpose, but envy causes us to go beyond our means to attain the same thing. Such is the case concerning the battle within us. We need to quench unhealthy desires and emotions and work towards our goals using proper levels of motivation.
Think on any issue where sin is involved and you will see that the problem could have been resolved from within the person by merely handling what happened differently. When a candidate for public office lies about his qualifications, he is working outside of his true life story to achieve a goal. However, he could just as easily use the same precept as a point of complement to those who actually have such qualifications. This is just one example which reflects the nature of sin in all of us. We need to be extremely careful that when the internal battle begins, we quench the unhealthy desires before sin gets a foothold.
Lord, Your word is like a mirror that we hold up in order to see ourselves, and right in it, we can see our own failings exposed. We often lose those battles we face and that in turn ends in sin. Please give us the wisdom, the courage, and the fortitude to fight the battle and to prevail in it before sin is released in our lives. In this, You will be exalted through our faithful Christian walk. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 13, 2019 23:21:31 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 4:2, 13 August 2019www.wonderful1.com·Tuesday, August 13, 2019·6 minutes Tuesday, 13 August 2019
You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. James 4:2
James turns to a literary technique known as an anaphora to reveal what is going on inside man. This is a technique which consists of repeating various words or sets of words, particularly at the beginning of each sequence of clauses, in order to produce emphasis. In this verse, he begins with, “You lust and do not have.”
The idea here is that of a person desiring something that is outside of his normal ability to obtain. The word translated as “lust” signifies something that is truly yearned for. On the night before the crucifixion, Jesus said, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” It is the same word as James uses here. And so it can be positive or negative. What James is speaking of is this intense desire, but the individual does not possess what is desired, and the implication is that it is beyond him to possess it.
Next, he says, “You murder and covet and cannot obtain.” The result of the lusting has led to the next step of the process. The idea here is that the person is willing to go as far as murder to obtain what he has. The subject “you” throughout the thoughts in this verse is plural. It is a general thought that any person he is addressing is liable to fall into this pattern. There is the intent to murder being worked out in the person based on the coveting. The violation of the Tenth Commandment results in a violation of the Sixth Commandment. Again, what is desired remains out of the ability to obtain.
James next says, “You fight and war.” The localized “murder,” turns into a general battle as part of a greater war. The word translated as “war” is introduced here, and it will next be seen six times in the book of Revelation.
The increasing measure of destruction in James’ words shows that man is never satisfied with what he has. We lust after something, we will kill for it because we covet it, and after that, we are willing to go into battle for it. And all of this, James says, remains elusive. His final thought of the verse is, “Yet you do not have because you do not ask.” What we know does not belong to us, and which is forbidden to us (such as another man’s wife), is the last thing that we would ask for from God. He has already told us that what we seek after is not available. However, if we come to God and desire for His will in what we ask, then we will be given what we desire – which is His will. He will not give us another man’s wife because it is His will that we do not have what we lust after. However, for that which is in accord with His will, when we ask for it in prayer, we can be sure that He will provide it.
The problem with us is that when we ask for something in His will, we are looking for what we want, not knowing what His will for us is. And so when we don’t get what we want, we assume God did not provide according to our prayer. But the exact opposite is true. We prayed for His will, He provided what is in accord with His will (even if we received nothing physical or tangible), and whatever we now have is exactly what He intended for us to have.
Praying for God’s will in a matter means that whatever comes our way after that prayer of faith is God’s will for us at that time. From there, we cannot go out and do something which is against God’s will (as stated in His word) and claim that it was given to us according to His will. What comes our way in life, if it is in accord with His will, must always be in accord with the word. We can never go around His word and say that what we have is in accord with His will for us in our lives.
If we have cancer, and we pray for God’s will to be done, and then the cancer spreads, can we blame God? The very cancer in our body is a part of the unfolding of our life. It was no surprise to Him at all. We can pray for the cancer to be removed, but we are to accept that it may not be. All must be accepted as being according to His will. James will continue to explain this in the verses ahead.
Life application: Normally a counselor won’t be so direct with his words, but will rather talk around a subject and allow the one being counseled to come to an understanding of the problem through questioning. But James pulls out his boxing gloves and gives the old one-two across the chin.
“You’re a stubborn mule. You want things and don’t get them and here’s why.” He explains that we would rather kill and covet, quarrel and fight than merely ask God for the things we desire. Why would we do this? James will give us good reasons in the verses ahead, but it should be painfully obvious that if we are willing to kill for something we don’t receive then one of the reasons is that it is something we shouldn’t have in the first place.
If we have to go to such extreme measures to obtain a desired object, relationship, job, etc. then we’ve made it an idol in the place of God. One main purpose of God’s commandment to not covet was to tell the people that what He provides is sufficient. We should be content with that.
A second purpose is to show us our immense need for something greater; because by our very nature we cannot fulfill the law, “Do not covet.” As Paul said, “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20).
The law makes nothing perfect. It was merely given to lead us to a realization of how sinful we truly are. Once we get that, then we can finally see our need for Jesus. If you’re struggling with overwhelming desires, hand them over to the Lord and ask for His strength in dealing with them. He prevailed and through Him, you can too.
Lord God, desiring things that we don’t have seems to be the norm in our lives. Help us to be content with what You have given us. When there is something we don’t have, but which we hope for, give us the patience to work for it rather than burn with unhealthy desire leading to coveting or worse. Grant us this wisdom so that we might not sin against You. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Aug 15, 2019 0:15:38 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, James 4:3, 14 August 2019
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019·4 MINUTES Wednesday, 14 August 2019 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. James 4:3 James just said, “...you do not have because you do not ask.” Now, implying that the person has asked, he continues with, “You ask and do not receive.” He is developing his words from one thing to the next in order to show how all things must be in accord with the will of God. We fight after what we want and we don’t receive it. We have asked for it, but we do not obtain it because the same spirit of coveting existed in our asking as existed in our fighting for what we desired. He says that not receiving (meaning from the Lord) occurs “because you ask amiss.” The word translated as “amiss” is an adverb which signifies that which is evil – “You ask evilly.” He then defines that by saying, “that you may spend it on your pleasures.” The intent behind the prayer is not that which is godly. Rather, it is self-seeking, and it is worldly. He again uses the word hédoné from verse 4:1. It is a worldly pleasure with a strongly negative connotation. It is pleasure that is made an end in itself. When asking something from the Lord which is contrary to the nature of the Lord, it is obvious that the request will not be granted by Him. In these words of James, it appears that what he says contradicts what Jesus says in Matthew 7:7, 8 – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” However, Jesus elsewhere clarifies this, such as in Matthew 21:22. One must have faith in what they ask for. James, under inspiration of the Spirit, also now qualifies what is stated. Not only are we to have faith that what we request will come about, but we are to have our requests in line with the nature and will of God. Unfortunately, people take single verses of Scripture, such as Matthew 7:7, and they build entire doctrines around them without taking into consideration the whole body of Scripture. Life application: God is infinitely gracious. It is in His very nature to bestow on His children the things they desire and especially the things they need. However, we tend to ask for things we do not need and with the wrong motives as well. “Oh Lord, I really need a cell phone.” The fact is that a few short years ago, there was no such thing as a cell phone. For six thousand years, man got along just fine without them. Some people still do. Is the cell phone needed, or is the desire to have one based on a misdirected desire? Intent drives the appropriate nature of the request. “Oh Lord, I really want to retire at 65.” Until the age of Social Security, people worked until they couldn’t work anymore, regardless of age. After that, families pulled together and took care of the elderly. People who retired at a set age, such as 65, were the exception and not the rule. Now we want to retire at 65 and spend many golden years playing golf. What is our motivation for retirement at a specific age? Often, these aren’t true needs, but depending on how we prioritize them, they may merely be our selfish desires. The vast majority of what we pray for is exactly that, something to fulfill our wish list. Selfless prayers ask for other’s needs to be met, for peaceable living in our circumstances, and for our own daily bread. Above all, selfless prayers ask that God is glorified through our lives; regardless of level of wealth, location of home, or amount of free time to play. In all ways, may Jesus Christ be seen in our lives and exalted in the eyes of those who see us. And, may He be the Lord over everything we have, do, and interact with. When we pray for Jesus to be the recipient of glory in the meeting of our needs, we will receive the thing which will accomplish this; in abundance. He is infinitely worthy; so at the end of every prayer of request, make sure you add in a thought that asks for Him to be glorified through the petition. Lord, our hearts are heavy for those around us; may You bless them. Lord our stomachs need to be filled; may You fill them. Lord, our nations’ leaders have strayed from Your word; please restore them to right sense and turn them back to it. But, Lord, in all that we ask for may You be glorified above all else. Amen.
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