James 4:13-17
The key words or ideas are: boasting, planning, uncertainty of the future. James is admonishing people for the sheer arrogance of making brash plans. Since God is in control and since God is their king, their plans are subject (or should be, anyways) to the will of God. James compares making such plans to boasting: the underlying message is that I control my own destiny and that I run my life. James reminds the reader that God runs his life and controls her destiny. He makes a strong statement that to live or think otherwise is evil and sinful.
I am not sure how the last line connects to the rest of the paragraph. There is a connecting phrase: "so then" but I don't see how it logically follows. As a stand alone proverb, it is very powerful: when we don't do what we know to be good, we sin.
I stand condemned under James' indictment. Rather than clearing everything through my King, I make my own plans and then ask him for his blessing. Rather than saying, "What would like me to do?" or "Is this what you'd like me to do?" I demand that he bless the plans that I have made. This is sheer arrogance because it places me in the position of King or Master rather than acknowledging that God is my King and submitting to him. I serve at the pleasure of the King. May I never forget that.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
above the law?
James 4:11-12
The key words are: judge/judgment (if you stare at those words long enough, they look really strange!) and slander/speak against. James says that if you slander your brother or sister, it indicates that the law "Love your neighbour as yourself" does not apply to you and that you are somehow above the law or are indicating that the law is invalid. James reminds the reader that there is only One who has that kind of authority.
God is not subject to the laws he gives us. While the law is a reflection of his character and personality, God is only "subject" to himself. He only answers to himself. I am subject to the laws that God gives me. I am a judgmental person. When I judge others, I am not only looking down on them (as if I have a position higher than they), I am looking down on the law (as if the law answers to me rather than me answering to the law).
Some people are quick to quote the verse "Judge not, lest ye be judged" (I love how that verse is always quoted in the KJV) but this does not mean that we, as followers of Jesus, should not point out sin in other people's lives. It does mean that we should do it out of love, recognizing that we are no better than they are and not above them in any way.
The key words are: judge/judgment (if you stare at those words long enough, they look really strange!) and slander/speak against. James says that if you slander your brother or sister, it indicates that the law "Love your neighbour as yourself" does not apply to you and that you are somehow above the law or are indicating that the law is invalid. James reminds the reader that there is only One who has that kind of authority.
God is not subject to the laws he gives us. While the law is a reflection of his character and personality, God is only "subject" to himself. He only answers to himself. I am subject to the laws that God gives me. I am a judgmental person. When I judge others, I am not only looking down on them (as if I have a position higher than they), I am looking down on the law (as if the law answers to me rather than me answering to the law).
Some people are quick to quote the verse "Judge not, lest ye be judged" (I love how that verse is always quoted in the KJV) but this does not mean that we, as followers of Jesus, should not point out sin in other people's lives. It does mean that we should do it out of love, recognizing that we are no better than they are and not above them in any way.
Monday, November 12, 2007
either/or not both/and
James 4:4-10
The key words are: friend, enemy, proud, humble. James says that friendship with the world means that you are God's enemy. He also contrasts God's treatment of the proud with his treatment of the humble. He then calls the reader to submit to God, even though the word picture is more of sorrowful repentance (which makes sense, since repenting from pride means that you will humble yourself).
The key for me is this: I can't have a foot on both paths, I can't be friends with both the world and with God. The paths are headed in opposite directions and the world is directly opposed to God. The world is all about raising yourself up, getting ahead, looking out for yourself (and seeing yourself as #1). God is all about raising himself up, making him famous and looking out for the real #1. The world is all about living for the moment, carpe diem. God is all about living for eternity, seizing the future. The world is all about play now, pay later. God is more about pay now, play later. As Joshua said, "Choose you this day whom you will serve..." I can't have it both ways.
The key words are: friend, enemy, proud, humble. James says that friendship with the world means that you are God's enemy. He also contrasts God's treatment of the proud with his treatment of the humble. He then calls the reader to submit to God, even though the word picture is more of sorrowful repentance (which makes sense, since repenting from pride means that you will humble yourself).
The key for me is this: I can't have a foot on both paths, I can't be friends with both the world and with God. The paths are headed in opposite directions and the world is directly opposed to God. The world is all about raising yourself up, getting ahead, looking out for yourself (and seeing yourself as #1). God is all about raising himself up, making him famous and looking out for the real #1. The world is all about living for the moment, carpe diem. God is all about living for eternity, seizing the future. The world is all about play now, pay later. God is more about pay now, play later. As Joshua said, "Choose you this day whom you will serve..." I can't have it both ways.
Friday, November 9, 2007
"it's all about me..."
James 4:1-3
The key words are fight, quarrel and battle. The language in this section leaves the feeling of turmoil and unsettledness. James lays out a logical progression: you don't have because you don't ask. When you do ask, you don't receive because your motives are wrong.
So much of what drives me is envy and coveting. Just last night, watching tv, a commercial for the ipod touch came on. Wow! The first words out of my mouth were, "I want!" And who wouldn't? That is a sleek little piece of machinery. The truth is a) I don't need it - I actually hate the whole ipod craze. Take those ear buds out and enjoy your surroundings! Learn to endure a little silence. It's good for the soul! But I'm conflicted because some how the ipod has become the standard of cool - the cooler your ipod, the cooler you are and woe to those who don't have an ipod - and I desperately want to be cool! I am envious of those who have. There is another truth: b) I can't afford a touch. It would be the epitome of materialism, of gluttony, of irresponsibility for me to get one. I would have to take money out of something much more necessary like electricity or food.
The problem is that my desire has been awakened and while I might not physically kill I know that I have had to put people down out loud or in my mind to make myself feel better about not having what they do. The other problem would be if I started asking God for an ipod touch. That would definitely be asking with wrong motives - there is no way that I would (or even could?) use it to glorify God; my reason for having one is to glorify myself. The problem is that I have asked for so much for my own glory. My motives aren't right. I need to submit myself to the purpose and the glory of God so that I can truly pray, with all my heart, the prayer that never fails: "Your will be done" I think then I might see my prayers be answered because it becomes all about him and not about me.
The key words are fight, quarrel and battle. The language in this section leaves the feeling of turmoil and unsettledness. James lays out a logical progression: you don't have because you don't ask. When you do ask, you don't receive because your motives are wrong.
So much of what drives me is envy and coveting. Just last night, watching tv, a commercial for the ipod touch came on. Wow! The first words out of my mouth were, "I want!" And who wouldn't? That is a sleek little piece of machinery. The truth is a) I don't need it - I actually hate the whole ipod craze. Take those ear buds out and enjoy your surroundings! Learn to endure a little silence. It's good for the soul! But I'm conflicted because some how the ipod has become the standard of cool - the cooler your ipod, the cooler you are and woe to those who don't have an ipod - and I desperately want to be cool! I am envious of those who have. There is another truth: b) I can't afford a touch. It would be the epitome of materialism, of gluttony, of irresponsibility for me to get one. I would have to take money out of something much more necessary like electricity or food.
The problem is that my desire has been awakened and while I might not physically kill I know that I have had to put people down out loud or in my mind to make myself feel better about not having what they do. The other problem would be if I started asking God for an ipod touch. That would definitely be asking with wrong motives - there is no way that I would (or even could?) use it to glorify God; my reason for having one is to glorify myself. The problem is that I have asked for so much for my own glory. My motives aren't right. I need to submit myself to the purpose and the glory of God so that I can truly pray, with all my heart, the prayer that never fails: "Your will be done" I think then I might see my prayers be answered because it becomes all about him and not about me.
Monday, November 5, 2007
harvest time
James 3:13-18
Wisdom is the key word of this section of James. Other key words are: humility, eny, selfish ambition and peace. James connects true (or heavenly) wisdom with humility and peace while false (or earthly) wisdom is conntected to eny, selfish ambition and disorder. If we are to understand peace as "shalom" (when everything is as God intended) then we see that true wisdom works to make things right in the world while earthly wisdom seeks only its own gain.
This is vital to my position: am I here for my own gain? Then I can only expect disorder and conflict. Am I here for the kingdom of God? Then my ministry will bring peace, mercy and purity (James says it is pure first, then peaceful, considerate, submissive, merciful, impartial and sincere). I think that sincere best sums up what I want my ministry and life to be: I sincerely care - not so I can look good, not so I can get ahead - about people, about their present circumstances and their eternal destiny.
Wisdom is the key word of this section of James. Other key words are: humility, eny, selfish ambition and peace. James connects true (or heavenly) wisdom with humility and peace while false (or earthly) wisdom is conntected to eny, selfish ambition and disorder. If we are to understand peace as "shalom" (when everything is as God intended) then we see that true wisdom works to make things right in the world while earthly wisdom seeks only its own gain.
This is vital to my position: am I here for my own gain? Then I can only expect disorder and conflict. Am I here for the kingdom of God? Then my ministry will bring peace, mercy and purity (James says it is pure first, then peaceful, considerate, submissive, merciful, impartial and sincere). I think that sincere best sums up what I want my ministry and life to be: I sincerely care - not so I can look good, not so I can get ahead - about people, about their present circumstances and their eternal destiny.
Friday, November 2, 2007
fig bearing grape vines
James 3:7-12
The key words here are: tongue, mouth, tame. James makes some contrast between our ability to tame animals and our ability to tame our tongue. He uses several word pictures: the tongue as a poisonous snake, fresh water salt springs, olive bearing fig trees, and fig bearing grape vines. He uses these word pictures to cause the reader to stop short and realize how unnatural it is for our tongues, which have been redeemed by God, to both praise God and curse men.
The tongue in these last two passages is described as a seperate entity that has its own will. Of course, James recognizes that the tongue only speaks according to the will of the person. What he is saying is that just as a tree is known by the fruit that it bears, so a person is known by what they say. This echoes the teaching of Jesus: out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
It woudl be easy to say that this passage means that I need to be careful what I say. There is certainly some truth to that. However, I think that the application goes much deeper. If the tongue only speaks according to my will and if what I say is a result of what is inside, then I need to get the inside cleaned up. From the rest of the Bible, I can see that while I bear the responsibility to "live clean" the only person who can actually make me clean is the Holy Spirit. God, please fill me with the Spirit so that when I speak, I speak words of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. Let the fruit of my mouth reflect your character. Let the words I say reflect the fact that you live in me.
The key words here are: tongue, mouth, tame. James makes some contrast between our ability to tame animals and our ability to tame our tongue. He uses several word pictures: the tongue as a poisonous snake, fresh water salt springs, olive bearing fig trees, and fig bearing grape vines. He uses these word pictures to cause the reader to stop short and realize how unnatural it is for our tongues, which have been redeemed by God, to both praise God and curse men.
The tongue in these last two passages is described as a seperate entity that has its own will. Of course, James recognizes that the tongue only speaks according to the will of the person. What he is saying is that just as a tree is known by the fruit that it bears, so a person is known by what they say. This echoes the teaching of Jesus: out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
It woudl be easy to say that this passage means that I need to be careful what I say. There is certainly some truth to that. However, I think that the application goes much deeper. If the tongue only speaks according to my will and if what I say is a result of what is inside, then I need to get the inside cleaned up. From the rest of the Bible, I can see that while I bear the responsibility to "live clean" the only person who can actually make me clean is the Holy Spirit. God, please fill me with the Spirit so that when I speak, I speak words of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. Let the fruit of my mouth reflect your character. Let the words I say reflect the fact that you live in me.
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