If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are NOT GOD’S KIND OF WISDOM. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

But the WISDOM FROM ABOVE is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. – James 3:13-18

I think Hollywood has greatly influenced our lives in many ways, but the one that comes to my mind this morning is our tendency to find dysfunction and idiocy humorous. Sitcoms have lasted season after season by causing us to laugh at bad decisions, goofy lines, and unhealthy relationships. What I am trying to say is that the influence of Hollywood has caused us to laugh at our own dysfunctions, somehow making them cute or “denying the truth” that our habits are sinful. We create whole conversations where we brag, “You think that’s bad, listen to what I do.” We use humor to cover up our feelings of conviction or guilt. Am I right? – Please see that I am including myself in the “we”.

James stays consistent with the theme of his letter by stating again that our faith must be evident in the way we live out our lives. If we truly have faith, we cannot hang on to our old patterns of jealousy or selfishness. We have to stop finding them funny. True faith produces Godly wisdom, which is first of all pure. Pure by definition is “containing nothing that does not properly belong” which adds a lot more to our list than just jealousy and selfishness. True faith is peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit (a tree is known by its fruit), impartial and sincere. True faith produces righteousness. We are saved by grace but the faith that God gives us is intended to make a difference in the way we live out our relationship with God.

A couple of weeks ago, our family was listening to Tim Green, the chaplain of Trevecca Nazarene University, speak on Romans 12. He spoke of what it means to truly offer our lives as a living sacrifice to God – an ultimate surrender in which we are consumed by God as He fills us with who HE is so that He can use us and the gifts He has given us to advance His Kingdom. Consider these verses:

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. – Romans 12:9-21

God calls us to be intentional with our lives – living out our faith with brotherly love. But again God isn’t calling us to try to do all of these great things out of our own capacity or in our own strength. He is willing to be the source of our power and strength. Scott uses the illustration of how the old coal trains received their power and speed from the fire inside of them that was constantly being fueled by the “stoker”, who would shovel coal into the belly of the train to keep the fire strong. “We are dependent on God’s presence in our lives in order to have God’s character.”

I don’t have to do any of the things above. I only need to truly enter God’s presence and offer myself as a living sacrifice. This love described in Romans 12 will be an outflow of God’s presence in my life, not a result of my effort to be a good person. So, when God calls me to be intentional, the first place to start is to INTENTIONALLY enter God’s presence EVERY day, allowing Him to fuel the fire inside of me. It’s not my morning coffee which fuels the start of my day, it is my time in God’s presence.

As Oswald Chambers would say – “let us not effort to counterfeit the work of the Holy Spirit but let’s determine to keep the Lord before us continually.” http://utmost.org/dependent-on-god%E2%80%99s-presence/

I write these Morning Coffee devotionals because God told me to write them. My focus over these 52 months has been to simply share what God is teaching me – to share out of the overflow of my daily time in His presence. I see myself as more of a student of the Word than a teacher. I don’t have the answers and I am not a theologian. I desire to learn and I love spending time in God’s Word. I pray God has used “my morning coffee” in your life; that there have been moments when God was teaching both of us and speaking to both of us through His Spirit as we studied God’s word together.

Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. – James 3:1-2

Controlling our tongue – Oh, how I wish I had perfected this! It’s not easy, which is the point James is making here. He uses three comparisons to help us understand the difficulty of controlling the tongue.

We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. – James 3:3

Last weekend, we were visiting with friends in Tennessee. We got up on Monday morning and went to get the horses from the far field so the girls could ride them. The horses were getting pretty feisty with each other and didn’t seem too fond of the idea of having the saddles and gear placed on them. When Todd went to put their bridals on and place the bits in their mouths, the horses clamped down and refused to open their mouths. Todd showed me how God created horses with a place in their mouth that doesn’t have teeth – a place where he can place his thumb and force the horse to open his mouth so the bit can be put into place. Once the bits were in place, the horses calmed and cooperated with their riders. The girls were able to keep the horse’s head high and control whether the horse turned or went straight, simply because of the bit and harness.

And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. – James 3:4-5a

The tongue may be small but it is mighty. It can set the course of our life, determining the direction of relationships. It can do both good and harm. What we say may seem insignificant but it has the power to speak kind words of encouragement or harsh words of condemnation.

But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.

People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring. – James 3: 5b-12

First, James compares the tongue to the bit in the mouth of a horse that controls the direction of the large animal. He also compared it to the small rudder that steers the large ship. Then he finishes the thought by describing how the tongue is like a spark that can destroy the whole forest. The tongue is small but powerful, and cannot be tamed, it says so in verse 8. We can tame animals but we cannot tame the destructive potential of the tongue. So what do we do with that? If the tongue can steer the course of our life and destroy everything in its path yet cannot be controlled, where is hope?

Did anyone else feel convicted in verses 9 & 10? I don’t want to be the person who is praising God one minute and the next minute speaking unkindly about someone God loves enough to die for. I don’t want my tongue doing the work of Satan, finding its source in Hell. I want something different. But these verses are saying that I cannot just determine to do better and change old habits if I cannot tame my tongue. Again, where is the hope?

Beth Moore [Mercy Triumphs] points us to Acts 2:1-4 for the answer:
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

And therein we find the hope. I don’t have to try harder. What I need to do is take that step of letting God truly be LORD of my life – He’s in charge, I am a part of His story. At the point when I truly surrender to Him, He fills me with His Spirit and I begin to speak in foreign ways – ways that are different from my old speech patterns, ways that cannot be taught but could only be the result of the work the Holy Spirit is doing in my life. Now there’s hope!

Lord, I give you control of my heart and my speech today. Please give me a fresh filling of your Spirit and may your praise always be on my lips! Give me the right words to say and a heart that desires to only bless and do your work with my words. I love you, Lord. Amen.

I love the passages God brought me to this morning as I rested in His presence! In his letter, James uses the faith of three individuals to show us how faith, actions and relationship work together. First, he brings our focus on Abraham.

How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even call the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. – James 2:20-24

Romans 4:18-21 further defines Abraham’s faith: Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping – believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead – and so was Sarah’s womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.

Time passed between the moment God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky & the sand on the seashore and the moment Sarah became pregnant. Time passed between the moment Abraham was told of God to sacrifice Isaac and the moment God provided the lamb. Time passed and yet Abraham’s faith did not waver, it did not weaken. He stayed strong in his faith and continued to give glory to God, fully convinced or persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.

Can you relate to Abraham? Perhaps time is passing for you between the promise God has given you and its fulfillment. Do not waver in unbelief. Hold tight to God’s promises, giving glory to God and be FULLY PERSUADED that God does have the power to do what He has promised!

Let’s skip ahead to the last chapter of James’ letter, when he talks about another individual whose faith relied on waiting on God’s timing. Let’s consider Job and the endurance that gave evidence of his faith.

For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy. – James 5:10-11

When we are in the midst of suffering, James encourages us to not get impatient and begin to grumble but instead to be patient and stand firm. We can’t rush God. We often have the tendency to go ahead of God and try to push His hand but God calls for us to patiently wait on Him. In the midst of this waiting, we are strengthened in our faith.

We don’t always know why God is allowing something in our life but we know we can trust Him. I love this quote from Melissa Moore Fitzpatrick, Beth Moore’s daughter: “Like Job, we endure cycles of suffering and restoration, sometimes without the slightest clue as to God’s specific purpose. Being a child of God means accepting God is fully free to do as He sees fit and abiding in His core attributes. Our heritage as God’s people is to stand firmly on the platform of God’s person, knowing He moves exclusively in ways consistent with His covenant commitment, even if we cannot grasp them with finite minds” [Mercy Triumphs].

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. – James 2:25-26

Rahab also had to go through a time of trusting and waiting. She helped the spies escape and then she waited – waited for the day of her own rescue. While the world around her continued to judge her by her past actions of sin and prostitution, God saw Rahab’s faith as evidenced in her heroic actions. Rahab was not considered righteous in spite of the sinful decisions she had made, she was counted as righteous because of her faith in the God of Israel and her willingness to put her own life at risk in order to be used by God for the preservation of His people.

Can you relate to Rahab? Do you desire to be defined by your faith but others continue to define you by your mistakes? If so, please see yourself through the eyes of a God who loves you, who calls you to faith and who has changed you. As Beth Moore states, “He who was, who is, and who is to come sees each one of us. He sees who we were, who we are, and who we will become” [Mercy Triumphs].

Dear God, help us to trust You as Abraham did – to trust You to do what only You can do. Help us to live not on the basis of what we see we cannot do but on what we know You can do. Like Job and Rahab, let our actions be the seamless unity of believing and doing. Today, may You find that our faith is not barren but that our faith is fruitful! Amen.

Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.

So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you. – James 2:8-13

I’m not sure I have ever considered the concept of MERCY when discussing favoritism or the habit of judging other people. I think of mercy when I think of seeing someone in need and having pity on them, coming to their assistance. I think of mercy when I think of the need to forgive someone, regardless of whether or not they are asking for my forgiveness. But James is clearly using the concept of mercy while discussing the tendency to treat other people according to the standards WE set instead of loving them unconditionally.

According to Unger’s Bible Dictionary, mercy is defined as: “a form of love determined by the state or condition of its objects. Their state is one of suffering and need, while they may be unworthy or ill-deserving. Mercy is at once the DISPOSITION OF LOVE RESPECTING SUCH, and the kindly ministry of love for their relief.”

LOVE
Mercy is respecting where each person is coming from rather than judging or looking down on them. To truly love your neighbor as yourself we must stop thinking so highly of ourselves, accept each other through the eyes of our Creator, and have mercy.
KINDNESS
To truly love is to respond to someone else’s need – to go beyond accepting and put our faith into action.

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well” – but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless. – James 2:14-20

I think the key to remember in studying these verses is that we are not saved by works, we are saved for works. Works should be an outflow of our faith.

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Again, works should be an outflow of our faith or evidence of our faith. We can fall into a salvation by works mentality if we are not careful. We begin to say, “I need to try harder. I need to do better. I need to produce more fruit.” The danger in this is then we can say, “Look at these good works I accomplished for God. Look at the fruit of my labor.” But let’s not forget the first 7 verses of John chapter 15 – God is the vine and we are the branches. It is remaining in Him that changes who we are and that change is evidenced in the life we live. Fruit is then a result of our relationship with God, daily remaining in His presence and allowing Him to work through us.

Romans 12:1 – Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.

When we become a living sacrifice, we are offering ourselves to God –
utterly at His disposal,
willing to be consumed by Him,
desiring to be transformed by Him,
set apart to be used by Him.

Before I start enjoying some morning coffee with God, I need to remember to get out the “mirror” we talked about yesterday because it is time to be honest and open with God – allowing His Spirit to speak to me as I read His word, willing to hear anything He might have to say.

If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. – James 1:26-27

That’s good news for those of us who have given our lives for the pregnancy center ministry. That is what we do! We take care of orphans and widows:

– The babies whose mothers are forced to make a choice between staying in a relationship and the life of their unborn child
– The women who are sexually active because they are searching for the love of a man, missing the love of their own father who has abandoned them physically or maybe just emotionally
– The men who don’t know how to be fathers because their father was never there for them
– The women who are raising children on their own because the father is no longer around
– The women who chose abortion to keep the man but the man left them anyhow, either out of his own selfishness or due to the guilt of the abortion destroying their relationship

Maybe you are thinking of the ways in which you reach out to orphans and widows in your community. That is good news for us then, right? But wait a second. Before we take too much pride in what God has called us to do and given us opportunity to do, there is more to this Scripture. James says that our religion is worthless if we cannot keep a tight rein on our tongue. Ouch! We don’t serve a God who is looking for more good works than sinful deeds. Our religion is not one where we just need to make sure the good outweighs the bad. We serve a God who is calling us to holiness – to a Spirit-filled life that guides both our actions and our words.

Lord, please fill me with your Spirit today. Give me the strength to listen to your Spirit’s leading and hold back any words that our not pleasing to you. May my mouth be an instrument for you today and not a tool for the devil. Lord, bring the words of James to my mind today when I am faced with an opportunity to let the Spirit guide me.

My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?

Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear? – James 2:1-7

It’s amazing how the people of the first century have the same natural tendencies as the people of the 21st century. I guess that should not surprise me since we were all born with the same sinful nature. Humans have a tendency to treat people differently – preference, prejudice, favor, stereotyping, assumptions, racism. If someone possesses something we esteem, we are naturally drawn to them. That could be physical beauty, clothing, designer shoes or purses, athleticism, jewelry, talent, celebrity status, intelligence, money, or a dynamic personality. It’s all favoritism and it’s all sin, and my guess is we are all guilty.

Let’s look at verse 5 again: Listen my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? Over and over again, Scriptures shows that those who are poor by the world’s standards are more easily drawn toward God.

I love how Beth Moore reacts to this verse: While Christianity’s canvas is speckled with exceptions, the tendency is that believers with less trust God with more. Believers with more trust God with less. In some ways, it’s simple math. Have much / need little. Have little / need much. Blessed are those who need God. Blessed are those who need Him enough to know Him enough to love Him enough to know He’s enough [Beth Moore, Mercy Triumphs, p.90].

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith and don’t show it by your actions? – James 2:14a

This powerful question speaks loudly throughout James’ letter to the Jews. To say you believe in God but to live out a life absent of God’s presence, it’s heartbreaking – but how often are we caught in that kind of moment? How often do our actions and our words represent the selfishness living inside of us instead of the Savior living out through us?

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. – James 1:19-21

God’s plan is to fill us with His words – to speak into us the word of truth. But first we must rid ourselves of the things that drown out His words or that use up available space that is meant to be filled with His gifts.

I think I need to make room in my life for the good things that God would like to fill me with. It’s time for some summer cleaning!

– There are some unnecessary attitudes and anger that I need to throw out instead of holding on to and storing in order to make me feel justified – I need to rid myself of the moral filth so that God can gift me with peace and the ability to forgive.

– There are some habits in my life that I need to rid myself of – habits that give me pleasure or make me feel good when God wants me to go to Him for pleasure, for my self-esteem, for joy.

– There are some things I put into my body to give me energy and keep me going, when God wants to be the give of the gift of energy and drive and purpose.

– There are some lies that I tend to believe – lies I need to stop listening to so that I can clearly hear the voice of God speaking the truth into my heart.

– There are some things in my life that waste my time – I need to rid my schedule of these time-wasters and stop telling God that I don’t have time for….that I never have time to…that I’m too busy …Time is a gift from God – a good and perfect gift.

What is God asking you to get rid of so that He can fill you to overflowing? Is there anger that God is asking you to let go of and instead be quick to listen and slow to speak?

So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like GLANCING at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you LOOK CAREFULLY into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. – James 1:21-25

The study of God’s word is a wonderful thing. Spending time each day in God’s presence is vital. The question is whether or not we allow God’s words and his teachings to change who we are and how we live. If I faithfully study the Bible and I daily write “My Morning Coffee” – what God is speaking to me from the Scriptures I have read – but I don’t allow it to change who I am and what I do, then I am simply a student and not a servant.

As Beth Moore says, “The doing causes the changing. Not the hearing…The Word of God, however, is meant to do more than penetrate. It’s meant to activate.”

I am reminded this morning that my study of the scriptures needs to include more than a cup of coffee, it needs to include a mirror. When I look in the mirror, I need to see who God created me to be – the life He intended for me. When I walk away from the mirror, I cannot forget who I am in Christ. I want to be satisfied with nothing less than fulfilling God’s purpose for my life. As Beth says – “my hearing needs to turn into doing so that my believing can lead to blessing.”

James starts out his letter encouraging his readers to have faith and endurance in the midst of troubles – to see difficult times as an opportunity for faith to grow and endurance to develop. He is still talking about this when he begins to talk about the rich and the poor.

Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. – James 1:9

But wait, boasting is bad, right? Is James telling us we should take pride in our humble circumstances? No, he is telling us we should be humble no matter what our circumstances. The only time to boast is when we are boasting about what God is doing in our lives. James is saying that even those in humble circumstances can boast about the wonderful things God is doing in their lives. We do not need the riches of the world, we need the blessings of our Father.

And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away with all of their achievements. – James 1:10-11

But wait, so God will destroy the rich? No. James is speaking of the ungodly rich, who place their confidence in their riches. They look to their finances to provide help when trouble comes instead of looking to all God can do to help them during difficult times. They look to the things of this world that will fade away and wither, instead of trusting in God who is eternal.

God does not promise riches to those who have faith in Him, but He has blessed many believers with great riches. Whether God chooses to give us access to many material blessings or few, He wants us to trust in Him more than anything we can place our hands on. Whatever He has blessed us with, big or little, is His to use for His purposes. He wants access to all that we have so that we can embrace Him with empty hands.

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. – James 1:12

I find it interesting that this verse follows the section about the rich and the poor. How often does our financial situation tempt us to place our faith in money instead of God? We are tempted with the thought that our problems will be solved if only God will give us more material blessings. So is God testing us to see how we will spend what He has given us? Is He tempting us to get caught up in worldly treasures when He blesses us with them? James settles that question clearly in the next verse.

And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. – James 1:13-15

Imagine the analogy of a fish being caught on a hook. All is good and then the fish’s attention is drawn to something that looks pleasing. That something is dangling from a hook, but the fish is not thinking about the danger of the hook but of the temporary pleasure of the worm. The fish has a choice (assuming they have the capacity to think) – to swim away from the temptation or to latch onto it. The latter results in the fish being pulled in a direction it never intended to go.

Temptation comes from our own sinful desires. When we choose to pursue what our flesh desires, we take the chance that the temptation will drag us into sinful actions. As we allow sin a place in our lives, it gives birth to death. But don’t be misled! Don’t be enticed and don’t let temptation drag you into places of sin.

So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. – James 1:16-18

Our God never changes. He is good and He is holy today, and He will be good and He will be holy tomorrow. We never have to question if He loves us. We are His prized possession and He longs for us to love Him in this same way. In good times and bad, have faith in Him. Whether we have little or much, trust in Him. Don’t let any situation or any earthly possession or any temptation draw your attention away from the One who calls you His prized possession.

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. – James 1:2

Wow! When trouble comes my way, consider it as an opportunity for great joy. When things are going wrong, when how and if problems will be resolved is questionable, I should consider it an “opportunity” and not a burden. I should look at the good that can come from it instead of dwelling on the trouble it is creating.

For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So LET IT GROW, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. – James 1:3-4

An opportunity.
A chance.
Needing nothing.

When it seems like all is going wrong and my faith is being tested, I can focus on the positive – that something good can come of this difficulty. I can see my circumstances as an opportunity to build endurance or perseverance. And when endurance is fully developed, when I am growing fully in Christ, I can rest in the knowledge that my life is perfect – all that God intended it to be. I can relax knowing that, if I have Jesus, I need nothing else.

But there is something I need. I need wisdom to handle the situations that come my way – the relationships, the decisions, the obstacles, the trials, the struggles… I am not equipped to handle everything that may come my way.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. – James 1:5-8

Sometimes I lack wisdom. Sometimes the way I handle a situation causes me to regret my actions before the day is even over – sometimes before the words are even out of my mouth. Apologies are made and I seek God for forgiveness. My GENEROUS God hears my cry for wisdom and He answers it. He forgives me and is willing to turn around and give me wisdom, if only I will ask for it.

The problem is that my lack of wisdom yesterday can cause me to doubt today. Been there? I get discouraged that I have once again blown it. I begin to wonder if I will ever get it right. It is in those moments that I need to remember where my help comes from (Psalm 121:1-2).

“…we bring all that WE are to all that HE is and all that we NEED to all He can GIVE…” – Beth Moore [Mercy Triumphs, p.51]

I love that! When I am so sick of myself and so frustrated that I am not getting it right, again, I can take all that I am (as pitiful as it may be) to all that He is (holy, righteous and good). He can transform me into the person He needs me to be, giving me the wisdom I need to grow up fully in Him. I can ask my GENEROUS God for wisdom, in absolutely confidence that He will give it to me.

Here I am again, Lord, looking back at yesterday – discouraged that I am not as mature as I long to be. I am reminded by your brother, James, that you will give me what I need. Lord, I need wisdom. I ask you to empty me of all that is me, and fill me with all that is you. Generous God, please give me wisdom and continue to grow me fully in You – so I can be ALL that You intend for me to be. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for continuing to work in me, building patient endurance each time my faith is tested. I choose to LET IT GROW. Amen.

Last week we talked briefly about Paul’s three missionary journeys. We discussed them in three days and the whole account takes just a few minutes to read, but the journeys combined (from start to finish) are estimated to have taken twelve years. Before we move on to see what happened next in Paul’s life, I thought we would look at the many letters that were written during this time by Paul and some of the other disciples.

A couple of years ago, I went through Beth Moore’s bible study “Mercy Triumphs”, which is a study of the book of James. I love Beth Moore! I love studying God’s word with her. You may find me referring to this study occasionally as we look at James’ letter to the early church.

This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the “twelve tribes” – Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings! – James 1:1

James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is how James opens his letter, with an introduction of himself. Have you ever had to introduce yourself or write your own bio? It is not easy to do. Out of all the different ways James could have described himself, he chose “slave”, or some translations use the word “servant”. Not brother, not blood relation, not childhood playmate – but servant.

My heart resonates with James’ description of himself. I desire to be completely sold-out to God – a servant willing to do whatever God asks of me, addressing Jesus as my Lord or my Master as well as my Christ, my Savior. I recognize that it is through his blood that I kneel before him forgiven and with a hope and peace that are precious gifts from God Himself.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, was really named Jacobus after the patriarch Jacob, whose sons became the 12 tribes of Israel. So, when I read that James is writing to the twelve tribes of Israel scattered among the nations, I rush on to the next verses, finding no significance in the receivers of this letter. But the early church would have seen the significance of a man named Jacob writing to the 12 tribes. They had been scattered for centuries because of their idolatry, and the Jews had longed to see their nation one day reunited. Now the persecution of those Jews who believe Jesus was the Messiah is causing them to be scattered once again.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James 1:2-4

Let me share some words from Beth Moore regarding perseverance and what it means to be “mature and complete [Mercy Triumphs, p.45]:

The Greek word translated perseverance or endurance pushes beyond the passivity we tend to associate with patience. Two definitions spoke loudest to me.

The Greek word for “perfect” (teleios) describes “that which has achieved or reached its goal, objective, purpose” and, therefore, “full-grown” and “fully developed.” The last few words of verse 4 capture it best: “lacking nothing.” The teleios idea is that we grow up fully in Jesus during our tenure here on planet Earth, bearing much fruit, giving God glory, and not missing a single thing Christ died on the cross to give us. He has a goal for each of us, and His desire is to completely fulfill it.

That is my prayer this morning. I want to grow fully in Jesus, bearing much fruit, giving God glory and not missing a single thing Christ died on the cross to give me. I want to fully develop and grow in order to completely fulfill what God intended my life for. What is your prayer today?

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love and sound judgment. – 2 Timothy 1:7

Let’s consider again the story of the demon-possessed slave girl:

One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”

Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. – Acts 16:16-19

There are several things that stand out to me in this passage. My first thought is for this servant girl. She was possessed by a demon and made to behave in a way that was out of her control. Jesus Christ set her free by His power and I wonder where the celebration is. Those around her are angry and they are dragging her rescuers to the marketplace to be punished, but who is celebrating her new freedom? I long to believe that someone wrapped their arms around this wounded young woman and celebrated the healing that had just taken place. I long to believe she began a new journey of faith that day.

My thoughts go next to Paul. How many people had just accepted this young woman’s fate and were so used to her plight that they no longer thought much of it? But Paul was “exasperated” with the situation. Other translations describe Paul as annoyed or fed up with her yelling. How often are we so fed up with a situation we see daily that we seek to do something to change the situation? Just like Paul, God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love and sound judgment. Do we love those around us enough to reach out in love? Do we truly understand the power of Jesus’ name and how He desires to make a difference in the lives of others through us?

A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! – Acts 16:22-26

Doing something good for this young woman did not gain Paul and Silas popularity or praise, just like God moving us to someone else’s rescue does not always gain us points with others. Instead we are sometimes faced with criticism and negative remarks, misunderstandings and consequences.

Paul and Silas could have felt sorry for themselves. They could have become angry with God for not rescuing them from the physical beating and imprisonment that had followed their act of obedience. Instead, they chose to pray and to sing praises to God. The result of their response: other prisoners were listening, the earth moved at God’s command, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! The young woman was not the only person who received freedom that day. Lives were changed and chains fell off because Paul and Silas chose to trust God and worship Him, even in the most difficult of situations.

The story goes on – more captives are freed! The jailer woke up and assumed all the prisoners had escaped. In his horror and knowing what his fate would be once the authorities showed up, the jailer drew his sword to kill himself. Paul again spoke boldly and the course of a man’s life was changed, as were the lives of everyone in his house.

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. – Acts 16:30-34

The chains of every prisoner fell off! The slave girl is set free from the demon tormenting her, chains fell off of those in captivity, and the jailer and his family found faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. None of that would have happened if Paul and Silas had given in to fear. But instead they recognized the power of speaking the name of Jesus Christ, they saw the earth move when they chose prayer and praise over pity and panic, and they forever changed the lives of those around them because of their faith in God.

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love and sound judgment. – 2 Timothy 1:7