Simple Thoughts Without Theology: James 5

There is nothing wrong with wealth; it’s how you handle it that matters. As a Christian it really matters if you are a squanderer or a miser.  Money doesn’t really bring happiness and contentment because earthly possessions can become a disappointment. What good is hoarding money to never be used? In the end, someone will fight over it.

Watching how the Lord uses money we give back to Him is amazing and hearing from those who have been on the receiving end of what the Lord did is an encouragement to use it for Him. Just a few simple thoughts without theology from James 5.

Simple Thoughts Without Theology
Allowing God to Use our Wealth

James 5:1-3  Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.  Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth eaten.  Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

We can have everything that we have ever wanted and still be unhappy. When we put our trust in earthly possessions, we end up being disappointed many times. We are not content. In this day and age, we see a particular cell phone being upgraded every few months. When the new one comes out, many people ditch the older one for the new one just to have a new function. Why? They are not content! There are those, that have more money than they know what to do with, but yet they dress shabbily or live in a run down house. Why? They want to leave their estate with millions? They want people to be surprised in the end?

James 5:4-6 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.  Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

To me these verses bring to mind those that own businesses and pay their employees peanuts. There have been many business men and women who have died after living a prosperous life, but they left nothing good for people to remember them by. My father in law owned a roofing business and he made sure his employees were paid before he even paid himself. I met one of those employees at his funeral, this man had nothing but praises for my father in law. What a wonderful testimony as a businessman! We can’t take our wealth with us when we die. We might as well have a generous spirit and share things with those that really could use it. We will enjoy it more, if we can see others enjoy it also.

James 5:7-9 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

We are living in a time, where I have read or heard many people say, “Lord, hurry back” or “Lord, please come soon.” You know, the Lord is waiting for the perfect timing to come and call His children home. There is a lot going on that makes me want to pray those little statements. There are a lot of things going on in Washington D.C. and in the middle east that is unnerving and I find myself praying. I’m not prophesying, but I feel that the Lord will return soon.

 James 5:9-12 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.  Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

When I see the Lord’s face, I want Him to have a countenance that shows me that He is happy with me. I really don’t want to have to see Him as an angry judge. Just thinking what that must be like makes me shutter. I’m happy to know that no matter what dumb thing that I do, He is always merciful.

James 5:13-14 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

There are times when I feel that I am at my lowest. When I hit that rock bottom, I need to pray. In fact, I need to be praying while falling and not just when I finally land. When I am at my happiest, I need to let others see it. I need to make sure that I have a joyful countenance and sing. Singing is such a stress reliever for me. I find that when I sing a song I feel even better. That happiness even moves on to others around me. I’m a private person so when there are times of sickness or sadness, I don’t let people outside my family know it. I remember once I had some minor surgery right after Jamie was born. No one knew about it except for my immediate family. After being out of church for a week, I was asked where I was the past week. Me, being me, I did not tell them, I just used the “I wasn’t able to be here” excuse. It really doesn’t hurt to let people know about illnesses and things, so they can help me pray. Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

James 5:15-16 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

How much faith do I really have? Do I have enough to go to the Lord when someone is sick physically or spiritually? I like to think I do. I know that I could have more faith. Why would I ask the Lord to do something for me or someone else, when I don’t even have enough faith to trust Him? The Lord did say that He would answer our prayers. Verse sixteen is one that many people think differently about. Some think that you are to confess every sin that you have committed to another Christian. Some think that you are to confess a sin that you can’t seem to get away from; something that stays in your life. While there is nothing wrong with either, you must be careful with whom you are telling these things to. You really don’t want Mrs. Ratchet Jaws who can’t keep her mouth shut, knowing every little detail about your life and then sharing it with everyone. Be careful with whom you ask to help pray with you over a matter.

Being able to pray while being close to the Lord is a tremendous thing. I may not be able to do much for someone, but when I’m close to the Lord, I can pray. Prayer is the best thing someone can do for me.

Prayer does not equip you for greater works. Prayer is the greater work. —- Oswald Chambers

James 5:17-18 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

It’s amazing to see what the Lord will do when ordinary people pray.

James 5:19-20 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

It is my duty to work at winning lost souls to Christ. It is also my duty to help continue to teach these souls as they grow in the Lord. People can get saved, but they have to be converted. I remember a story a visiting pastor told about a little run down house in a community that was a huge eye sore. The people of the community raised money to purchase the land and house to try and do something positive with it. The day the house was to close, the owner asked the people if they noticed anything different. Well, they did not. The owner was disappointed, he went on to tell them that he had cleaned the inside, made some repairs, and moved around furniture so the new owners would be more comfortable. They community people felt a little remorse, when they told the man that the house was not being used for a family, but for the good of the neighborhood.

The Testing of Your Faith

Are you reluctant to obey the Lord in an area of your life? Obedience is a key factor with the Lord. It may be something hard or scary, but in the end, disobedience causes you to lose out on blessings from the Lord.

The Testing of Your Faith

I’ve been reading Genesis for the past week. The life of Abraham and his descendants amaze me. God used these imperfect people as tools for His plan to send Jesus. The promises God made to some of these important figures, he kept, even when they royally messed up.

Abraham’s life is full of steps of faith. He was told to leave his family and his homeland – everything he knew. (Genesis 12) Abraham didn’t know where he was going nor did he know for how long they would travel, but he went.

Living a life of faith means never knowing where you are being led. But it does mean loving and knowing the One who is leading. It is literally a life of faith, not of understanding and reason— a life of knowing Him who calls us to go. – Oswald Chambers

The promise of a future generation was made to Abraham from the very beginning. When the years began to pass, Abraham listened to Sara’s words of having a son with the maid, Hagar. The son from this union was not the promised one from God.

God promised Abraham to be the father of many nations. (Genesis 17:4-8)
The promise of a son even in their old age. (Genesis 17:15-19; Genesis 18:10-12)
While Sara’s laugh at the thought of having a son is most talked about, Abraham laughed as well. (Genesis 17:17)

There was some disbelief even in his heart.

The Testing of Abraham’s Faith

The real test of Abraham’s faith came through Isaac; God told Abraham to take his only son, the son he loved, Isaac, and sacrifice him. While Abraham had Ismael, God didn’t recognize him as the son He promised to Abraham. The Bible doesn’t tell the emotional roller coaster Abraham experienced during this situation, it must have been horrible.

There is one little clue told that he believed what God promised earlier. When the little group of travelers reached their destination, Abraham told his men to wait there and that he and Isaac would go and worship and come again. (Genesis 22:5) No one knows for sure what Abraham believed during this, many have said he believed he would sacrifice Isaac and that God would raise him from the dead. The one thing about this situation that stands out to me is Abraham knew these words were coming from God and not some craziness going through his mind. He knew for a fact it was God who told him to sacrifice Isaac. No matter what he may have thought, Abraham had faith in God.

I’m sure there was shock, fear, and uncertainty going through Abraham’s mind, but he obeyed anyway.

When Abraham built that altar and placed Isaac upon it, I’m sure he remembered the words of a curious boy questioning where the lamb was at. (Genesis 22:7) The remembrance of God’s promise of being the parents of many nations (Genesis 17:5, Genesis 17:16) He fully had faith in God.

Through it all, God knew exactly how far Abraham would go to show his love for Him. Because of Abraham’s faith, God provided a ram for the sacrifice.

The Testing of Faith Brings Strength

When we are called to do something that seems difficult and hard to understand we have to be like Abraham and just do it.

When we don’t obey God, we are denying His omniscience, His omnipotence, and His omnipresence.

When we obey God – we never lose. It may be hard to understand and we don’t like it, but obedience is the key to everything with God.

Our lack of understanding of why God tells us to do something is never an acceptable excuse for not doing it. – Dr. Charles Stanley

I hope the life of Abraham has encouraged you to trust God as much as it has me.

What will it cost you to obey God? What will it cost you disobey God?

Simple Thoughts Without Theology: James 4

As Christians, we have to live in this world, but we are not to live of this world; we are to avoid all sin in any form. Just because we are human and we’ll never be completely Christ like, it should not keep us from living a separated life. – A few simple thoughts without theology.

Simple Thoughts Without Theology

Living a Separated Life

James 4:1-3 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

What is my motive in the prayers that I pray? Am I really wanting the Lord’s will in a situation or am I just being selfish? I need to make sure that I’m not being selfish when praying.

James 4:4-5 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

I can’t live in the world and be of the world. To truly love the Lord, I have to live a separated life. I must love Him and allow His love to be shown through me. Do I really believe the words in the Bible? The words were not written, just so I could skim through them.  They are the precious words of God, and they were written so I could read them, believe them, and follow them.

James 4:6-10 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Resist the devil and he will flee is a lot easier said then done. I can’t resist Satan without submitting to God first. I can’t fight Satan on our my own. Only with the Lord’s help will Satan leave me alone.  If I am willing to draw near to God, He will draw closer to me. I want God’s grace on me, all I have to do is humble myself before Him.

James 4:9-10 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

How can I draw near to God, when there is sin in my life? The sin may not be as “bad” as murder or adultery, but what about the television program or the music I find myself humming or singing? I have sin all around me and most of the time, I don’t even blink an eye at it. I need to really take hold of myself and see  ALL sin as what it is ~ SIN.  I need to humble myself and seek the Lord, so He can lift me up above the mess that is around me.

James 4:11-12 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

I remember a school teacher explaining to my class in about the 7th or 8th grade, that when we talk badly about someone, we are talking badly about God’s handiwork. A sentence that has stuck with me since, and it is a sentence that I quoted quite often when teaching school. Think about it, God’s work is perfect. Although a person is not perfect,  what God created is.  How can I judge someone for what they look like or for what they have done, when I am no better than them? The Bible specifically tells us not to do it! God’s the only one who can do the judging.

James 4:13-15 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

I can make all the plans I want. There is nothing wrong with planning. In fact, I think it is good to make plans. Instead of being a “fly by the seat of your pants” kind of person all the time.  When planning, there is a “but” to the process. Just because we make those plans, doesn’t mean they will come about. Looking at verse 14 is very thought provoking.  Our life ~ many or blessed with an extremely long life, while others are not. God says that our lives are as just a vapor – here one moment, gone the next. When I plan for my future, I need to keep in mind ~ IF THE LORD ALLOWS IT.

James 4:16-17 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

It’s a sin brag.  I for one, do not like to be around people that brag about something all time. I’ll be seen running from a person who says, “I’ll do this, if it’s the last thing I do.” I’m not going to be anywhere near that person when the streak of lightning comes down and the clap of thunder sounds. I can’t stand to hear “if it is the last thing I do.” You know what, you may get your wish. When we are faced with the decision about doing something that we know is right and we don’t do it ~ it’s a sin. No matter what that decision is, we need to make sure that doing the right thing is a priority.

If you missed the  previous posts for Simple Thoughts Without Theology you can find James 1,  James 2 ,  James 3 at these links.  Join me next week when I continue Simple Thoughts Without Theology in the fifth chapter of James.