A Genuine Walk

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

In verse 26, James describes for us what worthless religion looks like. Here, in verse 27, he goes on to describe what true religion, or a true relationship with Jesus, looks like. The word "religion" here means "worshipping". In other words, when we do that which James describes here, we are genuinely and sincerely worshipping the Lord. He essentially tells us to do the two thing Jesus Himself commanded us to do in Luke 10:27, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind'; and 'your neighbor as yourself.'" Simply put, "Love God and love people". To love the fatherless and widows in their times of distress is simply to make ourselves and our resources available to those in need. It means to give our time in order to visit with those who are lonely, who may simply need someone to listen to them and encourage them. It means to get out of our comfort zone and put the needs of others before our own, trusting that God will take care of our needs. There is nothing more satisfying than knowing that we were a blessing to someone in their time of distress; and that God used that opportunity to glorify Himself in that person's life. James goes on to tell us that religion that is true worship is one that keeps itself unspotted, or unblemished, from the world. 2 Corinthians 6:17 commands us to come out from among the world and be separated unto God. In other words, we are not to behave in the same manner as the unsaved do. We are to be set apart for God's purposes, and live a life that stands out, regardless of the world's opinion; and without fear of persecution. Jesus clearly told us in John 14:15 that we will obey His commands, if we truly love Him. The bottom line is this, if we want to have a testimony that shows that we are genuine followers of Jesus, then we must be careful not to create façades of religiosity, being pious windbags and thinking more of ourselves than we should. Instead, we must be genuine followers of Jesus who show our love for God by living a life of obedience to His Word, and showing genuine agape love for others, especially those who are in need. The person who walks around acting religious does so to impress man. That person's religion is worthless. The one who has a sincere walk with Jesus only cares about what pleases God, in spite of what man thinks.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Words Can Spoil Our Testimony

James 1:26 If anyone among you seem to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

The word "seem" used by James means "to be of reputation". I'm sure many of us can think of someone that is known for their "religious" ways, but makes us cringe when they open their mouth. Before we cast any stones, let us consider the conversations we start and engage in, and things we say on a daily basis. How often do we involve ourselves in gossip, or comment on things we should be silent about? How often do we criticize others for the very same things we are guilty of? How often have we had outbursts in anger or frustration, and said things that did not honor God in any way? The truth of the matter is that a person who thinks more of themselves than they should, when it comes to their walk with Jesus, and fails to control their tongue, is a person who deceives their own heart and their religion is vain. The word "vain" used in this verse means "worthless", devoid of force, truth, or success, useless, and of no purpose. God makes it very clear that one day we will give account for every single word we speak. Our words can either encourage others, or break them down. As my mother would often say, "If you have nothing good to say, keep your trap shut." Psalms 34:14 puts it this way, "Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit." We must take extreme care not to ruin our testimony for the Lord, by refraining from speaking words that are contrary to an honest and genuine reputation as a follower of Jesus. We are ambassadors for Christ. Let us make sure that our words line up with who we say we are in Christ Jesus.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Action Equals Blessings

James 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

James makes it clear that to be a Christian who is only a hearer of the Word, without action, is a deceived Christian (v. 22). In today's verse, we are instructed on how to be a doer of the Word, and the benefit of being a Christian who puts feet to their faith. First, we must be in the Word. We cannot live out God's Word effectively if we don't know what it says. Our reading and study of the Scriptures must be done purposely. There are so many things in life that we do on purpose, that hold no eternal value at all. We must purpose in our hearts to make God and His Word a priority. Secondly, we must not be forgetful. The word "forgetful" used here means negligence. In other words, when we read the Word of God, but then walk away from it not allowing it to take root or have effect, and refusing to put it to action in our life, the Lord says that we are being negligent. Those are very strong words, as it means that we are being careless and have breached our duties as soldiers in God's army. On the flip side of this truth, God tells us that if we are not forgetful, and we actually take action to put His Word to work in our life, He promises that we will be blessed. The word "blessed" here means "supremely blessed", "fortunate", or "well off", "happy". This is not a "name it, claim it" promise, and it is not a promise of monetary blessings. Blessings come in all shapes and sizes, and the greatest blessings are the ones that yield heavenly reward. Real blessings are ones that yield true joy, and the peace that passes all understanding. Real blessings are those which leave us knowing that God was glorified, and that He is using us to be a blessing to others. Can they possibly yield material blessings? Yes, absolutely. The Lord can choose to allow us to reap some of the material wealth of this world, so long as those things don't become our gods. Nonetheless, true blessings come from applying the Word of God to our lives on purpose and with diligence. In Matthew 7:21-27, Jesus told us that there will be some that will stand before Him claiming that they did many things in His Name, but He will reply that He never knew them. He then goes on to stress that the one who fails to build their house upon the truths of His Word is a foolish person, and their life will end in ruin. On the other hand, the wise person that builds their life on God's Word, that person will always stand because their life is built on the Rock, Jesus Himself. True success and blessings in this life, and the next, come from being doers of God's Word, and not just hearers.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Great Pretenders

James 1:22-24 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

We live in a society of great pretenders. A society where great effort is put forth in trying to make others think that we are something that we really aren't. Social media, filters, and special apps have done much to help us along in building these great façades. We can make ourselves look younger and "better" with the click of a button or two; and we post pictures of this "wonderful" life we are living. All the while we are hiding the blemishes, the pain, and the stresses we actually live with every single day. Everyone thinks we are "living large", when in fact we are both broke and broken. We fool everyone, including ourselves, into thinking that we are really something we are not. Today, we are reminded that although we may be deceived, God is not. When we look into the mirror of God's Word, He exposes us for who we really are. He tells us that if we look into the mirror of His Word, see who we are, but walk away and forget what He has shown us, we are only deceiving ourselves. Far too many of us Christians are walking around today pretending to be something we are not. We put up a good front, and show the world a front stage performance that hides what is going on backstage. We need to be honest with God and ourselves, and ask God to work in us to help us become who we should be, in Christ Jesus. The only way that will happen is when we acknowledge and admit that we are who God says we are. We need to repent of, and confess, those things He reveals about us; then do all we can, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to live a life of obedience to His Word. If we are mere hearers of the Word, but not doers; all we will ever be is "great pretenders".

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Christian Windbags

James 1:21-22 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Therefore, because God has redeemed us of His own will, we must put aside all things that are filthy, morally dirty, and that bring dishonor to God and our testimony as followers of Jesus. Although it is a fact that in Christ we have been justified (declared not guilty), there must be action on our part. Although there is no amount of works that can earn us eternal life, as it is given to us by the grace of God when we put our trust in Jesus, and call upon His Name; it is still required of us to work out our salvation with reverent fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). We cannot have true victory over sinful behavior, unless we live out our Christianity intentionally. In other words, we must intentionally put aside those things that lead us down the path of sin. It first begins with the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2). When we accept Jesus as Savior we are made new creatures who no longer view God or man in accordance with the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:16-17). Today, we are reminded that the power to change our thinking, so that our actions will follow, is dependent upon our dedication to living out the Word of God. James gives us a wonderful picture of how we must receive the Scriptures, if we are to experience true victory. The Word must be engrafted in us so that it produces the fruit of righteousness in our life. This is only possible when we are careful not to hinder the work of the Spirit in us. In Psalm 119:11, the psalmist wrote, "Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you." This is not to say that we will never stumble. The fact of the matter is that a true believer will no longer live a lifestyle of sin, and will do all they can to obey the Word of God. Obedience is not just reading and hearing the Word. Obedience is not just agreeing with God's Word. Obedience is putting God's Word to action in our life, without compromise. The Lord makes it clear that if we are not actually living out His Word, we are deceiving ourselves. That means that we are not to pick and choose which portions of Scripture we will apply to our lives; for all of Scripture is profitable and must be exercised. Let us not be Christian windbags who only talk a good game. Instead, let us be Christians who put feet to our faith, for the glory of God.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Ears Open and Mouth Closed

James 1:19-20 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

So then...because God has given us eternal life and justified us, or declared us "not guilty", in Christ Jesus; we are then to put to practice today's commands. "Be swift to hear", or be ready, be quick, to listen and understand. My question for us to consider is this, "Who are we quick to listen to during trying times?" There are many voices that speak to us. Our enemies, the devil and his demons, are shouting accusations and lies about God, and how He no longer loves us, never loved us, and has forsaken us. In all that noise, there is another voice. That voice is a still small voice that is whispering ever so gently, reminding us that God's love is unshakeable, and that God is keeping His promise that He never forsakes us. It is in the midst of the noise that the greatest temptation pushes us to speak out and give everyone a piece of our mind. It is in the midst of being stressed, pressured, and stretched, that we can easily become short-tempered, and lash out at those closest to us. We put ourselves in a position to ruin our testimony in front of someone we may have been trying to win to Christ. In the midst of trials is not the time to make hasty decisions about how to resolve the problem(s); for it is likely that these decisions will be made in anger and haste. The end result will not be one that glorifies God, because it will not promote the righteousness of God. Instead, it will only temporarily satisfy the flesh, and complicate the situation. This often happens during times when we feel persecuted, or during times when we are dealing with those who offend us, because they have sinned against us. The Lord wants us to slow down in our responses during difficult times, and learn to trust Him. Rather than lash out, He may be teaching us to love our enemies. He may be teaching us how to truly forgive. Most of all, He may be teaching us to block out all nonsense the enemy is shouting in our ears, and learn to pick out and listen to His voice. The best way to do that is to slow down, take a deep breath, and open up the Word of God. Be quick to seek, and listen to, His voice. Be slow to open our mouth and say something we will forever regret, and remember that our sinful temper will never cause us to say or do something that is God honoring. We need to open our ears, close our mouth, and be careful not to let our anger lead us to sin.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Turn It Upside Down

James 1:18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

If we are truly reading and studying God's Word, as we should be, how can we not be amazed at God's goodness toward us? He sacrificed Himself for us, of His own will, and has made us "a kind of firstfruits of His creatures". The firstfruits was to be the very first part of the harvest, set aside solely unto the Lord; for His use. As born again believers, in Christ, we are set apart, consecrated, unto God for His holy purposes. How often do we, even as followers of Jesus, live a self-centered life? We live for "me, myself, and I". The term firstfruits, when used in respect to persons, means not only to be consecrated to God, but to be consecrated to God forever. This means that we, as true Christians, should be living in such a way that it would be obvious that we have become living sacrifices unto God, dead to the world and self, but alive to God in every way. One of the enemy's tactics is to make us think that we are not good enough to serve God. He loves to remind us of our past life and its failures. However, in order for us to be firstfruits of God, we must be perfect. Each of us knows that in and of ourselves we will never be perfect, in this lifetime. However, by the grace of God, in Christ Jesus, we have been declared "perfect" and "not guilty". The bottom line is that this life is not about us. It is all about Jesus; and as such, we must live a life that reflects the glory of God. We are His ambassadors, reflecting His light, sharing His salt, taking up our cross each day, demonstrating our love for Him by our obedience to His commands. If we truly live in appreciation for what God has done for us, in Christ, it will be clearly visible, and the Lord will be able to effectively open doors of opportunity for us to share the Gospel with others. Let us remember that our perfection, as firstfruits, is not our own, but Christ's. Therefore, let us go forward with the confidence we have in Christ, and turn this world upside down for Jesus!

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Do Not Be Deceived

James 1:16-18 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

The enemy loves to make us think that God doesn't love us. He wants to make us think that God is the One who is at the root of, and the One to blame for, the pain we experience during difficult times. We are often convinced that God is punishing us for something, or that God somehow stopped caring for us and stopped loving us because of something we did. How quickly we forget that Jesus demonstrated His love for us by dying for us. His love is everlasting and will never change. He even tells us in Romans 8 that NOTHING can separate us from His love. In today's verses we are reminded of some very important truths. They start with one very important charge...do not be deceived. We must not let the enemy convince us of the lie that God is the cause of our troubles. He is the Author of every good and perfect gift in our life. In other words, even when He allows trying times, He allows them as blessings. The devils want to cause us pain, and want to destroy us and our faith. However, God allows it in order to make us more patient, strengthen our faith, and learn to trust Him more. His desire is that we recognize that in all of the turmoil He is ever present and wants us to draw near, and walk closer to Him. We are reminded that the best and most perfect gift He gave us was eternal life. A gift that did not come as a result of anything we did or deserve; and not out of His necessity, but simply because He willed it. It was out of His goodness and love for us that we were begotten unto Him, in Christ Jesus. This is the God that we can count on in the midst of life's painful moments. Just as when our wicked lusts and desires give in to temptation and give birth to killer sins; so God brings forth a new birth in Christ, when we believe, trust in the finished work of Jesus, and call upon His Name with repentance and faith. The next time the enemy tries to convince us that God doesn't love us, we need to simply stop and remember that God already proved His love for us on Calvary; and not allow ourselves to be deceived.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Birth of a Killer

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

Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. For the person who rejects Jesus, their ultimate end will be eternal separation from Jesus, and eternal suffering or death. For those of us who know the Lord as Savior, we have escaped eternal punishment, but we have not escaped the painful consequences of sinful choices. When we choose to entertain our flesh with its wicked desires, we set ourselves up for not only our own suffering, but the suffering of others. The enemy convinces us that a little dabble here and a little dabble there will hurt no one. However, what we do not realize is that the process starts out slow. The verse tells us that when sin is birthed, death will be the end result when it is full grown. Think about that for a moment in respect to the growth process. A baby grows into adulthood over an 18 year period. During that time we often do not realize just how much that child has grown and changed, because we see them every day; so it is with sin in our lives. We do not realize how much it is growing, how many people it is affecting, and how much destruction it is causing. Just like that "aha" moment when we realize that our child has grown into a mature young man or woman, so it is with sin. One day we will come to the realization that sin has killed our closest relationships, caused us all kinds of emotional problems, and most importantly has killed our spiritual life; causing a hindrance in our relationship with Jesus. Sin will ALWAYS lead to death. So yes...we are saved from eternal death when we accept Jesus, but when we choose sin, as a Christian, we open the door for the enemy to sift us as wheat, and make us useless for the cause of Christ. Sin is a testimony killer. If we have already allowed another killer to be birthed in our lives, it is time to capture it, restrain it, bring it to Jesus with repentance, mourning, and confession, and leave it on the altar. Let us not entertain the desires of our flesh. Instead, let us turn to Jesus, before our lusts conceive and birth the killer that Jesus went to the cross to defeat...sin.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Stop Point Fingers

James 1:13-14 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

Who we really are shows up, not when things are going well and life is good, but when the bottom falls out and life goes sideways. It is when life's pressures begin to squeeze us that we find out what we are really made of, and what is hidden deep within our hearts. When times get tough, those are the times when we are most vulnerable, in respect to complaining, murmuring, and doing and saying things that dishonor God; and are inconsistent with who we claim to be in Christ. Sadly, since the beginning of time, man has had the natural tendency to point the finger of blame toward someone other than himself. Adam blamed God for his own failure to obey God's command, after both he and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. When we are tested by the trials of life and fail, we are quick to blame society, our upbringing, our past struggles, and the hypocrites in the local church. However, who we are really blaming is God. We quickly say, "I'm not blaming God!" Well then, let me ask this...who decided we would be born where we were born, and to the parents we were born to? Who decided that we would have the personality, weaknesses, and strengths we have? Who is the One who has allowed the things that have happened to us in life that were meant to mold and shape us? In all of this, what we always leave out of the equation is that it was man's choice to sin, and that sin, death, and evil has affected man since that time; but God was not the One to blame. As a matter of fact, God gave Adam the one loving command that would have protected him, Eve, and all of mankind, had he simply loved God enough to obey Him. This is an age old story. We stumble and fall in the midst of testing because we allow our flesh and our own desires to dictate our decisions and actions. Our lack of love for, and obedience to, God is what leads us down the path to sinning against Him, when our faith is being tested. We would experience greater growth in the process God is putting us through, in making us more like Jesus, if we would just start out by taking responsibility for our own faults and failures, and stop pointing the finger at everyone else, especially God.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Be Happy and Love Him

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

How is it that so many of us, God's children, find it so difficult to find happiness in our life here on earth? If we are in God's Word, daily, we are bound to run into the phrase, "Blessed is the man." In other words, "Happy is the man." In today's verse we will find out how we can be happy while walking through trials. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but with the Spirit working in and through us, this is completely possible. We are told that, "happy are we if we endure temptation". What James is saying is that we find blessing(s) when we patiently endure tests that cause us suffering. However, the word temptation here is interesting because it means "a putting to proof [of good]" and also "experience [of evil]". So the source of the test may come from evil, but the result of patiently enduring will always work out for our good, when we patiently endure; allowing God to work it out for our good and His glory. Not only do we come out on the other side being more like our Lord and Savior, but we are promised, by the Lord Himself, that we will receive the crown of life, that we will lay at His feet. What a magnificent reward system! God does the work as we trust Him and patiently endure; then He gives us the reward. But wait...lest we disqualify ourselves from receiving such a wonderful and undeserved reward. He goes on to tell us that those of us who receive this promise are those of us who love Him. This is the one part of God's promise(s) that always seems to be left out when we quote Scripture. How often do we hear people quote Romans 8:28, "All things work together for good", but they leave out the part that says, "to those who love God"? Today's promise is no different. We are promised that the outcome of patiently enduring will be good, and will yield heavenly treasure, but it will be for those of us who endure while demonstrating our true love for Jesus. In other words, we must endure difficult times by obeying God's commands, regardless of what the outcome might be. Jesus told us in John 14:15, "If you love Me, keep my commandments." In the end it is not just about enduring difficult times, but more about how we endure difficult times. So, endure the trial(s) patiently, but continue to love Jesus through it all; it will be well worth it in the end.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Loosen Our Grip

James 1:9-11 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

Verses 9 through 11 seem to be disconnected from verses 1 through 8. However, in the context of trials and testing they actually fit perfectly. The poor, lowly, and depressed person usually lives a life of constant testing and having to trust the Lord. When we live at rock bottom, there is nowhere to look, or go, but up. For this reason, there is little said about the lowly. However, for those who are rich and have much, there is a greater probability of loss. There is more to lose as far as material things, status, and that "wonderful" thing that often creates a barrier between us and God...pride. Even if we are not wealthy, in the sense that we are not millionaires, if we own a house, a car, and have a job earning a comfortable living, there exists the possibility of loss. God reminds us that when testing comes in the form of some kind of loss, we need to see that loss as a means God uses to humble us. Just as the humble, lowly, person is to rejoice in being lifted up and exalted, the person who suffers loss is also to rejoice in being humbled; as this humiliation is for the purpose of drawing us closer to God, and making us more like Jesus. In verse 11 we have a reminder that life is short, and fades away quickly. Therefore, we waste precious time when our focus in this life is the gathering of wealth, and "things". This is not to say that being wealthy is wrong or evil. God may choose to allow us to be wealthy, but our riches should never become our gods. The bottom line is that we should not hold on to the things of this world so tightly that if God chooses to allow us to lose some, or all of it, we are still able to have peace, joy, and continue trusting God's wisdom in allowing the loss. We need to loosen our grip. All that God allows, regardless of how we see it, is always for our good and His glory.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

The Blessing Killer

James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

How awesome is it to know that we have a God whose desire is to bless us in so many different ways? We know, from His Word, that He is the Giver of every good and perfect gift. Sadly, we do not always recognize the blessings because they do not always come packaged the way we want them to, or they do not come in the way that we asked for them. What is even more tragic is when we miss out on a great blessing because of that "blessing killer"...unbelief. God wants to give us as much wisdom as we ask Him for, and even more. Yet, He warns us that if we ask but do not have faith to believe that He will give it, we will receive nothing. He compares us to a wave that has no control over where it will go, but is driven toward whatever direction the blowing wind decides. In other words, when we choose unbelief, our doubts toss us to and fro, and our spiritual walk is like that of a man who is drunk and completely unsteady on his feet. A person who asks for wisdom, but asks doubting is like someone who cannot make up their mind, unstable in everything they do, and cannot be trusted. When we allow unbelief and doubt to infiltrate our prayers for wisdom, it causes us to miss out on the blessing of receiving the wisdom that God provides for us, in Christ, by the leading of the Spirit. This is the wisdom that is crucial for those times when trials come our way, and patience is trying to work her perfect work in us. When the storms of life start to brew and stir, let us choose faith, joy, and allow patience to do her work. Let us stand fast in our faith and not allow the "blessing killer" of unbelief rob us of the blessing of receiving God's wisdom in those moments when we need it most.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

If We Ask, He Will Give It

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

This verse in and of itself can be applied to any situation that requires wisdom in our response or decision making. However, in the specific context of dealing with trials, and God working patience into our lives, it is of utmost importance that we go to, and lean on, God for wisdom on how to walk in the midst of trying times. Our propensity for sinful responses and behavior will oftentimes cause us to react in ways that dishonor the Name of Jesus, if we are not careful to step back and seek God whenever trials squeeze us. God's desire is that we approach Him with boldness, in Christ, to seek what only He can provide for us, by the leading of His Spirit. Far too often we lean on our own understanding, or seek the guidance of others, before turning to the Lord. We try our hand at taking care of a situation, then turn to God as a last resort, when our choices unravel things and make situations worse. God makes it very clear in His Word that He will not reject our humble requests for wisdom; but instead will give us as much as we need, without reproach. Our Lord wants us to rely on Him completely, and invites us to draw near to Him, as we walk through difficult times. As patience does her work in us, God tells us to turn to Him for guidance and wisdom so that we do not make the wrong choices in our impatience. In the next devotional we will discuss how faith affects our ability to ask for, and receive, wisdom when we need it most. In the meantime, if we need wisdom, we must not hesitate to ask and patiently wait for God to give it.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Let Her Have Her Way

James 1:4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

There is no doubt that we live in a world of instant gratification. If we are hungry, we throw a meal into a machine that will nuke it up for us in a few minutes. If we want something, even if we cannot afford it, we can go online, and with a few clicks of a mouse we can buy it and have it delivered overnight. There was a time when we worked for years to save enough money to buy a nice car or buy a nice home, which we lived in, raised a family in, and even passed it along within the family. Today, we can buy that new car and new house, long before most of us really should; and within a few years, sometimes even less, we are convinced by the advertisements we are bombarded with that we need to upgrade to the latest and greatest. Quite often this leads to our financial ruin, and potentially makes us useless for God's use in His desire to use us to serve and bless others. It is no wonder we get so stressed out when God is trying to teach us to be patient. Unlike the short period of time that it takes to prepare a radioactive meal or buy things we do not need, maturing in our ability to be patient takes time. It is often for that reason that trials oftentimes appear to just linger for so long. Our trials are a means by which God builds patience, but the Word of God tells us that we must let patience have, or possess, the perfect work she is trying to accomplish in us, and that means "time". Far too often we get impatient and interrupt what patience is trying to accomplish, when we choose to take matters into our own hands, rather than trust God's perfect plan. Patience does her best work when we allow God to be God in our lives, and we choose to trust why He is allowing certain trials to test us. When we choose joy, and have faith in God's will and plan, patience then works in us to help us mature in our walk with Jesus. It is in that maturity that we then begin to respond to others, the world, and the circumstances God allows, in a way that truly represents who Jesus is in our lives. It is then that we give room for the light of Christ to shine in us and through us, and we become the salt God calls us to be, in Christ Jesus. So, the best strategy we can have in our walk today, in respect to patience, is to just let her have her way.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Joy, Faith, and Patience

James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

I often hear people say, "Whatever you do, don't pray for patience!" I have to admit that I've even said it at times. However, as we ponder today's verses, we see that God wants to produce, or fully work out, our patience. How does He do that? Well, I'm glad you asked. He does it by allowing different types of trials, or tests, to come at us. The words He uses here, "fall into", mean to "be surrounded with". In other words, God surrounds us with, or allows us to be surrounded with, many different trials in order to try our faith, give us the opportunity to choose joy, and strengthen our patience; our ability to endure under various difficulties. The joy that comes from enduring under trying times is that we become more and more like Christ in our responses; not only to the trials themselves, but even towards those who may be the cause of our trials. As a result, we are able to forgive more readily, love and pray for those who persecute us and choose to be our enemies, and also enables us to return good for evil. It is when we become impatient that we snap at others, we stress, and we respond in ways that do not honor the Lord. The best remedy God chose to cure us of being impatient is a variety of trials. So, the bottom line is that we don't even have to pray for patience to have a trying day. Apparently all it takes is being an impatient Christian. That will activate a delightful variety of trials to help us strengthen our faith, build our patience, and help us practice choosing joy in the midst of each one.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

A True Servant of God

James 1:1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.

One of the very aspects of today's society that I hear people complain about is the lack of respect for authority. I hear it in Christian circles, as well as amongst the unsaved. What I find interesting about this particular complaint is that those of us who are followers of Jesus have also allowed that kind of attitude to creep into our Christianity. Both James and Paul used the same title for themselves in describing their relationship to the Lord Jesus; that title is "bondservant". A bondservant is a servant, but not just a servant in the way we view a servant today, but a slave. Many reading this will recoil in disgust at the use of that word, because of what history has shown us about what it meant to be a slave. However, it is time we view such terms from the perspective of God's Word, and not from the perspective the world wants to cram down our throats. After all, our Master, unlike a human master, is not a cruel one; but One who loves us so much, He gave His life for us. Nonetheless, let us get back to the matter at hand. What does it mean to be a bondservant of Jesus. Well, it means that we are in subjection to Him. It means that we have submitted our lives to Him, and seek to live in accordance to His commands. It means that we obey Him without debate grounded in human reasoning. The wonderful thing about our loving Master is that He allows us free will to choose whether to obey His commands, but has an overwhelming desire that we would submit to Him, not by force, but in love. In John 14:15 Jesus clearly stated, "If you love Me, keep my commandments." Unlike human authority, which can be very cruel when one chooses to rebel and be disobedient, we have a God who desires that obedience to His commands come from a relationship rooted in love. How can we not want to submit to such a Master? So today, before we complain about the lack of authority that exists in our society, let us first ask ourselves, "Do I lack that same respect for the authority of Jesus in my life?" "Do I continually rebel against His commandments, and do what I want to do in my everyday life?" If so, would we not have to admit that it is long past the time that we make a real commitment to Jesus, submit under His authority, and become a true servant of God?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).