Hope for Today

Thank you for being with us today. This teaching is brought to you by Heralds of Hope; we are a small ministry using media to make disciples. We recently started working our way through Paul’s book to the Colossians. In chapter one, there is a remarkable passage about our Messiah. These five incredible verses will be the focus of our teaching today and the next lesson.  

In this lesson and the next, we will discuss the Preeminent Christ. J Mark will explain this passage by looking at three proofs of His preeminence. The three proofs are relationships: one to His deity, another to creation, and the last to the church. Let’s go to Colossians one and grow our understanding of Jesus.  

Our world is filled with deception. Dishonest people prey on others’ ignorance or carelessness to cheat them out of their money or possessions. This problem isn’t new; it has existed since sin entered the human family.  

When I was in my late teens, I traveled to a big city with my brother, who was a truck driver. On the street, a man approached me wearing a dozen or more watches on his arm. He claimed he would sell me a brand-name watch at a very low price. So, I bought one. 

Later, when I showed it to my brother, he said, “It’s either fake or stolen.” He was right. We looked at the watch closely, and it wasn’t a brand I knew. It was a piece of junk.  

Once, when I was visiting an Asian country, my host told me that he didn’t think the country had a properly licensed copy of Microsoft Windows! It was all pirated or bootleg. The same was true in the myriad shops along the streets of the capital selling brand-name footwear and clothing. He told me that the vast majority of it was knock-offs from China.  

Watches, software, clothing, and other things aren’t of much enduring value. If a dishonest or shrewd salesman takes advantage of me, the consequences usually aren’t that great. I may lose some money or end up with a worthless product.  

But what if I believe things about myself and about the world that aren’t accurate? What if my beliefs about God and Jesus aren’t correct? What are the consequences of that? Deception in these areas can lead me to eternal ruin!  

The people in Colossae struggled to understand who Jesus was adequately. Gnosticism was making inroads into the church. Gnosticism embraced a Jesus but not the Jesus of divine revelation in the Holy Scripture. Paul knew that unless the Believers in Colossae truly understood who Jesus was according to Scripture, they were headed for eternal ruin. Similarly, many people today have a distorted view of Jesus. They create a Jesus out of their imagination.  

In Colossians 1:15 to 20, Paul emphatically proclaims Christ as preeminent. That means He is supreme over everything and everyone. Paul emphasizes Christ’s relationship to three specific things to prove his assertion. To learn those particular things, let’s read Colossians 1:15 to 20. After I read the Scripture, I’ll share my teaching on “The Preeminent Christ.”  

15 He [Jesus]is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  

16 For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.  

17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.  

18  He is the head of the body, the church, the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that He may have the preeminence in all things. 

19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,  

20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 

In this text, the apostle Paul produces several PROOFS confirming Christ’s preeminence.  

The First PROOF is, 

His Relationship to Deity 

In the verses just before our text, Paul reminded the Colossian Believers how Christ had purchased their redemption and forgiveness of sin through His blood. As a result of that transaction, they had been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of God’s dear Son with the full rights and privileges as citizens of that kingdom. 

In our text, Paul lays out the proofs that support Christ’s ability to make this transfer. And, as I said, he begins by explaining who Jesus is in relation to deity.  

He states that Jesus “is the image of the invisible God…” Let’s clarify one thing right here at the beginning of our study. Human beings are made IN the image of God, but only Jesus IS the image of God.  

Paul’s use of the word “image” involves three things: likeness, or mirror image; representation, that is, Jesus represents God to us; and manifestation, that is, Jesus reveals God to us. Let’s look at each of these. 

First, likeness. In Hebrews 1:1 to 3, we read, “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…”  

Jesus is the express image or the mirror image of the invisible God! He is an exact reproduction of the Father. John chapter 1 tells us that Jesus, the Word, was present with God at the beginning of time, and indeed He was God. He preexisted with God in eternity past.  

Philippians chapter 2 tells us that Jesus was and is equal to the Father. There is equality of being in the Godhead, but there is a difference in roles. Jesus didn’t selfishly hold on to His equality but voluntarily submitted Himself to the will of the Father in becoming the sacrifice for our sins. In reality, God took on human form and allowed human beings to abuse Him and put Him to death. There is no separation between God and Jesus. Jesus IS God in the flesh. 

What about representation? Jesus portrays the Father to us. He shows us what the Father is like. That doesn’t mean Jesus’ physical appearance was like His Father’s because God is a spirit. But His character and attributes accurately represent who God is. That’s why Jesus said to Philip in John 14:9, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” If you’ve seen Jesus, you’ve seen the Father. If you haven’t seen Jesus, I urge you to read the Gospels. 

 Paul teaches us that Jesus is the substance of God’s purposes and intentions for His creation. “He is God’s pattern for all of life; through him, God will restore a broken and fallen creation in his likeness. I think Paul uses the word image to echo the biblical story of creation when God created male and female in God’s own image. Christ brings to historical expression the ultimate purpose of God’s creation of all human life.  

On the one hand, Jesus exemplifies humanity’s faithful response to God; on the other hand, he also discloses God’s faithfulness to mankind. God’s good intent [or purpose] in creating human life is to enjoy a faithful relationship with every person. Because of Christ, this intent can now be realized for those who are in him.”1  

And then there’s manifestation; Jesus reveals God to us. That’s what John wrote. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life — the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us…” I John 1:1 and 2. 

We could change the word manifested in these verses to reveal. I believe that helps us understand the meaning better. Later in John’s Gospel, when Jesus turned the water into wine, it says, “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested [or revealed] His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”  

Later on, in John 14 and verse 21, Jesus said, He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest [reveal] Myself to him.”  

So, Jesus being the exact image of God involves likeness, representation, and revelation. This affirms and proves His deity and His preeminence.    

The Next PROOF (of the preeminence of Christ) is, 

His Relationship to Creation 

Paul goes on to say that Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. In Hebrews 1:1 to 4 and other Scriptures, Jesus is clearly stated to be the Creator of all things. John 1:3 says, “Without Him, nothing was made that has been made.” This must mean that He existed before creation.  

The firstborn of creation cannot mean He was created first. He would have had to develop Himself. How can something that doesn’t exist create something? That makes no sense! He is not part of the creation. This fact gives Him both priority and sovereignty over all that is created.   

This is Paul’s refutation of the Gnostic idea that Jesus was just one of the many emanations radiating from the Godhead. These emanations were supposedly various orders or ranks of spirit beings of greater or lesser degree. These are the thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers that Paul mentions in verse sixteen. But he says Jesus is over all these. He is God’s first and only representation and has no equal.  

As I said earlier, the false teachers maintained that the universe proceeded from God indirectly, through a succession of emanations or releases of energy (Big Bang theory, anyone?). Christ, at best, was only one of these emanations. As such, the universe could not find its consummation in Him. But Paul emphatically states that Christ is the beginning and the end of all creation. As such, He is the sole mediator between God and humanity.  

What an ending! Our time is up, and we are left thinking about Christ and His relationship with His creation. It struck me again how inexplicable and mystifying it is that Christ entered His creation. What if you build a city with Legos or any other toy? Then, you choose to enter the town you just built and be subjected to what you designed. This explains what Jesus did, and it is no wonder we have difficulty grasping this. Why would God do this? What kind of God is He? Good questions. Please join us next time we discuss the rest of this lesson.   

If you have any questions or want to contact us, here are a few ways to reach us. An easy way is email; our email is [email protected]. You can also message us online; our website is heraldsofhope.org. We look forward to hearing from you soon.  

Thank you so much for listening. Please join us again next time as we continue our teaching of Christ’s preeminence. We leave you with this verse from Philippians 2, which emphasizes what we just heard: “ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.” 

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thank you so much for joining us for the last lesson from James. As we now expect, the lessons from James have been very practical in dealing with the things life is made of. So many areas of life were addressed in these five chapters, and many of them deal with how we live and think daily. And this lesson may be the most practical of them all. James ends the book writing about prayer. This incredible tool gives all of us access to where we can connect and communicate with God anytime and anywhere.  

You may have prayed many times today or communicated with God regularly and can’t “count” your prayers; this is good. Communicating with God is good for us, and we benefit from it. Today, Pastor J Mark will share three good things that can happen when we pray. Let’s join him for today’s teaching.  

Our study from the book of James has been intensely practical. We have much to work on as we live out a “Faith That Works.” James does not suggest that we earn our salvation by works. However, he argues that if salvation is genuine, we will think differently, act differently, and look differently than the unbelievers. He also gives clear instructions on how to do it. 

Our text for today, the final verses of James chapter five, deal with prayer. Prayer is a vital part of a working faith. John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim’s Progress, said, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”  

In our study today, James discusses “The Prayer of Faith.” I’ve taken that phrase for the title of the message. Our text is James 5:13-20.  

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 

14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the church’s elders, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 

15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 

16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. A righteous man’s effective, fervent prayer avails much. 

17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 

 18 He prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 

19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, 

20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover many sins. 

Prayer allows us to connect with and communicate with God Himself. As we examine this text, we observe several RESULTS that follow “The Prayer of Faith.” 

The First RESULT is, 

Prayer Brings Comfort 

Prayer brings comfort to those suffering hardship or trouble. If you believe the Bible, you accept the doctrine of God’s sovereignty. He controls the physical universe and the circumstances of our lives. Nothing comes to us without His approval or permission. Job is an undeniable example of God’s sovereignty in the affairs of men. 

Since God controls the events of our lives and knows all about us, one might ask, “Why bother to pray?” Yet, James instructs us to pray in times of trouble. Prayer acknowledges that we’re not in control of the situation, which helps to eliminate pride.  

Finding ourselves in a position where we can do nothing is often a motivation to evaluate our lives. Many people have thanked God for an experience that put them flat on their backs and gave them time to pray and seek God’s face.  During that time, significant life changes occurred.  

Prayer also gives us access to God’s resources. Hebrews 4:15 and 16 tell us that we have a representative, Jesus Christ, who has suffered everything we have suffered. Yet in all His sufferings, He did not sin. Because of that, we are invited to come confidently to His throne.  

In addition, prayer comforts those who are physically ill. James instructs those who are sick to call for the elders of the church. Do the prayers of the elders carry special weight with God? They are not better than the church members or even more spiritual. However, the Scriptures clearly show how God works through divinely established authority structures.  

Involving the elders highlights the often-ignored spiritual dimensions of physical sickness. I am not saying that all illness is a result of personal sin. Jesus’ disciples made that mistake in John chapter nine. And Jesus promptly told them that this man’s blindness was not a result of anyone’s sin. However, James notes this possibility by saying, “…and IF he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” There are physical consequences to both the sins of the body and the spirit.  

In our praying, we must acknowledge the possibility that God will not heal the sick one. While that fact is not explicitly stated in this text, we must keep the larger context of Scripture in view. Even in the event of death, there is comfort in prayer as we are reminded of the blessedness of those who die in the Lord.  

The prayer of faith also assures us that we are pure before God. The Holy Spirit is faithful and will confirm our good relationship with God. But, if there’s sin in our lives, a prayer of repentance brings rejoicing as we experience cleansing by the blood of Christ and the restoration of peace in our spirits. Experiencing the unconditional love of the Father is a tremendous comfort.  

The prayer of faith comforts us in our spiritual, emotional, and physical afflictions.  

The Second RESULT is, 

Prayer Brings Strength 

In verse 16, James exhorts us to confess our faults and pray for each other. “Confess… and pray… that you may be healed.” Can we infer from this statement that healing depends on our confession and prayers? Confessing our faults [our sins] to each other and praying for each other brings the brotherhood’s strength and comfort along with the Lord’s blessing. The healing can be both physical and spiritual.  

I sincerely appreciate the brothers and sisters God has given to me in our local congregation. I greatly enjoy and benefit from our times of worship and fellowship together. And yet I have told them, “If in a week, I must miss a service, I would rather miss a Sunday service than our mid-week prayer meeting.” Do you know why I feel that way? I know my brothers are praying for me, and they aren’t going to take my confessions and use them against me. There is great strength in united prayer.  

During World War II, Hitler ordered all religious groups to unite so that he could control them. Half of the Brethren assemblies complied, and half refused. When the war was over, feelings of bitterness ran deep between the groups.  

Finally, they decided that the situation had to be resolved. Leaders from each group met at a quiet retreat. Each person examined their heart for several days in the light of Christ’s commands. Then they came together.  

As they confessed their hostility and bitterness to God and yielded to His control, the Holy Spirit created a spirit of unity among them. Love filled their hearts and dissolved their hatred. They confessed their faults, prayed for each other, and were healed.  

James caps off verse sixteen with this declaration; “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” To illustrate his statement, he points us to Elijah’s life. We often see the patriarchs, the prophets, and even the apostles as super-saints. But James reminds us that Elijah was a man who had feelings and desires just like we do.  

If you read through the account of Elijah’s life, he had ups and downs. Because of the wickedness of King Ahab, God instructed Elijah to pray earnestly that it would not rain; it didn’t rain for three and a half years! Then, after his showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, he prayed again, and God sent rain. What a marvelous answer to prayer, what a tremendous victory for the God of heaven. But the next scene finds Elijah huddled in a cave in fear for his life because of the threats of wicked queen Jezebel.  

The active, earnest supplication of a person in right standing with God has incredible power. There is nothing that can stand against it. Mary, Queen of Scotland, said of the Scottish Protestant Reformer, John Knox, “I fear [his] prayers more than an army of ten thousand men.” Prayer brings strength. 

The Final RESULT is, 

Prayer Brings Repentance 

Several times in this epistle, we’re reminded of our tendency to revert to our sinful lifestyle. This issue surfaces again in the last verses of our text. James reminds us that within our hearts are desires that can easily lead us astray. He also shows how we can guard against that. 

I see a connection back to verse sixteen. As we walk in unity with our brothers and sisters in the Lord, we will see when one of them is getting off-track. Or they will be able to see when we are drifting. There is a need for mutual accountability. Faithful prayers and loving confrontations are a necessary part of our local congregations. 

As a leader in the early church, James saw the need for Christians to pray for each other. He said that if anyone goes astray from the path of truth, and someone comes after you, turns you around, and brings you back, be assured they have done you an excellent service. That one rescues a soul from death and hides a multitude of sins.  

Often, when someone walks away from God, they’ve been deceived. They do not see clearly where the road they are on is taking them. And if Satan has his way, they will never see it until it’s too late. But if you faithfully pray for them, you lovingly come alongside them and say, “Brother, do you realize where the road you’re on is taking you?” Through your prayers and concern, God can use you to bring them to repentance.  

You may rescue them not only from spiritual death but from physical and emotional death, too. This is particularly true of sexual sins, which have devastating spiritual, emotional, and physical consequences. And they have a far-reaching impact on relationships.  

Not only is this person rescued from destruction, but many sins they would have committed are now covered. They’re not going to take place. They have repented. Now, they’re walking again in obedience to God’s Word and finding joy and blessing in that obedience.  

The prayer of faith is a powerful tool in securing a faith that works. Let’s exercise that prayer of faith right now as we recommit ourselves to faithfully living for the Lord.  

Thank you, J Mark, for this encouraging teaching on the results of prayer. All are good things that I want more of in my life. Comfort, strength, and repentance may each be found in growing measures in your life. You know the only thing limiting our prayers is me. For myself, I get busy or become distracted, and my prayer life suffers. So many things are vying for my time and attention; I must protect my prayer life and keep it healthy. Your struggles are similar wherever you are, and our encouragement is to fight for them, pray more, and pray fervently.  

Thanks a lot for being with us today. Please let us know if you want to contact us for any reason or to hear our other teaching from James. You can email us at [email protected], visit our website at heraldsofhope.org, or write to us at Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Hopefully, we will hear from you soon.

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

It is so good to be here; thank you for being with us. We look forward to another powerful and practical lesson in James. Today, we begin James 5, titled “Payday is coming.” The lesson teaches us to think long-term and realize that this life is not all there is. Most of us know what payday is, but have you considered a “payday” for your life?  

“Who could do that?” you ask. Well, it would have to be someone who knows everything you have ever done and understands all the reasons behind your actions. God is the only one able to do this, and we know he will get it right. As Abraham said, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Since God knows everything, it won’t be difficult for Him to be fair and give everyone the “payday” we deserve.  

Paydays are coming, but think about what this means in the long term, not just weekly or monthly. J Mark is here to share the rest of today’s lesson, so let’s go with him to James 5.  

Payday!  The word has a welcome sound. Most likely, every worker in every culture and country worldwide knows that word in their native language. The toil, the sweat, and the exercise of brawn or brains finally produce a reward. Now, you and I can provide for our needs and the needs of our families. Our labor has been rewarded, the necessities of life can be bought or bartered, and physical life will be sustained. 

Just for a moment, suppose you worked all week at your job, and at the end of the week, you DID NOT receive the paycheck you were promised. How would you feel? At the very least, you would feel cheated, all that labor and no reward.  

Interestingly, many who rise in indignation at withholding a person’s wages somehow think they can live their entire lives in self-gratification and not expect a proportionate reward. In today’s study, we want to examine such a group.  

Our text today is James 5:1-6. In this passage of Scripture, James speaks about a group of people with the problem I mentioned a moment ago. Because of their position in life and they’re accustomed to having their way, they are blissfully ignorant of the payday approaching. It will come on them unexpectedly. 

Again, our text is James 5:1-6.  

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!  

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.  

3 Your gold and silver are corroded; their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last few days.  

4 Indeed, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. 

 5 You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.  

6 You have condemned; you have murdered the just; he does not resist you. 

James reveals the promised WAGES that will come to unjust employers.  

The First Part of the Promised Wages 

Your Wealth Becomes a Curse 

James begins chapter five with his words in 4:13, “Go to now.” As I said last time, the modern equivalent would be to say something like, “Oh, come on,” or “Now wait a minute.” Both times are in a context where the result is different than expected.  

According to verse four, the wealthy men (employers) are told to weep and howl because misery is about to overtake them. Here are men accustomed to a life of ease, laughter, mirth, and celebration. They dress in expensive clothing and boast about their accumulated wealth. James says they should lament and wail in their wretchedness because of the calamities coming their way. Hardship and trouble are just ahead because, like those we talked about last week, they forgot the God factor.  

Many are like them today; sadly, some are in the church. This message probably came as a shock to them. They forgot the words in Ecclesiastes 5:13, “There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun; namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.  

The riches James in verse two are not monetary; those come later in verse three. He speaks of things that spoil or rot. If you look at verse four, you learn that their wealth was in their harvests, their agricultural produce. That makes sense. Produce from the soil, because it is organic, even if stored very carefully, will tend to spoil or rot. Their grain would get infested with bugs or exposure to moisture. The wine would sour and become worthless, and the olive oil would turn rancid. Their many changes of fine clothing would become moth-eaten.  

In verse three, the silver and gold of these wealthy men become a liability—their gold and silver, whether plate or coin, would become tarnished. I want you to see the connection between agricultural produce, clothing, silver, and gold. Why were all these things moving into a state of decay? Because these wealthy men were hoarding them!  

And God said that those things they’d hoarded up would become the evidence that would convict them in His court of justice. They were not sharing with people experiencing poverty because they didn’t have the resources. No, it was because they were selfish and greedy!  

They refused to honor God with the wealth He had given. If their crops had been used appropriately, they would have less spoilage. Silver and gold, passed from hand to hand during commerce, would not have tarnished as quickly as when hoarded in secret storage. 

The very thing they had set their hearts on as a source of blessing, comfort, security, and satisfaction would now become a curse to them. James becomes very graphic. He says the rust or corrosion of their riches would “eat their flesh as fire.” There is an obvious connection to the word cankered, which he used to describe what would happen to their riches. The modern term for canker is gangrene! It is a dreaded word today, how much more dreaded at the time James is writing. It struck fear into the stoutest heart, much like the word cancer does for us today. 

The last part of verse three is challenging to decipher, but here’s my understanding. When we began this study of the book of James, I pointed out my belief that this book was one of the earliest writings of the New Testament. Keeping that point in mind makes me suggest that the fiery judgment coming was the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.  

If you read the Old Testament prophets and their messages of judgment, one of the issues for which God judged His people most harshly was the oppression of the poor. That sin was taking place here in this text. According to Scripture, the sins of materialism and greed will also characterize the final days of history.  

If you are a person of wealth, especially an employer, take these words to heart. In the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles repeatedly warn about the danger of using riches selfishly. Neither you nor I want to receive the wages spoken of here. 

The Next Part of the Promised Wages, 

Your Workers Cry for Justice 

As a young man, I read “The Jungle,” a novel that detailed the horrible working conditions in the meat packing plants in Chicago, Illinois, at the beginning of the 20th century. I do not support the author’s conclusion that socialism cured these problems. However, the book gives a glimpse into the rampant abuses of the workers employed in the slaughterhouses. Those abuses were partly responsible for establishing labor unions to protect the workers.  

Verse four introduces this part of the wages. James accuses the wealthy landowners of withholding the wages of their laborers. God had given clear instructions to his people regarding the treatment of employees. Leviticus 19:13 and Deuteronomy 24:15 contain a similar message. “At his day, you shall give him his hire; neither shall the sun go down upon it —lest he cry against you unto the Lord and it be sin unto you.”  

These landowners violated God’s clear commands, and the cries of the laborers would become evidence against them in God’s court of justice. They assumed they could be oppressed with impunity because the laborers had no earthly court to hear their case. But once again, these wealthy men forgot God.  

The cries for justice had come into the ears of the Lord of the Sabbath. Lord of hosts, or Lord of armies, is a frequent appellation of God in the Old Testament. It signifies his uncontrollable power and the infinitely numerous means for governing the world, defending his followers, and punishing the wicked. 

These verses warn all employers, especially those who call themselves Christians. There is no cause for oppressing employees. Proverbs 14:31 warns, “He that oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker: but he that honors him has mercy on the poor.”  

Many businesses today are bought and sold by speculators who have no compassion for their employees. Their only goal is to enrich themselves. If the employees suffer, these greedy men could care less. But they’ve made the same mistake as the wealthy men James wrote about, forgetting the God factor. The cries of the disenfranchised workers will ultimately come into the ears of the Lord of hosts. And payday for them will bring a curse instead of a blessing. 

The Final Part of the Promised Wages, 

Your Wantonness Comes to an End 

The things James mentions here outline a lifestyle based on consumption. Today, many church members live in luxury while church mission programs go begging. Many people pile up possessions, hoard financial resources, and have lavish wardrobes. While professing Christ, their lifestyle choices show they’ve given themselves to sensuality and gratification of their fleshly appetites. This is the very thing the Holy Spirit inspired James to condemn strongly. 

Many Christians are addicted to entertainment and pleasure. Sporting events draw huge crowds, but prayer meetings are poorly attended. Part of the indictment in these verses deals with uncontrolled eating. Obesity, heart disease, and other ailments make these verses especially relevant today.  People are literally killing themselves by their out-of-control appetites. 

And do you know what happens to people who become controlled by their appetites?  Though they may once have embraced Christ and the principles of His Word, now the end justifies the means if it leads to their sensual pleasure.  

But James warns those who live controlled by their passions that God will not permit this to continue forever. A day of reckoning is near, and the promised payday is coming. We will need to give an account of ourselves before God and then receive the just wages we have earned. 

What a sobering thought to end on. Thanks, J Mark, for this teaching. It is sobering, but it is by no means negative. If we live open, honest lives serving Christ with all we have, the “day of reckoning” will be like a payday—a good one, a really good one. The challenge is to stay focused and give God our all.  

Thank you so much for being with us. If you want to contact us for any reason or to hear more about our teaching, here is how you can do so. Our email is [email protected]. You can also find us online at heraldsofhope.org. You can also write to us; our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Use any method you choose. We would love to hear from you. 

Thanks again for being there. Today reminded me of Jesus’ parable about the wise and foolish man. The wise man was wise because he heard and put Jesus’ words into practice. The foolish man didn’t, and his “payday” was destruction. Go and build on THE rock.  

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

It is so good to be with you again. Thank you for being there. We are glad to be here and listen to what God is teaching us through His Word. Again, today’s lesson has an evident and practical takeaway.  

Years ago, I was part of a large group that had scheduled a trip together. We all came from different areas and met in New York City for our flight. As our flight time approached, so did the predictions of a big snowstorm. The snowstorm won, and our flight was canceled. Someone in our group said, “Man plans, and God laughs.”  

We did our best to prepare and plan, but we know things like snowstorms and other circumstances may change our plans. Knowing this, we hold our plans loosely, prefacing them with the word “Lord willing.”  Christians continue committing our future to God, knowing He controls everything. This is precisely what James reminds us of in today’s lesson. You see, we tend to forget. We tend to get in the rhythm of life, making our plans and executing them month after month, year after year. This isn’t bad, but we quickly forget to acknowledge God in our plans. This lesson reminds us to consider our future and keep God in it.  

Let’s give our attention to J Mark as he teaches from James 4.       

When the luxury oceanliner Titanic was launched near the beginning of the 20th century, many people believed in new science and technology. They believed that science in the twentieth century could and would provide answers to all their problems. The loss of the Titanic was a tremendous blow to their confidence. It’s too bad we haven’t learned much from their experience. In this 21st century, many are making the same mistake. 

In our text for today, James warns us about the danger of making plans that exclude God. Our study today is from James 4:13-17. The message’s title is “You’re Going to Do What?”  

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;  

14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  

15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”  

16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 

17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. 

Our text reveals four WARNINGS related to our plans for the future.  

The First WARNING is, 

Unrealistic Expectation 

I find the beginning words of verse thirteen quite interesting: “Go to now.” The modern equivalent would be something like, “Oh, come on,” or, “Now wait a minute.” These are expressions of disbelief. What is it that calls these expressions of disbelief?  It is people who make plans without considering God.  

Don’t you find it easy to make plans without thinking about God’s plans? Too often, I find myself in this mode of thinking. Someone asks me, “Will you be at the meeting on such and such a date?” And I respond, “I sure will.” But who decides whether I’ll be there or not? God does. Some of my expectations may be unrealistic. I don’t know if I’ll be there or not. Lots can happen between now and then.  

Does that mean it’s wrong to make plans? In Proverbs chapter six, God tells us to take a lesson from the ants. They plan by gathering in the harvest in preparation for the time when gathering is impossible. In Luke fourteen, Jesus talks about the importance of planning when he illustrates the man who started to build a tower and then discovers he doesn’t have enough money to finish it. Scripture is clear; there is nothing wrong with planning ahead. 

Making plans without considering our expectations, which may be unrealistic, is wrong. The verb tense expresses repeated or continued activity. So, we could read, “You who are saying, today or tomorrow… we’ll do this or that.” This isn’t a mistake or a moment of forgetfulness. This is a deliberate mindset that excludes God from the plan.  

What are your expectations for the future?  Have you considered God’s plans? Psalm 10:4 informs us, “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” This could be read, “God is not in his thoughts at all.” That’s the wicked man. But what about the righteous? How does he make his plans?  Psalm 90:12 tells us how the righteous make their plans. “So, teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” 

This first warning is clear: don’t plan without considering God, or your expectations may be unrealistic! You don’t know what will happen tomorrow. 

The Second WARNING is, 

Unexpected Condensation  

There’s a bit of a play on words here. James likens our physical existence to vapor. What is vapor? It is condensation. As water is heated, the molecules’ arrangement changes and becomes vapor or steam. Water droplets become suspended in mid-air. The visible evidence of the vapor is very short-lived. That’s how James describes the length and the durability of our lives. Just like a breath of air on a cold day. It’s gone almost as soon as it is out of your mouth!  

That’s how we, as followers of Christ, are to view life. But that’s not how the unbelieving person views life. “Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their names. This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approves their sayings,” Psalm 49:11-13. They don’t see their lives from God’s perspective. 

There’s another meaning for condensation. It means to shorten or compress. I have read something called condensed books. They removed “nonessential” parts of the story to make a shortened version of those books.  

James’ reminder in verse fourteen is very pertinent to this discussion. We have no promise of tomorrow. Jesus reminded us that our lives, compared to eternity, are like the grass in the field: here today, gone tomorrow. That is why we must always consider His plans when making our plans. He knows things we have no access to.   

How quickly our lives can change! “The days of our years are seventy years; and if by reason of strength, they are eighty years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away,” Psalm 90:10. We don’t know if our “book” will be the condensed version or the unabridged. Only God knows that.   

Someone has said, “You can tie your shoes in the morning, but the undertaker may untie them tonight.” How true that is for every one of us. It is a warning not to forget the brevity of life as we make our plans.  

The Next WARNING is, 

Unqualified Approbation 

In verse fifteen, James uses this warning to explain a fundamental principle. But let me explain what I mean by unqualified approbation. The word approbation implies approval. And using the word unqualified in this context means unrestricted. In other words, we can’t do anything without God’s approval. Sometimes, that approval is explicit. We know what God wants us to do. Other times, that approval may be tacit, but God allows us to do what we want.  

In contrast to those in verse one who says, “This is what we will do,” James says we ought to say, “If God permits, we will do this or that.” As a child, I recall seeing announcements for special meetings at our church. Somewhere on that announcement were the capital letters D and V. As I got older, I learned that those letters stood for the Latin words Deo Volente, which means God Willing.  

The program planners acknowledged that they needed God’s approval for this meeting to occur. They made plans, but God decided whether or not those plans would come to reality. Proverbs 16:33 reminds us, “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.” 

As in all other areas of life, Jesus is our perfect example in this one, too. He lived his life so that he could say, “I do only those things which please the Father.” He moved only within the sphere of his Father’s unqualified approbation. We must be surrendered to God to say, “If the Lord wills, we will do this or accomplish that.” 

The Final WARNING is, 

Unfaithful Deviation 

Have you ever been warned not to do something but went ahead and did it anyway? Those who ignore God during their planning are doing just that. The previous verses explicitly warn us not to make the mistake of leaving God out of the picture. But in this case, God was left out, and those making the plans were boasting in their humanly devised plans. Like the sailor on the Titanic who reportedly said, “Not even God could sink this ship.” Those were foolish words. James reminds us that this kind of boasting is grievous to God.  

Where does that kind of arrogant attitude lead us? Verse seventeen says it leads to unfaithful deviation. Deviation means to turn aside from an established way, principle, or standard, in this case, God’s way and His standard. This deviation is not the result of negligence or deception. It is disobedience! It is knowing what is proper and expected, then refusing to do it. It reminds me of the unfaithful servant Jesus told us about in Luke chapter twelve.  

He knew what was right and was held to a higher standard than those who did not know better. James says that the one who knows what is right yet refuses to do it misses the mark and turns away from the path of righteousness. When a person turns away from the path of righteousness, what are their other options? There is only one: the path of wickedness, which leads to destruction.  

Unfaithful deviation leads a person away from God. And for those who don’t want God in their plans for the future, He will oblige them. When life is over, they will not be in His plans. They will have cast their lot with the enemy, Satan. They will join him in the lake of fire for eternity. 

That’s a sobering thought. I urge you to consider carefully consider these warnings in any plans. Be sure God is included in those plans. Remember that life is short. Seek not only His permission but His unqualified approval. And do not refuse His direction. If you heed these warnings, you can be assured your plans will not end tragically like the Titanic’s. 

Thanks, J Mark, for sharing. He is right. It is so good for us to remember that life is so short. To make the most of our lives, we must follow God and surrender our lives and plans to Him. Looking back on my life, I can clearly see God’s guiding hand. It is harder at times, but when I remember His faithfulness in the past, my trust in the present grows. He is faithful, and we can trust Him.     

If you have any questions about today’s teaching or want to contact us, here is how to reach us. Our email is [email protected]. You can also message us online at heraldsofhope.org. And there is always the paper option. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. We would love to hear from you. Please use the method that is easiest for you. 

Thanks so much for joining us for today’s teaching. Before we leave, think about what Paul told Timothy, “If we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown himself.” Our God is good; let’s honor Him in all things.  

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Thank you for being here; it is good to be with you as we continue our study in James. Today, we start chapter 4. The title is a question, “Are You Getting What You Want?” Think about that, are you? What do you really want? We are very good at justifying ourselves and making Scripture say what we want it to say so we can have our way. Here is one example of the gymnastics someone used to “get what he wanted.” In Matthew 18:19 Jesus said, “If two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.”  He said all you have to do is get someone else to pray with you for what you want, and it’s done; God will answer. Imagine if that was the way it worked! That would be chaos real soon.  

He should have balanced this verse with today’s passage. Listen carefully to today’s teaching, and you will discover why his way of thinking doesn’t work. Bible teacher J Mark is here to give us three observations that help us determine what is best for us.  

Before the days of firearms, the native people of that time had a unique way of killing a wolf. First, they would coat a knife blade with animal blood and allow it to freeze. Then, they’d add another layer of blood and another until the frozen blood completely concealed the blade. Next, they secured the handle of his knife in the ground with the blade up.  

When a wolf followed his sensitive nose to the source of the scent and discovered the bait, he licked it, tasting the frozen blood. He began to lick faster and more vigorously, lapping the blade until the keen edge was bare. Feverishly now, the wolf licks the blade. So great becomes his craving for blood that he does not notice the razor-sharp sting of the naked knife blade on his tongue, nor does he recognize the instant at which his insatiable thirst is being satisfied by his warm blood. His carnivorous appetite craves more–until dawn finds him dead in the snow!” 

Only God’s grace keeps us from the wolf’s fate. Our text today alerts us to the danger our sensual appetites pose for us. Let’s read that text now, James 4:1-6. 

1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?  

2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.  

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.  

4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  

5 Or do you think the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? 

6 But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 

Our text provides three OBSERVATIONS that help us determine whether or not what we want is best for us.  

The First OBSERVATION is, 

Carnal Distraction 

The previous chapter closes with a discussion of how divine wisdom brings peace into the life and relationships of the Believer. Chapter four begins with wars and fighting! 

So, James raises the obvious question: where do these battles and aggressive behavior come from? His follow-up question is rhetorical. “Isn’t it true that this kind of behavior springs from lusts battling each other in your body?” The word lust is translated from the Greek word hay-don-ay, the root of the English phrase hedonism: the concept that sensual pleasure is the primary reason for our human existence.  

 James is writing to Christians, so we must conclude that we’re not immune to the distraction of sensual pleasures. I would be dishonest if I did not admit this is an ongoing struggle for me. But, praise God, I can be victorious by His grace; so can you. 

The Bible teaches that humans comprise spirit, soul, and body. Our body is our connection with the physical world. It functions to a large degree in response to our five senses. Even as babies, we learn how to acquire those things that bring pleasure to our senses and how to avoid pain. However, we will not shrink from a certain amount of pain if we think we can achieve pleasure. We have competing desires that struggle for gratification. 

As we noted, verse one begins with images of the battlefield. What is the goal of an army on the battlefield? It is dominance followed by control. The enemy must be driven from the field so we can control his territory. But we often find that we’ve gained more enemies in the process. And the very thing we fought to secure for ourselves becomes the means of our defeat. We can become so enslaved to our fleshly appetites that we can’t accept temporary discomfort for long-term gain.  

 The first three verses of our text make one very clear: the more we gratify our carnal appetites, the more demanding they become. Gratifying sensual desires can never bring lasting satisfaction or fulfillment because these desires, separated from God’s guidelines for their use and enjoyment, are only temporal.  

Our desires are not wrong. God gave us our senses to help us not only to survive but to enjoy life. He made us sexual beings, male and female. He gave us taste buds to enjoy the food He provides. He gave us eyes to enjoy the physical beauty He’s placed all around us. But when we refuse to follow God’s guidelines and do not control our appetites, they become the master, and we become their servant. Lust is to our physical appetites what cancer is to a normal cell.  

Following our fleshly desires will only lead us to the kinds of behavior James speaks about – quarrels and fighting. Once we give ourselves over to fulfilling our desires and are controlled by them, we will find ourselves moving farther away from absolute satisfaction. Carnal pleasures become a distraction that will take us away from God and from satisfying human relationships. Many people controlled by their passions find out (like the wolf) that the things they thought would satisfy them have become the means of their destruction.  

The Second OBSERVATION is, 

Fatal Attraction 

Notice the strong language James uses in verse four. He’s writing to Christians, yet he says to them, “You adulterers and adulteresses…” That makes you sit up and take notice. What is an adulterer or an adulteress? It is someone who has left their first love. They’ve been attracted to someone else, so they abandon the one they’ve made a lifetime covenant with. They’ve been deceived into believing that what they don’t have is better than what they do have! 

That’s precisely what happens when a child of God becomes attracted to the world and turns away from his covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. They become guilty of spiritual adultery. And this can become a fatal attraction unless there’s repentance and forsaking of sin. If you think language is too strong, just read the book of Hosea. Israel, the people of God, had forsaken their covenant relationship with Him and were pursuing other gods and other attractions. They abandoned their relationship with God to their destruction.  

James states a fundamental principle in this verse. “Having a fondness for the things of the world puts me in opposition to God.” When a person tries to serve Christ and love the world, eventually, one will win. I’ve watched this repeatedly. People who try that eventually choose the way of the world. 

The verse ends with this statement: “Whoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” This shows that the action is continuous or repeated. Those who follow the ways of the world are considered enemies of God. Their choices prove beyond the shadow of a doubt what or who they truly love. 

Too many professing Christians are pursuing this fatal attraction. They watch the same movies, listen to the same music, read the same books, live immorally, and chase after wealth just like their unbelieving neighbors. Many don’t realize, and many don’t seem to care, that playing around with sensuality will lead to spiritual and perhaps even physical, death.  

Like the wolf I mentioned at the beginning of this message, people rush to satisfy their sensual desires but don’t understand this fatal attraction to the things of the world. 

The Final OBSERVATION is, 

Mutual Satisfaction 

The final verses of our text give us some positive instructions. James reminds us that God watches over our relationship with Him with a holy jealousy. He wants our undivided love. Interestingly, the word that is translated, lusts, in verse five is used fifteen times in other Scriptures, and every time it’s used, it is in the positive sense. So, I believe we have sufficient basis to see this desire in a positive light.  

Just like a wife watches her husband’s eyes when another woman is present, the Spirit of the Lord watches the eyes of our hearts when a worldly attraction comes before us. If our eyes light up with lustful delight, His Spirit is grieved.” That is the truth of verse five as I understand it: the Holy Spirit within us yearns jealously for our undivided affection.  

Verse six sets up a comparison. In our humanity, we tend to be attracted to worldly things that are not satisfying. However, the Spirit of God living in us knows our weakness. So, he gives us more grace. And what is grace? “The desire and power to do what I know is right.” The only way we will have a satisfying relationship with the Lord is when we learn how to find our total delight in Him. And while our attempts to love Him this way will be imperfect, the promise of His grace is sufficient.  

The verse closes by saying, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Are you and I willing to live in a way that proves our delight in the Lord? In a sense, we are married to Him in a covenant relationship, joined through the sacrifice of Christ and sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.  

We have a choice to make. Will we reject carnal distractions, love the Lord with undivided devotion, and receive His blessings? Or, will we delight in those sensual desires, those fatal attractions, that compete for our attention and experience His discipline?  

We must search our hearts to identify and reject any affection that competes for the loyalty that belongs to God alone. Let us purpose anew to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds and ask Him for grace. Only then will we discover what will provide our mutual satisfaction. And we will indeed have what we want.  

Three observations: two negative and one positive. Isn’t that the way it always seems? And it looks much easier to go in the direction of the bad thing. It’s true: To do good and live right, you will have to be intentional and stay focused. As J Mark said, let’s ask God to help us keep all our affection on Him.  

Thanks a lot for being with us today. If you want to contact us for any reason or to hear more teaching from us, here is how you can reach us. You could send an email to [email protected]. You can also contact us on our website, heraldsofhope.org. And of course you can write to us, our mailbox is always open. The address is Hope for Today, Box 3 Breezewood, PA 15533. Use any method you choose. We would love to hear from you. 

God bless you with wisdom as you think about your desires, and may His Spirit fill you as you search your heart, considering whether your affections are from Him or not. In Hebrews, it says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” May all of us allow His Word to speak to our hearts.  

*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.