//James 4:11-5:12 | Andrew Lundy

No one likes to be called out, yet to be the Church means to be the “called out ones”. Thankfully, the Lord does not call us out the same way the world does; He calls us out and upward by confronting us with who we are in light of who He has called us to be. This week, Pastor Andrew explained the five types of people that James is calling out in chapters 4 and 5. First, he calls out the incompetent judge. These were people who thought they were God’s law enforcement. They spoke evil of others in secret, ruining their good names and hiding behind the spotlight, rather than walking in the light. He also calls out the independent planner. To plan with intention is good, but making our plans our god is not. Tomorrow is never promised, life is short, but eternity is long, so we should plan in pencil, not permanent marker. Our plans must be surrendered to God, giving Him space to “re-route” in the right direction. He then calls out the indulgent hoarder. Growing your business and being wealthy is not bad in itself, but God calls us to store up treasures in Heaven. His generosity in giving us all we have should spark the same generosity in our heart, acknowledging we own nothing. We are meant to be channels of His wealth, not reservoirs. He then calls out the impatient grumbler. Life happens and trials always come, and our reaction to them shows the true colors of our hearts. Do we grumble all day long or wait patiently for our Lord’s coming? God is looking to refine us through our struggles, not attack us. Finally, he calls out the inconsistent committer. Whenever we say yes, that means saying no to something else. We cannot commit (or not commit) to everything. Jesus made His Father’s will His priority, only pursuing and accomplishing the specific things He was called to do. He is the opposite of all these types of people, and we are called to be like Him and display Him to our world.