Wisdom-Trek ©

Putnam Church message – 11/21/2021

We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the letter of James. Last we focused on The Perils of Playing God, covering Warnings against Judging Others and Warnings about Self-Confidence. Today, we will explore Warnings to the Wealthy and learn why wealth should not be our primary source of thankfulness.  

Let me take you back about 100 years.  In 1923, an elite group of businessmen met at the luxurious Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. The roster included some of the early twentieth century's most influential, famous, and wealthy moguls. These men were among them:

Charles M. Schwab—President of Bethlehem Steel Corporation

Richard Whitney—President of the New York Stock Exchange

Albert Fall—Secretary of the Interior under President Harding

Jesse Livermore—Wall Street tycoon

Ivar Kreuger—Head of a global monopoly of match manufacturers

These heavy hitters controlled more wealth than the total assets of the United States Treasury at the time. Indeed these men would become models of the entrepreneurial spirit and stellar examples of financial success. But fast-forward about twenty-five years or so and look back on the courses of their lives:

Schwab—died $300,000 in debt in 1939 (nearly 6 million in today’s money)

Whitney—served time at Sing Sing prison for embezzlement

Fall—served time for misconduct in office, leaving behind a ruined reputation

Livermore—committed suicide in 1940, describing himself as “a failure”

Kreuger—shot himself in 1932 after his global monopoly collapsed

Buried beneath the rubble of humiliation, defeat, crime, sickness, and financial collapse, these men—along with a number of their colleagues—died in a painful, pathetic condition. Their wealth, power, and prestige did nothing to soothe the personal anxiety and guilt they suffered in life. The reality is that great intelligence and hard work can make a person wealthy. But it takes God-given wisdom and supernatural humility to manage wealth and influence.

Last week James warned us against playing God instead of submitting to God’s sovereignty (4:11-17). Now, James rails against the pride that so quickly deludes the wealthy of this world (5:1-6). In each case, James encourages God-enabled humility. In this passage, it is essential to note that James is not condemning wealth, nor those who have wealth, but those who abuse it by hoarding it instead of using it to build God’s kingdom.  This concept is essential when applied to individuals who can use their wealth to help or exploit through their control of wealth.

James begins by calling his wealthy readers to attention: “Now listen!” He used the exact phrase when addressing the autonomous businessman in 4:13. James almost expects certain people to be so distracted by worldly pursuits that he needs to snap them out of their daze: “Now listen!” In 4:13, he addressed those who spent their days as if God weren’t their Lord. In 5:1, he addresses those who spend their money as if He weren’t their Master.

This passage is the first time James has directly addressed wealthy people in his letter. But he has mentioned them twice before. In 1:10-11, “And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field.” And in 2:5-6, “Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?  But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?”

Based on these passages, it would be easy to conclude that James has it in for the rich! One might walk away from James’s apparent ridicule of the rich and conclude that the poor go to heaven while the rich go to hell. But let’s not go there. Scripture teaches it’s not a person’s financial wealth or poverty that determines one’s relationship with God, but the person’s spiritual condition.

Being outwardly rich or poor refers to how much of the world’s goods a person has. Inward wealth or poverty refers to a person’s relationship with God and is expressed through love for others. When we look at things this way, there are four classifications. Your bulletin insert shows the four quadrants and may help explain this. I have included a description, a prescription for how to minister to people in each category, and a biblical example or two for each type.

Looking at this chart, some may see themselves fitting into the third category—poor in this world, but spiritually rich in Christ. Let me challenge you, though, by suggesting that, for the most part, our definition of “poor” is far different from the Bible’s. Poor people in the Bible were homeless, helpless, destitute, and hopeless. They often had nothing to eat or wear and nowhere to stay. By biblical standards, even most people living by our society’s standard of “poverty” wouldn’t have been regarded as truly “poor.” Possibly some of the homeless in our large cities. The reality is that most of us are blessed with more than we need and are, therefore, in the position to bless others—assuming that we haven’t fallen into the fourth category.

James addresses his rebuke to those in the fourth category, the physically rich and spiritually poor. Although believers can be outside God’s will concerning their finances, in 5:1-6, James targets the unbelieving rich who oppress the poor. These are the same people he mentioned in passing in 2:6-7. What does he say to this group? “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you.” The warning is clear: trusting in the strength of riches instead of trusting in Christ will end in disaster. As Psalm 62:10 says,

or put your hope in stealing.

And if your wealth increases,

don’t make it the center of your life.

Description: Having few of the world’s goods and not living in God’s love, the doubly poor are most miserable.

Prescription: Provide essential physical needs to express God’s love; for unbelievers, point them to salvation in Christ; for believers, exhort them to trust in Christ to provide both physically and spiritually.

Biblical Example: Those who are both physically and spiritually afflicted (Isa. 61:1).

 

Description: Having been blessed with both material wealth and heavenly riches, the doubly rich use their prosperity to help others.

Prescription: Provide opportunities for giving and serving others with time and resources.

Biblical Example: Job before and after his trials (Job 1:1-3; 42:10); Joseph of Arimathea (Matt. 27:57).

Description: Having few of the world’s goods, the externally poor are often in need of food, clothing, and shelter, but they have a strong faith and often give what little they have.

Prescription: Provide essential physical needs and give opportunities to minister to the spiritual needs of others.

Biblical Example: The poor widow (Mark 12:42-44); the poor of this world who are rich in faith (Jas. 2:5); the church in Smyrna (Rev. 2:9).

Description: Having an abundance of the world’s goods, the spiritually poor forget that their blessings come from God in order to bless others.

Prescription: Provide correction; for unbelievers, encourage them to trust in Christ instead of riches; for believers, encourage them to submit their wealth to the lordship of Christ.

Biblical Example: Unbeliever: the rich young ruler (Mark 10:21) Believers: the church of Laodicea (Rev. 3:17).

After that general rebuke, James turns to some specific reasons for it. James paints a grim picture of the wealthy unbelievers’ dark spiritual condition. And along the way, he also points out the divine retribution for this behavior.

First, James rebukes the rich because they are guilty of hoarding their riches (5:2-3), not that they had riches. In those days, people could display their wealth in three ways: feasting lavishly, dressing extravagantly, and spending wildly. (Some things never change!) James targets these three areas of the flamboyant lifestyle of the rich, pointing out how foolish it is to center their lives on these things. As a result, food spoils over time, and with disuse, garments get eaten by moths, and precious metals tarnish.

Second, James rebukes the rich because they are guilty of cheating others (5:4). Instead of giving a fair wage to those who worked their fields, the rich cheated them. One sign of the selfish rich is their reluctance to pay their bills. During the financial crisis that began in 2008, the world witnessed numerous superrich reward themselves with bonuses while their employees lost their jobs. It’s an unbelievable reality that some of the greediest people are also some of the wealthiest—and some of the most generous people will give away their last dime!

Third, James rebukes the rich because they are guilty of a selfish lifestyle (5:5). The wealthy wicked lived in the lap of luxury, indulging in pleasures and fattening not just their bellies, but their hearts, too! James paints a picture of a person trying to satisfy the deepest longings of his heart with an extravagant lifestyle. Like a pig being fattened for slaughter, these wealthy don’t even know that as they selfishly gorge themselves on the pleasures of life, they are eating and drinking judgment upon themselves.

Fourth, James rebukes the rich because they are guilty of taking unfair advantage of the righteous (5:6). Echoing a charge mentioned in 2:6, James takes his rebuke to the highest level. The rich are guilty of judging and putting to death the “righteous.” The word “righteous” is singular, referring to a kind of person—the righteous one. This category would include not only Jesus, the ultimate Righteous One but also all those believers who, like their Lord, endured condemnation and martyrdom for their faith—all at the hands of rich, powerful oppressors. It includes all the righteous people who are treated brutally by wealthy unbelievers.

As we’ve seen, James uses some sharp words for the wicked, reserving some of his severest warnings for those who are physically wealthy but spiritually poor. Before we shrug our shoulders at this warning and pretend we are exempt, we would be wise to recall some practical principles for all believers to follow.

First, hoarded riches reap miserable dividends (5:1-3). If you look into the face of the unsaved wealthy today, more often than not, you’ll see stress, worry, bitterness, and emptiness. Wealthy people finally discover that money can’t purchase happiness; on the contrary, it often brings despair. Third, no amount of wealth will prevent a terminal disease or stop death.

Second, riches provide no relief in eternity (5:3). Proverbs 11:4 says, “Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.” A day is coming, says James, when the Trustworthy Accountant will conduct His audit. On that day, the unsaved rich will be handed a bill they can’t pay, and all their earthly treasures will be like ashes blowing in the wind. Only God’s righteousness—the free gift of faith in Jesus Christ—rescues a person on the Day of Judgment.

Third, unjust acts of the unsaved are not forgotten (5:4). James says, that “The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” It refers to God as the Judge who wages war against His enemies (Isaiah 2:12). James’s Jewish audience would have been familiar with this title since it was borrowed from their native Hebrew language and culture. And they would have caught its allusion to the coming end-times judgment. Just as the voices of the oppressed Hebrews enslaved in Egypt reached God and brought His judgments (Exodus 2:23-25), so God hears the voices of today’s oppressed people.

Fourth, a lack of judgment on the wealthy today does not mean a lack of judgment on the wealthy tomorrow (5:1-6). Throughout this passage, James holds the warning of end-times judgment over the pretty heads of the tycoons. The believer’s judgment is behind him—Christ bore the full punishment of death, paying for all our sins on the cross.

Romans 8:1

But the unbeliever’s judgment is ahead of him and lasts for all eternity. Thus, for a season, it may appear that the wicked get away with prospering at the expense of others, but in the end, their evil deeds will be remembered.

If James illustrates the extreme examples to avoid, Paul’s first letter to Timothy gives us two principles to follow.

First, God’s concern is not with actual wealth, which is neutral, but with our attitudes toward wealth (1 Timothy 6:8-10). “So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”

Second, God is not against wealthy people, but against their misguided priorities (1 Timothy 6:17-19). Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this, they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.

If we keep our attitudes correct and maintain proper priorities, we won’t be led astray by riches and become spiritual paupers. But this attitude toward riches can only come from a God-given humility in our hearts with Thanksgiving. The cure for the pride and arrogance of wealth is the work of the Spirit.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you next time for more wisdom from God’s Word!

Putnam Church message – 11/14/2021

We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the letter of James.  Last we focused on what causes quarrels and fights between people, specifically between Christians. It stems from insisting that we have our way. We also learned how to avoid conflicts, by being content and allowing God’s Spirit to control our lives. James continues with this theme of self-desire and self-reliance in our passage for today. If we insist on controlling our lives instead of allowing God to guide us, we fall into The Perils of Playing God.  Playing God is split into two sections: Warnings against Judging Others and Warnings about Self-Confidence. So join me on page 1884 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today.

Without question, Jesus Christ best demonstrates true humility. He voluntarily gave up His heavenly position and came into the world, became a blue-collar laborer, lived in perfect obedience to God and the Law, and willingly sacrificed His life on the cross for all sins (Philippians 2:6-8). This perfect humility of God the Son becomes a model for us to follow in our pursuit of humility. Paul said in Philippians 2:5, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”

If we back up two verses, Paul warned the Philippians against the same egocentric arrogance that James is focused on. Paul writes in Philippians 2:3-4, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

In the broader section of his letter (3:13-5:6), James develops the theme that real faith produces genuine humility. He illustrates this cardinal virtue of the Christian faith with powerful words and compelling images. We’ve already seen how he contrasted those wise in their own eyes with those with humble wisdom from God (3:13-18). And we looked at the cause of quarrels and conflicts— envious ambitions, cured only by submitting to God in true humility (4:1-10).

In the present passage (4:11-17), James reveals more ways we proclaim a proud spirit. The first has to do with the way we often view others (4:11-12). James deals with our tendency to take the place of God in other peoples’ lives as we judge or criticize them. The second has to do with the way we often view ourselves (4:13-16). In these verses, he deals with our tendency to take the place of God in our own lives as we presume or boast in ourselves.

In both cases—whether playing judge over others or playing king of ourselves—we err by playing roles reserved for God alone.

The objective of playing God in the lives of others is to imagine oneself as superior to other Christians and to put them down in various ways. Thus, the one who takes on God’s role becomes a qualified critic, somebody who stands over a fellow, assuming a position of superiority.

The two simple rules of the game are in 4:11. The first is to “speak against” a brother or sister in Christ. What does this look like? Scripture gives several examples using the same Greek word, both in the Greek translation of the Old Testament and the Greek New Testament.

Aaron and Miriam spoke against Moses for marrying a Cushite woman (Num. 12:1,8).

The people of Israel spoke against God by complaining about their conditions in the wilderness (Num. 21:5).

The Psalmist says a wicked person will speak against his brother, slandering him with lies (Ps. 50:20).

Job’s friends spoke against Job, insulting and crushing him with their words (Job 19:1-3).

Unbelievers speak against Christians, slandering them as evildoers (1 Pet. 2:12; 3:16).

 

What does this recounting of this Greek translation tell us? Let me put it bluntly. James suggests that Christians who “speak against” their brothers or sisters in Christ include themselves in that biblical register of rebellious mumblers, moaning grumblers, deceitful slanderers, crushing insulters, and wicked slanderers. Not exactly the best company!

Let me show you how this game works. You speak against the other person in the ears of the hearer, hoping to lower their estimate of the person—and in the process, you expect to make yourself look all the better. Of course, you have to cover up your malicious intent with creative sentimentality. So, you begin your statements with, “Now, stop me if I’m wrong, but . . .” or, “Now, I don’t mean to be critical, but...” or, “Perhaps I shouldn’t say this about him or her, but...” or even, “I really like so-and-so as a person, but...”

James also brings up the horrible habit of judging believers. These two go hand in hand—speaking against and judging another person, slandering a person, and condemning him. The Bible repeatedly condemns judgmental attitudes and actions. Jesus said, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged” (Matthew 7:1). I find it curious that those who judge most harshly many times will be guilty of the same, similar, or even greater sins. This attitude was just as prevalent in Paul’s day, which he wrote about in Romans 2:1, “You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.” The idea of withholding judgment is certainly biblical. Remember our lesson from Matthew 7:4? “How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?” And Paul makes it pretty clear in Romans 2:3, “Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?”

In short, the Bible targets self-serving, malicious judgment while encouraging wise, righteous discernment. Jesus said, “Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly,” John 7:24. So, let’s be clear. James isn’t suggesting we be gullible and permissive, letting people get away with everything. Remember, in his letter, James confronts fellow Christians about their sins. But there’s a difference between confrontation to build up and condemnation to tear down.

The real problem with judging others is that it comes perilously close to playing God. James reminds us that there is only one “Lawgiver and Judge” (4:12). Only God can judge a person’s actions and motives without fault, hypocrisy, and spite. The final indictment in 4:12 packs an emotional punch in Greek. He’s saying, “But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?” We might paraphrase the indictment in 4:12 this way, “So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?” or even “Who made you God?” We rarely know all the facts about a person’s situation, and therefore are not qualified to judge. The principle bears repeating: only God is qualified to judge, because only He has all the facts.

 

In 4:11-12, James addressed the problem of playing God in the lives of others. Then, in 4:13-16, he looks at playing God over our lives. I have to admit; I struggle with this section of James. All my life, I have been driven by making well-thought-out plans and ensuring they are correctly executed to achieve my goals and objective.  I work best following a concise schedule, and my daily to-do list drives my agenda. It is the only way I can handle the various business obligations and the privilege of preparing messages for Putnam each week.  While I work long days, we all fill our days with what we feel is most important.  Most days, the results speak for themselves. It is almost a game where victory will be achieved if I accomplish my goals.

How much do you allow God to work through each of us and seek His guidance in our pursuits?  Suppose the objective of this game is to imagine ourselves as the final authority over our own lives, and we live like it. In that case, this is what James addresses in verses 4:13-16. You sequester God in His own compartment of your life and keep Him there except in a rare instance when you’re in a bind. Now, most people wouldn’t admit to banishing God to the back room of their lives. But many assign Him sovereignty over specific tasks, keeping daily and mundane tasks for themselves. God becomes the boss of religious issues, moral matters, international conflicts, and questions of faith. That’s His realm. But we’ll handle things like finances, relationships, and business decisions—those things God couldn’t care less about as long as He has our hearts.

At the core of this false philosophy, though, is the idea that we’re the masters of our own destinies. Such people recite the hymn of self-reliance encapsulated in the verse of William Ernest Henley’s poem, “Invictus”:

That’s the philosophy of the person who plays God in his own life. Pray only for essential things. Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps! Call your own shots!

The rules for this game are found in James 4:13. Let me break it down step by step.

RULES FOR PLAYING GOD (ACCORDING TO JAMES 4:13)

1. Set your own schedule.

Today or tomorrow ...

2. Select your own path.

I am going to a certain town...

3. Place your own limits.

And I will stay there for a year...

4. Arrange your own activities.

I will do business there ...

5. Predict your own outcome.

And I will make a profit.

Now, notice that none of the activities James describes is negative in and of itself. There is nothing wrong with planning ahead, nothing evil about setting a schedule, nothing terrible about engaging in business, and nothing sinful about making a profit! In fact, Jesus taught this in many parables, and James describes the everyday affairs of ordinary life. But that’s precisely his point. Because God is our sovereign Lord, we must consider His will in every aspect of our lives.

 

James begins pointing out problems with a go-it-alone attitude toward life in 4:14. First, as mortal humans, we have no idea what the future will bring. We don’t know what will happen today, much less what the next year or two will look like. Think back two years pre-Covid – how have our lives changed? Every one of us is one heartbeat away from death. One rude intrusion of an unexpected event could end all our plans. We could live into our 90s, and many at Putnam have, or die tonight. Nobody knows. Only God knows.

Second, playing God with our own lives is risky because we have no assurance of a long life. James describes our lives as a “morning fog” that appears suddenly and dissipates quickly. Imagine yourself outside in the middle of a subzero winter day. With a scarf wrapped twice around your neck, you’re bundled in your thick coat, stocking cap, and gloves. As you exhale, what happens? Your warm breath forms a small puff of white vapor that lingers for a second, then vanishes. Gone. That’s life—not just the life of somebody who dies young. Even a relatively long life flies by. People in their nineties say they feel like it was just yesterday they graduated from high school. But youth doesn’t last. Before you know it—poof!—the fog of life dissolves. And it happens fast. About the time your face clears up, your mind gets fuzzy!

James 4:15, “What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’”  In days past, country folk would say, “If the good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise,” it was trite, but people understood God controlled their lives. Besides, if the creek did rise, it would be the Lord’s will to prevent leaving the homestead.  James’s instruction to say, “If the Lord wants us to…” reflects an attitude and orientation toward life. It means submitting ourselves humbly before the one true God entitled to be the Lord of all things in our lives, not just a few things. It means erasing from our minds the sacred/secular, heavenly/earthly, and spiritual/physical dichotomies that delegate some things to God and some to us. That is why I am not too big on church titles or business titles. It is no more sacred for me to speak on Sundays than for Delbert to clean the pews we sit in. I may be more responsible for what I teach, but it is all sacred.  God governs all things, even the seemingly “mundane” daily decisions. He owns it all. The alternative to submitting all things to God is an evil, boastful arrogance—living life as if we are the masters of our fate or the captains of our souls (4:16). Otherwise, you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.

James concludes by pointing out two ways to stop playing God in our lives (4:17). Both relate to true humility that flows from authentic faith—first, know the right thing to do, then; second, start doing the right thing. God has a standard of right living that transcends our own interests and pursuits. He wants to guide us along the path He’s set for us. To make that happen requires staying close to His Word and shaping our path according to its wisdom. But that’s only half the solution. When we know what God wants from us, we need to do it. If we continue to live as though God isn’t interested in certain areas of our lives, it’s sin. If we try to call our own shots, make our own plans, and do our own thing, we’re not doing what God wants us to do. That’s the point of James’s final warning. Know the right way. Then humbly submit to it.

Psalm 14:1 says, “Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’” I suppose something worse than pronouncing that there is no God and living in that manner would be knowing and believing in the true God and acting like He’s not God.  That is the point of our passage today. When we stand in judgment over our brothers and sisters in Christ, we’re playing the part of divine Judge. And when we plan our lives as if God were uninterested or uninvolved, we play the exalted Lord’s role.

James 4:17 is especially practical for those of us who tend to encroach on God’s territory, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” In this short verse, James gives us two simple rules to follow. First, you must know what you ought to do. Whatever the cost, you must evaluate your life and pattern it according to God’s Word, not according to your habits or traditions. Second, you must start doing the right thing. Instead of doing the wrong thing, replace it with the right thing. First know, then do.

We’re all guilty of the sin of playing God to some degree. We play God with others when we talk down to and judge them. We play God with ourselves when we leave Him without room to guide our steps. So rather than the me-centered philosophy of Henley’s “Invictus,” how much better to emulate the lyrics of Frances Ridley Havergal Hymn – “Take My Will and Make It Thine,” which sums up what our lives will be like when we allow God to be the Lord of all areas of life:

We know that wealth is not the source of Thanksgiving and happiness. This will next be pointed out in James 5:1-6 as we look at, Warnings to the Wealthy from James 5:1-6.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you next time for more wisdom from God’s Word!

Putnam Church message – 11/07/2021

James: Wisdom Is Faith in Action – Starting and Stopping Fights

We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the letter of James. Two weeks ago, we looked at persons who are Wise, Unwise, and Otherwise.  One sign of wisdom is understanding what causes fights and how to avoid or stop fights.

but shows favor to the humble.”

As I grew up in a large family with ten kids, we often fought each other. There was sibling rivalry as we competed for attention. I am sure our squabbles were mostly unimportant, but that did not prevent us from fighting. Growing up in an apple orchard gave us the perfect weapon, especially when they were rotten. They were nasty to get hit with but never did any real damage.

Unfortunately, as adults, too often, we still seem to work arguments and fights into our lives. Fighting comes naturally to most people, especially men. Why? Because we’re each born with a scrappy nature that prefers going for the jugular instead of giving in. It all started after the Fall (Genesis 3). The first fight between Cain and Abel ended in murder (Genesis 4:1-8). Since then, we can chart history easily by its conflicts and wars. So it isn’t surprising that James addresses the cycle of conflicts among Christians. Worshiping, fighting, praying, worshiping, fighting, praying—it was the same two thousand years ago as it is today. That’s the problem James addresses in 4:1-10.

The chapter break between James 3:18 and 4:1 is unfortunate. Remember, James didn’t number chapters or verses—those were added centuries later for convenience. The fourth chapter continues to develop the major themes of chapter 3. In fact, the initial comments he made regarding the destructive nature of the tongue in 3:6-10 build to a climax in the beginning of chapter 4 as he deals with open conflicts among Christians. James further unpacks the effects of bitter jealousy and selfish ambition introduced in 3:13-15. So, in 4:1-10, James sets forth the reasons for fights among believers and their tragic results. But James also provides us with solutions to stop these conflicts that have taken their toll on our ranks. His diagnosis includes a prescription for handling all kinds of conflict.

We should expect that the world, devoid of God’s Word and Spirit, would be characterized by fighting with its back to God. Of course, people fight in business, politics, religion, education, marriage, and sports. But sad to say, believers also fight in the church. In fact, this is the specific arena of conflict James has in mind in the first verse: “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you?” Throughout his letter, he addresses Jewish Christian believers. This section reveals that they are having problems getting along.

Their problem? Quarrels and fights. The Greek word for quarrels is “polemos.” It is a general word for fights or warfare from which we get our word “polemics or arguments,” The word fight is the Greek word “mache” and is a more narrow term for skirmishes and personal attacks. These Christians were in a constant state of quarreling that often exploded into open conflict.

Where do these quarrels and fights come from? We might be tempted to say, “From Satan!” or “From false Christians!” or “From heretics who crept in secretly!” Wrong! James answers, “Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?” James is good at rubbing our noses in our depravity when needed. It may seem harsh sometimes, and if you let your mind dwell there every minute of the day, it can be. Reminders that our sinful natures, apart from God’s grace, can do us no good. Remember that James told us that the source of temptation and sin was our “own lust” (1:14). And disorder and wickedness result from our own “jealousy and selfish ambition” (3:16). In the same way, we are primarily responsible for our infighting. Satan may have a field day, and unbelievers may be pleased to see us go at it, but we are the ones to blame.

James 4:1 uses a more neutral term for “pleasures,” translated as evil desires. In everyday Greek, it meant “enjoyments.” This word includes the desire to be successful, use your gifts and talents, and the desire for relationships, food, leisure, and life necessities. But the problem comes when the world stifles our achievement of these desires. Then the “pleasures” of life become sources of conflict. When something fails to fulfill our desires, we tend to fight until we get our way.

James 4:2 says, “You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it.” Of course, few people murder in a literal sense, but we are all guilty of murder in our hearts and with our lips. Remember Christ’s interpretation of the Law we learned in The Sermon on the Mount Series in Matthew 5:21-22, “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’  But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”

 

Those who fight out of frustration of not getting their desires, fail to turn to God for their provision. Jesus said in John 16:24, “You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.” Fighters fail to pray. “But,” we may object, “I’ve prayed and prayed for such and such, but He still hasn’t given me what I want!” James has an answer for this in verse 3, “And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.”

 

God’s promise of answering our prayers and giving us what we ask for must be governed by all the Bible’s teachings about prayer. So the apostle John helps balance our perspective on prayer in 1 John 3:22, “And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him,” and in 1 John 5:14, “And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.”

Did you catch that? James warns against pleasure-motivated prayer; John encourages God-pleasing prayer. Spiritually-minded Christians pray for good things in God’s sight, not for something that fuels their envious, selfish desires.

James addresses his readers in (4) as severely as any passage in Scripture: You adulterers! That grabbed their attention. Why did James do this? Because they’re cheating on God! Their attention, affection, and allegiance are not toward God and His people but toward themselves and the world.  James says, “Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?” “World” here is the Greek word “kosmos.” Here it refers to the world system at odds with God. It’s fallen humanity collectively shaking its fist at God, turning its back on the Creator. God only calls his people “adulterers” because they’re supposed to be faithful to Him. The unsaved person is not an adulterer. But the saved person who cozies up with the “kosmos” is committing adultery, making himself an enemy of God. (Globe)

So James refers to Christians committing spiritual adultery. This worldliness in the church causes quarrels and conflicts. It comes when we play politics, place economics before ministry, or try to entertain rather than focus on learning God’s Word. It surfaces when we replace unchanging truth with cultural fads or turn a relationship with Christ into another world religion. Those moves split churches and destroyed ministries.

In summary, frustrated inner desires lead to murderous thoughts, arguments, failure to pray, and prayer with wrong motives (1-3). A heart beating to the world’s rhythm leads to anger with God and opposition to His words and works (4). These conditions lead to quarreling and fighting among believers.

Thankfully, James doesn’t leave the problem to us without a solution. Instead, like a good physician, he follows the diagnosis of our ailment with a prescription. Then, he presents a synopsis of the resolution, a treatment for infighting that includes pointing out the power and laying out a principle. 

In James 4:5, he tells us, “Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.” After calling the believers, who pursue the world, adulterers, James follows God’s response to believers’ unfaithfulness by telling us that we should be faithful because of our Spirit.  That’s the kind of control God wants to have in our lives. So if we release our grip and selfish demands, He’ll ensure that our lives will reflect Him as His Imagers.

This kind of humble surrender to God’s control is the crucial principle described in verse 6:

but gives grace to the humble.”

Generous grace is poured through us as we turn from our proud ways. That’s the primary work of the Holy Spirit. Of course, it’s not easy to turn from the self-centered pride of life and humble ourselves before God. But when we do, we’ll find a storehouse of God’s grace ready to be poured out through us. A verse in our closing hymn today puts it well:

(7-10)

As James so aptly does, he ends this section with practical advice on how to put the principle of humility into practice through the power of the Spirit. Our frustrated pursuit of pleasure was the cause of our propensity to fight (1-4). And God’s Spirit of grace is the prescription (5-6). James now spells out how we apply the cure to our lives (7-10). The daily regimen, the proper dosing, if you will, describes how to make God-given humility a part of our character.

Initially, we must submit to God. Submitting is an imperative—a command. Don’t fight, resist, and push. Instead, surrender, resign, and relinquish. Yes, it goes against our natural tendency to fight, but God gives us the grace to do it. Say, “Ok, Lord, I give up. I will follow your prescription.”

Submitting to God goes hand in hand with resisting the devil, which James commands next. Following the philosophy of the world is to follow the demonic worldly wisdom (3:15). It’s the opposite of following God.

Then James tells us in verses (7-8), “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.”

In terms of salvation, we can’t draw any nearer to God than we already are, and God provides us with everything we need.

2 Peter 1:3

James 4:8 speaks about our daily relationship with God—our experiential growth in knowing Him and progressively becoming more like His Son. So then, how do we “come close to God” in our personal relationship with Him? The rest of 4:8-10 provides that answer in rapid-fire fashion:

“Wash your hands.”—Stop doing evil!

“Purify your hearts.”—Stop thinking evil! Don’t be double-minded.

“Let there be tears for what you have done.”—Feel remorse for your wickedness!

“Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.”—Don’t make a joke out of your wickedness!

All these commands reflect the inner thoughts and outward effects of repentance. If we clench our fists and turn our back to God in our proud rebellion, then drawing near to God means turning our faces toward Him and opening our hands to whatever He has for us. Only then can we receive from Him what we had been trying to gain for ourselves in verse 10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.”

James’s message is clear. Instead of putting up a fight, put on faith. Instead of causing conflict, nurture contentment. Instead of stomping and stonewalling, willingly submit to God. When you do, He will give you the grace to handle whatever circumstance.

Those words from Shakespeare’s Othello are the background for the English idiom “green with envy.”

The ancient Greeks thought that feelings of envy and its sister sin, jealousy, caused an overproduction of bile, turning a person a pale, putrid green. The idea of being sick with jealousy comes from that deep, nauseous feeling we get when we’re jealous or envious. James blames uncontrolled envy for all kinds of problems when he writes, Let me re-read verses 2-3, “You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.”

What exactly is envy? How does it differ from its sibling, jealousy? Envy is a painful and resentful awareness of an advantage one enjoys, accompanied by a passion for possessing the same advantage. Envy sheepishly wants to have what someone else possesses. Jealousy takes it one step further and wants to possess exclusively what it or someone else has. Jealousy is coarse and cruel. Envy is sneaky and subtle. Jealousy clutches and smothers. Envy is forever reaching, longing, squinting, pondering, and saying wicked things.

Look at the monster of envy in Scripture. It sold Joseph into slavery, drove David into exile, threw Daniel into the den, put Christ on trial, and nearly split the church at Corinth.

All of us are undoubtedly prone to it. So let’s ask ourselves, am I struggling with envy?  How do you respond when somebody at work or in an organization gets a commendation or promotion you hoped for? When somebody at church is recognized for an accomplishment, what’s your reaction? Do you share the news with a “but” attached? Do you try to discern wrong motives that might be driving the recognition? Do you try to “put it into perspective” by comparison? If so, you’ve been bitten by the green-eyed monster. Are you feeling sick yet?

What’s the cure? Contentment. Feeling comfortable and secure with who you are and where you are. Not having to “be better,” “go further,” “own more,” “prove to the world,” or “reach the top.” Contentment means surrendering your frustrated hopes and missed goals to God. 1 Samuel 2:7 tells us, “The Lord makes some poor and others rich; he brings some down and lifts others up.”

Are you having some struggles with envy? Is it eating your heart out because somebody’s a step or two ahead of you in the race and gaining momentum? Relax. You are you—not them! You are only responsible for doing your best with what you’ve got for as long as you can.  God is pleased if we use what he has given us: nothing more, nothing less.

The choice is yours: contentiousness or contentment. If you want the peace that comes with contentment, follow verse 10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” Then turn to God and ask for strength to resist the devil and slay the green monster.

Next we will learn, The Perils of Playing God from James 4:11-17.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday!

Putnam Church Message – 10/24/2021

We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the letter of James. Last we focused on “Control Your Tongue” or “Zip Your Lips” in today’s vernacular. So much knowledge today is increasing exponentially, but it seems wisdom is sorely lacking. So today, we will look at persons who are Wise, Unwise, and Otherwise.

As most of you know, I consider myself quite a lumberjack with my huge chainsaw. An old proverb says, “A tree is best measured when it’s down.” The actual size and quality of a tree’s lumber can best be determined after the tree has been cut down. So, accurately measuring a person’s accomplishments can also be seen at the end of their life. This proverb is especially true of the life of Solomon, son of David. During Solomon’s reign over Israel, he thrived as an author, diplomat, poet, politician, philanthropist, architect, and engineer. At his apex, Solomon was a man unparalleled by any other.

How was Solomon able to accomplish so much during his lifetime? Second, Chronicles 1 provides the answer. When Solomon inherited the kingdom from his father, David, God appeared to him in a vision in 2 Chronicles 1:7, “That night God appeared to Solomon and said, ‘What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!’” Can you imagine that offer? What would you ask for if the Lord of heaven and earth offered anything you asked?

Solomon reveals his true character when he answers in 2 Chronicles 1:10, “Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?”  In essence, he said, “I’ve inherited an overwhelming task! More than anything else, I need wisdom! I need practical insight into the subtleties of life so I can govern Your people well. I ask and nothing more.” Now that’s a response of humility! With open hands, he turned to God to give him what he needed to accomplish what he needed to do.

About a thousand years after Solomon asked for wisdom from God to accomplish his calling, another descendent of David named James wrote 1:5, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” As I said from the beginning of this series, the book of James is the New Testament book of Proverbs. Like Solomon’s own contrast between Madam Folly and Lady Wisdom in the opening chapters of Proverbs, James 3:13-18 contrasts the unwise and the wise. These six short verses paint two pictures with a palate of colorful words: one portrait lacks God’s wisdom, and the other portrait is of a person who has received wisdom from above.

UNWISE VERSUS WISE (JAMES 3:13-18)

1.Bitterly Jealous

2.Selfish Ambition (3:14)

1.Honorable Life

2.Humble Good Works (3:13)

3.Boasting

4.Lying

5.Earthly

6.Unspiritual

7.Demonic (3:14-15)

3.Pure

4.Peace Loving

5.Gentle at All Times

6.Willing to Yield to Others

7.Full of Mercy

8.Fruit of Good Deeds

9.Shows No Favoritism

10.Always Sincere (3:17)

8.Disorder

9.Evil of Every Kind (3:16)

11.Seeds of Peace

12.Harvest of Righteousness  (3:18)

James starts with a question: “Who is wise and understanding among you?” James isn’t really looking for a show of hands. Obviously, most of us want to think we are wise and knowledgeable. It’s like that once-popular game show, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” Dumb question. Almost anybody you ask would raise both hands! That game’s real challenge was demonstrating the lengths and depths of your knowledge—how much you know about obscure and trivial things. Very few would measure up. That’s the point of James’s question. “You think you’re wise and understanding? Well, we’ll see about that. Let’s look at a few things that will test the quality of your wisdom.”

James instructs the wise person to prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works (13). The first refers to the changed lifestyle of a believer. A topic James has already treated in great depth (2:14-26). A wise person's life changes toward the good, exhibiting ready obedience to God’s Word. This wisdom relates directly to the central theme of James’s letter – wisdom is faith in action. Smarts, wits, and education don’t make a person wise. Instead, the sage person reflects the truth in their lifestyle.

Next, James says our good works must be done with the humility that comes from wisdom. People today view “meekness” and “gentleness” as marks of weak, spineless folks who let others walk all over them. “Gentleness” is a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:23, closely tied to “self-control.” It’s a word used to describe a high-spirited horse brought under control. He hasn’t lost his natural strength but carries that strength with gentleness and humility. That’s biblical wisdom.

This concept has profound practical implications. When we look for a good teacher or preacher, we often gravitate toward the most intellectually astute person, preferably seminary-trained. But wise leaders and mentors know when to put on the brakes—and when to accelerate. It’s not by accident that in Paul’s profile of church leaders, he says in 2 Timothy 2:24, “A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.”

3:14-16

Having introduced the idea of a wise person marked by a good way of life and gentle works, James shifts gears and spends some time describing the signs of an unwise person. He starts at the beginning of verse 14 with two heart-level signs on your bulletin insert: But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart. These dispositions overflow into a person’s life, which James describes in (14-15), with the ultimate results of such actions mentioned in (16).

Those two signs explained are:

“Bitterly jealous” likely refers to jealousy that harbors hard feelings. For example, a jealous person has full hands but feels their belongings or accomplishments are threatened by another’s success. In addition, jealousy is usually linked to selfish ambition. The heart of an unwise person carries an insatiable hunger to push themselves to the top, and they don’t plan on taking anyone with them.

James tells us in verse 15, “For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom.” He proceeds to tell us how this is manifested in five characteristics.

Boasting (14). The Greek word means to triumph over others. Thus, it means proudly justifying your sinful actions contrary to God-inspired humility.

Lying (14). Despite what a lot of philosophers, theologians, and, yes, preachers are saying today, truth is an immovable standard. Forget postmodern concepts of relative truth or the uncertainty of truth. God’s revealed truth corresponds to the way things are. The unwise, however, change their truth standard to match their beliefs or lifestyles.

Earthly (15). The word means “of the earth,” James contrasts it with wisdom “from above.” It’s a purely horizontal perspective—worldly measures of truth, earthly standards of success, material motives, and temporal priorities.

Unspiritual (15). This fourth characteristic of the unwise literally means “soulish.” The Greek word is related to our word “psyche,” which applies to the self—the inner human motives. Thus, the source of this wisdom is our thoughts, attitudes, interests, and pursuits, not the Spirit’s wisdom from above.

Demonic (15). This word doesn’t necessarily mean their worldly wisdom comes straight from demonic beings, though that may sometimes be true. Instead, the emphasis is on wisdom reflecting a philosophy or pattern of thinking so contrary to God’s truth that Satan could endorse it.

So, we see the unwise heart, marked by being bitterly jealous with selfish ambition (14). Such a person is boastful, lying, earthly, unspiritual, and demonic in their character (3:14-15). James ends his portrait of the unwise with a brief description of the result: “For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind” (16). In the wake of the unwise, we see waves of chaos, confusion, disharmony, antagonism, and pettiness. Look at any newscast; you know how prevalent it is today and certainly not an example to follow!

3:17-18

Having described earthly wisdom in blunt terms in (14-16), James ends with the stark contrast of “wisdom from above” (17-18). He already mentioned that the signs of a godly, wise person would prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom (13). James revisits the person with this kind of heart, showing the eight characteristics that mark their life (17) and the following results (18).

Wisdom from above is “first of all pure.” The word “first” means more than merely first on a list. It indicates rather in order of importance. God-given wisdom produces purity of internal motives as well as external actions. This lifestyle has a built-in promise, as Jesus said in Matthew 5:8 –“God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.” Purity of thought and deed helps us see God working in our circumstances.

Peace Loving. In contrast to the “bitter jealousy” and “selfish ambition” of the unwise, God-given wisdom produces peaceful relationships. The natural tendency is to be argumentative, quarrelsome, belligerent, and quick-tempered. God’s supernatural life within us guards against alienating others. Instead, it seeks to remove ill will. Jesus has a promise for those who are peace-loving in Matthew 5:9 – “God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

Gentle. The third characteristic of a wise person is they are gentle at all times. The meaning is “equitable,” “moderate,” and “yielding.” It describes a person who surrenders his rights to a higher ideal. In our day, when people feel their rights have been violated, they strike out with a lawsuit over the most insignificant offenses. That’s the world’s wisdom: petty contentious, selfish, bitter. But with God’s wisdom, we are willing to remain gentle, even if our rights are challenged

Willing to Yield. It comes from two Greek words, “well” and “persuadable.” Together they mean “easily persuaded.” But don’t get the wrong idea. This yielding doesn’t mean a wise person is a naive pushover! Instead, it has the sense of “teachable,” somebody who puts aside stubbornness and readily yields to the truth. It can refer to a person who is conciliatory, flexible, and open to change. When the Spirit of God captures the heart and does His work deep within, He softens us.

Abraham’s relationship with Lot in Genesis 13 exemplifies this conciliatory attitude. God had blessed these two men with so much livestock that the same fields could no longer sustain their herds. Now, remember, Abraham was the elder of the two and the one to whom God had promised all the land of Canaan. He could have said, “Lot, take your herdsmen and flocks and move on.” But he didn’t. According to Genesis 13:8-9, “Finally, Abram said to Lot, ‘Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives!  The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.’” Now that’s a man of wisdom— reasonable, cooperative, and flexible.

Full of Mercy. The fifth character trait of those who exhibit wisdom from above is mercy. If grace is giving a person a blessing they don’t deserve, mercy is withholding a just punishment a person does Mercy implies looking at somebody with compassion when they probably deserve punishment. While worldly wisdom would heap on ridicule or judgment, mercy shows kindness and benevolence.

Fruit of Good Deeds. Wise people are filled with “good fruits.” James ties this closely with the previous quality, “mercy.” It probably refers to the outward actions that accompany the attitude of pity for others. A person full of mercy will be bountiful in his blessings toward others. Godly wisdom, on the other hand, puts mercy to work, abounding in fruitful deeds.

Shows No Favoritism. This term suggests a person with fixed principles, who will never violate biblical standards regardless of the situation. Yet, this steadfast person is never willing to compromise on the truth of Scripture. Never! A wise person does not favor extreme legalism, nor do they take flexibility to the extreme of compromising on absolute truth. That kind of balance takes true wisdom, which comes only from above.

Sincere. Finally, James describes wisdom from above as “always sincere.” The related word comes from a term used to describe an actor playing multiple parts. In Greek plays, one actor often switched masks, costumes, or props, taking on different roles. When the actor played a comedic role, he would wear a mask with a big smile. For a tragic character, the mask would change to sorrow. He would then run off the stage and come out with an angry face for the villain. That’s the essence of hypocrisy —shiftiness, instability, unpredictability. But believers endowed with the Spirit of wisdom will live a life of sincerity. All the masks come off and follow the WYSIWYG principle: “What You See Is What You Get.”

Following the eight characteristics of a wise person, we see the results in verse 18: “And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.” The word “peace” refers to relational harmony, peace with one another. But, on the other hand, remember the outcome of false “wisdom” in James 3:16 – …there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

James makes his point crystal clear: If you claim to have wisdom like you should, why do you live like you shouldn’t?

Trapped Between Two Portraits

Imagine yourself sitting in the center of a small art gallery. The brightly lit room is empty except for two contrasting portraits on opposite walls. On the one side hangs the portrait of an arrogant, worldly, devilish fellow on a dark backdrop that stirs emotions of anger and envy. A scraggly beard and mustache veil his features, and cast a shadow over his shifty eyes. He leaves chaos and destruction in his wake as he advances, unflinching toward pursuing his goals, driven by jealousy and ambition. The caption beneath the portrait reads: “The Unwise” painted by “Self.”

The portrait on the facing wall couldn’t be more different. That man bears a gentle demeanor, his posture relaxed and expression serene. His eyes are inviting, and his hands appear ready for service. His life is exemplified by people eager to hear his words and mimic his life.   Children celebrate his arrival, delighted to see what words of truth he brings. So respected, he shows no signs of pride, and in his path are joy, peace, and prosperity. Below this portrait, the caption says: “The Wise” painted by “The Spirit of God.”

In light of the two contrasting pictures of the wise and unwise in James 3:13-18, which portrait do you identify? Do you struggle with jealousy of others’ successes? Is your life motivated by personal pursuits at the cost of peace? How have these inward feelings and outward actions affected those around you? Do disorder and pettiness mark your life? Do you pursue the things of the world rather than the things of God?

Or is your life characterized by gentleness and humility? Do people know you as a person of mercy, authenticity, and peace? Do you act the same way at home as at work, church, or public? Do you build others up, rejoice at their successes, and place the needs and interests of others ahead of your own? Do you leave harmony and joy in your wake?

As you think through these questions, avoid answering how you wish things were. Instead, answer the way things are. Try to defend your answer with actual evidence from examples that come to mind. Ask yourself whether your closest family members or friends would answer these questions for you the same way.

After identifying with either the portrait of the wise or the unwise, it’s time to consider your response. For the wise, respond to God with thanksgiving, praising Him for molding you through the...

Putnam Church Message – 10/17/2021

James: Wisdom Is Faith in Action – Controlling Your Tongue

We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. Last we focused on Faith and Works, and how they must go together like hand in glove. As part of the Faith and Works life, we must learn to control our tongues or “zip your lips” in today’s vernacular.

In last week’s message, James 2:14-26, the half-brother of our Lord, zoomed in on his central message—real faith produces genuine works. Throughout the letter from James, a probing question holds his whole theme together: “If you say you believe as you should, why do you behave like you shouldn’t?” In 3:1-12, James develops this general theme in a very specific direction: controlling the tongue. No other section of the Bible speaks with greater clarity and impact on the potential destructive power of our words. We might summarize this powerful passage as a question: “If you say you believe as you should, why do you say things you shouldn’t?”

3:1-2

James begins his indictment against the tongue with a surprising introduction. At first glance, it looks as though he’s attacking and condemning the ministry of teaching in the church. But on closer examination, we realize he’s trying to protect the ministry of teaching. James begins with a direct imperative to his readers: not many of you should become teachers in the church. It’s a warning, not a condemnation. The reason? Because teachers—those responsible for speaking God’s truth fully and accurately—will fall under stricter judgment.  They are held to higher accountability.

Why does a teacher receive stricter judgment than the learner? Several reasons come to mind. First, a teacher is responsible for speaking the truth, not personal opinions. You and I have seen teachers that have strayed from the truth into the realm of their speculations. Second, what a teacher says affects many lives. Sometimes it’s an overwhelming feeling I experience before a message on Sunday morning. The responsibility to handle God’s Word accurately can’t be taken lightly. Too many people’s lives are at stake to just wing it. Third, teachers must live the truth, not just teach it. The real test of teachers isn’t just what they say in a message, what their lives and families say. The extent of a person’s ministry isn’t the size of their churches; it’s the depth of their personal and family life. Teachers must never forget that.

James 3:2 especially applies to the teacher. Nobody is infallible. Everybody stumbles in many ways. But teachers can cause a whole crowd of people to stumble with them when they stumble. The tongue is the teacher’s indispensable tool. But an ignorant, deceptive, or wicked tongue can be a disastrous weapon. James says we’ll become the object of God’s judgment if we are responsible for teaching but have a loose tongue. Every teacher should consider that James states with uncompromising clarity: Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way (2). Because there was only one perfect Man, the logical conclusion is that we will stumble in what we say. So we teachers must take the warning with utmost seriousness.

A couple of clarifying remarks are necessary before we dig into the remaining meat of the passage. First, James is not condemning teaching. On the contrary, the church needs willing, gifted, trained, and qualified teachers. James is warning against hurrying into it without realizing what a profound responsibility it is. Second, James is not condoning silence or promoting silence. He’s urging self-control. And this self-control begins not with the tongue but with the heart.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 15 set the proper theological background for James’s practical teaching about the tongue. Jesus tells us that the fundamental problem is not the tongue, but the heart. The tongue is just the messenger that carries the words from the heart. The tongue is the bucket that dips into the well and pours freshwater or poison. Let me show you an example.  I have two identical containers of clean water with a red lid representing our tongues. If we allow our hearts to be polluted by the world, then our hearts will be filled with pollution, so what is in your heart pours from our mouths. Christ addressed the serious responsibility of teachers, calling the Pharisees “blind guides of the blind,” who were leading their followers into a pit (Matthew 15:14). Listen to Jesus’ words in Matthew 15:10-11.

Now that we understand this root problem of the heart, let’s observe how James develops his thoughts regarding the tongue.

3:3-5

The tongue is tiny but extremely powerful. James wants to impress this fact on our minds so we won’t underestimate the effects it can have, both positively and negatively. To do so, he gives us three analogies for the power of the tongue.

First, the tongue is like a bit in a horse’s mouth (3). A small piece of rope, a few leather straps, or a uniquely shaped metal strap controls the movement of an entire horse. Similarly, the tongue can steer the direction of a person’s life. Second, the tongue is like the rudder of a ship (4). Paula and I have been blessed to be on several cruises. Just think of a giant cruise ship—a towering, floating hotel with 5,000 guests and 2,000 staff members. But that massive steel hulk can be steered by a comparatively small metal flap, determining the ship's course.

The first two illustrations, steering a horse and piloting a ship, are neutral. They could have either positive or negative results. But James’s third analogy reminds us of the potential danger of the tongue: In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.

Suppose you take a spark, a glowing ember, or smoldering ash and drop it in the wrong place; hundreds of thousands of acres of forest can be destroyed, as we see in California every year. By analogy, the tongue is a tiny spark but can set hundreds of lives ablaze. Likewise, an unchecked tongue can assassinate a person’s character, destroy a reputation, and even ruin a church.

Our words can build unity or demolish it. The tongue can encourage fellowship or destroy it. Our mouths can form a community or fracture it. The tongue is a small but powerful member. Yes, it can do tremendous good, like heating our homes. But it also has the potential to do incalculable harm.

James further develops the image of the tongue as fire, moving to an even more candid picture to demonstrate that the tongue is necessary, but dangerous. Observe some things about James’s vivid terms to describe this tiny muscle tucked behind our teeth. First, look at those intriguing phrases:

It is a whole world of wickedness

It corrupts your entire body.

It can set your whole life on fire.

It is set on fire by hell itself.

What harsh words! James says the full range of iniquity finds an outlet through the tongue. Think about that. It’s virtually impossible to seethe with anger without expressing our rage in words. Bitterness sours our speech. Pride prattles on and on. Hate explodes from the lips. The tongue can suddenly turn an otherwise gentle person into a monster. It’s a “world of iniquity.”

The tongue is also connected to hell. Isn’t that interesting? Look at the relationship. The tongue is set on fire by hell—and then it sets the entire course of our lives. In Greek, the word translated as “hell” is Gehenna. The word only appears in Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels and James. The word finds its origin and most common usage among Jews familiar with Jerusalem, so James’s Jewish Christian audience would have caught his meaning instantly. “Gehenna” refers to the Hinnom Valley, which runs along the south side of Jerusalem. (Bulletin Insert) In the days of Jesus and James, residents of Jerusalem stacked all the garbage and filth in Gehenna, where it was often burned. It’s as though James were saying, “You know that stinky, smoldering trash dump south of town? Our tongues are just like that.” When we start our uncontrolled blathering, the garbage in our hearts is set ablaze. And like the putrid smoke that reminds us that garbage is burning in Hinnom Valley, our tongues let everybody hear the wickedness in our hearts.

James also refers to the tongue as an untamed beast (7). It seems we can train any animal—from snakes to elephants, tigers to dolphins, and lions to whales—but the wild tongue resists taming. We can’t seem to break that beast. Here is a truth to be remembered. James 3:8 says literally, but no one can tame the tongue. James is talking about subduing our sinful speech with our own power. He says human beings, on their own, can’t keep their tongues in check. But if you know Christ personally, God’s power through the Holy Spirit’s presence can transform your heart and take complete control of the tongue.

James also pictures the tongue as restless and evil, full of deadly poison (8). We have a cyanide capsule behind our teeth, ready to break open and spread words of death wherever we go. Unfortunately, we don’t have time to read the many references in Proverbs that encourage us to limit our speech, but two of my favorites are

James backs up his argument with two illustrations after likening the tongue to a fire, a wild beast, and a deadly poison. The first comes from human experience (9-10). The second comes from nature (11-12). Together these examples demonstrate that the tongue is necessary, but inconsistent.

I think all of us can relate to James’s first illustration from human experience. You’re driving along, singing a joyous song of praise to the Lord: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it...” Suddenly some bozo cuts you off, forcing you to slam on your brakes, leaving skid marks on the highway. But worse than that, the tongue you used to praise God suddenly switched gears, and you find yourself cursing or yelling at the guy on the cell phone who couldn’t find a free hand to signal! James says, “And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth” (10).

Situations like this can happen just as quickly in a family setting. See if you can relate to this example. After a long Sunday morning service, a family sits down to a lovely Sunday lunch. The father bows his head and leads the children in the blessing. He thanks the Lord for the food, for the day, and their home. Shortly after saying “Amen,” the Dad complains about the preacher, the church, his job, and endless other problems in his life. Nothing but complaints poured from his lips. Following all that, his little daughter taps him on the shoulder and says, “Daddy, did God hear you when you said the blessing?”

Dad switched to theological authority and answered, “Yes, darling, He did.”

“Well,” asks his daughter, “did God hear you when you complained right after you prayed?”

“Well... uh, yes, honey, I suppose He did.”

“Then, Daddy,” she says, “Which one do you think God believed?”

James concludes by illustrating his point from nature. Growing up in the apple orchard, this huge oak tree was near some apple trees at the edge of the woods.  At the bottom of the tree trickled out from an underground spring, some of the sweetest water around. You see, a spring doesn’t produce both fresh and contaminated water, a fig tree doesn’t produce olives, and a grapevine doesn’t produce figs. If our hearts are filled with grace, shouldn’t our lips overflow with goodness? In 11-12, James says the product is consistent with the source. A man who speaks out of both sides of his mouth is a double-minded man we learned about in James 1:8 and will look again at in James 4:8. Just as Jesus said during the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:18, “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.” This sobering thought forces us to ask ourselves, Where is this inconsistent speech coming from?

Another example is if we are consistently negative, deceitful, or bitter, we must consider what our tongue reveals about our hearts. We need to think about our speech. We shouldn’t just shrug this off and move on. We must let it sink in.

Let us take a course on Tongue-Control 101.

We’ve all experienced it, haven’t we—the irreversible harm done by an uncontrolled tongue? I’ve seen the countenance of children’s faces wilt under the rage of a father’s tongue. I’ve seen the spirit of a new Christian crushed because of the demeaning and debilitating words of an impatient, older Christian. I’ve seen characters assassinated, reputations ruined, and marriages ripped apart because of an uncontrolled, wicked tongue. The tongue can be a devastating force of enormous destruction!

Because of the severity of the problem of the uncontrolled tongue, let’s consider a few simple statements that sum up James’s practical concern. Then, we’ll couple these with some opportunities to apply these principles to our lives.

First of all, the tongue defiles. Jesus said that in Matthew 15, and James says it in the first several verses of chapter 3. With just a thoughtless word, it can stain your clean-cut image. The tongue is that powerful. Think about this. Would your server at your favorite restaurant know that you’re a gracious child of God?

Or have you defiled your testimony with rude comments, complaints, and criticisms?  Has your testimony been so tarnished by your tongue that anyone at work or groups you belong to be amazed to know that you have a relationship with the Savior?

Second, the tongue defies. It resists our attempts at self-control, resolutions, or self-improvement gimmicks. In our own strength, those techniques will not work, at least not permanently. We sometimes casually speak of Christ as Lord of our lives but somehow fail to make Him Lord of our tongues! Have you surrendered control of your speech to the Lord Jesus? Have you yielded to the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work with regard to your speech? No human can tame the tongue. That’s the work of God alone.

Third, the tongue displays what you really are. That inner person, hiding behind the nice image we project to others, always finds opportunities to reveal itself through the tongue. The fruit of our lips finds its source in the root of our soul.

The answer? Stop all attempts at self-control and surrender to God’s control. He can quench the raging fire. He can tame the snarling beast. He can provide the antidote to the poison of hellish, hateful speech.  James doesn’t rail against the tongue to condemn us for what we’ve done in our past, but to prevent us from allowing this behavior into our future. So now would be an appropriate time to pause and pray. Ask God to change your heart and your tongue today. To change what comes out of our mouths, we must change what we store in our hearts.

Psalm 119:11

The filth of the world that is poured into us each day must be filtered through God’s Word so that our hearts remain pure.  The next time you think about filtered water, think about God’s Word.

Next our topic brings us back to wisdom as we explore a person who is Wise, Unwise, and Otherwise from James 3:13-18.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you next...

Welcome to Day 2124 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 6 – Faith and Works – Daily Wisdom

Putnam Church Message – 10/10/2021

James: Wisdom Is Faith in Action – Faith and Works

We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. Last we focused on how our Christian lives cannot contain Partiality and Prejudice any more than oil and water can mix. Our focus today is on Fatih and Works.

I believe most of us have sung the song “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.”  In some church settings, they also added the verse, “If you’re saved, and you know it, shout amen!” And then it continues, “If you’re saved, and you know it, then your life will surely show it.” As I was thinking about that phrase, this week gave me pause.  I thought, “Lord, does my life really show the faith I profess?” What about all the things I’m called to do daily as a believer in Christ, as a citizen of God’s kingdom? What about all those things that cut crosswise against cultural norms and society’s expectations? So I quickly reviewed the past weeks, months, and years, trying to determine if my life showed my faith. Even a simple children’s song can make us pause and ponder deeper truths in God’s Word.

Someone once said faith is like calories: you can’t see them, but you can always see their results! That’s the central theme resonating throughout James’s letter. We can boil it down to one word—results—authentic faith results in genuine works.  Wisdom is faith in action. Nowhere does James more passionately argue and illustrate this theme than in 2:14-26. This passage forces us to answer that penetrating question, “If we say we believe as we should, why do we behave like we shouldn’t?”

This section is the central thesis of James’s letter. Everything before this passage is like an arrow pointing forward to it, and everything after this passage is like an arrow pointing back. It’s the apex of a pyramid in James’s mind. James asks two rhetorical questions, and we may not be expecting an answer, but he is about to give one.

James 2:14

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?

James’s question is like asking, “What good is it to carry around a driver’s license if you can’t or don’t actually drive?” People may be called Christians and claim to be part of the faith, but do they have any genuine results proving their confession is authentic to those around them? As the old saying goes, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” That’s what James is asking. James says that if somebody claims to have faith in Christ, but their life doesn’t show results of faith, that faith might very well be phony.

The second question, “Can that kind of faith save anyone?” refers to a certain quality of faith—that faith that produces no fruit. The implied answer, of course, is a resounding no! The form of the question in Greek shows that James is asking a rhetorical question that demands a negative response. For the rest of the section, James digs deeper into this basic assertion that phony faith that produces no works may not be genuine saving faith.

2:15-20

In 2:15-20, James sets out four characteristics of genuine faith.

First, genuine faith is not indifferent, but involved (15-16). Carefully consider this illustration. James is making it easy for his readers to decide whether to help these needy people. They’re not being asked to throw charity at ungrateful heathens or wicked blasphemers. These needy folks are genuine “brothers and sisters” with real needs: food and clothing (15). In 1 Timothy 6:8, Paul said, “So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” The people in James’s example didn’t even have the basics of life! They were in dire need, but instead of providing them with clothing or food, James’s hypothetical pretenders of faith send the needy believers away with nothing but a hollow cliché: “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well” (16).

Everybody may have experienced something like this from so-called brothers and sisters in Christ. Maybe you haven’t missed meals or clothing, but perhaps you’ve endured pain and desperately needed comfort, or you’ve had a specific need that required at least a caring ear and a shoulder to cry on. But instead, you felt a pat on the head and heard a hasty platitude. Instead of reaching out with real help, those who could (and should) have stepped up did nothing to meet your need, but it is a two-way street. That’s James’s indictment.

James isn’t alone in these sentiments. The apostle John says the same in 1 John 3:17, “If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?” If there’s genuine love, it reaches out to others. And if there’s genuine faith, it produces acts of compassion. In James’s definition, genuine faith is not indifferent, but involved.

Second, James urges that genuine faith is not independent, but in partnership (17). James says that results (works) always accompany genuine faith. If it doesn’t have results, it’s “dead.” By “dead,” James means “useless, ineffective, impotent.” It’s the opposite of a living, effective, vibrant faith. In this verse, we might even put quotation marks around “faith,” because the so-called faith that has no works is phony in James’s mind.

Third, genuine faith is not invisible, but on display (18). James puts words in the mouth of a hypothetical person who may argue, “‘Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ But I say, ‘How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.’” The argument is subtle. This person agrees with James but claims to have a quiet, invisible, private faith. You’ve met people like that. “I keep my faith to myself,” they say. “I don’t wear my religion on my shirtsleeve.” To a person like that, anybody who actually lives out their faith looks like a fanatic. But the challenge to a personal, passive faith is valid; genuine faith displays itself. If you can’t see it, how can anyone know it exists?  It is not a show-off faith of pride, but the humble assistance of others.

 

Fourth, genuine faith is not intellectual, but from the heart (19-20). James imagines yet another kind of person, the religious intellectual. He knows the facts and can recite the truth, but he doesn’t really have a life that matches the facts. For example, he believes “There is one God” (19). This statement comes straight out of the ancient confession of Judaism called the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4—“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.” So this person has his fundamental theology down. He gives intellectual assent to the truth. But it hasn’t penetrated his heart or reached his hands and feet. Those whose faith is merely intellectual have that much in common with demons! Only those whose lives exhibit genuine faith through visible works are better off than demons, whose theology is impeccable, but whose works are abhorrent. In this analogy, we see that demons at least have enough sense of their condition to tremble in terror.

Fifth, driving his case home by repeating his thesis, James writes, “How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?” (20). This rephrasing of the statement from 2:17 helps us understand what James meant by referring to faith without works as “dead.” Though James doesn’t say that a person without works is dead, he clearly states that faith without works is useless —as good as dead.  The point here is to encourage faith-motivated living to stir doubts about salvation.

Let me put this in very practical terms. Suppose a friend or family member has lost his job and can’t buy school clothes for his family. You just got a big raise. But instead of opening your hand to your brother, you pat him on the back and say, “We’ll be praying for you, buddy.” Or put yourself in the other place. An unexpected illness hits your family, and the medical bills make it challenging to stay afloat. Instead of tapping into their benevolence fund to help you through this tough time, you get nothing but a card from the church that says, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). In these cases, we see a specific need and an ability to meet the need... but a useless, dead response. In light of James’s indictment, do these responses exemplify genuine faith? No!

As a master teacher, James drives his point home with two biblical examples of true inward faith demonstrated by obvious outward actions. Though he has at his disposal a host of examples of faith and faithfulness in the Old Testament, James selects two extremes: Abraham and Rahab. What a difference!

ABRAHAM

RAHAB

the father of the Hebrews

a Gentile prostitute

a man of power and respect

a woman of ill repute

the recipient of God’s promises

a breaker of God’s moral laws

 

These two were polar opposites! Yet in selecting these to prove his point, James casts a broad net that captures every one of us listening to his words—every Christian finds him or herself somewhere between Abraham and Rahab. So James’s message about faith and works applies to all of us.

The author of Hebrews, too, marveled at the faith exhibited by the actions of Abraham and Rahab and included them in the catalog of Old Testament believers who illustrate powerful testimonies of lives lived by faith. For example, Hebrews 11:17 says,  “It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac,” in Hebrews 11:31, we read, “It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.” James was not the only New Testament writer to see in both Abraham and Rahab examples of true faith. The author of Hebrews and James emphasizes that these works were done by faith. These verses tell of the actions resulting from a genuine faith within each believer, working themselves out in practical, hands-on actions.

If you are familiar with the letters of Paul, you may see an apparent problem jump off the page.  In verse 21, James writes, “Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?” Whoa, Nelly! Right with God by his actions? Doesn’t this contradict what Paul says in Romans? Paul wrote in Romans 3:28, “So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.”  How, then, could James say, “So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone?” (24). Does James deny the heart of the gospel of grace? Or did Paul get it completely wrong?   Neither! James is not disputing Paul, and Paul is not correcting James. These two uses are two sides of the same coin. (Show coin)

Roman 3:28

So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. James 2:24

Declared righteous in the sight of God

Proved righteous in the sight of others

It shows how an unbeliever becomes a Christian

It shows how a believer lives as a

Christian

Emphasizes the root of salvation

Emphasizes the fruit of

salvation

Stresses inward disposition

Stresses outward actions

Demonstrates God’s part in human participation

Demonstrates human part with God’s participation

Once we understand James’s different approach, his illustrations from the actions of Abraham and Rahab make sense. The core commonality between the two is faith. One is saving faith, and the other is living faith. Paul is looking at the root of salvation. At the moment of salvation, you are saved through faith plus nothing. On the other side of the coin, James is looking at the fruit of salvation. After the root of faith is planted, our lives will bear the fruit of good works after salvation. Another contrast involves two different perspectives. Paul looks at life from God’s perspective; James looks at life from the human perspective. Once we understand James’s different approach, his illustrations from the actions of Abraham and Rahab make sense.

In the first example, we know Abraham was a man of faith because we can see his ultimate act of faith in obeying the commands of God even when they made absolutely no sense! To this day, we squirm as we read about God’s testing Abraham’s faith when God ordered him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Knowing beforehand that God fully intended to stay in Abraham’s hand and provide a ram as a substitute doesn’t help. Abraham didn’t know that! He trusted in God's absolute goodness and power, despite the incomprehensible command. Just think of it! Isaac was Abraham’s only son and the one through whom God promised He would make Abraham’s descendants into a great nation! Yet this is the one to be offered as a sacrifice to God! The book of Hebrews 11:19 tells us that Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead. Though he didn’t know how God could keep His promises through Isaac, Abraham exhibited for generations to come an absolute, unswerving trust in God’s goodness and power. James concludes, So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. (24).

Rahab serves as James’s second example. She was not an Israelite and, therefore, not a member of God’s covenant people. Yet, she went out on a limb and believed that the God of Israel would keep His promises to Israel and deliver her city of Jericho into their hands.  We learn Rahab herself became an Israelite. She was one of four Old Testament women included in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). What a remarkable example of the lasting fruit of authentic faith!

James concludes this section on faith at work with a reiteration of his thesis: “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” Wherever you find separation, you find death. It’s true in physical life when the spirit is separated from the body. It’s also true in the Christian life.

James’s puzzling phrase, “Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions,” can sometimes distract us from the extremely practical principles in this section. Instead of dissecting his words, how about digesting them? Let’s move from the pulpit into the dining room, and let me offer you a five-course meal for making James’s message part of a balanced spiritual diet.  I have included on the bulletin insert today this five-course meal plan.  I would encourage you to carve out a little time alone each day during the week to think through the practical implications of James’s emphasis on the fruit of genuine faith.

Before clearing the table after those five days, consider what you must do in response to these questions. The book of James is all about hands-on Christianity. He’s telling us to stop sitting on our hands and use them to do God’s work! So the next time you make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, use a hammer and a nail, or season food with salt and pepper, think of faith and works.  They go together like hand and glove.

Next week our topic may even be more difficult for most of us, and it is Bridling the Tongue from James 3:1- 12. Would you please read it this week?

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly

Welcome to Day 2123 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 5 – Partiality and Prejudice – Daily Wisdom

Putnam Church Message – 10/03/2021

James: Wisdom Is Faith in Action – Partiality and Prejudice

We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. Last we focused on Listening and Doing Good. Today we will cover some hot topics in our society, but they are even more important within the church. Our focus is on Partiality and Prejudice.

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.  For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.  For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

In many of our Christian lives, we wrestle against a form of Christianity obsessed with externals. Too many believers draw quick conclusions about people based merely on their first impressions— almost as if they had forgotten what we are told in 1 Samuel 16:7, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”

Almost subconsciously, our prejudices form in our minds when we see those who claim to be a Christ-follower or when someone walks into a church, we may think:

Her hair is too short, or his hair is too long.

He shouldn’t wear that to church.

What’s with those tattoos?

That car is too expensive.

Their house is too big.

He has a Ph.D.

She didn’t even graduate from high school.

They go to public school.

They’re homeschoolers.

Prejudice. Our English word stems from a Latin noun that emphasizes a prejudgment of someone, causing us to form an opinion before knowing all the facts. Once we’ve raced to our conclusions, ignoring those essential facts, we’re well on our way to establishing an irrational, insidious attitude that says, “My mind’s made up. Don’t confuse me with the facts.”

The whole point of James 2:1-13 is to diffuse that kind of faulty thinking. As a master communicator, James first states his principle (1) and then provides a real-life illustration of the principle (2-4). Next, he explains why such behavior is inconsistent with authentic Christian faith (5-11) and ends with a final exhortation to do what’s right (12-13).

James begins by saying, “Faith in Christ and partiality or prejudice are incompatible.” This verse's command is straightforward: “you must not show favoritism.” Next, James addresses Christians, whom he calls “My brothers and sisters,” who already have faith in Christ. The issue is not what they believe or whom they trust. James uses some of the most exalted language for Christ in this brief statement—“our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.” So, their theology was correct. They were part of God’s forever family.

But something was wrong. The attitude that accompanied their faith didn’t fit. The Greek word translated as “personal favoritism” is a compound word that communicates the idea of “receiving the face.” What a great way to put it! You see a person’s outward appearance (their “face”) and receive that image as if it’s real. The word is used in the New Testament in reference to God. Acts 10:34 says, “Then Peter replied, ‘I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.’” God judges the truth of a matter by the heart, not the face. And Christians are called to reflect this quality in their own lives as imagers of God.

A word of clarification is in order. Partiality and prejudice can go in one of two directions: positive or negative. By merely looking at the outside characteristics, we can miss fatal character flaws in a person masked by attractive attire, smooth talk, and a firm handshake. On the other hand, we can too quickly condemn a person based on outward appearance, failing to see the Christlike character and abundant spiritual fruit that compose the person’s true identity. So, James isn’t questioning the importance of wise character study to discern whether we should be involved with a person. We should all exercise that kind of discernment. Instead, James is addressing the problem of prejudice—a judgment made before any careful understanding.

Like windows of light flooding a home with beauty, illustrations open the truth to our minds and let it shine in our hearts. James is a master illustrator. He doesn’t just leave his readers with a rule to follow; he tells them a story they can relate to.

The setting of the illustration is the “assembly.” The word here isn’t ekklêsia, “church,” but synagôgê, “meeting.” This word referred to any meeting, not just a Jewish synagogue. Early Jewish Christians were sometimes able to meet in Jewish synagogues. Still, before long, the unbelieving Jews decided that they couldn’t tolerate fellow Jews who believed in Jesus as the promised Messiah, and they expelled them. Wherever they met, which may have been in homes or other convenient locations, the term synagôgê described their meetings. As we apply these verses to our day, the “assembly” represents our place of worship or fellowship.

In James’s illustration, two men stand out as the church gathers for worship. One is dressed to the nines—from fancy jewelry to expensive, elegant clothing. In the ancient Near East, it was customary for people of great wealth or nobility to wear jewel-studded garments of fine fabric like silk. Their garments announced that they were influential, powerful people who could change your life with a nod of their heads. But something about this illustration would probably strike James’s first-century readers as odd. When James wrote this letter, the story was usually reversed— Christians were often brought into the assemblies of the rich and powerful for interrogation and judgment. It wasn’t typical for the wealthy and respectable to show up at church! So, having caught his readers’ imagination, James introduces the second character in his illustration.

A poor man in grubby, soiled clothes wanders into the assembly. His clothes hang from his skinny form. This person has no jewels, silk, or entourage to protect him from thieves or assassins. This person does not influence anyone. Please note that this isn’t just an average man off the street coming to church out of curiosity. This one stands out to ordinary people as exceptionally poor, just as the wealthy man stood out as enviably rich.

This situation leaves the greeter with a decision and no time to think. In cases like this, a person’s true character shines through. What do they do? In James’s illustration, the greeter is blinded by the bling (2:3). The rich man gets VIP treatment: “Here’s a good seat for you.” We see another illustration of this in Matthew 23:6, “And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues.” This verse indicates there must have been preferred seating for people of importance. In an ancient synagogue, the pulpit stood near the center of the meeting hall. The tabernacle, where the scrolls were kept, was toward the front. Seating for men ran along the two sides, and women and children sat on a balcony. The best seats in the house would have been nearest the pulpit.

While the rich man is shown a seat of honor, the poor man doesn’t even get a seat! Instead, with a wave of the hand or an impatient huff, the greeter barks, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet” (2:3). In other words, “Stay out of the way!”

Now let me clarify what James is not saying in this passage. The illustration is about the one who judges the rich man as better than the poor man. It’s not about the rich man or the poor man. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with being rich. And there’s nothing necessarily wrong with being poor. The problem James is addressing is the motive that affects the behavior.  It’s about partiality

In 2:4, James announces his verdict: the greeter is guilty of discrimination. He “made distinctions” and became a judge not with objective clarity but with “evil motives.” Maybe he sat the rich person in the place of honor, initially thinking it would win him personal favor with an influential politician. Instead, perhaps less personally—but just as wrong—the greeter envisions the significant financial contribution that could come to the church through such a wealthy man.

James couldn’t be more transparent. This kind of prejudice is a sin. If there’s one place where class distinctions should be abolished, it’s our places of worship. Discrimination over color, political persuasion, financial status, fashion, appearance, or any other measure doesn’t belong in the church, either inside or outside its doors, private or public.

2:5-11

Here James shifts into low gear and explains why prejudice and partiality are unfit for Christians. He gives three reasons: a theological reason, a logical reason, and a biblical reason.

A Theological Reason (5). God shows no partiality, so neither should His children. The apostle Paul develops this theological principle in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29.

A Logical Reason (6-7). James asks two rhetorical questions, which reveal much about the Jewish Christians' situation. First, the rich and powerful persecuted the Christians, dragging them before the authorities (6). Second, the rich and powerful blasphemed Christ’s name (7). Reading between the lines, we can tell that the poor were not involved in this persecution. So, indiscriminately showing favoritism toward the rich and mistreating the poor made no sense at all!

A Biblical Reason (8-11). Finally, James points his readers to Scripture, which excludes all partiality. James repurposes Leviticus 19:18, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” Sound familiar? James’s readers would have immediately recognized this as a key Old Testament verse Jesus used in His teaching in Matthew 19:19; when he quoted Leviticus 19:18.  It’s the basis for His “Golden Rule,” which we studied during The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:12, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” Christ called this the second of the two greatest commandments: to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Paul said this in Galatians 5:14, “For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Given the fundamental importance of this “royal law,” to break this one law is like breaking all of them; and, vice versa, James 2:11, “For the same God who said, ‘You must not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘You must not murder.’ So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.” For this reason, prejudice—which refuses to love all equally—transgresses the greatest commandment.

2:12-13

James wraps up his indictment against partiality with an appeal to apply his teaching. Let Scripture be your standard! Let love be your law! Let mercy be your message! Speak not and act not out of natural, superficial, cultural conditioning. To speak and act that way makes believers into lawbreakers, subjecting them to God’s discipline. Believers will never fall under condemnation by God; as we are told in Romans 8:1, they will be judged and rewarded on how they conduct themselves in this life. James reveals the standard by which all believers will be judged in verse 12, “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.” The NLT puts it this way, “So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.” In the context of verses 8-11, we know the law James had in mind—the liberating, royal law that excludes all prejudice and puts away all partiality—“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

As the old adage goes, “birds of a feather flock together.” How true that is, even in our churches. I’m tempted to say, especially in our churches. We have large churches, small churches, downtown churches, suburban churches, inner-city churches, young churches, old churches, formal churches, and informal churches—all of them composed of people who look the same, think the same, talk, and act the same. But, oh, they often mistrust, dislike, or alienate the “others” outside their culture.  We may not admit or realize it, but it does happen.

Why has it been so difficult for Christians to take James’s words about partiality and prejudice seriously? We’re okay with loving our neighbors as long as we get to pick the neighborhood! But James’s words concerning bias and partiality should challenge our attitudes—and change our actions. So, finally, at the close of 2:1-13, James leaves us with some ways to apply his principles against prejudice in our lives.

First, let the Scriptures—not your habits—be your standard (12). To an extent, we all have ingrained prejudices. It is part of our nature. We may have been taught it in school, in our families, among our friends, or even in church pulpits. But we have to call it what the Bible calls it—sin. James said prejudice and faith in Christ do not mix (2:1). So stop holding on to your prejudices and hiding behind flimsy excuses.  Although it has become a political hot potato, being fueled in our current society and packaged in the dangerous concepts of critical race theory, we need to strip away those concepts and follow what Scripture teaches. It does not matter what ethnic, economic, or political group someone belongs to. They could be black, white, Hispanic, Arab, Asian, Palestinian, Jewish, rich, poor, right, left, republican, democrat, white-collar, or blue-collar; we must overcome our prejudice and biases against others! Decide right now to agree with Scripture and call it what it is.

Second, let love be your law (12). James calls the command to “Love your neighbor as yourself” the “royal law” (8) and “the law that sets you free” (12). When we encounter people different from us—older or younger, lighter or darker, richer or poorer—we must resist the question, “How can I get as far away from this person as possible?” Instead, we must answer, “How can I best love this person in word and action?” How can I help them? How can I build this person up? How can I show grace and mercy instead of discrimination and partiality?

As you seek to apply James’s message, ask God to reveal where you may be guilty of favoritism and partiality. At the same time, ask for discernment to make accurate distinctions about how to love, whom to trust, and when to confront.

James isn’t saying we must treat every soul on earth exactly the same, but we can’t mistreat people based on our superficial prejudices.

If we approach each person we meet as an opportunity to demonstrate love, we will make good progress at putting away prejudice from our midst.

Our next topic will be from James 2:14-26 is Faith at Work, which mirrors our theme of Wisdom is Faith in Action.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you next time for more wisdom from God’s Word!

Welcome to Day 2122 of  Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 4 – Listening and Doing – Daily Wisdom

Putnam Church Message – 09/26/2021

We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. Last week we discovered why we should not be misled by sin because we are God’s Prized Possessions. Today our focus is on Listening and Doing.

A debilitating disease is crippling the body of Christ—a syndrome so common that it seems to affect every believer with either a mild or an acute case. This insidious condition neutralizes the church’s impact and nullifies its testimony. It can diminish effectiveness and paralyze production. The problem? A divorce between confession and deed, theology and action, listening and doing. As a result, God’s Word fails to make it from the head to the heart for too many Christians. God’s Word gets lodged between the heart and the hands for many more.

In developing his overarching lesson that real faith produces genuine works, James has already dealt with the Christian’s perseverance through trials, which proves our faith (1:1-12), and the believer’s victory over temptation, demonstrating our character (1:13-18). As our theme for this series states, wisdom is faith in action. In this final section of chapter 1, James zooms in on the believer’s appropriate response to God’s Word. The break in the relationship between belief and behavior may be pandemic among Christians, but James reminds us that the two estranged partners of the Christian walk can be reconciled.

1:19-20

James begins with a reminder: “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this.” Unquestionably, he’s writing to believers, brothers, and sisters in Christ. And he begins by acknowledging that they should already know what he’s about to say. In the NLT, James says, “Understand this. Yes, I know you know what I’m about to cover, but you need to hear it again. I feel the need to review it, to revisit some basics.” In that sense, the phrase “Understand this” serves as a mild command: “Remember!”  This passage for today, it’s also a rebuke: “You’ve forgotten!”

What is the content of this knowledge? Three essential things fertilize the heart’s soil in preparation for receiving the planting of God’s word in our hearts (21). First, James urges us “quick to listen” (19). The command means more than merely listening intently. James wants us to receive the words that are spoken genuinely. Let me give you an illustration. You probably know from experience that there are two ways of reading a book. The first kind of “reading”—if it can even be called that—is the assigned reading in school or college. The eyes scan the pages of words, and sentences pass across the retina, but the ideas don’t make it into the brain! That kind of reading aims to place a check box in the reading report. But another type of reading—authentic reading— includes highlighting or underlining essential points, taking notes, rereading, and even incorporating the ideas in discussions or writings. It should be obvious which student actually read the book. The same is valid for listening. Even in our conversations, a good listener will listen to understand, not to be forming a rebuttal.

Jesus Himself complained about hypocrites in His day in Matthew 13:14.

you will not understand.

When you see what I do,

you will not comprehend.

And He followed this sentiment with an interpretation of His parable of the sower in Matthew 13:20-21.

Jesus’ teaching forms the background of James’s letter. Having just discussed the need to endure the trials of life and overcome temptations to sin (1-18), he warns that failure to receive the Word of God with a ready heart can lead to disaster (19-27).

To receive the Word effectively also includes being “slow to speak” (19), putting a damper on the tongue. That’s the other side to listening well. Keeping our mouths shut makes room for thinking, pondering, meditating, and considering—all the elements necessary for authentic listening (and learning). On the heels of “slow to speak,” James attaches the phrase “slow to become angry.” In the Greek text, James omits conjunctions like “and” between these admonitions. They are so closely related to the precondition for receiving the planting of the Word that James conceives of them as being connected like links in a chain. (Chain Links)

How does being “slow to become angry” relate to receiving words from another person without the need to respond or retaliate? It partly connects to the function of God’s Word in the lives of believers. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” When the Word hits close to home, as sinners, we respond with defensiveness, indignation— even anger. We don’t want our crookedness to be held up to a perfect standard, but that happens when we let God’s Word expose our innermost thoughts and actions. Instead of allowing the typical response of anger, James calls us to respond in peace. “Because human anger does not produce the righteousness (right living) that God desires” (20). Anger rejects rebuke; peace accepts it. Anger dismisses correction; peace embraces it.

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” After preparing to receive the truth by opening the ears of the heart, zipping the lips, and suppressing the urge to strike back (19-20), we are ready to properly receive the truth (21). Nestled in the center of this short verse is a simple command that ties the whole section together: accept. The word usually means more than to passively “accept or acknowledge.” It often includes fully embracing and making the thing part of oneself. The word is used of people in John 4:45, who welcomed Jesus gladly for all they saw Him doing. More appropriate for the usage in James, the Bereans in Acts 17:11, “And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.”

Similarly, the Thessalonian believers in 1 Thessalonians 1:6, “received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you.” So Paul goes on to write in 1 Thessalonians 2:13, “You accepted what we said as the very word of God.” These passages illustrate the eagerness, the earnest reception James has in mind in verse 21.

Because an angry response to the Word does not produce God’s righteousness, we must therefore receive the Word a certain way. James describes the conditions that must accompany this reception in verse 21, “get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” Moral filth in life plugs our hearing. Wickedness slows our response time. Pride keeps us from exposing our true selves to the light of the Word. But humility means submitting to whatever the Word tells us, ready to put off the thoughts and deeds of the old lifestyle in favor of the attitudes and actions of the new.

James’s logical progression is elegant and straightforward, preparing for, receiving, and responding to the truth. First, the soil of our souls should be cultivated (19-20). Second, the seeds of truth must be planted (21). And third, the smothering weeds of anger, filth, and wickedness must be uprooted (19-21). The soil is ready, and the seeds are planted, but having gotten this far in the process, God’s Word still hasn’t borne fruit in our lives. To allow the seeds to sprout, grow and bear fruit requires a proper response (22-27).

James begins with a command: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (1:22). If one phrase in James’s letter could be called a key phrase, this is it. That phrase sums up the whole theme of the book: wisdom is faith in action. Those who hear without doing may be guilty of “fake faith,” but those who hear and do demonstrate their authenticity. Note that James doesn’t simply tell his readers to “Do what it says.” He pairs it with the other side of the coin—not merely “listeners.” Listening, hearing, and receiving the word is a necessary first step. The word must be understood and lodged in our hearts. That’s the key. But James contrasts the one who listens and acts with the one who listens.

In contrast, James says the Christian life is one of listening and doing. Therefore, if you merely listen to the Word without acting on it, you “deceive yourself” (22).

 

James follows this appeal by telling us to “Do what it says.” James describes two different kinds of Christians. The first is the “forgetful hearer” (23-24). James uses the illustration of a person who glances in the mirror, sees what they look like (which apparently isn’t attractive), then shrugs, walks away, and does nothing about it. Similarly, God’s spiritual mirror shows you what kind of person you are. James pictures a man who glances at the Scriptures, look at words on the page, then closes it and goes his way, forgetting what God said about his condition. (Mirror – ear wax) An analogy is looking into God’s Word, which says to be kind, and I turn around and treat someone like dirt.

The second kind of Christian is the “effective doer” of the Word (25). What characterizes this person? They carefully consider the Scriptures, which James calls “perfect law that gives freedom.” This person looks intently, thinks deeply, obeys willingly, and responds positively, abiding by its principles. Instead of listening and forgetting, they listen and do. This person will be blessed in what they do. Remember to be blessed is to be made genuinely happy in his pursuit of doing what is right. We need to have well-grounded faith, which results in well-rounded living.

James next describes “those who consider themselves religious.” The Greek word for “religion,” which occurs twice in these two verses, refers not to one’s personal convictions or principles but to worshiping a well-defined religious community or organization.  James is therefore referring to Christianity as a distinct body of believers. This is important because James says that persons who “do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless” (26). How many times have we seen this true? Unfortunately, when unbelievers witness the hypocrisy of Christians, it all too often makes all of Christianity look bad, not just the person claiming the name.

In his typical way, James provides a positive example to contrast his negative. Those who live lives consistent with their religion give attention to the needs of others. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. These are clear examples of genuine faith, demonstrating the uniqueness and truthfulness of the Christian message (27). James is pointing out we are to assist the most vulnerable groups of people of his day.

James thus concludes the first significant section of his letter by hinting at some practical themes he’ll return to in our messages over the next few weeks. The two major topics are: putting genuine faith into practice (2:1-26) and controlling the tongue (3:1-12). Let’s remind ourselves of the foundation James has laid in this first chapter. In chapter 1, he argued that godly wisdom produces genuine stability when faith is tested. James gave these examples in our first three messages to demonstrate this point.

First, he argued that the ordinary trials of life don’t crush genuine faith—they produce endurance (1-12). Second, he urged his readers to overcome temptations to sin by relying on God-given strength (13-18). Finally, he explained that genuine faith results in submission to God’s Word without hypocrisy (19-27).

The application today reconciling the Great Divorce within God’s church.

Domestic divorce between husbands and wives has become an epidemic in the church. Still, spiritual divorce—a breach between the truth we hear from God’s word and the lifestyles we live in the world— has become a pandemic, and we are all now familiar with pandemic. Divorce was the theme of most Old Testament prophets when confronting the Nation of Israel, God’s chosen people. Yet, all too often today, we open the word and say, “My, what a great practical principle!” Or we hear a sermon and think, “What a fantastic, inspiring message!” But, as we close our Bibles or walk through the doors, we divorce the word from our everyday lives.

What are some examples of pure and faultless Christianity in which listening and doing are reconciled? James gives three of them in verses 26-27.

First, don’t divorce the truth and your speech. Our hearts are deceived when we speak contrary to what we read in Scripture or hear in Sunday worship. Do our conversations with others match our time of reflection in God’s Word? Does our Monday through Saturday speaking conform to the Sunday teaching? When there’s no divorce between His Word and our words, that’s authentic Christianity.

Second, don’t divorce the truth and the needs of others. Are we moved by the needs of others, leading to actions that meet those needs? That’s not the “social gospel.” That’s pure and faultless Christianity! That’s the true faith that touches people’s lives. The truth should manifest itself not only in words but also in deeds. When our works benefit those around us in tangible, observable ways, that’s pure and faultless Christianity. We at Putnam are helping to an extent in this manner.

This past Wednesday, the Gospel Mission Food Pantry was able to assist 288 people and 22 bibles were given to individuals. Other examples are the shoeboxes through Operation Christmas Child, other relief efforts through Samaritans Purse, and support for our missionaries. Let us keep moving forward as we are told in Galatians 6:9, “So, let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up.”

Finally, don’t divorce the truth and your upright lifestyle. The gray waters of compromise and smog of immorality are increasingly polluting our world. Instead of letting the lies of secularism dirty our testimonies, we must let the truth of God’s Word wash us clean, making us stand out in the world around us. The contrast should be obvious. As we learned from the messages in the Sermon on the Mount, we are in an upside-down culture today. When our upright lifestyles contrast sharply with the crooked norms of our surrounding culture, and we turn the world right-side-up, that’s pure and faultless Christianity. Listening and doing must be tightly partnered and reconciled like peanut butter and jelly or macaroni and cheese. Once they are bound, they cannot be separated.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you next time for more wisdom from God’s Word!

Welcome to Day 2121 of  Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

James – Wisdom Is Faith in Action 3 – God's Prized Possession – Daily Wisdom

Putnam Church Message – 09/19/2021

We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. Last we started mining the rich wisdom that makes this letter a treasure trove of practical advice we can use daily. Today we will discover why we should not be misled by sin because we are God’s Prized Possessions.

James 1:13-18

Let me read verse 18 also from the NLT, as I feel it gives a better intent of how God views us: He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. So hold that thought.

In last week’s message, James dealt with the kind of “trials” of life that test a person’s endurance—the ability to keep the faith under extreme pressure to give in (1-12). Next, James explores the other meaning of that Greek word for trials: a test of moral endurance (13-18).

In six short verses, he presents the truth about temptation in a straightforward manner. Rather than skimming the surface of temptation, as many preachers and teachers tend to do, James probes deeply below the surface to reveal the inner workings of temptation. But less like a psychologist and more like a physician, James begins with certain facts that describe temptation (13-16), then moves to a focus that determines victory for overcoming temptation (17-18).

James wants his fellow believers to understand at least four things about temptation. First, temptation is always present, and nobody is exempt from temptation. Once again, James says, “when,” not “if.” Like trials in the form of tests of faith, trials in the form of temptations are inevitable. There is no “spiritual vaccine,” no “get out of temptation free” card, and no alternate route to avoid the traps along the trail. Not a person here is immune or innocent. The aging monk in the monastery is no safer from temptation than the young person in the inner city. The lowly saint in prayer wrestles with temptation just as much as the executive in his Porsche.

Second, God never prompts temptation—verse 13 in the NLT says, “And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, ‘God is tempting me.’ God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.” God doesn’t whisper evil thoughts into our minds or create an alluring mental image. God isn’t even indirectly involved in temptation. While God uses trials and troubles to bring about His work of maturing us (1-12), God is never the author of temptation or evil. Never!  It is an impossibility for God to be tempted or tempt us.

God’s absolute goodness and holiness guarantee the truth of James’s statement. To be holy means to be separate from evil, set apart, untainted, and untaintable. Holiness has two sides—the inability to be affected by evil and the inability to cause evil. Both are true for God, who is the absolute standard of holiness. James says God cannot be tempted, nor does He tempt. He’s holy!

The third fact to understand about temptation is that temptation always follows a consistent process. James introduces his statement in verse 14 with “but,” indicating a contrast. In contrast to the wrong view that God is the author of temptation. In verse 14, James implies that temptation originates from our desires.  This temptation could be thoughts we allow to spring up in our mind, or external objects of lust or desire. In that same verse, he clearly states that the tempted one is “dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” The NLT says, “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.”  “Enticed” is a fishing term, meaning “to bait.” So, a lure is dropped into our lives, a thought or something external. That, in itself, is not a sin. Our problem is that deep within us, a hunger stirs, a desire to take the bait—lust. We find ourselves drawn toward the lure through persuasion of curiosity mixed with a hefty dose of rationalization, motivated by our own desire to have something not rightfully ours.

Note the contrast! Whereas God is not even remotely a part of the temptation, not even indirectly, our lustful desire is the direct cause of sin. We can’t even blame the alluring bait! The temptation itself is a necessary cause, but not a sufficient cause. The point? We, alone, are responsible.

In summary, verse 14 describes the essential ingredients for temptation: an alluring thought or outward bait plus our inward desire. When these two are combined with a will that yields to the temptation, the result is disaster, described in verse 15.

James begins 1:15 with the word “then.” The order of steps in the process is clear. The word “conceived” is used for the conception of a child. In this context, James emphasizes that when the two necessary ingredients are combined—the object of temptation and the internal lust- temptation is conceived. A cycle is set in motion that results in a sinful act if allowed to run its course.

King David radically illustrates James 1:14-15. While his armies were out fighting, David stayed in Jerusalem, lounging and lingering at the palace (2 Samuel 11). Had he been with his army where he was supposed to be, the downward plunge into immorality could have been avoided. But instead of waging physical war on the battlefield, David fought a spiritual war against temptation—and lost. It started out innocently enough. As he meandered on the palace roof, the king’s wandering eyes caught a woman bathing on her rooftop. This accidental glance (if indeed it was accidental) was not itself a sin. But mixed with David’s restless urges, that glance quickly became a willful stare. He noticed she was “very beautiful.” The focus of his gaze and his internal desires conceived a powerful temptation that few men in David’s position could resist. Like a victim dropping through a trap door, David’s plunge from temptation to sin followed a rapid-fire progression: He inquired about her, sent for her, and slept with her, knowing full well that she was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.

David’s sin didn’t just end with adultery. Instead, his immorality turned into desperate attempts at cover-up, ultimately leading to two deaths—the death of Uriah the Hittite and his son, the product of his one-night stand. From lust to death, David’s temptation is a textbook example of temptation and sexual lust, almost as if he were taking the slippery slope of sin in James 1:14-15 as a script.

The most frightening thing about David’s sin is that it happened to “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). If such a great man of God could fall so suddenly and so severely, we shouldn’t think for a moment that it can’t happen to us. That’s the bad news about temptation.

But the good news is, any temptation can be resisted. A person can resist the desire, turn from the bait, and retrace their steps, canceling the process. But if the one tempted coddles the desire, embraces the enticement, and runs (or even wanders) into the trap, the result is the act of sin. Don’t miss the progression. When we get carried away by allurement, we move into temptation. When we allow temptation to linger, we eventually sin. And when sin continues without repentance, it results in death, or at least a death-like existence (15). Sin, that monstrous offspring of depravity, goes through conception, development, birth, growth, and finally, death. That’s James’s “death cycle” of sin.

It would help to linger over the word “death” in verse 15. Sometimes people can die physically due to sin, such as those infected with diseases through sexual sin or those whose alcoholism or drug addiction leads to premature death. However, James 1:15 can’t be referring primarily to physical death as a result of temptation and sin. If that were the case, all of us would be corpses within days. We wouldn’t be able to live through it. James doesn’t mean eternal spiritual death, either. Our good works don’t save us, nor do our bad works condemn us.

Paul says we are saved by grace through faith apart from works (Ephesians 2:8-9). So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1). If James isn’t talking about physical or spiritual death resulting from sin, what death is he referring to?

This is where recognizing the Jewish background becomes helpful. In Jewish thinking, death was often seen as a trajectory rather than a destination. To be “dead” was often a description of the poor quality of life rather than the cessation of being. Deuteronomy 30:15 says, “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster.”

We also see this choice between “life existence” and “death existence” in Proverbs 12:28, “The way of the godly leads to life; that path does not lead to death.” Proverbs 13:14 says, “The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death.” Jewish Christians saw people as either traveling the path of life (walking with Christ by the Spirit) or the path of death (walking apart from Christ in the flesh). This “death-like existence” is the opposite of the “rich and satisfying life” Christ promised (John 10:10). No longer can the sinner, walking in death, live out the true life in the Spirit,  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. That’s the kind of death James has in mind.

We have seen that temptation is always present and never prompted by God (13). We have also explored the consistent process temptation follows (14-15). Finally, the fourth fact James notes regarding temptation is that temptation flourishes on inconsistent thinking (16).

James abruptly breaks into his description of temptation, sin, and its consequences with a clear command: Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Do not be led astray. The lure of temptation will come in many forms and at different times. Don’t let your thoughts stray from the truth toward the deception of falsehood. Because the process of temptation begins in the mind, we must force ourselves to face the facts, apply the truth, and review the consequences of our lustful actions in advance. Allurement builds its case on deceptive thoughts and empty promises. Please don’t buy it, don’t be deceived. Let me remind you of our theme verse for Romans 12:2, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

After vividly describing the facts of temptation, James turns his readers’ attention to the source of victory over temptation in the final two verses—God.

God provides the means of victory over the subtle allurements of temptation and sin. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. God dispels the darkness of deception. He is the unchanging One, in whom there is no “variation or shifting shadow,” unlike the allurements of temptation. Note the contrast of blaming God for our desires when God provides every good and perfect gift. Where our desires give birth to sinful actions, verse 18 in the NLT describes a new birth, “He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.” How can we settle for fish bait when we are God’s treasured possessions?

Last we saw in verses 1-12, James challenged us that trials of our faith are given for our good—to mature us. Only God’s wisdom can bring about their intended result. In verses 13-18, James explained that temptations to sin come not from God but from our own sinful nature. But God’s good and perfect gifts can bring victory through His Word. James contrasted two trajectories in the lives of believers—one toward maturity, the other toward sin; one by enduring trials, the other by succumbing to temptations; one upward on the path of abundant life, the other downward on the slippery slope of death. James asks a question for all who read his inspired words: Which path are you on?

You have probably read this idiom before, but it is so applicable to today’s lesson:

Those words in that idiom emotionally reflect the warning of James. The “insignificant” thoughts, the “minor” transgressions, the “harmless” habits—all these can snowball into lifestyles that will obliterate the testimony of the most respected saint. So, ask yourself, how can we avoid the slippery slope of sin and stand victorious against the allurement of temptation?

First, victory comes through dwelling on the good. James notes that every good and perfect gift comes from God the Father (17). Indeed, He gives these good things for a reason. You can’t harbor evil in your mind and reap good results; neither can you nurture good and wholesome thoughts in your heart and constantly produce evil. So, not surprisingly, you must dwell on the good to reap the good. Addressing the value of allowing the peace of God to guard our hearts and minds, Paul writes in Philippians 4:8, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

Do you do that? What do you think about when you’re overwhelmed by a particular problem? What do you read? Who do you listen to? What do you dwell on? Sin always begins in your thoughts. So take some time to evaluate the kinds of seeds you sow in the fertile garden of your mind. Are they seeds that grow into thoughts in the verse I just read? Or are you slowly poisoning your mind and setting yourself up for failure when the inevitable storms of temptation blow through your life?

Second, victory comes through living in the truth. James says He chose to give us birth through the word of truth (18). That motherly word that gave birth to us will also nurture and protect us, giving us all we need to grow. God’s Word can deliver us from evil when those inevitable and appealing temptations come.

Psalm 119:11

How are you treasuring God’s Word in your heart? Do you merely dabble in Scripture now and then or immerse yourself in its purifying, refreshing waters? Do you search through it mechanically to satisfy your curiosities, or do you allow it to search you to cleanse your heart and mind? Reading, memorizing, and meditating on God’s Word—the greatest and most perfect gift from above—will help you to stand strong in the moment of temptation.

Take this opportunity right now to ask the Holy Spirit to do soul surgery in your life. Let us pray the prayer David once prayed in Psalm 139:23-24:

Whatever your particular temptations, no matter how relentless they are, God is ready to provide the good and perfect gifts that will strengthen your heart with His life-giving power and personal victory. Although I am far from perfect and tempted as much as the next person, I can tell you from my personal experience, focusing on God’s Word, works.

Next we move forward with more practical wisdom as we learn Listening and Doing.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you next time for more wisdom from God’s Word!

Welcome to Day 2120 of  Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

James – Wisdom Is Faith in Action 2 – Trials of Life – Daily Wisdom

Putnam Church Message – 09/12/2021

James: Wisdom Is Faith in Action – Trials of Life

We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. Last week we were introduced to James, the half-brother of Jesus, and learned a lot about his life and leadership within the first church of Jerusalem. This week we start mining the rich wisdom that makes this letter a treasure trove of practical advice we can use daily.

James 1:2-12

You don’t have to live long or experience much life, especially as an adult, before realizing that life is complicated and unfair. Instead, there seems to be a mountain of hurts, heartaches, pain, problems, disappointments, discouragements, sicknesses, suffering, disease, and death that sometimes overshadow life's sweet songs. As a result, we could become discouraged unless we understand the purpose. This letter from James helps us to gain that understanding.

As we discovered last week in the introduction to James, the recipients of this letter were people enduring adversity. Having been “scattered abroad,” they were disoriented, disillusioned, and probably downright depressed. In addition, they were bearing the brunt of the criticism, brutality, and unjust treatment.

James greets these beleaguered believers with a single word in verse 1: “Greetings.” Though this was a common form of official greeting at that time, it meant “to rejoice,” as in Romans 12:15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” This contrast between his readers’ harried situation and James’s exhortation to “consider it pure joy” in the following line sets the tone for his letter.

So, without hesitating, James leaps headfirst into his most pressing issue, trials, which appears a second time in verse 12. The word can refer to tests that challenge the integrity of one’s faith. It can also refer to “temptations” that appeal to our sinful tendencies and challenge our moral integrity. In 1:2-12, James deals with the first meaning—tests challenging a believer’s faith. Next week, in 1:13-18, he treats the second meaning—temptations to sin.

Before we address the testing aspect of these trials, let’s look at two things James tells us about these tests of faith in this verse.

First, he tells us that trials are inevitable. James doesn’t say, “Consider it pure joy if you face trials of many kinds,” Instead, he uses the word “whenever.” Like death itself, trials are inescapable, unavoidable, and often repeated. Nothing is certain in this world, but like death and taxes, troubles, hardship, and challenges to faith will come.

Second, James says that the trials are “of many kinds.” It may seem like a waste of time to dwell on such a seemingly unimportant word, but think about it. While we can expect trials to come, we have no idea what form they’ll take.

The Greek word for “many kinds” can mean diverse, variegated, or multicolored. In other words, trials occur in all shapes and sizes. Like unwelcome guests, they burst into our lives unannounced and stay too long! Trials may be frequent and frustrating or epic and life-changing. We can never predict.

But James also pulls back the veil and lets his readers see the inner workings of trials, revealing their purpose. As he traces the pathway of the Christian journey through life, James reveals that the presence of trials produces both immediate and ultimate results.

First, the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (1:3). That’s the immediate result. The term “testing” refers to a means of authenticating something. Like a prospector biting into a gold nugget to test its quality, God applies specific things to each of His children, testing their faith to reveal their true character.

Note that the object of God’s testing is “your faith.” Our heavenly Father is no mad scientist trying to torture his subjects to the breaking point. He’s more like an expert trainer who knows which muscles to develop, what diet to follow, and what schedule to keep to bring the best results. The goal is not to snap our faith muscles, but to stretch and strengthen them, producing endurance/perseverance — the strength to “hang in there.”

Endurance is just the initial result. Endurance itself has an even greater purpose: to be mature and complete.  God says, in effect, “In My sovereign plan, I’ve lined up a chain of events that will take place, and My finger of testing pushes the first one—endurance.” Thus, when endurance takes place, it bumps into maturity, which ultimately leads to a fully developed character.

The people I would regard as having great Christian character are invariably people who have learned how to handle life during the hard times. It’s the mother who’s lost a child and is able to say to God, “You gave, and You took away. Blessed be Your name.” It’s the father who, having given his best at the firm for 25 years, loses his job and says to his family, “Let’s get together tonight and thank God for this opportunity to trust Him.” The teenager says, “I won’t surrender my principles. I’ll maintain my standards of morality even though I am shunned and treated as an outsider by my peers.” That’s the extraordinary quality of maturity. Completeness and wholeness emerge when we patiently “hang in there.”

James states that inevitable trials take various forms to accomplish specific purposes—building endurance and leading His children toward maturity. In these verses, he also answers the “how” question. How can Christians, neck-deep in troubles, rise above their situations without dropping out, giving in, or falling short? What can they do to handle the various trials that come their way? In 1:2-4, James gives three specific imperatives (commands) he wanted his readers to follow: “consider” (1:2), “know” (1:3), and “let” (1:4). Each is worth a closer look.

The background of the Greek word translated as “consider” is interesting. The word comes from a term that means to lead or guide, from which we get our word “authority,” the leading influence or direction of something. So the Greek term could be used for a person leading a procession at the front of a line. In this case, it is the attitude of joy behind which all our other attitudes and actions should fall in line! It is like the drum major leading a marching band.

James uses a present participle for the word “knowing,” which tells his readers how they can stay joyful, positive, and even calm during trials. Knowing that God has a greater purpose in the testing, the believer can “consider it pure joy.”

 

Finally, James encourages his readers to “Let perseverance finish its work” (1:4). In the NLT, it says, “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow.”  The language communicates the idea of cooperation with God’s work. We find a similar idea of passive cooperation with God’s plan in 1 Peter 5:6, “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.” Just as a potter’s fingers mold a work of art, God’s fingers are working through various circumstances to bring about His perfect result of maturity and completeness in the lives of His people.

So, how do believers rise above troubles in everyday life? First, they face them with a deliberate attitude of joy, calling to mind the process God is working out in their lives, and cooperating with the entire process.

After giving a behind-the-scenes look at the ultimate purpose of trials and practical advice on how to endure them positively, James continues the theme by answering another lingering question, “Why do trials overwhelm us? Why do we sometimes cave in? What things block the joy of enduring life in the frying pan?” The answer? Our lack of wisdom.

 

Therefore, when we feel ill-equipped to handle a trial, we have one option: Ask God for wisdom. In this context, wisdom can be defined as “the ability to view life from God’s perspective.” James says this kind of wisdom comes by prayer (1:5). It might be as simple as, “Lord, amid this loss or heartache or failure, I ask You for wisdom. Help me, first, to see what I’m going through from Your viewpoint, and then please give me faith not to give up.”

Of course, when we’re overwhelmed, faith can be hard to come by. Just as a lack of wisdom can cause us to become overwhelmed, a lack of faith can result in our caving in. James isn’t referring to saving faith in 1:6. He has in mind sustaining faith—the kind of faith that allows us to endure trials, to align our will and our attitude with a divine perspective, abandoning ourselves to God and His mighty hand.

The opposite of faith is doubt or unbelief. James compares a person who doubts to the “wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” The word “wave” is used in the Gospel of Luke when the disciples thought they would perish in the storm on the Sea of Galilee. They woke Jesus up, and immediately “He rebuked the wind and the raging waves” (Luke 8:24). Interestingly, after calming the storm, the first words out of Jesus’ mouth were, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25).

James describes this kind of deep-seated doubt as being “double-minded” (1:8). The word means “two-souled.” It appears here in the book of James for the first time in Greek literature, and James may have even invented the term himself.  By the way, if you invent a word, you get to define it, so let’s have James define it for us. James uses the term again in 4:8, which we will see in a future message, “Purify your hearts, you double-minded.” It indicates an impurity of our inner person. We find two competing thoughts where there should be one thought, goal, attitude, or devotion. So, a double-minded person wants their will and, at the same time, God’s will. As a result, that kind of person is unstable in everything they do. Pause and imagine what happens when the double-minded person faces a double-barrel trial in life!

I’ve never done this—and I probably should preface this by warning you not to try this without professional supervision—but I’ve heard it said that one of the cheapest and easiest ways to catch a monkey is to cut off the end of a hollow long-necked gourd, fill it with rice, and tie it to a tree. The hungry monkey will push his scrawny little hand into the thin neck of the gourd to grab the rice. He’ll clutch it with his hand and try to pull it out—but the monkey’s fist is bigger than the gourd’s neck. So he’s trapped because that hungry, shortsighted monkey won’t release the rice to remove his fist. He lacks the wisdom to decide that freedom without the rice is better than captivity with it. That sounds like some government programs implemented today that entrap and enslave people.

That’s the double-minded Christian. Inside the gourd is my will. Yes, part of me wants to live in God’s will, but the other part wants it on my terms. So when a trial comes, I refuse to release my grip and trust that God’s purpose and plan will bring true freedom.

Trials affect everybody, even the wealthy, who sometimes believe they have a shield of protection or a cushion to blunt the fall. But wisdom and faith are required for both the poor and rich. For the poor person, who continues to endure the challenges of lacking worldly wealth, God’s wisdom can remind him of his high position. What high position is this? James probably has in mind the position believers have in Christ.

For the wealthy, the worst trials come when they lose their worldly riches or troubles enter their lives that money can’t fix. He, too, is reminded of the fragility of life (1:10). If such a person fails to cooperate with the work of God, but instead, like a monkey grasping the rice, is determined to have his own will, “they will pass away like a wildflower” (1:11).

But the one who stands up under trials will be blessed. The word “blessed” means “genuinely happy.” Jesus repeated the word nine times in the introduction to His Sermon on the Mount, which we recently studied (Matthew 5:1-11). Quite likely, the last couple of those beatitudes form the background of James’s own teaching.

Matthew 5:10-12

James describes that reward in heaven as “the crown of life” (1:12). Without denying the future reward for those who endure trials and tests, I think there’s a temporal crown, too. I believe the person who truly lives the Christian life is the one who perseveres under the trial. They are rewarded in this life with maturity, wisdom, and insight into God’s purposeful plan. That’s real life at its best!

It seems easy to whistle songs of praise when the sun shines on us, when a glorious dawn breaks, and life’s forecast looks bright and clear. But, unfortunately, it’s quite another thing to praise our heavenly Father when a dark sky frowns at us, thunder rolls in, and violent storms of trouble break over our lives. How can anyone sing when days are dark and nights are long? But this is precisely what James calls us to do: respond to life’s inevitable trials with joy, wisdom, and firm confidence in Him.

With an eye toward our personal response to God’s truth, let’s revisit two ways to handle adversity.

First, when troubles come, it’s essential that we respond with wisdom. Unfortunately, this insight into trials doesn’t come naturally. Wisdom for handling trials can come only from God, and His primary means to give us wisdom is His Word. Calling to mind specific Scripture statements that address this issue will help you respond appropriately in times of trouble.

Let me offer three to consider this week. Romans 8:28 tells us, God uses everything for our good. Hebrews 12:1-3 turns our attention on Jesus and other fellow sufferers who have gone before as endurance models. And 1 Peter 1:6-7 reminds us that endurance will ultimately result in praise, glory, and honor. Meditate on those passages to gain God’s wisdom on trials.

Second, when troubles come, we should respond in faith. In the context of trials, faith means having absolute confidence in God’s promises despite circumstances that appear to contradict those promises. In the middle of a trial, it may appear that God has allowed everything to crumble. To those who lack the insight and faith to see beyond their circumstances, it may appear that our lives are in a tailspin, heading for catastrophe. But single-minded, focused faith means making a conscious decision to choose our attitude with God’s help. It means surrendering fully to God because we trust Him, resisting the natural tendency to abandon hope. This faith is where we can help each other. God’s Spirit strengthens personal faith within the community of faith. Paul sent Timothy to the Thessalonians to “strengthen and encourage” their faith. And the author of Hebrews encourages his readers to hold fast to their confession of hope by meeting together frequently in Hebrews 10:24, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” Remember that God has not left us alone to endure these things. He has given us a whole body of believers to strengthen and encourage our faith. Accept the gift He has given.

My prayer for those of you who are wounded and hurting, undergoing seasons of deep sorrows and pain, is that you never forget the importance of endurance—of “steadfast fortitude.” May God grant you wisdom and faith by His Spirit and Word to reap the blessing of maturity; he is working in you.

For next week’s message, read James 1:13-18 – Temptations to Sin.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you next time for more wisdom from God’s Word!