May 08, 2023 | Be On Mission
Honoring God by Our Walk and Talk
Scripture: James 1 (NIV)
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 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.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 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.
Devotional
This book was written by James, the brother of Jesus. After Jesus’ birth, His parents Joseph and Mary went on to have other sons and daughters (see Mark 6:3). In our last reading, we saw James, the leader of the Christian church in Jerusalem, standing up in the midst of the controversy over circumcision. The real battle was whether non-Jewish Gentiles had to become Jews and follow Jewish rules and regulations in order to become Christians. James emphatically said no! We are saved by God’s grace through Jesus Christ!
A year before the speech at the Jerusalem council, he had already written this book of James, a letter sent to Jewish Christians living in Gentile communities outside Palestine (Israel). The council in Jerusalem addressed the behavior of Gentile Christians as they were exposed to Jewish customs. This epistle addressed the behavior of Jewish Christians as they were exposed to Greek customs. As is true today, living as a Christian in any culture is messy.
In chapter 1, James addressed the reality of trials and temptations in life. How does James suggest we face the external trials of life (v. 2-4)? How does he suggest we respond to the internal temptations of life (v. 13-15)?
James then makes it clear that the grace of God doesn’t release us from living godly lives. What is a practical application for each of the following statements for believers in our world today?
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (v. 19).
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 (v. 21).
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says (v. 22).
Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless (v. 26).
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 (v. 27).
Poem
Counting
A trial is upon me
It’s crushing me and hard
I’m dizzy with its burden
I cannot disregard
The sorrow that I’m feeling
The loneliness is here
It’s more than I can handle
It’s more than I can bear
One—Two—Three
Trial—Joy—Faith
Four—Five—Six
Shall I win this race?
A friend has lied about me
I feel fully betrayed
My shame is full in public
My sadness on display
The sorrow that I’m feeling
The loneliness is here
It’s more than I can handle
It’s more than I can bear
Seven—Eight—Nine
Perfect and Complete
Ten—Eleven—Twelve
My faith will not deplete
My loved one now is failing
No healing can be found
My nights are filled with sighing
My worries do abound
The sorrow that I’m feeling
The loneliness is here
It’s more than I can handle
It’s more than I can bear
Thirteen—Fourteen—Fifteen
Your wisdom, Lord, I seek
Sixteen—Seventeen—Eighteen
Lord, speak to me your peace
Remove my hesitation
Remove all signs of doubt
Lord, anchor me in safety
So I’m not tossed about
The sorrow that I’m feeling
I lay it full in view
It’s rest that I am seeking
I leave it all to You
Nineteen—Twenty—Twenty-One…
