with the King

James 5

Scripture: Verse 11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy. Observation James is discussing the importance of patience and endurance. He uses Job as an example of someone who had tremendous endurance. Application This verse stood out to me because I heard a friend of mine mention Job today in conversation. I think everyone can relate to Job in one way or another. Nobody can live on cloud nine forever. We are broken people living in a broken world, and we will never achieve perfection this side of Heaven. Thinking of the story of Job now, I’m seeing it with new eyes. I am just so grateful that I can even have a relationship with my Lord. I love that God is who He is. He wants nothing but to give us life to the fullest, and despite all of the efforts of the enemy to destroy us, God is always faithful to his children. I just want so badly for everyone who is lost to know Him for who He is. This past summer, the enemy attacked me more than he ever has before, and I think I probably dealt with depression for the first time. I had never felt so alone, however I learned not to rely on any circumstances or people, but purely on my Father. Right now I am the happiest I’ve ever been, and I am so grateful for all that God has done in my life. Relationships and circumstances come and go like the seasons, but our God is constant no matter the temperature. Prayer Lord, thank You for pulling me through the toughest time of my life and delivering me to what is now the best time of my life. None of that matters, though. All that matters is I am walking with You. You are the only constant in my life, and I’m just grateful You are in my life at all. I pray I could use my example as encouragement for others in the future. And I pray that You would encourage me in the future (because I’m positive I haven’t experienced every bad day I ever will) by reminding me of Your faithfulness. I can’t believe You love me, but I’m so glad that You do.

James 4

Scripture: Verse 12b
So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?

Observation
James is saying here, that only God has the right to judge people.  When we choose to take that into our own hands, we are criticizing God’s ability to do it.  We should be more concerned about our own spiritual walks, than about what other people are doing.

Application
This week was my first week of classes, so of course I’ve met a lot of new people.  Before even reading this, God was putting it on my heart that I was being too judgmental when meeting people for the first time.  The example that really comes to mind is my English teacher.  In my first class, I determined within the first ten minutes that I was not going to enjoy her, or her class.  If you asked me why, I really couldn’t give you an answer.  I was just laying judgment on thick for pretty much no reason.  Then we all started sharing something about ourselves, specifically, an event that changed our lives drastically.  (Pretty much every college professor makes you do this.  I used to think it was odd and uncomfortable, like elementary school or something.  But, now I actually really enjoy it.)  I wasn’t expecting her to share something about herself as well, but she didn’t hesitate telling everyone about her son with special needs.  That’s when I was reminded that she (and everyone at school) are not just people, but souls that are going to spend eternity somewhere.  When I started looking at everyone this way, I had great compassion for everyone around me.  Now, to be honest, I think English is going to be my favorite class.  She is a great teacher, who really knows how to get people started discussing tough issues, and that is something I really appreciate.  That is something I can definitely learn for when I will be teaching.  The point I’m trying to make, is that it is too easy to just go through life and to never really know somebody.  To know somebody would make your heart break for them, and that is definitely not the easy route, but it is the route we’re called to take as believers, I think.  Most of the time, though, we are too distracted by our judgments to ever get to that point.

Prayer
Lord, remind me to always look at people the way You see them.  You have unending amounts of love and grace for everyone; I pray that I would have the same.  I think that if I did, that would really change the way I interact with people, both new acquaintances and old friends.  Give me Your heart, Lord.  More of You and less of me.

James 3

Scripture: Verse 17
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.

Observation
Basically the theme of this whole chapter is how evil, even in small amounts, causes tons of devastation.  (The tongue, though so small, has the ability to destroy so quickly.  Jealousy and selfish ambition ruin good deeds, by bringing disorder.)But, the silver lining is that when we get Godly wisdom, it comes with purity, peace and humility.  These combat that little bit of evil from ruining our lives, so it is vital that we search constantly for wisdom from above.

Application
Probably about a year ago, I would try and do a lot of good things for God, but they would turn out far from what I expected them to be, or I would ruin some relationships in the process, because under stress, I would say things that I shouldn’t have.  I wondered why my good motives weren’t always leading to good fruit, and now I realize that it’s because I probably had some selfish ambition behind the things I was doing, and also because I did not have control over my tongue and I did wind up doing some damage.  (I am grateful that the people I hurt now have forgiven me and we are good friends again, because I did not deserve their mercy!)  This past year of launching Catalyst Church has definitely been a huge learning experience spiritually, and probably the biggest thing God has taught me is humility!  I realized that I was a very proud person, because I always thought I couldn’t trust anybody to get things done and I would do it all by myself.  When I figured out that I was not the best person for every job, that’s when things started changing for me, and that’s when I saw a lot of great fruit coming from my efforts!  I also opened myself up to instruction from others, which is something I previously discarded.  I read through Proverbs this summer, and all over that book, God advised me to willingly accept instruction from people.  Once I started doing that, everything just got so much better!  Humility is something I value so heavily now, because I can see the huge difference it has made in every aspect of my life.  It is clearly a product of Godly wisdom, and that is why I value my time with the Lord so much!  Without it I am so lost!

Prayer
Lord, thank You that You want to meet with me all the time.  Thank You that I can take refuge and rest in Your Word and Your promises at the end of each day, and that You are growing me always into a more Godly woman.  Thank You for all the spiritual growth You’ve let me experience over the last year.  I pray that I would continue to grow more humble, and that I would crave purity and peace even more.   I love that our walk together is always moving to the next level; that is something I pray never ceases!  Please remind me constantly how important it is to be in Your Word and walking with You every day.

James 2

Scripture: Verse 21
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?

Observation
Here, James talks about the partnership of faith and good deeds.  He uses Abraham as an example, because his faith and his actions worked together.

Reflection
When I think of what God asked of Abraham, it just sends chills down my spine because I know that I probably do not have the faith to do what he [almost] did.  Because our church is nearing its launch, something I’ve been asking myself lately is this: Over the last year and a half, how much real change has taken place in my lifestyle?  How much have I really given up to make this happen?  It doesn’t upset me because I know that I have given a lot, but I certainly haven’t given up everything I was holding onto.  God asked Abraham to let go of the one thing that mattered most to him, the most special blessing God had ever given him.  I think if I was in Abraham’s place, I definitely would have talked my way out of it, finding some reason that it was just impossible.  But God is asking me as a believer to lay literally everything on the line for Him.  He wants my actions to match my faith, and for my faith to grow.  God has taught me this week that He won’t ever ask me to do something impossible, and that the blessings for letting go of something I’d like to hold onto are huge!  Why not trust Him and give up everything?  He always has my best interest in heart.

Prayer
Lord, help me to worship You with open hands, holding onto nothing.  Show me what You want me to let go of, be it a grudge, a relationship, my pride, physical possessions.  Help me to make You my first priority always.  I don’t want to get to the end of my life and regret not living fully for You.  I want to please You with everything I do.  Give me the strength I need to follow You, and I will try my hardest to keep up.

James 1

Scripture: Verse 15
These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

Observation
James is talking about temptation.  He says that temptation is where sinful acts begin.  When we give in to temptation, all that will come of it is death.

Application
I often let Satan get the best of me, making me think that my sin won’t hurt anybody… Or at least not anybody but me.  But there are so many lost people in my life who aren’t going to find Christ if my life isn’t radiating God’s love to them.  And my life won’t be radiating God’s love if I fill my life with sin.  Therefore, it really does lead to death for me to sin.  It leads to the death of everyone around me who doesn’t yet know Jesus, who I could be leading into a relationship with Him.  If I continue to say no to God, how will they be saved?  I must start to see sin how God sees it.  Purity doesn’t spread in a glass of water; pollution does.  Health doesn’t spread from person to person; disease does.  Sin is pollution and a disease.  If I’d look at it that way, I wouldn’t willingly walk away from God and indulge in my own desires ever again.  The lives of the unsaved around me are too precious to gamble like that.

Prayer
Lord, I’m sorry that I have been filling my life so much in the past with sin, which is keeping my life from radiating Your love.  Sometimes it just seems like even if I am in the Word and praying and radiating love to people, nothing ever comes of it.  Help me to endure that, to see that even one life changed because I said yes to You is worth a lifetime of denying my own sin nature.  Help me to get passionate about people finding life in Christ, so much so that I cannot live with sin anymore.  Thank You for Your abundant forgiveness.  I would be nothing without You.