James 1:19-27

Listening and Doing

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.

 

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

I feel like I am lucky in that from a young age I have been a pretty good listener and I also tend not to get angry too easily. However, when I do get angry, it flares up so quickly that I cannot seem to keep it in check. I do calm down easily but I am a force to reckoned with if I am genuinely 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.

Something that I’ve noticed and been appreciating about James so far is that for the things he warns us against, there is a reason. He feels the need to share why we should be changing the way we live.

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.

I really like the way James has illustrated this next section. I honestly can’t imagine looking at myself in a mirror, walking away and immediately forgetting what I look like. No. Because I’ve been looking at myself for years.

I have been a christian for the better part of my life and yet, after being really impacted why what was said and what I learnt on Sunday and have completely forgotten everything by Monday. So I guess I actually DO look at myself in a mirror, through the scriptures, and then immediately forget what I look like, not applying what I’ve learnt practically.

I guess that the above is what James is referring to from v 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.

I really struggle with the word religion. By definition it is, ‘the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.’ I don’t know if this is just because I grew up in a reformed Presbyterian church in Australia but I find that the word religion has been filled with condemnation, judgement and all the things we are SUPPOSED to do as Christians and all the grace and faith has been taken out.

²⁶ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

A part of my personal faith journey that I struggle with is swearing. I’m not entirely sure when I decided to start swearing, (it was to try and fit in with some people who were not worth fitting in with.) somewhere in late high school and also at the moment. It is something that I really struggle to keep a rein on, especially when I am run down or tired which I am at the moment. This sounds like an excuse and I am trying not to make excuses for the sin in my life.

If what v 26 says is true, and my religion or faith is worthless if I cannot keep a rein on my tongue, then I really need to be stepping up and double my efforts to keep myself in check.

James 1:9-18

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 first fruits of all he created.

I don’t know why but it took me a few reads through of these verses to find something that stood out to me’ especially v 9-11. I am young and working a job in which I need no qualifications and so it initially felt very irrelevant for me but after going over the words I see that there is more that there is more than I first thought.

⁹ Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.

V 9 talks about believers in humble circumstances and I guess that this is much more my life as I am far from rich (money wise). ‘Take pride in your high position.’ My life and work certainly don’t feel like a high position. In fact there are people I work with who go out of their way to make sure you, as an employee, remember you are the help and they are in a higher position than you. And yet, I am the person who is raising their children and I understand how important that role is, so maybe I should consider this as a higher position than I do.

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.

I found that the imagery used to describe the rich fading away in v 10-11 really stood out to me. Again, I guess working for well off people has allowed me to see a different side of society that I couldn’t understand growing up in Australia where we don’t have a history filled with a class system. However, I can see how easy it is for these wealthy people to fade into nothing. Even amongst all their things, whilst they’re still working, little pieces of who they are quietly fall and are carried away in the wind.

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.

I’m really glad this verse is here after all the ‘trials of many kinds,’ I was reading about last week.The perseverance that we will learn, are already learning, will lead us to the life that God has promised.

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

These are the verses that ended up really sticking out to me. ‘For God CANNOT be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.’ I find this so reassuring. Even though I am tempted by so many things my Lord, the rock I onto when I feel I am being dragged away, CANNOT be tempted. “But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.’ We are dragged away by our own evil desires. I cannot blame, although I often want to, anyone else for the sinful things I want. Those are mine alone and I must be the one to lay them on the cross, at the feet of my Lord. No one else can do that for me. It feels like this is important to recognise going into the next verse.

¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

After desire has taken root in your heart it gives birth to sin and if we allow ourselves to nurture and grow that sin it will lead us straight 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 first fruits of all he created.

EVERY good and perfect thing is from someone who is more solid than a mountain and the earth beneath our feet. Every good and perfect thing from tiny robins to the big old trees in the park near my place, to gentlemen saying ‘good afternoon’ as you pass them in the street, to coffee dates with the people in my life I love. ALL these good and perfect things that fill my life are from Him and this is something I thank Him for everyday.

 

This Life I Live

This Life I Live – Emu Music

This life I live is not my own,
For my redeemer paid the price.
He took it to be his alone,
To be his treasure and his prize.
The things of earth I leave behind
To live in worship of my King.
His is the right to rule my life,
Mine is the joy to live for him.

I died to sin upon the cross
I’m bound to Jesus in his death
The old is gone, and now I must
Rely on him for every breath
With every footstep that I tread
What mysteries he has in store
I cannot know what lies ahead
But know that he has gone before.

There is a voice that pierced the grave
A power that rolled the stone away
A sound of life, I know I’m saved
The voice of God has called my name
So I will rise, and in the air
Behold the glory of the King
I will not fear to meet him there
I know my life is hid with him.

I haven’t listened to this song in absolute yonks but it just popped into my head on Monday and I can’t get it out. Every line feels like its speaking into my life at the moment.

This life I live is not my own.

I feel like I’m always trying to make all the decisions in my life on my own. ‘I want this, I want to go there, I want to do that,’ however the truth is that because my Lord died for my sins, my life is no longer my own and I can be relying on and asking Him about those things.

His is the right to rule my life,

Mine is the joy to live for him.

This keeps bringing me back to what we were reading in James. “Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” Those trials that He has allowed into my life, it is His right to do so and although it is hard, it truly is a joy to be living for Him. So much of my joy comes from the fact that I know I am the child of a loving and gracious God. How can I not find joy in that?!?

With every footstep that I tread,

What mysteries He has in store.

I cannot know what lies ahead,

But know that He has gone before.

I definitely feel like I am currently standing at a crossroad in my life and these four lines have brought me so much comfort over the last few days. Life is a series of mysteries, many of which we don’t see coming and all of which we do not know what will happen. Yet He knows them all. And although it is completely terrifying feeling like I am walking through life blind, I have no need to fear as He has, and continues to, walked this path and go before me.

The voice of God has called my name.

For some reason, already knowing who I am, the mistakes I have and will make and all the times I will let Him down, He called my name. MY name. I will never understand, never stop worshiping Him and never stop being grateful.

James 1:2-8

Trials and Temptations

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] 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.

—

v 2-3: ‘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.’

Oof!

Whenever…. WHENever… not IF ever… when. I actually really don’t like this verse because it always resurfaces when I don’t really want to hear it. I don’t mind a little wallow in self pity and I am happy to ignore the fact that this should be a time of learning rather than just feeling sorry for myself. I wish that I could see the perseverance growing WHILST I am facing my ‘trials of many kinds,’ so that I would spend less time blaming God for my struggles and more time thanking Him for the opportunity to grow and solidify my faith.

v 4: ‘⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.’

Is this really all it takes to be mature and complete!!! Perseverance!!!! Why does no one said this as plainly as it is put here!

Honestly though, I hadn’t really considered how true this actually is until right now, but it makes so much sense. If times are hard, we persevere through faith. If we’re being persecuted, we persevere through that because we know that we have His living truth guiding us. I feel like this verse shouldn’t be such a revelation to me but I guess I’ve never thought about the significance of this verse before.

v 5: ‘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.’

To me, this verse feels so gentle. As if a kindly, older gentleman with a soft, wise voice is reminding me to just ASK God. I am keenly aware of the how lacking I am in the wisdom department and yet I often forget to ask Him for it.

Does God ever refuse to give wisdom to those who ask?? I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say that they asked for wisdom and God did not give it to them. I guess it doesn’t always come in the way we expect but it always does come…

‘who gives generously,’ that He does. Thank goodness for that.

v 6-8: ‘ 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.’

Double oof!

Thinking about this now, I realise that one of  the hardest things about being a christian and having believed for so long, is actually remembering to believe. My faith is so ingrained in me that I often forget to actively believe what I am reading or saying or asking for or praying about. I wouldn’t even think to end my prayer and then saying to myself ‘I do believe that everything I have just spoken to Him about is true.’ Not because I don’t believe that He can do it but just because it has become such a normal thing… almost mundane. Dictionary,com’s definition of belief is ‘confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof.’ I need to remember this.

I think that this is something I really need to put more effort into doing. I guess there’s my goal for the week, to take a moment to recognize that I do believe that my God has the power to heal my wounds, take away my troubles, bring me joy and peace. And also to remember to ask Him for wisdom in the knowledge that I may not recognize or like the way He gives it to me but that He will give me what I ask Him for.