James' Faith without works

James 2:14-26 14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith. 19You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. 20Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith without works is barren? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. 23Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’, and he was called the friend of God. 24You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road? 26For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.

Once again we examine James’ writing. This passage was kind of confusing, well using words I had to stop and say “What?!?”. I was confused by the “have faith but do not have works”, work to me means my 9-5 job or digging a big hole to plant a tree, unknown sweating and straining to breath because of all the “work” you’ve done. But I see one of the definitions of ‘work’ is “to prepare for use”, I can see that applying to ‘faith’. How can you have faith if you don’t know how to use it? I guess it’s like verse 16 says if someone is hungry or naked you cannot say “God loves you. Go in peace and be happy.” How can someone who has nothing to eat or no clothes feel God’s love? That person can feel it when you look at them and say “Come, eat and eat all you want, I give it to you freely.” Or “Here take my shirt or shoes, I give them to you.” It’s like the song “They will know we are Christians by our love.” If we help someone or a community we show them God’s love and how it has changed us or even saved us.

I know this is easier said than done! Sometimes you are the one who needs something and have nothing to give. I remember the Bible story of the old lady and her last coins, she freely puts them in the offering for those who need it. Or a story that saddens me and stops me to think is the one of some young children who save and save their earnings so they can give to the poor through their church’s “Christmas Fund”. And they collect, well I don’t remember the amount but let’s say $100 and they are so proud when they place it in the offering plate because they are helping some “needy” family – only to have that afternoon the pastor stop by and give the family the “Christmas Fund”. Of course the sad part is there is only $125 in it and even sadder is they didn’t feel THEY needed it, THEY weren’t poor. For someone who is “needy” or “poor” to give of their hard earned money, only to have it put back on them is sad and I’m sure the pastor didn’t mean any harm but what a slap in the face OR to have someone give their last “2 cents” because they wish to help is AMAZING to me, unselfish and gracious.

You always hear, “When times are tough or something bad has happens people come together.” That is very true but…….what about those times when nothing in particular is happening – no-one is dying, no big bad storm happened, no upheaval is going on – do we give of ourselves then. Some would say “yes” and it could be true, but many might be like me and say “well not really”. When times are good and you have money to go to a movie or out-to-eat – you go, most likely, like me, you don’t stop and say….well maybe I should give a little extra to church or the homeless shelter. It’s human nature. We’ve all been there, myself included. I wish I could say that in these bad times, when I’m barely living paycheck to paycheck that I would be willing to give up my last “2 cents” – but I know my first thought is that big bad word “bills”. I cannot bring myself “fully” to the “tithe first” approach, I’m more the “I see my bills and know they have to be paid or else” person. Maybe someday I’ll be able to “tithe first”.

It doesn’t have to be money that you give, I don’t have money to give but I have time, I have a smile, I have a shoulder for someone to cry on, or ears for someone to pour out their soul to. I have had people tell me, “your such a good person” and I wonder how? But then they look at me and say “thanks for listening”, “you probably don’t really care” and are shocked when I say “of course I care” or even those people who say “you brightened my day just by being you”. Having faith and doing “works” go hand-in-hand. If you have faith and don’t share it, what good is it? If no-one knows you are, well say, pregnant – how is anyone going to help you or be excited with you. Same with faith, if you have faith and no-one knows it – people are going to wonder what’s up with you, they have something wrong with them. They are not going to go “I want what they got”.

Give what you can, when you can – weather it be time, money, clothing, or just a smile. God is love and through you others will truly see it.

James 2 Warning against Partiality

James 2:1-13 1My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Have a seat here, please’, while to the one who is poor you say, ‘Stand there’, or, ‘Sit at my feet’, 4have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
8 You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 9But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11For the one who said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’, also said, ‘You shall not murder.’ Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

WOW! Is this a good scripture today. And it is total my law of life, no-one is better than another, that’s what I believe and live my life by that rule. Don’t believe it? Here is a story of my past, how would you have handled it?
I was working in a convenience store, where they sell donuts, pizzas, pizza type sandwiches, etc. I was working in the pizza area, in the evening, the phone rang and someone asked to order a pizza. So I took the order, say a large pepperoni pizza (I actually don’t remember what he ordered but do remember it was one pizza), “Okay sir what’s your last name?” “Lamberti” “How do you spell that?” “Do you know who I am?” “Yes, sir the man who just ordered a large pepperoni pizza, now how do spell your last name?” “L a m b e r t t i” “Okay it will be ready in 20 minutes.” I went on and made the pizza, cooked, and boxed it. In a little bit this man walked up to the kitchen and said “Lamberti for my pizza.” I walked over and got the pizza handed it to him and said “Enjoy!” He looked at me and said “Do you know who I am now!” “Yes the man who ordered the large pepperoni pizza.” And went back to work. A few minutes later the Assistant Manager walked over and said, “Do you NOT know who that was?” I looked at him frustrated now and said “Yes the man who is now enjoying his pepperoni pizza.” And went back to work the Assistant Manager stood there for a few minutes and said, “That was the owner of the company.” I looked at him and went “Good for him.” And went back to work. A few days later the Assistant Manager came back to the kitchen where I was working and said, “Lamberti was just in. Guess what he asked? ‘Does that lady in the kitchen treat everyone that way? You know like they are the most important customer around.’ I told him of course she does, she doesn’t care if you own the company or if you live across town, everyone is important.”
That’s me! No-one and I mean NO-ONE is more important than the next one. When I was in my early teens the Governor of the state was in town for our local parade, my Dad worked for the city so I got to meet the then Governor. My Dad looked at me after the Governor walked away and said “Aren’t you so excited, you just met and shook hands with the Governor!” I looked at my Dad, appalled at him and said, “No he’s no different than you or me.”
It doesn’t matter if you have all the money in the world, enough money to buy a pepperoni pizza or not enough money to pay your bills EVERYONE is the same – none of them more important than the next.
In verse 5 it says “Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?” I don’t think this is taking about “poor” as in no money or very little money, I believe it means “poor” as in the common person or even those who don’t “flaunt” their money or try to show off how great they are.
The last verses are so important, live your life by the laws and if you mess up – tell God, but you must be sorry for what you have done and try not to do it again. God is not mean; he is loving and cares for ALL people. But if you say “God forgive me.” And don’t mean it or don’t care if it happens, God will show you no mercy as you showed no mercy. What’s your thoughts?

Hearing & Doing the Word from James

James 1:19-27 19You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. 21Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. 2But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing. 26If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. 27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

I guess these verses to me “speak” - they tell me what every Mother tells her child “Think before you speak”. It says to me “slow down, think, anger produces nothing – count to 20 (or if need be 50, 100) first think, then let God’s love shine through.” Humble yourself, let God’s words be how you act and what you say and if you don’t you are a “false” Christian. Another words if you aren’t act like God asks you too you are a Christian or if you are acting like you are “perfect” or “better” than someone else you not a Christian.
Some people in the world look down upon others, in these verses of James it says to me – through God’s words and with God’s words being a part of you, you are blessed. Don’t let the world pressure you into doing something or let the TV/internet/peers speak for how you act or who you are.
I know in my life I have not “listened” to James’ words. I have acted and later regretted what I said. And I am the first to admit I have a temper, both of my parents – parents had tempers so I was bound to inherit some of that, but I’m pretty sure some of it was learned or the environment helped instill some it into me. I have, well sometimes, learned to stop! Especially with emails, boy are emails so impersonal – you don’t know what someone is REALLY meaning. So I now reread my upset/angry emails or I write it, save it, walk away [maybe even a day or 2] and then reread it. I have to “calm down” or I will DEFINITELY say something I shouldn’t or imply something I’m not meaning, too.
In 2010 there are so many things bombarding you – TV, Internet, emails, movies, celebrities, other people it seems sometimes we should just “make ourselves meek”. [Meek: characterized by patience and longsuffering, lacking in spirit.] Or in my words “humble” ourselves. [Humble: not proud, not haughty (lordly, overbearing, arrogant), unassuming.]
Humbling ourselves is never easy; it’s not human nature to be “simple”. Have you ever had a conversation with a person or 2 people who always “think” they are right? Boy are they missing out on life, if we are always right how are we ever going to better ourselves, learn from others, or even bring ourselves down to someone’s level so they can understand our“haughty”selves. I’m defiantly one who is willing to say “Uh, I don’t understand?” or am willing to listen, learn, and experience someone else’s learning’s. So, what are your thoughts on these James’ verses?

Trial and Temptations by James

James 1:12-18 12Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13No one, when tempted, should say, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. 14But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. 16Do not be deceived, my beloved. 17Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18In fulfilment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Here we are again, another week, another day, and other scripture reading from James. In verses 12-15 I see James tells us temptation is not from God, another words God is not evil and cannot send temptation to you to see what you will do. “But one is tempted by one’s own desire…” this to me says all humans are tempted and if one gives into that temptation - one has sinned and that sin will consume you unless you confess your sins and end your sinning. But if one is tempted and does not follow their temptation they will receive everlasting life. Oh doesn’t that sound so simple----yeah right!?!? We are human and humans are tempted LOTS throughout any given day. Look at the TV commercials or ads that “pop-up” on your computer, heck even some billboards have temptation on them. The saying “it’s human nature” comes to mind, but this is not an excuse someone can use for cheating on their spouse, stealing, or swearing—yep that applies to me, too. I have asked God on several occasions to help me not swear and without even thinking “_ _ _ _” slips out. I’ve gotten better - now I only swear when I’m mad, angry, or something has gone wrong. Yet that doesn’t make it right, I’m working on it and maybe, just maybe before I die I’ll get it right.
In verses 17-18 I begin to wonder why did I choose James? He seems to be talking in riddles or maybe it’s Hebrew, I get verse 17 that all things good, all acts of giving come from God and God is the “perfect” light. In simpler terms God is good and good is God, another words if you help a lady pickup her groceries she dropped – that is what God wants. If you smile at a stranger or help a little kid catch his run away dog – that is good and God smiles down upon us saying, “Wonderful”. The last part of that verse “variation or shadow” to me means God never changes, God is what he was in Bible time and God is what he will be years from now. I think of how our technology has changed and almost changes day-to-day, today you may send email one way and tomorrow you may send them another but God will not change. He won’t all of sudden say, “Okay now let see, if you don’t jump up and down 20 times at 2PM every day I won’t except you.” [I know I’m crazy, where’d that come from, but you get my point.] Verse 18 says, to me, God gave us the “truth”, the Bible, so that we would know right from wrong. And that we would be born again through him. Some people even celebrate their “reBirthday” another words the day they accepted Jesus as their Savior and giver of eternal life. I must confess I don’t even know when my “reBirthday” is. I joined the church when I was 16, we were moving that summer to another town and I wanted to join “my” church. The church I had grown-up in. You might think, oh you wanted it over with, no not really – I knew I was moving away from all I knew and I, in a way, wanted to “thank” all those people who had taught me and it was MY church. I’m glad I did it that way, we only spent 3 years in the next town and then I was out of high school and in a new “city” again. I probably would never have joined a church in those years ahead. I’m glad God is there for us and may he be there for you each and every day. So what are your thoughts?