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?
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