Pastor’s Blog

Stewardship is managing what the Lord has given us in use for His good purposes. One area believers are called to steward is money. Few topics bring such anxious thoughts than money. In the gospels, this must be why Jesus taught on money second only to the Kingdom of God. The righteousness of the kingdom of heaven works out in the details of one’s personal life. This includes our finances (Matthew 16:19-20).

Jesus calls His followers to choose our master, either God or wealth. Francis Bacon professed, “Money is a great servant but a bad master.” Money is not bad; it’s helpful but is often the biggest obstacle to being all in with the Lord. Therefore, God has instituted the principle of First Fruits to teach us to rely entirely on Him – to be all in with Him.

What is the principle of First Fruits? The principle of First Fruits is giving God the first and best of what we have. Giving back to God has been practiced since the second generation of humans. Immediately in Genesis, after we are told of The Fall, we discover examples and teaching on returning first fruits to God. Since the sin of selfishness had entered the world through The Fall, God introduced a practice of giving to counter greed. We need to give back to God to maintain spiritual health. The principle of First Fruits teaches that giving the Lord our first fruits is for our benefit.

When we give back to God a portion of what He has given us, our first fruits, it acknowledges that God owns everything. This principle is found throughout the whole of the Bible. This was so important that Jesus stated plainly, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Here is the simple truth, Jesus taught that your giving will reveal your heart and that your heart will follow your treasure. Therefore, Jesus urges His disciples to trust God. What we work for shows us what or whom we have set our hearts on.

People have tried for generations to measure spirituality. But, truth be told, there are not many tangible ways to do so. Giving can be an actual measure. However, you can give back to God and not love Him. But you cannot truly love God and not give back to Him. The principle of First Fruits teaches that giving our first fruits to God acknowledges God owns everything and can provide evidence that our heart is His.

In Paul’s second letter to believers in Corinth, we are presented with an example of a right First Fruits mentality. He writes to the Corinthians about the extravagant love and generosity of Macedonian believers (2 Corinthians 8:2-5). God’s extravagant love was manifest in the Macedonians, giving even though they had little. What surprised Paul was that the Macedonians also gave themselves first to the Lord and then to Paul and his companions. This giving was not just in money; it was a true gift of their time, talent, treasure, and testimony in service to the Lord first, then to others. The Macedonians had little but gave much out of love and for the Lord’s glory and the benefit of others.

This kind of life is only exemplified in those who understand and practice that God must increase and I must decrease. When God has increased in believer’s life, allowing the Spirit a growing influence in the way they think, feel, and live, the seed of First Fruits giving begins to take root. Such a life only comes when, in partnership with the Holy Spirit, the Christian has evidenced in his or her life – an undivided devotion to the Lord. Such Christians who realize that God owns everything understand that they are only giving back to God what He already owns, leading to a First Fruits mindset. The principle of First Fruits teaches that a First Fruit mindset is born from giving yourself to God first.

A spiritual discipline, which has existed since the calling out of God’s people in the Old Testament, that God has used to transform our thinking and actions from a scarcity mindset to a First Fruits mindset is the giving of the tithe. The purpose of tithing is to teach us to always put God first in our lives. What is a tithe? The word tithe means a tenth part or 10%. In the Bible, God tells us that we are to give back to Him the first 10% of all we earn. Where should I give my tithe? The Bible makes it clear that God expects the tithe to be given back to Him as an act of worship at the place where you worship (Malachi 3:10). The Bible also makes it clear this should be a plan and consistent act of worship (1 Corinthians 16:2).

In the days of the Old Testament and New Testament, the tithe or “First Fruits” came from the best while not knowing how the rest would hold up – their crops, animals, and financial dealing. This is as true today. God calls us to give the tithe (10%) of what we earn to God, trusting that God will not only provide what we need but provide in such a way that we can be generous.

Now, I know money is a touchy subject. But, how we handle our money gives insight into where our heart or faith lies. Tithing displays a trust in God and a desire to transform our minds so we can live in Christ, like Christ. Tithing is a spiritual discipline used by God to transform lives of scarcity into lives that express trust in God and His wonderful provisions.

Let me share with you some practical steps to help you take your next step in developing a First Fruits lifestyle. Decide to participate in a small group or a one-on-one discipleship relationship or participate in Financial Peace University (a class that offers financial education that helps create biblical behaviors that let you master your finances). You can discover more about any of these opportunities at Crosswinds’ Info Central, online, or in our coffee shop lobby on our Canandaigua campus. Finally, take the 90-Day Tithing Challenge (tithe for 90 days and see if the Lord is faithful to His promise to care for you).

Wherever you find yourself in this journey of living a first fruits lifestyle or being all in with God by giving the Lord your first fruits, remember, our giving to the Lord is not because the Lord needs it. After all, it’s already His. Really, we don’t give but return to the Lord the first fruits of what He has given us. Our returning to the Lord a portion of what He has given us – our first fruits is for us. Giving the Lord our first fruits is for our benefit. Giving our first fruits to God acknowledges God owns everything and can provide evidence that our heart is His. A First Fruits mindset is born out of giving yourself to God first. Giving the Lord our first fruits, along with our time, talent, and testimony produces an “all in” life blessed with heavenly treasure, divine rest, and fulfillment as we know God and make Him known. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

There are five essential questions everyone attempts to answer throughout their lives. Who am I? Where do I come from? Why am I here? What is the meaning of life? What is my purpose? We are going to look at the fourth, “What is the meaning of life?” We discover the answer to this question in Scripture.

First, it’s helpful to understand that pursuing the meaning of life is closely related to finding one’s purpose in life. Both are spurred on by a deep desire to experience fulfillment and satisfaction. When these two essential questions are not answered, people find themselves looking back over their life, puzzled by fractured relationships, failed dreams, and overall emptiness. This was the observation of the writer of Ecclesiastes (Ecc 1-2). Unfortunately, far too many in our culture seek meaning by pursuing experiences, things, and achievements. In the end, they find themselves with an unfilled void. Further, they are left frustrated and, perhaps, even in despair, realizing all their efforts have fallen short of solving the problem of their emptiness.

The author of Ecclesiastes looked for the meaning of life in all the wrong places. His vain pursuits included pursuing knowledge, self-indulgence, pleasure, wisdom for wisdom’s sake, and work. In the end, he concluded that everything comes from the hand of God and attempting to live apart from Him is “vanity and striving after the wind” (Ecc 2:26). Seven times within the book of Ecclesiastes, this image of “striving” or “chasing” after the wind, is offered to us. Although real, the wind cannot be clasped in one’s hands. It’s a fruitless endeavor. It’s as futile as seeking the meaning of life in all the same vain pursuits aforementioned. In fact, he describes it as “meaningless, completely meaningless” (Ecc 1:2).

God created us with an eternal soul meant for far more than we can merely experience in the here and now. In truth, God has placed eternity in our hearts (Ecc 3:11). We all know that there is more to our life than living, dying, and trying. When the Ecclesiastes writer concludes his book, inspired by God, he writes, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecc 12:13). In other words, the meaning of life involves genuine faith in God, and walking with Him, which produces godly fruit that is the inevitable result of true faith.

For all of us, the meaning of life from now into the unforeseen future is found in a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ. When we enter into this relationship, Christ makes us new creations (2 Cor 5:17). The redemption of those now walking with Christ was formed in the mind and heart of God, allowing us by His Spirit’s power to live for His glory by knowing Him and Making Him known. Simply put, the meaning of life is found in Christ, who said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10b). A “full’ life is meaningful and free of aimless wandering.

The meaning of life is found in glorifying God (Isa 43:7). Glorifying God is anything done by a believer, under the leading and power of the Holy Spirit, that gives the world an accurate picture of who God is in righteousness and faithfulness. It reflects the love and Character of Christ while being on mission with Him. We have been made to glorify God by knowing Him and making Him known. Any substitute for Him and living on a mission other than joining Him in His becomes a meaningless pursuit; it’s “striving after the wind.” Simply put, the meaning of life is only found in Jesus Christ. In Him and Him alone, the essential questions of life are answered. We are beloved children of God, created in His image, to reflect His glory by walking in His love, transformed into His character, and reflecting both to others in the hope they, too, will find salvation in Christ. Life in Christ is a journey of becoming more and more like Him until the work in us is done and we spend eternity with Him. This is the meaning of life. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Stewardship is managing what the Lord has given us in use for His good purposes. After all, all we have is actually His (Psa 89:11). As believers, we ought to desire to be good stewards of all the Lord has given us by looking at what it really means to do everything as unto Him (Col 3:23). One such area we have to steward is time. I don’t want to get into the weeds, but I want to lay a solid biblical foundation for our stewardship in general and time specifically by sharing four truths about stewardship and time.

As Bible believing Christians, we believe that all of life is sacred. The term “Imago Dei,” which comes from the Latin version of the Bible, meaning “image of God,” is at the center of this belief. The Bible teaches that human beings are made in the image of God; we are His metaphysical expression. The phrase “Imago Dei” originates in Genesis 1:27, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Therefore, humans reflect God’s divine nature in their ability to achieve the unique characteristics with which they have been endowed. Here’s the first truth. Being image bearers of God is foundational to Christian stewardship.

We read our origin story in Genesis 2:7, “The Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” We are told that man did not have life until God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” God takes dust from the ground and forms it into a human being. We can picture Adam (the first man) with hair, skin, organs, and the sort. He had practically all he needed, but he was not yet living. Then, God literally breathed life into him, and he became a living being. Adam was not a living being until God breathed life into him. Here’s the second truth. God breathing life into us is foundational to Christian stewardship.

Ruach is a Hebrew word for breath, which also means Spirit. It’s the breath that moves through everything. Throughout the Old Testament, we read of the distinct and creative agency of the Spirit of God over all things, including humankind. The Ruach was active in the creation of the world (Gen 1:2; Psa 104:29; Job 33:4), along with being the agent of recreation after the flood (Gen 8:1). Further, the Rauch created God’s people of Israel (Exo 14:19-20; 15:10), along with the New Testament account of His creation of the Church (Acts 2:1-4).

It’s the Ruach that gives life. Again, without the divine breath, nothing would exist. The Spirit creates and sustains all things. We are image bearers of God, whom God has breathed life into. We have been created to live in relationship with God. Not only am I a living being through the life-giving breath of God, but as a follower of Christ, I have His very Spirit indwelling me. The Spirit of God sets me free, empowering me to live as an image bearer of the Lord, reflecting His love and character, and being on mission with Him. This leads me to the third truth. God’s life-giving Spirit residing in the believer is foundational to Christian stewardship.

Our origin, created by God, is the same whether we accept it as truth or not. For those who do, the only obvious choice is to receive Christ as Lord and Savior and walk with Him. Knowing where I come from, God presents me with the only right path to understanding why I am here. As His created beloved being, I must listen to Him, my Creator, following the way He has in store for me. This is true for all of us image-bearers of our loving and magnificent Creator. Every day, we determine how to invest our time. Even our best-made plans are speculative. “We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it” (Prov 16:9).

Our plans won’t be fruitful without the life-giving breath of God, His Spirit giving, leading, and empowering us to fulfill them. As Dave Adamson states, “If you want your plans to succeed, you need to ask God to breathe life into them.” Allow the Ruach of God to breathe into you, your plans, and all your doings. Here’s the fourth truth. Since we are image bearers of God, whom God breathed life into and whom, as believers, His Spirit resides, we ought to steward our time directed by Him.

The psalmist proclaims, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). We are to make the most of our days. The “heart of wisdom” enables us to faithfully live by the right priorities. Each day there are 24 hours, 1,440 minutes, and 86,400 seconds-and every one of them is a precious gift from God. Time is something we feel we never have enough of, yet we give it away so easily. It’s been said, “Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.” Let’s steward our time wisely for God’s glory. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Where do we come from? We read of our origin story in Genesis 2:7, “The Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” All that exists comes from God. He is our Creator. Paul writes in Colossians, “For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him” (Col 1:16). Nothing exists that God has not created.

Further, in Genesis 2:7, we are told that man did not have life until God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” God takes dust from the ground and forms it into a human being. We can picture Adam (the first man) with hair, skin, organs, and the sort. He had practically all he needed, but he was not yet living. Then, God literally breathed life into him, and he became a living being.

When we look back to the first chapter of Genesis, we read, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen 1:27). We human beings have been made in the very image of God. This is why Orthodox Christians understand that all of life is sacred. The term “Imago Dei,” which comes from the Latin version of the Bible, meaning “image of God,” is at the center of this belief. The Bible teaches that human beings are made in the image of God; they are His metaphysical expression. Genesis 1:27 does not imply that God is in human form but that humans are in the image of God in their moral, spiritual, and intellectual essence. Therefore, humans reflect God’s divine nature in their ability to achieve the unique characteristics with which they have been endowed.

Then, where do I come from? I came from God, Who created me in His likeness. This reality leads me to an understanding of why I am here. I have been created to live in relationship with God. Not only am I a living being through the life-giving breath of God, but as a follower of Christ, I have His very Spirit indwelling me. The Spirit of God sets me free, empowering me to live as an image bearer of the Lord, reflecting His love and character, and being on mission with Him. His Spirit identifies me as God’s beloved child (see: Rom 8).

Our origin, created by God, is the same whether we accept it as truth or not. For those who do, the only obvious choice is to receive Christ as Lord and Savior and walk with Him. For those who don’t, they are left attempting to navigate the dark corridors of false assumptions and weak presuppositions, which can never help us answer why we are here. On the contrary, knowing I come from God presents me with the only right path to understanding why I am here. As His created beloved being, I must listen to Him, my Creator, following the way He has in store for me. This is true for all us image-bearers of our loving and magnificent Creator. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Answering the question “Who am I,” is closely connected to “Where do I come from.” We read in Genesis 1:27, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” I want to answer the question, “Who am I,” but I must begin by stating that all people are created in the image of God. This is true of unbelievers estranged from God as well as believers who are in a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I will dig into this truth in greater detail when answering, “Where do I come from,” but for now will note that this is what makes us human beings distinct from the rest of God’s creation. All of us are fashioned in the image of God.

Being made in the image of God is true of unbelievers and believers. But, there are differences in our identity as well. God is everyone’s Creator, but we are born estranged from God. We have been created to reflect God’s love and character and be on mission with Him, but we are not automatically in a relationship with Him that allows this to be a reality in our lives. This is why Jesus came, to die for our sins and be resurrected for our salvation (Rom 4:25). The Bible teaches us that we are born “dead in our sins” and alienated from God (Eph 2:1-3). This is why unbelievers, in Scripture, are referred to as sinners. Their identity is tied to their estrangement from God.

The believer has a different identity from the unbeliever. The believer has been “born again” or spiritually renewed (John 3:3). We find in the Bible that believers walk in new life (Rom 6:4), free of condemnation (Rom 8:1), reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:18), and citizens of heaven (Phil 3:20). The identity of the believer that I find myself often amazed at is that a believer is a child of God (John 1:12). The term used in the New Testament for the believer is saint. A saint is one set apart for Christ. A saint is a disciple of Christ, one who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and committed to the mission of Jesus.

Although the believer, formerly an unbeliever, was estranged from God, they are reconciled to God through receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Since God is the ultimate purpose and reason for our existence, our identity is found in Him and Him alone. Therefore, I am a beloved child of God. This is true of every believer and offered to the unbeliever. In fact, if you have yet to receive Christ as Savior and Lord, I encourage you to do so. God has provided through Christ the way you can be reconciled to Him, granting you the identity you have been created to possess.

So, the answer to the question, “Who am I,” is not defined in terms of who we are in and of ourselves. It’s described in our being image bears of God and in terms of whether or not we have received Jesus as Savior and Lord. In other words, who I am as a believer is wrapped up in the action of God in me, my relationship with Him, and God’s purpose for me. Who we are is not self-focused but God-centered. Ultimately, discovering who I am is not an end in itself but for the sake of walking in a right relationship with Him as His beloved child. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

When you begin to study the book of James, you discover from the beginning (1:2-4) that life’s trials are not unnatural barriers to our walk with God but the appointed way forward to spiritual maturity. He at once calls us to prayer. James ends where he began, calling us to pray before he concludes by addressing care for someone “wandering from the truth.”

In the closing of James (5:13-20), we find five truths about prayer and care James believes are important that we know. First, James looks at the individual at prayer. He writes, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise” (v. 13). Suffering or trouble can lead to a rebellious attitude against God and the abandonment of spiritual practices. Equally, times of ease can lead to complacency, spiritual laziness, and the assertion that we can cope with our lives apart from dependence on God. James encourages us that neither troubles nor ease should find us without a God-honoring response in prayer and song. We have a God for all seasons. Therefore, it’s important to James that we believe prayer and praise are the truest response to all circumstances.

Second, James looks at elders at prayer. We read, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (5:14-15). James conceives a sick person inviting the elders, the leaders of a local church to which this ailing person belongs, to come and minister to him or her. This is the only passage in the New Testament that gives such direct advice concerning the ministry of healing within the church. Much could be written about the teaching of these verses, but what’s important to James is that we believe prayer is the genuine response to the problem of serious illness.

Third, James looks at friends at prayer. He writes, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (5:16a). There is no doubt that Christians who are burdened by some sin often seek the counsel of a close friend and they pray together for deliverance and cleansing healing. But this is not what James is speaking of here, and his chosen wording will not allow this interpretation. James is directly talking about one believer offending another, then going privately to confess what they have done is wrong, asking to be forgiven, and joining in prayer for healing. It’s important to James that we believe that prayer has the power to heal the sin-sick soul and sin-torn fellowship (v. 16a).

Fourth, James looks at the prayer of a righteous person. We read, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months, it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit” (5:16b-18). To drive home the truth of the power of prayer, James illustrates it from the account of Elijah. Prayer is often an untapped resource. The illustration from Elijah’s life shows that prayer carries a mighty punch. He prayed for drought, and there was no rain for three years; then prayed for rain, and it rained. Now that’s power!

What does James mean by “a righteous person?” The word “righteous” has a forbidding ring. It seems to rule out us and our prayers. And, of course, if we are to understand it to mean perfect moral character and integrity, we would be ruled out. But this is not what James means, and it’s for this reason that James introduces this illustration of Elijah, who, he notes, “was a man with a nature like ours.” Elijah was flawed like you and me. Elijah was an ordinary person, but he was right with God – or, to put things in the sort of terminology that we find in James’ letter, his faith was active in his works, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness (James 2:22-23). What’s the point? Those who by grace have been given the status of righteousness in God’s sight (believers) have been brought into a realm where effective prayer operates and have been given the right to exercise a ministry of prayer. It’s important to James that we believe prayer is powerful and has supernatural results when engaged by believers (vv. 16b-18).

Fifth and lastly. James looks at how believers ought to care for fellow believers. He concludes, “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (5:19-20). Every Christian Fellowship is a place of truth and holiness. Each of us knows within ourselves how easy it is to slip away from a full commitment to our Lord. Many of us know what a blessing it is to have a brother or sister in Christ run after us, direct us in the right way and bring us back to God. It’s every believer’s responsibility in a local church to watch out for the welfare of other believers. We are called to bring the wanderer within the embrace of the finished work of Christ. When we become aware of someone from our fellowship lapsing from the truth or an error in their life, we don’t sound the trumpet and make it public, but simply out of love, which covers a multitude of sins, we act in love, and shares the truth with that person in the hope they will abide in Christ. It’s important to James that we believe that care for fellow believers is the responsibility of every believer (vv. 19-20).

James wrote this letter bearing his name to instruct believers on how to practically live the Christian life. He started, in chapter 1, by drawing us to prayer and right fellowship with God and fellow believers amid all circumstances and ended with the same. When everything is said and done, James teaches us that the Christian life is not only a matter of belief but practice; we are to live what we believe. This is evidenced, in part, by how we engage in prayer and care for other believers. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

When we approach the end of the book of James, we discover a reappearance of the key idea of patient endurance. James begins his letter with a call to patient endurance under a trial (1:2-4), and we discovered that holding up through difficulties and afflictions God allows in life is actually the pathway of sanctification, the progressive road of becoming more and more like Jesus in love, character, and mission. James’ conclusion to his letter (5:7-20) opens with the same theme set in a similar context to where he began. James encourages us to live with patient endurance by holding before us the prospects of the last Day when Christ returns.

The challenge for each of us is that the very circumstances that call for patient endurance often promote impatience and apathy. Remember that James is writing believers who have been scattered due to persecution. Many still face oppression simply for being followers of Christ. Therefore, James counsels these Christians to demonstrate patient endurance until the Lord’s coming. He proceeds to give four specific instructions concerning patient endurance.

Let’s begin by looking at James’ words in chapter 5, verses 7-9, “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.” James’s first instruction is to be patient and endure with the knowledge of the Lord’s coming (vv. 7-9).

In counseling us to demonstrate patient endurance until the coming of the Lord, James uses the example of the farmer who waits to reap from the earth a harvest. Nothing can hurry on the rains, and nothing can speed up the imminent return of the Lord. Therefore, as believers, we must “establish” our hearts, fix or strengthen them – have patient endurance. The prophet Isaiah shared this same teaching, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3).

James instructs us not to grumble or complain against one another as we wait. Instead, we need to watch our fellowship with others. James warns that such judging of others can lead to our own condemnation. We read in verse 9, “the Judge is standing at the door.” It’s biblically accurate that the true judge, our Lord, will bring every aspect of our service under review. For the believer, this is not a judgment of whether or not one is saved but what rewards one will receive or forfeit. The Scripture tells us that some believers will enter paradise with little reward (1 Cor 4:5). Keep this in mind, allowing our tongue to grumble and complain against another will rob us of the spiritual harvest through failure to cherish the family and fellowship of the people of God, our church family.

Then, we read, “As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job” (James 5:10-11a). James’s second instruction is to be patient and endure amidst suffering. Remember, in context, James is writing to a church that is no stranger to suffering.

James shares two examples of those who demonstrated patient endurance in suffering from the Old Testament. The first example is the prophets. He invites us to look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord and suffered. However, they exemplified patient endurance amid suffering. Similarly, we are to show patient endurance when we face suffering.

The second example is Job. Job was blessed because he had patient endurance. Job shows us how the Lord uses suffering in our lives. Job’s suffering was not his own doing. Yet, he trustingly committed himself to the Lord, even while suffering. As a result, God showed compassion and mercy to Job and gave him much more than he possessed before the time of suffering (Job 42:12). In the same way, James encourages us that the Lord will be compassionate and merciful to us as we trust in Him, leading to our growth in knowing Him (v.11).

Look at James 5:11, “Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” So the third instruction James gives us is to be patient, endure, and you will be blessed. It’s clear that the result of patient endurance during suffering will be God pouring out His blessings on us. The Greek term used by James for blessing is in the Septuagint (a translation of the Old Testament into the Greek language) and throughout the New Testament to define the kind of happiness that comes from receiving favor from God. Think about it. Our Lord offers us a quality of life that we can enjoy despite suffering and persecution.

Patient endurance has great blessings to bring, but the blessings must be safeguarded, and the danger arises from the tongue. James writes, “But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation” (James 5:12). The fourth and final instruction James give us is to be on guard against your tongue. Why? Because experiences calling for patient endurance can quickly provoke looseness or rashness of speech. It would be great if only we could say that this would never happen among Christians, that we would never be duplicitous or offer misleading affirmations, promises, and undertakings to get our own way or get ourselves out of a tight corner. But, unfortunately, this is not the case. We must understand that an unguarded tongue is the chief threat to a life of patient endurance, focused on Christ, and right fellowship with others.

You don’t need me to tell you that life can be challenging. Even as believers, we can become tempted to be impatient and apathetic. James calls us to stay the course with patient endurance. After all, we can continue in patient endurance because we know the Lord is coming. Further, we can continue in patient endurance even in the face of suffering because we know we will be blessed. Lastly, we can continue in patient endurance but must be on guard against our very own tongue, which is a chief threat to such a Christ-focused life. The longer we walk with the Lord, the more we can look back with heartfelt thanks for the benefits reaped through experiences that, at the time, were full of grief and pain. Our Lord calls us to a life of patient endurance where we live without internal division with fellow believers, aren’t double-minded, and are wholeheartedly with Him. What awaits us is a growing relationship with our Lord today and a heavenly reward when He returns. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

In the New Testament book bearing his name, James writes about how to practically live as a follower of Jesus Christ. It makes the exploration of James a worthy journey for those who are investigating the things of Christ, as well as those who have walked with the Lord for many years and anyone in between. Following James’ teachings on living wisely and humbly, he warns of three traps people can fall prey to that would hinder them from living in such a way.

The first trap is defamation. James writes, “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor” (James 4:11-12)? Defamation is the act of communicating statements about a person that injure that person’s reputation.

A defamatory word may be perfectly true; we don’t need to tell lies to defame. The fact that something is true does not always give us the right to say it. Defamation is forbidden as a breach of loving humility. Unfortunately, one of the common expressions of our flesh (old self) is to attempt to build ourselves up by tearing someone else down. My task as a believer is not to publicize others’ faults nor to privately berate them but to go to them and speak words of truth and life in loving humility. We avoid the pitfall of defaming others by seeking to walk in the lowliest humility with God, knowing that the way down leads upward in our ability to know our Lord and make Him known.

The second warning James has for us is against presumptuousness. We read, “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:13-17). How do we guard against presumptuousness? James shares that first, we need to admit our ignorance (4:14). We don’t even know what is right around the corner. This fact alone ought to keep us humble before God, who created, controls, and apportions time. Second, we need to acknowledge our frailty (4:14). Our mortality should be enough to keep us from presuming we are in control and joyfully placing ourselves in God’s capable hands. Lastly, we need to accept our dependence. The very existence of tomorrow is as much part of our dependence on God as is our life itself and our abilities. We avoid the pitfall of being presumptuous by seeking to walk in the lowliest humility with God, knowing that He is in control and can be trusted.

The third and final warning James has for us is against covetousness. James 5:1-6, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.”

We discover in James 5:1-6 three pits of covetousness. The first pit to avoid is hoarding (5:2-3). Hoarding is a denial of proper use (Lk 12:33), of true trust in the Lord (1 Tim 6:17), and of godly expectancy (1 Tim 6:18-19). It’s wasting what God has given us to steward on His behalf. The second pit to avoid is fraudulence (5:4). Specifically, James speaks against dishonest and dishonorable paying of wages to employees by their employers. Thirdly, we are to avoid the pit of indulgence (5:5). The picture James provides through His choice of words is a life without self-denial, corrupt, and offering no resistance to sin where there is a promise of comfort and joy, which can ultimately come only from the Lord.

James calls out in no uncertain terms the sin of covetousness that acknowledges only money and self as lord and plots a pathway ahead where others suffer. James is not saying it’s a sin to save, be wealthy, or enjoy what one has earned due to hard work and God’s blessings. Covetousness is saving without regard to kingdom stewardship of what the Lord has entrusted you. Covetousness is gaining wealth by dishonest means and dishonorable practices. James calls those trapped in the pit of covetousness to repent! We avoid the pitfall of covetousness by seeking to walk in the lowest humility with God, knowing that nothing goes unnoticed by our Lord.

Would we be surprised by how often the Lord has taken second place in the way we think and speak of others, plan, and use our wealth, no matter how large or small? In our life of wisely walking with Christ in humility, the traps of defamation, presumptuousness, and covetousness must be avoided. We avoid these pitfalls by seeking to walk in the lowest humility with God, knowing that the way down leads upwards in our ability to know our Lord and make Him known, He is in control and can be trusted, and nothing goes unnoticed by Him. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

James writes about how to practically live as a follower of Jesus Christ. Two themes intertwined throughout James are wisdom and humility. It appears they both are meant to go together. Humility is of great importance to James, and as we’ll discover the Lord. It’s the main focus of the fourth chapter. We’re told that only as we humble ourselves in the sight of God will we be lifted up by the Lord (James 4:10). Although James makes that direct statement about humility, he also makes many indirect statements that have significant bearing upon living for Christ.

Humility is a personal quality in which an individual shows dependence on God and respect for other persons. The importance of this virtue springs from the fact that it’s found as part of the character of God. Since God humbles Himself, it ought not to surprise us that we are to do the same. The antonym of humility is pride. Pride is the excessive love of one’s superiority over God and others. James begins his teaching in James 4:1-10 on humility by looking at pride. James writes about the problem with pride. “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions” (James 4:1-3).

James writes about “quarrels” and “fights” happening among those in the church between Christians. Both of these words refer to interpersonal conflicts. James instructs us that we are involved in conflicts because of our desire for pleasure that conflicts with our very selves and others – simply put, pride. James uses the vocabulary of war to express fights and quarrels, animosities, and bad feelings among Christians, not because there is no other way to say it but because there is no better way to express the horror of it.

James moves from the effect of pride on our relationship with others to our relationship with God. As to prayer, it’s clear that prayer requests remain unanswered because whatever God would give in response would be spent on “your passions,” which would harm ourselves and our relationship with God and others. We find that the flow of prayer upwards and response downward is no longer operating. Interestingly, James does not say that God does not hear but that we do not receive. God hears. However, the answer is “no” or “not yet,” because we are incapable of receiving the heavenly gift. John shares with us the proper motive of prayer. “This is the confidence that we have toward God, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us” (1 John 5:14). The focus of Christian living and the motive of prayer is the same – God has called us to deny ourselves, forsake doing our own thing, and seek and do the will of God.

At its heart, our problem is a spiritual one. So, how do we get right with God and stay right with Him? Let’s look at the rest of our passage to find the answer. “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:4-10). The strong language used in verse 4 takes up a theme woven throughout the Bible. The Lord has chosen a people for Himself. The church is the bride of Christ. When we forsake the loving choice of God choosing us, and we receiving Christ, violating intimacy with our Lord, we are indeed acting “adulterous.”

James proceeds to instruct us that we must not deceive ourselves into thinking we can live full lives in intimate fellowship with God when we set our hearts toward the stuff of earth. The account given in the Bible of the hearts of people is that by nature, we are sinful. In our flesh, we are corrupted by sin. The spirit that naturally dwells in us produces all kinds of evil. However, when we receive Christ as Savior and Lord, His Spirit indwells us making us more and more like Him in love, character, and sharing in His purpose.

Further, the grace of God, which is contrary to the spirit of the world, corrects and cures the spirit that naturally dwells in us. It’s the work of the Spirit that teaches us to know the difference between pride and humility. After all, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Therefore, we should resist pride in our hearts. The good news is that God gives help to the humble. In fact, to the humble, the Lord gives grace upon grace.

In Christ, we can live humbly. But how? James shares with us three actions empowering us to live humbly. Action number one, we need to submit ourselves to God (v. 7). As followers of Christ, we must have no doubt whose side we’re on. To live humbly in Christ, we must first acknowledge that we are indeed His, awaiting His leading, and ready to act when it comes. Secondly, we need to resist the devil (v. 7). We can never be truly humble if we’re unwilling to actively resist the devil. Resist is not a word of attack but defense. It speaks of one who is manning a defense at camp, knowing the enemy’s pressure is ceaseless, and she is constantly under fire. We do well to notice that it’s those who have submitted to God who are commanded to stand firm against the devil. I love the promise, “resist the devil, and he will flee!” lastly, we draw near to God. Fellowship with God, and its accompanying blessing of His fellowship with us, does not ‘just happen;’ we cannot drift into it any more than drifting into Christlikeness. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we obediently place God at the center of our life (drawing near to Him), and He enables us to walk in the power of His presence.

Humility is essential to the Christian life. James presents us with a practical picture of what it looks like to take this journey with Christ of living humbly (James 4:8b-9). We come to the Lord and, empowered by His Spirit, we begin walking with Him in God-honoring ways. His motives become our motives. We affirm in word and deed that we are His and His alone. We repent, not only acknowledging our sins but feeling remorse that we have sinned against God; we turn away from our sinful path and walk His righteous path. We depart from the shallow laughter and temporary happiness we craved and, instead, walk in the goodness and fullness of life in Christ.

The promise to the person who does this, who acts by submitting to God, resisting the devil, and drawing near to God, is that those who humble yourselves before the Lord; he will exalt (James 4:10). The prideful one, with all his excessive love of his superiority over God and others, along with all the sinful acts and desires that came with such thinking, now find themselves humble, showing dependence on God and respect for others. The way up is down. The lowly one becomes the lifted one. Think about it. There is a marked advantage to humility—eventually, it brings honor and, with-it genuine blessings and abundant life. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

One of the lessons that James addresses throughout the book bearing his name is wisdom. James mentions two kinds of wisdom in James 3:13-18. One wisdom produces divisiveness and worthless sin, while the other brings a harvest of righteousness. According to St. Augustine, “The greatest good is wisdom.” These words could supply a decent summary of James’ teaching on godly wisdom.

No doubt, genuine wisdom from on high begins with knowing God. Therefore, godly wisdom is not merely intellectually understandable; it must be demonstrated practically in the Christian life. James shares how the believer is to live with wisdom in James 3:13-18.

The word James uses for wisdom in these verses means practical knowledge. Remember that context is king! What has James already shared with us about wisdom? We discover earlier in the book, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5). James assures us that when we ask God for wisdom, with a willingness to walk in it, we will receive it.

What James writes in James 3:13-18 helps us understand what wisdom from above is and how it should be used. James begins by helping us recognize earthly wisdom as opposed to godly wisdom. In verse 14, we discover that earthly wisdom is full of bitter jealousy, selfish ambition, boasting, and lying. Through James’ description of earthly wisdom or wisdom from below, he tells us that it brings strife, division, cruel deception, and attempts to lie against the truth.

James goes further and describes three sources of wisdom from below. What are these sources? The first source is earthly or from the earth’s worldly system. The second source is unspiritual. Now, unspiritual wisdom is not necessarily identifiable. The natural person, unaided by the fullness of the indwelling Holy Spirit, is not wholly aware of that which the Spirit approves. Third, and lastly, the source of earthly wisdom is demonic. This term is self-explanatory. James teaches that wisdom from below comes from the devil himself.

After describing what earthly wisdom is and where it comes from, James shares two results manifested when this kind of wisdom is present. What are the two results of earthly wisdom? The answer is found in James 3:16, “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” The first result is disorder. This is a condition that reflects instability and confusion. The second result is every vile practice. Rather than giving a long, specific list of the various forms of vile acts that will be present, James simply makes an inclusive statement, which includes them all, “every vile thing.” Righteousness will be absent, and every vile thing will be there.

After describing the characteristics, sources, and results of earthly wisdom, which comes from below, James describes godly wisdom, which comes from above. In doing so, James provides the most comprehensive and helpful definition of wisdom in all literature. The definition includes the following descriptions found in verses 17 and 18. First, those found in James 3:17, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”

Godly wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, and merciful. The word James uses for “mercy” is not used in the New Testament except about God Himself and godly people. Mercy is a part of the very character of God. God is the source of mercy (2 Timothy 1:2), and God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4). Further, godly wisdom is full of good fruits. Jesus declared that only by abiding in Him can we produce good fruit (John 15:4-5), and Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit for us in Galatians (Galatians 5:22-23). Then, we discover that godly wisdom is impartial. James warned against the sin of partiality earlier in the letter (James 2:1-9). Godly wisdom shows no partiality or favoritism. Wisdom from above is demonstrated by welcoming others as God has welcomed us (Romans 14:1, 3). Godly wisdom is also sincere. The word James uses here comes from the same root as our words, “hypocrite” or “hypocrisy.” Godly wisdom is without hypocrisy or pretense; since it flows from God, it manifests itself in truth and sincerity.

The last description of godly wisdom is found in James 3:18, “And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” Godly wisdom produces a harvest of righteousness. Therefore, godly wisdom is not only to be recognized; it’s to be lived.

To understand how we should be living and enjoying the life of wisdom, let’s consider two questions that James answers for us. The first is, “How and where do we get wisdom?” James 1:5 gives us the answer, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” God is the source of wisdom, and it’s ours for the asking. The second question, “Who is actually wise and understanding?” The answer is found in James 3:13, “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.” In other words, those who actually possess godly wisdom are those who humbly manifest good conduct and works in their daily lives.

The good news is that such wisdom is available to us as we trust in our Lord. It’s our personal responsibility to seek God-given wisdom. But, also, we must realize that God-given wisdom cannot be had unless our lives are kept in a right relationship with God Himself, in which we are nourished daily with His grace. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!