James 1:21 Part 4—Starve the carnivores

Posted by Admin on Oct 21, 2014 in James 1 | Comments Off on James 1:21 Part 4—Starve the carnivores

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. James 1:21

NOTE: If you have not yet read yesterday’s blog, this entry will make more sense if you read that one first. As you read, realize that this is an analogy—it’s simply a way to represent abstract concepts with concrete images. I by no means think that this analogy using deep-ocean creatures means that there are actual fish-like creatures living within the soul. 🙂

A few years ago, the Holy Spirit led me on a “fishing expedition” into the depths of my soul to confront specific, long-standing, destructive thought patterns and to take them captive, via the Word of God, to the obedience of Christ. As I did so, He showed me an analogy using the biome of the deep-ocean floor.

The deep-ocean floor is a place where very little light penetrates and the pressure is crushing. In that realm swim creatures—carnivores—with disproportionately large mouths, jaws, and very sharp teeth. No plant-eaters live there—vegetation can’t grow there. Nutrition there comes from two sources—other deep-sea critters or whatever filters down from above. The deep-ocean floor represents the subconscious soul and the deep-ocean carnivores depict the baggage that, for whatever reason, stays attached to the soul of the believer. The surface of the ocean represents the everyday behavior and attitudes of a person—that which is visible to everyone. And the nutrition they feed upon? Bad behaviors, words, and attitude.

I asked the Lord after this experience: Is there any way to deal with the “deep-ocean carnivores” of the soul without having to plunge down to the depths? I figured there was, and sure enough, the Lord showed me something that has both revolutionized and simplified my life.

He led me to James 1:21. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. Using the same analogy, He likened my baggage—longstanding, deep-seated issues—to ravenous deep-sea carnivores in my soul. This was the filthiness and that which remained of wickedness mentioned by James.

The Lord showed me that whenever I yielded to my flesh, to unforgiveness, to self-pity—the list could go on and on—I was actually sending death and flesh down into my soul, unintentionally feeding the carnivores. The more I yielded to unwise behaviors, words, or thoughts, the more the carnivores fed. The more they fed, the stronger they grew, and the fainter the voice of my recreated spirit became.

The carnivores do not represent demons. That’s a totally different ball of wax; Christians often label sin patterns and baggage “demons”, but more often than not, carnal behaviors are merely undisciplined flesh and unresolved sin patterns. Yes, those things can open the door for demonic activity, but nonetheless, they are two different things. And the good news is this: You have authority over every bit of it.

When I read the Amplified translation of this verse, it extended the analogy. “So get rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness…” I visualized a rampant outgrowth of some deep-seated issue winding its way like a poisonous vine to the surface, seeking to grow in the open. And I realized then that there was no need to “deep-sea dive” as a rule; tendencies from the soul surface all the time. The trick is to confront those things as quickly as they arise and refuse to just shove them back down, patting a quick “good confession” over them in hope of covering them up.

The surfacing of such tendencies is not a cause for shame, but joy, like James wrote in verse 2. Here’s why. When the baggage and bugaboos of your soul send up shoots to the surface, that means you have the opportunity to get rid of them by laying them aside and receiving the word implanted. This is the God-ordained, one-two knockout punch you are to deliver to all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness.

The Lord very kindly showed me that the “deep-sea fishing expedition” we took together could have been absolutely avoided had I practiced throughout my Christian life this powerful one-two sequence—simply and on purpose laying aside temptations to sin whenever they arose and then receiving with meekness the Word into my soul. Instead, I cried and said “I repent” over and over and felt bad. And when that got old, I stuffed the tendencies down and covered my tracks with an appropriate “good confession”. Can you see there’s a huge difference between practicing James 1:21 and covering up negative tendencies with a quick “Praise the Lord; I’m free”?

I tested James 1:21. I started practicing laying aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, and then in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls whenever something that remained of wickedness started to surface. I even acted it out—I mimed grabbing the thought or behavior with my hand and called it by name as I swung my arm very dramatically away from me.

I would then talk to God and say, “Lord, with humility and meekness of heart, I receive that part of Your Word which is custom-made to abolish this ugly thing, and I send it down into my soul, bringing life and freedom to that region within me.” And I would wait on Him to give me a Scripture—one just right—that blew that negative emotion—whether lust, anger, self-pity, hopelessness, defensiveness, critical spirit, hurt feelings—whatever—out of the water and into oblivion.

God showed me that two things occurred as I acted on James 1:21 in faith. First, any baggage that lingered in the dark within in me was deprived of fuel as I put aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness. When I deliberately resisted and laid aside the lure of temptation, I no longer fed the “carnivores”, and as a result they grew weaker and less demanding. Secondly, as I received the Word implanted, I sent down the “pesticide” of the Word to the deep-ocean floor of my soul, and in effect, poisoned those things with God’s Word. I pictured them dying a lonely death and realized that God never intended “deep-sea expeditions” to be the primary way to deal with “carnivores”. The Lord’s chosen method for you and me to conquer filthiness and all that remains of wickedness is to simply lay it aside and receive the Word of God implanted which is able to save our souls.

One last ingredient in this one-two knockout punch of James 1:21 is found in the center of the verse. It is “with humility”, “with meekness”, and with what the Amplified Bible calls “a humble (gentle, modest) spirit” that you approach it all. It takes humility to admit that you’ve been hit with filthiness and any residual wickedness. It takes meekness to submit to the Word to address the desperate needs of your soul. And it takes a humble, gentle, and modest spirit to face those flaws honestly instead of glossing them over in an attempt to look spiritual. By maintaining a humble spirit, you address the heart of the issue and establish important “Thou shalt not’s” for yourself: No more cover ups; no more masks; and no more putting off the health and salvation of your soul.

Starve those carnivores!

Dorothy

James 1:21 Part 3—Deep-ocean floor

Posted by Admin on Oct 20, 2014 in James 1 | Comments Off on James 1:21 Part 3—Deep-ocean floor

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. James 1:21

At this point in our study of James, I want to take a couple of days to share what happened to me a while back. I had been following God and was sold out to Him and His Word with sincerity of heart for over 35 years. Yet, inexplicably, throughout the years when encountering innocent comments or random situations, seemingly out of nowhere I’d get hit by an onslaught of strong negative emotion, anger, fear, or defensiveness. Then a few years ago God led me to confront some deep-seated and mainly subconscious aspects of my life which were at the root of much of the occasional turmoil I experienced. Honestly, I would have rather “let sleeping dogs lie”, but evidently the Lord felt it was time to deal with these things. Over a period of two months He prepared me for this “high noon at OK Corral” showdown. (I didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back—yup, He was getting me ready.)

Many teachings exist in Christianity and other religions and philosophies about venturing into those subconscious regions and taking a look to learn about and heal the vulnerabilities of self; my opinion is that such quests, without the express leading of the Holy Ghost, are foolhardy at best and can cause a lot of confusion and even open the door to deception. It is also my experience that plenty of soulish flaws surface everyday without any need to dig at all. Surely those things can provide you with more than enough material about which to pray and apply the Word; leave the rest alone.

That said, I had learned to hold in the negative emotions that arose for the most part, but the discomfort I experienced was relatively constant. I simply chose to declare the Word over my unhealthy reactions and tried to get over them quickly with as little collateral damage as possible. My guess is that I’m not an unusual case in the Body of Christ, either. What I am about to share is a two-day intervention by the Holy Spirit to correct mindsets and thinking that had calcified in my soul for years. However, it was all avoidable; tomorrow I will share how God would prefer we deal with the deep-seated soulish issues—and it involves the purposeful, direct application of James 1:21.

When the time was right, the Lord targeted four destructive mindsets I had developed over the years and showed me how I reverted back to them again and again as defensive maneuvers whenever my peace felt threatened. Not a good thing for someone who’s a new creature and filled with the Spirit and power of God.

Long story short—after a lot of forgiveness of key people from my past—I did my part, God did His, and the strongholds were brought to the light and taken captive to the obedience of Christ. It’s been life-changing not to return to those old mindsets.

In the process of confronting and taking those things captive, I saw an image that represented what was going on. Before I describe this analogy, however, let me say this: I am not trying to start some new doctrine here—make no mistake about it. I merely saw in my mind a picture representing a very abstract idea, and it helped me. Bear with me as I describe it.

I pictured a flat stone being skipped across the surface of a large, placid body of water. And then I saw the deep-ocean floor where only specialized life-forms can survive the intense cold and crushing pressure. I sensed that the Lord was showing me that most of the time believers live at the surface of the soul, seeking to span the expanse and reach other souls with well-thrown stones of life—a good thing. But He showed me that deep beneath the surface was “baggage” which the author of Hebrews called “every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us” (see Hebrews 12:1, AMP).

Having taught about the biome that exists on the deep-ocean floor in science at the 8th grade level, I could picture those hideous creatures which inhabit that region. They are tough, creepy-looking critters comprised mainly of mouth, jaw, and teeth—sharp teeth. Those ugly things represented my baggage in this analogy, just swimming around in the deep dark bottom of my subconscious soul. Not a flattering thing.

Since creatures of the deep-ocean floor swim at depths that crush, they are rarely seen. Humans implode at that depth; only the most precisely-engineered submersibles can handle that pressure. And so it is with your subconscious. As I said before, it is my opinion that attempts to visit there are dangerous; you are not designed to handle that realm. I think that when believers try to dig deeply into their subconscious past and its effect on their psyche, they are in over their heads. However, the Holy Ghost may, on rare occasion, prepare you to accompany Him to that realm for the purpose of capturing a predator-thought and taking it captive to the obedience of Christ. This was my experience; I neither asked for it nor did I want to participate, but He took me there for a limited time, completed a specific task, and then we left with those captive thoughts to cast once and for all at the feet of Jesus.

The freedom and cleansing I experienced after this “fishing expedition” was remarkable; but I am practical and believe that such “outings” with God are very rare and may never happen in most people’s life span. So I questioned the Lord: As grateful as I am for what You have done for me, Lord, I sure would have liked to have gotten rid of all of those things much earlier in my life. How is this experience of mine going to edify anyone living their life, wanting to pursue You with all their heart, if they have to wait decades with all that baggage before You take them “fishing” to get free of it?

And His answer surprised me. It centered on James 1:21. We’ll dive into it tomorrow.

Dorothy

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” Jeremiah 32:27

James 1:21 Part 2—Put it aside

Posted by Admin on Oct 17, 2014 in James 1 | Comments Off on James 1:21 Part 2—Put it aside

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. James 1:21

James was a no-nonsense man of God, and he addressed very frankly how everyday Christians could walk as overcomers whenever they were enticed or tempted (see James 1:14-15).

What he advised back then is just as relevant now. As you practice what James prescribed in verse 21, those nagging old patterns you’ve dealt with will fade away into the past where they belong.

Remember, James was writing to believers in Jesus, not to the unsaved. He, like the apostles Peter, Paul, and John, recognized what seemed to be a disconnect between New Testament realities and the real life experiences of the Christians they served.

How do you remedy that same type of disconnect in your own life? You soak up New Testament reality via the Word of God just like James prescribed. But he urged another action as well.

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness…

One minister suggested that when you read the word “therefore” in the Bible, you look to the verses before it to see what it is “there for”. The entire first chapter of the book of James focuses on how to overcome in tests, temptations, and trials. Therefore, when James wrote Therefore, putting aside all filthiness, he was refocusing attention on how to emerge victorious in the face of attacks against faith, virtue, or character.

What is the action James urged you to take when you encounter one of the multitudes of trials in life? He said to put aside all filthiness. I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen an increased availability of filthiness almost everywhere I look. James said to put it aside. Even if your trial is not moral in nature, put aside all filthiness, anyway. Filthiness is a red carpet upon which the devil sashays into your life, bringing with him confusion and an assortment of cleverly disguised, life-sucking deceptions. You are a new creature; you are more than a conqueror. Why would you want to embrace the things which seek to enslave you all over again? (See Romans 6 and Galatians 4:9.)

If laying aside filthiness is difficult for you, then I suggest you find a trusted, mature believer to assist you as an accountability partner. Let them know your issue and make a commitment to them that if you traipse back into the besetting “filthiness” that lures you, you will tell them. I have done this with two areas of my life, and when I am tempted to follow after “filthiness”, I simply remind myself that I’ll have to let my accountability partner know what happened. (And I have had to tell on myself. Not a pleasant experience for my ego, and I don’t want to have to do it again!) Exposure—and even the threat of it—cuts those grabby tentacles off at the root!

…and all that remains of wickedness…

This phrase speaks more directly to those things that plagued you before Christ. You were made a new creation when you received Jesus as your Lord. However, unfortunately, your soul and body may have retained some tendencies that are not godly—in other words, your own lust, which James addressed in verses 14 and 15. Although it’s a drag that anything could remain of wickedness, by virtue of your relationship with Jesus, those things are defeated nonetheless and have no right to dominate your life any longer. If those things still bother you, however, (and you’re not the only one who deals with habits and weaknesses from your past), what do you do with them? You put them aside.

Colossians 3:8 says, “But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.” Ephesians 4:22 states, “…lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit.” Verse 31 in the same chapter says, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” Peter stated this: “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander…” (1 Peter 2:1). Hebrews 12:1 urges, “…let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us” (all emphasis added).

Because you are a new creation in Christ, you have both the power and the responsibility to put aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness. And since the Greater One (see 1 John 4:4) lives within you, you’re not left to do it all by yourself. He who is in you is more than capable of empowering you to set every bit of it aside. Talk to Him and trust Him; He’s faithful. And as you do, keep soaking in the Word.

…in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

Other philosophies and religions have techniques for dealing with negative tendencies. However, none of them provide their followers the opportunity to be born from above. All equip followers with rules and guidelines by which to live; but none of those initiatives are effective to bring cleansing and deliverance from besetting sins. You, however, have the Word of God. As you purposely confront filthiness by putting it aside, and as you deliberately lay aside all that remains of wickedness, you also have the responsibility and advantage of receiving God’s Word. And as you plant it in your heart, it will save your soul.

There is something about the Word of God that is “toxic” to sinful habits. As you intentionally receive His Word in meekness, you will find that all those weights and entanglements which have tripped you up in the past will lose their power to control your life.

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37, NIV

God bless you, Overcomer!

Dorothy

James 1:21 Part 1—Spirit, soul, and body

Posted by Admin on Oct 16, 2014 in James 1 | Comments Off on James 1:21 Part 1—Spirit, soul, and body

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. James 1:21

The first time I heard a teaching related to this verse I thought I was hearing false doctrine because I didn’t understand that I was a three-part being.

A preacher I had grown to trust said something like this: “As a Christian, your soul is not automatically saved. Your soul is only saved through reception and application of the Word of God.”

He’s wrong, God! I’m saved—what does he mean my soul’s not saved? But due to my respect for him and everything else I’d heard him say, I decided to put his teaching about this verse on the shelf until God made it clear to me one way or the other. That’s what you need to do with teachings you aren’t sure about—put them on the shelf and let the Holy Spirit sort them out for you later through the Word.

Over time—not immediately, mind you—I started realizing that, similar to God being a triune being, humans had three parts as well. Two Scriptures brought this understanding home to me.

The first verse that caught my eye was 1 Thessalonians 5:23. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (emphasis added).

… spirit and soul and body… When I read this, I realized that I was not just a soul (or a spirit) and a body. Before that, I had used the terms “soul” and “spirit” interchangeably and thought they were synonymous, much like the words “groundhog” and “woodchuck”. But here, at least, the Bible put soul and spirit into two separate categories. Hmmm, I thought, if my soul and spirit aren’t the same thing, then could it be that the preacher was right and my soul might not be saved yet? To tell the truth, that thought bothered me, but it got me thinking—I am spirit, soul, and body, not just soul and body!

The second verse that made it even clearer to me about the distinction between soul and spirit was Hebrews 4:12. “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (emphasis added). My soul and spirit were indeed two different entities, and they could be separated by the Word of God.

The Greek word for “spirit” is pneuma (which is also used in the term “Holy Spirit”). On the other hand, the word for “soul” is psyche and is the base from which the English words “psychology” and “psychiatry” are derived. Both parts—soul and spirit—are unseen; both dwell within the body; both are said to be involved with the inner workings of a man. According to one source, pneuma (spirit) means “the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides” (see http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G4151&t=KJV ), and psyche (soul) means “the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)” (see http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G5590&t=KJV ). As you can see, these two—spirit and soul—are closely related; however, it is my contention that it is your spirit who receives Christ; it is your spirit that is born of God; and it is your spirit that becomes a new creation. Your soul, “the seat of your feelings, desires, affections and aversions” is also eternal; James says that it is by receiving the Word implanted that you—a Christian who is already saved—are able to save your soul.

My original problem with this verse was this: Why does a Christian need to save his soul? When I started viewing James 1:21 in light of the three-part nature of man, it began to make more sense to me. This is how I view the nature of man now:

• I am a spirit—once dead in sin, but now by virtue of faith in Jesus, I am a new creature in Christ, made righteous and clean before God.
• I have a soul—feelings, emotions, memories, thought processes, desires, tastes, inclinations, dislikes, and a will.
• I live in a body—as long as I live on the earth, I will live in a flesh and blood body.

James said “in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” He said this to believers—new creatures in Christ. Tomorrow we will look at this verse more closely in reference to James’ earlier statements about temptation and the sin/lust connection.

Until then,

Dorothy

James 1:19-20—Three behaviors for dealing with anger

Posted by Admin on Oct 15, 2014 in James 1 | Comments Off on James 1:19-20—Three behaviors for dealing with anger

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20 (NKJV)

Anger. It’s probably one of the first feelings you have when hit by any sort of trial. You may be all by yourself when the trial crops up; no one else may be involved at all, but you feel angry. That’s why you need to look at James 1:19-20 with an eye to two scenarios: dealing with anger that flares up toward others and dealing with the sense of upset that arises over things. Either one, when allowed to fester or explode out of control, can destroy the course of your life.

Anger felt needs to be anger dealt with.

Although anger is one of the most destructive forces within the heart of man, the Bible doesn’t blanketly call it sin. Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry without sinning. Don’t go to bed angry” (GOD’S WORD Translation). In other words, feeling anger is not wrong; letting it flash into unthinking rage is. Anger felt needs to be anger dealt with. Take care of the anger within you before you go to bed; don’t let your fury simmer on the back burner as you close your eyes for the night. When you retain your anger and offense, you probably find it hard to sleep. Dealing with anger appropriately will bring you great relief. If you don’t, Ephesians 4:27 paints a bleak picture: the devil will gain a foothold in your life.

Anger builds walls in relationships. It is natural to shun someone who has lapsed into anger; it is also just as natural to isolate yourself after yielding to a fit of rage. Anger can divide, frustrate, shame, undermine peace, and cause turmoil. That’s why it is good to read James’ first words in verse 19: “So then, my beloved brethren.” You may have burst into anger at a very inappropriate time; your anger may be out of control; but you are beloved. With this foundation—that you are loved by God—it’s time to consider the method James reveals for dealing with your anger.

He identifies three behaviors that will empower you to gain control over your anger. If you are perpetually geared toward rage, these three directives from James—when practiced over time—will start to dismantle the walls that your fury has erected and will bring peace both to your life and the lives of those you with whom you interact.

The force of unrestrained anger is like a flooding river—once it overflows the banks of your self-control, it will create havoc wherever it is released. The effect of out-of-control anger on the person who yields to it is also similar to some of the effects of alcohol on a binge drinker. Alcohol lowers the inhibitions that normally operate in an individual; anger also lowers your inhibitions. While under the influence of liquor, you don’t care what anyone thinks; while under the influence of fury, your only care is to “let ‘er rip”. And yet after a “drunk” or a fit of rage, the sober truth hits home: you were an idiot, your reputation has been compromised, and you may have hurt others profoundly.

Behavior number one: Be swift to hear.

Anger is typically explosive, unpredictable, loud, disruptive, and swift. The antidote James prescribes for rage is to be enacted with even greater speed than the flare up itself. What did he advise? Be swift to hear. The NIV says it this way: be quick to listen. One of the best ways to prepare yourself to deal with anger effectively is to take note of your listening manner. Do you listen to others or are you thinking about the next thing you want to say? If you prioritize your own part of the conversation over the other person’s, you will probably frustrate them, and unless they are willing to cut you a lot of slack, it’s a safe bet to say that conflict will arise.

Habitual non-listening paves the way for habitual anger.

Habitual non-listening paves the way for habitual anger. If you have developed the habit of speaking first, completely devaluing what the other person has to say, you have likely reaped loads and loads of bad results in your life. You may find that you are often left out or overlooked. Things may not seem to ever work out for you. If this is you, check your listening style! You may be surprised to learn that at the bottom of your mess is chronic slowness in hearing and quickness in speaking.

The same goes for your relationship with God. If you are quick to listen to Him, you will be much less inclined to fly off the handle in rage or self-pity when encountering a trial.

When I was relatively new to teaching at the middle school level, one of my classes was ripe with attitude. As they prepared to exit the room for lunch, their disregard for rules and civility got the better of me. Irate beyond reason, I reached to slam the classroom door shut and give them a “come to Jesus” talking to. Just before I grabbed that door, however, the Holy Spirit said, “Look!” I did, and what I saw knocked the wind out of me. A girl in line, ready for lunch, was grasping the hinged side of the door, her fingers holding on between the door and the jamb.

I gasped. In a flash I realized If I yield to my anger and slam that door, she’ll lose her fingers! and the fury instantly vanished. God had intervened with His still small voice, and both the girl and I were delivered. I shudder to think about what would have happened if I hadn’t been swift to hear the redirecting voice of God!

If you practice listening to God when you feel anger rising, it will spare both you and others a lot of pain and grief. And believe me; the disaster you avoid by resisting the luxury of indulged rage is priceless beyond measure.

Behavior number 2: Be slow to speak.

If you practice “swiftness in listening”, both to God and others, “slowness to speak and to wrath” will be far easier to achieve. You want to be heard; so does everyone else. Can you trust God that He will give you the opportunity to speak if you obey Him first with your listening? Being slow to speak is one way to “do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). Allowing others to be heard is a key way to show that you value them. If you’re always talking, then you’re not listening, and they’re not being valued!

Behavior number 3: Be slow to wrath

In order to practice being slow to wrath, you’ll need to begin by concentrating on the first two behaviors—listening more and speaking less. In other words, don’t try to tackle anger by trying not to be angry! Most unnecessary conflicts will be headed off at the pass if you simply practice listening before speaking. Anger often arises in relationships when you don’t feel heard. Speaking more than listening opens the door to greater opportunities to get mad—the more you talk, the less others want to listen; and the less they listen, the madder you become!

James’ remedy is quite simple yet very profound. Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. It is so simple that you can practice it wherever you go. Just listen to those around you and then speak in response. You’ll be amazed at how quickly longstanding tensions will start to fade away.

You can even practice this all by yourself. Next time something goes wrong, don’t spout off in anger; don’t kick the wall or slam the door; just listen to that still small voice of the Holy Spirit within you. He’ll show you what to do. This way, you’ll avoid the messes that rage can create.

Last of all, remember this: the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. As righteous as your indignation feels, wait. Listen. Let the Holy Spirit speak. He will, and then as you obey His leading, you will be a true vessel of God’s righteousness.

You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!

Dorothy

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. Proverbs 15:18

James 1:18—First fruits

Posted by Admin on Oct 14, 2014 in James 1 | Comments Off on James 1:18—First fruits

In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. James 1:18

After establishing pure doctrine concerning God, His person, and the truth about trials and temptations, James sums up his thoughts by stating why God chose to intervene in human lives in the first place.

The apostle explained that God entered the earth through His Son to establish a kind of first fruits among His creatures. In other words, it was His desire to do something wonderful and brand new in the lives of anyone willing to receive His Son.

In the exercise of His will…

God deliberately and intentionally planned to deliver you from the dominion of darkness and to translate you into the kingdom of His dear Son (see Colossians 1:13). He left no stone unturned when He embarked upon this intricately detailed special ops mission to rescue you. Before time began, He strategized and prepared this plan. All through the ages leading up to Christ, through the entire earth life of His Son and His agonizing death and triumphant resurrection, and then on throughout the rest of history, the Father watched over and worked His plan—extending it even into your life. And He did it because He wanted to rescue you—since way back before the foundation of the earth.

He brought us forth…

The new, never-before-seen thing that God inaugurated on the earth was to prepare the way for men and women, boys and girls—born with the fallen nature of the human species—to be made entirely new creatures through faith in Christ. The King James Version says that He “begat” us. This is absolutely accurate, because the Greek word used here, apokyeō, means “from the womb” or “to give birth to” (see <http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G616&t=KJV>). Therefore, God executed His plan by paving the way for new birth to take place within the spirits of already-living human beings. This was radical, out-of-the-box thinking. No other religion or philosophy on earth has ever been able to claim the same.

Even Nicodemus, a spiritual leader in Israel, could not fathom what Jesus was saying. He asked the Lord, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” (See John 3:4.) Jesus adamantly replied, “‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:5-7). Jesus knew His purpose was to fulfill God’s determined purpose to “beget” sons and daughters for Himself through the raw material of human lives rescued from sin through faith in Christ.

… by the word of truth…

It is by the Word of truth that you are born again. Jesus is the Word (see John 1:14). He is also the Truth (see John 14:6). As you profess your faith in Christ and receive Him as your Lord, you are begotten of the Father by the Word of truth, and you become a brand new creature. Mission accomplished.

…so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

God’s heart and purpose was to create from among men and women a kind of first fruits. You are among His first fruits if you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. What does this mean about you as a new creature? According to the Blue Letter Bible online, the term “first fruits” is “used of persons consecrated to God for all time” (see <http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G536&t=KJV>). Matthew Henry wrote of the first fruits, “We [are] God’s portion and treasure, and a more peculiar property to him” (see <http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Jam/Jam_001.cfm>).

God’s express purpose from the beginning of time was to bring you to saving faith in Christ and to make you a new person, born again by the Word of truth. As a result, if you have received Jesus as Lord, you are “consecrated to God for all time” and are His “portion and treasure and a…peculiar property” of the Living God. That’s you!

Praise God for this unique new life He has given us!

Dorothy

…He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. (2 Corinthians 5:15)

James 1:17—Good and perfect gifts are from God

Posted by Admin on Oct 13, 2014 in James 1 | Comments Off on James 1:17—Good and perfect gifts are from God

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.  James 1:17

Three great big truths about God are packed into James 1:17. They are:

• God gives good and perfect gifts.
• God is the Father of lights.
• With God there is no variation or shifting shadow.

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above…

Just before this important truth, James wrote, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren” (James 1:16). He obviously felt that it was necessary to warn his brethren that what he was saying could be twisted or undermined by those who did not rightly divide the Word of truth.

He openly stated without apology that good things and perfect gifts come from God. How could such a clear doctrine be twisted? One method is to twist the word “good”. Have you ever heard someone say that cancer was good because God used it to teach something? How about a person who lost a loved one being told to view the death as good—God needed “another angel”? Could cancer or untimely death truly be good or perfect gifts?

One of the first sermons I heard as a young believer stated boldly, “God is a good God; the devil is a bad devil. Good means good; bad means bad.” I learned then that John 10:10 is an excellent standard—even in church—by which to measure information categorizing what is good or bad. This Scripture says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Is something in your life stealing, killing, or destroying? Then it is from the devil—do not be deceived. When you hear that a bad thing is good, beware—something’s not right. Just because it’s taught by an “authority” doesn’t make it so. Dive into the Word and pray; the Lord will bring discernment. I have had to stop listening to different individuals who pushed a warped perspective of good and bad.

…coming down from the Father of lights…

Last week I told you about a counterfeit twenty dollar bill that came into the church when I was on the offering team. I thought something was wrong with it, so I looked at it closely. I felt it. I smelled it. I still couldn’t tell squat about it. But when I held it up to the light, the truth was revealed—the bill was counterfeit. Likewise, when counterfeit “truths” are brought before the Light, they are quickly exposed.

James wrote that God is the Father of lights. His Son Jesus is the Light of the world (see John 8:12). His Word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path (see Psalm 119:105). Therefore, truth and light are in Him alone—not in philosophy, spiritualism, or the multitude of religions that cling to a form of godliness but deny the power. Do not be deceived—there is no other Way, Truth, or Life outside of the One who has come down from the Father of lights. It is His light that reveals the true nature of all things—including every good thing and every perfect gift.

…with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

Have you ever heard someone say, “You never know what God’s going to do”? Perhaps you can’t guess the details of how He will work, but you can bet your bottom dollar that He will not violate His Word—ever. With God, there is no variation. Yes, God is limitless in depth, and He is multifaceted beyond our ability to imagine, yet He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. He doesn’t change His ways or His Word to keep up with the times or to fit in with a progressive generation. His standards are timeless, applying to all mankind, forever.

In the Father of lights there are no…shifting shadows. Here on earth, shadows appear wherever there is light, but with the Father of lights there are no shadows. Why is that? Shadows occur when light is blocked by another object, creating a darkened area. In the Father, no light blockers can be found; He Himself is the light, and in Him there is no darkness (see 1 John 1:5). Not only that, but shifts are created by changes in position. We change position; people and objects around us change positions, but the Father never does. He will not shift in any degree, nor does He need to. He is everywhere present, always bringing light to anyone wise enough, humble enough, or desperate enough to seek. And to everyone who seeks, He will be found (see Matthew 7:8).

Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren:

• God gives good and perfect gifts.
• He is the Father of lights.
• With Him there is no variation or shifting shadow.

And He will remain this way forever and ever.

Dorothy