James Episode 4

James 1:5-11 

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. (James 1:5-11 [KJV]

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Transcript

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Let’s get a running start from last episode;

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. (James 1:5-8 [KJV]

The obvious person that comes to mind in this passage is Job. When I began studying the difference between the early church doctrine of the resurrection and the modern church doctrine of the rapture, Job’s statement that I had heard so many times before offered fresh insight, but to today’s subject, what does he say?

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. (Job 19:25-27 [KJV]) and again; Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. (Job 13:15-16 [KJV])

The waves being driven by the wind illustration shows up perfectly the lives of some when certain trials come upon them. The Master put it this way in His parable about the sower; And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mark 4:16-19 [KJV]

I don’t want to add to what Jesus, Job, and James have said, but in my own experience, I’m not an artist by any stretch of the imagination. I can draw stick people, but I have learned that if you want to draw a straight line, you don’t watch where your pencil is, but where your pencil is going.

It's like when Peter was out on the waves, when Jesus agreed to allow him to walk on the water out to Him, he did not sink so long as he was looking at where he was going as opposed to where he was. But as soon as he took his eyes off of the Messiah he began to sink.

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. (James 1:8 [KJV])

If you are unstable in your faith in God, then you’re probably unstable in your family life.

If you are unstable in your faith in God, then you are probably unstable in your career.

That does not mean there is no hope. James told us if any man lacks wisdom let him ask God, well, I say if any of us lack faith let us take lesson from the man whose son had a devil; Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. (Mark 9:23-24 [KJV])

None of us are perfect, Paul says; Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14 [KJV])

So when I say unstable, I’m not saying it to shame you if you fall into that category, I’m saying as an older brother that has been there, none of us have made it yet. Cry out to God for help, get stabilized and move forward!

Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. (James 1:9-10 [KJV]

The way this is worded, at first glance, it appears James is talking about a poor believer and a rich unbeliever. Actually, the contrast is likely being made between 2 different believers, one poor and the other rich. In fact, breaking out the CJB, it’s translated this way; James 1:9 Let the brother in humble circumstances boast about his high position. 10 But let the rich brother boast about his being humbled; since, like a wildflower, he will pass away.

I’ve made jokes about wanting this kind of temptation, but what does our Messiah have to say about this subject?

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:23-26 [KJV])

We’ve all heard that special hidden knowledge that uninitiated have yet to learn, about the “eye of a needle” being a special gate and the camels getting down on their knees when the gate was closed and scooting their way in. As difficult as that may sound, if that is true, and it was doable as the story goes, then why would the disciples be, “exceedingly amazed”?

I want to preface this statement by saying, you do not have to be poor to serve God. I’m sure God has called rich men and used them mightily and I’m sure God has called poor men and used them mightily.

But the apostle Paul puts it this way, For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. (I Corinthians 1:26-31 [KJV])

If a rich man is converted, starts preaching, and out of his wealth builds a marvelous church to the glory of God, people will talk about how wonderful the man is and all he has done for God.

If a poor man is converted, starts preaching, and God opens doors for him to build a church to the glory of God, people will talk about how wonderful God is and all God has done for that man.

In most of the west, our poor are wealthy compared to the eastern nations and nations of the southern hemisphere. I devoured the biography brother Doug Joseph of Clarksburg WV did on Billy Cole, if you’ve been a listener for any amount of time you know I’m a huge admirer of Billy Cole, probably a WV thing, but anyway, some of the pictures in the book of structures that were little more than a roof held up on poles to keep the rain off in the wet season. That was their church. I’m confident to say God holds that in as high regard or maybe even higher, than any of the grand churches we have in the west. Why? Because the poor operate in faith!

2 things I would want to preach if I thought I was preaching my last message, one of them would be out of Matthew 24, Don’t be deceived! And the other I mentioned in the last episode, Hebrews 11:6 without faith it is impossible to please Him!

For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. (James 1:11 [KJV])

This is likely referencing Isaiah; The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. (Isaiah 40:6-8 [KJV]

I’d like to tie this in with what the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians again, According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (I Corinthians 3:10-15 [KJV]

I know sometimes I come across as being against money, but really I’m not. I have found though that faith is the currency of the Kingdom of God. In Acts at the Gate Beautiful, Peter says to the lame man, “silver and gold I have none”, to Simon the sorcerer Peter says; “thy money perish with thee” and again it was Peter who reminds us that; Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (I Peter 1:18-19 [KJV]

It’s not that silver and gold are an abomination, they are a tool, but one day they will mean nothing. One day that sort of wealth will mean nothing. Our lives are here and then gone. Men build business empires, or they buy luxurious homes for their families. They skip worship service to make money to send their children to a college that will teach their children that God is a myth. All these things will come to an end, what are you doing for His kingdom?

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