July 31, 2009
~Denise Grant
James 5: 1-5 – “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.” James is proclaiming the worthlessness of riches, not the worthlessness of the rich. Today’s money will be worthless when Christ returns, so we should spend our time accumulating treasures that will be worthwhile in God’s eternal Kingdom. Money itself is not the problem; It is the love of money that leads to evil –This is a warning to all Christians who are tempted to adopt worldly standards rather than God’s standards – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2. Matthew 6:19; “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal”, and Matthew 6:21; “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”, clearly states what Jesus says about riches.
James 5:6 – “You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.” The defenseless people James mentioned here are probably poor laborers. The poor who could not pay their debts were thrown in prison or forced to sell all their possessions, and at times, even sell their family members into slavery. With no opportunity to work off their debts, poor people often died of starvation. God called this murder.
James 5:7-8 – “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” Do you plant a garden? Oh how I grow impatient while waiting for my garden crops to grow. It’s a process which cannot be hurried. A good farmer simply cannot take the summer off and hope that all will go well. Hard work ensures a plentiful harvest. In the same way, we must wait patiently for Christ’s return. There’s nothing we can do to make Him return any sooner than He has planned, but while we wait there is much work we can do to advance God’s Kingdom. As Christians, we must live by faith, looking toward our future reward for our hard labor. The King will come when the time is ripe.
James 5:9 – “Don’t grumble against each other, brothers or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!” When things go wrong, it’s too easy to blame others for our miseries, isn’t it? Blaming others is easier than owning our share of the responsibility, but it is both destructive and sinful. Before you judge others for their shortcomings, remember that Christ, the Judge will evaluate each of us – “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Matthew 7:1-3. He will not let us get away with shifting the blame to others.
James 5:10-11 – “Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” Job was a wealthy and good man who suffered for no apparent reason. Sadly, our world is just like that. But Job’s story does not end in despair. Through Job’s life we can see that his faith in God is justified even when his situation looked hopeless. Faith based on rewards or prosperity is hollow. To be unshakable, faith must be built on the confidence that God’s ultimate purpose will come to pass. Many people think just because they believe in God, they’re somehow protected from trouble – so when difficulty comes, they question God’s goodness and justice. The message of Job is that we should never give up on God just because bad things happen. Faith in God does not guarantee personal prosperity, and a lack of faith does not guarantee trouble. God is definitely able to rescue us from suffering, but He also allows suffering to come for reasons far beyond our understanding.
James 5:12 – “Above all, my brothers, do not swear – not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.” A person with a reputation for exaggeration or lying often experiences great difficulty getting others to believe them on their word alone. As a Christian, you should always be honest so that others will believe your simple yes or no. By avoiding lies, half-truth, little white lies and omissions of the truth, you will become known as a trustworthy person – a character always pleasing to God.
Heavenly Father,
Help us as we strive to live holy lives before You. Our souls thirst for You, O Lord. We confess our iniquities and pray You remain patient with us. We commit our ways to You and trust in You always. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Denise Grant - Just "clay" in the Master Potter's hands.
"If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." ~Ronald Reagan
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