Warning to the Wealthy

Warning to the Wealthy
The Epistle of James states,
“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.  
You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.” James 5:1-6.
Here is a warning to the wealthy about their actions.
Now lets make it clear here the apostle Paul states,
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10.
Note it is the love of money that can cause problems. Money is an inanimate object it is neither good nor evil in and of itself. It is how it is used that cause the problem.
The warning James is making here is to tell the wealthy to live and use your wealth in a moral way. Not to take advantage of those who work for you or come in contact with you.
Many years ago when I was considering going into business a very wise person told me,
    “when you go into business make sure you can pay those who work for you a living wage. Not the minimum wage.”
 He noted the minimum wage was only put in place because some in the business owners would not without being forced pay even a subsistence wage which is what my friend believed minimum wage to be.
He noted again wisely that it was those who worked for the business owner who were the ones who helped make the business owner wealthy. That they should be rewarded for their labours even if it meant earning a little less profit.
James is telling all wealthy believers in Christ and for that matter everyone to treat their employees in a moral and ethical way.
This is what James is telling believers. He is warning them that while earthly judges may not judge them God will.
Please think about it.

You are a mist

You are a mist.
The Epistle of James notes

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. 

What is your life? 

You are a mist that appears for a little while 

and then vanishes.”

                                     James 4:14

Isaiah the Prophet stated,

“A voice says, “Cry out.”

 And I said, “What shall I cry?” 

“All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall,

 because the breath of the LORD blows on them. 

Surely the people are grass. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, 

but the word of our God stands forever.” 

                                                    Isaiah 40:6-8.

If you think about it what James is saying is true. We are a mist. We are like the prophet Isaiah said grass. All the glory of mankind is like the flower of the field.
We like grass eventually wither and all our accomplishments all our glory falls, fades away to nothing.
I am told most people are born die and conduct all their lives within fifty to a hundred kilometres of where they are born. When they pass away most are commemorated with is a small grave plot in a cemetery. Their names and accomplishments eventually fading from living memory.
Our lives however do not end when our physical body dies. We continue on throughout eternity. Where we will spend that eternity however is up to us in this life.
The American evangelist Tony Campolo once noted,
“When you were born, you cried and everybody else was happy. The only question that matters is this - when you die, will you be happy when everybody else is crying?” Tony Campolo.
If Christians are correct, and I as a Christian believe we are, we get to heaven through belief in Jesus Christ who is God incarnate.
The apostle John tells us,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men....
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ” John 1:1-4,14,
As Christians we believe what the apostle John quotes Jesus as saying,
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.
Christians believe what the writer of Hebrews tells us,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
If what we as Christians believe is not true we have nothing to fear with respect to eternity. For if God does not exist we have simply lived a good life.
If on the other hand we are right then the implications for those who do not believe have eternal implications.
Please think about it.

Include God

Include God
“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”  
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  
Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  
As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.  
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” James 4:13-17.
The letter of James like all of the Bible is written to believers. And believers in their planning should include God. As James notes we should be saying,
“If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  
We should not be bragging about our plans because even the best laid plans of man can fall apart in an instant. We do not know what the day or even the next hour brings. That is why we should not brag.
Bragging about how much money or profit we are going to make according to James is evil. If we boast it should be in the name of the Lord.
We must remember it is the Lord who made us. That it is He who should be directing our paths in all that we do.
If you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus do you include the Lord in all that you do?
Please think about it.

Of Christians and Judgement

Of Christians and Judgement
The epistle of James records,
“Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.  
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbour?” James 4:11,12.
These words echo the words of Jesus and the apostle Paul.
Jesus said,
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.” Matthew 7:1,2.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
We as believers in Christ have no right to judge others especially when it comes to where a person will spend eternity.
The only people we have the right to judge are those who claim to be Christians, and then only to ensure that they are teaching the word of God correctly.
Jesus told us clearly,

“So in everything, 

do to others 

what you would have them do to you, 

for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” 

                                                          Matthew 7:12.

So if you do not want people judging you. You should not judge others.
Please think about it.

Pharisee of Tax Collector?

Pharisee or Tax collector?
The Epistle of James states,

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. 

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  

Come near to God 

and he will come near to you. 

Wash your hands, you sinners, 

and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  

Grieve, mourn and wail.

 Change your laughter to mourning 

and your joy to gloom.  

Humble yourselves before the Lord, 

and he will lift you up.” 

                                                 James 4:7-10.

If you claim to be a believer in Jesus Christ do you truly humble yourself before Him?
James uses strong words here. He tells sinners to wash their hands of their sins. To purify their hearts. He then states, Grieve, mourn, wail. Change your laughter to mourning you joy to gloom. To truly humble yourself before God.
I think we as followers in Christ Jesus are quite often too casual about our salvation. We say we are saved yet we all sin and fall short of what God wants for our lives from time to time.
It is in those times when we sin that we need to grieve and wail. We need to go to our knees and say “O Lord forgive me.”
Luke’s Gospel records,
“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:  
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.  
I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 
Luke 18:9-14.
In this scenario who are you, the Pharisee or the Tax collector.
Please think about it.

Peace Makers

Peace makers
James the half brother of Jesus writes,

“Peacemakers who sow in peace

 raise a harvest of righteousness.”

                                         James 3:18.

The apostle Paul writes,

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, 

live at peace with everyone.” 

                                                                                 Romans 12:18
To Titus Paul writes,
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,  to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.” Titus 3:1,2.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.
Being at Peace with God and with man is a major part of being a believer in Christ. When we are living peaceably with those around us it is much easier to present the gospel message.
Christianity is not a confrontational faith. While Jesus spoke against some of the practices of the Jewish leaders of his day. He a Jew had that right.
Jesus however never spoke against the secular Roman authorities or anyone outside his faith, nor did his disciples.
Jesus never raised a sword in anger. He lived at peace with those around him.
Thus if we claim to be followers of Jesus we must do the same.
Are you living at peace with those around you?
Please think about it. 

Your Tongue

Your tongue
James the half brother of Jesus writes,
“Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.  
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. 
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.  
Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.  
Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,  but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.  
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.  James 3:1-10.
Here James gives the believer in Jesus words of advice and warning.
 “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
To be a teacher of the gospel you need to be careful. People look up to teachers of the gospel. That’s why it is important that a teacher make certain what they are teaching is true.
Others see Jesus through the lense of a believers life. It is doubly so if they know the person is a teacher of the gospel.
Over the centuries many people have been led astray by false teachers. The apostle Paul even warns,
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4
That is why we as individual believers in Christ Jesus need to read the Bible for ourselves and get to know what it says.
The other point James makes here is, watch what you say. Guard your tongue.
James noting “Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.”
An untamed tongue can cause a lot of grief. What people say can quite literally change their lives. James notes,
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.  
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” 
Our tongue can be our worst nightmare. If we do not tame it, it can destroy others and ourselves. We must be cautious about what we say. It is better to say nothing than to say something you might regret.
The writer of Proverbs tells us,

“Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,

 and discerning if he holds his tongue.” 

                                                    Proverbs 17:28.

Please think about it.

Wisdom that is from Heaven

Wisdom that is from Heaven
James the half brother of Jesus wrote,
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.  
Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.  
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”  James 3:13-17.
Take a few minutes and read carefully what James is saying here. Ask God to show you your life. Are you exhibiting what comes from God or what comes from this world.
The apostle Paul states,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is 

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  

gentleness and self-control.

 Against such things there is no law.”  

                                               Galatians 5:22,23.

When people look at your life are they seeing these fruits?
Please think about it.

Barrier or Bridge

Barrier or Bridge
James the half brother of Jesus said,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” James 2:14-20.
I once heard a preacher yelling from the pulpit accusing people on social assistance as being “lazy bums”. I couldn’t believe I was hearing it from someone calling himself a man of God.
I admit there are people on social assistance that should not be.
By the same token I know there are many men and women calling themselves men and women of God, preaching from the pulpit that are scamming people. Men and women who are not truly believers in Christ.
Harper Lee in her book To Kill a Mockingbird noted,
“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)...” Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird.
Sadly it is true. The preacher I heard calling those on social assistance lazy will not win one person to the Lord. If anything that person will push them away from God.
Most of the people who are on social assistance are truly in need as are the mentally ill drug addicts and alcoholics are also in need. And we as believers in Christ need to be reaching out to them.
The apostle Paul said,
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” 1 Corinthians 13:1.
As Christians we need to have the kind of love Jesus showed, unconditional love.
We do not know what is in the hearts and minds of a person. We do not know what caused a person to be in the circumstances they are in. However we can help them. Sometimes it’s as simple as feeding them. Other times it might be by getting them to a place they can get help for their addiction or simply into a safe injection sight.
Doing this builds bridges between those in need and God.
The way I see it if you claim to be a believer in Jesus, you are either a bridge or a barrier.
      I live in a city with a canal running through it. Periodically the bridges go up to allow ships to pass by. What was the roadway allowing safe passage for all, becomes a huge concrete and steel barriers, preventing all surface traffic from reaching the other side.
You are such a bridge. You can choose to be in the up position and prevent people from coming into contact with Christ. Or you can be in the lowered position allowing all who wish to pass safely over.
You do this through your words and deeds. It is through your words and deeds that people will see Christ. They can either be a barrier or a bridge. It is something all who believe in Christ must be aware of.
As Francis of Assisi said,

“The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon 

some persons will hear today” 

                                                                 Francis of Assisi.
So are you a barrier or a bridge?
Please think about it.

Show Mercy

Show Mercy
James the half brother of Jesus said,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13.
Here is a caution from James. “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom...”
As Christians we must be careful how we speak and act. Our words and deeds can introduce Christ to a persons or turn them away. The writer of Proverbs states,

“Reckless words pierce like a sword, 

but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” 

                                              Proverbs 12:18.

I think especially today in our high tech world, where our words can be transmitted around the world in an instant and never be retracted we must be careful.
We as followers of Christ have no right to judge someone else, especially when it come to where they will spend eternity.
We must show the love of Christ to all we come in contact with. For in doing so we show God’s mercy to them.
We must remember the words of Jesus who said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17.
Furthermore, James reminds us, “...judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.”
Jesus tells 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.” Matthew 7:1,2. 
Please think about it

A Law Breaker

A law breaker
James the half brother of Jesus wrote,
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.  
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.  
If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 
Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?  
But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?  
Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? 
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.  
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.  
For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.” James 2: 1-11.
James here as he does throughout his letter turns things upside down with respect to the secular world. He calls the poor rich stating,
 “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”
Sadly in our world today as it seems to have been throughout history someone dressed in fine clothing is looked on by many, if not most, to be a good person. A person you can trust. This is not necessarily so.
We only have to look over the past decade or so to see men who are well dressed with a nice house and cars who were nothing more than scam artist stealing from anyone who trusted them.
Someone  told me that a person dressed in a dirty tee shirt and trousers, robbing a convenience store gets away with at most a couple of hundred dollars.
Someone holding a bank up at gunpoint dressed casually gets away with a thousand or so.
However a person dressed in an expensive suit, fine jewelry, driving a high end car and living in an expensive home can get away with stealing multimillions. Yet such a person is usually accepted into exclusive clubs and even our church congregations without question.
Now not everyone who is well dressed and wealthy is a thief. Quite the contrary throughout the centuries wealthy people have contributed much to the spreading of the gospel.
The point James is making here is that all are equal before God and should be treated as such within our church congregations.
James notes,
“But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.  
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.  
For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.”James 2:9-11 
Thus the question becomes in light of what James is saying here, are you a law breaker?
Please think about it.

Religion that God our Father Accepts

Religion that God our Father Accepts
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27
I believe what James is saying here is a warning to all believers.
Tony Campolo the American Evangelist wrote,
“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.” Tony Campolo.
Sadly especially here in North America in many ways what passes for Christianity is simply secular things given a Christian name.
The “pollution” of the world has entered our churches.
Within the so called evangelical churches a confrontational philosophy has taken over in some cases. A philosophy that attacks anything deemed to be “Unchristian”.
While in many of the so called mainline or traditional churches secularism has slipped quietly into their teachings.
I believe it is time for all who call themselves Christians to get back to the basic teachings of the Bible. To remember that it is the inspired word of God and needs to be followed.
I believe a great light shines on Christians. Christians have been given the task of taking the good news of Jesus Christ to all the nations of the world. It is a task we must take seriously.
In doing this task we must present the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the purest form possible.
Francis of Assisi wrote,

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, 

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master,

 grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; 

to be understood as to understand; 

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive; 

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; 

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

                                                                  Francis of Assisi.

Please think about it