Note for study: The Word of God is powerful and full bodied.
These are some thoughts on James.
The hope for all of us is that we hear from the Lord as we read
and integrate what we have learned into our lives.
This is by no means every explanation possible.
The word of God is alive and this is just what the Lord exposed to me.
Keep digging for more, the riches and richness of God’s treasure
is way beyond one person or any certain teaching.
From whence come wars and fightings among you?
come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? v 1
Severe disharmony in the church and in ourselves.
Disharmony, lack of love can be manifest
when we are focused on ourselves instead of the Lord Jesus.
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain:
ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. v 2
People focusing on worldly pleasures instead of godliness.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss,
that ye may consume it upon your lusts. v 3
It is best to pray God’s will.
God gave the Israelites what they wanted, but it was not His will.
In the wilderness when He rained down quails
and when they wanted a king so they could be like the other nations.
There might be more examples…
Ye adulterers and adulteresses,
know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?
whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. v 4
Spiritual adultery.
Those who befriend the world. and who accept the world’s standards,
are against the Lord.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:
for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Romans 8:7
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain,
The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? v 5
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart
was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that
He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.
And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created
from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing,
and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them.
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:5-8
God was beyond disappointed in humans.
Only one person who pleased God of all the humans on the Earth,
just one was pointed out as faithful and God’s grace was given to Noah.
Be like Noah.
But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith,
God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. v 6
The others must’ve been proud, but not Noah.
Submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. v 7
Neither give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:27
Always lift up the Lord Jesus. That causes the devil to be put in his place.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8
Confirming the souls of the disciples,
and exhorting them to continue in the faith,
and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Acts 14:22
Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. v8
The Lord has a reason for putting these two thoughts together.
It would be much nicer to our ears if we just use the first half of the scripture.
The second part is a reminder that we cannot enter into God’s presence with filthy hands. We must continually confess our sins, remember He is Lord,
walk in the fear of Who He is, His majesty, His power, His authority.
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar,
and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way;
first be reconciled to thy brother,
and then come and offer thy gift. Matthew 5:23-24
Jesus said go and do what I ask you to do and then we can fellowship.
Without letting Him wash us, we are not clean.
Peter saith unto Him, Thou shalt never wash my feet.
Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me. John 13:8
Wash you, make you clean;
put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes;
cease to do evil; Isaiah 1:16
This is not talking about washing with soap and water,
but rather a spiritual washing that comes from laying your sins
or failings before the Lord, repenting and allowing Him to do His work in you.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep:
let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. v 9
Exchange your carnal joy for godly sorrow. Matthew Poole.
And it came to pass, when the king had heard
the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest,
and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah,
and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying,
Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found:
for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us,
because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book,
to do according unto all that which is written concerning us. 2 Kings 22:11-13
Take God at His word. He is not pleased with those who engage in worldliness and refuse to take on the burdens He gives us for those who do not know the gospel or who have not submitted their lives yet to Christ.
Eternity is a very long time and God wills that none should perish.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
Do not waste the time you have on earth.
Do not waste your talents and abilities.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up. v 10
God will remind us who is in charge from time to time.
The more we humble ourselves,
the less often we will fall from our perches
and the less painful those falls will be.