Bible Verse Synopsis 2-9-25
James 1:
James begins his Epistle with a humble message and very brief introduction of himself as "a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ." Do we also address ourselves in this manner? The impactful word there is servant. He was not saying all the other things He was. A disciple, a blessed man, and a brother in Christ but a SERVANT. How do we serve the Lord every day? Do we serve Him with our weaknesses as well as our strengths? I can struggle with this last part too. I am also but a man. A weak man that easily gives into temptation. Especially without the Lord's help. This is part of our journey of Faith! He challenges us daily! Find joy in the trials of man as they "should" bring us closer to Him. This should mature our Faith in Him.
As our Faith matures our journey through life should become less of a jagged path. Veering around the path with God is no way to live one's life. Our faith must be exclusively in Him and allow that faith to blossom and grow. The Lord owes us nothing, we have to show Him we deserve His blessings. Even if we do not receive them, be not discouraged because the ultimate blessing is eternal life. Think not of the riches of this world. The glories of God do not compare to anything here.
We will always be tempted to sin. It is part of our nature since the Fall of Adam and Eve. The same entity (Satan), is always the temptress. God will never tempt us to do wrong by His word. Oft we are enticed by the things that pull on us the hardest, we must reach to God the hardest when these temptations arise. "Dear Jesus, help me!" Say it aloud and be proud of the Word. If we give in and continue to sin, we are destined to die a spiritual death.
These verses are an overview and set the stage for the rest of this verse and the entire Epistle. It truly is amazing how much can come out of the Word in only 18 verses. And I'm sure there is more in there I missed.
James instructions on Christian Living: Listen closely to others, Be slow to speak, and slow to wrath. All of these things slow down the pace of our incredibly fast paced lives. The hustle and bustle we fight off daily is not truly from Christ. Turn to His way and be not in a hurry. Trust that He will take care of your needs. Be pure morally, avoid the sins we can avoid. Mistakes happen but reshape our behaviors to avoid the avoidable. Attach yourself to the Word and receive the messages inside it, for the Bible can save our souls. Have your heart open to receive the Word of God. Do not deceive yourself into thinking you can hide any issues or feelings. Be an open book to the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit into our souls to mold us in His name. By doing this we can be a doer of the Word, not just a hearer. This is where the greatest blessings lie. In the work of the Word. If we can do these things, there is no stopping us and moving us forward in His name. Be gracious for the gifts from our Lord and give thanks everyday. Amen.