God is Life

One of my teachers at Bible School loved to talk about this fact: that God is the essence of life, the explosion of life, the abundance of life.

She reminded us constantly that creation shines forth Christ. That creation shows us who God is because it is a physical image of our invisible God.
So then... what does creation reveal? God is life! (Rom 1:20) The farthest thing from God is death and that is why sin can only ever produce death. Abundant life can only ever be found in Christ (John 6:68). And anyone who does not have the Son of God does not have life (Rom 8:9)

Here is an astounding list of different ways that God is shown as life in the scriptures; God is the: "breath of life" (Gen 2:7) "tree of life" (Gen 2:9); "spirit of life" (Gen 7:22); "assurance of life" (Deut 28:66); "restorer of life" (Rth 4:15); light of life" (Job 33:30); "path of life" (Psa 16:11); "fountain of life" (Psa 36:9); "way of life"(Prov 6:23); "well of life" (Prov 10:11); "resurrection of life" (Jhn 5:29); "bread of life" (Jhn 6:35); "prince of life" (Acts 3:15); "justification of life" (Rom 5:18); "newness of life" (Rom 6:4); "aroma of life" (1 Cor 2:16); "word of life" (Phl 2:16); "book of life" (Phl 4:3); "promise of life" (2 Tim 1:1); "crown of life" (James 1:12); "grace of life" (1 Pet 3:7); "water of life" (Rev 21:6); "river of life" (Rev 22:1); "preserver of life" (Gen 32:30); "blood of life" (Lev 17:11); "life of all flesh" (Lev 17:4); "life and length of days" (Deut 30:20); "faithful through life" (Jos 1:5); "bound in the bundle of the living" (1 Sam 25:29); "sparer of life" (1 Kings 20:31); "life of every living thing & the holder of life" (Job 12:10); "taker of life" (Job 27:8); "deliverer of life" (Psa 22:20); "strength of life" (Psa 27:1); "the one who remembers every life" (Psa 74:19); "life forevermore" (Psa 133:3); "wisdom of life" (Prov 4:13); "the one who will reward the living" (Prov 10:16); "the King's face is life" (Prov 16:15); "the fear of the Lord leads to life" (Prov 19:23); "humility towards the Lord leads to life" (Prov 22:4); "giver of life" (Ecc 8:15); "takes vengeance on life for life" (Jer 51:6); "life brought up from the pit" (Jhn 2:6); "the server and ransom of life" (Mar 10:45); "life is in Him and He is the light of men" (Jhn 1:4); "to believe in the Son is everlasting life" (Jhn 3:36); "life to the world" (Jhn 6:33); "His flesh is life" (Jhn 6:51); "keeper of life" (Jhn 10:28); "eternal word of life" (Jhn 6:68); "His name is life" (Jhn 20:31); "appointer of eternal life" (Acts 13:48); "we are saved by His life" (Rom 5:10); "faith in the Son of God is life" (Gal 2:20); "reaps everlasting life"(Gal 6:8); "He disregarded His own life" (Phl 12:30); "life and immortality brought to light" (2 Tim 1:10); "the soldier fighting for the life to come" (2 Tim 2:4); "hope of life" (Tit 1:2); "power of an endless life" (Heb 7:16); "given us all things pertaining to life" (2 Pet 1:3); "continuing to believe in the Son of God is life" (1 Jhn 5:13); "True God and eternal life" (1 Jhn 5:20); "abiding in God's love & looking to Christ's mercy is eternal life" (Jde 1:20); "the first and last who died and came to life" (Rev 2:8) [many of these points are paraphrased]

Guys, we have access to this life! Christ is the fullness of life! He is the tree of life never out of bloom, the breath of life never gasping for air, the restorer of life never Himself needing restoration. It is His delight to share His life with us;  He will never run short of life.
How is it that this man would come to count His life among the transgressors? That He would come to consider equality with God something not to be grasped? That He would forsake all that we might have all?
How much more- how much more- ought we to consider the vapors that we horde as nothing? It is a privilege to spend our lives for Him.

Nine things are presented in James as worthless (not exhaustive):

1. Prayer without faith
2. Faith without works
3. Patience without endurance
4. The body without the Spirit
5. Self-control of the body without a bridled tongue
6. Doing the law and simultaneously judging a brother
7. Knowing what is good and failing to do it
8. Friendship with the world as well as friendship with God
9. And fervency without righteousness

What's the point, you ask? Why would I bring this up? Don't we already have enough lists of perfection to measure up to...?

In Western society, we have a this vain idea of perfection that can absolutely never be reached. 
We attempt to attain it alone and in our own strength, not caring what or who we are stumbling over to reach our "perfection."
This is not the Biblical idea of perfection.
The Bible doesn't inform us that we are capable of being super-humans, in fact, quite the opposite. We are dead in our sin; useless, powerless, inoperative, wanting...

The word for "perfect" in the Greek is "teleios," a word that denotes completeness, wholeness, maturity, wanting nothing...

James 1:4 puts it this way: "But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (emphasis mine)

Take a look at the list again.  It's not saying "reach this perfection or heaven is unattainable." It's saying, "Come. Come and be clean. Be whole. Let the Master Potter mold and shape you into an honorable vessel, able to be used by Him." It's a call of love, a desire that God's people would not be half-hearted, half-devoted and half-alive.

Think about some of the things on this list. Have you ever tried to do one of these things without having the other part?
 I've had moments in my life of exceeding fervency, but I was unclean and not useful to my Master... I've known moments of desperate prayer, but faith in a Sovereign, unchanging, good Father was nonexistent...I've known times of striving to meet God's standards, but judging those who didn't put forth the same self-conjured effort...
Any one of these things without its counterpart leads to  emptiness. Embracing religion and not Jesus Christ is like storing up barns full of riches only to see them rot and have them as a witness against you, a mark of the vanity which consumed your life...

Allow the Lord Jesus to complete you! He is worthy of every part of you.

"...knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." James 1:3

God doesn't test us for no reason.
He doesn't have a dice that He calls Gabriel to pull out of the closet once a week with our names on it, "Hmm, who should I test today?"

This was Job's error: he knew God was good and he didn't question his own right standing before the Lord, but he questioned God's purpose for allowing Job to suffer.

“What strength do I have, that I should hope?
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?" -Job 6:11

Job didn't see the reason for His suffering, nor did he yet see God's complete sovereignty in His eternal purpose, therefore it was extremely difficult for him to endure. But Job defines His fault after God reveals His worthiness and glory.

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
But now my eye sees You." -Job 42:5

The testing of our faith [fidelity, assurance] produces [results in, performs, finishes in] patience [constancy, cheerful endurance, expectancy, hope] 

The word for patience in the Greek also bears this idea of submission, a coming under and abiding.

When we have experienced God's ways, God's means of growing us (usually through difficulty), we will begin to understand (oh, and this word "knowing" is "Ginosko" = knowledge through experience and relationship) how God works. We will begin to realize the hope in front of us because we know that our God doesn't do anything without purpose. We will not find it difficult to trust Him because we've seen Him come through in the past.

Here's the catch though, in order to know Him in this way, in order to be able to come under Him and trust Him and hope in all circumstances, you have to go through the trial! The first time this happens, you won't have experience to look back on. You will have to fix your eyes on Jesus and trust that He will work out His ends in your life.

 

-The Heart of God-

Have you ever stopped in the middle of what you're doing, and wondered at the Lord's transformation of your heart? 

I have! There are things in my life that I absolutely know did not originate with me. They just didn't. 

My sinful, flesh-gratifying nature that takes over without the Lord's intervention just wouldn't do certain things...

...I found myself having one of those moments today. 

I was praying for a friend who is so dear to me. A friend whose culture, lifestyle, and values are completely opposite my own. I am deeply burdened that God would get a hold of her life. 

"What? How did this even happen? How did we even become friends?" I sometimes wonder.

But the Lord taught me that just like anything else, gaining the heart of the Lord for the lost, no matter how opposite and outwardly incompatible you may be with a certain person the Lord has placed in your life, originates with obedience. 

You see... there was a time I was tempted not to stay in contact with this person. Not that I didn't want to talk to her, I just knew that it would take a whole lot of effort on my part and she lived far away and... 

it didn't matter! God began our friendship. He allowed us to meet and through my obedience in praying and communicating with this person, He has allowed me to gain His heart for her, to see her through His very eyes.

God doesn't give us His heart by transplant, but by intense, risky surgery. He renews it and sanctifies it as His sheep walk in obedience. 

"Follow me," He says, "and [then, once you have moved your feet] I will make you fishers of men." (Mat 4:19)

Move your feet, and He will move your heart.

This meditation on the Song of Solomon was inspired by a message I received at Bible School. Our teachers shed a new light on the Song of Solomon. They showed us how the Shulamite and her Beloved (Solomon) have a devotion to each other that we ought to emulate in our relationship with Christ.

 The more I read this book, the more amazed I am at the Shulamite's complete disregard for any opinion but her Beloved's (this grows after they marry and the longer they are together), and her Beloved's devotion to her despite her nonexistent status. It's a truly beautiful picture of how we are to count all that we must lose for Christ as nothing compared to dwelling in His presence forever... 

Reflection on Song of Solomon

            Intro:

            Eve, the Mother of the Living & the Dead:

The curse is heavy. It is shameful for my Lord to behold my face! How shameful. I hide from Him. He shall never again behold me, for I know I am helpless, naked, vile.

My feet carried me into the midst of the garden. Mine own heart yearned for the forbidden thing. My ears accepted the Serpents lie with great gladness, each compromise brought me closer to the desire of my heart.

I have violated the law of liberty, which the Lord once taught me. I have forsaken the inheritance of my father.

I have worshiped the god of desire & have believed that I myself could be a god. I have abhorred the name of the Lord & made Him like me, capable of  covetousness and deceit.  I have found rest in mine own pleasures and despised the Lord of rest. In my tyranny I have brought forth death to all things, now everything which comes forth from my womb will bear a curse and no blessing. I have lied to my husband and forsaken him. I have stolen of the tree of good and evil, and I have been found out. In one stroke have I trampled every law the Lord has established. 

O my God, where shall I go? Who can deliver me from this body of death? Who can wash my guilt and make me again a pure bride, knowing nothing of evil and trusting my Lord?

But You, O God, fearful and holy, have promised me, even me, a Redeemer. You have promised to make a way back into your holy presence. You have promised to form a man not of my polluted form, but of your seed. You have promised a Messiah from a man named David, and His name shall be called Emanuel...

            In The Presence of the King:

            The Shulamite:

You have invited me back into your garden, Solomon wisest of kings. Wisest of men, you have welcomed a foreigner to tend your vegetation, as if they were mine also.  How is it that you would trust me, O Solomon, a foreigner in your father's house?  A curse among your people?

O Solomon, I will do all for you! Tell me to stay and I will stay. Tell me to come, and I will run to you!

Tell me not to eat, and I will trust. Tell me to partake, and I will savor.

O Solomon, fairest among men, you have brought a rebel into your tent, a daughter of Eve, born under the same tree as the one bold to abhor your statutes. But I will not hide under the fig leaves. My face bears no shame, but reflects the glorious countenance of my king. Why should I hide myself from thee, my Beloved? No, but I will even hide in You!

O Solomon, with the strength of my life, I will pursue you. I will not stop until I am in your embrace.

In the last watch of the night, I will run into the square crying out, “where are you, my Beloved?”

If the watchmen find me and beat me, you will know. You will remember and will not hold them guiltless. There shouts may prevail in the streets, among the peoples they may accuse me. But when they stand before the gates of your kingdom, woe to them! They will be cast out and utterly destroyed.

I may be alienated in this life. In your absence they may refuse to recognize me as your wife, but I am convinced that even then you see. Even then your eyes know all, O wisest of kings.

If they take me for a prostitute and accuse me of every vile deed, what is that to me?

What is it to me if the sons of mere men malign me? Solomon, you have approved of me! I have found favor in the eyes of the king, what more does my heart need for peace? Beloved, you are my peace.

You have redeemed me. My redemption was costly, sealed with the eternal seal of your love. This seal is as strong as the curse of death and stronger still- for you have put death to utter shame.

Now Solomon, not only have you given me your footprints to follow into your garden, but freedom to take from any tree, to drink of your honey, the honey of your lips, which is sweeter to my mouth than all things.

You have allowed me to partake of the jewel, the very crown, or your garden: You have given me fruit from the tree of life, which is your life-blood. You have sealed me with your spirit. I have partaken of living water; I will never thirst.

Though I am beyond satisfied, you invite me to partake of the abundance. I will plant myself here, beside your river, that I might enjoy you until forever ends.

You have poured forth wisdom into my heart; I have not hindered it dear Solomon; I have delighted in your statutes.

I have desired the pure milk of your words and they are planted in me.

I have brought forth much fruit, for you have protected me as if I were the rightful queen.

I am enclosed by love's seal. My garden flourishes and smells of spiknard and cinnamon. But though it be my body, my Beloved, partake! You have cultivated this garden with your patient hands. You have pruned it with your wisdom and I have not withheld so much as a vine. How could I, my King, when you have not withheld your sacred body from me?

My garden is small, my Beloved. How I wish I might have given you a kingly gift, but this is all I own.

O Solomon, I have neglected my plot, but not you. It shoots up and its fragrance is as the fragrance of your own garden.

I, O Solomon, now desire nothing but to be with you. In the night too my heart thinks of you. That I may dwell in your house forever, but Solomon, even one day in your courts is worth all. To dwell with you one day is more to be desired than with a thousand foreign princes. Solomon, even if it were in the cleft of a rock, you are the rare prize, the magnificent jewel that my heart covets!

Return! Return my Solomon!

My love is asleep until I again see you.

Be swift, my Beloved, as the gazelle, come quickly!

I will keep watch, my Beloved, for I am love sick.

You have been absent one day and a thousand years have slipped through my fingers.

Sustain me even in your absence and come quickly lest I die of heart sickness.

Desiderio Domonai! Maranatha, my Solomon, Maranatha!

Nothing can break the seal of your love, I will hold you to your promise.

I will know of your coming long before you come, of your arrival long before you arrive, for I will remain sober; at night my heart will keep watch.

I do not wait as a foreigner any longer, but for my husband whose name is faithful and true.

Once my beauty enticed the world, but now I am a reflection of my King. My beauty is not of this world, nor do the

 daughters of men fathom my peace.

I once neglected my portion and wandered, aimless. My Beloved has given me his garden to tend to!

I will my Beloved; I will not let the work of your hands perish.

Your jealousy is cruel and flaming like fire. You keep me locked up, a barred fountain, an enclosed garden. But where else should I go, my Beloved? Who else brings forth life as you do? They tell me, “Look, your Beloved comes!” But I know my Beloved and He knows me. I know His voice, His steps, His ways; I am not deceived.

I will not be a faithless bride. I have tasted of the world, and your honey is a thousand times sweeter.

Even so, my Solomon, return! Already, my Beloved, I am sick for love! Maranatha, my King, come quickly!

-Five Benefits of Studying the Bible Slowly-

I used to read my Bible (mostly) everyday and feel out what I thought the passage might mean (if I wanted to on that particular day). 
That method was frustrating: I was telling myself things I pretty much already knew, or else I was giving my best shot at guessing what the passage meant. I wasn't willing to put effort into it; that took effort. I wasn't willing to find out the original meanings of the words, to see what God was really saying, and forget memorization- I was no good at it!  I had been told before that reading one passage over and over and over and over was one of the best ways to get the word inside you- that sounded dreadful!! Over and over ... and over? 

However... when I actually started doing this, that is, reading the same passage daily before studying it for (what will be) months- yes, months. I also started memorizing the verses as I study them, journaling Greek definitions and after all of this recording different thoughts on the accurately interpreted texts- this has been revolutionizing-here are five reasons why:

1. My comprehension of the Word as a whole has deepened. I know this sounds contradictory; but yes, spending a lot of time in one part of the Bible does, in fact, give you greater understanding of all of God's Word. Why? Because the Bible is a cohesive whole, it's not a random compilation of letters, prophecies and history, it's a single record of all of the words of God known to man. It is one man's words, and that man is Jesus Christ.

2. Diligently searching out the original author's intent has huge payoff. God promised that those who diligently seek him will find Him. He hates slothfulness. He hates excuses. He detests those who "interpret" the word so as not to have to obey its commands, but the humble, diligent seeker will be greatly rewarded.

3. The reward is Christ Himself! Studying the word in such depth reveals the heart of God- the Holy Spirit gives sight to those who call on the Lord and pursue Him with all their hearts. 

4.  No longer a forgetful hearer. You cannot forget the word of God when you are swimming in it. It comes back to you throughout the day; the Holy Spirit will remind you of all the things He has taught you in the great moments of decision and even throughout the day for the believer's fullness of joy!

5. When you truly know the word of God, passion follows. God doesn't keep his children in a dry, passionless state. Being passionate about Jesus is possible- but it must originate with the Creator of all things good. We cannot muster up a love for God. Passion follows obedience. Left to ourselves, we will always prefer earthly pleasures. Never will we desire the Lord- that would be completely opposite our fleshly, sinful natures. We must obey in faith and then the Lord's blessing to us is an ignited fire in our hearts- He gives us the ability to return His love.

 

-Pause- 

"Despising the shame..." (Heb 12:2)

Throughout my study of James, I've noticed that James plants different words which reference the rich and the poor (this is only evident if you look at the Greek). He places them strategically to show the Jews the frailty of their thinking; namely, having riches equates to being loved by God.

A verse I came across today struck me and gave light to Jesus' decision to "despise the shame" of the cross, an attitude which is completely opposite this idea that the rich are most blessed by God: "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." (2 Cor 8:9)

Through His poverty... we became rich.

Through His destitution, His beggarly state- we were welcomed into the King's palace and given the right to inherit His riches. Through the stripping of His righteousness, His power, His inherent goodness, His godliness, His equality with the Father to the point where the Father looked at His Son and saw a man covered in the filth of our iniquity, your sin, my overflow of wickedness (James 1:21) - we were given the right to become "children of God." (Rom 8:21)

For all time, we have access to Jesus Christ's righteousness, to the Father's opinion of Him as His "beloved Son." (Mat 3:17) In other words, we received Christ's reputation, once and for all, as blameless, when He took on our reputation of utter shamefulness which resulted in separation from the Father.

In fact, to His children the Lord is now just in saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant." (Mat 5:22)
Did you think you'd receive this praise based on your own merit? Friend- you've missed the entire Gospel!

Why is it so difficult for us to despise the shame and abuse of man? It is so difficult to bless the ones who curse us and love the ones who hate us. (Mat 5:44)  It is so difficult to hail trials from afar with joy (see yesterday's post). And yet... all God has asked us to endure is the shame of men; Jesus was encompassed by a far greater shame... "Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mat 27:46)

We are called, like Christ, to despise the shame of the cross, (and our weight to carry is immensely lighter!) but we are called to do this for a reason... that through our poverty (of pride, self-defense, worldly reputation, regard for self, worldly intelligence or even earthly wealth) others might become rich... 

The only way we can endure the cross Christ has asked us not only to carry, but to be lifted up and crucified on as a murderer, is if we first die to our reputation and identify with our Savior in despising the shame.
 

(James 1:2) "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials"

What an amazing statement made by James! How could he be so bold as to say this? What did he know of trials?
James witnessed Jesus crucifixion. He witnessed Jesus faithfulness to the point of death.

Let's break down this second verse:
James calls the scattered Jewish Christians his "brethren." Those who belong to the same father, who have access to the same heavenly place, enslaved to the same master.

"Count it all joy" means that you are to identify a trial before it comes upon you, and you are to determine in your mind and heart to take joy in the trial! You are to make provision in your soul; believers elsewhere are commanded not to be surprised by trial.
What happens when a soldier is surprised by battle? He is found sleeping, unarmed, mentally ill-prepared, disordered...
But this word "count" is in the Aorist tense: meaning that we must always be found ready.

And get this! It's not only the recognition of the trial that happens from far off- the joy too, comes long before you are encompassed by the trial. The word "joy" means to "hail, greet, rejoice exceedingly, and thrive."

And these are not small, dinky trials we think about (traffic, family arguments, dealing with difficult people...etc.). The trials James is talking about are the all-encompassing ones. Whether temptation to sin, or persecution: all are to be counted as all joy.

Why? Why are weak, scattered, terrified Christians commanded not only to endure trials, but to greet them from afar with exceeding joy...?

The answer is simply this: Christ is worthy. No servant is greater than his master. (Jhn 15:20)

Trials prove genuineness, character, fidelity. Christ was proven! The spotless Lamb was made perfect through suffering, how much more ought we to expect that same proving from the Lord? He has already promised us the victory! He, very God of very God, has promised to be with us "to the very end of the age" (Mat 28:20). Let us hail all trials in Christ's name!

-Pause-

I'm going to take a little break from James today to share something I've been meditating on.

Yesterday, some friends came over and somehow we got to talking about the fact that rarely is anything easy ever worth doing, the opposite is also true.

 It's interesting that hard things usually aren't enjoyable though... at least not in the moment. Even in the smallest things in life- this is true!

Rarely is anyone ever impressed when you tell them you watched a movie over the weekend or had your favorite pizza, but tell them you spent your evening cleaning up the "massive" flood in your basement and they're listening!

 Funny analogy, I know, but think about the truth of it... 

I cannot  think of one thing I've done that was both easy and worthwhile. Sure, there are fun, relaxed moments within the hard seasons, but they always result from the challenges and they never originate lasting friendships or opportunities to speak or live the gospel. Why? Because left to ourselves, we will always choose the easy road. And friends, it is hard to share the gospel. It's uncomfortable. It's offensive. It's politically incorrect. But it's also life!

Easy times are never the things you cherish either!

I volunteered at a camp last summer, and the things I still talk about are the nights we vacuum-sealed ten coolers full of salmon and the week where it rained non-stop and the campers were just as excited about tubing with their counselor (me!) as ever. I don't necessarily talk of the times we stayed up into the wee hours of the night playing card games, or the really good baked-oatmeal, at least not with the same fondness.

There are so many examples I could point to from the Bible which accentuate this point, so many different examples from life... But instead of doing that, I'd like to share with you one of my all-time-favorite quotes that explains why those of us who have yielded our lives to Christ love to choose the more difficult road:

"How can I ever explain to those who insist that we must believe in the world to love it that it is because I disbelieve in the world that I love every breath I take, look forward with ever greater delight to the coming of each spring, rejoice evermore in the companionship of my fellow-humans, to no single one of whom, searching my heart, do I wish ill, and of no single one of whom do I wish to separate myself, in word or thought or deed, or in some prospect of some other existence beyond the ticking of the clocks, the vista of the hills, the bounds and dimensions of our earthly hopes and distress? To accept the world as a destination rather than a staging-post, and the experience of living in it as life's full significance, would seem to me to reduce life to something far to banal and trivial to be taken seriously or held in esteem... In other words, the Christian proposition that he who lives his life in this world shall lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will see it projected unto eternity, is for living, not dying."

-Malcolm Muggeridge, Chronicles of Wasted Time, Chronicle 1: The Green Stick 

"To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings." (James 1:1)

As I went over my notes from the first day of this study in James, I was struck by the contrast of James' position and that of the recipients of his letter.

Whereas James proclaims that he is  a bond-servant after His Lord's physical departure, the Jews he is talking to were hard-core followers while Jesus was around. But after He left, they were shaken.
These twelve tribes were "scattered" due to persecution, but James tells them that they are not to be "scattered" in their loyalties. They still belong to the King. They are still God's chosen people.
James says that he has not used His master's physical absence as an excuse for growing feeble in His faith; he has not used this scattering of believers as an excuse not to stand strong in the Lord. James says that his ear is still pierced. His ear is ever inclined towards His master.
By the words that follow in James' letter, we see that the Jews were neglecting certain commands of God.
"But James!" they might've said, "James, don't you realize we are in foreign cities? We are weak minorities, foreigners. As soon as we begin publicly living out our faith, we will again be persecuted. We know we're supposed to give to the poor, but we ourselves are impoverished!"

How reasonable it sounds. Why would James ask the poor to give to the poor, why not go to other churches and ask them to send money to the scattered tribes? Why ask these refuges to do something that would provoke the leaders of the towns they are in to persecute them? But consider how opposite the thread of this passage in Acts 5:

"But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.  Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.  And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.  When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them.

Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while.  And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men.  For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed.  And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.” (Acts5:29:36)

 Peter and the apostles were proof that this Jesus was no con-man. He wasn't a liar, a rebel, a man "claiming to be somebody." He was very God of very God.
"Don't you get it?" James is saying, "If you become a friend of the world, you are in fact claiming that Jesus isn't worth it, that He wasn't and isn't God! Your life will proclaim that He is still rotting in the grave! Sons and daughters of Israel, we serve the Living God!"

O how much more, brothers and sisters, ought we, in our day, to serve Christ! We have no good excuse to not give, to not live out the Christian life, to not proclaim with our lives that we serve the living God! We are not scattered, but we are owned.
 

I have been studying James for about a month now; I'm going to do my very best to blog about my study at least three times a week. This is such a two-fold blessing! I get to review what I've been learning and share it with you at the same time!


Background: James, the bond-servant of the Lord Jesus Christ

James is Jesus' brother.
He has a good reputation among believers today as being a strong leader of the early church and a man of compassion and action, but this was not always so.
James was a doubter. He did not believe that his brother was the Christ. He hated his brother for claiming to be the long awaited Messiah, the God of all nations, the King of all Kings.
James was most likely present at his brother's crucifixion.
How close was he? Did the scene stir him or did he shout with the rest of his fellow Jews for his brother to be executed? Was he angered when Jesus told His beloved disciple, John, that he was to take Mary as his mother and that he would be her son? (Jhn 19:26)

We cannot know what took place inside the mind of Jesus' brother that day. In fact, there is very little information about him prior to Jesus' crucifixion. What we do know is that Jesus appeared to his brother (probably alone) after His resurrection. (1 Cor 15:7)
James saw. He saw his brother's nail-pierced-hands, speared side, and his glorified body. He saw God. The King of all Kings. His long awaited Messiah.
Was there much shame in that moment? Certainly. Joy? Unspeakable!
What is most amazing about this story to me is that James is proof of the words Jesus would later speak: "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you." (Jhn 16:7)

James literally grew up with Jesus! He learned about life and had growth spurts and shared a dinner table with the Savior of the world. And yet, this profited him nothing. He refused the Messiah. But this story drastically shifts when he is given power from on high.
He becomes a passionate leader of the church intent on the Bride's purity and readiness for her husband, father, friend, brother...
James could now call himself the brother of Christ without any shame.
"For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mat 12:50)