SOULJournal

James 3

SCRIPTURE
 ³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴ 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. ⁵Likewise 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. ⁶ 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. ⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, ⁸ but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

OBSERVATION
The words that come out of our mouth give us insight into how much we are allowing God to reshape us from the inside out.

UNDERSTANDING
The Book of James is about faith. But it is not about “saving faith.” It is about the role faith plays in the life of a person who is already a believer.

A believer’s character, attitudes, emotional responses, behavior and priorities are all reshaped by faith. James tells us that those who have been saved by grace and brought into the family of God show that new status in how they live - we are new creatures, the old has gone and we live in a different way.

After telling us that our faith in God must find expression in our lifestyle as well as our beliefs James now talks about some of the challenges that this life of faith has.  Practical problems too, ordinary problems.  Taming the tongue for instance.

 It’s so easy for us to slip and to criticize or say something cutting about our brother. It’s so tempting to gossip. The person who has his or her tongue under control has definitely matured in the life of faith.

LIFE APPLICATION
Lord I present my body as a living sacrifice to you.  Thank you for saving me and now I worship you with my life.  I do not want to conform any longer to the old way of life I lived in before you saved me, instead I ask that your Holy Spirit continually remold my life from the inside out so that my outward actions represent my ongoing maturity in my faith.

 

James 1

SCRIPTURE
 ² Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴ Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

OBSERVATION
We need to change our perspective regarding trials and troubles.

UNDERSTANDING
James tells us that trials and troubles can make us bitter or better and that the testing and ensuing result gives us a state of our faith.  Our faith is only proven in the testing and immediately James tells us that one of the tests of our faith is trials.  But those trials if looked at through the eyes of faith will lead us to joy not bitterness because through the eyes of faith we see that the trials help us to develop a deep commitment to continue in the ways of God - to stay on course.  Faith that leads to joy reminds us that God is in control and that if we will trust Him, everything will work to His good.  Faith reminds us that we are His children with an inheritance that spans this life into eternity and today's trials are a vapor compared to the eternal joy that awaits us.

LIFE APPLICATION
Thank you God for the trials.

James 5

Frank Alfonso

James 5 opens with a warning to the rich, who apparently do not know the Lord. It warns of them to turn to God before the apparent coming of misery is upon them. Verse 4 describes how they have cheated people out of their wages. It goes to describe a luxurious life and "have fatten themselves in the day of slaughter". The footnote describes the wicked are like cattle that continue to fatten themselves on the their way to slaughter, unaware of the fact that they are going to be killed!

How sad that even today we see people who have been "blessed' with wealth beyond our wildest dreams. We watch TMZ or Entertainment Tonight and drool over the lavish homes, expensive cars and extravagant life styles. Yet, in the final analysis, many of them will die and go to hell. Don't get me wrong, who wouldn't want some of those things! I want those things! Then you hear how they die of an overdose or worse yet, purposely take their own lives. You hear how they go from relationship to relationship, in and out of rehab or jail. My first reaction is always anger. I think what idiots, you have everything and still your not happy! You have more than any of us will ever have and you don't know how to appreciate it. Really? Do they have more than me?

Lord thank you that you have blessed me with everything I need, and some things that I just really wanted!. Thank you that you have blessed me with a wonderful family and good friends. Thank you that you provide for me and those I love each and everyday. Thank you Lord that when I have been at my lowest points in life, The Lord is always above me reaching down to pull me up. Thank you that you have placed me in a church whose Pastor is not afraid to preach the truth and what we NEED to hear, not just what we WANT to hear. Thank you for a church family that has caught the vision of the Great Commission. Thank you that I have what they don't have: A relationship with a God that loves me more than anything in the world.  So Lord first of all, heal me of my desire to watch TMZ or Entertainment Tonight! Until you do, when I do watch thank you for reminding ME how rich I am.

 

James 4

"God is a fiercely jealous lover. And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you'll find."  v5 The Message 

Why do I have such a hard time surrendering to God?  Why is it that when things don't work the way I think they should I tend to abandon God and try any other method to get what I want?  Why is it so hard to walk out what I say I know...that God loves me, wants only what is best for me and what He gives, in love, is far better than anything else I will find.

Lord, as I have to do everyday when I face circumstances that don't go my way, I chose to desire what You desire for me.  I chose to pursue Your way not my way.  Forgive me for letting my selfishness and desire for self-preservation get the better of me sometimes.  I choose to trust You.

James 3

Frank Alfonso

James 3:9-10

Verse 8 says: "but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." Followed by: "With the tongue we praise out 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 is full of great word pictures. It describes how a relatively small part of our body, such as the tongue, can create such havoc in our lives and the lives of others around us! Wow, I am sure that all of us have instant flashbacks to a time or times in our lives when this was so true. I can think of a number of instances when the moment those "words" left my mouth I wanted to reach out and snatch them back. Of course no way, too late for that!  As I am doing these journals the night before, I thought about my day today. Did my words honor God? Did I refrain from gossip? Did i go with the flow or swim against the current and take a stand and show the Christ within me with my words.

Jesus remind me tomorrow (today for you lol) to "tame my tongue". 

I have had a very simple sign above my desk for years now. It says: STOP-THINK-ACT. Maybe i need to add a fourth line: STOP-THINK-ACT-BITE YOUR TONGUE. 

Thank you Jesus for your constant grace you have shown me in my life! 

James 2

Frank Alfonso

James 2 continues in the theme that Faith without Actions is useless (James 2:14). How often we kinda stand on the fact the bible does say that we are not saved by our works or deeds but by our belief in Jesus Christ. So, we have assured ourselves a place in heaven but now what? Well, we gotta get to it!

Put that faith in action by, once again doing! How often have I obediently gather in "groups of two's and three's" in church and someone has shared a need.

So what do I say? Let me pray for you brother or sister. I pump out by heartfelt prayer, say amen, maybe a share a hug and enjoy the rest of the service. Ahh but verse 16 reminds me: "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?"

 

Yes prayer is important. We have to turn it over to God, however, lest I forget that maybe just maybe I may not only be the conduit buy which God receives a need but also the instrument that God intends to use to answer that very need!

Lord don't let me get lazy or complacent. Remind me to pray, but also, move me to action and provide an tangible answer, when I can, to a need. As far verses 1-7 go, I don't show favoritism. I am equally annoying and obnoxious to everyone. Amen, I think?

James 1

Frank Alfonso

Last week Nicole Chiniaeff shared her journal entries with us, they were great.  Thanks Nicole.  This week Frank Alfonso will share his journal entries with us.

James 1 is packed with many things to talk about that I want to pass over verse 2-4 but simply cannot! Pure joy when we face trials which builds our faith through perseverance. This is SO hard for me to live out! I understand what the end result would be: Maturity in our Lord, but pure joy? I am still working hard on that one.I know it's shooting for AN attitude of joy but that's usually where  I find myself. With an attitude, and its usually a bad one!  I find myself skipping to verse 5 and asking God for wisdom to work out this pure joy thing! 

I have referred back to Verse 12 many times in my life: "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has STOOD the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." I love the implication of STANDING firm, hanging tough, not backing down, not giving up or giving in! 

Finally Lord, thank your for reminding me once again: Verse 22 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." Continue to give me opportunity everyday, and the wisdom to recognize it as such, to DO what I know is right and what you have called all of us to be. Doers of the word, not for our sake but for the sake and blessings of others. In doing so, we too will be blessed. AMEN.