12 God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?------------------
I feel like there is a theme about not judging others in James. It's crazy because I didn't see that until yesterday after my pastor preached on the same topic. These verses really are speaking to me because I feel like God is speaking directly to me. I need to really draw a line between discernment and judgement...as my pastor said, "it is like walking a balance beam, but we need to learn how to do it". I pray that God will give us all wisdom when it comes to approaching our neighbor about something we think is right or wrong. Not with attitudes of judgement and thinking we have everything together, but attitudes of humility and love. Not to prove that we are right about something, but to show a brother or sister where our heart lies and how you feel about a certain situation. I pray that God will take my pride and realize always that only God has the power to save and destroy!
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
ReplyDeleteAre we seeking God's blessing over our plans or are we seeking God's plans? So many people, including myself, wonder at why God did not do this or did not give me that. We must realize that God is about His glory and His kingdom. Therefore, if our plans are not centered upon Him, why would He grant them to pass? God's plan is best, and as we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.
When we go to God, do we really mean, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?" Is that our highest priority?
When we stop praying for the furtherment of ourselves and begin to pray for the furtherment of the Name and Kingdom of God, then we will begin to see God's power displayed through our lives and answered prayer.
4 You adulterous people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
ReplyDeleteWe can have one or the other. We cannot live for the world and live with Christ. We have to be completely one or else we are completely the other. This is the message i get out of this section of scripture. He is instructing us to be genuine in our attempts to follow Christ. And if we are not then we are liveing for the world.
10 "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."
ReplyDeleteGod is the only one who really knows what is going on in your life. If you humble yourself before Him, He is the only one who can lift your burden. Trust in the Lord for all of your struggles. He would not give you anything you could not bare to endure. Become humble and God will lift you up.