A Look at the Book #425

A Look at the Book #425


by Jesse Abel

Daily Devotional – A Look at the Book #425

A Though for today by Papa “J”

With a stick a child draws a line in the dirt and says to his playmate. &ldquoon’t cross this line, if you do you will be out!” Faith without works is dead. “For God so loved the world that He said; “whosoever crosses this line shall be in” Ever crossed that line before? It is impossible to know Jesus and the cross without faith. Hebrews 11:6

MORE THOUGHTS

In November 1976 I went aboard my first submarine, the USS Kamehameha SSBN-642. A mere thirty-five years ago. So long ago that the only thing that sticks in my mind at the moment is a very long wooden spear. The spear hung on the forward passageway wall; it had once belonged to King Kamehameha! This Hawaiian king was a warrior and so was this submarine. In the cold war it kept the United States of America safe from our enemies by the real threat of nuclear war. Also, by the same method our enemies kept their countries safe. Sailors on the American subs often heard the words; “Alert One” most always these were just drills to keep us ready to launch the missiles, but once in a while the person on the speaking end of the microphone would say that this was not a drill and to “spin up” all missiles. What to get a lump in your throat? In those days for the submarine sailor on a “boomer” those simple words was enough for the lump and the weak knees that followed. The reactions after these spoken words were no longer routine. Belief in our Country’s freedom and faith in our Captain took over. Faith without works is dead. Today this country has no faith in God and if you listen you can hear the agonal breaths of a dying nation. This thought brings heavy sobs to this old guy. Notice if you will – Isaiah 5:1-7

The Epistle of James

James 1:1 – James is writing to his countrymen, in his opening words he identifies them as having been disbursed abroad. Since the book is written around 60 AD, James is not talking to his country in general but to a specific group of Jewish men and women. He is talking to the Christian-Jew after the first persecution of the church. Now there is a lot that can be said about this dispersion but for the sake of time I intend to move on. Maybe as we go we can come back to this subject.

James 1:2 – This servant of God felt a pastoral responsibility to these scattered sheep and this is why we have his epistle. What do you think? Do you ever consider that one day someone will be writing to the scattered believers of the United States of America? Where will we go? Some will stay in the land, some will go. As you well know there will be trials and testing in all of this. Tough times have the ability to bring out the best in us, so James is saying to these people; don’t waste the trial or the test since there is real joy from the results of faith in God. Faith without works is dead.

James 1:3 – I become so excited about faith and works that I can hardly wait to see what God will do and the reason is, is that I like the feeling of “joy” in my heart. I do not like the trial or the test but when all is accomplished and faith is still focused on the LORD, the joy is inexpressible. There is nothing I know of to explain what happened, except the grace of God that blessed the moment of trial and promotes the moment of joy. It is simply unexplainable! 1 Peter 1:3-12, especially verse 8.