A Daily Devotional – James, the Epistle – Personal Meditation
Comment: Proverbs 22:2, The rich and the
poor have this in common; the LORD is the maker of them all! The results of
faith and works is revealed in our personal life through humbleness of heart. As
James begins to conclude his epistle, (chapters 4 and 5) I believe he turns his
attention directly to the results of personal faith and works within the church
as it too, ought to reveal this same humble obedience. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man God,
may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy
3:16-17.
Devotional: The
apostle John in Revelation, records the letter dictated to him by Jesus, to the
church at Laodicea, (see chapter 3:14-22). The Faithful and True witness of God
(The LORD Jesus) reveals to this church that the personal faith/works that He observes
is lukewarm; it is ineffective, neither hot or cold. What may come to the mind
of the reader is answered by the LORD Jesus as “repulsive to Him”! Why? Because you say, ‘I am rich and have become
wealthy’ – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and
naked.
I suppose that we could say like the optometrist; “my
patients are near sighted or far sighted people”. However; many believers in
Christ (among other trials and tribulations) have vision problems too, in that
they are spiritually self-sighted and spiritually blind. The results are
destructive for any church, so as Jesus reveals this condition in the Laodicean
church, in that He is not invited in and stands outside the door seeking
entrance. James and Jude in their epistles reveal that this ‘oppression’ is
caused by a lack of common faith.
If we fail to profit from the trials of living by
faith that produces ‘good works’ (2 Timothy 3:16-17 and James 1:2-11) the testimony
of our church will also fail by ‘stiff-arming’ the Holy Spirit’s work of
guiding the church through the ‘whole counsel of God and the revelation of the Rich
purchase of Christ’ see Acts 20:27-28. In other words, we will be no better
than the world, using the temporary riches of the world, and not the riches of
godliness; 1 Timothy 6:6. This is a “last days” picture of most churches in the
United States of America.
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