Submit, resist, get close

Through this letter, James seems to be quite good at telling people off doesn’t he?! He has a lot to say about how we can get living a life of faith wrong. He shows that how we behave, speak, conduct ourselves and use our intelligence matters. It matters to God, so it should matter to you. In this letter James has been instructing and explaining how to be wholeheartedly devoted to the faith you have because he wants you to take following God seriously. He has been pointing out several issues to help you really consider what your life is about and what you are living for. Are you living for God, the world or yourself? 

If you want to follow God other things need to give way and you need to assess the way you are living and speaking if  you want to grow as a disciple and become wise. Have you been taking onboard James’s instructions? And as you consider your life, are you honouring God with it all or not at all?

Living a life honouring God means considering; your speech, how you treat others, how you suffer, being fair, considerate, putting into practice acts of faith, gaining wisdom, being quiet, avoiding arguments and getting out of sin -  it is a lot, and it sounds like hard work. How can you really get there?

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. 

James 4:7–8 (ESV)

They key to gaining ground in your life with the things that James has been pinpointing, and that you know are growth points for you, is this; 'Submit yourselves therefore to God.' If you really want to overcome and grow as a follower of Jesus, then you have no choice but to submit. Submitting to God means putting yourself under His authority, allowing God to have the say over every area of your life. Letting Him choose how you live, speak and behave, in the big things as well as the small ones. The faith you have in God should be evidenced by how you submit to Him. As a follower of God you cannot just keep doing whatever you want. What you do, say, watch, listen to, attend, even what you eat and drink, where you work, rest and relax - all of this should be submitted to God, is it? You will be tempted to just keep hold of and in control of the things you want because you like them, you want them, you feel they are ok, but is the hold those things have on you ok? What may be ok for someone else to have or do may not be ok for you because you know it causes you an unease or anger if those things could be taken away. Those things need to be submitted to God because it will give you freedom. It is part of resisting the devil. The enemy wants you to be stuck and restricted in your faith and to doubt how much you really love God and want to follow Him. The devil loves half-hearted, non-commital christianity.

James doesn't want you to fall for the enemies schemes of complacency. The word of God says, 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you'! Once you have decided to submit to God and do what He wants rather than your own way, you will be able to say no to what you know you need to, and once you have stood firm and resisted, the enemy will run away - that’s a promise! Just as you run away from sin and temptation, even those little things that you could persuade yourself don't matter, as you run away from those, the enemy will scarper! Why? because you are positioning yourself more into God's presence. You are choosing to get close to God, and the devil cannot go there.

'Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.' If you choose to submit to God, turn away from the devil and invest in your relationship with God, then God will get close to you. God is waiting. He is waiting for His invite into your life. He is waiting for you to give up the old, to break free from what is hindering you, to give up on sin. He is waiting to get in close to you and your life so that you can know His love, compassion, mercy and friendship in greater measure.

So today we have seen that there are two promises in today’s verse; resist the devil and he will flee, and get close to God and He will come close to you. Do you want to see the enemy running from you and know the presence of God more in your life? Both of these promises stem from the command to submit to God - that’s how you get that relationship with God on a new level, that’s how you overcome sin, that’s how you can grow as a disciple and in wisdom. So what are you going to choose to live for from today? What are you choosing to submit to? 

Who are you friends with?

Did you know that there is a wrong way to pray? 

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 

James 4:3–4 (ESV)

To maintain any relationship, communication is important. Talking to God (prayer) is important to grow, deepen, and solidify your relationship with God, but did you know there’s a wrong way to do it? The Bible is full of what you may consider outrageous ways to pray - people plead with God, try to change His mind, rant at Him, shout at Him, question Him. Yet this God considers ok, and the people that talk to Him like that are the people God considers friends! These people are telling God how they are really doing, what they are thinking and hoping. You can do the same - this is an acceptable way to talk to God. However if all you are speaking to God about is asking Him for things that you want just for your own self-satisfaction then that is not the right way to pray. James lets us know that asking for your passions and desires to be granted is not ok. It shows that you’ve put yourself and your wants first, not God. If you approach God as just an entity that can solve your problems and provide your desires, where’s the relationship? It is like approaching God as you would an online supermarket - preparing your shopping list beforehand, putting it all in the basket and then checking out - transaction complete. Is that how you pray? If so, know that God wants more for you. He wants to be your friend. 

How you pray shows what you think of your relationship with God and the world. In your prayer life are you asking God to make your life better and easier on Earth, or are you asking God to help you make known His kingdom here on Earth? Are you praying for worldly satisfaction or help to see things God’s way? This shows who you are choosing to be friends with - God or the world. If you’re a friend of God, you must be an enemy of the world and all it represents, so be mindful of that as you pray. 

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Consider now, what do you want your life to be about? Are you choosing to follow the worlds way or God’s? How you pray demonstrates what you’re about. These verses accept and acknowledge that temptation and sin exist - do you allow these things to dominate you and your prayer life? For example, do you ask God for money just because you want to spend it on things you know you shouldn’t? That’s just one example of what these verses are talking about. 

So then, how should you pray? Are you not allowed to ask God for things? Of course you are! Just think about what you’re asking for and why - in all honesty, are the things you are asking for in line with God’s best for your life? Are you asking for things you know that God wouldn’t want for you? If so, you are not being God’s friend. Imagine keep asking a friend to do something that they feel really uncomfortable with or that they know is wrong, at some point you’re likely to lose that friend and cause serious damage to that relationship. You yourself will become frustrated, angry and disappointed. We know that God is not like any human friend, He does have infinite patience and grace to forgive you and keep listening to you, but if you continue to pray for the things of the world, for passions and desires that are loved by the world but not by God, how is that going to effect you and how you see the relationship you have with God? 

whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 

You cannot be friends of God and the world. The world will lead you to sin and spiritual death, God will lead you out of it and into life. Which are you friends with? You cannot be friends with both. You cannot entertain and enjoy sin whilst saying you are a friend of God, it is not possible. Whoever you’re a friend with, whether God or the world, you’re automatically an enemy of the other. Jesus clearly tells us that you cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24), so you cannot serve the temptations and passions of the world and serve God, so what is your choice? 

Are you listening to wisdom?

 James 3:13 (ESV): 'Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom……

…….17 the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere'. (James 3:17)

‘Who is wise and understanding?’ 

What a good question to ponder - who do you know that is wise? 

James informs us that wisdom, like faith, is shown by how you live. It is not boastful - showing off what you know and understand, or telling everyone how smart you are. In fact, the wisest people listen, consider and then communicate what they believe is useful to convey. 

The wise, James says, are meek. I find it interesting that he uses this word, as meekness is not a quality that you hear of, that people seek to attain, or that seems valued. So it can be difficult to understand what it is. Meekness includes being; humbly patient, quiet in nature, submissive, forbearing and gentle. Reading these words can seem like being meek is being a pushover, but meekness is about knowing where you are taking your bearings from. Meekness in wisdom is about being patient with others and in life, knowing when to speak and when not to, having internal peace, being submissive to God, keeping on going even when it is hard as well as being mild and kind. No wonder we do not see meekness much, do you know anybody with all of those qualities? 

Those that are wise do not let the events of life rock them, they quietly, gently keep going, maintaining the peace in their hearts through their relationship with God. Not only have the wise learnt a lot through the lessons of life, but they do not shout about it. Wise people listen more than they speak, I have seen this in those that i would consider wise. They are often quiet and considered, and when they do communicate it comes with a weight as the power of their experienced words settles on the ears of those who hear it. Those with understanding wait and consider before they speak - No wonder James has been exhorting us to consider our speech and how much we say - he wants you to become wise! 

‘the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.’

Godly wisdom results in the above qualities. Wisdom is firstly pure - hence it results from relationship with God, if it stems from anywhere else then it could not be truly pure. In its purity, wisdom is unassuming and has no ulterior motive, it is genuine and kind, yet can be so easily overlooked. Wisdom is seen in a life lived out. Those that are wise are known more for their character and conduct than by their knowledge. What they understand is evidenced by how they live their lives and their priorities. If you want to learn from someone who you consider wise - watch them and listen to their insight. 

We are all in contact with people, some of them will be more wise than yourself - do you value them? Do you listen to their counsel and take it onboard or are you someone that just wants to make their own way in the world, disregarding the advice and assistance of others? God has given you wise people in your life for a reason. There are lessons you can learn, mistakes you can avoid and relationships you can build if you are prepared to open your mind and follow the wisdom that is shared with you. Look out for times when someone comes alongside you and offers advice that may be different to how you are living, or that counteracts your own ideas or those of society. Those people may be desiring to share a bit of wisdom they have gained to help you also live a life of gentle submission, peace, sincerity and mercy. The wise notice, and when they speak it is worth listening to. They have no motive other than to assist you in living a more wise and godly life - is that what you want for yourself?

The tongue is a fire

 ‘The tongue is a fire’

A fire can be used for many things. It can be used to provide warmth, to cook by, provide light and for guidance. It can also be used to devour and destroy. The same is true for the tongue;

James 3:6–10: the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

Here James tells us of the evil that we each have to live with and learn to bring into order. It resides within each of our bodies and has the propensity to produce much harm. The tongue is powerful. It can build up or tear down. You can probably recall times in your life when you have been built up or torn down by the words of others. How have you felt when people have let their tongues be ‘set on fire’? It can be painful, infuriating and untrue, but also uplifting, encouraging and overwhelming. 

If, considering this, you are feeling hurt again as you recall something that has been said to you, then now is a good time to turn around and forgive. Re-read the verses above again. The tongue is a; ‘restless evil’, ‘world of unrighteousness’ and ‘full of deadly poison’. Each human being has to live with that inside of them, so if you have been hurt by someone because of the words they have/haven’t used, appreciate that it is a wrestling match for every human being trying to 'tame the tongue'. It doesn't mean that it is excusable or acceptable what people have said, but you do get to choose whether you are going to live under the harmful words others have spoken over you. In order to be free from the power of those words, you need to forgive. If the tongue is a source of evil as James writes, then do not let yourself be bound to it. By talking to God about it and seeking to forgive whoever you need to can free you from the power of those words. 

The tongue is a real power, the words we use have influence. Just as you have considered how words have impacted your life, now think about how your words impact others. Words are powerful, therefore you should be mindful how you use them. 

Do you harness the power of your tongue? The tongue is powerful as James reminds us it has great potential for evil, yet it also has great potential for good. Elsewhere in the Bible we are told that words can build up or bind up. Therefore you have a choice to make in how you use them - what is your intended purpose in how you are communicating with others? I know sometimes I know what i am aiming to communicate and when i speak i can see from others facial expression that i have completely mis-communicated. Has that ever happened to you? If it goes well i apologise and let them know that what they have heard is not what i intended to communicate and i seek to try again and i have to really consider the words i am using to get across the information i need to. Those moments remind me that what i think i am saying is not what everyone hears. I think this is why James is emphasising the negative side of communication - to remind us that in our natural state we are not the best at communicating. Therefore we need to be mindful that something as simple as talking can have powerful influence in someone's life.

James wants you to recognise that if you want to follow God and put Jesus at the centre of your life, your WHOLE self needs to die and be reborn again as it is all evil and therefore all needs transformation. If you want to follow God then your actions, lifestyle, and your physical body need to be renewed. This includes your speech as tongues are proponents of sin. Violent speech, coarse language, angry passion, rudeness, disappointment, hatred and cursing are all communicated via the tongue. They should not be coming from someone who believes in Jesus and claims to be living a life following God though. That is what you can expect from those that have not yet received the love, grace, mercy and forgiveness of God. If you know that you speak in these ways, then you need to know that God wants your nature and your body to come into alignment with honouring Jesus. If you count Jesus as your saviour, then he is the saviour of your body as well as your soul, and he cares about how you communicate, therefore your words also need to be redeemed.

If you find you run away with words that are ‘set on fire by hell’, then you need to put in the hard work of taming the tongue or be quiet. James has already told us at the beginning of his letter to listen more than we speak - no wonder if the tongue is such a torment and a trial to tame! 

There is good news though - words can also build up. As the tongue is a fire, it can also be used for good. Are you up for harnessing the power of your tongue to bring encouragement, hope, rest, truth, justice, kindness, hope and love? Just as the tongue can be used for evil, it can also be used to honour others and honour God. It just takes some work on your behalf to do that, are you prepared to allow God to tame your tongue by asking the Holy Spirit to transform your words into those that bring life to others?

‘The tongue is a fire’

What are you going to set alight today? 

Are you going to intentionally bring harm or good from the powerful instrument that God has given you?

Is your faith active?

 What is faith if it doesn’t affect your life, character and behaviour? 

‘faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead’(James 2:17).

If you believe in God and trust that the death of his son, Jesus releases you from sin, then you may well have faith. Yet, if it does not impact your behaviour and result in doing good things then James is telling you that the faith you have has no life. It is useless, dead. Faith is evidenced by how you live your life. What you really believe about yourself and your relationship with God impacts your character, speech and actions. How you treat others and what you do with your life is proof of what you believe. What do you think your life shows about what you believe? 

If you are someone that says they follow God, then are you demonstrating this by doing good things for others? It could be; talking to the lonely, feeding the hungry, helping those on the edge of society. If you think that taking part in these things is unimportant, then James asks you this,‘Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless’? (James 2:20). James is challenging you to consider the impact your life through faith has on others. Faith in God is not just about salvation for your soul. If you have really begun to understand who you are and who God is then you should be spurred onto doing good works in order to demonstrate and outpour the love you have for God. An alive and active faith is one that does something about the distresses they see in the world, that loves the poor, lonely and unlovely, that cheerfully gives without the expectation of receiving. Does the faith you have sound at all like that? Or do you need to be shown that faith with works is useful, and without them is useless?

Reading the Bible and hearing of others adventures of faith is inspiring. Not one of the Old Testament or New Testament followers of God led lives that were devoid of ‘good works’. They all made mistakes, like we do, but they all put their faith into practice by being obedient and doing things beyond the ordinary, spurred on by the faith they had. Peter was a passionate disciple of Jesus, and he got it wrong sometimes, but he also got it right when he went out and told people who this Jesus was, when he prayed for and healed people. Jonah was a man of faith, and even though he tried to run away from God, he was eventually, begrudgingly obedient - even when he didn’t want to, he put his faith into action. Would we have considered these men, or any other characters in the Bible people of faith if they hadn’t done something to show how much they trusted God rather than themselves? What if Jonah had just kept on running away? Or Peter had got disappointed with the correction and gone back to fishing for the rest of his life keeping his head down? Faith is demonstrated through your actions - so what do people see of yours? 

‘Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works’ James 2:21–22.

Abraham took the journey of sacrificing his son because he knew God was faithful, and he, Abraham was acting in faithful obedience to the word of God. He walked the journey by faith as well as in heartache. If he hadn’t of done, what would have happened? There would have been no story of a miraculous provision and survival, Abraham and Isaac’s story would have been very different and so would ours. As a result of Abraham’s willingness to give his son’s life into the hands of God, Abraham is promised that he will be blessed and there will be a blessing for the generations to come because of his act of obedience! Even, ‘all nations on earth will be blessed because you have obeyed me’! (Genesis 22:18) Wow! 

What could be the impact of your obedience to God? 

Abraham put his faith into action by following the call of God, even though it was heartbreaking, tiring, difficult and confusing. He still did it because he knew above his own understanding that God is good and faithful, therefore Abraham trusted Him. Abraham’s faith was tested and we can, ‘see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.’  (James 2:24).  Abraham’s life and obedience in word and action is just one of the many examples in scripture and history that you can learn about putting faith into action. Would you have admired and respected Abraham as much if he had turned around to God and said no? Have you said no to God? How long will it be before you turn round and say yes? The impact of your yes in obedience to God will not only bless your life, test and stretch your faith but will bless others even for generations to come. Let your faith live. Give the faith you have a chance to grow, it will be uncomfortable, confusing and painful, but do you want a living faith or a dead one?

‘For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.’ James 2:26