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? 

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things....

Psalm 107

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! 

*2* Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble 

*3* and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. 

*4* Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; 

*5* hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. 

*6* Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 

*7* He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. 

*8* Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 

*9* For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things. 

*10* Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, 

*11* for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. 

*12* So he bowed their hearts down with hard labour; they fell down, with none to help. 

*13* Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 

*14* He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart. 

*15* Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 

*16* For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron. 

*17* Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; 

*18* they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. 

*19* Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 

*20* He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. 

*21* Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 

*22* And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy! 

*23* Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; 

*24* they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. 

*25* For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. 

*26* They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; 

*27* they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. 

*28* Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 

*29* He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 

*30* Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. 

*31* Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 

*32* Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. 

*33* He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, 

*34* a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants. 

*35* He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. 

*36* And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; 

*37* they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield. 

*38* By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish. 

*39* When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow, 

*40* he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; 

*41* but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks. 

*42* The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth. 

*43* Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord. 

This psalm covers many analogies for the different ways in which we can experience life. There are snippets of stories encompassing; confusion, wandering, poverty, restriction, rebellion, dismissing God’s way, imprisonment, seeking riches and climbing the career ladder. I am sure each of us can relate to at least one of these situations. They all indicate times we can find ourselves in through life, often when we are not fully following God or times then we are caught up in the trials and sufferings of life. Yet in ALL of these situations, there is an opportunity to cry out to God;

‘Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.’

No situation is too difficult for God to rescue you from. You have never gone too far, gone too wrong, or got too bad for God to intervene. He is just waiting for an invitation to do so. Every time in the variety of situations listed, the people get overwhelmed, fed up and desperate. Ever felt like that? When the people of this psalm realised they were so troubled and distressed that they could do nothing about it, they cried out to God. They were desperate, scared and incapable of changing their circumstances, so they realised they needed supernatural help.

God is greater than any situation you are in. If you do call upon Him, He will answer. Like He does for the people here. He can meet you in the storm and sustain you in the desert, He can pierce the darkness and obliterate sin. If you are fed up with life the way it is right now, why not try crying out to God? He can deliver you from your distress - He can show you the straight path out of the mess, He can calm the storm,  bring healing and rescue. He can release those who feel imprisoned, He can provide nourishment, bring peace and strength. God can make a difference to whatever situation you find yourself in. So, why not ask Him to? 

Then you can take comfort that in each circumstance listed in this scripture, God answers. He provides, guides, heals, rescues and releases those who have ‘cried to the Lord in their trouble’. You may not realise it yet, but God is working out His plan for you and is coming to deliver you from your distress. It is comforting to know that in the many trials of life, that we can call on God. It doesn’t matter if you never have, or if you always have, God still listens and acts. He doesn’t just lend a sympathetic ear, but He provides a rescue plan, a solution to whatever the circumstance is. He is just waiting for you to call on Him to come. 

As well as the repetition of verse 6, after every event, once the people turn to God, this verse is also repeated, ‘Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!’

The work and intervention of God deserves recognition. When God answers the call of distress, don’t forget to acknowledge it and be grateful to Him. For He has performed ‘wondrous works’ in your life, and He will continue to do so when you invite Him in. Being grateful for God’s great, steadfast, enduring love is something we can all do, but do you? Do you call to remembrance the times when God has transformed your life, situations, health, career, your troubled mind? 

Verses 22 onwards demonstrate some ways in which we can glorify God, and we can use these examples to thank God for what He has done in our lives. Don’t forget to thank God for these things. We have a lot to thank God for, but we do not always remember to do it. I think that is why the psalmist repeats this verse. 

I know God has healed me, He has brought peace to my heart and mind, He has provided for me a family, a home, finances when we have had lack, He has given me a husband and children though the path was not easy, He has broken through situations, provided jobs, restored the lives of those around us,  led me, disciplined me, He has given me hope, prepared me, comforted me, given me strength, energy, He has spoken to me, listened to me and kept me going. 

What has He done for you? 

Surely, He deserves our gratitude and our trust the next time a tough situation comes by….

‘Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.'

Psalm 49

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. 

*1* Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 
*2* both low and high, rich and poor together! 
*3* My mouth shall speak wisdom; he meditation of my heart shall be understanding. 
*4* I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre. 
*5* Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, 
*6* those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? 
*7* Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, 
*8* for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, 
*9* that he should live on forever and never see the pit. 
*10*For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. 
*11*Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. 
*12*Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. 
*13*This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. /Selah/ 
*14*Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell. 
*15*But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. /Selah/ 
*16*Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. 
*17*For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. 
*18*For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself— 
*19*his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light. 
*20*Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish. 

Who is this message for? 

‘*1* Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 

*2* both low and high, rich and poor together!’

Everyone! All people can learn and appreciate what the sons of Korah have learned, all people can benefit from their understanding and observations - are you going to as we read this psalm?

‘*3* My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. 

*4* I will incline my ear to a proverb; ‘

V3-4 The writers of this psalm, the sons of Korah, are confident in what they are bringing. They have experienced life, and have observed and learnt enough to become wise about what they are sharing with us.  I like the fact that this psalm is written by ‘the sons of Korah’. This implies that it is a group effort, a combined understanding. They must have reflected and considered together the composition. The result is the combined wisdom of a group of men of God. They have become men of understanding anf wisdom because they listen to one another and are still willing to learn as they declare ‘I will incline my ear…’. They are practicing what they preach, willing to learn, obey and understand more. Are you willing to take onboard their knowledge?

Here is the crux of the matter these sons of Korah have identified and want to speak about in this psalm ;

‘*5* Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, 

*6* those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? ‘

These men have realised that rich people can be scary. It gives people who have wealth a power that they would not usually have, and others are afraid of it. Those that are sinful and dishonest are also scary, but what good does running scared do? If people who are cheats, rich or wrongdoers come against us, why does that rock us? Can you not see what they are trusting in - money?! what good will that do them long-term?

‘*7* Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, 

*8* for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, 

*9* that he should live on forever and never see the pit. ‘

The reality is, that no other human being can own your life, no matter what schemes or tricks they try to use to make it seem like it. No man's wealth can own you or your soul. It is your life, and God is in ultimate command and in control. The length of your days is determined by Him, no-one else - no matter how much or little money you have. You cannot pay a thing to extend or shorten your days. In the same vane, you cannot buy your salvation, or that of anyone else either, ‘the ransom of their life is costly’. This is not in terms of money, but a far greater cost. We know that it was immensely costly to God as he sacrificed His only son Jesus, so that we all can have the ransom for our souls paid. Only the death of the perfect son of God was enough to cover the debt of our sin, and it is paid. Through Jesus is the only way that we can escape ‘the pit’. Have you accepted the price paid for your life? For your soul? 

*10* For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. 

*11* Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. 

*12* Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. 

If you take a look around and observe the community/world you live in, you will notice that the wise and the foolish both die. The kind and the horrid, the rich and the poor - all have the same destination and that is death. They take nothing with them, all the things that were important in their life are now insignificant. the things they owned cease to be theirs no matter the importance, wealth, or renown of the individual when they were alive. It does not matter what stuff you had in Earthly life once you are dead. The reality is - just like the animals, we too die and are forgotten. 

*13* This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. /Selah/ 

*14* Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell. 

*15* But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. /Selah/ 

The foolish people do not listen, they go their own way and do not consider that death will one day come to them, or consider how that should impact their life. Instead they go, unprepared for eternity into the grave. 

This is not the same for everyone, “God will ransom my soul’- Some people can have confidence as their life on Earth draws to an end that God will save them. Those that have lived in such a way to be acceptable to God through Jesus; when their time on Earth ends, they know God has a plan for them. Those who endeavour to live a life of wisdom; following God, not money, stuff or others they can have confidence that God will receive them. Where do you think your eternal destination will be? Are you living to receive God’s ransom and reception?

*16* Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. 

*17* For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. 

*18* For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself— 

*19* his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light. 

*20* Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish. 

Another reminder that we need not be afraid of one another - of those who have much (or those who have little). When others do well for themselves, do not worry about it, but remember that all earthly things are temporal whether that be money, possessions or property - none of it is owned when the person’s life ends. The reality is, people will admire and commend those who have nice things (v18), but even that praise is short-lived. What is long-lasting is death. What will happen to the rich and poor, the wise and foolish and all those in between is that all will die. The praise of people will no longer be heard on that day, the honours and blessings of Earth will have disappeared - what will remain? 

What are you living for; th temporal comfort on Earth with people's praise? or are you living life focused on receiving the ransom and reception of God? 

how do you explain the inexplicable?

 We have read how Belshazzar was terrified by the mysterious hand writing on the wall, now we see his response as he responds to the shock;

7*The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” *8*Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. *9*Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his colour changed, and his lords were perplexed. 

Daniel 5:7–9.

Can you see his desperation?

The king is so alarmed that in the midst of the celebration he ‘cries aloud’, surely an unnerving response for a king. Then he orders the infamous wise men to come, they are summoned by the king’s command in the midst of the celebration. These worldly experts are are faced with the terrified king, a grand audience and are requested to read and interpret some mysterious writing. Doesn’t sound like such a tough job - to read something, but they cannot. They too are puzzled by this writing and the terror of the king increases as he realises his own intellect and that of the 'experts' has been outwitted. Where else can he turn?

The very people that are meant to be able to help, to bring answers and comfort have nothing. Known for their arts, knowledge and understanding, what a disappointment the 'wise' must have been to themselves and the king as they are shown not to be able to even read! What a contrast to what the king, the thousand people present and even the wise men expected. 

This is what can result when we rely on worldly things - whether that be understanding, material goods or even 'experts' - we, at some point, will be disappointed and let down. The king already felt; scared, confused and terrified, he became more so as he realised that all the resources he was dependent on failed. There are times when all the explanations, reasonings and insights are not enough, when they do not provide answers that suffice - .what then?

Are you prepared to put aside your dependence on your own understanding, and consider that there is something ‘out of this world’ going on? That even, perhaps, there IS a God that is trying to get your attention by allowing you to see that your resources - however vast, experienced, and dependable they have previously seemed - are not enough. Or do you decide to bury those events deep inside and not even face them because you cannot comprehend them? Having to live without the answer. 

King Belshazzar was not prepared to do that - he did all he could to seek out what this event meant. He used all of his resources, and those of others he knew, and still he was left ‘greatly alarmed’, and others also became ‘perplexed’ as there seems to be no reasonable explanation. Where do you go then?

Are you the last resort?

After the great introduction to the letter Nebuchadnezzar has written to his  whole nation, he tells us the events that have led to him acknowledging the “Most High God’, we shall start by looking at the beginning of this story in Daniel 4:4-9;

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. *5*I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. *6*So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. *7*Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. *8*At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods - and I told him the dream, saying, *9*“O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation.

So, beforehand, Nebuchadnezzar was relaxed, comfortable, enjoying his extravagant lifestyle and his kingdom, not a trouble in the world really. Then, he is disturbed by another unfathomable dream.  Nebuchadnezzar realised that this dream was no ordinary fancy of the mind, but was relevant and of purpose. There was something about this dream, like the first that he had, that would not leave him and concerned him even though the meaning was not obvious to him. Therefore, as occurred after the first troubling dream, Nebuchadnezzar calls all of the ‘wise’ people of his time. 

They could not help.

So it seems rather reluctantly, the king calls Daniel. I say reluctantly because surely, after the first success, you would have called the same person in to help as first port of call, wouldn’t you? But Nebuchadnezzar doesn’t. The LAST thought is to enquire of Daniel. i expect that this is because Nebuchadnezzar knows that by asking Daniel, he is relying on the god he serves for the solution, and Nebuchadnezzar, like most other people, comes to God last. Preferring to; try their own methods, call upon their friend’s or even expert knowledge, seek natural understanding from other sources for the situations and difficulties in life. 

God is the last resort. 

Don’t we experience that when we speak to others? That often God is the last resort after having tried other things? After having exhausted ones own resources, and the problem remains, what next?

Have you noticed that people do not really want your help because they know where you’ll go with it (to God)? They do not ask willingly for prayer, even those who we see are desperate? Even if we do offer help or prayer, it is sometimes rebuffed. That's ok.

It is only when all other options have run out and people have nothing left that they may cry out to a God that they are not sure even exists to help them, and that is when they might come to you. Nebuchadnezzar is a great example of this. He had reached this desperation point. He was unsettled, confused and without any answers. So, even though it was his last resort, he ‘at last’ called upon Daniel to help. 

(You may think I am being a bit harsh with Nebuchadnezzar by saying that Daniel was a last resort when he speaks so kindly about him - well, wouldn’t  you speak nicely of someone, after the event, if that person has actually helped out with the solution? It doesn’t stop the fact that approaching Daniel and his god was the last resort, the only available option after all others have failed.)

When he does come to Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar talks of him as one ‘in whom is the spirit of the holy gods’, or as we may understand; a spiritual or religious man. He clearly has the gift of the Holy Spirit, but Nebuchadnezzar would not know what this is, he just knows that there’s something significant and godly about Daniel, different to everyone else he has approached and trusted for solutions. Yet, Nebuchadnezzar was still reluctant to rely on him.

I guess that is one of the encouragements for us as we read through these verses - When we are overlooked by friends/family/colleagues for advice, we should not be disheartened, but expect it. Many people do not want to admit that they cannot sort their lives out, that they need external help, and certainly not that they need a ‘god’ - some kind of overarching entity they are unsure exists to help them. They would rather rely on natural solutions than supernatural ones. They would rather seek advice and explanation from scientists, psychics and the like than those who worship the One God. So, do not be surprised when your advice is shunned or considered last.  Nothing has changed since the times of Nebuchadnezzar! 

People do not want to admit that there may be more to life than they can see or have control over. They do not want to admit that they cannot do it alone, and if you are someone who relies in God yourself, then you are a scary person because people do not understand the faith you have. That does not mean that we should hide what God does in our lives, in fact the opposite is true. We should demonstrate our reliance, the hope and wonders that we experience with those around us. We should share with others how God has changed and challenged us, healed us, broken through for us. Otherwise, where are the people going to go when they really are really desperate and there is no other hope? 

Daniel was a last resort, he was the final hope. You might be that for someone too, but how will they know unless you share the good news of living with God?