Coming to the Still Waters

I thought this might be an eye catcher.  This is Jacob B. Wolfgang, my great, great grandfather who served in the 138th Indiana Infantry in the Civil War.  Do you see any resemblance to me?  I keep looking at how much hair he has!  Maybe I will share soon about my recent search on the Wolfgang side to 1583. I love it when I can make charts and pictures of what the passage is speaking about.  We have been building some chains.  God's chain has a trial that leads greater spiritual maturity because we are calling on Him for wisdom from above who gives every good and every perfect gift.  Man's chain has a trial that leads to sin because we are looking within ourselves for another answer other than His and we suffer the consequences of it. James gives us that beautiful definition of salvation in v.18 and then he gives us another picture of what that salvation looks like lived out.  Here are the charts I created. Looking at these now I realize that...

We are making some chains in this first chapter of James.  I will label one God's Chain and the other Man's Chain .  It is important to remember that James is writing to those Jewish converts to Christianity in the 1st century that have been dispersed from Jerusalem because of persecution brought on by their allegiance to Jesus as their risen Messiah.  James is speaking to Christians who are being met by trials of various kinds.  How will they negotiate these trials, God's way or man's way? God's Chain: given Faith from God - a Trial of various kinds - producing Endurance - asking for needed Wisdom from above - resulting in single Devotion to God - allowed to Mature - and Christ-likeness Man's Chain: given Faith from God - a Trial of various kinds - enticement of Temptation  - drawing upon Desires from within - resulting in Sin , a wandering from God's way - allowed to Linger - and physical Consequences (even death) Simplified God's Chain: Fa...

  Doesn't this bring back some memories prior to Google?  In our Scripture passage James commands us as Christians to ask God for wisdom in the midst of our trial of various kinds.   Our purposes of trials for the Christian are growing.   First, they are proof or show the faith that has been given to us by God that we have responded to with repentance and belief. Second, they produce endurance that when allowed to run its full course because we have not bailed on God produces spiritual growth. Third, they drive us to speak and get guidance from God because He is God. We also made mention of the James/Jesus connection.  James gives commentary to many of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount teachings.  Here is the list from this passage alone. 1.5 - Mt. 7.7-1l - ask of God 1.6 - Mt. 7.24-27 - wind blowing trials 1.7-8 - Mt. 6.24 - two masters, double mindedness 1.12 - Mt. 5:10-12 - blessed, the Beatitudes We conclude with the instruction that Christians...

Onto sermon #2 from the book of James.  We go from one verse to three verses and I must be speeding up because I used the same amount of time.  Let me share a recap so far of some things we know in our heads as Christians but we need to be reminded of to apply them to our everyday lives when facing trials of various kinds. James, the half brother of Jesus, writes a letter to the Jews who have converted to Christianity and now are dispersed out from Jerusalem because of persecution.  This letter was probably written sometime between 44 A.D. and 49 A.D., just 11 to 16 years after Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension. James' introduction (v.1) shows his humility of self so that he can exalt his God and Savior, Jesus Christ in whom he is bonded and belonging to as a servant (slave).  He also gives clear direction to who he is writing to with his genuine affection for them as his spiritual brothers and sisters.  James puts greater emphasis on his God and oth...