Strength for our Soul

The book of James talks about many issues that cause us to love God – and live better each day. This is what I learned today, from chapter one...

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” (vs 12)

Blessed is the man who endures temptation. Hmm. I like that. We know that temptation comes in many formats, moments, sizes, and cunning displays. The biggest picture I see in my mind, when thinking of temptation, is Joseph running away from it.

I pray that I can “run” from the things that pull me in – or rather, that can pull me AWAY from God. I want to be bold enough to drop all things that weigh me down. I want to give up my way of thinking.

Giving into temptation not only hurts me, it can hurt others. Most of all, it hurts our Lord. When the temptation comes, I can either play dumb and pretend like I don’t have control, or I can run as Joseph ran – and become stronger, victorious, and give the glory to God.

“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. Do no be deceived…” (vs 14-16)

Sin begins with ME. My desires lead to temptation - if those desires are not the Lord’s. My desires lead to sin - if they are against the will of God. It is MY desires that bring forth temptation! It is from those desires that enticement comes! I crave to love God under trials, so much so, that no distraction will bring me down. Cause those distractions lead to sin.

As we know, sin is what we want to avoid at all costs. Sin is missing the mark.

“Therefore, lay aside ALL filthiness and overflow (abundance) of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (vs 21-22)

Laying aside all filthiness is laying aside everything that is not of God. God is pure. God is love. God is Holy. God is perfect. “His ways above our own” should be the motto we repeat daily – and throughout each day. Being on our own, being with others, being in a moment when temptation can arise, being distracted, and even being unsure or afraid… we must live out “His way above our own.”

Receiving God’s Word, with meekness. Hmm. Realizing we don’t deserve His constant, never-failing love in our lives. Seeing His hand upon us, in spite of our shortcomings. Living lives that are bent towards Him. We are to receive His Word. Not just have it around for when we feel like it. Not even just for READING. We are to RECEIVE it, to accept it, and to allow a cultivating change in us.

“But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives in his own heart, the one’s religion is useless.” (vs 25, 26)

Wow. What a powerful statement. By considering ourselves to be “right on with God,” and not holding back our tongue, but rather, deceiving our own heart… our religion is useless. God holds a standard. His love, arms, and mercy are forever strong , holding us close. However, we must not cheapen His grace. We must not persuade ourselves to be doing “okay.” If our lives do not make us uncomfortable, then I pray we do not become complacent.

To avoid being useless for the Lord, to avoid living in the red-zone of life, we ought to pick up our cross… deny ourselves… and not be branded with this world. Reading and praying are essentials. Obeying is key. Trusting is needed. Not quiting is right. Never taking a break of reaching towards Godly passion is our motivation. Putting ourselves last…that is love.

Being a doer of the Word is one of those phrases we hear quite often. It’s almost a common-knowledge fact, amongst believers in Christ. But is it a reality for us? Is it a practiced truth about our lives? Can other people see us – and say that we are doers of the Word of God? Sure, we can hear it, we can hold it,and we can even memorize it… but unless we DO it, what good is having it merely in our heads?

How do we become doers of the Word? By putting in the time to practice what we ought to. We are meant to live for something bigger than us – bigger than our emotions. By creating space in our lives to read the Word, to pray upon it, and to ask for God’s will to be done, may we spark a supreme love for Him.

“…keep oneself unspotted from the world.” (vs 27)

To keep ourselves unspotted from the world is tough. Let us not forget, however, although we are IN the world , we not of OF it. We belong to a higher calling – the upward call of Christ Jesus. We are His sons and daughters, going against the flow of everyone else. He will be honored. We can lay down our lives for His sake. We don’t have to be comfortable. In fact, we shouldn’t be.

So much to consider. So much to process. So much to apply! But really… it’s nothing we can’t handle, with God’s power. It takes each day of our lives. And THAT is encouraging. Walking with God is not a college class, where we only have a matter of days to get our homework done . We have our entire lives. We have His entire mercy. We have His sacrifice on the cross, which enables us to come to our Father at any time. We have His entire plan and ability, in the Word of God. We have each other to come to and press onward, making all things worthy.

Let’s press onward. Let’s not give up. Let’s always be doing better. Let’s “receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is about to save” our lives. Let’s live another day, another week, with victory.

Let’s have nothing else blocking our way for having supreme love for Christ.