TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 2:5-9
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right. - James 2:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
A newspaper reporter in Texas interviewed officials at several of the state's major universities, asking if they gave special attention to an applicant when a 'very important person' asked them to do so. The officials said they often gave an application a second look on that basis. One school, in fact, gave preference to two students who did not meet admission requirements but had ties to powerful people in the state.

Texas universities are certainly not unique in this case. Having the right connections is important if you want to get ahead in this world. At least, that's the popular opinion, and there are plenty of examples to prove the old adage, 'It's not what you know, it's who you know.'

But we have seen that when it comes to liaisons in the body of Christ, the only links that matter are our relationship to Jesus Christ and our kinship as spiritual brothers and sisters. James is passionate in his argument that favoritism of any kind has no place in the church. 'Listen, my dear brothers,' he writes (v. 5), reminding his readers they are part of a family.

Verses 5-7 give us two reasons for rejecting favoritism toward the rich. First, most of the people God has chosen for salvation are poor by the world's standards. You may want to check out what Jesus and Paul said about this issue (Luke 4:18; 1 Cor. 1:26-29).

A second reason not to favor rich people is the reputation of the wealthy. More often than not, James argues, it is the rich who oppress the poor. So the only right response for us as followers of Christ is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

We need to make an observation here. James refers to 'rich' and 'poor' mainly in terms of heart attitude toward wealth and poverty. There is nothing inherently righteous about being poor, and neither is it necessarily sinful to be wealthy. If James had seen Christians practicing reverse favoritism toward the poor, we can be sure he would have been just as passionate about dealing with it.

James has mentioned the law three times (1:25; 2:8-9), and He's going to refer to it at least six more times. This book has a strong Old Testament flavor to it, which is to be expected from a Jewish believer in the early days of the Christian church.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We know what Jesus did when He met needy people, rich or poor. He served them selflessly.

How are you doing in this matter? Can you say that in the daily routines of your life, you love others the way the Bible commands, putting their needs and concerns ahead of your own? In other words, are you fulfilling the 'royal law'? Take some time today to consider these questions as we continue thinking about the way we treat others.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 2:10-13
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. - James 2:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the magazine Campus Journal, John Carvalho tells about a 'pop' quiz his former college professor liked to spring on his students from time to time. 'The test consisted of two questions: 1. Your name (the easy part). 2. Did you do your assignment last night? (the hard part).' Each question was worth fifty points.

As Carvalho points out, the quiz was actually a test of the students' honesty. Students who answered question number two dishonestly failed the real test, no matter what their score on the quiz.

We think James would have liked that professor's no-nonsense approach to honesty. The students either had to tell the truth or lie. There was no way to misunderstand or twist the question, and no excuses were asked for.

This apostle who believed so passionately in visible Christianity reminds us that God's law carried the same all-or-nothing consequences. The law demanded perfect obedience, with no exceptions. It could not have been any other way, because God is perfectly holy and righteous.

James drew on this principle to drive home his point that anyone who showed partiality toward others was guilty of sin, period. No one could hide behind the old argument that we still hear today: 'I may not be perfect, but I haven't killed anyone or robbed

a bank.'

James would respond, 'The problem is that you aren't perfect, and God is going to judge anyone who breaks any part of His law.'

As believers, we don't face the eternal judgment of God for our sins. But we will appear before Christ's judgment seat to give an account for our words and actions, and to receive 'what is due' for everything we've done, 'whether good or bad' (2 Cor. 5:10).

In light of this, we need to hear what James is saying. The law of Christ by which we operate is an internal principle rather than an external written code. Therefore, it 'gives freedom' because we respond from the heart, not just to avoid punishment. God showed mercy to us when He sent Jesus to die in our place so we could be forgiven. That means Christians should be leading the way in treating others mercifully.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Showing mercy is one of the Holy Spirit's gifts to the church (Rom. 12:.

Treating other people with Christ's love, regardless of their ethnic background or social standing, is certainly one way to show mercy. There are many other situations that require a merciful response, and your church is a good place for you to start helping others in need. Why not make yourself available for a ministry of mercy this week?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 2:14-17
Let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. - Galatians 6:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Dr. Joseph Stowell, Moody Bible Institute President, says in relation to the book of James, 'How we live our lives of faith is a very important issue, one God does not take lightly. To be sure, 'it is by grace you have been saved, through faith...not by works' (Eph. 2:8-9). But the Bible is also clear that we are 'created in Christ Jesus to do good works' (Eph. 2:10).... James was a firm believer in putting faith into action.'

Dr. Stowell's point is well taken. We are called to live a life of faith, not simply talk a good game. James 2:14-26 has generated a lot of controversy over the years, as if James were trying to contradict Paul's clear teaching of salvation by faith. As we'll see, there's no contradiction at all. James is not teaching salvation by good works, though he does speak about a faith that doesn't work at all.

We want to spend some time in this crucial section of Scripture-Ðnot just to prove a point, but to learn what God's Word is teaching us. These verses are full of relevant instruction for our Christian lives today.

James and Paul speak about the life of a Christian from different perspectives. Paul was concerned with how a person is justified before God. Nothing but the blood of Christ can accomplish this. The work of our salvation was done when Jesus died on the cross for us and rose from the dead.

But James is concerned with the proof of our faith before other people-Ðand here it is not enough to claim we believe (v. 14). James wouldn't have said that if he were looking at faith in terms of our relationship with God, because God always knows about our true spiritual condition.

Since James is not just interested in theory, he provides a concrete example of what he means by having a faith that proves there is real life behind it (vv. 15-16).

Did this kind of scenario actually happen among the apostle's readers? We don't know, although it's possible because some of the early Jewish believers were thrown into deep poverty. If it ever did happen, so much the worse to answer a genuine need with phony faith. 'Such faith' (v. 14) is worthless.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
All of us need reminding occasionally that the church is always just one generation away from unbelief.

One of our most urgent priorities is to pass on a living, reproducing faith to the generation coming behind us. How well does your faith pass the 'James test' of authenticity? One way you can tell is to answer this question. If someone asked your children (spouse, co-workers, friends, students, etc.) how they could tell you are a Christian, what do you think they would say? It's not an easy question to answer, but it's worth thinking about.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 2:18-23
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. - James 2:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
The story is told of a king who was ill and sent for the royal physician to treat him. But before the doctor could arrive, a letter came to the king warning him that his doctor was involved in a plot to kill him. The letter warned the king not to take any medicine the doctor prescribed because it would contain poison. But the king drank the physician's medicine, and then showed him the letter. The doctor was shocked by the accusations, and claimed his loyalty. The king said, 'I drank the medicine, didn't I? That shows you my trust.'

This is a good illustration of what James means by authentic faith. Simply agreeing with a particular doctrinal statement without an inner commitment to Christ doesn't get a person anywhere spiritually. In fact, the Bible says that 'even the demons believe.' But their belief only confirms their doom.

It doesn't pay to argue with James. The objector (v. 18) is silenced by the apostle's irrefutable argument that actions must accompany a claim to faith. Such actions prove that the faith is real. James reaches back into history for what is probably one of the greatest human demonstrations of faith in all the Bible.

When Abraham obeyed God and prepared to offer Isaac on the altar (Gen. 22), he proved the authenticity of his faith in God. As Abraham took the knife to plunge it into Isaac, the angel of the Lord stopped him, saying, 'Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from Me your son, your only son' (Gen. 22:12). It's obvious that Abraham's actions pleased God. Did God know that Abraham's faith was genuine before he offered Isaac? Of course He knew. But now the whole world had an unforgettable witness to Abraham's faith.

It's also interesting what James says about the sacrifice of Isaac. He doesn't quote from Genesis 22, but uses Genesis 15:6 instead, the occasion years earlier when Abraham was

justified before God by faith. His later act of obedience confirmed and 'fulfilled' Abraham's faith. For the Christian, faith and works are two sides of the same coin. Genuine faith is bound to produce work of obedience that glorify God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Somewhere along the way as we study James 2, we need to ask ourselves an important question.

The question is relevant here because it has to do with the reality of one's faith. The question is this: is there anything about your life that can be attributed only to God's supernatural work in your life? Anyone who knew what Abraham did that day in sheer obedience to God would have to say, 'Here was a person whose faith was more than words.' Let's pray that the same will be said of us.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 2:24-26
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith
without deeds is dead. - James 2:26
TODAY IN THE WORD
A recent report by the Southern Baptists' International Mission Board mentioned Liang, a believer in Southeast Asia. Liang's husband was killed by a group to whom he had tried to take the gospel. Liang went to the people three weeks later, telling a threatening crowd, 'I am the widow of the man you killed. My husband came here to tell you how you could have eternal life. If he were here, he would forgive you for what you did. I forgive you as well.' A crowd returned that night to hear Liang share the gospel, and many of the people accepted Christ.

What a great testimony of a living faith. If Liang had simply stayed home, forgiving her husband's murderers in her heart but never acting on her love, would these people have heard about Christ? We can't say with certainty, but it is certain that this woman demonstrated a vital Christian faith.

Modern-day Christians like Liang are inspiring cases of the kind of faith James urges us to have. Abraham's example provides a powerful biblical illustration of genuine faith. But why did James choose Rahab as his other example? It wasn't because she had a lot going for her before the incident recorded in Joshua 2.

Rahab was a prostitute, but the Bible indicates that she became a different kind of person when she chose to put her faith in the God of Israel and identify herself with His people. In other words, when Rahab hid the Israeli spies as an act of faith in Jehovah, she became a classic example of someone whose faith was made visible by what she did. She risked her life to protect those two men. Rahab acted on her faith, and her reward was the sparing of her and her family when the Israelites conquered Jericho. That's why she is mentioned in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11 (v. 31).

Our faith is tested by trials and is proven by the way we respond to others. It is also validated by actions that give clear external testimony to the internal reality of our relationship with Christ. And in case anyone missed the point, James clinched his argument by likening phony faith to a corpse. No spirit, no real life. No deeds, no real faith.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As you read about people who are outstanding examples of living faith, does someone in particular come to mind-Ða family member, friend, or mentor who impacted your life?

This weekend might be a good time to drop that special person a note, or make a phone call, expressing your thanks for a godly example and the difference it made to you. If the person on your mind is no longer living, express your gratitude to the Lord and resolve to be a 'faith hero' to the people in your life.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 3:1-4
I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth. - Psalm 39:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1997 a woman was sifting through a box she bought at a garage sale. Included in the box was a handful of old postcards, which she dumped in the trash. But shortly afterward, as the woman read a thank-you note her mother had written for a Christmas gift, she did a double-take. Her mother's handwriting reminded her of the writing on one of the postcards she had thrown away. The woman dug the card out of the trash, and the samples matched perfectly. She then contacted her mother and made the startling discovery that her mom had written the postcard while on vacation in 1952.

While something like this is a very unusual and rare incident, very often our words come back to us in more ordinary ways. It usually doesn't take forty-five years for these words to surface-Ðand unfortunately, they aren't always as innocuous as a vacation postcard. We regularly face the consequences of the things we have said, and some of us have more bruises to show for it than others.

Under the Holy Spirit's inspiration, James wrote very insightful and practical words about the effects of our speech. Let's take another look at the outline of James, and we'll see how these verses on the tongue (3:1-12) fit into the flow of his letter.

Our faith is demonstrated by the way we respond to trials, to the Word of God, and to the needs of others (chaps. 1-2), and by the way we use our tongues, deal with the world, and pray (chaps. 3-5). Chapter 3 is in the center of this outline, which is appropriate, because what we say influences so much of what happens in our lives.

Verse 1 reminds us that one of the Bible's most well-known passages on the power of words is addressed specifically to teachers. The rest of us get to listen in because what James says is also applicable to us.

If you want an example of what it means to be spiritually 'mature' (James 1:4), read James 3. Those who can keep their tongues under control are 'perfect' (v. 2), the same word in the original language. The importance of being Christ-like in our speech is also illustrated by horses' bits and ships' rudders, two very small items in comparison with the objects they control.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Take a minute to think about the conversations you had last week. Does anything you said need a clarification or an apology? Did God use you last week to bless someone else through your words (see yesterday's application)? If the Holy Spirit points out something that needs to be dealt with, don't hesitate to do it. And let's pray that this week, our words will bring blessing, joy, and healing to others.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 3:5-8
The tongue of the wise brings healing. - Proverbs 12:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
The legendary baseball player Joe DiMaggio was once going all-out on a play late in a game in which the New York Yankees were ahead by a lopsided score. DiMaggio's teammate, Yogi Berra, asked him, 'Joe, why are you bearing down on St. Louis in the eighth inning when we got an eleven-run lead?'

'Because there might be a kid in the stands who has never seen me play, and I don't wanna let him down.'

Let's take a cue from Joe DiMaggio's dedication. Just as it's tempting for a ballplayer to let down late in a game when things seem to be under control, so it's tempting for us to relax our guard at seemingly ordinary moments. But more often than not, that's when critical, cutting, or unnecessary words are likely to come out and do damage. We need to stay alert, even when the 'game' seems to be won.

James knew that even the smallest spark can get a forest fire blazing. The apostle provided many illustrations of the tongue's power to stir up trouble. We need to consider the tongue's 'great boasts' (v. 5), because it sounds like James is saying the tongue makes claims it can't fulfill.

But that's not the point. The problem is that the tongue can make good on its boasts. That is, this 'small part of the body' can produce effects far out of proportion to its size, the way a tiny spark can burn down a huge forest.

That means we had better take our words seriously. Sunday school children used to sing a song about being careful what they did with their little eyes, ears, hands, and feet. Great advice, but how about a verse that warns, 'O be careful, little tongue, what you say'?

James is so unrelenting in his warnings about the tongue that we almost have to stop and remind ourselves he is writing to believers. Although the apostle was not saying that all of his readers were guilty of having scorching tongues, he wanted to make sure they understood the incredible power of words.

And to explain why words can be so potent, James pointed to the place where the tongue gets its kindling: hell itself. No wonder a tongue can be so hard to restrain.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The picture of a 'restless evil' (v. suggests an untamed animal pacing in its cage, a menace waiting to strike.

You may think that's pretty strong imagery to describe words we say. But if you have ever been verbally shredded, you know the power even a few choice words can have. The opposite of words that wound is words that heal. Why not write today's verse on a card, keep it in sight on your desk or refrigerator, and make it your daily prayer this week?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 3:9-12
Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. - Matthew 12:34
TODAY IN THE WORD
Steve Saint was visiting the city of Timbuktu in the west African nation of Mali when he met a man named Nouh. Nouh told Steve that because he had become a Christian, he was now an outcast in his Islamic city. When Steve asked Nouh where he got the courage to stand for Christ, Nouh explained that the missionary who brought him the gospel gave him some books. His favorite was the one about five young men who gave their lives to take the gospel to a tribe in Ecuador.

Nouh did not know that one of those men was Steve Saint's father, Nate. Nouh was elated when Steve revealed his identity. We could say that Nouh's courage to stand for Christ in the face of danger is one of the many blessings that has flowed from the 'pure stream' of those five missionaries' service.

In much the same way, pure words flow from a pure source. In his characteristic style, James illustrated the problem of uncontrolled speech. Using the metaphors of water and fruit, he showed that what we say is simply the overflow of what's in our hearts.

Jesus said the same thing. In fact, He told the listening Pharisees that evil people can't say anything good. Why is it so hard for a corrupt heart to produce good speech? For the same reason a fig tree can't produce olives. There's nothing in an evil heart to cause good things to come out.

Most of us know these things. We've been members of the family of God for years, some of us-Ðfor decades. And yet, all of us know what it is to bless God and blast others, sometimes in the same conversation. Why are we so maddeningly inconsistent in our speech?

The answer is that, even as believers, we still wrestle daily with a principle that Paul called 'sin living in me' (Rom. 7:20). These are the vestiges of the sin nature we had before our salvation. We're not perfect yet, and won't be until we get to heaven.

James also suggests that our words are so hard to control because they come out so quickly and effortlessly. The tongue really is a powerful instrument, and we can do damage by not controlling our tongues.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Since words come 'out of the overflow of the heart,' this might be a good day for a heart checkup.

Here are a few suggestions that can help you be a more consistent Christian. 1. Are you consistently setting aside time to meet with God and read His Word each day? 2. Are you a consistent witness to others? 3. Is there a consistency between your public and private life? Do your words and actions match up? If the results of your checkup leave you concerned, talk to the Lord about it.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 3:13-16
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life. - James 3:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
Author Vernon Doerksen offers an insightful comparison between the wisdom that was valued by the secular world in the days of James and the kind of wisdom this apostle urged his readers to adopt. 'To the Greek, a wise man was one who had achieved a high degree of abstract knowledge; but to the Jew, the wise person was one who had practical moral insight based on a knowledge of God and His will. [The wise person] could give godly advice on practical issues of conduct.'

The difference between human and divine wisdom is the difference between knowing a lot, and knowing what to do with what you know. The world has always admired, and even worshiped, great learning. But knowledge alone doesn't lead to right conduct before God. In fact, it can lead a person far away from God, as James indicates.

Notice the proof of wisdom God wants to see in us. James says the truly wise person is one who can point to a life of good deeds, not just a wall full of advanced degrees. Godly wisdom always results in a humble spirit (v. 13). Jesus Himself said, 'I am gentle and humble in heart' (Matt. 11:29).

But earth-bound knowledge often gives birth to the attitude of arrogance, which can produce 'bitter envy' and 'selfish ambition' (James 3:14). There are few things more dangerous than people who see themselves as so advanced in their wisdom, and so completely on top of their field of expertise, that they can confidently declare the things of God to be useless myths.

This kind of thing happens all the time, and it shows that James is not talking about some theoretical problem. Why is it that so many of the people the world considers wise deny the wisdom of God revealed in His Word?

James points to an answer when he says that such so-called wisdom is 'of the devil' (v. 15). We need to remember that there is another force at work here. This issue of wisdom for right living is not just a matter of gathering the right facts.

Some people are confronted by the truth but do not see it. Why? Because 'the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers' (2 Cor. 4:4). This is a reality we deal with every day. Thankfully, there is another kind of wisdom.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
One of the great things about God's wisdom is that you don't need a Ph.D. to benefit from all that God has for you.

In fact, you may have a special need for God's wisdom right now. Or you may know someone who needs godly insight for a particular situation. In either case, we suggest you get together with a Christian friend to pray specifically that God will make His will known to the people involved. Talking with your pastor or other trusted leader should provide added insight.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 3:17-18
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. - Matthew 5:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
To say that predicting the future isn't an exact science would be the understatement of the century. As we approach the year 2000, futurists are taking a look at some of the predictions made so confidently by earlier generations. For instance, at the turn of the last century some people thought the early 1900s would bring high-tech balloons and trains as the primary means of travel. But the arrival of the automobile changed all of that, making the wisdom of those thinkers seem far off baseÐbut no more so than those who predicted that by 2000 we would all be traveling with individual jet-powered backpacks.

Since the best wisdom of one generation often becomes nothing more than a curiosity in the next, we had better not become too reliant on human wisdom. God's alternative is infinitely better: a wisdom based on the perspective of eternity, flowing from a God who is eternally the same (James 1:17).

If we're going to get very far in applying our faith to the issues of everyday life, we'll need generous helpings of godly wisdom. James lays out the choices for us. If we opt to live by the wisdom that is limited to this earth, we will reap the bitter fruit of envy, selfishness, pride, turmoil, and every other kind of evil practice (3:16).

But 'the wisdom that comes from heaven' (v. 17) comes straight from the mind and heart of God. Since there is no question about God's desire to share His wisdom with us (1:5), the determining factor is our willingness to ask for and use it.

What believer wouldn't want to tap into a wisdom that produces the eight qualities listed in today's reading? If you want an interesting comparison, lay this list alongside the traits of godly love (1 Cor. 13:4-7) and the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). The overlap tells us that the things God offers to those who follow Him are not just nice additions to the Christian life. They are the bedrock qualities of the person who wants to please and serve Him.

Peace was a quality James obviously valued, as did his half-brother and Savior. 'The righteous life that God desires' (James 1:20) can be cultivated only in an environment of peace.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
When it comes to God's wisdom, Paul says we have the greatest teacher of all-ÐGod Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:9-14).

These verses make it clear that we cannot understand God's Word apart from the Spirit's teaching ministry which explains why the Scriptures are 'foolishness' to an unbelieving mind. Today, let's thank the Lord for the work the Holy Spirit does in our hearts and minds as we invite Him to be our teacher each day.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 4:1-3
Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed. - Luke 12:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
The great colonial-era preacher and revivalist Jonathan Edwards once advised believers: 'Do not behave like little children. They admire and are astonished at what is novel. They are pleased with anything that will amuse them. . . . Much that pertains to dress, to accomplishment, to living, to employment, to amusement, [and] to conversation, will appear, when we come to die, to have been like the playthings of children. We shall feel that time has been wasted and strength exhausted on that which was foolish and childish.'

We could trace a straight line from the opening verses of James 4 to these amazingly up-to-date insights written by Edwards. Nothing is more childish than arguing and fighting over something we want but can't have. We aren't surprised that conflict breaks out when a child is denied something, but James suggests this kind of behavior is all too common among adults. And it's far more destructive.

Chapter 4 takes us to another turn in James' thought. The verses ahead will help us demonstrate our faith by the way we deal with the world. The problem is not just that the enemy-controlled, hostile world system surrounds the church. In addition, the problem arises when the church conforms to the world, making it hard to tell believers from everybody else.

Since James always goes straight to the heart of an issue, we would expect him to do the same here. And he does. The source of conflicts both within individuals, and in the body of Christ, is ungodly 'desires'--literally, 'hedonisms'--that battle against God's desires for us.

Verse 2 seems to be describing the result of this warfare. People want something they don't have, so they are ready to 'kill and covet.' When they are not able to get what they want, they 'quarrel and fight.'

This is strong language. The story of David's lust for Bathsheba reminds us that lust can lead to murder. But John says hatred is a form of murder (1 John 3:15). These charges James makes would seem to be too harsh, except that we know he's right on target. And yet, while all the fussing is going on, God is waiting to give good gifts to those who ask Him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Most of us like to think that our desires have never caused us to resort to the means mentioned in James 4.

But honesty forces us to admit we sometimes wrestle with desires that take a strong root in our hearts. Let's turn the problem around today and look at it from the perspective of Psalm 37:4. If we will make the Lord our delight instead of desiring other things, He will delight to give us His good gifts. Let's make it our commitment today to focus our desires on God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 4:4-6
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. - James 4:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
For fifty dollars up front and another fifty when the job is done, a company called Old Friends Information Services helps reunite people with long-lost friends.

You may not have use for such a service right now, but the fact is that an 'old friend' is seeking to reconnect with you. It isn't your childhood pal or old friend from college. It's the world that system of thinking and acting, that spirit of the age, which dominates the lives of spiritually lost people.

This system, every bit of it, is under the firm control of Satan (1 John 5:19). And we were part of the world's system of evil before we put our faith in Christ. But we don't belong to the world anymore. Although God has left us here to be His witnesses, we are no longer of this world (John 17:16).

But Satan isn't content to let us go, so he keeps trying to push his way back into our lives, and into the church. And the wedge he most often uses to drive us away from Christ is the world around us, and all its enticements to sin.

That's why James was so passionate about helping keep his readers from the pollution of the world (James 1:27). His language is meant to startle self-centered, careless believers out of their illicit love affair with the world and its pleasures. Adultery was a common Old Testament term used to describe Israel's unfaithfulness to God. These Jewish Christians understood exactly what James was saying.

Worldliness was a choice for God's people in that day (4:4), as it is for us. It's clear that the root of the problem is pride. The cure for a worldly, unfaithful spirit is humility before God (v. 6) so we can receive His grace to be faithful.

Verse 5 can be translated a number of ways. Some versions interpret 'spirit' as the Holy Spirit, while others (like the NIV) understand James to be referring to the human spirit. Either way, there's a powerful message here.

As the rightful object of our love, God longs for our devotion with a holy jealousy. It's also true that our sinful human nature can become intensely jealous and desire evil things. We need to make sure we're holding tightly to our first love (Rev. 2:4).
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John describes the world as a place where people are ruled by 'the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does' (1 John 2:16).

This unholy list gives us another opportunity to measure our spiritual condition something James obviously wanted his readers to do often. Does one of the three temptations named above have a particular attraction for you? If so, you'll want to check the strength of your defenses against it, and reaffirm your love for the Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 4:7-10
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. - James 4:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
In Listening to the Voice of God, author Roger Barrier offers this three-part formula for dealing with a spiritual attack in a particular area of life: '1. Confess that the area is out of control and needs help; 2. Consciously yield the area to God; and 3. Consider [yourself] dead, according to Romans 6, to the sin in that area.'

Spiritual attacks by our enemy are the rule, not the exception. Whatever sinful desires Satan puts in our path come out of our own hearts (James 4:1). We have seen what happens when we make the world our friend by yielding to self-centered desires, wanting what we want when we want it, regardless of what God wants.

The problem of sin is so serious that James adopts very strong language to jar us into reality. The only sure hope for spiritual victory is to place ourselves under Christ's control, submitting to Him as our Lord and Master. He also wants us to draw close to Him in worship (v. , which requires that we make some preparations.

The Old Testament priests had to perform rituals of washing before they could go into God's presence. Their cleansing was symbolic of the inner cleansing from sin's pollution that God requires of His servants. The psalmist said only those with clean hands and pure hearts were eligible to come into God's presence (Ps. 24:3-4).

That's the kind of humility and cleansing God wants to see from us. It's a matter of putting Him in His rightful place of supremacy in our lives. We have the choice of lifting ourselves up through prideful sin, or letting God lift us up. When we exalt ourselves, God has to bring us low. But when we humble ourselves before Him, He is pleased to lift us up (1 Pet. 5:6).

What about all the grieving, wailing, 'laughter to mourning,' and 'joy to gloom' James recommends (James 4:9)? Doesn't sound like the joyful Christian life we're always hearing about. But James was not endorsing long-faced faith. He was contrasting the hollow, frivolous laughter of people chasing their desires with the brokenness over sin that God seeks from His people.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Since we've been talking about resisting the devil and the pull of the world on our hearts, this is a perfect time to review the Bible's teaching about your spiritual armor (Eph. 6:13-17).

Each piece of the armor is designed to cover a particular area of vulnerability, and every item is essential. In light of yesterday's suggestion that you identify an area where you are especially subject to temptation, you may want to take note of a piece of the armor that needs special attention, as you prepare for the week ahead.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 4:11-12
Let your conversation be always full of grace. - Colossians 4:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Pastor and Bible teacher Dr. Adrian Rogers says, 'The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.' That's certainly true of an unbeliever, who needs a spiritual heart transplant instead of just reformation to become acceptable to God.

But we as Christians can also have heart problems. And since our mouths speak only the words that are in our hearts, we need to take Solomon's advice very seriously: 'Above all else, guard your heart' (Prov. 4:23).

James would say amen to that advice. He was deeply concerned that the Christians to whom he was writing understand how important it was to keep their hearts clean before God. The results of sin pollution are always tragic, whether we are putting our own desires ahead of God's will or deliberately choosing the world over God and pushing Him away from us.

Today's verses pinpoint another problem that inevitably surfaces when believers' hearts and tongues are out of control. The word translated 'slander' means to 'talk down on' someone. It's the idea of tearing someone else down to make ourselves look better or feel more important.

That would be bad enough if the slanderous talk were factually true. But truth and slander don't go together in the same sentence. How serious is this offense in God's eyes? James gives us at least three sins a slandering believer commits.

First, the slanderer sets himself above God's moral law. Second, even while the slanderer is sitting in judgment on the law, he is actually breaking it. This is bad enough, but it gets worse. The third sin of the gossipmonger and accuser is that by his actions, he arrogantly usurps God's role as the lawgiver.

The enemy whom James told us to resist (v. 7) is called the 'devil.' That word means 'slanderer,' because trying to smear the saints' integrity before God is one of Satan's patented techniques. We are never more like the evil one than when we speak against fellow believers with evil intent.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Let's make a commitment today to keep slander as far from our hearts and lips as we possibly can.

But what should you do when a slanderous attack against another believer is being carried out in your presence? You can help stop the assault by offering to go with the speaker and approach the person being slandered to check out the truthfulness of the charges. Granted, this is far easier said than done, but someone has to take courageous steps to put a stop to damaging attacks against others in the body of Christ or we all suffer for it.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 4:13-17
You ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that. -
TODAY IN THE WORD
It seems like people are confused about the end of this year and the start of the new millennium. While the mood is fear, uncertainty, and even panic in some quarters over Y2K, there are also indications that a sizable number of people are looking forward to December 31. The reason is their confident expectation that on this New Year's Eve they will enjoy the party to end all New Year's Eve parties. Some travel companies and other leisure-related businesses have vowed to make their bashes the best ever.

Will these elaborate party plans happen? We can't say for sure. But we can say one thing with a fair amount of confidence: all the bragging by these would-be partygoers resembles the self-assured smugness the Bible warns against.

We're still on the general subject of bringing our hearts and tongues under the control of Christ rather than allowing the world to set our agenda. And speaking of agendas, how about the cocky plans James puts on the lips of a hypothetical speaker? You can hear this kind of talk all the time on television infomercials that show you how to take charge of your life and get your share of the pie.

Let's not miss James' point. When it comes to bragging, the world operates by this twisted philosophy: 'If you say you're going to do it, and then you go out and do it, that's not bad. It isn't bragging if you can back it up.'

But James isn't concerned with whether the boaster can back up his talk. That isn't even in the discussion. The point is that arrogant self-assertion is sin because at best, it is planning that omits God. And at worst, it's like shaking a fist at the sovereign ruler of the universe.

It isn't like James to leave an issue fuzzy or undecided, so we're not surprised when he calls such behavior what it is: sin. There's no question that boastful pride is a sin, but according to James the sin in this case is of a different kind. If we know that we should humbly submit our hours and days to the Lord for His sovereign will to be done, then failing to do so by plunging on ahead with our self-centered agenda is a sin, too. 'If it is the Lord's will' should be our daily motto.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Does it make you nervous to realize you don't know what the next hour will bring?

You can be peaceful about it. If you are committed to living out the will of God day-by-day, you are in the best and safest position possible! God isn't against your planning. He's even interested in your dreams and hopes. It's just that He doesn't want you to leave Him out of the plans. Commit your next twenty-four hours to Him right now, and see what He will do.