Morning Moments

JAMES Devotional Outline
Chapter 1 - Wisdom's Wealth
Chapter 2 - Worthwhile Works
Chapter 3 - Wholesome Words
Chapter 4 - Worldly Ways

As believers we are in the world but not of it. It is like visiting another country as an American citizen in that we respect the culture difference, accept the customs, observe the laws, but understand that we are not citizens of that country and therefore do not conduct ourselves in a way that would antagonize, but neither do we conduct ourselves in a way that would compromise our personal Christian convictions. Most people understand for example that eating and drinking certain things in many foreign countries can produce illness and/or death.

I can certainly understand why someone would not wish to try "grits" that I find delicious as a Southern boy. Salty "country ham" and "red eye" gravy are to dream of for me, but I certainly would not be offended with anyone who turned his/her nose up at it. Too much of it would probably kill you anyway.

The sickest I think I ever got was in Spain in the sixties when I drank some water I should not have. Much has changed in many places but we must all be careful to excuse ourselves by a weak stomach or something of the sort. It is perfectly acceptable to simply say "no thank you" in most cultures without making a big deal out of it. Everybody in every place has preferences.

James gets to the heart of the matter by addressing the cause. Get and keep your heart right with God and you will live the faith you profess and avoid the pitfalls of worldly ways.

A. Conflicts 4:1

4:1. From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

If there is anything we must all agree on it is that this world is filled with conflict. At home and abroad conflict prevails in practically every area of life. Conflicts in the home, at work, at school, in business, in government, among nations, and even in churches seems to prevail. Harmony Church splits and goes down the road to start New Harmony Church. It is ridiculous, but real.

James writes to those Jewish Christians scattered abroad to say that the wars and fightings were among them. He makes it clear that the source of the conflicts come from the cravings of the flesh.

Think about it! You had to flee your home and left many of your possessions and probably are having to live a bit more closely with others that ever before. Living close with others always poses problems. Who used all the toothpaste? Why does she take so long to dry her hair? He uses all the hot water in the shower. I was saving those cookies for my own kids. And a thousand other kinds of simple but serious problems of living close.

I understand they didn't have showers, toothpaste, etc, so don't miss the point!

My neighbor thought he and his wife would enjoy a nice retirement - alone, but it didn't work out that way. At first there was the addition of two grandsons and now the addition of a daughter with her two children. So the nice retirement of two has become seven and he has had to go back to work.

Instead of two showers a day there are seven. Instead of two at the table there are seven. Instead of two adults to think about there are three adults and four small children to think about. The best made plans are subject to drastic change for all of us.

Learning the cause of conflict is critical and resolving conflicts is even more critical. Of all people on earth, those of us who profess our faith to be in Jesus Christ should be problem solvers, conflict resolvers. We KNOW from whence these things come and should recognize the source and the solution. If our faith is founded in Christ, we must do it for His sake. Otherwise we are following worldly ways and those ways don't work for the world and they won't work for the Christian either.

Challenges are necessary, but for those challenges to lead to strife and division and the breaking of fellowship is nothing more than Worldly Ways and the way the Devil pays so DON'T DO IT! Endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

BLESSINGS!