James
Double Minded
I am sure the believers in James’ time thought Christ would come in their life time
So why not give up on the world?
They did not give up, they did not go into hiding and wait for the end
If Christ held off His return 2000 more years
Would your faith make a difference till He comes?
Things don’t always work out in this life
But don’t let that cause you to doubt the power of faith and wisdom
Faith always believes there is an answer
Faith always rejoices in persevering because it does not give up on hope
Doubt always quits and blames others
Doubt always plays the victim
James 1:6-8 NIV
when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
Double Minded
The Today’s English Version
entitles James 1:2 thru 8 as…
“Faith and Wisdom”
This is a great title, Faith and Wisdom,
that makes a person Mature and Complete.
The Book of James is not about
how to get rich or become famous.
James’ life span was a time of great persecution…
Cruel and unjust treatment.
A time of hatred and violence.
Christians were being killed.
Religious leader were stoning Christians.
Governments were putting Christians in
animal skins and made them prey for dogs.
Others were covered in a tar and lite
on fire in the gardens of those in power.
James was well aware of the injustice and threats.
James was not writing about how to
over throw religions and government.
James was writing about the person.
James says…
A double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
James 1:8
James was addressing each one of us individually.
What does he mean…
“a double-minded man”?
The Greek word is…
“dipsuchos” and means “Two- Spirited”
James defines this two spirited person…
He must believe and not doubt,
because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea,
blown and tossed by the wind.
James 1:6
The two spirits are belief and doubt.
Nothing makes you and I
more unstable than “Doubt”.
Doubt always takes away joy.
James could not promise the
world would become a better place.
James realized there are two spirits…
The Spirit of the World
and the Spirit of Christ.
James realized both spirits are in us.
The Spirit of the World
doubts and lacks faith in God.
The Spirit of Christ believes peace
and joy needs to come from within.
Faith develops persevering.
When you believe in something you
accept the patience and endurance
to get to what you believe in.
The only thing that can stop you is doubt.
James realized believing is not as simple as waiting.
Doing nothing is unproductive and depressing.
James realized there is something we
must do when we are persevering in faith.
We are to ask for Wisdom.
These words to the scattered believers was what
they needed to hear in their times of suffering.
They focused on what was in their spirit.
They became mature and complete even
though they lost so much in this world.
In the end the single minded person
lacks nothing while they wait.
Because they have peace they are doing the right thing.
According to history James lived this out.
When he was being stoned to
death he continued to pray.
It is recorded that he prayed the words of Jesus…
“Father forgive them for they
no not what they are doing.”
James in the end kept the faith.
He was stable because he
did not allow doubt in his spirit.
You and I have found this same faith
because of men and women like James.
They did not doubt and give up.
They endured and kept the faith.
It was the wisdom they received that changed the world.
I am sure the believers in James’ time
thought Christ would come in their life time.
So why not give up on the world.
They did not give up, they did not
go into hiding and wait for the end.
If Christ held off His return 2000 more years…
Would your faith make a difference till He comes?
Things don’t always work out in this life.
But don’t let that cause you to doubt
the power of faith and wisdom.
Faith always believes there is an answer.
Faith always rejoices in persevering
because it does not give up on hope.
Doubt always quits and blames others.
Doubt always plays the victim.
James 1:6-8 NIV
when he asks, he must believe and not doubt,
because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea,
blown and tossed by the wind.
That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
Scripture Reading
James 1:1-7 TEV
Faith and Wisdom
2 My brothers, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, 3 for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. 4 Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should pray to God, who will give it to him; because God gives generously and graciously to all. 6 But when you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind. 7 A person like that, unable to make up his mind and undecided in all he does, must not think that he will receive anything from the Lord.
No comments:
Post a Comment