There You Are!

¹¹ For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

James 1:11

It is summer in Minnesota.

Summer is a sweet balm for the soul in a state where winter temperatures can reach well below zero on a regular basis. In many years, the snow that falls in November doesn’t completely melt away until April.

When summer finally arrives, I am convinced that there is no more beautiful place to live than the state of Minnesota. With its 11,842 lakes and 67 state parks, Minnesota abounds with natural wonder.

I’m always amused when the temperatures in Minnesota reach triple digits. There are times when the thermometer reaches marks that make this northern state hot genuine hot zone. It’s on those days that our neighbors in southern states speak in awe about the fact that the frigid tundra has actually become warmer than their state.

When I read James 1:11, I think of the hottest days of a Minnesota summer. It really doesn’t matter where you live, eventually, the sun will rise with a heat so intense that the grass will wither and the flower will fall. The Apostle James says it simply . . . its beauty perishes. 

We live in a culture that is obsessed with beauty. The idea that beauty might someday perish is something that is hard to swallow. But, it’s true. What’s true in nature is true of people. Proverbs 31:30 may be one of the best-known places where Scripture speaks to beauty’s temporary nature:

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.

Proverbs 31:30 NLT

James tells us that the same is true of the accomplishments of those who hustle about to make a name for themselves. We all eventually die. The rich person, whose entire life has been about elevating himself or herself will eventually fade away.

In our upsidedown world we seem to elevate those who have achieved a certain amount of economic prosperity. But, there is a wealth that will outlast all that we accumulate here on earth. Jesus called it storing up treasure in heaven.

¹⁹ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, ²³ but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Matthew 6:19-24 ESV

Not all those who have been blessed with wealth use it to elevate themselves. There are so many stories of those who have been blessed who use those blessings to be a blessing to others. One of the most important mentors in my life once said to me, “Brian, there are two types of people in the world. There are the Here I Am people, whose whole lives are about themselves. When they walk into a room they scream for attention. Then there are the There You Are people. These are the people who make you feel like you are the most important person in the world. Their lives are about lifting others up.

Think about it. Who has made the greatest difference in your life?

• Here I am people?
• There you are people?

I think most of us woud say it is the “there you are people” that God has put into our lives have influenced us the most.

Now, who do you want to be in the lives of others? If this world is all that there is then you may as well make a name for yourself. Make as much money as you can. Climb every ladder of success that you can.

But, if what James says is true. If we will eventually fade away in the midst of our pursuits, then let’s make sure that we are pusuing the right things.

Casting Crowns has a song entitled Only Jesus that says it so beautifully. Have a listen here, and then let me know what God is stirring up in you.

Lifestyles of the Spiritually Rich

¹⁰ and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.

James 1:10

It’s amazing how easy it is to let a great thing be crowded out by good things. This has been an incredibly busy week for me. It has been full of meetings with people who are facing various types of crises. As I was walking into work yesterday, knowing that I had over-scheduled my day, I found myself singing a line from an old Veggie Tales song that my kids used to sing:

I’m busy, busy, dreadfully busy
You’ve no idea what I have to do.
Busy, busy, shockingly busy
Much, much too busy for you.

In the Veggie Tales video, the character was too busy for other people. I was too busy for God. That is not a good thing. So, here I am again. I don’t want to be too busy to take the time that I need to take to dig into my relationship with Jesus.

Today’s verse is James 1:10. It follows James’ teaching on those who are lowly being able to boast in their exaltation. James understood the upside down Kingdom of God. God loves to exalt those in lowly positions. In James 1:10, our attention is turned to those that the world naturally exalts. There has probably not been a time in the past several thousand years where those who are rich are not exalted by the world.

When I was growing up there was a television show called Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Each week, the affable host of the show would take you into the luxurious estates of celebrities, corporate moguls, and trust fund babies. I have to admit, I was a little envious at the end of every episode.

As a full-time pastor and part-time realtor, I find myself in some beautiful homes. One of my favorite things to do is to walk through the annual Parade of Homes here in the Twin Cities. These are the crème de la crème of model homes that the builders here in the Twin Cities use to showcase their new communities. It is so fun to see some of the new trends in real estate and to walk through homes that I will never be able to afford. But, truth be told, sometimes it is a little sad too.

The wealth that we acquire here on earth is temporary. We can’t take it with us. It is also fragile. I’ve watched many of my wealthy friends lose everything when a poor decision, a turn in the economy, or a health crisis took them by surprise. If our value comes from our wealth, then we will eventually succumb to the humiliation that James speaks of in this verse. It might happen in this life. It might happen in eternity. But, it will happen. True wealth isn’t found in possessions, bank accounts, or IRA’s. True wealth is found in Jesus. Like a flower of the field, the earthly wealth that we acquire will eventually fade away.

Jesus said, ^“19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20). 

A person in a “lowly” position that is storing up treasure in heaven is exponentially wealthier than a “rich” person whose treasure is simply stored up on earth. Jesus showed us what storing up heavenly treasure looks like in Matthew 25:31-40.

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,you did it to me.’

Living our life with eternity on our minds and in our actions matters. May you lay up treasure in heaven!

Get Low

⁹ Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,

James 1:9

There is something special about the way that the Bible talks about those in “lowly” positions.

We see Old Testament heroes exalted from lowly positions:

• Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers.
• Moses went from being the child of slave to the palace to a fugitive to the leader that God chose to free His people.
• Daniel and his friends were captured by an enemy army and forced to serve an enemy king.
• David went from tending sheep in his father’s field to leading the nation as a warrior king.
• Ruth went from scavenging grain in the fields of Boaz to being redeemed by the very same man.
• Esther went from the harem to the queen’s throne.

And, in the New Testament, we get the greatest surprise of all! Jesus went from the throne room of heaven, where He was worshiped 24/7, to a manger in Bethlehem and world that rejected Him. This same Jesus encouraged His followers to live as servants.

So, it’s not surprising that James tells the lowly brother to “boast (rejoice) in his exaltation.”

So many times, God uses that which the world considers foolish to confound the wise. The Christian life is one in which we are called to die to self and live for Christ. It is a life where we are told to daily take up our cross and follow Him. In other words, to be exalted we have to get low. We have to, as Bill Hybels put it so well so many years ago, descend to greatness.

What does descending to greatness look like in your life?

Are there some ways that over the past week, God has given you the privilege of getting low for Him? I’d love to hear about it. May you embrace the low life. For when you do, God will exalt you!

Guard Yourself Against Double-Minded Thinking

⁷ For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:7-8

I’m going to be out of town tomorrow on a little family vacation, so I decided to tackle two verses today instead of one. And, I’m kind of glad that it worked out this way, because James 1:7-8 is really just one sentence.

James is continuing his thoughts on doubt in these verses. James has instructed us to ask for wisdom and to be careful to ask without doubting. Those who doubt are like waves of the sea, which are tossed here and there by the wind. He expands on that thought in verses 7-8.

⁷ For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

This seems like such a contrary picture to the God that I am used to seeing in Scripture. The Bible, and my personal experience, paints the Lord as a generous and good Father. He loves to give good gifts to His children. Why would He not want to give good gifts to a person who is struggling with doubts? Well, I think we need to remember what the doubts are about. James is warning us not to doubt that God will keep His promises. When we doubt that God will do what He says that He will do, we are attacking the very character of God. We are saying that the One who is the Source of truth, Who is the very Truth, is capable of falsehood. We are equating the very character trait that is associated with the devil (lies – the Bible calls Satan the “Father of Lies”) with God.

Why would God bless a person who is essentially ascribing a character trait of the devil to the Triune God? Such people are double-minded. They profess to believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. At the same time they doubt that Jesus is telling the truth. Jesus cannot be the Truth and a liar at the same time. Thinking this way about God is double-minded thinking and it makes you double-minded and unstable.

Meditate today on what it means for Jesus to be the Truth and how His wisdom could help you make more disciples for Jesus Christ. Thank Him for the blessings in your life, and for the gift of wisdom. Praise God that there is no falsehood in him whatsoever.

You Can Trust in God’s Promises

⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

James 1:6

So, did you do it?

Did you ask God for wisdom?

James 1:5 encouraged any of us who lack wisdom to ask God, who gives generously to all.

Early this morning, I read the devotional that I wrote yesterday to my wife, Cyndi. And then we prayed for wisdom.

My day consisted of six back-to-back meetings, lots of e-mails and phone calls. So many times today I needed wisdom. And, after meditating on James 1:5 throughout the day yesterday, and meditating on James 1:6 today, I was more aware of my need for wisdom than I normally am.

After a day of living in awareness of my need to ask God for wisdom, I am pleased to say that I am ending my day with peace about the decisions that I made today. I feel like God gave me wisdom over an over today.

So let’s look at today’s verse.

⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

God’s promise of wisdom for those who ask is conditional.

We need to ask for wisdom:

• In Faith – Whenever I think about about the word “faith” I think about the Hebrews 11:1 definition of faith, which says, “1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” I find that my prayer life can be one of the most difficult areas to have faith. Do you ever pray for something, but not believe that God is going to do something about it? If we believe that James 1:5 is a promise from God concerning wisdom, then we need to ask God for it in faith, believing that God is the ultimate Promise Keeper.
• With no Doubting – It seems like “with no doubting,” is the same thing as faith. But, I’ve found that my doubts, and overcoming those doubts, are sometimes the very things that God uses to strengthen my faith. Maybe the point that James is trying to make here is that we don’t need to doubt God’s promises. Ask for wisdom knowing that God wants to give you wisdom.

Why is doubt as it relates to asking for faith such a big deal to James?

Because the person who doubts is like a wave of sea that is driven and tossed by the sea. Anyone who has been to the ocean, or one of the Great Lakes can relate to what James is saying here. Waves are easily moved by the wind. A person who doesn’t believe that God keeps his promises in one area can be easily swayed to believe that God won’t keep His promises in other areas too.

Struggle with trusting God?

Start with trusting in His promise to give you wisdom.

Solomon wrote in Proverbs 9:10 that, “10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

Ask God, in faith and see what He does!

The Gift of Wisdom

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

James 1:5

James 1:5 has always been one of my favorite Bible verses. It is one of the Bible’s most beautiful promises.

Think about what James is saying here.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 

If any of you lacks wisdom . . .

If any of you . . .

That sounds almost too good to be true, doesn’t it? It sounds too generous. It sounds too simple. It sounds too easy.

But, that’s the thing. When God makes a promise, and when God gives a gift, He delivers above and beyond our expectations.

James has already promised us the gift of trials. Follow God, and God will bring trials into your life, that when we have an eternal perspective we’ll one day see as gifts. Now, James promises that God will give the gift of wisdom to those who seek wisdom from His hand.

And, that is a place that many people will refuse to go.

We want wisdom, but we don’t want God. Without God, we’ll never have wisdom.

Here’s the thing. When we humble ourselves and go the One who is the Eternal Source of wisdom, we’ll never be lacking the wisdom we seek.

Isn’t it amazing that James so nonchalantly says, “let him ask God.”

Think about that.

Dwell on that.

You have access to God.

You can ask God.

You.

Me.

I can’t get over the unfettered access that we have to God.

I wonder sometimes, if the saints who have gone on before us, the ones of whom Hebrews 12:1-2 so eloquently speak of when we read,

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

 I wonder if those saints, that great cloud of witnesses, think, “Hey Brian, (Go ahead and insert your name), what are you thinking? You have access to God. You can ask God. He wants you to ask Him. He wants you to ask Him for wisdom. What are you thinking? Ask, already!”

What are we thinking?

God . . . gives generously . . . to all.

And, He does it without reproach. In other words, God will never disapprove of you coming to Him for more wisdom. It’s a gift that God longs for you to have.

May you lean into God’s wisdom today! Embrace the life of wisdom that He offers those who seek Him. Wise men and women, boys and girls still seek Him.

Perfect and Complete, Lacking Nothing

⁴ And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:4

What is God producing in you right now?

It stands to reason that if God is the Creator and the Sustainer of life (Colossians 1:17), then He is constantly at work in our lives.

Earlier today I was talking with a potter, and it got me thinking about Isaiah 64:8, which says,

⁸ But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
    we are the clay, and you are our potter;
    we are all the work of your hand.

In James 1:4, we read the conclusion of James’ thoughts on trials. Remember, we are to count it joy when we face trials of various kinds, recognizing that God is at work in our trials. He is doing something. Verse three told us that “the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”

James encourages us to let steadfastness have it’s full effect.

How do we do that? I have never had a conversation with someone and asked, “Are you letting steadfastness have its full effect in you?”

I am guessing that you haven’t had that conversation either.

Usually when I talk about something having it’s full effect, it has to do with medication. If I am sick, and I go to the doctor, and I get a prescription to help fight whatever infection that I have going on in my body.  I need to take the proper dosage of the medication for it to have its full effect in me.

When James uses the word, “let,” in front of the words, “steadfastness have its full effect,” he is talking about a volitional act of the will. We need to embrace the work that God is doing in us and not fight it.

When I was a young boy, I used to hate getting shots. Truth be told, I still hate getting shots. I remember one particular day when my mother took me to the doctor for my scheduled immunizations. On that day, I screamed at, kicked and hid from the nurse. I hid underneath the examination table and held firmly to its base to avoid being put on the table by the nurse. I fought against my immunization with everything that I had. Finally, a doctor came into the room and helped the nurse get me on the table for my immunization. Things would have gone a lot easier for me that day if I just stopped fighting.

There are so many times in my life where I have fought what God is doing in my life through “trials of various kinds” (James 1:2). I need to let God’s work have its full effect in me.

Isn’t it cool what James says next? When God’s work is complete in me, I will be “perfect and complete, lacking in  nothing.”

That is something that I can hardly wrap my mind around. I’ve never met a person in my life who is “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Even the greatest spiritual giants that I have me this side of eternity are lacking something.

What are you lacking today?

Balance? Peace? Stability? Finances? Joy? Contentment? Purpose? Love? Patience? Friends? Assurance? Hope? Self-Control?

I could keep going, but my guess is that in the above list you might find at least one area that you are lacking in. It could be that you said, “I am lacking in all of those areas and then some!”

Here is the deal.

One day . . .

One day . . .

One glorious day . . .

              everyone who has trusted Jesus as Savior and Lord . . .

                                will be perfect and complete, lacking nothing!

That is the guaranteed future state of all who have been adopted as Sons and Daughters by our Lord Jesus Christ. That will be a happy day! But, it will be preceded by many days of trial. God will use your trial to bring you to a spot where you will stand before Him, perfect and complete, lacking nothing!

In 1969, the Gospel group, The Edwin Hawkins Singers’ song, Oh Happy Day, became an international hit. It reached number four on the U.S. Singles Chart, number two in the UK and Ireland, and number one in France, Germany and the Netherlands. The song’s lyrics are simply:

Oh happy day (oh happy day)
Oh happy day (oh happy day)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
He washed my sins away (oh happy day)
Oh happy day (oh happy day)

He taught me how to watch, fight and pray, fight and pray
And live rejoicing every, everyday

Oh happy day

He taught me how

Oh happy day (oh happy day)
Oh happy day (oh happy day)
Oh happy day (oh happy day)

May you relish in the goodness of God today! He is doing a new work in you with every trial that He brings your way. Let Him do His work. Don’t fight it. Lean into it. And, trust in Him.

For your listening enjoyment, here is a video of the Edwin Hawkins Singers’ rendition of Oh Happy Day.

Stick With What You Know

³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

James 1:3

Yesterday we looked at James 1:2, where we were instructed to count it all joy when we face trials of various kinds. James 1:2 is the first part of a sentence that is completed in James 1:3.

Why would anyone count trials joy?

Because we know that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness (patience or perseverance).

Think about the trials that you have faced in your life. Does James’ claim in verse 3 hold true for you? Have you seen God use trials in your life to produce something in you?

Several years ago I invited a number of guest speakers to speak at Woodbury Community Church for a spiritual emphasis week. One of the speakers was Troy Dobbs, the Senior Pastor at Grace Church in Eden Prairie. Troy spoke on James 1:1-4. There was something he said that night that I’ll never forget. When he came to verse 3, he encouraged those in the sanctuary that night to “stick with what they know.” In other words, when facing trials, remember that God works through them to produce steadfastness, patience or perseverance in us. He is producing something good in us in every trial that He brings our way.

It’s interesting to me that James uses the words, “the testing of your faith.”

Have trials ever felt like a test to your faith? I know they have in my life. And, I have certainly seen a number of my friends go through incredible tests.

In the sanctuary the night that Troy spoke were two friends of mine who had recently lost their teenage son to a tragic death. This precious couple had undergone an incredible trial in their life. Losing a child would be the ultimate of faith tests.  I winced when I heard Troy speaking about trials, thinking that my friends might find the message too tough to swallow. Their son had died just a couple months before. I thought the last thing they would want to hear was a sermon on trials.

I was wrong. That night when the conference was over, my friends came to me and smiled. They said, “Brian, that was exactly what we needed to hear tonight.” Then they began to tell me the ways that they had already seen God working through their awful trial to produce something new in them.

Be assured, God is continually at work in your life. May you trust in His sovereign grace.

Trials and Joy

² Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

James 1:2

Like most kids who grew up in the 1970’s, I watched a lot of Sesame Street. One of my favorite characters on that classic children’s television show was Count von Count. The Count loved counting things. Wikipedia says, “The Count loves counting so much that he will count anything and everything, regardless of size, amount, or how much annoyance he is causing the other characters. In Season 6, for instance, he once prevented Ernie from answering a telephone because he wanted to continue counting the number of times the telephone rang. Another time, while serving as an elevator operator, he refused to let Kermit the Frog get out at his selected floor so he could count every floor in the building.”

When I say that I watched a lot of Sesame Street, I’m talking an insane amount. I know . . . it’s a problem. I don’t remember Count von Count ever counting trials.

Can you picture it?

“One trial (My child just told me they hate me) . . . Two Trials (My work-life is falling apart) . . . Three trials (I have more bills than money at the end of the month) . . . Four trials (My parents are ill) . . . Five Trials (My car just broke down) . . . ah ah ah 5 wonderful trials!”

No, Count von Count never counted trials.

When James told his readers to “count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,” he wasn’t using the word that we think of as mathematical counting. Many Bible translations use the words, “Consider it joy,” at the beginning of the verse.

Do you consider your trials to be a joy?

I know that “joy” isn’t the first word that comes to mind when I have a trial.

But, when I see God work through my trials for His glory and my growth, I can truly be joyful – even in the midst of the struggle.

So many of the trials in my life have been the exact things that I needed in my life to become the man that God has made me today. James talked about the trials that God brings into our lives as “various trials.”

Can you relate?

Many are the types of trials that each one of us will face in life.

He also uses the tender term, “my brothers.” Aren’t you glad that we don’t have to go through trials alone? James could count his trials as joy, in part, because they helped him grow closer to God and others. When you live in community with other people, trials can truly be a blessing.

A 108 Day Journey Through The Book of James

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:

Greetings.

James 1:1

Several years ago, I felt like the Lord was telling me to SLOW DOWN. Everything about my life was fast. I was a husband, a father to four incredibly active and sweet kids, a  youth pastor at a mega-church, a conference speaker, an author – and truth be told I felt out of balance – busy beyond belief. I had come to the point in my life where it was difficult for me to carve out the time that I needed to spend with God. While on a family vacation, I felt like I literally heard the voice of God tell me to take the next 176 days to meditate on a verse a day from the Bible’s longest chapter, Psalm 119.

So, I did. I meditated on just one verse a day. And, at the end of the 176 days, my life was radically changed. I left the church that I served for seven years. I left behind most of the speaking gigs and writing opportunities. I purposely devoted myself in new ways to Jesus and his church. That journey took place almost nine years ago.

Recently, I have felt like Jesus is calling me to do a similar thing. My wife and I are in a new season of life. Our oldest two kids are now married. We are thrilled with the wonderful people that God brought into their lives — a new son and daughter for us! We only have two kids left at home. One will graduate this year and go off to college, most likely many states away. That will leave us with one precious child left at home, and that is only for 2 1/2 more years. I am amazed when I look back and see how quickly life can change.

Earlier today, I read through James 1 with my wife. The book of James has been called the Proverbs of the New Testament. It is full of practical wisdom for living as a follower of Jesus. I love this book. Today, I felt like God was calling me to take another journey. This one will be for 108 days. There are 108 verses in the five chapters that make up the book of James. I’m not sensing that God is telling me to only read one verse a day, but I am sensing that I should meditate on one verse a day. So, for the next 108 days, I plan to meditate on a verse a day through the book of James and see what God does.

Truth be told, I’m a little bit afraid to do this. So much in my life changed the last time that I did this. But, I am also excited. For years, I updated my blog several times a week (sometimes several times a day). In recent years I have found myself too busy, too tired, and too distracted to write. Maybe, I need to slow down again. The last time that I did this, God changed me. Several people joined me on the journey by reading along with my blog. It may be that I am the only one who will read these words. That’s okay. I feel compelled to write what God is saying to me, and perhaps he will use these words to encourage you too.

Today’s verse is James 1:1.

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:

Greetings.

Such a simple and yet profound statement!

James was the little half-brother of Jesus.Think about that for a second! Jesus was his big brother! How would you like to be compared to Jesus? I can hear it now. “James, why can’t you be more like your big brother, Jesus?”

I’m not sure why, but James didn’t follow Jesus at first. Maybe he was skeptical that Jesus was the Messiah. John 7:5 says, “5 For not even his brothers believed in him.”

In Mark 3:21, Jesus’ family was convinced the Lord was off of His rocker! “21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, ‘He is out of his mind.'”

Something changed in James.

He was now the leader of the church at Jerusalem, and I love the title that this First Century preacher half-brother of Jesus gave to himself,  “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

That’s what I want to be known as. In a world that values titles, I want my title to be servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a husband, I want Cyndi to know me as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a dad, I want my kids to know me as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a son, I want my parents to know me as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a friend and neighbor, a co-worker and colleague, I want my people to know me as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a pastor, I want my congregation to know me as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a citizen of a very divided nation, where politics are dividing friends and family, I want my country to know me as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What would the world look like if we all lived like James?

What would our lives look like if we truly were cognizant of the fact that Christians are called to die to self and live as servants? Like Jesus, our lives are meant to be given away.

James wrote to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion. He was, after all, a pastor to Jews, in the capital city. He was the pastor of the Jerusalem church, where Judaism reigned supreme, shepherding a flock who believed that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah. James wanted all of Israel, all of the Jewish people, dispersed throughout the world, to know that Jesus was Lord. He was writing to share with the Jewish people what it meant to live as a follower of the Messiah. Jesus changes everything. He always has. Jesus had changed His little half-brother’s life. And, his little half-brother wanted everyone to know how Jesus could change them too!

Who would you write to, if God inspired you to write a letter about Him? Maybe there is someone that you need to write to. Maybe you need to encourage a brother or sister in Christ. Maybe you need to share your faith story. Maybe you need to write a thank you letter to God for all that He has blessed you with.

James ends verse one with the simple word, “Greetings.”

I love receiving greetings from people I have missed seeing. I bet the people who read James’ letter appreciated his letter too.

I don’t know if anyone is going to read the posts that I write over the next 108 days, but for those willing to take the journey with me, “Greetings . . .”

I can’t wait to see what God is going to do.