Ok, here's my two cents worth.
I am one to pick things apart, so deep breath, lol. Here goes..
http://net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Jam&chapter=1&verse=1
1:1 From James, a slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. Greetings!
Joy in Trials
1:2 My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 1:4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. 1:5 But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. 1:6 But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. 1:7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, 1:8 since he is a double-minded individual, 6 unstable in all his ways.
Many have argued about who "James" was, as there are only 4 I believe mentioned in the NT. The general consensus was that it was the brother of Jesus who wrote this book, and for a small book, it's sure jam packed. Most of it is read between the lines to me, and also says alot in pure silence, for all it does not say. Paul had great respect for James as well, as he (James) helped to settle a dispute, a potentially explosive one
, in Jerusalem and helped to draft a letter to the Gentile Christians in Antioch in Acts 15:13, 19; Gal 2:1, 9, 10,12.
James is the most Jewish book of the NT, and is lined with flowing wisdom of the OT. There are many parallels in the book of James with Matthew.. James was said to have spent so much time on his knees that they became as calloused as a camel's. Can you imagine that? I cannot.
James also never made it known that he was the brother of Jesus and chose to keep that part silent. Yet in it's silence, it screams loudly of the quiet but profound truth.
Verse 2 and 3 ....basically states that becoming a Christian does not say that things will always be a smooth ride, as we all know. (John 15:20; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Pet 6:7, 4:12-19) James tells us to count it all joy when we encounter trials, but I wish I knew the secret. One thing that helped me over the years has been to understand that joy is not an emotion at all, but rather an unemotional assessment of the situation from God's perspective, viewing the things we are going through as a test and a trial, for our good, for our spiritual growth. And, let's not leave out moral growth.
. So, saying all that to say we do not rejoice in the trial, but in the anticipation of what the trial brings later.
In us. Testing proves genuiness and trials serve as disciplines to purge faith of dross, and what is false within us. Ouch. I've been there for a bit now..Patience is a steadfastness that will endure.
The wisdom in v5 is not an intellectual knowledge, but spiritual understanding of the trials and tests. God gives us that wisdom without holding back.
In v8 is where I got hit hard. A double minded man..one that is drawn in two different directions. Divided allegiance and lack of sincerity, so you vacillate between the two, between belief and disbelief, sometimes thinking God is there to help you, sometimes wondering if He's forgotten who you are, and thereby giving up all hope in Him. This person is unstable, tossed to and fro on the waves, on the winds of doctrine, never receiving anything from the Lord. This is true in prayer life as well. and, as I read this, I realized my prayer life has suffered greatly. Since I allowed trials in my life recently to get the best of me, I've slacked on prayer, and concentrated and focused on my problem(s), and I've become the double minded man. I have to change that because I do want to receive what the Lord has for me, and I must count it all joy, and see things from His perspective, with a greater spiritual understanding than I had, pressing in and going on with endurance, letting patience have it's perfect work in me, knowing that He who began a good work in me, shall complete it.
In verse 5, the well known and quoted verse:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him".
The word "reproach" here,
oneidizo, Strong's 3679, originally is to behave in a very juvenile and immature way, describing kids who make fun of, tease, and taunt each other. Then the word came to denote mocking, ridiculing, scolding, insulting, and using words angrily or sarcastically. James 1:5 assures us that God gives without reminding us of our unworthiness. I always thought the word meant something else, and never really bothered to check it out. Now I know.
so, this is where I am with the study...
Thank you Cindy for this..It's just what I needed.
God bless
