May 22
________________________________________
JAMES 4
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. – James 4:13-17
________________________________________
JAMES 4 ALL BOASTING IS ARROGANCE AND IS EVIL
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
When you make plans, are you certain it will happen?
Do you heavily rely on yourself when you are planning?
Is your life in your own hands or is it in the Lord’s hands?
We don’t know our life; it’s here now and tomorrow it may be gone.
What is the point of planning if we don’t rely on the Lord?
How can we presume that it is aligned with God’s word
If we don’t take counsel from his truth, we will fail
Only the Lord’s plan is foolproof and does not fall.
To be confident that your plans will transpire is foolish
All boasting is arrogance and it is pointless and useless
Unless we walk in the Spirit and depend on God
We will not succeed because the Lord hates the proud.
We do not know what tomorrow will bring
Let us not worry or be anxious for nothing
Instead, let us pray for our plans to happen
Let us grow in our dependence on our Maker.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What is the essence of these following verses regarding certainty of human planning?
• Why does James call it arrogance to be certain of tomorrow’s plans?
• Why shouldn’t we depend on our skills and thinking when we make plans?
Monthly Archives: May 2023
JAMES 4 SPEAK NO EVIL AGAINST ONE ANOTHER
May 21
________________________________________
JAMES 4
11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
– James 4:11-12
________________________________________
JAMES 4 SPEAK NO EVIL AGAINST ONE ANOTHER
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Think only whatever is worthy of praise, honorable, just and pure
Have your minds reflect on what is lovely, commendable and true
This way, your lips won’t release anything that is evil
Instead, it will encourage and build up your sisters and brothers.
When you speak out your malicious thoughts to someone
It generates an attack towards another person’s honor
If you follow the law to love one another, you won’t declare evil
To judge someone else’s by your own standards is from the devil.
When you say something against your brother, you are a judge
Since our nature is sinful, we are going to be biased and unjust
Only the Lord God is the one who judges truly and rightly
For he knows every thought we have and discerns us deeply.
Speak no evil against one another and declare only what is true
Do not judge your neighbor, you don’t have the picture as a whole
Leave the judging to the Lord for he alone knows each one of us
Show mercy and love to your neighbor and you will not be judged.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why should Christians put boundaries on one’s thoughts? What happens if we spoke every thought that comes to mind?
• Why does Paul recommend in Philippians 4:8 to think only of what is true, lovely, excellent, honorable, pure, worthy of praise, commendable and just?
• What happens when we speak evil of someone to another person?
JAMES 4 CLOSING OUR HEARTS’ DOOR TO EVIL
May 20
________________________________________
JAMES 4
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. – James 4:7-10
________________________________________
JAMES 4 CLOSING OUR HEARTS’ DOOR TO EVIL
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
As long as we are living in this world, we will be a target of evil
The Lord gave us strategies so we can close our heart’s door to the devil
Be accountable for your own actions and let go of all blaming
Pointing your fingers on someone else will keep Satan going
If you admit your part in any form of wickedness, go and repent
That will stop any more progression of the devil’s attempts.
The Lord gave us commands so we can be protected
If we follow these laws, it closes doors to being tempted
Obedience to the Lord is the best armor against the devil
If you submit to God, your selfish nature will certainly dwindle
Get close to the Lord and he will save you from the wicked
Examine your hearts always so you won’t be lured and be tempted.
Do not give in to so much revelry for that is worldly
Instead, be compassionate to one another’s misery
Embrace all trials and suffering so you can grow in your faith
Avoiding all uncomfortable and painful events only hinders your growth
Do not boast about anything for God raises up the humble and meek
Let go of all that is pleasurable to you but seek to only please the Lord.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• According to these following verses in the book of James, what are the strategies to keep our hearts’ door closed to the devil?
• Is it effective to just tell the devil to go away and flee? Why or why not?
JAMES 4 ARE YOU A FRIEND OF GOD OR OF THIS WORLD?
May 19
________________________________________
JAMES 4
4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore, it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” – James 4:4-6
________________________________________
JAMES 4 ARE YOU A FRIEND OF GOD OR OF THIS WORLD?
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
If you are a Christian, are you truly faithful to the Lord?
Do you compromise your loyalty to God by following the world?
Like a wife is expected to be faithful to her husband
So is the church required to be devoted to God’s only Son.
God is a jealous God and longs for your faithfulness
He wants you to prioritize him and live in righteousness
The Lord gave you his own Spirit when he chose you
This is how he equipped you to stay devoted and true.
To love the things that the world offers shows that you hate God
The world system is evil since Satan is the prince of this earth
Anything that draws you away to prioritize God is spiritual idolatry
You become an enemy of God when you serve gods other than him.
When you love riches and earthly things, you become consumed by them
There will be no room to serve God but only to follow your cravings
God goes against all the worldly, the wicked and the proud
But he blesses and gives favor to all who are meek and kind.
No man can serve two masters; he’ll hate one and love the other
You cannot love God and also love all that the world offers
Either you are a friend of this earthly kingdom or of God’s
Serve only the One true God and you will be called his friend.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How do you know if someone is a friend or an enemy of God according to these following verses?
JAMES 4 PASSIONS AT WAR WITHIN YOU
May 18
________________________________________
JAMES 4
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions
– James 4:1-3
________________________________________
JAMES 4 PASSIONS AT WAR WITHIN YOU
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Wanting something you do not have can lead to troubles
It distracts you from contentment and leads to quarrels
Expectations from yourself and from others become unrealistic
As you obsess and not have it, you can go ballistic.
When you see something you fancy, it can lead to cravings
These desires can make one incessantly obsessing
It may even lead to plotting to destroy someone
Desires can draw you to conflicts and consume you.
Ask the Lord when you need something
But ask according to his will and not your longings
The Lord meets your needs, not your wants
He grants only what is good for you and not the bad.
When you ask God for something, do it in faith
Having doubts means that you do not totally trust
Meditate on the word, renew your mind and you will please God
If you follow your passions and you will take the wrong path.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Share an instance in your life that caused quarrels and fights with someone. Was James right when he said that it comes from passions at war within you?
• The word “passion” is defined by the dictionary as an object of desire or deep interest. What does James say about desire in James 1:14-15?
JAMES 3 EARTHLY WISDOM AGAINST WISDOM FROM ABOVE
May 17
________________________________________
JAMES 3
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. – James 3:13-18
________________________________________
JAMES 3 EARTHLY WISDOM AGAINST WISDOM FROM ABOVE
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Beloved saints, examine what you know and understand
Does it come from the Lord or is it from the world?
Is your knowledge coming from above or is it earthly?
Does it promote peace or does it bring chaos and disorder?
Watch out that your heart isn’t full of jealousy and ambition
These selfish goals bring about much lies and deception
This is not wisdom that come from the Lord but is demonic
It is guided by selfishness and gains for one’s own cravings.
The wisdom that comes from above is pure and true
It is not self-serving or driven by its own nature
It is not arrogant or harsh but is open to reason
It exudes unbiased and respectful opinions.
True wisdom brings about peace and mercy
It does not show any judgment or impartialities
It is not corrupt or focuses on selfish ambitions
Peace and good fruits result from wisdom from above.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How do you know if a person has true wisdom or just human knowledge?
• How can one develop true wisdom from above and let go of earthly ones?
JAMES 3 THE TONGUE IS A FIRE & UNTAMABLE
May 16
________________________________________
JAMES 3
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. – James 3:5-12
________________________________________
JAMES 3 THE TONGUE IS A FIRE & UNTAMABLE
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
The tongue though a very small member of our body is a fire
It is deadly for it can set ablaze a whole wide forest and spread
It can affect our entire lives and may drag us into hell itself
Because it cannot be tamed unlike other creatures, it is very deadly.
One person’s tongue may speak out a gossip to someone
Before you know it, like fire it has reached the ears of everyone
From that tongue can come out lies that originated from the devil
The reputation of one person can be destroyed by this restless evil.
It is also from what we say that we can build up another human being
From that same mouth, we can also utter and destroy a person’s standing
Such blessings and cursing must not come from the same mouth
A firm believer in Christ will not yield to words that are filthy and foul.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How can a believer prevent the tongue from being poisonous if according to these verses, it is a world of unrighteousness and a restless evil?
• Share an experience where the tongue has gotten you in trouble and what were the aftermath of that.
JAMES 3 WE ALL STUMBLE IN WHAT WE SAY
May 15
________________________________________
JAMES 3
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. – James 3:1-5
________________________________________
JAMES 3 WE ALL STUMBLE IN WHAT WE SAY
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
My brothers and sisters, let us remember that our nature is sinful
For if we forget this truth, we will easily be tempted and stumble
No one can claim that he or she is a perfect person who doesn’t fail
We are under the curse of sin and in many ways, we can easily fall.
Do not be envious of those who teach, for they are judged by others harder
Since they have received such gifts to teach, more is expected from them
Standards are raised for teachers as they must sample what they teach
A life of integrity is expected from those who guide others towards the truth.
No one is exempt in stumbling especially when the tongue pronounces
It is a small member of our body, but boasts of things it accomplishes
The tongue declares encouragement but also can bring forth death
With it, we can build up a person and with it we can also destroy them.
Let us ask the Spirit of the Lord to constantly guide us as we serve God
Let’s surrender our tongues to the true God who alone leads to the right path
Let the tongue boast only of the magnificence of the Lord to all people
May our mouth be guarded and speak only what is true and lovely.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do you think James likens the tongue to a rudder and to the mouths of horses in verses 3 and 4?
• How is it possible for us humans to tame our tongues if it’s inevitable that we stumble in what we say as verse 2 says?
JAMES 2 JUSTIFIED BY WORKS AND NOT BY FAITH ALONE
May 14
________________________________________
JAMES 2
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. – James 2:18-26
________________________________________
JAMES 2 JUSTIFIED BY WORKS AND NOT BY FAITH ALONE
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
As you hold your faith in Jesus, the glorious Savior, you ought to walk in love
When someone says that they believe in the Lord but isn’t loving, it is a lie
How can you prove your love to someone if there is no involvement?
Will the other person truly experience your love without commitment?
True faith is always accompanied by thoughtful and sincere compassion
Saying you have faith is not good enough to prove your faithful dedication.
Just as Abraham proved his faith to God by offering his son Isaac on the altar
Believers are expected to manifest their faith through works of kindness
To declare one’s faith without acting on it is purely lip service
The Lord desires our praise and God wants only true worshippers
If you claim you have faith, let it be justified by actions as well
Otherwise, your claims are insubstantial to qualify as faith that saves.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Can faith without works be considered faith at all? Why or why not?
• Who are other biblical characters who manifested their faith aside from Abraham and Rahab as mentioned here?
• Why do you think works is important to accompany faith?
JAMES 2 FAITH WITHOUT COMPASSION IS POINTLESS
May 13
________________________________________
JAMES 2
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead -James 2:14-17
________________________________________
JAMES 2 FAITH WITHOUT COMPASSION IS POINTLESS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
To believe in the Lord Jesus Christ means that you love and care for others
Because he cares for the weak, the poor, the broken hearted and the vulnerable
One who claims they are Jesus’ followers ought to manifest love and compassion
To say that you are a believer and not show your love for others is a delusion
If Jesus sampled to us his sacrificial love by dying on the cross for us
Why couldn’t we show the same consideration for the body of Christ?
What good is it to live a contented life when people around you are in anguish?
Didn’t the Lord choose the poor in the world and love them lavishly?
Weren’t the poor in spirit heirs to God’s kingdom and received salvation?
Love those who are needy and marginalized and aide them in their situations.
What is the point of claiming you are a Christian when you don’t show love?
What good will spoken words do when they aren’t accompanied by works?
To continue to believe you have faith but have not shown love is hypocrisy
When our only concern is our own comfort and pleasure, we are ungodly
Let our faith be accompanied by concern, understanding and love for others
If someone is in need of something, let’s be quick to give aide to one another
Faith without compassion is pointless; actions are louder than words
Without words, we can still manifest our faith by showing kindness and love
Faith accompanied by love and compassion is genuine and true
Faith without works shows a false understanding of the Lord our God.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What is James challenging Christians in the following verses?
• How is true faith different from faith as shown in this wise book of James?