With this, James’ address to us as his “beloved brethren,” shows the intention of love, care, and purposeful edification that we spoke of in our devotion of James 1:1.
What this command should do then, is set us up to examine ourselves and soften our hearts to the possibility of some deception that James will soon direct our attention to, that we may test and approve ourselves according to the faith. 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” First, James reminds that every good thing, every perfect thing, in our lives or that may come into our lives, has only one source of origin: God the Father. In such, He deserves our praise, our thanks, our attention, and our devotion. For Allah can surely provide no good thing. Buddha stands mute in the face of petition. Satan will indeed offer you some outcome, but everything he calls good only ends in death and destruction. Surely, there are endless places to seek goodness and perfection, but only one will ever be in stock and able to provide. The Lord and Father Jesus Christ. For since these things only come down from the Father, our prayers must go up to Him for use to receive. And we must know for certain that as long as we seek fulfillment and provision in our own strength, in our peers, in the promises of the world, or in false religions, we shall receive only that which is corrupted and imperfect, both in of themselves, and as they pertain to our wants and needs. To know that this mighty God, who calls Himself our Father, gives such gifts, and in fact authored all that is good and perfect, and is coupled with character that never changes or turns from us, is to know that just as He has once done, so He shall be delighted to do again and again, to the full adequacy, and even overflow, of our needs. 1:18, “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures.” For we are not as beggars coming before a God who needs to check his pockets, or stir Himself up to compassion, but to a God who has called us to such an inheritance, to such a promise, and to such a glory that we fail to ever accurately grasp it, even as the most devout scholars may try. In this, He has boldly called us forward into His riches and goodness, not as beggars, but as heirs, and as friends. Being the author of all things, unrestrained in might and power, He is cable of affording all to those who ask, and to do so without burden, resentment, or deficit. For in Him all things were made and consist. In Him is the ability to give all and never spend, and in Him is to bear all things and always forgive. Do not bear your own burden. Do not trust falsely in power or riches, do not hope in your neighbor or friend, and seek no empty deity who has a name, but no power, or who has servants, but no authority. Come gladly to the Father of Heavenly Light. Come boldly to ask, and in great pleasure He will give to all who need. Look only to the Lord, and in all things you shall receive. Go, and be blessed.
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Darrin MillerWorking for the Lord. Archives
October 2016
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