‘Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.’ The Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, is very concerned to instruct his young disciple how to deal with false teaching and corruption - especially financial corruption - in the church in Ephesus.
The Power of Humility before the Lord
So many of God's promises are conditional upon our obedience. James 4, verses 6-8, are an encouragement to submit to God and be humble before Him. There is power in your obedience and humility. ‘God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you.'
Your words contain miracles
There are miracles in the words you speak. If you really believe what you say, you will speak – and the mountain will move! Whatever you say, if you speak with faith and authority, and don’t doubt, you will be healed, your family will be blessed, your financial burden will move – even if these things are mountains in your life! But let this be a warning – watch your tongue – the miracle is in your mouth!!
The Gift of Perseverance
Perseverance: this is a major issue for us; our faith has to face a test. James is not talking about a gift of faith, but the very faith in God which is the foundation of our salvation; we are saved by faith. James is talking about the testing of the very essence of our salvation. This is the whole theme of this first chapter. The testing of our faith in the very promises of God.
Reconciliation and Transformation through Christ
Will God dwell with us?
We are all so familiar with the Christmas prophecy, Isaiah 9:6, ‘Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given...’ But Solomon in 2 Chronicles 6:18, at the dedication of the new temple asks, ‘But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You…!’
God's Power breaks every curse
God's Power breaks every curse. I want to tell you, whom God has blessed, no one can curse! No one can curse you, when you have the love of God in your heart. In Numbers 23.19-20, Balaam was paid by Balak to curse the people of God. But this is what Balaam said, “God is not a man that He should lie, neither a son of man that He should repent (change His mind) – what He said, shall He not do it, and what He has spoken will He not make it happen?!” God cannot lie, He cannot change what He has said. And in the next verse Balaam says, God has blessed, no one can change it!
Determined to touch Jesus
Do you need a miracle of healing? Do you question, does Jesus still heal today? The desire of Jesus is that your spirit, soul and body be pure and whole. Then why do we get sick? For the same reason we still sin. We live in a fallen world, and the Kingdom of Heaven is a Coming Kingdom - but there is a day coming when all things will be made new: ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever’ (Revelation 21:4, NLT). Jesus still heals today! I myself have experienced two miraculous healings from cancer, but my wife experienced her healing passing from life into eternity.
Risen with Christ to new life
“If you are then risen with Christ…” You can ONLY have this experience IF you have died with Him! Being dead to the old life is the theme that runs throughout the Gospels and the Letters! Water baptism is the symbol of this! When a Christian dies, your body dies, but YOU are not dead! And when the Day of Resurrection comes, we shall rise with Christ with new Resurrection bodies! Where Christ is, there we shall be. With Him!
The treasures of God are hidden in Christ
The treasures of God are hidden in Christ. ONLY when we understand the person of Christ can we begin to understand fully what the blessings of God are. The blessings of God come to us, not from the Father alone, but through Christ. This is the importance of Jesus Christ to us! Yes, Scripture tells us, Jesus tells us to ask God the Father, but He said this: Whatsoever you ask God the Father IN MY NAME, I – Jesus – will do it. John 14.13,14. It is He who has the ability, the right to mediate and pass on the blessings of God to us. Although God is our Father, we still come in the Name of His Son in order to receive the blessing. All my life I have had a very close and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I talk to Him all the time – this is not formal prayer – I’m asking Him questions, I’m listening to Him and He’s explaining things to me. It’s an on-going relationship.