James Expounds on Faith Volume 47

 The Folly/Stupidity of Boasting About Tomorrow

James 4:13-17 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The desire to know the future has been sought by human beings ever since the 'Fall' of mankind when Adam & Eve disobeyed God and opened up sin and evil 😈 to themselves and to all of us who were to come from them. The very first lie the devil 👿 came continually to Eve with was the lie that she could become 'like God' (Genesis 3:4-5). If she could become like God, then she would be able to know all things as God does. This is the very thing that caused Lucifer (the devil 👿) to rise up and rebel against God his creator because he wanted to be God and not to continue to serve, surrender, and submit to God. After the devil was kicked out of heaven, he and some of the fallen angels (demons) under his command have some sort of limited ability to see into the future 🔮, so we have many human beings possessed with these demons of divination, just as the Apostle Paul confronted one in his missionary journey, as it is written here, "Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, 'These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.' And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, 'I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.' And he came out that very hour. But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities." (Acts 16:16-19) (NKJV). I point out all of this to simply show that there is a limited knowledge of future 🔮 events within the realm of darkness, however, Elohim, Adonai, Jehovah, YAHWEH is the only ONE who has all knowledge of all things during all times past, present, and future, therefore, we now come to this warning ⚠ or admonition from the Apostle James to these Jewish converts to Christ scattered all over the world 🗺 during those eraly days of the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ and these ⚠ warnings are for we Christians today and for all generations, as it is written here, "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:13-17) (KJV). The CEV or Contemporary English Version reads this way, "You should know better than to say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to the city. We will do business there for a year and make a lot of money!' What do you know about tomorrow? How can you be so sure about your life? It is nothing more than mist that appears for only a little while before it disappears. You should say, 'If the Lord lets us live, we will do these things.'" The attitude the Apostle James wants believers to have is one of humility because boasting is a sign of pride which is what made Lucifer into the devil 👿, therefore, being thankful and grateful for God's grace to us should be our continual disposition, determination, and desire. The Apostle Paul wanted the believers @ Corinth to understand that everything they have comes from God through His Spirit and with that being true they then and we now should heed these words that Paul wrote to them when they were going on and on about things happening to them then and what their future as a Church would be, as it is written, "Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" (1 Corinthians 4:6-7) (NKJV). Concerning ourselves with tomorrow is not sinful, for we should prepare for tomorrow, but we should live each day as faithful servants of Christ, for we know that He will come at a time and hour we know not, as it is written, "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." (Luke 12:35-40) (NKJV). No one knows the exact hour or time of their death, but what everyone should know is that death for each of us is certain and inescapable, so we then should strive to be faithful followers of our Lord Jesus Christ and not unfaithful as He described to us the difference between the two of them (faithful and unfaithful), as it is written, "Then Peter said to Him, 'Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?' And the Lord said, 'Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more." (Luke 12:41-48) (NKJV). The proud man 👨 or woman 👩 of the world 🗺 sees themselves as self-reliant and self-sufficient, therefore, they 🙈 see nothing wrong with boasting, bragging, or behaving in a manner that leaves God totally out of their thought process concerning their future plans, preparations, and purposes and this must never be any of us who truly know our Lord Jesus Christ personally just as He told us with these words, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) (NKJV). Our Lord Jesus told us of a man who boasted, bragged, and behaved in a manner that left God out of all of his plans and this was the outcome, "Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: 'The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.'  But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' 'So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.'" (Luke 12:16-21) (NKJV). God is the ONE who determines what will happen today or tomorrow, so it behooves those of us who know Him to live for Him only and for those who do not know Him should repent and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness of sins and right relationship with God. Amen!!!

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 4:13-17, "We are cautioned against a presumptuous confidence of the continuance of our lives, and against forming projects thereupon with assurance of success, James 4:13-14. The Apostle, having reproved those who were judges and condemners of the law, now reproves such as were disregardful of Providence: Go to now, and old way of speaking, designed to engage attention; the Greek word may be rendered, Behold now, or See, and consider, you that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain. Reflect a little on this way of thinking and talking; call yourselves to account for it.” Serious reflection on our words and ways would show us many evils that we are apt, through inadvertency, to run into and continue in. There were some who said of old, as too many say still, We will go to such a city, and do this or that, for such a term of time, while all serious regards to the disposals of Providence were neglected. Observe here, 1. How apt worldly and projecting men are to leave God out of their schemes. Where any are set upon earthly things, these have a strange power of engrossing the thoughts of the heart. WE should therefore have a care of growing intent or eager in our pursuits after any thing here below. 2. How much of worldly happiness lies in the promises men make to themselves beforehand. Their heads are full of fine visions, as to what they shall do, and be, and enjoy, in some future time, when they can neither be sure of time nor of any of the advantages they promise themselves; therefore observe, 3. How vain a thing it is to look for any thing good in futurity, without the concurrence of Providence. We will go to such a city (say they), perhaps to Antioch, or Damascus, or Alexandria, which were then the great places for traffic; but how could they be sure, when they set out, that they should reach any of these cities? Something might possibly stop their way, or call them elsewhere, or cut the thread of life. Many who have set out on a journey have gone to their long home, and never reached their journey's end. But, suppose they should reach the city they designed, how did they know they should continue there? Something might happen to send them back, or to call them thence, and to shorten their stay. Or suppose they should stay the full time they proposed, yet they could not be certain that they should buy and sell there; perhaps they might lie sick there, or they might not meet with those to trade with them that they expected. Yea, suppose they should go to that city, and continue there a year, and should buy and sell, yet they might not get gain; getting of gain in this world is at best but an uncertain thing, and they might probably make more losing bargains than gainful ones. And then, as to all these particulars, the frailty, shortness, and uncertainty of life, ought to check the vanity and presumptuous confidence of such projectors for futurity: What is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away, James 4:14. God that wisely left us in the dark concerning future events, and even concerning the duration of life itself. We know not what shall be on the morrow; we may know what we intend to do and to be, but a thousand things may happen to prevent us. We are not sure of life itself, since it is but as a vapour, something in appearance, but nothing solid nor certain, easily scattered and gone. We can fix the hour and minute of the sun's rising and setting tomorrow, but we cannot fix the certain time of a vapour's being scattered; such is our life: it appears but for a little time, and then vanisheth away; it vanisheth as to this world, but there is a life that will continue in the other world; and, since this life is so uncertain, it concerns us all to prepare and lay up in store for that to come. III. We are taught to keep up a constant sense of our dependence on the will of God for life, and all the actions and enjoyments of it: You ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that, James 4:15. The Apostle, having reproved them for what was amiss, now directs them how to be and do better: 'You ought to say it in your hearts at all times, and with your tongues upon proper occasions, especially in your constant prayers and devotions, that if the Lord will give leave, and if he will own and bless you, you have such and such designs to accomplish.' This must be said, not in a slight, formal, and customary way, but so as to think what we say, and so as to be reverent and serious in what we say. It is good to express ourselves thus when we have to do with others, but it is indispensably requisite that we should say this to ourselves in all that we go about. Sun Theō - with the leave and blessing of God, was used by the Greeks in the beginning of every undertaking. 1. If the Lord will, we shall live. We must remember that our times are not in our own hands, but at the disposal of God; we live as long as God appoints, and in the circumstances God appoints, and therefore must be submissive to him, even as to life itself; and then, 2. If the Lord will, we shall do this or that. All our actions and designs are under the control of Heaven. Our heads may be filled with cares and contrivances. This and the other thing we may propose to do for ourselves, or our families, or our friends; but Providence sometimes breaks all our measures, and throws our schemes into confusion. Therefore both our counsels for action and our conduct in action should be entirely referred to God; all we design and all we do should be with a submissive dependence on God." Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of James 4:16-17, "That is, probably, in your boastings of what you can do; your reliance on your own skill and sagacity. You form your plans for the future as if with consummate wisdom, and are confident of success. You do not anticipate a failure; you do not see how plans so skilfully formed can fail. You form them as if you were certain that you would live; as if secure from the numberless casualties which may defeat your schemes. It is founded on a wrong view of yourselves and of what may occur. It shows a spirit forgetful of our dependence on God; forgetful of the uncertainty of life; forgetful of the many ways by which the best-laid plans may be defeated. We should never boast of any wisdom or skill in regard to the future. A day, an hour may defeat our best-concerted plans, and show us that we have not the slightest power to control coming events. That is, he is guilty of sin if he does not do it. Cotton Mather adopted it as a principle of action, 'that the ability to do good in any case imposes an obligation to do it.' The proposition in the verse before us is of a general character, but probably the Apostle meant that it should refer to the point specified in the previous verses - the forming of plans respecting the future. The particular meaning then would be, 'that he who knows what sort of views he should take in regard to the future, and how he should form his plans in view of the uncertainty of life, and still does not do it, but goes on recklessly, forming his plans boastingly and confident of success, is guilty of sin against God.' Still, the proposition will admit of a more general application. It is universally true that if a man knows what is right, and does not do it, he is guilty of sin. If he understands what his duty is; if he has the means of doing good to others; if by his name, his influence, his wealth, he can promote a good cause; if he can, consistently with other duties, relieve the distressed, the poor, the prisoner, the oppressed; if he can send the gospel to other lands, or can wipe away the tear of the mourner; if he has talents by which he can lift a voice that shall be heard in favor of temperance, chastity, liberty, and religion, he is under obligations to do it: and if, by indolence, or avarice, or selfishness, or the dread of the loss of popularity, he does not do it, he is guilty of sin before God. No man can be released from the obligation to do good in this world to the extent of his ability; no one should desire to be. The highest privilege conferred on a mortal, besides that of securing the salvation of his own soul, is that of doing good to others - of alleviating sorrow, instructing ignorance, raising up the bowed down, comforting those that mourn, delivering the wronged and the oppressed, supplying the wants of the needy guiding inquirers into the way of truth, and sending liberty, knowledge, and salvation around the world. If a man does not do this when he has the means, he sins against his own soul, against humanity, and against his Maker; if he does it cheerfully and to the extent of his means, it likens him more than anything else to God."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 46

 The Warning Against Worldliness Part 8

James 4:11-12 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

In an earthly family 👪, there is often times conflict, callousness, and corrupting behavior between siblings that lead to words being said and even physical things being done that it regretted. The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ is a spiritual family 👪 that consist of redeemed sinners who have been born again spiritually (of all types of sinfulness and from every tribe, tongue, and people of the human race) that now are to become one in Christ. God is our Father and we are His adopted children 🧒, therefore, it is His will for us to be unified in our Lord Jesus Christ which means when conflicts arise in Christ Body we should not go behind the brother or sisters back and slander them to others because we are then acting like our enemy the devil 👿 in operating in that manner, but instead we should do as it is written by the Apostle Matthew with these words, "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the Church. But if he refuses even to hear the Church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector." (Matthew 18:15-17) (NKJV). The Apostle James has already spoken to these Jewish converts to Christ back then and to everyone of us who belong to our Lord Jesus Christ today and from every era and generation about the evils of the tongue and how much damage it can do when used to tear down another instead of building them up (James 3:1-12). The Apostle James now reaffirms, reiterates, and reminds them and us this same principle with these next words here, "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" (James 4:11-12) (KJV). In verse 11, the little English phrase 'speak not evil' is translated by the Greek word katalaleō meaning to be a traducer, that is, one who attacks the reputation of another by slander or libel: - speak against (evil of). The English word 'judgeth' in verse 11 is translated by the Greek word krinō meaning (as used here) to condemn. In other words, it is not the will of God for each of us to be our brother or sister 'in Christ' judge, for the 'Law of God' is sufficient for that work in the inner man 👨 or inner woman 👩 because unlike God we cannot see into there, so it is only for each of us to stand against any brother or sister 'in Christ' who willfully, wantonly, and willingly does what is opposed to the 'Law of God' and the Word of God and in some instances try to get us to go along with their disobedience to God the Father. Here is what the JFB Commentary says on this matter of speaking evil of another and speaking evil of the law, "Those who superciliously condemn the acts and words of others which do not please themselves, thus aiming at the reputation of sanctity, put their own moroseness in the place of the law, and claim to themselves a power of censuring above the law of God, condemning what the law permits [Calvin]. Such a one acts as though the law could not perform its own office of judging, but he must fly upon the office [Bengel]. This is the last mention of the law in the New Testament. Alford rightly takes the 'law' to be the old moral law applied in its comprehensive spiritual fullness by Christ: 'the law of liberty.'" The only One who has the authority to condemn, that is, to declare or judge unfit for use or habitation is the One who only can save and that is our Lord Jesus Christ, for He alone knows truly if someone has turned to Him only in repentance and faith or who of His sons and daughters who have repented from their way ward behavior, for He is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). The Lord Jesus Christ gives 'saving faith' to a repentant sinner and He completes that work of faith in each and everyone of us (Philippians 1:6), therefore, we should never condemn another because we have no authority or power to do so. Amen!!!

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say about James 4:11-12, "The Greek word, katalaleite, signifies speaking any thing that may hurt or injure another; we must not speak evil things of others, though they be true, unless we be called to it, and there be some necessary occasion for the; much less must we report evil things when they are false, or, for aught we know, may be so. Our lips must be guided by the law of kindness, as well as truth and justice. This, which Solomon makes a necessary part of the character of his virtuous woman, that she openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness (Proverbs 31:26), must needs be a part of the character of every true Christian. Speak not evil one of another, 1. Because you are brethren. The compellation, as used by the apostle here, carries an argument along with it. Since Christians are brethren, they should not defile nor defame one another. It is required of us that we be tender of the good name of our brethren; where we cannot speak well, we had better say nothing than speak evil; we must not take pleasure in making known the faults of others, divulging things that are secret, merely to expose them, nor in making more of their known faults than really they deserve, and, least of all, in making false stories, and spreading things concerning them of which they are altogether innocent. What is this but to raise the hatred and encourage the persecutions of the world, against those who are engaged in the same interests with ourselves, and therefore with whom we ourselves must stand or fall? 'Consider, you are brethren.' 2. Because this is to judge the law: He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law. The law of Moses says, Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people, Leviticus 19:16. The law of Christ is, Judge not, that you be not judged, Matthew 7:1. The sum and substance of both is that men should love one another. A detracting tongue therefore condemns the law of God, and the commandment of Christ, when it is defaming its neighbour. To break God's commandments is in effect to speak evil of them, and to judge them, as if they were too strict, and laid too great a restraint upon us. The Christians to whom James wrote were apt to speak very hard things of one another, because of their differences about indifferent things (such as the observance of meats and days, as appears from Romans 14): 'Now,' says the Apostle, 'he who censures and condemns his brother for not agreeing with him in those things which the law of God has left indifferent thereby censures and condemns the law, as if it had done ill in leaving them indifferent. He who quarrels with his brother, and condemns him for the sake of any thing not determined in the word of God, does thereby reflect on that word of God, as if it were not a perfect rule. Let us take heed of judging the law, for the law of the Lord is perfect; if men break the law, leave that to judge them; if they do not break it, let us not judge them.' This is a heinous evil, because it is to forget our place, that we ought to be doers of the law, and it is to set up ourselves above it, as if we were to be judges of it. He who is guilty of the sin here cautioned against is not a doer of the law, but a judge; he assumes an office and a place that do not belong to him, and he will be sure to suffer for his presumption in the end. Those who are most ready to set up for judges of the law generally fail most in their obedience to it. 3. Because God, the Lawgiver, has reserved the power of passing the final sentence on men wholly to himself: There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save, and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? James 4:12. Princes and states are not excluded, by what is here said, from making laws; nor are subjects at all encouraged to disobey human laws; but God is still to be acknowledged as the supreme Lawgiver, who only can give law to the conscience, and who alone is to be absolutely obeyed. His right to enact laws is incontestable, because he has such a power to enforce them. He is able to save, and to destroy, so as no other can. He has power fully to reward the observance of his laws, and to punish all disobedience; he can save the soul, and make it happy for ever, or he can, after he has killed, cast into hell; and therefore should be feared and obeyed as the great Lawgiver, and all judgment should be committed to him. Since there is one Lawgiver, we may infer that it is not for any man or company of men in the world to pretend to give laws immediately to bind conscience; for that is God's prerogative, which must not be invaded. As the apostle had before warned against being many masters, so here he cautions against being many judges. Let us not prescribe to our brethren, let us not censure and condemn them; it is sufficient that we have the law of God, which is a rule to us all; and therefore we should not set up other rules. Let us not presume to set up our own particular notions and opinions as a rule to all about us; for there is one Lawgiver."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 45

 The Warning Against Worldliness Part 7

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

Seeing that we must have an attitude, an approach, an aiming at repentance when we go back to Egypt/to our old sins, being grieved that we have grieved the heart of our Heavenly Father, then our very next act of our will should be contriteness leading to humility before His Holy Throne, as the Apostle James puts it for us with these words, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." (James 4:10) (KJV). The little phrase 'Humble yourselves' that begins this verse of Scripture is translated by the Greek word tapeinoō meaning to depress; figuratively to humiliate (in condition or heart): - abase, bring low, humble (self). The little English phrase 'in the sight' is translated by the Greek word enōpion meaning in the face of (literally or figuratively): - before, in the presence (sight) of. Lastly, the English phrase 'He shall lift you up' is translated by the Greek word hupsoō meaning to elevate (literally or figuratively): - exalt, lift up. In other words, it is only when we acknowledge our infidelity/unfaithfulness to our Heavenly Father and mourn and weep over our sins that have grieved Him so much that we have begun the process of our healing. However, being sorrowful 😔 over our sins is not enough because we can be sorry 🙏 for sin and still continue on in them thinking that we have gained His good will when we have done nothing in our inner man 👨 or inner woman 👩 to show to Him that we are truly repentant. When we are serious about our resolutions, our remorse, and ultimately our repentance then we will humble ourselves in our inner man 👨 and inner woman 👩 not in pretense but with the shame of our actions or non-actions weighing heavy upon our souls/minds causing us to see the lowly and inferior station that we are and have before the Throne of our Heavenly Father and seek His grace and mercy in His abundance of love to us and for us to lift us up exalting us from the mire and mud of the filth of our sins as He restores us to our newness of life walking and living in the abundant life that our Lord Jesus Christ died on Calvary to give to us who are joined to Him (John 10:10). The Old Testament Saint Job declared these words of the Lord looking upon those of us who humble ourselves before Him, "When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and He shall save the humble person." (Job 22:29) (KJV) and also we hear these words from the Psalmist, "He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill." (Psalms 113:7) (KJV) and also these words from the Apostle Peter, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty Hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7) (NKJV). Humility is not weakness, but pride is true weakness because it keeps any of us from receiving the strength 💪 of our Great God and King our Lord Jesus Christ that only can enable us to 🚶 walk and live in freedom from all the sins that are in our old man 👨 and old woman 👩. Amen!!!

Here is what the Expositors' Bible Commentary had to say of humbling ourselves before God, "Humble yourselves…He that humbleth himself. Everything depends on that. It must be self-abasement. There is nothing meritorious in chancing to be in a humble position, still less in being forced to descend to one. It is the voluntary acceptance, or the choice, of a lowly place that is pleasing to God. We must choose it as knowing that we deserve nothing better, and as Wishing that others should be promoted rather than ourselves. And this must be done 'in the sight of the Lord'; not in self-consciousness, 'to be seen of men,' which is 'the pride that hates humility,' but in the consciousness of the ineffable presence of God. That is the source of all true self-abasement and humility. To realize that we are in the presence of the All-holy and All-pure, in whose sight the stars are not clean, and who charges even the angels with folly, is to feel that all differences of merit between man and man have faded away in the immeasurable abyss which separates our own insignificance and pollution from the majesty of His holiness. 'Now mine eye seeth Thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes,' is the language of Job. (Job 42:5-6) And it was the same feeling which wrung from St. Peter, as he fell down at Jesus' knees, the agonizing cry, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.' (Luk_5:8). Hence it is that the most saintly persons are always the most humble; for they realize most perfectly the holiness of God and the ceaselessness of His presence, and are therefore best able to appreciate the contrast between their own miserable imperfections and His unapproachable purity. The language which they at times use about themselves is sometimes suspected of unreality and exaggeration, if not of downright hypocrisy; but it is the natural expression of the feelings of one who knows a great deal about the difference between a creature who is habitually falling into sin and One who, in holiness, as in wisdom and power, is absolute and infinite perfection. Humility is thus the beginning and end of all true religion. The sinner who turns to God must be humble; and this is the humility which St. James is urging. And the saint, as he approaches nearer to God, will be humble; for he knows what the approach has cost him, and how very far off he still remains." Here is what Albert Barnes says about He (God) lifting us up, "He will exalt you from the condition of a broken-hearted penitent to that of a forgiven child; will wipe away your tears, remove the sadness of your heart, fill you with joy, and clothe you with the garments of salvation. This declaration is in accordance with all the promises in the Bible, and with all the facts which occur on the earth, that God is willing to show mercy to the humble and contrite, and to receive those who are truly penitent into His favor."
 
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 44

 The Warning Against Worldliness Part 6

James 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle James goes on and adds more for us to do within our own souls because of our past unfaithfulness to our Great God and King Jesus Christ with these next words to the scattered Jewish beleivers and to we believers today and of every era and generation, "Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness." (James 4:9) (KJV). In verse 9, the very first little English phrase 'be afflicted' is translated by the Greek word talaipōreō (used this one time only in the entire New Testament) meaning to be wretched, that is, realize one's own misery: - be afflicted. The English word 'mourn' in verse 9 is translated by the Greek word pentheō meaning to grieve (the feeling or the act): - mourn, bewail. The English word 'weep' in verse 9 is translated by the Greek word klaiō meaning to sob, that is, wail aloud. In other words, our very own personal infidelity or unfaithfulness to our Father in Heaven should cause us to weep and mourn and feel the wretchedness of our souls before Him prompting our grieving and bewailing before His Throne as we turn ourselves back to Him (repentance) and to faithfulness to His Holy Word, as we here in these words from the Psalmist, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes." (Psalms 119:67-68)(NKJV) and also these words from the Psalmist, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver." (Psalms 119:71-72)(NKJV) and also these words from the 🥠 Prophet Ezekiel, "Those who survive will escape and be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, each for his iniquity." (Ezekiel 7:16) (NKJV). When the Apostle James writes, 'let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness', he is simply saying that being comfortable in our sins is a dangerous place for the inner man 👨 or inner woman 👩 to ever get to, for instead of this being our condition we should be in deep 😔 sorrow over our sins and be grieved mourning that we went astray, that is, away from the right path and direction. We should find ourselves to be downcast within our souls with deep sadness over our unfaithfulness to our Triune God who loves us so much and so deeply, that we should always and at all times want to be wrapped up in His love 😍, just as Moses declared to the people of Israel with these words (so are we God's chosen children 🧒 who have a Father in Heaven who always wants us close to Him for His satisfaction and for our safety), "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt." (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)(NKJV). Just like He brought the children of Israel out of their enslavement to the Nation of Egypt, He has redeemed us, regenerated us, and resurrected us from our spiritual death and brought us out of our bondage or enslavement to sin, therefore, when we go back to Egypt we greatly grieve Him and in turn we should be greatly grieved that we have hurt or Heavenly Father. Amen!!!

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of James 4:9, "That is, evidently, on account of your sins. The sins to which the Apostle refers are those which he had specified in the previous part of the Chapter, and which he had spoken of as so evil in their nature, and so dangerous in their tendency. The word rendered 'be afflicted' means, properly, to endure toil or hardship; then to endure affliction or distress; and here means, that they were to afflict themselves - that is, they were to feel distressed and sad on account of their transgressions. Compare Ezra 8:21. The other words in this clause are those which are expressive of deep grief or sorrow. The language here used shows that the Apostle supposed that it was possible that those who had done wrong should voluntarily feel sorrow for it, and that, therefore, it was proper to call upon them to do it. (All who feel true sorrow for sin, do so voluntarily; but it is not intended by this assertion to insinuate that repentance is not the work of the Spirit. He operates on men without destroying their freedom, or doing violence to their will: 'in the day of His power they are willing'. Nor is it improper to call on men to do that for which they require the Spirit’s aid. That aid is not withheld in the hour of need; and everywhere the Bible commands sinners to believe and repent.) It would seem that the persons referred to, instead of suitable sorrow and humiliation on account of sin, gave themselves to joyousness, mirth, and revelry. See a similar instance in Isaiah 22:12-13. It is often the case, that those for whom the deep sorrows of repentance would be peculiarly appropriate, give themselves to mirth and vanity. The Apostle here says that such mirth did not become them. Sorrow, deep and unfeigned, was appropriate on account of their sins, and the sound of laughter and of revelry should be changed to notes of lamentation. To how many of the assemblies of the vain, the gay, and the dissipated, might the exhortation in this passage with propriety be now addressed! The word here rendered heaviness occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means dejection, sorrow. It is not gloom, melancholy, or moroseness, but it is sorrow on account of sin. God has so made us that we should feel sorrow when we are conscious that we have done wrong, and it is appropriate that we should do so."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…