“God’s Handiwork” ( James 4:10, WYC ) by Carley Evans

James calls us to be humble, modest, meager, self-effacing, submissive, despirited, or broken willed “in the sight of the Lord.” He writes:

“Be ye meeked in the sight of the Lord, and he shall enhance you.”

If you’ve ever had the privilege of seeing monks in prayer while prostate on the floor before the Host, then you understand “meeked” as used by James in his letter to Jewish Christians living among Gentiles outside Palestine. Trappist monks, in particular, live meager, modest, humble lives of hospitality and silence. The more submissive, the more self-effacing, the more “broken-willed” and “despirited” a monk appears “in the sight of the Lord,” the more God appears to enhance the man.

You may notice this enhancement in the eyes or in the easy smile. But, you will become aware of God’s handiwork.

“What’s Offensive About Good News?” ( Acts 13: 48, NIV ) by Carley Evans

“All who are appointed for eternal life believe.” (Acts 13:48, NIV)

Luke records the truth that Paul and Barnabas “have to speak the Word of God to [Israel] first.” (Acts 13:46) Only Israel’s rejection and their inability to “consider [themselves] worthy of eternal life” open the door for Paul and Barnabas to take the good news to the Gentiles.

Israel is God’s own people. They are appointed — decided on beforehand; designated — for eternal life. Among the Gentile nations are people “appointed for eternal life,” and these people believe when they hear the good news. How can they believe if no one preaches? asks Paul.

How offensive is God’s sovereign choice? How disturbing is the good news? When the Gentiles hear Paul say “the Lord commands us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47) “they are glad.” (Acts 13:48) Those designated beforehand honor the Word of God, and believe just as God decides.

“[Christ] comes to that which is His own, but His own do not receive Him. Yet to all who receive Him, to those who believe in His Name, He gives the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:11-13)

“In Spirit Of Softness” ( Galatians 6:1, WYC ) by Carley Evans

“In spirit of softness,” approach the person “occupied in guilt” — in any guilt — to inform him or her of the way out. The way out of being occupied by guilt, of course, is Jesus Christ, and Him crucified and glorified. And while informing the other person so as to restore them to wholeness, “behold [yourself], lest that [you] be tempted.”

“Brethren, if a man be occupied in any guilt, ye that be spiritual, inform ye such one in spirit of softness, beholding thyself, lest that thou be tempted.”

Paul calls us to be gentle with each other, recognizing that we each are as prone to guilt as the next. We who are spiritual, says Paul, may teach the one who is occupied in any guilt; but, our teaching must be done with softness.

We know our lives are snatched from death by the Holy Spirit; our task is to remind our brother or sister who is stuck in the mire of guilt that God forgives and restores.

“Need Any Wisdom?” ( James 1:5, WYC ) by Carley Evans

James may as well be a carnival barker for as many times as a person seriously asks God for wisdom. I’m being a bit harsh here, I know. But, my impression of what we ask God to give us is not for Him to give us wisdom. The requests are more akin to: success, good health, power, wealth, friends, and – ah yes – souls. The last request, of course, requires wisdom from God and is the most noble of the six desires. How many times, however, do we ask for the salvation of a soul without also asking God for the required wisdom?

James reminds:

“And if any of you needeth wisdom, ask he of God, which giveth to all men largely [that giveth to all men largely], and upbraideth not; and it shall be given to him.”

Wisdom is “accumulated philosophic or scientific learning : knowledge. Wisdom is the ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : insight. Wisdom is good sense : judgment. Wisdom is generally accepted belief. Wisdom is a wise attitude, belief, or course of action. Finally, wisdom is the teachings of the ancient wise men” — think Proverbs referred to as the Books of Wisdom.

What we need from God is knowledge, insight, and judgment. What we ask for is power and prosperity.

God “upbraideth not.” He freely gives His wisdom; if only we seek it.

“Why Knock?” ( Matthew 7:7-8, WYC ) by Carley Evans

Jesus says, Ask, and take; seek, and find. But He also says, knock, and watch the door open. Presumably He implies for us to go in once the door is open. Who stands in an open doorway and doesn’t enter the room? I can tell you a story — in hospital, often I stand in the door frame to speak quickly to a nurse about some piece of information without entering the room; I am half-in, half-out. This is to avoid having to put on a gown and gloves. Inconvenience and legitimate caution keep me from going into the room. Most of the time, however, when we knock on a door and it opens, we enter the room. Jesus tells us:

“Ask ye, and it shall be given to you; seek ye, and ye shall find; knock ye, and it shall be opened to you. For each that asketh, taketh; and he that seeketh, findeth; and it shall be opened to him, that knocketh.”

Jesus also tells us:

“Lo! I stand at the door, and knock; if any man heareth my voice, and openeth the gate to me [if any man shall hear my voice, and open the gate], I shall enter to him, and sup with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:19-21, WYC)

Here Jesus knocks, and we open the door. Jesus asks, and takes. Jesus seeks, and finds. We open the gate, and He “enters to [us]“. He “sups with [us], and [we] with [Him].”

I want to focus, for just a moment, on the use of “take” for “receive.” Receipt of a thing is passive, but taking of a thing is active. I like the choice of the word “take” in the Wycliffe translation. Jesus always means for His people to be active, never passive! We are asking, taking, seeking, finding, knocking, going in.

What are we asking to gain? What are we seeking to find? What door are we knocking to open? The Word of God is the best answer I’ve come up with this morning.

“Of The Spirit, Reap Everlasting Life” ( Galatians 6: 8, Wycliffe ) by Carley Evans

“⁷ Do not ye err, God is not scorned; for those things that a man soweth, those things he shall reap [for why what things a man soweth, also these things he shall reap].

⁸ For he that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh he shall reap corruption; but he that soweth in the Spirit, of the Spirit he shall reap everlasting life.

⁹ And doing good fail we not [Forsooth we doing good, fail not]; for in his time we shall reap, not failing.”

Here Paul strongly reminds his readers in Galatia that circumcision of the flesh is not the proper means to everlasting life. They are sowing “in the flesh” rather than “in the Spirit.” They are seeking to obey the Law of Moses primarily to avoid the cross of Christ, i.e. crucifixion. They have forgotten they can not scorn God; they can not make their own way to heaven. They must take up Christ’s way and so “reap everlasting life” as they “soweth in the Spirit.”

^“12For whoever will please in the flesh, these constrain you to be circumcised, only that they suffer not the persecution of Christ’s cross.

¹³ For neither they that be circumcised keep the law; but they will that ye be circumcised, that they have glory in your flesh [but they will you to be circumcised, that they glory in your flesh].

¹⁴ But far be it from me to have glory [Forsooth be it far to me to glory], but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.

¹⁵ For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision is any thing worth, nor prepuce, but a new creature.”

Paul says, glory not in your flesh; glory only “in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Remember, what matters — what has worth — is being made “a new creature.” All the rest is corruption.

“Not Absurd” ( James 1:2-3, Wycliffe ) by Carley Evans

James says, “guess you all joy” — imagine joy — deem it joy — decide it is joy — when you “fall into diverse temptations.” What? Read it yourself:

“My brethren, deem ye all joy [guess ye all joy], when ye fall into diverse temptations, witting, that the proving of your faith worketh patience.”

Consider that temptations prove your faith; and faith works out your patience. After all, with trials and temptations surrounding you, you must remain patient while waiting for your better country. As you anticipate finding your place in God’s house, remember Jesus “is able to save to the uttermost [you who] come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for [you].” (Hebrews 7:25, KJV)

With your eternal hope firmly in mind, facing temptations as if they are moments of joy isn’t quite as absurd as it might sound. These temptations, especially when overcome, lead you to a state of patience.

“Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing.” (James 1:4, KJV)

“Lacking nothing”, “perfect and entire” — what a description of the Christian life. Yet, James acknowledges the Christian has trials, temptations, sufferings in this world. Rather than bemoan their presence, the Christian is called to deem — guess — decide — these are joys.

“God’s Scattered People” ( John 11: 52, KJV ) by Carley Evans

Caiaphas, as high priest in the year of Jesus’ crucifixion, predicts Jesus is the savior of the nation Israel; but also the One to bring together “the children of God scattered abroad.” He says to the Pharisees, upset that Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead, worried they are to lose “both their place and nation” that they “know nothing at all.” (John 11:48,49) He says,

“Nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” (John 11:50)

Caiaphas rightly predicts Jesus is to die for the nation of Israel, writes John in his gospel, but Caiaphas also predicts the gathering of the scattered people of God from the ends of the earth.

A scene in the movie X MEN comes to mind. Professor Xavier is sitting in his wheelchair in a large chamber searching for the mutants who exist all over the world. They light up in his mind like stars as he reaches out with his thoughts.

To think God is less than a character in a comic book is ridiculous. If Professor Xavier finds his people with his thoughts, then God can gather together His people scattered throughout the world and throughout the dimension of time.

Caiaphas doesn’t know, but he speaks of God’s ultimate undertaking — the salvation of His children through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus.

“In A Lifeboat” ( 1 Corinthians 10: 13, Wycliffe ) by Carley Evans

Here on earth, we are all in the lifeboat together. The ship is going down, and we huddle in one dingy. Nothing happens to one of us that is particularly unique; suffering is spread universally. At one time, all of us are in danger of drowning. Some of us seem to suffer more than others, but nothing new is under the sun. Paul writes,

^“13 Temptation take not you, but man’s temptation; for God is true, which shall not suffer you to be tempted above that that ye be able; but he shall make with temptation also purveyance, that ye be able to suffer [that ye may sustain].”

Being able to foresee the way out of temptation helps us sustain hope; helps us overcome our situation. Just knowing our lifeboat isn’t sinking uplifts our hearts. Those who stay on the sinking ship or who refuse to climb or be pulled into the lifeboat drown. Those who are in the dingy but think they are in the water, up over their heads, live in despair and fear.

We who know we are secure in the lifeboat are able to live in peace and joy. The way out is a given.

“If You Bite And Eat Each Other” ( Galatians 5: 15-17, Wycliffe ) by Carley Evans

Always interesting to me what part of a passage catches our attention or focus. In this portion of Paul’s letter to the church at Galatia, the verse that gains my attention is “and if ye bite, and eat each other, see ye, lest ye be wasted each from other.” This biting and devouring of one another apparently is “the desire of the flesh.” We desire to put the other down; seems this is our natural tendency. So, Paul says “to us in Christ, walk ye in Spirit.” If you walk in Spirit, “ye shall not perform the desires of the flesh.” You shall not put your brother or sister down so as to lift yourself up.

Why is this? Because, says Paul, “the flesh coveteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.” The Holy Spirit has no desire to put us down, to keep us in our old desire to be powerful, to be first. Rather the Holy Spirit seeks peace, joy, goodness.

Read the passage again:

^“15 And if ye bite, and eat each other, see ye, lest ye be wasted each from other.

¹⁶ And I say to you in Christ, walk ye in Spirit, and ye shall not perform the desires of the flesh.

¹⁷ For the flesh coveteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these be adversaries together, that ye do not all things that ye will [that ye do not those things, whatever ye will].”