Two Kinds of Wisdom

There is a huge difference between knowledge and wisdom. I know many people who are smart in knowledge and facts. These people know things about technology, they have scientific knowledge, business knowledge, and even theological knowledge, but they have no ability to know how to live in the real world in relationship to God.

Wisdom is taking the truth of God and living that out in everyday life and everyday relationships.

James talks about two kinds of wisdom in James 3:13-18.

James 3:13

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom.

#1: Real wisdom and true understanding will be seen in deeds done

      motivated by humility.

God makes it very clear in His Word that He honors those who humble themselves before His authority and rule. It makes sense that true wisdom would be seen in actions that are motivated by that humility.

True humility is not putting yourself down. It is exalting Jesus to His proper place as the absolute and only Lord of your life.

Psalm 111:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise.”

Wisdom comes from having an awe of God as Lord (absolute ruler) and understanding comes by obeying God as Lord.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is humbling yourself under God’s authority as Lord and walking in His wisdom.

James 3:14

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts do not boast about it or deny the truth.

#2: Fake wisdom will be seen in bitter envy and selfish ambition.  

Just as much as God’s Word makes clear that God honors humility, it also makes clear that He opposes pride.

James says that if our lives are characterized by bitter envy and selfish ambition, we are not to boast about it or deny it. These characteristics don’t demonstrate a life humbled before God.

In 1 Peter 5:5 Peter reminds us that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Bitter envy and selfish ambition are pride. It is desiring things for yourself and not caring how you get those things or who it may injure.   

I don’t ever want to do things that will put me in a position to be in opposition to God. I don’t ever want to live in opposition to God’s character or His truth.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is allowing God to form His character in you.

James 3:15

Such “wisdom” does not come from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.

#3: True wisdom is always compatible with God’s character.

Wisdom that produces bitter envy and selfish ambition is not from God; it is from the devil.

In Isaiah 14:12-15 we are given a description of Satan. In this description Satan says five times that “I will”. Five times Satan says that he will take God’s place as Lord. Now that is pride!

But when we allow our lives to be driven by bitter envy and selfish ambition then we are telling God that life is about my will, not God’s will. We are saying to God, “I want to be Lord over my own life.” That desire comes not from God, but from Satan.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is seeking God’s will, not my will.

James 3:16

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  

#4: This wisdom that comes from the devil leads to disorder and evil.

1 Corinthians 14:33 says that God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

God does not bring disorder, He brings unity. This wisdom that James is referring to here brings disorder or disunity and thus it cannot be of God.

1 Peter 2:22 says that Jesus committed no sin and no deceit was found in His mouth.

Evil can never come from God. Anything that is connected with God will never lead us into sin or evil.

God’s wisdom will always lead us into unity and righteousness.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing oneness with God and living in His righteousness.

James 3:17

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of merciful and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

#5: God’s wisdom produces godly character in us.

James describes wisdom that comes from God as:

Pure – wisdom that has no impurities

Peace-Loving – wisdom that always promotes peace

Considerate – wisdom that is concerned about others

Submissive – wisdom that leads to being humbled before God

Full of Mercy – wisdom that extends mercy

Good Fruit – wisdom that leads to the production of the character of Jesus

Impartial – wisdom that does not judge others

Sincere – wisdom that is honest and open

When we experience these characteristics, we know that the wisdom is from God.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is letting God’s wisdom produce the character of Jesus in us.

James 3:18

Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

#6: God’s wisdom makes us peacemakers and that produces in us a

rightness with God.

Wisdom from the devil produces disorder and evil, but wisdom from God produces peace and righteousness.

Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”

When we have peace with God, we become peacemakers. The results are:

Being children of God

Living in right relationship with God

Living in right relationship with others

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing the peace of God and living out the righteousness of God.

There are two kinds of wisdom:

Wisdom from the devil

Wisdom from God

We choose which wisdom we will seek and experience. The kind of wisdom we choose will determine what our lives will look like.

In Godly Wisdom Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                         Joe

The Tongue

In James chapter 3, James shares four truths about the tongue. God is using James to gives us guidelines on how to use our words, our speech.

James 3:1-2

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. 

First, being able to guard what we say and teaching the truth is a sign of spiritual maturity.

People should not presume or seek to be teachers because if we teach, God holds us to a higher standard because what we say will greatly influence people. Words have great influence.

When people are able to control what they say, they are complete or mature. They are not lacking anything that would hinder them from effectively serving God.

Controlling our speech means we are experiencing the Holy Spirit controlling our whole lives.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is using our words to influence people toward God based in God’s truth. 

James 3:3-6

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take a ship as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

Second, the tongue is a small organ but has great power to direct or destroy. 

James uses two examples of how something small directs something that is much larger.

He uses the example of a bit in the mouth of a horse.

He uses the example of a rudder turning a great ship.

Just as bits and rudders are small yet they direct large and powerful things, the tongue is small but directs and exerts great power.

James then illustrates the destructive power of the tongue by comparing it to a small spark that starts a fire that destroys a forest.

The words we use can be like that destructive fire that destroys.

Careless Words

Hateful Words

Condemning Words

Mean Words

These can all destroy:

Families

Marriages

Churches

Our Own Lives

Words that direct come from God, the Creator.

Words that destroy come from Satan, the Accuser.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is allowing God to control our words so that they direct people toward Him.

James 3:7-8

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Third, the tongue can be a deadly thing and man cannot control it.

James acknowledges that humanity can control many things.

James says the tongue is not one of those things we can control.

James calls the tongue a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

The natural condition of the heart of mankind is deceitful and sick. In other words, the natural condition of the heart is sinful.

Matthew 5:18-19 says, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.”

What we say flows from what is in our hearts. Notice that several of the sinful things that come from our hearts are word-based things.

The Holy Spirit is the only one who can direct our hearts and thus control our words.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is the Holy Spirit filling our lives so that what flows out of our hearts and mouths is of God.

James 3:9-12

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Fourth, the tongue can be used to praise God or curse His creation.

James says that people use their words to praise God and these same people use their words to curse people. He says that this should not be the way we live.

James asks two questions:

#1: Can both fresh water and salt flow from the same spring?

#2: Can a fig tree bear olives?

The answer to both is no.

Then he reminds us that a salt water spring cannot produce fresh water.

We dishonor God when we are praising Him but in the next breath cursing something He has created – people.

We as followers of Jesus should exhibit a constant level of godly speech and action. We don’t have to be perfect, but what we say we believe should be evident in what we say, how we say it, what we do, and how we do it.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is constantly showing the reality of Jesus to the world.

Our tongues are powerful and God has given us the gift of speech so the truth and love of Jesus may be shared. My prayer is that these devotions do that, and that when you read these words, the Holy Spirit uses them to encourage, help and motivate you to draw closer to Jesus. As I saw on the headband of a Brazilian soccer player – 100% Jesus 

By Words That Honor God Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                                      Joe

Faith and Works

In James 2:14-26 James shares with us the truth of how faith and works fit together.

In verse 14 James asks two questions:

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?

Can such faith save him?

James answers those question by sharing four examples of faith and works. There are two negative ones and two positive ones.

James 2:15-16

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?

James gives us a scenario where a follower of Jesus sees a person who has a physical need and the follower of Jesus says, “I will pray that you get some warm clothing and get some food to eat”. But the follower of Jesus does nothing to help meet that need.

James asks what good did it do for the follower of Jesus to have a concern for the person if he was not going to do anything to really help.

The comparison James draws is found in verse 17. It says, “In the same way faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

If our faith does not lead us to action, then our faith is of no practical value.

If faith is not matched with action, then is of no practical value; it is dead.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is faith leading us to serve and share with others.  

James then shows us the futility of having faith but with no action.

James 2:18

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

The demonstration of our faith is seen in our actions. We show our faith to the world by what we do and how we live.

Then James gives us another negative example of faith and works.

James 2:19

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.

Satan and his demons know that there is a God.

Satan and his demons believe that God is who He says He is.

They believe but there is no accompanying action of trust, surrender to God’s will, or obedience to God’s commands.

Just having have an intellectual belief that God exists is not the kind of faith that will produce transformation and thus save a person.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is having a faith that changes our lives and makes us more like Jesus.

The truth is that faith which produces no change is not really faith as evidenced by the two examples James gives.

Then in James 2:20 James asks another question. He asks, “You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?”

James now gives two positive examples of faith and action.

James 2:21-22

Was not our ancestor Abraham consider righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together and his faith was made complete by what he did.

In Genesis 15:6 it says that Abram (Abraham) believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.

That belief or faith is made manifest in Genesis 22 when God tells him to sacrifice his son, the son of the promise, on the altar.

Was Abraham’s faith real in chapter 15? – Yes!

Was Abraham’s faith saving faith in chapter 15? – Yes!

The reality of Abraham’s real, saving faith is shown to all in chapter 22.

This is an awesome example of how faith and works fit together.

Then James shares with us two benefits to having a living faith in God that leads to obeying God.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is letting our faith be seen as we live in daily surrender to God’s will.

James 2:23

And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.

When we have a living faith in God we are declared righteous because of that faith and we are called friends of God.

In John 15:15 Jesus calls His disciples friends because of their faith in Him.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing that through our faith in Jesus we are righteous and friends of God.

In James 2:24 James reminds us that a person is justified by faith that leads to daily living in right relationship with God.

James 2:25

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

In Joshua 2 when Rahab hides the Israelite spies she says that she knows that God has given the land to Israel. Then in Joshua 2:11 Rahab says, “That the Lord is God of heaven above and the God of earth below.”

This is an astonishing statement of faith from Rahab. She came from a belief system that believed in many gods. These gods where usually seen as god over a certain things or a certain area. Rahab believed that the Lord of the Israelites was a God over everything.

This faith that Rahab had in God motivated her to risk her life and hide the spies with the understanding that they would save her and her family when the Israelites took the city.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is having the kind of faith that will trust God enough to risk for Him.

James summarizes this discussion on faith and works in verse 25 by saying, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”

Deeds or works is to faith as the spirit is to the body.

Works do not produce faith.

Faith does produce works.

With Faith and Works Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls

                                            Joe

Favoritism, Justification, and Judging

In the beginning of chapter two James addresses three issues that are relevant in our culture today.

James addresses the issues of favoritism, how we are justified before God, and judging.

James 2:1                                                                                                                      

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.

James tells us that we are not to show favoritism because we are believers in Jesus as Lord.

Jesus didn’t show favoritism. He called all kinds of people to follow Him:                 Fishermen                                                                                                         Tax Collectors                                                                                                               Pharisees                                                                                                              Prostitutes                                                                                                                      Zealots                                                                                                               Samaritans

We are told in 1 Samuel 16:7 that God does not look at the outward appearance but at the heart.

We as followers of Jesus are to follow Jesus’ example and not show favoritism.

Then James gives us a picture of what favoritism looks like.
                                                                                                           

James 2:2-4
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a man wearing shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

The picture is of a church on Sunday morning and two men come into the building. One man is obviously wealthy and the other man is obviously not so much. The wealthy man is shown curtesy, kindness, and welcomed with love. The poor man is not shown curtesy or kindness or love. Then the church has shown favoritism.

James then asked the question: Isn’t that discrimination? And that makes us become judges with the judgment being based in evil thoughts.

James now points out the sheer wrongness and stupidity of making judgments based on wealth.

                           
James 2:5-7                                                                                      

Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of Him to whom you belong?

People who are poor in material wealth are many times rich in spiritual wealth. Material wealth is not necessarily a sign of God’s blessing. Poverty is not necessarily a sign of God’s curse.

Jesus had followers who had material wealth and those who didn’t have material wealth.

God blesses some of His followers with material wealth because He has given them the desire and the ability to use it to grow His kingdom. For others, like me, God knows that material wealth would be a temptation to trust the wealth and not Him, and He provides for us but doesn’t give us great material wealth.     

The way and manner in which God provides for us is based on His sovereign will.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is not basing how we treat others on wealth or any other outward appearance but by always showing others the love of Jesus.

Then James turns to the subject of justifying yourself through the law.

                                                                                                                 

James 2:8-11
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

In Mark 12:30-31 Jesus said that the two greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is to love your neighbor as yourself.

These two commandments are the greatest because Jesus said all the law and the prophets are fulfilled when we obey these two commandments.

If we love God with all that we are and love our neighbor as ourselves, we will not sin against God or others.

James then reminds us of a very painful truth. We can keep all the law, but if we disobey just one part it we are guilty of breaking the whole law.

James reminds us that it was God who commanded us not to commit adultery and not to murder. God doesn’t show favoritism. He sees all sin as the same - disobedience and rebellion against His will.

When we try to be justified through keeping the law we face one huge problem. If we break one part of the law, we have broken the whole law and cannot be justified by the law because perfectly keeping the law is what is required to be justified by it.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is not depending on keeping the law to justify us but on the love and grace of Jesus to justify us.

Then James talks about judging.

                                                                                                                
James 2:12-13
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy always triumphs over judgment.

James shares three truths that we as God’s people need to know and to live based on.

#1: That there is a law that gives freedom.

                                                                                                                 

Romans 8:2
Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

The law of God’s Spirit sets us from the law of sin and death because the law of the Spirit means we rely on what Jesus did in His death and resurrection to save and justify us and not depend on our self-effort in keeping the law.    

#2: That when we judge without mercy we cannot expect to be judged with mercy.

                                                                                                                  

Luke 6:36-38
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not be condemned, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

If we judge and condemn, we will be judged and condemned.
                                   
If we forgive and show mercy, we will be forgiven and shown mercy.

#3: Mercy triumphs over judgment.

God always pours out mercy before He brings judgment.

When we demonstrate mercy to others, we do more to help them come to know Jesus and grow in Him than when we judge them.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is showing love and mercy, not condemnation and judgment.

Without Favoritism or Judgment Raising the Roof and Remove the Walls
                                                                   Joe