September 13, 2024
Opening Prayer: “O God the author of all good, I come to You for the grace another day will require for its duties and events. I step out into a wicked world; I carry about with me an evil heart. I know that without You I can do nothing, that everything with which I shall be concerned, however harmless in itself, may prove an occasion of sin or folly, unless I am kept by Your power. Hold me up and I shall be safe.”
Reading: James 5
Summary: James warns the rich that they will bear God’s judgment for the selfish accumulation of wealth and oppression of the poor. Believers are encouraged to remain steadfast in the faith, with ready hearts, even amidst persecution and suffering, for the day of the Lord approaches. Prayer is held up as a powerful and effective tool for healing the sick and interceding for God’s people. Finally, readers are called to restore those who have strayed from the faith, for the benefit of their souls.
Quick Hits If You’re Short On Time
Wealth and Charity: There is great judgment in store for those who accumulate vast fortunes by oppressing the poor. While it is not sinful to be wealthy, we are to be generous with our possessions and reject lives of excess and indulgence, choosing rather humility and modesty as we seek that heavenly treasure that does not fade away.
The Last Day Is Coming: Like the farmer who plants his crops and then waits patiently for rain, we too must prepare our hearts and wait patiently for Christ. Even through pain and suffering, we must remain steadfast, remembering that in the blink of an eye, this life will be over.
Save His Soul From Death: If a brother is struggling or wandering from the path of life, it is the duty of every believer to bring him back. Sometimes, this lies outside of our control, but we must make every effort not to let him be deceived and do great harm to his own soul.
Consider
v. 1-3: Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.
Here we see James’s warning about the terrifying consequences of storing up treasures for ourselves on earth. Contrary to popular belief, there is nothing inherently sinful about being rich; heroes of the faith like Solomon and Job were said to be among the wealthiest people in their day and yet are still referred to as holy, faithful men of God. James is warning about a combination of factors, here; not only great wealth, but great wealth combined with neglect of the needy and a life of indulgence and excess. The issue is not the thing itself, but the heart’s disposition toward the thing.
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