In the final verse of his letter Peter lays down the alternative (note the Greek de, “instead”) to being carried away by erroneous ideas of reprobate teachers. It is to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord.” The best way to escape error is to move as rapidly as possible in the other direction. The reason is simple in that all truth resides in Christ. Those who move in that direction experience not only his gracious presence (they “grow in the grace of our Lord and Savior”) but also an increase in their understanding of the truth he exemplifies (“and the knowledge of our Lord”). It will be well to examine these two crucial terms.
       The grace of the Lord Jesus is his selfless gift of forgiveness and restoration. ”Unmerited favor” is how it is often defined. However, in one sense it is not definable because as an active relationship its full meaning has to be experienced. We know, for example, that the full meaning of love cannot be compressed into the words used to describe it; it must be experienced. The grace of Christ is understood only by those who have by faith come to know him as a personal friend. And how do we “grow” in this grace? We live with an increasing awareness of who he really is and a continuing experience of his gracious presence.
       In addition to growing in grace we are to grow in our knowledge of him. This, of course, begins with an ever-expanding grasp of all that scripture has revealed about him. I suspect that a major reason for a weak and unproductive life on the part of some believers is their failure to 

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         “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” (Proverbs 22:9)
 
The Hebrew word translated by the NIV as “generous” refers to “a good eye.” And what would that suggest? A good eye connotes an eye that sees with compassion and concern. It cannot pass by the stranger lying by the road, but like the Good Samaritan it reaches out and does something for that unfortunate one.
       In our proverb the one by the road is the one in need of that which is basic for a normal livelihood – food, physical protection from the elements, but also some sort of meaningful contact with others. These needy people are all around us, perfectly visible to all but the blind. And that may be the problem, too much blindness toward the needs of others for whom life seems to have turned a deaf ear.
       Upon being reminded of such conditions, the natural reaction is very simple, just close your eyes. If you don’t see it, it will go away. But that doesn’t answer the problem. Ultimately the problem is more with the haves than the don’t-haves. Aha! exclaims the professional class of worriers about the poor. Get the government involved. Tax the rich! Here’s to the non-profits! Certainly in our day government is involved in a massive attempt to solve the problem, but money by itself doesn’t seem to work.
       But generosity is a personal quality, not something that belongs to a government agency. When government “gives” it is simply a financial transfer. It takes from one and gives to another. It makes no personal sacrifice. True generosity is a uniquely personal quality. To give requires that the giver let go of something that belongs to them. One of the remarkable things about giving is that it blesses the giver. Our text says, “The generous will themselves be blessed.” It’s a win-win situation: The needy are blessed by receiving and the givers by giving. Wonderful example of how good is God’s way.
       Since the proof of the pudding is in the eating” so now may be the time to use the “good eye” and seeing a need, do something about it. Solomon guarantees you’ll be blessed by your generosity.
 

​Nowhere in the New Testament is there a better discussion of the danger of a “loose tongue” than in James 3. Here James deals at length with the peril of speaking one’s mind. The quote, “Speak that I may know thee” goes all the way back through several altered versions to Socrates in the 5th century BC. What we say inevitably reveals who or what we are. It has a way of telling another the attitudes of the heart, usually in an inadvertent manner. And that is why it is so dangerous. The tongue leaves an impression sometimes apart from the words it is using.
       The specific problem being dealt with by James was that too many individuals were aspiring to the role of teacher. Having the floor and being called on to share knowledge had a subtle allure and many are captivated by its appeal. So James warns his friends about the desire to be considered a teacher. In those days a teacher did a lot more than to share information; their manner of living was a continual expression of who they were. Put simply, teachers taught more by how they lived than by the information they shared. This was a lethal combination because, as James puts it, “we all stumble in many ways” (v. 2). To teach provided the best setting for the tongue to harm and destroy.
       I believe that every true believer wants to live as God desires but the continuing presence of the old nature complicates the desire. And since we reveal most effectively who we are by what we say, the tongue becomes our own worst enemy. The dangerous nature of self-disclosure makes the control of the tongue of supreme importance. If we have managed to control the tongue then we are not only “perfect” (not sinless but morally mature) but able to keep the whole body on a tight rein” (NJB).
       The practical application of this reality for most people is that it is better to resist speaking except when the occasion urges us to add our point of view. Rarely are we hurt by what we do not say.

This simple statement by James expresses a central truth of New Testament Christianity, and that is that the only way up is down. The uninformed believe that if you climb hard enough you can make it to wherever the top is, but the truth is that climbing is beside the point if you don’t start at the true bottom.
       We probably need to do some defining at this point. The setting is that of a lowly peasant bowing to the ground before an oriental monarch, so greatly different their rank in society. At one point the monarchs reaches down and lifts the face of the peasant allowing him to rise and stand in the presence of royalty. What a sense of exuberant joy!  This is the picture we see in the earthly ministry of Jesus who “humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:8) to which Paul adds, “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place” (v. 9). Jesus’ self-surrender to become the sacrifice for our sins is the ultimate expression of humility.
       So humility isn’t putting on obsequious expression and declaring how unworthy we are. Very simply, it is laying aside personal preference and doing for the other what needs to be done. C S Lewis’ definition of humility is probably the best: “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” Humility is a brave and noble decision (and “humble yourself” is something we do) because in the decision one sets aside personal benefit, the desire for recognition, and assumes the role of servant. In the ancient Greek and Roman societies humility was considered a reprehensible condition. And it was into that kind of a world that the Son of God entered as a carpenter and ended up as a rebel on a cross outside the city of Jerusalem. Wait, did I say, “ended up? Well, hardly; God raised him from the grave and a great movement of human hope began that continues to expand until God’s “servant” is recognized in heaven and earth, worshipped by all creation.
       And what does that say for those who are the followers of Jesus, the Christ? The point is clear – we are to humble ourself as did Christ, and serve one another and the interests of God. We are to set aside all that keeps us from becoming the lowly servant of one another, even as Jesus did for us. The good news, of course, is that this King of kings will in his own time bend down and lift every face to see the glorious beauty and that of his eternal dwelling place. 
       So remember, the road to eternal joy begins with a decision to set aside what the world prizes for the privilege of serving one another. Humility is a personal decision, but hard as it is to decide against one
self, it is the only road to being lifted up when eternity breaks into view. 

“Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”  (James 4:10)

This simple statement by James expresses a central truth of New Testament Christianity, and that is that the only way up is down. The uninformed believe that if you climb hard enough you can make it to wherever the top is, but the truth is that climbing is beside the point if you don’t start at the true bottom.
       We probably need to do some defining at this point. The setting is that of a lowly peasant bowing to the ground before an oriental monarch, so greatly different their rank in society. At one point the monarchs reaches down and lifts the face of the peasant allowing him to rise and stand in the presence of royalty. What a sense of exuberant joy!  This is the picture we see in the earthly ministry of Jesus who “humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:8) to which Paul adds, “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place” (v. 9). Jesus’ self-surrender to become the sacrifice for our sins is the ultimate expression of humility.
       So humility isn’t putting on obsequious expression and declaring how unworthy we are. Very simply, it is laying aside personal preference and doing for the other what needs to be done. C S Lewis’ definition of humility is probably the best: “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” Humility is a brave and noble decision (and “humble yourself” is something we do) because in the decision one sets aside personal benefit, the desire for recognition, and assumes the role of servant. In the ancient Greek and Roman societies humility was considered a reprehensible condition. And it was into that kind of a world that the Son of God entered as a carpenter and ended up as a rebel on a cross outside the city of Jerusalem. Wait, did I say, “ended up? Well, hardly; God raised him from the grave and a great movement of human hope began that continues to expand until God’s “servant” is recognized in heaven and earth, worshipped by all creation.
       And what does that say for those who are the followers of Jesus, the Christ? The point is clear – we are to humble ourself as did Christ, and serve one another and the interests of God. We are to set aside all that keeps us from becoming the lowly servant of one another, even as Jesus did for us. The good news, of course, is that this King of kings will in his own time bend down and lift every face to see the glorious beauty and that of his eternal dwelling place. 
        So remember, the road to eternal joy begins with a decision to set aside what the world prizes for the privilege of serving one another. Humility is a personal decision, but hard as it is to decide against one
self, it is the only road to being lifted up when eternity breaks into view. 

I don’t normally just pick up the bible and choose a passage at random on which to write. But today I did. I was trying to discover how it is that God keeps using not only the big ideas but also the passing reflections of ordinary people to exalt his name. For instance: This morning my new bible just opened at Psalm 50 and beginning to read, I came rather quickly to v. 15 where God promises that if we “call on him in the day of trouble” he will “deliver us.” What a wonderful promise! We do have our troubled days and here is God saying that if we call on him ­– bring him into our time of trouble – that he will show us the way through. It is so straight-forward and easy to understand — We do X, and he does Y.  
       However, the X / Y nature of the promise reminds us that the result is provisional, that is, it depends on our meeting a certain requirement.  No calling on him, no answer. I am assuming that when scripture talks about ”calling on God” it means more than bringing it up now and then. Does it not mean coming to God in an organized way and specifying what it is that we would like him to do on our behalf? I know that prayer is personal and quite often emotional, but I believe that there are also other times when we are to lay out before him what it is that we want him to do and how we would do it if it were up to us.
     “But,” you say, “what you are suggesting sounds like stopping off at the church after we have been shopping and laying out a list of things that are spiritual rather than physical.” To some extent that may be true, but could that not be one part, not all, of a larger prayer life?  If so, it would be consistent with the view that we are the ones who are blessed by our prayers for others. By calling on God and listing what needs to be done we are getting our own needs in focus as w;ll.
        How incredibly great that God allows us the time to tell him what we and those on own prayer list need. Not only that but we are privileged to enroll in the School of Prayer, to learn through practice how to pray as effectively as possible. As to telling Him what we need, even in detail, is not unlike the second half of the Lords Prayer where Jesus tells his disciples how to  pray:
       Give us this day our daily bread
       Forgive us our debt
       Lead us not into temptation
       Deliver us from evil
As you can see, Jesus is telling us to ask God for what he should give us. We are to ask for food, that our debts be forgiven, that he not lead us into temptation, and that he deliver us temptation. Didn’t God  know all that? Or course, but for now we need to tell him anyway. 
 

In chapter 2, James has been warning his readers against favoritism. They are not to grant preferential treatment to the rich or turn a blind eye to the poor. He notes how strange it is to honor those who exploit and to dishonor those chosen by God. In verse 8 he reminds his readers of a royal law they are to keep but in verse 12 of a law that “gives freedom.” Are they two different laws or the same law looked at in two different ways?
       That the first law is a “royal” law indicates how important it is. The king himself has issued the law because what it calls for is so vitally important for the life of his subjects. It is basilikos, kingly. And what is this “supreme law of scripture?” (NJB). Unlike most laws of our day, which are long, complicated, and intentionally vague, it is short and simple: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” What this command calls for is a complete and authentic commitment of oneself to a way of living that regards the needs of others as important as our own. It is the dramatic reversal of our inherited narcissistic nature. No longer do we remain our own “god,” loving self to the virtual exclusion of others.
       I recognize that stating the point in such dire terms doesn’t make it sound like a way of living most would choose. But let’s see if verse 12 throws any light on the subject. Here James speaks of the law by which we will all be judged and calls it “the law that gives freedom,” or as the NLT and others have it, “the law that sets us free.” But what exactly does it mean to be “set free” from law? As we use the expression today we would more likely understand it as not having to pay the penalty for some misdemeanor. The truth is that the goal of every rule or law is freedom from the consequences of doing the opposite. When local authorities say, “Not over 55,” it isn’t to deny you the exhilaration of driving faster, but to free you from the inevitable results of reckless driving. When parents tell their daughter, “Be home by midnight” it is not to rule out the “fun” of a late night party but to guide her in a way that will make her life wholesome and rewarding. It spares her the penalty of a bad decision.
       I remember when I first became aware of the freeing nature of “law.” I was used to thinking of
God as good but just a little bit too severe. Certain “pleasures” were off limit. But law as personal protection rather than restriction brought a band new and encouraging outlook for a teenage boy. How good to know that our God is not a disapproving taskmaster who withholds pleasure, but a loving father who has given us “laws” so we need not make mistakes and pay the penalty. He’s kind, good, protective, and fun.

  
 
         “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they sharea their food with the poor.” (Proverbs 22:9)
 
The Hebrew word translated by the NIV as “generous” refers to “a good eye.” And what would that suggest? A good eye connotes an eye that sees with compassion and concern. It cannot pass by the stranger lying by the road, but like the Good Samaritan it reaches out and does something for that unfortunate one.
       In our proverb the one by the road is the one in need of that which is basic for a normal livelihood – food, physical protection from the elements, but also some sort of meaningful contact with others. These needy people are all around us, perfectly visible to all but the blind. And that may be the problem, too much blindness toward the needs of others for whom life seems to have turned a deaf ear.
       Upon being reminded of such conditions, the natural reaction is very simple, just close your eyes. If you don’t see it, it will go away. But that doesn’t answer the problem. Ultimately the problem is more with the haves than the don’t-haves. Aha! exclaims the professional class of worriers about the poor. Get the government involved. Tax the rich! Here’s to the non-profits! Certainly in our day government is involved in a massive attempt to solve the problem, but money by itself doesn’t seem to work.
       But generosity is a personal quality, not something that belongs to a government agency. When government “gives” it is simply a financial transfer. It takes from one and gives to another. It makes no personal sacrifice. True generosity is a uniquely personal quality. To give requires that the giver let go of something that belongs to them. One of the remarkable things about giving is that it blesses the giver. Our text says, “The generous will themselves be blessed.” It’s a win-win situation: The needy are blessed by receiving and the givers by giving. Wonderful example of how good is God’s way.
       Since the proof of the pudding is in the eating” so now may be the time to use the “good eye” and seeing a need, do something about it. Solomon guarantees you’ll be blessed by your generosity.

Psalm 13 is one of the shorter Psalms and deals with the lament of one who longs for a new awareness of God. Apart from that, life is worthless. Then he reminds himself that God is faithful and the day will come when he will again sing his praise.
 
          Will you forget me Lord, forever?
          How long will you hide your face?
          How long will anguish conquer my soul
          While my enemies your people debase?
 
          Turn and look at my sorry condition
           There’s no sparkle in my eyes;
           Don’t let my enemies claim to have won
           Show them that you are wise.
 
           I will trust and enjoy your faithful love          
           My heart is rejoicing in you;
           I will sing your praises wherever I go
           Your goodness is ever new.
 
In the second stanza the Psalmist asks God to restore the “sparkle” to his eyes or he will die, a picturesque way to describe the light of life. As you know, light and darkness are two of the major ways of describing the contrast between life apart the Spirit and life controlled by the active presence of God. Of the 53 verses in scripture that compare these two qualities in some way, consider the following:
 
          1 John 1:5 describes the nature of God: “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”
          Cor. 6:14 states the purpose of the incarnation: “­I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”
          John 3:19 explains our natural tendency to reject God’s way: “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”
          1 Pet. 2:9 describes the new role of the believer: “That you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
          1 John 2:9 provides a test for reality: “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.”
 
The imagery is helpful not only to picture such a wide range of comparisons, but to represent the clear nature of one’s relationship with God. There is no darkness with God. You approach him, as it were, across a broad field of light. Anything connected with darkness is exposed. Darkness, as the absence of light, hides the deceptive nature of man’s world. God as light allows only the perfection of sinlessness and that explains the absolute centrality of Jesus Christ in the world to come.
         The thing that caught my eye in the metric psalm was the lack of sparkle in the eyes of those experience defeat. The sparkle speaks of victory, the close presence of Jesus, forgiveness, hope, trust and faith. It is bright and pleasant. How are your eyes?