1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries
that shall come upon you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness
against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure
together for the last days.
You often hear of wealthy men and women who pour millions
and even billions into impoverished nations and people’s lives. If you are not psychotic or mentally damaged
in some way you begin to realize that there is more to life than simple money
making. I suppose I should be comforted
that I don’t have this money making gift but I often wonder if it would be a
blessing or curse. Making money is not a
sin, in fact it is taught at an early age in Hebrew families and schools. Scripture does not say that making money is a
sin. It says the love of money is (1
Timothy 6:10).
Because many wealthy love making money and especially having
it, they fall in the trap and it causes all manner of grief in their lives.
Archaeologists would love us to believe that every shard of
pottery and every bone fragment is absolutely priceless and to be
preserved. God has a different take on
it. He’s not nearly as concerned about
greenhouse gasses as we are or whether a particular species of animal might go
extinct. His concern is that Hell, which
was created for fallen angels, will be enlarged by the vast numbers of souls
who will be lost eternally (Isaiah 5:13-15).
Our modern activists protect a dog and kill an unborn child. They once again call good evil and evil good
(Isaiah 5:20). Those who want to kill
children are called PRO-choice. Those
who fight against abortion are said to be against women’s rights.
These are the treasures the unsaved are heaping together for
the last days. They are treasures of
murdered children, denial of responsibility by releasing murderers against
God’s Word. They are treasures of lies
and rhetoric that reach to Heaven and have become a stench in the nostrils of
God. They shall never succeed nor will
they prosper. They have denied the Holy
One and mocked His servants. In the
final battle, they shall fill Meggido with acres of blood.
4 Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down
your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them
which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.
These are those who promise a day’s wage for a day’s work
and on payday tell your workers, “So sue me.”
God has heard the pleas of these little ones and the Lord of the
Sabbath, the Lord of Rest will not let it stand. Your grain will grow worms and your finances
given to another more worthy (Proverbs 13:22).
Your hearts are cold and the violence of your answer will be required by
God’s own hand.
Many ask, “Why should we treat others differently? It’s have’s and it’s have not’s and if I
don’t climb higher faster I’ll be a have not.”
Have you watched the world these days?
Fewer and fewer will step up and like the parable of the neighbor, care
for that man beaten and robbed (Luke 10:30-35).
You might look at the world around us and say you are justified, but God
has something to say to you. 1 John 4
says, “7 Beloved, let us love one
another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and
knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
God is love. God’s
love comes with unlimited faith because faith operates by love (Galatians
5:6). God is unlimited. His love is unlimited. Because faith operates by love, his faith is
unlimited. The more we are perfected in
love the more we are perfected in faith.
The more faith we have the more we are able to affect the world around
us for the Lord. It is love that moves
the entire world, not power. Dunamis,
God power, comes from love turned into faith.
This is the true power of God, the power of love.
A Jewish sage once said that God could not really love man
because man was too evil and devilish for Him to love. The truth is that that sage forgot or never
learned that our minds and bodies are the lowest and least important part of
who we are. God said, “Let us make man
in Our image and Our likeness.” God is a
Spirit. We are spirit. God does not love our flaws and failures but
His grace is sufficient to see past them to who we are in the spirit. What that sage missed was the fact that God
loves mankind enough to send Jesus to die on our behalf.
The flesh of God died for the flesh of man. The flesh of God could not remain in Hell
because He had done no wrong (Acts 2:24).
With a shout and with a trumpet from the angels Jesus arose from the
dead and appeared before us with many incontrovertible proofs. In other words, He proved He was Christ, God,
Messiah and Lord to anyone who did not want to believe the lie. Sadly, Israel chose the lie for a season to
allow the gentiles in.
Now that I have gone off on a long rabbit trail, I hope you
understand that Jesus came so we might have life more abundantly IF we are
willing to follow God’s plan of redemption.
That plan requires you to be gracious, to forgive, to be merciful, to
help others more than you help yourself.
Can you do it?
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been
wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
Those who rob God’s little ones have it all; fancy cars,
large homes, personal jets, the admiration and respect of those around
them. People take their pictures and
want to shake their hands. They continue
to take it all in and suck up all the benefits until that day when God cries,
“Time!” On that day your life is
forfeit, your money goes to someone else and your future spirals downward into
the depths of Hell. Scripture says you
will cry out for someone to touch your tongue with only a drop of water. Those in Christ who have served God and
incurred your contempt will be received into everlasting glory and heavenly
habitations while you will live in a place of torment and pain. You had all the benefits of sin for a short season
but they will reap the rewards for their humility and faith for eternity.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not
resist you.
Even the humility of the just ones make you angry. You “baa” at them as if they are sheep and in
rage would kill them if you could. Seeing
them go to churches you cry with emotion, “Fools and idiots! Weak minded and flawed!” You lash out and they continue to worship the
God of Heaven. It is almost too much to
be endured and you try to find ways to tear them down. You might have respected them if they had
fought back but because they were too busy serving their God you wish them dead
as all sheep must ultimately die. Sadly
for you, the Shepherd God has promised an unending answer of eternal suffering
or eternal joy and His children receive the Joy.
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the
Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and
hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
First of all, the promises of God are yea and amen (2
Corinthians 1:20). They will only be
withheld for so long before God says enough.
Satan may be expecting you to take the highway while God sends you along
the mountain paths. The way is somewhat
slower to be sure but ultimately will lead to every promise of God. There was a time when the king of Syria asked
his generals who was spying on him for Israel.
The astonishing answer was that God’s prophet was telling the king of
Israel the king of Syria’s plans.
We think that just because we have received the early rain
things ought to be ready for reaping the rewards but this is not true. Between the early rain and the latter rain is
a time of intense preparation and growth.
Many times the plants look completely ready for harvesting after the
latter rain but even then there is a final growth and ripening before the
reapers may move in. Perhaps you have
completed your initial growth and appear to be tall and strong. It may be that you have even received your
latter rain, but you must trust God to be sure you have completed every test
required that your skill and temperament is fully prepared for God’s great
blessings.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the
coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
This first part is most difficult. There is always a testing to establish your
heart’s trust and that takes patience (James 1:4). James is all about patience and waiting on
God. Whether His coming is actually, in
fact, HIS COMING; or simply his movement in the next stage of your life, it
draws closer with every moment you patiently wait on Him to prepare you for
this victory.
9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be
condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
Not only aren’t we supposed to begrudge one another, but
according to 1 Corinthians 13:5 we are supposed to be rooting for one another’s
benefits. Just the mental act of
begrudging is a sin whether it causes you to treat the other person differently
or not. Jesus is our intercessor, but if
we do not live for and trust in Him through actions and thoughts, God stands as
the judge of all. Jesus stands at the
door and knocks, but if you do not willingly answer and invite Him in to rule
your life, the Judge of all stands beside Him.
10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in
the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of
Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of
tender mercy.
I know people who love God and yet insist that we need not
endure suffering to serve Him. I am
astounded when I read scripture after scripture that says we are partakers in
Christ’s sufferings (1 Peter 4:13, Romans 8:17, 2 Timothy 2:12). Prophets suffer the worse because they speak
the IMMEDIATE Word of God and that Word will make the godless gnash their teeth
in anger. Even many in the church are
terrified or infuriated by a sure word of prophecy.
In spite of this, 1 Corinthians 14:1 states that we ought to
seek the gift of prophecy above all others.
This means that God, knowing full well that we are likely to suffer
persecution from without AND within; has admonished us to seek to
prophesy. Under those circumstances we
should acknowledge that prophecy is for us today AND that the ministry of the
prophet is with us today. These truths
come with a major admonition however…
Apostles and Prophets have been the FOUNDATION of the church
from the very beginning (Ephesians 2:18-20).
Is it any wonder that of all the ministry gifts, priests, evangelists,
pastors, teachers, bishops, deacons, etc…, that apostles and prophets are the
two most maligned and ignored ministries?
How is it that we have allowed Satan to steal our FOUNDATION? Are we so afraid of the supernatural that the
two most supernatural gifts should be cast out into the cold of disuse? Few are called to the ministry of prophet and
apostle and those who are have endured years, often decades of abuse, attack
and painful preparation to walk in those callings.
I have seen ministers call themselves apostles and prophets
without preparation or consecration.
This is an anathema to God and ought never be. If we examine the prophets and apostles lives,
we see men who often die young, endure great affliction that would cause many
of us to stumble, and live with ridicule for much of their lives. These men are called of God. Even the act of prophesying does not make you
a prophet. Prophet is a called ministry,
not the mere gift given to a broader group of people. Apostle is a called ministry and every one of
those called has seen God in a vision.
Just acknowledging your calling can open you up to ridicule as one who
sees God and hears Him speak. Most
people are as uncomfortable with this idea just as Israel was uncomfortable
with God on the mountain of God with all the thundering and shaking. They finally told Moses they could not endure
God’s great presence and Moses would have to be their go-between.
12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither
by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be
yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
This section tries to open our eyes to the difficulties of
ministry and an acknowledgement of our own flesh and its inherent
weakness. Why would anyone want to claim
a calling that God has not given? Many
famous pastors and evangelists have traveled the world over and have ministered
to thousands and tens of thousands but they represent a very small percentage
of those actually called to ministry.
The average American church today is under 100 members. That makes up 56% of church attendance. The next most is between 100 – 500 members
and makes up 35%. The early church met
from house to house and not in centralized houses of worship. Less than one half of one percent of all
churches are over 2000 members.
What am I trying to say?
If you accept your call to ministry you are unlikely to become famous or
wealthy. Your reasons for ministry MUST
NOT BE for fame, honor or prestige. They
must be for the purpose of service, obedience and an overwhelming desire to
nurture others. You show up at the
hospital because you have a heart for the people, not because the people are
paying. You weep with those who weep and
rejoice with those who rejoice because it is in your heart to do so. People can recognize a false spirit and if
you have no love for them, they will know and move on.
13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry?
let him sing psalms.
Why? If you ask the
world they will say church people are idiots who pray and fast and afflict
themselves when they should eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. If you know God is real then you should
believe His Word. The idea that God has
only a passing interest in us and in keeping His Word is foolish. God is either God or not. If He is, then He is a rewarder of those who
diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). If
He is then the weapons of our combat are truly MIGHTY THROUGH GOD to the
pulling down of satanic strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). That scripture continues on to say that much
of our battle takes place in our minds and spirit. If we win there, the natural universe must
follow.
God rejoices when we rejoice and answers when we pray. If we believe this then He will continue to
bless us and anoint us to grow and prosper.
God will comfort our hearts and encourage our souls. We will prove the Word of God in our very
lives.
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of
the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of
the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall
raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
I love this passage.
These two verses promise your healing and forgiveness. It is not dependent upon the faith of the
elders but upon God keeping His own word.
The act of faith is for you to call the elders and thereby acknowledge
their place in the hierarchy of the kingdom and for them to obey the scripture
and pray. What could be simpler?
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for
another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much.
Little is fraught with as much personal danger to your
reputation as confessing your faults one to another. It requires a faithful (James 5:20) saint to
help you work through your difficulties without spreading it abroad. God has the right to punish and publish. We do not.
God has given us the responsibility to comfort, nurture and
forgive. How can we call ourselves
forgiving when we are spreading our brother and sister’s weaknesses around? It’s not possible or right to do both.
17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are,
and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth
by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the
heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
Elijah (Elias) killed hundreds of prophets of Baal and then
ran away from a woman. He performed
great miracles and still got scared and fled.
God knows your flaws and while He is not pleased with any of them and
expects you to work on them, He insists upon using you for kingdom work. It doesn’t matter what you think about a
matter; if you have His heart, you will do great things.
19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one
convert him; 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the
error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of
sins.
This is the end of the matter and the most important part of
it. Our purpose in life is to win,
rescue, encourage, drag, and motivate souls away from Hell. Nothing else really matters. Their current sins or your past sins make no
difference to God in the long run because Jesus came to save that which was
lost (Matthew 18:11). Our personal
opinions and emotions do not matter when God says to forgive.
Beloved, God desires to be all powerful in your life to
bring salvation to pass for the greatest number of people. It’s up to you to adjust your mindset to
place salvation and forgiveness above your desire for justice and retribution. I pray you will love with all the love of
God.
Bishop J
