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Book of James: The oxymoron

So I see it a lot in my youngest what you may call sarcasm I call quick wit and I appreciate her humor.  It isn't so much humor as she points out what she deems obvious and we try not to laugh at her because although she is right we have to teach her the propriety of how to be life giving.  So I am going to take of my propriety and state that James is an oxymoron based on Today's standards of wisdom.  James calls out the unwise and really helps to put the church into the right.  Even back in that day people were confusing the gospel of Jesus with some sugary sweet kumbaya my Lord sappy crap. So lets dive in to the book of James.

James starts out by calling himself a SLAVE of God in verse one.  James doesn't proclaim himself an apostle, Jesus's brother, second in command, he calls himself SLAVE.  Let's just start with this here because the reason Christianity has lost it's saltiness is because we got so many people vying for position instead of vying for God's all for our life.  If you want to be used by God you better stop looking for someone to tell you your awesome and you better start letting God humble you and remake you into his.  The Greek work Doulos is for Slave, bond servant, servant.  This wasn't a joke, this wasn't a job this was James life.  It was a posture of humility and one that we NEED to learn as a bride of Christ.   We are not anything without the groom, let us remember that our whole role as a Christian is to be waiting for the bridegroom.   So he starts of with that proclamation a complete oxymoron to the current status of the church.

Its time to Mature:
He then says in verse 2: Consider it a great joy, my brothers whenever you experience various trials.   Umm scuse me?  What do you mean consider it a great joy?  God you are supposed to be for us you are not supposed to let anyone hurt us.  Did you forget that you told the Israelites I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you?"   Did you forget that scripture "touch not my anointed?"  You see we get mad at God within the first ten seconds first of an issue because we have this preconceived notion that when we follow Jesus and serve God we are supposed to have no issues.  Ladies and gentlemen it is time to get over your spoiled self, for two long we have lain on a bed of selfishness using scriptures to back up our uselessness.  God is not looking for gods for people to serve he is looking for servants to serve his people.  We have to choose a posture of Joy when we go through trials and tribulations, quit asking what you have done wrong and start praising him in the beginning of your trials.

In Verse 3 he says why we should have joy:  Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.    Drama moment I too like some of you had an attitude.  I truly am a spoiled daughter of the most high and as a spoiled daughter I had an attitude when trials would come, when things would happen and I would be like "Seriously!"  I would throw myself down and stay there pouting until God would remove the issue.  He never did I had to learn to get off my cross, build a bridge and get over it.   I had to learn that through the test I was building endurance to withstand the enemy.  Why?  Well because in verse 4 it says But endurance must do the complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

Ok let me break it down for you even more:  If you feel like your dying that everything is coming for you and you are wondering what you are doing wrong, welcome to the "God is building maturity" Club.  You see many keep themselves from the promises God has for them because the maturing process is taking to long.  It cost too much and it required the death of pride, talent and selfish ambition.  When you are in the middle of transition and the pain is so intense you want to die here is what you do:  You get your eyes focused on the Savior and you breathe through it!

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