I need you

James 5:19-20

I’ve always felt the book of James ends abruptly, like it’s missing the conclusion or the wrap-up or even a “good bye” that are seen in so of Paul’s writings.

Today, though, it kind of made sense.

19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

It implies two things to me:

1. God intends us to live in community, and 2. we need each other.

If a brother (a believer) wanders from the truth (the Word of God) and doesn’t live in a fellowship of other believers, how far off course will he/she wander? Jim Jones? David Koresh? I don’t know much about them, but I wonder if they had any accountability in their lives? I wonder if they had anyone who loved them enough to say, “Whoa dude, that’s wacked! You’re way off base on that!”

I need you. You need me. We need to make sure that what we think – what we interpret the Word of God to be – is accurate.

Chapter 1 of James opens with the progress to sin and the result if it is left unchecked (death).
Chapter 5 of James states how to be healed from our sin. By confession and prayer with EACH OTHER.

The last two verses just summarize the beginning and end of the book.

I need you. You need me. We need each other to be healed of our sin.

Chapters 2-4 deal with how to live life and how to live with each other.

I need you. You need me. We need each other to grow. “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Prov 27:17) The premise of this whole blogsite.

Father, thank you for your design.  Thank you for faithful men who will live in community with me.  May we be ever aware of Your presence and true to Your Word as we sharpen each other.  Thank you for my friends and brothers.

True Fellowship

So I asked Papa where to go and he took me to 1 John1:1-4. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life- the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us- that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”  Maybe you guys are scholars and able to tear apart sentences to decide what is necessary and not, but that was difficult for me to read. Anyways, here is what stuck out to me. As a Christian you kind of hear the term “fellowship” thrown around, for example, “we’re going to go fellowship with so and so, or Fellowship of the Sword” whatever the case is. I have kind of become desensitized to it I guess. The verses made me think though, what does “fellowship” really mean? Fellowship: 1. the condition or relation of being a fellow. 2. friendly relationship; companionship: the fellowship of father and son. That second definition is the one that got me. Friendly relationship? I don’t know that I would describe my relationship with Papa that way. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good relationship, but take me and my dad for example. One of my favorite things to do with my dad is sit out back on a nice day, smoke a cigar and hang out for an hour or two. I don’t just sit back and spend time with Papa though, why not? Is it my perception, or am I just not at that place yet?

Papa, I love you. Forgive me if my perception of You has been wrong, forgive me for not giving You the time You are due. You are gracious and wonderful. Can we just hang out tommorrow? I’d like to spend some time with you just hanging out. Annoint my house with Your presence.

Am I willing to do nothing?

OK guys, my post right now aren’t as deep as yours, they are simply practical to my life today.

Yesterday afternoon I left town and headed out to my parents lakehouse to spend some time seeking God, primarily for direction with the business.  Ater I had been here a while I asked him, what do you want to do.  He said “Let’s go fishing.  I want fish for dinner.”  I grabbed a rod that was already setup walked out on the dock and started to cast.  I noticed that there was huge backlash in it.  Someone had put it up in bad shape.  I started to work it out but it was only getting worse.  Then God spoke “When you were a kid, what would you do with this?“  I said “Give t to my Dad and let him fix it.”  He said “Then do that.“  I asked him what he wanted me to do.  He said “You do nothing.  That’s what a kid does when he gives it to his Dad.“  So I asked God to untangle the backlash and I waited.  After a minute or so, He said “OK.  Pull out the line.“  Now, to none of your surpise, the line pulled out freely and smoothly.  I reeled it back in and began fishing.  But God spoke once more “Why do you always want to do something when I’ve said I will do it?“  (BTW, he then told me where to cast.  I pulled in about a 2lb bass and coked it for our dinner.  Like something out od The Shack.

Now I read 2 Chronicles 16 today.  Asa has been king for 36 years when the king of Israel starts building a big city to block all trade with Judah.  He is going to ome against Juday.  So, Asa makes a treaty with Syria and the Syrians run off Israel; Asa and Judah are once again safe.  Let’s pick up verse 7.  “And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the LORD your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. 8 Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly”

I read this and God confirmed what he said last night.  You need to rely on me.  You need to wait. Do not do foolishly.  Do not go out and make plans on your own.  Wait for me and I will show myself faithful.  Guys, do you know how hard it is to do nothing?  Our business is down.  This is typically the worst month of the year.  DFW is calling again, probably to tell me how they want me to operate.  And I believe that I am hearing God say “Do nothing”.  WHAT?!?  That goes against everything that I am.  That takes real faith.  At least Asa dressed in battle array when he did it right (go see previous posts).

I am not sure that I am properly interpreting what God is saying.  I could use some additional clarity.  No, God is saying rely on me.  Look at this passage.  Asa didn’t and in the end he loses.  God wants our, wants my full faith in Him.  He also wants me to give Him ALL the glory when he delivers us.

How do I do that?  How do I wait?