James 1:5

James 1:5 says, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  James didn’t say if we lack knowledge ask God for it, but if we lack wisdom.  We may gain a lot of knowledge from studying, but we may be very well educated and still lack wisdom which comes from God.  All we have to do is accept that He is the source of wisdom instead of thinking we can gain it by our own understanding.  

Verse six adds, But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  James said that we are to ask for wisdom in faith that does not waver.  We cannot see God as the source of wisdom one day and doubt Him the next if we are to gain spiritual wisdom.  

Verse seven continues, For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.  James said that people who waver in their faith should not expect anything from God.  I believe that if we ask God for wisdom that we can never waver in believing that He will give us wisdom if we are to have true wisdom.  We cannot believe at one time and doubt the next.

Verse eight states, A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.  A double minded man would be a man who tried to live by the wisdom of God but also tried to live by what the world may teach that is opposed to God’s word. James said such a person is unstable in all their ways.

James 1:1

 James 1:1 says, James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.  James identifies himself as the author, or writer of this letter.  Matthew Henry says this was James the son of Alpheus and one of the apostles, but I believe there is some debate as to which James this was.  We just have to understand that it is the inspired word of God written to all Christians at all times.  It is called a general epistle because it is not addressed to any particular person or group of people.  God’s written word is always addressed to all people, and we as followers of Christ simply have to accept it by faith.  

Verse two adds, My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;  This might seem to be a strange statement, but God has said that if we are followers of Christ that we will be tempted by Satan, just as Jesus Christ Himself was.  If we are tempted by anything to turn away from God, we should count it as a joy that we are, because it means that we are still worthy of being tempted and have not given in to sin.  

Verse three continues, Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  James adds that the trying of our faith leads to patience in our faith in God.  Patience in our faith in God should always be our desire.  

Verse four adds, But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.  James asked that patience leads to perfect work so that we might be perfect and whole and wanting nothing.  We know that we will never be perfect, but we should have a perfect faith in God’s mercy and redemption which make us whole spiritually.  Our spiritual work should be done because that is what God leads us to do. 

Philemon Review

 Philemon Review

Paul was writing to another Christian about a runaway slave who had been helping him.  Onesimus, the runaway slave, had been converted to Christianity by Paul’s preaching, but that didn’t change his status in the world.  If we are saved today by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, that does not change who we are in the eyes of the world.  We will still have to accept the consequences of our actions.

Paul wished for Onesimus to stay with him and help him, but he did not demand that Philemon allow him to do so.  We cannot demand that other Christians give us something that is theirs in the view of the world, but we can let them know how allowing us to have whatever it is might help us.

Paul was imprisoned even though he had never been a slave.  In fact, he had been Roman, a devout Jew before he became a devout Christian   Onesimus had been a slave, but was now physically free, but just as they were both spiritually free, this did not free Paul physically and Onesimus could not just ignore his earthly status, no matter how much they might both want this.  Just because we are spiritually free as followers of Christ, this doesn’t free us from our earthly situation.  We must live in obedience to God’s word, which tells us that we should live by the laws of the world, unless they contradict His word.

Paul was sending Onesimus back to Philemon and asked him to allow him to return to continue to help him, but he left the decision up to Philemon.  Though Paul was a well know preacher, he didn’t allow this to make him think that he was superior to Philemon.  No matter how important we may think we are as a Christian nor no matter how we might be viewed as important by the world, we are all equal in the eyes of the world. 

Paul asked Philemon to have a place ready for him to stay if he got his desire and was allowed to return.  We should always be ready to help our fellow believers, though they should never demand help from us.

Next, we will look at the book of James.

Philemon 1:19

Philemon 1:19 says, I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.  Paul said he wrote this letter by his own hand and that he would repay Philemon if he thought Paul owed him anything for keeping Onesimus with him for a while.  We cannot just keep things that belong to others even if they are useful to us in carrying out God’s word without their permission.  This is not to say that Onesimus was a thing instead of a person, but we generally don’t have slaves to keep today.  Then Paul seems to remind Philemon that he owed his own life to Paul, which I think would be his spiritual conversion, though Paul may have saved his life at some point in time.  Though we might remind someone that we have led to the Lord that we did this if we need something from them, I don’t believe that we should.  

Verse twenty adds, Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.  Paul asked that Philemon allow him to have joy in him in the Lord and refresh his bowels or heart as we would say.  This was a continuation of Paul appealing to Philemon to act in faith in Christ in dealing with Onesimus and with Paul himself.  It is always a good thing for us to ask for other Christians to act out of faith in Christ as they deal with us if they think we owe them something.  

Verse twenty-one continues, Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.  Paul then said that he had confidence in Philemon’s obedience to God, knowing that he would do even more than Paul asked.  We should always expect the best of our fellow Christians as we interact with them, and they should always expect the best from us. 

Verse twenty-two states, But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.  Paul then asked Philemon to prepare a place for him to stay since he hoped that prayers would be answered and he would be able to come to Philemon soon.  We shouldn’t be ashamed to ask our fellow believers for help if we need it to accomplish God’s purpose, but it should always be done in prayer.  Likewise, they shouldn’t be ashamed to ask us for help if they need it. 

Verse twenty-three adds, There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;  Paul asked Philemon to salute Epaphras, whom he referred to as a fellow prisoner in Jesus Christ, which implies he had also been imprisoned for his faith.  We should always uplift those who are imprisoned for their faith in Christ today in prayer, even if we have never been imprisoned ourselves.  

Verse twenty-four continues, Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.  Paul then mentioned four men that he referred to as fellow laborers that Philemon was to salute as well.  These four were listed as different from Epaphras, which would imply they had never been imprisoned for their faith.  Once more, we should always be in prayer for our fellow believers and lift them up in prayer as they do God’s work.  

Verse twenty-five concludes, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.  Paul closed by asking that the grace of their Lord Jesus Christ be with Philemon in his spirit.  This should always be our prayer for our fellow believers.