Did I Miss a “Don’t”?

James 1; James 2; James 3; James 4; James 5
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Scripture

James 1

16 So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.

25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.

James 2

14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?

18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

James 3

14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.

James 4

1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. 4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?

11 Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.

James 5

9 Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!

Observation

James was one tough guy I think. He didn’t waste any words! He used the word “don’t” a lot too! Which of these “don’ts” do you like the best …which one hits home and so you like it the least?

I think the one’s that speak to me this morning are James 4:11, “Don’t speak evil against each other…” and James 5:9, “Don’t grumble about each other”. It is so easy when I am frustrated with myself to blame others and begin to look at what they are not doing or what they are doing poorly (in my critical eyes). When I am unhappy with myself it is easy to criticize and judge the performance of others.

Application

I will look at ways that I can help others today and not spend time grumbling about them or criticizing them.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to look at ways to help others and not worry about their shortcomings today. Give me strength to do what is right. Help me to serve You enthusiastically this entire week.


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