James - Pray For Each Other

Happy Friday Friends!

We are almost at the end of our times in James, so naturally we’ll be taking a look at a verse almost at the very end. When I was studying James the other day, this verse hands down stood out to me. And I have some thoughts to share.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results

James 5:16

I don’t know about you but the thought of confessing my sins to another human is not on my top ten list. There is already shame associated with the sin and a good amount of guilt when I confess to God. But the thought of confessing those sins to someone else kinda makes me sick to the stomach. Confessing your sins to another persons makes you vulnerable, you feel exposed.

But it also makes you human and relatable to each other. Sharing who you are with your friends - who you really are - the good and the bad is something quite incredible. For sure it’s scary at first because all you can imagine is the judgement that is sure to come your way. How you’re sure that they will forever look at you differently if you share those sins you keep to yourself - even though you would never think of them differently if they shared the same thing with you.

Having someone that you can share with like that and having them be able to pray for you, to help hold you accountable, it’s amazing. God hears those prayers you pray for each other and the healing starts to take place immediately. It doesn’t mean your struggle has end, but you are no longer alone in the battle you’re fighting/fought. And that my friends, is already a victory.

I’m not suggesting that you confess your sins and struggles to just anyone. Find that other believer you can see yourself taking the risk of allowing them to see a clearer picture of the whole you and do the same for them. Listen and pray for each other and allow God to do a healing in both of you.

To Everything There Is A Season…

Kiley Ann

James - What We Ought To Do

We made it! It’s Friday! This week has felt exceptionally long and I’m every excited for the weekend. Have you ever had one of those weeks that you are sure has been going on longer than 5 days? It’s felt more like 50. That has been this week for me. So many things to get done, so many places to be.

As we are heading into the final chapter of James, there was a verse that really spoke to me this week. I’m sure it’s because of how busy my week was. It caused me to pause and think over my actions this week and is always a good reminder moving forward.

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

James 4:17

When we think of sin we often think only of the “Big Bad Sins”. We think of the ones that are clear to us that God has said we must not do those things. Doesn’t mean we don’t do them, just that we know we shouldn’t. I think we often focus on those because when we committed those kinds of sins we have a strong feeling/response to them. But the sin described up above is something different.

The verse above causes us to look at sin through a different lens. It makes us look at the things we choose not to do, even though we know God is asking us to or it is aligned with His ways. Helping someone put that buggy back at the grocery store, calling a friend you haven’t heard from in awhile to check in, buying someone dinner, or giving money to someone who is begging for it; all are examples of things that I knew I should do but didn’t at some point in the past.

What we know we ought to do is going to look different for each of us in individual moments. God moves us all in different ways and we need to be listening for His leading.

I think it’s easy for us, for me, to forget that not doing what I know I should do is sin because it doesn’t usually have a “bad” feeling attached to it. It’s easy to move on from or simply to justify it as being a nonissue in the moment. However, on more than one occasion God has convicted me of not doing those things and I want so badly to have made a different choice.

I’m a flawed human being and I fail at this more times than I succeed, but I want to be more aware of what I ought to be doing. I want to remember, even when I’m busy, that when I know I should do something that I need to act on it. That I cannot allow myself to believe it’s okay to skip it, that it’s not a sin. God’s word is clear on this matter.

This weekend, whatever it may be, let’s do what we know we ought be doing.

To Everything There Is A Season…

Kiley Ann

James - Actions

Happy Friday Friends! I hope your week has been a good one and that you’ve been able to see some of the blessings God has given you in your life.

Let’s turn our eyes to the book of James. Two verses stuck out to me this week. While these verses do not contain the word new in them they really spoke to me about my word of the year and how I move forward.

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you.

James 4: 7 - 8b

Humble, resist, come - all three action words. Words that tell me to do something. They call me to be active instead of inactive. They remind me that I have a part to play in the journey I am on. That I cannot simply sit by and expect things to change or happen, but instead I must do my part.

I must humble myself - I am not God and I am not in control, no matter the lies I tell myself. I must actively resist the devil for him to leave me alone. I cannot passively listen to his whispers, as he convinces me his way is the right way. I must choose to spent time with God. I must choose to go close to Him, as he comes close to me. That is the only way to hear Him, a way to show my love.

Action words. It’s one thing to recognize that actions need to take place, but something completely different to actually choose to do them. As the year continues to unfold I pray that I choose action.

Humble. Resist. Come.

To Everything There Is A Season…

Kiley Ann

James - True Wisdom

So, it’s Saturday - not Friday and this is an important detail. If you’ve been following along since the beginning you’ll know that this month my plan was to post on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays. I am a goal oreinterinted person and if I say I’m going to do something I do it. So the fact that it’s Saturday and not Friday is a pretty big deal.

This week I was busy, but not especially so. I knew I had things later in the week and should write Friday’s blog early in the week when I had more time. Instead of using my time wisely I chose to binge a Netflix’s show (Cheer - if you were wondering). I totally enjoyed it and wasn’t overly concerned about making that Friday deadline. But as a the week worn on I was busier and more tired than I expected.

It was four o’clock yesterday and I was like; “Shoot. I have to go write a blog and all I want to do is sleep. I have no idea what to write, but I have to put it up. I have to make my deadline.” There are a whole lot of I’s in those statements and nothing about Jesus.

It’s funny in a way because, as soon as I realized that, I knew exactly what the post should be about. Exactly what God was trying to teach me in this week’s scripture.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

James 3: 13 - 16

I had read chapter three of James several times this week trying to see what the Lord was saying to me and I kept coming up empty. But when I realized my thought process about Friday’s blog, I realized it was about selfish ambition.

Self ambition in being able to say I did post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in January. A selfish kinda pride that had nothing to do with content and my hopes of its impact - but instead of a desire to feel accomplished in a measurable way.

I cannot tell you how tempting it was to write last night. Especially since I knew what to write and that there were still a few hours left in the day to meet my goal. It was really tempting. However, it was also a great gut check on my motives and desires. It is making me reassess and pause to listen to God’s leading, instead of rushing ahead.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

James 3: 17 - 18

There is a lot to unpack in those two verses, but it does make discerning what to do in all situations easier. I want to make sure the wisdom I am choosing to listen to is coming from heaven and not the world. Will I do that in the future? Only time will tell.

What tough lesson is God trying to teach you this week, friends? How are you going to respond to it?

To Everything There Is A Season…

Kiley Ann

James - Faith and Good Deeds

Happy Friday Friends! I hope this week has been a good one. I’m going to jump right in with this weeks scripture from James. I going to guess that you’ve heard this one before.

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? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

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.

James 2: 14- 18

Reading these verse this week was a good reminder. A reminder that the faith I profess to have needs to be backed with actions. That I simply cannot do lip service, but that I need to be the hands and feet.

I think the example that is given in scripture about seeing someone in need and doing nothing is such a relatable example even today. How often do we pass by or know of someone who could use help and do nothing. I for one, know that I can talk myself into justifying why I didn’t help. Things like; I don’t have any cash on me right now and by the time I go get some I’m sure they’ll be gone. Or maybe they are just going to buy drugs or alcohol with the money I give them. It’s surprisingly easy to talk oneself out of helping someone. I don’t know if I’d been told or watched too many movies that lead me to the think that way. I don’t if someone told me I’m being a sucker and getting taken advantage of, but I do know those thoughts run though my head.

I wish I could remember who told me what I’m about to share because I’d love to give them credit. They told me it wasn’t my worry what that person did the money I gave them. It was simply my job as a believer to help them the way God was asking. We both one day would have to give an account of this exchange and God will be the judge on the matter. We each would be responsible for our own actions.

This shifted my perspective immensely. And the truth of the matter is I am blessed. If I can afford to buy myself a fancy coffee or a new book anytime I want, it surely won’t hurt me to help someone I don’t know out in a small way.

There are millions of different good deeds that we could spend time talking about. But instead of talking about all the different good deeds we could do, let’s go out and do them. Let’s show how our faith and good deeds go hand in hand. Let’s go be the hands and feet of Jesus today friends.

To Everything There Is A Season…

Kiley Ann

James - Temptation

We are 10 days into the new year. For many, those New Year’s resolutions are going strong. For others, you’re like, “What did I say I was going to do?”. And for some, you are fighting the temptation, the appeal of just quitting and going back to how things have always been. Making any kind of change, big or small is no easy task. It’s usually when you’ve made some progress or hit a hard patch that the temptation to just give up or give in shows up.

I’m using the idea of resolutions a lot of us made as a common framework for us to work from for this week’s scripture.

And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 

James 1: 13 - 14

I was less then thrilled to have these be the verses that spoke to me this week. I was like, “I have zero desire to write a “downer” blog.” - yet here we are. Fighting temptation is hard y’all - really hard. It doesn’t matter if it’s a surface level temptation, like stopping a New Year’s resolution or a deeper temptation to return to old sinful behaviors.

Our desires, our “in this moment I want _________” desires, cause us to be tempted to leave the path we are on. We find ways to justify what we want in that moment. We become satan’s strongest supporter as we convince ourselves - permit ourselves, to follow our own desires instead of God’s.

How do we combat the temptation?

• Spend time daily in God’s word.

• Build a strong relationship with Jesus.

• Call out for His help in times of temptation.

The temptations won’t necessarily go away, but our desires will be more like His. And we will have an easier time holding our ground when temptation comes our way.

The above scripture makes it clear that God is never the one doing the tempting, the one baiting us to stumble and fall. He also isn’t leaving us to fight the battle alone.

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

1 Corinthians 10:13

He will show us a way out friends. How to not to fall, but we have to be seeking Him. When temptation comes - and it will, let’s turn our eyes to Jesus to show us the way out.

To Everything There Is A Season…

Kiley Ann

James

Each Friday of January I am going to be taking a look at the book of James. It is a book I have read several times, yet each time I read through it something new stands out. If you’ve never read this book I highly recommend you go give it a read. It might only be five chapters long, but it is packed full of wisdom.

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  James 1:2

That line, “When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” sure packs a punch. I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t naturally look at the trouble I’m facing as an opportunity. Let alone an opportunity for joy! Looking at trouble like that is a shift. It makes us look at the hard situations we’re in through a different lens. How will my troubles look when I view it that way instead? Will they be easier to face? Will I be encouraged the next time one presents itself? How do I train my brain to view it that way?

For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1: 3 - 4

When I faced troubles in the past I always felt like my faith was harder to maintain during that time, but I never thought of it as a testing. That those troubles were actually testing my faith to see where I stood. Or that by facing those troubles my endurance would strengthen and my faith grow stronger. I guess I would like to believe that my faith could grow strong without the troubles. However, if there isn’t any troubles to face, would faith really be needed? Would we be able to understand the importance of trusting that God is in control and not us?

I realize I’m posing a lot of questions and not really giving you any answers. But I think sometimes there are not answers to give right away. Sometimes you have to live through it first.

We all face troubles - some big, some small, but each plays a part in our faith journey. Each one gives us the choice to either stand firm in our beliefs or a convenient excuse to walk away from them. It’s hard friends. No one wants to face hard times, but when I think about looking at them this way; that it’s a chance to see joy, a chance to grow my endurance and faith, that eventually I will be perfect and complete, well - it makes me slightly more hopeful about whatever troubles lay ahead. That maybe I don’t need to be so fearful of the troubles when they arrive. Instead, I should embrace them.

May you find joy in your troubles and a renewed endurance on the other side.

To Everything There Is A Season…

Kiley Ann