How to Live with Confidence - James 5:1,4-11,13-20

James lived and wrote during the days of the early church when men survived by charging others falsely and by taking advantage of men at every turn possible. History has been written in waves of good and evil, wealth and poor, and life has been lived by people that know what it means to be on the mountain top one day and in the valley low on the succeeding day.

No other nation has ever had an error of extended competent leadership that exceeds ours. Some of you would say that our blessed days started earlier and ended later than I would; however I would think that we will somehow agree that our greatest helm in leadership started with many of the only men in our history that can be considered as true statesmen. These were the men that came to America seeking freedom of religion and a way to have confidence in government leadership.

The documentary descriptions of acceptable ways that will help us live with confidence and historical evidence of the way things were, all were saturated with the words of God, Christ and Holy Spirit. This segment of American history lasted about two hundred years, and drew sharply to an end in the mid 1900s when the name of God, Christ and Spirit became detrimental and unacceptable among many.

Allow me to pause and remind you that our lesson title for today is “HOW TO LIVE WITH CONFIDENCE” And now I will remind you that there is no way anyone can live with confidence if we must eliminate the man and word “God” from our vocabulary and prayer from our ever day life.

Look at the way this last chapter of James warns the rich oppressors of any day—then or now. “Now listen you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you, and eat your flesh like fire. You have horded wealth in the last days. Look! You are not paying those who are due wages and their cries are reaching out to God. I dare you to read this passage carefully and compare it to what is happening today in our government. It is difficult for anyone to have confidence in the things that are happening in Washington today. I regretfully must tell you that of all the men involved in American Government today, the people that form the greatest risk against our nation is the House, Senate, Supreme Court and the President. It is difficult for me to explain how we can live with confidence in our elected officials today.

John Milton once said, “There is nothing that makes men rich and strong but that which they carry inside of them. Wealth is of the heart, not of the hand.” This quotation could have come from the first six verses of the last chapter of James. Both men have let us know that the love for riches is the destroyer. Neither has condemned a rich man saying that he is worthless.

It is a matter of fact that we have more confidence in men that live uprightly and practice loyalty even when they may not reach the highest of heights here on earth. Our elected officials have reached an all time low in true character and honesty. The crime rate and illicit and immoral action is higher among this 525 member group in Washington than any of the groups like the NFL, AFL, NBA or even the pill popping baseball association.

So, how do we live in today’s world with any degree of confidence? The answer is simple. Change the object of your trust from man to God. We can always trust in God, for He will not fail. How can you know this to be true?
There is only one way and that is by communicating with God often and believing his word. His word comes through the reading of the Bible and his personal direction for you will come as a result of the answers to your prayers.

In closing this lesson we see that James offers a faith that works and does it by using more of the personal teachings of Christ than any other writer, including Matthew. Some individual examples are:

When you life is full of difficulties and persecutions, be glad because an award awaits you.

You are to be perfect, mature, and complete, not lacking in anything.
Ask God, and he will answer.

Those who are humble and worth little in man’s sight should rejoice as those that God loves most.

Watch out for your anger…it can be dangerous.

Be merciful to others, as God is merciful to you.

You faith expresses itself in helping others.

Blessed are the peacemakers….

You can not serve God and money.

Treasures on earth are useless until they are stored in heaven [5: 2].

Be honest in you speech so you can say a simple “yes” or “no” and always be trusted [5: 12].