A Call To The Book of James

Astonishingly, what sparked my interest in the book of James initially was something I read in the first verse of the book, found in my NLT Bible version. It said, "This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ." I'm pretty sure what really brought me to the book of James was something I heard in a sermon, or a podcast of some sort, I can't recall exactly, but I know it was specific to James 4. However, I have this kind of niche and conviction, especially with shorter books in the Bible, that in order to understand them, I have to read them from front to back. This helps me to avoid cherry-picking and to be more patient with the word. This allows God to speak to me through the living word without being in a rush to understand what I will. By understanding its entire context, I am able to get a better understanding of the intention for it. So, when I opened the first page of the book and read that this letter was written by a slave of God and Christ, my curiosity intensified. One thing is for sure: God knew perfectly just how to lure me into what would become nearly a 4-week Bible study that I am so thankful for now.

Early on, likely in the first or second week of my time in James, the Lord sent me on an assignment at my home church (Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church), which would be asking me to do the uncomfortable. I was asked by my pastor if I would be willing to preach a sermon. Now, as a writer, I can confidently say that I have a pretty decent word-set, making me able to preach. However, what I feel like I do lack is the organizational structure of preaching. It's set up differently, and a part of it is based on performative skill. Writing feels safe to me because it allows me to work through my thoughts, to take my time, and really think about what I am saying. It allows me to have the privilege of getting things wrong, then being able to go back and revise them. With speaking, sometimes it can feel like theres a lot more pressure to drive the point home. Being concise feels effective, productive, and attractive. When I speak, I feel like I've got to get it right the first time because getting it wrong is distracting, plus I also want to ensure that the people get what I am trying to say. I am also somewhat of a long-winded explainer because I am a deep and critical thinker. I love writing because you can still drive the point home, even as you are deviating through complex points, questions, and ideas. When I speak, I start getting critical of myself, because I feel like it all has to go back to the main point, but man, can I explain. I begin to think about time limits, whether or not people are still engaged, what they are thinking about me, about the message, and how they are taking it in (etc.). That is likely what makes it most uncomfortable, I assume, and why I do not prefer to do it most of the time...

A part of it is likely because I feel encountered with too many thoughts, many of them being my own. When I write, I just produce; I don't know who it touches, how it reaches them, or what they think about it, or me. I just give it my all, then close my laptop and call it a day. I leave feeling empowered and encouraged. Most times, I feel like "God, we did that!" When I write, it's just me and God, and I love that because I can do it my own way. But as good as that sounds, I also recognize the danger of it, because it is a very complacent place for me to be. I like to stay in my comfort zone, even when the Lord requires more of me to go out there. I can be like Jonah, so fearful of what is on the other side, what people think, how they perceive it, and more. But in reality, all of this is not a message of my own. It takes prayer, worship, praise, bible study, and conviction because the Lord is the true supplier. The foundation of my time spent in writing is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, to go out and be like a disciple. Who has God called, who was able to work from home, who was willing to stay there forever? If I remember correctly Jesus said "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." If it were my will, I would stay in place. I would just write for the love of the game, for the love of the faith, when God has called me for so much deeper than that. He has called me to write for the love of His word and for the purpose of His ministry. It's not about me, or what I like or prefer; it's about who God is, and what He has impressed on my heart to share. My quiet time with God is comfortable, yes, but the message is not supposed to start and stay with me. God isn't meant to be gate-kept, even if it is my love for Him that desires to keep Him close. I love being connected to Him, where nothing taints our perfect relationship, where no one's thoughts or opinions can get in the way. But God never meant for me to keep more of Him for myself, for my own knowledge, and for my own proximity to Him. His ministry is intended to be shared, and it is going to be imperfect because imperfect people are loving Him together. He isn't just my Father, He is our Father in Heaven. And if I trust Him in the way I like to think I do, I have to trust His plans for me, that He will be the source of my confidence and strength, even in the face of criticism, no matter where He sends us, He is with us.

That is where the conviction really rested on me, in the heart of James 4:17, where He wrote If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

In a recent conversation, I remember coming to a point where I realized that all this time I had always imagined the Lord would make me confident before He would ever vet me. That before I go out, everything would be together within. I mean, I don't have the most unblemished track record, and I am a little more like Paul than I am like David. So, in my head, the way I imagined it, I would become a better reader, a better writer, and a better Christian solely through independent preparation, more than anything else, all of this being first. But then I was challenged with the question of whether God could be planning for my confidence to come out of and grow through my obedience. If all along, it could be met with stepping outside of my comfort zone, instead of falling deeper into it. I was brought to wrestle with the idea that God's hand is the source of my strength as I do, not necessarily just as I prepare. For instance, I have been writing my whole life. Still, it was through my obedience (growing obedience) to this ministry of writing that I was brought deeper into Bible study, in the same way that, through preaching this week, God instilled in me more confidence by challenging, encouraging, and empowering me to face my insecurities and weaknesses, which my writing sometimes keeps me avoiding. I don't know if it is because I am a women in a "mans world", or becaue I know the track record of my sin, or because of people have told me who I am, or because I compare myself to others, or because I am too critical of myself, or because I cannot accept that God truly loves and sees me that I become so blind to the confidence He is freely willing to give me. Whether or not I like it, the truth is that the confidence I am looking for will require my obedience. God is giving me instructions, just as He has given you some as well. I am not suggesting that you become anyone other than who He has called you to be. I am hoping that you can see that all along, He has seen and known that it would be you who was perfect for what He has called you to do. You are qualified for the role, but be willing to accept that God is still pruning you. You can make it through the discomfort, but it will require you to go through it so that you can trust God to sustain you. You are meant to go to that place, so trust that God has already made it clear to you, the first time. Sometimes the thing that we are asking for, looking for, and praying for is waiting on our yes. Some things are absolutely contingent on our yes. God makes and establishes the plans, but you are either obedient to them or not. What if the answer to your prayer is in the liberty of your next decision? One that the Lord has been impressing on you for a minute now. Instead of being quick to say no, stop for a minute, pray, discern, and then be willing to step into obedience, once it has been confirmed.

Let me put it like this. In the midst of studying James, I realized just how much there was to learn from it. To myself, I thought about how vital the practicality, clarity, and advice was. I wished people knew more about James and his relationship with Jesus, all of which I believed could change someone's perspective on their own faith. Mind you, at the same time, I was literally being asked to preach a sermon, and I was already sure in my heart that I would say no. I wanted the message to go forth, the one that God imprinted on me, I wanted to be the woman of faith who disciples, who is confident as she teaches, but I also wanted to say no to the assignment God had given me. One that had the power to accomplish all that I had on my heart. But when I say the way God worksss... The same week I was asked to preach, I attended a sermon at a local church called Perazim, where I observed a woman of God named Stephany Lopez preach boldly about the word. As I listened to her preach the message with adoration and encouragement, I couldn't help but think about the assignment God had sent me, the one I was getting ready to ignore. Then she began to speak about some of the same concerns and feelings I had when I was asked to get up on stage. She discussed her hesitance, anxiety, and preferences to do otherwise, and her story was one I was too familiar with of my own. But the difference was regardless of what she was feeling, she did it. She said yes to the uncomfortable thing, and while I do not know what she wrestled with during her quiet time, she gave a dang good sermon. I wonder if she came in feeling unconfident but ended up walking away transformed by what God did through her. I wonder if she thought about whether or not her message would reach another woman in ministry, because it sure did reach me. This ended up being a pivotal moment for me when I realized, if I was going to run away, I better be ready for what it would cost me. All this time, I'd been asking God to make me confident, to make me bold, to make me stronger, all of which I thought would happen entirely through the process of preparation and pruning. But there came a day, there came a day when God was saying Ebaisin, it is time for you to step into your next assignment.

What is that for you? Where is God needing you to step into your obedience? What is He planning to deliver you from, to succeed you out of, though it? What will running away cost you? What has your comfort cost you that has passed? Trust that the Lord has made it clear to you, sis, even if He hasn't said it verbatim. Pray that He gives you the eyes to see what He helped me see in my stubbornness and reluctance through Mrs. Lopez. Step into your next assignment, follow the next instruction, because God is giving it to you for your own good, and for His glory. Have the heart to put His will over your own, because as His will is done, you are aligned with what He has in store for you. Regret is a lot more uncomfortable than rejoicing.

Context Clues

There is so much I have learned about James since I began this study that I am excited to share, but because the book is so full of rich advice, wisdom, and knowledge, I want to take the time to go through all of the verses in the first chapter. I will begin here and decide later whether or not we will tread through to the end of the book, but for now, let's start in chapter one.

For this study, I will be referring to the version of the Bible I used during my studies, the Amplified Bible. This version has helped me to understand words used in Scripture more synonymously with their original context, deepening my understanding and curiosity toward the heart of the writer.

Before I began this study, the Lord laid it on me to look into this "slave of God and Christ," which led me to discover that James was Jesus's brother. Theologians say that Jesus and James grew up together, but during His time on earth, James doubted that his brother was the Messiah. Theologians suspect that during the time that the book of James was written, Peter had left Jerusalem to minister in other places, leading James to rise as the leader of the church in Jerusalem [Acts 15]. The book of James was essentially a letter to all the people of Israel, including Hebrews and Gentiles. Something I found interesting about the book of James is that much of what is in it was not necessarily new. Since James was heavily influenced by his brother’s teachings (specifically the story on the mount) and the book of Proverbs (specifically chapters 1–9), the book doesn't teach us new theology. Instead, it intends to call the people reading it to true wisdom, which is a life lived according to Jesus. Regarding James 1, The Bible Project explains that James intends to help his readers understand that God can work in us through our suffering, making us perfect and complete. This is further described by the Hebrew word tamim or in Greek teleios, meaning wholeness. James is suggesting that wholeness is achieved by living a life where our actions, values, and beliefs are drawn fully from Jesus and, in turn, integrated and lived out.