Good morning! Thank you for joining us today as we conclude James chapter three. The book of James has taken us through several stages that spiritually mature believers should not forget, but it is also for the new and/or growing Christian believer. James initially wrote this book to the twelve tribes/believers who were scattered, and today we are blessed to read the same spiritual guidance. Join me as we wrap up this chapter.

Bible Verse – James 3:17-18 NLT

“¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. ¹⁸ And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.^[d]”

Reflection

Remember, sisters and brothers, from a high level – James began:

• Chapter one focused on standing confident in faith.
• Chapter two focused on serving with compassion for all.
• Chapter three focused on speaking, thinking, and acting with care, truth, and humility.

To receive godly wisdom, we must seek God. Not only will He give us wisdom, but He will also give us discernment with it. A wise believer will make every attempt to operate in peace. Our speech and our actions, should be filtered through God and His word. If our thoughts are guided/influenced by the Word, then we become transformed and it will be evident that we are becoming a disciple of Christ by the things we say, think, and do. May our speech bring glory to God’s name.

So while it is easy for me to type the paragraph above, living it out may be difficult. Sometimes, spiritual maturity looks like healthy boundaries, other times it is reflecting and pondering on what is going on, ultimately it is a time for us to pause before we respond so that we can bring glory to God’s name instead of our own name or agenda.

One might ask, how do I know the difference between God’s wisdom and Satan’s attempt to derail? As believers, we never need to worry about wisdom from above, because it is always pure. If it’s not as James described it or how the Bible teaches us, then we know that wisdom/guidance is not from heavenly spaces.

Sisters and brothers, take time to pray for wisdom and discernment that honors God first. Then all the fruit it produces will grow and be harvested amongst us.

Prayer

Father God, thank you for your mercy and grace. Thank you for salvation and redemption. Lord, thank you for reconciling us back to you. Draw us closer to you and your word.

Lord, help us to have wisdom that is peace loving, gentle at all times, willing to yield to others, full of mercy, and reaps fruit of good deeds/actions. Lord, help us to be peacemakers in our homes, on our jobs, in the church, and in our communities. Help us to plant seeds of peace throughout this day and the week ahead.

Lord, you know what each reader is going through right now. You know the cries for help, the tears of grief, the voice of the tired and exhausted, the thoughts of those who have spent the night worrying, and those who are trying to make ends meet. Lord, calm their hearts and minds. Provide them with strength to endure as you answer each prayer and comfort those who are suffering, struggling, and/or at a loss of what to do next. Lord, heal those who are in need of healing. Protect those in need of protecting. Be with us this week as we apply Your word to our lives.

In Jesus name we pray, amen!

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