James (W4D3) Rich in Faith
Wednesday: Rich in Faith
PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word.
READ: James 2:5-7
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
UNDERSTAND: get a deeper understanding of the key words
Chosen. To be called out, recognized or selected by someone. Not based on actions or deserving to be selected. God does not choose us based on anything we can do.
Poor to be Rich in Faith. Throughout the bible God chose the people others would not. Jesus' concern was not on appearance but on condition of the soul. Those who matter to no one else are immensely important to God and should be to us also.
Those who love him. God is not looking for appearance or talent or wealth, He is looking for people who love and are fully devoted to Him.
Dishonored. In our society, those who have nothing to offer are most often the most neglected … even inside the church. It is the love of Christ, not the accomplishments of man, that should be recognized most inside the church.
Exploiting, Dragging, Blaspheming. This is not to say that all rich people are evil. In this context the very people who were being favorited were the people exploiting, dragging others to court and blaspheming God. Often it is the very thing we are working hard to get that become the thing that drags us where we do not want to go.
APPLY: What is this passage calling me to do?
Why do you think God has chosen the poor to be “rich in faith” (see Matthew 5:3)?
What are some ways that other people see that love God?
Make a list of the things or people that you chase after or aspire towards that might be causing you to compromise God’s standards for your life.
PRAY: Ask God to help you put him first today. Pray for help in recognizing the areas where you are chasing after something that is dragging you away from God.
