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Tag: Isaiah

Because the days are evil – 6 – put on the armor of light
The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
Romans 13:12 NKJV

As these days of darkness slowly impinge upon the light which brought joy to our days and shortened our nights, we despair. The enemy somehow has taken hold in the stealth during the unwatched hours before dawn’s light. In days past an armor for the battle at hand would have lain nearby, but not this evil eve of a day we dread and denied could ever dawn.

The mist of the valleys of death’s shadows billows toward our resting place, while evil awakes nearby the tents of huddled men of flesh naked to assault without watchman or armor. Because this day of evil will soon commence, a day of the enemies choosing, not ours, we should have stayed alert with armor at hand. But the battles of darkness have wearied our flesh and the sound of the trumpet alarms the unprepared warriors bereft of their armor.

War

We never saw it coming. And the unseen awful creatures of the unseen darkness, even those of the light which stand with us, we never saw.

Yet these also stand in a battle – a struggle of spirits; those of light and those of darkness, all vying for victory in the war to come.

I heard the second living creature say, “Come! ”
Then another horse went out, a fiery red one, and its rider was allowed to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another.
And a large sword was given to him.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 6:3b-4 CSB

The LORD God prepares His faithful and sends out His angels. The victory was won at the Cross, but these final battles are not yet fought.

Even now, angels of the prince of darkness would lure your soul, captive in this failing flesh, toward the false light of the fires of darkness deep in the valley of the shadow of death.

You don’t believe in this, you say – evil spirits and angels. Just fearful myth, you say, since the evil one has already questioned God in your ear.

Yet the spirit of true light, the shining hope of the resurrection of the dead and judgment of death and evil tells us the truth of eternity.

Light

Genesis 1:

Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Formless and empty – does this describe your mortal life? What shape have your battles of this frail flesh taken – defeat?

Yes, defeat in inevitable death.

Darkness covered the surface of the watery depths…

As you sleep so briefly, lightly the enemy lurks in the mist of dark valleys. He plans his battle against you, helpless prey to sin and death.

The deceiver whispers to your restless soul as he once whispered to man before our original sin, ‘Did God really say “the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of an unformed universe?”

‘I wonder,’ you think.

‘My theory of life need not include a Creator of separation of light from darkness – of good from evil.’

Then God said, “Let there be light,”
and there was light.
God saw that the light was good,
and God separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:3-4 CSB

The Light of Good News

You worship self or you worship things and traditions of men who have died. Perhaps a false prophet or spirit of an evil age gave your fathers excuse to deny God, your reason to reject the LORD’s own love for His creation.

Though you have heard of the Gospel, you turn away from the eternal Light of your only hope.

The Gospel of John

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.

In him was life,

and that life was the light of men.

That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it. = John 1:1-5

So much darkness and deceit in these last days… God help us.

They have heard the Gospel of John, yet their hateful words and stopped-up ears fail to discern the darkness to come.

This is the judgment:
The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.
But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”
The Word after John 3:16 – John 3:19-21 CSB

Jesus spoke to them again:
“I am the light of the world.
Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”
Gospel of John 8:12 CSB

The Armor of the Redeemed

“He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,
and I will continue to see the light.”
Job 33:28

You may not believe the supernatural battles spoken in scripture, the heavenly scenes of Job, Ezekiel and others. Certainly you doubt the earthly battles of God’s redeemed.

Yet only a man or woman of foolish flesh will deny the truth of death and the good judgment of a righteous justice of the souls of man.

Those asleep in these last days must heed the warnings of Almighty God through Scripture.

The metaphor of God’s armor required to resist the evil one stands as preparation for all who seek the light of day.

Warnings of the evil to come

The LORD will destroy evil just as before, even using warriors of the enemy to purge the sin from the chosen.

Jeremiah 46:

3 Deploy small shields and large;
approach for battle!
4 Harness the horses;
mount the steeds;
take your positions with helmets on!
Polish the lances;
put on armor!

5 Why have I seen this?
They are terrified,
they are retreating,
their warriors are crushed,
they flee headlong,
they never look back,
terror is on every side!
This is the Lord’s declaration.

Isaiah

2 כִּ֤י אִם־עֲוֺנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ הָי֣וּ מַבְדִּלִ֔ים בֵּינֵכֶ֕ם לְבֵ֖ין אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם וְחַטֹּֽאותֵיכֶ֗ם הִסְתִּ֧ירוּ פָנִ֛ים מִכֶּ֖ם מִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ׃
… We stumble at midday as in the twilight;
Among those who are healthy we are like dead men.
14 Justice is turned back,
and righteousness stands far off.
For truth has stumbled in the public square,
and honesty cannot enter.
15 Truth is missing,
and whoever turns from evil is plundered.
The Lord saw that there was no justice,
and he was offended.
17 He put on righteousness as body armor,
and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
and he wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.
18 So he will repay according to their deeds:
20 וּבָ֤א לְצִיּוֹן֙ גּוֹאֵ֔ל וּלְשָׁבֵ֥י פֶ֖שַׁע בְּיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃
Isaiah 59: excerpts WLC, AMP, CSB

“As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord:
“My Spirit who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of your children’s children, from now on and forever,” says the Lord.
Isaiah 59:21 CSB

The Armor of Light

Jesus answered. “If anyone walks during the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks during the night, he does stumble, because the light is not in him.”
He said this, and then he told them,
“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I’m on my way to wake him up.”
The Gospel of John: 9b-11 CSB

Ephesians

This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Ephesians 5:14 NIV

The Armor of God

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.
Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
Ephesians 6:10-12 CSB

Darkness verses Light — that is, evil opposing good, the rebellious turned against redemption and Christ’s enemy, the prince of darkness battling against God until the very end.

This darkness will fall upon the sleeping warriors of these last days, consuming their failing flesh and fallen world. The Lord will purify with the refining fire of His righteousness.

Yet those dressed in His armor will live victorious. By the Cross Christ has redeemed the faithful from our sins!

13 For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.
- TRUTH
- RIGHTEOUSNESS
- PREPARATION
- OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE
- FAITH
“with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

Ambush by the enemy

The attacks of Satan are not the quick end which destroys instantly, but burning flames of ambush from the darkness of the unseen places.

And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:11 NASB

The SWORD OF THE SPIRIT is the WORD by the HOLY SPIRIT of the Living God, sent for our salvation.

Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:18 CSB

Have you dressed for this dark day?

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet…
After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”
Revelation 1:10, 4:1,

Is your armor at hand for the day of evil?

“Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.
Matthew 25:13 CSB

Put your armor on, because the days are evil.
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To be continued...
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October 23, 2019
They Stumble Because They Disobey – 1 Peter 2
The Apostle Simon Peter, who Jesus nicknamed, ‘the rock,’ warns the church about those who disobey God. He quotes scripture pointing to Christ as the cornerstone of the Temple and as a rejected stone causing some to stumble.

As we suggested earlier in Apostates from Jude’s letter, these ‘religious’ opponents of Jesus often sway others to turn from the Lord. James also warns about Preaching to a Worldly Church, as do the Apostles.

Peter reminds believers who hear his letter:

For it stands in Scripture:
See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and honored cornerstone,
and the one who believes in him
will never be put to shame.
So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving,
The stone that the builders rejected—
this one has become the cornerstone,
and
A stone to stumble over,
and a rock to trip over.
They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this.
1 Peter 2:6-8 CSB

The Cornerstone in Zion

Zion צִיּוֹן

Peter had witnessed the injustice to Jesus by Zion’s rulers first-hand. These same scornful men, a brood of vipers leavening the crowds of John the Baptist and Jesus – these arrogant religious scofferes pursued Peter and the Apostles, James and the church, and also Paul, Apostle to the gentiles.

Peter quotes the prophecies of Psalm 118 and Isaiah, powerful imagery of the Messiah the Apostle had witnessed as he had entered Jerusalem with Jesus, who was crucified and then appeared alive after death on a cross.

I shall not die, but live,
And declare the works of the Lord.
The Lord has chastened me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.
Psalm 118:17-18 KJV

Two Herodian kings could not kill Christ and religious apostates who had turned against the Lord could not keep Jesus in the grave! Though the Lord rode into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey triumphant as a king, His victory is that over sin and death by His Holy and Perfect Sacrifice on a Cross.

Christ the Cornerstone

Perhaps you know some lyrics from the 19th century hymn, The Church’s One Foundation, which shares this same imagery.
```
The church's one foundation 
 Is Jesus Christ her Lord; 
 She is his new creation 
 By water and the Word... 

Mid toil and tribulation, 
 And tumult of her war, 
 She waits the consummation 
 Of peace forevermore...
```
The Apostle’s first letter to the church points back to the scripture of Isaiah, who states that the Lord’s foundation is firmly placed.

“Surely My hand founded H3245 the earth,
And My right hand spread out the heavens;
When I call to them, they stand together.
Isaiah 48:13 NASB – Strong’s reference H3245 – יָסַד

In Scripture familiar to Peter’s first century readers, Isaiah chastises religious leaders who claim the Lord, but turn to a covenant with sin and death.

Isaiah 28

14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers,
who rule this people in Jerusalem!

… for we have made lies our refuge,
and in falsehood we have taken shelter”
Isaiah 28:15c ESV

Peter quotes the LORD God from scripture in his accusation against those who turn from Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 28:16 Therefore the Lord God said:
“Look, I have laid a stone in Zion,
a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;
the one who believes will be unshakable.

Is your faith in the Lord unshakable?

The church is Christ’s followers; saints all, every living soul gathered in His Holy Name. Peter refers to the faithful as living stones.

No building of earth – not a Temple or grand Cathedral; but saved souls as living stones, placed by the Creator next to Christ our cornerstone. Unshakable – to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

How firm is your foundation in the Lord?

Peter shows us to be as unhewn but useful stones for the Lord’s holiest of Temples, the Living place of worship to the LORD founded in Christ.

Isaiah 28:17-18

“I will make justice the measuring line
And righteousness the level;
Then hail will sweep away the refuge of lies
And the waters will overflow the secret place.

“Your covenant with death will be canceled,
And your pact with Sheol will not stand;
When the overwhelming scourge passes through,
Then you become its trampling place.

Surely Christ has cancelled our covenant with death by His Sacrifice on the Cross.

Peter’s Guidance for the Church

Peter opens his first letter to the church: “To those chosen” or “To those who reside as aliens” or “To God’s elect, exiles scattered.. or “To the pilgrims of the Dispersion.

These living stones are not recognized in this world as the church the Lord creates for true and eternal worship.

Are you one who does not stumble?

The world, even your neighbors, will treat you as aliens and attempt to shake your faith. Christians are as unwelcome in our 21st c. culture as the recipients of Peter’s first century letters to the church.

In Jesus, Peter reminds us, our faith is solid – a firm foundation, level and straight. Peter precedes this call to the church from scripture with a firm exhortation meant to keep us from stumbling.

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.
1 Peter 2:1 CSB

1 Peter 2:

4 As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God— 5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Do you stumble when you encounter Christ?

How could you stumble? Or how will the faithful help you to keep from stumbling in your witness of Christ Jesus?

By the plumb line of Christ’s righteousness in your works:
- You no longer show malice [ill-will, wickedness, depravity, evil,trouble] toward others.
- Of course you no longer use deceit, a key tool of Satan, to mislead any.
- Christians more than most receive the world’s indictment of hypocrisy where Jesus is just a false mask taken on and off as we please.
  - If all the world’s a stage, then all wear the masks of hypocrisy.
- Envy also shows a worldly desire over our hope for eternal riches in Christ.
- All slander [backbiting] must stop in redeemed Christians.
The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

Peter’s call to Christians, so clear to those introduced to Christ as a ‘chosen generation’ to proclaim the Gospel, bears repeating {from the NKJV} ³if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

⁴Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, ⁵you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Now you are God’s people

9 But you are a chosen generation… called out of darkness.. (the darkness of sin).

Christ, the Cornerstone, called you into His Living Light, though you were once dead in your sins. Peter reminds the faithful saints called and hewn by Jesus into living stones:

Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:10 CSB

Peter will continue to guide the church in our actions with each other and with others. Even some worshiping with us stumble, preferring our own easy grace, rather than be held accountable to our reshaping for a firm and level foundation formed by Christ Jesus.

I have begun the first letter of Peter from his challenging scriptural call to faithfulness in the second chapter. Next, we will return to the Apostle’s encouraging opening in chapter one, God-willing.
```
To be continued...
```
August 7, 2019
James – Come now, brothers – 8
Our church receives a pastoral letter from James by messenger. We know James and trust his wisdom and leadership. He addresses us familially as brothers, opening with encouragement, ‘count it all joy when you experience trials.’ Come now, brothers, James urges, be wise, repent and do what the Lord wills.

Unlike the church nearer the end of these last days, those who received James’ letter know well their trusted pastor who writes from Jerusalem.

James knew Jesus as a brother for many years, then finally repented of his sin and disbelief after the resurrection when the Lord appeared to him. Now James and the church must live with the controversies of the day or possibly die for their witness of Jesus.

He addresses these men as brothers (although some contemporary translations include ‘sisters’). Culture dictates that women are included in the church, yet the Lord authorizes only men to lead its course. Also, men address only men and their family as leaders serving the Lord, while women lead other women and children as the Lord wills. All serve Christ.

All leaders of the church, James, the Apostles, Elders and other men must look to the Lord, through Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit for works of the Lord’s will.

After beginning with his encouragement, ‘count it all joy,’ James calls on the church to seek wisdom from God.

Men who judge

James has pointed to God as One. The Lord God is the only lawgiver. Only our Creator, Almighty God has the complete power to destroy. The Lord also has the merciful power of grace — forgiveness of our sins — and also forgiveness of the sins of all those we tend to judge.

Who are you to judge the Law, James asks? Why would you judge another believer?

Perhaps some disciples of Jesus had judged the half-brothers of Jesus or thought that Saul of Tarsus could never be saved by the Lord. So James asks us to use the wisdom of God with men and allow God to judge.

James 4:

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

11 Don’t criticize one another, brothers and sisters.

Of course James had heard Jesus’ teachings before His crucifixion and resurrection. Surely James knew the comforting beatitudes Jesus taught frequently. Blessed are you when…, but also ‘woe to you’ when… (you turn from the Lord God.) James will address some woes as well.
```
Blessed are those who mourn,
 for they will be comforted.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
 for they will be filled.

Blessed are the pure in heart,
 for they will see God.
```
Woe! -אוֹי

James reminds us of blessing from God, but warns of the coming woes to the worldly. This same pattern of warning from Jesus and the Prophets resonates with more familiarity to the church then than now.

Woe! alas! oh! passionate cry of grief or despair

Many first century hearers of the word would have been more familiar with these cautions from Isaiah:

Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Isaiah 3:11, 5:20, 5:21, KJV

Jesus taught this same wisdom of God known through the Prophets.

James warns the church against the woes of the worldly among us, even in the church. He will add more specific woes of the Lord’s opponents to our letter before its conclusion.

Brothers and sisters, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door!
James 5:9 CSB

The Vapor of this Life

—what your life will be!

Thy will be done.

What would James have learned from Jesus about expectations for this life?

Our mortal life is a vapor, a passing mist.

For prior to His crucifixion James and others had expected a Messiah quite different from the brother with whom he grew up.

Jesus died as a man of only about thirty-three years, not as an aging conquering king (like David or Herod the Great). Joseph had also died when James was quite young.

James must have recalled, ‘we both had an earthy papa who raised us for a time; but my brother, the Lord taught us to pray only to our Father in heaven, for ‘His Kingdom will come.’

Now, after the resurrection James must have recalled Jesus’ words about prayer.

“Our Father…,” Jesus taught.
```
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
```
So James writes to the church:

James 4:

13 Come now, you who say,

“Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.”

14 Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be!

God knows, James implies, and we all must realize.

Most of the church commutes to work; we trade with the world as merchants of the Lord’s work. Yet what profit to our heavenly treasure from those of the world with whom we trade?

So where will we go? Who should we see and how must we make our plans every day?

Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
James 4:15 CSB

Why does James address the church in this way?

Because some merchants become rich in commerce and poor in spirit.

16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

Woe to those who boast!

James equates our business braggings as evil. And worse, because you know Christ, you know what is good. Yet for some to whom he writes, James warns, ‘your works are evil.’

17 So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it.

Rich Oppressors Will Be Judged

Do you know sin? And does the fruit of your salvation blossom into right works as the Lord requires?

Jesus and others warn that the wolves of the world cunningly watch the sheep of the Shepherd. Although it is their place to watch over us, some oppress us.

The rich (who may even employ or trade with us) sometimes oppress others of the church, he writes. And James’ implied question to the ‘saints’: ‘Are you one of these, brother?’

Even the world opposed to Christ sees your works and wounds His bride the Church by the false witness of the hypocrite.

James 5:

Come now, you rich people, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you.
James 5:1 CSB

There it is again, ‘come now,’ James implores directly.

Is he talking to me — a Christian, an upstanding financial supporter of our gathering?

James is not addressing the world here, only the worldly of the church who would claim Christ Jesus.

Once again his tone will reflect that of familiar prophets of old.

2 Your wealth has rotted and your clothes are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days.

Some indictment!

A few hearing James’ letter may think:

Perhaps Pastor James had best back off some, so as not to offend other rich supporters of our church who make our work possible. Did Jesus ever talk to His followers like this?

Jesus said to his disciples,
“Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:23 CSB

But what of their tithe to the church? (At least I think all of that money more than I can imagine must be a tenth of their income.)

These are the business owners, the merchants of our church, respected by the businesses and communities we serve.

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort.

οὐαί – Woe to you, warns Jesus. – Luke 6:24

‘What do you who are bosses say to yourself, brothers,’ James would ask the hearers of his letter? Don’t you realize that you cannot treat your brothers or your neighbors of the world in a worldly manner when you continue to claim Christ Jesus?

4 Indeed the wages of the laborers … which you kept back by fraud, cry out…

…and the outcry of [your employees] has reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.
```
I take some liberties here contemporizing & combining English translations and authoritative commentary.
```
5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire.

Your glutinous heart feasts, as in the day of slaughter for an ox unaware of its last day, its blood destined for the altar of judgement.

You have condemned.

The just man you murder.

A righteous man from whom you claim compassion does not resist you when you show him no mercy.

You have heaped up treasure in the last days.
Your gold and silver … will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire.
James 5:3c,ab excerpt NKJV

The Harvest Approaches

“Now concerning that day and hour no one knows — 
Matthew 24:36a CSB
```
“Then two men will be in the field; 
one will be taken and one left. 
“Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; 
one will be taken and one left.
“Then two men will be in the field; 
one will be taken and one left. 
“This is why you are also to be ready, 
because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
--- Matthew 24:40-42,44 CSB
```
“Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes.
“But if that wicked servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed,’…
Matthew 24:46-48a CSB

Of course, James preaches the same warnings to the rich as he certainly heard his brother Jesus teach.

“He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. – Matthew 24:51

Therefore, be patient

James preaches to the faithful, ‘Woe to the rich.’ Do not count yourself with them. We will all face the judgement when Jesus returns. Now he encourages the most faithful, most worshipers of Jesus who suffer at the hands of many in this brief life.

7 Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.

The farmer waits for precious fruit. He waits first for rain and endures to wait for the late rains before the harvest.

8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.

The fruit of patience in the church
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9 Brothers and sisters, do not complain about one another, 
so that you will not be judged. 

Look, the judge stands at the door.
```
10 Brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience.

11 See, we count as blessed those who have endured.
```
You have heard of Job’s endurance 
  and have seen the outcome that the Lord brought about
—the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
```
Come now

James’ letter to the church about our works sounds so much like Jesus.

—what your life will be!

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will … do this or that…’”

How do you know that the Lord will give you more time?

“Come now, you rich,

Weep and groan with anguish .. because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.

It’s an invitation, a forceful rebuke to some in the church:

“Come now, repent and receive our Lord’s mercy.”

Make your covenant with the Lord and He will accept you through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus.

“Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I. Let it be a witness between the two of us.” – Genesis 31-44

As Laban, father-in-law to Jacob, reached out in peace, so does your Father in Heaven reach out to the lost sheep of Israel. James, half-brother of the Son of Man, the Messiah Jesus, writes to the church from Jerusalem.

Come now, —the Lord is compassionate and merciful. Count it all joy when the world tries your patience.
```
To be continued...
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May 23, 2019