Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Friends and Associates”
Our Bible verse for today: “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given him.” James 1:5 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Godly wisdom leads to spiritual health.”
I’m sure you’ve heard the old cliché, “The Church isn’t a Country Club for saints it’s a hospital for sinners.” It’s an old and somewhat tired cliché to be sure and yet, profoundly true. The only real difference between the people inside the church and those outside the church is that those outside are sin-sick and not doing anything about it; those inside the church are also sin-sick, but are in the process of getting well.
One of the ways in which we help each other inside the church to get well, is by helping each other to acquire Godly wisdom. True wisdom is much more than just gaining knowledge, although it does include that. True wisdom, Godly wisdom, is wisdom that helps us to live well, according to Biblical standards. This is the skill of living in a way that is not sin-sick. Godly wisdom is the medicine we need in order to get spiritually well and it’s an important reason that we gather together in our church/hospitals.
James, the author of the New Testament book of James, was a Pastor in the early church. He was also the biological brother of Jesus. His letter is a spiritual prescription to help sin-sick Christians and churches to get well. With the directness and precision of a skilled physician, he focuses on the root cause of their problems and he gives his readers precise instructions on how to deal with those issues. Dealing with problems in a direct way, and resolving them according to Biblical standards, is the “wisdom” he was referring in the beginning sentences of his letter.
Churches are imperfect places filled with imperfect people – sin-sick people. Churches are a place where people are brought face-to-face with the worst aspects of themselves and then given the help they need to deal with those areas of their lives. This is often messy business. And that being the case, church life is seldom easy. When I’m physically sick I’m often not the best of company. That can be even truer when I’m spiritually sick.
This Sunday, as you gather with your church family, remember that everyone there is dealing with something. Everyone there has an issue, a problem, a secret sin, a struggle that you might not know anything about, and it impacts how they interact with others. So be kind and patient and gracious with others as they work through their life issues, acquiring the wisdom that will help them to get well. And the rest of that will do that for you too as you confront and deal with your own issues.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 