The Book of James

The book of James is full of wisdom and correction as well as instruction. It was written during a time where "men" were actually men and worked...for the most part. You had those who took advantage in any culture or nationality. When we look at things in one version of the Bible and not look into others we can lose meaning and/or perspective. It was at a time of the "Diaspora". Diaspora="a scattered population whose origin lies within a smaller geographic locale. Diaspora can also refer to the movement of the population from its original homeland." In other words. suffering, volatile change in lives and great distress and misunderstandings from a previous way of life. A slaves life, yet James called himself a "slave of God and of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah". (CJB)

Here is some of James' instruction to the men. "Regard it all joy'...'when you face various kinds of temptations", and these "temptations were not the same as we face today. They were a temptation to stay the same, to retaliate or to bend into the wicked generation they were in. There was cowardice masked by standing up for yourSELF, an image of "bravery" presented as boasting and there was keeping the things of the old life in exchange for, "How blessed is the man who perseveres through temptation"!

James' instruction was to "let perseverance to its COMPLETE work; so that you may be COMPLETE..and whole". It was more than a prayer. It was a journey into godly manhood, trust and faith. It was not a random faith, but as James so well put it; "My brothers, practice the faith of our Lord Yeshua, the glorious Messiah, without showing favoritism". First he address mainly the men, then he tells me to "practice"...NOT THEIR OWN FAITH...but the faith of Jesus Christ and then he says do it without showing favoritism. If we were to break that down, it would mean, whether someone is a believer or not, a wealthy person or a poor person, a person of influence or of no influence...The faith of Jesus Christ.

Kingdom? YES!! James 2:8, "If you truly attain the goal of Kingdom Torah, in conformity with the passage that says, "love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well. But if you show favoritism, your actions constitute sin, since you are convicted under the Torah as transgressors." Sooooo, where are the Kingdom men, the Kingdom pursuits, the reality that we do convict ourselves or give ourselves pass or guilt. It is the Kingdom Torah that convicts and tells us if/that we transgress. There is no negotiation in the Torah or with the Almighty. Satan tried to ascend the throne and there was no peace convention, agreement with him that he would not do that again or negotiation of why he "felt" bad for feeling that way or for doing what he did. Basically, the devil lost his fear of God. I wonder that we have not done the same in all of God's goodness. James continues in chapter 2, verse 12, "Keep speaking AND acting like people who will be judged by a Torah which gives freedom. For judgment will be without mercy toward one who doesn't show mercy; but mercy wins out over judgment". We cry out for others to have mercy, but do we have mercy? No doubt they would have said to the unbelievers, "have mercy" and God will have mercy on you, BUT...THEY were the ones who were instructed to show mercy to the very ones who were harming them...in court...in the way they were being treated and for THIS faith, THIS trust, THIS mercy, what was their promise? Eternal life and "the Life which God has promised". Herein lies a problem. It is for those HE KNOWS...who love Him. HIS Torah, HIS conviction, HIS faith, HIS judgment under HIS Torah...not even HIS love, but HIS Kingdom Torah.

Have you, have we traded the burden of "our cross" for HIS? A place where HE was beaten...for me/you, HE was lied on by you/me, HE was mocked by all of mankind and particularly...the men of that day who counted themselves strong and righteous. The cross of mercy whom the one nailed upon it cried out forgive THEM (mercy), they don't know what they are doing...Kingdom Torah. I have not attained by my words, and perhaps not by my actions either, but Kingdom Torah will judge us all one day. MEN...where is the Kingdom Torah? A place where you become a slave to God and if a slave to God, then a slave to love Him and our actions tell others, we love God first and won't budge from that. If you want to call us into mediocrity and call that love, we will not be fooled (anymore). Love endured rejection, beatings, judgments of men/women/world systems, hate, and love endured...endures all things. It is the greatest Torah of the Kingdom, yet it calls MEN to BE...love. Father, help us as Men who say we want you, but who have not moved or move according to the "rights" of a humanity, but ignore the submission of a slave to his Master, whom You Are. Father, I weep right now and ask you to let me weep and groan and tremble. Help me to love this way. Let me/us regard only YOU and YOUR place in our lives. JESUS...We...Need...YOU!

I release this prayer and word into the atmosphere for those praying and those not knowing what they want or need but are lost or got lost in their searching. FATHER...call the MEN, but ALL who will hear with an ear to hear and to Do and to BE...Your representation on/in the earth.