December 14 Daily Devotional

James 1

James the brother of John, who belonged to the intimate circle of the Master’s disciples, was one of the first martyrs at Jerusalem. We read about him, “Now at that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church; and he killed James the brother of John with the sword.”

It appears as though James, the Lord’s brother, was called to take the place of the martyred apostle. At the time of Peter’s imprisonment we find him in Jerusalem. When Paul came to Jerusalem for the first time, that is, after his conversion, he met Peter and James, the Lord’s brother, whom he calls an apostle. Then fourteen years later, when Paul came to Jerusalem again, he met James. He reports, “When James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship” (Gal. 2:9). When Paul returned from his third missionary journey, James was still at Jerusalem.

In his epistle James calls himself “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” He addressed his letter to “the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad.” He says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience … If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally,. and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord … Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning … Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”