Walking With God Today 07/15/08

“My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.”  James 5:10 (NKJV)

We all need examples for living in life it seems, and far too many times the examples that are available to us are not good ones.  Some leaders, today, try and tell us that every thing needs to be up to date, and real to the people we preach to.  There is nothing as “Up to date” as the Scriptures; and there are no better examples to follow than those given to us by the people of the Scriptures.

In the day of James the writer of this epistle [letter], the last prophet had been John the Baptist, and previous to him, it had been over 400 years since a prophet had spoken the Word of the Lord.  Now, how out of date was James.  Were there people of the day saying to him, “James, your behind the times.  You better get up to date boy, or people aren’t going to listen to you.”?  It is doubtful.  It seems to me that bringing “Christian celebrities” to meetings to draw a crowd emphasizes the wrong thing.  The emphasis is on the popularity of the “celebrity” not on Christ.  Really the idea of “Christian celebrity” should sicken us anyway.

Who did James point us to?  It was the prophets.  The ones who wrote the prophecies of the Old Testament.  Prophets like Isaiah who was told by God at his calling and surrender to go: “Preach, but they are too hard hearted to hear and believe; preach My Word, but no one will listen.”  Isaiah asked the LORD, “How long?”, and the LORD told him, “Until the cities are laid waste, the houses are empty, and the land is desolate.”  Read Isaiah 6.  Isaiah was faithful to the LORD, and obeyed until death.

Jeremiah, known as the “Weeping prophet”, because as you read the words that were spoken and penned down you can almost see the tears as they roll down his cheeks.  Jeremiah said, “Oh, that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” Jeremiah 9:1  Jeremiah was faithful throught the accusations, the dungeons, the empty, muddy, slimy pits he was placed in, because the people rejected the words of God which he spoke to them.

Is there really anyone today who can be held up as an example of patience, perservering in times of trials, whether they be sickness, disease, or persecution?  Not too many I fear.  We are to all be examples of faith to one another.  Encouraging, lifting up in prayer, the hearts and lives of brothers and sisters in Christ, to motivate to godliness; is the call of every Christian.

James makes sure that in remembering the prophets the people know that it is the prophets “who spoke in the name of the Lord”.  It is as though to say, “Make sure you hear only those who speak the truth of God’s Word.  Others can deceive you, and lead you away from the truth.”  Follow the example the men of God’s Word has given.  The life they lived, the words they spoke and have written speak throughout all eternity.  Most of all follow the One who gave His life that we all might live eternally.  His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Walk With God Today.

-Tim A. Blankenship