Gary Gleans

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.     Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. The things we do and say are influenced by that which we have in our hearts.  Our hearts are influenced by that which we hear and are exposed to.  In other words, “garbage in – garbage out.”  We must pay close attention to that which we expose our hearts and minds because it will inevitably show up in our mouths and on our hands. HEAR FAST – RESPOND SLOW: Listening is a skill that is vital for every believer to develop.  Naturally, we need to be discerning about who or what we listen to, and we cannot believe everything that anybody says to us.  That is part of discernment.  However, we need ...

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.     Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.     Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. God stands in stark contrast to the dark and uncertain world in which we live.  He is an anchor for our souls and breaths life into our hearts.  We can be assured of these truths and must constantly remind ourselves of them because Satan and his system is constantly trying to deceive us.  These truths are fundamental to remember in our walk with the Lord.   GOD IS THE SOURCE OF ALL GOOD: In contrast to the accusation that God somehow tempts us to do evil, James assures us God is the source of everything good and perfect.  He knows what is best for us and exactly what we need in every ...

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.     Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.     But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.     Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Living in a sin cursed world with a sin cursed body is a dangerous thing.  We are sure to face trials and temptations.  The things that Satan designs to destroy us and our faith; God will often use to strengthen us.  This passage provides us with some promises that are important to remember when we are facing trials and temptations. GOD PROMISES THAT HE WILL REWARD YOU: “Is it worth it?”  This is a common question beli...

Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.     For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. The trials that the original readers of this epistle were facing certainly brought about many changes in financial fortunes.  Certainly, the majority if not all of these changes were in the form of loss.  The poor became even poorer and those who previously had abundant resources saw them fading away.  For most of humanity this would be cause for lament.  James admonishes his brothers to boast in this reality because it liberates them from the foolishness and double mindedness of pursuing riches in this life. THE DELIGHT OF HUMBLE MEANS: Poverty is not in and of itself a virtue nor is it a judgment from God. How...

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.     But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.     For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Prayer is an amazing gift from God.  The Creator and Sustainer of the universe allows us to come to Him in prayer.  We can admit our failures and find forgiveness.  We can express our admiration of His glory and find joy.  We can thank Him for His amazing fits and find peace.  We can ask Him for provision and find His will.  One of the provisions we most need is wisdom, and He delights to provide it for us.  When Solomon had the opportunity to ask God for anything, wisdom was his choice, ...

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:     Greetings.   Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.     And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James, the brother of Jesus, is the author of this book, but he does not present himself as the brother of Jesus.  Rather, he calls himself the servant of God and Jesus.  This kind of humility is vital to the steadfastness that is necessary to face suffering.  The book is written to Jewish Christians who have been dispersed because of the persecution they faced.  Jews who trusted Christ faced persecution from their countrymen and blasphemers and from Rome as rebels.  Their lives became very difficult and as a result, some may have...