November 30, 2025 - James 4

The world.  We live in the world.  The world and all its attractions constantly call out to us.  And how easy it is to reason, “God has made all things and given them to us for our benefit.  Surely, he wants us to enjoy what he has given.”  On the one hand, we can affirm this reasoning.  What blessings are ours!  Even the rain and the sunshine!  Peter came to understand (Acts 10) that the foods he called unclean, well, God called them clean; Peter could enjoy them.  And we could talk about the abundant life we have in Christ.  No one should be more content in this life than the believer.  On the other hand, like the barkers standing outside the bar whistling for passersby to come in, the world calls out. James warns, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (4:4).  Now, we can dwell on this warning.  Certainly, we must heed this warning.  But, even as we do so, we remember Jesus’ words:  “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20).  And Peter reminds us that we have “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven” for us (1 Peter 1:4).  Heaven.  That’s where our ultimate joy lies.

This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue;

The angels beckon me from heaven's open door,

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

I have a loving Savior up in glory-land,

I don’t expect to stop until I with Him stand,

He’s waiting now for me in heaven’s open door,

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

Just up in glory-land we’ll live eternally,

The saints on every hand are shouting victory,

Their songs of sweetest praise drift back from heaven’s shore,

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.   –Anonymous (1919)