James | What is the Love of God

Jesus’ little brother!

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

‘James the Just’ was Jesus’ little brother. Can you imagine growing up in that environment?? James had a unique understanding of Jesus, and religion in general.

James 2:26 Because as the body without a spirit is dead, so is the faith without works is dead.

As I am teaching our daily discipleship class through the New Testament, we are now in James, my favorite book out of all the entire Bible.

The canonized Bible is the holy, infallible Word of God. It consists of 66 books, originally written in 3 or 4 different languages, from 3 different continents, over a period of 1500 years. All in perfect harmony, actually written by the Holy Spirit through 40 men of God.

In preparation to teach James, as in anything else, I search, pray and read, a lot! I stay away from Biblical commentaries as much as possible. I believe plagiarism is a sin, and is downright dishonest. Commentaries tend to leak into google, sermons and even comments in the Bible itself, so it’s tricky.

Most external info pollutes what I think the Holy Spirit actually wants me to teach. A commentary that might be written by a pastor who’s church consists of a bunch of millionaire techies in the silicon valley, or to pilgrims leaving England because of religious persecution probably won’t be the same message to my class, a bunch of humble Nicaraguan workers just trying to make it.

Most of the time I just ask the Lord to guide me and prayerfully read and re-read various translations and interpretations (English and Spanish).

*Again a disclaimer for those who may have missed it before, I am not a theologian. I am just a christian doing what christians do on the mission field. These weekly missives are my opinions only. It’s my prayer journal, as I blunder my way through another week as a missionary in Nicaragua*

I am always astounded by how so many theologians, young and old alike, have serious issues with the book of James. Try as I might to see their arguments, I simply don’t get their beef. The difference I believe, is how we are wired. Nothing wrong with that. It is by design! All planned out. I wouldn’t be a missionary if a theologian didn’t teach my pastor how to preach. Feet, hands and even ears are of the same body, connected through the head which is Jesus. I wouldn’t be saved if it weren’t for theologians and anointed teachers leading me to Jesus.

1 Cor 12:14-15 For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

Theologians are basically scientists (let’s call them the ears). They try to break things down to prove their theories. They look for common denominators. Basically, the way I see it, it all breaks down to mathematical disciplines. Math majors, computer majors, theologians, linguists, accountants, engineers, and scientists all have the same skill set. The also lack certain skills. They need evangelists and missionaries, and visa versa.

I am missionary. I need theologians. I also lack in things like people skills, but don’t have the math skills, reasoning skills nor reading skills to make up for it. I am only a foot. When the missions group WeGo was formed by Marc Ivanchak, I loved the name because it said ‘go’. I can go, that’s easy. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out. That’s why I call myself a foot. I go, read the Bible, pray, do, teach and live what the Bible says (as much as within my limits). End of story. Don’t understand a lot. Just the basics. When someone says ‘what the Bible really means here is…’ I tune out. I don’t care. I am a grunt. I just follow the instructions (The Bible) and let the Holy Spirit in me interpret how I should respond to it.

Mt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations. “Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Revised Version)

A recent Bible war on FB highlighted this difference between missionaries and theologians. The verse was;

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil

The argument was that ‘all’ should be ‘many’ if it was to be translated correctly through greek. Really????? Who cares? I’ve got toddlers dying or being forced into prostitution down here. Lots of bigger fish to fry. Point is, loving money is bad,,, good! Got it!! NEXT? To a scholar, a teacher, a writer though, it could encourage them to dig deeper. To search the scriptures as the Bereans did. Maybe it explains another portion of the Bible better by expanding on the original Greek, or not. We all have a different purpose in the kingdom of God. All equally important.

Pastors called to be pastors have equal importance as church janitors called to be church janitors. Three people impacted my life in the church I grew up in. My Pastor, Rev Armstrong, My Sunday school teachers, Mr Fish and Mr Emerson, and the church janitor, Mr Humphrey. The last was the first, he impressed me the most with his humbleness and work ethic.

There’s a church way deep in the boondocks of Nicaragua. The church’s outhouse is maintained by one little old lady. She takes her job seriously. As a result, the cleanest, prettiest little outhouse I have ever seen in my life is hers! (and I’ve seen lots of outhouses). Every time I visit that church she insists I use ‘her’ outhouse. She even proudly hands me a couple sheets of toilet paper like a ticket of admission as I enter. She is always anxiously waiting outside for me, sometimes she even holds the door for me as I climb out (everything in Nicaragua is made for short and skinny people)! She asks me how was my experience and with the most enthusiasm I can muster, I say ‘Maravilloso!!!’ (Missionaries, learn that word and use it, it’s the key to the Kingdom Her calling is to be the latrine lady. She has a crown waiting for her in heaven.

We all have our calling. Theologian? Be the best! Missionary? Be the best!Janitor? Be the best!

Here’s where the frustration about the Book of James comes in for the theologians, I think. (A weakness of theologians I have found is they seem to have a low frustration threshold. We all have weaknesses, whether we’re saved or not). Their strength is in hard and fast formulas. Their environment (seminary, monastery or a plush church office) is like a laboratory, sterile, pure, outside influences screened by gate keepers. Their theories and formulas work in a sterile environment. It is actually important to incubate such theories in a perfect ambiance to let them develop. Theories are formed in the labs. Part of the scientific process. Part of God’s design for theologians as well.

Theologians and theories have the same first 4 letters. Theologians usually have a theory, and the weaker ones try to make the Bible support their theories. The best ones don´t. Now, to put to test that developed theory, is the next step of taking that theory and making it a reality. The first step is to open that lab door. Go outside of that pristine setting. Get hot, muggy, insect infested, muddy, assaulted, crowded, robbed, cheated, lied to, disappointed, pushed, grossed out, shoved, mugged and your brains kicked in (figuratively speaking) on the mission field and your seminary theories set in a perfect world are proven to be fact, or are disproved. It’s all part of God’s marvelous design process.

The feet need the ears. The ears need the feet. The foot can’t be an ear, ever! It’ll be utterly useless. And an ear wouldn’t last a day as a foot. We are all perfectly and wonderfully made to do what we are called to do. Don’t force it. Theologians are theologians, not missionaries as a rule. In high school, I tried to be a nerd. FAILED! When I got saved, I tried to be a theologian, FAILED AGAIN!

James, I believe, is written to feet (nontheologians). Guys like me, at my level, in other words. Every verse of James speaks mountains to me, and to those I teach. Book like Leviticus? Not so much. We aren’t all scholars, for the most part. We all need to know how to make it, day by day though. To survive and not quit. To complete well, the mission God has laid out before us.

We each have our mission. Mine is to protect and teach children and their families. What I teach is mostly what I have gleaned from the Word and what my pastors have taught me. My pastors for the most part learn from theologians. We all work together, feet, hands, ears, ankles, knees, hips, spines and the head of the body of course, which is Christ. All connected. All needed.

Faith without works is dead. And works without faith is dead. It’s all connected.

James 2:20 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

PS ….Matched donations are back this year!!!
All donations, up to 5,000 dollars are matched from now until 2022! 100% of your donations go straight to the kids! For example if you give $1,000 dollars, $2,000 dollars goes straight to the kids. Pray about making a 100% tax deductible donation now. Good for you. Good for the kids. And good for your taxes.
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Praise Report

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS THIS YEAR! SINCE WE ARE ON OUR OWN FOR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS, GOD HAS AGAIN PROVIDED FOR 1,000 CHRISTMAS PRESENTS THROUGH NICA SOURCE (NICARAGUAN NEAR SHORE IT COMPANIES). THANK YOU JESUS! WHAT KIND OF CHRISTIAN CHILDREN MISSION DOESN’T GIVE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS AT CHRISTMAS TIME? MERRY CHRISTMAS!

1. Our new room, and warehouse expnasion is almost completed, God is good! Needing to install the ceiling, AC and we are finished. We had some issues but we should be done in two weeks.

2. I am having a video made, it should be out shortly.

3. Pray for Luis, his leg is bad! A lot better than it was, but still bad. God is healing him, as you can see, but I need a miracle for him.

4. English class, Daily Bible studies, school and feeding centers are all going well.

Pureheart Update – All is well, finishing up the new room and warehouse. We are painting, repairing the school´s classrooms, bathrooms, (lots of plumbling and electrical stuff going on) and we are improving our school’s computer abilities.

PRAYER REQUESTS

1. For Souls and Fruit.

2. FOR HEALING OF LOVED ONES WITH EVERYTHING FROM CANCER TO MENTAL ILLNESS.

3. FOR HOME VISITATIONS TO PRODUCE RESULTS, FOR VISITORS TO OUR HOME TO GET SAVED. FOR THE FAMILIES AND PARENTS OF ALL THE PUREHEART WORKERS TO GET SAVED.

4. FOR OUR 2 FEEDING CENTERS AND THE TWO OTHER FEEDING CENTERS THAT WE HELP. FOR OUR SISTER FEEDING CENTER IN ISLAMBAD PAKISTAN.

5. AS WE ARE HELPING OTHERS WITH EMERGENCY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS *THIS CONTINUOUS RAINY SEASON DESTROYS THE SHACKS THAT MANY OF OUR PEOPLE LIVE IN*. THAT WE BE THE LIGHT AND PEACE OF JESUS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM.

7. GOVERNMENTAL PAPERWORK, I CALL IT ´DEATH BY 1000 PAPERCUTS’. IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, FRUSTRATING, AND EXPENSIVE. AMONG OF WHICH IS FOR PERMISSION TO HAVE AN ORPHANAGE-OLDFOLKS HOME ON A SUSTAINABLE GREEN FARM IN THE MANAGUA CITY LIMITS. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME IN TEN YEARS THAT WE HAVE HAD TO START AGAIN FROM SCRATCH EVERYTHING FROM ALL THE ACCOUNTING, BOOKS, AND PERMISSIONS FOR THE ORPHANAGE. EVEN FORECED INTO REINCORPORATING DOWN HERE. IT GETS TOUGHER EVERY TIME, BUT WE AREN´T GOING ANYWHERE. THE LEGAL AND CPA PAPERWORK AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS ESPECICALLY TOUGH.

8. THE DELAY IS OK, BECAUSE WE ARE STILL WAITING ON THE LORD TO PROVIDE THE MONEY AND THE PERFECT RESOURCES FOR ALL THE FULL TIME STAFF, DOCTOR, NURSE, AIDES ETC THAT COME WITH A FARM THAT HAS ROOM FOR AN ORPHANAGE AND AN OLD FOLKS HOME ON IT, AS WELL AS THE PROPERTY ITSELF. EVEN WITH JUST AN ORPHANAGE HERE, OUR STAFF WILL ALMOST HAVE TO DOUBLE IN SIZE PER NICARAGUAN REGULATIONS

9. FOR OUR OWN CHILDREN`S SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND SAFETY WHILE STUDYING IN THE STATES.

10. AGAIN, THE GOVERNMENTAL PAPERWORK IS HORRENDOUS, AND GETTING MORE DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE EVERY DAY.

11. Looking to buy (or get donated) a large tract of land to put the orphanage and old folks home on.
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A TALL ORDER, BUT NOTHING IS TOO BIG FOR GOD, NOT EVEN DIFFICULT.

Please continue what you are doing to keep us going.. WHATEVER YOU’RE DOING, IT’S WORKING!!. pray, donate, and spread the word!

LOVE

DEAN AND WINNIE PETERS
OUR BEST EMAIL IS [email protected]

Dean and Winnie Peters
Joyfully serving the ‘least of these’ in Managua Nicaragua

Please continue what you are doing to keep us going.. WHATEVER YOU’RE DOING, IT’S WORKING!!. pray, donate, and spread the word!

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