The Messiah's Secret - James the Brother of Jesus.

James became a follower of Jesus after Jesus’ death and resurrection. 
John the Apostle recorded the fact that James and the other brothers of Jesus did not believe that he was the Messiah during his ministry. 

“After this Jesus went about in Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. ² Now the Jews’ feast of Tabernacles was at hand. ³ So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples may see the works you are doing. ⁴ For no man works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” ⁵ For even his brothers did not believe in him.” John 7: 1-5 

How hurtful it must have been for Jesus to hear these words coming from his brothers. They would send him into danger.

The resurrection of Jesus convinced his brothers of Jesus being the Messiah, we read that they joined the believers in the house at Jerusalem.  “All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” Acts 1: 14  

James had a vision of the risen Lord. 1 Corinthians 15: 7. He was regarded as an apostle. Galatians 1: 19. James occupied a prominent if not the chief place in the church at Jerusalem, being the president of the first council.  Acts 15: 13. 

Lectionary Readings:  James Chapter 5.   John 3: 14-21.                                     

In James’s letter to the twelve dispersed tribes of Israel in Chapter 5 he put emphasis on some of the things that he has referred to earlier in his letter: they were showing in their attitudes towards each other no signs of the righteousness of God: They were making distinctions between rich and poor, there was jealousy and they were grumbling against each other, (unbridled tongues) and he reminds them of the consequences the judge was at the door.  

The problems about which he wrote we can compare with the incident on the Exodus journey, where the Israelites had to make a detour around the King of Edom’s territory which led to the Israelites to grumble and they complain to Moses over their diet; God had provided manna, quail and water, but still they moaned so God sent poisonous snakes among them and many died. Realising their sin they asked Moses to intercede to God on their behalf. God instructed Moses to make a replica snake and place it top of a pole so that every person bitten by a snake looked up at it would be healed. Numbers 21: 4- 9  

 In John 3: 14 Jesus spoke of the Son of man being lifted up like the brazen snake lifted up and placed on the top of a pole. Nicodemus and Jesus' disciples would not realise at the time that Jesus was referring to the cross. ^“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,¹⁵ that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

We understand that the serpent lifted up on top of the pole represented life over death. Jesus being lifted up on the cross, he was the final offering for sin. As a result he won the victory over the devil’s power over death. 

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸ He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." John 3: 16-18 

James found out that his brother Jesus suffered and died for his unbelief and in that realisation the pain of repentance must I think have been tremendous and being saved by him must have impacted him greatly, he was able to write a letter so forthrightly to those who were implicated in storing up wealth and those Christians who were grumbling.  He knew more than anyone the cost to his brother. 

James was urging them to put their faith into practice so that their deeds could be seen as being of God: to go and  feed the hungry.  To pray for the sick anointing them with oil. 

The prayer of faith will raise up a person from the depths to which they have sunk: doubts, fears, divisions and sickness.  

Praying not to an object like the bronze snake but to Jesus at God’s throne of grace, where he intercedes with God for us.   

For approximately 9 centuries the Jewish people kept Moses’ serpent on the pole, but we read in the course of time they offered incense to it as an object of worship.  

  

“King Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David had done. He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut down the Ashe′rah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had burned incense to it; it was called Nehush′tan.”   2 Kings 18: 4  

The serpent up on top of the pole had become a focus of worship.

The bronze snake illustrates when sometimes the Lord gives us a way forward which usually blesses us and we hold on to it (not as a form of worship)but as a result the means of our blessing becomes the focus of our attention rather than on where the Holy Spirit is leading us to next.

The Christians who James wrote to had been blessed, but they had not moved on from receiving their salvation. They were still looking at Jesus on the cross, holding on to worldly riches and attitudes. They had not entered into the new life of the resurrection which meant stepping out in faith which was and is essential to fulfil their commission and our commission.      

 "And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  Mark 16: 17,18  

The Lord may choose to bless us in various ways as we step out in faith: the Alpha Course or another course or young people’s ministry, house groups or cells, through a ministry of healing or other gifts of the Spirit. 
However the Lord directs our path, may we be faithful and always ready to respond to the leading of his Spirit.

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                      

    The  Messiah’s Secret – James remembers Job  

James’s under lying thread running through the letter is the life of Job He shows us by the example of Job that God will allow a Christian to be tested through trials and temptations to reveal the faith of the Christian in God. 

God allowed Job to be tested and brought to trial by Satan. 
Job was a wealthy man, Satan the accuser, challenged God to allow all that Job had to be taken away from him, he believed that Job would cease to serve God and deny his allegiance, his faith in God. 

Job lost his riches, all his possessions: his cattle, sheep, camels and his servants, all except the ones bearing the bad news that told him of his children’s death. Job 1: 20, 21. Even after the loss of his children he did not renounce God   

James saw the humility of Job in his faith in God while he was a rich man. God gave to him the kind of love that produces faith and steadfastness.  

James wrote of the lowly person being exalted and the rich person being humble. 

Christians should not to make distinctions between rich and poor, but to treat everyone the same and he encouraged them and us not to store up possessions in this life.  Josephus records in his ‘Book of Wars’ in 70 AD many rich Jewish people had stored their wealth in the temple at Jerusalem, only to see it burnt up in the fire. 

Wars of the Jews Book V1 Chapter 5 verse 2  

"And now the Romans, judging that it was in vain to spare what was around about the holy house, burnt all those places, as also the remains of the cloisters and the gates, two excepted; the one on the east side, and the other on the south; both which, however, they burnt afterward. They also burnt down the treasury chambers, in which there was a great quantity of money, an immense number of garments, and other precious goods there reposited; and, so to speak all in a few words, there it was the entire riches of the Jews were heaped up together, while the rich people had there built themselves chambers [to contain such furniture]. The soldiers also came to the rest of the cloisters that were in the outer court of the temple, whither women and children, and a great mixed multitude of people, fled, in number about six thousand.” 

 God’s faithfulness   

James taught that the most important lessons a Christian can learn is to step out in faith, faith without works does not reflect Christ. 

He advises his readers to show good works in meekness and wisdom, that reflect the nature of the righteousness of God. If someone is hungry then we should feed them as kind words are not enough. 

 He gave the example of Abraham who put his faith into practice when he offered Isaac as a sacrifice, but God intervened, a ram was provided by God and was sacrificed instead of Isaac. Abraham believed in the resurrection he believed that God would have raised Isaac in order to fulfil his promise to him that through his heir a great nation would be brought into being by God. Genesis 22: 1-18. Hebrews 11: 17-19  

Also the example of Rahab the prostitute whose faith was justified by works when she hid the Israelite spies from the king of Jericho’s men. God judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Joshua 2: 1-7 

James also states that God does not tempt people to sin.    

God gave us free will which allows us to choose what we say or do.  He gives wisdom to those who ask, so we are able to discern between what is right and what is wrong. We are able to use the scriptures through the Holy Spirit guiding us into all truth. 

Satan again came before God and challenged him, asking if he could touch Job in his flesh and he would renounce God. Job 2: 5.

Job’s wife found that it was too much to see her husband suffer, she told him to renounce God and die. Job told his wife that she should be able to accept the bad news as well as the good from God, he did not blame God.  

James wrote ^“But he gives more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” ⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind. ⁹ Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to dejection. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.” James 4: 6-10.  

Job in his humility kept his eyes on God, even when God was silent and he only heard from his three friend

Job’s faithfulness    

In his poverty Job went and sat on the ash mound, the dung hill, full of sores. (Elephantiasis a form of leprosy) His three friends: Eliphaz, Bildad and Zopher came and sat with him and for seven days they spoke with unbridled tongues. Eliphaz bluntly told him to now uphold the advice that he had given to others to acknowledge his sin and repent and turn back to God. Bildad said that his sin had brought all this upon him. Zopher remarked that he should cry to God actions speak louder than words. They judged him as being self-righteous as he constantly declared his integrity  

 Jessie Penn Lewis’s book ‘The Story of Job 

 “It is sometimes necessary to leave someone in the hands of God and encourage them to believe their way through the path of trial, because maybe God has allowed sickness as part of his purposes for that person.”   

Christians grumbling with unbridled tongues   

To leave someone in the hands of God – anyone who is going through a time of trial or sickness needs prayer support from their church without judging that person as to why they are in their present circumstances.

Job was prepared to die.    

And God was silent, be still in the darkness, do not kindle a fire yourself, wait upon God. Job did not renounce God. He had a vision which was prophetical, “I know that my redeemer lives and at last he will stand upon the earth, and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall I see God.” Job 17: 16. 19: 25, 26 

Job would see his redeemer face to face after his resurrection from the dead.

James wrote, “Behold, we call those happy who were steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” James 5: 11  

Elihu 

 Listening to the conversation between Job and his three friends was a young man Elihu. He held himself back until there was a pause in their conversation. The friends ceased to answer Job. Elihu had a message from God,” deliverance through the ransom.” Job 33: 24  

 Elihu had understood the dealings of God with Job, but he does not attempt to combat his insistence on integrity, as the other men did. He told him God had brought his soul from the pit, not on the ground of his own integrity, but on the ground of his faith and trust in God. 
God had enlightened Job with the light of his living redeemer and the resurrection of the dead.

Jesus the Redeemer     

^“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16

^“Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise. ¹⁴ Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; ¹⁵ and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects” James 5:13-16.

Job’s three friends repented before Job and he prayed for his friends and they were restored, sins forgiven. God restored Job with a new spirit as a child; a new freshness of life in heavenly youthfulness; a new power in prayer and joy in the knowledge of God; a new assurance of righteousness in union with the righteous one. God restored to him his flocks and herds and once again sons and daughters graced his home. Job lived for a further 150 years after the time of his trial. 

God allowed Job to suffer as he knew Job’s thoughts and intentions of his heart was sincere towards his God. His three friends were saved from the error of prejudging Job through their repentance and forgiveness. 

 I believe James and his brothers were not convinced by his interpretation of  Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth and the miracles and healing that Jesus did. John 7: 1-5. Matthew 13: 54-58.
James found out the truth through the death and resurrection of Jesus that he was the Son of God and he too saw the fulfillment of the vision that Job had of seeing his redeemer face to face, not on the ground of his own integrity but on the ground of his faith and trust in God. 

For us today we too can say, “I know that my redeemer lives, and in my flesh I see God in Jesus.”                                                                                                      .                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                            

A short study of Job.  

In the warm  and dry land of the East, the dung was not mixed with straw, but was carried in baskets to a place outside the village where it was usually burnt once a month. The rains reduced the ashes to a solid hill of earth, and the place used by the inhabitants of the village as a watch tower and a meeting place.

The Book of Job is regarded as one of the oldest books in the Bible. Job did not worship the stars or anything terrestrial; he worshipped the same God as Abraham.

He offered sacrifices for himself and his family; this was before the law was given to Moses by God. Job was regarded as a man of integrity, just and true, he had a fear of God and faith in him.

God described Job as there being none like him in all the earth, a man blameless, true, Godly, abstaining from everything evil. A man who God set a hedge about him and blessed the work of his hands.

In the Book of Job we get a glimpse into the spiritual world, we read of Satan walking up and down, going to and fro upon the earth, he’s never still, having no rest.

Satan the accuser challenged God to allow all that Job had been given to him, to be taken away from him and then Job would cease to serve God and deny his allegiance to him.

God allowed Satan to test Job, Job lost his possessions: his cattle, sheep, camels and his servants, all except the ones bearing the bad news that told him of his children’s death.

Job 1: 20, 21.

Job remembered how he came into the world with nothing and therefore he does not deny God.

Satan again came before God and challenged him, asking if he could touch Job in his flesh he would renounce God. Job 2: 5.

Satan attacked Job’s body with a disease; (Elephantiasis a form of leprosy) Job’s wife found that it was too much to see her husband suffer, she told him to renounce God and die. Job told his wife that she should be able to accept the bad news as well as the good from God, he did not blame God.

Jessie Penn Lewis’s book ‘The Story of Job’

“It is sometimes necessary to leave someone in the hands of God and encourage them to believe their way through the path of trial, because maybe God has allowed sickness as part of his purposes for that person.”

To leave some one in the hands of God – any one who is going through a time of trial or sickness needs prayer support from their church without judging that person as to why they are sick.

The three friends of Job: Eliphaz, Bildad and Zopher for seven days they sat with him on the ash mound. Job cursed the day of his birth. Job 2: 13.

Job was suffering so much he began to see death as a way out, an escape.

Eliphaz

The First of Job’s three friends Eliphaz spoke out in his usual candid way. He said, “Job you have instructed many in their pain, now it’s your turn and to remember your own advice, ’Trust in the knowledge of God, men reap what they have sown.’” Job 4: 7-11

Eliphaz had a dream, “A spirit passed before my face, a form was before my eyes, and I heard a still voice say, “Shall mortal man be just before God. Shall a man be pure before his maker?” Job 4: 12-17.

Eliphaz’s interpretation: Job was a sinner like everybody else therefore he should he should accept God’s chastening upon him so therefore he should ‘Go back to God.’ Job 5: 17

Job saw this as an attack on his integrity, he had not left God; he rebuked his friend Eliphaz, even though he knew that he did not understand. Job 6: 22-24.

Bildad

Bildad was regarded as his humble friend.

Bildad used the “if” word. If Job had sinned his suffering then would be as a result of it. (They believed that through the fall of Adam and Eve sickness and disease was a result of sin. The fall opened the door to sickness and disease, not all sickness is a result of personal sin.)

Job’s reply, “How can a man be just before God?”  Job 9: 1,2.

Job asked God for forgiveness, knowing that he could not forgive on behalf of God, he could not cleanse himself. Job 9: 32, 33.

Who would plead to God for him and who would speak to him from God? He could only be declared not guilty by God.

Job pleaded to God; knowing that he alone knew all about him and perhaps it was his will for him to suffer. Job 10: 13

Zopher

Zopher said to Job, “Should a man who’s full of talk, be justified. Job 11: 1, 2, 13. 12: 3

“Cry to God and be forgiven.” Job replied, “I am not inferior to you.” Zopher was making him a laughing stock. Job said, “Do you not think that I am too proud to admit my sin, but I have not sinned.” Job saw their ignorance against him.

Job can not say how a man is justified before God, yet in his heart he believed that he ‘shall be justified.’ He would thrust himself upon God.

As yet he had no clear assurance of the life to come after death. Job 14: 14.

Eliphaz

Eliphaz accuses Job of having no fear of God because of the way that he had argued against their assumptions that he must have sinned.  Eliphaz did not think that a man could be righteous before God; as even the heavens were not clean in God’s sight. Job 15: 14, 15.

Job had aroused the indignation of his three friends. His friends saw Job as being self-righteous as he constantly declared his integrity.

Job knew from his experience that God was approachable, he was clinging to the fact that God knew his life and therefore he would vouch for him that he had walked with him in the integrity of heart, the sacrifices he made pleased God and he had been blessed by him.

Job was prepared to die. Job 17: 16.

God was silent, be still in the darkness, do not kindle a fire yourself, wait upon God.

Job did not renounce God. He had a vision which was prophetical, “ “I know that my redeemer lives and at last he will stand upon the earth, and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall I see God.” Job 19: 25, 26  

Job would see his redeemer face to face after his resurrection from the dead.

Job’s prophecy fulfilled in Jesus

Jesus died on the cross, suffering for the sin of the world. Jesus suffered: the loss of everything material, the broken will, to live for God in complete surrender. He was crucified, laying down his life for our justification, Jesus pleads to God for us, redeeming us from our sin.

Through our faith in him we are made clean from sin and the causes of sin.  Jesus also speaks to us from God through his resurrection revealing himself in his word. Over 500 Christians had the privilege of seeing the risen Lord. 1 Corinthians 15: 6

Elihu

Listening to the conversation between Job and his three friends was a young man Elihu.

He held himself back until there was a pause in their conversation. The friends ceased to answer Job. Elihu had a message from God,” deliverance through the ransom.” Job 33: 24

Elihu had understood the dealings of God with Job, but he does not attempt to combat his insistence on integrity, as the other men did. He told him God had brought his soul from the pit and had enlightened him with the light of the living, his redeemer lives and the resurrection of the dead.

God had allowed Job to be withdrawn from the life he had, that he might save him from spiritual pride. God had brought him down from his high place, to make him know, himself, and his dependence upon God for every breath of life.

Job had seen his redeemer as the living one, who would vindicate him. Elihu spoke of the redeemer as the ransom, the one who would be gracious to him, and deliver him from going down to the pit, not on the ground of his own integrity, but on the ground of his faith and trust in God.

God would restore him with a new spirit as a child; a new freshness of life in heavenly youthfulness; a new power in prayer and joy in the knowledge of God; a new assurance of righteousness in union with the righteous one, the light of the living.

God restored to him his flocks and herds and once again sons and daughters graced his home.

Job lived for a further 150 years after the time of his trial.

The Messiah’s Secret -  Baptism of Tears

 On the 19^th January Gwen Carlisle shared with us how God had called her to become a missionary. She left home to live and work in a church school in Paraguay. 
In our reading Abram (Abraham) was called by God to leave the security of what he knew to a new land. Genesis 12: 1-4. 
The writer of Hebrews points out that Abraham set out for the Promised Land not knowing where he was to go, he looked for a heavenly city whose builder and maker was God and his descendants were looking for God's promise to Abraham to be fulfilled. "These all died in faith, not receiving what was promised . . . They had seen it from afar, a better country, that is, a heavenly one." Hebrews 11: 8-9. 
David the shepherd and court musician a descendant of Abraham was favoured by the people and as a result due to the jealousy of King Saul was pursued by him throughout Israel. 1 Samuel 18: 28 - 30. 
 "Hear my prayer O Lord and give ear to my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears! For I am thy passing guest, a sojourner, like all my fathers." Psalm 39: 12.  David looked for the coming of God's kingdom.

Later when David was King, God gave a prophecy to Nathan for David, ”When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” 2 Samuel 7:12-17

This prophecy telling him that one of his descendants would be the Messiah and would established on the earth Abraham’s Promised Land, God’s eternal kingdom, and throne of King David. A King has a Kingdom.

The people at the time of Jesus were in expectation of the coming of the Messiah.

John the Baptist proclaimed a baptism of repentance in preparation of the coming in of the kingdom. And Jesus proclaimed, “The times is fulfilled the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Mark 1:15

(It was generally taught of there being only one Messiah.  The kingdom of God and Kingdom of heaven both refer to God’s kingdom)

Nicodemus a member of the Sanhedrin came from the security of what he knew to speak with Jesus.  John 3: 1-17         

He referred to Jesus as a teacher, “We know that you are a teacher come from God,” he probably had heard some of Jesus’ parables referring to the kingdom of God, but was not able to understand them. These parables were puzzling statements not meant to be understood by the people, only the disciples were given privately the understanding of them. “And he said to them, ”To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables; so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand.” Mark 4: 10-12 Many of the parables begin with 'The kingdom of God'.

“And he said, “The Kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how. The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts it to the sickle, because the harvest has come.”  Mark 4: 26-29.

The mystery of how the Kingdom of God would develop here in this parable: By the seeds of faith being sown and by grace people becoming children of God and enter into the kingdom of God.

The parables about the kingdom of God were meant to be kept a mystery, the reason why is because the Kingdom of God could not be brought in until after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension and after the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world. 

The disciples were proclaiming at and after Pentecost for the first time that Jesus was Christ, the Messiah proving from the scriptures Jesus had fulfilled prophesies that related to his death, resurrection, ascension and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.

Peter proclaimed that it was in the foreknowledge of God that he was crucified. “This Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.” Acts 2: 23.

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus who you crucified.” Acts 2: 29-36.           

At the Gate Beautiful Peter proclaimed that they had acted in ignorance, the prophesies of his suffering and death had been fulfilled and if they repented God would send the appointed Christ for you, Jesus.

The call to Israel’s leaders to accept and bring the people to repentance preceded Jesus bringing in the times of refreshing the restoration of the throne and land of King David. The promise to Abraham of a heavenly kingdom on earth.  Relating to the Ascension, “Whom heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old.” Acts 3: 17-21

Peter proclaimed that Joel's prophecy the coming of the Holy Spirit has been fulfilled. "And in the last days it shall be, God declares,that i will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh." Joel 2: 28-32. Acts 2: 14-17.

Jesus in conversation with Nicodemus informed him that he needed to be born anew to see the Kingdom of God.

Nicodemus’ response, “How can I be born again into my mothers’ womb?”

Jesus answered “That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.”

The flesh –  like discerning of the movement of the wind,  the human nature we are born with, finds it hard to understand and discern the words of scripture.  

Nicodemus a teacher of Israel could not understand Jesus’ words about being born anew.  (Ezekiel 36: 26-28. 37: 12-14.New heart.)

The Spirit – The Holy Spirit reveals the understanding of scripture, especially in connection with Jesus. Some of the gifts of the Spirit  are used to communicate the understanding and discernment of the words of scripture. Romans 10 Faith comes by hearing the words of the gospel.                                                                                             .

           

Jesus spoke of Being born of water and Spirit, we link water and Spirit with water baptism.    

Coming to Jesus from the security of what we know to believe and except Jesus as our Saviour we say sorry to God for the sins against God and for some Christians they experience a baptism of tears. 

Tears of repentance & Forgiveness of sins

 “I came to cast a fire upon the earth: and would that it was kindled! ! have a baptism to be baptized with and how I am constrained until it is accomplished.” Luke 12 : 49, 50

Here Jesus spoke of the baptism of his death before he would bring in the Kingdom .

As Jesus made his way down from the Mount of Olives he looked towards the city and wept.  I wonder did his tears reflected, the baptism of his suffering and death that he knew he was to endure. Love bearing the pain of sin against God, dying to redeem us by his sinless life.

                                                                                                                     

The conviction of sin may bring tears to our eyes, tears of repentance and the release from sin may be followed by tears of joy as our spirit is quickened(made alive in God) with the Holy Spirit, transforming our nature by the power of Almighty God. 

The Psalmist wrote ^“ May those who sow in tears, reap with shouts of joy!”

Professor Rendell Short in his book ‘Wonderfully Made’ writes, “Why emotion should stimulate the lachrymal glands is not clear.” It is not understood why we cry. 

    

One of the Holy Spirit’s gifts is the gift of tears.

John Richard writes about the gift of tears, “The Holy Spirit’s movement upon the heart touching the emotions as part of a loving response to God’s love. It is not associated with human passions but with the experience of God. Tears that flow without strain or effort as our heart cries out to God” www.helpforchristians.co.uk 

 A lady I know received the gift of tears at a Quiet Morning. She said, that tears began to flow and she could not understand the reason why. 

God tells us in his word that he keeps our tears in a bottle. 
The Psalmist wrote: "Thou hast kept count of my tossings (concerns) put thou my tears in a bottle! Are they not in your book?" Psalm 56: 8 So precious are our tears that God remembers them, makes a note of them. 

St Paul's gift of tears: in his second letter to the Corinthians.

 ^“For I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.”  2 Corinthians 2:4   

St Paul making it known in his love for them he was moved to tears in his prayers, before God. 

Jeremiah's gift of tears 
"But if you will not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears, because the Lord's flock have been taken captive."  Jeremiah 13: 17. In his prayers he was moved to tears as he prayed for the people who at the time were going through a period of prosperity but were turning away from God. 

My prayer is that the Lord would pour out his tears through his people, the church, to feel a compassionate love for the people on our road, avenue, street, in our town and in our nation, tears for those whose heart the Lord longs to touch, who do not yet know him, our Lord and Saviour Jesus the Christ.