We enjoyed a hike along the Carson River together.
Becky, Mandy and Becca enjoyed snow shoeing on Spooner Summitt with the rest of the gang.
Cheryl and I enjoyed so much having Ben and Becky in our home!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Fleming Family Christmas Photos
We enjoyed a hike along the Carson River together.
Becky, Mandy and Becca enjoyed snow shoeing on Spooner Summitt with the rest of the gang.Cheryl and I enjoyed so much having Ben and Becky in our home!
James #3
“A Living Faith”
James #3
December 28th
Pastor Ben Fleming
Open you bible to James chapter one. Two weeks ago we began this letter that James wrote to believers who were scattered abroad and being persecuted. He wrote the letter to encourage them and to equip them to have --- and experience a living, saving faith. In these first 12 verses James gives 5 keys that a believer must cultivate in their life to equip them to persevere. Please stand with me as God’s Word is read:
All of us are going to encounter trials in life --- some of you already have gone through severe trial even at a young age --- some of you have encountered trials of deep severity………….Everyone of you do not know what is going to happen to you in this New Year? You do not know the trials that God is going to allow in your life – bring to your life or permit in your life to make you become more pure and to bring Him glory. You can be sure that if you have a genuine saving faith, “He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus” --- and God often uses trials to complete His good work in you and bring about His purposes in your life.
Watch this testimony with me: VIDEO
Five Keys to Persevere Through Trials
(SLIDE)
#1 Cultivate a joyful attitude in your life. Vs. 2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds”. (BLANK) Trials are going to come to your life but if you are a believer – James says that in that trial… you are to cultivate a joyful attitude in your life. We found that a joyful attitude for a believer…. is a confident knowing in your life that God is in control and that you can trust in the promises and goodness of God. The pure joy that James is talking about….. is a joy that God is in control and that He is going to use your trials for His glory. You cultivate joy by walking in the power of the Holy Spirit --- the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is love – joy – peace ----- so if you are going persevere as a believer through the trials that come your way in 2009 – you must cultivate a joyful attitude by pursuing a daily life of Spirit – filled living.
(SLIDE)
#2 Cultivate an understanding mind. Vs.3 “because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” (BLANK) When James writes that you “know” --- he is saying that from experience you know that the testing of your faith is going to develop in you a character of perseverance……. You can only know that….. when you know personally the one who brings those trials into your life. You can know about God --- but James is talking about knowing God from personal intimate experience. The only way to know the God of the bible is to know His Son Jesus. If you do not genuinely know His Son Jesus – when a trial comes to your life --- you will not persevere. You will give up --- you will drift away --- you will become bitter – your character will not reflect more of God but your character will reflect more of the world. So ---- today ----- I challenge you to begin this new year by coming to God. Come to Him and receive Jesus Christ as your Savior. Make certain that you truly know Jesus and do not be content this coming year to have a religious or a demonic faith. ---- Every person in this room who has a saving faith has got to cultivate a joyful attitude and an understanding mind to persevere through trials…… That was a short review of the first two keys --- look with me at the next 3 keys to persevering through trials.
(SLIDE)
#3 Cultivate a submissive will in your life. vs.4 “Perseverance must finish it’s work so that you maybe mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (BLANK)
The only way out of a trial in your life is to go through it. God promises us no bypasses or escapes from a trial – He only promises us that we will suffer no spiritual harm from a trial. But God cannot do His perfect and complete work in us without us being willing and submissive to Him. I heard a preacher say once --- “do not waste the lessons from the test”. When a trial comes to our lives – we have to consciously decide to submit to God’s will. In the book of Job --- one of his friends wisely said to Job.
Job 5:8 “But if it were I, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before Him. He performs miracles that cannot be counted.”
Perhaps those words encouraged Job to cultivate a submissive will to God. James writes that the work of a trial and perseverance through a trial…. produces in the life a believer maturity and completeness. He says that believer who goes through trial will lack nothing. Look with me at the choice of words that James chose in verse 4.
(SLIDE)
Teleios = means to be perfect, but does not mean moral or spiritual perfection, or sinlessness, but it refers to being fully developed.
This obviously is how the NIV translated the word and used the word mature instead of perfect.
A believer in Jesus Christ is expected to become mature. Age does not produce spiritual maturity. I know a teenager who I consider to be more spiritually mature than some 50 year olds I know. Going to church year after year after year does not produce spiritual maturity. As a believer – you have got to cultivate a submissive will in your life that makes you want to pursue and seek to be mature….. and you know that walking through the trials in your life will help to bring that about. Spiritual maturity is an expectation that God has about His children. The apostle Paul wrote in
(OUTLINE)
Philippians 3: 14 -15 “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.”
Paul says that he presses on toward the goal that God has called him heavenward. He is not the only one who is pursuing spiritual maturity -- all of us who are mature should take such a view of things and those who are not pursuing maturity…….. God will make it clear to you that you must.
In Galatians 4:19…. Paul says to those believers, “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.” I have heard it put this way before ---- “I was saved --- I am being saved and I will be saved.” So --- if you have saving faith --- you are in the pains of childbirth and Christ will be formed in you and you will be fully developed ----- so ---- you are going to either cultivate a submissive will in your life…… which will accelerate that maturity, or you will rebel against God and try to live an independent spiritual life. James makes the picture clearer with the use of another word in verse 4:
SLIDE
Holokleros = means to be complete, which carries the idea of being a whole, entire person. The prefix to this Greek word holo is the term from which we get the word holograph. It means the 360 degree depiction of an object. Right after this word --- to drive the point even further James writes “lacking in nothing.” So – what is the 360 degree picture of Christ in your life??? When a testing or a trial comes into your life ---- what picture of Christ is seen in you?? What picture of Christ is seen in you when no one else is around??? Are you only content to be 180 degree Christ like? Cultivate a submissive will in your life. Key #4
SLIDE
#4 Cultivate a heart that believes God. vs.5-8 “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all he does.”
The 4th key that James gives to us when we go through a trial is a believing heart ---- believers need a special measure of understanding to help them through the trial and that need should drive them to ask God to supply them with understanding and wisdom. A strong – sound faith is not based on feelings but on a knowledge and understanding of the promises of God’s truth ------- which is spiritual wisdom.
When believers face times of testing --- physical testing as a result of an illness or a death --- emotional testing as a result of relationships or moral testing and spiritual testing --- they have a special need for wisdom from God. A believer needs to have a heart that truly believes in the words of King Solomon in Proverbs ---- on your outline:
Proverbs 3:5 – 7 “”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.” How do you demonstrate that trust that Solomon is writing about?
James tells us in verse 5. “If any of you lacks wisdom in the trial – he should ask God” – we demonstrate trust in God through prayer. Trials for the believer – should enhance their prayer life. It should cause one who has a saving faith to turn to the Lord for guidance – strength – patience and wisdom………… Our prayers should be prayers that ask God for His wisdom. A believing heart prays. The lack of prayer….. demonstrates unbelief. This is not a suggestion that James is giving to believers it is a command from God --- we are told to ask God. There is nothing wrong with believers coming together and asking God for help --- we should be the kind of church family that comes together and prays together about trials that we are going through. I have planned for us to have a week of fasting and prayer the third week of January and then on Friday the 23rd of January to join me in an evening of prayer. Prayer is an example of believers experiencing a living faith. When we come to God believing Him and asking Him for His wisdom in a trial ---- James says that God immediately and single mindedly gives it to us generously. Jesus put it this way about God and His generous giving in Matthew. OUTLINE
Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish will give him a snake? If you, then though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him? “ So --- if one of God’s children is going through a trial ----- do you not think that if that child of God asks God for wisdom and help --- will not God give it to him or her?
James now turns from God and God’s faithfulness to the child of God and discusses belief or unbelief of the person going through the trial. Vs. 6 “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” ………….Some Christians simply doubt that God will give them what they need, and rationalize their doubt in many ways. Some believe that they are unworthy as a child of God --- some believe that their need is irrelevant and there are other believers who wonder why God allow the calamity to come upon them in the first place. James tells us two things about this doubting person: A doubting person
* “They are driven and tossed by the wind.” …..This kind of a person really is not serious when they ask God for help --- they are immature --- James says they are driven and tossed by the wind……. That immaturity will show itself in other ways. Paul says in Ephesians 4:14 they can be “blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitfulscheming.” I have to say that in the past 14 years…. I have seen this happen in several individuals lives. I do not think – it is because they do not have a saving faith --- but it is because of immaturity in their life and when a trial or testing came into their life --- especially in the area of a relationship problem --- they easily believed anything and sound doctrine had no value in their life. 2nd characteristic of a doubter
* “They are double minded, unstable in all their ways.” This person claims to be a believer in Jesus Christ. They attend church faithfully – play on the worship team but when they go through a severe trail, they turn to human resources rather than trusting God for the answers and for help. They have become resentful and bitter…. and they act as if God does not exist. Do not get me wrong --- they can have some idea of God’s Word and His power…….. but when it comes down to it – they refuse to come to God for His resources. I have seen a man like James is describing going through a testing and that man failed – he ended up murdering another man because of his resentment and bitterness – he was a double minded man. As I look back on it now --- he had a demonic faith.
Cultivate a believing heart ------ cultivate a submissive will – cultivate an understanding mind --- cultivate a joyful attitude and #5
#5 Cultivate a humble spirit. Vs.9 -11 “The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.”
James is writing to believers who were economically poor and persecuted. Some of them had been rich ----- but the persecution of believers, made most of them live in poverty. James is saying to them that when that happens they can and should consider their condition as a blessing. He contrasts the poor to the one who is rich ---- the rich person should take pride in being made low or humbled……. because if they do not they will be like a flower that is destroyed when a trial or testing comes to them…………..
When you lose a daughter or son ---- when you lose your husband or your wife or a loved one ---- wealth is no comfort. When you lose your health or you are betrayed --- money will not bring you peace of mind. Trials are the great equalizer ------------------- bringing all God’s genuine children to depend upon Him.
So – humility or a humble spirit is what James is saying that we must cultivate in our lives when a trial or a testing comes to us. Those who are poor have an easier time of being humble – those who are rich ---- when the scorching winds of life come ---- they will fade away if they do not glory in God in the trial that they are going through.
We have a hard time understanding the way James is writing this. Most of think of ourselves as humble. Humility is tough to cultivate in our lives when things are going well. Believers who have lost everything because of sin in their life or because of the sin of someone else…. have the choice to keep to themselves and walk through their trial alone ( which in my experience most believers try first) or they can choose to demonstrate humility and allow others in the family of God to help them and to receive instruction or encouragement or correction. Look at the last scripture on your outline in the book of Galatians.
Galatians 6:1-2 “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you may also be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Paul is talking about carrying the sins of another Christian. He is talking about encouraging that believer and pointing them to God’s Word. He is talking about holding them accountable and helping that believer to be restored. In verse 2 --- he says to carry their burden. In the context of the scripture ----- the reference is to sin. But ----if you are a believer … verse 2 can be easily applied to any area of your life. You can apply it to any trial or testing or temptation that comes your way.
I believe that for the believer in Jesus Christ ---- true humility is demonstrated and cultivated when that believer allows another believer or a family of believers to know and understand and walk with them through the trial. It could be addiction ----- anger and bitterness ----- financial hardship or poor decisions you have made ----- relationship problems or cancer or a death in your family. I have to say to you ------ Rhea and Carol Williams ---- you have been a demonstration of humility over the past 6 months as you have given us --- your church family ---- the privilege of walking with you through your trial. You have demonstrated and cultivated humility.
James closes this sections of keys but telling the believers what their reward will be. He says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he or she has stood the test, they will receive the crow of life that God has promised to those who love him.” No all are going to persevere. Not all are going to stand the test. Are you?
Let us pray:
James #3
December 28th
Pastor Ben Fleming
Open you bible to James chapter one. Two weeks ago we began this letter that James wrote to believers who were scattered abroad and being persecuted. He wrote the letter to encourage them and to equip them to have --- and experience a living, saving faith. In these first 12 verses James gives 5 keys that a believer must cultivate in their life to equip them to persevere. Please stand with me as God’s Word is read:
All of us are going to encounter trials in life --- some of you already have gone through severe trial even at a young age --- some of you have encountered trials of deep severity………….Everyone of you do not know what is going to happen to you in this New Year? You do not know the trials that God is going to allow in your life – bring to your life or permit in your life to make you become more pure and to bring Him glory. You can be sure that if you have a genuine saving faith, “He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus” --- and God often uses trials to complete His good work in you and bring about His purposes in your life.
Watch this testimony with me: VIDEO
Five Keys to Persevere Through Trials
(SLIDE)
#1 Cultivate a joyful attitude in your life. Vs. 2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds”. (BLANK) Trials are going to come to your life but if you are a believer – James says that in that trial… you are to cultivate a joyful attitude in your life. We found that a joyful attitude for a believer…. is a confident knowing in your life that God is in control and that you can trust in the promises and goodness of God. The pure joy that James is talking about….. is a joy that God is in control and that He is going to use your trials for His glory. You cultivate joy by walking in the power of the Holy Spirit --- the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is love – joy – peace ----- so if you are going persevere as a believer through the trials that come your way in 2009 – you must cultivate a joyful attitude by pursuing a daily life of Spirit – filled living.
(SLIDE)
#2 Cultivate an understanding mind. Vs.3 “because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” (BLANK) When James writes that you “know” --- he is saying that from experience you know that the testing of your faith is going to develop in you a character of perseverance……. You can only know that….. when you know personally the one who brings those trials into your life. You can know about God --- but James is talking about knowing God from personal intimate experience. The only way to know the God of the bible is to know His Son Jesus. If you do not genuinely know His Son Jesus – when a trial comes to your life --- you will not persevere. You will give up --- you will drift away --- you will become bitter – your character will not reflect more of God but your character will reflect more of the world. So ---- today ----- I challenge you to begin this new year by coming to God. Come to Him and receive Jesus Christ as your Savior. Make certain that you truly know Jesus and do not be content this coming year to have a religious or a demonic faith. ---- Every person in this room who has a saving faith has got to cultivate a joyful attitude and an understanding mind to persevere through trials…… That was a short review of the first two keys --- look with me at the next 3 keys to persevering through trials.
(SLIDE)
#3 Cultivate a submissive will in your life. vs.4 “Perseverance must finish it’s work so that you maybe mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (BLANK)
The only way out of a trial in your life is to go through it. God promises us no bypasses or escapes from a trial – He only promises us that we will suffer no spiritual harm from a trial. But God cannot do His perfect and complete work in us without us being willing and submissive to Him. I heard a preacher say once --- “do not waste the lessons from the test”. When a trial comes to our lives – we have to consciously decide to submit to God’s will. In the book of Job --- one of his friends wisely said to Job.
Job 5:8 “But if it were I, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before Him. He performs miracles that cannot be counted.”
Perhaps those words encouraged Job to cultivate a submissive will to God. James writes that the work of a trial and perseverance through a trial…. produces in the life a believer maturity and completeness. He says that believer who goes through trial will lack nothing. Look with me at the choice of words that James chose in verse 4.
(SLIDE)
Teleios = means to be perfect, but does not mean moral or spiritual perfection, or sinlessness, but it refers to being fully developed.
This obviously is how the NIV translated the word and used the word mature instead of perfect.
A believer in Jesus Christ is expected to become mature. Age does not produce spiritual maturity. I know a teenager who I consider to be more spiritually mature than some 50 year olds I know. Going to church year after year after year does not produce spiritual maturity. As a believer – you have got to cultivate a submissive will in your life that makes you want to pursue and seek to be mature….. and you know that walking through the trials in your life will help to bring that about. Spiritual maturity is an expectation that God has about His children. The apostle Paul wrote in
(OUTLINE)
Philippians 3: 14 -15 “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.”
Paul says that he presses on toward the goal that God has called him heavenward. He is not the only one who is pursuing spiritual maturity -- all of us who are mature should take such a view of things and those who are not pursuing maturity…….. God will make it clear to you that you must.
In Galatians 4:19…. Paul says to those believers, “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.” I have heard it put this way before ---- “I was saved --- I am being saved and I will be saved.” So --- if you have saving faith --- you are in the pains of childbirth and Christ will be formed in you and you will be fully developed ----- so ---- you are going to either cultivate a submissive will in your life…… which will accelerate that maturity, or you will rebel against God and try to live an independent spiritual life. James makes the picture clearer with the use of another word in verse 4:
SLIDE
Holokleros = means to be complete, which carries the idea of being a whole, entire person. The prefix to this Greek word holo is the term from which we get the word holograph. It means the 360 degree depiction of an object. Right after this word --- to drive the point even further James writes “lacking in nothing.” So – what is the 360 degree picture of Christ in your life??? When a testing or a trial comes into your life ---- what picture of Christ is seen in you?? What picture of Christ is seen in you when no one else is around??? Are you only content to be 180 degree Christ like? Cultivate a submissive will in your life. Key #4
SLIDE
#4 Cultivate a heart that believes God. vs.5-8 “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all he does.”
The 4th key that James gives to us when we go through a trial is a believing heart ---- believers need a special measure of understanding to help them through the trial and that need should drive them to ask God to supply them with understanding and wisdom. A strong – sound faith is not based on feelings but on a knowledge and understanding of the promises of God’s truth ------- which is spiritual wisdom.
When believers face times of testing --- physical testing as a result of an illness or a death --- emotional testing as a result of relationships or moral testing and spiritual testing --- they have a special need for wisdom from God. A believer needs to have a heart that truly believes in the words of King Solomon in Proverbs ---- on your outline:
Proverbs 3:5 – 7 “”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.” How do you demonstrate that trust that Solomon is writing about?
James tells us in verse 5. “If any of you lacks wisdom in the trial – he should ask God” – we demonstrate trust in God through prayer. Trials for the believer – should enhance their prayer life. It should cause one who has a saving faith to turn to the Lord for guidance – strength – patience and wisdom………… Our prayers should be prayers that ask God for His wisdom. A believing heart prays. The lack of prayer….. demonstrates unbelief. This is not a suggestion that James is giving to believers it is a command from God --- we are told to ask God. There is nothing wrong with believers coming together and asking God for help --- we should be the kind of church family that comes together and prays together about trials that we are going through. I have planned for us to have a week of fasting and prayer the third week of January and then on Friday the 23rd of January to join me in an evening of prayer. Prayer is an example of believers experiencing a living faith. When we come to God believing Him and asking Him for His wisdom in a trial ---- James says that God immediately and single mindedly gives it to us generously. Jesus put it this way about God and His generous giving in Matthew. OUTLINE
Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish will give him a snake? If you, then though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him? “ So --- if one of God’s children is going through a trial ----- do you not think that if that child of God asks God for wisdom and help --- will not God give it to him or her?
James now turns from God and God’s faithfulness to the child of God and discusses belief or unbelief of the person going through the trial. Vs. 6 “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” ………….Some Christians simply doubt that God will give them what they need, and rationalize their doubt in many ways. Some believe that they are unworthy as a child of God --- some believe that their need is irrelevant and there are other believers who wonder why God allow the calamity to come upon them in the first place. James tells us two things about this doubting person: A doubting person
* “They are driven and tossed by the wind.” …..This kind of a person really is not serious when they ask God for help --- they are immature --- James says they are driven and tossed by the wind……. That immaturity will show itself in other ways. Paul says in Ephesians 4:14 they can be “blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitfulscheming.” I have to say that in the past 14 years…. I have seen this happen in several individuals lives. I do not think – it is because they do not have a saving faith --- but it is because of immaturity in their life and when a trial or testing came into their life --- especially in the area of a relationship problem --- they easily believed anything and sound doctrine had no value in their life. 2nd characteristic of a doubter
* “They are double minded, unstable in all their ways.” This person claims to be a believer in Jesus Christ. They attend church faithfully – play on the worship team but when they go through a severe trail, they turn to human resources rather than trusting God for the answers and for help. They have become resentful and bitter…. and they act as if God does not exist. Do not get me wrong --- they can have some idea of God’s Word and His power…….. but when it comes down to it – they refuse to come to God for His resources. I have seen a man like James is describing going through a testing and that man failed – he ended up murdering another man because of his resentment and bitterness – he was a double minded man. As I look back on it now --- he had a demonic faith.
Cultivate a believing heart ------ cultivate a submissive will – cultivate an understanding mind --- cultivate a joyful attitude and #5
#5 Cultivate a humble spirit. Vs.9 -11 “The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.”
James is writing to believers who were economically poor and persecuted. Some of them had been rich ----- but the persecution of believers, made most of them live in poverty. James is saying to them that when that happens they can and should consider their condition as a blessing. He contrasts the poor to the one who is rich ---- the rich person should take pride in being made low or humbled……. because if they do not they will be like a flower that is destroyed when a trial or testing comes to them…………..
When you lose a daughter or son ---- when you lose your husband or your wife or a loved one ---- wealth is no comfort. When you lose your health or you are betrayed --- money will not bring you peace of mind. Trials are the great equalizer ------------------- bringing all God’s genuine children to depend upon Him.
So – humility or a humble spirit is what James is saying that we must cultivate in our lives when a trial or a testing comes to us. Those who are poor have an easier time of being humble – those who are rich ---- when the scorching winds of life come ---- they will fade away if they do not glory in God in the trial that they are going through.
We have a hard time understanding the way James is writing this. Most of think of ourselves as humble. Humility is tough to cultivate in our lives when things are going well. Believers who have lost everything because of sin in their life or because of the sin of someone else…. have the choice to keep to themselves and walk through their trial alone ( which in my experience most believers try first) or they can choose to demonstrate humility and allow others in the family of God to help them and to receive instruction or encouragement or correction. Look at the last scripture on your outline in the book of Galatians.
Galatians 6:1-2 “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you may also be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Paul is talking about carrying the sins of another Christian. He is talking about encouraging that believer and pointing them to God’s Word. He is talking about holding them accountable and helping that believer to be restored. In verse 2 --- he says to carry their burden. In the context of the scripture ----- the reference is to sin. But ----if you are a believer … verse 2 can be easily applied to any area of your life. You can apply it to any trial or testing or temptation that comes your way.
I believe that for the believer in Jesus Christ ---- true humility is demonstrated and cultivated when that believer allows another believer or a family of believers to know and understand and walk with them through the trial. It could be addiction ----- anger and bitterness ----- financial hardship or poor decisions you have made ----- relationship problems or cancer or a death in your family. I have to say to you ------ Rhea and Carol Williams ---- you have been a demonstration of humility over the past 6 months as you have given us --- your church family ---- the privilege of walking with you through your trial. You have demonstrated and cultivated humility.
James closes this sections of keys but telling the believers what their reward will be. He says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he or she has stood the test, they will receive the crow of life that God has promised to those who love him.” No all are going to persevere. Not all are going to stand the test. Are you?
Let us pray:
James #2
“A Living Faith”
James #2
December 14th
Pastor Ben Fleming
Turn in your bibles to the book of James. We began this book last week. It is a letter that Pastor James wrote to the New Testament believers scattered abroad – he wrote it to you and me and he wrote to us so that we might know what it means to have and experience a living faith. Watch this testimony with me. VIDEO CLIP.
Please stand as we read James chapter one. READ. ET READS Pray about trials.
INTRODUCTION: When James wrote this letter – believers in Jerusalem were facing many trials – believers everywhere were facing many problems and challenges. You face them. The young man in the video faced the challenge of his mom and dad splitting up and forgiving his dad. Some of you have faced that same challenge in your life. You might be facing the trial of unemployment. You might be wondering how you are going to pay for your mortgage – rent - your cell phone bill or even a utility bill. How are you going to pay for school? You might have the challenge of an illness. You might have the challenge of a relationship problem. You are going to face trials. You cannot get out of them --- you cannot run from trials. They come in many different forms and in different levels of severity……. Many Christians have great confidence in their faith…… until it is severely tested by a hardship or a disappointment. How a believer handles their trails will reveal to them whether his or her faith is a living or a dead – a genuine or an imitation – a saving or a non saving faith……………..
Everyone who is born in this world will undergo a measure of trouble. Some of our troubles are a result of the fall of Adam and Eve in the beginning – in Job 5:7 it says, “for man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward.” David cried out to God in Ps.22:11 “Be not far from me, for trouble is near”…. and Isaiah said, “look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish.”……. Christians are not exempt from trouble. It is false teaching to say that if a Christian is in trouble it is always because of sin in their life……..You will even find trouble in the best of the things which God gives to His children – your marriage and your family – there will be trouble. Your church and relationships in the church – there will be trouble. Christians can also and should expect trouble because of their faith. Jesus said, “if they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you,” and Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12 “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
In this letter – James is pressing the point that if a person has a genuine faith – it will prove itself during times of trouble – whatever the nature of the trouble is or the source of the trouble. When trouble comes to a person who considers themselves a Christian - they will find out if they have a saving faith or a faith that is worth nothing at all…….. There are at least 8 reasons why God allows or causes or brings trouble to the life of His children. First – He does so to test the strength of our faith and then He allows trouble to humble us and remind us to put our trust in Him. Thirdly, God brings trouble to wean us of our dependence upon worldly things. The more we accumulate things – they more we depend upon those things ---- and then God allows trouble to call us to eternal and heavenly hope. The longer our trails last -- the more we look forward to being with the Lord. Fifth – God allows trouble to show us what we really love ---- and then He allows trouble to teach us to value His blessings. Troubles help us to be used more for God and they help us to better help others in their troubles.
In this section --- In chapter 1:1-12, James is focusing on the keys that a believer needs to persevere through trials. We are going to examine the first two keys today and then on the 28th we will examine the last three….. Since trials are used by God to produce in our lives godliness – we must understand what these keys are and how we should use them – purse them and love them.
Five Keys To Persevere Through Trials
1. Cultivate a joyful attitude in your life. Verse 2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” .. James says to the believers that they will encounter and go through many trials. The King James bible wrongly translated this when it said divers temptations – for trials of many kinds. Periasmos could be temptations but in this context it means a trial or testing that is directed towards an end…….. The end that it is talking about is that the one who is tested will emerge stronger and purer as a result of the trial. James says that the trial will have many colors to it. The death of our grandson – the cancer you go through Rhea and your MS Phil – unemployment – broken relationships – financial troubles --- those are are all trials of many kinds.
James says that we are to look upon or consider our trials as pure joy. I do not recall riding on the airplane to Seattle on June 9th as joy. I do not recall feeling joy when the starter motor went out or feeling joy when the stove would not work. What is this joy? HA HA look at all the money that I get to spend and all the hassles I get to go through………...? James is saying that pure joy is when God’s children willingly and un complainingly know that God is using the pain and the trouble they are going through for their benefit and for His glory. This joy is a sincere trust in the promise and goodness of God that we can welcome our troubles as friends……... it is a knowing like Joseph did that what may have been meant for evil against us – God meant for good. That is the joy that James is talking about….. Do you get it????
We are not just to act joyful, or pretend to be joyful – but to be…. genuinely joyful. It is a matter of the will and not our feelings – it should be and it can be a conscious – determined commitment of every faithful believer who wants to experience a living faith. Look on your outline at these scriptures:
Hebrews 12:1 - 2 “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” ------ circle the word joy on your outline.
Jesus demonstrated the joy that James is talking about here. Jesus did not go to the cross laughing and smiling – but His joy was deep within – joy that God was in control – joy that God was using this for His glory. You might say okay --- that was Jesus but what about a sinful man like you and me??
Philippians 2:17;3:7- 8 “But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you…whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.” ---- Paul wrote those words from prison. He says that he is glad and rejoices with all of you. He considered all that he was going through as joy. He was putting into practice what James is writing. Long time pastor Warren Wiersbe writes these words, “Our values determine our evaluations. If we value comfort more than character, then trials will upset us. If we value material and physical more than spiritual, we will not be able to count it all joy. If we live only for the present and forget the future, our trials will make us bitter – not better.” How about you? What do you care about? Have you become bitter as a result of a trial or trouble in your life??
PHOTO – Amy Charmichael – longtime missionary to India writes “Hast thou no scar? No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand? I hear thee sung as mighty in the land, I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star, hast though no scar? …….. Hast thou no wound? Yes, I was wounded by the archers, spent, Leaned me against the tree to die; and rent by ravening beasts that compassed me, I swooned: Hast thou no wound?......... No wound? No scar? Yes, as the Master shall the servant be. And pierced are the feet that follow Me; But thine are whole: can he have followed far who has no wound nor scar?
So – how do you cultivate joy? You start by walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. You start by being filled with the Holy Spirit and the bible tells us that the result of being filled with Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 “love – joy – peace – patience – kindness – gentleness – faithfulness - goodness and self control.” So – ask God to fill you – do not assume that you are filled with the Holy Spirit – you most likely are not. When a trial comes or a testing comes --- quote this verse out loud. Memorize it. The first Key to persevering through a trial is to cultivate joy in your life. If you are going to cultivate it that means that you have to actively do something to cause it to grow…… Key#2
2. Cultivate an understanding mind. (Verse 3) “Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” Ok – what does James mean here? Do you really know that when your faith is tested it will develop perseverance in you? What does the bible mean when this word know is used? Let’s try to understand it. On your outline:
To know = Ginosko – a full understanding that is beyond mere facts and only comes through personal experience. Jesus used the word ginosko in Mark 13:28 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.” What does He mean? From experience you know that summer follows spring. In Romans 1 :19 “Since what may be known about God is plain to them and in verse 21 “for although they knew God”. Both words come from ginosko. A full understanding that is beyond facts but an understanding that comes from personal experience. So – here is the point:
Romans 1:19 – the ungodly have a level of knowing God through creation and conscience. Every person in this room knows murder and adultery is wrong and immoral but not every person in this room knows God as their savior from experience. If you do not know God from personal experience – from knowing His Son Jesus through receiving Him --- you cannot cultivate an understanding mind. You cannot have joy in the midst of trails – but you can have a level of knowing God because He has revealed Himself to you through nature and your conscience – He gives you enough knowledge of Him to come to Him and be saved……… And some of us today that is the need that you have and that is the response that God is asking of you today. Stop being content in the knowledge of God that you have of Him through your conscience and nature……. and come to Him and receive His Son Jesus. Jesus said in John 17:3 “Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” So --- Christian --- you can cultivate an understanding mind – to do that you have to know from experience God’s Word. The believer has the mind of Christ --- do you think with the mind of Christ? If you think you do --- do you know the mind of Christ? Why is this important? The rest of the verse tells you --- “You know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”
How Does Perseverance Happen In The Life Of The Believer?
Words mean a lot – especially in the bible. So – perseverance or as some translate it endurance does not mean patience as some bibles translate what James wrote.
Perseverance = the product of patience. In the context of our study --- the second key James writes about is patiently enduring trials while trusting God produces perseverance. Patience is only needed in the trial but perseverance is a permanent inner quality of strength which increases every time a trial is patiently endured. Look with me on your outline at two examples of this:
Psalm 40: 1 -2 “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on the rock and me a firm place to stand.”
Do you think David is writing about a trial that he went through? Yes – He sure is. He waited patiently for the Lord – God lifted Him out of His trial – God brought Him through it and in the end perseverance was built into David’s character. What is your character like? Are you known as one who endures and trusts God when you go through a trial? The apostle Paul assures the believer in
1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation (trial) has seized you except that is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He also will provide a way of escape.” The bible makes it perfectly clear that no person who comes to God in saving faith will ever be separated from the Savior. If you have a genuine faith in Christ you cannot loose that faith. You cannot become a Christian and then decide one day that you are not a Christian. When a trial comes into your life and you decide “enough is enough” I am dumping this God and Jesus thing --- you never were a real believer in the first place. This is a doctrine or teaching all through out the New Testament. Perseverance to the end is the destiny of a believer. It is called the perseverance of the saints or believers. How does it happen? Is it on the shoulders of the person??????? If you are a believer you can count on three facts for your perseverance.
You Will Persevere Because Of:
1. The Power of God – Jesus said these words to His disciples in John 10:28 - 29 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, no one can snatch them out of My hand.” My father who has given to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” The hand of Jesus is powerful enough to keep His disciples or it is not . John 6:39 “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given Me, but raise them up on the last day.” The power of God is real or it is not and when Jesus says that He will not loose any that God has given to Him and He will raise them up on the last day ---- you either believe Him or you do not. Cultivate a joyful attitude and an understanding mind as you walk through the trials in your life. A genuine believer will endure because of the power of God. You will persevere because of:
2. The promises and prayers of Christ. Before Jesus was arrested He prayed a prayer in John 17:12 “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name You gave Me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that the Scripture might be fulfilled”. Jesus says all of His disciples except Judas persevered. We saw last week that Judas did not persevere because He has a demonic faith. Jesus said to Peter in Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that you might not fail”. Jesus lives today – seated at the right hand of the God interceding for His children.
Jesus is praying for those who are His. He is praying for believers that they may persevere. When a trial comes upon them --- Jesus is speaking to God for them and about them. You will make it through what you are going through. God hears and answers the requests of His Son. Do not give up ---- God answers His Sons prayer’s. I have no idea how one can believe that they can loose their salvation if they have been truly born again. It does not matter how terrible your trial is or will be ---- you will persevere. 1 John 2:1 “ Our Great High Priest, who “is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him.” It does not say that God saves everybody does it??? It says that Jesus saves those who draw near to God through Jesus. There are not many ways to God. If Jesus is able to save ---- then He is able to save forever those who He is given by God. You will persevere because of the prayers and promises of Jesus and #3 you will persevere because of
3. The presence of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13 -14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” Look what Paul says: you were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth and having believed. Someone who hears the word of Christ and does not believe is not included in Christ. Someone who believes – who has a saving living faith – is marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit who guarantees your perseverance.
Warning:
Perseverance is inseparable from holiness. A life that is consistently immoral and unspiritual cannot persevere because it does not belong to God. It has no desire to persevere in the faith. Someone who does not live for Christ and reflect Christ must be warned to not assume they have salvation. Someone who consistently and presumptuously sins must be warned. You cannot nor will you persevere. You do not have a saving faith. Closing…….. When trials and testing comes to your life --- cultivate a joyful attitude in your life and cultivate an understanding mind.
Watch this Testimony with me:
Let us pray………….. Heavenly Father – thank you for the trials and testings of life. Thank you that we can consider them joy. We can have a joy knowing that You are in control and that you are using all that we go through for our good and Your glory. Lord – help us to endure – Help us not to give up and drift away. Help us to persevere. Thank you. In Jesus Name -Amen
James #2
December 14th
Pastor Ben Fleming
Turn in your bibles to the book of James. We began this book last week. It is a letter that Pastor James wrote to the New Testament believers scattered abroad – he wrote it to you and me and he wrote to us so that we might know what it means to have and experience a living faith. Watch this testimony with me. VIDEO CLIP.
Please stand as we read James chapter one. READ. ET READS Pray about trials.
INTRODUCTION: When James wrote this letter – believers in Jerusalem were facing many trials – believers everywhere were facing many problems and challenges. You face them. The young man in the video faced the challenge of his mom and dad splitting up and forgiving his dad. Some of you have faced that same challenge in your life. You might be facing the trial of unemployment. You might be wondering how you are going to pay for your mortgage – rent - your cell phone bill or even a utility bill. How are you going to pay for school? You might have the challenge of an illness. You might have the challenge of a relationship problem. You are going to face trials. You cannot get out of them --- you cannot run from trials. They come in many different forms and in different levels of severity……. Many Christians have great confidence in their faith…… until it is severely tested by a hardship or a disappointment. How a believer handles their trails will reveal to them whether his or her faith is a living or a dead – a genuine or an imitation – a saving or a non saving faith……………..
Everyone who is born in this world will undergo a measure of trouble. Some of our troubles are a result of the fall of Adam and Eve in the beginning – in Job 5:7 it says, “for man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward.” David cried out to God in Ps.22:11 “Be not far from me, for trouble is near”…. and Isaiah said, “look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish.”……. Christians are not exempt from trouble. It is false teaching to say that if a Christian is in trouble it is always because of sin in their life……..You will even find trouble in the best of the things which God gives to His children – your marriage and your family – there will be trouble. Your church and relationships in the church – there will be trouble. Christians can also and should expect trouble because of their faith. Jesus said, “if they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you,” and Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12 “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
In this letter – James is pressing the point that if a person has a genuine faith – it will prove itself during times of trouble – whatever the nature of the trouble is or the source of the trouble. When trouble comes to a person who considers themselves a Christian - they will find out if they have a saving faith or a faith that is worth nothing at all…….. There are at least 8 reasons why God allows or causes or brings trouble to the life of His children. First – He does so to test the strength of our faith and then He allows trouble to humble us and remind us to put our trust in Him. Thirdly, God brings trouble to wean us of our dependence upon worldly things. The more we accumulate things – they more we depend upon those things ---- and then God allows trouble to call us to eternal and heavenly hope. The longer our trails last -- the more we look forward to being with the Lord. Fifth – God allows trouble to show us what we really love ---- and then He allows trouble to teach us to value His blessings. Troubles help us to be used more for God and they help us to better help others in their troubles.
In this section --- In chapter 1:1-12, James is focusing on the keys that a believer needs to persevere through trials. We are going to examine the first two keys today and then on the 28th we will examine the last three….. Since trials are used by God to produce in our lives godliness – we must understand what these keys are and how we should use them – purse them and love them.
Five Keys To Persevere Through Trials
1. Cultivate a joyful attitude in your life. Verse 2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” .. James says to the believers that they will encounter and go through many trials. The King James bible wrongly translated this when it said divers temptations – for trials of many kinds. Periasmos could be temptations but in this context it means a trial or testing that is directed towards an end…….. The end that it is talking about is that the one who is tested will emerge stronger and purer as a result of the trial. James says that the trial will have many colors to it. The death of our grandson – the cancer you go through Rhea and your MS Phil – unemployment – broken relationships – financial troubles --- those are are all trials of many kinds.
James says that we are to look upon or consider our trials as pure joy. I do not recall riding on the airplane to Seattle on June 9th as joy. I do not recall feeling joy when the starter motor went out or feeling joy when the stove would not work. What is this joy? HA HA look at all the money that I get to spend and all the hassles I get to go through………...? James is saying that pure joy is when God’s children willingly and un complainingly know that God is using the pain and the trouble they are going through for their benefit and for His glory. This joy is a sincere trust in the promise and goodness of God that we can welcome our troubles as friends……... it is a knowing like Joseph did that what may have been meant for evil against us – God meant for good. That is the joy that James is talking about….. Do you get it????
We are not just to act joyful, or pretend to be joyful – but to be…. genuinely joyful. It is a matter of the will and not our feelings – it should be and it can be a conscious – determined commitment of every faithful believer who wants to experience a living faith. Look on your outline at these scriptures:
Hebrews 12:1 - 2 “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” ------ circle the word joy on your outline.
Jesus demonstrated the joy that James is talking about here. Jesus did not go to the cross laughing and smiling – but His joy was deep within – joy that God was in control – joy that God was using this for His glory. You might say okay --- that was Jesus but what about a sinful man like you and me??
Philippians 2:17;3:7- 8 “But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you…whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.” ---- Paul wrote those words from prison. He says that he is glad and rejoices with all of you. He considered all that he was going through as joy. He was putting into practice what James is writing. Long time pastor Warren Wiersbe writes these words, “Our values determine our evaluations. If we value comfort more than character, then trials will upset us. If we value material and physical more than spiritual, we will not be able to count it all joy. If we live only for the present and forget the future, our trials will make us bitter – not better.” How about you? What do you care about? Have you become bitter as a result of a trial or trouble in your life??
PHOTO – Amy Charmichael – longtime missionary to India writes “Hast thou no scar? No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand? I hear thee sung as mighty in the land, I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star, hast though no scar? …….. Hast thou no wound? Yes, I was wounded by the archers, spent, Leaned me against the tree to die; and rent by ravening beasts that compassed me, I swooned: Hast thou no wound?......... No wound? No scar? Yes, as the Master shall the servant be. And pierced are the feet that follow Me; But thine are whole: can he have followed far who has no wound nor scar?
So – how do you cultivate joy? You start by walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. You start by being filled with the Holy Spirit and the bible tells us that the result of being filled with Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 “love – joy – peace – patience – kindness – gentleness – faithfulness - goodness and self control.” So – ask God to fill you – do not assume that you are filled with the Holy Spirit – you most likely are not. When a trial comes or a testing comes --- quote this verse out loud. Memorize it. The first Key to persevering through a trial is to cultivate joy in your life. If you are going to cultivate it that means that you have to actively do something to cause it to grow…… Key#2
2. Cultivate an understanding mind. (Verse 3) “Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” Ok – what does James mean here? Do you really know that when your faith is tested it will develop perseverance in you? What does the bible mean when this word know is used? Let’s try to understand it. On your outline:
To know = Ginosko – a full understanding that is beyond mere facts and only comes through personal experience. Jesus used the word ginosko in Mark 13:28 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.” What does He mean? From experience you know that summer follows spring. In Romans 1 :19 “Since what may be known about God is plain to them and in verse 21 “for although they knew God”. Both words come from ginosko. A full understanding that is beyond facts but an understanding that comes from personal experience. So – here is the point:
Romans 1:19 – the ungodly have a level of knowing God through creation and conscience. Every person in this room knows murder and adultery is wrong and immoral but not every person in this room knows God as their savior from experience. If you do not know God from personal experience – from knowing His Son Jesus through receiving Him --- you cannot cultivate an understanding mind. You cannot have joy in the midst of trails – but you can have a level of knowing God because He has revealed Himself to you through nature and your conscience – He gives you enough knowledge of Him to come to Him and be saved……… And some of us today that is the need that you have and that is the response that God is asking of you today. Stop being content in the knowledge of God that you have of Him through your conscience and nature……. and come to Him and receive His Son Jesus. Jesus said in John 17:3 “Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” So --- Christian --- you can cultivate an understanding mind – to do that you have to know from experience God’s Word. The believer has the mind of Christ --- do you think with the mind of Christ? If you think you do --- do you know the mind of Christ? Why is this important? The rest of the verse tells you --- “You know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”
How Does Perseverance Happen In The Life Of The Believer?
Words mean a lot – especially in the bible. So – perseverance or as some translate it endurance does not mean patience as some bibles translate what James wrote.
Perseverance = the product of patience. In the context of our study --- the second key James writes about is patiently enduring trials while trusting God produces perseverance. Patience is only needed in the trial but perseverance is a permanent inner quality of strength which increases every time a trial is patiently endured. Look with me on your outline at two examples of this:
Psalm 40: 1 -2 “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on the rock and me a firm place to stand.”
Do you think David is writing about a trial that he went through? Yes – He sure is. He waited patiently for the Lord – God lifted Him out of His trial – God brought Him through it and in the end perseverance was built into David’s character. What is your character like? Are you known as one who endures and trusts God when you go through a trial? The apostle Paul assures the believer in
1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation (trial) has seized you except that is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He also will provide a way of escape.” The bible makes it perfectly clear that no person who comes to God in saving faith will ever be separated from the Savior. If you have a genuine faith in Christ you cannot loose that faith. You cannot become a Christian and then decide one day that you are not a Christian. When a trial comes into your life and you decide “enough is enough” I am dumping this God and Jesus thing --- you never were a real believer in the first place. This is a doctrine or teaching all through out the New Testament. Perseverance to the end is the destiny of a believer. It is called the perseverance of the saints or believers. How does it happen? Is it on the shoulders of the person??????? If you are a believer you can count on three facts for your perseverance.
You Will Persevere Because Of:
1. The Power of God – Jesus said these words to His disciples in John 10:28 - 29 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, no one can snatch them out of My hand.” My father who has given to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” The hand of Jesus is powerful enough to keep His disciples or it is not . John 6:39 “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given Me, but raise them up on the last day.” The power of God is real or it is not and when Jesus says that He will not loose any that God has given to Him and He will raise them up on the last day ---- you either believe Him or you do not. Cultivate a joyful attitude and an understanding mind as you walk through the trials in your life. A genuine believer will endure because of the power of God. You will persevere because of:
2. The promises and prayers of Christ. Before Jesus was arrested He prayed a prayer in John 17:12 “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name You gave Me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that the Scripture might be fulfilled”. Jesus says all of His disciples except Judas persevered. We saw last week that Judas did not persevere because He has a demonic faith. Jesus said to Peter in Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that you might not fail”. Jesus lives today – seated at the right hand of the God interceding for His children.
Jesus is praying for those who are His. He is praying for believers that they may persevere. When a trial comes upon them --- Jesus is speaking to God for them and about them. You will make it through what you are going through. God hears and answers the requests of His Son. Do not give up ---- God answers His Sons prayer’s. I have no idea how one can believe that they can loose their salvation if they have been truly born again. It does not matter how terrible your trial is or will be ---- you will persevere. 1 John 2:1 “ Our Great High Priest, who “is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him.” It does not say that God saves everybody does it??? It says that Jesus saves those who draw near to God through Jesus. There are not many ways to God. If Jesus is able to save ---- then He is able to save forever those who He is given by God. You will persevere because of the prayers and promises of Jesus and #3 you will persevere because of
3. The presence of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13 -14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” Look what Paul says: you were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth and having believed. Someone who hears the word of Christ and does not believe is not included in Christ. Someone who believes – who has a saving living faith – is marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit who guarantees your perseverance.
Warning:
Perseverance is inseparable from holiness. A life that is consistently immoral and unspiritual cannot persevere because it does not belong to God. It has no desire to persevere in the faith. Someone who does not live for Christ and reflect Christ must be warned to not assume they have salvation. Someone who consistently and presumptuously sins must be warned. You cannot nor will you persevere. You do not have a saving faith. Closing…….. When trials and testing comes to your life --- cultivate a joyful attitude in your life and cultivate an understanding mind.
Watch this Testimony with me:
Let us pray………….. Heavenly Father – thank you for the trials and testings of life. Thank you that we can consider them joy. We can have a joy knowing that You are in control and that you are using all that we go through for our good and Your glory. Lord – help us to endure – Help us not to give up and drift away. Help us to persevere. Thank you. In Jesus Name -Amen
James #1
A Living Faith
James #1
December 7
Pastor Ben Fleming
Video Clip: The woman in this video knew what a real faith in Jesus Christ was all about. She knew what it meant to have a living faith – even in the face of the loss of her husband and child. Every believer in this room can have a living faith. We want to become a church family that is biblically healthy and the way for that to happen is for everyone to know and understand and experience a real living faith. Notice I say ---- know ---- understand and experience a real living faith. That is what James is writing about. For some of us, we do not have a living, saving faith. For some of us, having a living faith is brand new to us and for some of us it has been going on for some time….. We are starting a new series and I am giving it the name “A living faith”. Rebecca Brady --- God wants you to have a living faith. Marcella – God wants you to have a living faith. Andrew Thomas – God wants you to have and experience a living faith. Tiegen --- you can have a living faith. This is the name of the series because that is the theme of the book that we are going study – the book of James. Turn to the book would you. It comes right after the book of Hebrews and before the book of 1 Peter. Today is an introduction message.
Author: There were several named James in the New Testament. Mark 1:19 says, James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John – he was the James of the inner circle of John and Peter but he was executed by Herod in AD 44. and then there was James, the son of Alphaeus – one of the original disciples. And then there was James the father of Judas, ….but none of these men are considered the James who authored this letter. This James, was someone well known with a position, and authority in the early church. James – the brother of Jesus is the obvious choice. Most sound bible scholars agree. What changed the skeptical younger brother of Jesus into being a committed follower of Jesus and an outspoken leader of the early church? (John 7:5) Says that even his own brothers did not believe in Him. But then we know that later, James saw his brother dead on the cross and then he saw his brother alive. Something had happened --- He experienced a living faith.
Place: James most likely wrote this letter while he was in the city of Jerusalem – at that time it looked something like these photos – PHOTO 1 and then the second one is a real PHOTO 2 of a part of old Jerusalem. (BLANK) The Temple was there and the early church was there. When James wrote these words the city was in religious turmoil – the Pharisees and the Saducees and the hate filled high priest – was still on the move. Christians would have been persecuted. Remember also that Jerusalem would have been under Roman domination and (PHOTO 3) Herod the Great had been appointed King of the Jews by Augustus in 40A.D. (PHOTO 4) This was the temple that he built and James and the new Christians would have met for worship outside of this temple in the collonades or porches.
Setting: Acts 11:28 tells us that Jerusalem was very poor. It had become that way because of the Roman greed, the heavy taxes and the famine that was in the area. The Christians in this city were very poor. James had to write the letter sometime before AD 62 when he was martyrded.
Audience: James wrote the book “to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.” Even before Christ – the Jewish nation had been scattered across the face of the earth three times. I knew this, but I was personally surprised to read about a Jewish center in the city of Mombai India – a Hindu and Muslim nation today. The diaspora or dispersion is what the scattering of the Jews is known as and each year those who could make the journey back to Jerusalem for the Passover would do so – this is why so many from many nations were in Jerusalem at Pentecost in the beginning of the book of Acts…….. Christianity is Jewish. Mary was Jewish. Joseph was Jewish – Jesus lived in Jewish home for 30 years and His first public ministry was to the Jews. As God’s chosen nation --- God called them to repent and put their faith in Jesus. James is writing to all Jews every where who had put their faith in Jesus and especially he is writing to you and me….. he is writing so that we can have a living faith. Please stand as we read James chapter one. Phil
Counterfeiting is a major problem in our country. We even have a new name for it – knockoffs. My sister was excited to go to New York with her husband to see the Yankees play because she knew that he would take her after the game into the back streets of New York to get a designer knockoff handbag. Forged money, credit cards, jewelry, perfume, works of art and everything of value is passed off as the genuine to deceive those unaware. Something that you think is valuable must be examined to determine if it is genuine. This is what James writes about --- having a living faith – having a saving faith and what does it look like.
The most valuable possession that you can have is a saving faith. Every parent in this room wants their child to have a saving faith. A right relationship to a living God who promises those who truly put their faith in Him ----- is the most valuable possession that you can every have in your life. There is no relationship in your life --- there is no job --- there is no house or status that you can ever have or obtain that is any more valuable than having a saving living faith. Time and time again in the bible we are told to examine our lives and test our faith and see if it is genuine. You can be sincere in your faith and be sincerely wrong and deceived. Satan is the master counterfeiter of saving faith. 2 Cor 11: 14 -15 says that He and his angels of light deceive the unwary. James writes this letter to make certain that God’s people are not deceived. He writes the letter to encourage them to examine their lives. James wants the people to have a saving living faith.
What kinds of faith are there?
1. Religious faith. This is someone who believes that their concept of salvation is the right one and their concept actually is taking them on the way to eternal damnation. I know someone who attends church every Wednesday night and yet they do not believe that Jesus is the only way to God. A religious faith is also someone who believes they are a good person and that there is some good in them and that God accepts them because of their goodness. They say to themselves, “ I attend church – I take communion – I give money – I have been baptized – I am a member of the church and I teach Sunday school – all this must make me acceptable in God’s sight.” John puts it very clear about those who had a religious faith in the gospel of John.
John 12:42 – 43 “… the Pharisees would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise from men more than praise from God.” Do you have a religious faith? I know a woman who attends church every Sunday and takes communion every Sunday and yet she does not own a bible or read a bible – but she claims that she knows God.
2. Demonic faith. Satan and his angels are the masters of a demonic deception of faith. They can even make spiritual people heal people – they can delude people into doing things that seem godly. Acts chapter 5. Ananias and Sapphira were deceived by a demonic faith. Vs. 3 “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and kept for yourself some money you received for the land.” A church going husband and wife were deceived by Satan – their faith was demonic. In Matthew 4:10 Jesus said to Satan “away from me, Satan. For it is written :Worship the Lord your God; and serve Him only.” Worship of anything other than Jesus is a demonic faith. My brother Bill attends church – he goes to please his wife and his father in law but my brother goes to meet people who could be future customers and he goes to increase his status in the business world – he does not worship Jesus. John records a shocking example of demonic faith in John 13:2 “The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.” Think about it: A man who walked and talked with Jesus for 3 years had demonic faith. Judas did not have saving faith. He did not have a living faith.
So --- let’s look at the third one --- a saving faith. What does it really mean to have a saving faith? The apostle Paul tells us to examine ourselves and see if we are in the faith. Not all of us have a saving faith. Some of us have a religious faith and some of us have a demonic faith…… We are going close today with communion ---- if you do not examine yourself and you go ahead and take communion the bible says you are bringing judgment upon yourself. In the book of Haggi – the prophet tells us to “Consider your ways”. Paul says to “examine yourself” --- so what does it mean to have a saving faith?
3. Saving Faith. Ask yourself some questions. I have six questions for you. Be serious and sober and honest with God and with yourself.
* Can you identify any change in your life. Acts 26:20 “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” Can you identify any changes in your life? Paul said that you prove to yourself that you have saving faith by looking at the changed deeds in your life. The most obvious is your actions and your attitudes. It does not mean that you are perfect and that you have tons and tons of changes in your life – but if you have saving faith, can you identify any sin that you have stopped or it is getting less in your life? Are you convicted over sin and do you respond to that conviction? Second question………..
* Can you identify any good works that you do or have done? We are going to get into saving faith and good works in James chapter 2. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” If you are one of the we that Paul is writing about – you are God’s workmanship and He created you in Christ to do good works and it is God who prepared the good works for you to do. So – do you know the good works that God has prepared for you? You can do good works and many people do…. but are you doing the ones that God has prepared? James says that if you have saving faith --- the good works that God has prepared for you to do is going to be a result of that saving faith. 3rd question
* Can you identify obedience to the commands of God in your life? Saving faith means obedience to God. It means a righteous life. Loving other believers 1 John 2:3 “We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands” Saving faith means that I obey the commands of God. Do I really care about obeying God?? Ask yourself…… 1John 2: 5- 6 “If anyone obey His Word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him. Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.” Saving faith means that I want to obey God and there are times of obedience that I can identify in my life. Saving faith means that I care about knowing God’s Word so that I can obey it --- and this leads us into the next question. #4
* Do you have a genuine commitment to the Word of God. Jesus put it this way in the sermon on the mountain in Matthew 5:17 -20 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tells you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” Does that not tell you that what God has given us in the Bible is vital to have a living faith. You cannot have a living faith and care nothing about the bible. You cannot have a living faith and have no interest or desire for the bible. We are all busy and I know that the discipline of bible reading is hard to do --- but that is no excuse. If you have no interest or desire for the Word of God you ought to question if you have real saving faith. #5
* Do you have a biblical view of money and possessions. You cannot have saving faith and have a worldly view of money and possessions. Matthew 6:19 - 24 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy - no one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” We have spent the last 7 weeks studying the issue of money and possessions in our lives – if you think you have a living faith….. then that has to be shown in your finances. What are you doing to get your finances in shape? What areas of how you deal with your finances are you repenting of? November was our healthiest giving month in 6 months – so obviously many of you are getting serious about this area of your life. But let me ask you…… how much are you going to go into debt this Christmas so that you can buy presents? Are you really serious about budgeting and doing without and cutting the wants out of your life? A living faith has and experiences a biblical view of money and possessions in ones life. #6
* Do you have a biblical view of relationships. Matthew 7:1 – 5 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” As we prepare to take communion --- Is there someone in this room that you have a plank in your eye against? Is there a relationship in your life that you have cut that person off and if they came into this room you could not give them a hug? Saving faith forgives others. A living faith does not wall off people in ones life. It does not mean that you sometimes have challenges with relationships but saving faith reaches out and loves those who are un -loveable - you love those you do not like being around….. That is a living faith. Saving faith means that you have real relationships in a local church family ----I rejoiced when I found out that Steve and Sandy Taylor left SHCC in June and by November they had found a church home and got involved in a small group BS. A living saving faith means that you have a biblical view of relationships and you see how vital they are for your life.
James knew all these points and that is what He is teaching in this letter that he wrote to the 12 tribes scattered abroad. As you prepare to worship God through remembering the death and ressurectoin of His Son Jesus Christ look with me briefly at the opening words of James.
“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.” James does not call himself a brother of the Lord Jesus Christ. He calls himself a servant.
The word servant is found many many times in the New Testament. It is the word in the Greek language doulos. This is what James calls himself. If you have a saving faith or a living faith you should be able to call yourself and think of yourself in the same way that James wrote about himself.
The Greek word that James used for servant implies 4 things:
A Servant of God
1. It implies absolute obedience. A servant knows no law but their masters word. They know they have no rights of their own. They have given their rights up to their master. Have you given your rights up to your master Jesus?
2. It implies absolute humility. Being a servant is someone who thinks not of privileges’ but duties.
Their faith in Jesus causes them to serve Him and obey Him out of a humble love and attitude for Him.
3. It implies absolute loyalty. Personal gain and preference does not enter into the calculations. Their loyalty as a slave of Jesus causes them to set aside their own preferences – wants and desires.
When a person who has saving faith and demonstrates the character of a servant in a church family they put others first – they put aside their own preferences. #4 being a servant……….
4. It implies a certain pride. The one greatness to which a Christian can aspire is to that of being a slave of God. If you are a slave of Christ then you are not ashamed of your master. You will stand up for your master – you talk about your master and you are proud to be called His.
James #1
December 7
Pastor Ben Fleming
Video Clip: The woman in this video knew what a real faith in Jesus Christ was all about. She knew what it meant to have a living faith – even in the face of the loss of her husband and child. Every believer in this room can have a living faith. We want to become a church family that is biblically healthy and the way for that to happen is for everyone to know and understand and experience a real living faith. Notice I say ---- know ---- understand and experience a real living faith. That is what James is writing about. For some of us, we do not have a living, saving faith. For some of us, having a living faith is brand new to us and for some of us it has been going on for some time….. We are starting a new series and I am giving it the name “A living faith”. Rebecca Brady --- God wants you to have a living faith. Marcella – God wants you to have a living faith. Andrew Thomas – God wants you to have and experience a living faith. Tiegen --- you can have a living faith. This is the name of the series because that is the theme of the book that we are going study – the book of James. Turn to the book would you. It comes right after the book of Hebrews and before the book of 1 Peter. Today is an introduction message.
Author: There were several named James in the New Testament. Mark 1:19 says, James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John – he was the James of the inner circle of John and Peter but he was executed by Herod in AD 44. and then there was James, the son of Alphaeus – one of the original disciples. And then there was James the father of Judas, ….but none of these men are considered the James who authored this letter. This James, was someone well known with a position, and authority in the early church. James – the brother of Jesus is the obvious choice. Most sound bible scholars agree. What changed the skeptical younger brother of Jesus into being a committed follower of Jesus and an outspoken leader of the early church? (John 7:5) Says that even his own brothers did not believe in Him. But then we know that later, James saw his brother dead on the cross and then he saw his brother alive. Something had happened --- He experienced a living faith.
Place: James most likely wrote this letter while he was in the city of Jerusalem – at that time it looked something like these photos – PHOTO 1 and then the second one is a real PHOTO 2 of a part of old Jerusalem. (BLANK) The Temple was there and the early church was there. When James wrote these words the city was in religious turmoil – the Pharisees and the Saducees and the hate filled high priest – was still on the move. Christians would have been persecuted. Remember also that Jerusalem would have been under Roman domination and (PHOTO 3) Herod the Great had been appointed King of the Jews by Augustus in 40A.D. (PHOTO 4) This was the temple that he built and James and the new Christians would have met for worship outside of this temple in the collonades or porches.
Setting: Acts 11:28 tells us that Jerusalem was very poor. It had become that way because of the Roman greed, the heavy taxes and the famine that was in the area. The Christians in this city were very poor. James had to write the letter sometime before AD 62 when he was martyrded.
Audience: James wrote the book “to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.” Even before Christ – the Jewish nation had been scattered across the face of the earth three times. I knew this, but I was personally surprised to read about a Jewish center in the city of Mombai India – a Hindu and Muslim nation today. The diaspora or dispersion is what the scattering of the Jews is known as and each year those who could make the journey back to Jerusalem for the Passover would do so – this is why so many from many nations were in Jerusalem at Pentecost in the beginning of the book of Acts…….. Christianity is Jewish. Mary was Jewish. Joseph was Jewish – Jesus lived in Jewish home for 30 years and His first public ministry was to the Jews. As God’s chosen nation --- God called them to repent and put their faith in Jesus. James is writing to all Jews every where who had put their faith in Jesus and especially he is writing to you and me….. he is writing so that we can have a living faith. Please stand as we read James chapter one. Phil
Counterfeiting is a major problem in our country. We even have a new name for it – knockoffs. My sister was excited to go to New York with her husband to see the Yankees play because she knew that he would take her after the game into the back streets of New York to get a designer knockoff handbag. Forged money, credit cards, jewelry, perfume, works of art and everything of value is passed off as the genuine to deceive those unaware. Something that you think is valuable must be examined to determine if it is genuine. This is what James writes about --- having a living faith – having a saving faith and what does it look like.
The most valuable possession that you can have is a saving faith. Every parent in this room wants their child to have a saving faith. A right relationship to a living God who promises those who truly put their faith in Him ----- is the most valuable possession that you can every have in your life. There is no relationship in your life --- there is no job --- there is no house or status that you can ever have or obtain that is any more valuable than having a saving living faith. Time and time again in the bible we are told to examine our lives and test our faith and see if it is genuine. You can be sincere in your faith and be sincerely wrong and deceived. Satan is the master counterfeiter of saving faith. 2 Cor 11: 14 -15 says that He and his angels of light deceive the unwary. James writes this letter to make certain that God’s people are not deceived. He writes the letter to encourage them to examine their lives. James wants the people to have a saving living faith.
What kinds of faith are there?
1. Religious faith. This is someone who believes that their concept of salvation is the right one and their concept actually is taking them on the way to eternal damnation. I know someone who attends church every Wednesday night and yet they do not believe that Jesus is the only way to God. A religious faith is also someone who believes they are a good person and that there is some good in them and that God accepts them because of their goodness. They say to themselves, “ I attend church – I take communion – I give money – I have been baptized – I am a member of the church and I teach Sunday school – all this must make me acceptable in God’s sight.” John puts it very clear about those who had a religious faith in the gospel of John.
John 12:42 – 43 “… the Pharisees would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise from men more than praise from God.” Do you have a religious faith? I know a woman who attends church every Sunday and takes communion every Sunday and yet she does not own a bible or read a bible – but she claims that she knows God.
2. Demonic faith. Satan and his angels are the masters of a demonic deception of faith. They can even make spiritual people heal people – they can delude people into doing things that seem godly. Acts chapter 5. Ananias and Sapphira were deceived by a demonic faith. Vs. 3 “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and kept for yourself some money you received for the land.” A church going husband and wife were deceived by Satan – their faith was demonic. In Matthew 4:10 Jesus said to Satan “away from me, Satan. For it is written :Worship the Lord your God; and serve Him only.” Worship of anything other than Jesus is a demonic faith. My brother Bill attends church – he goes to please his wife and his father in law but my brother goes to meet people who could be future customers and he goes to increase his status in the business world – he does not worship Jesus. John records a shocking example of demonic faith in John 13:2 “The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.” Think about it: A man who walked and talked with Jesus for 3 years had demonic faith. Judas did not have saving faith. He did not have a living faith.
So --- let’s look at the third one --- a saving faith. What does it really mean to have a saving faith? The apostle Paul tells us to examine ourselves and see if we are in the faith. Not all of us have a saving faith. Some of us have a religious faith and some of us have a demonic faith…… We are going close today with communion ---- if you do not examine yourself and you go ahead and take communion the bible says you are bringing judgment upon yourself. In the book of Haggi – the prophet tells us to “Consider your ways”. Paul says to “examine yourself” --- so what does it mean to have a saving faith?
3. Saving Faith. Ask yourself some questions. I have six questions for you. Be serious and sober and honest with God and with yourself.
* Can you identify any change in your life. Acts 26:20 “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” Can you identify any changes in your life? Paul said that you prove to yourself that you have saving faith by looking at the changed deeds in your life. The most obvious is your actions and your attitudes. It does not mean that you are perfect and that you have tons and tons of changes in your life – but if you have saving faith, can you identify any sin that you have stopped or it is getting less in your life? Are you convicted over sin and do you respond to that conviction? Second question………..
* Can you identify any good works that you do or have done? We are going to get into saving faith and good works in James chapter 2. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” If you are one of the we that Paul is writing about – you are God’s workmanship and He created you in Christ to do good works and it is God who prepared the good works for you to do. So – do you know the good works that God has prepared for you? You can do good works and many people do…. but are you doing the ones that God has prepared? James says that if you have saving faith --- the good works that God has prepared for you to do is going to be a result of that saving faith. 3rd question
* Can you identify obedience to the commands of God in your life? Saving faith means obedience to God. It means a righteous life. Loving other believers 1 John 2:3 “We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands” Saving faith means that I obey the commands of God. Do I really care about obeying God?? Ask yourself…… 1John 2: 5- 6 “If anyone obey His Word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him. Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.” Saving faith means that I want to obey God and there are times of obedience that I can identify in my life. Saving faith means that I care about knowing God’s Word so that I can obey it --- and this leads us into the next question. #4
* Do you have a genuine commitment to the Word of God. Jesus put it this way in the sermon on the mountain in Matthew 5:17 -20 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tells you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” Does that not tell you that what God has given us in the Bible is vital to have a living faith. You cannot have a living faith and care nothing about the bible. You cannot have a living faith and have no interest or desire for the bible. We are all busy and I know that the discipline of bible reading is hard to do --- but that is no excuse. If you have no interest or desire for the Word of God you ought to question if you have real saving faith. #5
* Do you have a biblical view of money and possessions. You cannot have saving faith and have a worldly view of money and possessions. Matthew 6:19 - 24 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy - no one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” We have spent the last 7 weeks studying the issue of money and possessions in our lives – if you think you have a living faith….. then that has to be shown in your finances. What are you doing to get your finances in shape? What areas of how you deal with your finances are you repenting of? November was our healthiest giving month in 6 months – so obviously many of you are getting serious about this area of your life. But let me ask you…… how much are you going to go into debt this Christmas so that you can buy presents? Are you really serious about budgeting and doing without and cutting the wants out of your life? A living faith has and experiences a biblical view of money and possessions in ones life. #6
* Do you have a biblical view of relationships. Matthew 7:1 – 5 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” As we prepare to take communion --- Is there someone in this room that you have a plank in your eye against? Is there a relationship in your life that you have cut that person off and if they came into this room you could not give them a hug? Saving faith forgives others. A living faith does not wall off people in ones life. It does not mean that you sometimes have challenges with relationships but saving faith reaches out and loves those who are un -loveable - you love those you do not like being around….. That is a living faith. Saving faith means that you have real relationships in a local church family ----I rejoiced when I found out that Steve and Sandy Taylor left SHCC in June and by November they had found a church home and got involved in a small group BS. A living saving faith means that you have a biblical view of relationships and you see how vital they are for your life.
James knew all these points and that is what He is teaching in this letter that he wrote to the 12 tribes scattered abroad. As you prepare to worship God through remembering the death and ressurectoin of His Son Jesus Christ look with me briefly at the opening words of James.
“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.” James does not call himself a brother of the Lord Jesus Christ. He calls himself a servant.
The word servant is found many many times in the New Testament. It is the word in the Greek language doulos. This is what James calls himself. If you have a saving faith or a living faith you should be able to call yourself and think of yourself in the same way that James wrote about himself.
The Greek word that James used for servant implies 4 things:
A Servant of God
1. It implies absolute obedience. A servant knows no law but their masters word. They know they have no rights of their own. They have given their rights up to their master. Have you given your rights up to your master Jesus?
2. It implies absolute humility. Being a servant is someone who thinks not of privileges’ but duties.
Their faith in Jesus causes them to serve Him and obey Him out of a humble love and attitude for Him.
3. It implies absolute loyalty. Personal gain and preference does not enter into the calculations. Their loyalty as a slave of Jesus causes them to set aside their own preferences – wants and desires.
When a person who has saving faith and demonstrates the character of a servant in a church family they put others first – they put aside their own preferences. #4 being a servant……….
4. It implies a certain pride. The one greatness to which a Christian can aspire is to that of being a slave of God. If you are a slave of Christ then you are not ashamed of your master. You will stand up for your master – you talk about your master and you are proud to be called His.
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