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Psalms
148:1-14 Praise the
LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! Praise Him,
all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise
Him, all you stars of light! Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, And you waters
above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD, For He commanded and
they were created. He also established them forever and ever; He made a decree
which shall not pass away. Praise the LORD from the earth, You great sea
creatures and all the depths; Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind,
fulfilling His word; Mountains and all hills; Fruitful trees and all cedars;
Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and flying fowl; Kings of the earth and all
peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth; Both young men and maidens; Old
men and children. Let them praise the name of the LORD, For His name alone is
exalted; His glory is above the
earth and heaven. And He has exalted the horn of His people, The praise of all
His saints— Of the children of Israel, A people near to Him. Praise the LORD!
Father God, give us wisdom to fully understand
faith and to apply it to our daily lives. In
Jesus
name we pray, Amen!
Book of James 1:1-8 NKJV
This lesson is about faith and having victory
if we have proper faith. These eight verses have a lot of meat in them and
should cause a person to really look at their lifestyle. We can have victory
though our faith if it is focused in the death and resurrection of Jesus and not
religion. Without proper faith in the Cross, we are like leaves on a windy fall
day being blown in many directions.
1 James, a
bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are
scattered abroad: Greetings.
James,
a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ; James introduces himself as a
bondservant of God and Jesus. Why doesn’t he introduce himself as a brother of
Jesus and an apostle? Could it be that he was a humble person? Maybe he didn’t
want to draw attention to himself as being a brother of Jesus; maybe he didn’t
want the fact that he was Jesus brother to earn him special favors. I believe,
as stated in previous lessons when the Spirit of God lives within one, the
virtue of humility and meekness blossoms out of love. If James would have
introduced himself like, “James, brother of the Lord Jesus Christ and one of
His Apostles”, could be interpreted as someone that was bragging about himself,
that he was superior to the other Apostles, and had a higher rank, not only in
the Apostles, but also in society. This would go completely against the
teachings of Jesus because it would display a character of being prideful,
which is sinful.
It is because of being a
servant of God and of Jesus that James introduces himself this way. It is the
love of God within his spirit that brings forth an introduction of this nature.
He was more proud to be a servant of God than being a brother of Jesus. Being
accepted into Gods family through repentance changes one’s life. Anyone that is
Born Again changes their views on life, all of a sudden serving God and
focusing on the reward of Heaven takes precedence in a person’s life; they
finally realize why they are here on earth for a short time. In most of the
introductions of the books of the Bible, the author introduces themselves as a
bondservant to our Lord Jesus Christ.
To be a bondservant, is to
be a slave to God in spreading the Gospel; to do God’s will; to put one’s life
last; to reject worldly ways; reject mans ways, doctrine, and desires of the
flesh, etc. Just think of a slave’s life, they didn’t have a life of their own.
All they did was serve the master and make sure the master was happy. Their
life was nothing and meant nothing. This is what being a bondservant means; the
Apostles and disciples of God live to please God through obedience and
spreading the Gospel.
To the twelve tribes which are
scattered abroad: Greetings; With
this phrase we do know that the twelve tribes were still in existence, how long
after the writing of this book I don’t know. With the persecution of Steven and
all the pressure coming down on the believers, the Jewish believers started to
scatter from Jerusalem. James wrote this book in the A.D. forties time frame
and in 70 A.D. the temple was destroyed, so we know there was great unrest for
believers and also the Jewish people by the Roman regime. So just from this
verse we learn that this book is written by James to the Born Again Jew and
Gentile people of all nations including current day Born Again individuals. So
we need to listen carefully to what James has to say about how we are to live
if we claim to be true Christians and not give the Word of God lip service.
2 My
brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
Verses 2, 3, & 4
teaches about victory.
My brethren; James isn’t
speaking of his Jewish brethren,
but his Christians brethren, anyone that is a true believer.
Count it all joy; If you read
all three verses you will understand what James is referring to here, “count it
all joy” is that we shouldn’t regard
trails and temptations as a punishment, a curse, or a calamity, but as a
chastisement, learning experience, something to actually rejoice in being a
child of God. A true Christian will regard it a great privilege to be
persecuted and to suffer trials and tribulations, not things to mourned over,
but as chief blessings of life. Matthew
5:12 Rejoice
and be exceedingly glad, for great is
your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
When you fall into various
trials; The word trials here does not mean tempted but it refers to the various kinds of trials
which a believer might experience, like sickness, poverty, bereavement,
persecution, etc. They were to count it a matter of joy that their faith was
subjected to anything that tried it. These types of trials cannot be said to be
direct inducements or allurements to sin, but they try a believers faith, and
show whether he is of a mind to adhere to his faith in God, or whether he will
apostatize. If a person isn’t persecuted because of their faith like the
Prophets, Apostles and Jesus, then one has to ask themselves, what is my faith
in, Jesus or self?
3 knowing
that the testing of your faith produces patience.
James doesn't say “if” trials come your way, but when it does (in previous verse). We
will have trials and that it is possible to profit from them. The point is not
to pretend to be happy when we face pain but to have a positive outlook
("consider it an opportunity for great joy") because of what troubles
can produce in our life. James tells us to turn our hardships into times of
learning. Tough times can teach us perseverance/patience. Other passages
dealing with patience, also called perseverance and steadfastness, see Romans 2:7; Romans 5:3-5;
Romans 8:24-25; 2 Corinthians 6:3-7; 2
Peter 1:2-9.
If we have genuine faith we will have patience.
4 But let
patience have its perfect work,
that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
But let patience have its
perfect work; Patience
in a Born Again believer is something that has to be produced by the power of
the Holy Spirit residing within through the Sanctification process. If we
submit and allow the Holy Spirit the latitude to work within us, then the
virtue of patience will be perfected. We aren’t to obstruct the influence on
the soul by murmurings, complaining, or rebellion. We can't really know the
depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. It is easy to
be kind to others when everything is going well, but can we still be kind when
others are treating us unfairly?
That
you may be perfect and complete; The
meaning of this is explained in the following phrase - “wanting nothing;” that
is, that there may be nothing lacking to complete your character. There may be
the elements of a good character; there may be sound principles, but those
principles may not be executed during trials of your life. Can you think of
times when you haven’t exhibited a Christlike character during tough times?
Afflictions, more than anything else, will do this and we should allow them to
do all that they are tailored to do in developing what is good in us. The idea
is, that it is desirable not only to have the elements or principles of godliness
in our soul, but to have them carried out. God wants to make us mature and
complete, not to keep us from all pain. Instead of complaining about our
struggles, we should see them as opportunities for growth.
Lacking nothing; This is
referring to our faith being in the proper object, and that being the Cross of
Christ, then as a child of God we lack nothing in times of trials and
tribulations. We need to
thank God for promising to be with us in rough times. Ask him to help us solve
our problems or to give us the strength to endure them. Then we need to be
patient. God will not leave us alone with our problems; he will stay close and
help us grow.
5 If any of
you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without
reproach, and it will be given to him.
Verses
5-8 deals with faith.
If any of you lack
wisdom; This phrase refers to the kind of wisdom needed when dealing with trials,
since the previous verses are dealing with trials and tribulations of a
Christian. A Christian needs Heavenly wisdom to bear the burden, the perplexities, disappointments, and
bereavements that come upon them. The particular kind of wisdom which we need
in trials is to enable us to understand their design and tendency; to perform
our duty under them, or the new duties which may grow out of them; to learn the
lessons which God designs to teach, for he always designs to teach us some
valuable lessons by affliction, and to cultivate such views and feelings as are
appropriate under the strange forms of trials brought upon us. This helps us to
discover our shortcomings and learn how we may avoid them in the future.
Let him ask of God; We don’t need to be afraid to ask for
the specific wisdom we need; the wisdom necessary for the situations we bear to
learn from them. It is appropriate to bring the burden before God; to bring up
the specific need; to ask God to guide us in the matter where we feel so much
embarrassment. It is one of the privileges of Christians, that we may go to God
and ask him for that general wisdom we need from Him in life whenever an
emergency arises, or a case of perplexity and difficulty in regard to duty. We
can bring that particular thing before his throne, with the assurance that he
will guide us. Psalm 25:9;
Isaiah 37:14;
Joel 2:17.
Who gives to all
liberally; In the
Scriptures, the promise of divine aid is always limited to the desire. No
blessing is promised to man that has not sought; no man can feel that he has a
right to hope for the favor of God, who does not value it enough to pray for
it; no one should expect to obtain it, who does not prize it enough to ask for
it. God will give to us liberally if we come to Him with a sincere heart. Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will
be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and
to him who knocks it will be opened.
Without
reproach; God is all
merciful and when we come to Him for wisdom or anything, He does not chide,
rebuke, criticize, treat harshly, coldly reject us, but listens to our needs
with an open non-partial mind. He is unlike our fellow human beings that turn
their backs, put their nose in the air, hold a grudge, etc. He hears our
request and knows what is best for us and what we need and not what we want. So
when we ask a favor of God, we can be assured we will never be reproached in an
unfeeling manner, or meet with a harsh response.
It
will be given to him; This
promise in regard to the wisdom that may be necessary for us, is absolute; and
we can be sure that if it is asked in a proper manner it will be granted us.
Many times we may ask for things other than wisdom and not receive them because
they are not in our best interest to have them, but wisdom if asked properly,
is totally different.
6 But let
him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea
driven and tossed by the wind.
But let him ask in faith, with no
doubting; Faith is
the key word here in this verse. Faith is the criteria for all things
pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Without proper faith in the Cross of Christ,
we are lost now and for eternity. When we ask for something we must ask with
our heart; we must seek wisdom when asking for needs to evaluate whether what
we are asking for is something of a Godly nature or a fleshly worldly nature. I
fall short in evaluating my request to God, how about you?
For
he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind;
A person with divided
loyalty is not completely convinced that God's way is best. He treats God's
Word like any human advice and retains the option to disobey. He wavers between
allegiance to subjective feelings, the world's ideas or God's commands. If your
faith is new, weak, or struggling, remember that you can trust God. Then be
loyal by committing yourself wholeheartedly to God.
7 For let
not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
This verse points to a
particular type of individual, one who has a “doubting heart.” Any person can
hope for favor from God, only as he puts faith in Him. God sees the heart; and
if He sees that there is no belief in His existence, or His perfections; no
real trust in Him; no reliance on His promises of wisdom and grace, it is not
His will that He should grant an answer to a petition. That will account
sufficiently for the fact that there are so many prayers unanswered; that we so
frequently go to the throne of grace, and are sent away empty. A man that goes
to God in such a state of mind should not expect to receive any favor. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who
diligently seek Him.
8 he is a
double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
This verse is telling us
that we must place our faith in Jesus and move forward without looking back.
Believe in His Word, the Bible, and not mans various doctrines.
If you have ever seen the
constant rolling of huge waves at sea, you know how restless they are; subject
to many forces like wind, gravity, and tide causing them to go in many
directions. A person of divided loyalty (God or mans doctrine) leaves a person
as unsettled as the restless waves. If you want to stop being tossed about,
rely on God to show you what is best for you. Ask him for wisdom, and trust
that he will give it to you.
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created
that are in heaven and that are on earth,
visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All things were created through Him
and for Him.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God,
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Bill Wiesbrock https://www.facebook.com/bill.wiesbrock?ref=tn_tnmn
The Lighthouse Full Gospel Church
Sinners Prayer; Pray this, and if you believe
it with your heart, Jesus will save you!
“Lord Jesus
I know I am a sinner. I confess my sins
to you; I am sorry for my sins; I repent (Meaning, desiring to turn from a
sinful lifestyle.) of all my sins, and I am asking for your forgiveness of all
of my sins. I believe that only you can
forgive sin. I commit my life to you and
ask you to come into my heart, direct, and take charge of my life. I believe that you died to set me free from
my sinful lifestyle and you rose from the dead to give me eternal life, and
right now you are seated at the Right Hand of God Almighty. I believe you are
the Son of God; the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life, and my
Savior.” I believe this and have faith
you will make a new person out of me, by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in my
heart and lead me in a new life. In Jesus name I pray Amen.” (John 3:16,17;
Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1
John 5:11-14; 1:6-10) (Sin: Rom.
1:22-32; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-7)
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