Listen along as we continue in the first chapter of James with this second lesson from James’ letter where James tells us when, not if, but when trials come the right thing to do is to allow them to increase your steadfastness and to use them to glorify God. When we apply various trials to our steadfastness something happens to us. The steadfastness produces endurance. When we use the trials of life to glorify God we are being perfected lacking nothing.
We will all face “various trials” and he “testing of our faith” is constant. But what do we do in those times? How do we effectively hands the trials and testing in a way that will increase our patience, our steadfastness? James gives us the answer to these questions in the first four verses of his letter. This letter was written to “the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad”, which refers to the tribes of the dispersions. James is trying to reach a broad audience with this letter that when read, and applied can decrease the affects of life’s trials, and strengthen the child of God to be ready to stand firm amid the hardest of times. In the simplest way, James is showing us that when, not if, but when trials come the right thing to do is to allow them to increase your steadfastness and to use them to glorify God.
There are many kinds of workers in this world. Some work in office buildings and dress up, wear colon and then some work in the sewers. To the one when approached you might welcome them, shake their hand, invite them over for coffee or just to talk. The latter when they approach you, quite possibly you might hold your nose and say, stay back a little. In the church we all should have a distinctive aroma, that is to say we should all smell like Jesus. In his autobiography golfer Walter Hagen wrote: “Don’t hurry. … And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” That eventually was paraphrased to what we often hear today, “Stop and Smell the roses”! And—believe it or not—not making time to stop and smell the roses spiritually speaking . . . can be connected to the lack of understanding of spirit and truth, to a weak faith instead of a strong faith. When we don’t stop and take time to breath in the sweet smelling fragrance of Christ, of God’s word, we will struggle, and. . .
Are social activities wrong? Is the church of Christ anti-social? Thankfully, with context in place, I can say no to both questions. But many falsely accuse the church of Christ to be anti-social because we don’t include basket ball courts, day care, quilting classes, financial education courses, dinners, kitchens, dining halls, family life centers, food courts, etc., in the work of the church. All these things done outside the church are perfectly acceptable as long as they aren’t interfering with your work and family life. When we ask the question are social activities within the church ok, then the answer is no. Simply put, the church you can read about in your bible has a job to do, fashioned and ordained by. . .
Are you for the Lord or are you with the Lord? Moses said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me!” It is a question which every person should seriously consider with respect to his own status now. Are we really on the Lord’s side? implies the possibility of being on a side other than the Lord’s. The other side, of course, is the side of Satan. All responsible beings are on one or the other of these two sides. Though many try to “play both sides right down the middle” such cannot really be done. The Lord declared, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt. 6:24). He further said, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” (Matt. 12:30). Notice the word “with” in the above statement! The original language signifies “to be with one. on one’s side” (Thayer, p. 403). Matt 28:20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
There are many who have been ill taught, others have been purposefully mislead to believe the the churches of Christ teach instruments of music are sinful. That is simply not true. Preachers, members of the churches of Christ never said such, never taught such and this lesson should eliminate such misconception. Listen as we teach what we do and don’t believe about the instrument.
So many times, and I cannot count, I have heard the words “Show Yourself Strong God”. In prayers offered up by good brethren to our omnipotent God. . .In writings and publications from brethren concerning the power of God as recorded all throughout the history of man. . .And of course, in the scriptures…that record many great and awesome events that only an all powerful God could accomplish. Today our lesson titled Show Yourself Strong has two parts: We will see this phrase applies not only from man toward God—but also from God toward man. First, we will consider some of the ways that scripture records how God Shows Himself Strong. Secondly, we will close with a few ways each of us must show ourselves strong in Christ. The psalmist David speaking to God’s glory. . .
In what way does baptism save us and in what way does it not save us. we may rattle off that fact and it is absolutely scriptural from 1 Peter 3:21 where Peter says “baptism now saves us” . At the same time in some ways we know that the water itself doesn’t do anything for us and the action itself is not something that we can earn anything. And some of it circles around this whole debate about the concept of faith and works and we’ve touched on that a little bit too. I’m not going to delve deeply into that discussion though it figures into what I do want to talk about. I want to talk about the specific word that is used in some of these verses and that word is justified. We sometimes gloss over this word and we may replace it with something else but this is the word is used in some of these passages for example Romans 3 and 4 which we are going to read. Understanding this word I think can be helpful for us. It is something that when I dug into it and tried to find out what it means, and what the import of its meaning is and our understanding of the new testament I found some things I hadn’t previously heard, or previously understood, or the points hadn’t been made to me so hopefully you find these interesting and helpful in understanding its concept. So, what does it mean to be justified?
Listen to what the word of the LORD has to say Man’s strength alone has never been sufficient “the way of man is not in himself” (Jer. 10:23). “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12). Jesus said that “apart from Me you can do nothing” (Jn. 15:5). But with our God, our Mighty Fortress, “all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26). I one of my favorite verses, is Romans 8:31 “If God is for us, who can be against us?” God indeed is a mighty fortress. So the psalmist said, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear” (Psa. 46:1-2).
The debate over works and faith will never end and the reason is simple enough, people listen to people instead of God. Most people will attend a church of their choice, listen to the preacher year after year. Attend bible studies, and never question the teaching. Never comparing what is taught against what God’s word teaches. This resulted in generations of followers of men. Sadly, This spawns a plethora of confusion when leaders of other denominations make unjust, untrue claims. So, why are people teaching this? Possibly some are just mistaken over the differences between works of faith and works of merit. But more often there is a sinister reason that is born of hate. That’s right, many denominational leaders believe the churches of Christ are cults, filled with false teaching, yet only because of their lack of knowledge concerning why we believe the things we do. As for being saved by works, this lesson will. . .