putting faith to work
Here are the songs we sang this Sunday. This shows the song name, the artist who performed the song, and the cd that contains the song. Forever – Michael W. Smith – Worship Friend of God – Philips, Craig & Dean – Let the Worshipers Arise What a Beautiful Name – Hillsong Worship – Let There Be Light Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) – Hillsong United – Zion (Deluxe Edition) By Our Love – Christy Nockels – Life Light Up
James “Brings It” to the Church James Part 9 Jim Stewart James 4:1-12
Review – Chapter 1 Persevere with joy in, and in spite of, hardships and trials Don't blame God when you're tempted to do evil Listen well, respond carefully, and be slow to get angry
Review – Chapter 2 Stop judging others by looks and perceived potential Stop talking about your faith and do something with it
Review – Chapter 3 Duplicity of the tongue does not glorify God Get wisdom from above and get rid of jealousy and selfish ambition that is earthly and demonic
James “Brings It” to the Church James Part 9 Jim Stewart James 4:1-12
James 3:13-16 13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life... 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and...selfish ...don’t cover up the truth ...
James 3:13-16 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
Chapter 4 What affects us, as individuals (outside the church), will infect the church as a community.
Chapter 4 The Indictment – V. 1-6 The Invitation – V. 7-10 The Instruction – V. 11-12
James 4:1-6 (NLT) 1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?
James 4:1-6 (NLT) 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.
James 4:1-6 (NLT) 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong — you want only what will give you pleasure.
James 4:1-6 (NLT) 4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
James 4:1-6 (NLT) 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble .”
THE INDICTMENT 1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? ….
THE INDICTMENT Spiritually speaking the world can be: 1. Ignorant – Not a lack of intelligence, but an absence of Biblical knowledge/spiritual wisdom and understanding
THE INDICTMENT Spiritually speaking the world can be: 1. Ignorant 2. Insolent – Presumptuous, insulting, arrogant, and willing to stand defiant against God.
THE INDICTMENT Spiritually speaking the world can be: 1. Ignorant 2. Insolent – Presumptuous, insulting, arrogant, and willing to stand defiant against God.
THE INDICTMENT Spiritually speaking the world can be: 1. Ignorant 2. Insolent – Presumptuous, insulting, arrogant, and willing to stand defiant against God.
THE INDICTMENT Spiritually speaking the world can be: 1. Ignorant 2. Insolent 3. Idolaters – Worships the created (material stuff) rather than the Creator.
THE INDICTMENT – The Church 1. Ignorant – Not in intelligence, but in Biblical knowledge/spiritual wisdom and understanding.
THE INDICTMENT – The Church 1. Ignorant All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. II Tim. 3:16-17
THE INDICTMENT – The Church 1. Ignorant 2. Insolent – Presumptuous, insulting, arrogant and defiant
THE INDICTMENT – The Church 1. Ignorant 2. Insolent 3. Idolaters – Worships the created rather than the Creator.
James 4:1 1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?
James 4:2a 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them……
James 1:14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.
Galatians 5:17 The sinful nature wants to do evil,….and the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other…..
James 4:2b-3 2b ……Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong — you want only what will give you pleasure.
James 4:4 4 You adulterers!
James 4:4 4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
Psalm 68:21 – God will shatter the head of His enemies….. Isaiah 42:3 – The Lord will go forth like a warrior….He will prevail against His enemies…. Heb. 10:31 - ….it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
James 4:5-6 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “ God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble .”
THE INVITATION
James 4:7-10 (NLT) 7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
James 4:7-10 (NLT) 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
THE INVITATION 1. Illumination – Spiritual enlightenment through the Holy Spirit and God’s Word
THE INVITATION 1. Illumination 2. Initiative – Make the choice to believe (again) by faith and choose not only to believe, but commit to follow through.
THE INVITATION – v.7 …… Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. II Cor. 10:5 (ESV) – We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.
THE INVITATION – v.8 Come close to God………. Heb. 12:2a (NASB) – Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…..
THE INVITATION – v.9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy
THE INVITATION II Cor. 7:10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow lacks repentance and results in spiritual death.
THE INVITATION – v.10 Humble yourselves…….and He will lift you up in honor. (Matt. 18:4, Micah 6:8, Prov. 29:23)
THE INSTRUCTION
James 4:11-12 (NLT) 11 Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.
James 4:11-12 (NLT) 12 God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?
THE INSTRUCTION 1. Introspection – Contemplation, self- examination. i.e. asking ourselves the hard, penetrating questions.
THE INSTRUCTION 1. Introspection Matt. 7:4 – And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
THE INSTRUCTION 1. Introspection 2. Indemnification – Protect against damage, loss or injury
CONCLUSION 1. Indictment – Are we guilty? 2. Invitation: Will we respond? 3. Instruction: Will we choose to become committed, learning, and growing disciples of Christ?
CALL TO ACTION -- Self Examination -- What stands in the way of humbly accepting God’s invitation and instruction?
Have a great week!
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