The Testing of Your Faith: Part 5

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The Greatness of Jesus Christ: Part 6

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It's a blessing now to continue our study in the book of James It's hard to believe but how fast time
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Flies by on us, but the last message on James I got right here in my notes was
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December 2nd last year And we talked about part was part 4th that the series we're doing is testing of your faith
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And we spoke and Talked about let endurance have its perfect work
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So we talked about perseverance, right and we're going to continue to talk about perseverance Because you see this throughout this whole book but mainly today
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That was in we looked at verses 3 through 5 But today we're going to pick up on verses chapter.
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I'm sorry chapter 1 of verses 5 through 12 So turn with me there and as you turn there, let me just tell you a little bit about this man
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James he is He begins as we looked at He begins his little letter
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It's it's it's one of the very first epistles that was written and Keith brought this to my attention
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I didn't know that myself, but it is the earliest epistle. It's a small letter that was written to the
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Jews dispersed and You could see as what all the way through this wonderful book
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And of course he begins. Let me back up a little bit. He begins. I'm not saying he's in an apostle which he was but a bond slave of Jesus Christ such humility such humility and You see this throughout this thing throughout this epistle there's a series of tests and Trials through trials usually that's when the test comes.
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It's through truck us because trials is gonna come to all of us It's not if it's when and the key words to look at and look when when you study this this wonderful epistle is
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Faith faith is crucial all the way through this this book, but it's maturity as well maturity
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But there's a test. There's a series of tests Faith is one of the key words
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I believe that you see pop up here and there faith endures trials trials come and go but a strong Faith will face them head -on and develop endurance.
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So you see this thing that is constantly about us so just to To read the verses.
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I'd like to read today's message We're gonna focus on praying for wisdom praying for heavenly wisdom just not earthly wisdom, but God's wisdom
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There's a difference and we see this later on But we're gonna focus on verses 5 through 12
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But let me back up a little bit and for those that have not heard But what we're going to see the whole context and the beautiful to see the whole
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Let me begin by verse 1 and we'll read all the way to verse 12 and we'll see
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At the ending Application here. We'll look at verse 12 Really at verse 12 begins another paragraph in a sense of the flow of things
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But it can tie in to what he's saying here Hear the Word of God James a bond bond servant or a bond slave
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I should say of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ to the twelve tribes, which are scattered abroad greetings my brethren
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Count it all joy when you fall into various trials Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience
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But let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing
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If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach
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And it will be given to him But let him ask in faith without with no doubting
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For he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven tossed by the wind
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For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord He is a double -minded man unstable in all his ways
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Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation But the rich in his humiliation
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Because as a flower of the field he will pass away For no sooner has the
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Sun risen with the burning heat Then it withers the grass its flower falls and its beautiful appearance of perishes
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So the rich man also will fade away Also, oh,
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I'm sorry fade away in his pursuits Blessed is the man who endures temptation for when
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He has been approved he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him
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God Richly blessed the reading of his word to our hearts and our ears this morning.
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So let's Let's pray as we seek the face of our
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God this morning Our Father in heaven we do.
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Thank you. What a glorious privilege today we have To be here to worship you
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And to your presence father We thank you for each and every one that's come this way to hear your word because father that's what really matters
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We need a word from you a fresh word So father help us not take one second for granted
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We have just heard your word spoken and from Genesis from James in our own native tongue our own native tongue
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Father may we just take a second to thank you today that we have your holy word preserved
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By your Holy Spirit through thousands of years of testing and it has stood the test
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It still stands your word endures forever. It's forever settled in heaven
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Nothing's going to cause it to pass away Heaven and earth to pass away, but your words are eternal
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Father for thousands of years. You've kept it accurate and it it stays accurate It's been attacked
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Through generation after generation, but it stands forever Thousands of years you've preserved it
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And even though it has made its way to us On a sea of blood father.
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We thank you for the men the godly men and women That that took their lives there were martyrs because of this word
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So this is how he's godly men and women loved your word that much They were willing to lay their lives down for it
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So father we thank you for your word. Thank you for your people that love your word father help us to love it
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That would be willing to die for it Live and live for it as well
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So name father now we ask that we need your blessed Holy Spirit to help us to hear your word
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Jesus said it Blessed are your ears To hear so father.
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We need we need ears to hear your word To receive your word to love your word.
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We need grace to love your word father We need most important to obey your word help us not only be hearers, but to be doers of your word
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So father we ask for grace of your Holy Spirit for such a time as this we've come in into your kingdom
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To glorify you your son The Holy Spirit the one that is worthy the one father that you're well pleased in so father
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We would ask all this and his Wonderful glorious name and Jesus name we ask amen and amen
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Or recognizing that trials are essential And that it is an essential means that God uses to perfect Christian character
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James Here the bond slave of the Lord Jesus Christ gives to us five keys that we've been looking at for persevering for enduring and that is
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What he is speaking about in chapter one. How can we endure? How can we persevere?
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perseverance is huge and We need faith Living faith, by the way, he talks about this.
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There's two kinds of faith. There's living faith and there's dead faith Those that have been born again for the
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Holy Spirit regeneration Will show forth living faith and their living faith will show it by their works.
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You see People's got it in reverse. They think it's the works and then they go to show that they're
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Christians But no works does say something. We're created for his workmanship for good works
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Jesus talks about you glorify your father in heaven by your good works
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But good works doesn't save us. All right, we know this it is living faith
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That does the saving and it is God's gift to us and always remember this and we've talked about this
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But it's critical to understand to get a grasp of this Faith and Repentance are gifts of God They are the gifts the generous gifts of God and without that there is no
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Forsaking sin, which is repentance and turning toward God and Christ Jesus.
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That's faith So so it has to be a supernatural gift from God that God gives those good and some people say well, how can
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How can God give something that he commands? Well, that's the beauty of it
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He commands repentance, but he provides it in that wonderful You can't do it, but God does it even though he commands it.
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He provides it And when Luther got a hold of that years ago, it was glorious. That's the gospel
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So we've been looking at Five keys and I'm gonna back up just a little bit one one of those essentials
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Then we're looking at one of the keys is a joyful attitude a joyful attitude through our trials were to be joyful That's a command
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But it's a supernatural joy right to go through trials. Oh It's painful.
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It's tough it God puts us through it. He ordains it but it takes a supernatural joy
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That's that's a fruit of the Spirit. Isn't it that God helps us to be joyful in that?
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So he there's joy, there's a joyful attitude second would be owned we looked at an understanding mind
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So we there's joyful attitude There's an understanding mind and then we looked at the third key, which is crucial is a submissive will
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We're to have a submissive will these all these means are to persevere Jesus said he that endures to the end shall be saved we're not
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Actually, we are he's saving us and we are saved by his grace by faith but Enduring to the very end is when we stand before him and we're glorified and he says well done good and faithful Servant enter into the joy of the
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Lord. You can rest assured when that happens Salvation's happened. It's full and complete.
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But as of right now God is still working on us, right? That's sanctification Regeneration is
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I like what JC Rowell said. He said don't tell me don't tell me about your justification unless I see some sanctification
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And that's so true In other words, it'll be evident and that's what
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James has talked about practical sanctification practical Christian living And by the way, you will not find any other epistle more practical in Christian living than the book of James He is so practical right
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Apostle Paul. He's a little bit more theological, right? He's the theologian But he brings it down to practical application as well
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Paul's always like that. You always see all of his epistles the first half of it It's theological and then he shows this theology moves into practical
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Christian living But you see from James from the get -go. He's practical all the way through but there is some theology here, right?
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There is because there's a study of faith. There's the study of God. There's the study of wisdom
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There's a study of all these great and wonderful glorious truths that he's given us now
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So we looked at those three joyful attitude and understanding mine is submissive will
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And today we will look at and we'll try to squeeze it in if I can We will look at the fourth and the fifth means of perseverance and trials and that is a believing heart and a humble spirit
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We must have a believing heart That's where faith comes in and a humble spirit and that's the attitude and we will see what
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James is talking about to all people There's no respecters of persons with God and then we will look at the reward and I'm gonna just pull this in real quickly at the application the
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Perseverance given to those and the reward that God has a crown of life to those who are faithful To endure to the end.
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So first of all, let's look at a believing heart a believing heart Here we have this is the fourth means to persevere to endure in trials
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And this comprehensive phrase is summarized in verses 5 through 8 Let's look at these verses
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Let me read them real quickly again And now that this time I won't read it from the old King James If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that give it to all men liberally and upbraid if not
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And it shall be given to him. Don't you love that word shall? He guarantees it it shall and he says but let him notice the let's that's a little word
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You could circle let him ask in faith. That's a submissive word. That's something you have to do you must submit to his
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Lordship and to his authority to ask and You ask in faith nothing wavering
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For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed and let not that man
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Think that he shall receive anything of the Lord a double -minded man is unstable in all his ways.
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Well It's obvious that if you look at verse the verse 1
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The people that James wrote to his audience is the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad who were undergoing severe trials in their lives
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They had problems with their praying and you can be assured of that and you look you see this in James chapter 4 verses 1 through 3 if you look at that very quickly
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Look at verses 1 through 3 He says this where do wars and fights come among you?
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Do they not please your desires for pleasures that war in your members? You lust and do not have you murder and covet and cannot obtain you fight in war yet You do not have because you do not ask
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They have problems with their praying right you ask. Okay. Okay, you come and ask you do not receive because you ask amiss
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That word amiss means you ask for the wrong reasons you ask for the wrong desire So they had issues with their praying you can also see this in chapter 5 very quickly chapter 5 verses 13 through 18 notice this 13 through 18 is anyone among you suffering let him pray is
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Anyone cheerful let him sing Psalms let anyone among you sick is it
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I'm sorry Is anyone among you sick question mark let him call for the elders of the church and let him pray over him anointing with oil
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In the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith There's the key right there. You see
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Faith is it's what God is looking for. Well, I quote this verse quite often brother
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Keith does too I think it's a fantastic verse. It's it's from Hebrews 11 6 he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a
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Rewarder of them that diligently seek him We must believe that he is and say and it says notice was it without faith
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It's not pleasing to God, okay God God is pleased with faith you see this through the life of Jesus when he was here
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He was pleased there was little faith. It was great faith. It was some faith, but we'll see later on about Peter That he doubted and he sunk in the water but There's you see this through the
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Gospels God looks at faith and it's incredible to again God provides the faith But when we take the faith, we must exercise the faith and strengthen the faith encourage one another in the faith
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Build up yourselves in your most holy faith. That's what scripture says so We see that is key a key ingredient here gives us this gives us and James gives us the record about that If we were in the shoes of these people in that day
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We'd probably be having the same problems with our praying as well. And I don't know about you. I still do We fit that we could put those shoes on can't we we can we can make them fit?
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So James by the inspiration of the Spirit of God gives to them these dispersed
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Jews And gives to us as well How to pray when we're facing and going through God ordained difficulties and trials and afflictions and persecutions he tells us how to pray and Then he says what should we pray about?
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And he tells us exactly specifically what we should ask for in how to pray Well, the first requirement for such belief is godly understanding.
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Of course, you must have a knowledge of the truth To get it and Especially when we are going through trials as believers in the faith we need a special measure of understanding to help us through and that we need to Drive us to ask of God to supply us the
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Understanding that James gives to us and what is that? We're to ask
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God wisdom We're gonna look at this wisdom from God heavenly wisdom from above God's wisdom, and that's beautiful It's a supernatural wisdom that God gives liberally
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He gives freely without respecters of purpose. Isn't that beautiful that God does not have
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Favorites in his kingdom now, there's those I was talking to my daughter on the way here There's those that are closer to God than others those that are more holy to God But as a whole in the kingdom of God when
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God looks about his children you think of everybody is justified just the same way
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Spurgeon said this in the eyes of God you and I and even Before with when
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Abraham was justified by faith before God and in all the Saints They we come to the kingdom just the same way
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God looks upon us now. These men may be holier and I'm sure they were much holier But when it comes to justification
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It's all the same and you see God has no respecters of persons in that sense Isn't that beautiful?
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God loves us all His children just the same There's a strong sound faith and what
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I love about this. I get emotional you saw me this morning I was holding back tears and I I mean it's it's part of me
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But it's not based all that I believe is not based on my tears and my feelings it's not it's my will
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Now my toes have said this your emotions may show some love but it's it's not grounded in that Now if I was grounded in my feelings,
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I'm gonna be stumbling and falling all over myself I'd be up and down but it's grounded in the truth in the truth of God now
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I may show emotions Because I believe that's part of me. That's the way God made us
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But I'm gonna tell you it's grounded on the truth. It's grounded in faith. Amen. Amen There's a living faith
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But I want you to think of this It's grounded on the knowledge of the truth and the understanding of the promises of God and I can say this
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With everything within me Paul the Apostle says it is. Yes and amen And that's why
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Paul says let every man be liar and let God be true. I Love that because in man and you know what?
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I think of this and we just went through celebrating the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ And if you read
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John chapter 1 This speaks about the word the word became flesh and in him was grace and he was full of grace and truth
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Full of grace and truth and it also says if you look at it Are you later on you read in John chapter 3?
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He knows what's in man Yeah, you see man's to pray man has fallen man is corrupt man is liars
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We need truth. Yeah, and here's Jesus comes and he presents himself As the truth.
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He's the meaning of all of it. Well, he's grounded in the truth That's what James is talking about and James has a great deal to say about wisdom, by the way
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Don't you think of this? True God God's wisdom Paul the Apostle says this in 1st
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Corinthians who is our wisdom Jesus Christ is our wisdom But there is a wisdom
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That gives us that comes from God That James is talking about in chapter 1 here in verse 5 and we see it also in chapter 3 verses 13 through 18 you have to turn there, but it's there as well.
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The Jewish people were lovers of wisdom folks They loved wisdom and and as the book of Proverbs gives evidence someone has said that I don't know who said this
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But I found this in the commentary It said that knowledge is the ability to take things apart, but wisdom is the ability to put put them together
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I think that's good You know knowledge you could take and take it apart by detail, but wisdom you got to put it back together again
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I like that Yet wisdom is the right use of knowledge and by the way wisdom there's no there's there's no
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Let me put it this way wisdom is knowing how to make the right choices in life And that's why
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Solomon asked that as the king of Israel before God and God was well pleased to give him wisdom Because he knew he had to make the wisest of choices and I'm telling you if you look at Solomon This man had tremendous wisdom from God God gave him that gift
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Read the book of Proverbs read Ecclesiastes It's incredible, but that's
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God's wisdom pouring through that man. It wasn't necessarily just Solomon's God's wisdom. That's why it's inspired
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It's not his words. It's maybe articulated in man's language, but it is the
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Word of God Well all of us know people who are educated fools right they have brilliant academic records
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They're all puffed up in their knowledge, but they cannot make the simplest decisions in life
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You see this everywhere and this is why the wise Solomon says in Proverbs 3 and I'm going to quote this because it's one of my favorite verses and It stands as a a great verse to memorize for all
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Christians Chapter 3 verses 5 through 7 trust in the Lord with all your heart
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Lean not on your own understanding But in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight
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That I love that don't you in all your do not be wise in your own eyes in other words
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He knocks pride right off its pedestal right there fear the Lord and turn away from evil
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There's a decision right there with a fear God and by the way was what's the beginning of wisdom the fear of the
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Lord? That's where wisdom starts Starts right there is fearing
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God fearing God. There's wisdom heavenly wisdom But the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
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There is no wisdom in sin That's why you see so many people going after sin.
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They're blinded in sin. They're naturally they're doing what they is doing natural because they're Disobedient they're children of wrath the born that way as all of us were
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And thank God the light comes the light comes through the gospel the light comes through the truth of God's Word And it's like let there be light and that's the power of God's Lord.
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Amen. Amen. Amen Well, what is wisdom? What is wisdom is from above James tells us how it looks like first.
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It's heavenly wisdom It's not earthly wisdom is from above godly wisdom In verse 17 if you notice in verse 17, it's first it's pure It's absolutely holy it comes from God's a perfection then it's peaceable.
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It's gentle. It's reasonable See, it's reasonable There's reason behind it.
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It's full of mercy. I love that It's good full of good fruits and it's unwavering
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It's unwavering without hypocrisy That is the scriptures and and now here's a question for us as believers in Christ when you're going through a trial
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And going through afflictions and hardships and persecutions, you know, why do we need wisdom? Why wisdom?
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Why doesn't he pray? Why does he say ask of God for strength, you know, you need strength to go through it.
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Well, that's true Why not pray for grace you need God's favor to help us through it
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Paul mentioned about his grace is sufficient for thee. Yes, I believe there's a time for praying for strength and grace
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I'm not to throw that out but specifically here and even deliverance Lord deliver me from this But no a lot of people that's going through trial.
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They won't ask for deliverance. They'll say well just give me the wisdom No, let me ask you why wisdom.
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This is what I put in my notes here I personally believe this that we need wisdom and I got to thinking this is crucial
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We need the wisdom from God above so we will not waste our opportunities Before us in this time that God has given and ordained in our lives
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That God gives us to in his providence to mature us and Make us more like his son
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Jesus. Let us not waste this This time teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
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Amen. See God That's why the the disciples that were persecuted for his name say they rejoiced because they said hey, this is coming my my lifetime
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I'm purse. I'm being persecuted for the greatest man that ever lived the king of Kings the Lord of Lords.
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They were rejoicing They beat him on the on the back and they went away reach or they parted out there. The world thought they were crazy
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But they were rejoicing Because they counted themselves worthy to be sufferers for his name's sake
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You see it's because God has ordained a trial in your life and my life and whatever he is ordained
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What the trials are different, right? But whatever the degree of the trial God has ordained
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So James says the goal the trials is that it may make that may that you and I may be matured complete not lacking nothing
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Not lacking anything So if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask you God. So got the goal
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According to James is that we lack nothing Spiritually, you see what
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I'm saying? It's not physically God is looking where does God look in the heart?
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He doesn't see skin color he doesn't see that that's not the one God see
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God sees the size of your soul He sees your heart but to turn test into maturity
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The one thing you and I must not lack is wisdom. We must have
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God's wisdom in the trials So God intends trials to produce endurance and maturity, but trials do not always lead to spiritual growth
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Now Wow pastor, why you say that because sometimes if you notice suffering can also create a sense of fear
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You see this It can happen to a child of God. It can happen. You definitely see it in unbelievers life
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But there's fear. There's a despair and unfortunately a determination to look out for old number one it turn it can turn backwards a determination
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To be selfish or even be angry toward God I've heard people ask
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R .C. Sproul when he was living about being angry at God allowing
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Such hardships a loss of a baby or a family member and they asked
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R .C. Sproul Then he replied with a beautiful answer and he said he said my advice to you is repent repent
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He said get on your face and repent Because the way this person is looking at it is
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They're resentful and angry toward God and we could we if we don't guard our hearts we can become this way as well when hardships and pain hits and saying
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Lord, why am I going through this pain and and you start saying why and Then it's almost like you're becoming deserving of mercy
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That's the wrong perspective beloved. We all deserve hell. We all deserve wrath.
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We don't deserve to be here Sproul even said we're deserving of nothing but but damnation and That is so biblical and that's true
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Why does God save any of us? Because he's good. He didn't have to So we're not obligated to receive it to have mercy right, but we do deserve justice
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See in the even in the abundance he talks about the rich later on in the abundance of things which also is a trial
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We'll look at that can lead to selfish indulgence See all these things that say in Ecclesiastes Solomon says got these things are gifts from God But if we don't recognize the giver behind it these things become
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Idolatrous and once they become idolatry God hates idolatry We must recognize
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We're the source of all these good things come from and it comes from our loving God every good and perfect Gift comes from above you see
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We must realize that everything that God has given us in life our wives our husbands our children's and every good thing
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It's on loan to us from God and I'm gonna look at this. We're gonna look at this later Job understood that Therefore James now says we need to ask
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God for wisdom So we can gain from trials. That's how we gain from trials is ask wisdom not waste our opportunity
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That God gives us So in James words, he says if any of you any of you listen closely
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Lacks wisdom. I like wisdom. I don't get on my face Lord. Give me wisdom He should ask of God.
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Okay, I'm coming down and asking but he tells us how to ask in faith God gives generously to all finding not
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Finding fault without finding fault. It will be given to him now So James not only explains what to ask for which is wisdom but he also describes to us how to ask isn't it beautiful that the
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Word of God is so specific and Giving us Instruction. I love what
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Keith brother Keith brings up all the time. It is our moral compass Take away the compass
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You're gonna be going in all kinds of directions But it gives us where North is where South is where's
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East is West Northwest Southwest It tells us where to go and how to get there how to get to heaven
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God's way on God's terms and nothing else Well, he tells us how to ask and that we're to ask in faith and faith not wavering
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Not to stagger at the promises of God I thought about this about Abraham how he did not stagger at the promises of God now
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We know he had some failures before they didn't get to that that plateau of faith immediately
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Did God had some lessons for him? He lied in Egypt, right? You remember that? Yeah, he he failed remember and even what we're still looking at the consequences today over there in the the
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Middle East The consequences still about us because he chose a
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Hagar He he leaned on the arm of flesh So you see that's encouraging to me.
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I don't know about you But you know Abraham did not become he passed the test when he took his own son only son
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Isaac but before then God he failed some tests, but he learned from a beloved
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He learned from it and he became the father of our faith now.
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Let us break break this up for a second Okay, let's look at the text James encourages prayer and here's four
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Successive successive get more words out phrases and in verse 5 verse 5 He says he says we should ask
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God first of all who gives God is a giving God Secondly God gives generously third to all
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Forth without finding fault you see our good God you sound good God is each element here that deserves our merits and our consideration first Let's look at it
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James 1 5 literally reads that have asked the giving God That's literally what the original translation says let him ask the giving
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God. That's the that's the literal reading Yeah, don't you love that? Let him ask the giving
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God Yeah, it matches the final statement it will be given to him the old
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King James translation shall be given to him James labels the Lord the giving
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God God so loved the world that he gave His one and only son his only begotten son
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God loves a cheerful giver because God is about giving he gives and gives and gives you see so many verses in Scripture it take me
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I mean Time and time again No telling how many studies we can have if we just looked at how many times
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God gives and gives and gives and he constantly Gives and he still gives out of his heart
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Things we don't deserve we don't deserve Well, and that's what he talks about we're gonna look at that When God gives he always acts according to his nature and his character always that's the way
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God is Like it when God says he's love He's love that's his nature
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And when it says he's holy, that's his nature. That's his character He's acting the way he always will be he never will change in that beloved throughout all eternity and that's what
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Moses says and in Chapter 90 of a song from everlasting everlasting thou art
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God, you know what that means from vanishing point to vanishing point other words infinity
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It's infinite there's no limitations. There's no bounds. That's the way God is he never changes his love is is
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Always like it is and has never changed From the beginning of history to the end of history and from eternity to eternity
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Nothing's gonna change God on that Well, that's the way he is Second James says God gives to all he gives generously to all and the word literally means simply and simplicity
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I like that word Simplicity simplicity is generous in this sense.
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The simple gift is a pure gift It is neither returns a favor previously given nor expects a favor in return beloved
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There are no strings attached to it God gives and he doesn't really expect anything in return
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But I tell you what to give you life would be a good gift In other words, God doesn't need you
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He's self -sufficient, but to give back to him God's well -pleased But you're not going to earn no favor and no merit.
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So no brownie points with God like that, right? But the simple gift neither pays back.
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That's what he's saying nor expects a payback That is God's gifts do not become debts
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So he delights and given it is his nature to give without calculating something in return
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Okay. Next the Lord gives to all he gives all that is he does not play favorites in his kingdom
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We looked at that. There's no respecters of persons with God God is a generous God and he gives to all his children next fourth
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God gives without finding fault now I love this because what does it mean? It is possible even easy to do this to give and to add reproach to it
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We do this at times we say well, yes, I can loan you some money But what happened to that money?
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I gave you last month. I know I'm meddling. But anyway
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Yes, I will help you get ready for your trip. But watch out when that but comes
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You should have started preparing two weeks ago That's reproach beloved that's reprimanding you see what
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I'm saying God doesn't do that In other words, God doesn't say With reproach which reproaches a part of this part is a form of a verb that means to upbraid to severely reprimand
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It's the same word in Matthew 5 11 It's rendered casting insults to revile in the
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King James translation it means that and the term is used in Matthew 11 20 of the Lord's reproach in the cities of Khorasan and Bethsaida of whom he said it will be more tolerable for a tire inside and in the day of judgment than for you
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Wow But the Lord will never cast even the mildest reproach on his children he would never cast that mildest reproach on a child of God of his who comes seeking wisdom in a time of trouble and Testing he will not remind us of how undeserving you are or how unworthy you are
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Obvious as that might be you are his child beloved and God graciously would give you wisdom in your trial gladly
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Because he knows there's a goal for you in this is to make you more like his son And if he's pleasing his son, he wants you to be like his son.
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Yes, sir. You see yes, nor will he chide us He's not going to chide us for asking sooner.
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Why didn't you ask sooner? Fully understanding that the spirit is willing and the flesh is weak without hesitation without reluctance without reservation
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His wisdom will be given graciously. That's the way our God is He's a gracious God that gives oh my time is flying by well
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We will say in effect He will said to his people Israel the psalmist psalm 81 verse 10
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I the Lord am your God who brought you up from the land of Egypt Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
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I Know brother Keith loves that verse. I love it, too Because it's like a little baby bird gonna open your mouth and that that mama bird comes and puts that worm
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God knows what you need And you need his word He will fill you up with his word when you just open your mouth and be desirous
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Well very quickly turn with me to Matthew chapter 7, you know where I'm going Matthew chapter 7
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Jesus sermon on the Mount What did Jesus say Jesus our
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Lord, I think paying attention to his words is critical. Yeah, and by the way Everything James says in his epistles a commentary on what
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Jesus taught You can guarantee that look at verse 7 ask and it will be given to you
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Seek and you will find Listen to this great promise knock and it will be open to you for everyone who asks receives and who seeks finds
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To him who knocks it will be open and then he says this in question I love this what man is there among you who if he if his son
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Children ask for bread. We give him a stone Boy, Jesus knows how to get your attention.
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Yeah, here's a child He was now now I want you to get this a child comes to ask his father.
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Yeah, daddy I want bread is daddy going to give that child a stone No, sir.
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He's not gonna give him a stone. What does he say if he asked for a fish? He's gonna give him a snake a serpent It's ridiculous
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Well, what's he saying listen, I love what Jesus says here pay close attention to this if you then being evil
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Depraved know how to give good gifts to your children underscore this beloved how much more
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Hallelujah, how much more will your father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him and Luke says the
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Holy Spirit Therefore whatever you want men to do it to you do also to them for this is the law and the prophets
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He's talking about the golden rule there about now. He's talking about now. I want you to look at this The beauty of this is what
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Jesus is talking about Is he is he is telling? He is he
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Jesus knows how to make a point doesn't he? He knows how to speak the truth and love and here Jesus is predisposes the doctrine of human depravity
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And he's saying how much more I? Love that Paul the
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Apostle does this just the same in his letter to the Romans in chapters 1 through 3 you see this
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But what does he say he's speaking of depravity how much more if the earthly fathers who are depraved and evil
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Give what they know is good gifts to their children That God the perfect good
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God in heaven will give good things to those who ask him you see
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That's what he's talking about now back to James James chapter 1 verse 6 he says this but always a transitional word, but Watch out when that word comes it could be good
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It could be bad sometimes but a lot of times in scripture is but good a transition
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God moves in But here he says but Let him ask in faith
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Nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like the wave of the sea driven in the wind with the wind tossed now. He gives a interested
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Illustration here James James is turning from a willing father to a waiting child That's what he's doing.
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He's making it very clear that the Lord requires the right kind of asking The right kind of asking we must ask in faith without doubting
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If fear is the opposite or the enemy of faith and unbelief is the enemy of prayer beloved
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James compares that we are to ask God for heavenly wisdom, but are asking we are to ask in faith
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When we seek God's gift, we must ask in faith always in faith without faith.
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It's impossible to please God Wholeheartedly seeking God fully expecting to receive wisdom from him
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James says that anyone who asked must believe and then no doubt should be taking place
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What happens he gives a picture of a doubting man, doesn't he? He's like a wave of the sea blown tossed by the wind that man should not think he received anything from the
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Lord now He's a double -minded man unstable in all his ways I want to point out to you beloved what he's talking about is unbeliever here.
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Now. We do stumble at times Don't we in some of our ways? James says and all of his ways
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You got to notice that and all of his ways you got underscore those small words
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That we do stumble at times. We do waver at times. Don't we we do doubt at times, but the
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Unbeliever is always Practicing this this way. Yeah, you see
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James doesn't so often here. He hearkens to a teaching from Jesus again Matthew 21,
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I don't have time to go there. But Matthew 21 chapter 21 21 22 mark 11 22 and 24
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He's basically saying if you have faith and do not doubt you will receive whatever you ask in prayer believing and of course always
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According to the will of God because Jesus always taught that James compares the doubting believer to the waves of the sea doubting
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He got the doubting believer to the waves of the sea up one minute down the other But if you ever been to a beach, let me give an illustration on a vacation
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I know some of you know what I'm talking about here You know, just what James is talking about about in a text waves are totally unpredictable
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You see this in the ocean you could be lying on the beach side and the instant calm and then the next bit in the sunshine and then the next minute you
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Turn instantly you are doused with waves Unpredictable they're up they're down.
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That's what he's saying. They're up they're down That's the way a lot of people are They ain't asking
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God This experience of the double -minded man faith says yes doubt says no faith.
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Yes doubt. No Scripture says yes Faith says yes
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Unbelief says no watch out for unbelief The Hebrew writer says the sin of unbelief
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There is a sin of unbelief and if you read The history of the children of Israel you see what
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God is talking about in his work They've displeased that was a generation that displeased
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God going in circles in the desert for 40 years beloved We don't want to be like that we want to have a focal point have a single eye and Faith like Joshua and Caleb and go to the land of Cana And if there's little giants and I say little giants in our way, we don't see the little giants
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We see the God that's above the giant You see faith faith and Jesus says all you got to have is faith the size the grain of a mustard seed
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That's the smallest of seeds And God gives that well, it was doubt that made Peter sink, right?
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Let me give a quick illustration here Matthew 14 22 23, you can read it this man
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Peter Here he is. He asked him to come out on the water. Jesus says come now.
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You got to keep in mind it wasn't daylight it was dark and They had doubts if this is really
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Jesus and Peter says if that's really you bid me come on the Lord Jesus says come No man ever done this.
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Now, of course Jesus walked on water. He was the Son of God But Peter started walking on water and he couldn't probably couldn't see him very good
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But he kept his eyes focused on the Lord Jesus Christ and the storm was beat You know the story was beating around him and he began to look at the storm
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Rather than Jesus he got his eyes off Jesus and that's when we start the same beloved
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And then what did Jesus say? He lovingly rebuked him. He said, oh you oh thou of little little faith
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Wherefore why did you doubt? And then Peter cried out help the greatest prayer in the
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Bible Well Peter started his walk with faith on the water and then he kept his eyes off Jesus But when he got his eyes off Jesus he sunk you see when he was distracted by the wind the waves he ceased to walk by faith and That's what happens.
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We start to waver He wavered he began to sink in that situation. Peter was a double -minded man in that situation
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He almost drowned and he cried out and the Lord reached out and took him in Our Lord so good.
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Well, may God give us the grace to save us from sinking drowning and unbelief and to cause unbelief
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Will take us down It's an enemy of faith doubting is enemy of it. This is the kind of experience
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Is evident of immaturity beloved Paul said Ephesians 4 for that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro
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Carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slate of men hear that and cunning craftiness
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Wherefore by they lie and wait to deceive if we have believing and united hearts in Christ We can ask in faith and not waver and and know that God will graciously give us wisdom
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Well a double -minded man. He's unstable in all of his ways not some of them all of his ways
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This is the unbeliever Such a person cannot expect that he will receive anything from the
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Lord He is like ancient of Israel makes me think about Prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel on 1st crank
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Kings 1821 how long will you hesitate between two opinions?
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Well, I love the way he drew the line That prophet knew what he was doing if the
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Lord be God Follow him if bail be God follow him in other words make up your mind
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Don't be double -minded Such a person becomes a lay odyssey and now this gets strong Becomes a sham to Christianity Who's neither hot nor cold?
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Scripture says the Lord was spit him out of his mouth folks. We need to beware and take heed
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According to Revelations 3 16 other words. That's an unstable faith. That's an unstable person and it makes
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God sick lukewarm I Remember my uncle giving an illustration you could put a frog in the lukewarm water and turn up the heat
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Just slowly and eventually you can boil them to death Because he's comfortable in that lukewarm water
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You know, it'd be better that you'd be cold or hot. Don't be lukewarm Listen to John MacArthur in his commentary on this.
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This is strong stuff, but I thank God for pastors like this MacArthur makes his observation for such a person that makes a sham of Christianity quote
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Although he claims to be a believer he actions reveals. He's he's an unbeliever
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When he goes through a severe trial, he turns to human resources rather than singly trusting in the
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Lord for answers and help Or he becomes bitter resentful and seeks no help at all He does not renounce
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God, but he acts if God doesn't exist He doesn't care or is it capable of delivering him from trouble?
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He knows something of God's Word and God's love grace and providence but he refuses to avail himself of those divine resources as James points out later in the letter that person's problem
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Of course is sin listen to MacArthur is draw near to God and he will draw near to you
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He admonishes and listen to this why we know this person's a sinner Unbeliever because James says cleanse your hands you sinners
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Purify your hearts You double -minded you see he gives a loving rebuke, but this person's unstable in all of his ways
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That's the double -minded person that are called sinners a term for unbelievers in quote
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Psalm 12 to what scripture say about speaks of a double heart a double heart
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With the Lord which the Lord will judge listen to what scripture says they speak vanity everyone with his neighbor
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With flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak you see that?
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but in opposite Deuteronomy 6 5 speaks of a single heart when it says you shall love the
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Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength That's a single heart opposite of the double -minded person
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The double -minded man is a mark of an unbeliever, but likewise Even true
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Christians like I said can fall prey to being unstable to trust God and we've all been there right and his sovereign hand
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And trials to set aside Doubts he needs to do this now
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Pilgrims progress that wonderful classic as you well know, you know Bunyan John Bunyan knew about this this double -minded man
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What did he call him? He called him. Mr. To facing both ways Hey, you remember that this is mr.
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Facing both ways He's unstable That's so true Bunyan knew what he was talking about Not some but all of his ways
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You know, you got to keep in mind when you read through James James is he's using wisdom like the writer of Hebrews That he is speaking to God's people
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To encourage them and even sometime lovingly rebuking them and admonishing him But he's also
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Thinking in the back of his mind, there's tears of unweaked. You see that read this in Hebrews.
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There's a transitional at times There's a strong rebuke that comes on like he's thinking there's tears out there and when he needs to Hey those tears those false teachers and those fought those unbelievers there that are deceived.
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They need to hear the truth You see so you got to think of that. So here
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This person can't stand the trials of life this unstable Double -minded person.
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He doesn't have living faith. He has dead faith. He's chaotic and in the book of James He stands condemned.
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He has no trust in God. He has no loyalty That means he's totally unsettled. He's unstable unstable all of his ways
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But opposite of such a person a person who puts his trust in the Lord a person who is truly stable in life
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Trials come a person puts their trust in the Living God. He's like the rock of Gibraltar He's unmovable
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Always abounding in the work of the Lord. So a believing heart is genuine believes in the central of persevering
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My time is about gone My next point would be a humble spirit. Let's look at this quote very quickly a humble spirit verse 9
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Let the brother a low degree rejoice. That means the glory that he is exalted now I want you to notice very quickly.
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This is another command a mandatory rejoicing. Let the brother of low degree What does that mean the poor man the poor man economically deprived?
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He's the poor Christian Low on the economic total pole scale. We'll all been there.
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We're still there, right? This guy doesn't have much and in physical things, you know
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These are the people James is writing to this is encouraging The twelve tribes scattered abroad were victims of persecution there were victims of racism there were victims of bigotry
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That's right Poverty among those who would disperse were very common. You can read this and study this
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This was a very common thing and many of them were very poor very poor They had very little and the word here that is translated low degree is used in the
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Septuagint and Old Testament Greek that translate poor Let that poor rejoice that poor man rejoice.
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What does that mean? What does that mean that word is a very very rich word It means to boast in a privilege or a possession now,
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I'm leading to something here. That's beautiful. You're gonna love this Here is the joy of legitimate pride.
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Now God hates pride. But here's a time you can boast and You can boast in something good
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He may have nothing in this world to rejoice about in possessions He may have nothing in this world that he possesses but let him rejoice and let him exalt
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Himself in this it is a privilege and what is it that he's exalted now? What's he talking about?
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He's exalted in what way? Spiritually you say he's rich.
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He's a rich man He's join heirs with God he's heirs of God and join heirs with Jesus Christ, he he's he's part owner with everything
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God has So what Jesus said the meek shall inherit the earth It's gonna happen.
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He may be considered the filth and the scouring of the scum of the world But he can rejoice
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His standing he's just but justified before God That's what he can exalt him
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And he can exalt in Christ blessed be the God and Father our Lord Jesus Christ. He has seated us in what heavenly places
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That's what he's talking about He's talking about the poor in spirit there's just the kingdom of God He may be hungry, but he has the bread of life he may be thirsty thirsty he has the living water
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He may be poor in this world, but he has all the eternal riches in God by Christ Jesus. He's a rich man
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He may have no home here. He has a glorious home in heaven If you have
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God you got it all You see so the person is deprived can accept his deprivation accept his trials because of the hope that God is exalting him through those spiritual dimension
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Ultimately bring him home to future glory So we can rejoice in any trial know that rejoice in any
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Deprivation why because God has chosen us To be exalted position in the kingdom of his dear son
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Paul said this the sufferings of this world are not worthy To be compared with the joy that shall be ours
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When he brings us home Well, I'm going to stop right there and just pick up later on because my time is gone
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But I want you to look blessed is the man who endures temptation for when he has been approved He will receive the crown of life, which the
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Lord has promised to those who? Love him. I want you to connect that verse to Romans 8 28
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Yeah, I tell you it's it's it's God's blessing now I Got about three more pages of notes here.
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I'm skipping them because I think enough has been said and for enough enough for us to chew on we'll pick up on this next week
01:00:03
But if you look at Romans, let's close right there go to Romans What's so familiar with this, but I don't want us to miss this one bit
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Romans 8 before you get to Romans 8 28. I want you to look at this Verse 24
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Well, let's back up to a little bit more Says this verse from not only that when we also have the firstfruits of the
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Spirit even we ourselves grown within ourselves eagerly Waiting for the adoption the redemption of our body
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That's the final day folks, but we were saved in this hope we were saved in this hope
01:00:40
But hope that isn't is seen is not hope. Why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see we eagerly wait for the it's with it with what perseverance
01:00:52
That's what James is talking about perseverance Likewise, don't you love the scripture the
01:00:57
Spirit the Holy Spirit also helps us and our weaknesses But we do not know how what we should pray for as we ought now
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James tells us wisdom But in prayer see what dumb sheep folks. We need it.
01:01:10
We need help. We need a lot of help So the Holy Spirit comes alongside. That's what he means.
01:01:16
He's the paraclete. He comes alongside us and he helps us. He's the helper And he would teach us all truth and lead us into all truth
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But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings, which cannot be uttered folks
01:01:28
The Holy Spirit knows exactly what your deepest heartfelt needs are and he knows how to meet those needs in Jesus Now he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the
01:01:41
Spirit is Because he makes intercession for the Saints according to the will of God there's an intercessor and His name is
01:01:49
Jesus at the right hand of the Father praying for you that your faith would not fail right now And then he says this verse 28 and we know don't you love that we know
01:02:02
Who's we the children of God? God's children know that all things work together for good
01:02:12
To those who? Love him love God. That's what James is saying
01:02:17
You're gonna receive a crown of life Once these trials for a season's over with you're going to be welcomed in into eternal glory and God and The Father be waiting and Jesus will be right there and say well done good and faithful servant enter into the joy of the
01:02:34
Lord That's the reward You see it's just not heaven. It's God.
01:02:39
He's the great reward. That's what God told Abraham He says I'm gonna be your exceedingly great reward
01:02:46
Hallelujah Who loved God who loved God to those who love him and that's why
01:02:53
John says If you love the things of the world and all the things and the lust of the flesh the pride of life and all that's in The world he said if you love those things the love of the
01:03:02
Father's not in you What's he saying? You can't love God and mammon the things of here the possessions which we see
01:03:11
But you see our eyes are on Jesus We love him whom we have not seen and that what
01:03:16
Peter said To those who are the called the called you are the called
01:03:23
According to his purpose and then the golden chain of redemption for whom he foreknew. He also predestined he marked out
01:03:31
To be conformed to the image of his son. That's God's goal for you and me to be like Jesus I got a long way to go folks, but he's still working on me.
01:03:39
I love that child song He's still working on me to make me what ought to be it took him just a week to make the moon and the stars
01:03:47
And how's it go the rest of it? He's still working on me hallelujah
01:03:53
Let's pray father. We just thank you for this time in Scripture Lord. There's so much that could be said, but I Personally believe
01:04:01
Lord enough has been said because your word is profitable and it does not return void
01:04:08
Lord we thank you for The trials that we go through father
01:04:13
It's your hand of Providence upon us and Lord your hand is when your hand is honest. We we need to understand that What we're doing we should
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Kiss the very hand as Job did That dished out those trials Lord we see
01:04:30
Job. He lost everything. He lost his health. He lost his possessions. He lost all ten of his children and I thank you father of his how he replied
01:04:41
Lord his attitude and all those Trials that came his way. He said
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Naked I come from I came from my mother's womb and naked shall I return? The Lord gave and the
01:04:54
Lord has taken away blessed be the name of the Lord made that be our attitude Made that be our attitude
01:05:01
Job was tested and it was for a season Through his trials he passed the test father
01:05:08
Help us to pass the test help us to have a faith that does not waver and does not doubt but ask you of wisdom
01:05:15
Right in the middle of the trials and how we can glorify you in the midst of these trials
01:05:21
Father help us not waste the eternal reward that is before us Lord. Help us. We're such
01:05:29
Ignorant people at times we we go through trials and all we want to do is complain and say Lord while we're suffering
01:05:34
But we should be saying father. Thank you for these trials They may hurt But I like what
01:05:40
CS Lewis said Lord you whisper to us in our comforts, but you shout to us in our pain
01:05:46
Lord, you got our attention in trials and you know what you're doing. You know, what's best for us.
01:05:51
So father I pray develop in us a greater usefulness and chasing us if you had need be to greater purity
01:05:59
Lord, we thank you for every trial that comes from above help us to count it all joy for your namesake