Bible Study: James Chapter One part 3.

Our Bible study begins now
May the spirit of God grant us divine insight in into his perfect word this morning

Take note of this, James says. Listen acutely, speak hesitantly and anger hesitantly too

This admonition I strongly believe is the key to a wholesome godly life. The truth is, one does not have to be a Christian to begin to apply this principle. If anyone, be it Muslim, Hindu, or atheist even, begin to love by this doctrine of listening patiently before reacting and carefully choosing their words, then people will admit they are godly. At least this is what it means to be wise, to listen hard and speak less.
The Christian whom the epistle is addressed to needs to put this into action more than any other person, this way we stand out in the midst of a barbaric crowd.

The reason James prescribed this pattern of lifestyle to Christians is that man's anger is not compatible with the righteousness of God which we carry. We can't say we are children of God and keep getting angry with our brothers for no good cause.
The only anger a christian is allowed to have is anger towards sin and evil deeds. This kind of anger should push us to act against it.
Therefore what is a christian to do about this, James says is to get rid of moral filth and prevalent evil in our society. Take note that this is a personal cleansing he is talking about. Then each one of us is to accept with humility the saving word of God.
Dear Livie, we need to be aware that James was addressing this to a generation of Christians to whom the subject of salvation through grace by faith in Christ is still a demeaning act to even think about let alone do.
This was written only about 20 years after Christ was crucified. Many of these people knew Christ personally. Many of them were in that crowd before Pilate chanting in anger, "crucify him".
These same people had chosen Barrabas the murderer over Jesus the Prince of peace and that decision was still fresh in their head. Now consider how humiliating it will be for these people to have to subject their lives to the Lordship of that same Christ.
They needed encouragement. James was doing his best about that.

James in his encouragement teaches them how to stay humble to the Word. Doing what it says and not just reading it alone.
The promise of God's blessing to the one who does as the word says must be a selling point for the early Christians just as it is with us today. James applied this hear. This is one striking difference in the message of Paul and James. Paul you might have noticed nearly never promises his readers the blessings of God as an incentive to do godliness or exercise faith in God. Paul fashions his message in the line of, offer yourself to the cause of Christ and leave the rest to God.

Anyway, that is a topic for a full bible study on its own, so I won't digress. In verse 26, he settled the matter of what the true religion among men should be. Remember at that time Christianity was a new religion. So there was bound to be cutting scrutiny on its integrity when stood against the others of that age. James went back to what he says in 19, if a man can't be slow to speak it does not matter which of the religions he belongs to, he has failed in it.
Then he went on to grade what God would accept if religion is ever considered before him. Look after orphans and widows and stay undefiled from the evils of the world.
Often times when I am faced with the question of whether a person or church is doing it right before God, I think about is scripture. It really doesn't matter whether one prays a hundred hours per day or sings worship songs like angels. It doesn't matter whether a church is as fine as heaven itself or that they are always on cable tv and holding glorious programs and conventions. What God asks from us is simply this, that we love one another in sincerity, giving help to those we know the world would not ordinarily give it to. And then doing our best to stay undefiled from a morally dirty world.

I pray the spirit of God keep us sanctified and help us to offer help to all those who want so that our religion towards God will be pure and faultless.
Amen.
Have a marvelous day, my love.

Bible Study: James 1 cont.

Let's do our bible study for today.

I pray that the spirit of God opens our minds to the truth of His word as we study

We are continuing from verse 12 of chapter one.
James says that there is blessing for he that perseveres under trial because his reward is a crown of life from God.
The striking thing about this verse is that the crown of life is meant for those who love God. So how will it then be given to those who persevere under trial?
What correlation does perseverance under trial has with loving God?
Let me take you to the book of Galatians. Chapter 5:6 tells us that our faith as Christians works by love. If we do not have love, our faith won't work. Therefore, if one has persevered under trials which is a product of working faith, it is an evidence that that one has love. Because faith again works through love.
Does it make sense?

When temptation of the flesh is the nature of the trial the christian is going through, then the person needs to watch out for his own evil desires. James says God does not get tempted, neither does he tempt other with evil. In him there is no guile or evil, so it is not in Him to show evil to man.
If man who carries evil desires in his heart gives in to it, then sin is birthed and that sin in turn gibes birth to death.
This reminds me of the story of Cain just before he slew his brother Abel. In Gen.4:6-7 God saw what was in his evil heart. God warned him, saying, sin is knocking at the door of your heart right now. If you are wise, you will resist it and rule over it. Cain did not heed to that warning. He allowed the sin brewing in his heart to control him into committing the first homicide.
Today, that same voice of God speaks to everyone who is being tempted by his evil desires. That same voice keep telling us to rule over our desires so as not to fall into sin. But how many of us listen?
Often times, like Cain, we fall.

Every good and perfect gift comes from God. That is James' way of telling us that whatever evil desires in man's heart is not good and neither perfect. God is the one that gives riches and adds no sorrows. If we are tempted to wrought evil in order to get riches or something else we so desire, let it be known that it is not from God and will always come along with sorrows.
In verse 18, the Apostle speaks like Paul and Peter. 1Peter 1:23.
God has given birth to us by His words, this he did of his own will. We didn't compel him to, the devil did not force him to. He did it of his own will and he did it by his word, Jesus Christ. By so doing, we became the first fruit of all creation. We become preferred first to all he created. The restores the original order of creation. It restores the dominion Adam lost to the devil in Eden.

I pray that the wisdom of God will flood your mind today in all you do so that his power will be evident in you to all. Have a lovely day. God bless you richly, dear Livie.

Bible Study: James 1

Like I promised you last night, we resume our bible study this morning.

We will be studying the book of James.
Apostle James addressed this letter to the group of churches in different cities.
He wrote in verse 1 that this is to the 12 tribes scattered among the nations. You see, unlike Paul who was a minister unto the gentiles, James was the guy running the gospel show in Judea. His primary focus was on the Jews.
So he goes here talking to the tribes of Israel.

Sweetheart, let me take you through a bit of history. At the time of this letter was written (AD45, which makes it the oldest book in the new testament), a large population of original Jews were scattered all over the world out of Messopotamia to as far as Asia minor and Southern Africa beyond the Ethiopian empire and beyond the Euphrates up north.
This was about 4 centuries after the exile into Babylon and dejection of the remnants in Israel and 2 decades after the rise of the Roman empire which saw the total destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and further dispersing of the Jews into new Alexandrian cities.
So when James the just as he was called wrote to these people, he is contending with the conflicting new cultures in their heads and as well the over zealousness of the new faith proclaimers.

Being aware that their presence in foreign lands with alien gods and religions presents a handful of troubles for Jewish Christians, he begins his letter by telling them to not lose faith when faces with diverse challenges. This is only a testing of their faiths.
As Christians we need to be constantly aware that each time we face a tough situation that makes it seem as if God isn't on our side any more, it is only a test of how much we trust God to know better.
He has said he will never leave us or forsake us. Hr has told us he is the God that watches over us and rewarder of those that diligently seek him. We know he is the God that sees the ending from the beginning. Now it is not enough to know these things, we must know to let that awareness stay in our heads during trying times.
This is what it means to have faith in God. You see, faith is not a feeling or a sign. Faith is a knowing. It is making God and his word our reality over what we are going through.
So James says that if one is able to go through trials and come out of it shinning, one thing that has been gained is the ability to persevere through the next phase of trials which is obviously going to be tougher.
This is knowing that the God that has led you through the previous trial is big enough to take you through this present one. Life is a series of one trial or challenge after another. This is true for everyone, whether you believe in Jesus or a lump of clay at the back of your compound.

What James is saying here is, as a Christian, your faith gives you perseverance and perseverance is what brings you to the full state of spiritual maturity where you no longer lack anything.
In verse 5 he says that if wisdom is what is lacking, then one should just ask God.
When we ask God for wisdom or anything, we must not entertain any doubt in our heart about us getting the request met. Anyone who asks and doubts is not fit to receive.
If you ask God for wisdom, then believe you are wise and begin to act wise. Stop thinking you are limited in wisdom. That's what king Solomon did (though you know I'm not much of his fan). He asked God for wisdom and when it was time judge in wisdom he just trusted his judgement as one who God has given wisdom.

I so love the point he made in verses 9-11.
He says the lowly guy has to take pride in what makes him big and the big guy take pride in what makes him low.
If you think life has knocked you to the curb, look deep within, there must be something about you that is worth celebrating. Something commendable and admirable. James says the little guy should take pride in those things. These are one of the verses that make the bible the best material against depression. Anyone in a position where they are thinking Sir life is worth nothing can read this and be lifted.
Then he also says to the person who thinks he's balling. Hey dude, look here. Your pride is not in your possessions or what you know but rather in what makes you humbled. This is critical because when we think we are flying is when we lose our wings.
A man cannot keep winning unless he discovers how to keep finding reasons why he can lose. That way, his pride is not in what makes him win but in what could cause him to lose. This echoes what Paul says to the church in Corinth. See 2 Cor.12:9-11 and compare the thoughts. God's strength can only be made perfect in what makes us weak.
The man that tinks he's high will not seek God if he can't find a weak point of his life and if he does not seek God the it's only a matter of time before he falls.
Hence it makes

Bible Study: Colossians 3 (cont.)

Good morning dearly beloved of God and Ray

We would continue our Bible study this morning to conclude chapter 3 of Colossians

We stopped at verse 16 but I would lean back a bit into 15 where Paul says since we're all members of one body in Christ we are to allow our hearts be controlled by the peace of God.

The purpose of this is so that our fellow believers can be comfortable around us and be happy with us. So that we don't become a cancerous part of the body of Christ. This leads into 16 where he says we should also allow the word of God dwell richly in us. We need this to help us be useful to the body of Christ in teaching, and admonishing one another with wisdom. If we don't have adequate knowledge of the word of God then how are we to teach and admonish others with all wisdom?

A valid guide to to a christian daily life is dropped in 17, whatsoever we do, or say. Let it be in the name of Jesus. Remember Paul telling Athenians in the Acts of the apostles that in Christ we live, we move and have our being. He he restates it to the Colossians.
But how do we do all things in the name of Jesus Christ?

He simply meant that all actions and word from them must be put to the test of being in his glory. Since we are bought with a price, crucified with him and now live unto him, all things we do or say must be to his credit. We can no longer live to ourselves. We only then must do those things he wants us to do and say only those things he wants us to say.

As he did with the Ephesians in chapter 5, he does to the Colossians here. Giving them family guides. Wives must submit to their husbands as they would submit to the Lord. So a wife not submitting to her husband is equally not submitting to God.

Then husbands must love their wives and not be harsh with them. See that order we talked about last time? He followed it here too. Submission first then love can be.
Children are to obey parents if not for anything but to please God. So even if one doesn't like his parents or think they don't deserve to be obeyed, at least do it to please God. Fathers also have a role to encourage obedience from children.

A father must strive to earn the children's trust. He must make it easier for them to obey him by showing them by all means how his instructions and decisions are only guided by love and selflessness. His well meaning must be clear to all, then with that it becomes easy to be obeyed.

He then tells servants to serve masters as if they serve God. Not with eye service but with a sincere heart. This today applies to employees. This is because God gives a reward to faithfulness, even faithfulness to man, God rewards. This tells us that when we are faithful to our fellow man, God sees us and is pleased.

In 24 he tells us that even our service to masters translates into service to Christ. There is no favoritism in Christ. Faithfulness to mankind is faithfulness to God. This all stems from the position of love. If we love our brother then we can love God. John says in his first epistle, we have passed to life from death because we love the brethren.
God be with you today as you go out to win.
I love you plenty.

Bible Study: Colossians 3

Good morning love

We are resuming our Bible study of Colossians today.
My leave and trip to Enugu had meant there was no sense in a long distance Bible study.
I pray that the Holy Spirit brood over our understanding as we study this morning.

Paul began Colossians 3 on a frank note. His message here was straight to the point. If you are with Christ on high then act it. Simple. Don't take the awareness of being risen with Christ and keep it under your pillow while being occupied by what obsesses the world.
Only those things that are relevant to the kingdom of God should be on our mind to dwell on.
I would give you some references to better understand him here.
Remember Jesus telling his disciples in

Bible Study: Colossians 2 cont.

Good morning, love.

Hope you went to bed early last night.
We skipped this study yesterday because I had to rush to the office. Today calls for another hurry but I insist it mustn't be skipped a second day in a row.

So let's dive right into it.
The second part of Colossians 2 where we stopped last time.
starting from verse 12, may I say that the baptism Paul was referring to here is not the water baptism we know. No, far from it. Remember that physical activities do not perfect spiritual accomplishments. Far from it, what Paul was referring to here is the baptism into Christ. The putting on of Christ. See Gal.3:27.
When you become born again and accepted Christ you were baptised into Christ. (Dipped into Christ) The Greek word Baptizo which Paul used paid no respect to water. It in a general sense means to dip into or to immerse into. So Paul saying we were immersed in Christ could not be mistaken as a dipping into water.
If we are immersed in Christ when he died on the cross, hence we resurrected with him with a new life when he resurrected 3 days later.
Verse 13, being dead in sins and uncircumcision of flesh. Bible scholars have debated why Paul who had been an advocate of the circumcision of the heart in supremacy over the flesh would come here to say this. Also remember what I once told you about the incidence where Paul had to circumcise Timothy. So this presents a valid theological debate.
For me I see this as Paul giving a cheeky reminder to these set of gentiles that they were once godless and without any prior contact with God which can be seen as the lowest state of spiritual awareness.

Now Paul brings the big show in verses 14-15.
He tells the full implication of the passion of Christ to our Christian life. He took all handwritten accusations of the devil which was contrary to us. Note that the Greek word hupenantios was used for contrary. It means opposed, adversary or against. It meant that those handwritings were opposing us, against us. They were not, as most preachers like to say, false handwritings. That would be a wrong interpretation which would make the sufferings of Jesus a bogus and unnecessary exercise.
the open defeat and humiliation of the devil referred to in verse 15 takes one back to Gen.3;15.
Let no one hence judge us on things of tradition or human rules and observations which were a shadow or shade or a better word is adumbration of things to come.
This is the pain of Christianity today. We subject ourselves and our fellow believers to shadows while we lose sight of the light. We hence hide ourselves from the grace and love of Christ because we have created a massive shadow of works.
Verse 18 warns against worship of angels. Even till today, some of us think of it as humility to ask angels or Mary to help us out. It is a beclouded pride. It means discounting Christ and his sufferings on the cross as no effect and rather preferring the mediation of angels. it means failing to recognize Christ as the head.

So if we are dead with Christ, we should not be alive to the world and its ordinances. Rather we should be alive only to God and his grace.
verses 20-22 calls us back to the prophecy by Isaiah in Isa.29:13 where God says men have fashioned their relationship and worship of Him not after His own way but by their erratic perception of God. So we say to ourselves, to please God we must do this, do that etc and often forget what God himself has said on how to please him. John 3:16, Heb.1:6 etc. We fail to believe and have faith in the power of his grace and love but we expect that as long as we don't eat or touch certain things we automatically please God.
this message Paul also shared with his protégé, Timothy saying in ITi.4:8 that bodily exercise profits little but godliness is supreme (I paraphrase).

May God bless your understanding as you read this.
Amen.

Bible Study: Colossians 1

Hope you slept well
Let's get into our bible study again
Like I told you, we are studying the book of Colossians
We read chapter one today
Unlike how we did Corinthians where we studied 2 chapters daily, we will take Colossians 1 chapter at a time. This is because Colossians is more loaded with spiritual mysteries that need deeper explanation
Pray that the holy spirit gives us insight in all we read
Read this chapter with the awareness that Paul never met the Colossians before. He didn't take the gospel to them So this book was written as a load down of his deep understanding or a crash course on the mysteries of salvation from Paul
He first thanks them for their faith in Christ and then their love for the brethren. It is important that as Christians we never miss any of these. Faith in Christ and love for one another. We can't exercise faith in Christ if we don't love one another.
Remember Galatians 5 tells us that

Bible Study: Colossians 2

Good morning dear,
Let's go into chapter 2 of the book of Colossians we are studying.
Paul began here by expressing the contest in his heart about the group of believers he hadn't previously visited, who hadn't ever met him. He was keen about having them see him but he can't be everywhere at the same time, hence the conflict. This tells us a lot about the gospel devotion of Paul.
These were not churches he planted but he was eager to water.
Chapter 2 explains why he was so keen to see them, it so that he can impart in them through teachings the knowledge and understanding of the mystery of God so that their hearts will be comforted.
Wow.
There's a deep comfort we get when we are assured of and understand the treasures hidden in Christ not from us but for us.
The Greek word used for assurance in verse 2 is, plerophoria which translates into, 'entire confidence'. The knowledge of Christ should

Joel Osten Explains Why He Doesn't Preach About Hell and Carrie Kintz Analyzes

 

It was an Easter Sunday profile that sparked the controversy. Featured on
CBS Sunday Morning, Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, TX, told reporter Tracy Smith why he won't preach about hell.
"[People] already feel guilty enough. They're not doing what they should, raising their kids—we can all find reasons. So I want them to come to Lakewood or our meetings and be lifted up, to say, 'You know what? I may not be perfect, but I'm moving forward. I'm doing better.' And I think that motivates you to do better."
It's not particularly surprising that

Develop Yourself

(Proverbs 18:16 NKJV) "A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men."

In order to fulfill your purpose in life, God has put certain gifts, qualities and talents within you. These gifts are actually the very tools that God expects you to utilize to fulfill your purpose. It is not by accident that you are gifted in certain areas of life. God ordained those gifts for your purpose before the foundation of the world.
You need to realize that God expects you to be responsible where the development of your gifts are concerned. After you have discovered your purpose, you need to learn how to develop the gifts that accompany it. Your gifts are always in seed form. It is your duty to

Be Filled with the Spirit by John Piper

 

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.
The apostle Paul commands in Ephesians 5:18 that we be filled with the Spirit. Therefore, I want to try to answer two questions today. What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? And, how can we be filled with the Spirit? I think it might help you follow me if I tell you at the outset where I am going. So I'll start with my conclusions and then give the biblical support. I think being filled with the Spirit means, basically, having great joy in God. And since the Bible teaches that "the joy of the Lord is our strength" (Nehemiah 8:10), it also means there will be power in this joy for overcoming besetting sins and for boldness in witness.
But, basically, it means radiant joy, because the

Let Us Walk by the Spirit by John Piper

This is the second in a series of messages on the Holy Spirit. Last week we dealt with the cause of the new birth. I argued from John 3:5–8 that human nature, with which all of us are born, will not enter into the kingdom of God unless it is changed. This change is called being born again. And what this means is that the Spirit of God creates something new; he takes out of us the heart of stone that rebels against God, and he puts into us a new heart which trusts God and follows his ways. Or to put it another way, the Holy Spirit establishes himself as the new ruling principle of our life. "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit." In other words, that which is begotten by the Spirit has the nature of the Spirit, is permeated by the character of the Spirit, is animated by the Spirit. This change is owing wholly to the Spirit's work of free grace, prior to any saving faith on our part. The new birth is not caused

That Which Is Born of the Spirit Is Spirit: The Role of the Holy Spirit in Conversion by John Piper

 

Unless God gives me a clear indication to go another way I will be preaching during these last four Sundays of winter on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. I feel a great yearning in my own heart to know more of the Spirit's power for holiness and power for witness. I feel a tremendous need to learn to rely more fully on his guidance as the Spirit of wisdom and truth. The life-giving, renewing Wind of spring is blowing through this church, and my great desire is to unfurl the sail of my heart and watch it fill up with the Holy Wind of God and be drawn in his direction, at his speed, in his power.

The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)
Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. (James 4:8)

We will see the paradox in that statement today, because we can't even begin to draw near to God without the Spirit's help. Which means that in our very effort to

4 Steps to Finding God's Will for Your Life by David Jeremiah

For many of us, finding God's will for our lives may seem illusive. In fact, people frequently ask me, How can I find God's will for my life? My response may shock you. Finding God's will is much easier than we make it. Here are four steps to help identify God's will and purpose for your life.
1. Understand Your Calling as a Christian
The reality is, God has revealed most of His will to us in His Word already.
All Christians are "called to be saints" (Romans 1:7). In fact, the word "church" in the original Greek refers to those "called out"—in a spiritual sense, called out of the world to God. So every Christian has a divine purpose: "to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called" (Ephesians 4:1). We have a purpose as servants of Christ to carry out the instructions He left with His apostles—to proclaim the Gospel and make disciples in all the nations of the world (Matthew 28:19-20).
Are we living according to

Feeling Down? by Heather Lindsey

Have you ever felt like life is purposeless? Or that life is just weighing on you and you feel like there's no way out? You know the scriptures, you know that things are going to get better but at the same time, you're like why God? "I feel trapped in my own life." Have you ever felt like, this test is too big and I don't see the way out. I don't know how God is going to deliver me from this one. If you're feeling this way, I can assure you that this battle has nothing to do your physical environment. The screaming children, the job you hate, the fact that you're tired of being single or broke. This battle is SPIRITUAL. NOT PHYSICAL.

Ephesians 6:12 tells us: "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."

So, although it may seem like it's people, things and your situation that has you frustrated but I want you to know that you're in the midst of a war. A battle. An attack against your walk with the Lord. This is not the time to recite how much you hate your life, or how frustrated you are with everything. This is the time that you need to go to WAR. This is the time where you need to