His Love Ministries
Episodes
Wednesday Oct 28, 2020
30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL JOHN 6 FOLLOWING JESUS NO MATTER WHAT
Wednesday Oct 28, 2020
Wednesday Oct 28, 2020
Hi, I ‘m Marty McKenzie with His Love Ministries. In John 6 when Jesus began to speak about the hard things of the Bible such as living for Him and Him only and that we can only come to Him if it has been granted to us by His Father, most of His followers left. He asked the disciples will you leave too? But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Most people today will not stand up for the Word of God. They would rather compromise and go with the popular opinion than be disliked. So which one are you a compromiser, or will you follow Christ no matter what it may cost you?
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions
Sunday Oct 25, 2020
Sunday Oct 25, 2020
Read Ps 90 by Moses
James discusses the subject of making plans, something very relevant for us
Making plans, in of itself, is not wrong...
Paul often made plans in regard to his travels - Ac 15:36; 18: 20-21; 1 Co 16:5-9
Making plans or setting goals is a key to success in life
But there is a right way to plan, and a wrong way;
[First, let's consider the "right" way
WE CAN SUBMIT TO GOD'S WILL
We can make our plans, but we should make them conditional to God's approval - "if the Lord wills" (15)
Ps 39:5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah 6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them. 11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth; Surely every man is vapor. Selah
This is what Paul did
"God willing" - Ac 18:21 but took leave of them, saying, "I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing." And he sailed from Ephesus
Ro 1:7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established--
"if the Lord permits" - 1Co 16:7 For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits.
Nu 14:8 "If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, 'a land which flows with milk and honey.'
De 19:8 "Now if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you the land which He promised to give to your fathers,
1Co 4:19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.
1Co 16:7 For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits.
Jas 4:15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."
Saying "if the Lord wills" assumes our faith in two things:
That God does have a will for us
Ec 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
That God can intervene (by divine guidance) to carry out His will
IF WE REALLY WANT OUR PLANS TO SUCCEED, THEN WE WILL SEEK FIRST TO KNOW GOD'S WILL, AND PLAN ACCORDINGLY...
To a great degree, this is possible, for God wants us to:
Understand His Will - Ep 5:17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is
Be filled with His Will - Co 1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Prove His Will - Ro 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
When we know God's "revealed" will from our study of the Bible, then we can act or plan accordingly
The right way to plan is to show our submission to God by leaving our plans subject to His will – Do we pray, God will this bring you Glory
Mt 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
There is also God's "permissive" will
Now let's look at the "wrong" way in "Making Our Plans"
WE CAN IGNORE GOD'S WILL – What are our motivations
v13-15 TO PLAN THIS WAY IS FOLLY
Because life is COMPLEX (v13)
So many decisions to make, so many mistakes might be made
If it's possible to know God's will on any matter, that would increase the likelihood that our decisions and plans will be correct
Because life is UNCERTAIN (v14a)
No one has a guarantee of tomorrow
Luke 12:16-26 – Parable of the rich man – your soul will be required
Pr 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
Gal 1:6-7 Sow you reap
Only God can bring about what He wills for the future without fail
Because life is FRAGILE (14b)
It is like a "vapor"
How quickly we can succumb to sickness or an accident illustrates how frail we really are
Because life is BRIEF (14c) About 18 different descriptions in the Bible for how brief life is.
"appears for a little time “Job 9:25-26 Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good. 26 They pass by like swift ships, Like an eagle swooping on its prey.
Job 14:1 "Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble. 2 He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.
v15 Life is short, so it is important that we do God's will and not our own - cf. 1Jn 2:17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
v16 TO PLAN THIS WAY IS BOASTFUL ARROGANCE and Sin – Wrong Priorities
The word arrogance comes from the word wanderer, the person who wanders around like those who sell cure alls for everything. A person who mounted a platform or soapbox to sell phony things.
To plan without taking into consideration God's will is to set ourselves up above God Himself!
How could one be more arrogant than that?
Ps 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.
Mt 6:33 Seek ye first
TO PLAN THIS WAY IS SIN (v16-17)
v16 It is sin because it involves arrogance and boasting which is evil
v17 It is sin because we who are Christians know better
We know what is good: to plan with God's Will in mind
To do otherwise is to sin!
CONCLUSION
How do we make our plans? – deo Volente – Means If God Wills was found on the letters of people who wrote them 100 years ago.
If we plan without considering the will of God, then we are foolish, arrogant, and sinful!
If we make our plans subject to the approval of God, then we are wise, submissive, and righteous in God's sight!
What about your "plans" for eternity?
There is no doubt what the Lord's will is on his subject - cf. Mt 28:19-20
We can be certain if we submit to God's will He will take care of our needs
But to ignore His will is trouble
Have you done "as" the Lord wills?
We need first a willingness to do God’s will when we find it
Know that His will is always in Harmony with His Word
We need to come to Him earnestly in prayer seeking His guidance in all matters
Lu 11:2 So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Psalm 40 and verse 8 he said, "I delight to do Thy will, O my God,
The psalmist also says in Psalm 143 verse 10, "Teach me to do Thy will for Thou art my God." It's as if he is saying in one place I want to do it, and in another place I'm not sure I know how. I delight in doing it, teach me specifically how. Basic to one's relationship to Christ then is doing the will of God.
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL TO SUM UP JAMES 1
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
To sum up James 1 it says we are going to have trials in our life, we are going to be tempted, and we need to follow God’s Word and work for Him. If we keep our joy in trials, overcome temptation, clean up the sin in our lives, and reach out to those who afflicted and downtrodden, then God has mighty things in store for us. James 1:27 says Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. Do you want to be used mightily of God? If so, then follow these principles.
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions
Sunday Oct 18, 2020
JAMES 4:1-10 HOW TO END WARS OR THE TEST OF PRIDE
Sunday Oct 18, 2020
Sunday Oct 18, 2020
Introduction
In chapter four and most of chapter five, James answers the question, "What happens when faith fails?" What if you do not exercise faith? What if you are a Christian, but you do not live by faith, believing continually what the Lord Jesus has said and done. What happens? First, wars and fighting break out, and the direct cause is a lack of prayer. Prayer is an example of faith. Prayer is the perfect expression of faith, because prayer is the manifestation of dependence upon God. James traces this whole matter of wars, fighting, arguments, and disagreements among us to a lack of prayer. That is the trouble. We fight with each other because we do not ask God for anything. We do not take from him the nature of love and compassion that he offers us, but we would rather lash out at one another and fight with one another. So it is a direct result of the lack of faith that wars and fighting break out. A depending on self instead of God.
Daniel 2:21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.
He gives us two reasons for worldliness in the church
Our desires and envy.
War is a fact of life in spite of treaties and world peace organizations
But can you believe wars between believers in Christ
He describes three types of conflicts going on in the world
WAR WITH EACH OTHER (v1, 11-12)
V1Surely "brethren" ought to live together in love and harmony
Ps 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
Yet often they do not
Lot quarreled with Abraham
Absalom created a war with his father David
The disciples of Jesus argued over who would be greatest
Paul and Barnabas had great conflict over John Mark
Churches in the New Testament often had problems...
At Corinth
1) Brethren were suing each other
2) They were competing in the public assemblies
In Galatia - brethren were "biting and devouring" one another
Even at Philippi - two women were having trouble getting along with each other
In this epistle James gives several kinds of conflicts among brethren:
Class wars (upper class, middle class, and lower class - 2:1-9
Employment wars - 5:1-6
Church fights - 1:19-20; 3:13-18
Personal wars
Notice 4:11-12 we are admonished not to speak evil, nor to judge one another
The consequences of worldliness -1. A lack of prayer corporately or individually with God
WAR WITHIN OURSELVES (1-3)
Our desire for things to satisfy our pleasures (like power, possessions, etc.) is what makes us fight with others
Putting it simply, the key problem is "SELFISHNESS"
SUCH SELFISH DESIRES LEAD TO...
Wrong Actions (2)
"you murder...you fight and war"
not literally, but certainly so in God's sight – an ongoing attitude of hate towards someone
1Jn 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
Wrong Praying (3)
The kind of praying that goes unanswered
Because the prayers are for selfish motives
Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give because He would give the best, and man will not take it.
George MacDonald
III. WAR WITH GOD (4-10)
Here is the root cause of every war!
Rebellion against God!
...those at war with others are also at war within themselves...
...because they are first at war with God!
HOW DOES A BELIEVER DECLARE WAR AGAINST GOD?
By being friendly with God's enemies!
James mentions three enemies we must not associate with if we want to be at peace with God:
The World (v4) That is, human society that is contrary to God
a) Any conduct, belief, thought...which is anti-God, anti-Christ
To be a friend of such...Makes one an enemy of God!
Makes one a spiritual adulterer or adultereress!
Suppose that in a certain community lives a man and his wife who love each other very much. Across the street lives a man who develops a hatred for the woman’s husband. One night he invades their home and kills him. Although he is arrested, a loophole in the law allows him to escape punishment, and he is released to return to the community. Now imagine that in a few short weeks you see the widow and her husband’s murderer walking down the street together. Her hand is slipped into his arm and she looks smilingly into his face. She says to him, “I’m so happy.” What would you say about a woman like that? Surely, you would brand her as disloyal to her husband’s memory and unworthy to bear his name. We must never forget that this godless world hated Jesus enough to kill Him. One who walks hand in hand with a system headed by our Lord’s enemies and becomes friendly with them is disloyal to Jesus Christ. Only those who keep themselves “unspotted from the world” (James 1:27) have a right to bear the name Christian. Let’s avoid all unholy alliances. -P.R.V. Quoted from Our Daily Bread
2 Co 6: 17 “Therefore ‘Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18 ‘I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty’.”
The Flesh (v1,5)
1) The unlawful desires that would lead us away from God
2) These desires wage war within us, but we must not give in to them
1Pe 2:11-12 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
3) Such desires are in direct conflict to what the Spirit of God would have us to be and do
Ga 5:16-17 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
4) To submit to these unlawful desires (works) of the flesh sets one contrary to God and His Spirit!
The Devil (v6-7) v6 parallels Romans 12.1
1) Pride is Satan's greatest temptation
2) When we give into pride, we become friends of the devil and enemies of God
v7 HOW TO ENJOY PEACE WITH GOD
Submit To God (v7)
Literally, "get into your proper rank"
Unconditional surrender to God is the only way to victory!
Submission is saying: "Not my will, but Thine be done" Luke 22:42
Resist The Devil (v7)
He is behind every war that we have
But if we just resist, then he will flee!
James 4:7“Like many sheep ranchers in the West, Lexy Fowler has tried just about everything to stop crafty coyotes from killing her sheep. She has used odor sprays, electric fences, and ‘scare-coyotes.’ She has slept with her lambs during the summer and has placed battery-operated radios near them. She has corralled them at night, herded them at day. But the southern Montana rancher has lost scores of lambs—fifty last year alone. “Then she discovered the llama—the aggressive, funny-looking, afraid-of-nothing llama. ’Llamas don’t appear to be afraid of anything,’ she said. ‘When they see something, they put their head up and walk straight toward it. That is aggressive behavior as far as the coyote is concerned, and they won’t have anything to do with that. Coyotes are opportunists, and llamas take that opportunity away.’” Apparently llamas know the truth of what James writes: “Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you” (4:7). The moment we sense his attack through temptation is the moment we should face it and deal with it for what it is. Barry McGee, Denver Post
Draw Near To God (v8)
And He will draw near to us!
How do we do this?
1) "Cleanse your hands" - Get your sins forgiven!
2) "Purify your hearts" - Be single-minded in your devotion to God! (not double-minded, like a spiritual adulterer)
Ps 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.
Pr 1:28 Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me:
Pr 8:17 I love them that love me; And those that seek me diligently shall find me.
Isa 58:2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways: as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near unto God.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Ho 5:15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly.
Humble Yourselves In The Sight Of God (v9-10)
It's possible to submit outwardly and not be humble inwardly
True mourning for our sins is how we can humble ourselves before God
The end result of such humility. God will lift you up! - v10
1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
CONCLUSION
If we obey these four instructions, then God will draw near to us, cleanse us, and forgive us!
ONLY THEN WILL THE "WARS" CEASE!
For we will not be at war with God
So we will not be at war within ourselves
And we will not be at war with others!
As Solomon wrote in the Book of Proverbs:
When a man's ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. (Proverbs 16:7)
Are we diligent in making sure our ways are pleasing to the Lord?
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions
Thursday Oct 15, 2020
30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL JAMES 1:1-12
Thursday Oct 15, 2020
Thursday Oct 15, 2020
Hi, I'm Marty McKenzie with His Love Ministries. In James 1, verses 1-12 it says to count it all joy when you fall into various trials, to consider the reason for your trials, to count on God in your trials, to call on God in your trials, and to consider the rewards of passing trials. When you go through a trial do you follow these guidelines God gives, or do you pray for God to take it away, or try to get out of it by manipulating circumstances? God says trials make us mature in our walk, more Christ-like. Do you want to be like Him?
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions
Sunday Oct 11, 2020
JAMES 3:13-18 HEAVENLY WISDOM VERSUS EARTHLY WISDOM OR THE TEST OF WISDOM
Sunday Oct 11, 2020
Sunday Oct 11, 2020
What is the wisdom of the world? You deserve the best, get all you can no matter how you get it. He who dies with the most toys wins. Use people, lie, cheat, steal use women, to get what you want. Don’t deny yourself anything. Psychiatrists can help you; the Bible is a fairy tale. Man’s wisdom was a spiritual plague in Jerusalem and Paul addressed this in his first letter to the Corinthians
Isaiah 29:14 Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden."
1Corinth 1:18- 2:9, 13-14, 16, 3:18-21
In the Old Testament book of Proverbs, we are encouraged to seek after wisdom
Pr 3:13-18; 4:7-9
Pr 11:30 ¶ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.
Ps 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.
Pr 1:7 ¶ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Pr 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Solomon in 2Ch 1:10 "Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?"11 And God said to Solomon: "Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life-but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king-12 "wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like."
Pr 4:5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
Pr 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.
Pr 16:16 ¶ How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.(NKJV)
Ps 14:1 The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.
Ps 53:1 A Contemplation of David.>> The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none who does good.
De 4:5 "Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. 6 "Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'
Chapter 2
Likewise, in the New Testament we are exhorted to walk with wisdom
Ep 5:15-17
But in Ja 3:13-18, we learn that there is more than just one kind of wisdom (READ)
Today we will take a look at what James describes as "Heavenly Wisdom Vs. Earthly Wisdom"
v13 Who is wise and understanding Let him show it by his conduct.
Jas 3:13 ¶ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct (General Conduct) that his works (Specific acts of Conduct) are done in the meekness of wisdom. and even shown by (our attitude (Meekness)
General Conduct, Specific acts of Conduct and even shown by (our attitude (Meekness)
Meekness or power under control
v14 If you have bitter envying and strife, don’t lie against the truth
Romans 2:20-24
James does so by making several contrasts;
A CONTRAST or difference IN THEIR "ORIGIN"
1john 2:15-16 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world----the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life----is not of the Father but is of the world.
EARTHLY WISDOM IS NOT FROM ABOVE (15)
It is EARTHLY
Worldly Wisdom that is according to the world's standards
But this wisdom is foolishness to God
1Co 1:20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
It is SENSUAL
Appealing to the senses, the emotions, the passions
Wisdom according to what FEELS right (but that doesn't make it right)
It is DEMONIC
The kind of wisdom possessed by the devil and his angels
A wisdom that often finds its origin in the influences of Satan!
HEAVENLY WISDOM IS FROM ABOVE (17) Job 28:27 Then He saw wisdom and declared it; He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out. 28 And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.'"
It comes from GOD - cf. Ja 1:17
It comes via PRAYER - cf. Ja 1:5-8
A CONTRAST or difference IN THEIR "CHARACTERISTICS"
EARTHLY WISDOM (14,16)
Full of BITTER ENVY
Possessing SELF-SEEKING IN THE HEART
Phil 2:3-5 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
This wisdom commends as virtues such qualities as:
Power or authority to force others to do whatever you want them to do
Position or prominence, a standing in society
Privilege or freedom from rules others are held to
Prestige or fame which leads to conceit
2corinth 10:12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
It was this kind of wisdom...
That prompted Satan and his angels to rebel against God
Isaiah 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'
That prompted the disciples to argue over who would be the greatest in the kingdom Mt 18:1
HEAVENLY WISDOM (17) Wisdom is always linked to good behavior and equated to salvation The fear of the Lord is wisdom, Mt 7:26 wise builder, Mt 24 wise servant, Mt 25 Wise virgins and 5 foolish, 1Co 1:22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Pr 4:13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.
It is first PURE or uncontaminated by worldly desires
Above all else, it is true to God's Will
Not one to compromise truth for the sake of peace
Ga 1:8-9 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
Then it is PEACEABLE
Holding firm to the truth, it makes every effort to be at peace - cf. Ro 12:18
For example, speaking the truth in an attitude of love -cf. Ep 4:15
GENTLE - Manner
That is, kind in one's dealings with others
Not harsh, even when right and dealing with those who differ
2 Ti 2:24-25 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
WILLING TO YIELD
Not in matters of truth
But in matters of opinion - Ro 14:1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
In matters of liberty - Ro 14:19-21 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
FULL OF MERCY
Quick to forgive the offenses of others
Wisely understanding one's own need of mercy - cf. Ja 2:13
Producing GOOD FRUITS
Notice verse 13, where it says we are to show by our conduct our true wisdom and understanding
This wisdom takes one beyond being a HEARER to being a DOER
Ja 1:22
Understanding that "faith without works is dead" - Ja 2:26
WITHOUT PARTIALITY
Showing no respect of persons - cf. Ja 2:1-13
Rather, treating all fairly, on the same basis
WITHOUT HYPOCRISY
Indicating that all of the above is not an "act", a "show"
But that it comes from a heart desiring to please God, not man In contrast, the wisdom God gives has several characteristics. It is pure, meaning free of the defilements mentioned. It is peaceable, namely, peace loving, peace-practicing, and peace-yielding. It is gentle or considerate of
others. It is reasonable, that is, open to reason and willing to yield to reasonable requests. It is full of mercy in that it is actively sympathetic to the needy, and it is full of good fruits (good works). It is unwaveringly single-minded in its devotion to God rather than double-minded. It is, finally, without hypocrisy, namely, true to appearances. "Thus 'purity' is not just one quality among others but the
key to them all."
[Certainly the superiority of "Heavenly Wisdom" over "Earthly Wisdom" is apparent in this passage.
III. A CONTRAST or difference IN THEIR "FRUITS"
EARTHLY WISDOM (16)
Causes CONFUSION
And EVERY EVIL THING
Makes you wonder what kind of wisdom...
Is behind church splits
Is often manifested in some congregational meetings
HEAVENLY WISDOM (18)
Produces PEACE, instead of confusion
Bears the fruit of RIGHTEOUSNESS, instead of every evil thing
This list is like the fruit of the spirit (gal 5:22-23)
CONCLUSION
Certainly when we compare their ORIGIN, NATURE and FRUITS, the wisdom to be preferred is "HEAVENLY WISDOM"
What kind of wisdom do we have?
Those who have "EARTHLY WISDOM" boast of theirs (14)
While those who have "HEAVENLY WISDOM" show theirs by their good conduct done in meekness (13)
What kind of wisdom do we want?
If EARTHLY, then no effort is necessary
1) Just do what the world tells you
2) Just do what feels right
But if HEAVENLY, then we must be hardworking
1) To seek such wisdom from God
2) To demonstrate such wisdom by our conduct
What kind of wisdom do you have in regards to the gospel of Christ?
EARTHLY WISDOM makes no response to the gospel, or if any, only that which is convenient
HEAVENLY WISDOM receives the commands of the gospel joyfully and obediently
Mk 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mt 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Have you demonstrated "HEAVENLY WISDOM"?
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions
Wednesday Oct 07, 2020
30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL JAMES 1:13-18 IS IT A TEST OR TEMPTATION
Wednesday Oct 07, 2020
Wednesday Oct 07, 2020
James 1:13-18 tells us that God does not tempt us, but He does test us. He says we fall prey to temptation when we are consumed by our desires. That trial is test from God and a temptation from the Devil. God wants us to pass and the Devil wants us to fail. He will truly bless us when we do not sin. He says blessed is the man when he has endured temptation. Do you realize when you sin that you missed out on a blessing that God wanted to give you?
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions
Sunday Oct 04, 2020
JAMES 3:2-12 THE TONGUE AND HEAVENLY WISDOM VERSUS EARTHLY WISDOM
Sunday Oct 04, 2020
Sunday Oct 04, 2020
V2. Because we all "stumble in many things"
Everyone has faults, and with many people the improper use of the tongue is a major one
But it takes spiritual maturity ("a perfect man") not to stumble in word!
This should not discourage any from trying to find out if teaching is a gift that they might have if nurtured along, but one should proceed with humility and caution.
THE UNTAMABLE TONGUE v3-12
THE ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE BIT AND RUDDER v3-4
V3 A bit controls a horse Psalm 39:1 I said, "I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me."
V4 1. A rudder controls the ship
So our tongue controls the body... Sequence is Think, say, do.
If you speak a lie, it won't be long before you find yourself living a lie
If you speak suggestively in an evil manner, it won't be long before you begin acting evil!
The power of the tongue to direct is easily applied to the dangers of teaching...
The teacher can easily set the mood or direct the crowd in an encouraging way, or just as easily direct the crowd in a discouraging way
the power to direct by the tongue should humble those who teach
THE ILLUSTRATION OF A LITTLE FIRE v5-6
V5 A small fire can easily cause great destruction (Great Chicago Fire 1million acres in 3 states)
A loose tongue can ruin one's reputation… boasting
It can also destroy churches, families, friendships, business’s
v6 James describes an uncontrolled tongue as;
A fire, Prov 26:20-26
A world of evil or iniquity
So set among our bodies that it defiles the whole body
Ecclesiastes 5:6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?
That which sets on fire the course of nature, sphere of influence it destroys everything around you
That which is itself set on fire by hell! 2Kings 23:10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire to Molech. King Josiah removed the idols, the valley became a refuse heap which always burned
The Devil is described as an accuser of the brethren Rev 12:10,
The Devil is described as a liar and murder John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Should not this power to destroy and corrupt both ourselves and others caution us in becoming teachers?
THE DIFFICULTY OF TAMING THE TONGUE v7-12
V7 Despite being able to tame wild animals, man is unable to tame the tongue!
Gen 1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. Gen 9:2 again we have control after the flood
V8 It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison! Ps 140:3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; The poison of asps is under their lips.
Ps 52:1-5
Gossip - Prov 17:9 He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.
Pastor’s advice Woman was told to cut the hole in a pillow, the next day go back and pick them up
PG 62 poem about gossip
Flattery - Ps 55:21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.
Ps 64:3-8
By himself no MAN can tame the tongue, But with GOD'S help, we can tame it
Ps 141:3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
And with GOD'S help, we MUST tame it
Ep 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Co 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
V9-10 As one more example of how difficult it is to tame the tongue, James uses a very common (and fitting) problem
blessing God and cursing men
Something we are very likely to do, even on Sundays
1) We spend time in worship, blessing God
2) But after church, someone may give us a hard time for going to church or irritate us somehow
Racists and bigots are often guilty of "blessing God and cursing men"!
v11-12 The illustrations of a spring, a fig tree and a grapevine, James shows the inconsistency of this!
What comes forth is a true indication of what is inside
Just as Jesus taught in
Mk 7:20-23 And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 "thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 "All these evil things come from within and defile a man."
Despite all the praises we offer God, it is the curses against man that reveals the true person inside!
In CONCLUSION
These examples of the misuse of the tongue should humble and caution all those who would become teachers
But they should also serve as a warning for us all, whether we teach or not, that we need to seek God's help in controlling the tongue!
May David's prayer be our own:
Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Lastly, remember v11-12
The true believer in Jesus Christ will not contradict his profession of faith by the regular use of nasty and offensive words
Mt 7:15-23
Do you know Christ? If so prove it by taming your tongue with God’s help
If not then, trust Him today:
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions