May 2015
Faith is Action
24/05/15 22:28 Filed in: James 2
James 2:14-26
Faith is action - Faith is doing something
Because Faith is action, let our actions reveal our faith...
1. ...actions leading to life (14-17)
- Our lives are designed to reveal to people the sort of deliverance Jesus can bring to them
- Our love and compassion towards them can help show them the way to the real help they need
2. ...actions that define faith (18-20)
- Our love demonstrates and defines our faith
3. ...actions that reveal saints (21-26)
- The priesthood are the believers in Jesus
- Our actions should reveal our true identity in Christ and belief in Him
Is your faith being revealed through your actions?
Do your actions give life?
Do your actions define true faith?
Do your actions reveal you are a saint of God? Read More...
Faith is action - Faith is doing something
Because Faith is action, let our actions reveal our faith...
1. ...actions leading to life (14-17)
- Our lives are designed to reveal to people the sort of deliverance Jesus can bring to them
- Our love and compassion towards them can help show them the way to the real help they need
2. ...actions that define faith (18-20)
- Our love demonstrates and defines our faith
3. ...actions that reveal saints (21-26)
- The priesthood are the believers in Jesus
- Our actions should reveal our true identity in Christ and belief in Him
Is your faith being revealed through your actions?
Do your actions give life?
Do your actions define true faith?
Do your actions reveal you are a saint of God? Read More...
Kindness is King
17/05/15 22:27 Filed in: James 2
James 2:1-13
Kindness Triumphs over Judgment
When kindness is shown, God is made known. So let kindness be king.
1. ...in our appraisal (judgment) of people (1-4)
- Our salvation and position in Jesus shouldn't give us reason to condemn those who haven't received Him yet. Rather we should see where God took us from and show those around us how God can work in their life as well.
2. ...in our study of God (5-11)
- If we are going to imitate God in our showing kindness to others, we must understand His personality well. He is not someone who is quick to judge and hateful, but someone who is patient, impartial, and merciful.
3. ...in our hope of salvation (12-13)
- The reason why we have the gift of Heaven is because we have put our confidence in God's mercy and love for me. Grace triumphs over judgment. Kindness triumphs over judgement. Mercy triumphs over judgement.
Deuteronomy 10:17-18 - For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. (NASB)
Leviticus 19:15 - 'You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly. (NASB)
What do your attitudes and actions reveal to others about God?
Do you withhold kindness from some people because of their appearance?
Are you underestimating the immeasurable kindness of God
Is the hope of your salvation rooted in God's limitless kindness? Read More...
Kindness Triumphs over Judgment
When kindness is shown, God is made known. So let kindness be king.
1. ...in our appraisal (judgment) of people (1-4)
- Our salvation and position in Jesus shouldn't give us reason to condemn those who haven't received Him yet. Rather we should see where God took us from and show those around us how God can work in their life as well.
2. ...in our study of God (5-11)
- If we are going to imitate God in our showing kindness to others, we must understand His personality well. He is not someone who is quick to judge and hateful, but someone who is patient, impartial, and merciful.
3. ...in our hope of salvation (12-13)
- The reason why we have the gift of Heaven is because we have put our confidence in God's mercy and love for me. Grace triumphs over judgment. Kindness triumphs over judgement. Mercy triumphs over judgement.
Deuteronomy 10:17-18 - For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. (NASB)
Leviticus 19:15 - 'You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly. (NASB)
What do your attitudes and actions reveal to others about God?
Do you withhold kindness from some people because of their appearance?
Are you underestimating the immeasurable kindness of God
Is the hope of your salvation rooted in God's limitless kindness? Read More...
Teach your children well
10/05/15 22:26 Filed in: James 1
James1:19-27
Since the heart is like a garden, let us seek to sow good seed...
*Remember, we don't grow the seed, that's God's responsibility - Our duty is to sow the seed
1. Good seed must be sown (19b-21)
- We were given two ears and only one mouth so we may listen more than we speak
- We must listen and receive God's direction; We must let God have a chance to speak
- How good seed is sown is listening to the good word of God
- We must humble ourselves and receive the word however God wants to plant it
2. Good seed will bear fruit (22-25)
- It isn't about appearance, it's about the fruit we produce
- Our service to others will bear fruit
- When fruit begins to grow in our life, our eyes are opened to be people around us in need
- The person who hears the word yet does nothing with it is like someone who sees an imperfection or problem yet does nothing about it
3. Good seed will be mocked (26-27)
- There will be imitators, there will be those who see our lives and try to create the seed growth on their own without the work God put in to us
Are we sowing good seed in the heart of our children?
Are we faithful to trust God to bring growth?
Do we trust that fruit will come?
Are we aware of counterfeits? Read More...
Since the heart is like a garden, let us seek to sow good seed...
*Remember, we don't grow the seed, that's God's responsibility - Our duty is to sow the seed
1. Good seed must be sown (19b-21)
- We were given two ears and only one mouth so we may listen more than we speak
- We must listen and receive God's direction; We must let God have a chance to speak
- How good seed is sown is listening to the good word of God
- We must humble ourselves and receive the word however God wants to plant it
2. Good seed will bear fruit (22-25)
- It isn't about appearance, it's about the fruit we produce
- Our service to others will bear fruit
- When fruit begins to grow in our life, our eyes are opened to be people around us in need
- The person who hears the word yet does nothing with it is like someone who sees an imperfection or problem yet does nothing about it
3. Good seed will be mocked (26-27)
- There will be imitators, there will be those who see our lives and try to create the seed growth on their own without the work God put in to us
Are we sowing good seed in the heart of our children?
Are we faithful to trust God to bring growth?
Do we trust that fruit will come?
Are we aware of counterfeits? Read More...
The Life of the Church
03/05/15 22:25 Filed in: James 1
People are going to invest into what they feel will bring them life.
Because the life of our church comes from God, we must be united in Him...
1. United in our Confidence (1-8)
- When we commit ourselves fully to the Lord, we become a life giving help to those who we come near
- When we doubt that God is on our side, we lose the direction we desperately need to move towards where God wants us
- We must remember that the dynamic, personal, intimate relationship we need and want with Jesus is always available for us.
- The sort of church this broken world needs is a church that is confident in what we believe
2. United in our Hope (9-12)
- Those of us with limited resources are in a blessed position to discover how God can provide for us
- As a church, our obligation is to demonstrate an active reliance and belief in this hope in God
3. United in our Reality (13-18)
- We must be united in our knowledge of where we came from, where we are now, and where God is leading us
- Our willpower is not enough to overcome the sin that is within our life, only our love for God and His help is enough
Is there life in our church?
Are people finding hope and salvation here?
Is our confidence in God?
Is our hope in God?
Are we being real about sin and salvation? Read More...
Because the life of our church comes from God, we must be united in Him...
1. United in our Confidence (1-8)
- When we commit ourselves fully to the Lord, we become a life giving help to those who we come near
- When we doubt that God is on our side, we lose the direction we desperately need to move towards where God wants us
- We must remember that the dynamic, personal, intimate relationship we need and want with Jesus is always available for us.
- The sort of church this broken world needs is a church that is confident in what we believe
2. United in our Hope (9-12)
- Those of us with limited resources are in a blessed position to discover how God can provide for us
- As a church, our obligation is to demonstrate an active reliance and belief in this hope in God
3. United in our Reality (13-18)
- We must be united in our knowledge of where we came from, where we are now, and where God is leading us
- Our willpower is not enough to overcome the sin that is within our life, only our love for God and His help is enough
Is there life in our church?
Are people finding hope and salvation here?
Is our confidence in God?
Is our hope in God?
Are we being real about sin and salvation? Read More...