Spiritual Wholeness

Recently, I found a puzzle piece in the cushion of our chair at home.  The piece came from one of my children’s puzzles, which had been thrown out months before.  Why did we throw out the puzzle?  It wasn’t complete.  It wasn’t whole.  The purpose of a puzzle is to put it completely together in order to enjoy the whole picture.  But a puzzle that is incomplete is not fulfilling its purpose as a puzzle and so isn’t worth putting together.

Over the past number of months we have been wading through the book of James and have addressed issues from listening to and doing the Word of God, showing favoritism, taming the tongue, submission to God, and prayer.  Like a puzzle without all its pieces, so a disciple of Christ is not whole or complete without addressing each of these issues in their life.  Unlike a puzzle without all its pieces, God does not throw us away.  Instead, He works through trials and circumstances to create the pieces needed to become whole.  This week we will attempt to bring the words of God through his servant James together to help us as disciples of Christ to understand what it means to be spiritually whole and spiritually mature.

But we must all be warned, for growing into spiritual maturity is humbling, difficult, time consuming, and painful.  But in the end the disciple of Christ will be made whole.  Not by our own effort or merit, but by the work of the Spirit within our hearts and lives.

Join us this week as we discover God’s command to grow into spiritual maturity and wholeness.  May God use this time together to bring us to Him in a deep and mighty way, for His glory and greatness alone.

A Call to Action

For many of us who are disciples of Christ the name Billy Graham is very familiar.  Though in recent years he has shied away from the limelight, his ministry has impacted the lives of many people throughout the world.  At the end of the Second World War, Billy Graham began his ministry of preaching the gospel message to millions, traveling from city to city, country to country.  He spoke of God’s grace and mercy and he called those in attendance to repentance of sin.  The kingdom of God truly expanded and grew through his ministry.

 

What is so special about Billy Graham?  We hear his name and immediately we think of stadiums filled with people, thousands coming forward to receive Christ or rededicate their lives to their Savior.  Just the name Billy Graham brings to mind the sense of man called by God to preach the Word to millions.

What is the difference between Billy Graham and the “normal” disciple of Christ?  Nothing.  Sure, Billy Graham was called to preach to millions.  Sure, Billy Graham was called to travel the world to speak to leaders of countries.  But Billy Graham still sins and is in need of the grace and mercy of God as much as everyone else in the world.  He is still human.

Every disciple of Christ is called to preach to everyone around them, a group which may only consist of a few people.  As disciples we are all called to preach the gospel, whether or name is Joe Smith or Billy Graham.  And in a real sense, every disciple of Christ is called to be a Billy Graham where they live.

Join us this week as we study the words of God through is servant James.  James 5:16-20 is a call for God’s people to action.  No more sitting by idly waiting for something to happen.  We are called to be proactive for the gospel, not just reactive.  What does this call look like?  How can we live out this call?  How can we be encouraged by God’s movement in “larger than life” figures like Billy Graham?

May we be prepared as the Spirit speaks to us and may our hearts be softened to His leading.

The Disciple's Primary Response to Suffering

When going through suffering, whether that suffering is due to outside influence or our own doing, we tend to become distracted.  We focus more on the suffering and pain we are experiencing rather than the lesson we are to learn through the experience.

Those of us who are parents can understand this type of distraction when it comes to disciplining our children.  When a punishment is enforced it is usually the pain and suffering experienced that receives most of the focus from the child.  In the moment, the child is distracted by the punishment instead of focusing on the desired lesson being taught through the discipline.  And for many it is only after the pain and suffering is over that the lesson can be seen.

The same can be said about the disciple of Christ and the suffering experienced in this world.  If we find ourselves in the midst of a trial or suffering, our focus tends to be on ending the pain experienced instead of learning the lesson intended behind the pain.  You see, suffering, whether large or small, will happen in our lives.  Sometimes that suffering is caused by the hand of God while other times suffering is caused by sin in the world and our own hearts. 

God speaks on this subject in James 5:13-15.  It is a passage which speaks of suffering and pain, healing and joy.  But the true reason for God’s words to us in this passage moves beyond the suffering and the joy.

Join us on Sunday morning as we study and discover what God has to say about how the disciple of Jesus Christ is to respond to suffering.  May the Spirit prepare us to hear His Word.

Integrity

“A lie has no legs.  It requires other lies to support it.  Tell one lie and you are forced to tell others to back it up.  Stretching the truth won’t make it last any longer.  Those that think it permissible to tell white lies soon grow colorblind” (Austin O’Malley).

Oaths were an important part of life in Biblical times.  The Old Testament speaks of taking oaths and swearing by God in order to prove to others that the truth was being spoken.  But by Jesus’ time oaths had been corrupted.  James addresses this use of oaths in James 5:12 and places upon the disciple of Jesus Christ the burden of integrity and trustworthiness.

Are you a trustworthy person?  Does your “yes” mean yes and your “no” mean no?  How can you know that others trust you?  What is the danger of making an oath or swearing by the name of God?

May the Spirit speak to each of us this Sunday as we explore the Word of God and may His gospel be ever clearer to us all.

Patience in Suffering

The definition and understanding of suffering will differ greatly from person to person.  One individual will see suffering as physical ailments while another will understand suffering as financial difficulties.  Still others will understand suffering as anything in life that does not go as planned or expected.  Even within the church we hear suffering from the perspective of “my cross to bear.” 

What is suffering?  What does the Word of God have to say about the suffering of the disciple of Jesus Christ?  What is the purpose of suffering?  How should the disciple of Jesus Christ respond to and view suffering?  What does patience in the midst of suffering look like?

We must be warned, though.  This topic is very relevant to our everyday life, but it is also a topic of which we are very wary.  Why?  We may not like the answer God gives us.  For example, someone once asked C.S. Lewis, “Why do the righteous suffer?”  “Why not,” he replied.  “They’re the only ones who can take it.”  That is not quite the answer we expect or want while in the midst of suffering.  But the question naturally arises, how do the righteous, the disciple of Christ “take it”?

As we gather together this week may the Spirit move within our hearts and clarify in our minds the truth of God and His gospel.  And may He prepare us to listen and follow His words on suffering and patience.

Boasting In Our Arrogance

“Hudson Taylor had definite convictions about how God’s work should be done.  We can make our best plans and try to carry them out in our own strength.  Or we can make careful plans and ask God to bless them.  ‘Yet another way of working is to begin with God; to ask His plans, and to offer ourselves to Him to carry out His purposes.”  (W. Wiersbe, Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching and Preachers, p. 243)

How often do we bring God into our decisions of where and when to vacation?  How much is God thought of when we plan for our retirement and 401k?  How are we fitting God into our plans for tomorrow let alone a year from now?  If we were honest with ourselves we would have to admit that much of our planning does not involve God.  Obviously any plans we make that involve church, bible studies, mission trips, or even budgeting may thoroughly involve God.  But overall, for much of our daily life and future planning, God is more of a footnote rather than a heading.

In James 4:13-17, God tells us that leaving Him out of the equation for any planning is a big mistake.  In fact, he calls it boastful, arrogant, and sinful.  Those are very strong words for something that we probably don’t think a whole lot about.  But this is God’s view of the issue nonetheless. 

How can we bring God into our planning?  What does it look like to bring God into our planning for the future?  Why should we bring God into our planning for the future?  May God give us wisdom and understanding as we study this passage and may we be open to God’s movements in our own life and heart as he teaches us His truth on this subject.

Judge Your Neighbor . . .

“At a pastor’s conference in Spokane, Chuck Swindoll told of being at a California Christian camp.  The first day there a man approached him and said how greatly he had looked forward to hearing Dr. Swindoll speak and his delight at now finally being able to realize that desire.  That evening Swindoll noticed the man sitting near the front.  But only a few minutes into the message the man was sound asleep.  Swindoll thought to himself that perhaps he was tired after a long day’s drive and couldn’t help himself.  But the same thing happened the next few nights, and Dr. Swindoll found his exasperation with the man growing.  On the last night the man’s wife came up and apologized for her husband’s inattention to the messages.  She then explained that he had recently been diagnosed as having terminal cancer and the medication he was taking to ease the pain made him extremely sleepy.  But it had been one of his life-long ambitions to hear Dr. Swindoll speak before he died, and now he had fulfilled that goal” (Source Unknown).

 

In James 4:11-12, James again warns us against sins with which we all wrestle: slander and judgment.  What are slander and judgment?  How are slander and judgment connected?  How do we judge others?  What does Scripture tell us in other places about judging others?  Does the Bible contradicting itself?

These are but a few questions we will deal with on Sunday morning.  Join us and may the Spirit prepare us to hear the truth of God’s Word, allowing it to fill us, change us, and transform us more into His Son.  

Grace for the Humble

“When Billy Graham was driving through a small southern town, he was stopped by a policeman and charged with speeding.  Graham admitted his guilt, but was told by the office that he would have to appear in court.

“The judge asked, ‘Guilty, or not guilty?’  When Graham pleaded guilty, the judge replied, ‘That’ll be ten dollars – a dollar for every mile you went over the limit.’

“Suddenly the judge recognized the famous minister.  ‘You have violated the law,’ he said.  ‘The fine must be paid – but I am going to pay it for you.’  He took a ten dollar bill from his own wallet, attached it to the ticket, and then took Graham out and bought him a steak dinner! ‘That,’ said Billy Graham, ‘is how God treats repentant sinners!’”  (Progress Magazine, December 14, 1992)

In the first three chapters of James we are told about our sinfulness.  It is not that we have great potential to be sinful, but that we are completely sinful by nature.  In fact, the words that James uses for our sinfulness is adultery.  We cheat on God when we disobey him, no matter how small or large we may think of our disobedience.  Adultery is adultery.  A sickness of sin permeates every pore of our body, mind, and soul.

But James does not leave us hanging in our own realization of our dark hearts.  There is hope and joy.  All this sinfulness and darkness within us has a cure: grace.  More specifically, God’s grace.  What a beautiful picture of God’s love for us.  But to whom is this grace given?  Where does repentance and humility come into play?

Join us this week at First Baptist Church in Emery, SD

as we explore God’s grace for us and His call for us as his children to humble ourselves and repent.

The Gospel According to James

If you have been a regular church goer for most of your life you may have heard the following illustration about the Gospel message and the responsibility of the people of God, disciples of Jesus Christ to that message.  To have the truth of the eternal destination of everyone on earth (one either spends eternity in joy in God’s presence or eternity in torment totally separated from God’s presence) and not share that truth with one’s neighbors, family, and friends is like having the cure for cancer and yet holding that cure close to oneself so that those who need it would not be offended by what may be said.

The world is sick.  The world is filled with sin, all stemming from one man’s decision at the beginning of creation to disobey God.  We who are children of God were once in the same predicament.  We were sick.  We were dying.  But someone faithfully spoke the truth of the Gospel message to us.  God opened our hearts to the truth, we repented, and by faith received eternal life through the grace of God.

In James 4:1-6 James explains the problem, the sickness which has infected the world.  But there is a hope.  There is a cure to the sickness.  It is not a hopeless cause.  And there are some in our midst, perhaps even ourselves, who have no idea that we are sick and in need of a cure.  May God prayerfully prepare us to hear of that cure and to share that cure with all around us.

True Wisdom Brings Peace

“Two shopkeepers were bitter rivals.  Their stores were directly across the street from each other, and they would spend each day keeping track of each other’s business.  If one got a customer, he would smile in triumph at his rival.  One night an angel appeared to one of the shopkeepers in a dream and said, ‘I will give you anything you ask, but whatever you receive, your competitor will receive twice as much.  Would you be rich?  You can be very rich, but he will be twice as wealthy.  Do you wish to live a long and healthy life?  You can, but his life will be longer and healthier.  What is your desire?’  The man frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, ‘Here is my request: Strike me blind in one eye!’”  (Thomas Lindberg)

Jealousy is nothing new to the human race.  Selfish ambition has plagued mankind for generations since that fateful day in the Garden of Eden.  James, the brother of Jesus, takes special care in James 3:13-4:3 to address the problems that were evident in the churches of his time and still afflict the church today.

The opposite of jealousy and selfish ambition is wisdom, but not just any type of wisdom.  What is this wisdom?  How can the true Christian and disciple of Christ live out this wisdom?  What is the root cause of jealousy and selfish ambition?  Where does God’s intervention come into play?

Join us this Sunday as we dig into James’ words of encouragement and conviction.  Prayerfully be prepared for the Holy Spirit’s movement in your own life and in the life of the church as a whole as we look into the Truth of God’s Word.

Our Tongue Reveals to Us Our Heart

“On a windswept hill in an English country churchyard stands a drab, gray slate tombstone.  The quaint stone bears an epitaph not easily seen unless you stoop over and look closely.  The faint etchings read:

“Beneath this stone, a lump of clay, / lies Arabella Young, / who on the twenty-fourth of May, / began to hold her tongue.” (Source Unknown)

It doesn’t take much for us to realize that our tongue can get us in trouble.  In fact, all we usually have to do is open our mouths and let the inconsistencies and harm ensue.  This isn’t to say that everything we say is harmful or hurtful, but according to James, the tongue doesn’t just have the potential to do great harm, it will do great harm.  Something so small corrupts the entire body and reveals to us our heart.

James tells us that no one can control their tongue.  So, what hope is there for us?  If our tongue is evil (James 3:8) and with it our own evil heart is revealed, how can we find any encouragement in this passage?  We will find it only a few verses later in James 4:6-10.

Join us on Sunday morning at First Baptist in Emery as we strive to find joy in God’s glory through the exploring of His Word, the conviction of our hearts, and the encouragement of His Truth.

Justified by Faith that Works

He was asked to do a horrific thing: take a life.  But not just any life.  The life of his own son.  Who would ask someone to do such an appalling act?  And even more, who would follow through on such a request and then be considered a great man for even considering such an act?

She was shocked as two men barged into her home one evening.  They were running from the authorities and needed a place to hide.  She didn’t hesitate once she found out their identity.  She willingly hid them, not only keeping them out of prison but saving their lives in the process.  Who would do such a thing for perfect strangers and then be considered a great woman for going against the authority of her home town?

These are two stories which are very familiar to those of us who have a church background.  We know the stories of Abraham and Rahab.  But James takes these two stories in a very different, and at times very uncomfortable, direction for us.  He claims that these two well-known Biblical figures were justified by their works.  But what about Paul’s words that Abraham was justified by faith alone?  Are these two great Biblical teachers contradicting one another?  What does this conversation have to do with me and my faith?

This week we will explore James 2:20-26 to discover that James and Paul to not disagree.  They are only saying the same thing in a different way.  In fact, these two great Biblical figures complement one another.  Join us this week as we study God’s Word and praise His great name together.

Faith That Works

“A young boy, on an errand for his mother, had just bought a dozen eggs. Walking out of the store, he tripped and dropped the sack. All the eggs broke, and the sidewalk was a mess. The boy tried not to cry. A few people gathered to see if he was OK and to tell him how sorry they were. In the midst of the works of pity, one man handed the boy a quarter. Then he turned to the group and said, ‘I care 25 cents worth. How much do the rest of you care?’” (Stanley C. Brown)

James 2:19 tells us that faith without works is dead.  This week we will be tackling a difficult foundational doctrine, faith and works.  Paul says that we are saved by faith alone, not by the law.  James says that we are saved by works and not faith alone.  Do these two Godly men of Scripture disagree?  Can my works really reveal my faith in Christ?  What is the difference between true faith and false faith? How are works involved in faith?

Like the man who paid 25 cents to the young boy, may we learn how our faith and our works act together to reveal our true faith in Christ.  For as James tells us, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”  May the truth of God’s Word speak to our hearts through His servant James and give us strength to strive to live out the call He has for His people.

All or Nothing

The University of Buffalo football team has been invited to a bowl game only once in its 102 year history.  In 1958 the team had a record of 8-1 and was invited to play Florida State University in the 13^th annual Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, Florida.  But before they could get fitted for their new sports coats for the trip down south they were informed that two players on the team could not play in the game.  The lease holder for the stadium prohibited any African-American athlete from playing on the field.

The players gathered together in the basement of the university to take a vote on whether to play the game without two of their players.  Just before the slips of paper were handed out the players verbally voted not to go.  In essence, their vote said, “We bring all the team or none of the team.”  They had an “all or nothing” view on the issue.

In James 2:8-13 we see the same mentality when it comes to true and genuine Christianity.  It is an “all or nothing” deal.  If obey the entire law of God but fail at one small point we have failed at the law in its entirety.  We either obey the entire law or disobey the entire law.  There is no middle ground.  So, where does this leave us as believers?  How do I view my own sin?  How are we called to view our sin?  What hope is there for those of us who continue to struggle to obey the law of God?  What reassurance does God give our faith in this passage?

I would encourage us all to read through the first two chapters in James in preparation for what God is going to say to us this Sunday.  May He speak truth into us and may we grow in spiritual maturity through the hearing and doing of His Word.

Discrimination

On December 1, 1955, 42-year-old Rosa Parks boarded a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama.  Rosa sat in a seat just behind the first ten rows which were reserved for whites.  Soon all ten rows were filled and Rosa was asked to move to the back of the bus to give her seat up for a white man.  This was normal custom for the time, but this day Rosa refused.  She stood her ground and was eventually arrested for her actions.

Rosa’s story is a source of encouragement for those who have been wronged and desire to stand up for what is right.  But her story also speaks of our focus this coming Sunday: discrimination.  We in the church may not discriminate to the effect of the Jim Crow laws of the 50s and 60s, but James makes it clear that favoritism, preferential treatment, partiality, and discrimination have no place in the church.

What are some common ways we discriminate against others in the church?  How can we combat our tendency to show favoritism?  Is partiality a sin?

May we hear God as He speaks to us this week through His Word in James.

The Mark of Genuine Christianity

I want you to look at the title of this Friday Preview again.  It is more than a statement.  It holds deep meaning and raises many questions.  How can one define genuine Christianity?  Who am I to say that someone is or is not a genuine Christian?  Only God can see the heart of an individual so who are we to tell someone that they are or are not a Christian?  What is a genuine Christian?  What is the mark of genuine Christianity?  If someone does not have this mark does that mean they are not a Christian?

We all know individuals who believe they are Christians because they attend church services, Wednesday night ministries, youth group, Bible studies, walked forward during an evangelistic service, read the “Sinner’s Prayer,” or were baptized.  In fact, if statistics on the church in America are correct there is at this moment someone reading this Friday Preview who personifies this point of view.  But are these the marks of genuine Christianity or is there something deeper?

We cannot rely upon ourselves to answer these questions for our own desires, influences, preferences, and feeling tend to skew our point of view.  But there is a place with great authority that addresses this issue of authentic faith: God’s Word.  James 1:21-27 speaks with clarity on the mark of genuine Christianity by defining the believer as humble, a doer of the Word, and lives out true religion.  These three actions point us in a single direction.

May God’s Word speak volumes into our hearts and minds this week as we explore together God’s mark of genuine Christianity.  Our God is great and full of wisdom.  Let us ask him to teach us and have the courage to live out genuine Christian faith.

Hasty Speech and Anger

“In the spring of 1894, the Baltimore Orioles came to Boston to play a routine baseball game.  But what happened that day was anything but routine.  The Orioles’ John McGraw got into a fight with the Boston third baseman.  Within minutes all the players from both teams had joined in the brawl.  The warfare quickly spread to the grandstands.  Among the fans the conflict went from bad to worse.  Someone set fire to the stands and the entire ballpark burned to the ground.  Not only that, but the fire spread to 107 other Boston buildings as well” (Daily Bread, August 13, 1992).

Uncontrolled anger expressed in the heat of the moment usually produces unintentional and unexpected consequences.  As disciples of Christ we are called to a higher standard and how we handle and express ourselves in times of frustration is no different.  James 1:19-20 tells us clearly the results of hasty speech and anger and none of them reveal God’s righteousness.  Perhaps you have found yourself in a situation where anger has quickly risen to the surface only to regret the hasty words that have left your mouth.  It is easy to remind ourselves the righteous results of self-control, but to live it out is much more difficult.

The next two Sunday mornings will find us digging into God’s Word in James.  Whereas this week we will study the results of uncontrolled anger and hasty speech, next week we will discover the mark of genuine Christianity.  I would encourage us all to read through and study the first chapter in James in preparation for this week.  May God speak to us as we study His Word and may the Spirit reveal to us His Truth, transforming us as His disciples. 

Test vs. Temptation

From 2001 to 2003 a reality television show aired called Temptation Island.  The premise behind this show was to place a committed couple on an island, isolate the couple from each other, and place them in a group of singles from the opposite gender.  This was done in order to test the strength of their relationship.  Needless to say, things did not always go well for the couple.

Though the principle behind the show was to test the strength of the couple’s relationship, the reality was not a test at all.  It was a temptation to break up the relationship.  Where there is nothing wrong in testing a situation, such as a relationship, it is outright ridiculous and wrong to tempt another into sin such as the show attempted to do.  Where testing is encouraged in a relationship, engrossing ourselves in a situation filled with temptations is foolish.

The same can be said for situations in which God’s children find themselves.  Some of those situations are more difficult than others, but as the book of James tells us God uses those times in order to test our faith.  But James also makes it clear that God does not tempt us.  When we face trials and troubles we can chose to follow and trust our God or fall into the temptations of anxiety or worry.  But if we do fall into sin through these situations we cannot blame God.  For He will not tempt us.

So, what is the difference between a test and a temptation?  How can God test us but not tempt us?  Where does temptation come from?  How can we fight temptations in our life?  Who is to blame when we are tempted and when we fall to those temptations?

May God speak to our hearts this week as we once again dig deeply into His Word and ask the Spirit to speak to us, revealing our own hearts and desires.  May  His name be glorified through our study of His Word and our living out of the Truth we discover this week.

The Reward for Endurance

In June of 2012 I ran a sprint triathlon.  I had never done such a thing before in my life and so I trained for months before the race.  My only goal was to finish the race without making a trip to the emergency room.  I knew that it would be difficult to run such a race, but my mind also convinced me that it wouldn’t be as hard as I thought.  That misconception changed as soon as I got out the water from the half-mile swim and slowly (and I do mean slowly) got on my bike for a 13.1 mile ride.  The realization of how wrong I was became even more apparent when I began running on my wobbling legs.  I still remember the feeling of utter exhaustion when crossing the finish line.  The interesting thing about this and any other race is that there is only one winner.  I certainly endured each of the events in this race, but only on person took home the crown of first place.

 

Around two thousand years ago the God-man Jesus Christ came to earth and entered the city of Jerusalem hailed as the Messiah who brings salvation.  One week later he was hung upon a cross for the salvation of the world. 

 

This week, we will be studying the words of James 1:12.  In this passage James speaks to the believer who has endured trials which have threatened to steer them away from their faith in Christ Jesus.  In an athletic race only the fastest can be crowned, but in the race of faith in Christ it is the one who endures who receives the reward of the crown. 

 

What is this crown?  What do the words of James and the act of Jesus that fateful week have to do with each other?  What does this passage teach us about faith, trials, and endurance through those trials?

 

Before our time together on Sunday morning may God prepare us to hear His words through his servant James and may those words do a work within our own hearts and lives as His disciples.

Seeing Ourselves as God Does

“Who are you?”

On the surface this question seems simple to answer, but in a much deeper sense it only raises more questions about how we truly see ourselves.  In my case I am a father, husband, son, pastor, counselor, friend, coffee drinker, theologian, cook, outdoorsman, football fan, Packer fan . . . and the list goes on.  What truly defines me?  What truly defines you?  What truly defines us as believers?

This week in James 1:9-11 we will study where our true identity lies.  Though James speaks of the lowly and exalted, rich and humiliated, his words are not focused solely on earthly circumstances and social position.  Too often our view of ourselves is influenced by our own minds, the circumstances of our life, or the society around us.  What do James’ words teach us about how we view ourselves?  How are God’s words encouraging to us no matter what circumstances we ourselves living within? 

As we look into God’s words for us this week may we be prayerfully prepared to have God reveal the reality of our own hearts plainly to us.  Our God is good and loving and knows what is best for His children.  May our hearts be humble before Him this week.