I have set us up so I can blog from my phone.

Test blog

Sunday, December 26th…James 1:9-11

 

I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas.

We started off the class by reading James 1:9-11. This poor or lowly brother isn’t necessarily discussing the subject of money. When we stay within the context of the verses 1-8, James very well can still be discussing trials…Oh boy we still get to look at trials this week!!

When the poor are walking in trials it is tempting to believe the rick don’t have trials for they have money to fix everything…Is this a true statement? Why or Why not?

Here is another question for you. What exaltation is the poor lowly brother to boast in?

Let’s step back to the rich man for a minute…the rich do have trials. One of the biggest trials for the rich is whether they will trust and rely on their wealth instead of God. These rich can also be tempted into believing that their wealth is some kind of sign of their eternal place or status. THIS IS WRONG!!!

Note in v10 it says, “he will pass away.” Who is this “he” it refers to and what is passing away"?

I would propose James is discussing the rich man who once found his pride in his possessions will have turned his way. This man will now boast that he has turned his spiritual poverty resulting from the pride in his possessions over to God. Everything he has will be acknowledged as belonging to the Lord. He will no longer be fooled into complacency thinking his riches will give him spiritual security. He has learned there is only place to find spiritual security and that is in JESUS CHRIST ALONE!!!

We must come to the full understanding that God allows us to go through trials.

A student asked his teacher: “Doesn’t God intend for us to enjoy life?”

After thought the teacher replied: “It is not so much that God will have us always enjoy life, but MORE that we will enjoy HIM in the midst of life.”

We still see the main theme James is focusing on is “God is God to us in the middle of whatever.”

We will continue our journey next Sunday. Until then Be Blessed!

Strength to Stand Conference 2010…

 

I must admit, I am excited about the conference. Yes, it is even more than the fact that we get to see NeedtoBreathe. My excitement comes from the fact that with all the obstacles we have experienced in the last 24 hours, God has something BIG planned for us.

Please keep praying for those of us (there is 8 of us) who will be in TN this week. We truly appreciate your prayers.

December 19th Sunday School...

The class read the Christmas story in Luke 2 and then discussed what God has given them for this year.
We thank Rebekah for stepping in and teaching while I was out of town.

Have a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Sunday, December 12th Class....Getting Ready for Christmas

We are continuing our journey in preparing for Christmas. This past Sunday we read Matthew 2:12 and answered the following questions:

1. What was Herod's reaction when he heard about the King of the Jews?

2. Who else was frightened?

3. Whom did Herod call together?

4. Has Herod spoken with the Wise Men (Magi) yet? How does he eventually call for them?

5. Why would Herod want to know when the star appeared to the Wise Men (Magi)? What would this tell him about the child?

6. What 5 actions (we actually found more) did the Magi (Wise Men) take?

During Christmas, we give gifts to others but pause for a minute and think about what Jesus desires from you this Christmas season? We wrote on slips of paper provided what would please Jesus (i.e. spending more time with Him in prayer, helping a needy neighbor, more time in His Word, loving a difficult person, etc...). Once we wrote the slips of paper, we folded them and put them in the envelopes provided. We sealed the envelopes and wrote our names on the front. Once this was completed we gave them to the class' teacher.

Reflection for the week:


Less is more. More is not better. So often we add too many things to our list of activities. The problem is when each event arrives, we are truly too tired to enjoy it. We need to learn that less enhances the activities we do choose to participate in during this Christmas season. We must learn the art of saying "No", helps make all the "yeses" more pleasurable.

Response to God:


Dear God, teach me how to number my days. Help me not to waste time on the trivial but instead invest in the eternal. If I need to reorder my priorities, or change my activities, please reveal this to me through Your Word and in prayer. Help me to keep Christ the focus of Christmas. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Seeing Christ in Christmas….

 

As part of our Sunday School classes, we are looking at things in our lives that our parts of Christmas celebrations. The specific purpose for this is to see Christ in all of the things we do for Christmas.

We look at the Holly & Ivy this past week. We that the holly and ivy originally decorated altars, temples and sanctuaries. This was originally done so the early church members would not be easily recognized and persecuted. Over time the holly & ivy became a Christmas symbol.

• The points on the leaves are a remembrance of the crown of thorns
• The green on the leaves are a remembrance of eternal life we have with Jesus as our Savior & Lord
• The red berries are a remembrance of Jesus’ Blood that was shed for us.

I challenge each of us to look at our traditions and celebrations to see where Jesus is in them.

Advent…what is its purpose?

 

As I mentioned last week, our Sunday School is taken a brief break from James and looking at Advent. What is Advent and what is its purpose are the two main topics of discussion.

Advent means “approach” or “coming.”

When we celebrate and participate in Advent, we are remembering and participating in THREE “comings’ of Jesus:

1. Jesus’ coming as the infant King

2. Jesus’ coming into our heart’s as Lord & Savior

3. We stand in anticipation of the coming of Jesus’ triumphant return.

Read Psalm 46:10

Christmas when looked at through the eyes of Advent has been described as “Season of Expectant Waiting” or “Time for Pondering”

WHOA…..WAIT A MINUTE with our December calendars full even before Thanksgiving who has time to “wait” or “ponder.” Of course unless you mean:

• Waiting in traffic
• Waiting for a parking space
• Waiting in Christmas lines at the store

And then this pondering….What does that even mean?

Ponder: to think or consider, especially quietly, soberly and deeply….HOLD ON A SEC….won’t that take time!

IMPORTANT: This is the exact purpose of Advent, for us to ask Jesus (the focus of Advent) to help us slow down, ponder and yes….even wait. However, our wait is with excitement that has a two-fold fulfillment:

1. Christmas Day (The celebration of the first 2 comings we discussed) Jesus’ birth as infant King and Jesus’ coming into our hearts as Savior and Lord
2. The coming fulfillment of Christ’s return.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I want to be still. I want to sit in Your presence and treasure the “advents” of Jesus in my life. Carve out time during this busy & hectic season for me to immerse myself in You and Your Word. I need to be quiet, wait and ponder. Prepare my heart to understand and share what You reveal to me each and every day. Fill my heart with Your peace. In Jesus Name, AMEN.

James 1:6-8...Sunday, November 28th, 2010

We started this lesson with a question: What does James mean when he discusses "doubting" in these verse?

One of our lesson writers stated, "One doubting is like someone without an anchor rather than one who has an anchor, but is struggling to trust it still works. This person (w/out an anchor) has no discernment and is influenced by everything around him/her." 


In verse 6 where it states "but let him ask in faith" is where the difference is to me. Faith here in the Greek is describing a believer [one who belongs to Jesus].


Go back to what the lesson writer said about doubting and we can concur the following:

JESUS IS THE ANCHOR                                                             

              

Verses 7 & 8: 

Question: How does James describe this person in verse 6 that we have been discussing?

"Double-minded" literally being in two minds

An example would being someone saying they really want God's best in their life, yet they actually have their heart set on something far less. 

Another example: A person saying they know God is in control when they are in trials & tribulations but are equally waiting on someone or something else besides God to get them through.  James says this person should not expect to receive from God. 

Wait a second.....didn't we learn in verse 5 that God gives generously to all...

Yes, we did learn that God gives generously to all.  However, the problem here (the giving not happening as James speaks of) is with the one petitioning God not God. The person is not counting wholly and completely on God; when they are counting on themselves, someone else, or something else. Therefore, they have put a "blocker" between them and God. 

***I want to point something out here...this in no way supports the idea that someone's loved one died because the people didn't have enough faith. Being honest it totally irks me, when a child goes to be with the Lord and someone tells the parent "your child would have lived only if you had enough faith"***

What James is saying is:

"When in a time of trial, no matter the size,  "to ask in faith" is to hand EVERYTHING (even our doubts) to God. We turn wholly to Him, we even ask God to help us turn wholly and completely to Him because we need HIS SPIRIT to work in us." 

Turn to Mark 9:22-27 for an example of handing everything even our doubts over to God.

This father was not looking for another answer while counting on God. His cry, "I do believe, help my unbelief" is exactly what James is talking about. This father is handing EVERYTHING (even his unbelief) wholly and completely over to God.

Another example for ya:

There is a woman in deep trial struggling to trust God. She wants to trust but she also wants God to do what feels most comfortable for her when fixing her trial. She wants her circumstances to change and others around her to change so externally she has fewer problems. 

However, what she needs to realize is for her plan to work isn't truly trusting God! If she refuses God's work in her. She will be shutting herself off [creating that "blocker" we discussed earlier] from seeing what God can and wants to do whether the others cooperate by changing or not!

Next week 12.4.2010 we will take a brief break from James to look at Advent.