Exodus 16:1-15; Philippians 2:14-15


by Pastor Bill Duke

It’s the Sunday before Thanksgiving and two things will be on our minds this week: Food and being thankful. I will leave the food part to you and all the other folks with culinary skills. As for me, just give me the basics – turkey and cornbread dressing with giblet gravy, cranberry sauce, and whatever else the Boss comes up with!

My part this morning is to talk with us about being thankful even in the tough times of life. These are tough times in our economy so it might be challenging to find things for which to be thankful. I confess that I am one of those in our country who has been under whelmed by the economic competence of our leaders in DC. I have gotten to the point now that I have to remind myself that our flawed system of government is better than what I read about in Iran, Iraq, Myanmar, Sudan, just to mention a few unsavory places to live in this world. Of course that’s not much consolation when we see our economy melting down and people losing their jobs. Somehow we expect better out of our leaders.

Nevertheless our focus this morning is not on our DC leaders. Our focus will be on an experience that God’s people had with the challenge of being thankful when they did not like the way God provided for their needs. You’ll remember the story in Exodus 16. It comes out of the desert wanderings of God’s people. Wilderness and desert don’t exactly sound like the kind of places I would want to do a lot of cooking. Yet that is what the creative Israeli cooks had to do. They had to figure out how to make dishes of delicacy in the desert.

The Hebrew people were on their long march between Egypt and the land of Canaan. God gave them a wonderful experience of deliverance from bondage in Egypt. They walked through the sea on dry land, while Pharaoh’s army was swallowed up in water. They celebrated with singing and dancing as told in Exodus 15.

But euphoria quickly turned to complaint. The mob of ex-slaves pitched camp at Marah, where the water was bitter. God intervened and sweetened the bitter water.

Elim, the next stopping place, was a desert oasis with springs, palm trees and blue skies. It was everything these tired hikers could have asked for.

But God didn’t let the Hebrews settle for long at the resort-like Elim. God made them move out into the Desert of Sin. What an ominous sounding name! What a hard place it was, the Desert of Sin! The sun beat down upon them without any mercy. There was absolutely no shade to rest under. It was miserable there.

Water had to be rationed out. And worst of all, there was no food! “An army marches on its stomach” is an old saying. So no food is really bad news!

Pretty soon, from all corners of the Hebrew camp, you could hear gripe leaders going into action. Instead of cheerleaders, the Hebrews had gripe leaders. Soon, a chorus of complaints became a murmuring through the mob.

“Where do our leaders, Moses and Aaron, think they’re taking us? Look, we were at that wonderful place, Elim. Why couldn’t we stay there longer? Instead, we had to march out into this God-forsaken desert, where there’s no shade, no water, and no food.”

Some began to grumble: “Man, remember what it was like in good old Egypt? Remember the meat and fish and wonderful veggies of Egypt? It would have been better to die as slaves in Egypt than starve as free people in the desert. Moses and Aaron have brought us out here to starve to death. Down with Moses and Aaron! We need new leaders.”

It had only been about one month since the Hebrews had seen God defeat all the powers of Egypt with the 10 plagues. Egypt was the greatest power in the world of that time. But in a contest of power, God won hands down.

It had only been about a month since the parting of the Red Sea. It had just been a month since their great deliverance from Egypt. Only one month was all it took to start the griping and groaning and grumbling.

God finally spoke through His servant Moses: “All right! All right! I’ve heard your grumbling already!” Well, what Moses actually said on God’s behalf: “He has heard your grumbling.” Three times in three verses, this short sentence: “He has heard your grumbling.”

God then said, in essence, “If you want food, I’ll give you food.” The next morning, all around the camp was heavy dew. When the dew dried, a flaky substance appeared on the desert floor. “Manna,” they said. Manna means, “What is it?”

Manna sounds like something a youngster might say when some new food comes to the table. “Manna! What is it?” Among the Hebrews, the name stuck – manna.

Who knows what manna was really like? Maybe it was something like honey-sweetened Cheerios. The Book of Numbers says that when manna is ground into flour and made into cakes, it tasted like wafers made with honey or like cakes boiled in oil.

Whatever it tasted like, manna was God’s provision for human hunger. It was sufficient and satisfying. Manna was the gracious gift of a good God.

“I am the bread of life,” said Jesus (John 6:48). Jesus is today’s manna. Jesus is the satisfying provision for our hunger and thirst.

But let’s go back to the wilderness. That’s where we go again and again in everyday life. So much of human life is lived in the wilderness. When God said they were going to have manna, that’s what they got. They had manna on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and on through the week. And there was enough manna on Friday to last over the Saturday Sabbath so they wouldn’t have to do the work of collecting manna on the Sabbath.

I suspect they had manna straight and manna toasted. They had manna cooked and manna plain. Maybe they even had manna soufflé.

But if manna is all you get to eat, and if every day it’s the same menu exactly; you’ll likely tire of it and forget what a wonderful blessing manna really is. Pretty soon, gripe leaders began to stir up a chorus of complaint again. “Who can live on bread alone? Man, oh man, we remember all the good grub back in Egypt! What wouldn’t we give for some fresh vegetables, even if it is broccoli?”

The book of Numbers records their complaint: “Now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!” (Num. 11:6, TNIV).

Finally, God said, basically, “You want meat, you’ll get meat! You’ll get meat ‘til you’re sick of it. You’ll get meat ‘til you can’t stand that either.” Enter the quails! Small birds were brought into the camp by the east wind. They flew low, roosting at night on the ground; it was no sweat to swat a basketful of quail. Then, back to the tents they’d go to enjoy whatever the Jewish mammas could make of a basketful of quail along with the ever-present manna.

Quail was good for a while. People like quail. Doesn’t quail taste something like chicken? People praised God for quail. But it wasn’t long before some began asking if they couldn’t just once have something different to eat. But it was just quail, roast quail, quail with manna. And they started to grumble all over again.

So why was it that the people of God grumbled? Why does anyone grumble?

Very simply, we grumble because as human beings we forget.

GRUMBLING IS FORGETFULNESS

Grumbling for the Hebrews was forgetting how bad it was to be a slave in Egypt. Grumbling was forgetting how much they wanted out of Egypt. Grumbling was forgetting the gracious acts of God to liberate them from bondage. Grumbling was forgetting God’s promise of a new land for them. Grumbling was taking their eyes off the hope offered by God’s promises. Grumbling can be selective forgetfulness – remembering only the good in the past and forgetting its trauma. This is like folks who pine for the good old days, forgetting the way it really used to be.

Grumbling is forgetfulness. That thought is beautifully illustrated in the following story:

Maya Angelou, African-American poet, tells of whiners who would come into her grandmother’s store in Arkansas. Grandma would always quietly beckon Maya to come closer. Then she would bait the customer with “How are you doing today, Brother Thomas?” As the complaining gushed forth, she would nod or make eye contact with her granddaughter to make sure Maya heard what was being said. As soon as the whiner left, her grandmother would ask Maya to stand in front of her. Then she would say the same thing she had said at least a thousand times: “Sister, did you hear what Brother So-and-So or Sister-Much-To-Do complained about? You heard that!” Maya would nod.

Grandma would continue, “Sister, there are people who went to sleep all over the world last night, poor and rich and white and black, but they will never wake up again. Sister, those who expected to rise did not … And those dead folks would give anything, anything at all for just five minutes of this weather or 10 minutes of that plowing that person was grumbling about. So you watch yourself about complaining, Sister” said Grandma.

Grandma would conclude: “What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain.”

Grumbling is forgetting the blessing of life itself and of life’s simple benefits.

Grumbling can become a habit of life. We can make a habit of ignoring or forgetting God’s goodness.

While a student I worked during Christmas and summer vacations for the city of Fort Meade, Florida, and the phosphate mines as a temporary laborer. It wasn’t glamorous work but it helped me earn money for college. At both places of work it wasn’t unusual to see some career workers coming in early so they could sit around and smoke a cigarette and complain about work. For these career workers, grumbling had become a habit, a lifestyle of forgetting.

A man and his teenage son were on a fishing trip miles from home. They decided to attend Sunday worship service at a small rural church. As they walked back to their car after the worship service, the father was filled with complaints. “The service was too long, the sermon was boring, and the singing was off key.” Finally the young teenager had to say something. “Dad, I thought it was pretty good for the dollar you put in the collection plate.”

Paul wrote to believers in Philippi: “Do all things without murmuring” (“complaining” in some translations). Paul used the same word found in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the word found in the story of grumbling Hebrews. It’s a word, which sounds like what it means – “gongusmos.” It’s like our English word, “murmur.” Doesn’t that word, “gongusmos,” sound like grumbling?

“Do all things without murmuring,” wrote Paul - for grumbling is forgetting. And that goes not only for our relationship with God but also for our relationships with one another. Often, when I murmur about people close to me, it is because I forget the good things in their lives and in our relationship.

One reason the stories of the Bible are written down and included for us is to help us not to forget. In fact, Moses was instructed to take a container of manna and place it in the Holy of Holies for safekeeping. The manna was to be an ongoing reminder of God’s goodness and God’s provision. One reason we observe the Season of Advent instead of leaping right into Christmas is to help us not to forget. Grumbling is forgetfulness.

But look at the other side of grumbling. While grumbling is forgetfulness …

THANKSGIVING IS A RESPONSE TO GRACE

The Exodus was the gracious act of a good and compassionate God. The Hebrews had not earned God’s goodness. They had forgotten the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob while suffering under the Egyptian Pharaoh. But God remembered His covenant with their ancestors and delivered them from slavery. The manna was a gift, an expression of God’s grace. So was the quail. God was graciously providing, though not the way the Hebrews wanted.

God still graciously brings exodus. God still graciously satisfies our hunger. God still graciously feeds us with the Bread of Life, Jesus Himself. Grace is something completely unearned and unmerited.

Thanksgiving is acknowledging that someone has given us what was not our due.

Thanksgiving is recognizing we have been given something not owed us. Perhaps someone might say: “But I’ve been a decent sort of person. I’m a good moral citizen. I believe in God, go to church periodically, put some money in the offering, pray when I think of it. Why shouldn’t God recognize my spirituality with showers of blessings?”

We Americans are big on entitlement. We presuppose that God owes us something or that God is in our debt.

But not so! God’s goodness is never earned. If it were earned, it would be barter not blessing. In fact, sometimes God surprises us in that when we least deserve it, God pours out gracious blessings on us. An entitlement mentality seldom leads to thanksgiving. When we think we’ve got it coming to us, what is there to be thankful for? And why not grumble when we don’t receive what we think we deserve?

“Thankfulness,” veteran preacher Warren Wiersbe once observed “is the opposite of selfishness. The selfish person says, “I deserve what comes to me! Other people ought to make me happy.” But the mature Christian realizes that life is a gift from God, and that the blessings of life come only from God’s bountiful hand.”

Thanksgiving is the response to grace. Thanksgiving humbly acknowledges: “God, how good You are to me!” Thanksgiving is responding to God’s grace even in the midst of trouble. “In everything,” Paul wrote, “give thanks.” Not necessarily for everything, but in every situation, give thanks for who God is.

Give thanks even when the meals of manna and quail are boring. Give thanks even when you’re tired of roast quail and baked manna. Give thanks when Egypt tempts you to return. Give thanks at the bitter waters of Marah and in the heat of the Desert of Sin. Give thanks because of God’s grace even in the midst of trouble.

Thanksgiving is a response of grace.

Once after a message, someone asked the pastor a pointed question. “Pastor, how do you live up to your own preaching?” The pastor had to respond honestly: “I don’t always!”

As human beings we don’t always live up to our ideals. During Thanksgiving time it is not unusual for us to count again the tremendous blessings of life. But there are times when we take God’s blessings for granted. There are times when we forget and relapse into grumbling. There are times when we forget that life itself is a gift of grace. There are times when we forget what God has done in Jesus. Isn’t this true in your life? I know that it is too often true in mine.

Avery Brooke offered this straight-forward prayer: “I have many things to be thankful for, God. Sometimes I remember them and other times I forget. When something large or small goes wrong, it fills my mind and I forget those things for which – when I remember – I am thankful. Help me to remember the good things, God. Help me to name them, to savor them, and to be thankful to you. Amen” (Avery Brooke, Plain Prayer for a Complicated World).

How about you on this Sunday before Thanksgiving? Is your life and attitude one of graceful thanksgiving or grumbling forgetfulness?

Stop and count your blessings. Name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done for you! Amen!

Psalm 121

by Pastor Bill Duke


At every stage in life we face perplexities and problems. Often when the journey of our life seems waylaid by potential difficulties, we look around for help from people, ourselves, and then, finally from God. When at last we come to God with our needs and concerns, I can’t help but wonder if God is sometimes thinking, “Why did you wait so long to ask for help?”

Why does there seem to be such a time lag between when we become aware of our problems and concerns, and when we finally allow God to help us?

Often when we go through a very difficult time, we generally look in at least one of three directions for help. 1. We often look to others for help. 2. We also look within ourselves to see if we can muster enough courage and resources to face our difficulties. 3. Then finally when the other resources prove to be inadequate, we look to God and make plans to utilize God’s help in the future. Wouldn’t it be better if we would just learn to look immediately to God for help?

Of course, this may not be an easy thing for you. You may be prone to rely more on others or yourself than God. You may even find it difficult to ask for help.

You might even be startled by the question, “Why not let God help you?” Does that question sound strange to you?

If it does, may I remind you that you have a decision to make: “Are you going to manage your problems on your own, or are you going to cry out to God for help?”

By asking that question, I am acknowledging the fact that sometimes we block God’s efforts to help us. Sometimes our own strong will gets in the way. Sometimes our determined desire to be self-sufficient becomes an obstacle.

So how is it for you? Is your own tenacious control of problematic people and situations becoming a barrier to receiving help from God? Who is in control of your life – you or God?

Perhaps you are wondering, “Well what happens when God is allowed to help us?” Here’s what I can share with you. Often we find that God gives us a supernatural sense of power when we offer ourselves in complete surrender to Him in prayer. Often He gives us the wisdom to help see more deeply into the problem. Often God gives us the discernment to know what to do. Often God provides the faith, courage and endurance to follow through on resolving our own problems.

Have you experienced God helping you? I am often amazed at how God steps in to change people and sometimes even the circumstances that brought them to the point of finally asking God for help. God is faithful. Yes, God does change the situation sometimes, but what He frequently does is change our attitude toward the problems. A crisis in our lives is often the golden opportunity we have to grow in our Christian lives. Don’t waste the opportunity! Don’t wait so long before crying out to God for help.

How can we learn to turn first to God for help? Let’s look at Psalm 121 for the answer.

In Psalm 121, the psalmist faced danger. He was either on a spiritual pilgrimage or a journey. A range of hills or mountains lay ahead. In them could be robbers, predators and treacherous terrain in which he could easily slip and fall. In the valley the psalmist knew there was no other way than through the hills to his destination. How would he make it? This perplexity led him to write Psalm 121.

I. LOOKING FOR HELP FROM OTHERS

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills-“ (v. 1). At this time of the year when we think about hills and mountains we tend to think about the joy of riding around in our cars looking at the beautiful colors of the leaves. It is a relaxing thought. Yes, when we are riding in our car in the mountains, we don’t generally feel a great sense of danger.

I wonder, though, how we might feel if we had to walk through the mountains on foot. What would be our focus then? I am guessing that our focus would be more so on the various obstacles that we would have to overcome. No doubt if we had to walk through some of that treacherous terrain we would want to cry out, “Somebody help me!” In those moments when we feel that no one is responding to our cry for help, we are tempted to despair that no one cares.

“From whence comes my help?” wrote the Psalmist. In times of trouble we all wonder where we will find some help. We do look for help from others. It’s only natural for us to do this. For after all, we do live in community – not as isolated individuals. We know that we need each other.

II. LOOKING FOR HELP FROM WITHIN

As we look to the hills for help, we also find ourselves beginning to look inward. We may even wonder if we can trust the ultimate reliability of our own courage and strength as we face our trouble.

At times like that some folks look for some kind of self-help remedy. Helping yourself is not necessarily a bad thing. We do all have a role to play in solving problems. That’s for sure.

Yet, we cannot solve all of our problems by ourselves. This may disappoint you – especially if your goal is to be totally self-reliant. When we don’t have the insight or resourcefulness to solve all of life’s problems, we tend to become worried and filled with anxiety. At times we muddle through the midst of problems trying desperately to work out some solution. We become exhausted and totally disappointed. We may even feel depressed and cry out in despair.

Surely the Psalmist struggled with where he was going to find his ultimate source of help. As he lifted up his eyes in prayer for help, he uttered these words of faith, “My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth” (v. 2). The One who made us sustains us. He knows and cares about us and is ready to help us in the ups and downs of life. Just as He is the creator, God is also the One who recreates us into what He wants us to become. Here is the bottom line for the Psalmist: God is sovereign over all our affairs. He is in control. God is dependable.

Knowing that our help comes from God and crying out for His help is an expression of maturity. Immaturity is thinking that we can make it on our own without God’s help.

III. LOOKING FOR HELP FROM GOD

Perhaps you are wondering why the Psalmist can be so confident in God’s help as he faced difficulties in his life. Note that the Psalmist declared three rock-solid reasons for his confidence: 1. God watches over us. 2. He is at our side to strengthen us. 3. He can bring the maximum growth out of all we will ever go through – now and in the future. Let’s explore each of those reasons for a moment.

In verse 4 the Psalmist writes, “He who keeps Israel, shall neither slumber nor sleep.” This affirms the providential care of God. God is at work night and day interceding, arranging blessings, and influencing our thoughts. The psalmist could go to sleep under the stars knowing that the Lord would watch over him. No harm would come to him. Are you plagued by unresolved tensions? Are you losing sleep over the anxieties of life? Remember these words of the Psalmist.

The Psalmist knew that the Lord would guide his steps through the treacherous passages of the mountain terrain the next day. He could sleep in peace with the assurance that God would make his steps decisive and secure. The words “He will not allow your foot to be moved” (v. 3) mean that God will keep us from slipping. When walking through the mountains, the psalmist knew that one wrong step could plummet him to his death.

God, who doesn’t slumber or sleep, allows us to sleep peacefully in order to encourage us to allow Him to guide our steps. How does the Lord help us? God is ever ready to give us clarity about the next step in His strategy for us, but again, we must want His help. A decision must be made. We have been given the freedom to accept or reject God’s direction in our choices and decisions. Yet God wants to help implement what He has instigated in our mind. This is part of God’s providential care.

Also, the Lord helps us with His protective care. In verses 5-6 the Psalmist writes, “The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night” (vv.5-6).

The word “keep” means protection, reminding us of the way the shepherd cares for his sheep. God watches over us and is at our right hand. He stands beside us always. We are never alone.

During the days of the Psalmist there was widespread concern about the possibility of sunstroke or moon-stroke. Sunstroke is something we are more familiar with, but moon-stroke is an odd term for us. What it meant was the belief that there was some kind of correlation between the moon’s phases and the mental and emotional disturbance of people.

The Psalmist is affirming his confidence that nothing or no one, day or night, sleeping or awaking, can ultimately harm us. The Lord may not keep us from trouble, but we can be sure that He will be with us in it and use it for our growth in spiritual maturity.

So already the Psalmist has made it clear that God watches over us and protects us.

Additionally, the Psalmist stated his confidence in God’s ability to preserve us. Perhaps you are wondering, “How does the Lord preserve us?” The word means to maintain, conserve, and keep from destruction. The most crucial ministry of Jesus Christ present with us is not just beside us, but within us. Jesus promised that He would abide in us (John 15:4). His preservation of us is from within. He takes on the responsibility of making us like Himself, guiding our thoughts, giving us His attitude, and enabling us to love, forgive, care, and minister by His power.

We can trust God with all that is taking place each and every moment of the day during our life. Just as the Lord does not slumber while we sleep, He never forgets nor forsakes us in all the demands and difficulties of any day.

The words of Deuteronomy 28:6 express this truth like this, “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.” Yes, the Lord will preserve His people in their coming and going out.

Psalm 121 has shown us how to let God help us. He is our power, protector, and preserver. Our challenge is to trust Him for rest at night and resiliency during the day. Our great need is to turn our difficulties over to Him for guidance and help as soon as these difficulties confront us, not after we have struggled to solve them by ourselves and failed. He is ready to help now!

Sometimes when we hear these words we want to believe them but often we struggle because of the painfulness of our current situation. Sometimes we feel like the storms of life have rocked us so hard that we feel devastated. If you have ever been in the mountains during some storms, then you know that these storms can be vicious. They can scare all the courage right out of your spirit. In the midst of these storms, our challenge and calling is still the same for us: “Call out to the Lord for help.”

The words of Psalm 121 have been incorporated in a beautiful contemporary Christian song. Listen to the words of the song, “Praise You In This Storm” by Casting Crowns:

I was sure by now God you would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
that it’s still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear you whisper through the rain,
I’m with you
and as your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

And I’ll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
that you are who you are no matter where I am
and every tear I’ve cried
you hold in your hand
you never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise you in this storm.

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
you heard my cry you raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on if I can’t find you
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear you whisper through the rain
I’m with you
and as your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

And I’ll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
that you are who you are no matter where I am
and every tear I’ve cried
you hold in your hand
you never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise you in this storm.

I lift my eyes unto the hills where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
I lift my eyes unto the hills where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

And I’ll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
that you are who you are no matter where I am
and every tear I’ve cried
you hold in your hand
you never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise you in this storm.

Will you praise God in the storms of life?

How do you need to apply these verses to your life? How do you need to let God help you? What is standing in the way of you letting God help you?

James 4

by Pastor Bill Duke


Recently, the democratic and republican conventions met in Colorado and Minnesota to elect their candidate for President and Vice-President of the USA. If you like politics then you probably got an overdose of political speeches and posturing during those two weeks. Some of you may be counting down the days until Election Day with the knowledge that those ceaseless campaign commercials will finally go away!

While you listened to all those campaign speeches, did you notice a missing element? I bet you didn’t hear much if anything about the virtue of humility in politics!

Wouldn’t it be refreshing to hear a candidate for national political office actually deliver a campaign speech in which he/she talked about the calling to be a public servant committed to the common good of all Americans and not just the elite of their particular political party? Wouldn’t it be nice to hear a campaign speech in which the candidate actually admitted that far too often the two political parties are far more interested in their own agendas than the common good of all Americans? Wouldn’t it be nice to hear a presidential contender confess that far too many elected national officials are more interested in maintaining their positions of power, prestige, and perks than in leading the country to face the really tough issues? Wouldn’t it be refreshing to hear a presidential contender admit that both political parties have failed the American people and are a lot better at working in opposition to each other than in cooperating with each other for the common good of all Americans? Wouldn’t it be nice to hear a statesman declare the obvious that the elected national officials work harder when it is their own vested interest? What do you want to bet that the members of Congress would work harder and in a spirit of cooperation if their health care and retirements depended on the same things as all the rest of the American people?

Sadly, our elected national officials profit handsomely off the benefits of we the taxpayers while they continue to major on dividing our country into red and blue states.

How I long for a presidential leader who has enough backbone to humbly admit that he/she does not have all the answers, and that without the goodwill and cooperation of the rest of Congress will be limited in what he/she can accomplish. How I long for a president who will clearly and concisely state exactly what he or she stands for and values without any use of slippery words or any effort to take potshots at the opponent. How I long for a president that will tell us the truth about the difficult issues we all face and not waste our time bashing the opponent’s record or lack of one.

Sadly, it is politics as usual and we the American people are the ones who suffer for it. It’s the politics of excessive pride, arrogance, and willful deceitful character assassinations.

Why don’t more political candidates exhibit a spirit of humility? Could it be that humility is not often considered a virtue worthy of pursuing in our culture? Why isn’t humility a more highly valued commodity in our culture? Why is humility often portrayed as something for losers, sissies, whiners, and doormats?

Maybe it would help us if we divorced the characteristic of humility from such phrases as “eating humble pie” or “being humiliated.”

Humility has to do with an attitude, a character trait, even a spirit within us. Humility has to do with the realization of God’s worthiness to Lord of all. It has to do with the realization that we are the ones who were created not the ones who did the creating. It has to do with a healthy dose of grace, healing, and forgiveness in our own lives.

I’m sure it doesn’t surprise you to learn that the Bible prizes humility in the lives of believers? Humility is even essential to Christian discipleship. Jesus spoke often about the importance of humility, including the time He called a child to Him and said, “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4). Jesus also said, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). The apostle Peter urged his readers to “be clothed with humility” (I Peter 5:6).

So, how evident is humility in your life? If you were arrested and charged with being a Christian, would there be enough evidence of humility in your life to convict you of being a faithful follower of Jesus Christ in a court of law?

I. WHEN HUMILITY IS ABSENT AMONG BELIEVERS (4:1-3)

James knew how important humility was because he knew what happens when humility is absent among believers. The opening words of James 4 tell us the sad tale about the chronic hostility among the believers to whom James was writing. In verses 1-2a James writes, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight.”

When humility is absent among believers, chronic hostility arises. Interpersonal conflicts are more numerous. The inner war rages inside believers and erupts into outward battles with other believers.

Often the problem revolves around being filled with envy and jealousy. Often we want things that we don’t have. This can lead to wrong desires – even coveting what other people have to the point that we’ll do anything – right or wrong – to get it.

James describes this kind of aggressive desiring as largely unsatisfied. We never seem to get what we desire.

That’s the paradox of sin. We always seek but never find. We always desire but never are fulfilled. These individuals wrongly assume that the chief purpose of living is to satisfy self.

James says, “That’s the problem.” The problem is faulty motivation. Sin is described as missing the mark.

When humility is absent among believers, their prayer life suffers (vv. 2b-3). In verses 2b-3 James wrote, “You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.“ James says that the believers are asking amiss.

The picture among believers when humility is absent is not pretty. Yet, James knew that the situation is not hopeless.

II. THE PATHWAY TO HUMILITY (4:4-10)

In verses 4-10 James described the pathway to humility.

What is the pathway to humility? Well, it starts with the reality that we must make the right choice daily. In verses 4-6 James detailed the choice each must make and the consequences associated with each choice: “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God. Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James began with a harsh rebuke to the believers for being spiritually unfaithful to God. James was calling them to make a choice to be exclusively committed and devoted to God. The believers must reject the temptation to be double-minded. Instead they must be single-minded. We must serve God alone!

Daily we must choose – to be committed to God or to be committed to a way of life that is hostile to God. Daily we must choose between reliance upon grace or reliance upon excessive pride.

So the pathway to humility begins with a daily choice. Continuing on the pathway to humility requires that a series of right steps be taken.

The first step involves submission to God. Verse 7a says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God.” We must place ourselves under the authority of God. Who is in charge of your life – you or God?

The second step involves resisting evil. Verse 7b says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Boldly, abruptly, and decisively believers must oppose evil, both inwardly and outwardly.

The third step involves the active decision to draw near to God. Verse 8a says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” The truth of the matter is that the more we are like God, the nearer we are to God.

Finally, we must repent. The images of verses 8b-9 are quite vivid, “Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.” Repentance means not only a change in thinking but also a change in behavior.

This all leads to the benefit of humility as seen in the command and promise of verse 10: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” True humility comes from God Himself. He is the source of all true humility. Notice how God rewards those who are humble! The Lord delights in lifting us up.

Where are you today on the pathway to humility?

III. WHEN HUMILITY IS PRESENT AMONG BELIEVERS (4:11-17)

When believers obey God and pursue humility, changes take place. The presence of humility among believers results in 3 specific behavioral changes.

First, judgmentalism ceases. Verses 11-12 says, “Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you – who are you to judge your neighbors.” God is the only One who is worthy of rendering a final verdict on any of us. Our job is to love others and live at peace with each other.

Second, arrogance is not present. Verses 13-15 says, “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money. Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” Don’t presume to be in charge of your life. Only God really knows what the future holds. We do best when we remember that our lives are in His hands.

Third, boasting about self is no longer allowed. Verses 16-17 says, “As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” When we boast, we boast in the Lord.

APPLICATION

So, how do we apply these verses to our lives? Let us begin by considering this. How evident is humility in your life? Are you involved in chronic conflicts with other believers? Is your prayer life suffering? Are you judgmental toward others? Are you arrogant? How often do you boast about self?

Further more we need to ask, “What needs to happen in our lives to grow a humble spirit?” How conscious are you about daily choosing to be single-minded in your commitment and devotion to God? How submissive is spirit toward God? What are you doing to resist evil? In what ways are you choosing to draw closer to God? In what areas do you need to repent?

James 2

by Pastor Bill Duke


Have you ever been treated like you really did not matter? Have you ever felt overlooked, passed over, or excluded simply because your looks or your clothing did not measure up in the eyes of the other person? Have you ever felt like you were the old proverbial “black sheep” of the family or the ugly duckling, especially when compared to the “favorite” sibling in the family? If you have, then you know how hurtful it is to be treated like that.

In our world and even in our own country, there are a lot of hurt feelings. There are feelings of racial discrimination. There are feelings of gender inequality. There are feelings of national superiority and inferiority. There are feelings of religious arrogance and intimidation. There are feelings of generational estrangement.


We live in a world with lots of hurt feelings and people looking for fair treatment. The dividing walls of hostility seem too formidable at times. We know we can’t re-write past history and we wonder how all the past wrongs can ever be fully rectified. Yet, we also know we’d like the present and the future to be different. We’d like for people to be reconciled and to live at peace with each other. While we personally can’t solve all the problems of the world, heal all the hurts, or correct all the wrongs, we certainly can do something to make a difference in our world - even if it is only in our own backyard, neighborhood, church, town, or county. And that’s what I want us to key in on today. I want us to determine to make a difference today and tomorrow in how we treat other people.

As you well know human relationships can be some of life’s greatest joys as well as some of life’s biggest heartaches. Human relationships, which are quite precious to us and often quite resilient, can sometimes deteriorate quickly and become quite complicated and messy. Frequently we need help to keep our relationships steady and solid.

James 2 offers us a good lesson in human relations. As a matter of fact, James 2 tells us how to treat people right. Look with me at James 2:1-13, and let us see what God’s blueprint for human relations is. Let’s see how faith is evident in right relationships.

(I) OUR COMMON TEMPTATION IS TO PLAY FAVORITES (2:1)

The concern of James’ letter is to admonish the Christian community to “be doers of the word” (1:22). Believers were instructed to live out their faith in Jesus through perseverance and obedience. In other words, they were to practice what they preached so that they could live in freedom, not in bondage to sin.

James concludes chapter 1 by exhorting them to demonstrate the reality of their faith by obedience to Christ and through proper relationships with others. Note James’ words in verses 26-27:
"If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is vain. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

Then James points out a common problem in the Christian community as a contrast to his words in verses 26-27. James 2:1 says, “My brethren, show no partiality as you hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.”

Obviously there was a problem in the Christian community with partiality and James wrote forcefully against partiality. To play favorites is a common temptation among all people. Parents sometimes favor one child over another. Businesses sometimes favor one gender over another. Governments sometimes favor one racial group over the others.

This is also true of us as individuals, too. We all have our favorites or our preferences. Typically, we tend to like certain kinds of people and could do without other kinds of people. Naturally, history is filled with efforts to justify our preferences by the use of slogans like “separate, but equal,” “liberty and justice for all,” “an equal opportunity society,” and on-and-on we could go.

What kind of people do you prefer to be around? Some prefer to be around rich people instead of poor folks. Some prefer educated people as opposed to those without a college degree. Some prefer white collar as opposed to blue collar. Some prefer people of a certain skin color as opposed to others. Some prefer to be around only heterosexual people as opposed to homosexual people. Some prefer to be around Americans as opposed to foreigners. Some prefer to be around only their kind of religious people as opposed to other non-believers or adherents of “false” religions.

It’s true we do have our preferences. All of us do. It is a part of our human nature to have preferences. We all have our likes and our dislikes.

The danger arises, though, when these preferences become so layered with emotion that we become aroused irrationally when our preferences are not honored or satisfied. It is easy for us to dress up a prejudice in the cloak of preference. This kind of self-centered preference isolates us from others, builds walls of animosity, and deepens the level of hurt.

Two good questions for all of us to ponder are, “Why do I prefer being around certain kinds of people?”, and “Why do I prefer not being around certain other kinds of people?”

Do we like or dislike certain people based on our feelings of superiority or inferiority? Are our likes and dislikes based on fear or stereotypes? Are our likes ever based on what we can get out of the other person? What really motivates our decision to like or dislike others?


(II) WHY IS FAVORITISM DANGEROUS (2:2-7)

In verses 2-7, James illustrated the problem of favoritism in the Christian community and clearly delineated how dangerous favoritism is:

For if a man with gold rings and in fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while you say to the poor man, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brethren. Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you, is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the honorable name which was invoked over you?

The Christian community being addressed by James had a problem. Partiality was being shown toward the rich over the poor, and it was sinful.

The scene James was describing was that of a representative of the Roman aristocracy who had come to church lavishly dressed in an effort to court the Christians to gain political support. The rich would-be politician was given the red carpet treatment. But the poor man was treated in a humiliating, mocking way.

James was very clear here. This kind of discrimination is wrong. James decried this kind of behavior that would check out the exterior of a person and then form a lasting opinion based solely on what can be seen.

Today we could make some changes to the story, but the principle would still be the same. Just like discrimination based on economics has no place in the church, likewise discrimination based on age, gender, race, national origin, social standing, etc. has no place in the community of faith.

Partiality and favoritism that leads to discrimination and prejudice hurts everyone involved. It hurts the ones who are prejudice because partiality poisons us inwardly. It clouds our judgment. It distorts our thinking. It denies us the opportunity to enjoy fellowship and friendship with a lot of dear people. It hurts the cause of Christ, and weakens the witness of the local church.

Prejudice also has lasting harmful effects upon the ones being discriminated against. It leaves a bitter, foul taste in the mouth of those being mistreated and can even poison them inwardly. Self-images are shattered, and nagging feelings of inferiority linger for a lifetime. Top that off with an inner rage just waiting for the opportunity to erupt and you have a lethal, walking time-bomb.

You would think that we would have learned a lesson from the various school shootings in our country. While the behavior of the shooter are inexcusable, you have to wonder about the contributing factors. In other words, society cannot simply wash its collective hands of the whole situation. We live in a rude, crude culture. Children and teenagers are regularly bullied, ridiculed, mocked, demeaned, mistreated, verbally abused, and even sexually assaulted by adults as well as their own peers. A few children are particularly tormented by their peers. After awhile, the tormented ones snap back against those who have hurt them. I am not excusing the shooter’s behavior. What I am saying is that we all have a role to play in diminishing the environment that encourages partiality, favoritism, bullying, discrimination, and prejudice.

As believers, we know that partiality is incompatible with faith in Jesus. When we choose to treat others as if they don’t matter, James said that we have “become judges with evil thoughts” (verse 4). We must be careful not to look down on that which God values so dearly. Often we find the values of God and the values of the world at odds.

In James’ day, the rich were valued, and the poor were considered cheap, common, and expendable. Yet, God has made it clear that He is on the side of the defenseless, the weak, the downtrodden, the sinned-against, the helpless, the victimized, the exploited, etc. God values the faith and love of all His children, and will honor those who have faithfully followed Him with a place in His kingdom.

Unfortunately, the Christian community being addressed by James had behaved in a manner that was contrary to God’s appraisal of human beings. James thundered against them for dishonoring the poor by preferential treatment toward the rich. James pointed out the ludicrousness of such action. James asked, “Why do you honor the dishonorable? For after all it was the rich, the powerful, and the privileged, who often oppressed, exploited, and wrongfully sued Christians. These same rich people were the same ones who often ridiculed the precious name of Jesus.”

(III) WHAT IS GOD’S ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM? (2:8-13)

Obviously, James wanted his readers to realize that partiality is incompatible with faith in Jesus. Now in verses 8-13, James gives God’s definitive answer to this problem:

If you really fulfill the royal law, according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well. But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” said also, “Do not kill.” If you do not commit adultery but do kill, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy; yet mercy triumphs over judgment.

When it comes to how we treat others, we would all do well to remember the so-called “golden rule” found in Matthew 7:12, “So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.” In other words, “do unto others as you would have them do to you.”

Our modern culture has mocked and corrupted that saying of Jesus by declaring, “He who has the gold sets the rules.” So many try to live by that motto and spend their health, integrity, and every waking moment trying to accumulate more and more.

Guess what? Both versions of the Golden rule are true and right. We should treat others like we’d like to be treated. We should try to put ourselves in other people’s shoes. We should try to make allowances for others. Being kind, tenderhearted, forgiving, and understanding toward others is very biblical.

The new version of the Golden rule - that he who has the gold sets the rules - is also good and true. Who has all the gold? Who owns everything? Who is omnipotent? God is!

By right, God can set all the rules. He is the ultimate boss. Yet, unlike human bosses, God is always good, fair, kind, and just.

How should we treat others? Just like we’d like to be treated. Just like we’d like the dearest people to us to be treated by others.

In verse 1, James declared that Christians were not to show partiality or favoritism.

Elsewhere the Bible says,
“You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great . . .” (Leviticus 19:15). “The rich and poor have this in common; the Lord is maker of them all” (Proverbs 22:2).
“God shows no partiality, but . . . anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34-35).
“With God there is no partiality of any kind” (Romans 2:11).

Instead of partiality, favoritism, discrimination, or prejudice, James says that God’s royal law for human relationships is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” As believers, we are commanded to love others and do what is best for them.

Whenever we choose to mistreat others, to stereotype them, to devalue them, to discriminate against them based on outward appearance, and to be unloving, we commit sin and stand before God as guilty sinners. God has made His will very clear to us: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” When we obey God’s will and do as He commands us to do toward others, we live in the freedom of His Spirit instead of in bondage to sin.

James further warns all believers to remember to be merciful. Whenever believers lack mercy toward others, it is an indication that they are disregarding God’s own mercy toward them. Those who are merciful toward others have no reason to fear God’s judgment.


CONCLUSION

James clearly tells how to treat others. Everyone we meet is precious to God and deserves to be treated with love, honor, and respect. Everybody matters to God.

Parents have the responsibility of teaching their children this truth. No child is born with prejudice. It is a learned emotion and belief. Parents, don’t be guilty of teaching your children to be prejudiced toward others. Be assured that if you berate others because of their skin color, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status or belief system, there is a strong possibility your children are going to become poisoned by that same kind of discriminatory spirit. Encourage your children to resist all the pressure of their peers to join in mistreating others.

Aren’t you tired of all the walls of hostility erected in our society and the acts of senseless violence? Don’t be a part of the problem. Be a part of the solution. Obey God’s royal law for human relationships and live as people who are being freed from the oppressive spirit of hatred and bigotry.

APPLICATION

So, how would you apply this passage of scripture to your life? How can you apply these verses in such a way that it will make a difference today and tomorrow in the way you treat other people?

If you were arrested and charged with being a Christian, would there be enough evidence of right relationships to convict you in a court of law?

Let me urge you to allow the Holy Spirit to search you deeply for the truthful answers to the following questions:

· To whom am I most tempted to play favorites?
· To whom am I most likely to treat poorly?
· How are my acts of partiality harmful?
· How do you want to be treated?
· How do you want the dearest people to you to be treated by others?
· How do you need to apply the words of Jesus, “You shall love your neighbor as your self?”

James 2:14-26

by Pastor Bill Duke



“Without good works, faith is not evident,” so wrote James. Do you believe this?

Some members of the early church that James was addressing apparently did not believe that faith required good works. James railed against this confusing and false way of thinking.

So, what do you think? Does biblical faith require good works? Can a sharp distinction be made between faith and good works? Can faith and good works be sharply divided, or are these two elements of Christianity inseparable?

Let me try to illustrate this further by offering several examples:

Can you take a dime and separate the heads from the tails? Perhaps you could but not without greatly damaging the coin. The heads and tails were created to be inseparable on the coin.

If you fully baked a bowl of macaroni and cheese, how hard would it be to separate the macaroni from the cheese? I am tempted to say that they are inseparable.

If you ordered a fully cooked 3-egg cheese omelet, how difficult would it be to separate the eggs from the cheese? I can’t imagine being able to do that.

If you prepared a chilled bowl of grape jello, how impractical would it be to try to separate the water from the jello solution? I would say, “Very impractical, and besides that, who would want to do so?”

I bet you’re thinking it wouldn’t make any sense to try to separate what was meant to be inseparable! Precisely!

James would agree. He believed that faith and good works were inseparable. He might even say that they were like two sides of the same coin.

The early church was confused about this issue. Down through the ages other believers have struggled with this issue too. Some evangelicals automatically get nervous anytime faith and good works are too closely aligned for fear that it will lead to a “works righteousness.” Some have even thought that the Apostle Paul and James were at odds in their theology. What do you think? Was that true? I say, “NO.” What do you say?

Let me try to explain this confusing issue regarding Paul and James this way. What was the Apostle Paul’s primary focus? As Apostle to the Gentiles, he often wrote about the starting point of our Christian faith. In other words, Paul often focused on how a lost person is brought into a right relationship with God. For example see Paul’s words in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this in not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Paul often saw himself battling against the false notion that by performing meritorious works or good deeds a person can earn God’s acceptance and approval. Instead of salvation by grace through faith as taught by Paul, this false notion was a salvation by merit or good works.

James would agree with Paul that salvation begins as a gift of God’s grace, which we receive by faith. James, on the other hand, focused not on the starting point of the Christian life but on the continuing life of the believer. He was writing to people who were already believers. He was using the word, “works” in the sense of the fruit of the Christian life (Matthew 12:33). For James, genuine faith cannot exist without producing good works as the fruit of obedience to Christ.

I think Paul would agree with James on this. Remember that Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

The distinguished preacher, Ernest Campbell captured the difference between Paul and James with this helpful analogy: Paul is dealing with obstetrics; that is, with how new life begins in a born again believer. James, however, is dealing with pediatrics and geriatrics, that is, with how Christian life grows and matures and ages.

James’ emphasis on the fruit or good works of the Christian life is consistent then with other passages in the New Testament. In Matthew 3:8 John the Baptist preached, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said that false prophets would be known this way: “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16a). Furthermore, Jesus said, “Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:17-20).

As Jesus was trying to prepare His disciples for His departure from them he said this in John 13:34-35: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

In John 15:16-17 Jesus told His disciples these words: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.”

Jesus was emphatic in His declaration that His followers were to produce fruit or good works in their lives.

Likewise Paul wrote in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

So today we are going to focus on the theme that faith is evident in good works. In order to personalize that truth a bit more, let me ask you this question: “If you were arrested today and charged with being a Christian, would there be enough evidence of good works or acts of obedience toward God in your life to convict you in a court of law?”

At the outset of James’ letter, he emphasized the need for all believers to be doers of the word. James declared that people of faith are doers of the word. Throughout chapters 1 and 2, James proclaimed the conviction that through faith in God believers can endure trials, ask for wisdom, resist temptations, control our tongues, look after orphans and widows in their distress, keep oneself unpolluted by the world, avoid favoritism, love one’s neighbor as oneself, give physical necessities to the poor, and, in short, live as doers of the word.

When we read that last half of James 2, we could summarize what James is teaching like this:

1. Saving faith must include deeds or works (v. 14).
2. Faith by itself, without works or actions, is dead (vv. 17 and 26).
3. Faith cannot be mere mental assent or intellectual belief (v. 19).
4. Biblical faith is best defined as active obedience.

James’ concern was to warn his readers about the danger of empty claims of faith. James knew that there was always the danger that hearers of the word only would substitute words for deeds. Have you ever met someone who knew all the right words to say and wanted desperately to tell you the words they thought you wanted to hear, but had no intentions of actually practicing those words?

In James’ mind this was evidence not of real, dynamic faith but dead faith or even counterfeit faith. James would even say that people who are hearers of the word only and not doers of the word have an inadequate faith because their walk doesn’t measure up to their talk!

James was also aware of the danger of just having an intellectual understanding only of the faith. By that James writes that some mentally believe in God’s existence but don’t obey His will. James declared that even the demons believed in the existence of God. Demons even testified in the Gospels to Jesus’ deity (Mark 3:11-12). Demons were aware of the place of punishment (Luke 8:31) and even recognized Jesus Christ as the Judge (Mark 5:1-13). Unfortunately, this head knowledge wasn’t allowed to change the heart and the will.

For James he wanted our minds to know the truth, but he didn’t want it to stop there. James also wanted our hearts to be stirred by the truth, and for our will to act upon the truth. In other words, this truthful knowledge of and belief in God must be allowed to change our lives for the better. James could not imagine anyone having real faith in Jesus without the accompanying evidence of good works.

Sometimes we get tripped up in our understanding of faith. What is faith? When faith is used as a noun in the Bible it typically refers to “firm persuasion, conviction or trust.” When faith is used as a verb in the Bible it typically refers to “believe, have confidence, persuade, trust, or obey.”

Hebrews 11:1 describes faith this way: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Paul exhorts believers in II Corinthians 5:7, “We live by faith, not by sight.” Furthermore on at least four occasions the Bible declares that the just shall live by faith or the righteous ones live by faith (Hab. 2:4; Romans 1:17, Heb. 10:38, and Gal. 3:11).

Perhaps that is why Hebrews 11:6 declares this truth: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Throughout Hebrews 11 the common denominator of every person in Scripture who honored God by their faith is that they actively obeyed Him.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus told his followers, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise our Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16).

In the later part of James 2, James highlighted the examples of faith as demonstrated by Abraham and Rahab. Both were very different. Yet both gave evidence of their faith by obedience, and their faith was rewarded. They practiced the words of the old hymn, “Trust and obey.”

To me the bottom line of James 2 is that real faith is demonstrated in a God-changed life.

To believe in God and to not obey Him is the very essence of sin. It is missing the mark; it is falling short of the glory of God. Our faith must show itself in action.

So, what is the evidence of your faith? Would there be enough good works or acts of obedience toward God to convict you of being a faithful, persevering follower of Jesus Christ?

APPLICATION

How can we apply these verses to our lives? Perhaps we could do so by taking James’ emphasis on “good works” and apply it to everything that he has written in chapters 1 and 2. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you answer the following questions:

1. What kind of good works are evident in your life as you endure the trials of faith?
2. In what ways are you depending on God’s wisdom to get you through tough times and still demonstrate good works?
3. What kind of good works are evident in your life as you resist temptations?
4. How are good works evident in your life as you control your tongue?
5. In what ways are you helping those in distress by good works?
6. How does your good works include keeping yourself unpolluted by the world?
7. How does your good works toward others prevent you from overt favoritism or partiality toward some people at the expense of other people?
8. In what ways does your good works demonstrate that you are loving your neighbor as yourself?
9. Is there evidence of good works in your life toward the needs of the poor?
10.Would there be enough evidence of good works or acts of obedience toward God that you would be found guilty of being a doer of the word?

May your good deeds and acts of obedience toward God cause others to see the light of Jesus Christ in you and want to praise God. Go and do good in the name of Jesus.

by Pastor Bill Duke

Skeptics claim that the Bible is a book of myths and fairy tales. They sometimes claim that believers are so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. Naturally, these enemies of the cross want to portray Christians as being out of touch with reality.

James would scoff at such a preposterous allegation. James wrote about real people living in a real world facing real, everyday problems. Believers were facing the trials of their faith and the normal temptations to sin. They were struggling to remain faithful to Jesus in a culture that was openly hostile toward them. Yet, in spite of all the difficulties and challenges, James reminded the believers that they were to remain faithful to Jesus Christ. In James 5 he writes about the evidence of faith as it is demonstrated in the reality of prayer and healing.

I. WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD TO RIGHT THE WRONGS (5:1-11)

It is a fact that we believers are sometimes treated unjustly. When this happens, we believers struggle with our emotions. We feel hurt. We feel angry. We feel the desire to get even. We struggle with bitterness and resentment.

It is another fact of life that often it is the wealthy who conspire with those in power to treat the poor unjustly. The elite rich do evil things toward the poor. During James’ day, the obscenely wealthy landowners were cheating the poor day laborers out of their daily wages and condemning and murdering innocent people. Without daily pay, these day laborers and their families would go hungry.

James was clear in his condemnation of these evil rich landowners. They kept their wealth growing by cheating the poor. They used their wealth for selfish means. They had a sense of total disregard for the welfare of others.

James reminded his readers who were suffering economic injustice that God was aware. The day was coming when all of this wealth would evaporate. The judgment of God would eventually right the wrongs.

Do you think the obscenely wealthy believed James’ words? It is doubtful. Their greed had clouded their judgment and they felt invincible. They remained steadfastly convinced that they were entitled to all their wealth, and nothing could deprive them of it.

In recent days we have seen wealth vanish into thin air. Wall Street and Main Street are both jittery about the mounting economic losses. Leadership is scrambling to point blame at others and looking for the least painful solution. Greed and denial are at the foundation of this mounting financial crisis. Accountability is greatly lacking. But justice will come some day!

What did James counsel believers to do when they were treated so unjustly? Remember that the believers during James’ day did not have any real legal or political power. The obscenely wealthy and the Roman rulers worked hand in hand to fill their own pockets and keep the poor in subservient positions. James wrote that Christians were to trust God to make things right. In the meantime believers were not to get sidetracked from their calling to set their hearts on becoming “mature and complete” and having “the righteous life that God desires.”

James was fully aware how injustice affects the emotions of believers. That’s why he encouraged Christians to be patient with each other. Believers were warned of the danger of bickering, criticizing, and complaining in such a way that they blamed each other. In James’ mind it was imperative that believers persevere by standing together united. Perhaps James believed that the old adage was true for these believers: United they stand, divided they fall.

Christians, who persevere, will be blessed. When suffering enters the believer’s life, perseverance is to be the believer’s response. When believers obey God and persevere, they receive blessings from the Lord, who is full of compassion and mercy. One of the blessings is that He heals our wounds. Economic injustice had wounded these believers.

While we enjoy legal rights here in the USA, we must understand that there will still be some acts of injustice directed at us. We are not to despair. We are to wait patiently on God to right all wrongs.

II. CONTINUE TO PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING EVEN WHEN THE ANSWER IS DELAYED (5:12-18)

By waiting patiently on the Lord, James did not mean that we were to be totally passive. James 5:8 says, “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” We are to take an active role. We are to pray and stand firm in our convictions.

Sometimes, believers grow tired of waiting on God’s timing and try to take things into their own hands. It isn’t unusual for believers to try to bargain with God. James’ words in verse 12 tell us clearly not to try to manipulate God in order to get what we want. This was a danger for the believers. They were suffering under economic, legal and even violent persecution. In the midst of these trials of faith, believers must focus on James’ message about the greatness of God – that God is great in righteousness, unchangeableness, and most of all faithfulness to give good gifts in compassion and mercy.

From the very beginning, James has said that his readers’ faith was being tested in the trials (1:3). In the midst of trials, Christians were to ask God in faith (1:6). It is because they hold faith in Christ that they were not to show favoritism (2:1). It is faith that constitutes true riches (2:5). James has gone to great lengths to emphasize that genuine faith will manifest itself in deeds (2:14-26). His whole letter is a plea for his readers to be not merely religious people, but people of faith.

A manipulative use of oaths is lack of faith. It is through lack of faith that we disbelieve God’s “compassion and mercy” and so want to strike a bargain.

Oaths were used in those days to either try to manipulate God by offering to bargain with Him, or these oaths were used to try to impress others with the seriousness of their words. In James’ view this was motivated by a fundamental lack of faith.

James words were intended to say to his readers, “Do not allow suffering to pressure you into unbelief.” Do not try to impress each other or to manipulate God as if your works were what counted instead of God’s grace. If you are trusting in God’s grace, you have no need to impress God or people, and you can be at peace with saying honest words. Integrity should characterize Christians, and integrity will flow from wholehearted reliance on grace. Unbelief manifests itself in bargaining, manipulating, and trying to impress. The opposite manifestation, flowing from faith, will be prayer.

Starting in verse 13 James’ point is to encourage believers to pray in all circumstances. As someone has said, “A funny thing happens when you don’t pray - NOTHING!” Yes, we need to pray in all circumstances – the good as well as the bad. James urged his readers to continue to pray about everything even when the answer was delayed. It is true we believers grow weary sometimes waiting on the Lord’s timing.

Thus, James, says, “Pray in times of trouble.” Now here is the danger believers face when they are experiencing trouble: We might allow the fact of trouble to suggest that God is uncaring or unknowing or unable to help, and so we would pray less. The Bible says, “Pray more. Trouble is the very time to pray.” When facing trouble pray that God will strengthen us, direct us, and give us assurance to press on.

James also says, “Pray in times of happiness.” Here is the temptation believers face when they are happy: We might allow times of happiness to make us complacent, and so we would pray less. The Bible says, “Pray more. Happiness is the very time to sing songs of praise.” When blessed with happiness, pray in thanksgiving for the grace of God, which blesses us with experiences of fullness.

Additionally, James says, “Pray in times of sickness.” There is always the danger that we will easily feel defeated in times of sickness. Weakness makes us feel hopeless, as if there were nothing to do. The Bible says, “There is something very significant to do, namely, to pray. Weakness is the very time for prayer. When sick, call upon the healing power of God, who wills our restoration and wholeness.

Furthermore, James tells the believers to pray together. Believers are encouraged to join the power of personal prayer with the prayer of others. You need not face your troubles alone. One of the greatest sources of power is the healing power of fellowship.

When you pray, remember to trust in God’s power. There was nothing magical about oil being used to anoint people. There weren’t any magical formulas to be used in prayer. It was not the oil but the power of God in response to faithful prayer that brought the healing from sickness.

By all means do not forget that it is the Lord’s power that counts. The power comes from God. When we pray, we are to call upon the power of God. We too need the same power that raised Jesus from the dead in our lives.

James reminds his readers to pray faithfully. In other words, believe that God hears your prayer and will answer it according to His will. Earlier, James had reminded his readers that they have not because they ask wrongly.

Yes, it is okay to pray for healing. Remember, though, that we often need comprehensive healing. Our bodies need healing. Our minds need healing. Our emotions need healing. Our spiritual lives need healing. Our relationship with God needs healing. Our relationship with others needs healing.

Finally, our challenge is to pray with a righteous spirit. In other words, we need to be sure that we come before God with humble hearts fully aware of our need for His grace. We need to confess our sins and truly repent as we pray. We need to receive God’s cleansing power so that we can truly be open with God and not try to hide our sins from Him.

In a sense James told his readers this: “In your trials, you don’t need the power gained by money or favoritism or selfishness or fighting or swearing; use the power of prayer, for which you need righteousness. Commit yourself to doing what is right without compromise; then you may rely on God in prayer for all your needs.”

Genuine faith will express itself in righteousness, and the prayer of genuine faith is the prayer that is effective. What causes us to try to protect ourselves by unrighteous means in trials? It is our unbelief. Confident belief in God’s grace will make us strong for acting righteously in the midst of trials.

So our task is twofold. We are to strive earnestly for the goal of righteousness, but we are also to get down immediately to the business of praying.

Let me remind you, though, to remember this as you pray: Robert Law said, “Prayer is not getting man’s will done in heaven. It is getting God’s will done on earth.” Part of the purpose of prayer is to bring us in line with God’s will.

III. STAY COMMITTED TO THE TRUTH EVEN WHEN OTHERS STRAY AWAY FROM IT

Difficulties arise. Some of these difficulties can be quite painful. Those who are hostile toward Jesus do sometimes mistreat believers. Believers themselves sometimes do not treat other believers properly. Prayers aren’t always answered like we want. As a result sometimes believers feel disappointed and discouraged. When that happens occasionally believers do stray away from the truth.

We know that our culture often denies the reality of absolute truth. James would scoff at our culture’s denial of absolute truth. He would counter that absolute truth is both available and knowable. No doubt, James would point others toward Jesus as the ultimate truth.

Yet, James wasn’t thinking primarily here of correct doctrine. Since James wrote so forcefully about the importance of living out the implications of our faith, it shouldn’t surprise us that for James truth is a way to go or a way of life. This was consistent with James’ passion for righteousness.

A part of this righteousness could be seen in the fact that believers have a responsibility toward each other. When others stray from the truth we are to go after them in love.

The reason we are to do this is simple: Since sin full-grown ultimately destroys the sinner, genuine faith compels us to flee from it and to help each other do the same.

We not only need healing when we are physically sick, but we also need healing when we are spiritually ill. This healing begins when we return to the truth. Help restore others to faithfulness.

James reminds us to stay committed to the truth even when others stray away from it.

APPLICATION

How should you apply these verses to your life? Perhaps a place to begin is to evaluate how well we are following James’ teaching. Here are three questions to ponder:

1. Are you waiting patiently on God to right the wrongs in your life by standing firm in your faith and resisting the temptation to use evil means?
2. How is your prayer life? Is it consistent? Do you pray with faith and expectation?
3. How is your level of commitment to the truth and the body of Christ? Who are you actively trying to help return to the truth?

If you were arrested and charged with being a Christian, would there be enough evidence of the reality of prayer and healing in your life to convict you of being a faithful follower of Jesus Christ?

So, how evident is your faith? Does your prayer life give evidence of faith? Is there evidence of healing in your life? Where are you today in your walk with the Lord?

Pastor Bill's best! James is also my favorite book of the bible.


“FAITH IS EVIDENT IN PERSEVERANCE”
(James 1:1-18)


If you were arrested and charged with being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you in a court of law? That was the question asked me many years ago. It was a sobering question challenging me to examine the depth of my faith in Jesus. It was worthy of deep contemplation. How would you answer that question?

The book of James would not shy away from that question. As a matter of fact, the book of James delights in talking about the evidence of faith. Today we are going to examine James’ declaration that faith is evident in perseverance.

I. CHRISTIAN FAITH WILL BE TESTED!

In the opening verses of the book of James, we are told that our Christian faith will be tested. James knew that his readers were “facing trials of many kinds” (v. 2). What kind of trials was James referring to?

In order to understand those words, you need to know that James was writing to believers who were being persecuted and mistreated because of their faith in Jesus Christ. So, when he writes about trials, James is not focusing on the kind of problems that is common to all human beings. James was not thinking about the trials like being physically ill, diseases, deteriorating health, accidents, mental illness, bad relationships, etc. Those things can happen to anyone regardless of their faith in Jesus or lack of it.

As you know, bad things happen to all kinds of people – believers as well as non-believers. Some of these bad things are the results of reaping what we sow. There has been a lot of press recently about the wonderful story of Josh Hamilton, professional baseball player for the Texas Rangers, who has overcome crack addition. By his own admition, his story is one of reaping what you sow.

To let you know how far I've come, let me tell you where I've been.
Not that long ago, there were nights I went to sleep in strange places praying I wouldn't wake up. After another night of bad decisions, I'd lie down with my heart speeding inside my chest like it was about to burst through the skin. My thinking was clouded, and my talent was one day closer to being totally wasted. I prayed to be spared another day of guilt and depression and addiction. I couldn't continue living the life of a crack addict, and I couldn't stop, either. It was a horrible downward spiral that I had to pull out of, or die. I lay there -- in a hot and dirty trailer in the North Carolina countryside, in a stranger's house, in the cab of my pickup -- and prayed the Lord would take me away from the nightmare my life had become.

I was a dead man walking. I was wasting away to skin and bones and listening to nobody. I did nothing to build my body and everything to destroy it.

Some bad things happen to all kinds of people that we might call mysterious suffering. We don’t quite know why some people have cancer and others do not. Recently, I read a powerful testimony by Tony Snow, President Bush’s Press Secretary. As you know Tony Snow died on July 12 from colon cancer. In his testimony he talked about this walk with the Lord through his bout with colon cancer.

Blessings arrive in unexpected packages, - in my case, cancer.
I don't know why I have cancer, and I don't much care. It is what it is, a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out.

But despite this, - or because of it, - God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don't know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face.

Those are difficult trials to go through, and James certainly would not minimize the suffering that we go through as a result of reaping what we sow or as a result of mysterious suffering. Yet, in his book James was pointing specifically toward those trials that believers face. Sometimes, believers are persecuted, mistreated, oppressed, exploited, cheated, abused, rejected, and harmed simply because they are followers of Jesus Christ and for no other reason.

So, how are believers supposed to respond to trials? James says, “Consider if pure joy.” Does that sound strange to you? Was James urging his readers to have a martyr complex or to take pleasure in suffering? No. James was reminding them of the sovereignty of God. God is in control. He is working out His purposes even in the face of evil. Believers could be assured of God’s ultimate victory; therefore, don’t despair, be joyful. Now James wasn’t talking about phony, false, insincere foolishness. He was urging believers toward the real thing – pure unadulterated joy as a servant of God.

James’ focus here was not on trying to answer the “why” question or the “from whence they come” question about trials. James’ focus was on the positive potential of these trials. In other words, what good can possibly come out of these tests of our faith?

James’ response was this, “The testing of your faith develops perseverance.” That’s the good potential of trials but it is not a guaranteed outcome.

When the crises of faith occur, believers react either positively or negatively. A positive reaction is to be joyful and confident in God so that perseverance can be developed.

What is perseverance? It is the ability to endure trials of testing with disciplined obedience and steadfast faith in Jesus Christ.

An example of this kind of perseverance can be seen in Tony Snow’s testimony.

Picture yourself in a hospital bed. The fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet; a loved one holds your hand at the side. "It's cancer," the healer announces.

The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. "Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler." But another voice whispers: "You have been called." Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter, - and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our "normal time."

Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don't matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do?

II. WE ARE TEMPTED TO RESPOND SINFULLY

Not every believer reacts positively to trials. Sometimes when a crisis of faith occurs, believers become filled with fear, anger, self-pity, envy, and confusion. The testing of their faith does not necessarily produce perseverance. It produces the fruit of doubt, complaining, self-blame, questioning, divided loyalties, and instability.

This kind of instability can lead to numerous irresponsible behaviors. The temptation to sin is so very real and strong. Sometimes when believers are mistreated because of their faith in Jesus Christ, they are tempted to harbor hatred toward their persecutors. Sometimes believers are tempted to take revenge toward those who have persecuted them. When believers are exploited and cheated economically, we are tempted to be covetous and jealous.

James reminds his readers to not blame their sin on anyone else. The temptation to do evil does not come from without. It is birthed from within the human heart. James described it as evil desire that originates from within us. James warned his readers to not be dragged away by evil desire and not to be enticed by evil desire. The end result of giving in to evil desires is spiritual death and self-destruction.

Josh Hamiliton’s testifies to this reality from his own life as an addict.

Addiction is a humbling experience. Getting it under control is even more humbling. I got better for one reason: I surrendered. Instead of asking to be bailed out, instead of making deals with God by saying, "If you get me out of this mess, I'll stop doing what I'm doing," I asked for help. I wouldn't do that before. I'd been the Devil Rays' No. 1 pick in the 1999 draft, supposedly a five-tool prospect. I was a big, strong man, and I was supposed to be able to handle my problems myself. That didn't work out so well.

III. GOD IS GOOD

So, when our faith is tested, we must make a choice. We can respond out of evil desires, making the trial an occasion for temptation, leading to sin. OR, we can respond out of faith. We can respond with joy knowing that we are truly blessed with the opportunity to make this trial a time of testing that develops perseverance in us so that we can become more mature and complete in Christ Jesus lacking nothing.

How is this possible?

It is possible because God is not the source of evil. James writes that God is the giver of all good gifts. He gives us grace, faith, love, peace, courage, inner strength, spiritual power among other good gifts.

It is possible because God has the power to create eternal good even out of temporary evil.

So, when trials of faith come, James writes, this is not the time to rejoice less, pray less, or love others less. Rather it is the time to practice joy, peace, and the love of Jesus Christ.

APPLICATION

So, when you suffer because of your faith in Jesus Christ, what should you do? James writes, “Ask God to help you take several steps:”

1. Deal with the evil desires in yourself by repenting and confessing.
2. Consider the trial pure joy by thanking God for the good gifts God will bring to this time of testing.
3. Oppose the injustice and work toward change.

Does your faith have staying power? Will your faith keep on keeping on even in the face of trials and temptations?

God is good. Just ask Josh Hamilton. Listen to some of his testimony.

I get a lot of abuse in visiting cities, but it only bothers me when people are vulgar around kids. The rest I can handle. Some of it is even funny. In St. Louis, I was standing in right field when a fan yelled, "My name is Josh Hamilton, and I'm a drug addict!" I turned around and looked at him with my palms raised to the sky. "Tell me something I don't know, dude," I said. The whole section started laughing and cheering, and the heckler turned to them and said, "Did you hear that? He's my new favorite player." They cheered me from that point on.

I live by a simple philosophy: Nobody can insult me as much as I've insulted myself. I've learned that I have to keep doing the right things and not worry about what people think. Fortunately, I have a strong support group with Katie, my family and Johnny. If I ever get in a bad situation, I know I would have to get out of it and give Johnny a call. The key is not getting myself into those situations, but we've talked about having a plan for removing myself just in case. It's all part of understanding the reality of the addiction.

In spring training, when I hit over .400 and made the team, there was a lot of interest in my story. I decided to be open about what happened to me; early on, I was doing long interviews before my first game in every city. It's been amazing how people have responded, and I think being honest helped. I can't avoid my past, so I don't try. It's not always easy, though. I got sick in late May and ended up on the disabled list after going to the hospital with a stomach problem, and I knew I'd have to answer questions about whether I was using again. I can't control what people think, but the years of drug abuse tore up my immune system pretty good. I get tested three times a week, and if it comes back positive, I know I'm done with baseball for life.

Alone, I couldn’t win this battle. With Jesus, I couldn’t lose,

How about you? If you were arrested and charged with being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you in a court of law?

This is an outstanding testimony from Tony Snow, President Bush's Press Secretary, and his fight with cancer. Commentator and broadcaster Tony Snow announced that he had colon cancer in 2005. Following surgery and chemo-therapy, Snow joined the Bush Administration in April 2006 as press secretary. Unfortunately, on March 23, 2007, Snow, 51, a husband and father of three, announced the cancer had recurred, with tumors found in his abdomen,- leading to surgery in April, followed by more chemotherapy. Snow went back to work in the White House Briefing Room on May 30, but has resigned since, "for economic reasons," and to pursue "other interests." Tony Snow died July 12, 2008.

Blessings arrive in unexpected packages, - in my case, cancer. Those of us with potentially fatal diseases - and there are millions in America today - find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God's will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence "What It All Means," Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations.

The first is that we shouldn't spend too much time trying to answer the "why" questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can't someone else get sick? We can't answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer.

I don't know why I have cancer, and I don't much care. It is what it is, a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out.

But despite this, - or because of it, - God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don't know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face.

Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through your system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes you. Your heart thumps; your head swims. You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family and friends. You fidget and get nowhere.

To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life,- and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on this earth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many non-believing hearts - an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away. Those who have been stricken enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live fully, richly, and exuberantly - no matter how their days may be numbered.

Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease,- smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see, - but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance; and comprehension - and yet don't. By His love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise.

'You Have Been Called'. Picture yourself in a hospital bed. The fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet; a loved one holds your hand at the side. "It's cancer," the healer announces.

The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. "Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler." But another voice whispers: "You have been called." Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter, - and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our "normal time."

There's another kind of response, although usually short-lived an inexplicable shudder of excitement, as if a clarifying moment of calamity has swept away everything trivial and tiny, and placed before us the challenge of important questions.

The moment you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. You discover that Christianity is not something doughy, passive, pious, and soft. Faith may be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But it also draws you into a world shorn of fearful caution. The life of belief teems with thrills, boldness, danger, shocks, reversals, triumphs, and epiphanies. Think of Paul, traipsing though the known world and contemplating trips to what must have seemed the antipodes (Spain), shaking the dust from his sandals, worrying not about the morrow, but only about the moment.

There's nothing wilder than a life of humble virtue, - for it is through selflessness and service that God wrings from our bodies and spirits the most we ever could give, the most we ever could offer, and the most we ever could do.

Finally, we can let love change everything. When Jesus was faced with the prospect of crucifixion, he grieved not for himself, but for us. He cried for Jerusalem before entering the holy city. From the Cross, he took on the cumulative burden of human sin and weakness, and begged for forgiveness on our behalf.

We get repeated chances to learn that life is not about us, that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by sharing in God's love for others. Sickness gets us part way there. It reminds us of our limitations and dependence. But it also gives us a chance to serve the healthy. A minister friend of mine observes that people suffering grave afflictions often acquire the faith of two people, while loved ones accept the burden of two peoples'
worries and fears.

'Learning How to Live'. Most of us have watched friends as they drifted toward God's arms, not with resignation, but with peace and hope. In so doing, they have taught us not how to die, but how to live. They have emulated Christ by transmitting the power and authority of love.

I sat by my best friend's bedside a few years ago as a wasting cancer took him away. He kept at his table a worn Bible and a 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. A shattering grief disabled his family, many of his old friends, and at least one priest. Here was a humble and very good guy, someone who apologized when he winced with pain because he thought it made his guest uncomfortable. He retained his equanimity and good humor literally until his last conscious moment. "I'm going to try to beat [this cancer]," he told me several months before he died. "But if I don't, I'll see you on the other side."

His gift was to remind everyone around him that even though God doesn't promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity, - filled with life and love we cannot comprehend, - and that one can in the throes of sickness point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms.

Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don't matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do?

When our faith flags, he throws reminders in our way. Think of the
prayer warriors in our midst. They change things, and those of us who have been on the receiving end of their petitions and intercessions know it. It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know: Others have chosen, when talking to the Author of all creation, to lift us up, - to speak of us!

This is love of a very special order. But so is the ability to sit back and appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid, every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God.
What is man that Thou art mindful of him? We don't know much, but
we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us who believe, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place, in the hollow of God's hand."

Josh Hamilton is a professional baseball player with the Texas Rangers. His 2008 baseball season has been phenomenal and he has received lots of accolades. Yet, what is more marvelous is the story of his recovery from drug and alcohol addiction that almost cost him everything. Listen for a moment to a portion of his story in his own words:

..To let you know how far I've come, let me tell you where I've been. Not that long ago, there were nights I went to sleep in strange places praying I wouldn't wake up. After another night of bad decisions, I'd lie down with my heart speeding inside my chest like it was about to burst through the skin. My thinking was clouded, and my talent was one day closer to being totally wasted.
I prayed to be spared another day of guilt and depression and addiction. I couldn't continue living the life of a crack addict, and I couldn't stop, either. It was a horrible downward spiral that I had to pull out of, or die. I lay there -- in a hot and dirty trailer in the North Carolina countryside, in a stranger's house, in the cab of my pickup -- and prayed the Lord would take me away from the nightmare my life had become.

When I think of those terrible times, there's one memory that stands out. I was walking down the double-yellow of a two-lane country highway outside Raleigh when I woke up out of a trance. I was so out of it I had lost consciousness, but my body had kept going, down the middle of the road, cars whizzing by on either side. I had run out of gas on my way to a drug dealer's house, and from there I left the truck and started walking. I had taken Klonopin, a prescription antianxiety drug, along with whatever else I was using at the time, and the combination had put me over the edge. It's the perfect example of what I was: a dead man walking.
And now, as I stand on the green grass of a major league outfield or walk to the batter's box with people cheering for me, I repeatedly ask myself one simple question: How did I get here from there?
I've been in the big leagues as a member of the Cincinnati Reds for half a season, but I still find myself taking off my cap between pitches and taking a good look around. The uniform, the ballparks, the fans -- it doesn't seem real. How am I here? It makes no sense to anybody, and I feel almost guilty when I have to tell people, over and over, that I can't answer that one simple question.

I go to sleep every night with a clear mind and a clear conscience. Every day, I walk into an immaculate clubhouse with 10 TVs and all the food I can eat, a far cry from the rat-infested hellholes of my user past. I walk to my locker and change into a perfectly clean and pressed uniform that someone else hung up for me. I grab a bat and a glove and walk onto a beautifully manicured field to play a game for a living.
How am I here? I can only shrug and say, "It's a God thing." It's the only possible explanation.
There's a reason my prayers weren't answered during those dark, messed-up nights I spent scared out of my mind. There's a reason I have this blessed and unexpected opportunity to play baseball and tell people my story.

My wife, Katie, told me this day would come. At my lowest point, about three years ago, when I was wasting away to skin and bones and listening to nobody, she told me I'd be back playing baseball someday. She had no reason to believe in me. During that time, I did nothing to build my body and everything to destroy it. I'd go five or six months without picking up a ball or swinging a bat. By then, I'd been in rehab five or six times -- on my way to eight -- and failed to get clean. I was a bad husband and a bad father, and I had no relationship with God. Baseball wasn't even on my mind.

And still Katie told me, "You're going to be back playing baseball, because there's a bigger plan for you." I couldn't even look her in the eye. I said something like, "Yeah, yeah, quit talking to me."
She looks pretty smart, doesn't she? I have a mission now. My mission is to be the ray of hope, the guy who stands out there on that beautiful field and owns up to his mistakes and lets people know it's never completely hopeless, no matter how bad it seems at the time. I have a platform and a message, and now I go to bed at night, sober and happy, praying I can be a good messenger.

Addiction is a humbling experience. Getting it under control is even more humbling. I got better for one reason: I surrendered. Instead of asking to be bailed out, instead of making deals with God by saying, "If you get me out of this mess, I'll stop doing what I'm doing," I asked for help. I wouldn't do that before. I'd been the Devil Rays' No. 1 pick in the 1999 draft, supposedly a five-tool prospect. I was a big, strong man, and I was supposed to be able to handle my problems myself. That didn't work out so well.

Every day I'm reminded that my story is bigger than me. It never fails. Every time I go to the ballpark, I talk to people who are either battling addictions themselves or trying to help someone else who is. Who talks to me? Just about everybody. I walked to the plate to lead off an inning in early May, minding my own business, when the catcher jogged out to the mound to talk to his pitcher. As I was digging in, the home plate umpire (I'm intentionally not naming him) took off his mask and walked around the plate to brush it off. He looked up at me and said, "Josh, I'm really pulling for you. I've fought some battles myself, and I just want you to know I'm rooting for you."

A father will tell me about his son while I'm signing autographs. A mother will wait outside the players' parking lot to tell me about her daughter. They know where I've been. They look to me because I'm proof that hope is never lost.
They remind me that this isn't really about baseball. It's amazing that God allowed me to keep my baseball talents after I sat out three years and played only 15 games last season in A-ball. On May 6, I hit two homers against the Rockies at home, and I felt like I did in high school. I felt like I could do anything on the field.
I've been called the biggest surprise in baseball this year, and I can't argue with that. If you think about it, how many people have gone from being a crack addict to succeeding at anything, especially something as demanding as major league baseball? If I hadn't been picked up by the Reds after the Rule 5 draft, which opened up a major league roster spot for me, I'd probably still be in A-ball. Instead, I'm hanging around .270 with 13 homers through 60 games with Cincinnati; not bad for a 26-year-old major league rookie. But the way I look at it, I couldn't fail. I've been given this platform to talk about the hell I've been through, so it's almost like I need to do well, like I don't have a choice.
This may sound crazy, but I wouldn't change a thing about my path to the big leagues. I wouldn't even change the 26 tattoos that cover so much of my body, even though they're the most obvious signs of my life temporarily leaving the tracks. You're probably thinking, Bad decisions and addiction almost cost him his life, and he wouldn't change anything? But if I hadn't gone through all the hard times, this whole story would be just about baseball. If I'd made the big leagues at 21 and made my first All-Star team at 23 and done all the things expected of me, I would be a big-time baseball player, and that's it.
Baseball is third in my life right now, behind my relationship with God and my family. Without the first two, baseball isn't even in the picture. Believe me, I know...

***** I'LL NEVER forget Opening Day in Cincinnati. When they called my name during introductions and a sellout crowd stood and cheered, I looked into the stands and saw Katie and our two kids -- Sierra, who's nearly 2, and my 6-year-old stepdaughter, Julia -- and my parents and Katie's parents. I had to swallow hard to keep from breaking down right there. They were all crying, but I had to at least try to keep it together.
I pinch-hit in the eighth inning of that game against the Cubs, and Lou Piniella decided to make a pitching change before I got to the plate. The crowd stood and cheered me for what seemed like forever. It was the best sound I've ever heard. When I got into the box, Cubs catcher Michael Barrett looked up at me from his crouch and said, "You deserve it, Josh. Take it all in, brother. I'm happy for you." I lined out to left, but the following week I got my first start and my first hit -- a home run.
Whether I hit two bombs or strike out three times, like I did in a game against the Pirates, I never forget that I'm living with addiction. It's just part of my life. Johnny Narron, my former manager's brother, is a big part of my recovery. He's the Reds' video coordinator, and he once coached me in fall baseball when I was 15. He looks after me on the road. When they pass out meal money before a trip -- always in cash -- they give mine to Johnny, and he parcels it out to me when I need it.
I see no shame in that; it's just one of the realities of my situation. I don't need to be walking around with $400 in my pocket.
I know I'm different, and my teammates have been very accepting. Being a rookie in the big leagues, there are certain rituals involved, and one of them is carrying beer onto the plane. My teammates gave me that job on one of the first road trips, and I didn't do it. I didn't think it would be a good idea for me to be seen carrying beer onto a plane. They respected my decision.
I get a lot of abuse in visiting cities, but it only bothers me when people are vulgar around kids. The rest I can handle. Some of it is even funny. In St. Louis, I was standing in rightfield when a fan yelled, "My name is Josh Hamilton, and I'm a drug addict!" I turned around and looked at him with my palms raised to the sky. "Tell me something I don't know, dude," I said. The whole section started laughing and cheering, and the heckler turned to them and said, "Did you hear that? He's my new favorite player." They cheered me from that point on.
I live by a simple philosophy: Nobody can insult me as much as I've insulted myself. I've learned that I have to keep doing the right things and not worry about what people think. Fortunately, I have a strong support group with Katie, my family and Johnny. If I ever get in a bad situation, I know I would have to get out of it and give Johnny a call. The key is not getting myself into those situations, but we've talked about having a plan for removing myself just in case. It's all part of understanding the reality of the addiction.
In spring training, when I hit over .400 and made the team, there was a lot of interest in my story.
I decided to be open about what happened to me; early on, I was doing long interviews before my first game in every city. It's been amazing how people have responded, and I think being honest helped. I can't avoid my past, so I don't try. It's not always easy, though. I got sick in late May and ended up on the disabled list after going to the hospital with a stomach problem, and I knew I'd have to answer questions about whether I was using again. I can't control what people think, but the years of drug abuse tore up my immune system pretty good. I get tested three times a week, and if it comes back positive, I know I'm done with baseball for life.
Aside from our struggles as a team, this season has been a dream for me. And that's fitting, because in a way I had to learn how to dream all over again. When I was using, I never dreamed. I'd sleep the dead, dreamless sleep of a stalled brain. When I stopped using, I found my dreams returned. They weren't always good dreams; most of the ones I remember were haunting and dark. They stayed with me long after I woke up.
Within my first week of sobriety in October 2005 -- after I showed up at my grandmother's house in Raleigh in the middle of the night, coming off a crack binge -- I had the most haunting dream. I was fighting the devil, an awful-looking thing. I had a stick or a bat or something, and every time I hit the devil, he'd fall and get back up. Over and over I hit him, until I was exhausted and he was still standing.
I woke up in a sweat, as if I'd been truly fighting, and the terror that gripped me makes that dream feel real to this day. I'd been alone for so long, alone with the fears and emotions I worked so hard to kill. I'm not embarrassed to admit that after I woke up that night, I walked down the hall to my grandmother's room and crawled under the covers with her. The devil stayed out of my dreams for seven months after that. I stayed clean and worked hard and tried to put my marriage and my life back together. I got word in June 2006 that I'd been reinstated by Major League Baseball, and a few weeks afterward, the devil reappeared.
It was the same dream, with an important difference. I would hit him and he would bounce back up, the ugliest and most hideous creature you could imagine. This devil seemed unbeatable; I couldn't knock him out. But just when I felt like giving up, I felt a presence by my side. I turned my head and saw Jesus, battling alongside me. We kept fighting, and I was filled with strength. The devil didn't stand a chance.
You can doubt me, but I swear to you I dreamed it. When I woke up, I felt at peace. I wasn't scared. To me, the lesson was obvious: Alone, I couldn't win this battle. With Jesus, I couldn't lose.
***** I GET cravings sometimes, and I see it as the devil trying to catch me in a weak moment. The best thing I can do is get the thought out of my mind as soon as I can, so it doesn't turn into an obsession. When it happens, I talk to him. I talk to the devil and say, "These are just thoughts, and I'm not going to act on them." When I talk like that, when I tell him he's not going to get the best of me, I find the thought goes away sooner.
Believe it or not, talking to the devil is no harder to explain than many other experiences I've had since that day last December when my life changed. I was working for my brother's tree service in Raleigh, sending limbs through a chipper, when I found out I'd been selected by the Cubs and traded to the Reds in the Rule 5 draft.
But there is one story that sticks with me, so much so that I think of it every day. I was driving out of the players' parking lot at Great American Ball Park after a game in May, with Katie and our two girls. There's always a group of fans standing at the curb, hoping to get autographs, and I stop to sign as many as I can.
And on this particular night, a little boy of about 9 or 10, wearing a Reds cap, handed me a pen and something to sign. Nothing unusual there, but as I was writing the boy said, "Josh, you're my savior."
This stopped me. I looked at him and said, "Well, thank you. Do you know who my savior is?"
He thought for a minute. I could see the gears turning. Finally, he smiled and blurted out, "Jesus Christ." He said it like he'd just come up with the answer to a test. "That's exactly right," I said.
You see, I may not know how I got here from there, but every day I get a better understanding of why.

dear friends,
lately I heard a lot of bad news coming from my friends. One who lost her husband because of leukemia, the other one lost his wife who jumped from 11th floor of their apartment. They are still young couples, still having small kids, still building their careers. What a tragedy they have to bear. Both made my heart ache. I cried.

Then I got this article in my archive from my Pastor about this. It made me think.. what a privilege we have Jesus in our lives in the midst of our pain and storm of life!


When the Pain is Unbearable
(II Samuel 18:31 - 19:8)
by Pastor Bill Duke



Pain is something I like to avoid - if possible. When the dentist tells me that he needs to do a “little procedure” in my mouth and asks if I want a shot of Novocain, my answer is, “Definitely! If this ‘little procedure’ is going to hurt, I want that pain-killer!”

How do you feel about pain? Do you like to avoid pain, too? Most of us do.

Now that football season is upon us again, we hear a lot of talk about pain. Coaches are quick to say things like, “No pain, no gain.” Players sometimes talk about playing through the pain. Athletes amaze me at their ability to play in spite of injuries and pain.

Athletes aren’t the only people who can endure great pain. After watching my wife give birth to two sons, I stand in awe of ladies who give birth. I admire your ability to withstand the pain. Likewise I feel the same way for folks who endure the pain of kidney stones. I’ve heard kidney stones are as painful - if not more so - as giving birth. As you’ve probably guessed by now, I don’t want any part of either one of those pains!

Pain is not limited to physical pain, though. Emotional pain, psychological hurts, and mental strain can be pretty tough sometimes, too. At times the pain can be so difficult that it appears unbearable. Can you imagine the pain of parents whose child has committed suicide? How painful it is for parents whose children are born with terminal illnesses. How painful it is on married couples whose relationships are disintegrating. Many examples of pain abound all around us. Some of the pain seems unbearable.

What’s your idea of unbearable pain? What’s the worst pain you can possibly imagine facing? What do you think you’d need if you did face unbearable pain?

King David faced unbearable pain when his son Absalom was killed. Turn with me to II Samuel 18:31 - 19:8 and let’s see what we can learn from King David’s experience. I think there are at least 4 things you need when you face unbearable pain.

(I) YOU NEED A REALISTIC VIEW OF LIFE

First, when the pain is unbearable, you need a realistic view of life.

As much as we might want to avoid suffering and live a pain-free life, the truth of the matter is that it is not possible. Pain and suffering are a part of living in our less than perfect world. Everyone - from time to time - faces pain and suffering. Everyone - from time to time - has to bear the burden of pain and suffering. It is an inescapable fact of life.

Sometimes the pain seems unbearable. Having a realistic view of life can help us to cope. Instead of acting like we’re the only persons who have ever suffered, we can draw strength from the realization that others too have been down that road. We can cope. We can survive. Yes, we can even thrive and grow spiritually stronger when facing unbearable pain.

When the Christian faces unbearable pain, he/she can turn to the book of Job in the Old Testament and read how suffering and pain are an inescapable thorn of a fallen world. Job 5:7 says, “For man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward.” Furthermore, Job 14:1 says, “Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil.”

One reading of the book of Job and we realize how important a realistic view of life is. Job faced intense suffering and unbearable pain. He coped. He survived. He even thrived in the end with the help of God.


King David certainly knew what it was like to face unbearable pain. In the face of crushing circumstances, David cried out to God for relief. Hear these words from Psalm 102:1-7 as a hurting heart pours out these somber, anguished words to God:

Hear my prayer, O Lord! And let my cry for help come to Thee. Do not hide Thy face from me in the day of my distress; Incline Thine ear to me; In the day when I call answer me quickly. For my days have been consumed in smoke, and my bones have been scorched like a hearth. My heart has been smitten like grass and has withered away, Indeed, I forget to eat my bread. Because of the loudness of my groaning My bones cling to my flesh. I resemble a pelican of the wilderness; I have become like an owl of the waste places. I lie awake, I have become like a lonely bird on a housetop.

When unbearable pain pays an unwelcome visit to your life, turn to the scriptures and get a realistic view of life. We live in a fallen world. Life is not perfect. We will face pain and suffering in varying degrees as long as we have the breath of life. We can cope. We can survive. We can even thrive if we learn to have a realistic view of life nurtured in the great resources of the scriptures.

Human pain and suffering does not last forever. The writer of Ecclesiastes knew something about this truth. Eccl. 3:1, 2a, and 4 says, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; ... a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; ...”

How realistic is your view of life?

(II) YOU NEED FRIENDS, WHO ALLOW, EVEN HELP YOU TO GRIEVE (II Sam. 18:31 - 19:4)

Second, when the pain is unbearable, you need friends, who allow, even help you to grieve.

II Samuel 18:31 - 19:4 tells us of King David’s grief over the death of his son Absalom. King David’s heart was crushed. He felt the full force of unbearable pain. Hear those verses:

And behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, “Good tidings for my lord the king! For the Lord has delivered you this day from the power of all who rose up against you. The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be like that young man.” And the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom. So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people; for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

King David’s life had not been the same since he committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband, Uriah, murdered (II Sam. 11). About a year later, Nathan the prophet brought God’s word of judgment to King David. God would spare David’s life and forgive his sin but the awful consequences of his sin would be felt for the remainder of his life (II Sam. 12). II Samuel 13-18 detail these consequences upon David’s family. Perhaps most affected by all of King David’s failures was his son Absalom.


When King David failed to act decisively to punish his son Amnon for raping Absalom’s full sister Tamar, Absalom took things in his own hands and had Amnon killed. David and Absalom’s relationship continued to deteriorate to the point that Absalom became deceitful and disloyal toward David. Finally Absalom led a revolt against David’s leadership. It was a heart wrenching time for King David. The pressure was on. Not only was his kingdom at stake but so was his very life.

In II Samuel 18 the armies of David and Absalom clashed in a forest of oaks. In spite of everything, King David made every effort to spare Absalom, his rebellious son. II Sam. 18:5 says, “And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.’ And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.”

Everyone obeyed King David’s words except Joab, David’s military commander. When it became obvious that Absalom’s forces were going to be defeated by David’s mighty men in the forest of Ephraim, Absalom fled on the back of a mule through the forest, and as he did, his long, flowing hair became entangled in the branches of a large oak tree. Joab wasted no time in deciding to kill Absalom. Verse 14 says that he thrust three darts into the heart of Absalom.

When word of Absalom’s death reached King David, he was heartbroken. His pain seemed unbearable and his grief and remorse seemed unending.

King David needed a time to grieve. We all do when we face life’s unbearable pain. It helps to have good friends who allow, even help us to grieve. We need the opportunity to express our grief, pain, and sorrow. We need the freedom to cry and feel the depth of our loss. Our pain is real. Our loss is great. Healing cannot begin to take place until we move through the grief process.

Thank God for good friends who walk with us through those dark days. These friends are essential to our recovery. These friends can impact our lives for the good. We need them to help us cope. We need the strength of their friendship to enable us to survive. We need the warmth of their friendship so that we can eventually thrive again.

When the unbearable pain comes to your life, who’ll be the friends you’ll lean on to allow, even help you to grieve?

(III) YOU NEED A FRIEND WHO WILL TELL YOU THE TRUTH IN LOVE (II Sam. 19:5-8)

Third, when the pain is unbearable, you need a friend, who will tell you the truth in love.

King David’s grief over the death of Absalom was so narrowly focused and self-absorbing that it became demeaning toward the loyalty of his people. David’s guilt was heavy and his remorse so overwhelming that he was becoming immobilized. All of Israel felt shamed by both the tragedy and King David’s guilt-laden reaction. Everyone around David was being negatively affected by King David’s actions. Someone needed to tell King David the truth. Bluntly and boldly, Joab did just that. Hear II Sam. 19:5-8:

Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life, and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives and your concubines, because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you; for today I perceive that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants; for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night; and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” Then the king arose, and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate” and all the people came before the king.

Joab forced King David to face the grim facts of political reality. Absalom had been stopped from destroying King David and his followers. David’s guilt and tears had blurred his vision to the point he had lost sight of the needs of his supporters. Those most loyal to King David were feeling demeaned and uncared for.

Joab reminded David that he needed to affirm the ones who were closest to him. If David was to remain in charge, he must lift the spirits of his supporters.

When we face unbearable pain, it’s easy to become so self-absorbed in our own grief that we lose sight of all others. We can become distant, unresponsive, indifferent, even cold. All that we can see is our unbearable pain. It’s at a time like that when we need a friend who loves us enough to tell us the truth.

We do need a period of grief, but not an eternity of grief. We do need a time to honor the memory of the dead, but we do not need to create an idol of the dead. Others around us need us. Life goes on. We must get on with life.

Thank God for friends who love us enough to tell us the truth even when we don’t want to hear it! Such a friend is described in Proverbs 27:5-6, “Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.”

Do you have such a friend who loves you enough to tell the truth when the pain seems unbearable?

(IV) YOU NEED A FIRM FAITH IN THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD OF THE BIBLE

Fourth, when the pain is unbearable you need a firm faith in the true and living God of the Bible.

Facing unbearable pain is not easy but we can do so because Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8), is reliable. He is faithful. He is trustworthy. He will never leave us nor forsake us no matter what happens (Heb.13:5). He will be with us always - leading and guiding, walking side by side with us, even carrying us when the burden gets too heavy. The Jesus of the Bible is the One who can help you cope. He can help you survive, and He even stands ready to help you thrive when the pain seems unbearable.

When we face unbearable pain we need a solid faith rooted and grounded in the scriptures. Bad things may come our way but God can bring good out of all of it. God’s redemptive grace can change the bad into good - if we have the eyes to see and the ears to hear God’s word.

Pain and suffering are inevitable in this life. It’s an inescapable reality. God gives us friends to help us grieve when the pain seems unbearable. God gives us friends to tell us the truth in love when we get off track. God gave His Son and the Bible to point us in the way we should go.

When you face unbearable pain, you need a Savior who is reliable. Only the Jesus of the Bible will do.

Is your faith firmly planted in Jesus Christ?

When the pain seems unbearable we can cope, we can survive, we can even thrive with firm faith in Jesus and some friends who help us. Identify the friends you can turn to when the pain is unbearable. And, by all means, maintain a firm faith in the true and living God in Jesus Christ.

(Galatians 5:13-6:2)
by Pastor Bill Duke




The prayer began something like this:

Lord, I thank you that so far today I haven’t gotten angry at anyone, I haven’t been mean to my spouse, I haven’t hollered at my kids, I haven’t had an argument with anyone yet, and I haven’t had to criticize an employee yet. But Lord, it’s still early in the day. Now, I’m going to get out of bed and I’m really going to need your help to watch my mouth!” Amen.

We can all smile at that fictional prayer because . . . well, we’ve been there and done that one. We’ve had some good days with our words, and we’ve had other days that we’d like to forget.

The memories of past failures and the sting of recent wounds make it hard for us to imagine achieving a lasting victory in the war of words. Yet, the good news of the Gospel is that it does not have to be that way. We have hope that things can change and be better. Our hope is that the grace of God will enable us to win the war of words.

As we conclude this 3-part series of sermons on winning the war of words, our focus today is on the truth that the Bible plainly and simply teaches us how to get from where we are to where God wants us to be with our use of words.

As ambassadors for Christ, we are called to use our words to bring glory to God’s name and bring redemptive good to the lives of the people God has placed around us. In order to do this, we must submit to God’s rule in our heart, our mind, and our will. God will help us to do this.

Most of us know what it is like to lose the war of words. What we need to know is how to win the war of words. We even need to know what winning the war of words looks like. Paul gives us a glimpse of what winning the war of words looks like in Galatians 5:13-6:2. Here are four keys to winning the war of words.


(I) BEING GUIDED BY RESPONSIBLE FREEDOM AND LOVE (5:13-15)

The first key to winning the war of words is to be guided by responsible freedom and love. Paul wrote these words in Galatians 5:13-15,

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another take heed that you are not consumed by one another.

God calls all of His wayward children, who are living in bondage to sin, to experience radical change through faith and repentance. Within the context of Christian freedom, Paul reminds his readers here in Galatians 5 that their lives have been radically changed through faith in Jesus Christ. By faith, believers are called to live in the hope and love of God’s righteousness.

Radical change in the hearts and lives of believers occur as we learn to repent of our sins daily and desire to live holy lives. God encourages us to repent by promising to forgive us when we confess our sins. He also promises to deliver us from the power of sin by giving us strength. God promises to restore us when we fall short of His standards. God promises to reconcile us when our sins cause us to be separated from Him. God promises to give us wisdom to know what He wants us to do. God promises to be merciful toward us.

By faith and repentance, we are called to be guided by responsible freedom and love. We are no longer in spiritual bondage. We are free from the penalty of sin. We are free from the frustration and despair of trying to earn our salvation.

We are free to love God. We are free to love others. We’re free to love ourselves. We are free to live lives of gratitude to God.

We are not free to live irresponsibly, though. God has holy standards for us. He expects us to obey Him. God expects us to serve Him. God expects us to behave toward others through responsible freedom. God expects us to love others by being faithful servants.

Winning the war of words involves being guided by responsible freedom and love. Is your use of words guided by responsible freedom and love?


(II) SAYING NO TO OUR SINFUL NATURE (5:16-21)

A second key to winning the war of words is to say “no” to our sinful nature. Paul wrote about this in Galatians 5:16-21.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would. But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are plain; fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, and those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

This passage is very honest about what it is like to live in a sinful world as people who still sin. This passage declares that we have power in Christ even in the face of temptation and provocation to sin.

In exhorting us not to indulge the sinful nature, Paul summarizes a powerful gospel reality that we do not want to miss. He says in verse 24, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

A passion is a fervent or intense emotion. A desire is something the heart craves. As sinners in a sinful world, we are going to experience both, Paul says. They will seem so powerful that we’ll sometimes think we cannot act against them. This experience is exactly what Paul is addressing. What has Christ given us to help us deal with such intense temptations? Must we be controlled by what we feel and crave? These questions lead Paul to look at the work of Christ on the cross.

What Paul came to understand was that when Christ died, we believers died too. When Christ was buried, we were buried with Him. When Christ arose to newness of life, we rose with Him. This is the truth we must grasp if we are ever to gain a lasting victory in the war of words. When Christ was crucified, our sinful nature with its passions and desires was crucified with Him. We no longer live enslaved to sin. We no longer must submit to the intense emotions and the powerful cravings of our sinful nature.

The mastery of our sinful nature over us has been forever broken in Christ. Now we can offer the parts of our bodies as instruments of righteousness - including our mouths.

These truths are very important in winning the war for the heart. As sinners in a sinful world, we will be tempted and provoked, and in those moments powerful emotions and desires will grip us. But because of our identification with Christ, we have the power to say “no.” We can speak as Christ’s ambassadors even in the middle of real temptation and provocation! If we are living under the rule of emotion or the rule of desire, we are denying the gracious, rescuing work of our Savior.

Many of us are quite skilled at living under the rule of sin’s passions and desires. When we indulge them, our words add layers of interpersonal difficulty to the original problem. As we indulge the sinful nature, we will tend to personalize what is not personal and turn moments of ministry into moments of irritation and anger. We will strike back at those we are meant to serve in order to satisfy ourselves. Self-indulgent talk never accomplishes God’s purposes. It forgets the truths of the gospel and our identity as Christ’s representatives. Paul reminds us that because of the work of Christ, we can do better.

Winning the war of words also means saying “no” to any rationalization, blame-shifting, or self-serving arguments that would excuse talk that flows out of the passions and desires of the sinful nature.

Saying “no” to our sinful nature is a must if we are to win the war of words. How does your use of words indicate that you are saying NO to your sinful nature?


(III) BEING LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD (5:16a, 22-26)

A third key to winning the war of words is being led by the Spirit of God. In Galatians 5:22-26 Paul wrote these words,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another.

Being led by the Spirit means speaking in a way that reflects God’s work in us and encourages His work in others. In this passage the Spirit’s work is made quite clear. God is working to produce in us a harvest consistent with the character of Christ: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. As an act of faith and submission to God, we hold our speaking up to the standard of the fruit of the Spirit. We look at difficult situations as God-given opportunities to see this fruit of the Spirit mature in us. Problems are not obstacles to the development of this fruit of the Spirit, but opportunities to see it grow.

Being led by the Spirit not only means speaking in a way that reflects what the Spirit is doing in us, but it also means encouraging the Spirit’s fruit in others.

Being led by the Spirit means taking time to listen, examine, reflect, and prepare. It means communicating in a way that promotes the Spirit’s work of grace in our lives and others.

Being led by the Spirit means letting God have control over your heart, mind, tongue, and will. How does your use of words indicate that the Spirit of God is leading you?


(IV) CHOOSING TO SPEAK REDEMPTIVELY (6:1-2)

A Fourth key to winning the war of words is choosing to speak redemptively. Paul wrote these words in Galatians 6:1-2,

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

We say “no” to the rule of passions and desires not only because Christ gives us the power to do so, but also because we have been called to serve. So instead of using self-indulgent words, we use words that flow out of a love for others.

Speaking in a way that serves the needs of others is at the heart of God’s will for us, and His enabling grace makes it possible.

Serving in love does not mean that we become slaves to the agenda of everyone around us. It does not mean being a doormat. Rather, it means living with redemptive purpose. Love desires another’s highest good. The highest good I could desire for anyone is that he or she would become like Christ, that is, take on the fruit of the Spirit. God does this work in the normal events and relationships of daily life. God works for this good in every situation.

We can choose to speak redemptively by speaking to serve others in love.

We can also choose to speak redemptively when we speak with a goal to see others restored to the image of God’s Son.

When someone becomes entrapped and ensnared in sin, we are to restore them gently.

Never forget that sin is deceitful. Sin is a snare that tightens its hold on us as we believe those “fine-sounding arguments” and use them to rationalize and justify what we’ve done. Before we know it, we are in deeper bondage to the sin that we ever dreamed possible. And we don’t even know how we got there!

None of us are immune to the temptation of sin. So then when a fellow believer falls into sin, it is the job of every believer to serve as God’s restorer.

Winning the war of words means letting this restoration agenda shape and direct our relationships. We must remember that our relationships belong to God. The purpose of human relationships is the work of reconciling people to God and restoring them to the image of His Son.

We can choose to speak redemptively by speaking words of truth, love, restraint, grace, and forgiveness. The Bible tells us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). The Bible also commands us to be self-controlled and speak words that are guided by a sense of holy restraint. We are commanded to utter grace-filled words that are wholesome and other-oriented. Additionally, we are commanded to speak words of forgiveness because God has done such a great work of forgiveness in our own lives.

How does your use of words indicate that you are choosing to speak redemptively?

CONCLUSION

Everyday in every way we have opportunities to use our words to bring glory to God and bring redemptive good to the lives of the people God has placed in our lives.

If you aren’t currently winning the war of words, don’t give up. There is always hope. Stay focused on God and let Him help you get to where he wants you to be.

APPLICATION

So, how do we apply this to our lives? Let me suggest that you invite the Holy Spirit to search you deeply for the answers to the following four questions:

1. In what ways do your use of words indicate that you are being guided by responsible freedom and love?
2. In what ways do your use of words indicate that you are saying NO to your sinful nature?
3. How is the Spirit of God leading you when you talk with others?
4. In what ways are you making the choice to speak redemptively?

The song called "Through the Eyes of Love" by Melissa Manchester was our song. Herbi and I were in tears everytime we listen to it. God is always been faithful to us. Thank you Jesus!

II Samuel 11

by Pastor Bill Duke




“Say it ain’t so Pete Rose,” clamored baseball fans around the country. Peter Edward Rose, affectionately known as “Mr. Charlie Hustle,” was accused in the late 1980's of gambling on sports events. To the general public, Pete Rose was the holder of the most career hits (4,256 hits) ever by any major league baseball player. He was arguably the best hitter in the history of major league baseball and a shoe-in for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

In private, though, Pete Rose was waging a losing battle with compulsive gambling. He bet thousands, if not millions, of dollars on ball games. The evidence of misconduct was substantial. Pete Rose even served a brief prison term. Now he’s one of the ones baseball historians refer to when they talk about Baseball’s Hall of Shame. Once a hero, Rose is now considered a major disappointment by some fans.

Have you ever been disappointed by one of your heroes or heroines? Probably you have. If you live long enough, you will discover that heroes and heroines have feet of clay, too!

Some of our fallen heroes are athletes, movie stars, rock stars, military leaders, and yes, even politicians. Probably you could name a few from each of those categories who have had feet of clay.

Ordinary folks could be added to this category. We’re all somebody’s hero or heroine. Yes, even parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, preachers, etc. have feet of clay from time-to-time, too!

Likewise some biblical characters had feet of clay, too. That’s one of the things I really appreciate about the Bible. It is honest. The Bible tells the truth. It tells it just like it is. The Bible is not fictional or mythological. It is about real historical people, and the Bible does not pull any punches. You can read about “the good, the bad, and the ugly” on those pages of sacred scripture. There are great moments of fame as well as shameful moments of sin. The life of King David is a good example of this. One moment he’s the greatest saint in the Old Testament; the next moment he’s the biggest sinner.

This is really “good news” for all of us. Does that thought startle you? Well, don’t let it. What I mean by all of that is that there’s hope for us. You see, if God can use a man like King David, then surely He can use fallible human beings like you and me! Amen?

(I) King David Was The Golden Hero of the Old Testament

When you read the Old Testament, one thing in particular stands out: More has been written about King David than any other biblical character. Sixty-six chapters in the Old Testament are dedicated to his life. Besides that, there are some 59 references to King David’s life in the New Testament. Obviously then, Kin David was the golden hero of the Old Testament.

A quick look at I Samuel 16 and 17 tells us that King David was chosen and equipped by God for his special task as King of Israel. He possessed a number of fine qualities and characteristics that enabled him to lead Israel during its glory years. King David’s bravery as a shepherd was well-known. He was courageous and fearless. He rescued lambs from the mouths of bears and lions (I Sam. 17:34-36). He also defeated Goliath, the mighty Philistine giant, with one stone thrown from his sling (I Sam. 17:49-50).


King David was good-looking (I Sam. 16:18) and had the finely tuned physique of a warrior. He was a talented musician and able to calm the demons inside King Saul by playing his harp. He was a dynamic speaker who, because he had been especially chosen by God, had been anointed with God’s power (I Sam. 16:12-13). On top of all that, he was admired and well liked. At the zenith of his career he was even loved by all. I guess you could say King David had just about everything going for himself.

On top of all that was the stunning affirmation that David was “a man after God’s heart” (Acts 13:22). King David had an unsurpassed devotion to God. He was eager to maintain righteousness and intimacy with God. The Bible declares, “I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do my will,” the Lord said (Acts 13:22). In King David’s finer moments, he longed for the heart of God. He truly wanted to please and serve God.

That’s the picture of King David as the golden hero of the Old Testament. Yet there is another side to King David – one that is far less complimentary.

(II) King David Was A Father With Feet of Clay

As a leader, as King of Israel, as a military warrior, as a man devoted to God, King David was the golden hero of Israel. While he was not perfect in any of those areas, his strengths far outweighed any weaknesses. He was a hero and a legend.

Yet as a father, he was a man with feet of clay. To put it bluntly, King David failed miserably in his relationships with his family. “How could someone so successful in his public professional life be such a failure in his private family life?” you ask. Some with psychological training suggest that King David never learned to deal with emotion in family relationships. Given the fact that King David’s family, which was dysfunctional, suffered a great deal of emotional pain, you can understand that kind of psychological analysis.

Yet King David’s inability to deal with emotion in family relationships is not the entire answer. There are other complicating factors. Let’s look at a vivid example of one of King David’s colossal blunders as portrayed in II Samuel 11.

That chapter is the famous David and Bathsheba story. It’s King David’s prime time failure. Hear the first 5 verses of that chapter:

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go forth to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking upon the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” So David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived; and she sent and told David, “I am with child.”

Now let’s be perfectly clear about this situation. When it happened, King David was a middle aged man (about 50 years old) who should have known better. King David was a man who had been wonderfully blessed by God. II Samuel 5:12 says, “And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.”

In spite of tremendous success as a leader and having enjoyed God-given privileges as the King of Israel, King David was a man who was enslaved to lust. His action in II Samuel 11 is not surprising in light of II Samuel 5:13 where the scripture says, “And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David.” This action by King David was a direct violation of Deut. 17:14-17 where the King of Israel is commanded to “not multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away” from following God.


David knew full well that he was committing adultery – a flagrant sin of lust and arrogance. Look at verse 3. One of King David’s servants tried to subtly tell him to leave her alone. “Yes sir, King David, that’s ole Bathsheba alright and here’s the names of her father and husband.”

King David was not tricked or trapped into this flagrant act of sexual indulgence. He willfully disobeyed God and willfully violated the sanctity of Bathsheba and Uriah’s marriage.

When Bathsheba became pregnant with King David’s baby, David did everything he could to try to cover up his sin. David tried to deceive and manipulate Uriah, the soldier, into returning home and sleeping with Bathsheba (I Sam. 11:9-13). When Uriah was too honorable to enjoy being home with his wife while his fellow soldiers remained on the battlefront, David stooped to further dishonorable action. He conceived a plan to have Uriah killed in battle. With the help of Joab, David’s commanding officer, the plan worked to perfection. Uriah was killed in battle, and after an appropriate amount of time for grieving, Bathsheba became another one of King David’s many wives.

It was bad enough that King David had failed miserably in his relationships with his family, but now through his adultery and involvement in murder, David had now failed God. David broke God’s heart.

For a while there it may have appeared to David that he had successfully covered his dirty tracks but then the prophet Nathan came to visit. II Samuel 12 details Nathan’s confrontation with David and the famous words, “You are the man.” God wasn’t blind to King David’s sin. Yes, David did repent of his sin and God did forgive him. That is true. But the awful consequences of his sin would haunt David to his grave.

This sordid tale of sin is a further reminder to all of us of the certainty that our sins will find us out. As we will soon see as we study the rest of David’s life, sin destroys life and infects others with poison. King David’s family life suffered immensely as they became increasingly dysfunctional.

Four major consequences of David’s sin stand out in chapters 12-18 of II Samuel. First, King David and Bathsheba’s son died. The prophet Nathan forecast his death plus three other major tragedies in David’s family. King David tried bargaining with God to spare the child’s life. Unfortunately David doesn’t seem to do a good job in grieving the loss of his child or facing up to his moral failure in front of his family. King David was emotionally inept as a father and his family became infected with the consequences of David’s sin.

Second, David’s son Amnon raped his half-sister, Tamar, in II Samuel 13. Afterwards Amnon shamed his sister further by humiliating her and destroying her dignity and self-respect.

True to form in a dysfunctional family, Absalom, her brother, shamed Tamar into silence (II Sam. 13:20). What we then see in the story is an effort to avoid emotion, deny pain, and cover up family sins. “Where was the effort to comfort Tamar?” you ask. I don’t know.

Apparently, King David did nothing to punish Amnon or comfort Tamar (II Sam. 13:21). Surely, David’s own sin left him little room to confront Amnon. Emotionally, he remained distant from Tamar’s pain.

King David’s inaction created an unbridled storm that raged in his son Absalom. Two years later Absalom would finally get his revenge as he had Amnon killed. This was the third tragic consequence of David’s sin.

Fourth, we read in chapters 14-18 the further demise of Kind David’s relationship with his son Absalom. Absalom rebelled against David and became the rebellious scapegoat of the family. Because Absalom couldn’t handle his anger and David couldn’t learn to relate to his son properly, the two were never reconciled.

Tragically, we see in II Sam. 18 that King David’s military personnel killed Absalom. The grief of David was profound.


King David is an example of a hero who had feet of clay. At times he was a spiritual giant and an awesome leader of Israel. Unfortunately, he was also emotionally inept as a father. He was a colossal failure at home.

(III) God Remained Faithful to King David

The real hero in this sordid tale is God. Amazingly, we see throughout the story that God remained faithful to David even when he did not deserve it! Incredible! Amazing! Yes, that’s the awesomeness of God’s grace. He is faithful to His word and purposes.

In David’s case, we see that God looks at the deeper desire of our hearts. God knows our frailties and faults. He knows our weaknesses. God knows that sometimes we fail Him even though in our hearts we deeply desire to serve Him. What an amazing God we serve!

In a way that seems almost unbelievable to us, God will forgive our misguided desires, distorted loyalties, selfishness, or unbridled passions that get us into trouble ... when we repent. It should be fully understood that God is willing to forgive us of all our sins when we repent. What God does not do, though, is automatically wipe out all the consequences of our sins. The life of King David testifies to that fact. Sin always bears consequences.

In addition to forgiving us when we repent, God also heals the brokenhearted who cry out to Him for help. Study Psalms 32 and 51 and see how God healed David’s broken heart.

What we learn from King David’s life is that God works through those who have a heart for Him – even heroes with feet of clay.

King David’s life teaches us two important lessons today. First, if God could use someone like David, then He can use people like us. There’s hope for all of us.

Second, never assume you’re incapable of sinning like David did. Remember the words of II Corinthians 10:12-13:

Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man, God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

The truth of the matter is that anyone is capable of falling into terrible sin at any time. Always be on your guard. Remain faithful to God in the small things so you’ll be ready to face life’s big temptations with victory.

I got this from reviveourhearts.com and I think it got the idea from Stormie O'Martian's book: The Praying Wife. These are the daily dose I need to take: on my knees everyday for my beloved..





Praying for Your Husband

“She does him good….” Proverbs 31:12a
Bless your husband by praying for him!

The Apostle Paul instructed all Christians to pray for one another (Ephesians 6:18). This includes wives’ responsibility and privilege to pray for their husbands. Earnest prayer for your husband is good for him, for you and the spiritual health of your home (Proverbs 31:11-12).
Satan desires to destroy your husband, especially his character and his leadership in your relationship. Trust God through prayer as you daily surrender your husband and marriage to the Lord’s wise, loving care.

31 Days of Prayer

Day 1
Pray that your husband will grow spiritually and consider his accountability before the Lord. Pray that he will guard his heart by developing spiritual disciplines—Bible reading and study, prayer, meditation, scripture memorization, etc. (2 Peter 3:18; Prov. 4:23)

Day 2
Pray that your husband’s relationship with God and His Word will bear fruit in his life. Pray that he will be a man of wisdom and understanding, fearing the Lord. (Prov. 3:7, 9:10; Ps. 112:1)

Day 3
Pray that your husband will be humble and quick to agree with God about his sin. Pray that his heart will be tender toward the voice of the Lord. (Ps. 51:2-4; Micah 6:8)

Day 4
Pray that your husband will grow in leadership skills in your relationship—protecting and providing for you. Pray that he will lead you wisely and love you sacrificially, so that God willbe glorified in your marriage. (Eph. 5:25-29; Col. 3:19)

Day 5
Pray that your husband will be faithful to his wedding vows. Pray that he will have a desire to cultivate your relationship as a sign of his loyalty and commitment to you, and as a picture of Christ’s love for the Church. (Prov. 20:6; Gen. 2:24)

Day 6
Pray that your husband will love righteousness and hate wickedness, especially the evils of the culture. Pray that he will recognize and avoid wickedness in his own life, and if necessary, take a clear, strong stand against evil. (Prov. 27:12; John 17:15; 1 Cor. 10:12-13)

Day 7
Pray that your husband will safeguard his heart against inappropriate relationships with the opposite sex. Pray that his heart will be pure and undivided in his commitment to you. (Prov.6:23-24, 26; Rom. 13:14)

Day 8
Pray that your husband will work hard to provide for your family, to the best of his ability. Pray that the character qualities necessary for a successful career and ministry will be a growing part of his character – persistence, decisiveness, strength, an analytical mind, organizational skills,positive relationships with people, determination, etc. (Rom. 12:11; 1 Cor. 15:58)

Day 9
Pray that your husband handle finances wisely, will have discernment concerning budgeting and investments, and will be a good steward of his money in regard to giving to the Lord’s work.Pray that money will not become a source of discord in your family. (Prov. 23:4-5; Rom. 12:13;Heb. 13:5)

Day 10
Pray that your husband will cultivate strong integrity, and not compromise his convictions. Pray that his testimony will be genuine, that he will be honest in his business dealings, and will never do anything that he needs to hide from others. (Prov. 20:7; 1 Tim. 1:5, 3:7; Eph. 6:10-12)

Day 11
Pray that your husband will have a humble, teachable spirit and a servant’s heart before the Lord. Pray that he will listen to God and desire to do His will. (Prov. 15:33; Eph. 6:6)

Day 12
Pray that your husband will yield his sexual drive to the Lord and practice self control. Pray that your sexual intimacy together will be fresh, positive, and a reflection of selfless love. (Prov.5:15, 18; 1 Cor. 7:3; Song of Solomon 7:10)

Day 13
Pray that your husband use practical skills to build your family and make wise decisions for your welfare. Pray that he will serve unselfishly. (Gal. 5:13; Phil. 2:3-4)

Day 14
Pray that your husband will speak words that build you and your family, and reflect a heart of love. Pray that he will not use filthy language. (Prov. 18:21; Eph. 4:29)

Day 15
Pray that your husband will choose his friends wisely. Pray that God will bring him men who will encourage his accountability before God, and will not lead him into sin. (Prov. 13:20; Prov.27:17)

Day 16
Pray that your husband will choose healthy, God-honoring activities. Pray that he will not live in bondage to any questionable habits or hobbies, but that he will experience freedom in holiness as he yields to the Spirit’s control. (1 Cor. 6:12, 10:31; 2 Tim. 2:4)

Day 17
Pray that your husband will enjoy his manliness as he patterns his life after Christ and strong men in the faith. Pray for his physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual strength. (Eph.3:16; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Cor. 10:11)

Day 18
Pray that your husband will have an eternal perspective—living in light of eternity. Pray that he will reject materialism and temporal values and put God first in his life. (Matt. 6:33; Deut. 6:5;Eph. 5:16; Ps. 90:12)

Day 19
Pray that your husband will be patient and a man of peace. Pray that he will not give in to anger,but will allow the Holy Spirit to control his responses. (Rom. 14:19; Ps. 34:14)

Day 20
Pray that your husband will yield his mind and thoughts to the Lord. Pray that he will not entertain immoral or impure thoughts, and that he will resist the temptation to indulge in pornography. (Prov. 27:12; 2 Cor. 10:5)

Day 21
Pray that your husband will learn how to relax in the Lord and, in his greatest times of stress,find joy and peace in his relationship with God. Pray that he will submit his schedule to the Lord.(Neh. 8:10; Prov. 17:22; Ps. 16:11)

Day 22
Pray that your husband will practice forgiveness in your relationship and with others. Pray that he will recognize any roots of bitterness, and yield any resentment and unforgiving attitudes to the Lord. (Eph. 4:32; Heb. 12:15)

Day 23
Pray that your husband will be a good father—disciplining his children wisely and loving them unconditionally. If he is not a father, pray that he will find a young man to mentor in the things of the Lord. (Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21; 2 Tim. 2:1-2)

Day 24
Pray that your husband will have a balanced life—that he will balance work and play. Pray that he will fear God, but also gain favor with people he knows at work and church. (Luke 2:52;Prov. 13:15)

Day 25
Pray that your husband will be courageous in his stand against evil and injustice, and that he will stand for the truth. Pray that he will protect you and your family from Satan’s attacks. (Ps.31:24; Eph. 6:13; Ps. 27:14)

Day 26
Pray that your husband will discover and live his God-given purpose. Pray that he will offer allhis dreams to the Lord, and pursue only those goals that will bring God glory and count foreternity. (Jer. 29:11; 1 Cor. 10:31)

Day 27
Pray that your husband will understand the importance of taking care of his body—the temple of the Holy Spirit—for the glory of God. Pray that he will practice self-control by making wise food choices, and get sufficient exercise to stay healthy. (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 6:19-20, 9:27)

Day 28
Pray that your husband will be a man of prayer. Pray that he will seek and pursue God in purposeful quiet times. (1 Thess. 5:17; Luke 22:46; James 5:16)

Day 29
Pray that your husband will surrender his time and talents to the Lord. Pray that his spiritual gifts will be manifest in his career, at church, and in your home. (Eph. 5:15-16; 1 Cor. 12:4, 7)

Day 30
Pray that your husband will serve God and others with pure motives. Pray that he will obey the Lord from his heart, and glorify Him in everything. (1 Cor. 10:13; John 7:17-18; Col. 3:23-24)

Day 31
Pray that your husband will recognize the lies of the Enemy in his life. Pray that his attitudes and actions will be guided by the truth as he brings his thoughts into captivity to the Word of God.(John 8:44; 2 Cor. 10:4-5)

“Seeing How God Provides For Us”
(Philippians 4:10-23)

by Pastor Bill Duke




Introduction

William Borden was a young man, born into a wealthy American family and trained at Yale University and Princeton Seminary, who gave his life to the service of Christ. As a young man, William Borden was sent on a trip around the world. He came back from that trip with the world on his heart, and he decided to give his life to share Jesus Christ with the world. This was not only an ambition for the future, but also an ambition, which motivated him all through his college years.

As an undergraduate at Yale, Borden was instrumental in organizing the Yale Hope Mission. He then financed most of its earlier work and was personally involved every week in helping the down and out find new hope in Christ. As a seminary student, Borden was involved in the work of the National Bible Institute in New York, and then during the summer he directed the work of the Bible Institute in Chicago. At the age of 22, he was asked to serve on the council of the North American branch of the China Inland Mission, and played a vital role in the expansion of that work. As soon as he graduated from seminary, Borden set off on a three-month travel schedule throughout the United States to support the Student Volunteer Movement. His ordination at Moody Church in Chicago on September 9, 1912, marked the beginning of what he hoped would be a long life of missionary service directed toward the Islamic people, whom he considered the most neglected by Christian efforts.

The ultimate destination for this dedicated, gifted young missionary was a far-off province in northwest China called Kansu where three million Muslims lived. On his way to China, Borden stayed in Cairo, Egypt, for several months to learn more about the Muslim people. In Cairo, at the age of 25, with his whole life before him, he contracted cerebral meningitis. Within a month, William Borden was dead. In the final days of his life, Borden clung to the motto, which had been the theme of his whole life: “No reserve, no retreat, no regrets.”

William Borden demonstrated in his life two ingredients most often missing in the Christian life today: contentment and confidence. Instead of contentment, there is among many Christians today a sense of discontent. Instead of confidence, there is among many Christians today an attitude of timidity. Nothing would be more helpful for us as Christians than to learn the secret of William Borden and to be able to face life, whether short or long, whether difficult or delightful, with his statement of commitment: “No reserve, no retreat, no regrets.”

How’s your life motto or theme? Can you identify with William’s Borden’s statement of commitment: “No reserve, no retreat, no regrets”? As for the Apostle Paul, he certainly would have resonated with this kind of commitment.

In verse 19 of this 4th chapter of Philippians, Paul explained the foundation for his commitment. In Philippians 4:19 Paul wrote, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

How about you? Do you believe this? Are you practicing this truth?

Notice carefully what Paul taught in Philippians 4:19. What does God do? He meets all our needs. How does God do it? He meets our needs through the abundant riches of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Today, we are going to look at how God offers to provide every believer with three things we really need.

(1) In Philippians 4:12 we will see how God provides contentment
(2) In Philippians 4:13 we will see how God provides confidence
(3) In Philippians 4:19 we will see how God provides conviction


(I) GOD PROVIDES CONTENTMENT (4:10-12)

First, Paul tells us that God provides contentment (vv. 11-12).

Paul was grateful for the love and concern of the Philippians. They had sent him a gift of financial support while he remained a prisoner chained to Roman soldiers in a Roman prison. Yet, Paul wanted them to understand that their gift wasn’t the basis for his contentment. Paul was content because he was right with God and was privileged to be a part of advancing the Gospel.

For the Apostle Paul, this contentment was based on his experiences serving Jesus as his life’s purpose – even in the face of great suffering. Paul knew what it was like to experience firsthand suffering and difficulties simply because he was a follower of Jesus Christ. In the book of Acts as well as in his own letters, Paul experienced many unpleasant circumstances.

Perhaps you’re wondering how Paul could talk about contentment even in the midst of some of the most deplorable situations. Could it be that Paul had a reason to live that transcended all of life’s difficulties and problems? Remember Paul’s words in Phil. 1:21: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Paul was living for Jesus. Christ was Paul’s reason to live. Paul was content and happy in Jesus.

Also for Paul this contentment was based on his spiritual security in Jesus, not material prosperity. The world thinks that contentment is found in material prosperity. If that was true, then why are so many rich and famous entertainers, athletes, politicians, business executives, etc. miserable?

The late Howard Hughes was one of the world’s richest men. Did his wealth make him happy and content? Hardly! He suffered from growing paranoia the last years of his life and lived in almost total isolation. Material prosperity does not guarantee contentment and happiness.

Many people are so discontent with life, themselves, and others. They sound like a character in a novel who said, “We took what we wanted until we no longer wanted what we took.”

Paul was content. He was happy following Jesus Christ. “How could he be so content?” you ask. Remember Paul’s words in Phil. 3:7: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

Additionally for Paul this contentment was based on his desire to know Jesus in all his fullness, not seeking to know all the right people. The world thinks happiness and contentment comes through knowing the right people or having the right relationships. Paul declared that he was content because he knew Jesus. The word for content in the Greek New Testament (autarkeia) means “entirely self-sufficient” or “self-contained.” The word describes a person who is sufficient apart from a relationship with any other person.

As important as friends and family members are to life, Paul declared that contentment does not depend on relationships with others. Like all of us, people are not perfect. Sometimes they fail us. Sometimes they disappoint us.


Only Jesus never fails us nor forsakes us. Paul’s relationship with Jesus brought him contentment. In Phil. 3:8 Paul wrote, “Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Of all his relationships, Paul’s personal relationship with Jesus was first, foremost, and primary.

Perhaps, you are wondering, “How can you experience contentment?” In verses 11 and 12 Paul points us toward two things. First, Paul says, “I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content.” Paul spoke of contentment as something he had learned by experience. Contentment was a learned trait. Paul had developed the ability to accept and to adapt.

Several men, who had been prisoners of war during the Vietnam War and survived the horrors of Hanoi, explained how. They said, “We learned after a few hours what it took to survive, and we just adapted to that.” They didn’t whine and complain because they had been captured. They didn’t eat their hearts out because the conditions were miserable and the food was terrible. They chose to adapt.

Likewise Paul chose to adapt. Through trial and testing, Paul was “initiated” into the wonderful secret of contentment in spite of poverty or prosperity. These things had instructed him in contentment. The only thing that mattered to Paul was that the Gospel was being advanced.

Indeed, God does provide contentment ... for the one who is committed to following Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

(II) GOD PROVIDES CONFIDENCE (4:13)

Second, Paul tells us that God provides confidence. In Phil. 4:13 Paul wrote, “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.”

Because Jesus lives in believers, God “strengthens” them. Paul stated this truth several times in his New Testament letters. In I Timothy 1:12 Paul wrote, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me.” In II Timothy 4:17 he wrote, “But the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me.” In Eph. 6:10 Paul wrote, “Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.”

The source of this power is Jesus Christ. God infuses this strength in us. God puts power into us. The result of this strengthening is an ability to face every challenge of life.

Some time ago a preacher told this story of a young woman in an Eastern European country.

She heard the gospel message and was converted. Her parents, who were communists, made her leave home. In the course of six months at school, she shared her testimony and seven students were won to the Lord. However, as a result she was expelled from the school. She took a job in a bakery and within the next six months she won ten of her fellow workers to Christ. She was fired from the job, and eventually exiled from her country. In her new country, she was instrumental in forming a new church. When someone asked her how she could do so much, she replied, “Little is much when God is in it.”

God provides His devoted followers with contentment and confidence.

(III) GOD PROVIDES CONVICTION (4:19)

Third, Paul tells us that God provides conviction.

Paul was convinced of the greatness of God’s promise in verse 19. This is the keynote address of Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, for this promise in Phil. 4:19 is the foundation upon which the entire epistle is built. Chapter one reflects the joy in Paul’s life. The reason for his joy was the realization God would supply all his needs in Christ Jesus. Chapter 2 reveals the submissiveness in Paul’s life. The reason for his submissiveness was Paul’s conviction about the inexhaustible sufficiency of God. Chapter 3 focuses on the purpose of Paul’s life. Why did Paul strain like an athlete for the mark of the high calling of God? Because God was one whom he could trust to meet all his needs. Chapter 4 shows the contentment in Paul’s life. The reason for his contentment was that Paul had discovered the complete adequacy of God. His joy, his submissiveness, his purpose, his contentment – all are rooted in this declaration which is one of the Bible’s greatest promises: “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

It is important that we understand what Paul meant by verse 19. Paul was convinced that God is fully able (4:13) and fully willing (4:19) to meet whatever needs surround the believers. Many in America would naturally assume that means money. While that may be one small facet of God’s promise there, Paul had something else more in mind. Paul was convinced that God would supply the Philippians with the greatest need of all – the ability to face all circumstances through Jesus who would give them strength (4:13).

That’s why Paul had such a detached attitude toward money. While he was grateful for the Philippians’ gift to him, he wanted them to understand that contentment was not based on money. Paul rejoiced in the Philippians’ gift (4:10), then, not because he required it, but because it was a useful step in their sanctification. By giving their money, they demonstrated where their loyalties lay and strengthened their commitment to the God who would supply all that they ultimately needed through his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

It is easy to skim over this lesson by Paul and miss the real meaning of what he is saying. Paul is talking about Jesus being Lord of all of life including our money. Why do we think we can be in proper fellowship with God while remaining controlled by our money? Unlike Paul, many cannot say they are detached from their money.

Some arrogantly think they’re doing God a favor when they toss something in the collection plate. Some even assume that their financial gifts to the church means that financial prosperity is a blessing to which Christians are entitled. Do we really think God’s grace is for sale and that we have earned it?

We are to give God’s work with no strings attached. We give not because God is so poor and impotent He’ll starve without our help. We give because we are to obey Him. God’s purposes will march forward even when we rob Him of what He is due. The accomplishment of God’s purposes does not depend on human help.

It is us who need to give. People who are controlled by money will never know contentment. We give because we must. We give because we need to do so. We honor God by giving back to Him. We become the channel of God’s blessings to others when we give.

When we refuse to give back to God’s work a worthy gift, we are only giving evidence to the spiritual poverty of our undisciplined heart.

Paul was content because Jesus was Lord of all in his life. He depended on nothing except Jesus for this contentment.

Verse 19 is a wonderful promise for the Christian. Our God who loves us and cares for us is alive and aware of our needs. Out of His great riches in Christ Jesus, God will supply our needs. For the believer, God provides contentment, confidence, and conviction.

It’s a fantastic promise especially for those who are following Him as Savior and Lord. God supplies our needs. Don’t confuse wants and greed with needs! God will supply all that you need to follow Him. Do you have a need? Tell the Lord. Trust Him for it.

Now would you listen as one lady comes to share how she has experienced God provides for her needs as well as the needs of others (Lisa Griffin).

APPLICATION

Paul’s main concern was to stand before God on Judgment Day and be declared righteous in the eyes of God because of faith in Jesus. Likewise, Paul was concerned to live the rest of his life faithfully serving God by seeking to advance the Gospel.

Because of Paul’s conviction that God was working in him to finish the good work, he was content. Because Paul knew that God would strengthen him to face whatever, Paul was content. Because Paul knew that God’s resources were more than adequate for his needs, Paul was content.

In Jesus, Paul had found SOMETHING WORTH LIVING FOR. You can, too. Give your life to Christ today. Submit yourself to His lordship. Every day in every way, live for Jesus.

You do your part and you’ll have the joy of seeing how God will provide for your needs.

What are your needs today? God offers to provide all of your needs. Here are three things you can ask God to provide for you:

· Ask God to teach you contentment.
· Ask God to help you with confidence.
· Ask God to strengthen your conviction.