NOT ALL SPIRITS ARE FROM GOD

PROCLAMATION

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  Hereby know ye The Spirit of God; Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.”  1 John 4:1-2 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the Apostle John, under the inspiration of The Holy Spirit of God, to all believers.  John begins this fourth chapter of his first letter by telling the people that not all spirits are from God.  They should test the spirits which come to them to see if they are from God or from the antichrist. (1 John 4:1-3)  John says that The Spirit of God which is within them is greater than the spirit who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)  Then he tells them again to love one another because love comes from God.  Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love. (1 John 4:7-9)  God proved that He loved us by sending His only Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (John 3:16 and 1 John 4:10)  We love Him because He first loved us.  There is no fear in love.  Perfect love cast out fear because fear is based upon punishment. (1 John 4:18-19)  If a man says that he loves God and yet he hates his brother, then he is a liar.  Whoever does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.  Anyone who loves God must love his brother also. (1 John 4:20-21)

 

APPLICATION

Decades ago, when cartoon characters were faced with a decision, a devil-like miniature version of themselves would appear standing on one shoulder whispering in one ear, and an angel-like miniature version would appear standing on the other shoulder whispering in the other ear.  While this may not be Biblically correct, it does depict that we get messages from good and bad spirits and we have to choose which one we will listen to.  We are to test what we hear to see if it comes from God and if it is consistent with The Word of God.  If whatever it is goes against God’s Word, then we ought not do it.  And if we do it anyway then we need to ask God to forgive us.  Additionally, there are some people in this world who are under the influence of evil spirits.  They will deny the existence of God and they have no problem with deceiving, mistreating, or taking advantage of other people.  Love is not part of their vocabulary and believers should pray for them but not associate with them.

 

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT WE ARE SAVED?

PROCLAMATION

“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.  He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”  1 John 3:14 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

The Apostle John wrote these words, under the inspiration of The Holy Spirit of God, to all believers.  John begins this third chapter of his first letter by talking about how good it is that they are called the children of God. (1 John 3:1-3)  He goes on to say that anyone who lives in Christ cannot continue living in sin. (1 John 3:4-6)  He repeats his earlier admonition to not let anyone lead them astray. (1 John 3:7-10)  Then he repeats his message that they should love one another and that they should not be surprised if the world hates them. (1 John 3:11-13)  He tells them that they know that they are saved, “… have passed from death to life …” because they love the brothers. (1 John 3:14)  John tells them that love is being willing to lay down ones’ life for his brother.  Christ laid down His life for them and they ought to be willing to lay down their life for each other. (1 John 3:16-18)  He says that if their hearts condemn them, God is greater than their hearts. (1 John 3:19-22)

 

APPLICATION

A large number of people say that they love The Lord but most of them do not live a life that shows it.  The proof that we really do love The Lord is in how we demonstrate our love for each other.  When we know and show that we love other Christians, then we know that we are truly children of God.  Love is an action word.  Saying it is meaningless if there is no action to follow it.  It does not matter how many times, or how passionately someone says it, if there is no behavior or action that shows or demonstrates it, then the words are hollow and meaningless.

 

ABIDE IN CHRIST

PROCLAMATION

“He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.  He that loveth his brother abideth in the light …”  1 John 2:9-10 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the Apostle John, under the inspiration of The Holy Spirit of God, to all believers.  John begins this second chapter of his first letter telling them not to sin.  However if they sin, Jesus The Christ, The Son of God, is their atoning sacrifice and their advocate to God, The Father. (1 John 2:1-2)  Then he says that they will know that they know Christ if they keep His commands.  Anyone who claims to know Christ but does not keep His commands is a liar. (1 John 2:3-6)  John also says that he is writing them to remind them of an old command.  Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother or sister is still in darkness. (1 John 2:7-11)  He also tells them not to love the world or anything in the world.  Anyone who loves the world cannot love God. (1 John 2:15-17)  He warns them not to deny Christ and then he tells them about the antichrist. (1 John 2:18-23)  He ends this chapter by saying that he is writing these things to them because there are those among them who would lead them astray and he wants them to continue in Christ. (1 John 2:26-29)

 

APPLICATION

As believers we are not just to avoid sin, we are also to advocate following Christ.  We are to tell people about Christ, and we are to live and behave in such a way that people will see Christ in us.  Since our actions speak louder than our words, our walk must be consistent with our talk.  Our actions and our conversation should be different from those who are unsaved.  Our worldly friends who knew us beforehand should see a change in us as compared to before we accepted Christ.  Remember, the world and its desires will soon pass away. (1 John 2:17)  Only those who believe in Christ will receive eternal life. (John 3:16)

 

WALK IN THE LIGHT

PROCLAMATION

“… God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.  If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth; But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”  1 John 1:5-7 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the Apostle John, under the inspiration of The Holy Spirit of God, to all believers.  John begins this first epistle by proclaiming that Jesus, The Christ, rose from the dead and he saw Him, heard Him, and touched Him. (1 John 1:1-3)  In this letter he is declaring to them what he heard from Christ. (1 John 1:4-5)  He said that God is light and there is no darkness in Him.  John told them if they walk in the light, the blood of Christ Jesus covers them and purifies them from all sin.  He said, if we claim to have fellowship with Christ and yet we walk in darkness, then we lie. (1 John 1:5-7)  He also says that we lie if we claim to be without sin. (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8, and 1:10)  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

 

APPLICATION

Most people do not like to be told that they are sinners and that their parents were sinners also.  The truth is that all of us are sinners. (Romans 3:23)  The only difference between us is that some of us have accepted Christ, confessed our sins, and we have been forgiven, while others have not done so.  Believers have chosen to walk a different path and we walk in the light along the least-travelled path. (Matthew 7:14)  Many people deny Christ and have chosen to remain in darkness and walk the well-travelled wide path which leads to destruction. (Matthew 7:13)  Jesus, The Christ, said, “I am the way…” (John 14:6) and He also said, “I am the light of the world …” (John 8:12)  We have a choice, we can choose whether or not we want to walk in the light.  Please choose wisely because there are eternal consequences for our choice.

 

WE HAVE BEEN FOREWARNED

PROCLAMATION

“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and  forever.  Amen.”  2 Peter 3:17-18 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the Apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the scattered believers after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  This is the third and final chapter in his second letter to them.  He begins by stating that he is writing this letter to them to serve as a reminder of previously spoken words and to stimulate wholesome thinking among them. (2 Peter 3:1-2)  He tells them that non-believers will come to them and attempt to discourage them. (2 Peter 3:3-7)  Then he reminds that The Lord’s way of measuring time is much different than their way.  A day to Him is like a thousand years to man. (2 Peter 3:8)  He tells them that the Day of The Lord will come, that earth will be destroyed by fire, and that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. (Isaiah 65:17, 2 Peter 3:10-13, and Revelation 21:1)  He tells them that while wait for these things to come, they should make every effort to live in peace, without spot or blemish. (2 Peter 3:14)  He ends by telling them that since they have been forewarned, they should be on their guard, and that they should grow in grace and in knowledge of The Lord. (2 Peter 3:17-18)

 

APPLICATION

As believers, we know that we have already been guaranteed the victory through our Lord and Savior, Jesus, The Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)  Therefore, we should hold on to our belief in Christ and do our best to follow His teachings. (2 Peter 3:14)  We should learn as much as we can about The Lord God and His Holy Word, and we should do our best to live by it. (2 Peter 3:17-18)  The Day of The Lord is coming and we have been forewarned. (2 Peter 3:10-13)

 

A LOST SOUL WILL RETURN TO THEIR SINFUL WAYS

PROCLAMATION

“If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.  It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.”  2 Peter 2:20-21 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the Apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  Peter began this second chapter by warning them about the false prophets and false teachers that were among them. (2 Peter 2:1-3)  Then he tells them that God punished the angels in heaven who followed Satan.  If God did not spare the angels who did wrong, He would not spare them.  God did not spare the sinful people in Noah’s day that died in the flood.  He did not spare the sinners in Sodom and Gomorrah. (2 Peter 2:4-11)  However, even as He administered punishment to a large number of people and destruction to vast areas, God still protected and saved the righteous people from harm. (2 Peter 2:9)  Paul said that people who blaspheme The Lord God would be punished. (2 Peter 2:12-15)  Then he ended by telling them that those who were saved by knowing The Lord, but who later turned their back on Him and returned to their sinful ways would be punished more severely than those who never knew Him. (2 Peter 2:20-22)

 

APPLICATION

Believers are not perfect.  We still mess up and fall back into sin.  However, true believers do not stay in the mud after we fall into it.  We ask for God’s forgiveness and for His help to get out of the mud and to clean us up. (1 John 1:9)  When believers sin, we lose the joy of our salvation and we need to pray in order to have that joy restored. (Psalm 51:12)  But those who profess to love Him, but who long for their old sinful ways, and then return to them are lost souls. (Luke 9:62, Genesis 19:26, and 2 Peter 2:20-21)  Those who really love their old sinful ways cannot truly love The Lord.  It is not possible to love them both. (Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13)  Even after he has heard The Word of God, The Bible says that the lost fool will return to his sinful folly. (Proverbs 26:11)  When we fall back into sin, we must confess the error of our ways and ask for God’s forgiveness and help.  Anything less is unacceptable.

 

STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD

PROCLAMATION

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.  Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”  2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the Apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  After his opening greeting, Peter began this, his second letter to them, by confirming their calling and selection by The Lord God. (2 Peter 1:1)  He told them that God had given them all that they need to live right.  He also told them God had given them promises of things to come. (2 Peter 1:3-4)  He urged them to make every effort to live a Christ-like life which would keep them from being ineffective and unproductive in their efforts. (2 Peter 1:5-8)  Then he went on to remind them of the prophecies of the Holy Scriptures.  Peter wrote these words of encouragement to them because he knew that his earthly time was near the end. (2 Peter 1:12-15)  He told them that he was an eyewitness and that he heard the voice from heaven referring to Jesus, The Christ, saying, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” (2 Peter 1:17-18)  Then he told them that the prophetic message they bring is not from the prophets.  It is of Divine origin, delivered by through humans by the aid of The Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:19-21)

 

APPLICATION

If we have The Lord God in our hearts and in our lives, then we have all that we need.  We just need to have the courage and the conviction to do the right thing.  Unfortunately at times we simply choose to do the wrong thing, or choose not to do the right thing, or we choose to do nothing at all.  We need to pray for God’s help and strength to do that which is right.  We need to exercise our faith and to increase our knowledge of His Holy Word.  We were all put on earth for a purpose, so let us pursue that purpose with gusto.  We have the promises of God to look forward to down here and in the hereafter.

 

WE SHOULD USE OUR GOD GIVEN GIFTS TO HELP OTHERS

PROCLAMATION

“The end of all things is near.  Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.  Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.  Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.  Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace …”  1 Peter 4:7-10 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  Peter began this fourth chapter by telling them that they should live for God.  They should have the same attitude that Christ had.  They should not be surprised when men verbally abuse them for walking away from the pagan lifestyle which they used to live and to now live a life following Christ. (1 Peter 4:1-5)  Then he tells them that the end of time is near and that they should be as Christ-like as possible.  They should use their God given gifts to the best of their abilities to serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace. (1 Peter 4:7-11)  He ends this chapter by telling them that God’s judgment will begin with His people, and he quotes Proverbs 11:30-31 to them. (1 Peter 4:17-19)

 

APPLICATION

The Judgment Day is coming, and the end of this world is near.  Believers will be judged, not regarding their salvation, but to determine the rewards which they will receive in heaven. (Matthew 10:42, Colossians 3:24, Hebrews  11:6, Revelation 11:18, and Revelation 22:12)  Non-believers will be judged to show that they had the opportunity to accept Christ, but they chose to deny Him. (Matthew 10:33, 1 Peter 4:6 and Revelation 20:12-13)  Believers need to be careful and prayerful, loving and forgiving.  We need to use the talents, gifts, and abilities which we have been blessed with to help others, (Proverbs 11:25) and to show the world that we are faithful stewards of the grace of God. (Matthew 5:16) 

 

BE HUMBLE AND GOD WILL EXALT YOU

PROCLAMATION

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”  1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the Apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  Peter began this fifth and final chapter of his first letter by telling the elders of the church to be good shepherds of God’s flock. (1 Peter 5:1-4)  Then he tells the people to submit to the elders and to be humble because God shows favor to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5-6)  He reminds them that they have been called by God.  He said that they may suffer for a little while but that God Himself would restore them and strengthen them. (1 Peter 5:10)  To God be the glory forever. (1 Peter 5:11)  He ends by saying: “Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus.” (1 Peter 5:14)

 

APPLICATION                                                                                                                   

Some of us have too high of an opinion of ourselves.  It is hard for a proud person to humble themselves and grow in grace.  When we think too highly of ourselves, we tend to lose our focus on The Lord God who is above all of us. (Romans 12:3)  We need to learn to humble ourselves before God has to humble us, as He did to the apostle Paul with that “thorn” in his flesh. (2 Corinthians 12:7)  Self pride or vanity is not a good thing. (Job 35:13, Psalm 4:2, Psalm 94:11, Ecclesiastes 6:4, Ezekiel 13:8, and Ephesians 4:17)  God does not look kindly on the proud. (James 4:6 and 2 Peter 5:5)  Be humble.  Whoever shall humble himself, God will exalt in due time. (Matthew 23:12, Luke 14:11, and 1 Peter 5:6)

 

REPAY EVIL WITH A BLESSING

PROCLAMATION

“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous; Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; But contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”  1 Peter 3:8-9 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the Apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  Peter began this third chapter with instructions on how husbands and wives should treat one another. (1 Peter 3:1-7)  Then he tells them not to repay evil with evil, but to repay evil with a blessing because that is how they will inherit a blessing for themselves. (1 Peter 3:8-9)  He goes on to quote King David from Psalm 34 (Psalm 34:12-16) telling them to avoid evil speech, to do that which is good, and to seek peace because the eyes of The Lord God are upon them. (1 Peter 3:10-12)  He ends the chapter by telling them to do what is good and to revere the name of The Lord.  For if they suffer for doing that which is right and good, they will be blessed. (1 Peter 3:13-17)  He reminds them that Christ suffered. (1 Peter 3:18-22)

 

APPLICATION

Once again, we are told in The Word of God that as believers, we are not to repay evil for evil. (Romans 12:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, and 1 Peter 3:9)  The Lord God has said that vengeance belongs to Him and He will repay those who do us wrong. (Romans 12:19)  We are to repay evil that is done to us with a blessing. (1 Peter 3:9)  We are to always exercise good Christian conversation and behavior, regardless of that which is shown to us.  If we really want to live life to the fullest and enjoy it, then we need to live in such a way as to do no harm to others but to do them good. (1 Peter 3:10-11)  Know that the eyes of The Lord God are always watching us. (Psalm 34:15 and 1 Peter 3:12)  It is to Him that we must give an account for our thoughts, words, and deeds. (Proverbs 23:7, Matthew 5:28, Matthew 12:36, and Revelation 20:12)

 

 

WE ARE A CHOSEN PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“But ye are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”  1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the Apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  Peter began this second chapter by telling them to rid themselves of all malice and evil traits, and to crave The Word of God like newborn babies crave milk. (1 Peter 2:1-3)  Then he told them that they were a special people, like living stones built into a spiritual house similar to Christ who is the spiritual cornerstone. (1 Peter 2:4-7)  He told them that they were also special because they were chosen by God to be His special possession.  They were part of a royal priesthood, a holy nation, called by God. (1 Peter 2:9)  Then Peter urged them to abstain from sinful desires and to live good lives among the pagans of the world. (1 Peter 2:11-12)  He told them to obey the law of the land, as long as it did not conflict with the law of God. (1 Peter 2:13-17)  He ended by reminding them of the things that Christ went through and suffered before he bore all of their sins on the cross. (1 Peter 2:21-25)

 

APPLICATION

It is sometimes hard to see ourselves as a special people when we are suffering and going through the midst of a storm, but we are the elect people of God, chosen from before the beginning of time.  We have a special calling on our lives because we are His people.  In this chapter we are reminded to crave The Word of God and to abstain from sinful worldly desires. (1 Peter 2:9-11)  We are to live Christ-like lives as we walk among the lost in this sin-sick world.  We are the light of the world, (Matthew 5:14) a beacon light to lead the lost to Christ.  All of us may not be called to be preachers, but we are all called to live in such a way that others can see Christ within us.  We are a purchased people; Christ paid it all for us.  We ought to be grateful to Him and it ought to show in our behavior.

 

OUR GOD IS HOLY AND IS WITHIN US THEREFORE WE SHOULD BE HOLY

PROCLAMATION

“But as He which called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written: ‘Be ye holy; for I am holy.’ ”  1 Peter 1:15-16 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the Apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  After introducing himself and greeting them, Peter offered praise to God for giving them a new living hope through the resurrection of Jesus, The Christ. (1 Peter 1:3-5)  He told them that they may suffer for a little while, but their joy was coming. (1 Peter 1:6-7)  Then he told them to be holy and keep their minds on things which are good.  He also told them to keep their hope in Christ Jesus. (1 Peter 1:13-14)  He told them, as it is written in The Old Testament, that God is holy so they should be holy. (Leviticus 11:44 and 1 Peter 1:16)  He told them to live out their time on the earth as foreigners in reverent fear of God because they were not of this world and their Father was in heaven. (1 Peter 1:17)  Then Peter reminded them of all that Christ had done for them. (1 Peter 1:18-21)  He told them that they were to love one another because they had been born again. (1 Peter 122-23)  He then again quoted the Scriptures said that people are like grass and their glory is like flowers.  The grass withers and the flowers fall, but The Word of The Lord endures forever. (Isaiah 40:6-8 and 1 Peter 1:24-25)

 

APPLICATION

Peter quoted from The Old Testament Scriptures when he told them, and believers today, to “be holy” because our God is holy. (Leviticus 11:44, 11:45, 19:2, 20:7, and 20:26)  Today we need to be mindful of, and careful with our thoughts, our words, and our actions.  We should keep our minds on things which are holy, good, and Christ-like, and not on the evil desires that we had before we were saved. (1 Peter 1:13-14)  If we think right, there is a good chance that we will talk right and act right.  We need to be holy because God is within us and He is holy.  We ought to exhibit Christ-like behavior in both good and bad times.  Weeping may endure for a night, but joy is coming in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)  We may be going through stormy times now, but we need to keep the faith because our day of rejoicing is coming. (1 Peter 1:6 and Revelation 21:4)

 

THE PRAYERS OF THE RIGHTEOUS ARE POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE

PROCLAMATION

“Is any among you afflicted?  Let them pray … Is any sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him … the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and The Lord shall raise him up; And if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. … pray one for another, that ye may be healed.  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  James 5:13-16 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by James, the half-brother of Jesus, The Christ, (Galatians 1:19) under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (James 1:1)  James begins the fifth and final chapter of this letter by telling them that the rich people, who lived in luxury, hoarded their wealth, failed to pay their workers, and made innocent people suffer, will themselves suffer. (James 5:1-6)  Then he urges the believers to be patient.  They that persevered in the face of suffering will be blessed. (James 5:10-12)  He encourages them to pray for themselves and to ask the elders of the church to pray for them.  The prayers of the righteous are powerful and very effective. (James 5:13-16)  If a believer falls into sin and backslides, whoever turns him from the error of his ways will save a soul and cover a multitude of his sins. (James 5:19-20)

 

APPLICATION

As believers we are encouraged to always pray, and to pray about all things. (Matthew 21:22, Luke 18:1, Luke 21:36, and Ephesians 6:18)  We are also encouraged to pray for one another. (James 5:16)  The prayers of the righteous are powerful.  Prayer changes things.  If all is going well with you, then thank God and sing psalms or songs of praise. (James 5:13)  If all is not well, then pray, and ask the righteous to pray for you. (James 5:13-16)  If you see a believer who is engaged in sinful behavior, pray for them, and encourage them to return to the true way. (James 5:19-20)  Remember, none of us is perfect, and we all need prayer and God’s help.

 

SUBMIT TO GOD AND RESIST THE DEVIL

PROCLAMATION

“Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.  Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts … Humble yourselves in the sight of The Lord, and He shall lift you up.”  James 4:7-10 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by James, the half-brother of Jesus, The Christ, (Galatians 1:19) under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (James 1:1)  He wrote this letter to provide them with practical advice on Christian living.  He begins this fourth chapter by telling them that they desire things which are for their pleasure.  They pray and ask for the wrong things and that is why their prayers are not answered. (James 4:1-3)  He said that they act like worldly people and that those who like the world are enemies of God. (James 4:4)  He tells them that they need to submit themselves to The Lord God and resist the devil.  They need to draw near to God, to cleanse their sinful hands, and purify their doubleminded hearts.  If they humble themselves before The Lord, He will lift them up. (James 4:7-10)  James tells them not to speak evil of one another and not to judge one another. (James 4:11-12)  He ends this chapter by telling them that to know what is right and to choose not to do it, is to commit a sin. (James 4:17)

 

APPLICATION

Most believers like this verse because it says that if we resist the devil that he will flee from us.  There are two problems with this; first, we do not have the power to resist the devil on our own.  Second, the devil is not afraid of us and we can’t make him leave us alone.  We missed the first part of this Bible verse which says that we need to submit ourselves to The Lord God.  If we would first submit ourselves to God, then He will give us the power to resist the devil and cause him to flee from us.  We need to keep in mind that we by ourselves are nothing and we are powerless.  It is only by the grace, strength, and help from The Lord God that we are able to accomplish anything.  It is through Him that we live, move, and have our very being. (Acts 17:28)  We need to humble ourselves before God.  We should not even talk about the things that we are going to do, or are planning to do, without acknowledging Him.  We should say that we will do whatever it is, if it is The Lord’s will. (James 4:13-15)  We brag and boast about things that we have done, and such boasting is sinful. (James 4:16)  When we know better, we ought to do better because when we know that which is right and good, and we choose not to do it, that is a sin. (James 4:17)

 

NO ONE CAN TAME THE TONGUE

PROCLAMATION

“Even so the tongue is a little member … it defileth the whole body … every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things of the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind; But the tongue can no man tame; It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”  James 3:5-8 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by James, the half-brother of Jesus, The Christ, (Galatians 1:19) under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the Jewish believers who were scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (James 1:1)  He wrote this general epistle to provide them with practical advice on Christian behavior.  He begins this letter by telling them that most of them should not become teachers because those who teach will be judged more strictly and will be held to a higher standard. (James 3:1)  Then he tells them about the use of bits to control horses and the use of rudders to steer ships.  These are small things relative to what they control. He tells them that the tongue is a small part of the body, but it can do a lot of damage. (James 3:5-6)  He continues by saying that no man can tame the tongue.  They praise God and curse each other with the same tongue, and that should not be so. (James 3:7-10)  He ends this chapter by telling them what wise men should do and should not do.  Wise men will live a good life, speak good conversation, and their good deeds will reflect their wisdom. (James 3:13-18)

 

APPLICATION

Our tongue can get us in a lot of trouble.  Frequently we have said things that we should not have said.  What we say can defile us. (Matthew 15:11)  Sometimes the less we say, the better off we will be. (Matthew 5:37)  We should refrain from profane conversation and vain boasting. (Timothy 2:16)  We will be judged on every word that we speak and by our words we will be justified or condemned. (Matthew 12:36-37)  We need to pray for God’s help to teach us to hold our tongue and be quiet. (Job 6:24)  We should pray that our words will be “seasoned with salt” and helpful to those that hear us. (Colossians 4:6)  We should also pray that God will create within us a clean heart, because that which comes out of our mouth reflects that which is in our heart. (Matthew 12:34)  Good clean Christian conversation requires the help of The Lord.  Our behavior and our conversation should exhibit the fruit of The Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23)

 

FAITH IN GOD MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY ACTION

PROCLAMATION

“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works?  Can faith save him?  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, ‘Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;’ notwithstanding ye give them not those thing which are needful for the body; what doth it profit?  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”  James 2:14-17 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by James, the half-brother of Jesus, The Christ, (Galatians 1:19) under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the Jewish believers who were scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (James 1:1)  He wrote to them to encourage them to keep the faith in the face of all types of trials. (James 1:2-4)  He began this second chapter by telling them that The Lord God does not show favoritism. (James 2:1-4)  Then he told that God has chosen the poor who love Him to inherit the kingdom of heaven. (James 2:5-7)  James says that if they keep all of God’s commandments but breaks just one of them, then they are guilty of breaking all of them. (James 2:10)  He told them to speak and act as if they were going to be judged on everything, for no mercy will be shown to those who were not merciful to others. (James 2:13)  He also told them that faith without works is dead and useless. (James 2:14-17)  He said that a person is considered righteous by what he does and not by his faith alone. (James 2:24)  James ends the chapter by telling them, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (James 2:26)

 

APPLICATION

It is not enough for us to believe that there is a God.  It is good to believe in God, but if you believe in Him and do not follow Him, obey His Word, and live by His teaching, then your belief has accomplished nothing.  The devil and his demons know and believe that there is a God, but they don’t follow Him. (James 2:19)  We must exercise our faith and put it to work.  It is by our deeds that we will be blessed. (James 1:25)  If all we do is say that we believe in Christ, but our actions do not go along with our words, then our words are not true.  If we profess to believe in Christ but continue to live in sin as we did before our profession without changing our lives, then our professed belief is basically counterfeit.  We are not saved by our works, (Ephesians 2:9-10) but our works demonstrate our salvation.  The indwelling of The Holy Spirit of God is evidenced by the fruit of The Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23)  Consider this, if someone says that they love you but never does anything to demonstrate or show that they love you, how real is that love to you?  Our actions speak louder than our words.

 

BE DOERS OF THE WORD AND NOT JUST HEARERS

PROCLAMATION

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness … and receive with meekness … The Word, … But be ye doers of The Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”  James 1:19-22 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by James, the half-brother of Jesus, The Christ, (Galatians 1:19) under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the converted Jewish believers of the early church who were scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (James 1:1) He wrote this letter to encourage them to keep the faith in the face of all types of trials. (James 1:2-4)  He told them to pray, and to believe and not doubt that their prayers would be answered. (James 1:6-8)  He also told them that blessed is the man who perseveres under trials for he will be rewarded. (James 1:12)  James ends this first chapter by urging them to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.  Then he tells them that they should not be just hearers of The Word of God, but they should also be doers of The Word. (James 1:19-22)  Doers will be blessed for that which they do. (James 1:25)  He also says that they should keep themselves from becoming polluted by the world around them. (James 1:27)

 

APPLICATION

Unfortunately, most of the people in the world today do not read The Bible.  They watch and “read” the people of God.  Therefore, James encouraged all believers to be living examples of The Word of God.  The Apostle Paul expressed the same thought in his letter to the believers in Corinth. (2 Corinthians 3:2-3)  We need to understand that our actions will speak louder to people than our words. Therefore we cannot just read and talk about The Word of God, we have to also live it.  We have to “walk the walk” and walk God’s way.  It is the behavior of believers that will have the most profound effect on the world that we live in.  It is for the Christ-like behavior of believers that we will receive special blessings. (James 1:25)

 

BE KIND TO STRANGERS

PROCLAMATION

“Let brotherly love continue.  Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”  Hebrews 13:1-2 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by an unknown human author under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God to the Hebrew believers and indirectly to all believers.  In this final chapter of The Bible Book of Hebrews, the author begins by telling them to love one another as brothers and sisters.  In chapter eleven he dealt with faith, in chapter twelve he dealt with hope, and here in chapter thirteen he deals with love.  He reminds them to be kind to strangers who unbeknownst to them may be angels. (Hebrews 13:2)  He told them to be kind to those who are incarcerated and those who have been mistreated. (Hebrews 13:3)  He also told them to honor marriage and that God would deal with those who commit adultery and the sexually immoral. (Hebrews 13:4)  Then he told them not to be in love with money and that they should be content with what they have. (Hebrews 13:5)  He reminded them that The Lord God said that He would never leave them or forsake them.  After that he goes on to tell them to remember, honor and pray for the man who taught them The Word of God. (Hebrews 13:7-18)  He ends the chapter with a thoughtful benediction, (Hebrews 13:20-21) a word of encouragement, (Hebrews 13:22) and the wishes them well.

 

APPLICATION

It is easy to love our family members and friends, even though at times they make it difficult for us.  It is much more challenging for us to love all of our church members and all who claim to be Christian.  However, it requires a very special effort to be kind to and to love complete strangers.  The author offers some practical examples for Christian living and behavior.  To do this we will need help from God. (Hebrews 13:3-6)  We need to pray for our leaders, teachers, preachers, and our pastors (Hebrews 13:7 and 13:17-18) as well as for each other.  We should be careful not to be caught up in strange, non-Biblical teachings. (Hebrews 13:9)  We should compare what we are taught and told with what The Bible says.  The Holy Word of God is our guide as we travel on our Christian journey through this sin-sick world.  We are to love one another as Christ loves us. (John 13:34-35)  Christ said that as we have done things for the less fortunate people, we have done it to Him. (Matthew 25:35-40)

 

 

WE SHOULD LIVE AS HOLY AS WE CAN

PROCLAMATION

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see The Lord.”  Hebrews 12:14 (KJV)

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see The Lord.”  Hebrews 12:14 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by an unknown human author under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God to the Hebrew believers and indirectly to all believers.  In this twelfth chapter, the author begins by telling them to throw off sin and everything which hinders them as the run their Christian race and to focus on Christ. (Hebrews 12:1-2)  Then he tells them that in their struggle against sin that they have not yet experienced the worst of things. (Hebrews 12:4)  He reminds them, as he quotes Proverbs 3:11-12, that no matter what they are going through or what is to come, that God disciplines His children because He disciplines those that He loves. (Hebrews 12:5-6)  The author then goes on to encourage them to live as holy as they can. (Hebrews 12:14)  Then he tells them of the mountain of fear, Mount Sinai (Hebrews 12:18-21), and the mountain of joy, Mount Zion. (Hebrews 12:22-24)  He ends the chapter by warning them not to refuse to listen to God, or refuse to obey Him. (Hebrews 12:25-29)

 

APPLICATION

Some people will not let you live in peace with them because they are not at peace with themselves.  It is better for us to avoid those people. (Proverbs 21:9 and 21:19)  While none of us is perfect, we should strive to be as Christ-like and as holy as we can.  We should all strive to be holy because The Christ which is within us is holy. (1 Peter 1:16)  We should treat people as we would like to be treated (Matthew 7:12) and not as they treat us. (Romans 12:17)  When we know better, we should do better. (2 Peter 2:21)  Striving for peaceful living is a good thing, however striving to live holy is even better and much more important.  For without holiness no man shall see The Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)