Archive for 14/07/2009

Playing at Being God

14/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Playing God in the Lives of Others  

James 4:11-12Brothers, 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. 12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you–who are you to judge your neighbor?

 

Problem: It’s a Fun Game  

It’s fun because it makes us feel like we are in control. We control others in the way they think and act. We tell them what they ought to do, or not do. 

One of the most dangerous ways we play God in the lives of others is by judging others.The biggest way we do this is by gossiping. 

“Gossip is so tasty; we love to swallow it!” Prov. 18:8  

Why do we gossip?How does it make you feel afterwards?Why is gossip judgmental?  

3 Reasons NOT to Play this Game…  

#1 It’s UnChristian (v. 11a)  

“Brothers do not slander each other.” Slandering is talking about someone in a

way that will ruin their reputation, or make them look bad in the eyes of others.

In one sense it’s a command and in another sense it’s a statement.

I.E. Don’t do this.

I.E. Here’s what brother’s don’t do to each other.How did Jesus say all men would know we are his disciples? (By our love.)How does slandering go directly against Jesus’ words?

I can remember a time when fellow Christians slandered me. I can tell you now it

was not very nice.

 

#2 It’s Unloving (v. 11b)  

What are the “greatest commands”?How does slander break these commands?

Often we think that gossip just breaks the command to love our neighbor, but it

also breaks the command to love God.

 

#3 It’s Unjustifiable (v. 12)  

There is no time when we judge another and can claim we are helping them.

 

James points out that there is ONE Lawgiver and Judge. When we begin judging

others we assume His role. We play God. 

Here are some passages to think about along these lines… 

Matthew 7:1-2

1“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

My friend Dr Bob Nicholls calls it the ‘law of the boomerang’ It comes right back and hits you right in the face.

 

Would you like to be judge by the same standard you use against others? 

Romans 14:12-13 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.  

 James 2:12-13Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! What a great statement! 

We are called to deliver mercy, not judgment. If we want to receive mercy, we’ve

got to extend mercy. 

Playing God in Our Own Lives  

James 4:13-17Now 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.” 14Why, 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. 15Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.  

 

The Problem: It’s a Prideful Game!  

Playing God in our own lives proves that we think we are in control.How often do you make decisions without asking God? 

3 Mistakes to Avoid  

Mistake #1 Planning without God (v. 13) 

The verse lays out a good business plan…          a) A time. “Today or tomorrow.”           b) A place. “such and such a city.”           c) A deadline. “spend a year there.”           d) An outcome. “make money.”Is there anything “wrong” in those steps in and of themselves?

What’s missing?

 Would it be alright to follow the same plan with God in the middle of all of it? 

Solution: Include God in Your Plans (v. 15) 

Many people use the words, “Lord willing” as a statement connected to what

they’re doing. “Lord willing we’ll get together tonight.” While the phrase might

be used with light meaning by some, the statement has a lot of truth in it.

 

In the first century Christians would sign their letters then initial it D.V. Those

are the Latin letters for “Lord willing.”How can we include God in our plans?When have you included Him and things turned out much better than expected?  

Mistake #2 Presuming about tomorrow (v. 14) 

The truth is this: we are not guaranteed tomorrow. There is no way of knowing if

we will be breathing in the morning.

In what ways do we live as if we will live forever on this earth?

What are some of the foolish risks we take? What are some of the foolish plans

we make?

 

James writes that our lives are like the mist. What are some other ways the

Bible describes our lives?  (A leaf, grass, smoke, clouds, etc)

 

Does this verse mean it’s wrong to makes plans for tomorrow? Didn’t Jesus say

that no one builds a house without planning out the cost?  

Solution: Live one day at a time.  

“So don’t be anxious about tomorrow…God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.” (Matthew 6:34, LB) 

How can you stay focused on living one day at a time?How can you make future plans and still keep the one day at a time mindset? 

Mistake #3 Putting Off Doing Good (v. 17)  

When we know what we should do and don’t do it, it’s sin.

Haven’t we always focused on what we shouldn’t do? We know it’s wrong to lie,

or gossip, but we’ve neglected the other side of the picture.What are some things you know God wants you to do? (Make a huge list)

When you don’t do those can it really be as “big” a sin as the things we’re not

supposed to do? 

Solution: Do It Now!  

Prov. 3 27-28Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow”- when you now have it with you.

Don’t wait to do good. Do it immediately.

What are some good things you can do for your parents this week? For your

friends? What prevents us from doing good immediately?

Try this today do 5 goods things for someone without them

knowing it was you. If they find out you did good for them it does not count.

Have a great day!

John

 

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How to Win the Battle

14/07/2009 by John Marsden.

#1 Recognize the Battle Ground  James 4:1-31What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.  

Where does the battle develop… “They come from the selfish desires that war within you.” 

This selfishness comes because…   We want things we can’t get.We covet (desire what others have that we don’t)We don’t ask God for these things.When we do ask God we ask with the wrong motives. Most of our spiritual battles develop out of our selfish desire to gain what we don’t have without being satisfied with what we do have. 

When you don’t get what you really want, how does it make you feel? What’s the difference between a need and a want? How often do our prayers center around needs, and how often around wants?  Ultimately the battleground is… THE MIND  

We become what we think about. The more we think about something, the more we want it.

Romans 12:2 tells us that you can “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” We have to change the way we think in order to win the war within. 

2 Corinthians 10:5 says that we need to “take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.” How can we renew our minds? What does it take?How can you take every thought captive?What are some ways we leave our minds open for ungodly influences? 

#2 Draw Firm Battle Lines James 4:4-64You 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. 5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? 6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 

For years people have asked, “How far is too far?” That’s a question about battle lines. James says the battle line is this… 

“Friendship with the world is hatred toward God.” Being a friend to the world means you hate God? I Know that seems strong!   God has called us into a relationship with his Son Jesus. The picture is compared to marriage. Once we are married to Christ (at salvation) we are to remain faithful to him alone. When we do anything other than what he asks, we are cheating on God. Becoming friendly with the world means we’ve traded relationships. That’s why God is called jealous.  

If you saw your boyfriend or girlfriend kissing someone else, how would you feel?

What would you do?How do you think God feels when he sees us cheating on him?What are some of the ways you’ve traded him for the world? 

#3 Have a Decisive Battle Plan 

James 4:7-107Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.  No government goes into battle without a plan, yet Christians often do.  We walk into each day rarely prepared and often blindsided by the things the world delivers. 

What have you been caught off guard by recently?What did you learn from the battle? Here are six elements of our battle plan that James offers… 

1) Submit to Our Commander.

Our battle plan begins by knowing and understanding who is in control. If we try to place ourselves as the commander then defeat is unavoidable.

  

2) Resist the Enemy

Resist means to put up a barrier against. It’s exactly the opposite of surrender.

What is the best way you have found to resist Satan?  

3) Keep Supply Lines Open

When we draw near to God he draws near to us. The closer we are to him the more we will remain spiritually nourished. Ask yourself these questions;

  • Why does God wait for us to draw near to him first?

  • What have you found creates distance between you and God?

  • What keeps the spiritual supply lines open in your life?

4) Clean Your Heart and Mind

God requires purity as part of our relationship with him. He also mentions the double-minded in this text. In chapter one the double-minded man is told he should not expect to receive anything from God. In chapter three he talked about the duel purpose of the tongue as used by some. God is serious about single focused dedication from a pure servant.

  

5) Get Serious, Really Serious

Not only is God serious about our relationship; he expects us to be just as serious about it.

He says, Grieve, mourn and wail.” Why would God ask us to do that? 

6) Humble Yourself

God’s promise is to lift us up when we’re humble. Oddly that is the very thing the chapter began with, but from an unspiritual angle.

The wrong way—lift ourselves up through our selfishness. The right way—be humble and let God lift us up.

Jesus humbled himself to the point of death on the cross. God then exalted him and gave him a name above every name.

What is the connection between the amount of humility and the amount of exalting?

Lots of food for thought. Have a great day, especially my friend Martin who is the only one who ever leaves a comment.

John

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