A Life that Honours God

22/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Colossians 1:9-14

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

  

Paul obviously viewed the Christian life as being consumed by Jesus, focused on Him and taken over by His will and desires. 

All of life is meant to be lived out of a relationship with Jesus, not just one day a week or a few days a year.  Everything we do is meant to be directed by Him. 

When you live your life focused on Jesus like that, everything else falls into place.  That’s why it’s critical to start here. 

If you miss this step, none of the other steps will work right. 

Living a life focused on Jesus means that you’ll honor God, produce good fruit, grow, and never give up. I will speak more about this tomorrow.

Have a great day 

John

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Parable The Persistent Widow

21/07/2009 by John Marsden.

The Persistent Widow

Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 

 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ ”  And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

 

• The point of this parable is stated clearly in the first sentence: we should pray always and not give up praying.
• In this parable there is a woman who is seeking justice from someone who is treating her wrongly, and she goes to the only person who can help her—a judge.
• Jesus promises that God will hear and answer us as we persistent in faithful prayer, we just need to stay faithful in prayer.

 

An Unconcerned Judge

In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.

 

·         The judge in this story was not so good as a judge, as he did not care about anyone but himself. While a judge is supposed to uphold what is right and just, this judge cared nothing for those things.

·         Regardless of his character, this judge had a position of authority and had the power to grant justice, so the widow sought justice from him.

 

An Unwavering Widow

 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him…

·         Although the judge was unconcerned and indifferent to her problem, the widow was undeterred in her cause. She had nowhere else to turn but this judge, so she came to him continually, reminding him of her need.·         Though the judge obviously did not care for her or justice, the widow did not criticize him or take matters into her own hands. She respected the authority that had been given him and continued to make her plea.
 

THE REALITY 

A God Who Hears

I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.

• Unlike the unjust judge who did not care to make things right or to have mercy on a poor widow, our God cares very much for His children and is a totally just God who will make all things right.
• Our God hears the prayers of his children and is moved by their need for Him and their dependence upon Him to make things right in their lives.
• If an unjust judge who cares nothing for people or justice and only about himself will give an answer to a woman simply because she keeps asking him, how much more do you think a God who hears and cares will answer His own children who call out to Him for their needs?

 

A People Who Pray 

…his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night…

·         The children of God must learn this lesson from the widow in this parable: we must be persistent in our praying and in our seeking of God. If we do not get an answer the first or second time, we must be willing to keep praying in faith, knowing that our God hears and answers.

·         Prayers in not just asking God for whatever we want and then leaving it at that, it is seeking God’s face in faith, seeking intimacy with Him above all else, demonstrating our utter dependence on Him for all our needs, and claiming the promises in His word for our lives and the lives of others.

WHEN JESUS RETURNS

 

Will We Be Praying?

…they should always pray and not give up.

• God’s children are to be children of prayer. Not just ones who go to Him whenever they want something, but who live lives fully surrendered to Him, seeking His face and His kingdom above all else in the quiet place of prayer.
• Without prayer, we are basically saying we can handle everything on our own and that we don’t need God’s help. Prayer demonstrates our faith in His provision and justice.
• Praying with persistence is not simply praying vain repetitions; it is coming before God with urgency and fervency, reminding Him of our need for Him to act. There are many forces at work against us—demons, our flesh, worldliness—so we must persist in spite of these things until we come to that breakthrough in prayer where we receive the peace of God that surpasses all comprehension.

 

Will We Be Faithful?

…will he find faith on the earth?

·         Why does Jesus end this parable with such a question? “Will he find faith…?” In this parable Jesus has promised that God hears the cries of His children and will swiftly bring justice to them as they pray to Him. However, it is conditional—we must first pray to Him with faith and desire and enthusiasm, and continue to pray until we receive our answer.

·         Many people will pray once, or maybe twice, for something and then say, “See, God doesn’t hear my prayers or care about me” when they do not receive an answer right away.

·         Faith is trusting God completely, knowing that He is the One with absolute power and authority to change things and make them right for us. We must be like the widow who had faith enough in the position of the judge to keep asking him for justice, except we can have faith in God’s authority and His mercy. Let us not give up hope.

 

Matthew 7:7-8

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 

·         Jesus promised that if we ask for anything and seek God for it and knock at His door to get it, we would surely get it. So, if we do not see the answer to our prayers right away, we continue to ask, seek, and knock until we do, knowing that
God will bring the answer.·         Prayer demonstrates our faith God rather than dependence upon our selves or others or material possessions. Answered prayer builds our faith.·         If we start to place faith in other things or people, then we will lose faith in God and stop believing that He is the One who hears and answers.Have a great day

John

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Parable The Prodigal Son

20/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Luke 15:11-32

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

• Here are some obvious observations from this story: the younger son wanted to do his own thing and follow his own path, but he didn’t like where it led him; the father is loving and merciful; it is good to be with the father.

THE YOUNGER SON 

He Strays Away

Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country…

 

·         We can read this parable as an illustration of God’s love for those who do not know Him and His excitement when they come into His kingdom. These are people who have never surrendered their lives to God, but who have spent their lives doing their own thing.

·         We can also read this story and view the younger son as representing children of God—sons and daughters of the Father—who have strayed away from God’s will for their lives, and how delighted God is when they turn their hearts back to Him.

He Becomes Worldly

 …and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

 

·         Whether an outsider to God’s kingdom or a backslidden believer, the younger son has made friendship with the world, which the Bible calls enmity with God.·         Not only did the son spend all his earthly wealth unwisely, he spent it all on his own pleasures.·         He does not walk in his father’s ways; instead he has shamed his father’s name by valuing worldly things more than honoring his father and being wise. 

He is Humbled

The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

 

·         After the son had spent all of his wealth unwisely, he had nothing left. Earthly treasures run out, and if we have placed our trust in them, we will be left with nothing, just as the younger son was.·         He realized that he had acted wrongly, felt genuinely sorry for it, and went back to his father—a humbled man—to beg for forgiveness, knowing that he did not deserve it.·         Christians who have strayed from God’s will can repent and run back to God, even if they have wasted their time and lives on worldly living. If we are genuinely sorry for living for ourselves and not for God, and if we desire to start living for Him again, we can go back to Him and seek forgiveness.

THE OLDER SON 

He Remains Faithful

But he answered his father, “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.”

 

• The older son represents people who have been following God faithfully, never straying from God’s will or living for themselves.
• Just as the father loved the older son in this story and saw his faithfulness, our God loves those of us who serve Him faithfully and sees all that we do.

He is Judgmental      

The older brother became angry and refused to go in.

 

·         In another parable, Jesus spoke of a shepherd who left 99 of his sheep to go find just one who had strayed away. He said that God is the same, and He is more excited over one person who repents and turns back to God than He is over the 99 who were faithful.

·         Just as the father in this story was so delighted over the younger son’s repentant heart, God is so excited when a person gives his life to Him for the first time or when one of His children leave a life of rebellion to start following Him again.

·         This is God’s heart, and those who have been faithful to serve God without wavering must learn to rejoice with God over those who come to Him, rather than to judge them or become angry at God’s generosity.

A LOVING FATHER

He is Not Controlling

So he divided his property between them.

 

• When the younger son requested his inheritance money from his father, the father gave him what was rightly his. The father also did not restrain the younger son from running off to do bad things with the money he had saved up for him.
• Do you think the father was grieved and sad for his son’s foolishness? Most likely he was, but he knew he could not control his son’s heart.
• In the same way, God our Father has given us free will, so that we can choose to love Him freely and not under compulsion.

He is Compassionate

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

 

·         The father ran to his son when he saw him coming back for him; he loved his son and was happy that he had return to him.

·         Notice that he was filled with compassion for his son, not anger or hatred or a judgmental attitude. He knew what his son had been doing, and he had compassion because he knew what sort of destruction his son’s foolish living had probably caused.

He is Forgiving

But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.”

 

·         Not only did the father feel compassion for his son, he also fully forgave his son. He did more than just make his son like one of his servants, more than just allow him to stay at home out of fatherly duty, and more than simply restore him to his original place as his son.

·         He went beyond that and celebrated his son’s return by throwing a party and covering up all his shame with a robe, ring, and sandals.

·         Forgiving means to clean the slate, basically. The father loved his younger son as if the son had never hurt him or strayed from him.

He Delights in His Children

“My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

 

·         The father did not love one of his sons more than the other—not the older one for staying faithful, nor the younger one for returning home. He loved them both and delighted in them both.

·         He tells the older son, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.” He never stopped loving the oldest. And the younger son he celebrated because he had been found.

·         Our Father delights in all of His children, and we cannot say that He loves one person more simply because that he has more stuff or more recognition.

How wonderful is the compassion and forgiveness of our heavenly Father. Have a great day walking in the Fathers love.

 John

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Parable The Good Samaritan

18/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Luke 10:29-37

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

• Three groups of people are represented in this parable: those in need of mercy and compassion, those who withhold compassion, and those who demonstrate mercy and compassion.
• We will look into why it is such an important part of our faith to put our love into action by caring for those most in need.

A MAN IN NEED 

He is Hurt

They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

 

·         Now, it is not everyday that we see a man on the side of the street who has been beaten, mugged, and left for dead, but hurting people come in all sorts of manners.

·         People have many kinds of needs: emotional, social, spiritual, physical, etc. Sometimes people’s needs are not as obvious as the man’s in this parable, but as we keep ourselves in tune with God’s Holy Spirit, then we will have wisdom, insight, and discernment to know what those around us need.

He Has Nothing to Offer

… he fell into the hands of robbers.

 

·         The world is full of hurting people, all of whom have had something taken from them, just as the man in this story had all of his clothing and goods stolen from him. The devil has come to kill, steal, and destroy, but Jesus came to bring life abundantly.·         As we recognize how much people have had stolen from them by the devil, we can learn to have compassion on even the hardest of people. We do not need to condone any sin that they are in, but simply love them even when they have nothing to offer.·         The Bible says that God loved us even when we did not know Him; we could only love because He first loved us. We had nothing to offer God, yet He still showed us mercy and compassion.

·         In the same way, we are to love and give mercy to those who have nothing to give back.

IGNORED BY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE 

The Priest

A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.

 

• The priests in Jesus’ day were among the most highly honoured and respected people in Jewish society. They were the ones who prepared the sacrifices and ministered before the Lord. They had descended from Aaron, the first high priest among the Israelites.
• In Jesus’ day the priests prided themselves on being separate from the world, touching no unclean thing, and not defiling themselves in any way—at least externally.
• But Jesus called many of the priests and religious people of His day, whitewashed tombs, people who appeared clean on the outside but were full of all kinds of impurity and death on the inside.
• The priest in this story distanced himself from the one in need because he did not want to “defile” himself in any way by touching one who was bleeding and naked and poor. He maintained an external appearance of being clean, but had a heart full of pride and lacking in love.

The Levite     

So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

 

·         Levites were also those who ministered in the temple. They were set apart by God to work in the temple, though all of them were not priests, only those descended from Aaron.

·         Levites were also honoured and respected because of their work for the Lord, but Jesus was showing how simply doing work for God meant nothing unless one had love for their neighbors.

·         God spoke to the prophet Hosea, saying He desired mercy and not sacrifice. God would rather have us show mercy and love to our neighbors in need than fill up our time with church activity and church programs. He would rather us be a nobody who loves others as himself than be a famous minister who is full of sin on the inside.

·         God looks at our hearts, and we also must learn to not judge by external appearances.

 

THE SAMARITAN NEIGHBOUR

He Took Pity

… when he saw him, he took pity on him.

 

• Samaritans were a people group despised by the Jews. They were considered half-breeds—part Jewish and part heathen—who were unfit and unclean and unable to worship the one true God.
• Although this Samaritan man knew the Jewish man who was robbed and injured would probably not even speak to him if he were in his right mind, he took compassion and loved the one who would hate him under normal circumstances.
• The Samaritan man valued love above his own personal feelings and business; he not only pitied him, he demonstrated his love in action.

He Took Care of Him

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.

 

·         The Samaritan man used his own oil and wine to care for the one who was hurt, let him ride his own donkey, and paid for him with his own money to stay at an inn until he recovered.

·         Not only did he just address the hurting man’s immediate needs, he also followed through to make sure he would fully recover and be made well again. He sacrificed his own time and money and comfort for this man, not expecting anything in return.

·         One thing to notice is that the Samaritan man did not even know the man who had been beaten and robbed, yet he treated him as his friend and neighbor. Jesus was illustrating the idea that we are to love everyone: enemies, friends, strangers, etc.

WALK IN MERCY

Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?

To Act Justly

To act justly…

 

• The first good thing God requires of us is to act justly. Being just means showing no partiality, acting in righteousness, and hating every form of evil in our hearts.
• The religious guys did not act justly; they showed partiality by not caring for a poor, hurting man who could not repay them for taking care of him. They cared more for external appearances than for doing what was right in God’s eyes.

To Love Mercy

…and to love mercy…

 

·         Mercy is extending favor, grace, and love to those who do not deserve it and who can give nothing in return.

·         We must love mercy, meaning we enjoy and delight to show mercy to other people, including our enemies, those we fear, and those we don’t really like.

·         The Samaritan neighbor in this parable seemed pleased to extend mercy to his Jewish neighbor, and did not withhold his own possessions and time from the one who needed them.

To Walk Humbly

…and to walk humbly with your God.

 

·         To walk in mercy, grace, kindness, and love, we must walk with God. We must know God intimately to understand His ways, and to do this we must spend plenty of time in His presence.

·         As we walk with God, we also need to learn humility, honoring others above our own selves and considering others’ needs before our own.

·         When we are humble, we keep ourselves from becoming prideful, arrogant, judgmental, hypocritical, competitive, and selfishly ambitious.

 

Have a great day.

 

John

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Parable The Sower

17/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Luke 8:5-15

“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

When he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see;  though hearing, they may not understand.

“ This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

 

• This parable says that seeds sown in the ground represent the word of God. Some of these seeds are quickly stolen, some die in the heat, some are overtaken by weeds, and some take root and grow into a bountiful crop.
• We will look at what each of these types of ground represents and how we can be the good soil that receives the word of God and produces fruit so that we can be profitable in the kingdom of God.

ALONG THE PATH 

Trampled On

… it was trampled on…

·         The first type of ground mentioned in this parable was that which is along the path, the ground on which people walk and travel. Seeds sown along the path will not grow because they are exposed to the elements—birds could eat the seeds or the feet of those traveling along might trample upon them.

·         In the same way, some people’s hearts are like the ground along the path. Their heart is exposed to all the harsh elements of the world and all the deception of the devil with no understanding or knowledge of God or any type of discernment.

·         When such an exposed heart hears the word of God, the seed of the word has no opportunity to take root, because something comes along and quickly squashes all hope and all truth. It may be pride or rebellion or some other sin within the person that hardens them, preventing them from hearing the truth that could set them free. In any case, such a person will not become fruitful for God and His kingdom.

 

Taken Away

… the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

·         Another danger of being one “along the path” is that the devil will quickly come and deceive you, preventing you from believing the truth and being saved.·         Satan can snatch the word of truth from people by deceiving them into thinking they do not need a Saviour or that they are good enough on their own. He may distract them with temptations and sins so that they quickly forget the word of God that was spoken to them. He could also deceive them into believing the gospel to be a lie, telling them that there are many ways to get to God.·         If you want to witness to people who seem totally hardened towards the truth and completely unreceptive to Jesus, pray for them. Pray that their hearts would be softened and open to the gospel. Pray against sin and rebellion that prevents them from believing the word, and pray against Satan’s deception that blinds their eyes.
ON THE ROCKS 

Quickly Sprout

Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root.

• The second type of ground mentioned in this parable is the rocky ground. Seeds that fall on rocky soil do not grow into great crops or giant trees. Their sprouts can easily be destroyed by wind, heavy rain, the hot sun, or dryness, because their roots do not go very deep.
• In the same way, people whose hearts are like rocky soil may appear to receive the gospel of truth readily and excitedly, but they form no deep roots in God. They are not trees firmly planted by the river of God, or else they would flourish as the Bible promises.
• Why might a person who is like the rocky soil want to quickly respond to the gospel with joy? If the person sharing with them shares only a “prosperity” gospel—like you will be blessed and receive abundance and have favor and be happy all the time—then they will expect Christianity to make their lives easier and more comfortable. They will quickly find out otherwise.

 

Quickly Wither         

They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.

·         A person whose heart is like the rocky soil has a belief that is merely superficial, and as soon as any difficulties or temptations or troubles arise, they will retreat back into their old, worldly ways of thinking and behaving.

·         Have you ever heard the expression, “This is not what I signed up for?” Those who are fair-weather Christians, serving God only when it is convenient, comfortable, or easy, will quickly fall away when their faith is tested.

·         God wants everyone to know Him and love Him, but He wants the faith of His people to be genuine and steadfast. Satan does not play fair; he will tempt us, and our faith in God must be deep and strong in order to resist him.

AMONG THORNS

 

Lost in Distractions

The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures…

• Once a person becomes born again, his life does not immediately become simpler and free of distraction. He will still have the realities of work, school, jobs, family, friends, enemies, and all the various time commitments of life to deal with.
• If we do not make God our first and foremost priority, rooting ourselves firmly in His word and spending time in His presence, the cares, desires, and worries of this life will distract us from Him.
• These distractions are represented in the parable by the thorns that grow up alongside the plants sown by the farmer. We must work to guard our hearts against getting distracted by the pleasures and pains of this life, and we can only do this by spending time with God and in His word.

 

Lacking in Maturity

… and they do not mature.

·         God desires that all His children grown into spiritual maturity. That is why He gave us teachers, pastors, prophets, encouragers, leaders, etc. If we try to do things all on our own without God’s help and the help of those He sends to us, we will find the truth of the gospel choked by all the things of this world, and we will never grow into all that God wants us to be.

·         To glorify God we must be disciples of Jesus and remain in His word so that we can bear fruit, which brings glory to God. If we never grow, we will never bear fruit and we lose out on the opportunity to bring glory to God through our own lives.

ON GOOD SOIL

 

Receive

But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word…

• The final people mentioned in this parable are those who are represented by the good soil. These people hear and receive the word of God and allow the seed of truth to take root in them.
• Jesus says these people have a noble and good heart. Now, the Bible says that there is no one who does good (Romans 3:12); only Jesus can come inside of us and cleanse us and make us good. Those who allow Him in, though, will be made good and noble children of God.

 

Retain

… retain it …

·         We must work hard to retain the word of truth that is presented to us, not only the gospel of salvation, but all the truth contained in the word of God.

·         We hold onto the seed that is planted in us and allow God to nourish us with His presence. We get rooted in the word by reading our Bibles, memorizing its words, and meditating on them.

·         As we do this, the deception of the devil will not steal away the truth from us, we will not be tempted to fall away in the heat of various trials, and we will not get distracted by the cares and desires of this world.

 

Reproduce

… and by persevering produce a crop.

·         As we grow into spiritual maturity, God will cause streams of living water to flow from us and we will be fruitful in His kingdom.

·         As we remain in Jesus, we can ask God for whatever we need and He will give it to us, so that we can bear much fruit and give God glory.

 

Have a great day

 

John

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Parable The Unprofitable Servant

16/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Matthew 25:14-30

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

• While some of the servants were wise with the money given to them for safekeeping, being fruitful and multiplying it, one was foolish and did not use his money to profit his master, instead taking no risks by hiding it where no one could see.

ENTRUSTED WITH HIS PROPERTY 

To Each is Given Authority

Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.

·         Before Jesus ascended into heaven he said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

·         He gave His authority and power to His followers so that we could do what He did: make disciples for the kingdom of God. ·         What kinds of gifts has He given to us? What are some spiritual gifts we could have? Gifts in the natural?

·         In this parable, the master gave his servants some of his property to keep while he was away. This symbolizes the gifts given to us by God. He gives some to every person, even those—like the unprofitable servant—who do not use them wisely to bring glory to God.

To Each According to His Ability

To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability.

·         Notice that the master did not give every servant the same amount; he did not distribute his possessions equally.·         God entrusts each one of us with special gifts to be used for unique purposes in His plan for His kingdom. We will each be held accountable, not according to how everyone else around us does, but according to what God has given us and what we have done with it.·         Some people receive more gifts, whether spiritual gifts like prophecy or teaching or wisdom, or natural gifts like strength or wealth. All gifts come from God and are to be used for His glory.
WHAT DO WE DO WITH IT? 

Multiply It

The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.

• One of the first commandments in the Bible was God telling people to be fruitful and multiply, to fill the earth. While this is often taken in a physical sense of bearing children or sowing seeds to spread crops and vegetation for food, this is also a command given on a spiritual level.
• How can we take specific gifts like giving, mercy, teaching, intercessory prayer, etc. and use them to grow God’s kingdom?

Hide It            

But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

·         This particular man had not been entrusted with as much property as the other two servants, but he did even less with it than they did.

·         He had less of a risk to take, since he had less to lose.

·         Why would we want to hide gifts given to us by God? Fear of man? Fear of failure? Ignorance? Indifference? Coldness towards God? What else?

GOOD AND FAITHFUL

Welcomed Into the Kingdom

Come and share your master’s happiness!

• Those in the story who multiplied and made profit for their master were not only thanked and appreciated, they were also welcomed into their master’s kingdom. They were no longer seen as mere servants, but trusted friends who loved their master and sought his gain.
• In God’s kingdom, those who use what God has given them, whether great or small, will be welcomed into His kingdom, to share in His joy and happiness and wealth.
• Notice that the servant who had been given and had gained two talents received the same welcome as the one who had been given and had gained five talents. Both used what they had to bring profit and honour to their master. In the same way, we do not need to compare ourselves to others who may produce more than us—they probably have received more to work with.

More Authority In the KingdomI will put you in charge of many things.

·         The two servants who were profitable to their master were not only welcomed into their master’s happiness, they also were promoted and made rulers over much more of his affairs and property than before.

·         In the same way, when Jesus returns to earth and all the kingdoms of the earth become the kingdoms of God and all is made new, those of us who have wisely and profitably used what God has given to us to further His kingdom here and now will be given even more authority and power then to rule over His creation.

WICKED AND LAZY

Stripped of Power

Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

• The unprofitable servant was called both lazy and wicked. He had been given only one talent to work with, so not a whole lot was expected of him, yet he still did nothing but hide it away.
• Just as the other servants were welcomed into their master’s joy and happiness and given more authority than they had before, this lazy servant had even the small amount of authority that had been given to him taken away. He was stripped of all his power.
• Do we bring shame to God’s name when we don’t use what He has entrusted to us?

Stripped of Joy

And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

·         While the wise servants were welcomed into the joy of their master’s presence, the wicked, lazy servant was banished from his presence.

·         If we do nothing for God, hide away the gifts He has given to us, and hide from Him ourselves, are we really followers of God?

·         Jesus said that we are known by our fruit, so if we produce no good fruit, are we really righteous? If we really love Jesus with all our hearts, would we just ignore and stash away all that He’s given us or would we use it to bring honour to His name?

 

Be wise with the gifts and talents God has given to you and have a great day.

 

John

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Parable Labourers in the Vineyard

15/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Matthew 20:1-16

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. “About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. “He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ “ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’ “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ “The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

• In this parable, there is a landowner who hires several groups of workers at various times throughout the day. Some are hired first thing in the morning and work all day until the evening, while others are hired midday, working less time. There is one group who only works one hour.
• Despite the differences in hours, the landowner pays all the workers the same amount, simply because he wants to. He does not jip those who worked longest; instead, he gives those who worked the least the same reward—not because they were extra-special, but simply because He wanted to.

A GENEROUS LANDOWNER 

Hires Generously

He said to them, “You also go and work in my vineyard.”

·         The landowner hired a lot of people. He hired groups of people five different times throughout the day. The story does not explain why he did not just hire enough workers first thing; that is beside the point. We just know he hired many people.

·         How does this relate to the nature of God?

·         The bible says that many people are called into the kingdom of God, but few are chosen. God is generous; He wants everyone to enter His kingdom, and He uses all sorts of means to draw people to Himself. He is not elitist, as He takes anyone who is ready to come and do what He says.

·         This parable seems to focus the laborers, those that have been chosen to enter God’s kingdom. It is their response to God’s generosity that this parable examines.

He Pays Generously

“I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you.”

·         The landowner rebukes the laborers who complained about his generosity. He tells them that he can do whatever he feels like doing with his own money. If he chooses to be generous by blessing those who do not deserve it with extra money, that is his prerogative.

·         This trait of the landowner speaks about God’s generous nature within His own kingdom. He has all the riches of the universe at His disposal, and, being God, He can do with them whatever He pleases. If He wants to bless someone abundantly, even if that person has done little to deserve it, He can do it, because He is God.

·         People come into the kingdom of God at various stages in their lives. Some are born again as young children, some as teenagers, and some are on their deathbeds when they cry out to God for mercy. But all who are born again receive the reward of entering God’s kingdom.
THE WORKERS’ RESPONSE 

Greedy

So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more.

• The landowner made an agreement with the first workers to pay them a denarius for their day’s work. However, upon seeing others who worked less receive what they had expected for a full day’s work, they became greedy and expected to get more.
• Rather than rejoicing in the fortune of their fellow workers, the early bird workers got selfish and greedy, hoping to get more money than that had agreed upon. They became ambitious, thinking that, because they had done more work than everyone else, they would receive more than everyone else.
• How often do we expect greater treatment, reward, or recognition for simply doing what we were told or doing more than those around us?

Grumbling

When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.

·         When their high expectations for more money did not pan out, the early bird workers blamed the landowner for their disappointment.

·         They became filled with discontent and started complaining, the response of most people who do not get what they want.

·         Grumbling and complaining are the fruits of ungrateful hearts. Instead of this negative response, the workers should have been happy to have been chosen to work for the landowner and receive the payment agreed upon for their day’s work. Thankful hearts do not complain, but selfish or greedy hearts are discontent and looking for more.

A NONCONFORMIST KINGDOM 

The Last are First

So the last will be first…

• Jesus ends His parable by saying, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Those in the story who had been hired first, were paid last with the same amount that everyone else had been paid.
• This is contrary to the ways of the world, which says that those who do the most should get the most. The world expects everyone to perform and earn whatever reward they receive; nothing is free. Those who give generously without reason are suspect.
• But Jesus says the kingdom of God is different. God lifts up the humble and casts down the prideful. Jesus said that the prostitutes and tax collectors would enter the kingdom of heaven before the religious Pharisees. God’s way is different; He does not reward people based on works or merit, but on grace, which cannot be earned.

The First are Last

…and the first will be last.

• The early bird workers expected more because they were hired first and had done the most work, so they were disappointed when their time came to be paid and they received the same as everyone else.

·         Their disappointment arose because they were more focused on getting what they thought they deserved because they had esteemed themselves in their own eyes. It was their own pride and ambition that caused their disappointment, yet they blamed the landowner because he was generous.

·         This parable is not exalting a form of communism by saying that everyone should receive exactly the same wages or by saying that everyone should always be equal in everything. Instead, it is demonstrating how nonconformist God’s kingdom is; it is reversed from the world’s norm.

·         Those who are last, weak, lowly, and humble shall be esteemed in God’s eyes, but those who esteem themselves and expect to be first shall be last. We should not compete for the best place in heaven or the biggest reward, but we should fix our eyes on God and set our hearts on obeying Him without comparing ourselves to anyone else.

 

Have a great day and rejoice today that our God is a generous God and that His

wonderful GRACE is still amazing.

 

John

 

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Parable Unforgiving Servant

15/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.  Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.  “The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.  When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.  Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.  “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

• In this parable, the “hundred denarii” was a lot of money, an amount that the servant would never have been able to pay back on his own, even though he said he would as he begged the king for mercy.
• Instead of just giving the servant a little mercy by granting him more time to pay off the debt, which was a huge amount of money, the king completely canceled the debt and let the man, his children, and his wife go free. He showed abundant mercy on the man.
• Instead of responding with joyous gratitude at the king’s mercy, the servant left and went to demand a small amount of money from a fellow servant and had zero mercy on him when he pleaded with him—just as he had pleaded with the king.

WE SERVE A MERCIFUL KING 

Undeserved Kindness

The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

·         In this story we see a king, who probably was very wealthy and had many servants, being responsible and just as he wishes to settle all his accounts—collecting from those who owe him and paying back those whom he owes.

·         When one particular servant comes before him, owing the equivalent of millions of pounds in today’s society—something that could not easily, if at all, be paid back—he exhibits mercy and compassion at the sight of this servant pleading before him with all his heart for more time.

·         Instead of simply giving him just more time to pay, the king completely forgives this man’s debt. This is no small kindness, considering the amount of money owed.

·         In the same way that this servant threw himself at the mercy of his master, we cry out to God for mercy when we realize for the first time that we are sinners in need of forgiveness. God sees that there is no possible way we could repay the debt we owe Him because of our great offense of rebelling against Him, and in complete kindness, He completely forgives all of our sins, not expecting us to owe Him anything in return. We are set free from bondage and debtor’s prison.

·         Even after we first come to know Jesus and have our sins wiped away, if we sin again, we can come to Him with a repentant heart and He will forgive us freely, telling us to sin no more.

Unlimited Grace…a man who owed him ten thousand talents…

·         As we read before, the servant owed the king a huge sum of money, no petty amount that the king could have easily overlooked. But the amount was not so large that the kind, compassionate king would not forgive the one who pleaded with him for mercy.

·         God’s grace is enough for anyone who comes to Him, truly repentant for his sins and offenses against Him, for anyone who wants his “account” settled and made right with God. It does not matter how badly we have sinned against God, His grace is enough to cover it by the blood of His Son Jesus.

·         Likewise, no sin is too small to be overlooked by God. When the time comes to settle His accounts with people, any that have not been made right with Him will not be allowed into His kingdom and His forgiveness.

KEEPING A GRATEFUL HEART 

For His Great Forgiveness

I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.

• The king forgave the man’s entire debt, simply because the man asked him to with all his heart. He cared for his life and the lives of his wife and children, and wanted to be made right with his king, not being enslaved because of his debt.
• All we need to do to receive God’s forgiveness is ask and believe that we have received. Then we walk free from the bondage of sin and in the freedom of those who belong to the Lord.
• If that man had not received kindness, mercy, and forgiveness of his debt from his king, then his whole life would have been ruined and everything taken from him and placed into bondage.
• In the same way, if we who know Jesus had not received the great forgiveness of the Father, our lives would still be stuck in bondage to sin, fear, and death, and all would be taken from us when the time of judgment comes. For this, we are utterly thankful to God, the One who grants us freedom and forgiveness.

For A Clean Slate

…canceled the debt and let him go.

·         The servant had been given a clean slate, a new start in his life. He could have walked away and learned his lesson not to be in debt to his king again and have been truly thankful for the great gift of freedom he’d been given, rejoicing in all that the king had done for him.

·         Instead, the servant, walked away with his mind fixed on his own self and what he deserved—a petty amount of money from a fellow servant. He should have wanted to share his great fortune with others, by wiping clean the slate of the one who owed him, but he quickly forgot what had been given him.

·         After we receive God’s forgiveness for our sins through the blood shed by His Son Jesus and our faith in Him, our hearts are stirred to rejoice in Him, thankful for the great gift He has given us. We never take for granted or forget what He has done and seek to be like Him in all.

·         Should we ever lose sight of what we have been given in Jesus Christ, our hearts lose that joyous thankfulness that keeps us returning to God and doing those things He asks us to do.

NO ROOT OF BITTERNESS 

Freedom From Offense

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)

• When God forgives us our sins, He does not hold it against us anymore; He forgets what we have done and wipes it from His memory. When we forgive others who have hurt us—whether the hurt is real or imagined, whether they repent to us or not—we, too, forget the past and treat the person with love.
• If we do not forgive others, we allow bitterness to sink in, and that will ruin us. Unresolved bitterness makes us suspicious, unloving, unkind, angry, selfish, and hateful people. But if we forgive others, we can be free, and bitterness will not wear us down.
• Also, if we are forgiving people who don’t allow bitterness to take root in us, we learn to bear with other’s faults and quirks, not getting so offended every time someone says or does something we don’t like.

Freedom to LoveHatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs. (Proverbs 10:12)

·         Bitterness can lead to anger and hatred if it is not dealt with quickly. Hateful people are constantly stirring up arguments and dividing people who should be united.

·         On the other hand, a person who is filled with love will quickly forgive those who annoy or wrong them.

·         We have more freedom to simply love people when we are not weighted down by bitterness and hatred.

RESULTS OF AN UNFORGIVING HEART 

Bitterness

But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.

• The servant whom the king forgave a debt of millions of pounds should have gone and forgiven his fellow servant who owed only the equivalent of a few pounds. Instead, he did not have a thankful heart and was bitter toward his fellow servant who could not pay him back at the moment.
• Although he could have easily extended the same mercy showed to him, he rather chose to hold the humble fellow servant accountable and had him thrown into prison until he could work off the debt.
• When we refuse to forgive others, bitterness takes root in us and we can become mean and merciless with others. We cannot forget the great kindness we have been shown in Jesus, and it should delight us to show the same to others. If we do not, the bad feelings will destroy us.

Bondage

In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

·         When the merciful king found out what the bitter servant had done, and how he did not show the same mercy to his fellow servant as had been extended to him, he was angry. He withdrew his forgiveness and made the unforgiving servant accountable for all he owed.

·         God has shown us great mercy by allowing His Son Jesus to take on our punishment, so that we owe God nothing for all the offenses we have committed against Him. However, if we refuse to extend the same sort of mercy to others and give them clean slates in our eyes, then God will hold us accountable for our sins.

·         We will be held in bondage (prison) by bitterness, anxiety, fear, and torment until we deal with the unforgiveness in our hearts. If we repent and forgive, then God will extend His mercy to us and forgive us for the wrongs we have committed against Him.

• James 2:13 says, “because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” The king had shown mercy to the servant, but the servant chose to judge his fellow servant without mercy, so the king withdrew his mercy and judged the unforgiving servant.

The parable closes with, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

 

The unforgiving servant who had been cleared of all his debt without having to pay any of it, was not sentenced to prison where there was no hope or possibility of ever paying off the debt he owed.

 

In Mark 11:25-26, Jesus says, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your sins.”

 

Have a great day and remember to forgive.

John 

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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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