James - 05.30.24

SCRIPTURE -James 5:8 AMP

“You too, be patient; strengthen your hearts 

[keep them energized and firmly committed to God], 

because the coming of the Lord is near.”

OBSERVATION 

The Book of James reads like a current

“How to Put Your Faith in Christ— into Action” Lesson Plan. 

It’s clear, concise and practical. We are challenged through each verse—

that the Faith we claim to have must be demonstrated—

in how we live our lives and respond in real time 

to situations at work, home, in our neighborhood, at church, or out doing life.

Knowing God is not enough-

Real Faith-is the Application of God’s Truth-expressed in our lives.

APPLICATION 

Can You SEE my Faith?

When we face trials or persecution it is easy to lose our patience with the circumstances or people involved. I have been tested in this area recently and I am finding out first hand-God has surely enabled me with everything I need to “Be Patient”. That certainly does not mean that it is easy. I’m sorry to say I haven’t reached the fullness of “Joy IN Trials yet! I fear I might continue to face trials as I told God I wanted to get to the point that I could have Joy IN trials. 

 What was I thinking?

With pitch perfect clarity, James reminds us through the Power of the Holy Spirit we are supernaturally enabled as HE supplies us with everything we need to live our life pleasing to HIM.

 Be Patient-

Makrothumeo-is a Command in the aorist imperative, which means a decisive action to DO THIS NOW, AT ONCE, COMPLETE IT.

Strengthen your hearts-

sterizo-  is also an aorist imperative command which stands for supporting something so that it is inwardly fixed and immovable. It has the connotation of weakening our own self-confidence to place our iron-clad confidence in Jesus Christ.

Whenever we face trials of many kinds-the ONLY way we can “Be Patient” and our “Hearts Strengthened” is to remember that it is the Work of the Holy Spirit as we Turn to Him for our Full reliance—and Take Courage knowing that—The Day of HIS Coming is Drawing Near-when we will SEE Him Face-to-Face!

God put HIS Holy Spirit IN us—as a Guarantee of what’s to Come AND an enablement to Love His Commands and desire to obey them.

“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”  (2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NIV)

““For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the Lord: I will imprint My laws upon their minds 

[even upon their innermost thoughts and understanding], 

And engrave them upon their hearts [effecting their regeneration]. 

And I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”

(Hebrews 8:10 AMP)

“[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while 

effectually at work in you 

[energizing and creating in you the power and desire], 

both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.”

(Philippians 2:13 AMPC)

PRAYER

LORD Jesus,

Thank YOU for Your Goodness Beyond measure. Even in trials, even when I am not faithful and grumble, YOU are ALWAYS Faithful and Loving, Full of Grace and Mercy.

Help me Lord Jesus to be willingly and fully submitted to YOU in ALL my ways that I may Glorify YOU in ALL my circumstances. When the darkness closes in-Still I will say-Blessed be The LORD-for every blessing You Pour Out-I’ll Turn it back to Praise.

May I be mindful of the JOY that is always mine because Heaven is mine. And yesterday Larry and I began counting our blessings and we have so many! You are SO generous to us! Lead us Lord, in Unity, in the way we should go. Fill me fresh with Yoir Spirit for any opportunities You provide for ministry today.

And Help me to Hear Your voice and have Your eyes for the One.

In Jesus Name. amen.

Tina L Kudelka 

James 4 - 5.29.24

Scripture

You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:2b-3)

Observation

God is our provider, our source and our helper. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said, "Ask and you shall receive" (Luke 11:9, Matthew 7:7). Here James tells us that we don't have something that we desire because we have not asked God. But then, maybe we have asked and still not received. Why is that? It is because God looks at our heart, and weighs our motives (Prov 16:2). What is our motive in wanting what we want? If our motives are wrong, we will not receive what we ask for. When our two children were growing up, my husband and I wouldn't say "yes" to everything they asked for. It was not because we did not love them. It was because we loved them. We would say yes only to those things that would benefit them, and would be good for them. God is our Father. When we abide in Him, and His words abide in us, our desires will align to his "good and acceptable and perfect will" for us (Romans 12:2).  Then, when we ask what we desire, He will do it for us (John 15:7). The Bible says that when we ask anything according to his will, we know that He hears us, and when we know that He has heard us, we know that we have also received whatever we have asked of Him (1 John 5:14,15).

Application

If you really need something and don't have it, check if you have prayed for it. As a child of God prayer is always your first resort, not your last resort. If you have been asking God for something, and not received it, check your heart and your motives. If your motives are not correct, repent and correct your heart. Make sure you are asking with the right motives that pleases God, and that it is in line with God’s word. Then, draw near to your Father’s throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16) and present your request to Him with Thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). Ask in faith, knowing that your Father hears you and answers you. Jesus said that if you ask anything in prayer, believing that you have received it, you will have it (Mark 11:24).

Prayer

Father, I thank you because I am your child and you are not short of resources to provide for my needs. I thank you because every good and perfect gift comes from you (James 1:17). Show me where I have incorrect motives, so that I can correct myself. Search me, God, and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalms 139:23,24). I thank you because I will never lack anything because you are my Shepherd (Psalms 23:1). I will ask in faith, and will receive from you because you are faithful. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

- Asha Chacko George

James 3 - 5.28.24

SCRIPTURE:  James 3:7-9  "All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue.  It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who have been made in God's likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing, My brothers and sisters, this should not be."  

OBSERVATION:  The writer of this letter was Paul.  His focus was on how faithful Christians were speaking about other human beings made in God's image. The Book of Proverbs teaches us that, 'the tongue has the power of life and death."  Words have so much influence that they can cause a person's entire life to change, for good or for bad!  

APPLICATION:  God's Word teaches us that our tongues are small, but they are capable of wreaking great havoc!  As sinful human beings, our tongues are untamable.  The ONLY way we are able to over-come the temptation to speak unkind words towards or about someone is to ask for God's wisdom, and to depend on His Holy Spirit to guide us.  A prayer that I often pray is for God to guide my actions AND my reactions.  

I remember the night the Good News was shared with me, and how it not only changed my heart, it changed the entire course of my life!  The words that were shared lifted me out of the deep dark depression I was in, and those powerful words that were prayed over my life brought forgiveness, healing, deliverance, redemption, clarity, focus, inner joy, and a deep abiding peace that I experience to this very day since those precious ministers of God introduced me to Jesus, and led me in the sinners prayer.

PRAYER:  Lord, I thank You for helping me to tame my tongue.  When I have been tempted to go off on someone, it was You Who helped to control it!  

Justin Eaves has made a powerful impact in my life!  He taught me how to speak life over people.  He taught me to look for the gold in them!  That teaching has made such a difference in my life because now when I'm with others, I don't try to find their flaws, but I focus on discovering the gold that's in them!  

That's exactly what God does!  He sees us through the lens of Jesus' perfect sacrifice on the cross, Who bore ALL our sins!    God's Word is full of adjectives that describe so beautifully how He sees us, and when we read those words, we are filled with amazement and encouragement!  His loving words compel us to love Him more, and they are meant to give us the desire to live up to our new identity in Christ.  

Since I am not able to tame my tongue without God's help, I give Him permission to control it!  I pray that no corrupt talk or careless words will come out of my mouth, but only what is good for building others up, that it may give grace to those who hear.  (Ephesians 4:29).   

And, I pray that the words I choose to speak will bring hope and encouragement to others that will last a life-time!  

I release the Word of God in my life by choosing to read it, believe it, declare it, and to act on it.    Amen.

- Robin Orefice