Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Wednesday in the Word

We had a wonderful Wednesday in the Word today! Our Sunday School Teachers Meeting went really well. The Sunday School lesson was entitled, "Godly Behavior" taken from James 4:1-12. This is a great lesson. James challenges the mindset that wants to blame everyone else for ungodly behavior. I would love to tell you about the whole lesson, but please allow me to take a quick stab at vs. 1 - 2.

From whence come wars and fighting's among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

James really cuts to the heart of the matter when he declares that the continual feuds (wars) and outbursts of anger (fighting's) come from the inward conflict of the individual. I used this application to illustrate the point. Those who constantly argue against authority in the church do so because they have an inward desire to be in authority themselves.

This served as a refreshing and rewarding reminder that people who oppose you do so because they have opposition inside of them. This helped me to discover that many times I'm not the originator of the opposition, I'm just the object that the opposition opposes. The real problem is with the one doing the opposing.

Verse 2 tells us that the ends DO NOT justify the means. There is a way the Christians should obtain things, and it's not by any means necessary. The way for a child of God to receive is to ask God. We don't have to lie, cheat and steal to get ahead. Nor do we have to step on or scandalize our brother or sister to get the things that we desire. Unchecked desire leads to unexpected disaster!

Bible Study was a joy tonight. We continued in our series in Romans. We are in chapter 1, and we covered verses 2-7. In this introduction, Paul declares that the Gospel he preaches is the Gospel of Christ. He tells us that Christ is the Source, the Sender, and the Substance of the Gospel. It is through Jesus that we receive mercy and mission, and it is our responsibility to obey the mission for which he has called us to. I am reminded of what Paul told Agrippa in Acts 26:19, "I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision". Be Blessed !!!!

6 comments:

Pastor Lance A. Mann said...

Yes sir boy. Once again you have shown your great ability to exegete the sacred scriptures to make it not only understandable but shoutable.

Lance

Anonymous said...

"Unchecked desire leads to undeserved disaster!" Unchecked desire leads to unexpected disaster.

The crux of Christain living in an increasingly secular and hostile society is to see that "ends do not and cannot justify means." The message of the Joseph story is that you can get ahead without lying, cheating, conniving, and stealing."The way for a child of God to recieve is to ask God." No truer words have ver been spoken. And what happens if I ask God and nothing happens? Then I need to learn to wait on God.

C. Clayton Casson @pvgsuccess@yahoo.com

Pastor Kevin Lanier Pullam said...

Thank you once again for great insight and inspiritation. I count it a joy to call you "fellow proclaimer."

Rev. Brad Hurley said...

God bless you brother.Great post,Jesus said there is two commands that we must follow,Love thy God with all your heart, soul, mind, and love thy neighbour as yourself. Sometimes people need to be reminded. Its about love.

Vietta P's two cents worth said...

I left you a message on my blog after your last comment.

Be Blessed
Mother

Rev.Aaron Holcombe said...

Great post! Your insight into God's word is an encouragement to me. Keep it up. God bless you Brother!