A Christianity That Works

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 17 June 22, 2008

Part 14 “Developing Patience”

James 5:7-12

I think I am a fairly patient person except when I'm hungry. Then I lose my character. Have you noticed that the more expensive the restaurant the longer you wait? There are actually five different waits when you go to a restaurant. You wait to get a seat, then you wait to get the menu, then you wait to order, then you wait to get the food back, then you wait for the bill. And they have the audacity to call the server the waiter!

Today we're going to look at what James has to say on “Developing Patience”. James uses the word “patience” or “perseverance” six times. He uses three different illustrations to teach us when, why and how to be patient.

WHEN TO BE PATIENT

James isn't saying we have to be patient all the time but there are three special times when you need that extra dose of patience.

1. When circumstances are uncontrollable
Have you figured out that a lot of life is beyond your control? James uses a farmer to illustrate when circumstances are uncontrollable in verse 7. “Be patient then brothers, until the Lord comes. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is.”

Don't go into farming unless you've got patience. The farmer has no control over weather, rain, heat or the economy. Just look to the mid-west USA right now.

Even when we know a situation is beyond our control, we still try to control it. How do we do that? By worrying.

2. When people are unchangeable
“As an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.” What was the duty of prophets? To help people change, bringing them back to God, to be different in their behavior. People resist change, and if you try to get them to change they resist you!

Successful parents, who have patience or a long fuse, don't get overheated.

3. When problems are unexplainable
The classic example he gives is in verse 11, “You have heard of Job's perseverance…..” Job played in the Super Bowl of suffering. He won the championship. He was the wealthiest man that ever lived. He had everything going for him. In a two-day period, everything fell part. He went bankrupt, his children were murdered, he got an incurable, deadly disease that was very painful.

You think you've got problems or had a rough day!

He lost his family, his friends, his finances. He was suffering materially, physically, socially…in every kind of way.

One day his wife comes to him and says, “Curse God and die!” Now that's supportive! God allowed the devil to take away everything in his life except a nagging wife. Job had absolutely no idea why it was happening.

For 37 chapters in the book of Job, God doesn't even talk to him. There was no apparent reason for his misfortune. Job certainly had the right to say, “Why me?”

A lot of things in life just don't make sense. Maybe we'll never understand on this side of heaven. Job certainly didn't understand, yet through it all, Job maintained his faith.

When circumstances are uncontrollable,
when people are unchangeable and
when problems are unexplainable
you really need patience.

WHY BE PATIENT?
1. Because God is in control
“Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.” verse 8. Three times in this passage, James says, “The Lord's coming is near. Jesus is coming back. That is the ultimate proof that God is in control. Nothing can stop it. The Bible talks more about Jesus' second coming - when He comes back to judge the world - than it does about His first coming.”

God is in control of history - “His story”. He's got it all planned out, everything is on schedule, nothing is late. It's all moving towards a climax.

God's purpose for your life is greater
than any problem you're facing right now.

The Phillips translation puts it this way, “resting your hearts on the ultimate certainty”. Though a situation may be out of my control, no circumstance is out of God's control. He is never taken by surprise. You may be experiencing a delay right now, but I assure you, God is never late, His timing is perfect.
2. God rewards patience
In verse 11a it says, “Blessed are those who have persevered.” The second half of Job's life was more blessed than the first half. God doubled everything he had. It pays to be patient.

Matthew 5:13-14 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

When people put you down, when they criticize you, be patient, because there's going to be a reward in heaven.

It is our natural tendency - one of the strongest desires in life - that when you're hurt, you want to get even. You want to retaliate, to take matters into your own hands. When you get criticized, you want to criticize back. If you get insulted, you want to insult back. This may well be a natural thing but it’s the opposite of patience.

3. Because God is working things out
It’s often behind the scenes, things we may never see. Verse 11b says, “You’ve heard of Job's perseverance, and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

God was working all the time while Job wondered what was going on. A delay doesn’t mean a denial. If you've been praying for something and you haven't gotten it, you may think God doesn't want to give it to you. We have to learn the difference between “no” and “not yet”.

Our problem is that we are in a hurry and God isn't!

In advance, thank God because He's working things out. He gives the illustration of the farmer. When the farmer plants the seed, he's waiting for that seed. While he's waiting, God is working behind the scenes to cause that plant to sprout. He's creating the conditions so at the right time, in the right way there will be a harvest.

The farmer waits, God works.

Philippians 2:13 “God is at work within you.”

Romans 8:28 “We know that in all things, God is working.”

What are you supposed to do while you wait?
Look at James’ three illustrations and do what they did while you're waiting on God.

1. Wait expectantly
Expect a harvest. What does a farmer do while he's waiting on God? Sit and watch reruns on television all day? While he's waiting on the harvest, the farmer is preparing for a harvest.

Your preparation shows your expectation.

We get ready for the answer in advance.
Psalm 130:5 “I wait expectantly, trusting God to help, for He has promised.”

What are you waiting for from God? Maybe to heal a long-term illness or transform your marriage. Or a reversal in your financial problems or for God to reach your teenagers.

Do you really expect Him to do that? The Bible says, “According to your faith it will be done unto you.”

If you do expect God to do it eventually, prove it! How can you prove that you're expecting God to do something? Simple.

What are you doing to get ready for it? If the answer came today, would you be ready? Remember, your preparation reveals your expectation.

A lot of times when I'm waiting on God, He's really waiting on me. He was ready to give the answer a long time ago, but I wasn't ready to receive it.

Sometimes He's saying, “Grow up! I want to bless your life but you can't handle the blessing yet. Get some spiritual muscle in your life and I'll bless you beyond what you can imagine.” Waiting is a time to get ready. Isaiah 49:23 says, “The Lord says ... No one who waits for my help will be disappointed.”

2. Wait quietly
James points out the fact that we have a tendency to run off at the mouth when things aren't going our way and things aren't under our control. James warns us of two things to avoid.

“Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged.”
Why does he talk about grumbling right in the middle of patience?

It's hard to be quiet when you're frustrated. You want to grumble, mumble, moan and complain. James says, “Don’t grumble”. The New English Bible says, “Don’t blame your troubles on one another.”

I heard of a lady who griped at her husband all the time. Constantly. Finally the guy died and she put on his tombstone, “Rest in Peace”. Then they went and read the will. He willed $5 to his wife and everything else to his secretary. She went back and changed the tombstone to “Till we meet again”.

Verse 12 says “Above all, my brothers, don't swear.”

Does waiting ever tempt you to swear? Sometimes
when I get frustrated I feel like cussing. What happens when you get uptight? When you're frustrated and things aren't going your way and things are beyond your control? How do you normally respond? Typically, we take it out on those closest to us. We unload on our spouses or our children, and it's not even their fault. But we're frustrated and impatient. We displace our anger and focus it on those we love the most. James says don't do that.

Habakuk 2:3 says, “These things won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!”

Do you have a dream, a goal in life, a vision that God's given you? God says it will be right on target, at the right time, in the right way.

3. Wait confidently
Job never lost his confidence in all that he did. When the outlook is bad, you look up. Micah 7:7 says, “I will wait confidently for God.” How do you do that? You have hope.

Holding On…..Praying Expectantly
HOPE

When you've got a problem that's unexplainable, a person who is unchangeable, a circumstance that is uncontrollable then wait confidently. God is working. How do you wait confidently? Sit still. Don't get nervous or anxious. Psalms 37:7 says, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him to act.”

Do you have uncontrollable circumstances in your life?

Maybe you've had a financial reversal that was beyond your control. Maybe you have a long term illness. Maybe you've got an unchangeable person in your life.

It's frustrating when you tell your kids something to do over and over and they don't do it. It's frustrating when you want to make your marriage work and you're willing to change but your partner
isn’t.

Remember, nothing is beyond God’s power and His purpose for your life is greater than the problem you are experiencing right now. God will reward your patience, if not in this life, in the next. God is actively working behind the scenes for a wonderful purpose in your life. God bless your expectancy.

A Christianity That Works

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 16 June 15, 2008

Part 13 “Managing Your Money”

James 5:1-6 As we continue in our series through James, we'll be looking at chapter 5, the first six verses. Many people wrongly believe that the Bible teaches that it's wrong to be wealthy. They think that the Bible says that “Money is the root of all evil”. It actually says “The love of money is the root of all evil.” God is not opposed to wealth, in fact, many of the people in the Bible were extremely wealthy.

Abraham was probably a millionaire in our terms. Job was the wealthiest man of his time. David and Solomon were both the wealthiest men of their time. We know that Barnabas made a lot of money because he was able to give it to the church. Joseph of Arimathea, the man who gave Jesus his tomb, was extremely wealthy. So God is not opposed to wealth, simply for being wealthy. But God is very much opposed to the misuse and abuse of wealth. He wants us to use our wealth wisely, no matter how much or how little we have.

James here gives a rebuke - probably one of the most negative passages in the entire New Testament. This passage is a healthy warning to us to make sure that no matter how much money we have, we use it wisely.

We're going to look at the wrong and the right uses of wealth. Everyone in this room is wealthy according to world standards. If you own a car, you're wealthy. If you have more than one change of clothes, you're wealthy. If you own a home, you're in the top 5% of the world. By world standards, by the very fact that we live in North America, we're wealthy. God has blessed us and we need to be grateful for what we have.

James mentions four common abuses of wealth. Let's look first at the wrong uses of wealth and how to avoid them and then we'll look at the right uses of wealth.

I. THE WRONG USES OF WEALTH
1. Accumulation of Wealth
James says in verse 3, “Don't hoard it”. “You have hoarded wealth in the last days.” God says that money is not to be stockpiled, collected in piles just for the sake of having it. God wants His money in circulation. He's not talking about savings, there's a legitimate place for savings. God encourages us to save money.

People can become so afraid of losing money, they won't spend it. In New Testament times, if you had money you would show it by having a lot of food, clothes and precious metals and jewels. James speaks about these three types of wealth in verses 2-3: “Your wealth has rotted, moths have eaten your clothes and your gold and silver are corroded.” Everything you've gotten, the food has
spoiled, the moths have eaten your clothes, and the gold and silver is rusting and corroding. The point he's making here that whatever you accumulate, deteriorates. God doesn't want us to get wealth just for the sake of getting wealth, He wants us to put it in circulation.

He says your clothes get moth-eaten. Which clothes get moth-eaten? The ones you wear all the time or the ones you keep stockpiled in the back of your closet? Your food has gone rotten. Which food goes rotten? The food you eat everyday? No, it’s the stuff in the back of the refrigerator that's been there for three months. We create new life forms in our refrigerator!

Wealth is to be used not hoarded. Last week we talked about the man in Luke 12 who was very successful and his crop had a great harvest. He said, “I know what I'll do. I'll just go build bigger barns.” He didn't think about giving any of it away. He didn't think about keeping any of it in circulation. It was a selfish use of wealth. He said, “I'm going to hoard it”. James says the wrong use of wealth, number one when it comes to accumulation, don't hoard it.

2. Appropriation of Wealth
God is not only concerned with what we've got but also how we got it. “Don steal it”. Don't use dishonest means to rip people off. There are a lot of different ways to make dishonest money. One way is to simply not pay your debts. “The wages you have failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you.” Verse 4

Don't be dishonest. If I charge too much, if I sell a used car to you and don't tell you about major repairs, if I cheat on taxes, if I waste time and I'm being paid for it, that is wrong.

3. Allocation of Money
The way we spend our money is very important. James blasts these guys for how they spent their money in verse 5 “You’ve lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence.” In the allocation of money, don't waste it. We're tempted to spend it selfishly on ourselves. The more money you make the easier it is to waste it. We tend to say things like, “I'm worth it, I can afford it, so why not?” Just because I can afford something doesn't mean I ought to buy it.

James says don't waste it. “You have fattened yourself for the slaughter.” Verse 5

4. Application of Wealth
He's talking about how we use it's influence. He says, don't abuse it. Wealth gives us much more than simply buying ability. Money has a lot more power than simply buying power. When you have money, it gives you influence, authority. We listen to people who make money more than people who are poor. Why do they get away with things that we don't get away with? Verse 6 “You have condemned and ruined innocent men, and they are powerless to stop you.” Even today, a lot of people use money to manipulate others.

So, how are we to manage our money.
1. The Right Accumulation
Proverbs 21:20 “The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.”
Proverbs 30:24 “Consider the ant how it stores up in the winter.”

Why do we save so little? I think it's because we live for today. We're the Now Generation. I want it now whether I can afford it or not. I'll buy it on credit.

Jesus told a number of parables. Over half deal with money. He talked more about money than he did about heaven or hell. He talks about investment, how the wise man invested his money and the unwise man didn't.

In order to develop the habit of saving, you've got to do some things. First, you need to learn to live on a margin. That means live on less than you make. John D. Rockefeller said many times, “Save 10%, tithe 10%, live on 80%.”

What is the purpose of saving? Here's where the Bible differs from the world's thinking in a major way. The world thinks you save money for security. If I could just accumulate a big enough bank account, I would be financially secure. The problem is, there is no such thing as absolute security. No matter how much money you've got, you could lose it instantly.

In order to have security, you've got to put your security in something that cannot be taken away from you. Everything that I have in life can be taken away from me: my family, my money, my reputation, everything. There is only one thing that cannot be taken away from me and that's my relationship to Jesus Christ.

Paul said in Philippians 4:19 “My God shall supply all your needs.” That's security! That's the way to be prepared for financial reverses to find security in the Lord.

Why do we save? (for stewardship reasons)
Three reasons for saving:
i) It prevents us from impulse buying. We don't spend money on foolish impulses. If we're not saving it, the tendency is to spend it as soon as you get it.

You'll see things you want and buy it and you really don't need it. Proverbs 21:20 says “The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.” He does it hastily too. You've got to save it so you don't use it on foolish impulses.

ii) Saving allows us to be able to help other
people when they have a need.

iii) Saving gets your money working for you rather than you working for your money. That's the principle of investment. When you're saving your money, it's being invested wisely.

2. The Right Appropriation
Proverbs 13:11 “Wealth from gambling quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows.”

What is gambling? A get-rich-quick scheme. In the book of Proverbs, at least six or seven times, scripture teaches us to not get involved in rich quick schemes. Easy come, easy go. You make it quick, you'll lose it quick.

Proverbs 14:23
“Hard work brings a profit; mere talk leads to poverty.”
Proverbs 14:23
“Work brings profit, talk brings poverty.”
Proverbs 11:16
“A lazy man will never have money but an aggressive man will get rich.”
Proverbs 12:27
“If you're lazy you'll never get what you're after. But if you work hard, you can get a fortune.”

How much money can I make?
Scripture says you can make as much money as you can in your life as long as you meet these 4 qualifications.
1. As long as it doesn't hurt your own health
Some people literally work themselves to death. Scripture teaches that health must always take priority over wealth.

Proverbs 23:4 “Do not wear yourselves out to get rich. Have the wisdom to show restraint.”

There are so many people that are working themselves to death trying to afford things they really don't need.
2. As long as it doesn't hurt your family
How many homes have fallen apart because kids are being ignored while parents are too busy making money to buy things for the kids? I've learned that what my kids wanted was my time more than anything I could afford to buy for them. We can get so busy making a living that we can forget to make a life.

3. As long as it doesn't hurt other people
Proverbs 21:20 “A fortune can be made from cheating but there's a curse that goes with it.” We're going to reap what we sow.
Proverbs 16:8 “It's better to have a little, honestly earned, than a large income dishonestly gained.”

4. As long as I keep my spiritual life on the same level
III John 2 “Beloved I wish that you may prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers.”
God wants us to be in balance.

If you're going to set financial goals you need to set spiritual goals too.

3. The Right Allocation
“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as sure as haste leads to poverty.” It is easier to get into debt than to get out of debt. Buy now, pay later. Only 162 easy payments. I've never had an easy payment.

Our problem is not that we don't make enough, but rather that we don't spend it wisely. The more your income goes up it seems your expenses go up.

How do you spell relief? B-U-D-G-E-T. What is a budget? Planned spending. Telling your money where you want it to go rather than wondering where it went.

4. The Right Application
Proverbs 11:24-25 “It is possible to give away and become richer. It's also possible to hold on too tightly and loose everything. Yes the generous man shall be rich. By watering others, he waters himself.”

This principle is taught over and over again in Scripture. Give and it will be given unto you. Just like seeds, the more we sow the more we reap. There are more promises in the Bible related to giving than any other subject. No matter how wealthy I've become, I'm not financially free until I've learned to give. In order to live abundantly, I've got to give abundantly.

I Corinthians 16:2 “On every Sunday, put aside something from what you have earned during the week, and use it for the offering. The amount depends on how much the Lord has helped you to earn.”

In Deuteronomy 14:23 we see that the purpose of tithing is simply to teach us to put God first in our life. God doesn't need our money. He's wealthy. But He wants us.

I believe the Scripture teaches that God wants us to be financially free. If your finances are in a mess right now, God promised over and over again to care for us who will place our financial burden in His care and follow His principles. These principles are all through Scripture. If we try to live without the principles of this book we're going to get into trouble - in our time, money, relationships, health, any area of life. Unmanaged finances simply mean misplaced priorities.

The starting point for financial freedom is to make Jesus Christ the manager of your life.
Make Him the manager of not just your money, but of your time, home and past.
And most important, make Him number one in your life.

A Christianity That Works

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 15 June 1, 2008

Part 12 “How To Face The Future”

We're going to look at James 4:13-17 today and see what James has to say about How to Face Your Future. We all want to know what's going to happen next. It's amazing how people try all kinds of different things to try to forecast the future: tea leaves, fortune cookies, astrology, palm reading. We attend conferences and seminars on planning and goal setting.

James in this passage talks about how to face the future. He says there are three mistakes that are commonly made that we should be aware of.

He illustrates the first mistake with a typical conversation between a couple of businessmen. In verse 13 we drop into their conversation. “Now 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.” What's wrong with this?

People make plans every day. These are just a couple of entrepreneurs, go-getters. There is detail in the business plan; they have it all planned out. When…..today or tomorrow. Where…..this or that city. How long…..we'll spend a year there. What…..we'll carry on business. Why…..make money. What's wrong with this? The Bible doesn't condemn making a legitimate profit. The Bible talks a lot about planning too. What's wrong here?

James says the first common mistake we make is…..
1. PLANNING WITHOUT GOD
There's not a single mention of God in this entire business plan. He knew what he wanted, he knew how to get there, but he didn't check it out with God first. The Bible talks about planning. “No man goes out and builds a house without first considering how much it's going to cost.” And the book of Proverbs says over and over again that if I don't plan I'm a fool. So James is not talking about what this guy did, it was what he forgot to do! It's great to have dreams and goals - as long as you include God!

All business is God's business if you're a believer. Don't plan without God.

What’s the solution? 1. Include God in your goal setting.
Verse 15 “Instead, you ought to say, If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.”

Right in the middle of the word LIFE is the word IF. Life really is pretty if-fy.
I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, you don't either.
Christians for hundreds of years used to write the initials D.V. at the end of their letters. They'd sign their name and then write D.V. This stood for the Latin phrase “Deo Valente” meaning “Lord willing”. James says that ought to be our response to life. It's OK to plan but include God.

Proverbs 16:1 “We may make our plans, but God has the last word.”
Proverbs 16:9 “We should make plans - counting on God to direct us.”

Stop praying, “God bless what I'm doing”.
Instead pray, “God, help me to do what
You're blessing.”

God is doing a lot of fantastic things in the world. I just want to be in on them. Help me to do what You're blessing. I don't want my plans, I want Your plans in my life.

The second mistake is…..
2. PRESUMING ABOUT TOMORROW
Taking it for granted, assuming I'm going to live forever. I've got the rest of my life.

Verses 14-16 “Why you don't even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.”

There are a couple reasons we shouldn't presume about the future.

First, Life is unpredictable! “You don't even know”. None of us know what's going to happen tonight, much less next year. You can't count on tomorrow. We shouldn't let this frighten us, nor should we worry about it. Let it cause you to trust God more. Let it cause you to be more dependent on God.

Secondly, Life is brief! “You are a mist". “Mist” in Greek is “atmos” where we get “atmosphere”. Your life is like fog; it rolls in, in the morning but it burns off by noon. Who knows how long we're going to live? None of us do.

How does the Bible describe your life? It uses phrases like a leaf, grass, shadow, cloud, puff of smoke, vapor. I don't know how long I'm going to live. Life is short. It goes so fast from hot wheels to wheelchairs.

Don't take tomorrow for granted. Isaiah 56:12 “Come, each one cries, ...Let us drink our fill! And tomorrow will be like today, or even better!”

Proverbs 27:1 “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”

We love to announce our plans, to make our goals and declare them. God says it's great to have goals, but check in with Me first.

What's the solution? 2. Live one day at a time, that's how God says to face the future.

Matthew 6:34 “So don't be anxious about tomorrow - God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.”

The future could be overwhelming but fortunately it comes in bite-size pieces, a 24-hour segment at a time. Plan for the future but, but live now.

Life is what happens to us while we're planning something else.

Today is the Good Old Days you're going to talk about in 15 years. Enjoy now. Make the most of now.

The present time, that's all I have. That's all I have to give to this world, not next hour or next month but right now.

“I don't know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future.” That's what counts. David said in Psalm 35:15 “Lord, my days are in your hands.”
Include God in your planning and make the most of today.

A third common mistake is…..
3. PUTTING OFF DOING GOOD.
“Anyone then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it sins” verse 17. James is talking about procrastination. “I'm intending to do it.” Ever met somebody who is always “aiming to do it.”

We love to put off. James says that's a trap. How do you define sin? We think of evil activities: murder, adultery, cheating and stealing. Those are sins of commission. But there's another kind of sin - sins of omission. “To him who knows to do good and doesn't do it, it's sin.”

I can do nothing and still sin, because there are things I ought to be doing. Christianity is far more than simply avoiding evil. If all that the Christian life was, was a bunch of “don'ts” - don't do this, don't do that, then everybody who is dead would qualify as a Christian, because they don't do anything.

God says you don't have any guarantee of tomorrow, none at all. The solution is “do it now”.

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

If somebody comes to you and asks you a favor, don't say “tomorrow - later”. Don't procrastinate. If you can do it now, do it now.

You can do one of three things with your life: spend it, waste it or invest it. The best use of life is to invest it on something that is going to outlast it. Where I spend my time now may determine where I’ll spend eternity.

Invest your life in things that will last - make it count.
It doesn't matter how long you live if you're not doing anything with your life.

Am I making my life count or frittering it away on non-essentials, things that aren't going to count. God says, “Make your life count - do it now!”

Jesus told a story about talents. The master gave one talent to one man, five to another and ten to another. He left and came back years later. Two guys had doubled their money. The third man had taken his gold, buried it in the ground and did nothing with it. The master said, “At least you could have put it in a passbook account and got interest on it!” He said, “You wicked servant!” Why? What had he done? Nothing. Doing nothing with your life is bad. Make your life count.

Jesus told a story that illustrates what James is teaching in this passage of Scripture. He tells the story about a man who is very successful in life but he made a very foolish decision. He made the same mistakes that James talks about - all three mistakes. He planned without God. He presumed about tomorrow. He put off doing good.

Luke 12:16 “Jesus told them a parable, the ground of a certain rich man produced good crop [literally, abundant crop] and he thought to himself “What shall I do. I have no place to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I'll do. I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. And there I will store all my grain and my goods and I will say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy. Eat, drink, be merry,” but God said to him ‘You fool. This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get all that you have prepared for yourself.”

This guy has ‘I’ problems - all he can see is himself. Doing ‘my’ thing for ‘me’. God says, “How dumb!” You don't know how long you're going to live.
Don't get morbid about it. Don't worry about it. The fact is, none of us have any certainty how long we're going to be here. Just consider that in your planning and do three things:
1. Plan with God
2. Don't presume on tomorrow
3. Don’t put off doing good.

You're not here by accident. You weren't made and created just to breathe and take up space, get up in the morning, go to work, come home and watch TV, go to bed, retire and die. There is more to life.
It starts when you give your life to Jesus. He becomes the manager of your life and He will direct you. Start by getting in tune with the Lord and establishing that relationship with Him.

If you only had a week left, how would you spend it? What would you do with your husband, wife, children? God says, live each day and each week as if it were your last. ….Ed Brouwer, D.V.

A Christianity That Works

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 14, May 18, 2008

Part 11 “How To Quit Playing God”

In James 4:11-12, James says that anytime I judge you, anytime you judge me, we're playing God. It's only God's responsibility to judge other people. James says we’ll be a lot happier if you learn how to deal with this issue.

Romans 2:3 “So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them, and yet do the same thing, do you think you will escape God's judgment?”

Paul says one reason we tend to judge other people is to excuse our own faults. We think by pointing the finger at somebody else, we don't look so bad.

Proverbs 26:22 “Gossip is so tasty. How we love to swallow it.” When somebody is gossiping, usually we are all ears!

The sin of judging other people is really a self righteous attitude of putting others down, being critical and judgmental. Jesus condemned it more than almost any other sin.

Church goers call it by other names but it is slander none the less. “I'm sharing this with you so you can pray about it with me.” A prayer request can turn into gossip very quickly.

James gives 3 reasons why we shouldn't judge other people.
1. It is unchristian verse 11
“Brothers, do not slander one another... anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law.”

Actually when it says “judges him”, it mentions the word brother again. “Brother” is used three times in this passage. Why? In the first place, we shouldn't judge one another because we're all part of the same family.

Notice it says, “Brothers, do not slander”. The word ‘slander’ and the word ‘devil’ are the same word. The word ‘devil’ means slander. The Bible calls satan the accuser of Christians. He's the slanderer of Christians. What does this mean?

The devil's number one activity is going around and putting people down, to slander them and malign them. We are most like the devil when we slander. When we speak against somebody else (including all kinds of criticism, maligning, judging) we're doing the devil's work for him. That's what the devil's job description is. Revelation says he's the “accuser of brothers”. It's unchristian to judge other people.

I heard about a guy who came to a pastor one time and said, “I don't have but one talent.” The pastor asked, “What's your talent?” The man said, “I have the gift of criticism.” The pastor was wise and thought about the parable in the Bible and said, “The guy who had only one talent went out and buried it. Maybe that's what you ought to do with yours.”

2. It is unloving
We shouldn't judge others because it is unlov- ing. “...who judges speaks against the Law.”

What law is it I'm breaking? James 2:8 “If you really keep the Royal Law found in Scripture love your neighbor as yourself.”

James says if you do this, you're doing right. When I judge you, I'm breaking the Royal Law. The law of love - “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

3. It is unjustified
“There's only one lawgiver and one judge.”

The word “lawgiver” is used six times in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament each referring to God.

Only God has the right to judge. One of the greatest weaknesses in people is we tend to generalize people by just one mistake. If they make one mistake we write off their whole personality. We tend to judge in other people, things we dislike in ourselves. What we see is usually just a mirror of self.

WHEN IT’S WRONG TO JUDGE OTHERS
The Word does say that we are to judge certain things. We're to judge ourselves and we're to judge certain matters. But there's seven times it says, don't do this.

Romans 2:1-3 “You therefore have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else. For at whatever point you judge others you're condemning yourself for you who pass judgment do the same thing.”

1. It's wrong to judge other people when I'm practicing the same sin.
“He who is without sin cast the first stone.”

Matthew 7:3-5 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the plank out of your own eye and then you can see clearly to remove the speck in your brother's eye.”

2. It's wrong to judge when it blinds me to my own faults.

If judging you causes me to not look at myself realistically, then it's wrong. We are great speck analyzers, nitpicking specks when we have a logjam in our own eye.

3. It's wrong to judge others when you draw conclusions based on outward appearance. Ouch!

We tend to make our impression of people in the first 15 seconds and most of that is the way they look. By their face, clothing, hairdo.

In I Samuel 16:7 we read that God doesn't look at the appearance, God looks at the heart.

John 7:51 “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?”

4. It's wrong to judge when you condemn somebody before you hear the facts.

Colossians 2:16 “Don’t let anyone judge you by what you eat, drink, or in regard to religious festivals, new moon celebrations or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the thing to come. Reality, however, is found in Christ.”

Paul is saying it is wrong to judge people, their spirituality, on the basis of externals, religious observances. You can't tell a person's walk with God based on their outward external observances - “by what you eat or drink or if you worship on Saturday or Sunday. These are just a shadow of the things to come. Reality is found in Christ.”

Verse 13 says “Therefore 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.”

There are principles here: Whatever you do, have a clear conscience about it. Don't offend other people. Don't judge each other.

Verse 22 says “So whatever you believe about these things, keep them between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.” Happy is the guy who's got a clear conscience.

If your faith doesn’t allow you to watch TV, you better not watch it. Whatever is not of faith is sin. Keep it between you and the Lord, don't flaunt it. Enjoy the liberty you have but you don't flaunt it. You don't judge each other and don't use it to be a stumbling block.

Verse 20 says “Don't destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean but it's wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It's better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else to cause your brother to fall.”

5. It's wrong to judge when it causes you to speak evil about another Christian.

Anything that causes me to speak evil about another Christian, maybe to ruin their reputation, is wrong. We are to hate wrong but we're to love people even when they are doing wrong.

Ephesians 4:29 says we're always to speak positively, speak only those things that build up and encourage. Christians ought to be known for their encouragement.

We’ve no right to judge other people's motives. Nobody really knows what's in somebody else's heart. You can guess but you don't know.

I Samuel 17

I have a hard enough time just trying to figure out my own motives, much less making a good guess at yours.

BREAKING THE HABIT OF JUDGING OTHERS
1. Realize that I'll be judged by the same standards I use to judge other people. What you dish out will be dished back to you. What you sow you're going to reap.

2. Realize that each of us is accountable to God. Every one of us will have to give an account of himself to God. So then, let us stop judging one another.
One day we’ll stand before God, and then, God knowing our motives will judge us honestly, fairly and truthfully. It won't be based on rumors or third hand passed down stuff.

3. Realize how much God has been merciful to me.

James 2:13 “Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

Matthew 18 is the story of the unforgiving servant.

A Christianity That Works

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 13, May 11, 2008

Part X “How To Avoid Arguments”

Avoiding arguments James 4
James gives us both the reason and the remedy for arguments. James doesn't beat around the bush, he gets right to the point. Chapter 4:1 “What causes fights and quarrels among you. Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?”

Sparks fly when my wants conflict with your wants. They say “love is blind, but marriage, opens your eyes”. All marriages go through three stages:
1. Happy honeymoon
2. The party’s over
3. Let’s make a deal

Basically in any human relationship, you have to learn how to avoid arguments because there will be conflicting desires.

Scripture reveals that there are three basic desires that cause conflict. These may be legitimate desires, but out of control,
even God-given desires will cause conflict.

I THE DESIRE TO HAVE
4:2 “You want what you don’ t have ... you long for what others have.” God created things to be used and enjoyed, not to drive us with the need to obtain more.

Someone asked Howard Hughes one time, “How much does it take to make a man happy?” He replied, “Just a little bit more.”

If you decide to base your life on comparing it to other people, you will never be happy no matter how much you get. Just the time you catch up with the Jones’ they refinance.

II THE DESIRE TO FEEL
I want to feel good, to be comfortable. According to James 4:3 “You want only what will give you pleasure.” It's not wrong to enjoy life as we see in I Timothy 6:17 “God made everything for our enjoyment”, but when pleasure becomes my number one goal, I’m asking for conflict.

III THE DESIRE TO BE
This is pride, power, popularity, the need to be number one. It's the desire for “me first”.
Proverbs 13:10 “Pride leads to arguments.” Why…..because I'm too proud to compromise and that causes conflict.

Have you ever been in an argument where you knew you were wrong, but you wouldn't admit it. Why? Because of pride.

James 4:2-3 “You don’t have, because you don’t ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives.”

Here James tells us two reasons why our desires aren't fulfilled.
1. We don't ask God. We look to people to fulfill our needs instead of looking to God.
2. When we do pray, we have wrong motives, being selfish.

Philippians 4:19 “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Pride also affects how we pray. Why don't I pray? Do I think I don’t need God? The more I depend on God, the more I'd pray.

Oh what peace we often forfeit,
Oh what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry,
everything to God in prayer.

James goes on in verse 6 that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”. God declares war on selfishness.

Have you noticed that God has a unique way of engineering circumstances to pop our pride? Just when you think, “I've got it together”, God puts you in your place.

THE CURE FOR ARGUMENTS IS HUMILITY
James 4:6-10 “God gives grace to the humble. Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

Grace is God's power to change. You can't change it on your own. You need God's power and that's called grace. There is only one way you get grace and that is you have to humble yourself.

God gives grace when we come and say, “God, I need your help” That's where we get the power to make changes.

James then gives four specific actions you can use to diffuse a conflict.

GIVE IN TO GOD
“Submit yourself then to God.” This is the starting point. In verse 1, James says that conflict happens with other people because you have conflict on the inside.

If you're in charge of your life, anytime someone comes along that doesn't go the way you want to go, you get uptight, you get irritable and upset.

Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart.”

When we have the peace of Christ in our hearts, we'll be at peace with other people.

The turning point comes when you give up. Tell God that you can't do it without Him. Start praying, “Lord, change me.” Let Him work on you and watch what happens. Learn to say, “Thy will be done”.

GET WISE TO SATAN
Be alert. Understand where conflict comes from. Understand that the devil wants to destroy every good relationship. Loving conflict, the devil wants to cause stress, hurt feelings, disappointment, anger, and chaos.

“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” The word “resist” is a war term. It means to be prepared, to stand against. James says you've got to give in to God and then take some defensive action. You resist the devil.

Perhaps the reason some folk never
run head on into the devil, is that
their going in the same direction.

II Corinthians 2:11 “In order that Satan might not outwit us, we are not unaware of his schemes.” Paul says, smart’n up!

The devil plays on our pride, particularly wounded pride. He whispers in our ear, little thoughts, suggestions, and ideas. When you're in the middle of an argument, he starts whispering in your ear, things like “You don't have to take this kind of stuff. Who do they think they are? Show 'em who's boss.”

Resist the devil, in the same way Jesus did, by quoting scripture.

Proverbs 13:10 “Pride leads to arguments.” The next time you get into an argument, bring that to mind. Stop and think, “What am I not willing to admit? Why am I unwilling to compromise?”

A great promise:
Give in to God, Resist the devil and he’ll flee.

GROW CLOSER TO GOD
The more time you spend alone with God, the better you get along with other people.

Isaiah 26:3 “He will keep him in perfect peace all those who trust in Him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord.”
Have you noticed how people only draw close to God when they're in trouble? They only pray when they are in need. Do you ever wonder if that is why God allows trouble to come because He wants you to spend time with Him?

The more you spend time with the Lord, the more you're going to enjoy the rest of your time. It will be more productive, more beneficial. There is a great promise here too, when you move toward Him, God moves toward you.

BE WILLING TO ASK FORGIVENESS
If you want to stop the conflicts in your life, if you want to get along with other people, avoid arguments, learn to ask forgiveness from God and from those you hurt. Verse 8 “Wash your hands, purify your hearts.”

Our hands represent our conduct and our hearts represent attitudes.

He's saying, clean up your act. Verse 9 “Let there be tears for the wrong you've done.” Don't minimize what's happened, take it seriously. Be sorry for your self-centeredness.

If someone says you've hurt them, you've hurt them. It may not be a big deal to you, but it was to them.
Be willing to ask forgiveness.

Maybe they are 95% wrong and you're only 5% at fault, but you take care of your 5% and let God handle the other 95% in their life. Their response is their response.

“I know we've had our differences and I know I haven't always been thoughtful. A lot of times I've thought more about myself than your needs.” How humbling that would be….right!!!
Remember God gives grace to the humble!

If you want to change, the only way you're going to change is to be humble, and the only way to be humble is to go and ask forgiveness.

Maybe this week you need to write a letter, make a call, make some restitution even to that person who's irritated you.

The way to honor is humility. The Bible says that God lifts up the humble and the more honest we are about our weaknesses and our faults, the more God honors us.

A Christianity That Works

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 12, April 27, 2008

Part IX “How To Relate Wisely To People”
Every day you encounter many different kinds of people. Some are delightful, some difficult. Some are inspiring, others irritating. I read a bumper sticker that said, “The more time I spend with people, the more I love my horse”.

The fact is, a lot of the problems we have in life are because of personality conflicts. It's very important that we learn how to get along with other people. Again, we look to James for some practical advice.

James 3:13-18

Verse 18 is the key verse. “And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness.”

James says, every day, in every relationship, you're planting seeds. Seeds of anger, jealousy, peace, confidence, insecurity.
You will inevitably reap what you sow in your relationships.

We need to learn how to be wise in the way we act toward people. In verse 13 James says, that wisdom is a lifestyle.

It has nothing to do with your intelligence. It has everything to do with your relationships and your character. “Who is wise and understanding among you. Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom.”

Not a matter of what you say with your lips, but a matter
of what you live with your life. Not a matter of your words, but of your works. How you get along with other people shows how wise you really are.

Wisdom has more to do with character in relationships than it has to do with education and intelligence. James says lack of wisdom causes problems - all kinds of problems. Verse 14 says “If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart don't boast about it and deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, even of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition there you find disorder and every evil practice.”

Lack of wisdom causes all kinds of disorder and problems. In verse 17 James lists the characteristics of wise people.

“But wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all:
· pure
· peace loving
· considerate
· submissive
· full of mercy and good fruit
· impartial
· sincere

1. If I’m wise…..I WILL NOT COMPRO- MISE MY INTEGRITY

“The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure.” Pure means uncorrupted, authentic, genuine. If I'm wise, I'm not going to lie to you, I'm not going to cheat you, I'm not going to manipulate you. I'll be a person of integrity because all relationships are built on trust and respect.

The man of integrity walks securely, because he doesn't say one thing to one group and something else to another group. If I am wise I will not compromise my integrity.

2. If I’m wise…..I WILL NOT ANTAGO- NIZE YOUR ANGER

I won't make you angry. Wise people work at maintaining harmony. “Wisdom is peace loving”. Have you ever met someone who is always arguing, always looking for a fight?

Proverbs 20:3 “Any fool can start arguments. The wise thing is to stay out of them.”

Three things can cause arguments:
a) Comparing
“Why can't you be like …”
“When I was your age…”
“My first husband…”

b) Condemning
“It's all your fault”
“You should be ashamed”
“You always, You never, You ought to, You should.., You shouldn't..”

Someone said, “You can bury a marriage with a lot of little digs.”

c) Contradicting
How do you like to be interrupted in the middle of a sentence? It's irritating.

It has been said that “the secret of wisdom is knowing what to overlook.”

3. If I am wise…..I WON'T MINIMIZE YOUR FEELINGS

“Wisdom is considerate” meaning “mindful of the feelings of others”.

Proverbs 15:4 “Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit.”

Typically when we react to people's emotions, we say things that hurt. Often we belittle their feelings. Feelings are neither right nor wrong, they are just feelings. When my wife has a feeling, it's valid, whether it's logical or whether it makes
sense. The fact is she feels it. If I'm wise, I'm not going to minimize that.

“My day can beat your day”! A husband comes home worn out and starts complaining. “The traffic was bad, my boss got upset, the air conditioning went out.” The wife says, “Oh, yeah! Well Junior dunked the cat down the toilet and the beans burned.”

The fact is they both had a tough day. Wisdom is considerate. Allow your spouse to be tired without having to say, “Well, I'm more tired that you are”. The fact is, you're both tired.

4. If I’m wise…..I WON'T CRITICIZE YOUR SUGGESTIONS

A wise person can learn from anybody.
· He's not defensive, but open to reason.
· He's not stubborn but willing to listen and learn. “Wisdom is submissive”.

This word submissive really means reasonable, willing to listen, willing to be open to ideas and suggestions. The RSV says, “It's open to reason”. The LB says, “It allows discussion”.

Are you open to suggestions? Or are you like those who say, “Don't confuse me with the facts.” “When I want your opinion, I'll give it to you."

Most of us are too oversensitive. If somebody makes a suggestion we take it as a personal criticism and we become very defensive. James says that's dumb. A wise person can learn from anybody.

Proverbs 12:15 “A fool thinks he needs no advice. A wise man listens to others.”
If it's true, listen and learn from it. If it's false, ignore it and forget it. If I'm wise, I'll be open to reason. I won't criticize your suggestions but instead I'll listen to them.

5. If I’m wise…..I WON'T EMPHASIZE YOUR MISTAKES

“Wisdom is full of mercy and good fruit.” Do you jump on people every time they make a mistake? Cut them some slack.

Some people just hound you about your past. If I'm wise, with mercy I'll give you what you need, not what you deserve.

Two long-lost buddies meet at a convention they attended with their wives. The two guys sat in the lobby all night talking. When they realized the time, they knew they’d be in trouble with their wives. The next day they happened to see each other. “What did your wife say?” “I walked in the door and my wife got historical.” “Don't you mean hysterical?” “No, historical. She told me everything I ever did wrong.”

Proverbs 17:9 “Love forgets mistakes. Nagging about them parts even the best of friends.”

If you're wise you don't rub it in, you rub it out. You forget it.

Wisdom is full of mercy and good fruit (kind actions). It's something you do.

You don't just show sympathy. You don't just say, “I feel for you” but you do something about it.

6. If I’m wise…..I WON'T DISGUISE MY OWN WEAKNESSES
A mark of a wise person is they don't try to hide and disguise their own weaknesses.

Proverbs 28:13 “You’ll never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins.” It's dumb to pretend that you have got it all together, because nobody does.

When you start telling people what your weaknesses are they're not going to be shocked because they already know.

To get wisdom you look up.
· Knowledge comes from reason. Wisdom comes from revelation.
· Knowledge is something you learn. Wisdom is a gift.

James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God.”

A Christianity That Works

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 11, April 20, 2008

Part VIII “How To Control Your Mouth”

We are looking at what James says about managing your mouth. We love to talk. Everybody has something to say. The average Canadian has 30 conversations a day. You'll spend 1/5 of your life talking. In one year your conversations will fill 66 books of 800 pages a book. The average man speaks an average of 20,000 words a day, a woman speaks 30,000 words a day.

Nothing is opened more wrongly at the wrong time than our mouths. Our mouths get us into a lot of trouble.

James talks more about the tongue than anybody else in the New Testament. Every chapter of James says something about managing your mouth. James says, if you can control your mouth, you're perfect. He's not talking about sinless. "Perfection" in Greek literally means "mature, healthy".

When you go to the doctor and say, “I'm not feeling well,” the first thing he says is, "Stick out your tongue." Your tongue reveals what's going on inside of you, not just physically but spiritually.

I was tempted to title this sermon "Don't Let Your Tongue Lick You."

WHY MUST I WATCH WHAT I SAY?
It's only words; I'm just kidding." Three reasons we have to learn to manage our mouth.

1. MY TONGUE DIRECTS WHERE I GO: Look at your conversation. What do you like to talk about the most? We shape our words and then our words shape us.

James says, “The tongue is small, it's tiny”. And because it's tiny we think it's insignificant. But it has tremendous power. v. 3 Consider a bit in a horse's mouth. You've got a 12 to 1500 pound horse and a 95 pound jockey on his back. The jockey can control the mighty horse by a little piece of metal stuck strategically over his tongue. Likewise your tongue controls the direction of your life wherever you want to go, and a little word or phrase can influence the total direction of your life.

Then he says, “Consider a ship”. The Queen Mary has 3 acres of recreational space. The anchor is equal to the weight of ten cars. Yet a relatively small rudder directs the huge ocean liner out in the middle of the waves and winds and seas. A little rudder keeps it on course. Our tongue is like that.

Our tongue is like a rudder that steers us. Ships: "... they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go."

If you don't like the way you're headed right now, change the way you talk. Many people think, if the tongue has such influence maybe it's best to say nothing. Not talk at all, be silent. (A guy joined the Trappist monastery. For three years he was given a probation period where he was not to speak at all, but at the end of each year he could say two words. The first year at the end he said, "Bed hard." At end of the second year he said, "Food cold." At the end of the third year he's about had it. He comes in and says, "I quit". The head priest says, "That doesn't surprise me. All you've done is complain since you got here.")

2. MY TONGUE CAN DESTROY WHAT I HAVE v. 5 James gives another illustration. Imagine a beautiful forest -- tall beautiful trees everywhere. Now imagine it in one minute up in smoke, completely destroyed instantly with a little tiny match. It only takes a spark to get a fire going. A careless camper can destroy an entire national forest overnight. A careless word can destroy a life overnight. Gossip is like fire. It spreads quickly and it wrecks havoc.

I wonder how many people because of a careless word have destroyed their marriage, or their career, or their reputation, or the reputation of another, or their church, or a friendship. The tongue not only has the power to direct where you go but also to destroy what you have if you don't learn to control it. Have you ever met a verbal arsonist? Their words are always inflammatory. You can burn people with what you say.

Fire and words under control can give tremendous warmth and light, but fire and words out of control can be devastating. Proverbs 18:20 (Good News) "You have to live with the consequences of everything you say."

Words can create a chain reaction. You can say something that you didn't mean to have any harm, but it can have devastating effects that are beyond your control. Just a few inflammatory statements set off a chain of events that we now look back on and call World War II.

A couple comes in for marriage counseling. "I said this and then she said that, then I said this..." Then what happened? "All hell broke loose". Our words can cause "all hell to break loose." James says you've got to learn to manage your mouth, not only because it can direct where you go but it can destroy what you have. You can loose your family, your kids, your career simply by what you say. It's like a fire.

Proverbs 21:23 "If you want to stay out of trouble be careful what you say!" James uses another illustration. “All kinds of animals ... have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." (vs.7-8) No man can tame the tongue, humanly speaking. He says it's restless. That means it's always liable to break out at any moment. You can assassinate somebody with your words.

3. MY TONGUE DISPLAYS WHO I AM
It reveals my real character. It tells what's really inside of me. First James points out how inconsistent we are in our speech. v. 9 "The tongue we praise our Lord and Father and with the same tongue we curse men who've been made in God's likeness. From the same mouth come praise and curses. My brothers, this should not be."
Cursing here doesn't necessarily mean profanity. It means any kind of put down.

This really bothers me, how is it possible that we can be loving to people we love -- our kids, wives, husbands -- and the next moment be harsh, cold, mean to them? How is it possible in one minute to be talking in gentle, loving tones and the next minute be mean and hurtful?

My problem is not really my tongue. My problem is my heart. What's inside is what comes out. My mouth eventually betrays what is really on the inside of me. I can fool you and pretend but eventually my tongue is going to catch me. It's going to let you know what's really inside.

Have you heard someone say, "I don't know what got into me. It's not like me to say that. I don't know why I said that. It's totally out of character.”

James would say, “Yes, it is. It's just like you. You meant it. Quit kidding yourself. What's inside is going to come out. It's a natural law: what comes out of the well is what is inside of it.”

Jesus said in Matthew 12:34 "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." My tongue directs where I go. It can destroy what I have. But most of all, it simply displays what I am. It reveals my character.

If you've got a problem with your tongue, it's more serious that you think. You have a heart problem.

A person with a harsh tongue has an angry heart.

A person with a negative tongue has a fearful heart.

A person with an overactive tongue has an unsettled heart.


A person with a boasting tongue has an insecure heart.

A person with a filthy tongue has an impure heart.

A person who is critical all the time has a bitter heart.

On the other hand, a person who is always encouraging has a happy heart. A person who speaks gently has a loving heart. A person who speaks truthfully has an honest heart.

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
Get a new heart
You've got to get a new heart, that's the problem.

Ezekiel 18:31 "Rid yourself of all the offenses you have committed and get a new heart and a new spirit!"

Painting the outside of the pump doesn't make any difference if there is poison in the well. What I need is a fresh start. We need to pray like David prayed in Psalm 51 "Create in me a clean heart, O God" because what's in my heart is going to come out in my mouth.

Ask God for help every day.
You need supernatural power to control your tongue. You can't do it on your own.

Psalm 141:3 "Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips." Great verse to memorize and quote every morning.

Think before you speak
Engage your mind before you put your mouth in gear.

James 1:19 "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." If you're quick to listen you will be slow to speak. If you're slow to speak, then you will be slow to become angry.
What does it reveal about you?
If we were to play back a tape of every conversation you've had in this past week, what would we learn about you? God hears it all.

Our tongues display who we are.
What direction is your tongue leading you?

Some people say, "I'm just sick all the time" or "I can never do anything", "Things are just getting tougher and tougher" - what direction are they headed? Folks lets start speaking things like … this is great but the best is yet to come!

A Christianity That Works

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 10, March 30, 2008

Part VII “How To Have Real Faith”

James 2:14-26 “What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith and has no works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say to them, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled; notwithstanding you give them not the things they are in need of, how does that work? Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. Yes, a man may say, you have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? See how faith wrought with his works and by works faith was made perfect. And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

The apostle Paul throughout the New Testament teaches that we are saved by faith alone. “By grace, through faith, we are saved.” Then James comes along and says, “It's not just faith, but faith and works.” Who is right, James or Paul?

Actually they are both right, because they are talking about different things.

Paul addresses legalism while James deals with carelessness saying “It doesn't matter what you do as long as you believe.”

When Paul uses the word “works” he's talking about Jewish laws. James on the other hand is talking about the lifestyle of a Christian.

Paul focuses on the root of salvation, what happens internally. James focuses on the fruit of salvation, what happens on the outside.

Paul is talking about “how to know you’re a Christian.” James is talking about “how to show you’re a Christian.”

Paul is talking about “how to become a believer”. James talks about “how to behave like a believer”.

I appreciate that James actually shows us five ways to tell if you’ve got real faith.

1. Real faith is not just something you say
Verse 14 “What good is it my brother if a man claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such ‘faith’ save him?”

It doesn't say he actually has faith, he just claims to have it. He talks about it.

Real faith is more than just talk. Jesus said, “Not everybody who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ is going to enter into heaven.”

2. Real faith is not just something you feel It’s more than emotions. You can be emotionally moved and never act on it.

Verse 15 “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him ‘Go, I wish you well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?”

If, after church, you’re getting into you car and you happen to slam your fingers in your car door, and as you’re standing there in agony, bleeding on your shoes, I walk up and say, “Man, I really feel for you!” Does that help? Real faith is more than just sympathy, feelings and emotion. Real faith takes action.

Know that James is talking about Christians here. When you become a part of God’s family, you take on some family responsibilities. A true believer cares about other believers.

I John 3:17 “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?”

· Who can count on you in a crisis?
· How many Christians have the freedom to call you up in the middle of the night if they are in an emergency?

I John 3:14 says that one of the proofs of salvation is that we love other Christians.

Real faith, James says, must lead me to share with others.

Verse 17 “In the same way, faith by itself if it's not accompanied by actions is dead.” If I don't feel like helping other Christians, my faith isn’t sick, it’s dead.

James is laying it on the line. He says, your faith has to be more than just something you say or feel.

3. Real faith is not just something you think For some people, faith is an intellectual matter to be studied, debated, talked over and discussed.
James imagines someone saying, “You’re into faith, I’m into works”. “Show me your faith without deeds and I will show you my faith by what I do.”

Real faith is visible. If you are a Christian, people should be able to see it. James says, “Show me”. Somebody said, “Faith is like calories. You can't see them but you can sure see the results.”

If you claim to be a Christian, I’ve a right to ask you to prove it by looking at your lifestyle.

It doesn't matter what I say. What counts are my actions. Real faith is more than just something you think. You can point it out and see it in people’s lives.

II Corinthians 5:17 “Any time a person becomes a Christian he becomes a new person inside, the old things have passed away. All things become new.” Not necessarily overnight, but they start becoming new.

How can somebody as big as God enter your life and it not change you?

4. Real faith is not just something you believe “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that, and shudder.” The Greek word is actually ‘to bristle’ - meaning ‘their hair stands up on end’.

There are a lot of people who have strong beliefs in God, the Bible, about Christ. They recite creeds and catechisms. James says, “big deal”! Just saying you believe in God is not enough to get you to heaven. Even the devil believes.
A lot of folks are going to miss heaven by 18 inches. They’ve got it in their head but not their heart.

5. Real faith is something you do
Verse 20 “You foolish men. Do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. His faith and his actions were working together. His faith was made complete by what he did.”

You probably know the story. It was the ultimate test where God asked Abraham to give up his own son. He took his son up, cut the wood, built the altar and was ready to sacrifice his own son. But Abraham had said to his servant, “We will return”.

His works proved his faith. He held nothing back from God.

Our faith is not determined by
what we do or say,
it is demonstrated by what we do.

In a very real sense God is saying, talk is cheap. Put your money where your mouth is. Our faith is demonstrated by our actions. Actions speak louder than words.

An old boatman in Scotland had the job of taking passengers across a lake in his rowboat. One day, a passenger inquired concerning the oars the boatman was using. One oar had the word FAITH carved on it and the other WORKS. The old man said, “I’ll show you.” He put one oar into the water, the one marked FAITH and began to row. The boat just went in circles. Then he took the oar out and put in the one marked WORKS and began to row. The same thing happened only in the opposite direction. Then he picked up both oars, FAITH and WORKS placed them in the water and began to row. As he pulled these oars together, the boat began to move forward in a straight line. To the passenger who questioned the oars he said, “That is the same way in the Christian life - one is no good without the other.”James is not saying you work your way to heaven. Nor is he saying works bring salvation. But what he is saying is that works demonstrate our faith.

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, for a life of good works God has already prepared for us to do.” He has a plan for your life.

A Christianity That Works

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 09, March 16, 2008

Part VI “How To Treat People Right”

Read James 2:1-13

Your biggest problems and mine, are people problems - getting along with other people. To dwell above with those you love, that will be a glory. But to dwell below, with those we know, that's another story.

James gives us the principle, the problem and the application.
James 2:1 “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.” Whenever James starts out with “my brothers” he's getting ready to nail you. Count on it!

I. THE PRINCIPLE
Favoritism: prejudice, partiality.
The New English Bible calls it “snobbery”. “Never treat anybody in a different way according to their outward appearance.” (Good News Bible)

Common areas of discrimination
Appearance: We judge people on their appearance, how they look and dress. Even Christians get caught up in this dress for power, dress for success. People seemed to be concerned with what's in and what's out, what's hot and what's not.

Ancestry: We judge people according to their race, nationality and ethnic background. Church goers judge according to their denominations…..ouch!

Age: You're too young or too old.

Achievement: Society gushes over winners. Success and status are key.

Affluence: This is the area that James picks out above the others - Economic distinction.

James 2:2 “Suppose a man comes to your meeting wearing gold rings and fine clothes and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say ‘Here's a good seat for you’ but say to the poor man ‘You stand over there’ or ‘Sit on the floor at my feet’, have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”
James doesn't criticize the guy for being wealthy; he criticizes the members for being partial to him. The usher takes the rich guy to the front row and seats him. “Here, take this nice place. We want everybody to know you're here. We want to take care of every one of your needs.” Then he says to the poor man, “You can stand over there in a corner or you can sit on the floor.”

Literally, in the Greek it's “under my footstool”. It's the ultimate putdown. He treats him carelessly.

James says there are three problems with favoritism.
1. Favoritism is unchristian
If you want to be like Jesus you can't play favorites. This word "favoritism" is used only three other times in the Bible. Each of those refers to God and it says, “God does not play favorites.” Romans 2:11
Jesus treated everybody with dignity.

Peter had to learn this lesson before he went to Cornelius. God loves everybody. If there is one place in the world where there shouldn't be any kind of discrimination, it ought to be in the church. There is discrimination everywhere else in the world, but there ought to be one place no matter who you are or what your background is, that you're welcome.

2. Favoritism is unreasonable
In James 2:5-7 he says it's illogical, it doesn't make sense. “Has not God chosen the poor to be rich in faith and inherit the kingdom?”

He's not saying that it's good to be poor and bad to be rich. Nor is he saying that only the poor will be saved.
· Your salvation isn't based on your savings account?
· Wealth in itself does not deserve any special treatment.
· Your value is not based on your valuables.
· Don't confuse your net worth with your self-worth.
James says, why cater to the rich? “Are not the rich exploiting you?” In New Testament times it was the Roman nobility who were feeding the Christians to the lions. It was the upper crust (a bunch of crumbs held together by their own dough) that were persecuting the Christians, judging and insulting the Christians, throwing them to the lions.

3. Favoritism is unchristian
Showing favoritism is unchristian and unreasonable, however, James says the primary reason you shouldn't show favoritism is that it is unloving. “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’, you're doing right.”

How we relate to other people shows how much we really love God. I John 4:20 “If a man says he loves God and hates his brother he's lying. How can you love God whom you haven't seen if you don't love your brother whom you have seen?”

How I relate to you proves how much I love God.

“If you show favoritism you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”

· How many laws do you have to break to be a lawbreaker?
· How many crimes do you have to commit to be a criminal?
· How many links do you have to break to break a chain?

You may think favoritism is just a small sin, but James says, if you break one part of God's rule, you’re guilty of breaking it all.

James 2:12 “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom because judgment without mercy will not be shown to anyone who has been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

· Love treats people with mercy.
· Love gives people what they need, not what they deserve.

How do you treat people?

THE PRESCRIPTION: Typically in analyzing reasons for growth in a church, the focus has been on such factors as pastoral leadership, attractiveness of facilities, location, liberal or conservative theology, evangelical fervor. But there is increasing evidence that none of these influences a church's growth or decline as significantly as how much love and acceptance people experience when they attend.

You love them into the kingdom of heaven.
How do you do that?

Three steps:
1. Accept everybody
There's a big difference between acceptance and approval. You can accept somebody without approving of his lifestyle. “Accept one another just as Christ accepted you.” Romans 15:7

That's a start - acceptance.

At the Gathering Place, we are trying to cultivate an attitude of acceptance. The church is a hospital for sinners, not a hotel for saints. If you're perfect, you don't belong here.

This is a church where people are growing. This is a church for people who don't have it all together.

It doesn't matter where you've been, it matters where you are now.

This is a church that believes that Jesus really lived, that He really died on the cross and that He really rose again on the third day. We cannot and will not water down that message. But in the non-essentials we have liberty and in all things we have charity.

If we can't learn to get along together here on
the earth, what makes us think we'll get
along together in heaven?

2. Appreciate everybody
This goes further than acceptance.
Philippians 2:35 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself. Each of you should look not only to your own interest but also the interest of others.”

Appreciate everybody. Find something you can like, not just accept. Tell them so. With some people, this may require a little creativity. Maybe you just need to value their uniqueness.

3. Affirm everybody
Give everybody a lift whenever possible.
I Thessalonians 5:11 “Encourage one another and build each other up.”

When people stumble, don't criticize, sympathize. Be an encourager not a condemner. Treat people like you would like to be treated. Give a welcome handshake, a smile. The ministry of greeters in church is crucial. You only have one chance to make a first impression.

The church that accepts, appreciates and affirms people is the church that God blesses.

Absolutely nothing can stop the church that's filled with love. It doesn't happen accidentally. It requires an all out effort by each of us. Everybody needs to contribute.

Would people come back to this church
because of you?
Together we need to make a commitment that this church will receive people unconditionally.
· We don't expect people to act like believers until they are believers.
· Love draws outside people in.

I want our church to have a reputation for love.

I believe that God is just waiting for a church that will love people unconditionally. He can use that kind of church to spark a spiritual awakening in this valley that all the forces of hell can not stop. It would change the climate of this community for Christ. Nothing can stop a loving church.

It was said of the New Testament church, “See how they love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples that you love each other.”

A Christianity That Works

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 08, March 9, 2008

Part V “How To Be Blessed By The Bible”

Bibles are everywhere. They come in all sizes, shapes, translations, versions, leather bound, paperback. Last year there were 500 million Bibles published in the world in 18,000 different languages. We have the Word of God on the radio, TV, in books and magazines. It's everywhere! Yet millions of people still miss the blessing of the Bible. Why?

Because it's not automatic.
The Bible is a book of blessing, promising comfort, strength, hope, wisdom, joy, power, and purpose. But just because you have a Bible doesn't mean you're going to get its benefits.

James shows us a key to being blessed by the Bible. “The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard but doing it, will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25

1. ACCEPT GOD'S WORD
“Accept the word planted in you” verse 21. Circle the word
“accept”. This word in Greek is a hospitality term which literally means “to welcome”.

We must welcome the word into our lives.

James says we must receive the Word with the right attitude.

A careful attitude
“Be quick to listen…” verse 19. When I'm talking, I'm not listening. Many of our problems are caused because we're quick to speak rather than quick to listen. An article in Reader's Digest said when you listen, it actually lowers your blood pressure, whereas talking raises it.

A relaxed attitude increases receptivity. What is your emotional state when you come to church on Sunday morning? Do you come with a calm attitude? Sunday morning in many homes is pretty hectic. Then we come in our stirred up state expecting to hear a word from God.

There are several things we need to do in preparation to receive the Word.

Be Clean
“Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent…” verse 21. The word “filth” James uses, is actually the Greek word that means “earwax”.

This reminded me of a prayer I use to pray. “Please find me willing to hear what you have for me to learn. Heal me of my pre-conceived ideas and opinions. Remove the wax of worldly knowledge from my ears. Heal me of dull hearing and open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your word.”

Be Compliant
Teachable, yielded, humble, willing to be changed. He says “humbly accept the word of God.”

2. REFLECT ON THE WORD OF GOD “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself immediately goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." verse 23

James says God's word is like a mirror. The purpose of a mirror is to evaluate us. We look in a mirror to assess the damage from the night before. Then we do something about it. What good is a mirror if we don't do anything about what we see?
“To Hear the Word and Not Act upon it, robs us of
understanding and effectiveness!”

To reflect on the Word of God…
· Read it.
“The man who looks intently into the perfect law” verse 25. He's actually talking more about researching than reading.

There are two ways you look at a mirror. You gaze at it or you glance at it. All of us have done both. It's human nature that you can't walk by a mirror and not look at it. When you glance at it, you immediately walk away and forget what you've seen. It didn't do you any good. Many people try to have a devotional time that way.

· Review it
“...and continues to do so…” verse 25. That means over and over and over. The Bible calls this meditation.

If you know how to worry, you can meditate. Take a negative idea and think about it over and over, and it's called worry. Take God's Word and think about it over and over and it's called meditation.

Jesus said, “if you continue in My word, then you're truly My disciples.”

The Sword & Trowel I give you each week is so you can review it during the week.

· Remember it.
“...not forgetting what he has heard” verse 25.
Nothing will do more for your spiritual life than developing the habit of memorizing Scripture. “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.”

The United States Air Force did a study and found that we forget 95% of what we hear within 72 hours. I spend all week preparing a message to give you on Sunday. By Wednesday, you've forgotten 95% of what I've said unless you've written it down.

3. RESPOND TO THE WORD OF GOD
I must do something about it, act on it, live it, practice it. “Don’t merely listen to what the word says and so deceive yourselves” verse 22.

I hear, I forget.
I see, I remember.
I do, I understand.

I need to practice it and apply it in my life. James said, “To him who knows to do good and doesn't do it, it's sin.”

Illustration: Let's say you all being concerned about your pastor's health, come to me saying, “Ed, as you move into the older years, we want to help you stay in shape, so we took up an offering and bought you Aaron Brouwer’s Fit To Save A Life Book. This book can change your life. It's fantastic. It has changed the lives of millions of people. Read this book. It will change you.”

I say “great” and I go away for 6 months and then come back and I'm the same. You say, “What happened? Didn't you read the book?” I tell you “I did and I loved it. I even underlined portions of it and memorized sections of it and even started a group study of the book.”

How often do we do that with the Word?

If you want to be blessed, you've got to “do” the Word of God, not just read it or hear it or even know it.

Each week I try to present it in a clear and “doable” way. I try to make it simple so we can put it into practice.

I heard about the guy who came to church late. He walked in just as the service was completing. He said to an usher, “Is the sermon done, yet?” The usher was wise and said, “The sermon has been preached, but it is yet to be done.”

I pray The Gathering Place will develop the reputation of being doers of the word.

James says, “The man who puts the law into practice wins true happiness.”

Three practical ways to practice the word:
· A controlled mouth “If any one considers himself religious and does not keep a tight reign on his tongue he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”

· A caring heart “Religion that our God accepts as faultless is this....to look after orphans and widows in their distress.” .
· A clean mind “Keep from being polluted by the world.”

In order to do the word, find a place of ministry where you can get involved.

Impression without expression leads to depression: If you're always taking in, one study after another, and never get out in ministry, it's going to dry up your spiritual life.

James proves that the blessing of the Bible comes when we start living it.

Heavenly Father, You've told us to be doers of the Word. I ask for the courage to act on what we’ve heard today. Help us to do the right thing!

A Christianity That Works Part IV

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place,
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 07, March 2, 2008

“How To Handle Temptation”

Temptation: Man's oldest problem; we all eventually face it.

There are two different kinds of testing; Trials and Temptations.
1. Trials are situations designed by God to help us grow.
2. Temptations are designed by the devil to cause us to sin.

Today’s question is, “How do you handle temptation?” James, being the practical writer that he is, gives us five principles.

1. Be Realistic: You will be tempted. When tempted ... not "if” tempted. Everybody's tempted. You're tempted. I'm tempted. Every day we're tempted. You never get too old for it. You never spiritual enough. Everybody's tempted. The more you grow in the Lord, the more you’ll be tempted. It's a fact of life.

I Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man." Circle "common to man" -- that means we're all in the same boat.

It is not a sin to be tempted. It is a sin to give in to temptation. Hebrew 4:15 Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are yet he sinned not.

Temptation proves you're human, not that you're evil.

2. Be responsible Accept responsibility. Don't blame others for your problems. We love to blame people, even God. v13 When tempted, no one should say, `God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.

Some people say, "It must be God's will or He wouldn't have let it happen." That's called blaming God.

God does not tempt. He never contradicts His word. God isn’t going to tell you one thing and have the Bible say something different.

If the Bible says something and you say something different, you're wrong.

The fact is I bring most of my problems on myself. I need to quit making excuses.

3. Be ready Peter says, "Be on your guard." Jesus said, Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation. Paul said, Put on the whole armor of God.

Be ready. Be prepared. Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desires, he is dragged away and enticed. Don't be deceived dear brothers. Circle "deceived"

· How do you prepare for temptation?
· How do you get ready for it?

II Corinthians 2:11 In order that Satan might not outwit us, we are aware of his schemes.

God wants you to know the devil’s method of operations. He's been using the same old bag of tricks for 2000 years and longer.

Temptation is a process, not a one-time act.

James outlines four steps the devil uses in order to tempt you.

DESIRE: v14 "Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desires..." It's an inside job. Any desire out of control becomes destructive. Satan loves to take routine desires and turn them into runaway desires. You become consumed, obsessed by it.

Legitimate desires when out of control become a problem.

If it wasn't for the inward desire you wouldn't be tempted.

DECEPTION: v14 "He is dragged away and enticed ..."

Literally - "snared in a trap". Enticed is a fisherman’s term, "lured by bait". The secret of great fishing is in the bait. The right kind of bait for the right kind of fish.

What kind of bait does the devil use for you?
He knows your hot button, your weakness. He knows you inside and out. He knows what turns you on. He knows what you will fall for. He hides his hook in his bait and the bait appeals to your weakness.

Crazy thing - even if we see the hook and know it's a temptation we keep right on nibbling.

Temptation always looks better than it really is. Desire turns to deception and deception turns to disobedience.

DISOBEDIENCE: v14 "Then after desire has conceived it gives birth to sin."

The battle starts with your thoughts. It moves from your thoughts into actions. If the devil gets your attention he’ll eventually get you to commit the action.

People say, "What's wrong in a harmless fantasy?"

What starts in your mind eventually comes out in your life. What you flirt with, you will fall for. That's the whole purpose behind television advertising. What starts in your mind eventually comes out in your lifestyle. Desire leads to deception, deception leads to disobedience. Disobedience leads to death.

If you overcome temptation you get the crown of life, but the wages of sin are death -- spiritual separation from God.
James says we are free to choose any way we want to live. God gives you and I freedom of choice. We however are not free to choose the consequences of those choices.

In order to overcome temptation, I've got to be realistic and admit I have a problem. Then I've got to be responsible, not blaming anybody else and quit making excuses. Then I get ready by understanding what happens during temptation so I can learn how to avoid it.

All of a sudden in verse 17, James switches gears. First he's talking about something negative then he's talking about something positive. He's refocusing our attention on something else. Why? Because that's the next step in overcoming temptation. Be realistic, be responsible, be ready, then be refocused.

REFOCUS v17: If temptation begins with our inner thoughts then changing what we think about is the key to overcoming it. The key to overcoming temptation is not to fight temptation but simply refocus your thoughts. Change your attention.

Instead of looking at what you're being tempted by, look somewhere else. Philippians 4:8 says "Think on these things, things that are good, positive, just, honest."

Focus your mind on the goodness of God. Why? Whatever gets your attention, gets you.

Focus on God’s goodness, "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad." It's a choice.

"I will bless the Lord at all times ... His praise will continually be in my mouth ... I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

When temptation calls, drop the receiver. When you refocus, it may mean physically removing yourself from the situation. If you don't want to get stung, get away from the bees. Maybe you need to change the channel on the TV, or walk out of that movie. Maybe you need to change friendships or jobs. Maybe you need to stay off of the internet.

I Corinthians 15:33 "Bad company corrupts good character."

The single most important principle in getting control of your life is to let God have control of it. Get Him in your life so He can start changing your character.

Being born again gives you a new capacity to resist temptation. Begin a relationship with Christ. Trust Him to help you make the changes.

You will not be able to say no to temptation until you first say yes to God. You need His power in your life.

· Where are you most vulnerable?
· What is your weak spot?
Is it your temper? Your appetite? Your spending? Your words, or lustful thoughts?

What is your hot button? Figure it out and then admit it to God. Get free of the past. Get forgiveness.

I Corinthians 10:13 God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it. What a great promise!

God says, "I will make a way out if you trust Me."

Don’t bother praying "Lord, lead us not into temptation" if, at the same time, you're flirting with
temptation. You've got to co-operate.
Martin Luther said, "We cannot keep the birds from flying over us, but we can keep them from making a nest in our hair."

Resources you need in order to fight temptation:
1. Fellowship with other Christians.
2. Get into God's word.