In December ago I watched a Christmas concert video where one of the performer is my little foster sister, Sandra. I very impressed and proud to see him sitting in the front of grand piano playing a classical Christmas repertoire accompanied by an orchestra. Elegantly her fingers danced swiftly on the piano keys. While I watched Sandra on the stage, I remembered when she was under 17, I often took her to watch music concerts. She was interested in music especially classical music. I still remember when we were watching a concert, I whispered to her, “Someday you’re not only sit as audience but you must sit on the stage as a player” she replied firmly, “Yes! I must…!”
Now Sandra has proven her words a few years ago, now she has moved from the viewer to be the real player. Sandra is in the right position according to…
James talked about enduring trials, but what kinds of trials was James talking about? I found this in Hebrews and thought that it was applicable to what we are discussing. It is important for us to understand that faith results in actions. Sometimes these actions are quite sever. However, going through these trials build us up in Christ and gives us the endurance needed to run our race well. Below is a table that shows some people in the Old Testament who were tested.
Two things of note. First, in Hebrews 11:29 the author briefly mentions when Israel crossed the Red Sea. Now something that may be overlooked in the casual reading of this little verse… each individual had to make a decision to trust God and pass through the waters. Any one who would have stayed behind, even though they would be “elect” of God would have died at the hands of Egypt (the World system). Those who truly believed God and used that faith to move forward were spared death. Without faith in God they would have never moved.
Second is the entirety of Hebrews 11:35-40 shows the trials that others before us have had to go through. These things they endured not only demonstrated their faith, but; gave a benefit for us. Without these martyrs we would not have examples of what faith looks like in action. We would not have the benefit of being able to trust in the Lord without seeing the faithfulness of God in their sufferings. We could even go so far as to say that without the trials of the faithful who have gone before us, we would not know God. Why then do we go through trials.
Hebrews 11:17-33
Faith
Who
Action
By Faith
Abraham
Offered Isaac in obedience of faith and trust in God
By Faith
Isaac
Blessed Jacob and Esau’s future trusting the promise of God
By Faith
Jacob
When dying Blessed his sons future trusting the promise of God
By Faith
Joseph
Commanded his bones be brought out of Egypt; believing God
By Faith
Moses’ Parents
Hid him 3 months without fear
By Faith
Moses
Refused to be a son of the Pharaoh’s daughter
By Faith
Moses
Forsook Egypt
Through Faith
Moses
Kept the Passover in obedience through faith
By Faith
Moses and Israel
Passed through the Red Sea in obedience through faith
By Faith
Joshua and Israel
Fell the Walls of Jericho by obedience to the Lord
By Faith
Rehab
Received mercy salvation
Through Faith
Various Judges
Subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, etc… all through obedience in faith
Take some time this week to search out these examples and see what these saints did because of their faith. If we believe that Jesus is the Lord and stand in that faith, then we will receive trials. Trials are a good thing. Trials help us to grow and mature in our faith. Trials help us to trust more on the Lord and his promises. Trials help others to trust in the Lord and give an opportunity for others to learn how to respond in trials, and to encourage their own faith and endurance.
Brother of Jesus, Leader of the Church of Jerusalem
James the brother of Jesus was not a believer of Jesus as the
Son of God until after Jesus was resurrected.
James was a devout man who was also known as James the Just. Clement of Alexandria and Hegsippus both
wrote epithets that refer to James as the Just. He was a devout man who
demanded the respect of both Christian and Jewish leaders.
Once converted, James is believed to have worked, in the
early church at Jerusalem, with the Apostle Peter (Cephas). The Encyclopedia Britannica explains the
James the brother of Jesus may have been a natural fill-in for the martyr James
of the son of Zebedee (Acts 12:2). James appears in the book of the Acts of the
Apostles to have been an influential member of the church Council in Jerusalem. Paul the Apostle received council from James
when he returned to Jerusalem. Paul
lists James and Cephas at pillars of the church in Jerusalem. Peter also when he had been released from
Prison in Acts 12 told them to go and tell James. Peter’s singling out of James puts an emphases
of the importance of James to the church in Jerusalem.
James died around 62 A.D.
Christian Historians put his death in Jerusalem where he was martyred
for his faith in Jesus as the Son of God.
Eusebius, a 4th Century Christian and historian chronicles 3
different sources of the death of James.
Clement of Alexandria, Hegesippus, and Josephus all have a different
version of the martyrdom of James.
Hegesippus’ version is the one Eusebius judges as most correct.
AND now Caesar, upon hearing the death of Festus, sent Albinus
into Judea, as procurator. But the king deprived Joseph of the high priesthood,
and bestowed the succession to that dignity on the son of Ananus, who was also
himself called Ananus. Now the report goes that this eldest Ananus proved a
most fortunate man; for he had five sons who had all performed the office of a
high priest to God, and who had himself enjoyed that dignity a long time
formerly, which had never happened to any other of our high priests. But this
younger Ananus, who, as we have told you already, took the high priesthood, was
a bold man in his temper, and very insolent; he was also of the sect of the
Sadducees, who are very rigid in judging offenders, above all the rest of the Jews,
as we have already observed; when, therefore, Ananus was of this disposition,
he thought he had now a proper opportunity [to exercise his authority]. Festus
was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the sanhedrin
of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ,
whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when
he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered
them to be stoned: but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the
citizens, and such as were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they
disliked what was done; they also sent to the king [Agrippa], desiring him to
send to Ananus that he should act so no more, for that what he had already done
was not to be justified; nay, some of them went also to meet Albinus, as he was
upon his journey from Alexandria, and informed him that it was not lawful for
Ananus to assemble a sanhedrin without his consent. (24) Whereupon Albinus
complied with what they said, and wrote in anger to Ananus, and threatened that
he would bring him to punishment for what he had done; on which king Agrippa
took the high priesthood from him, when he had ruled but three months, and made
Jesus, the son of Damneus, high priest. [i]
Tradition holds that James was brought to the temple and
confronted on whether he believed that Jesus was the messiah. James’ stance of belief that Jesus was indeed
the Son of God infuriated the Sanhedrin and James was pushed of a high place of
the Synagogue and then stoned. It is
reported that James prayed for his attackers in the same way that Jesus did, “Father
forgive them, they know not what they do.”
Then his head was caved in by a club.
James the brother of Jesus had once doubted Jesus as the
messiah. He probably felt at one time
that he was crazy and was ashamed to call him his brother. This James who believed and followed the Law
of Moses to the last dash and the last dot of ink had given his life for his
belief. A belief that Jesus is indeed
the Son of God who takes away the sins of the world.
[i] “Josephus
on James.” Dr. Beth Elise Whitaker, 11 Apr. 2013,
pages.uncc.edu/james-tabor/ancient-judaism/josephus-james/.
I spoke with a friend a day or two ago. She was concerned because her son was getting
old enough to leave the fold now. She
was concerned with the usual things that we as parents get concerned
about. If you have lived through this,
or are currently going through this situation, then you know what I am talking
about. This is a heart wrenching time
for a parent. It has been 18 years where
the mom and dad have been caring for the needs of their child. They have tried hard to prepare them for this
inevitable day. All their hopes and
aspirations are tied up in the fruition of the life of labor and love they have
poured into their little baby, who is now a young adult. Have they been good parents?
What if their young one fails? How will they be able to help? Will their child ask for help? Did I prepare them enough for them to be successful?
But probably the most heart wrenching question for a Christian parent is, “Will
they continue in their faith?” Will they walk away from God and never return?
In a study done by Lifeway Research, author Ed Stetzer,
relays that 70 percent of high school students who attended church on a regular
basis, for at least one year, will stop going to church during their years of
higher education. There are allot of
reasons for this, but most do not intentionally stop going to church. That is, it is not that they could not wait
to get away from their oppressive Christian parents so that they could leave their
archaic religion. Most just get caught up
in their new busy life. Juggling of
study, school, work, and the development of new friendships distract them from their
previous priorities. Some will get
distracted for a while, maybe some for several years, but most will eventually
return. Probably when they start their
own families. There are a few who will
get distracted far beyond measure. Some will
forsake their childhood upbringing in favor of some college professor’s views,
or do the world views on life, sex, and politics that permeate the college
campuses. We can find throughout scripture examples to prove that the Lord does
not abandon his children.
In Luke chapter 15 we find the story of the prodigal son. In this story the youngest son makes a plea
for his half of the inheritance and leaves home. This rebellious son then squanders his
fortunes in a foreign land and winds up being homeless and penniless. After much soul searching he decides to
return home and beg forgiveness in hopes that he can work on the family estate
as a hired hand. When he returns his
father is overjoyed. The father’s love
overflows from deep in his heart and he rejoices over the return of his son
with a great feast and a party. The
oldest son, who remained obedient is put off with this forgiveness his younger
sibling received. He is caught up in his
own selfish interests to see the miracle that has happened.
This story has many different points at which we can tear it
apart and find some universal truth or a great life application. I have many times used this parable as a part
of my testimony, because I was also a wayward son who had returned. If you are not familiar with this story it
can be found in Luke 15:11-32.
Here in this passage we see a man that did everything
right. He raised his kids in a
God-fearing home. He taught them the
value of good hard work. He taught them about the Lord. He taught him the customs of their people,
and how to be good men. He instructed
them in the way of their faith. Yet one
of his children fell away. This is the
case for many of us parents.
We can teach, and discipline, and hold our breath till we
are blue in the face, but some of our children will go away form their faith. We can do everything right. Still our loved one abandons the truth and
rebels against God. I should also
mention that we can do everything wrong, and yet our child finds God. The point here is that faith is a personal
decision. Our job is to pray for them,
teach them, and reinforce the instructions of life and hope in Christ. Teach them the wisdom of knowing God and the
advantages of living a godly lifestyle.
We are to give them an understanding of God that they can use in life’s
decisions. But the decision is up to
them. Each man (woman) is responsible to
God for themselves. This is why the father
rejoiced.
The father in Luke 15 knew when his son asked for his share
of the inheritance and left that he was already lost before his feet his the
road. He also knew that he could not
stop him. He knew that while his son was
in rebellion that he was already dead spiritually. I am sure that his heart was broken. Something that we cannot miss though. The father knew his son had to make the
decisions.
When his youngest son asked for the money his father did not
argue with him. His father could have
told him, that money is not yours yet, you do not have a right to it. His father could have drilled him with all
kinds of questions, he could told him how foolish he was, and what a bad son he
is. He could have struck out in
anger. The father had all of the
authority and right to do any or all of these things. Instead he listened. He gave his son an opportunity to learn a
life lesson that his son needed.
This father also trusted God to return his son to his faith.
The father knew that the son in his heart did believe in God and that this
little light of faith would be used by God to steer him home. I am sure he held onto Proverbs 22:6. The father had hope. He knew that God loved his son also, just as
much as he did. He knew that God would
not abandon his son.
This hope is evident in verse 20 of Luke 15. It says, “But when he was yet a great way
off, his father saw him.” This father was looking for the return of his
son. He expected the Lord to deliver his
son. He rose up and looked for him every
day! We don’t know how long the
timeframe is of the story, but it was long enough for the son to lose his
inheritance, take a slum job, deal with starvation, and finally repent. The son swallowed his pride and came with
full intention of making things write with his father no matter what the
consequences.
This story can tell us so much about the love of God. When the son returned the father did not care
where he had been, or what he had done.
He only say his son. His baby was
coming home. I think about this and I
think about my own son. He is a grown
man, but every time I look at him, I still see the little infant that I held
for the first time at his birth. I know
the heart of God by this memory. With
all that I love my son and no matter what he has done or where he has been, I
still see this little baby in my hands.
That I like to think is the way that God sees each of us. This father in our story just saw his baby,
crying and beaten up by life, returning home.
This father who loved his son, put his arms around him. Nothing else mattered.
This is what Jesus made possible. No matter how far we go. No matter what we have done. No matter how
rebellious we have been. Jesus made a
path home for us, for our children. Have
hope in the Lord. Your heavenly Father
has not abandoned you, and will not abandon your son or daughter. Yes there are some hard lessons in life to
learn. No we cannot shelter our children
from consequences of their own decisions.
However; we can have confidence that the Lord will never leave or
forsake them.
Exodus 20: What do the 10 Commandments Mean for the Christian?
It is true the Law cannot make one righteous. Neither does the keeping of the Law sustain our salvation. However, Paul on several occasions states that we should not let Grace be an occasion for sin. In other words we should not let our freedoms be taken to far, and thus make the reason for our Grace be lost. Turning to Exodus 20 we can get a good understanding of the 10 Commandments and how we can apply them in our Christian lives, not for salvation or works of justification, but because scripture says that we should do works of righteousness. James 4:17 “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” How we choose to live out this freedom that has been given us in Jesus Christ is a direct reflection of the heart. These are just short paragraphs to get you thinking.
The first commandment “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”(.3) is a pretty straight forward translation. The Hebrew words used here are quite easily put to the English text of the King James Version. The word “gods” is the plural form of Elohim. This word indicates that there will be no other rulers, judges, divine ones, angels, works or special possessions of God. The word “before” is the Hebrew word paniym, which means face and is used here to indicate “before my face”, or “in from of” or “in presence of”. So the command is quite clear, Thou (you) shalt (will not) have anything that has authority over you before me. A Christian should not let anything interfere with the sovereignty of God over their lives. No other authority is to reign supreme over the Word of God. No government, carrier, relationship, or other aspect of our lives should be allowed to stop us from obeying the Word of the Lord. We should live outward lives that indicate who has supreme authority over our lives. That supreme authority is God Himself.
The second commandment “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image (v.4) When looking at this commandment we can see that the meaning “to cut or engrave”. Specifically it comes from the Hebrew pecel (peh’-sel) meaning idol or image. So the understanding is that we are not to make any image as an idol. The command goes on to include any likeness of anything that is in heaven, or in the earth, or in the sea, in fact it goes so far to say not even under the earth. Nothing should be made that is to appear to represent God, or any other idol. One should note that an idol is something that is obsessed over. We cannot use anything made by hands or in creation to represent God for worship of any kind. Our affections should be solely placed on God, nothing should be used to represent God, because we run the risk of worshiping what is created rather than the creator. We do not bow to crosses, the Eucharist, or to anything other than God himself. God will not share his worship with anything else.
The third commandment “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (v.7) This commandment is a warning that we should not take (bear), or lift up either literally or figuratively the name of the Lord. The meaning is that we should revere the name of the Lord, and should not take it lightly. We are not to frivolously use the name of the Lord to seal an oath, or to in effect evoke the Lord on our behalf. God is not a djinn to be uses as we will or conjured up for our purposes. With this comes a sense of respect and personal accountability. If we cannot use the Lord for an oath, then we must be honest and trustworthy in our speech and actions. We are to have a name that brings respect to the Lord. We are to honor the name of the Lord. The end of this commandment is frightening. The Lord says that He will defend His own name. Anyone who disrespects Him will be held accountable to Him. We should then live in truth and in Spirit giving honor and respect to the name of the Lord in our speech and our actions.
The forth commandment “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” (v.8) The Hebrew word for remember is zakar (za-kar’), and is used to cause to remember or as a memorial. The later verses further explain that there were seven days that God used to create the earth, and on the last day, God rested. This is a day to be kept in memorial of the provisions of God. In six days he created everything that was needed to sustain his creation. Then he rested. God took a break for his labors because they were completed. The Sabbath is referred to in the Jewish culture as a
Holly day which means basically an intermission. Much like where we get the word sabbatical. This is a time to get away from everything, to make a complete break to clear the mind, and spirit. This is a time of renewal. Even batteries need to be re-charged or replaced from time to time. Jesus said that the Sabbath was created for man, not man for the Sabbath. God knows we need a time to recharge and get away from all or our labors and worried. We need a time to clear our minds and to “just be still”. We need time to relax and remember why we are working so hard. Spend some downtime with the family. Take time off from all work and all work related items. Relax and enjoy the blessings the Lord has brought. If not you will weary yourself and suffer burn out. You will lose productivity. You will lose your joy, and you relationship with Christ will suffer, along with your relationship with your church, family, and friends. Your ministry will suffer if you do not take time away, and push the reset button.
The fifth commandment “Honor they father and thy mother.” (v.12). The word honour in is from the Hebrew kabad (kaw-bad’) and can be used in a positive or negative manner as most root words can. Given the context of the verse, mainly, that it will add longevity to your life or a better quality of life, it can be understood that it is to be used in a positive manner. So then it can be meaning to abound with, or to promote, be rich in, or to be honorable. So then we are to treat our father and mother with abundant honor. How then do we do this? The showing of respect is the primary way that a king is honored. Shows of respect mean; proper use of language in their presence, bringing of gifts, sharing of blessings from God (resources, food, income, health benefits, lodgings, etc…), spending time with them (sharing special moments, letters, birthdays, celebrations), showing affections towards them, respecting and supporting their decisions, understanding that without their guidance and provisions you would not be where you are today. Showing honor is a lifestyle of respect and gratitude.
The sixth commandment “Thou shalt not kill.” (v.13) The sixth commandment seems like such a simple statement. Yet often times it is added to in order to say that capital punishment is not biblical. However, this commandment says that you shall not “kill”. The Hebrew word is ratach (rä·tsakh’) meaning to slay, or murder. To murder is to deprive of life according to the Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language 1828. 1 John 3:15 does specify that the application of this is more than just a physical act. The writer tells us that “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer:” This is because God looks into the intentions of the heart. Not only do I need to refrain from murdering someone in a physical sense, but I need to rebuke hatred in my own heart for others that may or may not have offended me. If I have allowed prejudice to establish a beachfront of sin in my heart, to hate, thus to be guilty of murder. This commandment has nothing to do with the power or authority of the government or of law enforcement, but everything to do with love of others; instead of selfish hatreds.
The seventh commandment “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (v.14) This command is actually pretty straight forward. The word for adultery here is the primitive root na’aph (nä·af’) in Hebrew. This word is “to commit adultery” it is usually meant from a man and always refers to the wife of another man. It is a strong word and is associated with idolatry. You will not worship (love, adore) another man’s wife. Wow this is so beyond the physical act of sex with another man’s wife. Now we can see why Jesus said that to look after another man’s wife in lust is to commit adultery. That is because the original command actually says the same thing. No looking at another man’s wife to worship her in your heart, to love her in an ungodly manner. No actual sexual contact either. To do so you actually break not only this commandment, but the first, second, and tenth commandments as well. How dangerous the lusts eyes and the desires of our hearts can be.
The eight commandment “Thou shalt not steal.” (v.15) Now here is one that we always try to shorten, however; when we look at the Hebrew word use here we can see that there is no short order to this command. Ganab (gä·nav’), the Hebrew root, means to thieve (literally or figuratively) by implication, to deceive, or carry away; to get by stealth or deception. What then do we say to this? You will not practice theft either literally or figuratively by obtain by stealth or deception. You cannot take what is not yours literally you cannot. Neither can you take what is not yours through con, or ruse. You cannot take what is not yours through deceptive trade practices. You cannot be dishonest in your dealings would not be too far of a stretch. I think it could be summed up as this, if you want it, work for it. If you agree someone can earn a wage, then give them a fair wage. If you work for a fair wage then give the work that is do.
The ninth commandment “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” (v.16) To bear here means to answer (respond, testify, speak, sing, cry, give). The word for false is pretty simple and it means to lie (false, falsehood, falsely, vain, wrongfully, deceitful). Finally we can see the word witness which in the Hebrew means to evidence either abstractly (conceptually), specifically (explicitly, practically) or in record (as a source). This means you cannot lie about anyone, or any event either as a matter of oath, or as a matter of speculation. Jesus put it this way, let your yes be yes and your no be no. When you start to talk about things or people that you do not know you put yourself in danger of being judged in the same manner that you judged them. If you have to give witness as a matter of record for a court or an incident at work then you should speak plainly, never speculate and only relay the facts. You should avoid answering open ended questions, as these questions are designed to make you speculate. Being a witness is to present the details as you saw them, not others. Keep your conversation clean, no gossip. Be honest in word and in deed. Never lie and never listen to rumor, so you do not spread a lie and become a false witness. Remember loose lips sink ships. More than one church has been destroyed form the inside out because of rumors and innuendo.
The tenth commandment “Thou shalt not covet.” (v.17) To covet is to from the root chamad (khä·mad) in Hebrew and means to desire (take pleasure in). It is meant in a form that means to delight greatly or find desirable of precious. It can be used to mean delight, desire, or to lust after. I think we all know what this means. We can enjoy our neighbor’s good fortune, and celebrate with him in his blessings. We are not to desire to have the blessings that he has though. We should be content with what the Lord has blessed us with. We do serve the same God and we can never be happy for others if we are always comparing what they have to what we do not. The verse gets pretty explanatory, you will not desire your neighbor’s wife, servants, his means of living, any of his possessions, or his lifestyle. Ok that’s my neighbor’s stuff, what about the guy in TV? What about the guy done the block? Well lucky for us the definition of neighbor has already been litigated before the Messiah. Take a look at Luke 10:25-37. In there a lawyer sought to define what a neighbor was with Jesus. Jesus put is simple, everyone is our neighbor and we are to show mercy to our neighbors. We are then to be content with what we have. We are not to look to anyone else but God.
In summation I quote Romans 13:9. “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” We are to treat everyone as we want to be treated. We are to love everyone as God loves us. You see if I love someone, then I want the best for them. I don’t desire to take what they have, because it makes them happy, and I love them and want to see their happiness. This is indeed to true sign of a believer, that we should love one another because God is love and everyone that loves is born again from God and knows God (1 John 4:7).
I was walking through Walmart about 2 days after Christmas, we needed some small food items, so I thought I would just kill some time while Dana Smith shopped. As I was walking I noticed a child and his mother, he was leading her by the hand and pointed to a toy that he wanted.
I thought how strange that this soon after Christmas they should be buying him a toy. Considering this I had to stop and evaluate my own reasons for looking around, when I really did not need anything. Was I too, just looking to consume something else that I did not need?
Then something else hit me. How often do I talk with others about things that I wish I had? How often do I look at someones car, or some other item for sell and say, wow I wish I had that? Maybe I don’t say it out loud, but I still say it in my heart. If so, then am I really believing that I have everything I could possibly need in Christ?
Covetousness can lead us into a form of idolatry. Idolatry is putting making a graven image (man-made) and making it more important than God. I know we all know the pitfall this can be. But let us consider the scripture on our words.
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5 KJV
You see our conversation reveals our hearts. Everyone knows this simple truth. If you have conversations with unbelievers or other believers and all you talk about is what you do not have, this is a tell-tale sign that you are not walking in the Spirit. It also tells others that either you are a hypocrite or that the Jesus thing is not all it’s cracked up to be.
We should guard our conversations. Lucky for us this verse shows us how to change our motivations in our heart. It says that we should be content because we know that Jesus said that HE will never leave us, or forsake us. This means that he is always looking out for our best interests. We can have confidence in him that we lack nothing that is needed.
Let our conversations so reflect the satisfaction we have in Christ. Let our mouths speak of the great and wondrous things he has done in creation, and in our very lives. Delivering us through storms, trial, and temptations. He keeps us from evil, sparing our hearts and minds of guilt and anguish. He was the one who sought us out, to deliver us from death, and restore a loving relationship with him. Life and I mean all of life is ours in him.
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