A DOUBLE-MINDED MAN: “UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS”
LESSON: James 1:1-11
A person with a double-mind lives by a double-standard, is two-faced, double-tongued (speaks with forked tongue) is deceitful, and treacherous. People who are double-minded should not be sought out for service in any capacity because they are not faithful and cannot be trusted. Is it not written? “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint” (Proverbs 25:19).
Double-mindedness was such a problem with the early Christians that James had to address the matter. It is written: “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.” Only when we have a single mind or heart in our service for God can we seek and serve God with our whole heart, our whole being (Psalm 119:2, 10:34, 58).
IT IS FAR BETTER FOR GOD’S PEOPLE TO GLORY IN THE LORD THAN TO GLORY IN ANY PERSONAL SUCCESS:
1. It is suicidal to have continuous imaginations and evil thoughts. It is written: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5).
2. It is dangerous to know God and glorify Him not. It is written: “When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Read Romans 1:18-25).
3. Be Wise - It is written: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:16-19).
4. The Lord sees what you are doing in the dark. It is written: “Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, the LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth” (Ezekiel 8:12).
5. Submit to God and resist the devil. It is written: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:7-8).
Conclusion: We cannot have it both ways. We cannot dine at the world’s table and the Lord’s Table as well. Is it not written? “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep” (I Cor. 11:28-30).
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GOD’S WAY OF SEEKING FORGIVENESS AND
CONFESSION OF FORSAKEN SIN
Text: Ezekiel 16:62-63, “I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.”
Forgiveness, confession and forsaken sin are vital and indispensable to all mankind. Unless we forgive one another, we cannot expect God to hear, bless and forgive us our transgression. Is it not written: “I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the LORD God” (Ezekiel 16:62-63).
WE SHALL NOW EXPLORE GOD’S WAY OF SEEKING FORGIVENESS AND CONFESSION OF FORSAKEN SIN:
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Be honest and confess to yourself the wrong that you might have done - Philemon 1:18
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In order to receive forgiveness from God, obey Matthew 5:24 which reads, “Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”
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Be like David and earnestly confess your wrong doing. It is written: “For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight” (Psalm 51:3, 4a).
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Seek the right place and the right time to approach the offended person. It is written: “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother” (Matthew 18:15).
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Once you sincerely seek forgiveness, God’s way, you are free whether the other person forgives you or not. It is written: “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:17-18).
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After seeking forgiveness, then worship God in Spirit and in truth. It is written: “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).
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Having now become reconciled to God and one another, what is the Lord’s message to those who are seeking forgiveness of sin? It is written: “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:16-17).
Conclusion: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it” (Isaiah 1:18-20).
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THE CLEANSING POWER FOR SIN: NOT IN THE WATER,
BUT IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
LESSON: Romans 8:1-17
A new heart requires a new blood transfusion, “for the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11). Since the life of the flesh is in the blood, there must be a donor with incorruptible blood that suits every type. The Lord God, through His Son Jesus Christ, hath made available this rare type of blood that suits all other types and is made available to all without cost.
The cleansing power of sin is not in the water but is in the blood of Jesus Christ. The blood in His veins is described by John as, “A pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:1). Ezekiel the prophet, foreseeing God’s Plan of Salvation said, “And it shall come to pass that everything that liveth, which moveth, withersoever the rivers shall come, shall live (Ezekiel 47:9).
IT IS WRITTEN:
1. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it” (Jeremiah 17:9-10)?
2. “Examine yourselves [not others] as to whether you are in the faith; prove your own selves…” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
3. “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts” (Proverbs 21:2).
4. “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known” (Luke 12:2-3).
5. “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15).
6. “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24).
Conclusion: “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:37-38).
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NOAH: A MAN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHO WALKED WITH GOD
LESSON: Genesis 6:8-18
There is something about righteousness, the kind of morally virtuous lifestyle powered from Almighty God above. Noah, the man God chose to rescue the human race from extinction, demonstrated just this kind of righteousness. Humankind had grown so evil that God pledged to destroy it and all living things on earth (Genesis 6:7). But the Lord’s pronouncement of judgment didn’t come without hope. God had charged righteous Noah to help save a remnant.
God did not choose Noah randomly. The Lord knows whom He can count on to get things done, and it is not necessarily the one with the most skill, talent, or social standing. Rather, it is the one who daily walks with Him, the one who hears His voice and follows His lead. Noah was just such a man. No doubt Noah had his own weaknesses and frailties. But he walked with God, and it was that close walk that made him righteous before the Lord. It is written: “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9).
FOLLOWING WE SHALL REVEAL THAT NOAH YET STANDS AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF PERSON GOD WANTS TO USE:
1. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8).
2. Noah went through much heartache, pain and difficulty in building the ark; the cost was great (Genesis 6:11-13).
3. Noah is described as a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5).
4. Noah moved with godly fear, he prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” (Hebrews 11:7).
5. Noah followed the Lord’s instructions, even though the people of Noah’s day were busy enjoying the pleasures of life and did not believe or care that judgment was coming ( like people today ). (Genesis 6:5; Matthew 24:36-39).
Conclusion: God has not changed, and even now He looks for righteous leaders who can help Him change the world. It is written: “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (I John 2:2-3).
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DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE DEFEATED
BY SATAN TO TURN TO GOD
TEXT: 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
LESSON: Isaiah 55:1-13
We wage a battle against powerful forces from without and within. We can only fight against these forces in a steadfast faith that is immovable and unshakable. It is useless if we have not taken this stand. If we are wholehearted, we can resist on the evil day and remain standing after we have done (overcome) all things. What a glorious promise this is: “overcome all things” in Christ Jesus.
The Armor of God, described by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:10-18, is our spiritual defense against attacks by Satan. But if we were to leave home every morning wearing a full suit of armor, we would feel pretty silly. Fortunately, that's not necessary. Although invisible, the Armor of God is real, and when used properly and worn daily, it provides solid protection against the enemy's onslaught.
It is written:
1. “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the nations” (Psalm 22:27-28).
2. “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 3:1).
3. “Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth” (I Chronicles 16:11-12).
4. “Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
5. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:7-8).
6. “But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness” (Psalm 9:7-8).
Conclusion: Our faith should not stand in the wisdom of man but in the power of God. It is written: “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).
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THE AWESOME DAY WHEN GOD SPOKE ON MOUNT SINAI
TEXT: Deuteronomy 4:32-33 For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?
LESSON: Deuteronomy 4:1-20
A relationship with Jesus is the most wonderful, awesome, fulfilling, and exciting way to live, even more than we could have imagined. It is the sole reason we exist and goes far beyond salvation itself. God is our Father, Lord, Creator, Shepherd, Light, Best Friend, Passion, and Everlasting Strength. It has been said that men’s actions shape history. We may speak of man’s freewill, but it rapidly becomes apparent that the only will that really matter is God’s will.
A God who directs the course of human events and sends His Son to become the central figure in human history clearly has invested man’s reality with meaning. This becomes even more evident in the Book of Acts: “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:26-28a).
Never in the history of the world will that day be forgotten, when Israel heard the voice of the Lord God speaking to them out of the midst of the fire and lived.
HERE WE SHALL EXPLORE WHAT HAPPENED ON MOUNT SINAI WHEN THE LORD GOD HIMSELF DESCENDED UPON IT IN FIRE:
1. The events of the third day on Mount Sinai – Exodus 19:16
2. The people met with God – Exodus 19:17
3. The greatest earthquake ever felt on the earth – Exodus 19:18
4. The day God’s voice was heard – Exodus 19:19
5. The day the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai – Exodus 19:20
6. God’s message to Moses for the People – Exodus 19:21-22
Conclusion: We serve an awesome God that is alive; He is not dead and He is yet Speaking to this world. When God speaks everyone had better listen It is written: “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good” (Numbers 23:19)?