Jeff Gelineau - Class 6: This & That

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

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   This is the 2007 Florida christadelphians Bible School. Our speaker. This morning is brother, Jeff. Gelineau of the Simi Hills, Ecclesia in California, his subject. This week has been be ye doers of the word, which is a study in the Book of James. This is class number 6. The class title is this end that we ask for the Jeff to come forward.

2. 0:44

   But I hope that we’ve been able to see this week is that sometimes facing the message of the truth. Requires us to look at our beliefs and a radical and different way. The while we are grateful to those that went before us We do not base our beliefs on the traditions of men. Our doctrines are founded and based on solid scriptural Concepts, and we do well to protect them with vigor. But we need to be sure that we’re not becoming entrenched. Or dogmatic.

3. 1:23

   Or legalistic. And our dealings with the members of Arc lygia. Christ, radical and different message was a message of Grace. Of forgiveness and inclusion and working through these Concepts in a messy flawed, human life is hard. And sometimes very uncomfortable. That’s what were called to do. That is the message of James. I hope we’ve seen that a correct understanding of faith and works.

4. 2:01

   Can be a motivating and inspiring factor in our spiritual eyes. We don’t believe, like, like many modern day Christians at all we have to do is is believe and we’re saved. but we also don’t fall into the natural human tendency to somehow start thinking that we can earn our salvation by checking the boxes and some Eternal checklist of Good Deeds Neither extreme is correct and both are dangerous.

5. 2:30

   We need to understand that our lives need to be full of good deeds. But not because we think we’re unfavorable in God’s sight, unless we do. We didn’t understand that God chose us and loved us as Sinners. And even though we were Sinners, he loved us so much. He gave his only son to die for us. Understanding and believing and actually having faith and that simple fact is what will motivate our life motivate us to fill our lives with good deeds.

6. 3:06

   I also hope that we’ve come to look at rules and regulations in a little different way. The scriptures are abundantly clear that rules really have no value in checking the indulgences of the flesh. Although it’s a natural reaction for us to want to set rules. We can’t regulate righteousness, and regardless of how many rules we make for ourselves?

7. 3:27

   And for others, the rules themselves will never stop us from sinning. I hope that we’ve shown is only one really true way to control sinful Behavior. By transforming yourself from the inside out by connecting with God, in an intimate and personal relationship. The only hope we ever have a controlling ourselves. And it’s only through effectual and fervent prayer that we can really change things in our lives, only by confessing our sins to a person that we see is acting righteous and an area that we are having problems with would be able to feel God’s power, changing us for the better, God’s willing, and able to perform miracles in the lives of Believers.

8. 4:14

   But we have to ask believing we’ve received For him to act. And even the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man isn’t always answered the way we want. We have to remember that God is more concerned about transforming us through our problems. Then he is concerned about transform, transporting us out of our problems.

9. 4:45

   It’s hard for us, not to receive the healing, or the answer that we want. But the eye of Faith sees that God knows best and he is active in our life.

10. 4:57

    I hope we’ve been reminded that out of the same mouth comes forth, bitter and sweet. And these things ought not to be We talked about how the tongue is, a small member, but the rude and the source of many terrible and wicked sins. My brother said to me yesterday, And it’s a medical fact that the tongue has more germs. It’s the most foul part of the whole body. And that’s true in a spiritual sense isn’t in. Also the ton has a great potential to condemn us, but if you can control the tongue, Through the assistance of her of God.

11. 5:42

    If you control the greatest sinner in your body, then by by virtue of controlling the greater, you can gain control over the Lesser. The tongue is wild and untamed and Savage, uncivilized undisciplined.

12. 5:58

    So we need to turn to God for help and controlling our tongue. True Believers speak with a tongue that is under control under the control of a loving, God that wants the best for us to look to some of these. These wonderful themes and James, we have one more class together. I have about 10 more things to say.

13. 6:19

    There are so many different topics. I wanted to explore James talks quite a bit about favoritism and discrimination. So, I want to spend a moment today. Looking at that. another topic that James, teach treats with much importance, is the concept of rich and poor We really can’t ignore that message either James speaks of worldliness and godliness and chapter 4 and want to touch on that too. And I love the section on today and tomorrow we’ll go into such and such a city.

14. 6:53

    I want to talk about that. And we’ll end up with the same verse. We started out with James discussion and how we’re supposed to treat the fatherless and the widows. So now you understand why I have such an enigmatic title as this and that because James is often referred to as the Proverbs of the New Testament is full of these Little Gems that just can’t be left.

15. 7:17

    Untouched. I don’t think I’ll probably do any of them justice, but I’m tempted to try not to leave anything undone. So let’s begin our discussion on the idea of favoritism and discrimination. James begins chapter 2 with this important topic. He says, in verse 1, my brother’s as Believers and the Glorious, Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t show favoritism.

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    Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring in 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, here’s a good seat for you. But send the poor man you stand there or sit on the floor by my feet.

17. 8:04

    Have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? The message that James points out in several places through his book is is the importance of applying the word of God to your everyday life. Remember he said whoso looketh into the perfect. Perfect law of Liberty and continueth therein. He being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. A great place, I think for us to apply the word of God in our lives is in his area of favoritism. As the leader of the Ecclesia and Jerusalem James argument is directed towards the special treatment being received by the early Christians, to the wealthy. James admonished the church to avoid the divisive distinctions of social class.

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    Which can destroy True Fellowship. When one group won’t associate with another group, because they’re not of the same social class, how can you ever have real Fellowship? Those social distinctions aren’t as readily apparent today and our middle class Society. But this concept of favoritism still exists and I want to look at four different ways that we show favoritism today.

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    First, we show favoritism strictly because of a person’s appearance. we often discriminate simply because the way someone looks Beauty is very important in our society and it’s very natural that doesn’t make it right. The tendency is true. Even from an early age studies show that that infants respond more positively to Attractive people. Then they do to those that are considered homely. But we’re no longer children, right? As we mature, we have to learn not to respond with our natural inclination.

20. 10:04

    We have to learn not to respond the way. We would naturally react, but to respond in a Godly Manner. And we know that God doesn’t look at the features of the face. God looks at the heart, not the hair color, not the shape of the body.

21. 10:24

    The second reason we show favoritism is because of ancestry the Dred, Scott decision. Of 1856 Reeves but it is too clear for dispute. That the African race was not intended to be included and forms. No, part of the people. Who framed and adopted the Declaration of Independence.

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    It’s been 150 years and fortunately, a lot of that kind of reasoning has eventually changed, but a lot of it Still Remains today. Doesn’t it? There’s still discrimination in our country even after the Civil Rights Movement. And they’re still discrimination, are kaliesha. On paper, we believe, and teach and confess that everyone of every race deserves to hear the saving message of Christ. But in reality doesn’t work out that way, does it? Thirteen percent of the United States is black. Fourteen percent is Hispanic.

23. 11:35

    Five percent is Asian. Of the 5000 christadelphians. Do you think there are 650, black, brother and sisters? 700 Hispanic. 250 Asians. There’s a there’s a sociological principle called homogeneity. The says were drawn naturally to associate with people who are like us. It’s a fact, it’s a, it’s a physical law. But we don’t leave physical lives do.

24. 12:13

    We were supposed to live spiritual lives? It’s natural to gravitate towards those. You have a cultural Affinity with, but we’re called to do something spiritual with these 80 years. Not not something natural. A life that we’re called to live. Is in many ways opposite of what comes natural. So as we mature and Christ, let’s Reach Out beyond our comfort zone and try to include people of all Races. Because we know that God doesn’t look at the color of the skin. we also show favoritism because of people’s age, I can tell you right now that in the business World, many companies discriminate against older workers. Because they usually cost more to pay and they have left years of productivity, left offer the company. And don’t even get me started.

25. 13:13

    You, you know, enough about the cost of health insurance on older workers, In our society, in general there, just seems to be a waning level of regard for the elderly. Respect for our elders. Seems to have been lost on younger Generations. And the Ecclesia. It almost seems like it’s the opposite. Of course, there are, there are no statistics and christadelphians we don’t even know how many there are, but I can say that in Mainline denominations, the average age of members in churches and United States today is over 60.

26. 14:00

    And we all know many occasions, that that find themselves in that and that same situation. Since brothers and sisters, since human beings tend to cater to their own needs.

27. 14:15

    And their own interest in in worship style and church activities. The needs and interests of the youth, especially those that they currently don’t. Even go to meeting, are neglected. And Ecclesia full of young. People needs to be sensitive that they’re not discriminating against their older members simply because of their age. But a Collegiate full of older.

28. 14:40

    People also needs to be aware of the same peril. We might feel more comfortable, wearing suits, and ties and and singing hymns that were written in the 1800’s, but we might also be alienating entire generations of potentially new brothers and sisters. You see age discrimination goes both ways. And it’s, it’s wrong. Either way because we know that God doesn’t look at the age of a person. and the fourth thing, I think that we see you in favoritism Is affluence. The Jews believed in what was referred to as as wealth righteousness.

29. 15:21

    If you’re wealthy, then that must mean that God has blessed, you God, only blesses, the righteous. So, therefore being wealthy is a sign of your righteousness. That’s why it was so hard for them to understand why a rich man would have a hard time getting into the kingdom of God. If a rich man a righteous man can’t do it.

30. 15:43

    How can we And that thinking was revived with the calvinist and the Puritans and it forms the basis. I think of the formation of our entire country America was formed on the belief that that working hard no matter. Whether the job is digging ditches or building a business by engaging in self discipline sacrifice and obedience by depriving yourself of indulgent Pleasures by enduring hardship by Saving what you make by reinvesting your profits.

31. 16:15

    You can Increase your wealth. And in do. So you’re acting virtuously acting, righteously and godly And I think that, wow, that’s true. The reverse is not necessarily true. Those who have not succeeded by the world’s Financial standards are not necessarily unrighteous. We all know many wealthy people who give no thought to pleasing the god that created them.

32. 16:45

    Don’t we also know many who are dirt poor but thank God daily for everything. He’s given them. God doesn’t, look at a person’s balance sheet. He doesn’t look at the model of import they drive or the cut of the suit that they buy. And we shouldn’t either.

33. 17:06

    Because favoritism and discrimination. Are not a part of a servant of Christ. Makes a good Segway. I think into her. The next topic that James spends time with the rich and the poor Continue reading in Chapter 2, he says Harkin my beloved Brethren has not God. Chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and Heirs of the Kingdom, which he has promised to them, that love him. You despise the poor.

34. 17:37

    Do not rich men oppress you and draw you before the Judgment seats. Do not, they blaspheme that worthy Name by which you are called if you fulfill the Royal law. According to the scripture Thou shalt love, thy Neighbour as thyself, thou do well. but if you have respect of persons, you commit sin and are convinced of the law as transgressors. God has blessed me with a great job. A job.

35. 18:04

    That provides me more money than I need. So, I have a special interest in trying to understand what this verse is saying to me. I had to think long and hard about it, and I honestly do not believe that James is saying that God dislikes, rich people. Abraham the patriarch of Israel and chosen of God was incredibly wealthy David.

36. 18:30

    A man, after God’s Own Heart was also in a position of wealth and not even Bill Gates Compares with David’s, son, Solomon. My favorite example, that was always job a perfect example of man whose whose Faith was not tied to his purse strings. But wealth can be an impediment to Faith. Wealth buys things like like good Medical Care, find Food Services, and comfortable homes and all of these can tend to insulate us from the turmoil and the hunger, and the disease, that is the lot of the majority of human race.

37. 19:08

    Wealth, makes it easier for us to delude ourselves. And deem ourselves self-sufficient. The poor have no such illusions. And therefore, they’re more open to God and to his power working in their lives. so I don’t think that God dislikes, the rich I do think that God prefers to poor. Our God is a god of the poor, a god of the underdog, a god of those who are trodden Under Foot.

38. 19:41

    People that rely on their money think of themselves as wise. but the Bible teaches that God has chosen chosen the foolish things of this world, to confound the wise and God hath, chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty Those without status and wealth seemed to be the very ones that respond more readily. And Faith towards the gospel.

39. 20:13

    We live in a society here in North America that even the poorest are wealthy by Third World standards. We live in a society where it’s it’s fairly easy to become wealthy. We have to remember that the purpose of working is not to obtain wealth for your own personal gratification. Purpose of working, is to obtain wealth. So that you can help out those who were less fortunate than yourself.

40. 20:49

    James warns about those who obtain wealth and then exploit the poor, taking advantage of them for the purpose of increasing their own personal wealth. And it doesn’t sound pretty the things that he says. Now, listen, you rich, people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted and moths of eating, your clothes, your gold, and silver of corroded their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days in verse 4, he says, look the wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the Harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty, you have lived on Earth in luxury and self-indulgence.

41. 21:35

    You have fattened yourselves in the day of Slaughter, you’ve condemned and murdered innocent men who are not opposing you. Now sure, maybe none of us are guilty of murdering innocent men, but the exhortation, I think to those of us who’ve been blessed, with more than we need is clear, that we shouldn’t hurt hoard, it to the hurt of those around us.

42. 21:59

    We need to be generous and give to those that we come across, who are in need. It’s a, it’s a liberating and and freeing concept that took me. 25 years to realize that we’re not limited in our giving You’re not limited to a tithe like every other, the Commandments of the law, 10% was just the minimum required of a servant of God, not the maximum allowed. I heard a couple stories recently of people, I know who the deer they were Mary gave decided to give 10% and the decided to increase it one percent every year a couple that just celebrated their 50th anniversary and giveaway, 60% of all their money.

43. 22:56

    Give until it hurts. Not just until you’ve met your obligation. You’re also not limited to a tax-deductible donation. This I didn’t figure this out till three years ago. Can you buy means literally it’s a blessing that we live in such a wonderful Christian country that they encourage good works by giving us a tax deduction for certain gifts. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t help out someone who’s in need even when it’s not convenient to funnel it through a charity.

44. 23:32

    And you’re not limited to brothers and sisters either. Do good until almond do, good unto all men, especially those rule the household of faith. If we run across brothers and sisters, who are in need, then it’s Our obligation to help them out. But if everyone else in your Ecclesia is has more than enough just like you do then you’re not restricted from from giving it to those in your community who are truly needy. Or looking out for other eclipses across the world. We’re brothers and sisters, need help. God loves both the rich and the poor. And he wants all of us in his kingdom. The rich have more challenges.

45. 24:15

    But they can overcome them. And the poor have more obstacles. But God wants to help them. Let’s talk about the idea of worldliness and godliness. Here’s a verse that our young people have heard many times. But I believe that this little gem of a verse shouldn’t be limited just to those in their teams and we can all learn something from it. You adulterous people.

46. 24:42

    Don’t you know, that friendship with the world is hatred toward God. Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God? One of the beauties that him James writing, one of the things that appealed to me so much about is his ability to stay clearly. What should be obvious to all of us? Such as the truth that if we get too friendly with the world, we will increasingly distance herself from God. Spending our life and pursuit of prison possessions and and Pleasures is a sure recipe to becoming Haggard and stressed and Restless.

47. 25:28

    Experiencing a kind of frustration that no teenager would ever comprehend. You cannot be a friend of God and a friend of this world and all of its Fallen values, you’re cheating on. God is what he says. You’re acting like an adulterer and adulteress if you try to maintain a relationship with the world while you’re being espoused to Christ, God is a jealous.

48. 25:53

    God. Verse 5 says that. God cares about the spirit, we serve him with. And look at verse 6. And he gives us more grace. That is why the scripture says God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. It takes humility to approach, God. The only way to break this cycle of double mindedness is, is total submission of oneself to God, continue reading in verses, 7 through 10 submit yourself, then to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.

49. 26:28

    Come near to God and he will come near to you, wash your hands, you Sinners, and purify your hearts. You double-minded, grieve, moan and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to Gloom humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. You see self helpers is not going to take you as far as you need to go. We need to come near to God for him to come near to us purify your hearts and your mind will become centered on godliness. We sometimes call this this double mindedness by a different name.

50. 27:05

    Sometimes call it fence sitting. Straddling a fence allows a person to keep a foot in both places at the same time. And in a culture that insist on having a multitude of choices like fence, straddling is never been more popular.

51. 27:22

    But the downside is it absolutely paralyzes. You for making a concrete choice? anyone who chooses to have one foot mired in the worldliness but wants to have one foot standing firm in godliness will surely fall Lord willing. If I have time, I want to continue on the subject of today and tomorrow. You know why we always say, Lord willing, it comes right there from James, look at it, chapter 4, go to.

52. 27:55

    Now ye that say today or tomorrow, we will go into such and such a city and continue their a year and buy and sell and get game. Whereas, you know, not what shall be on the morrow for, what is your life? It’s even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away for you ought to say, if the Lord will we shall live and do this or do that. It’s an interesting set of verses James’s is speaking to people who are making a plan.

53. 28:21

    Look at the plan. They’re making right. He says they’re planning a time today or tomorrow. They’re planning the location. Oh, can will go into such a city, they’re planning the duration, continue their a year. They’re planning a course of action will buy and sell and they’re planning an outcome. To get game.

54. 28:50

    Looks like a pretty good plan to me. I do. I do a lot of planning in my life. I’m and I do all the long-term planning on my business and we’re currently on on year three of our existing 10-year plan. Plan 2015 is referred to the replaced plan 2005, which was A Five-Year Plan and that replaced plan 2000, which was a ten year plan.

55. 29:21

    Plan 2015 comes to its conclusion on December 31st 2015 and and we’re already have Vision plans for the years after that 20 25 and 2035. Is planning wrong. Is this, is this another topic I’m going to have to feel guilty about after having read James. No, no, no. Verse verse 15 clears that up, right?

56. 29:51

    As long as you just say if the Lord Wills, Then everything’s okay with the plans that you make, right? No. Now it’s a little deeper than that. I think saying saying, Lord willing isn’t some kind of magic Talisman that makes all of your planning. Okay take a look at the verse in the middle of verse 14. He says, whereas you know what shall be on the morrow for? What is your life?

57. 30:22

    It’s nothing but a vapor that appeareth for a little while and vanish away. In other words, in all of your planning, you have to take God’s view of life into account. If we take a true view of life into account, and that is that your life is a vapor. The question you really need to consider is what practical difference, does it make in your planning? Whether or not you believe that your life is a vapor, that’s the real question.

58. 30:53

    Do we stop planning altogether because simply you don’t know that your what your life is going to happen. You know, your life may be short or uncertain so you shouldn’t bother to plan. I don’t think so. You’ve all heard the saying before and I think it’s true. He the fails to plan plans to fail.

59. 31:13

    I don’t think the James is saying you should stop planning. James, is an encouraging us to drop out of society, to become a Hermit to sit around waiting, for a little Vapor of life to disappear. For James. And for God, though it matters whether or not a true view of life and forms and shapes the way you think, and how you speak about your plans, your mindset matters, how do you talk about your plans? Why, why does it matter because God created us, not just to do things and go places with our bodies. But to have certain attitudes and convictions and verbal descriptions, that reflect the truth. A true view of life.

60. 31:57

    God means for the truth about him and about life to be known and felt and spoken part of your reasoning and part of your plan.

61. 32:09

    God wants you to keep in mind that we really have no firm substance here on Earth. Where as fragile as Mist. Fragile is a vapor keep in mind you have no, no durability. You appear just for a little while, your time is short, you will disappear. Not trying to depress you. Probably succeeding. I’m not trying to press you but it does matter. God says that we have to keep this view of life in mind and verse 15.

62. 32:39

    He tells us that the true view of life that we have in our minds and our mouths have, we should have this true view as we plan for the future. God tells us to very important, things about himself in verse 15 and pay attention to him. One is contained. In the words, if the Lord Wills, we will live the others contained in the rest of that sentence have Lord Wills. We will do this or that.

63. 33:05

    The duration of our lives are in the hands of God. God governs. How long were going to live? We may not know how long our Vapor like life will linger in the air but God does because God decides how long we live? James is trying to tell us that if this is a true view of life than it would, it should shape our mindset and shape our way of thinking. If we truly believe that our lives are in the hands of God and God will decide how long we live, and when we die and, doesn’t that change our impression of death Worry and stress about death, should decrease as our faith in this, in his belief increases.

64. 33:53

    Because not only is there life in God’s hands but God is good. God wants the best for us. He controls every part of our Lives including this most important part. Turn that over to him. Rest in the faith of his love. The other truth about God, in verse 15 is at the activities and the accomplishments of our lives are also in God’s hands.

65. 34:18

    God, governs. What we accomplished? Not only Our Lives themselves in God’s hands, but our success is in his hands as well. If the Lord does not, will we will not do this or that we will not buy or sell or get game and the stress of success and failure. And what we do should also decrease when we come to really believe that truth This doesn’t give us permission to be lazy, but it should remove some of our worries.

66. 34:52

    Because God is good. God wants to bless his children with good things. He wants to see us happy and he’s in a position to do. So as he controls whether or not our plans succeed or fail, So in simple terms, God wants to make sure that we understand these two things God governs, how long you live and what you accomplished.

67. 35:18

    But there’s more of the issue than just that they look at the next verse for a 16, but now you rejoice in your boastings and such rejoicing is evil. Why does James bring up boasting all of a sudden the root problem at play here? I think is arrogance and pride. And that is what causes us, not to look at our life with the trueview boasting, is simply the expression of that arrogance. When you don’t look at life for the truth, you then you begin to think that you are the one that’s in control over your life.

68. 35:50

    You are the one that’s responsible for your own successes. It’s through your hard works in your efforts that you’ve succeeded. You give me start thinking if you take your vitamins and exercise and eat, right? You can somehow control how long you live? You can start to get arrogant and the face of God, the one who really controls those things.

69. 36:14

    So when we talk about today and tomorrow, when we say Lord willing, it’s not just a nice thing to say. It’s the acknowledgment of an important and valuable truth about who God is and the faith that we have that he’s in control of Our Lives. That god holds our entire life in his hand. He decides how long we live, he decides how we succeed, or fail I want to close by going back to that verse. We began the week with want to close our thoughts on a discussion of the fatherless and the widows pure religion. Stuff that really matters.

70. 37:03

    Is visiting the fatherless and the widows in their affliction. You keeping yourself unspotted from the world. I want to first kind of Define what James means by pure religion. I think that by seeing using the word religion, usually, talking about our faith, our faith in Christ. This word religion is the same word, they use is in the previous verse.

71. 37:28

    Do you back up to verse 26? He says if any man among you seem to be religious and bridle if not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain The reason I think that James means faith and Jesus, when he uses the word religion is what comes and the next first, see there’s no break in the floe here between 26 and 27 and 2:1 look what the first verse of the next. The next chapter says, my brethren have not the Faith of Our Lord.

72. 38:01

    Jesus Christ, the lord of Glory with respect of persons I think what he’s trying to say is if you’re religious or if you say you have the faith of Jesus then don’t Bridle an unloving lying gossiping cursing tongue. And your faith and your religion is worthless. We talked about it already. It’s the, it’s the faith that saves us.

73. 38:27

    But whether our faith, our religion is real, or not as shown by the change. It brings about in our hearts and our lives. Now, in verse 27, James gives us another very concrete example of that. Same point. notice the two kind of effects that pure religion and your, and your life has First one is practical compassion. Towards orphans and widows.

74. 38:59

    And personal purity. Personal purity of your own life like, like Christ’s instruction to the Pharisees of his day. We need to do the one without leaving the other undone.

75. 39:14

    Too often. I’m afraid that. We fall off the horse on one side of the other. Some fall off by saying, what matters is personal purity. Sexual Purity, Financial Integrity, a clean thought life and and on and on but they’re weak and the Practical Deeds of compassion for the poor and the helpless. In some fall off, the horse, on the other side.

76. 39:44

    By saying what matters is reaching out and having compassion and helping people. And what you do with your mind and your body are in your private personal life is not really significant. But James says, that pure and undefiled religion, true faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, stays on the horse. Pure religion is to visit the orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. Not either or but both, public compassion and personal purity. Proactive steps of kindness and love and grace to those around us and protective vigilance against sin in our life. there were two thousand verses in the Bible that deal with protecting the poor and the oppressed

77. 40:41

    Clearly this is an issue. It’s important to God. If I’m afraid, we spent too much time thinking about the ladder and not the former. I fear. We’ve been too concerned about personal Purity that we’ve neglected this important instruction from God. We’ve been too concerned about keeping ourselves unspotted from the world that we’ve neglected. The requirement to go out there and help people for fear that somehow we might get dirty in the process. I fear, we become so concerned about not sinning. We haven’t done enough, good works and I think I can prove it and three simple statements.

78. 41:22

    First before we go to sleep last tonight. 30,000 children, will die of starvation. Second. Most of us, don’t give a damn. And third and what’s worse, is there right now, you’re more uncomfortable with the fact that I swore then the fact that 30,000 kids are gonna die tonight. Do the one and don’t leave the other undone. If I religion is real, if our faith is alive, we need to do something about the suffering and the pain that goes on around us.

79. 42:00

    I don’t need to remind you about the millions of children in sub-Saharan Africa where made orphans each year by the rampant spread of AIDS. And that country, I don’t need to remind you about the millions of children in Eastern Europe, who are abandoned due to poverty. It’s easy. It’s easy to see where you can help once you start looking. I just want us to try looking.

80. 42:27

    God has been concerned about the fatherless and the widows since the beginning of time. Although his methods have changed over the years, his his message is still the same. What’s what he says and an exit. As he said You shall not afflict and he any Widow her father’s child if thou afflict them in any wise and they cry. It onto me.

81. 42:48

    I will surely hear their cry. My wrath shall wax Wax Hot and I will kill you with the sword and your wife shall be widows and your children fatherless. The law of Moses simply punished you for not doing what’s right? The law of Christ encourages us to be righteous. Which one’s going to work.

82. 43:14

    It’s God’s tried the stick. He’s now trying the carrot. What if we don’t respond better than the Israelites did? Who knows what he’s going to try next?

83. 43:29

    I’ve brought up a lot of things this morning. I’ve lectured you about trying harder to live this life that James describes My goal was to try to push, you try to push myself out of our comfort zones into the kind of service that James calls us to. If I’ve offended you, I I pray you’ll get over it quickly, but don’t forget the message quite as quickly. I want to leave you with one simple suggestion, about how to care for the follow this in the Widow’s. It’s a verse that Jesus spoke in Luke 14, it’s really captured my attention lately, and it’s convicted my soul. I hope this verse moves you as much as it did me. Jesus said to his host.

84. 44:16

    When you give a luncheon or dinner, don’t invite your friends. So what about your brothers? Don’t invite your relatives, or your Rich Neighbors. If you do, they may invite you back and sell you’ll be repaid. when you give a banquet, invite the poor. The crippled, the lame, the blind.

85. 44:45

    And you will be blessed, although they cannot repay you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. so you can see this class really wasn’t about this, and that This whole week has really been more about God.

86. 45:04

    And you. The father who has called us to live lives of faith. And James gives us plenty of plenty, of practical examples of what it means to live lives of faith. My prayer will continue that these classes have helped us all see James message a little clearer. And we all leave here a little more motivated to follow that message.

87. 45:33

    Thanks. On behalf of everyone here. I would like to thank our brother Jeff for bringing some very good thought-provoking classes to us this week. We will have a short break. It is 946 by my watch, and by the clock back there, there have to be back in our seats by 10. Thank you.