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TRUE RELIGION
Living Large
James 5:19-20
Pastor Tom

Introduction: Within every person is a desire for life to be larger than just ME.  True religion shows us how to live larger.

I. Desire for celebrity

• The need to be known
• The need to influence – To Matter
• The need to be remembered

II. The way of the world – v. 19a

• Doctrinal – wrong beliefs
• Practical – wrong actions Matt. 7:13,14
• Truth – without Christ we have no peace nor hope for the future

III. The result of Truth – v. 19b

• Convert – To turn
• Believer – from error to virtue
• Non-believer – from being lost to finding home

IV. The view outside ourselves – v. 20

• Saving others from destruction
• A broader view of life – Mark 10:42-45

Conclusion: We will be known, we will matter and we will be remembered by placing others needs before ours and by rescuing them from error with the truth.

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TRUE RELIGION
Tapping the Supernatural
James 5: 16b-18
Pastor Tom

Introduction: Many feel powerless to change life or its circumstances yet God has designed a means to obtain blessings and accomplish great purposes through prayer.

I. What kind of prayer – v. 16b

• Energetic – fitted to produce effect
• Earnest – sincere, hearty and persevering
• Power that enters the words

II. What kind of petitioner – v. 16b

• Righteous – Good, pure, humble
• Not dependent upon talent, education, position or wealth

III. What kind of product – vv. 16b-18

• Strong, overcomes resistance
• God moments like Elijah
• Same weaknesses and infirmities
• Prayed for famine because of idolatry – I Kings 17:1
• Prayed for rain – I Kings 18:42, 45
• The famine ceased – produced crops

Conclusion: God can and will do anything to meet our needs as we live purposely for Him in response to our prayer.

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TRUE RELIGION
Stress Less – Pray More
James 5:12-16a
Pastor Tom

Introduction: No one receives a free pass concerning stress. How we respond will either make us better or bitter.

I. What Not To Do? – v. 12

• Swear oaths under stress
• Promises we cannot keep
• Humble yes or no is sufficient
• Placing judgment on ourselves

II. What To Do – vv.13-14

• Pray and Praise – Psalm 34
• Seek help: spiritual and physical

III. The Results – V. 15

• Unmovable confidence in God
• The lifting of a burden
• Forgiveness is the Ultimate Healer

IV. The Evidence – v. 16a

• Right with God
• Right with others
• Gods Hand is Stayed, guilt removed

Conclusion: Nowhere is wholeness more evident than when the injured pray for those who have done injury.

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TRUE RELIGION
PATIENT UNDER PRESSURE
James 5:7-11
Pastor Tom

Introduction: It is common to justify a grudge when suffering from the wrong treatment of others – True Religion demands patience.

I. A Farmer’s Patience – vv. 7-8

• Waits for crops to grow
• Trusts for proper rain amounts
• Waits for the proper season
• Expects a harvest – purpose and faith unwavering

II. An Impatient Grumbler – v. 9

• Bitter over perceived advantages of others.
• Ready to fight at any slight.

III. Old Examples – vv. 10-11

• The Prophets were tried and showed patience.
• Job – The model of patient suffering.

Conclusion: The Lord is merciful to those who suffer patiently.

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TRUE RELIGION
RELIEF OR REVENGE – YOUR CHOICE
James 5: 3b-7a
Pastor Tom

Introduction: For good reason some dread the return of Christ yet others rejoice. Which group represents us?

I. Those that hoard – v. 3b

• For ostentation or luxury
• Pagans thought for use in future life

II. Withholding what’s due – v. 4

• Wealth is indebted to laborers
• Paying the fair equivalent
• Settling the books

III. Hedonism – v. 5.

• Indulgence of the senses
• Luke 12:16-21
• Inconsistent with God’s purposes to be profitable and useful
• Fattened for judgment

IV. Oppressing the Just – v. 6

• Wearing out under a system of oppression, injustice and fraud

Conclusion: V.7a – Enduring until deliverance from God; Matt. 5:38-41; 43-48

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TRUE RELIGION
An 18 Karat Dilemma
James 5:1-3
Pastor Cook

Introduction: Your ship is going down and you can take one of two things: 50lbs of gold or a life vest. Which would you choose?

I. Rich Man/ Poor Man

• James speaks like an Old Testament prophet
• The historical setting – Very Rich/Very Poor
• The fall of Jerusalem yet to come
• Everybody loses

II. The Rebuke – v. 1

• This is not a socialistic doctrine
• The Bible does not condemn money
• Jesus taught about money and riches

III. The Description and Result – vv. 2-3

• The failure of wealth is a witness against you
• They heaped treasure they could never use
• Let it rot!
• A shadow of future judgment

Conclusion: As Christians we must:

• See a mutual sympathy between capital and labor
• Avoid debt like we avoid the Devil
• Use wealth wisely, not self-indulgently

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TRUE RELIGION
The Best Laid Plans
James 4:13-17
Thomas Downs

Introduction: A life plan founded only upon the shifting sand of this life brings no security whatsoever.

I. The problem with presumption – vv. 13-14

• The uncertainties of life – v. 14a
• The frailty of life – v. 14b; Job 7:7; Psalm 78:39

II. The problem with self-reliance – v. 16

• Assuming we know the future
• Assuming we have control

III. Life worth Living – v. 15

• Dependence on God
• Conformity to His will – v. 17

Conclusion: We can do well in life if we allow God to control our plans.

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True Religion
Recovering Lost Treasure
James 4:6-12
Pastor Tom

Introduction: Part of the Grace God gives to the humble includes Specific spiritual life instructions to recover the treasure pride causes us to lose. – v. 6

1. Submit to God– v. 7a
2. Resist the Devil – v. 7b
3. Draw close to God – v. 8a
4. Cleanse hands and heart – v. 8b
5. Mourn over sin – v.9
6. Humble Yourself – v. 10
7. One lawgiver – vv. 11-12

Conclusion Allowing God to “save” what we cast off as mere frail mortals is the only legitimate life pattern.

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TRUE RELIGION
TROUBLED THINKING
James 4:1- 6
Pastor Tom

Introduction: Have you ever thought about or uttered this phrase: “what were you thinking?”

I. Results of worldly thinking – vv. 1-5

• Wars and fights brought on by lust – v.1
• Neglect to pray equals doing without – v. 2
• Self motivated prayer – v. 3
• Fitting into this world – v. 4
• Envy for everyone and everything – v. 5

II. Oh, for Grace! – v. 6

• To restrain wrong passions and thoughts
• Proverbs 3:34; I Peter 5:5
• Resistance in providence, sickness , the grave and salvation
• Shows favor to the humble

Conclusion: The humble know their need welcome Gods teaching and have the state of mind to hear from God: His Love.

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TRUE RELIGION
Teaching Tools
James 3:13-18
Pastor Tom

Introduction: As students we remember less about what our teachers taught us and more about who are teachers were.

I. Needed Qualifications – v. 13

• Wisdom and knowledge
• Consistent life with calm though firm sentiments – Phil. 1:27

II. Disqualifiers vv. 14-16

• Ambition and contention – v. 14a
• Boasting of your qualifications –v14b
• If the whole truth about you were known – v 14c
• Worldly wisdom brings strife and contention and worldly knowledge leads to self conceit – v. 15; I Cor. 3:3
• Unsettled and distrusting passions makes progress and community impossible – v. 16

III. The Spirit of Character – vv. 17-18

• Pure – of mind, sincere, candid, free
• Peaceable – inoffensive, upright
• Gentle – moderate, patient, disciplined
• Entreated – easily persuaded, compliant
• Mercy – compassionate to others
• Impartial – equal justice to all
• Without Hypocrisy – no disguise or mask

Conclusion: The wise, knowledgeable teachers sow seeds of the Gospel of Peace and it brings contentment to the harvest.