Sunday Service

Well, we've been looking through this series of growing in our walk with the Lord, and we've done. So through the Book of James, James is a guy that not only says, this is the way it is, but go and, and do it, and that's very important. And if you and I have the spirit of the Living God in our hearts, in our lives. And that happens when we asked Jesus Christ to be our Lord and savior, the spirit of God comes upon us. And if the spirit of God is in your life, working in you today, and your abundantly willing to do what the spirit of God calls you to do, you are really blessed. But if the spirit of God is working in you today and you've said, no, I'm too busy to do what you've called me to do. You are going to be one very miserable person. You will be living under stress. And hurting in this life because you have chosen to do what you want to do, rather than what God has called you to do, you see? God says, if you do what I want you to do, you will be blessed. There is great blessing, there and there's comfort and peace in this life, but if we choose to do what we want to do, rather than what God wants us to do, we are going to be people who are suffering in this life, God called you and giving you work in this life. He says that he said you've been saved by grace and now it's time for you to do work for me because I've set work, aside will read that verse here in just a little bit but he's called each and every one of us to do something for his glory and you can do that. And sometimes you don't understand what that might be. Give you a little story, when Mary and I were ministering on the island of Rhodes Greece. We had an opportunity to reach out day-by-day to people around us, but we didn't know how it was going to open up and how it was going to happen. So each day Mary and I got together and we prayed and said Lord we're going to go out and we're going to wander through this community of ours that you've presented us. And we are going to have opportunity to minister but we don't know what those Ministry opportunities will be but we look to you to be the guide for each of those steps and we go out and we wander through a community, we could visit different shops and different people along the way and God would open the doors to real opportunities to minister in to bring understanding to people about their relationship with the Living God. And we get back that afternoon and we say, wow country Ali, open the doors in this way. Why? Because our hearts were open and willing to do what the spirit called us to do. And so the question today is, is your heart open. Are you willing to listen to God and respond to what he's called you to do? That's what James is talking about. In James chapter 2 powerful and his desire to get us to serve those read and see what he has to say, James to James chapter 2, verses, 14 to 16, I need for deeds in our lives. And that's what he's calling you. And I to do is to have Deeds set aside by the Living God for the Living God in our lives. What good is it? My brothers and sisters. If someone claims to have faith but has no Deeds, can such Faith save them. Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them go in peace and keep warm and well-fed but does nothing about their physical needs. What good is it? What good is it?

To have Deeds. I said, apart from God, we accomplish nothing, but when our Deeds are given over to God, they accomplish something. And like I said before, you know, are these on Earth can be quantifiable, you know, we can say, okay, well, I have this job and I do this job and I try to do it to my very best and that's quantifiable the results from that are often quantifiable or I have this family and I need to provide for them and that's one viable or or I have a vacation that I'm looking forward to all these things that we can charge up. And we say okay I see the results from that. And so I like to do that because I like to see results but God says if you do what I do there will be results. You just aren't going to be able to categorize what you do. because sometimes you minister to people, And you have no idea what influence your ministry has in their laws for the rest of their lives. A little story from the chosen, some of you have seen some of the episodes of The Chosen. It's a series about Jesus Christ, and they've had three seasons so far in the first season. The fourth episode, we have the story about Peter. Peter has not come to meet Jesus yet, but he's trying to do things on his own is working really hard. In fact, he's gone out in his boat at night and he's worked all night long. He's done all that he can do to provide for his family and you know how much he accomplished. Absolutely nothing. He didn't catch a single fish all night long. So he gets back to Shore and he meets Jesus for the first time. You know, his boat is coming to the shore. His brothers, really excited. Andrew, who is med Jesus before? It's really excited. You said, as long as there's the Messiah and the Peter saying, oh, yeah, big deal, you know, he's not helping me out.

And so they come to Shore and Jesus says, can I get in your boat and minister to these people? He does. So, he ministers to them since the congregation away, after the ministry says I have just a little bit to do with this man. Here, I have something for him to do.

until he says,

Peter throw your net in the water and Peters has all kinds of excuses. Does God ever come to you and say, hey John, I have something for you to do and I say oh wait a minute Lord, I've been working all day or I've been there. I've got some of these other important things that I have to do in my life. I don't need to do anything more.

And God just looks at you. And that's what you see in this picture is Jesus is just looking at Peter, Peter is giving these excuses and finally Peter goes, oh, okay, I'll do it. Well, he throws the Nets and then obviously God can perform miraculous things in those Nets, are filled with fish. You see, Peter was trying to do the work by himself and it wasn't until he came to God and did, would God called him to do vide actually saw substance for his life? It was an Earthly provision that provided for his family provided for his brother and those things, but it also provided an understanding of God. And when we choose to do God's will, and do his way, all of a sudden, the understanding of who he is, and what he can do for our lives, becomes alive and real for us just as it did for Peter in this episode, Peter jumps out of the boat. And he falls on his knees before the Living. God, And he confesses his sins before him and ask God to go away. And God says, no way. I'm here for you. And as we know Peter went on to serve the Lord mightily through his life but it takes those moments to say, okay Lord I'll do your work rather than my work. Because then God will bless the work that you choose to do.

You know, we can struggle with that it. Ephesians 2:10 says this. For we are God's workmanship created in Christ. Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Remember this is followed by you've been saved by grace so if you've come to know Lord Jesus Christ as your lord and savior you been saved by grace but then he says, okay. Now that you've been saved, I've got work for you to do in the question. For each of us is if I really look to God to figure out what work he has for me to do and if I have it maybe I just need to lay my life before the Living God and say okay I tried to do it on my own. I've tried to do what I want to do. Now I want to do what you want to do, Lord, please guide my life and help me to understand the work that you have for my life. Because if you say I'm a Believer in Jesus Christ, he says I've got work for you to do.

so, if you're not doing the work for Christ, then you're not being obedient to what he's called you to do. And it's time to start examining your life. And see where you stand before the Living God. Because God says, I want to bless you. But you know what? You need to want that blessing to, you need to want that blessing to There's a chapter in the Bible, it's taken from Matthew chapter 25. And it's an interesting chapter because it goes through three different things that God calls every person on the face of the Earth to do. The first thing is the question of your relationship with the Living God. And it deals with these virgins that have lights, you know, have their candles lit, it represents the spirit of the Living. God, do you have the spirit in you? Or don't you? And if you have come to Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, you have the spirit in you. If you've not come to Jesus Christ, you don't have the spirit in you and the rest of that, chapter means nothing to you. Because it doesn't abide with your life. It is only as you know, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that it has any meaning for you. Think about that a little bit? Do I have a relationship with Christ? If so, the rest of that chapter mean something for you. The second part of it is, do you have talents that God has blessed you with Okay. Do you have a mind that operates? Okay, that's a talent. Okay. But there is a lot of other things that God has placed in your life. And God says, are you using those talents for my work?

Are you giving those talents over to me and allowing them to be used for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world? And the second thing is the next line of questioning is whether we have served others in our lives. That's a good question. Have we served others? You see when we become Christians and followers of Christ? We need to be obedient was calling, his call is to love others. And we do that by doing things for their lives and there's a group of Believers that come to event. Jesus says you're blessed, you're blessed. Is Matthew, 25 verse 34. Then the king will say to those on his right, come you who are blessed by my father, take your inheritance. The kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. Wow, classic. Don't you want to be one of those that are blessed by the Living God? And he says blessed, you know? And then the big question that they have that comes up in there. Like, okay. God, I'm blessed. But how do I, how am I blast? And that's what I got to think the same before is it quantifiable to your arms know, it's not quantifiable to what you can do. You've done here on this Earth but it is incredibly quantifiable to God in heaven. He's Picking across those acts of service. Every time you serve somebody else in this life, it becomes a blessing to you. In glory is not exciting. Here's what he says right after this and verses 35 and 36. The Matthew 25 for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me. I needed clothes. And you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. In other words, those things that I choose to do for other people.

Become a notch for me and Heaven.

Put there by the Living God saying okay Don did this click Don did this click and they become blessings for me and heaven and you can put your name in there if you know the Living God and you choose to serve him, they'll say your name, Mary did this. Merry did that? For my kingdom. It's not a blessing here on this Earth but it's a blessing that last longer than anything you do here on this Earth because it's an eternal blessing. From the Living God.

It's the full movie filming of everything that God calls us to do. Remember, Jesus is with the disciples in the upper room and he's talking to him and he's giving them some last-minute advice before he goes to the cross.

And this is his command. John 15, 17. This is my command love each other, love each other. you know, when it comes to loving people and being willing to do for them The things that they need in their lives. It maybe some of the things that Jesus listed to those who he said, come on in and be blessed or it may be something completely different. It maybe being a Sunday school teacher in church. It, maybe somebody who volunteers to clean the church, it maybe somebody who steps up and says, hey I'll mow their grass for them. It may be somebody who Plants, a lovely Garden. Those are all blessings that you give to others. And if you do it, for the sake of other people, you are blessing your life by doing the Deeds that God has called you to do in this line.

Well, he continues on, though. What's the value of Deeds? What's the value of Deeds? You know, I'm going to, how can I quantify this a little bit in my life, James to 17 and 18 says in the same way. Faith by itself is not, if it is not accompanied by action is dead,

Think about that. Faith is dead if it's not accompanied by action but someone will say you have faith. I have Deeds. Is it what God is saying? Is that you can say I believe in God?

But what is the response of your life? If you say I believe in God and there is no response in your life in your attitude towards God and towards other people. Do you really believe in God as your faith, making any difference?

Think about it a little bit. Here is a true love. Is the revelation of God in our world. In other words, you revealed Jesus Christ through your actions to others through the things that you do for other people. And for your love for God and showing others that he exists in your life. Because when you describe 81, you show other people that he exists in your life, that is presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ to their lives and helping them to see the truth of what they need to know. Galatians 5:6 says this for in Christ, Jesus neither circumcision or uncircumcision has any value. When is value, only the things that count, that counts is Faith. The only thing that counts is Faith expressing itself through love. Face. By loving other people. It's not just faith alone that God Le is looking for its faith. That is followed by actions that we do to bless other people.

Looking at Hebrews chapter 11, Hebrews chapter 11 is the chapter of Faith written in the Bible. It's all about the faithful walk with God, and all it is in verse six. It says, and without faith it is impossible to please God. Because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists And that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Okay, you're here today which means that somehow your earnestly seeking God. So that's a really good thing. But if you walk out of this building, do you want to represent God as you walk through this life?

That's what it's calling us, am I seeking God is the apart of my life. Or is he just something I do on a Sunday? He needs to be something that you do throughout the week.

Here's what James says about faith without works as a body, without the spirit is dead. So, faith without Deeds is dead. Now, think about that. A body without the spirit. If I do not have the spirit of the Living God in my life. I am spiritually dead for all eternity. In other words, I'm Bound for hell.

And he Compares that. With our walk with him. He Compares that will walk with him. So faith without Deeds is dead. if I am not living to serve God in the life that he has given me,

I better question my own fate. I better question my own faith, because here's the results of faith. Without Deeds. Matthew 25 46. This is the conclusion of everything. He said in Matthew before. Do you have the spirit? Are you using your talents for Christ? Are you blessing others with your life? If you're not. It says, in verse 46, then they will go away to Eternal punishment but the righteous to eternal life, okay? It kind of is the defining point if my face. Is not enough that it creates my desire to serve God then my faith is worthless. My faith is worthless.

Am I dead or am I alive? My Works will show it one God James 2:19 finishes off this section because it looks at truly our understanding of God. In our world and whether we respond to it or not, it says you believe that there is one God good even the demons believe that and shudder. Think about that term. Okay, I believe there's a God well sort of the demons that defy God and everything that they do. So what makes me different then a demon?

It's what I choose to do with my life in terms of my relationship with God. Do I believe there's a God will that is something that most people in the world believe at least it used to be that most people believe that there was a god. There's something out there that isn't God. The people of Israel were called to that in Hebrews, in Deuteronomy, scuse me, Deuteronomy 64. It says Hear o Israel. The Lord Our God, the Lord is one. There's only one God. And that's the Lord, the one we find in scripture, the wine ways find in our lives, as we yield to his call to us, and receive the holy spirit in our lives. He is one God.

So again, what makes the difference? You see demons believe there's a God of why? Because they defied God in the first place, and they got thrown out of heaven. and their desire might be to get back to God, but they've already Forfeited that and they are bound for an eternity in. Hell okay.

Well, are we different than them? And the question is, well. What am I willing to? Give up for him in this life to serve him? There's a picture of that those demons as Jesus is meeting two men that are have demons within them and he's speaking with these demons. And here's a response of the demons and then Matthew 8:29. What do you want with us? Son of God. Say they recognize that. He's God. No question there. They shouted. Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time? I think about that. You know, Jesus had the ability to torture them to hurt them.

And they know that there's a time in the future that that's going to happen. Recognize that Do you recognize that? That there's a time in your future where you'll stand before the Living God and he will determine whether you are whether you live life, as you ought to

That's where James is going. Hey, I want you to recognize this is important stuff for us to know.

For mankind. It's this 1st. John 5:1. Everyone who believes that? Jesus is. The Christ is born of God. And everyone who loves the father, loves his child child, as well.

in other words the call is to recognize Jesus Christ is the Lord and Savior and then to love him enough to live in obedience to who he is and he's calling you serve me. Do what I've called you to do and you do that by serving your brothers and sisters in the world. That's what you're called to do. Because there is a judgment that is going to come to all of us. Everyone of us are supposed to stand before the Living God and he's got two books up there. When is The Book of Life and in that book of life, everything that you've ever done is written down in that book, must be a huge book, huh? And billions of people, I used book, there's another book. That's the book of life and in that book are written the names of those who have faith in Jesus Christ.

Where is your name written today? Do you know do you know where your name is written? I hope so. and if you think,

That your name is written in the Book of Life. Are you serving him? Are you choosing to live in obedience to his call for your life being willing to serve him first? And allow him to bless the rest of your life. He will. Revelation 20 verse 14 and 15, here's the results. If we're not following God, then death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not written in the Book of Life was thrown into the Lake of Fire.

And so, here's the question. Did we have from Reading James, you know?

Am I really giving God my first?

You know is he the one I want to serve before I serve the world?

Are. Am I just giving him the leftovers of my life? God wants you. Once you desperately to serve him because he wants to bless you, he wants to enrich your life power plate. Not only in heaven. But here on this Earth, you see, like I said at the beginning, if I am a believer in Christ and the Holy Spirit is in me. If I'm choosing to do, what he's called me to do. There is a spirit of joy. And happiness in my life, I'm not under the stress of the world.

Because I know that I'm walking with him. but if the spirit of God lives in my life, and I'm choosing to do my work my way, not honoring him first. My heart will be desperate and hurting. And struggling in this life.

I want to live life to the fullest. Don't you don't? You want to have God? Just powerfully operating in your life. He wants to

It's our choice, every one of us has that choice.

What you wanted to be, do you want it to be a life set aside for Christ live for him and be blessed? Not only this life, but for all eternity,

Or do I want to go the other way? I live in pain and suffering and hurt in this life trying to get all that abundant wonder by my own actions.

There's nothing there. Cuz the only thing you're going to take to Heaven is yourself. And the blessings that you've given to others.

Let's pray. Our Father in heaven, we do thank you for Your work for your Mighty work, that is happening in our lives. Your father helped us to be responsive to the network. Or we need to be following you above everything else, you need to be the glory of Our Lives. So help us to seek you to honor you to serve you in this life as we ought. And as we go forward, bless us in this o. Mighty God in Jesus name. Amen. Should we stand?