Ep 42 – Marks of a Mature Christian: Part 2

Hi there, We’re going into uh the specific words that we can grow from in James Chapter one when pressure comes from the outside and that’s called Erasmus. When temptations come from the inside, That’s called Erasmo same word but two different contexts, Vicki and I are going to be discussing the actual greek words and what to look for what the source of the testing, the source of the temptation is. And join our discussion as we go in the second program with it’s all greek to me, the book of James growing spiritually spiritual maturity, the marks of a, of a grown up christian spiritual maturity, the marks of a mature christian are very evident in how he responds to the pressures of life and God tells us to have a mindset that is going to be full of joy, not because of what I’m going through, but really the result of what I’m going through is gonna be to test me to purge me, to purify me so that I might come forth like gold, that’s the whole point and we’re gonna dig deeper now in the greek words. So come along with Vicki and I as we do that, the testing of our faith Vicky, why don’t you pick it up James 13 and four, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance epa mony epo is under and meno is to remain and the words that are used in the scriptures. As I finished reading this is endurance, Perseverance and steadfastness. Yes. Excellent. Okay, so let endurance, let this steadfastness, let this perseverance have it’s perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete lacking and nothing. So God said be ye perfect As your heavenly father is perfect. That was Jesus in the sermon on the mount in Matthew five. Does he expect us with our sinful nature and with all the sin that’s going on? I mean we have the flesh, the world, the devil attacking us, our own lust inside the old nature. How are we gonna be perfect? Is does he mean perfect or is he talking about mature? I think it’s mature. Talking about mature. So that’s what he’s talking about in James chapter 13 and four. And let’s just go on a little bit further IPO money epo under and meno to remain properly remaining under. Endurance steadfastness. Perseverance. As you were saying before, Vicki especially of God, enabling believers to remain enduring under the challenges here, lots for them in life. This is what God is doing. He wants us to just go ahead and wait it out all the way not to just short circuit the process that he has and then that will then develop each of us so that we can be perfect as this epa money is comes to maturity. Then it will create that maturity also in us. God says all right, James 14 and let endurance IPO money have, it’s perfect. There’s that word perfect chelios, the result so that you may be perfect and complete or locally rose lacking and nothing. I love these words IPO money tell us and or local leaders now in verse for what do you think about this verse? Let endurance IPO money have, it’s perfect tellus result so that you may be perfect tell leo’s and complete for local heroes lacking in nothing. So you have here to two times tell us one for the epa money and one for us and and the result of that is that we would be a local leaders, complete and whole that the holistic comes from this word or local leaders. So what can you share about this? I think that the maturity is the essence of this verse. Um we know that we can never be perfect with our sinful nature. Um and some christians believe that they can be perfect but they really cannot in this lifetime ever really be truly perfect. Like christ though he is the image that we’re shooting at and we’re focusing on him and he’s the standard perfection is the bar. But that’s how we go towards maturity. But we need to grow up. There’s many Bible studies written about Christians who are a bunch of babies, they’re still drinking milk. They have not matured. They’re the same people that they were 20 years although they made this simple prayer of faith in Christ, they have not grown up and I think God is saying to us grow up become men and women of faith become warriors of faith and you’re going to go through battles and that’s how you become a mature christian. Excellent, excellent. Let’s go on first Thessalonians 5 23 also talks about these words now may the God of peace. It’s interesting the God of peace because this word or local heroes being complete, which is the goal, end of the testing and the pony becoming perfect tellus the end result of that. It said in the verse before this was a local leaders that we may be perfect and complete. So in first Thessalonians it talks about this May the God of peace himself sanctify Ayaz oh sanctify you entirely alone tells us that that has the word solos in it and also tells which is perfect, so holy perfect and May your and it identifies your spirit, your soul and your body be preserved. And that word is Terrell from keros a Guard. So to be guarded, complete or local heroes without playing a mentos at the coming of our Lord jesus christ. So this to me is the most complete verse that is talking about the process of Testing that goes on in our life and how we are to let that endurance have its perfect result and because it’s gonna make us perfect and or local heroes tellus and it uses old hotels in 36 51 here you entirely and also it says to keep guard over this local heroes complete until the coming of jesus christ, this is amazing, this is really God’s end goal for every believer. I think the bible tells us, you know like it’s like looking in a mirror. When we look in the mirror we see our true reflection. We may think our hair looks great or our makeups on right or whatever. But when we look in the mirror, God says look into the mirror of his word and let the mirror reflect to you. Are you really mature in the way you respond to people around you, your Children or your maid or people at your job. Are you, are you a loving example of christ? I think christians have such a bad uh legalistic judgmental spirit sometimes it comes across and that is not the spirit of christ. I remember one uh native indian in the jungle when he first saw a mirror and he saw his face in the mirror, he took the mirror and he smashed it because he didn’t realize how he didn’t look all that hot. And it’s the same thing that when some christians read the scriptures and the scriptures, uh that spiritual mirror that shows us what we’re really like doing away with the mirror or the scripture is not gonna solve the problem that we have but allow that to change us. That’s the key. And then the illustration of job is incredible. Uh It talks about how blessed uh you know we will be, we count those blessed to endure IPO money. There’s that word again to remain under. Who have heard you have heard of the endurance, IPO Money of job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings. That the Lord is full of compassion, paulus, black nose, polly is ingredients is much and spla closes inner inner uh bowels being compassion and is merciful, tiedemann, Merciful and so job. That’s the only verse out of all those chapters in job that’s given to us. And I’ve kind of picked one out of job and that is job 23 10. But he knows the way I take when he has tried me. I shall come forth like gold. Now we like wearing gold. You have, you have your ring out, you don’t have it on. I can’t fit in my wedding. So here’s my wedding band is gold. But you know people buy gold, there’s gold coins, there’s gold bars and those cannot come forth until they are heated. And just uh why don’t you read the smelting process here? Smelting gold is accomplished by using high pressure heat and various chemicals to break down the shore and melt the gold to separate it from the impurities. The gold must be heated to an excess of 1046 degrees Celsius and 2150 degrees Fahrenheit a lot of heat in this. You greatly rejoice even though now for a little while if necessary. You have been distressed by various trials, knowing that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of jesus, see, God is gonna send this not just one kind of trials or tests, but a variety of picky lee is the greek word, you know, a manifold uh, temptations and trials the bible speaks of in order to make us to become like gold. Uh, first peter 1 18 and 19, knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life, inherited from your forefathers. But with the precious blood as of a lamb unblemished and spotless the blood of christ. And that’s the whole deal that God has given us this privilege now, uh, to be put into the furnace of life, the furnace of fire so that the gold would come forth. And they used to say that when a smelter would do that, he would kind of take with a ladle, all the credit, all the junk, all the filth from the top. And then when he can see his face clearly in the gold in the or whatever it was silver or gold, then he would know that it’s pure and that’s what God is going to do in our life continue to let the test come. We’ve all gone through them, whether it’s a lawsuit, whether it’s a loss of a job, whether it’s a a sickness or a death or so many different kinds of tests. But God will bring forth a goal out of our life. Now there’s, there’s also one more thing you wanted to share with us Vicky from the text concerning uh, the uh, the verses that we were just looking at if anybody lacks wisdom as we’re going through this process and we’re lacking, we don’t, we just feel like we run out of answers. What are we gonna do? Uh, let’s pick it up for me. If any of you lacks wisdom, just ask God, let him ask God who gives to all generously and without reproach and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting via Carino for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind for that man or not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord being a double minded man. The opposite horse, VIP seahorse, rather man unstable and all his ways Augusta toes. That is a word that is like the guys all over the place. No, no management, no control, A total loss of control. So there are two different words here. I use this concerning doubt. You want to say something about that. The first thought I got when you started in verse five was, if any of us lack wisdom, let him ask. And who’s the first person we asked when we have a problem, we should go to God. Exactly. So that needs to be the priority in our life. We need to go to God. I’m not gonna go to you every time I have a problem, I’m gonna go to you sometimes, but I’m gonna look for the supernatural wisdom in my life that you can give me insights. But when I pray and I ask in faith and I’m not Dia Carino, I’m not going back and forth through judging things and hesitating and doubting or the other word deep sea hose is uh is two sold double sold. Imagine having two souls, you know, like, you know, like the old movies, they would have the good soul, the bad soul, the battle in the mind and And we should not be like that. We need to let the impurities come out of us. I mean after I’m a Christian for 50 years, somebody should see more of Christ in me than they see a Vicky. Yeah, just more of a more of jesus. It’s interesting, it’s interesting, it talks about the man being unstable, you know, God wants stability. God wants purity. God wants transparency in, in allowing the fire to come into our lives and and to, you know, burn the all the junk, all the ref use the draws from our life. There’s another word that is also translated that way. It’s, it’s really how the great commission came to be in Matthew 28 16 through 20 it says, but the 11 disciples proceeded to galilee to the mountains which jesus had designated when they saw him, They worshiped him, but some were doubtful distasso, which means they were between two ways. Do I worship him as god or is he god? You see that’s a different word to be between two roads like Yogi Berra said, when you come to a fork in the road, take it that this is the fork in the road when you’re looking at jesus christ, but he is the god man. That’s why this makes sense. And then to answer this and to give uh explanation to this, uh doubt that they were having, we have as a result of that, the great commission jesus came up and spoke to them saying all authority is given to me in heaven and on earth, go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Now listen, he clearly made it clear that he not only as a man, but he is God and put himself with in the baptism with God the father, God the son God the Holy Spirit and that he has all authority in heaven and on earth. This was a great response from jesus christ to the secret reservations of some, not all, most of them worshiped him, but at least two or more of those disciples had reservations about his deity. So that’s the third word concerning doubt in this passage. All right, praise the Lord. Let’s grow up and go forward, endurance and perseverance. Our wood wins games in sports sometimes on the buzzer the last two seconds. A basketball game is one so often when people quit, they think they’re winning the other team gets ahead. The same thing is true in your spiritual progress and growth for spiritual maturity, perseverance is so important and scripture is so clear on this. I want to give you a, a story from Abraham Lincoln’s life. He was one of the top five presidents that America had. But listen to the what he went through in terms of perseverance and endurance that he had 18 31. He failed in business in 1832. He was defeated for Legislature In 1833. Abraham Lincoln failed again in business in 1834. He was elected to the legislature in 1835. His sweetheart died, the girl he was Gonna marry in 1836. He had a nervous breakdown. Abraham Lincoln in 18 38 8. He was defeated for speaker of the house in 18 40. He was defeated for elector in 18 43. He was defeated for Congress in 18 46. He elected, he got elected to the Congress in 18 48. He was defeated to the Congress. And uh, In 1856, he was defeated for vice president in 1858. He was defeated for Senate in in 1860. He was elected president of the United States. This guy wouldn’t quit endurance. Persistence. The testing of our faith James 13 through four. Knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance. But let endurance IPO. Money have. It’s perfect result so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. IPO Money is equal under and mentor to remain. That’s endurance. That’s perseverance. That’s the word for patients. Uh There are various words for patients, patients with people. That’s macro femia. There is promoted to there is an egg zika cause patient with evil people towards you. But this particular one has to do with circumstances and things that happened to us. We have to be IPO money, hippo meno. I remain under the pressure. And I endure in James 14 and let endurance IPO. Money have. It’s perfect helios results so that you may be perfect. Tellus and complete or local heroes lacking in nothing. Tell us here or perfect has to do with maturity growing up in a mature way spiritually. And that means that we allow the pressure that comes on our life that we don’t kick against it. We don’t fight. We don’t become bitter. We ask God to show us what’s going on. We pray through it in verse five, it says if we lack wisdom, but we let the process go on so that we may be perfect and complete. We don’t want to short cut the whole event of what God is trying to accomplish in our life. I’ve gone through a terrible experience where people uh you know, we’re suing uh a an organization, transformation life center that we run a drug rehab and the day when they were gonna after 3.5 years, the day that they were going to actually go to court, they stopped and God solved the whole problem for us. But it took 3.5 years. It was very painful. There wasn’t anything to any of the charges, but it took all that time to make me and others that were involved a better person, no bitterness, no hatred. Uh but just thanking God that he allowed us as an organization, the board and other things that were going on to go through that process. That painful process of having been attacked and things said about us that we’re not accurate. They were not true. But God had a plan and God in the midst of all that just like jesus christ went through things and he kept his mouth quiet and God like a sheep before his shearers is dumb. So he opened not his mouth, that’s the tellus, the person who’s mature is going to have the ability to be that way and control himself. First Thessalonians 5 23. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify. I’d make you through the process of holiness. Yes, most you entirely or look old hotels in your being and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved from and that word is to watch over like a guard until the day of jesus christ. Now we have the illustration of job and job. He went through so much physical the emotional, the Children were killed, his businesses were destroyed, his own personal health. I mean uh some people uh said he had elephant titus, he was he was cursing the day he was born and he wanted to die and yet God was through that whole process allowed him to go through it and he had IPO money, he was you have heard of the endurance of job, it says in James 5 11 and of course in job 23 10 but he knows the way that I take when he has tried me. When God tries you when God tries me and he takes out the garbage maybe there’s been lying, maybe there’s been lust, maybe there’s been anger to such a degree that God has to pull that out of us. All of us have those two problems, Jesus talked about the impurity of the heart. He talked about the anger uh in Matthew five and also lust. And here he says when he has tried me, I shall come forth like gold. It’s so important that God is gonna put us through that smelting process of how he takes away the impurities and he brings forth the gold of our life. We go through various trials. Typically many almost like the rainbow of trials. And God says with those trials. In first Peter chapter four verse 10, he also gives a rainbow of grace. What trial are you going through? God has some grace, a ray of grace that will touch it. What pain are you experiencing on the outside? God has a ray of grace coming from his face, coming from the sunshine of his love that is going to come to you. And even though we’re tested with fire, we will be found to result in praise and an honor and glory at the revelation of jesus christ. When he returns first Peter 1 18 and 19 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver and gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers but with precious blood as of a lamb unblemished the spotless Blood of Christ. It even was chapter 12. It says therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance. There’s that word IPO money Running with endurance. So you have to do several things. No one putting aside the sin and notice it’s not just the sin, but also the weights that weigh us down. Put those aside. So run free from these encumbrances. The second thing is run far with endurance. That’s what it says here. Lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance. The race that is set before us. The picture, the images of an olympic event and there are people in the stands and they’re cheering on their favorite athlete, just like the olympics that are going on right now. Everybody wants America to win. Who are americans? If you’re greek or if you’re from Mexico you you’re cheering on your person. If you’re a believer, the believers are cheering you want. The angels are cheering you on the Lord, jesus christ God, the father God, the son God, the Holy Spirit, we have to run with endurance. The race that is set before us until we see jesus fixing versus the third thing run fixed on the eternal, fixing our eyes on jesus. Who is the author and the finisher of our faith. So when we experience this external pressure, when we experience we have to be IPO money. When we go through the cosmos, the touching of the things in our life, whether it’s sickness or loss of a job or even even divorce. You know you’re a death of uh somebody that you love so much your dad, your mom, a relative cancer. The loss of all your money, a fire in your house. An accident where you get crippled, painful experiences. But as most God says, we need to we need to get rid of the sin in our life. We need to be patient and Pepperoni remain under the pressure. And then most important, we need to fix our eyes on jesus christ through prayer through reading his word through, hanging out with believers that can encourage us. Don’t forsake the assembling of yourselves together with other believers. They will encourage you and pick you up Until we see Jesus one day. That’s what it says here, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. It is faith in a living God that’s going to help me go through the pressures of life that I have. Will you turn that pressure? Will you turn that uh Erasmus that trial you’re going through right now that you cannot handle. Would you cast your cares on him because he cares for you first peter Chapter five or seven, would you cry out to him in prayer like it says in James 15, will you realize if you’re poor or if you’re rich? Listen, you’re in God’s hands, the poor. It’s a high elevation. The rich. It’s a lo Ellen. He says, it’s a low thing because all of us are just passing through and we need to pass this test, blessed is the man who perseveres or continues to be under the pressure. When the pressure comes from. When he has been ducking me tried, he will receive the crown of life. He really will understand what living is all about and which the Lord will give to those who love him. It’s our love for jesus christ that will help us mature as believers when we allow him to let us go through whatever it is that he wants us to go through with a joyful heart in the process. God bless you Until next time. It’s all greek to me.