Matthew 1:18-23 (NIV); 18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”

          As you get ready to celebrate the Christmas Holiday with your friends, family, and associates, I want you to think about the possibilities that Christmas brings.  The eternal Son of God took upon Him a human body and was given the name Jesus.  He did this in order to live a perfect life and die a perfect death so that humans could enter into a right relationship with God.

          One thought that I want to bring up is this:  Because of Christmas, second chances are possible!  Jesus lived a perfect life and died for the sins of humanity so that everyone could have the possibility new life, eternal life, and with this new life comes second chances…

          We all live with regrets from the past.  Satan as the Accuser of the Brethren (see Job 1-2) likes to remind us of our past…but because of Christ coming to earth…we have the chance of new life and forgiveness!  Christmas began the process of God’s plan of second chances…Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection from the dead opened up a door for new life…Life full and abundant…life overflowing (see John 10:10).

          As you remember Christ’s birth, I want you to also remember His death.  The author of Hebrews states that Jesus’ death did an amazing thing:  His death destroyed the power of death and the devil (Hebrews 2:14-15).   This Christmas I want you to give thanks for the entirety of what Christ did for you:  He came to earth for you….He payed the payment for your mistakes…He did this so that you could have a Second Chance…

Have you Receive Jesus’ Offer of a Second Chance?  Christmas makes Second Chances Possible…and Third and Fourth. Etc!

On Behalf of Relevant Word Ministries….

Merry Christmas,

Timothy Gabriel Brown /Christmas 2008

 James 5:7-20

7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

 10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

 12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.

 13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

 17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Persevering Through It All…

5 Ingredients to helping you make it through both the good times and the difficult times in your life:

1.     Patience-I need to learn to wait on God’s timing (v. 7-8).

Habakkuk 2:3 (NLT); This vision is for a future time.
      It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.
   If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,
      for it will surely take place.
      It will not be delayed.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV); 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
       neither are your ways my ways,”
       declares the LORD.

 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
       so are my ways higher than your ways
       and my thoughts than your thoughts.

2.     Kindness-Stop judging, complaining, and trash talking one another (v. 9).

Romans 12:9-10 (NLT); 9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

Ephesians 4:29-32 (NIV);  29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

3.     Dedication-Even in the midst of hard times, I am going to be faithful to God—no matter what (v. 10-11)!

I Peter 4:12-14 (NIV); 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

4.     Integrity-I will keep my word…even if it hurts me (v. 12).

Matthew 5:37 (NIV); Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Psalm 15:1, 4 (NLT); 1 Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?
      Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who…keep their promises even when it hurts.

Ephesians 4:25 (NIV); Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

5.     Community-I am going to live my life within the context of fellowship with God and other believers (v. 13-20).

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV); 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

I John 1:5-7 (NIV); 5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

James 2:14-26 (NIV);  14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.  25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Take Home Thoughts:

1.    Real faith works—faith that does not work is an impossibility (verses 14-17).

2.   Real faith is visible through works-we are not saved by works, but works will follow faith (18).

3.   Real faith goes beyond intellectual assent-head knowledge is not sufficient to save you (19).

4.   Real faith is useful-active faith has practical implications for daily life (20).

5.   Real faith is willing to take risks-Abraham was willing to lay all down on the altar because of his faith (21-23).

6.   Real faith is seen through our actions-though we are justified by faith alone in the sight of God…our faith is not realized by others until they SEE our faith through works (24).

7.   Real faith is powerful enough to change our lifestyles-look at the example of the biblical prostitute Rehab (25)!

8.   Real faith is energized by belief in action-works is a visible sign that your faith is alive just as the fact that you are breathing right now shows that you are still physically alive (26)!

Summary-Real faith is living and active.  We are right with God (justified) through faith alone, but others will not experience our faith (justified in the sight of man) until we show them through our works.

Two Types of Wisdom

James 3:13-18 (NIV); 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Which Wise Guy Are You?

1.      The worldly wise guy/gal (verses 14-16)

His/her characteristics:

·         She is often bitter because of the past (harbor bitter envy) (verse 14)

·         He is only about himself…his way is only what matters (selfish ambition)

·         This person often brags about their “wisdom” or cleverness.  This often characterizes a person who lives in a world of deception…a person who masquerades as something he or she is not.

·         This person views life only from a humanistic perspective and does not take God’s view into account (earthly) (verse 15).

·         He only lives life by his 5 senses-sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound (hearing)-and does not seek the counsel of God (unspiritual).

·         She is bound by Satan and is motivated by unseen spiritual forces which cause her to make sinful choices (demonic).

Summary of the worldly guy/gal’s life (verse 16):

→The worldly guy/gal’s life is characterized by selfishness, constant chaos, every sinful life choice that one could possibly entertain.

A Word to the worldly wise guy:  Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV); 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

2.      The heavenly wise guy/gal (verses 13, 17-18)

His/her characteristics:

·         He lives a good and humble life which makes an impact upon those around him (verse 13).

·         She has a pure heart and her motives are godly (pure) (verse 17).

·         He hates arguments & debates, and embraces tranquility with all (peace-loving).

·         She goes out of her way to make others feel special; she truly wants to bring a smile to everyone she encounters (considerate)

·         He understands the concept of respecting the authority and those who hold leadership over him (submissive).

·         She is not vindictive towards others and never seeks out personal revenge (full of mercy).

·         He lives such a life of excellence that all can see that he is a follower of Christ (full of good fruit).

·         She shows no favoritism towards anyone because of their social status, race, economic prestige, or popularity (impartial).

·         He is the same person in every situation and is the type of person that you can honestly trust (sincere).

Summary of the wise guy/gal’s life (verse 18):

→The heavenly wise guy/gal’s life is characterized by a life of peace, godliness, and fruitfulness.

A world to the heavenly wise guy/gal:

Micah 6:8 (NIV); He has showed you, O man, what is good.

       And what does the LORD require of you?

       To act justly and to love mercy

       and to walk humbly with your God.

Take Home Thoughts/Conclusion:

→Which type of life do you want to lead?  Do you want a life that is full of bitterness, envy, and disorder? Or do you desire a life that is attractive to both God and others? 

→The choice is yours—worldly wise guy or heavenly wise guy!

A summary of James 3:13-18 from the Message:  13-16 Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats.

 17-18 Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

Your Thoughts/Questions:

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Timothy’s Contact information:

Timothy Brown  timothygabrielbrown@gmail.com (e-mail)

www.timothygabrielbrown.com (web)

Facebook Bible Study:  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=29577944819

Intro:  The tongue has such profound effects on all of life…

James 3:1-12 (NKJV)—1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.  See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Insights from this passage—

1.  The greater the influence the greater the __influence_____—teachers will be judged more severely on how they use their tongue (words) (verse 1).

Illustration-The Day of Accountability (Judgment Day)

1.  The smallest part of our body wields the greatest amount of ___control____ (verses 2-5a).  You have the power of either life or death by what you say…

Proverbs 18:21; The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love to talk will have to eat their own words. (God’s Word Translation)

Illustration-One word…and our destiny (Winston Churchill vs. Adolf Hitler)

1.  The tongue is a blazing __fire___ which consumes every aspect of life (v5b-6a). The one who controls his tongue controls his destiny.  One word (spark of fire) can affect the entire course of your life.

Illustration-The great Chicago Fire of the summer of 1871; The Yellowstone National Park fires of 1988.

Question:  Which fire is setting your tongue into motion…The fires of hell or the fire of God?

1.  The worldly tongue is influenced by ___Satan____ and cannot be controlled (v6b-8).  Only God can give us a new heart which will result in a controlled tongue…no man can control the tongue…only God can help us to do this!

Illustration-The town gossip and bird feathers!

1.  A double tongued person is a __contradiction_______ (v9-12).  A Christian who consistently speaks out both sides of her mouth is a schizophrenic believer!

Illustration-Being a representative (ambassador) of God on earth

Summary Thoughts:

Psalm 141:3 (NLT); Take control of what I say, O Lord,
      and guard my lips.

Proverbs 12:18 (NIV); Reckless words pierce like a sword,
       but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Colossians 3:17 (NIV); And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 4:6 (NIV); Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone

The Message:  Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.

Your tongue has great power so use it wisely.  Are you willing to allow God to take control of your tongue and give life to others through your words? Or Are you going to let you tongue run wild, set on fire by hell, and use your tongue to destroy others?

The choice is yours…Which fire is your tongue controlled by…the fire of God or the fire of hell?

Mo-Money—The World’s View of Riches versus God’s View of Riches

The World’s View—                                                      God’s View— 

1.       Money brings freedom                             The desire for money can be enslaving and lead to                                                                       destruction; only Christ brings true freedom (I                                                                           Timothy 6:7-10)

2.      Money brings security                               Wordly wealth is very insecure; it will quickly pass                                                                     away.  Real security is found in knowing and                                                                              trusting God (Jeremiah 9:23, 24; I Timothy 6:17-19)

3.      Money is what matters                              Christ and the kingdom of God are what matters                                                                        (Matthew 6:33)

4.      Money is power                                        Power comes from being filled with the Spirit (Acts                                                                   1:8; 3:1-10)

5.      Money establishes not only your net worth, but your worth as a person.

Your worth is based on what God says, not what your bank statement says (Ephesians 1:3-14)

6.  Money makes your successful                   Success comes from knowing and doing what God                                                                          says (Joshua 1:8)

7.  Money brings happiness                             The happiness that money brings is short-lived.                                                                                 And in the long run, money can actually produce                                                                              “many sorrows” (I Timothy 6:10).  Lasting joy                                                                                 comes from knowing God (5:1-6; John 15:11;                                                                                   16:24).[1]           

James 4:13-5:6 (NIV); 13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.

1 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 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. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you. 

$Mo-Money$—Some thoughts and life and money from James 4:13-5:6

1.       Your life is short and unpredictable (The brevity and uncertainty of life)—verses 13 & 14.

2.      Your life is in God’s hands (The need to include God in my plans)—verse 15.

3.      Your life is meaningless apart from God (The need for God’s guidance and my personal humility)—verses 16 & 17.

4.      You money will not save you from problems in life (money’s limitations)—chapter 5, verse 1.

5.      Your money will not endure the test of time (money’s brevity)—verse 2.

6.      Your money will not buy you a ticket to heaven (money’s un-universal nature)—verses 3-5.

7.      Your money can lead you away from God (money’s distraction)—verse 6.

Summary—Anything good—if you got it God gave it.  We are simply stewards of all

that God has entrusted to us.  I Peter 4:7-11 tells us “7 The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. 8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Application:

      To live my life for the glory of God.

      To use my resources as God leads.

Getting Practical and Personal:

      What about that person you know who is in need?  What might God be telling about this person? 

      Question:  Do you have your money or does your money have you?

James 4:1-12

Introduction:  We all have these strong urges and desires that sometimes seem to consume us, but what are we to do about them?  James gives us the answer, we are to stop sinning by giving into our sinful desires and we are to yield ourselves to God.  James says it like this, “Submit yourselves to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). 

So let’s read what James has to say about our sinful cravings and what to do about them:

James 4:1-12 (NIV); 1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

 4 You adulterous people, 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. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? 6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

   “God opposes the proud

      but gives grace to the humble.”

 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

 11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Here are some thoughts from this passage:

“Please Satisfy My Cravings”

1.       We have a battle going on inside of us (verse 1)—this battle is being waged for your heart and your soul. Your Old Nature (Old Man-sinful nature, fallen nature) is battling with your New Nature (New Man-godly, spiritual nature).

2.      The Old Man is indeed a formable foe—a fierce enemy (verse 2-5).

→He has insatiable desires (verse 2).

→He is willing to do anything to get what he wants.

→He attempts to achieve satisfaction apart from God.

→He even appears to do good…but his motives are wrong (verse 3).

→He is involved in an illicit love affair with the world (verse 4).

→He has voluntarily made himself at odds with God—God’s enemy.

→He has a constant desire for evil and his envy never ceases (verse 5).

3.       The Solution:  Surrender to God and let Him live through you (6-12).

ü  Humility is the secret to gaining God’s help and favor (verses 6 & 10).

ü  Daily surrender to God and daily rejection of temptation is necessary (verse 7).

ü  Work on your relationship with God through obedience, faith, and repentance (verses 8-9).

ü  Show love and grace towards others (verses 11-12).  God is the only who can truly judge, so stop trying to find faults in everyone but yourself!

Wrapping it Up (Conclusion):  God is the One who can help you in your daily battle between the desire for God and the pull of the world.  Simply surrender your desires over to God, and He will give you new ones!  If you want to have your cravings satisfied…fall in love with Jesus.  Listen to what David says in Psalm 37:3-5 (NLT); 3 Trust in the Lord and do good.  Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.  Trust him, and he will help you.

Summary–Delight in GodàNew Heart’s DesiresàBeing Satisfied!

Summary from the Message:

1-2 Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.

 2-3 You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.

 4-6 You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.” And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.”

 7-10 So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.

 11-12 Don’t bad-mouth each other, friends. It’s God’s Word, his Message, his Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You’re supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it. God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?

John 15:9-17

Introduction-5 levels of understanding God…

1)       God-you understand that there is a Higher Power-a creator (Genesis 1; Romans 1:18-20)

2)      Jesus-you come to the truth that Jesus is indeed God in the flesh (Peter’s Confession-Matthew 16:13-20)

3)      Savior-you accept the truth that Christ is the only way to God (John 14:6) and you receive Christ into your life (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23, 6:23, 10:9-10)

4)      Lord-you surrender your entire life over to Christ (Romans 12:1-2).

5)      Friend-you begin to have a growing, intimate, and personal daily relationship with Jesus Christ (John 15:14-15).

Message-What does it mean to be a friend of God? James 2:23 states, “And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”And he was called the friend of God.”  The 11 apostles were also called friends in John 15:14.

A friend of God…

1.      Enjoys a love relationship with God (9-10)

2.      Experiences an abundance of joy (11)

3.      Embraces a life of love (12-13)

4.      Encounters God as Friend (14-17)

Conclusion-At what level do you know God?  Would you like to take your life to the next level?