HarveyDunn

I personally have a problem with panhandlers. I came from a family that worked hard for all that they had. My mother and father had a problem with just sitting down and relaxing. They did have some down time after they retired but they worked hard to make it possible to retire. I have always worked. I am nearly 82 and I just get a little perturbed at panhandlers wanting me to give them money. Today (2022), there is not an excuse not to have a job and earning a reasonably decent income. Everywhere I have traveled particularly in the Eastern United States there are signs looking for people to work. I am careful with my money; I tithe, I give, and I give alms. If I am aware of a need I try to help meet that need. Our church is a Pentecostal church, transitioning from the "old line" Pentecostal image. My pastor is nearly half my age and has picked up the mantra of many other churches today in wanting to present itself as a multi-racial, multi-cultural, and multi-generational body of believers in God. I believe that the mission statement is a good mission statement however the day of the choir has gone, only a praise team to lead the church in songs most of us don't know, a stage that looks like a disco tech complete with the lights and sounds, no familiar songs nor song books. Now tell me who are we trying to make a good impression on? I know the pastor is doing his best and I try not to be a hinderance to him and try to support he and the ministry of our church every opportunity that I have. I am the former associate pastor, retired in 2006.

James is dealing with the practicality and issues found both in his time and in the contemporary church. We say a lot but many times do not deliver the goods. Ask a church member about his/her church and you'll get replies like; come visit us we have great music, wait till you see the inside of the church it's beautiful, we have a great sound system and our praise team can really sing, etc, etc. Rarely do you hear; we're the church that does the food giveaway program weekly, we had 2 or 22 people get saved last Sunday, we open our church to help the hungry, downcast, and sick. I quote Barclay "To him real worship did not lie in elaborate vestments or in magnificent music or in a carefully wrought service; it lay in the practical service of mankind and in the purity of one's own personal life."

According to "Barclay James says there is and ethical law which the Christian must seek to put into action. That law is to be found first in the Ten Commandments and then in the teaching of Jesus. James calls that law two things: (1) He calls it the perfect law. There are three reasons why the law is called perfect. (a) It is God's law, given and revealed by him. The way of life which Jesus laid down for his followers is in accordance with the will of God. (b) It is perfect in that it cannot be bettered. The Christian law is the law of love, and the demand of love can never be satisfied. We know well, when we love some one, that even though we gave them all the world and served them for a lifetime, we still could not satisfy or deserve their love. (c) But there is still another sense in which the Christian law is perfect. The Greek word is teleios which nearly always describes perfection towards some given end. Now, if a man obeys the law of Christ, he will fulfil the purpose he ought to be and will make the contribution to the world he ought to make. He will be perfect in the sense that he will, by obeying the law of God, realize his God-given destiny." Quoted from Barclay The Royal Law is: "You must love your neighbor as yourself". If we do not love our neighbor as ourselves we break not only the Royal Law but the Perfect Law as well. To break one you have broken them all.

I believe that born again believers need to be continually discipled, taught and modeled living and practicing the kind of life that Jesus modeled. Jesus taught and lived what he taught, James is affirming the lessons of Christian life we should practice. James does well to remind us that what is heard in the holy place must be lived in the market place - or there is no point in hearing at all. The nature of self-deception comes from satan. If we can or allow ourselves to be deceived then we are less effective in our witness.

The Word of Truth IS the gospel. By the sending of that gospel it is God's purpose that man should be reborn into a new life. When we are reborn by the true word of the gospel, we become the property of God, even as the first-fruits of the harvest did. God's supreme object is the re-create life through the truth of the gospel, so that men should know that they belong by right to him.

Listening to Bible teaching is admirable however what good does it do if it is only heard? Why waste your time if you aren't going to put into practice what you have heard and learned. A student is generally required to take a test at the end of the lesson; take what you have learned and put it into practice. (b) I read and attended Bible study, isn't that enough?

The Word of Truth is God. When we accepted Jesus Christ into our lives and we became "born again" we had our spiritual birth. Spiritual birth = Born again by God's spirit.

When we are faced with trials we are given the opportunity to "try" God. He has given us the tools to survive daily trials and tribulations, in them we can either act in faith and be a "winner" or act in doubt and be a loser. To quote an old slogan from Zig Ziglar "Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation." With each success we become stronger, filled with faith and life becomes sweeter.

The promise is that "if any lack wisdom, let him ask God". You must ask in faith, do not waiver. God wants us to become faith believers and not doubt Him.

Human nature always seems to show up when accountability shows up! We don't accept responsibility for our own actions very well. Our sin nature is active and ready to surface if we don't allow the Holy Spirit free reign in our lives. We are tempted when our selfish being is allowed to **** and desire over a certain area of our lives. God gave us FREE WILL. God doesn't want robots to worship Him. If we are faithful to Him and desire His presence in our lives we will be able to keep sin at bay and Christ in the forefront of our lives. Sin has existed every since the heavenly rebellion and God kicked satan out and 2/3's of the angels went with him.

The greatest trial that I have had to endure is the loss of my 20 year old son Randy, twenty years ago. I served as associate Pastor at that time and my son had been a rebel and drug user. For several years I had to deal with the embarrassment of my son and his activities, me having to take him to counseling, etc. After all of his illicit activities he got his girlfriend pregnant. To shorten a rather long story Randy who had been living from couch to couch with friends and associates asked to come home. Randy rededicated his life to the Lord, cleaned himself up and began coming to church again. After suffering a disappointment one evening Randy resorted to his old way and ended up dying of a drug overdose. The girl that he left pregnant gave us a most beautiful girl that has been a part of our life all these 20+ years of which we are so blessed. I grew out of the tragedy and became a better pastor, counselor and person. And the girl that has blessed us all these years has also given us a beautiful greatgranddaughter.

Q1. (Daniel 9:24) In what ways can we find in Jesus the fulfillment of the six tasks found in verse 24? To finish transgression. To put an end to sin. To atone for wickedness, To bring in everlasting righteousness. To seal up the vision and prophecy. To anoint the most holy.

Q2. (Daniel 9:3-4a) What is Daniel's demeanor as he prays? Daniel knows and recognizes that the end of their captivity is coming to an end. He believes that God is going to return them to Jerusalem. He also knows that during the captivity many Jews took on the practices of their captor, he is concerned over their condition. How does he prepare? Daniel puts on sack cloth and spreads ashes on himself to show his humility and desire for repentance for the people. He sat his face, he humbled himself, he pleaded, confessed the sins of the people and prayed. Why is this so important in this case? This was Daniel's calling. He understood the consequences of sin. He totally relied upon God to deliver His people and cause them to repent and turn away from their sin. In what ways might you and I prepare for intercession? First recognize our sinfulness. Ask God to forgive our sin, for the Holy Spirit to fill us and intercede for us to the Heavenly Father on behalf of our prayer. Exhibit complete dependence upon Him. Fast and pray.

Q1. (Daniel 9:1-2) What encourages Daniel to seek God for the forgiveness and restoration of Israel to its homeland? What practice on Daniel’s part leads him to pray? Daniel understood that the time of exile is wrapping up. The Jews would be returning to their homeland. It was his habit and devotion to the scriptures. he was a man who pondered over the scriptures. He begins to pray in earnest for his people, that God would forgive their sin and enable this restoration to take place.

Q2. (Daniel 7:13-14) How do these verses describe “one like a son of man”? Son of man is used to describe the one who is being seen or what is being seen "looks like a human being". Jesus also referred to himself as the "son of man" which he was and by declaring himself as "the son of man". By this declaration He wasn't placing himself in a situation of blasphemy. What makes us think he is a divine figure? Jesus Christ fulfilled biblical prophesy and scripture. He did what He said He would do, He arose from the grave and ascended unto heaven as seen by hundreds. What authority and glory does he receive? He deserves to receive all praise, glory and honor. As Creator He has ALL authority. Why do you think Jesus called himself “the Son of Man”? Had Jesus called himself "the Son of God" then his enemies would have cut short His ministry even shorter.