In His Time, In Due Time

In order to build a meaningful relationship with God we must recognize that it is to be done...

1.  In His time.

2.  In due time.

1 Peter 5:5-7; NKJV

5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

"God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble." 

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 

7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Reproach and the Godhead

"If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified." (1 Peter 4:14; NKJV)

Reproached - to defame, i.e. rail at, chide, taunt (Strong's)

When you are reproached for the name of Christ, know that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are glorified!

Why We Serve

We serve to glorify God the Father through Jesus Christ.  If we serve for any other reason we do not glorify the right person.  The glory belongs to them.

1 Peter 4:7-11; NKJV

7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 

8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."   

9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 

10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 

11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Why He Suffered

If you would build a meaningful relationship with God, consider why Christ suffered for us.

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit..." (1 Peter 3:18; NKJV).

Christ suffered for us that he might bring us to God the Father.  He was put to death for us.  He was made alive by the Spirit.

Hidden In My Heart

"He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." (1 Thessalonians 5:24; NKJV)

His Ears Are Open

 To draw near to God we must be righteous.  His face is against those who do evil.  His ears are open to the prayers of those who choose to be like Him.

1 Peter 3:8-12; NKJV

8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;   

9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 

10-12 For

"He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

Who Trusted in God

To trust in God is to think His way.  To trust in God is to speak His way.  To trust in God is to behave in His way.

1 Peter 3:1-7; NKJV

1 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 

2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 

3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward — arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel —  

4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 

5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 

6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.

7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

Christ Suffered for Us

Would you draw near to Jesus?  Consider what He did for you.
 
1 Peter 2:18-25; NKJV

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 

19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 

20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 

21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

22 "Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; 

23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 

24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed. 

25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

God and Government

1 Peter 2:13-17; NKJV

13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, 

14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 

15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men —  

16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 

17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

If we are to draw near to God, we must be about the business of being good citizens in whatever form of government we find ourselves.  The Christians of the first century who lived under the rule of Rome were called to submit, do good, and honor the king, Caesar.  Let us not let the imperfections of our government keep us from a more meaningful relationship with our King.

Taste and See

1 Peter 2:1-3; NKJV

1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 

2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,   

3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Would you build a more meaningful relationship with the true and living God?  "Oh taste and see that Jehovah is good" (Psalm 34:8; ASV).  If we will experience Him, then we shall see that He is good and gracious.

Hidden in My Heart

"He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." (1 Thessalonians 5:24; NKJV)

Some Who Wander Are Lost

James 5:19-20; NKJV

19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 

20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

There is truth.  Absolute truth.  A standard of right and wrong.  We can wander from it.  When we do we are in danger of sin and death.

When you turn someone back who is wandering from the truth you participate in their salvation.

Know the truth.  Abide in it.  Encourage others to turn back when they wander.

Elijah and You and Me

"Elijah was a man just like us..." (James 5:17; NIV)

1.  He prayed that it would not rain - it didn't rain.

2.  He prayed that it would rain - it did rain.

Pray without ceasing...(1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Don't Lose Heart

1.  Be patient - He's coming!

2.  Establish your heart - His coming is near!

3.  Don't grumble against others - The Judge is standing at the door!

4.  Consider the prophets - The Lord is very compassionate and merciful!

5.  Don't swear - Judgment is coming!

James 5:7-12; NKJV

7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 

8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 

9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! 

10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 

11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord — that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. 

12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No," lest you fall into judgment.

Hidden in My Heart

"He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." (1 Thessalonians 5:24; NKJV)

If the Lord Wills

You are not in control.  I am not in control.  He is in control.

Don't boast in arrogance.  With the time that you have been given, do good.  Do His will.

James 4:13-17; NKJV

13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; 

14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 

15 Instead you ought to say,"If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." 

16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 

17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. 

Draw Near to God

Here is the promise of promises.  If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us.  What are you waiting for..?

James 4:6-10; NKJV

6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

"God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble."  

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 

9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. 

Two Types of Wisdom

If we are to build a meaningful relationship with God we must learn to recognize the difference between the wisdom that is from above and the wisdom that is from below.  His wisdom will draw us to Him.  The wisdom that is from below will take us far from Him.

James 3:13-18; NKJV

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 

14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 

15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 

16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 

18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Things That Ought Not Be

We use the tongue to praise God the Father and to curse those who bear His image.  "My brethren, these things ought not to be so" (James 3:10; NKJV).  Use your speech for good!

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.

Faith Without Works is Dead

We are not saved by "faith only."  We are not saved by anything "only."  We are saved by everything that God has purposed to save us with working together as one.

James 2:14-26; NKJV

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble!

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?  

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

23 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.

24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Hidden In My Heart

"He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." (1 Thessalonians 5:24; NKJV)

Jehovah and the Law

"For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10; NKJV)

This is true because Jehovah God is behind every law.

Consider the law.  Consider Him.  Be like Him and be innocent.

Obedience and Nearness

"But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:25; NKJV)

If you would draw near to God, "receive with meekness" His word (James 1:21). 

Be a doer of His word (James 1:22, 25). 

Be blessed with His nearness through obedience.

Every

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17; NKJV).

Every - pas - including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole (Strong's).

Consider how "every good gift and every perfect gift" is from Him and draw near to Him in praise and thanksgiving.

If Any of You

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5; NKJV)

James 1:5 is funny.  "If any of you lacks wisdom."  That's funny.

I lack wisdom.  I need wisdom.  My God invites me to receive by asking.