Spiritual feast 2012.1 January 6, 2012.
Subject for this study: Why believe?
Scripture for this study: James 1:25-27
A. Scriptures as recorded:
But he that looks into the perfect law, the of liberty, and continues,
being not a hearer that forget but a doer that work, this man shall be blessed in his doing.
If any man thinks himself to be religious, while he bridles not his tongue but deceives his heart,
this man's religion is vain.
Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this,
to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction,
to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
B. God has an eternal plan! Ro.3:25-30
God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.
He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance
he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--
he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time,
so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded.
On what principle?
On that of observing the law?
No, but on that of faith.
For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
Is God the God of Jews only?
Is he not the God of Gentiles too?
Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God,
who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.
C. Jesus’ promise: Matt.11:28-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
D. Here is the 2000 years old problem!
1. Jn.8:30-32--> As he spoke these things, many believed on him.
Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him,
If ye abide in my word, are ye truly my disciples;
and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
8:44 Ye are of (your) father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and stands not in the truth,
because there is no truth in him.
When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof.
2. Lk.4:24-29--> I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time,
when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.
Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.
And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet,
yet not one of them was cleansed-- only Naaman the Syrian.
All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
They got up, drove him out of the town,
and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.
Most people always choose not to respond to the truth positively!
MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU ALWAYS!