Saturday, August 26, 2006

HOW MATURE ARE WE?

(This is a message taken off a mailing list that my Dad is with. I thought it was interesting and hope you receive a blessing as you read it.)

Introduction: The following twelve questions will help us determine on how mature we are in our daily Christian lives. It will also reveal on how mature we can become with the help of the powerful book of the Bible- James.

1. Am I becoming more and more patient in the testings of life?
James 1:2,3
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

a. Our character may be tested.
b. Our convictions may be tested?
c. Our courage may be tested?
d. Our compassion may be tested?
e. Our conversations may be tested?

2. Do I play with temptations or resist it from the start?
James 1:12-15
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Proverbs 4:14-15
“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

a. Do I ponder on temptation or do I push it away?
b. Do I put myself in the middle of it or do I avoid it?

3. Do I find joy in obeying God’s Word or do I merely study and learn it?

James 1:21-25
“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

a. Is it just a bunch of facts or the focal point of my life?
b. Is it a blessing or a burden?
c. Do I delight in it or is it drudgery?

4. Are there any prejudices that shackle me?

James 2:1-6
“My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?”

a. This is not just a racial question.
b. This is not a ridiculous question.
c. This is not just a religious question.

5. Am I able to control my tongue?

James 3:1-12

a. Do I direct with it?
b. Do I destroy with it?
c. Do I delight with it?

6. Am I a peacemaker rather than a troublemaker?
James 4

Do people come to me for spiritual wisdom?

7. Am I a friend of the world or a friend of God?

James 4:1-4
“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

8. Do I make plans without considering God’s will?

James 4:13-14
“Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

a. Why should I consider God’s will?

1 Corinthians 6:19,20
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

b. When should I consider God’s will?

Matthew 6:33
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

9. Am I selfish when it comes to money?

James 5:1-3
“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”

a. Do I have the right attitude toward money?
b. Do I have the right actions with money?

10. Do I naturally depend on prayer when I find myself in some kind of trouble?
James 5:16
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

11. Am I the kind of person that others seek for prayer support?
James 5:16
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

12. What is my attitude toward the wandering brother?
James 5:19,20
“Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

Galatians 6:1,2
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Do I criticize or gossip or do I seek to restore in love?

5 comments:

Nicki Baker said...

nice blog, guys. I actually became friends with your sister Courtney by reading her blog. ya'll have an awesome family, and it's great to see that you're so on fire for the Lord. and the title is catchy and creative :)

Kristi said...

Hey y'all! Which one of you wrote this sermon? I enjoyed reading that.

~Sis Kristi

Kristi said...

Oh, DUH! I missed the whole first paragraph of where it came from. LOL ~Sorry. LOL

~Sis Kristi

The Good Reporters said...

Nicki,

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.

Happymama,

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by.

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad y'all decided (or rather that your momma decided) to start a blog. I will be adding your site to my list of sites I like to visit. You should get some traffic from that too I hope. I look forward to reading what you put on here. I pray it will be of help to those that read your posts and that it will be of help to even you just by having this site. Have fun with it!!