Why God’s People suffer for living for righteousness Here… If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs.
But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household.
And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”
So, if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep doing what is right, and trust your life to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13.
That’s why today we want to talk about “Practical living as a born-again believer as we pursue the kingdom of heaven and God’s righteousness.
We will be coming from James 1: 1-8 https://biblehub.com/james/1-1.htm
Inverse 2-3, we are told, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
This requires developing a totally new perspective concerning life that is opposite our worldly perspective.
From our worldly perspective, trials are difficult experiences, and problems, that are unpleasant to the human nature and something to avoid.
The word count means “to evaluate.” When James says to “count it all joy,” he encourages born-again believers to re-evaluate their perspective concerning trials.
This is important because our perspective determines our beliefs and impacts our state of mind. Our state of mind determines how we respond to any given situation.
The kingdom principle is if you persevere during trials, you will be made perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
To be made perfect and complete refers to your love for God, allowing God to experience your love for Him in all circumstances.
Scripture teaches, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 1 John 4: 16-18
However, we understand from scripture that you go through various trials so that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. 1: 6,7
Therefore, as a born-again believer, your first priority is to perceive trials as testing your faith. Faith must be tested to see if it’s genuine or not.
To understand James’s encouragement, we must understand why God wants us to go through trials in the first place. Look at Deut. 8:2-8
God wants believers to know that their greatest source of sustenance, security, and protection is spiritual, not physical. That spiritual sustenance is provided by the word of God.
This is key because we come from a world that treasures money as sustenance, security, and protection.
God says, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” “No one can serve two masters.
You will hate and love the other, be devoted to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. Matt. 6: 21,24
Therefore, in our new life in Christ, we must choose between serving God or money as our source of sustenance, security, and protection.
Now that God is our father, he wants us to trust Him as our sustenance, security, and protection source. He is now our source. The word Abba for father means source and sustenance.
Trials come to test our faith in God as our source of sustenance, security, and protection. Scripture teaches, “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
We were told in Hebrews, “And without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him.
Now that we know the purpose of trials, we must learn what to do to ensure that the outcome is reached.
This brings us to our first principle: “Practical living as a born-again believer.”
#1. You must understand the value of suffering v.1-3: Heb. 5:8,9. Scripture teaches, “Although Jesus was a Son, He learned obedience through the things He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.
Through His obedience, while suffering, Jesus was displaying self-government and self-control. Trials and suffering allow us the opportunity to practice self-government or self-control.
This is the value of suffering!
Self-government is the original principle of God for man to rule over creation and serve humanity while representing God’s character and glory.
Scriptures teach that when Jesus comes, “The government will be on his shoulders. There will be no end because of the greatness of his government and peace.
He will reign over His kingdom establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. Isa. 9:6,7
That kingdom government is over the spiritual realm, influencing everything in the physical realm.
The further we move away from self-government, the more destruction we will experience.
Self-government confirms you are following the kingdom principle of working hard to show the results of your salvation and obeying God with deep reverence and fear.
Confirming that God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Phil. 2:12,13
Self-government is validated by born-again believers living a self-controlled life by the power of the Holy Spirit characterized by righteous and abundant living
The question is this, is becoming like Jesus more important to you than material blessings? Is becoming like Jesus your number one priority?
Paul said, “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of Christ’s actions.
Yes, everything else is worthless compared to the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord.
For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so I could gain Christ and become one with him.
I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.
God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.
I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another, I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
This must be your state of mind, passion, and the pursuit if you truly what to become like Jesus!
The kingdom principle for experiencing the mighty power that raised Jesus from the dead happens when you, through the Spirit, are putting to death the misdeeds of the flesh. Rom. 8:13
The world around us is suffering social decay because God’s peoples lack self-government, allowing society to become lawless.
Scripture teaches that most people’s love will become cold because lawlessness increases. Many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another.
But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
2. In verse four, we are told, “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
God is saying let the spirit of perseverance finish His work. This is in reference to the Holy Spirit.
This is very important; write it down; Humanity was created with the inherent desire to protect, guard, and keep, making life better for himself and bringing out the best in creation.
However, Satan took this God-given desire and corrupted it, influencing man to operate independently of God for his own self-interest.
Therefore, we are told to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.
That is why when you were born-again, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to take His place and dwell inside you.
The Holy Spirit’s job is to indwell, instruct, secure, and tell you what’s to come from God. John 16:12-14
However, you must give the Holy Spirit permission to work on your behalf. He will never force His will upon you. It must be your will and decision to follow Him to carry out God’s will for your life.
We must understand that everything that is going on in the physical realm is influenced either by the spirit of evil or the spirit of righteousness.
This is key because when you were born-again, “you” spirit got saved, but the seat of your will, belief system, and emotions, your soul, did not get saved. It is being saved by you and the Holy Spirit.
This is your salvation journey, a journey that started with being born-again. Your focus now is improving your relationship with God.
The challenge is that your soul is programmed to operate independently of God. It sees everything concerning God as foolishness, will not submit to God on its own, and cannot do anything to please God on its own. 1 Cor. 2: 14
Therefore, you, spirit, that has now been set free from Satan’s control, must take authority over your mind, body, and soul, driving out Satan’s influence through the Holy Spirit’s guidance as He leads you to be tested by the devil.
God intends that through this process, the evidence of your success will be that there is no grumbling and complaining when going through trials and suffering as the children of Israel did, whose bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 1 Cor. 10:1-11
The Bible says Jesus Christ was in agony, as his sweat contained great droplets of blood (Luke 22:44).
He asked his Father to remove the cup of suffering. Then he surrendered, “Not my will, but yours be done.
Scripture says, “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. Through Satan’s attempts to tempt Jesus to dishonor God, Jesus always replied from a biblical principle. Matt. 4:1
Satan believes and accuses you before God of having a place in your heart that will influence you to dishonor God by what you say, do, think, and believe.
The Bible says that we overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of our testimony, not loving our life even when faced with death. Rev. 12:11
We can take comfort that God will not allow us to be tempted above what we can bear. Therefore, we must not grieve the Holy Spirit by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
This brings us to our second principle as we learn more about “Practical living as a born-again believer.”
# 2: You must allow the Holy Spirit to lead you v. 4: John 16: 5-15: Jesus told the disciples during His last days here, “It is best for you that I go away because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come.
If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.
“There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.
He will not speak independently but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’
Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said. John 14:15-27
The Holy Spirit is to you what Jesu was to the disciples. The greatest difference is that Holy Spirit lives inside you, and he can be in all places simultaneously.
Therefore, Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the moment’s need, say that so that it will give grace to those who hear.
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Allow Him to do His work in and through you.
All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice.
Be kind to one another, compassionate, and forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Eph. 4:
The Holy Spirit is the most important person in your life. You need Him more than anyone or anything in your life.
3. In verse 9, God tells the brother of humble means to boast in his exaltation.
Humble means refers to having very little.
God promises to raise the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage heap to seat them with the noblemen of His people. Psalm 113:7,8
#3. You must be content with your state: 1 Cor. 7:20: Each person is to remain in that state in which he was called.
Were you called a slave? Do not let it concern you. But if you can also become free, take advantage of that.
The one who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freed person; likewise, the one who was called as free is Christ’s slave.
You were bought for a price; do not become slaves of people. Brothers and sisters, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.
This deceptive world system encourages humanity to determine one’s worth by possessions and status.
This worldly evaluation of oneself has created an identity crisis in the lives of most people
Everyone wants to be successful. Success is predictable, and failure is predictable. This is true because God has designed everything to function by His principles for life.
Success is fulfilling and completing God’s purpose and assignment for your life. Purpose is the reason why you were created. You were created to represent God’s character and, in your will, reasoning and intellect, to think like God in your decision-making. Gen. 1: 26
This new life is about who you become, not what you accomplish or possess.
Remember, you are still in momentum, so it will take a while to get the results you are believing for.
Another life challenge is being content with where we are and what we have while pursuing what we want to become.
The events in your life do not control your life; it is how you respond to events!
Satan’s deceptive world system encourages humanity to determine one’s worth by possessions and status, leading to an identity crisis in most people’s lives.
This new life is about who you become, not what you accomplish or possess. Therefore, you must focus on being yourself, who God created you to be.
The events in your life do not control your life; your decisions do. You are more than any moment.
Just like in the physical realm, some laws will not and cannot be broken; they do not change. They work everywhere and anywhere and work for all God’s children.
This kingdom’s success and prosperity cannot be purchased with money. This success and prosperity can only be experienced by God’s children.
So, what must we do to be successful and prosperous? Jesus told the people, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”
Therefore, they said to Him, “What are we to do so that we may accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent. John 6: 27-29
Your future is not in this world. Your future is in the kingdom of heaven. That’s why God says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, your heart will also be.
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Matt. 6: 19-24
“For this reason, I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or drink, nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food and the body more than clothing?
But seek His kingdom and righteousness first, and all these things will be provided to you.
“So do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt. 6: 25-34
God’s outcome for your life is to transform you into the image of Jesus. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; Rom. 8:29
This is your work. This is where you will find success and prosperity. Money is not the answer. Money is not evil. It can help somebody. God says it can cure a lot of things. However, it is not the answer or measure of your success.
Doing the things God tells you to do is how you become successful. The currency of the kingdom of God is faith. Money is not your source it is a resource. And all these blessings will come to you and reach you if you obey the LORD your God. Deut. 28: 2
Faith is the answer to your success. With faith, nothing will be impossible for you. Faith in God and His word is how we get things done and be successful, not money. Money is just one of many resources God provides for success.
4. In verse 10, God tells the wealthy to boast in their humiliation. And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery.
You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.”
“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”
Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
I’ll repeat it—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God, everything is possible.” Matt. 19:18-26
“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:
“I know everything you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!
But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want.
I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
So, I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then
Also, buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness and ointment for your eyes so you can see.
I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. Rev. 3:14-22
#4: You must not trust in wealth v.10: 1 Tim. 6: 17-19: Teach those rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is unreliable.
Their trust should be in God, who gives us all we need for enjoyment. 18Tell them to use their money to do good.
They should be rich in good works, generous to those in need, and ready to share with others.
By doing this, they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
Luke 12: 13-21: Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”
Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?”
Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’
Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have enough room to store all my wheat and other goods.
And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” Luke 12:13-21
God says those who trust in their riches will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises, and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.
Now that we know God’s outcome for our lives, we must follow Jesus’ life if we are to be like Him.
