 |
I am a retired pastor of
the Church of God (Tennessee). My name is Isaac Livingston. I am from Neyyoor India. |
 |
Email: Pastor True Gospel
If video stops, you may watch this video by a click on this link: You-tube video.
Be doers of the word means that we must live according to the instruction of the word of God. Jesus lives according to what God the Father told him, led his people and his disciples in his ways, and the disciples led their followers to live in the same way. The first converts, who were true Christians, also lived the same way. So, persecution came to them. They were driven out of their houses and from their villages, and they were scattered. James, the brother of Jesus, a son of his own mother Mary and Joseph, a disciple, an apostle, who assumes the next position to apostle Peter in churches that is the body of Christ, wrote this letter to the scattered Christians, who were Israelis, from all the twelve tribes, to encourage them and to strengthen them. "James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting." James greets the converted Christians who were converted from Judaism. There was another disciple and apostle James, who was the brother of apostle John. "Acts 12 says, 1 Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword." So, apostle James was killed even in the very beginning of the church. This James is the own brother of Jesus himself. Matthew 13:55 says this and in Galatians 1:19 Paul also says, "But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother." So, this James is the blood brother of Jesus. In Galatians 2:9, Paul says that James, Peter, and John are the pillars of the Church. He was next to Peter according to Acts 12:17 and 15:13. But in this letter, James calls himself as the servant of Jesus Christ. He was in a prominent position, brother of Jesus himself, still he calls himself as the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he was a very humble man. Persecution began to church from the martyrdom of Stephen.
"2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;" Below, verse 12 also says, "12 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." Here, temptation is persecution, but not the temptation in the flesh for lust and such things. He says when persecution comes, count it all for joy, because of the outcome. Hebrews 12:2 says, "2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." There are many such scriptures in the bible to encourage us, if we go through such persecution. Back to James1: "3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." Such persecution will strengthen our faith in God, and it will work patience in us. Patience is strength to a person, even though most of us consider this as weakness. "Romans 2:7 says, To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:" This patience will give us glory, honor, and immortality, which is eternal life. Verse 4 says let patience have perfect work. Please listen, if we have enough patience, God will make us perfect, and he will do it for us. "John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." That is, Jesus Christ will abide in us and makes us perfect. We may not be able to do it, but God will do it for us and in us.
"5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Wisdom is a common word; the worldly people are also wise. "1 Corinthians 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:" That is, worldly wisdom will bring you to nothing, but the wisdom given by God, will bring his glory with it. So, if you do not have this wisdom, ask God and God will give it to you. It will come with the Spirit of God. The holy Spirit will bring this wisdom with the revelation of the mystery of God. Worldly people, and they who are in the deception of the devil, will not even have an idea about this wisdom. "1 Corinthians 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." So, by the wisdom of religious Christianity, we will never know God. God will not upbraid means that he will not treat you with contempt or reprove you, as he does with religious Christians, since they do not have true repentance. "6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." Here, the two important phrases are 'ask in faith' and 'don't waver'. "Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." That is, we must believe in the existence of God, and Christ as a rewarder if we are diligent. Reward is for our obedience, but not for our rebellion. "Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." We must ask in prayer, and we must believe that he will reward us. The next point is that we must not waver. "Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, etc;" It is to be carried away by the winds of doctrine, that is to waver. It is the typical of religious Christians. They are tossed between every doctrine; we call it double minded. But you must hold on to God and to God only. "7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." Who is double minded man? The basic root cause of double mindedness is that he is proud. Pride is a sneaker, you may have it, but not know it. Why I mention pride for double mindedness? James 4 says, "6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." We must not wag our tails to God, to the devil, and to the world, all at the same times. But we must submit to God and resist the devil. If not, we are double minded, and verse 7 says, we will not get anything of the Lord, if we are double minded. This may be a reason, if our prayers are not answered.
"9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:" The next verse paints a gloomy picture about a rich person. And so, our idea of a low brother is exalted, does not mean that a poor man becoming rich. But the poor person is still poor here, but he is rich in heaven. Look at "James 2:5, 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?" It says, he is exalted in his inheritance in heaven. "10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways." It is the continuation of verse 9. So, rejoice when the rich are made low. Apostle Paul made himself low and rejoiced in it. "Philippians 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," Verse 11 says, as the flower fall by the sun, the rich man fades away. "James 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 3 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." I may read up to verse 7, and there are plenty of verses about rich people, and their eternal destruction. But there is an advice to rich people also, who are being converted. "1 Timothy 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." If the rich are converted and follow God, they will also have eternal life.
"12 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." Here, temptation was tribulation and persecution. Christians were all scattered because of persecution. The apostle was advising them to endure, that is to withstand, the persecution. If we do, 1 Peter 1: says "4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:" The second coming of Jesus Christ will be the glorious event. Jesus will come as he is, in the glory of the brightness of the sun in the sky, and his beloved saints will also be glorified as he himself, that is, so many bright suns, will be shining through the sky, at one time. How marvelous that sight will be. But now, it is disappearing of the flesh bodies, and the cloths falling behind, is the picture of rapture. Ignorant people took the glory away from the rapture. James says here that if we endure the temptation, that is the present persecution, we will be in the middle of the glory of the rapture, and will be a part of it, when Jesus Christ will be coming and rapturing his people. On top of it, we will be honored with the crown of life that God has promised. Soon after the rapture, which is the reception, we will have the crown of life. What is it? "Luke 22:28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. 29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; 30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones ..." Please digest this verse. Jesus Christ says, "I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom," As God the Father treats Jesus Christ, he will treat his disciples and followers, and he will appoint to them kingdoms. That is, they all will be kings. Have you ever felt a glimpse of this glory? I really do not know how to explain it. I am a lousy teacher and I lack vocabulary and skill to explain. If you get into the spiritual reality, God will explain it to you. Then you will know what the Lord has promised them that love him. "Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." When I first happened to understand these verses, mostly I was alone with my bible, I used to get emotional, get shocks, dumfounded, jumped up and down, cry, laugh, and do such things; in short, I have become crazy. When I teach these to others, I used to look at their faces; they studied the same thing that I have learned, with no emotion, sitting very cool and collected. It was proof that I was the only one crazy guy. "1 Corinthians 2:9 says, But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." Then, I realized that I was not crazy, but it did not enter their heart, but they have learned the points in their mind. So, please be filled with overflowing Spirit, to make sure you understand the spiritual things, and receive them in your heart also along with your mind. "1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." So, get into the Spirit and learn the mysteries from God himself by his Spirit, which is the Holy Ghost. To learn these things from God himself will be much of a blessing. You will like it.
If any
point needs explanation, OR, if you find an error according to
scripture,
Please write to me in the
'Mail Box' below. I will reply promptly.
Thanks.
 |
HOME |
 |
 |
Matthew 28:20, & Mark 16:15. Jesus Christ preached his commandments to obey, as his
Gospel; it is the true Gospel to inherit Eternal life. Genesis 3:1-4 & 2 Corinth 11:2-4. But Preachers, who are Serpents of Satan, preach the life of man Jesus just to believe, but not to live as a chaste virgin, as the gospel; it is another gospel, which cannot and will not give Eternal life.The true gospel will convert evil people to do good and thereby they will inherit the kingdom in heaven.
John 3:19-21 say that people are two kinds, evil and true. Evil doers will not come to the Light, who is God; but people of truth come to God for their deeds to be made manifest. We have good and evil people by our standard of our society or culture. These evil people may be converted to be doers of truth by the power of God, and they may inherit the kingdom of God in heaven.
 |
 |
Email: Pastor True Gospel
 |
