Sunday School Lesson

1. James 4:5-17
With Submission
November 18, 2018
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

2. http://quotesthoughtsrandom.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/first-things-first.jpg
What’s the number one thing?

3. https://forgodalmighty.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/cropped-sunset1.jpg
The Glory of God!

4. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6tzRiT-BrDs/TIGM_Ih3dAI/AAAAAAAAAX0/0AJWPvlAfqw/s640/Gods+Glory.jpg
1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you
do, do all to the glory of God.

5. November MemoryVerse
Revelation 22:12-13 NIV
12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with
me, and I will give to each person according to
what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the
Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning
and the End.”

6. James 4:5-17
With Submission

7. James 4:5-17 NASB
5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no
purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which
He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a
greater grace.Therefore it says, “GOD IS
OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE
HUMBLE.”

8. 7 Submit therefore 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 Be miserable and mourn and weep;
let your laughter be turned into mourning and
your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the
presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

9. 11 Do not speak against one another, brethren.
He who speaks against a brother or judges his
brother, speaks against the law and judges the
law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer
of the law but a judge of it. 12There is only one
Lawgiver and Judge, the OneWho is able to
save and to destroy; but who are you who judge
your neighbor?

10. 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow
we will go to such and such a city, and spend a
year there and engage in business and make a
profit.” 14Yet you do not know what your life
will be like tomorrow.You are just a vapor that
appears for a little while and then vanishes
away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord
wills, we will live and also do this or that.”

11. 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all
such boasting is evil. 17Therefore, to one who
knows the right thing to do and does not do it,
to him it is sin.
James 4:5-17 NASB

12. What are some principles from Scripture that
you teach your children, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren about God’s will?

13. Scriptural principles concerning God’s will:
1) God’s will is hidden for you, not from you.
He wants you to discover His will for your
life.
2) Don’t sell God short nor have a small view of
God.
• Proverbs 3:5-6
• Romans 8:26-28

14. Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB

15. Romans 8:26-29 NASB
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our
weakness; for we do not know how to pray as
we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for
us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He
Who searches the hearts knows what the mind
of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the
saints according to the will of God.

16. 28 And we know that God causes all things to
work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His
purpose. 29 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 brethren;
Romans 8:26-29 NASB

17. Scriptural principles concerning God’s will:
3) Find where God is already working and join
Him there.
• Experience God!

19. Henry Blackaby says that “What is God’s will for
my life?” is the wrong question.
He says that the correct question is: “What is
God’s will?”
Once I know God’s will, then I can adjust my life
to Him and to His will.

20. Once I know what God is doing, then I know
what I need to do to get on His agenda and into
His timing.
The focus needs to be on God, not on my life.

21. It is always about wills.
• God has a will.
• Satan has a will.
• Adam and Eve had wills.
• I have a will.
• You have a will.

22. Scriptural principles concerning God’s will:
4) Focus on God’s will, daily, and you will find
His will for your life.
• Matthew 11:27-30

23. Matthew 11:27-30 NASB
27 All things have been handed over to Me by
My Father; and no one knows the Son except
the Father; nor does anyone know the Father
except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son
wills to reveal Him.

24. 28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-
laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take My yoke
upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle
and humble in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My
burden is light.”
Matthew 11:27-30 NASB

25. Matthew 11:25-30 MSG
25-26 Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: “Thank
you, Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth.You’ve
concealedYour ways from sophisticates and
know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to
ordinary people.Yes, Father, that’s the wayYou
like to work.”

26. 27 Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now
tenderly. “The Father has given me all these
things to do and say.This is a unique Father-
Son operation, coming out of Father and Son
intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the
Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the
way the Son does. But I’m not keeping it to
Myself; I’m ready to go over it line by line with
anyone willing to listen.

27. 28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on
religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and
you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take
a real rest.Walk with Me and work with Me—
watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms
of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting
on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn
to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew 11:25-30 MSG

28. Scriptural principles concerning God’s will:
1) God’s will is hidden for you, not from you.
2) Don’t sell God short.
3) Find where God is already working and join
Him there.
4) Focus on God’s will, daily, and you will find
His will for your life.

29. George Müller
Prussian (German)
1805 – 1898
How I Ascertain the Will of God

30. He cared for 10,024 orphans in Bristol, England
during his lifetime.
He established 117 schools which offered
Christian education to more than 120,000
children.

31. http://fountainsoflife.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/ship-in-fog.jpg
Once, while crossing the Atlantic on the SS
Sardinian in August 1877, his ship ran into thick
fog.

32. He explained to the captain that he needed to
be in Quebec by the following afternoon, but
Captain Joseph Dutton (later known as "Holy
Joe") said that he was slowing the ship down for
safety and Müller's appointment would have to
be missed.

33. Müller asked to use the chartroom to pray for
the lifting of the fog.
The captain followed him down, claiming it
would be a waste of time.

34. After Müller prayed a very simple prayer, the
captain started to pray, but Müller stopped him;
partly because of the captain's unbelief, but
mainly because he believed the prayer had
already been answered.

35. Müller said, "Captain, I have known my Lord for
more than fifty years and there is not one
instance that I have failed to have an audience
with the King. Get up, Captain, for you will find
that the fog has gone."
When the two men went back to the bridge, they
found the fog had lifted, and Müller was able to
keep his appointment.

36. http://www.heritage-ships.com/images/sardinian.jpg
The captain became a Christian shortly
afterwards.

37. How I Ascertain theWill of God?
by George Mueller
1. I seek at the beginning to get my heart into
such a state that it has no will of its own in
regard to a given matter.

38. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people is
just here and nine-tenths of the difficulties
are overcome when our hearts are ready to
do the Lord's will, whatever it is & when in
this state, it is usually but a little way to the
knowledge of what His will is.

39. 2. Having done this, I do not leave the result to
feeling of simple impression.
If I do so, I make myself liable to great
delusions.

40. 3. I seek the will of the Spirit of God through,
or in connection with, theWord of God.
The Spirit and theWord must be combined.
If I look to the Spirit alone without theWord
I lay myself open to great delusions also.

41. http://www.ingodsimage.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/The-Spirit-the-Bible-and-You1.jpg
When the Holy Ghost guides us, He will do it
according to the Scriptures and never
contrary to them.

42. http://www.navarrechurchofchrist.net/images2/providence2.jpg
4. Next, take into account providential
circumstances.
These often plainly indicate God's will in
connection with HisWord and Spirit.

43. https://mustardseedbudget.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/images-44.jpg
5. I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to me
aright.

44. 6. Thus, through prayer to God, the study of
theWord, and reflection, I come to
deliberate judgment according to the best
of my ability and knowledge, and if my
mind is thus at peace, and continues so
after two or three more petitions, I proceed
accordingly.

45. In trivial matters, and in transactions
involving most important issues, I have
found this method always effective.

46. Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) - New
Testament -Volume 2.
Warren Wiersbe (born 5/16/1929)

47. Three attitudes toward the will of God:
1. Ignoring the will of God (James 4:13-14, 16)
2. Disobeying the will of God (James 4:17)
3. Obeying the will of God (James 4:15)

48. James 4:15 MSG
15 Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master
wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.”

49. Obeying God's Will (James 4:15)
"If the Lord will" is not just a statement on a
believer's lips: it is the constant attitude of his
heart.
John 4:34 NIV
"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of Him
Who sent Me and to finish His work."

50. But God does not call each of us to the same
work in life, or to exercise the same gifts and
ministry.
The will of God is "tailor-made" for each of us!
It is important that we have the right attitude
toward the will of God.

51. http://quotespictures.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/your-highest-will-for-your-life-is-gods-will-for-you-inspirational-quote.jpg
The will of God is a living relationship between
God and the believer.

52. The believer's relationship to the will of God is a
growing experience.
First, we should know His will (Acts 22:14).
The will of God is not difficult to discover.

53. If we are willing to obey, He is willing to reveal
(John 7:17).
Obedience is the organ of spiritual knowledge.

54. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lsu3PqPhYi4/TubQjtkHUjI/AAAAAAAABAo/UbKV1ybbjCA/s1600/Obedience+slide.001.jpg
God does not reveal His will to the curious or
the careless, but to those who are ready and
willing to obey.

55. But we must not stop with merely knowing
some of God's will.
God wants us to be "filled with the knowledge
of His will and all wisdom and spiritual
understanding" (Colossians 1:9).

56. It is wrong to want to know God's will about
some matters and ignore His will in other
matters.
Everything in our lives is important to God, and
He has a plan for each detail.

57. God wants us to understand His will (Ephesians
5:17).
This is where spiritual wisdom comes in.
A child can know the will of his father, but he
may not understand his will.

58. The child knows the "what" but not the "why."
As the "friends" of Jesus Christ, we have the
privilege of knowing why God does what He
does (John 15:15).

59. Psalm. 103:7 KJV
7 He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts
unto the Children of Israel.
The Israelites knew what God was doing, but
Moses understood why He was doing it.

60. We must also prove God's will (Romans 12:2).
The Greek verb means "to prove by
experience."
We learn to determine the will of God by
working at it.

61. The more we obey, the easier it is to discover
what God wants us to do.
It is something like learning to swim or play a
musical instrument.
You eventually "get the feel" of what you are
doing, and it becomes second nature to you.

62. People who keep asking, "How do I determine
God's will for my life?" may be announcing to
everybody that they have never really tried to
do God's will.
You start with the thing you know you ought to
do, and you do that.

63. John 14:21 NASB
21 He who has My commandments and keeps
them is the one who loves Me; and he who
loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will
love him and will disclose Myself to him.

64. Then God opens the way for the next step and
you prove by experience what the will of God is.
We learn both from successes and failures.

65. https://lydslookonlife.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/christs-easy-yoke.jpg
Matthew 11:29a KJV
29aTake My yoke upon you, and learn of Me;

66. The yoke suggests doing things together,
putting into practice what God has taught you.
Finally, we must do God's will from the heart
(Ephesians 6:6).

67. Jonah knew the will of God, and (after a
spanking) did the will of God; but he did not do
it from his heart.
Jonah 4 indicates that the angry prophet did
not love the Lord, nor did he love the people of
Nineveh.

68. He merely did God's will to keep from getting
another spanking!
What Paul said about giving can also be applied
to living: "not grudgingly, or of necessity, for
God loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7).

69. Grudgingly means "reluctantly, painfully."
They get absolutely no joy out of doing God's
will.
Of necessity means "under compulsion."

70. These people obey because they have to, not
because they want to.
Their heart is not in it.
The secret of a happy life is to delight in duty.
When duty becomes delight, then burdens
become blessings.

71. Psalm 119:54 KJV
54Thy statutes have been my songs in the house
of my pilgrimage.
When we love God, then His statutes become
songs, and we enjoy serving Him.

72. When we serve God grudgingly, or because we
have to, we may accomplish His work but we
ourselves will miss the blessing.
It will be toil, not ministry.

73. https://heartofthearts.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/servingfromtheheart_sermon-608x342.jpg
Obeying God’s will:
When we do God's will from the heart, we are
enriched, no matter how difficult the task might
have been.

74. We must never think that a failure in knowing or
doing God's will permanently affects our
relationship with the Lord.
We can confess our sins and receive His
forgiveness (1 John 1:9) and we can learn from
the mistakes.

75. The important thing is a heart that loves God
and wants sincerely to do His will and glorify His
name.
What are the benefits of doing the will of God?
For one thing, you enjoy a deeper fellowship
with Jesus Christ (Mark 3:35).

76. You have the privilege of knowing God's truth
(John 7:17) and seeing your prayers answered (1
John 5:14-15).
There is an eternal quality to the life and works
of the one who does the will of God (1 John
2:15-17).

77. Certainly, there is the expectation of reward at
the return of Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:34).
Which of these three attitudes do you have
toward the will of God?

78. Do you totally ignore God's will as you make
your daily plans and decisions?
Or, do you know God's will and yet refuse to
obey it?

79. Each attitude is wrong and can only bring
sorrow and ruin to the life of the person who
holds it.
But the Christian who knows, loves, and obeys
the will of God will enjoy God's blessing.

80. His life may not be easier, but it will be holier
and happier.
His very food will be the will of God (John 4:34);
it will be the joy and delight of his heart (Psalm
40:8).

81. http://slideplayer.com/8874506/26/images/7/The+Basics+of+Serving+God.jpg

82. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/21/c0/bb/21c0bb58dd77b9b8968561d3977a5d9b.jpg

83. James 4:4-17 MSG
4-6You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your
own way, flirting with the world every chance you
get, you end up enemies of God and His way. And
do you suppose God doesn’t care?The proverb has
it that “He’s a fiercely jealous lover.” And what He
gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll
find. It’s common knowledge that “God goes
against the willful proud; God gives grace to the
willing humble.”

84. 7-10 So let God work His will in you.Yell a loud no
to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet
yes to God and He’ll be there in no time. Quit
dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit
playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes
out.The fun and games are over. Get serious,
really serious. Get down on your knees before
the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your
feet.

85. 11-12 Don’t bad-mouth each other, friends. It’s
God’sWord, His Message, His Royal Rule, that
takes a beating in that kind of talk.You’re
supposed to be honoring the Message, not
writing graffiti all over it. God is in charge of
deciding human destiny.Who do you think you
are to meddle in the destiny of others?

86. Nothing but aWisp of Fog
13-15 And now I have a word for you who brashly
announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re
off to such and such a city for the year.We’re going to
start a business and make a lot of money.”You don’t
know the first thing about tomorrow.You’re nothing
but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before
disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the
Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or
that.”

87. 16-17 As it is, you are full of your grandiose selves.
All such vaunting self-importance is evil. In fact,
if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it,
that, for you, is evil.
James 4:4-17 MSG

88. http://abidinginthevine.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Gods-Will.jpg
James began chapter 4 talking about war with
God, and he ends it talking about the will of
God.

89. But the two themes are related: when a believer
is out of the will of God, he becomes a
troublemaker and not a peacemaker.
Lot moved into Sodom and brought trouble to
his family.

90. David committed adultery and brought trouble
to his family and his kingdom.
Jonah disobeyed God and almost sent a
shipload of heathen sailors into a watery grave.

91. In each case, there was a wrong attitude toward
the will of God.
That God would have a plan for each of our lives
is an obvious truth.
He is a God of wisdom and knows what ought
to happen and when it should occur.

92. And, as a God of love, He must desire the very
best for His children.
Too many Christians look on the will of God as
bitter medicine they must take, instead of
seeing it as the gracious evidence of the love of
God.

93. "I would give my life to the Lord, but I'm afraid,"
a perplexed teenager toldWarren Wiersbe at a
church youth conference.
"What are you afraid of?" he asked.
"I'm afraid God will ask me to do something
dangerous!"

94. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UcPouTvhT_Q/T3T09VPZRZI/AAAAAAAABm0/1QGE4ywM7R4/s1600/the-safest-place-to-be-is-within-the-will-of-god.jpg
“The dangerous life is not in the will of God," he
replied, "but out of the will of God.The safest
place in the world (spiritually) is right where
God wants you.”

95. https://www.bing.com/th?id=OIP.QTvaNO80cx5X2ThYYkXqbgHaFk&w=259&h=194&c=7&o=5&dpr=1.25&pid=1.7
When we are saved, we are telling God: “I trust
You more than I trust myself.”

96. Warren Wiersbe was going through a difficult
time in his own ministry some years ago,
questioning the will of God.
While on vacation, he was reading the Book of
Psalms, asking God to give him some assurance
and encouragement.

97. Psalm 33:11 was the answer to that prayer: "The
counsel of the Lord stands forever; the
thoughts (plans) of His heart to all generations."
"The will of God comes from the heart of God,"
Wiersbe said to himself.

98. "His will is the expression of His love, so he
knew that he didn't have to be afraid!"
It was a turning point in his life to discover the
blessing of loving and living the will of God.

99. In this section of his letter, James pointed out
three attitudes toward the will of God.
Of course, only one of them is the correct one,
the one that every Christian ought to cultivate.

100. Three attitudes toward the will of God:
1. Ignoring the will of God (James 4:13-14, 16)
2. Disobeying the will of God (James 4:17)
3. Obeying the will of God (James 4:15)

101. James 4:13-14, 16 MSG
13-14 And now I have a word for you who brashly
announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—
we’re off to such and such a city for the year.
We’re going to start a business and make a lot
of money.”You don’t know the first thing about
tomorrow.You’re nothing but a wisp of fog,
catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing.

102. 16 As it is, you are full of your
grandiose selves. All such vaunting
self-importance is evil.
James 4:13-14, 16 MSG

103. Ignoring God'sWill
James 4:13-14, 16
Perhaps James was addressing the wealthy
merchants in the assembly.
They might have discussed their business deals
and boasted about their plans.

104. There is no evidence that they sought the will of
God or prayed about their decisions.
They measured success in life by how many
times they got their own way and accomplished
what they had planned.

105. https://jvn2k07.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/stop-ignoring-god.jpg
But James presented four arguments that
revealed the foolishness of ignoring the will of
God.

106. Four arguments that revealed the foolishness of
ignoring the will of God:
1. The complexity of life (v. 13).
2. The uncertainty of life (v. 14a).
3. The brevity of life (v. 14b).
4. The frailty of man (v. 16).

107. 1. The complexity of life (v. 13).
• Think of all that is involved in life: today,
tomorrow, buying, selling, getting gain,
losing, going here, going there.
• Life is made up of people and places,
activities and goals, days and years; and
each of us must make many crucial
decisions day after day.
• Apart from the will of God, life is a mystery.

108. • When you know Jesus Christ as your
Saviour, and seek to do His will, then life
starts to make sense.
• Even the physical world around you takes
on new meaning. There is a simplicity
and unity to your life that makes for
poise and confidence.

109. https://acalledhouse.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/this-is-my-fathers-world.jpg
• You are no longer living in a mysterious,
threatening universe.You can sing, "This
is my Father’s world!"

110. Four arguments that revealed the foolishness of
ignoring the will of God:
1. The complexity of life (v. 13).
2. The uncertainty of life (v. 14a).
3. The brevity of life (v. 14b).
4. The frailty of man (v. 16).

111. 2. The uncertainty of life (v. 14a).
• This statement is based on:
Proverbs 27:1 NASB
1 Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may
bring forth.

112. • These businessmen were making plans
for a whole year when they could not
even see ahead into one day!
• See how confident they were: "We will
go.We will stay a year.We will buy and
sell and make a profit."

113. • Their attitude reminds us of the farmer in
the parable of Jesus in Luke 12:16-21.
• The man had a bumper crop; his barns
were too small; so he decided to build
bigger barns and have greater security
for the future.

114. • Luke 12:19 KJV
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou
hast much goods laid up for many years;
take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
• What was God's reply to this man's
boasting?

115. • Luke 12:20 KJV
20 But God said unto him,Thou fool, this
night thy soul shall be required of thee: then
whose shall those things be, which thou hast
provided?
• Life is not uncertain to God, but it is
uncertain to us.
• Only when we are in His will can we be
confident of tomorrow, for we know that He
is leading us.

116. Four arguments that revealed the foolishness of
ignoring the will of God:
1. The complexity of life (v. 13).
2. The uncertainty of life (v. 14a).
3. The brevity of life (v. 14b).
4. The frailty of man (v. 16).

117. 3. The brevity of life (v. 14b).
• This is one of the repeated themes of
Scripture.
• To us, life seems long and we measure it
in years; but in comparison to eternity,
life is but a vapor.

118. http://cdn.audubon.org/cdn/farfuture/gS-vtdD58dlNG8VJvwQgtiPUfOE036HxXui__QfOIwQ/mtime:1486669770/sites/default/files/styles/hero_cover_bird_page/public/Bald_Eagle_KKAPA_2011_19277_151416_RobertBailey.jpg?itok=JGBr9Ope
• Job 9:25-26 MSG
25-26 My time is short—what’s left of my life
races off too fast for me to even glimpse the
good. My life is going fast, like a ship under
full sail, like an eagle plummeting to its prey.

119. • We count our years at each birthday, but
God tells us to number our days (Psalm
90:12).
• After all, we live a day at a time, and
those days rush by quickly the older we
grow.

120. • Since life is so brief, we cannot afford
merely to "spend our lives"; and we
certainly do not want to "waste our lives."
• We must invest our lives in those things
that are eternal.

121. Four arguments that revealed the foolishness of
ignoring the will of God:
1. The complexity of life (v. 13).
2. The uncertainty of life (v. 14a).
3. The brevity of life (v. 14b).
4. The frailty of man (v. 16).

122. 4. The frailty of man (v. 16).
• "As it is, you boast and brag. All such
boasting is evil" (NIV).
• Man's boasting only covers up man's
weakness. "Man proposes but God
disposes," wroteThomas a Kempis.

123. • Proverbs 16:33TLB
33We toss the coin, but it is the LordWho
controls its decision.
• Man cannot control future events.
• He has neither the wisdom to see the
future nor the power to control the
future.

124. • For him to boast is sin; it is trying to make
himself God.
• How foolish it is for people to ignore the
will of God.
• It is like going through the dark jungles
without a map, or over the stormy seas
without a compass.

125. Three attitudes toward the will of God:
1. Ignoring the will of God (James 4:13-14, 16)
2. Disobeying the will of God (James 4:17)
3. Obeying the will of God (James 4:15)

126. http://www.living-for-jesus-alone.org/picture/disobedience-to-God-always-leads-to-consequences.jpg
Disobeying God'sWill (James 4:17)
These people know the will of God but choose
to disobey it.

127. This attitude expresses even more pride than
does the first; for the person says to God, "I
know whatYou want me to do, but I prefer not
to do it. I really know more about this thanYou
do!"

128. 2 Peter 2:21 KJV
21 For it had been better for them not to have
known the way of righteousness, than, after
they have known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them.

129. Why do people who know the will of God
deliberately disobey it?
One reason already stated: pride.
Man likes to boast that he is the "master of his
fate, the captain of his soul."

130. Man has accomplished so many marvelous
things that he thinks he can do anything.
Another reason is man's ignorance of the
nature of God's will.

131. He acts as though the will of God is something
he can accept or reject.
In reality, the will of God is not an option; it is an
obligation, we cannot "take it or leave it."

132. Because He is the Creator and we are the
creatures, we must obey Him.
Because He is the Saviour and Lord, and we are
His children and servants, we must obey Him.

133. To treat the will of God lightly is to invite the
chastening of God in our lives.
Many people have the mistaken idea that the
will of God is a formula for misery.
Just the opposite is true!

134. It is disobeying the Lord's will that leads to
misery and regrets.
The Bible, and human experience, are both
witnesses to this truth.

135. https://goshen.church/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/HeAppears.jpg
Even if a disobedient Christian seems to escape
difficulty in this life, what will he say when he
faces the Lord?

136. 1 John 2:28 NASB
28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that
when He appears, we may have confidence and
not shrink away from Him in shame at His
coming.

137. Luke 12:47-48 KJV
47And that servant which knew his lord's will, and
prepared not himself, neither did according to his
will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things
worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.
For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be
much required: and to whom men have committed
much, of him they will ask the more.

138. What happens to Christians who deliberately
disobey the known will of God?
They are chastened by their loving Father until
they submit (Hebrews 12:5-11).

139. If a professed believer is not chastened, it is
evidence that he has never truly been born
again but is a counterfeit.
God's chastening is an evidence of His love, not
His hatred.

140. http://blog.centralaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/discipline_children_final.jpg
Just as we earthly fathers spank our children to
help them respect our will and obey, so our
Heavenly Father chastens His own.

141. Though chastening is hard to take, it has a
comforting truth of sonship with it.
But there is also the danger of losing heavenly
rewards.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul compared the
believer to a runner in the Greek races.

142. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 MSG
24-25You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the
athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to
win. All good athletes train hard.They do it for a
gold medal that tarnishes and fades.You’re
after one that’s gold eternally.

143. 26-27 I don’t know about you, but I’m running
hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything
I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying
alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get
caught napping, telling everyone else all about
it and then missing out myself (disqualified,
declared unfit and ordered to stand aside).
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 MSG

144. In order to qualify for a crown, the contestant
had to obey the rules of the game.
If any contestant was found to have disobeyed
the rules, he was disqualified and humiliated.

145. https://godshotspot.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/crowns1.jpg?w=660
The word disqualified in 1 Corinthians 9:27 does
not refer to the loss of salvation, but the loss of
reward.

146. Disobeying God's will today may not seem a
serious thing, but it will appear very serious
when the Lord returns and examines our works
(Colossians 3:22-25).

147. Colossians 3:22-25 MSG
22-25 Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly
masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will
get you by. Do your best.Work from the heart for
your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get
paid in full when you come into your inheritance.
Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re
serving is Christ.The sullen servant who does
shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a
follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work.

148. http://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=JN.YeZK4m9R0ZovA7PRca4vag&pid=15.1
Sunday

149. James 5:7-11
The Power of Patience
November 25, 2018
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

150. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
John 3:16 NASB
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not
perish, but have eternal life.”
John 14:6 NASB
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the
life. No one comes to the Father but through me.”

151. Romans 3:23 NASB
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a NASB
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death,
died in this life to pay the penalty for our sins.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second
death explained in Revelation 21:8.

152. Revelation 21:8 NASB
8 “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable
and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and
idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that
burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death.”
Romans 6:23b NASB
23b but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord.

153. Romans 5:8 NASB
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Revelation 21:7 NASB
7 “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will
be his God and he will be My son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to be overcomers.

154. Romans 10:9-10 NASB
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes,
resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he
confesses, resulting in salvation.
Romans 10:13 NASB
13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE
SAVED.”

155. Have questions?
Would you like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at
601-949-1900 or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/