Waiting and Wondering

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Waiting and Wondering</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id218.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="When Youve Got It Made"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id220.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="When Average Believers Pray"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>James 5:7-12, “Waiting and Wondering,” Berean Bible Church, August 19, 2001am</B></div> <bR> <div>      James 5:1-6 has announced judgment on the unrighteous rich. But what could James say to those who were being oppressed? Here is his challenge to hope.</div> <div>      At the Nicene Council, an important church meeting in the 4th century A.D. (stated that Jesus was God, that he was of the same essence as God himself), of the 318 delegates attending, fewer than 12 had not lost an eye or lost a hand or did not limp on a leg lamed by torture for their Christian faith. Christians right now in Sudan and China and other places around the world are being persecuted, some even killed, for their faith. Paul’s prayer in Philippians 3:10-11 was that he (and we) may “share in the fellowship of his sufferings.” That may include imprisonment, discrimination, physical abuse, death, or humiliation. We must not be surprise when we suffer for our faith, but our attitude toward it should be set ahead of time. What to do while we are on this earth, when we face suffering, trials and pain?</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. Exercise patience by looking for the coming of the Lord, vss. 7-8, 10-11.</B></div> <div>       A. Challenge: Vs. 7, “Longsuffering.” Endure in <I>suffering</I> for the name of Christ, in <I>temptation</I>, in life’s <I>pain and trials</I>. James’ Illustration, a small-farm farmer, dependent on the rain each year, with no wealth to fall back on. Vs. 8, “stand firm,” establish your hearts, be resolved. What would it take to get you to ditch the faith? We stand firm by staying responsive to God. Your attitude is adjustable: In boiling water (the trials of life), an egg hardens (a hard heart) and a potato softens (a soft and willing heart). Which will it be for you?</div> <div>      B. Examples: Vss. 10-11, the prophets, Job. “They are considered blessed” according to eternal perspective, eternal values. It is revealed in trials that God has great compassion and mercy – this is his character. We can trust him.</div> <div>      C. The “wondering” part: Acts 1:9-11 – He is coming, just as he went. He is being patient. In 2 Peter 3:9, it says, “The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”</div> <div>      Whether you are in need of deliverance, or whether you are feeling “settled down” and comfortable on this earth, keep looking for the coming of the Lord.</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. Preserve harmony in the Christian community, vs. 9.</B></div> <div>      Christ is coming, and he will judge believers as appropriate. If you are causing division among believers by not properly dealing with issues, you will face God’s judgment. Strive to maintain unity among believers. Forgive. When you have an issue, talk to the person that it involves, not to everyone (or anyone) else.</div> <bR> <div> <B>III. Speak the truth and keep your commitments, vs. 12.</B></div> <div>      Official oaths are not prohibited. But don’t have two different categories of speech, true and “kind of true.” Habitual liars may say, “I swear to God this is true” to get you to trust their words. That is inappropriate – we are too always speak the truth and always be dependable. We are to keep our commitments, even when it leads to trials, sufferings, inconveniences. Thus we should be careful when making commitments.</div> <bR> <div>      The famous preacher D.L. Moody of the 1800's told about a Christian woman who was always bright, cheerful, and optimistic, even though she was confined to her room because of illness. She lived in an attic apartment on the fifth floor of an old, rundown building. A friend decided to visit her one day and brought along another woman -- a person of great wealth. Since there was no elevator, the two ladies began the long climb upward. When they reached the second floor, the well-to-do woman commented, "What a dark and filthy place!" Her friend replied, "It's better higher up." When they arrived at the third landing, the remark was made, "Things look even worse here." Again the reply, "It's better higher up." The two women finally reached the attic level, where they found the bedridden saint of God. A smile on her face radiated the joy that filled her heart. Although the room was clean and flowers were on the window sill, the wealthy visitor could not get over the stark surroundings in which this woman lived. She blurted out, "It must be very difficult for you to be here like this!" Without a moment's hesitation the shut-in responded, "It's better higher up." She was not looking at temporal things. With the eye of faith fixed on the eternal, she had found the secret of true satisfaction and contentment. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2001, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>