Room for Improvement (Part A)

Inpatient creates big problems. Sarah in the Scripture early patients brought forth a smile and this mail came problems that are with us to this very day. Verse 80 continues.

You also be patient, establish your hearts, the coming of the Lord is at hand. You also be patient inpatient comes to easily does it not, this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Rick is currently teaching through the book of James. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of James chapter 5 as he begins his message room for improvement.

James chapter 5 will take versus seven through 12.

Therefore, be patient brethren, until the coming of the Lord see how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient, establish your hearts, the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the judge is standing at the door I brethren take the prophets who spoke in in the name of the Lord as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed, we count them blessed to endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord, that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful above all my brethren, do not swear either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. Let your yes be yes and your no no less you fall into judgment of all the sections of Scripture we read James has been one that his lease on my side, provoked the desire to comment as I'm reading because he's there so much there that requires comment can easily come away with the wrong impression.

If you just read it walkway if you're not familiar with Scripture. Well this morning we going to consider room for improvement in the life of the believer. James wants Christians to do better is been expressing this throughout his letter, and no one can blame him.

To this day. Christians should want Christians to do better in John's second letter he writes to yourselves that we do not lose those things we work for, but that we may receive a full reward for their John wants to believers to do better.

Also, and he's pointing the monster look to yourselves, you've got to do this so we look now in verse seven of James five, therefore, be patient brethren, until the coming of the Lord see how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. Therefore, be patient brethren well in the first part of this chapter versus one through six. He was addressing the wealthy who were not believers who were unscrupulous with their wealth and so now he returns to the believers and he says therefore and he's connecting that therefore what God is going to deal with them. You may be subject to their cruelty now to their unscrupulous ways. Now what God is going to deal with them because he is just, therefore, and as James is been doing throughout this letter he softens his tone and he says brethren is so important that he does that because he is dealing with so many people that are guilty of the things that he is trying to address the correct because there again is room for improvement in all believers.

So reminding us again from Hebrews chapter 10. Remember we did Hebrews right before James and their the writer of Hebrews was addressing the Judaism legalism. He was talking to Jewish believers stressing to them that they cannot continue to go to the temple and offer blood sacrifices and then still believe in Jesus Christ because Christ is fulfilled all the sacrifices spoke up. Hebrews 1036 for you have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God. You may receive the promise got to hang in there and climb over those things you been hanging in there. You know, not just that don't just hang in there. Hang therefore law would climb up, get over into onto the next level and then you repeat the process of death and again and again last that's what's required of us and he says Hebrews 10 again verse 36 so that after you have done the will of God. You may receive the promise. It is important to understand that God has a program he has a plan is an end to this and it is glorious. Believers know that it is so easy for desire to sink into impatience patients does not serve God. Well, some of you might be impatient about wanting this message to an right now just that does not serve God well and so when he says, therefore, be patient. He's going to stress this throughout this section that were in this morning's is until the coming of the Lord is a just read from Hebrews 10 to receive the promise. The coming of the Lord, or if he doesn't come here first will go to him but either way will get to see him. James refers to this coming of the Lord, versus seven, eight and nine of this morning's chapter 5 in James because he is emphasizing to them that all that we do is in the presence of the Lord is with the expectation of seeing him of being with him face-to-face. It had been a little over a dozen years since Christ was crucified and ascended to heaven when James writes this letter in hopes was still very high that he was going to return.

He promised them he would return. He just say when he did not say, to which generation he would return is one of the best-kept secrets of the universe. When will Christ return for his church. After he was crucified, he rose again. He returned to his disciples when the rapture comes. He will return for his disciples. Then after the great tribulation. That seven year span. He returns with his disciples. God has a together even though we don't always see it because of the curse that is upon this life in this world. So he says, until the coming of the Lord. How much time has passed since that promise the churches had to use patients we've had to wait and trust. However, that the centuries have passed and God has delayed church is been patient because it really is not relevant whether he comes during my lifetime or not.

What is relevant is that I serve him that I serve them well. I'm always improving because of the spirit in me. I'm maturing developing in my faith not only for my benefit for the benefit of others is a responsibility that he has entrusted us with what will we do with what will we do with the responsibility that God has entrusted us with an empowered us to perform and I bear witness often of how many believers I know, especially here in this assembly that I admire.

I admire watching them serve how they serve. I think others do to. I know others do and I hope more even more doing. I hope you are one of them, but not from that you need my admiration. But what Christian does not want to have a testimony that is attractive to all believers. All other believers in spite of our shortcomings, the return of the Lord. It is really at this point in two stages, the rapture, when he pulls the church out meal, the Jehovah's Witnesses will say what the word rapture is not in the Bible. What they're wrong.

The Greek word for the catching away of the believers are positive. The Latin is wrapped us by the time it makes its way to English. It is rapture understand how language moves over the centuries over the ages. Two different cultures. I would its retains its meaning. That word is in the Scripture, God is going to call his church home one day could be any day. Maybe it's today were supposed to have this hope my view is I'm not is eager for the rapture.

Now, as I was when I first became a belief reason why is because there's so much work to do. There are still so many lost souls that can benefit from the church still being here for the church is going to be gone after the rapture then then the persecutions going to ramp up you going to church going to be what we would say is underground, your soul still to be saved and I want to be part of that I won't object if the point of the Lord decide the rapids. Could you send me back I just got work to do but it is I think a bittersweet thought, and I hope it you thought about it that way at least thought about it that way.

Well, anyway, when Christ comes research he takes is home to the marriage feast of lemon.

There will be the judgment seat of Christ.

For believers, where our rewards will be measured out to us while the great tribulation takes place in this world. And then he returns with his believers to set up his millennial kingdom on earth. We read from Luke chapter 12 Jesus said, Blessed is that servant, whom his master will find so doing when he comes so doing, improving, growing and serving. He continues in verse seven he says see how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it received early and latter rain for really doesn't have much choice.

After he's laid out that CD still the Brownies latencies done all he can do. He waits be quite challenging. In a time of drought. Mark's gospel, Jesus mentions this process we know of it but it's I think it's good to read. He says for the earth yields crops by itself. First the blade than the head. After that the full grain in the head while that's a process one has to wait for patients is a ripening process and that's what were still dealing with were talking about patients in the believer understanding Christ is guided together. He knows what he's doing, but it is a ripening process and it is not pleasant is never pleasant to the flesh at all. The spirit rises above that faithful patients tolerates delay because of what it believes in it tolerates delay in a manner worthy of the confession of Christ seeks to please him. While we wait, and often very often there is much suffering going on, many unpleasant things. That's why this is held up so high by the writers of the Bible is tested patients is when we really want something you don't want something doesn't require much patience to wait when you really wanted Caleb waited over 40 years to receive his portion of the land that was promised.

Tammy was an old man. By that time, a nonbiased calculation times 88 flight but he waited patiently and perhaps the best way for us to be reminded of how important patients is in our life is by pointing out impatience, not a virtue. And when we suffer the impatience of others. We wish that father would go somewhere else and be impatient so we we are encouraged by that recognition to slow it down a little bit. We have all been impatient with someone else and after after our impatience have taken stock of ourselves and you know I had been handled at the right way given another chance going to improve Chris's room for that in all of us impatient people will not be patient with patient people, so expect that patients can sink into cowardice.

It can become you know it when you exist in active now because your sort of falling asleep lost sight of those important things.

Impatience creates big problems. Sarah in the Scripture, her impatience brought forth Ishmael and with Ishmael came problems that are with us to this very day. Verse 80 continues.

You also be patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. You also be patient. Impatience comes to easily does it not just drive here when you go home if you're the passenger find out impatient draw with the driver. The stateside seeking backseat drivers were born, so he emphasizes this yet again because we wait either in the spirit or in the flesh. That's how we do it. I don't know that there's a anything else in between the flashes that thing in me.

That never like so wants to listen to Jesus Christ.

It is my fallen nature and once I become a Christian is still there.

It is the old man that old nature. It is the flesh, and whenever a Christian stumbles its we stumble because we get into the flesh and out of the spirit moved from behavior that matches what we claim to believe we can say to someone I love you in Christ really not love them. We can say to someone, I'll pray for you and don't go and pray for them and many other such things.

The list is endless. So you also be patient, not letting that flesh get the controls establish your hearts well is because without patients, you will establish much. Listen to Psalm 27 verse 13, I would have lost heart unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living see there is with his eyes on on eternity because that's where God's eyes are also, I would have lost heart unless I believed that I would see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living, the length of the living is the land of disappointment. It is the land of sin.

It is the place of death. It's here. This is the land of the living that he's talking about here in Psalm 27 but then he goes on wait on Yahweh. Be of good courage is the courage that is linked to our faith and not just humanity supposed to be something this distinct in the believer from those who are not believers again unbelievers they can muster courage, no question about that. It's not let them outdo us.

Let's not let them outgun us when it comes to behavior so he says, be of good courage, wait on Yahweh. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, wait, I say on the Lord is almost as though he knows his audience is impatient with ideas repeated to them for the coming of the Lord. James is chapter 5 verse eight for the coming of the Lord is at hand. He keeps his great expectation before the believers is as we are serving Christ he can come back at any time. The early church. Again, they this was a hot hold with them.

They really expected him to come back shortly. First John John in his first letter in chapter 3 says for we shall see him as he is John, who rested on the bosom of the Lord walked with him still did not see him as he truly was he a he understands this and communicates it to others. That was Christ. According to his humanity with the so much more to come in will get to see him as he is says and everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he Christ is pure is a purification process that belongs with looking for longing for desiring to see Christ Jesus the Christ, Jesus of the New Testament, not our imagination of the revelation of Jesus Christ throughout Scripture.

Jesus asked this question when the Son of Man comes, will he really find faith on the earth. Luke's gospel chapter 18 verse eight will he really find faith when I look at that verse and I say that is a call to arms.

That is a call for me drawer myself, so that when he comes whenever he comes to me to find someone that genuinely desiring to have faith and to please him.

Even when I stumble, I know the mercy of God. I know it is there.

I don't doubt it. I don't question his mercy. I question my goodness my abilities yes but I don't question his mercy he says for the coming of the Lord is at hand. This again is the second coming par Asea is the Greek word, the phrase really is the second coming of Christ really doesn't show up in the New Testament with that word that the apostles chose par Asea that is here translated coming in verse eight it means the presence the presence of Christ is not a wrong translate is not wrong. It's an interpretive translation of the word because maybe they felt if he said well because of the presence of Christ. Siblings already here is always here is that I'll never leave you nor forsake you.

David Livingston's favorite verse though I am with you always.

And so I suppose the translators of so many translations that we have chose the word, the coming of the Lord is the translation of that word par Asea which means the presence James will keep it in context.

He will then say the presence is near, mirrors and visits he's coming and don't lose sight of that age day brings us closer even the we don't know the exact day and went well and matter-of-factly says for the coming of the Lord is at hand. There, the translators at hand is near. In the Greek, which they left it that way. But when we say that the day is it is at hand.

We understand it is close by. So together. The promise presence of Christ is always with us, with his actual appearing could happen at any time.

Verse nine do not grumble against one another, brethren, that you be condemned.

Behold, the judge is standing at the door while he's not letting them turn away from being mindful of Christ's presence is at the door. All that is that factor into this well go back to the beginning of verse nine do not grumble against one another, why not. It's fun. The Greek word for grumble is to sigh or two grown the operative thought is against one another.

This guy came to just go away when his message, and if you think there are things in the church grown about. You need to join the military you really find out how much there is to grown about any you veterans think it was it was just a cakewalk.

You're lying. If you say that they are masters at causing you to grumble. You know the hurry up and wait. Colossians chapter 3 verse 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do even if you really don't like the other person must do it.

That does not always mean that it restores the relationship to where it once was, but it does mean you cannot harbor hatred, hostility, and resentment in your heart you cannot hosted Reno bring in hatred and servant hors d'oeuvres and coffee and make it very comfortable. If you struggle with this that's it's much better to struggle against it and to make it feel comfortable if you find that you you know I just have a hard time forgiving. This person that's better for you to struggle with that and just to be good good. I don't like him and assist with going to stay that is not advised. Galatians chapter 5 verse 15 but if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you consumed by one another. Supporters… Carry this out as natural everybody starts behaving this way would retaliates biting and devouring we would just consume each other. Thanks for joining us today as we took a deeper look into the book of Jean here on cross reference radio cross reference radio is the daily radio ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia were blessed to bring you God's word with each broadcast. If you like more information want to listen to additional teachings from Pastor Rick please visit our website cross reference radio.com if you've been blessed by this program would love to hear from you when you visit the website. Simply click on the contact us link the top of the page and leave us a message that website again is cross reference radio.com. Please join us again next time.

As we continue our study through the book of Jane right here on cross reference radio