Aging Gracefully part 4 (2)

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God's Word is "planted" in His followers.-It affects their growth.

Receive the Word

James 1:19–21 NIV
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
James 1:19–21 NIV
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
compares God’s Word to seed and the human heart to soil.
God plants His word in us when we follow Christ.
he compares God’s Word to seed and the human heart to soil.
In His parable in , Jesus compares God’s Word to seed and the human heart to soil.
In His parable in , Jesus compares God’s Word to seed and the human heart to soil.
Lord’s Parable of the Sower (, ), he compares God’s Word to seed and the human heart to soil. In His parable, Jesus described four kinds of hearts
(four kinds of hearts)
Hard Heart (pathway)
Hard Heart (path)
Shallow Heart (rocky soil)
Crowded Heart (weedy soil)
Fruitful Heart (fertile soil)
The final test of salvation is fruit. This means a changed life, Christian character and conduct, and ministry to others in the glory of God.
Commands:
Commands:
Be quick to hear--the Word of God.
Be quick to hear--the Word of God.
"The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible." --Unknown
"The Bile will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible." --Unknown
Slow to respond
Slow to respond —The mind of God
Not only in conversation, but in reactions to theology and differences of opinion.
Not only in conversation, but in reactions to theology and differences of opinion.
Slow to get angry—The power of God
Slow to get angry
Spiritual growth is hampered by a nasty, uncontrolled temper.
Spiritual growth is hampered by a nasty, uncontrolled temper.
Philippians 4:13 NIV
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
As Will Rogers famously put it,

People who fly into a rage always make a bad landing.

—Will Rogers

People who fly into a rage always make a bad landing. —Will Rogers
—Will Rogers
—Will Rogers
Philippians 4:13 NIV
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Respond to the Word

James 1:22–25 NIV
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
Not enough to know it, but we must show it.
Not enough to "know" this, but we must show this.
James 4:17 NIV
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
We must work the Bible into our daily lives in order to allow it's impact on us to be complete.
2 Timothy 2:15 NIV
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Only through daily contact with the Word will we stay on the right path.
There is too much to try to accomplish on our own, without daily walking in the Spirit through the Word.
Many Christians are satisfied with hearing, and little else.
We have been set free from our sinful natures to become like Christ through the pure Word of God.
It's easier to preach than to practice;
It's easier to say than to do.
Most sermons are heard by the many,
But taken to heart by the few. -- Author unknown
-- Author unknown

Regard (obey) the Word

perpetually practice obedience
James 1:26–27 NIV
Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
26-27
Maturity in Christ is a life-long pursuit.
Maturity comes over time and through tough trials.
Maturity in Christ is a life-long pursuit.
It happens when two factors collide in us:
God’s power to change us and
Our willingness to depend on the Holy Spirit through reading the Bible.
Allow God to guide what you say.
Allow God to guide what you say.
Proverbs 13:3 NIV
Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.
Ephesians 4:29 NIV
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
This past year, if someone had paid you ten dollars for every kind word you ever spoke about other people, and also collected five dollars for every unkind word, would you be rich or poor?”
This past year, if someone had paid you ten dollars for every kind word you ever spoke about other people, and also collected five dollars for every unkind word, would you be rich or poor?”Michael P. Green. 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching
This past year, if someone had paid you ten dollars for every kind word you ever spoke about other people, and also collected five dollars for every unkind word, would you be rich or poor?”
What are we prepared to do to change that?
The tongue is mighty and we will see this issue again in James.
Put others before yourselves.
Put others before yourselves.
Psalm 68:5 NIV
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
The James Gang
The lay-led ministries are all examples of people using thier gifting to minister to others, Using time and effort that they could hoard for themselves.

Take this with you...

We as followers of Christ, cannot walk away from this word to us from James today, as though we saw our image in the mirror and did not notice a change that is needed.
Are you courageous enough this morning to look at yourself and let God identify a specific area He wants to change for you?
We cannot be hearers only.
This is not behavior modification, it is calling on God to bring His power to change to bear on us.
Are you prepared right now to give the Holy Spirit permission to interrupt your thought and speech patterns?
In your prayers to God, what percentage of them is asking God for maturity?
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