A Fragrance of Christ…to God                             

  James 5:7-12 – Strengthen Your Heart

January 20, 2008

 

 

 

“Doesn’t whatever sacrifice is required pale in

comparison to the reward we’ll have?”

 

 

Examples:

 

  - Farmers - 7 …patience with:

 

            …weather –

 

            …seed   …equipment

 

 

  - Prophets – 10 –

 

 

I Peter 2:21-23

 

 

Adversity causes tension– 9 

 

  …resulting in complaining…

 

 

 

    Matthew 7:1 – Don’t judge, lest you be judged.

 

 

 

 

Blessed – 11 – K.P.

 

 

 

 

Why be patient?

 

     1- Jesus is returning soon!

 

     2- sign of faithfulness to God!!

 

     3- shows God’s care

 

 

A…full of compassion

                     = poly = much + compassion = innermost part/seat of affections

 

 

 

B…mercy = to pity …only here and in Luke 6:36

 

 

     4- God’s presence  –

 

“Patient endurance can sustain itself on the conviction that

hardships are not meaningless, but that God has some end or

purpose in them which He will accomplish…” - Moffatt

 

 

12 – “Above all things” –

 

 

  - the importance of truth!

 

 

 

“Abstain from all oaths, for the weaken a man’s sense of

obligation to speak the truth on all occasions;

learn to make a simple “yes” or “no” completely binding.” – Easton

 

 

“Strengthen/Establish your heart” – 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Thes 3:2-5

I Thes 3: 11-13

 

 

 

 

 

“A heart that is not established cannot bear fruit.”

 

 

Job 42:1-6