Following Jesus Son of God …

Who’s to blame?

• I want to know. Who took Christmas away from you? Or we could ask, Who took Christ out of your Christmas?
• Was it the Grinch? Your mean Aunt Harriet? Or maybe it was some liberal politician?
• Andrea Williams with the group Christian Concern believes that Starbucks is one of the culprits.
• And I quote Andrea Williams of the group Christian Concern: “This is a denial of historical reality and the great Christian heritage behind the American dream that has so benefitted Starbucks. This also denies the hope of Jesus Christ and his story told so powerfully at this time of year.
• Really. Why does she say these things? Because Starbucks has no decorations on their Christmas cup as in years past. Just a plain, red cup with the Starbucks logo. No elves, or Christmas trees or snowflakes. One person suggested that Starbucks should put out a white cup and give away crayons so all the people whining about the cups could draw their own decorations.
• Do you know what—among many things—that is really sad about this discussion? Ellen DeGeneres has a better perspective than the spokeswoman for the Christian group.
• Ellen DeGeneres: “The old cups had snowflakes and Santa’s sleigh and elves. You know, all the things you find in the Bible.”
• So let me ask this. If some person or group or political party can take Christ out of your Christmas, then what Christ are you worshiping?

Message Title: Jesus Messiah–The Prequel!

Message Text: Hebrews 1:1, 2-14-18 & Selected

MP3: Jesus Messiah-The Prequel : Hebrews 1-1 : 2-14-18 : ffc : dave scott : 120615

STUDY SHEETS____________________________

• PDF Jesus Messiah-The Prequel : Hebrews 1-1 2-14-18 : ffc : dave scott : 120615 : STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF Jesus Messiah-The Prequel : Hebrews 1-1 2-14-18 : ffc : dave scott : 120615 : STUDY SHEET TWO

Message Title: Who Gets It?

Message Text: James 3:13-18

MP3: LESSON 8 : Who Gets It : James 3-13-18 : ffc : dave scott : 112915

A near miss.

Finishing things up for Sunday and my study exploded. So here are two more study sheets.

• PDF LESSON 8 : Who Gets It : James 3-13-18 : ffc : dave scott : 112915 : STUDY SHEET THREE
• PDF LESSON 8 : Who Gets It : James 3-13-18 : ffc : dave scott : 112915 : STUDY SHEET FOUR

Just now getting the MP3 posted for LESSON 7 from two weeks ago.

Message Title: Mission Impossible!

Message Text: James 3:1-12

MP3: LESSON 7 : Mission Impossible : James 3-1-12 : ffc : dave scott : 111515

Are you wise? You should be.

This is the question that James begins with in this week’s text. 

Who is wise and understanding among you?

And as I just said, you should be wise if you are a believer in Jesus Christ and have received his gift of salvation. Why do I say that you should be? And … would it be arrogant to admit that you are wise?

James already told us in chapter one that if we lack wisdom, then we need to ask God for wisdom. So, either you are wise or you haven’t asked or you have asked but there are things that you just can’t quite let go of.

• (James 1:5–7 ESV) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.

So are you wise and understanding? And, if not, then why? Not any good reasons not to be, not biblically anyway.

Let’s change direction a little as you squirm … I mean, think about it.

For the wise person, there is a tremendous road of blessing ahead. “Look out world. Here comes a believer in Jesus who is going to live in purity, mercy, good works … and will be very busy planting peace and harvesting righteousness.”

How about entering your workplace with that attitude and biblical direction?

Does our world need any of that? That’s what I thought. 🙂

Message Title: Who Get’s It?

Message Text: James 3:13-18

• PDF LESSON 8 : Who Gets It : James 3-13-18 : ffc : dave scott : 112915 : STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF LESSON 8 : Who Gets It : James 3-13-18 : ffc : dave scott : 112915 : STUDY SHEET TWO

James outlines the impossibility of controlling a force so destructive and consuming that we should shudder at the thought of this “member” which is a vital part of our body.

But we don’t shudder in fear or respect. We (as in humans) mostly don’t even give it a second thought as to how we use this destroying power. Think I am overstating? You haven’t read James 3 then.

Control it? Scoff. We unleash it and are stupid enough to think that we are in control when this fire from hell is in fact ruining our lives and setting us up for judgment.

Am I too harsh? Again … Have you read James 3?

So how do we handle this monster? How do we do the impossible? We can’t.

But God can. If we let him. If we listen to him. If we quit brushing off his words of direction when he speaks to us as to how we should speak to others.

Our tongues. An overwhelming foe, but one of which can be used for good. Blessing instead of cursing. Fresh, living water instead of a salty pond.

But we decide. Trust and obey God … Or not … Wise people … Or fools. There it is before us. The text cannot be more clear. Not a matter of understanding but of loving obedience.

• Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
• Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
• Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!
• Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
• He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles.
• Proverbs 12:19(ESV), Psalm 34:13, 141:3 (ESV), Proverbs 13:3 (ESV), 21:23 (NASB).

Message Title: Mission Impossible!

Message Text: James 3:1-12

• PDF LESSON 7 : Mission Impossible : James 3-1-12 : ffc : dave scott : 111515 : STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF LESSON 7 : Mission Impossible : James 3-1-12 : ffc : dave scott : 111515 : STUDY SHEET TWO
• PDF LESSON 7 : Mission Impossible : James 3-1-12 : ffc : dave scott : 111515 : STUDY SHEET THREE
• PDF LESSON 7 : Mission Impossible : James 3-1-12 : ffc : dave scott : 111515 : 111515 : STUDY SHEET FOUR

• I added two more study sheets after Friday’s post. Here are all four and the accompanying MP3 from Sunday AM.

Message Title: Faith That Saves!

Message Text: James 2:14-26

AUDIO________________

MP3: LESSON 6 : Faith That Saves : James 2-14-26 : ffc : dave scott : 110815

STUDY SHEETS________________

• PDF LESSON 6 : Faith Without Works : James 2-14-26 : ffc : dave scott : 110815 STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF LESSON 6 : Faith Without Works : James 2-14-26 : ffc : dave scott : 110815 STUDY SHEET TWO
• PDF LESSON 6 : Faith Without Works : James 2-14-26 : ffc : dave scott : 110815 STUDY SHEET THREE
• PDF LESSON 6 : Faith Without Works : James 2-14-26 : ffc : dave scott : 110815 STUDY SHEET FOUR

If there was a word for “knucklehead” in the Greek language, I am almost sure that James would have used it once or twice in this week’s text.

What is our expression? “What were you thinking?” In James 2:14-26 he contends with people who insist on defining the terms and setting the standard. They believe that they can just “say” they have faith and are “good to go.” They believe that a person can sit down and divide faith from works and be okay before God.

James is ready to pull his hair out it seems. Or maybe pull their hair out.

Genuine faith results in love and obedience to God. Saying we have faith, and saying that we believe in God, living in these generalities … Our faith is no different than the belief system of the demons.

We go our merry way, deciding apart from God what is right and wrong, coming up with our own religion, and we think God will say, “Good try. I appreciate the effort. I can see that you meant well. It’s the thought that counts.”

No, those people will hear: “Depart from me. I never knew you. You workers of lawlessness.”

Message Title: Faith that Saves!

Message Text: James 2:14-26

• PDF LESSON 6 : Faith Without Works : James 2-14-26 : ffc : dave scott : 110815 STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF LESSON 6 : Faith Without Works : James 2-14-26 : ffc : dave scott : 110815 STUDY SHEET TWO

Message Title: Mercy Wins!

Message Text: James 2:1-13

MP3: LESSON 5 : Mercy Wins : James 2-1-13 : ffc : dave scott : 110115 WITH STRINGS

Mercy Wins!

God does something wonderful in the Bible. He tells us the truth about our selves and the world we live in.

And … He tells us how to win in life.

This week he tells that a key to a winning life–winning from God’s perspective, which is kind of important–is mercy. Mercy is to be preferred over judgment if we are interested in a life of triumph as God sees things.

As with all things God, to understand his teaching, we must first hear him. Then we must submit to his teaching and live lives of obedience. We have to actually believe that God knows what he is doing and trust him with our very lives.

And then the floodgates open. God’s goodness in. Our filth out. God’s purity and righteousness in, our wickedness out. God’s forever thinking in, our stained, rationalized way of the human thinking out.

It’s really quite a deal this salvation we have through Jesus Christ.

Message Title: Mercy Wins!

Message Text: James 2:1-13

• PDF LESSON 5 : Mercy Wins : James 2-1-13 : ffc : dave scott : 110115 STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF LESSON 5 : Mercy Wins : James 2-1-13 : ffc : dave scott : 110115 STUDY SHEET TWO