As we get back into a routine of our fall schedules, I hope you will make a choice to come to RCBS.
I truly believe that God has blessed us here with not only an excellent ministry for us as women, but for our children. We,
as women, need the wisdom of God and fellowship with other women to live our lives in these times.
I’ve been involved in Bible study for many years – over twenty now. I was thinking about
why I have made Bible Study a priority in my life. As I have gone through different stages of my life there have been three things that I have found through the study of God’s Word – the wisdom of God to guide me, the love of God to sustain me and the purpose
of God to make me more than I am. I found that God’s wisdom was available
to me, if I asked God for it. He was willing and able to give it to me liberally. To live my life I found the love
of God was shed abroad in my heart by His Holy Spirit and His love would not disappoint me. His love would sustain me.
The purpose of God for my life gave me a reason to live beyond pleasing my self. God’s word showed me purpose
in living to please Him who died and rose again for me. These needs for wisdom, love and purpose were met as I came to know
God revealed to me personally through His Word, the Holy Scriptures. The Bible says it contains all we need for life and godliness.
I don’t know about you, but I seek life and godliness. What a wonderful resource we have available to us.So
the question I want to ask you today is one that Jesus asked. What gain (or profit) is it if you gain the whole world and
lose or forfeit your soul (your very self)? Luke 9:25
Each one of us wants to find life fulfilling. We want to find wisdom and love and purpose for our
lives and we have the choice of what to go after or where to seek wisdom, love and purpose…the world
and all it holds for us or the truth of God revealed to us through the word. We can gain education, prestige, houses,
family, friends, financial security... but never find anything that satisfies us.
And that brings me to the emphasis of our study this year as we look at the letter of James written
to believers. It speaks to us of the profit of God’s word in our lives - the effect of God’s word that will bring
great gain to our lives.
We are called to look intently into the word of God as if using a pair of glasses or a magnifying
glass so that we see his word more clearly. As we look intently into the Word of God, we find three way that God’s Word
profits our lives:
To find New life in Christ! Maybe for the first
time!
James 1:18 says “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth…”
It is God’s desire that all men come to know him as their Savior from sin. And we are born again into a relationship
with Him by the exercise of God’s will. All that I am and all that I will ever be stems from who God is. Without the
Spirit of God taking the Word of God and revealing God the Father’s love to our hearts, we are dead to God. We are physically
alive when we are born in the flesh, but not alive spiritually until God reveals himself to us. Through God’s grace,
we place our faith in Jesus Christ receiving new life - spiritual life.
In John 5:24 Jesus says “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word
and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” Many of you may have seen the Passion of the Christ. Why was it important
to see the suffering that Jesus went through? So that we might see the love of God for us through Jesus Christ. In obedience
to the Father – God Almighty – Christ laid down his life for our sin, so that we could live! It is because of
God’s desire and by His will that we are brought forth into new life. Through the study of God’s Word you can
hear about and believe in and receive new life!
To become mature - To be saved from your self!
How many of you know either by your own examination or someone else telling you – that
you have weaknesses in your character? That you are not perfect? In James 1:21 Therefore,
get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word of truth planted in you, which can
save your soul.
So our responsibility is to receive the word (God’s word) –
accept God’s word planted in us – so our souls are saved! We can study God’s word and allow God’s
truth to be planted in us and it will change us! What better place is there to receive truth –especially
hard truth that shows us our weaknesses - than in a love letter written to you from God - truth from the God of the universe
that loves you with an everlasting love, who wants to make you whole – body, soul and spirit? By looking into God’s
Word - you can be saved from your self! Looking intently into the Word of God will bring us to maturity.
To be blessed!
James 1:23-24 By looking into the perfect law of liberty and doing it - acting on it - we can be blessed.
We all look into mirrors – literally I mean. It seems I’ve been needing a mirror with greater magnification. Especially
to put on my makeup without have mascara or eye shadow in the wrong places. What happens when we look into a mirror? Sometimes
we like what we see and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we just walk away seeing the truth, but not doing anything about
it. Sometimes we can make an adjustment because of what we see and then our actions will follow accordingly. James
talks about looking into the mirror of God’s word and allowing the reflection of that word bring you to the point
where you just don’t hear it (letting it go in one ear and out the other), but you act upon it. You do his word. As
we look intently into the word and let it reflect truth we are called act upon it. His Word is perfect and freeing. When we
hear and do his word we will be blessed - spiritually. We will be spiritually prosperous.What are you
looking at intently? Where are you looking for what you need? The world or the Word of God?
Remember Jesus says …you can gain the whole world and lose your soul.
I hope you will seek His wisdom, love and purpose through the study of His word here
at RCBS. You will find life, maturity and blessing.
