December 3, 2017
Hymn 346 – Jesus who lives above the sky
Prayer
Proverbs 27:17 says that iron sharpens iron, but a man sharpens his friend. Brother Norm’s father, in his butcher shop, would use a honing steel to keep his knife in top condition. To be useful, the knife had to be sharp. It’s like a pencil: if it isn’t sharp, we can’t do much with it. The same goes for us; but how are we sharpened, and how do we sharpen others?
When we sharpen a pencil, we remove shavings. When we have fellowship with other Christians, it can help us remove things in our lives that aren’t good. We can also see sharpening as encouragement. Let’s look at some ways that we can encourage others.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 tells us to build up, comfort, and encourage other believers. Often, to do this, we need to be with other people. We need to visit them, spend time with them, and maybe read the Bible with them. When the Apostle Paul was being taken as a prisoner to Rome, he suffered through shipwreck and other things. However, at one point, some brethren came out of their way to meet him (Acts 28:15). This comforted and encouraged Paul. It’s not always fun to go visit people with your parents, but it can be an encouragement to them.
Galatians 6:2. A burden is a heavy load. Bearing other people’s burdens is a way to help them. One of our sisters in Rockway, Suzanne, had a fire in her house, and some of the saints there came to help her move out. Her family was very impressed with this display of love. Recently, there have been several families among us who have had a loved one pass away, and comforting such people is a good way to bear their burdens. There are also simple ways, like helping your parents with the chores at home. The are many ways to be a blessing to those around us.
Colossians 3:16 shows us that singing can also be a good way to be a blessing and encouragement. There were lots of singers in the Bible. Think of Paul and Silas, singing in jail. That wasn’t a pleasant place to be, but they helped encourage each other by singing. We sing around the campfire at the FEW, and that encourages us in the Lord.
1 John 1:4. Why did John write this letter? So that these believers would be full of joy. He wrote it to encourage and sharpen them. Writing letters and cards to others is a great way to do this. You may not be able to write to others about spiritual things, but you can still write encouraging notes.
So, to sharpen each other, we can comfort, visit, bear burdens, sing, and write. May the Lord use us to encourage others!
James 1:17-27
In the verses following we see that there are some people who thought their difficulties came from God. But James tells us not to be mistaken. God gives us good gifts. He wants to give us good things.
So, what is the difference between a good and a perfect gift? This is worth thinking about. It doesn’t say that the gifts are good and perfect, but rather there are good and perfect gifts. Either way, though, we are dealing with a God Who gives. This reminds us of the first part of John 4:10. It is interesting to note that James is writing to the Jews who were familiar with the law were God took so much in regards to sacrifices. But God has reveled more of Himself in the New Testament, and we see that He loves to give. We know his most perfect gift is eternal life. When we think of all the gifts the Lord gives, so many are good gifts, but many are not perfect gifts. Maybe the perfect gifts are the eternal, spiritual ones.
“Father of lights.” We love to think about how “God is love”, but we must also remember that “God is light”. He is the source of truth, and of morality. The world would like the church to to stay out of moral issues today, but how we can we do that. We have the Father of lights, of moral law giver.
“With Him is no variableness.” Man is always revising theories and textbooks. What we know about so many things changes all the times. But God doesn’t change. He hasn’t changed His Word; no reviews. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
In verse eighteen we find He taught us with the word of truth. He gave us that word, and gives us the faith to believe it. He has brought us into a new creation; as a new creation in Him.
Because of this, according to verse nineteen, we need to “listen up”. We need to open the Bible to our hearts and taken in those truth. Our mouths are use to being quick to speak and anger, but we must exercise over a new nature. May theses things give us the desire to live in righteousness for God.
Hymn 15 - Oh what a gift the Father gave
Prayer