Let's do a quick check? How man wise men came to visit Jesus?
If your answer is 3 then we made some mistakes. But that's no big deal.
But is there other things we have mistaken about Christmas?
Ps Kelly takes us back to the question, what is Christmas and what it means to you and me.
Scripture: Romans 14:12
Why accountability?
- For help and support in temptation and trials
- We become stronger and more effective in faith
- Accountability provides restoration
7 biblical functions of fellowship.
Scripture: Mark 4:35-41
"Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?
Scripture: James 5:13-20
James focuses in his closing or concluded his letter on the important practice of praying effectively.
Paul's emphasis to pray without ceasing. James emphasis in on how we can pray more effectively. How to we harness that effective power in our praying?
To be effective and powerful in praying James says:
- We must establish pray AND praise as the two pillars of our worship
- We must pray in total submission to the will of the Father for the sick/weak
- We must pray in the confession of our sins
- We must pray with intensity and fervency for God's intervention in adversities
- We must pray with compassion and empathy for the return of backslidden believers
Scripture: James 5:7-12
Christians great hope is in the return or second coming of Jesus.
This was the hope of Christians in the first century when they suffered for their faith and died for their faith.
We as followers are still waiting for His return, and it seems like a long time or never going to happen.
We have to patiently wait for His second coming.
- Learn how to be patient in waiting from farmers
- Learn how to be patient in faithfulness from the prophets
- Learn how to be patient in suffering from Job
Scripture: James 4:13-17
One of the many struggles of believers is submitting or surrendering to the will of God.
Here's 3 negative behaviours we have to stop doing if we want to live in triumphant in submission to the will and desires of God.
- We have to stop being presumptuous
- We have to stop boasting
- We have to stop neglecting to do what is right
Instead, we are to START submitting to the Lord.
7 practical steps to submitting to God and His will.
- Be sure you are obeying the known will of God
- Surrender to the point of being willing to do anything God says
- Seek God's will based on principles found in his word
- Watch for providential circumstances
- Ask God to reveal His will
- Ensure there's inner peace
- Seek Godly counsel
Scripture: 1 Cor.13:13
- What is hope?
- How is your hope?
- Why is it important to have hope?
- God's way of doing things
- Real hope in Jesus