Two Styles of Leadership in Bible

Leadership Styles by Len

B1 There are 2 styles of leadership in the Bible.

C1 The shepherd

D1 The greatest example is the Lord Jesus

E1 Mark 14:27 MKJV  And Jesus said to them, All of you will be offended because of Me this night. For it is written, "I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered."

E2 Hebrews 13:20 MKJV  Now may the God of peace (who brought again our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.

D2 The word shepherd is ποιμαίνω poimainō (verb) ποιμήν poimēn (noun).

D3 A shepherd feeds, gathers, carries, and gently leads. Isaiah 40:11 NKJV  He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.

D4 He provides. Psalms 23:1 GNB  The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need.

D5 He lets us rest. His provisions are the best. Psalms 23:2 GNB  He lets me rest in fields of green grass and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water.

D6 He gives us strength. His leading is always the best and good. He keeps His promises. Psalms 23:3 GNB  He gives me new strength. He guides me in the right paths, as he has promised.

D7 He comforts and goes with us even in the scariest, most fearful moments imaginable: Psalms 23:4 GNB  Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, LORD, for you are with me. Your shepherd's rod and staff protect me.

D8 He makes us feel honored. He protects us from our enemies even when they are near. Psalms 23:5 GNB  You prepare a banquet for me, where all my enemies can see me; you welcome me as an honored guest and fill my cup to the brim.

D9 His goodness is to us. He loves us. Our home will be with him forever. Psalms 23:6 GNB  I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life; and your house will be my home as long as I live.

D10 If we lose our way, He seeks for us. Matthew 18:12-14 GNB  "What do you think a man does who has one hundred sheep and one of them gets lost? He will leave the other ninety-nine grazing on the hillside and go and look for the lost sheep.  13  When he finds it, I tell you, he feels far happier over this one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost.  14  In just the same way your Father in heaven does not want any of these little ones to be lost.

D11 He is willing to die for us. John 10:15 NKJV  As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

D12 Wants us to imitate His lifestyle. 1 Timothy 4:12 NKJV  Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

C2 The hunter

D1 The greatest example is Nimrod. Genesis 10:8-9 NASB77 Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth.  He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.

D2 Keil & Delitzsch state in their commentary of Genesis 10:8-9: Nimrod “began to be a mighty one in the earth.” גִּבֹּר is used here, as in Gen 6:4, to denote a man who makes himself renowned for bold and daring deeds. Nimrod was mighty in hunting, and that in opposition to Jehovah (ἐναντίον κυρίον, lxx); not before Jehovah in the sense of, according to the purpose and will of Jehovah, still less, like לֵאלֹהִים in Jon 3:3, or τῷ Θεῷ in Act 7:20, in a simply superlative sense. The last explanation is not allowed by the usage of the language, the second is irreconcilable with the context. The name itself, Nimrod from מָרַד, “we will revolt,” points to some violent resistance to God. It is so characteristic that it can only have been given by his contemporaries, and thus have become a proper name.

D3 This is the leadership style of satan—rebellious, dictatorial, psychopathic, murderous, etc. He wants to control everything including thinking, actions, speech, work, etc. in every area of life. There is no free will; it is not allowed. Those who disagree will be hunted down and dealt with.

D4 Church leaders of this sort are called out and by name by the Apostle John. 3 John 1:9-11 NKJV  I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.  10  Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.  11  Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.

D5 All of which is fueled by pride.

D6 An overriding trait is CONTROLL.

D7 A list of traits from the Dictionary of Bible Themes by Manser.

E1 Self-interest: Philippians 2:3-4 WPNT Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard one another as being better than yourselves.  Let each of you look out not only for his own concerns, but also for what concerns others.

E2 Pride in one’s position: James 3:1 WPNT My brothers, not many of you should become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. [Alford comments: The more the idea prevailed, that faith, without corresponding obedience, was all that is needful, the more men would eagerly press forward to teach: as indeed the Church has found in all ages when such an opinion has become prevalent: for then teachers and preachers of their own appointing have rapidly multiplied]

E3 Love of worldly things: 1 John 2:15 WPNT Do not love the world, neither the things in the world; if anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him. [Pickering comments: The crucial issue is the values that the surrounding culture seeks to impose on us—materialism, relativism, humanism; these values are directly opposed to the Father’s values, and therefore to His love.]

E4 Follow the crowd and/or pervert justice: Exodus 23:2 NIV - Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.

E5 Worldly thinking: Romans 12:2 NLT - Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. [See also Colossians 3:2, 2 Timothy 2:4, Titus 2:12, and James 4:4]

E6 Desire for money: 1 Timothy 6:9-10 NIV - Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

E7 Find pleasure in wicked things: 2 Thessalonians 2:12 NIV - and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

E8 Following false gods of any type or form: Deuteronomy 12:30-31 NIV - and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, "How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same." You must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

D7 God judges these types. Note how these types of leaders hurt the sheep in every way possible. They are abusers.

E1 Ezekiel 34:17-22 GNB  Now then, my flock, I, the Sovereign LORD, tell you that I will judge each of you and separate the good from the bad, the sheep from the goats.  18  Some of you are not satisfied with eating the best grass; you even trample down what you don't eat! You drink the clear water and muddy what you don't drink!  19  My other sheep have to eat the grass you trample down and drink the water you muddy.  20  "So now, I, the Sovereign LORD, tell you that I will judge between you strong sheep and the weak sheep.  21  You pushed the sick ones aside and butted them away from the flock.  22  But I will rescue my sheep and not let them be mistreated any more. I will judge each of my sheep and separate the good from the bad.

E2 Jeremiah 23:1 GNB  How terrible will be the LORD's judgment on those rulers who destroy and scatter his people!

E3 Zechariah 10:2-3 NKJV  For the idols speak delusion; The diviners envision lies, And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; They are in trouble because there is no shepherd.  3  "My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the goatherds. For the LORD of hosts will visit His flock, The house of Judah, And will make them as His royal horse in the battle.

B2 Which one are you?

On Grief

The Bible has much on grief:

Job 3:10  Curse that night for letting me be born, for exposing me to trouble and grief.

Job 7:3  Month after month I have nothing to live for; night after night brings me grief.

Job 14:22  We feel only the pain of our own bodies and the grief of our own minds.

Job 17:7  My grief has almost made me blind; my arms and legs are as thin as shadows.

Psalm 6:6  I am worn out with grief; every night my bed is damp from my weeping; my pillow is soaked with tears.

Of the Lord Jesus it is written A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Isaiah 53:3

Grief is a communicable trait of God. He grieves and understands grief, so do we.

There is loss of joy and sometimes hope.

It is a pain of mind affecting the body.

It is real.

A few things:

A promise for believers: Revelation 21:4 NKJV “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

A source you may need: Stephen Ministries.

Grief is real. Seek for a friend who will listen even professional help may be needed.

Maybe Psalm 13 will be of comfort. There are other Psalms for Emotions, too.

Psalms 13:1-6 GNB  How much longer will you forget me, LORD? Forever? How much longer will you hide yourself from me?  2  How long must I endure trouble? How long will sorrow fill my heart day and night? How long will my enemies triumph over me?  3  Look at me, O LORD my God, and answer me. Restore my strength; don't let me die.  4  Don't let my enemies say, "We have defeated him." Don't let them gloat over my downfall.  5  I rely on your constant love; I will be glad, because you will rescue me.  6  I will sing to you, O LORD, because you have been good to me.

Ephesians 1:15-23

A1 Scripture

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:15-23, NKJV)

A2 Outline: Paul's Prayer

B1 Cause

C1 Heard of their faith in the Lord Jesus

C2 Their love for all the people of God

B2 Effect

C1 Unceasing thanks

C3 Unceasing prayer

D1 That God the Father

E1 God of our Lord Jesus

E2 Father of glory

D2 Would

E1 Give to them

F1 The spirit of wisdom

G1 Wisdom is thinking God’s way which results in acting God’s way.

G2 Ask: James 1:5 CSB - Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.

G3 Fools hate wisdom. They like their own better: Proverbs 1:7 NRSV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

G4 Wisdom is important in many ways: Proverbs 19:8 NKJV - He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.

G5 If you want to know how great His wisdom is, look at the stunning designs in creation.

F2 The spirit of revelation. Some things He reveals to us

G1 Truth

G2 Our condition

G3 Convicts us of sin

G4 Encourages us

G5 Helps us to understand the Bible

G6 His great love for us

G7 Answers to prayer

G8 Wisdom for handling a situation we face

F3 Knowledge of Him

G1 The longer you know someone, the better you know them.

G2 Knowing God is reading, studying the Bible, praying, fellowship with other believers, and time.

E2 Cause understanding be enlightened

E3 May know the hope of His calling

E4 What are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints

E5 What is the exceeding greatness of His power towards us who believe

F1 His power

G1 Mighty

G2 Showed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ

G3 Showed by sitting Jesus Christ at His right hand in the heavenly places (heaven)

H1 Far above all

I1 Principality

I2 Power

I3 Might

I4 Dominion

I5 Every day that is named

J1 In this age

J2 And in the age to come

H2 All things under His feet (Jesus is Lord of all)

H3 Head over all things to the Church (congregation)

I1 Which is His body

I2 The fullness of Him who fills all in all

F2 (...towards us who believe)

B3 Applications

C1 Remember to pray

C2 Remember to be thankful

C3 Remember to increase in knowledge—Bible knowledge

C4 Rest in unfathomable strength and grace

But Satan Hindered Us

But Satan Hindered Us

1 Thessalonians 2:18 WEL Therefore, we would have come to you, even I, Paul, over and over again, but Satan hindered us.

The context shows Satan preventing Paul and his team of evangelists from coming to Thessalonica.

Satan hinders Christians.

He will hinder us from doing God’s will, enjoying God’s peace and joy, knowing the blessings of forgiveness, and confidence in His promises.

We have the potential to be discouraged, troubled, sad, and defeated.

Because satan hinders, we must pray. Prayer should be one of the most important times for our worship whether in church with other believers or by ourself in the field.

Pray will not manipulate God, but it is our worship of thanksgiving for God’s blessings, supporting our fellow believers in trials, asking for wisdom in our everyday issues, and mentioning our sorrows.

We will be hindered, but we can pray.

So pray today for others then yourself. Life is rough.

Ephesians 1:1-14

Chapter 1

Chapter 1:1-14

A1 Scripture

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, (Ephesians 1:1-11 NKJV)

A2 Outline

B1 Intro

C1 Author: Holy Spirit

C2 Writer: Paul

B2 Addressees

C1 God's people in Ephesus

C2 The faithful in Christ Jesus (the rest of us)

A3 Notes: Dealings with God and His people (Christians)

B1 Who has blessed us .

C1 When the lesser blesses, he thanks and praises the greater.

C2 When the greater blesses, it is gifts of many types.

D1 Spiritual blessings

E1 Fruit of the Spirit: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control–against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23, WPNT)

E2 Some blessing listed here

F1 Adoption

F2 Forgiveness of sins

F3 Knowledge of the mystery (The Gospel)

F4 Our gathering together (Unity—God's unity not the worldly unity that is currently preached uniting believers with heretics and apostates).

F5 An inheritance (Heaven and especially fellowship with God).

E3 God himself. (Jesus Christ is the ultimate blessing in this life, because of all He is and is, has, and will do).

D2 Heavenly blessings

B2 He has chosen us.

C1 Meaning of the word

D1 A choosing for Himself.

D2 To pick out as in upon seeing a number of choices, one is picked out. If I went with a brother to a cafe, and he said, "Pick out something on the menu; I'll pay for it," and I picked out the fried ehis word means.

C2 He chose us.

D1 This decision, the plan, was made before the creation of the world.

D2 This decision is God's plan.

D3 This does not seem to involve individuals as much as the group/set consisting of Christians. (Consider corporate election).

D4 Election is different than unconditional election.

E1 Unconditional election, in its various versions, is where God makes His choice of who goes to heaven and who goes to hell. The elect for heaven have no choice in the matter, nor those who are the elect for hell. God does the choosing. (See, Election is, therefore, that decree of God which He eternally makes, by which, with sovereign freedom, He chooses to Himself a people, upon whom He determines to set His love, whom He rescues from sin and death through Jesus Christ, unto Himself in everlasting glory.

This election is sovereign - God's sovereign and free choice. This election is eternal even as God's counsel is eternal. This election is unchangeable even as God's counsel is unchangeable. This election is efficacious so that the decree of election itself is, through Christ, the power by which the elect are actually saved. Source).

E2 Conditional election is, Therefore, election is corporate and embraces individual persons only as they identify and associate themselves with the body of Christ, the true church (Ephesians 1:22-23 and source).

C3 Chose for a purpose.

D1 For us to be holy

D2 And blameless

D3 To be adopted

E1 Sons and daughters of God

E2 Privileges of the family

E3 Possible because of the atoning death of Jesus Christ

E4 2 Corinthians 6:18 WPNT And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the LORD Almighty.”

B3 He predestined us.

C1 Meaning of the word

D1 Plan, though, because of theology it has picked up the meaning of exhaustively determined.

D2 Predetermine in the sense of a decision was determined before the situation that demanded it. So, it is a plan, a decision, that occurred in the past before creation.

D3 It does not mean to pick out an individual and determine him/her to heaven or hell.

D4 I would never chose him for I was dead and could not, but the Holy Spirit opened my eyes and heart to the Gospel and offered me salvation. I could resist or not resist. If God had not predestined me, I would never have believed.

C2 Predestination was done "in love," though "in love" might refer to verse 4 in which it would refer to our love to Him.

C3 Predestination is for adoption not salvation. It was God’s plan.

C4 The good pleasure of His will, that is, this was a happy decision.

C5 It is of grace, which is receiving what we do not deserve.

B4 He has made us accepted in the beloved.

C1 Grace has made us accepted.

C2 Grace is getting what we do not deserve.

C3 We deserve hell, but instead, because of His grace we are accepted, not rejected.

C4 Those who are rejected are those who resisted God's gracious call.

D1 Luke 13:34 EMTV "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!

D2 John 5:40 EMTV But you are unwilling to come to Me, so that you may have life.

B5 We have redemption.

C1 Meaning of the word

D1 Freedom because of something paid.

D2 Deliverance

D3 Jesus suffered and died to pay the penalty of sin.

C2 How

D1 Through His blood. No blood shed, no salvation.

D2 Because of His shed blood, we have forgiveness of sins.

C3 Some cross references

D1 Galatians 3:13-14 EMTV Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree," 14 so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

D2 Colossians 1:13-14 WPNT who delivered us out of the dominion of the darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have the redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins.

D3 Romans 5:6 EMTV For while we were still weak, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

D4 Hebrews 13:12 EMTV Therefore Jesus also, so that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

D5 John 19:30 EMTV Therefore when Jesus received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

B6 His grace is abounded.

C1 Not just a little grace but lots of grace.

C2 Wisdom

D1 Wisdom deals with decision making.

D2 God shows His wisdom in salvation and the plan of salvation.

C3 Prudence

D1 Making a choice with moral insight

D2 Deals with the practical details of how to carry this plan/decision out.

B7 He made known to us the mystery of His will.

C1 The mystery of His will is the Gospel.

D1 1 Timothy 3:16 EMTV And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among [the] Gentiles, believed on in the world, [and] was received up in glory.

D2 t2 Timothy 1:10 EMTV but has now been revealed through the appearance of our Savior Jesus Christ, having abolished death on the one hand, [and] having brought to life immortality through the gospel on the other.

D3 A mystery: what was hidden is now known

C2 He knew the plan but did not reveal it until the time of Jesus on this earth.

D1 This plan was done in

E1 Accordance with His good pleasure (satisfaction, delight)

E2 His plan not a plan put together by others

E3 Psalms 33:11 GNB92 But his plans endure forever; his purposes last eternally.

D2 A plan hatched in justice and love

B8 He will gather us together.

C1 The true unity of believers is not the forced, and we are still a family in the 21st century.

C2 God does this gathering, not some pastor, church, or group of people.

B9 We have an inheritance.

C1 Our main inheritance is God himself.

C2 Jesus shares His inheritance with us (Romans 8:17 CSB - and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him).

C3 Includes

D1 Forgiveness of sins

D2 Heaven

D3 Fellowship with God, holy angels, and God's people

D4 Relief from the sufferings caused by sin.

B10 Applications

C1 God made a plan. He followed that plan.

C2 Jesus always was, is, and will be Messiah.

C3 God’s plan, through Abraham, was to have a physical nation, Israel, and a spiritual nation, the church. When one is born again, they enter the spiritual nation, the church, which is Christ’s body.

C4 We are a family of believers.

C5 We have an inheritance.

C6 We need to preach the Gospel.

1 Peter 3:1-7 and Submission

1 Peter 3:1-7 is often cited by those who wish to control wives. These are those men and pastors who feel a woman needs the strong hand of a man to guide her.

In reality, those types tend to be abusive. Abusive people are evil. There is no love, if there is any abuse.

A careful study of the passage in the plain, normal sense and understanding English language will NOT interpret this passage to dominate women.

The plain sense of Scripture in 1 Peter 3:1-7 shows

• The situation of a Christian wife and non-Christian husband. The situation can be either husband or wife. It refers to one spouse being a Christian and the other is not.
• The nonbeliever will not obey God’s command to repent and believe the Gospel.
• The Christian can then, live the Gospel, by living the Christian life required by Messiah Jesus for both men and women, instead of pleading, perhaps nagging the unbeliever.
• Hopefully, the non-Christian will see the superiority of the Christian life, repent, and believe the Gospel.
• The Apostle reminds the Christian, whether wife or husband, to speak respectfully.
• Be respectful and give honor to each other.
• The Christian (this especially refers to the husband) will not have God answer his prayers, if he treats his wife with any hint of abuse.

In summary:

• A controlling spouse cannot lawfully use this Scripture passage to force the other.
• Word meanings in English have changed. Care must be taken to understand its use.
• God is supreme. He is omniscient and omnisapient. His will and lifestyle is the best.
• We must be of the mindset to do God’s will. To know God’s will, we must study the Bible and pray for wisdom.
• Love your spouse as I have written in other articles about love.

A better translation understanding that the Greek word implies no defiance or resistance: 1 Peter 3:1-7 God’s Word Wives, in a similar way, place yourselves under your husbands' authority. Some husbands may not obey God's word. Their wives could win these men for Christ by the way they live without saying anything. 2 Their husbands would see how pure and reverent their lives are. 3 Wives must not let their beauty be something external. Beauty doesn't come from hairstyles, gold jewelry, or clothes. 4 Rather, beauty is something internal that can't be destroyed. Beauty expresses itself in a gentle and quiet attitude which God considers precious. 5 After all, this is how holy women who had confidence in God expressed their beauty in the past. They placed themselves under their husbands' authority 6 as Sarah did. Sarah obeyed Abraham and spoke to him respectfully. You became Sarah's daughters by not letting anything make you afraid to do good. 7 Husbands, in a similar way, live with your wives with understanding since they are weaker than you are. Honor your wives as those who share God's life-giving kindness so that nothing will interfere with your prayers.

James 5

James Chapter 5

B1 The sins of the rich James 5:1-6

C1 Often trusting in money instead of God

D1 We are offered a choice, who are we going to serve, who are we going to love? Luke 16:13 WEL 13 "No household servant can serve two masters, for he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon."

D2 Money and things have their place and what we have we are to be disciplined with. Luke 16:9-12 WEL 9 "And also I say to you, ‘Make friends for yourselves by the unrighteous Mammon, so that when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.' 10 "He who faithful in what is least is also faithful in much, and he who is unjust in the least is also unjust in much. 11 "Therefore, if you didn't prove to be faithful with unrighteous Mammon, who will trust you with the true [riches]? 12 "If you didn't prove to be faithful in what is another's, who will give you what is your own?

E1 We are to use riches to help others in need. Our priorities.

F1 First, our spouse

F2 Second, our children

F3 The brothers and sisters of our local congregation

F4 Brothers and sisters elsewhere

F5 The unsave

E2 It is not wrong to give riches to those who are proclaiming the Gospel or other missionary work, but we are not to neglect those closer to us.

E3 If we can’t handle money, how can we handle God’s riches.

E4 We need to be faithful to what God has given/allowed us to have.

C2 Often money gotten with ungodly methods (unrighteous Mammon)

C3 Don't pay your employees

C4 Lived in pleasure instead of the fear of God and helping others

C5 Their evil treatment of the just

D1 Condemned

D2 Killed

D3 Note: "He does not resist you." Nonresistance, trusting God instead of war and revenge.

B2 Patience James 5:7-11

C1 The Christian life leads to persecution. This persecution may be spiritual (temptation), emotional, or physical. 2 Timothy 3:12 WEB  Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

C2 Goal: wait for the Lord Jesus to return

C2 Example: Farmer waiting for rain and harvest

C3 While waiting,

D1 Establish your hearts James  5:8

E1 Establish means to be set fast, as in setting a posting in concrete.

E2 A dedication to God and His ways as outlined in His book—the Bible (the New Testament specifically).

D2 Don't spend time complaining about the brethren James 5:9

D3 Endure whatever comes your way

E1 As the prophets of God James 5:10

E2 Job 5:11

B3 False oaths James 5:12

C1 We must learn to tell the truth.

C2 Our "yes" must mean "yes" and our "no" mean "no".

B4 What to do in troubles/afflictions James 5:13-16

C1 Afflicted: Pray

C2 Happy: Sing psalms

C3 Sick: Call for the elders

D1 Pray

D2 Anointing

D3 Prayer

D4 Mutual confession of sins

B5 Praying James 5:17-18

C1 Effectual prayer

D1 Opposite of a dead, formal prayer

D2 Does NOT mean something is guaranteed (a prayer that God HAS to answer. There is no such thing.)

D3 Meets conditions

E1 Confessed sin (including asking forgiveness from those who we sinned against)

E2 Treating wife right (according to what the Bible says is the right way)

E3 Praying in faith (God can answer this prayer)

E4 Leaving the results to God

E5 Content to wait

E6 Not trying to manipulating God (which cannot be done)

C2 Waiting for God's answer

B6 What to do with those who err from the truth James 5:19-20

C1 Point it out

D1 In gentleness

D2 In truth

D3 Remembering that we too are sinners

C2 It's blessing

D1 Save a soul from death. Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves as servants to obedience, his servants you are whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?

D2 Hide a multitude of sins

E1 Comment: they will be forgiven, hidden under the blood of the Lord Jesus

E2 We must preach and live the Gospel for everyone faces 2 deaths—physical and spiritual. The final death is conscious suffering in the Lake of Fire. Revelation 21:8 WEB  But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

E3 Messiah Jesus is the ONLY savior.

F1 2 Peter 2:9 NRSV  then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.

F2 Acts 4:12 WEB  There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”

Our strength, our life, our hope is In Christ Alone