Bible Roulette - Part 3 - James Chapter 1 [The Bride of Christ]

This is a place where we talk about the bible. Jason Ryan Smurzynski looks into the Word of the Lord and just like you, desires to know what is actually going on. The Holy Spirit will open your ears to hear the truth and your minds to understand scripture. Together we will explore portions of the Bible that you don't normally hear at Sunday service at church. The veil will be lifted and the mystery of Jesus Christ will be explained.
Your invited to be The Bride of Christ.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:16

What's up, guys? Dark Desert Highway here with another edition of Bible Roulette Part Three. And this time I grabbed the Bible and wherever my finger was, I opened up the book and it landed on James. And it's interesting, this subject of keeping yourself from sin, applying the word of God instead of my own desires. It's interesting that this would come up because over the holidays I had so many opportunities to do whatever I wanted. And I wanted it. My body wanted it, my mind wanted it, my flesh wanted it, but I just wouldn't give in. I it's just not who I am anymore. And that's not what I do. So by practicing the discipline of being obedient to the Lord through my behavior. Alright, let's just start reading. Let's start reading. Maybe the word will spark a fire. James chapter one verse one. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad, greetings. Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. Consider it joy whenever you experience various trials. Because you know that the testing of your faith. So our faith is established. It's something that I have in practice. It's already there. My faith is in the Lord, my faith is in his word. I agree that what the Lord says is what I should do. More than just knowing the word, I am applying the word, and something is coming against me, against the word of the Lord, saying, Do this instead. Do something for yourself. And in order to develop endurance, we must stand in our faith. The testing of my faith produces endurance and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. So we're talking about spiritual maturity. Our faith is already an element that is standing solidly in our lives. I know this. And I know this more than I know anything else. This is fact for me. And against my faith, I am going to have opportunities to do whatever I want. And I must stand strong in my faith. And what that produces as an effect to my standing is endurance. And let endurance have its full effect so that you may be mature and complete, and I will lack nothing. It's an interesting thing being connected to the creator because he has everything. There is nothing that he lacks, not because he is wealthy, but because he creates wealth. It flows from him. It is not a hard thing for him to produce what we need because even the world was created by the word of his mouth. So he lacks nothing. And in my faith, in the endurance of standing strong in my faith, I will be mature, I will be complete, and I will lack nothing, because I have solidified my relationship with the Lord in faithfulness. And that bond that I have between myself and him, that he has created, that bond is strengthened. And when I'm connected to him, I lack nothing. Even though I may not have what I need in the moment, he is aware of my needs, like a father is aware of his child's needs. And even though, as a parent, I don't give my children everything that they're going to need for their entire life all at once, I supply them with what they need in the moment, and even special gifts of things that they don't really necessarily need, but I know that they enjoy. So we are connected to the one who has everything, and like a parent, we receive from him what we need because our needs are known by him, and we also get things that we ask for in our relationship with him, if just like a parent, he ever received something that I don't necessarily need for life, but I am provided for, maybe even just for a way to enjoy my time. And do I attribute these gifts that they have come from the Lord? Let's continue to read. 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. But it's highlighted here that if we lacked the wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given to him. Solomon did something pretty interesting when he was in God's presence. He asked for the understanding to rule, the wisdom to rule God's people, to govern God's people, and God thought that this was such a wonderful request that he gave it to Solomon. But the wonderful thing was that in the face of having an opportunity to ask anything, Solomon asked for wisdom. And God was pleased with his answer. I have personally asked for understanding of God's word. I want to hear his word plainly, as if somebody was explaining something to a child, so that I may understand the fundamental principles of my faith and be able to apply it in my daily life because I know that a relationship with the Lord is more valuable than any other question or that I could ask. I don't want money, I don't want uh, you know, uh I don't want long life, I don't want to, you know, any of these things. What I want is I want I want to understand God's word. So in a way, I'm asking for wisdom. Because I know that I am connected to the one who has everything, that everything belongs to, everything belongs to the Lord. The whole earth is his and everything in it. So all I need to be is connected to him, and it's my relationship with him and my consistent effort into applying God's word in my life where I grow up. Now if any of you lacked wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, being double minded and unstable in all his ways. I want to look up something real quick, but I'm not connected to the internet. I know that there is a proverb that says why is there, and I'm paraphrasing right here, why is there in the pri why is there you know what? I can I can Google it right here on my phone Why is there a price in a man's hand when he does not Proverbs seventeen sixteen Let's look at this real quick Proverbs seventeen sixteen Why does a fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom? New living translation it is senseless to pay to educate a fool since he has no heart for learning. Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense? Wisdom is free for us. The Lord, it it says right here. So as an example of what okay, look, here's the example. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all grinners generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given to him. At the on the same on the opposite side of the coin, why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense? So wisdom to us is a free item. God has given us the permission in this scripture to ask for wisdom, but if you don't have the heart to apply it, then even if you brought money with you, why what what good is it gonna be if your heart is not in to apply it to your life? So I could understand all the things that I need to understand spiritually, but if it's just a knowledge of the word and not the application of the word in my life, then why am I asking to for this understanding? If I want to understand just to understand, but I don't have the heart to apply it, then why am I asking in the first place? Even though it's a free thing for me, okay, 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. But let him ask in faith without doubting, for the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, being double minded and unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his exaltation, but let the rich boast in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. So those of us of humble circumstances should boast in his exaltation when he is able to raise himself to a higher level, but the rich in contrast should boast of his humiliation, his humility, because he will pass away like the flower of the field. For the sun rises and together with the scorching wind dries up the grass, its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance perishes. In the same way the rich person will wither away while pursuing his activities. So like the grass of the field, we are but a moment in time. Twelve, blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. So I will face these trials. It's become evident to me that since I had set my heart to obey the Lord, that temptation has not gone away. I continually find myself with a desire to do the things that I used to do. And I don't think it's gonna go away. And some of these things are evil things. You know, I want to smoke weed, um, I want to drink, I might want some drugs, I want women, I want pornography, I want to masturbate, uh, I want to run out into the night and see what happens. I might want to steal. I might want to do many, many different things without any bridle, without holding back anything. I might just want to rush into sin. And I have these feelings of moments where I am reminded of my previous behavior and I see great opportunities to continue doing those things in my life. The difference is that I am standing still. Even if these things that I want, that I had a relationship with, that I cultivated and became very good at, even in hiding them. So not only may I have an opportunity to do them, but I have an opportunity to hide them from those faces because I have made it known that I am standing my ground, and the last thing that I would want would be for somebody to see me fall. So I'd need to cover it up, but there are no secrets. I am, even if I was to hide it from another man or a family member or something like that, I am still before the eyes of the Lord. See, and that's the thing that's changed for me is that this isn't just me and you in a room, and I go into another room and close the door and do something that I don't want you to know about. It's not like that. And and the separation of the walls keeps the knowledge of what I'm doing away from your eyes or ears, or you know. Um, but imagine if there were no walls and there was no room to go into, and you had to do whatever you're gonna do in front of everybody else, and they're watching, right? That's what it feels like for me. It feels like I'm in a crowded room in front of everyone's eyes, and there is no hiding what I do. Let's continue. No one undergoing a trial should say, I am being tempted of God, since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn't tempt anyone, but each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death. So don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights who does not change like shifting shadows. By his own choice he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. So let's get something straight right here. No one undergoing a trial should say, I'm being tempted by God, since God is not tempted by evil and he himself doesn't tempt anyone. But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by what? His own evil desires. Are demons and they're awake twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, they don't sleep, they don't eat, and they're pissed. They are on a path of life that has a sure end, and while they're here, they will attempt to make every effort to learn us and our behaviors and those things that we like to practice to do. Because when you do evil things, you do it in front of the host of heaven, angels and demons. You're doing these things in the eyes of demons, and they are learning you, they are learning what you chase after and your likes and your dislikes, and they are whispering into your ears the opportunities to have those things that you secretly desire, and they encourage it, they encourage you because what would be better than to see a man fall, and especially one that belongs to the Lord, but we must keep ourselves from practicing those things in the eyes of heaven, okay? So every everybody is watching. There are no secrets, there is no door that you can shut and go behind. So what you're doing is you're practicing this in the eyes of angels and demons, and you're practicing these things in the eyes of the Lord who knows all things. But here's the difference. Here's the difference. You shouldn't be saying that I am tempted by God, because God is not tempted by evil and doesn't attempt and doesn't tempt anyone, but each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. And then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death. Don't be deceived, brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the Lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. So we must know that our own temptation is our own desire, and that it is not a thing from the Lord to be tempted. Um but we are given a way out as the opportunity to sin presents itself, so will an exit. So will the way out present itself. And you have to make a choice. So what are we doing every time we sin? We're inviting death into our life. In fifteen, then after the desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. Here's the life cycle of sin. It gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death. So when we involve ourselves in sin, it gives birth to its sinful self and grows up through practice, and then by practicing it, it grows over time, and eventually, in its full maturity, when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to your own death. It gives birth to death. So when I sin, I am playing with death. And sin when it is fully grown is death. Don't be deceived. 19. My dear brothers and sisters, understand this. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. For human anger does not accomplish God's righteousness. Therefore, ridding yourself of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word which is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror, for he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer who works, this person will be blessed in what he does. So our faith is what our foundation is. Our faith is in the Lord. Romans 10, 9 and 10. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. That is the foundation of faith. And that faith stands on its own. It is a work of faith. It is not a work of works, it is a free gift, our life in him, our salvation in him. But we are held responsible to be obedient to his commands. To be what? To be mature, to be mature Christians. So these aren't things of an elementary sort where we're first learning about our faith in the Lord. These are things for the mature in faith who have practiced God's word and found it to be true and stand firm in their faith. They stand in their faith in the Lord so much so that they have changed their lives in order to reflect God's word in humility by saying that God is true. His words are just and righteous and good, and they should be the practice of our life. Be doers of the word and not hearers only. Don't think that this has an effect that if I work, I will attain salvation. Salvation was a free gift, but we are able to build upon the foundation of the Lord in our lives by adding wood, hay, stubble, gold, silver, and these spiritual additions to the foundation that will be the house are God's words. And so here's another good opportunity to build upon the foundation of faith in 22, verse 22, be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourself that if I know something, I am okay. It's not just the knowledge, it's the application of the knowledge where we find wisdom hiding. Wisdom is in the application of God's word. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror, for he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it and is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the works, a doer who works, this person will be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself. Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep one's self unstained from the world. So here are great examples of what religion truly is, to look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself unstained from the world. So here is what I've noticed about myself since I have taken a I have taken the most determined path I have ever taken in my life before. I have determined in myself that I will obey, that I will humble myself before the Lord. And because I know his word, I will apply the word when I see an opportunity to apply the word, to give up my sin, I surrender. I surrender. White flag is out, I give up. But here's what I've noticed about this walk. Now that I have become so determined to anchor myself to the Lord and be obedient to his word, is that sin and temptation is not going to stop bothering me. It is going to be something that confronts me every day. And as far as I'm concerned, if somebody was to have an intimate knowledge of my sin, like demons would, they would be able to present to me the most prepackaged form of my sin, to where it would only take a moment of fault to completely reinvest myself into the experience of my sin. And maybe I'm being just a little bit too spiritual. Maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm broken. Maybe I'm broken in a way that can't be fixed. The penalty for what I've done has been paid through the life and death of Jesus Christ and his resurrection, proving who he was. The penalty has been paid. But the brokenness that I still see in myself is there. I'm still a broken man. And like I said before, man, I have had a relationship with my sin. I practiced it. So just by saying, okay, no more, and by standing in the word of the Lord, I have not yet seen an end to the to the opportunities that I have to just jump right back in the boat and keep going down the same path that I've practiced for years. What I practice now is standing. Right? Standing firm. That even though that thought comes into my head, that's just not who I am anymore. I'm sorry, sir, but I I don't subscribe to that magazine anymore. That's over. It's done. And especially from such a young point in this walk, I mean, I have only been doing this since December of 2020. So since the end of December of 2020, I have taken a stand in the Word of the Lord and have humbled myself before Him by giving up my sin. And what I'm experiencing now is a new thing that I've never experienced before. And that is that the idea of entertaining my sin has not left me. It's just not something that I do anymore. And this became really real to me. I mean, it's it's obviously it's real to me, but going back and being with my family over the holiday season and being with those people that I was with when I was in my sin, it brought back memories of being sinful, and you know, I mean, dude, all it takes is all it takes is for me to say yeah, but that's not what I'm doing. I'm saying no, no, thank you. That's not the life I want anymore, and so what it's doing is what I found in James chapter one, verse three. Because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its full effect so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. So this is where I am at in my special, I mean in my in my spiritual walk. I am at the place of the testing of my faith by all the previous sins that I had prepared and played out in my life. And I am so invested in saying yes, Lord, and no to myself, that the consequence of this must be endurance.