OUTLINE:

The Inevitable Truth
The flesh is forever implacable. It breeds malcontent by never being satisfied with the grace of God.

Familiarity’s Plague
Life is a miracle that we are way too familiar with. We take things for granted, losing sight of the fact that life abounds all around us.

1Pe 3:18
For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.

Only God has the power to save man.
Man does not save man…not himself, nor others, by “doing” this or that.

“The Bible Is God’s Testimony”
Do not be “open-minded” about your faith, my dear fellow believers. Know that Holy Scripture is just that, holy! Do not be deceived or pressured into thinking that you are inferior in your righteous posture about the inerrancy of the Bible and its divine Author. Do not apologize for the fruit of your faith.

Living In Fear, Not Freedom
It’s an awful thing to think that the God who supposedly saves you isn’t interested in giving you the assurance of such a thing; yet, that is precisely how most so-called “Christians” live.

The Miracle of Rebirth
Why does a religious “Christian” not understand the concept of being “born again” when it is something that Jesus said (ref:  Jn 3)? Answer:  human rationalism is not true faith.

Loosed From Sovereignty
A person who dismisses the Bible as the very Word of God is then able to supplant God with themselves. After all, if the Bible isn’t God’s word, then where can one find it (e.g. existentialism)?

The True God
God is both love and wrath. Neither facet is present in His essence without the other. Only the human flesh is offended by the wrath of God.

God Breaks Hearts
We are so sympathetic to “broken hearts”; just consider the number of songs written about the topic. God has no problem breaking man’s heart, for his heart is wretched by nature.

God Breaks Hearts
A broken heart isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, it’s the first thing God does for an unbeliever in his salvation.

Php 2:16
holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

Sanctification
Any time there’s godly “movement” in our lives, under the power of the Word and the Spirit, we may rightly say that it is a part of our sanctification.

Misinterpreting the Book of James
A LOT of so-called “Christians” misinterpret the Book of James. Why?…because, deep down, they WANT to! The flesh LOVES religion (aka human good works to satisfy God’s justice/righteousness)! Why?…because the Cross is foolishness to the the flesh!

Power In the Book of James
What we see is NOT the power of man through his own faith; what WE see is the power of God through the faith He has given us! The prior is legalism/religion, the latter is grace.

“able to save your souls”
God uses the “word implanted”, not only to save us from the penalty of sin, but also from the power of sin. He uses it not only to save us from damnation, but also from damage in this life.

Power In the Book of James
What we see is NOT the power of man through his own faith; what WE see is the power of God through the faith He has given us! The prior is legalism/religion, the latter is grace.

What the Apostles Lacked
- Understanding (e.g.,Mt 16:15-23; Lk 18:31-34; Ac 1:1-9)
- Humility (e.g., Mt 20:20ff; Mk 9:33-35)
- Faith (e.g., Mt 16:5-11)
- Commitment (e.g., Lk 5:11; 22:31ff)
- Power (e.g. Mt 17: 16-17; Jn 20:22-23; Ac 1:8)