Healing Touch Podcast

A Ministry of Gilead Baptist Church – Taylor, Michigan

 

 Episode #19 Stress Less - Pray More [50:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

TRUE RELIGION
Stress Less – Pray More
James 5:12-16a
Pastor Tom

Introduction: No one receives a free pass concerning stress. How we respond will either make us better or bitter.

I. What Not To Do? – v. 12

• Swear oaths under stress
• Promises we cannot keep
• Humble yes or no is sufficient
• Placing judgment on ourselves

II. What To Do – vv.13-14

• Pray and Praise – Psalm 34
• Seek help: spiritual and physical

III. The Results – V. 15

• Unmovable confidence in God
• The lifting of a burden
• Forgiveness is the Ultimate Healer

IV. The Evidence – v. 16a

• Right with God
• Right with others
• Gods Hand is Stayed, guilt removed

Conclusion: Nowhere is wholeness more evident than when the injured pray for those who have done injury.

 

 Episode #18 Patient Under Pressure [40:05m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

TRUE RELIGION
PATIENT UNDER PRESSURE
James 5:7-11
Pastor Tom

Introduction: It is common to justify a grudge when suffering from the wrong treatment of others – True Religion demands patience.

I. A Farmer’s Patience – vv. 7-8

• Waits for crops to grow
• Trusts for proper rain amounts
• Waits for the proper season
• Expects a harvest – purpose and faith unwavering

II. An Impatient Grumbler – v. 9

• Bitter over perceived advantages of others.
• Ready to fight at any slight.

III. Old Examples – vv. 10-11

• The Prophets were tried and showed patience.
• Job – The model of patient suffering.

Conclusion: The Lord is merciful to those who suffer patiently.

 

 Episode #17 Relief of Revenge - Your Choice [52:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

TRUE RELIGION
RELIEF OR REVENGE – YOUR CHOICE
James 5: 3b-7a
Pastor Tom

Introduction: For good reason some dread the return of Christ yet others rejoice. Which group represents us?

I. Those that hoard – v. 3b

• For ostentation or luxury
• Pagans thought for use in future life

II. Withholding what’s due – v. 4

• Wealth is indebted to laborers
• Paying the fair equivalent
• Settling the books

III. Hedonism – v. 5.

• Indulgence of the senses
• Luke 12:16-21
• Inconsistent with God’s purposes to be profitable and useful
• Fattened for judgment

IV. Oppressing the Just – v. 6

• Wearing out under a system of oppression, injustice and fraud

Conclusion: V.7a – Enduring until deliverance from God; Matt. 5:38-41; 43-48

 

 Episode #16 An 18 Karat Dilemma [39:26m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

TRUE RELIGION
An 18 Karat Dilemma
James 5:1-3
Pastor Cook

Introduction: Your ship is going down and you can take one of two things: 50lbs of gold or a life vest. Which would you choose?

I. Rich Man/ Poor Man

• James speaks like an Old Testament prophet
• The historical setting – Very Rich/Very Poor
• The fall of Jerusalem yet to come
• Everybody loses

II. The Rebuke – v. 1

• This is not a socialistic doctrine
• The Bible does not condemn money
• Jesus taught about money and riches

III. The Description and Result – vv. 2-3

• The failure of wealth is a witness against you
• They heaped treasure they could never use
• Let it rot!
• A shadow of future judgment

Conclusion: As Christians we must:

• See a mutual sympathy between capital and labor
• Avoid debt like we avoid the Devil
• Use wealth wisely, not self-indulgently

 

 Episode #15 The Best Laid Plans [49:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

TRUE RELIGION
The Best Laid Plans
James 4:13-17
Thomas Downs

Introduction: A life plan founded only upon the shifting sand of this life brings no security whatsoever.

I. The problem with presumption – vv. 13-14

• The uncertainties of life – v. 14a
• The frailty of life – v. 14b; Job 7:7; Psalm 78:39

II. The problem with self-reliance – v. 16

• Assuming we know the future
• Assuming we have control

III. Life worth Living – v. 15

• Dependence on God
• Conformity to His will – v. 17

Conclusion: We can do well in life if we allow God to control our plans.

 

 Episode #14 Recovering Lost Treasure [41:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

True Religion
Recovering Lost Treasure
James 4:6-12
Pastor Tom

Introduction: Part of the Grace God gives to the humble includes Specific spiritual life instructions to recover the treasure pride causes us to lose. – v. 6

1. Submit to God– v. 7a
2. Resist the Devil – v. 7b
3. Draw close to God – v. 8a
4. Cleanse hands and heart – v. 8b
5. Mourn over sin – v.9
6. Humble Yourself – v. 10
7. One lawgiver – vv. 11-12

Conclusion Allowing God to “save” what we cast off as mere frail mortals is the only legitimate life pattern.

 

 Episode 13 Troubled Thinking [47:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

TRUE RELIGION
TROUBLED THINKING
James 4:1- 6
Pastor Tom

Introduction: Have you ever thought about or uttered this phrase: “what were you thinking?”

I. Results of worldly thinking – vv. 1-5

• Wars and fights brought on by lust – v.1
• Neglect to pray equals doing without – v. 2
• Self motivated prayer – v. 3
• Fitting into this world – v. 4
• Envy for everyone and everything – v. 5

II. Oh, for Grace! – v. 6

• To restrain wrong passions and thoughts
• Proverbs 3:34; I Peter 5:5
• Resistance in providence, sickness , the grave and salvation
• Shows favor to the humble

Conclusion: The humble know their need welcome Gods teaching and have the state of mind to hear from God: His Love.

 

 Episode 12 Teaching Tools [42:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

TRUE RELIGION
Teaching Tools
James 3:13-18
Pastor Tom

Introduction: As students we remember less about what our teachers taught us and more about who are teachers were.

I. Needed Qualifications – v. 13

• Wisdom and knowledge
• Consistent life with calm though firm sentiments – Phil. 1:27

II. Disqualifiers vv. 14-16

• Ambition and contention – v. 14a
• Boasting of your qualifications –v14b
• If the whole truth about you were known – v 14c
• Worldly wisdom brings strife and contention and worldly knowledge leads to self conceit – v. 15; I Cor. 3:3
• Unsettled and distrusting passions makes progress and community impossible – v. 16

III. The Spirit of Character – vv. 17-18

• Pure – of mind, sincere, candid, free
• Peaceable – inoffensive, upright
• Gentle – moderate, patient, disciplined
• Entreated – easily persuaded, compliant
• Mercy – compassionate to others
• Impartial – equal justice to all
• Without Hypocrisy – no disguise or mask

Conclusion: The wise, knowledgeable teachers sow seeds of the Gospel of Peace and it brings contentment to the harvest.

 

 Episode 11 Accountable Teachers [50:18m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

True Religion
Accountable Teachers
James 3:1-12
Pastor Tom

Introduction: Although we are justifiably thrilled when God raises up teachers of His Word, James reminds us it is not a calling for everyone.

I The Caution – v.1

• A stricter accounting
• The weight of words

II The Potential – vv. 2-12

• To offend – v. 2a
• To guide and direct – vv. 2b-4
• To influence and wield power – vv. 5-6
• To sow discord and opposition – vv. 7-9
• To encourage or destroy – vv. 10-11

Conclusion: v. 12 To be a teacher without the proper character, qualifications of wisdom, prudence and discretion will be revealed by the tongue.

 

 Episode 10 The Result of Faith: Works [40:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

TRUE RELIGION
THE RESULT OF FAITH: WORKS
James 2: 21-26
Pastor Tom

Introduction: How will the ___________ know that we are in the faith if our life is not holy?

I. What True Religion Produces– vv 21-24

• Offered Isaac long ______________ belief – v 21, Hebrews 11:17
• Resulting co-operation of faith and works – v 22
• “Made ____________’ – to complete or finish
• Confirmation of Abraham’s faith – v 23, Gen.15: 3-6
• Intimacy of friendship – trust and obedience
• Real faith produces_______________– v 24

II. Faith is _______________ – vv 25-26

• Rahab put her neck on the line. v 25
• She ____________with God’s people and against her profession – Heb.11:31
• The breath of life – our soul – v 26a
• The breath of faith – our ____________ – v 26b

Conclusion: Only faith can_____________ a sinner. The faith that justifies leads to a holy life. We are to guard against self righteousness and abuse of grace (antinomianism).