James Reed's FORGE

What do a horse bit, a boat rudder, and a fire place all have in common? How does this relate to our control over our speech? To find answers to these and other questions, you're just going to have to listen to this episode of James Reed's FORGE.

“Belief” is not enough.  While a belief in the one true and living God is good, we’re reminded even demons know this. This doesn’t mean they’re saved. I’m reminded of Romans 10:10, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness: and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” The Amplified Bible further defines this belief as “adheres to, trusts in, and relies on.”  This is an absolute trust in God for salvation, not a mere admission of His reality. It’s a deep confidence, not just acknowledgement. True repentance is whole heartedly trusting in Christ for salvation and is born out of the realization of what He’s done for His people. This understanding is what causes the sinner to turn away from and actually lose his appetite for sin! Good works spring from a growing love of Christ. These are the kind of works which demonstrate a real saving faith. If someone says they have faith there should be deeds which reflect its life.

Our study in the Book of James has covered several "tests". We have the "Test of Faith" from chapter 1, but we also mentioned the "Test of Obedience" and the "Test of True Religion". Now, as we take a look at James Chapter 2, we will see the "Test of Brotherly Love".

What is the test of true religion?

In this episode we take a look at LSD- Lust, Sin, and Death.

How can a person find joy in trials? We are to see a trial as an opportunity for development in us. If we really desire to be all God wants us to be, we will look forward to the outcome, and thus endure the time of testing with joy. James 1:3-4 lets us know the trial will work patience and from patience will come a wholeness and maturity which is gained no other way. “Trials can be faced with joy because infused with faith, perseverance results, and if perseverance goes full-term it will develop a thoroughly mature Christian who lacks nothing” (Blue, J. Ronald. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Colorado Springs, CO, David C. Cook, 1983). God is sovereign and God is good. If there was any other way to produce what He desires in me without the pain of a testing, He would grant it. But He knows me better than I know myself; there is no short-cut. The trial must come. Jesus focused upon the joy set before Him and endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2). Knowing this, we can face the trial with pure joy. Bring it!

Who wrote the Book of James? Why does it matter? What is a bondservant? Why does James talk about works? Isn't salvation free? These and other questions will be answered as we jump into The Epistle of James.

There are several things which are interesting about the Book of Jonah. First, it is a fantastic story. This does not make it unbelievable or a work of fiction by any means, but its phenomenal claims actually add to its authenticity. Indeed, its placement within the canon of Scripture begs the question, “Why include something like this if it was not a true story?” Second, this book has more to do with the condition of the prophet and God’s love and discipline for him than it does with his actual prophecy.  Finally, Jonah holds the distinction of being the only Old Testament preacher called specifically to Gentiles.

The word “sea” only appears in the first chapter. It appears in verses 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 13, and 15. The plural appears in chapter 2. It is natural for those familiar with the story of Jonah to first think of the great fish prepared for Jonah, the boat trip to Tarshish, and the sea; however, after Jonah’s prayer in chapter 2, the word “sea” is not mentioned again. At the risk of reading too much into this passage, I find it very comforting that once I repented of my sins and decided to follow Jesus no matter where He would lead, my tumultuous sinful past (the raging sea from which I was saved) is never brought up again.

There is more to be seen in this story also when taken on the whole. Jonah means “dove”.  How fitting indeed that a man called to preach coming destruction to a pagan culture has such a name! But, does this not speak of the peace being offered by God—even to Gentiles? The parallels continue. Through Jonah’s experience, one can see Israel’s past, present, and future. Israel was intended to be a witness for God to the Gentiles; so was Jonah. Israel became jealous that God should offer grace to Gentiles; so did Jonah. Just as Jonah was thrown into the sea, Israel was thrown into the world. As he was swallowed by a great fish but not digested, the Jews were swallowed by other nations yet never lost their national identity. Finally, as Jonah was placed back on to dry land, so will Israel be returned in full to the land which God promised. 

The final chapter finds an angry Jonah (who knew that God was full of grace and mercy) asking to die rather than see God’s salvation toward these brutal Gentiles (Jon. 4:1-3). In these final verses one finds the true lesson of God’s sovereignty. He is sovereign over all—even Gentiles. God gives mercy to whom He will; how sad that God’s prophet had more pity upon a plant than for 120,000 children (they did not know left from right) and the livestock of the country (Jon. 4:11). As Jesus communicated to Nicodemus in John 3, God’s plan was always international in scope.

This is the final part of our study through Jonah 4. If salvation is free, then why does it appear from Scripture that the Ninevites were saved because God saw their good works? 

God's lesson for Jonah is...? In this podcast we will discuss more of Jonah's prayer time. This prayer is very different than the one prayed by Jonah from the belly of a great fish. This is a chapter which shows that God had a plan all along. We also discover that Jonah knew of God's plan and we see that Jonah really did not want God's plan-- even after preaching God's truth.