LHIM Weekly Bible Teaching

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Vince Finnegan”]

The Epistle was probably the first written after Jesus’ ascension and before Paul revealed the mystery. Many themes correspond with the Sermon on the Mount. First sent to the Christian Jews who dispersed from Israel into Asia Minor, this letter contains many practical concepts of truth which are applicable to all believers.

Three vital principles we will focus on are: 1) trials can strengthen our relationship with God; 2) personal accountability; and 3) we must do the word, not just hear it.

1:1-2   Trials are something that test a person’s endurance or forbearance. This is translated in the KJV and in the NASB in verse 13 as temptation or tempted. Two major types are tribulation (John 16:33; Romans 8:35) and lust (James 1:14-15).

Every time we resist trials by seeking God’s help, we strengthen our relationship with Him, thereby causing joy.

3-4   “Perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” are 3 ways of saying the same thing.

5   James 3:13-17 – Two different kinds of wisdom

6   Godly faith is always founded upon God’s words, written or revelation.

8   Double-mindedness is switching back and forth between human wisdom and God’s wisdom, just like the waves of the sea.

9-11   The poor tend toward humility, and the rich toward pride. Even the rich will face the humiliation of death (Psalm 49). God works with the humble but resists the proud. James 4:6-10; 1 Peter 5:5

12   Those who persevere under trial will receive the crown of life (zoe). Romans 8:35-39

15   One of the great keys to Christian living is personal accountability. People, nor circumstances, nor situations determine our inner life. We do by how we respond. The great deception we all face is believing that outside things determine our inside realities. Consider Jesus on the cross, Paul in Acts 16, and Philippians 1.

17   Father of lights – Psalm 36:9; No variation or shifting shadow. Deuteronomy 32:3-4; Lamentations 3:22-23

18-21   Anger does not bring God’s righteousness; the implanted word does.

22-27   Be doers, not hearers only. If your knowledge of God does not result in love for God and love for others, something is not right.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Jerry Wierwille”]

We are created to be in relationship!

Genesis 2:15-18

From the very beginning, God saw that humankind needed companionship. For Adam, that was found in his wife, Eve. But our desire for relationships extends to every aspect of life. We desire to be in relationship with our family (parents, siblings, and children), with our friends, co-workers, and especially with those in our church (i.e. our

Our earthly relationships are influenced and ordered according to our heavenly relationships, and our earthly relationships are to be a reflection of our

1 John 1:3

1 John 4:19-21

How we perceive and function in our heavenly relationships with God and the Lord Jesus directly affects our manner of living out our earthly relationships. We cannot have a healthy relationship on only one side. How we behave on one side affects the other, and vice versa.

Our relationship with God is the most important relationship.

The foundation of all relationships in life is our relationship with God. The fulness of life and relationships with one another cannot be attained and experienced apart from a vital and healthy relationship with God.

James 4:8

Having our relationship with God as the basis for understanding how to have healthy relationships with others sets a standard that allows us to know why we are to love and treat others with respect, compassion, and grace.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]

Romans 8:12   As a believer who has received God’s spirit, you are no longer obligated to live according to the flesh (Ephesians 2:1-3).  You have a choice!

Romans 8:13   Living according to the flesh means dying; killing the flesh by the spirit means living.  This is the ongoing fight you must stay vigilant in combating day after day, year after year.  Stagnation, complacency, and backsliding are not merely inconvenient, annoying, or troubling, but deadly.  How long can a plant last when separated from

Romans 8:14   Is the spirit of God leading you?  Do you see the spirit moving in your life, or are you living according to the flesh?

Romans 8:15   God does not seek to enslave us.  He does not send us a spirit of slavery leading to fear, but a spirit of adoption, making us His own children.  Without this, we are already enslaved, sold into bondage to sin (Romans 7:14-19).  The way of escape is not merely a matter of will, but of God’s supernatural empowerment through His spirit (Galatians 5:17).

Romans 8:16   At your very core, who are you?  In what or whom do you find your identity?  Is it in some special talent, your looks, or someone important you know?  No matter how successful, attractive, wealthy, or powerful you are, your identity is stable and secure only when found in God’s extravagant love for you in making you His own child.  Everything else is too fragile and susceptible to collapse.  What’s more, your adoption into God’s family qualifies you for a glorious inheritance in the coming Kingdom!

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”John Cortright”]

2 Corinthians 2:17 – ESV (English Standard Version)

When thinking of “creation,” one often thinks of the Genesis creation.  Throughout Scripture, God hints at a new creation.  Ps 102:15-18; 104:29-30; Is 65:17

1 Peter 3:5-13

Christ is central to this new creation.  He paid the price for man’s redemption.  He is the first fruits – the first to be raised from the dead (1 Co 15:21-23).  He is the firstborn from the dead, the beginning, the firstborn of creation (Col 1:15, 18).  Compare Revelation 1:5 with Revelation 3:14.  Jesus is not the beginning of the Genesis creation.  He is the beginning of the new creation, the church of the first born (He 12:22-24).  Jesus entered into this new life and is seated at the right hand of God (Eph 1:19-23).

When we believe in Jesus, we are sealed with the holy spirit of promise, a pledge of our future inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14).  It is a new creation!  We can choose to live according to this new life in Christ (Ephesians 4:21-24).

Colossians 3:1-4

Jesus preached about living for the age to come.  Lu 18:29-30; Lu 14:12-14;

These verses make sense when you understand the new creation.  Heb 11:13; 12:2; Phi 3:11, 20-21

2 Corinthians 4:13-18; 5:1-17

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Jerry Wierwille”]

The world is in a process of continual change. The sun rises and falls each day, and we grow older with each passing year. Our lives also consist of many seasons and times of change. Whether it is relationships, family, job, home, hobbies, etc. Almost every stage of life is associated with major change. But also, sometimes those changes need to come about because something is not right and needs to be addressed. Sometimes it is necessary to hit reset!

Reset #1

GOD — Genesis 6:1-13

God saw that humanity was not progressing in ways that were righteous and that would produce a world of people who would be in a relationship with Him. So, He decided to start over.

Illustration: Fallacy of Sunk Cost

Reset #2

JOSIAH and ISRAEL — 2 Kings 22:1-23:20

When Josiah was presented with the Book of the Law, he realized that he and the people of Israel were not honoring the Lord in the ways that they should. Perceiving this error, Josiah immediately instituted a reform to bring God’s people into alignment with His covenant.

Illustration: Soft Reset vs. Hard Reset

Reset #3

PAUL — Acts 9:1-20

After the Lord Jesus appeared to Paul, he was confronted with the reality of what he had worked so hard to destroy. It took immense humility for him to do a complete reversal of all he had stood for and dedicated himself toward previously.

Challenge and Application: “What keeps us from hitting reset in life when we should?”

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]

Throughout Scripture we find examples of those who fell away from their obedience to God and then came back.  Doing so requires honesty, repentance, and accepting

2 Chronicles 33:1-6   Manasseh was not only the longest reigning king of Judah, but also the worst of all time.  He built high places to worship Baal, installed an altar to the host of heaven in the temple courtyard, and even burned his children as sacrifices.

2 Chronicles 33:7-10   Then Manasseh took it one step further and put an idol right in the temple itself.  He carried out more evil in his reign than the nations that God had evicted from the land before Israel arrived.  God tried to reach wicked Manasseh, but he wouldn’t listen.

2 Chronicles 33.11-13   Even though Manasseh had done so much evil for so long, when he humbled himself and prayed, God forgave him and restored him.  This shows us the extravagant capacity of God’s forgiveness.  If He will forgive an evil man who burned his children alive in a pagan sacrifice, He can forgive you—if you will humble yourself and pray (Ezekiel 33:10-11; 2 Peter 3:9).

2 Samuel 11:1-5   David gave into his lustful desires and committed adultery with Bathsheba.  This sin was particularly treacherous because her husband and father played important roles in defending David’s reign.

2 Samuel 11:6-27   When David’s deceptive plots failed to manipulate Uriah into thinking the child was his own, he premeditated Uriah’s murder, sending instructions to the commander by Uriah’s own hand.

2 Samuel 12:1-14   Nathan confronted David by telling a parable about a wealthy person who stole his poor neighbor’s ewe lamb.  Instead of defending himself or executing Nathan, he repented of his sin.  (See Psalm 51.)

2 Corinthians 7:8-10   Godly grief produces repentance, leading to salvation.  If we confess, He is faithful to forgive and cleanse (1 John 1:9).  Still, we must accept His forgiveness and come back to Him.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Vince Finnegan”]

John 1:35-42 Faith begins when we “come and see.”

Luke 5:1-10 Faith grows as we do what our Lord tells us to do. Faith grows with practice.

Mark 1:29-34 Peter brought Jesus to his home. Faith grows as we incorporate it into our home life, school, job, and social life. Matthew 14:22-33 Get out of the boat! Try the things of God, and see if they are true and if they work.

Matthew 16:22-28 Accept that faith is a never-ending growing process with ups and downs. No matter what happens, stand your ground in knowing God is always on the throne and Jesus is your Lord.

John 18:19 – Matthew 26:73-75 Fear makes cowards of us all. Fear makes us do things we do not want to do and prevents us from doing the things we want to do. Stop running away from your fear; rather, run into it.

Acts 4:1-13 Peter became fearless when filled with the holy spirit and his focus was off self.

Galatians 2:11-14 Fear is an ongoing struggle.

2 Peter 2:15-18 Peter was not perfect nor are you, but he was pliable.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”John Cortright”]

Throughout our days, our years, our lives, no matter what the circumstance, God is in control.  All things were designed for His purpose.

Revelation 4:8-11

Job 14:1-2; Psalm 90:1-12; 39:4-5; 144:3-4

Psalm 62:5-9

Psalm 31:1-13

Psalm 31:14-15

Where are we in the course of human history?   When will Christ return?  It is in God’s hand.  The Father alone knows the day and hour. Mat 24:36; Mar 13:32-33; Acts 1:7; 1 The 5:1-6; 2 Pet 3:8-14

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]The post Resilience first appeared on Living Hope.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Vince Finnegan”]

Matthew 1:1-17 – Genealogy of miracles

Abraham and Sara were past the age of having children. Romans 4:16-21

Isaac and Rebekah – She was barren; Isaac prayed. Genesis 25:21

Rebekah prayed, saw a vision. Genesis 25: 22-23

Jacob prayed, wrestled with an angel. Genesis 32:9-30

Judah with Tamar his daughter-in-law who was dressed as a harlot – Genesis 38

Rahab the harlot – Joshua 2

Ruth the Moabitess – Book of Ruth

Bathsheba gave birth to Solomon and assured he became king. 2 Samuel 11

Luke 1:5-25 – Zacharias and the angel

Luke 1:26-38 – Gabriel and Mary

Matthew 1:18-25 – Joseph and the angel

Luke 1:39-56 – Mary visits Elizabeth.

Luke 1:57-80 – John is born.

Luke 2:1-7- Jesus’ birth

Luke 2:1-7 – Shepherds

Luke 2:8-20 – Jesus and Simeon

Luke 2:21-38 – Jesus and Anna

Matthew 2:1-12 – Magi

Matthew 2:13 – Flight to Egypt