JOSHUA

World Evangelism

                 "THE LIFE OF VICTORY"

                                 LESSON    4 

                        A HIGH CALLING

                                                 By: Hans Hofman

Dear friend,

I hope and pray that, while reading the letter ot James in preparation for this

lesson, you will have discovered the wonderful greatness of God's love for you, and

the great and wonderful calling with which God has called you to make known to you

the gospel of salvation. God has saved you through His Son Jesus Christ to become

a kind of first fruits of His creatures (James 1:18). Jesus said: . Go forth therefore

and make all nations My discipIes, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the

Son and of the Ho/y Spirit; teaching them to obey everything that I have

commanded you.. Matthew 28:19. Not a small calling for you and me.

God has called you to be an ambassadordor for Him here on earth. someone you can

go to with problems and vital questions in times of despair. Someone with whom

you can pray and share God's word and love. God has called you for a purpose.

passing on His love in the service of His Name. Not just a job, but a life-style.

In our own strength we would never be able to fulfil this task and this high calling.

But through THE RESURRECTED LlFE OF JESUS CHRIST in you and through

THE POWER OF THE HOL Y SPIRIT it is no longer important what we can do, but

WHAT GOD CAN AND WANTS TO DO THROUGH YOU.

John rejoiced every time he heard how other Christians walked in truth AND IN

THE POWER OF GOD in OBEDIENCE to this calling. He rejoiced when he was

given a good testimony about the life and obedience of other disciples (3 John).

What does your life testify of? God does not look at who or what you are, but

who you are IN JESUS. God knows who you are in your own strength, but He

also knows who you are when you walk in and with Jesus. From these two ways

of life, God chooses the best. Which one do you choose?

In this lesson we will go, once again, one step further with the Lord Jesus.

these lessons are not just meant for bible-study, but to teach you how to walk as

"worthy children of God" as a witness to the nations.to the honour and glory of God

the Father. Worship Him through your life. Make every part of the Bible, which

we study part of your personal life, not just head-knowledge but a functional

part of your life. During this bible-study you may have come across things

which you still cannot understand, because you have 'never heard of them before

or heard them told in a different way. Test what you are reading according

to the word of God, the Bible, and speak about it in prayer with your

heavenly Father. Always pray in the name of the Lord Jesus. James 1:5. 

1. James speaks in James 1:2,3 about a test of your faith. He also says that

   we should be glad about it. Why? What does the testing of your faith produce?

   James 1:2,3 .................................................................................................­

2. In verse 4, James continues on the theme of perseverance.

    Why is perseverance so important? What function does it have, what

    purpose does it serve in your faith life? ..........................................................

3. In one of the lessons I mentioned the example of a tree, which first has to

   grow before it can produce fruit and weather the storms.

   Likewise, the purpose of these trials is to make you a stable and strong

   Christian. Trees are sometimes pruned to produce the maximum amount of

   fruit or to remain fruitful. They first look for the branches which do not bear fruit

  or are unlikely to bear fruit, depending on the kind of tree.

  Bad branches have to be taken away and destroyed.

  These branches, however, have grown out of the same trunk as the good

  branches have. Where do temptations come from? James 1:13,14..

  ........................................................................................................................

4. What happens if during temptations you do not discern the truth and you Iet it

    grow until it produces sin? James 1:14. .............................................................

   Temptations are like young, wild shoots from which branches grow that produce

    evil fruits or no fruit at all. When you are in temptation, you must immediately

    focus your attention on Christ and cut away evil branches by confessing

    your sins to God, who destroyed these unfruitful objects through Jesus Christ on

    the Cross of Calvary (read (compare) also 1 John 1 :9). .....................................

    .....................................................................................................................

5. God loves you and His will for you as His child is that your life should be

    overflowing with peace, joy and gladness. What can you do with your questions

   in every situation? James 1:5 ............................................................................

6. How should you pray in order to receive an answer? James 1:6 ...........................

    .....................................................................................................................

7. What is faith, according to Hebrews 11:1? .........................................................

    ......................................................................................................................

8. Faith is trusting completely what God says in His Word and ACTING

   accordingly, knowing that God will faithfully confirm His Word. E.g. when you

   confessed your sins to God, you trusted (believed) that God would forgive them in

   accordance with His promise through the blood and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus.

   God confirmed your act of  faith by giving you His peace. You felt pure on the

   inside and experienced freedom towards God to communicate with Him and to

   thank Him. Hebrews 10:19. Sometimes it is difficult for us humans to persevere

   on the often lonely road with God in PURITY and LOVE. God Ioves you and

   knows all about it (Hebr. 10:32-36 and 2:18). What do we need according

   to Hebrews 10:36? ........................................................................................­

9. What should you not give up? Our c....................................

10. We can keep this freedom by living in obedience, purity and love for Jesus.

    You need this freedom to fulfil the following command as a Christian. WHICH

    command did Jesus give in Mark 16:15? ............................................................

    .......................................................................................................................

11. And which command in Matthew 28:19? ...........................................................

     ......................................................................................................................

12. And which command does God give in 2 Timothy 2:2?

     .......................................................................................................................

      13. In James 2:14-26 James points out, that faith is alive and functioning only if

           accompanied by works. So faith is ACTION Coming from a RELATIONSHIP

           based on mutual trust, a relationship which you ACTIVE. Healing etc. will follow if

           believers lay hands on the sick. These signs, therefore will follow AFTER you

           have acted in faith and obedience to God and His word, the Bible. So it is, in fact,

           God who confirms His Word THROUGH the channel of your act of faith.

           These are the fruits which you will produce if you spread

           your ROOTS OF FAITH in God's Word.

           This is why James 1:21,22 is so important in your life.

           The devil hates this abundant life in God. What does God tell us to do with him?

    James 4:7 .......................................................................................................

14. God will give His Holy Spirit to everyone who prays for it to His glory. It is the

      Holy Spirit who will bring to mind God's Word during the moments when you

      need a certain scripture. God says: . Store My words in your heart.

      (Not just in your head). Let it become part of your life, then you will be able to

      FULFIL, through the Holy Spirit, the great command "Make all nations My

      disciples", What important functions does the Word have according to

      2 Timothy 3:16? ............................................................................................

15. For what purpose? 3:17 ................................................................................

16. According to Ephesians 4:11, God gave five different ministries to His Church

    (i.e. the born-again children of God together forming the Body of Christ. We will

     deal this in the followinglessons). For what purpose did God give these five

     ministries (tasks) to His Church? Ephesians 4:12. ............................................

     ....................................................................................................................

17. Under what circumstances did the Thessalonians accept the Word?

     1 Thessalonians 1:6 ......................................................................................

18. In what spirit did they accept the Word, in spite of negative circumstances?

      1 Thessalonians 1:6 ......................................................................................

19. In Philippians 3:18, Paul warns us not to live as enemies of the Cross in

     disobedience, impurity etc..  How should we live then (1 John 2:6)?

     ......................................................................................................................

20. How did Jesus live? Acts 10:38. .......................................................................

      .....................................................................................................................

21. How does Jesus send you as one of His disciples (as a Christian)? John 20:21

      ......................................................................................................................

       22. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, God promised in His

             Word to give the same power and the same Spirit to you (John 16:7, Acts 1:8).

             What does Jesus promise to you in John 16:23,24? ...........................................

             ......................................................................................................................

      and in 1 John 5:14,15? .....................................................................................

      .......................................................................................................................

   THEREFOR.E HE IS ABLE TO SAVE THEM TO THE UTTERMOST THAT COME

                   UNTO GOD BY HIM, SINCE HE IS ALWAYS LIVING TO

                         MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM (Hebr, 7:25)

    HE WHO BELIEVES IN GOD HAS THE TESTIMONY IN HIMSELF (1 John 5:10a)

Before you start on lesson 5 next week read Genesis 1 to 30 and the letter of Jude.