James 3:13–17 Do any of you have wisdom and insight? Show this by living the right way with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and filled with self-centered ambition, don’t brag. Don’t say that you are wise when it isn’t true. That kind of wisdom doesn’t come from above. It belongs to this world. It is self-centered and demonic. Wherever there is jealousy and rivalry, there is disorder and every kind of evil. However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure. Then it is peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good deeds, impartial, and sincere. TO MANY PEOPLE ARE SPENDING THEIR TIME CHECKING OTHER PEOPLE, WHEN THEY NEED TO BE CHECKING THEIRSELF. THIS WORD APPLIES TO ALL PEOPLE INCLUDING DEACONS, MINISTERS, AND PASTORS. YOU ARE CHECKING OTHER PEOPLE BUT YOU ARE NOT CHECKING YOURSELF. CHECK YOURSELF!!! Note the terrible effects of false wisdom and wrong teaching. The person who follows the false wisdom of the world, who selfishly seeks position, recognition, wealth, and authority—who seeks recognition for some novel idea or doctrine he has—who envies and strives with others—that person is a false teacher and he causes confusion and every evil work. When that person is a minister or teacher in the church … • he causes confusion and evil in the church: people become disturbed, divided, form cliques, and begin bearing tales. They become angry and hold feelings against one another and some even leave the church and forsake God. • he causes confusion and evil within families: various members question, wonder, and differ with other family members. They cease to grow and return to the world. • he causes the weak to return to the world and to forsake God and His Word: the weak forsake Christ as the true Son of God, and Christ alone can save man. • he causes persons to attach their lives to an earthly religion of ritual, ceremony, and morality—all of which die at the grave. The false teacher dooms the person to an eternity apart from the Son of God, even Jesus Christ our Lord who is the Savior of the world. The confusion and evil caused by false wisdom and wrong teaching—by teachers who live and teach contrary to God and His Word—are endless. But this much needs to be said: the effects of wrong teaching, of following the false wisdom of this world, should cause every minister and teacher of the church to awaken and examine his life and his beliefs and ministry. The effects should stir many of us to repentance and confession before God. The true wisdom of God. The source of true wisdom is God. True wisdom comes from above, not from this world. It comes from God, not from the princes and scholars of this earth. True wisdom does not come from seeking the knowledge and wisdom of men and of this world; it comes from seeking God—from seeking the knowledge and wisdom of God. The description of true wisdom is clearly stated. What is the wisdom of God? What is this wisdom that is so superior to the wisdom of the princes and scholars of this world? What is this wisdom that the ministers and teachers of God are to be teaching? a. True wisdom is first of all “pure” (hagne). The word means to be pure from fault and defilement; it means moral purity; to be completely separated from impurity and wrong-doing and set apart unto God. It is not being half good and half bad, but totally pure and clean. A person who has true wisdom lives a clean and pure life. ⇒ A truly wise person keeps his body pure. He does not damage himself by overeating, drinking, taking drugs, smoking, and letting himself become flabby. He disciplines himself in all things and keeps himself fit in order to get maximum use out of life. ⇒ A truly wise person keeps his relationships pure. He lives a moral and just life, protecting his spouse, children, family, loved ones, the name of Christ, and his own testimony and ministry. ⇒ A truly wise person keeps himself pure before God so that his relationship with God is always open and so that God can use him as much as He wishes. This is what true wisdom is. It is first pure, and note the word first. Purity is first in importance and the first thing that God gives to a man who seeks true wisdom. A wise teacher, minister and layman alike, is a teacher who lives a pure life and teaches that men must be pure before God.
DID YOU ENJOY THIS DEEP STUDY? SHOULD WE CONTINUE OUR DEEP STUDIES?
2 Peter 1:5–6 (GW) “Because of this, make every effort to add integrity to your faith; and to integrity add knowledge; to knowledge add self-control; to self-control add endurance; to endurance add godliness.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 (GW) “We destroy arguments and every bit of pride that keeps anyone from knowing God. We take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ.” (Mental self-control and discipline in thought.) 2 Timothy 1:7 (GW) “God didn’t give us a cowardly spirit but a spirit of power, love, and good judgment.” (“good judgment” here reflects self-control and discipline.) Ephesians 4:26–27 (GW) “Be angry without sinning. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the devil any opportunity to work.” (Self-control in emotions, especially anger.) A study found that self-control can be contagious. The study, conducted in a laboratory setting, found that watching or even thinking about someone with good self-control makes others more likely to show the same restraint. The study also found the opposite to be true. A person with poor self-control can influence others to act negatively. The effect is so strong that flashing a picture of another person for only 10 milliseconds changed the behavior of study volunteers. People tend to mimic the behavior of those around them, and bad habits tend to spread through social networks. The study is the first to show self-control is contagious regardless of the behavior modeled. “The take-home message of this study is that picking social influences that are positive can improve your self-control.” She added, “And by exhibiting self-control, you’re helping others around you to do the same.” 2 Corinthians 6:14 (GW) “Stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers. Can right and wrong be partners? Can light have anything in common with darkness?” This verse highlights the danger of being closely tied to those who oppose God’s ways. Psalm 26:4–5 (GW) I did not sit with liars, and I will not be found among hypocrites. I have hated the mob of evildoers, and I will not sit with wicked people.” This is a declaration of refusing close association with deceitful or wicked people. 1 Corinthians 15:33 (GW) “Don’t let anyone deceive you. Associating with bad people will ruin decent people.” This verse warns against harmful associations that corrupt character. James 4:8 (GW) “Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Clean up your lives, you sinners, and clear your minds, you doubters.” This verse emphasizes that intimacy with God requires both drawing near and cleansing one’s life.
BE CAREFUL WHO YOU DRAY CLOSE TO, AND BE CAREFUL WHO YOU ALLOW YOUR CHIDLREN TO BE IN CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH.
ALLOW THIS WORD FROM GOD TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE.
Psalm 37:8 Let go of anger, and leave rage behind. Do not be preoccupied. It only leads to evil. James 1:20 An angry person doesn’t do what God approves of. Proverbs 14:17 A short-tempered person acts stupidly, and a person who plots evil is hated. Proverbs 19:19 A person who has a hot temper will pay for it. If you rescue him, you will have to do it over and over. Proverbs 15:18 A hothead stirs up a fight, but one who holds his temper calms disputes. Ecclesiastes 7:9 Don’t be quick to get angry, because anger is typical of fools. CONTROL YOUR TEMPER. DON’T HOLD ON TO ANGER. James 1:19 – “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Proverbs 14:29 – “Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.” Psalm 37:8 – “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.” Romans 12:18 – “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
PARENTS AND CHURCH LEADERS SHOULD STUDY THE WORD OF GOD
2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Colossians 3:16 “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Romans 15:4 Everything written long ago was written to teach us so that we would have confidence through the endurance and encouragement which the Scriptures give us. Joshua 1:8 Never stop reciting these teachings. You must think about them night and day so that you will faithfully do everything written in them. Only then will you prosper and succeed. Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. Proverbs 4:13 Cling to discipline. Do not relax your grip on it. Keep it because it is your life. Proverbs 16:16 How much better it is to gain wisdom than gold, and the gaining of understanding should be chosen over silver.IN 2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker who isn’t ashamed to teach the word of truth correctly.
THERE IS NO WAY A PARENT CAN TEACH THEIR CHILD THE WAY TO GO IF THEY DON’T KNOW THE WORD OF GOD. PARENTS MUST READ AND STUDY THE WORD OF GOD IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN THE WAY TO GO. HOW CAN CHURCH LEADERS LEAD AND GUIDE OUR CHILDREN WHEN THEY DON’T TAKE TIME TO READ AND STUDY THE WORD OF GOD. CHURCH LEADERS MUST TAKE TIME TO ALLOW GOD TO TEACH THEM BEFORE THEY TEACH OUR CHILDREN. CHURCH LEADERS MUST READ AND STUDY THE WORD OF GOD. BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE, STUDY THE WORD OF GOD AND SHOW YOURSELF WORTHY TO BE USED BY GOD.
2 Timothy 2:13 If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful because he cannot be untrue to himself. Numbers 23:19 – “God is not like people. He tells no lies. He is not like humans. He doesn’t change his mind. When he says something, he does it. When he makes a promise, he keeps it.” Deuteronomy 7:9 – “Realize that the LORD your God is God. He is the faithful God who keeps his promise for a thousand generations for those who love him and obey his commands.” 1 Corinthians 1:9 – “God faithfully keeps his promises. He called you to be partners with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” Unlike humans, God’s promises are tied to His very essence. To deny His word would mean denying Himself, which is impossible. Our failures don’t nullify God’s truth. His faithfulness ensures that His promises of salvation, judgment, and covenant remain intact. This is both comforting (He won’t abandon His people) and sobering (He will remain true to His justice as well).
OUR GOD KNOWS WE ARE NOT PERFECT; OUR GOD KNOWS WE ARE GOING TO MESS UP, BUT WHEN WE MESS UP OUR GOD DON’T CHANGE UP. GLORY!!! HALLELUJAH!!!
DO YOU BELIEVE? 1 John 3:23 (ESV) “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” John 14:6 (NKJV) “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 1:12 “But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” John 6:47 “Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.” Acts 16:31 (NASB) “They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” In the Bible, the word believe means to agree in your mind that something is true. If you believe God exists, you accept he’s real. But believing goes deeper than this, because Christian belief means trusting God to the point that you’ll commit your life to follow and live for Him. SELF-CHECK: DO YOU BELIEVE? “The issue of faith is not so much whether we believe in God, but whether we believe the God we believe in.” Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com http://www.youtube.com/@andrahigginbotham8096 PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
Think about What God Has Done for Us Salvation through Christ Romans 5:8 – “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Forgiveness of sins Colossians 1:13–14 – “He has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of his Son, whom he loves. His Son paid the price to free us, which means that our sins are forgiven.” God gave us New life 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.” God accepted us as family – Adoption as His children Galatians 4:4–5 – “But when the right time came, God sent his Son… so that we might receive adoption as children.” Ephesians 2:13–14 – “But now, through Christ Jesus, you, who were once far away, have been brought near by the blood of Christ. He is our peace.” What God Is Doing for Us Now Interceding for us Romans 8:34 – “Christ Jesus, who died and was raised to life, is at the right hand of God, interceding for us.” Sanctifying and transforming us Philippians 1:6 – “I am convinced of this: He who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Providing daily care Matthew 6:31–33 – “So don’t ever worry and say, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’ … Your heavenly Father knows that you need all of them.” Strengthening us in weakness 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “My grace is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak.” Guiding us by His Spirit John 16:13 – “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into the whole truth.” What God Will Do for Us Give eternal life John 14:2–3 – “There are many rooms in my Father’s house… I am going to prepare a place for you.” Wipe away every tear Revelation 21:4 – “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won’t be any more death. There won’t be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared.” These verses show the continuity of God’s work: past (salvation), present (care and transformation), and future (eternal hope).
WHY DO YOU NOT THANK GOD MORE FOR WHO HE IS, AND WHAT HE DOES? DO YOU FEEL THAT GOD IS WORTHY OF THANKS? LET US GIVE OUR GOD ABUNDANT THANKS!!!! THANK YOU GOD!!!!!
Psalm 121:7-8 The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. WE NEED GOD. Ephesians 5:15-16 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. MAKE WISE DECESIONS, MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR LIFE. Proverbs 21:21 Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. LIVE A RIGHTEOUS LIFE. Psalm 31:3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. ALLOW GOD TO GUIDE YOUR FOOTSTEPS. 1 Timothy 4:12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
God Does Not Fail You Psalm 121:1–8 I look up toward the mountains. Where can I find help? My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not let you fall. Your guardian will not fall asleep. Indeed, the Guardian of Israel never rests or sleeps. The LORD is your guardian. The LORD is the shade over your right hand. The sun will not beat down on you during the day, nor will the moon at night. The LORD guards you from every evil. He guards your life. The LORD guards you as you come and go, now and forever. WE CAN COUNT ON OUR GOD, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS WE ARE FACING IN OUR LIFE. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com http://www.youtube.com/@andrahigginbotham8096 PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
Acknowledging God To acknowledge God means to recognize His sovereignty, presence, and authority in every aspect of life, responding with trust, obedience, and reverence. Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Let us take a close look at proverbs 3:6 Verse 6 begins by saying in all your ways – “In all your ways” means every area of life—not just spiritual matters, but daily decisions, relationships, work, and even personal struggles. It calls for a holistic dependence on God. Verse 6 continues by saying acknowledge Him – to acknowledge God is to actively invite Him into your choices, recognizing His authority and wisdom. Verse 6 continues by saying He will make you paths straight – – Life often feels like a winding road full of uncertainty. The promise here is that God will remove obstacles, provide clarity, and guide you toward His intended destination. “Straight” does not mean easy, but it means directed, purposeful, and aligned with GOD’S will. WE MUST ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE GOD, WE MUST NOT FORGET WHO OUR GOD IS. IF WE WILL JUST DO THAT IT WILL BE EASY TO TRUST GOD, OBEY GOD, AND REVERENCE GOD. OH YES WE MUST ACKNOWLEDE GOD IN ALL THAT WE DO, AND WE SHOULD INVITE GOD INTO EVERY DECISION THAT WE MAKE. IF WE CAN’T INCLUDE GOD IN WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, THEN WE SHOULDN’T DO IT, BUT GOD SHOULD STILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED IN THE DECISION NOT TO DO IT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE GOD IN EVERY THING WE DO, AND GOD SHOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGED IN THINGS WE DON’T DO. ONCE WE ACKNOWLEDGE GOD IT WILL BE EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND RECEIVE FROM THE FOLLOWING VERSES. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Matthew 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Proverbs 16:3 Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established. Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 100:3 Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
I HOPE YOU WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE FROM THIS POWERFUL WORD FROM GOD.
What God Is Doing for Us Now
What God Will Do for Us
These verses show the continuity of God’s work: past (salvation), present (care and transformation), and future (eternal hope).
