Practical Faith For All-year-round Faithfulness

TEXT:  JAMES 1:1,6; 2:17,20,26; 5:15-16 James 1:1,6

We are looking at three things in this study:

1. THE SERVANT OF THE LORD JESUS (James 1:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:24-26)

James introduced himself as a servant of the Lord, this is how we should see and introduce ourselves. The word “servant” in the original Greek language referred to a slave, we should see ourselves as slaves of God and attach ourselves to Him. You must know that you have no independent way of thinking or doing anything, and nothing separates you from Him because you are His bond-slave.

2 Timothy 2:24-26. The servant was also referred to as slaves who are subjected to their master. You know a servant of God positively by what he does and negatively by what he does not do. Positively – the servant of God must serve and negatively – he must not strive. No excuse or occasion for him to strive, what is he striving for? He is doing the work of God and he must be gentle, patient and meek. He serves and submits to the Lord for the good of the people. The purpose of the servant serving and not striving, and bringing the love of God to the people is so that they will recover themselves from the snares of the devil.

1. The Peculiar Servant of God (Nehemiah 10:29; Titus 1:1-3; Revelation 15:3-5)

Moses was referred to as a servant of God. The Lord called him and he answered and did everything as he was instructed on the mount. He obeyed God and ministered to the people in all instructions and words given to him. He brought food for them when they were hungry and water when they were thirsty. No servant of God has the right to change anything from whatever he was given.

Titus 1:1-2. Saul was a sinner saved by grace. From his salvation and onwards, Paul obeyed all that the Lord told him to do. He fasted and prayed three days and nights to hear from the Lord, this is what servants of God do, to wait on, and hear from Him. Paul took the gospel to the Gentiles as he was commanded. He did the will of God to the letter, and was not disobedient to the heavenly calling. Servants of God have hope in the Lord. They know that there is hope of eternal life and a future. They believe in all promises and support from God, they have confidence and hope in Him as regards eternal life which He promised them.

vs 3. Servants of God believe that preaching the word is mandatory and indispensable because through it, they prepare people for heaven, unlike some ministries where they put limitation on the word of God, and put utmost value on other activities. True servants of God know that necessity is laid on them as regards preaching the Word day and night, rainy and dry season, when it is convenient and when it is not. They have commitment to the commandments from the Lord which they carry out, they not only pay attention to aspects of the promise, provision or protection.

2. This Particular Servant of God (James 1:1; Acts 12:11-17; Galatians 2:9-10)

God is a separate Entity, while Jesus is also a separate Entity, that was why James introduced himself as “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Servants of God must observe all that God and our Lord Jesus said/say. They must be submissive to God as Creator of the heaven and earth and to Christ as Saviour and Redeemer.

Acts 12:11. Herod had laid hands on James, the brother of John and killed him. Seeing that this pleased the Jews, he planned to kill Peter next. He arrested and locked him up in prison but the Angel of the Lord came to free him, led him out of prison and disappeared. Then Peter realized what happened and went to the house of the mother of John-Mark where the brethren were praying. He knocked and when they saw him, they first exercised unbelief, then great joy but he told them not to make a noise. He recounted to them all that happened, after which he told them to go and relate everything to James, the brother of the Lord and other brethren. Then, James was a significant leader in the church at Jerusalem.

When Jesus was on earth, he didn’t believe on Him. At a point, he told Him to go and manifest His power in the open because anyone who has anything significant makes it known to the people.